2016

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. ...

One day last week I decided I hated most of my clothes. I was sick of trying to fit my ever expanding waistline (sad face) into dresses and skirts that refused to co operate. So over half of my wardrobe went in a charity collection bag…well, more than one actually! I have only kept clothes that I really love, and my new sewing resolution is to sew things I really want to wear, and to satisfy my urge to sew random clothes I will sew with someone in mind and spread the joy. ...

My friend found this fabulous vintage housecoat a few months ago, and knowing how much I would love it, she sent it to me. Sadly it wouldn’t fit over my ample boobage and so hung on a hanger for a while, while I pondered what to do with it. I felt kinda guilty hacking into it, not something I usually worry about, but it was a gift… ...

I had a hankering for dungarees, much to the amusement of a couple of my friends! I’m 47, I’m curvy (overweight) and I’m short, with short legs! Undeterred by these facts I went ahead and made myself a pair anyway, albeit rather half heartedly. I was convinced I would make them up, hate them and then having satisfied my desire for something I would hate that would be that! ...

I sew every day, I sew for work, I sew for myself, I sew for college and I sometimes sew for gifts. July is a busy month here, three birthday’s, end of school year…this year it’s even more hectic with Sid about to leave Primary school, so lots of events and visits and special days and parties and assemblies. Sid has ASD so all of this has to be handled carefully. Florence’s birthday takes a lot out of me emotionally, grief even after 7 years is exhausting, it demands your full attention, and if you don’t give it you soon know… Work is easy, I get my deadlines and my projects and I get on with it happily. College is finished now, but my coursework needs handing in by the end of August…guess who is very behind with the course work? So, a normal person might spend their time catching up with that rather than starting three million other projects right? Seems I am not a normal person…this past week instead of course work, I have sewn a pair of dungarees, two teacher gifts, pyjama bottoms, a summer kimono robe, and this dress! I can’t actually decide if it is procrastination or therapy sewing, maybe both? ...

Gosh I’ve been slow with this one! The Nora dress and her sisters Nell and Nancy made their debut on my blog last summer, and I kept meaning to release them as a pattern, but then kept putting it off, with one excuse after another, then Sam Sterken the editor of Sewing Made Simple magazine expressed an interest in Nora and asked me to let the magazine release her, which gave me the boot up the bum I needed to get things going again with this design. I’m really pleased how the chambray version turned out, it looks great on the model. Nora is such an easy dress to wear. I have several of the first drafts that I wear in rotation over leggings or jeans at least once a week. The pattern can be downloaded from the Love Sewing website here the instructions are in the magazine, which also comes with two free paper patterns. ...

It’s been a while since I made myself a Maude Skirt. I do love this pattern so much; I can squeeze it out of a metre of fabric usually, it stitches together super quick, even with the pockets, and it’s a flattering easy style. I had made one up recently for a future issue of Love Sewing Magazine (you’ll have to wait to see photos of that one.), and I was reminded how much I love making up this skirt, and also how I have wanted to make a denim one ever since the very talented Jayne had made a denim one when the pattern was still being tested. ...

I rarely buy sewing patterns these days, unless they are vintage finds. I prefer to draft my own designs. Last week though I aquired two new sewing patterns for me! I was smitten by Marilla Walker’s Bennett Dress as soon as I saw it, and knowing Marilla’s style, plus the need to stitch up something lovely in a hurry I thought I’d give it a go. I wasn’t dissapointed, in fact I was really pleased with the result, and wore the resulting dress twice in one week! I used a lightweight poly cotton blend I’d bought in Abakhan. As always Marilla’s pattern and instructions were faultless. I chose the printed pattern this time, and I love the cute hand printed envelope it came in . Trust me, packaging is hard to figure out when you are a small independant designer with an equally if not smaller budget for such things, and I’m quite envious that I didn’t think of doing something as cute with my paper patterns! (Which are still on pause…best not talk about that right now! ) ...