Two Stripes (Do you enter competitions?)

I'm not usually one for entering competitions other than the random draw kind - I worry about looking foolish. In a rational way I do know that entering sewing competitions can be very educational: you try your best, you allow others to judge you, and you accept their feedback. Sounds very civilised, doesn't it, but as we all know the rational brain often loses out to the emotional one! 

So as you probably know - you may have entered - there's this dress sewing competition, The Tessuti Awards, happening at the moment here in Australia, and it's open to everyone around the world. Basically you have to sew a dress from Tessuti fabric in a standard size 10 (AU) to fit a theme. This year's theme is Spots and Stripes; last year's was Linen and Lace. Entries close very soon (less than 1 day left I think...).


After a couple of weeks of planning (also called procrastination and muslining) I ran out of time to make the pink stripey number I'd planned especially for the competition, but I happen to love stripes, so I happen to have a couple of I-made-this-earlier striped dresses made of Tessuti fabrics. PLUS my size is at the upper end of the defined size 10 (AU) :-) which is rather a treat when you think you're a 12 or so.  If you want to skip to the chase, I've entered 2 dresses and you can see the entries here and here. And if you're feeling kind and benevolent you can click on 5 hearts to give me a vote for one or both. 

But if you want to take the long road, keep reading.

My mum came by to take better photos than my originals, but unfortunately I look to have been eating a lot since then :-) - so the photos look better but the model looks worse! The red jacket is from an 80s pattern but it's very similar in style to the one that comes with the dress pattern - just shorter - and I'm glad to find it a dress partner.

Would I tell you if I'd eaten all the pies?

Well frankly my dears, no. And I find the accusation quite belittling.

So I'll just pop my jacket on...

... and seek new horizons over there ...

... or just by the fence where there's a delicious aroma.

I'll cherish my memories of the pianoforte though...

... and of this pattern too.

Harumph.  The pattern's coming avec.  Adieu!

I do love stripes!

And here are my new photos of dress #2, which is evidently a more flattering cut! Sometimes too a big hat makes one's face invisible, and sometimes that is also a flattering look :-):

 

There were hundreds in entrants in Tessuti's (Linen and Lace) dress sewing competition last year - and that was just in Australia.  As at the time of this post there look to be more than ?100 entrants, and they are an inspiring bunch. Do go and have a look... BUT if you like either of my dresses, or want to spare me from looking like Nigel-No-Friends, I'd love if you could vote for one of my two dresses - it's anonymous and super-easy... here's my vintage dress entry, and my Tracey Reese dress entry is here.

Anyway, I hope to be back soon to share either a new vintage Vogue pattern dress, or (this would take self-control) a completed jacket, denim skirt or pair of linen pants from the WIP pile.

Wishing you lots of sewing mojo!
-Gabrielle