Notions Of Fabric

Now that we've covered what happened in 2019, let's look forward to 2020! Last year, I didn't reach my #makenine goals, but I think it's still good to have something to aim for. This year, a lot of these patterns are ones I would have like to make in 2019 but didn't get a chance to! In the end, what I really want to do in 2020 is to sew from my stash, using both existing patterns and fabrics. So what I have done is created two linked lists, one of patterns, and one of fabrics I want to use. Because I have a lot of plans already in my head, of the two lists 6 patterns are already linked to fabrics on the corresponding list. So, let's discuss, shall we? 2020 MAKE NINE - PATTERNS 1: Cottesloe swimsuit (Megan Nielsen Patterns) Having made a bikini already, and having bought swimsuit fabric I haven't used yet (see fabric #4) I decided to add to my me-made swimsuit collection soon by making the one piece Cottesloe with the tie. I think I have everyt

I know people say this every year, but how is it the end of 2019 already? It has been a big one for us in many ways. We had to leave the UK for a few months to get new visas at the beginning of the year, I lost a job, I got a new (better) one, we have travelled, I have seen much theatre, and as usual I've bought more fabric than I've sewn! Of course, this is a common problem among sewists and I will do a post in a week or so with my intentions for the year 2020 but for now this is a wrapping up post! In terms of sewing, I did a lot in the beginning of the year. It helped to pass the time while I was back at home for 2 months, unemployed and with my family at work every day. And that period of time was a real eye-opener for me! I made three projects which were challenging me in different ways - piping and pattern matching, trousers, and many buttonholes! After that, and the successes which I had with those, I realised that I need to challenge myself more in my sewing. So then

No, you’re not imagining it - I am back with another  Ogden cami  with photos taken in Mallorca! I actually brought almost all handmade on that trip, including my  Sophie Swimsuit   but I didn’t get the chance to photograph many things due to pretty atrocious weather. In the end I only got these three sets of photos done, but better than nothing! This cami was one of the first I’d made, using a Liberty Tana lawn. The Ogden is perfect for when you love a fabric but it’s a little pricey, or you’re not so sure about how the colour or pattern will work on you. In this case it was the pattern I fell for and the fabric that was pricey! So I got 1m - and this was about a year ago, actually. It wasn’t until the Ogden pattern came out I realised that this was the best use of this fabric! Again, I made my usual size (8) with the extended lining. And again (limited holiday wardrobe!) I am wearing my beloved  Grainline Maritime  shorts. As you might be able to spot, this is also what I wore over m

This is the first of several posts featuring an  Ogden cami   While that might not be so exciting, seeing as I’ve made several (up to 5 in my wardrobe?), I do feel like I should be realistic about what I’m both sewing and wearing - and these got a lot of both over the last few months! This Ogden I made with a lovely rayon I bought in Barcelona on my girls summer trip! I totally detoured us away from Casa Battlo (after we were finished there, of course) to a local Ribes y Casals to check things out. There was lots I liked, but I picked up this rayon-esque fabric as well as another. I think they’re rayon but all I think it said was 100% cotton - also, I don’t speak Spanish. I was drawn to the print because I thought they looked like moons, and they were beautiful! In a nice twist, these photos were taken in Mallorca on our half term break, so back in Spain! This was simply my regular size (8), with the lining extended again to go past the apex of my bust. Otherwise I find you can see the

My next big project for the summer was always going to be a swimsuit. I do find shopping for swimsuits hard, because I am bigger up top and want sufficient support, plus coverage on the lower half. In the past I have just kind of avoided shopping for bikinis in particular. I currently own one RTW bikini, which I adore but took me a lot of effort to find and which I have had for years. Enter the  Sophie swimsuit   This is my perfect silhouette - plenty of support up top and a gorgeous high waisted lower half. I earmarked it as soon as it came out to make at some point. Then I began to gather supplies. But the real reasons it took me so long to make were twofold: firstly that it was another new skill (and that’s scary), but also because I suffered from some extreme fabric indecisiveness - firstly over the fabric colours, then over the fabric placements! There are just so many possibilities, and I really wanted this first suit to be actually wearable and not just a toile. I bought 3 lengt

Hi everyone! Another wordy post today due to lack of photos... Having just started a new job and the winter darkness coming in is making things hard, but I'll try and have another for you soon! In other news, while not much sewing has been getting done due to work, much planning and fabric shopping  has been happening. I went last weekend to SewBrum, a fabric shopping event/meetup all the way up in Birmingham! I am so grateful to Chloe ( @chloemontrose ) for bringing it up at the pub and inviting me along. I definitely don't think I would have travelled that far on my own to a city I've never visited to meet up with people I don't know, but we stuck together, travelled on the same trains, and generally looked after each other which was super lovely. I was a very organised girl and came prepared with a list for the day. On my list were: some kind of adhesive to help me with my bikini making, fabric for a Kelly Anorak , lining fabric for the Kelly Anorak , fabric

No lovely photos for today, I'm afraid. The last lot that we took were also in Austria from our break, but at night under the light from the beautiful old church. Unfortunately the photos were much too grainy, so although I've written the blog post the photos will have to be retaken. And my photographer/husband is currently away on his annual solo trip... I also haven't done much sewing lately. I sewed a lot over the summer, and since getting back from Austria it was straight back into a new school year. I am still settling in, and while I could definitely could be making time for sewing in the evenings, by that time I am too tired. Instead, I have been hanging out and chilling. Now, however, I am getting more settled and making more plans! The big sewing dilemma in my head at the moment is NEED vs. WANT. I don't mean about sewing generally, but specifically about what garments I will/hope to be making.  I guess this is kind of also about cake and frosting - what wa

This is another oldie but goldie today. I have blogged a long time ago about my favourite Datura, which is black with stars in, but this version actually came first! I made this version with the peter pan collar first as I knew that it would be a good confidence booster - even though I preferred the version with the cut out triangles, I also knew that I was such a newbie sewist that that version would be harder and I wanted to make sure I liked the style first. This was made based on a gorgeous remnant I bought back in Sydney from Achieve Australia (back before it moved, it used to be in Meadowbank 5 minutes from my flat. That was a great but dangerous time!). I believe it's a rayon (but not 100% sure about that if I'm honest), in this lovely navy-based floral. I was drawn to the colors in the print and the lovely feel, but there was only a small amount, not even enough for a top! But with this pattern it’s perfect, as it’s great for small or odd shaped pieces. Instead, I went

Here today I have a dress from the vaults. I was inspired to make this dress following a rewatch of the TV show  Dollhouse   It was cancelled too soon, in my opinion. The premise of the show was that there are "actives", people with their personalities wiped so they can be imprinted with other personas in order to be assigned engagements with the rich and powerful. A great show, would recommend if you haven't seen it! Eliza Dushku played the lead, Echo, and she had a wide range of personalities and therefore costumes in the show. This costume was from one of the season 1 episodes (I can't remember which off the top of my head, unfortunately), and I was immediately caught by the horizontal centre darts and the flattering shape of the bodice. So I went looking for a pattern to be able to replicate it! The pattern I found was a vintage Simplicity crop top pattern ( 8130 ), which features a vertical centre seam, as well as side panels, and four horizontal darts on the fro

Today I have a double post - both patterns which you have seen on the blog before. Let's go from the top down! The top is another  True Bias Ogden Cami ... I think I've made 5 at this point? I wear a lot of this style top (and did before I discovered the pattern), so I am now in the process of updating my original Primark tops in this style with Ogdens. I have also found that every time I find a print I like but am not sure if it will work as a dress, I am tempted to get a metre and make a top. Maybe I need to start making some for others! This fabric though is pretty special. It's the first ever silk I've seen with! It's a sandwashed silk, which I purchased on Goldhawk Rd while in a meet up with Claire of  Claire Sews   What I actually had planned for sandwashed silk is to make an underdressed in black to go with an embroidered tulle fabric I have in my stash, but given I'd never sewed with silk before I thought it would be a good idea to test it first to make