Welcome to the Lazy Archives

Wow! Hi there! It’s been a while, is there anyone out there still reading? Don’t you hate the culture of “busy”? I know I do, but you know what, I have been really flipping busy! I started a new job last April as a Textile Technician at my local sixth form college. Only two days a week, but add that to my work at Ministry of Craft and for Sew Now magazine, plus the volunteer work I do for LLLGB and my WI sewing group.…..hmmm you get the picture? ...

It is at this time of year, when I can fling open the doors to my shed that I probably love it most. In the winter I love it because it is cosy, but the summer gives it a whole different feeling. I think it’s about 3 years now since I took over the garden shed and made it mine. I’m so very glad I did too. Our house has 7 people in it and the shed is my quiet little sanctuary. ...

 So here we are again, another May of Me Mades’s. Head on over to Zoe’s blog to find out more. Honestly this year I’ve started out without a pledge or plan, just chucking on my me mades as usual, but today I think I have decided on my focus for this #mmmay17 Yes that is a giant pile of clean laundry on my sofa! #mmm17 day 3 and I have been feeling guilty for not giving myself an actual challenge this year. I wear me mades most days, but I have gained a lot of weight recently….gotta love the peri menopause and a knackered thyroid 🙄 Trying hard to focus on body positivity instead of diets which make me sad….anyway this all means that lots of my clothes just don’t fit well anymore, so this month I am weeding those out and starting afresh! Today I am wearing a #maudeskirt Which co incidentally I am talking about on my You Tube Channel; this week it is part 2, just search Lazy Seamstress on You Tube to find me 😊 ...

I have been casually searching since sometime last year for the perfect pair of dungarees and the perfect pinafore. The dungarees are for another day, this week I have been concentrating on Pinafores! I was planning to draft my own pinafore, something vaguely 70’s inspired and fitted at the waist, since that might suit my rather ample curves. Then I spotted the Freya dress pattern that came free with a copy of Simply Sewing, and it seemed to fit the brief well, yay! No need to draft my own pattern! I firstly made it up in some faux suede. I made the largest size, but sadly was a bit snug, though wearable. ...

I’ve been a little bit (unintentionally) quite on here recently. I do hate when blog posts start with an apology, but I’m going to apologise anyway, to myself if no one else! Life around here has been very busy with work, so I can’t complain about that, at least I love my work! I have still managed to fit in a few sewing projects for myself though, and if you follow me on Instagram you will have seen those, already. There have been a couple of circle skirts : ...

I have a slight obsession with underpinnings! Just take a look at my lingerie board on Pinterest! As a dressmaker, I know only too well that no matter how beautifully I sew a garment, if I wear it over unsupportive, unflattering, poorly fitting underwear it’s just not going to show that garment off at it’s best. Vintage or reproduction vintage garments especially need appropriate underpinnings! This is something I never tire of reminding my clients when I am teaching. ...

Yeah, I know it’s already 12th January! My children didn’t finish school and college until 23rd December, which means they only went back to school and college on Monday…is it really only four days ago? Why am I so tired? Poor Eden had to go back to college on her birthday! She was less than impressed to say the least. I now have two adult children, since Eden turned 18 on Monday! It’s a strange feeling. Christmas was quiet (well as quiet as it gets around here!), and I did a lot of cosying up on the sofa, a bit of crocheting, but not a lot of anything else, which felt good. In fact so good I’m finding it rather hard to get back into the normal routine. Grey January skies certainly don’t help. ...

Two years ago I signed up to do a City and Guilds Level 3 in Fashion at a local sixth form college. I already had an A level in Needlework and Dress from my school days, and of course many years experience, but I had only ever taught myself pattern cutting, (thank you Winifred Aldrich!) and wanted to expand my knowledge in that area. So, every Wednesday night for two years I pootled off to college, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I loved having that time to do something ‘just because’. I met some fabulous people, not least my lovely tutor Heather Lightfoot. ...

Wow! So it’s been a while! Summer was tough, house full of children and all their needs, plus freelance work that needed finishing and you know, life. I still have been sewing for myself, but in a rather haphazard way, with no plan, and well it all has been feeling a bit disjointed. I might be having a mid life style crisis! ( I might also be being overly dramatic!) ...

This time of year calls for cosy , and cosy for me is anything that feels like pyjamas, but looks enough like clothes to wear during the day! This dress is soooo comfy, it really feels like a nightdress, can be layered with various jumpers and cardigans, worn over jeans or leggings, or tights. I used my Nell pattern again, but probably could’ve gone down a size, it is a little big. ...