I found this great little craft book, Lovely Things To Make For Girls of Slender Means by Eithne Farry, at the library the other day. It is divided into 4 chapters of projects that reflect the seasons of the year, and in the Summer chaper (along with designs for a kaftan, a necklace made from wooden chip-forks and a floppy sunhat) I found this project for making fabric roses.
Just for fun over the weekend, I made a big red rose according to Eithne's directions from some scraps of red silk fabric, as a pin for my favourite dress.
The book itself has a really light and fun feel to it, and is very creative without getting too stuck on technical sewing patterns or instructions- the reader is encouraged to lighten up and experiment.
When I have another long and lonely evening in front of me, I'll give her dress design a go, and make enough roses in matching fabric to sew all over the front, as you can see in the picture above.
