Adventures with beardman and baldman

There’s been a lack of me posting,reading and commenting on everyone’s blogs as I was in Paris. Just up front there are some great guides to fabric shopping in Paris that I listed previously and as I just followed them I won’t write my own.

We stayed in a hostel and had no internet on the fifth floor to which we had to walk each time. I’m sure we have the best butts in town now!
Paris was great. We stayed a ten minute walk away from the sacre Coeur and the fabric shops! Tuesday I spent two hours being overwhelmed but once I spotted these forest fabrics I started shopping and stopped just shy of my budget.

I also saw liberty fabrics for the very first time and they are so so soft. One day I shall splurge.
Other purchases included this lovely Japanese lawn:

Something I found in the furniture section:

And two boring fabrics.

Oh the other is in the bottom of my bag.
My french is apparently so bad that Noone understood me so I just bought with hands and feet.
For some awesome pics of the lil mannequins in tissu reine check out Roisins post. They were creepy but also really fun. I would love to work there and sew those mini outfits.
Otherwise I bought from dreyfus and another couple smaller shops.
Many have a coupon system where there is 3 metres pre cut and you just buy that. However it was often a little disorganized requiring rummaging skills which I don’t have.
My biggest disappointment was finding the perfect Seersucker I wanted and there only being one metre left.
Now some touristy pics.
This is a live post as I’m about to board the train home.

Creepy museum of evolution

Amazing postal service gig

Notre dame

Apart from that we went to museums and met lovely people in the hostel and saw the postal service live.

View from sacre Coeur

It was a great holiday and considering I still havent seen the Eiffel tower I shall be back!

Stuck in a (Laurel) rut

I see people lose their sewjo all the time and same happens to me, but it never lasted all that long. I end up making something at least. 

At the moment I am uninspired but my fabrics, but I do have some lovely ones still, but just cannot make myself work in small increments at the moment, ie. trace a pattern one eve, cut it the next etc,

I want it all to be as fast as the Laurel! But after making a top and 4 dress versions I am worried about making more of them. Do I really need that many? 

The grey jersey that I had planned to use for a version with a button band similar to the Banksia top I think should actually become a Tiramisu dress. But then I do not own that pattern … yet!

My Banksia/Laurel inspiration (yes slightly obsessed with her wardrobe)

Vs Tiramisu

Make tiramisu or Banksia/Laurel?

My main aim/hope is to be inspired by Paris and the fabrics and notions there. i am still on a budget but will hopefully come back with some gems to be inspired by!

Oh and also I am going to make a purchase at By Hand London, Loving their designs! Modern and feminine and everyone has loved making their designs! 

Cannot wait to make the Blazer! 

Have you made too many versions of one pattern and regretted it?

And also Banksia/Laurel or Tiramisu using grey jersey (double knit)?

Have you ever …

Have you ever copied the look or an item of a celebrity or clothes store?
What was the most difficult part about this? Were you happy with your “copy”?

I know some of you have done this and some even got a bad comment or two because of this. I do not understand why, because I am quite convinced that the online and indie community inspires designers and vice versa.

I actually thought I would do more “inspired by” or “copies” of things I have seen such as my 500 days of summer cambie.

Currently I am stuck in a rut. Loads of ideas but no fabric or time to go and find fabric! grrr. This is frustrating me a little especially as my most recent make got thrown in the corner because every zip I put in breaks. But that is another post.

I am now taking comfort from the fact that I shall be going to Paris soon and will find all the awesome fabrics I need. Such as seersucker for another Zooey Deschanel inspired dress:

For Paris shopping ideas check out these awesome links:

Roisin’s guide

Karen’s guide

Melissa’s guide

With their help I have already starred tonnes of locations on my google map! yay! The boys will just have to keep each other company for a couple of days! haha!

Do you have plans to make your own version of a celebrity or clothes shop dress?