When I was little, I had white lace up roller skates with red wheels. They were second hand, a birthday gift and made me feel like Olivia Newton-John from Xanadu. I used to skate up and down Fraser Avenue, gliding as a baby giraffe on a ice-skates, dressed in Sunday best and trying to avoid any sort of downward gradient. I’d say there was limited success… I could skate in a straight line, turn if going sloth speed and go backwards with the support of another’s holding hands.

I think this dress would have enabled me to perform a flying spin, double axel and and cantilever with hands extended in the driveway. Such comfort, easily styled and with ready access to knees for grazing, the Lady Skater Dress from Kitschycoo is a very pleasing dress.

I’ve not ventured much into the land of knits, being a firm lover of woven fabrics. However when I found a Liberty jersey at fabric.com I knew that Esther (my overlocker) and I were destined to explore a new world… Or just a new fabric. Everything has to be so dramatic!

So this is my wearable muslin in a black ponte knit. I lengthened the bodice by 2.5cm, the skirt by 3cm and resolved myself to unpicking the waistband to remove the clear elastic I’d zig zagged in because it made my tummy itch (which resulted in me being cross. And no one wants to be cross in a dress.).

For my Liberty Lady, I will extend the should seam 1-2cm to accommodate those swimming shoulders of mine that didn’t come about as a result of swimming. Where did they come from? I wonder. Although, now I’ve put together a couple of Coco dresses from Tilly and the Buttons, I’m torn about which pattern to use. It appears this fabric is no longer available….. So one or the other. Needs must and so on.

If you follow me on insta (@magdalenesmuse) you might have noticed I have dabbled in a little ballet style for Me Made May. Which is going seriously well for a last minute decision. Only one day missed due to being stuck in bed. Proud!

Another Lady Skater, in A.Hill fabric when I went on a fabric binge last week…..

And this is a little photo of me when I was 7 and doing ballet. I suspect the roller-skates are responsible for the knees.

grazed knees, but brave enough to continue my class

Curtsey

Pips xx