Mojo Rising

For the last couple of weeks I've eagerly sat on the floor in my sewing room with a mug of tea and the radio tuned to BBC 6Music. I've rifled through my fabric stash, leafed through my vintage patterns only to come with a big fat zilch.....nada....zero. Even the dulcet tones of Jarvis Cocker haven't managed to inspire me. Desperate to make something but with sod all ideas, I was beginning to feel like an author with writer's block, my creative mojo had shrivelled up and died. Finally, on Tuesday night, inspiration struck. I hadn't worn my 1970s paisley catsuit all summer and, loathe to pack it away before at least one outing, why not make something to wear underneath it?

Using a pair of 1970s pillow cases from Brentford Nylons, which unless you're over 40 and British won't mean a thing to you, I adapted this 1972 dress pattern into a cropped blouse.

I replaced the zip fastening for a single button and didn't bother with the elasticated cuffs, leaving the sleeves wide and loose, impractical, frivolous and perfectly me.

WEARING: Handmade Bri-Nylon blouse (using pillowcases from Make Do & Vintage), 1960s paisley catsuit (2013, Chickadooli Vintage @ Moseley Vintage Fair), Stuart Weizmann ankle boots (£2, charity shop)

With my trusty 1960s turquoise leather coat thrown over the lot, this was yesterday's charity shopping outfit. It was a bit of a shame to hide the sleeves but it was bastard freezing.  I did remove my coat to reveal my outfit to the ladies in one of the charity shops who apparently look forward to seeing me and my retro outfits once a fortnight.

Whilst out chazzing I spied this ridiculous keyboard necklace in the clearance charity shop for 50p. I loved it so much I decided I needed to run up a dress to wear with it.

This 1960s star printed length of glazed cotton bought from a car boot sale back in the summer seemed just the thing.  and luckily there was just enough fabric to make a kimono sleeve mini dress using one of my favourite vintage Jiffy patterns. It's from 1966, like all the best things are. Back in the 1960s Mum used to buy fabric from Birmingham's Rag Market on a Saturday morning, go home and make herself an outfit using a Jiffy pattern to go out in that night.

Jiffy patterns certainly live up to their name. My dress took just over two hours to make. The zip was salvaged from a 1970s jumble sale dress that was too tatty to wear. The hook and eye I used at the back of the neck & the vintage Sylko thread I sewed it up with came from a biscuit tin stuffed with sewing notions bought from a car boot for a couple of quid.

The finished frock! Have you noticed my skirts get shorter as the weather gets colder? What's that all about?

WEARING: Star print glazed cotton mini and plastic keyboard necklace worn with vintage 1970s red leather platforms (£15, Sutton Coldfield Vintage & Arts Fair), 80 denier opaque tights (charity shop), plastic bangles (bought second hand over the last 30 years), perspex rings (Mum's from the 1960s)

We haven't got any fairs or any plans this weekend and it's quite exciting. Do I sew (my brain is positively fizzing with ideas), do I upload some more fabulous vintage on to the website, search for a flight to India or do I just lie around on the settee watching vintage Bollywood movies with a party pack of Bombay Mix?

See you soon!