Well, in the two weeks since my last blog post the world has become a very different place.  I’m generally going to just stick to posting my sewing stuff here, but need to acknowledge that these are very strange and difficult times.  Stay home, stay safe, stay away from other people, let’s do all that we possibly can to flatten the curve.  Don’t wait for government instruction to just stay home – if at all possible, do it now.  We’re all in the same boat here and we all need to pull together – but separately! Stay away from the shops and the cafes and the restaurants except to get food, and only when you HAVE to.

In the meantime, these are the True Bias Lodo dresses I made a few weeks ago.  The first successful one that I sewed is here.

This short version is sewn from printed ponte from Rathdowne Fabrics. It’s much more structured fabric than the previous version, so the cocoon shape is much more evident.

Even this the shorter version doesn’t need the centre back seam to accommodate a walking split, I left the seam there for shaping. Like the previous version, this dress has a half inch sway back adjustment to allow for my short back waist length. It also has the same half inch forward shoulder alteration.

This is pattern length for the short version of the dress. I’m 158cm tall, and wouldn’t want it any shorter! Fine when standing and walking, but no so fine when bending over. Overall I really like this Lodo.

Isn’t that a gorgeous fabric? It was a gift, but I think originally may have come from Tessuti Fabrics. It’s also a ponte, but this one is super soft and drapey. I figure that it’s got lots of rayon in it. Fibre type really affects the feel and structure of ponte, even when it’s still essentially a double knit.

This is pretty much the same as the black with goldish blocks one I sewed, just in a different fabric. Exactly the same alterations. I notice that using quilting cotton for the sleeve facings is making the sleeve edges stick out a bit – the ponte is very soft, whereas the cotton is more structured, even cut on the bias.

Well, that’s it with the Lodo dresses for now – I think that my wardrobe has plenty! I have a few things to update the blog with and it looks as though I’ll be getting a whole lot more sewed up in the next few weeks/months. I am fortunate to be able to work from home, as is my husband, so in many ways things are carrying on in the new normal for us. Everything in all our calendars has been cancelled. Clare did Girl Guides last night via Zoom, and Stella has done her dance classes today via an online platform. School is still running but quickly enabling capability for school from home – Clare is in Year 12, so this has been a source of anxiety for us. Thank goodness for the technology that is keeping us all together and connected socially while being separated physically.