Look Who's Back (with fancy new PJs)
I'm back! Two and a half years after my last blog post (where did that time go?!) I'm here with some photos of my January sewing project. I haven't got a huge amount to write about these PJs as I've made the pattern before, so I thought I'd use this as an opportunity to catch up on life and where I'm at with my sewing.
First things first, these are the Closet Core Carolyn Pyjamas sewn up in a beautiful buffalo check linen from my trusty favourite The Fabric Store. I've had this fabric stashed away and earmarked for these very pyjamas even longer than my unplanned blogging hiatus. I've previously made the short version in another linen fabric which you can take a look at here. I clearly wasn't thinking about making the long leg/sleeve version when I ordered the fabric for these as I only JUST managed to squeeze these out of the 2.5m I had. Even with a bit of pattern tetris I managed to get the check to just about match across the side seams and centre front, which I'm pretty pleased about! I love how I've ended up with a thin stripe of cream down the centre front.
This linen is a gorgeous mid-weight and I can tell is going to soften up beautifully with washing and wearing. I love the warm tone of the cream. I ended up swapping the colour of my thread at different points as sometimes the black topstitching on cream looked too harsh and sometimes the cream thread looked too harsh on the black. Linen is so lovely to work with, this was a great project to get the ball rolling this year.
I have of course still been sewing over the last few years, but more quietly in the background. It felt like the online sewing community moved away from blogs onto Instagram/Tiktok and therefore became more short form and fast paced. I see finished project after finished project instead in depth content about the process and details. Even reels about the making of a garment make it look quick and easy when condensed into 20 seconds. Bish bash bosh and we’re done.
There's absolutely a place for that and it's a great way to connect with other sewists. But I was giving it a whirl and never really got into the swing of it. It turns out that’s just not my vibe; I’m much more into long form content and the geeky ins and outs of construction. The quick simple projects don't bring me as much joy (and taking lots of photos and videos of myself definitely doesn't!). Sometimes the finished garment isn't what it's all about for me; I love the process and the planning! I find the unending scroll of social media kind of exhausting and whilst inspiring, also overwhelming. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy interacting with everyone on Insta and will definitely still be sharing on there, but I'm returning to my first love; the blog.
I think I drifted out of the habit of sharing my sewing as it started to feel like a relentless cycle of needing to share something new. I felt some weird sort of pressure to post consistently or not at all (completely self inflicted! Anyone else put unrealistic expectations on themselves?). Whilst I loved being given fabric and patterns etc in return for posting, the obligation to keep up with that was actually kind of stressful and took some of the fun out of the hobby. This blog started as a place for me to document my sewing and connect with other people who love sewing. I'm excited to get back to that.
On a more personal note a lot has happened in the past five years that has left me feeling a bit lost in terms of creativity and personal style/who I am. If I can get uncomfortably honest for a moment I've found myself wanting to retreat a little from the world. Some of you will know I lost my mum in 2021 and I’ve felt (and still do feel) unanchored and slightly adrift without her. I lost a bit of me with her and my creative spark was dwindling.
We relocated so a beautiful 16th century cottage in Somerset a couple of years ago too. As expected, it's been a big adjustment in terms of lifestyle and balancing work. There's also been a lot of time consuming work to do on the house which hasn't always been straightforward! The big excitement is that there's a building in the garden which is going to become my sewing studio, and we're very nearly done. I can't wait for the creative boost having that space is going to give me. I've never had a dedicated place to sew before that hasn't been the corner of a room and I feel so lucky!
Work has also taken over more than I would have liked it to. I'm now Sewing Producer for The Great British Sewing Bee, and also worked on the first two series of M&S: Dress the Nation while attempting to juggle other projects. I love my work, but it’s really full on and sometimes doing so much sewing related work takes the shine off of doing it for fun. It takes me a while to get my sewjo back at the end of each shoot.
All of that, combined with what's going on in the world taking a mental toll, has left not much energy, time or headspace for sewing. And when I do I feel slightly like I'm racing through. I put together a reel at the end of last year with photos of everything I'd made in 2025 - and seeing it all together it was a lot more than I realised! I made a lot of things out of practical need, quite a few straightforward sews and patterns I've made before - comfort sews! Last year was all about sewing things on a whim to get those creative juices flowing again but this year I want to be more intentional, get stuck into big juicy technical sews and try some new skills. I’m seeing a lot about slow sewing and that’s really resonating with me.
All this to say I’m hoping you’ll see more of me in these parts this year. It might be sporadic and I’m not promising anything but hoping it just flows! I've got plenty to share from last year's sewing but there might be some slightly different posts as I slow down, take the pressure off and focus on the details. I've got lots of plans and I can't wait to get started.
First things first, these are the Closet Core Carolyn Pyjamas sewn up in a beautiful buffalo check linen from my trusty favourite The Fabric Store. I've had this fabric stashed away and earmarked for these very pyjamas even longer than my unplanned blogging hiatus. I've previously made the short version in another linen fabric which you can take a look at here. I clearly wasn't thinking about making the long leg/sleeve version when I ordered the fabric for these as I only JUST managed to squeeze these out of the 2.5m I had. Even with a bit of pattern tetris I managed to get the check to just about match across the side seams and centre front, which I'm pretty pleased about! I love how I've ended up with a thin stripe of cream down the centre front.
I didn't have enough fabric to pattern match the breast pocket so decided to cut in on the bias as a fun detail. I would have liked to make the version with the piped cuffs on the sleeves and hems but didn't have enough fabric. I cut a size 10 with no adjustments and they've got a lovely comfy, roomy fit. Just what you need in pyjamas.
This linen is a gorgeous mid-weight and I can tell is going to soften up beautifully with washing and wearing. I love the warm tone of the cream. I ended up swapping the colour of my thread at different points as sometimes the black topstitching on cream looked too harsh and sometimes the cream thread looked too harsh on the black. Linen is so lovely to work with, this was a great project to get the ball rolling this year.
I have of course still been sewing over the last few years, but more quietly in the background. It felt like the online sewing community moved away from blogs onto Instagram/Tiktok and therefore became more short form and fast paced. I see finished project after finished project instead in depth content about the process and details. Even reels about the making of a garment make it look quick and easy when condensed into 20 seconds. Bish bash bosh and we’re done.
There's absolutely a place for that and it's a great way to connect with other sewists. But I was giving it a whirl and never really got into the swing of it. It turns out that’s just not my vibe; I’m much more into long form content and the geeky ins and outs of construction. The quick simple projects don't bring me as much joy (and taking lots of photos and videos of myself definitely doesn't!). Sometimes the finished garment isn't what it's all about for me; I love the process and the planning! I find the unending scroll of social media kind of exhausting and whilst inspiring, also overwhelming. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy interacting with everyone on Insta and will definitely still be sharing on there, but I'm returning to my first love; the blog.
I think I drifted out of the habit of sharing my sewing as it started to feel like a relentless cycle of needing to share something new. I felt some weird sort of pressure to post consistently or not at all (completely self inflicted! Anyone else put unrealistic expectations on themselves?). Whilst I loved being given fabric and patterns etc in return for posting, the obligation to keep up with that was actually kind of stressful and took some of the fun out of the hobby. This blog started as a place for me to document my sewing and connect with other people who love sewing. I'm excited to get back to that.
On a more personal note a lot has happened in the past five years that has left me feeling a bit lost in terms of creativity and personal style/who I am. If I can get uncomfortably honest for a moment I've found myself wanting to retreat a little from the world. Some of you will know I lost my mum in 2021 and I’ve felt (and still do feel) unanchored and slightly adrift without her. I lost a bit of me with her and my creative spark was dwindling.
We relocated so a beautiful 16th century cottage in Somerset a couple of years ago too. As expected, it's been a big adjustment in terms of lifestyle and balancing work. There's also been a lot of time consuming work to do on the house which hasn't always been straightforward! The big excitement is that there's a building in the garden which is going to become my sewing studio, and we're very nearly done. I can't wait for the creative boost having that space is going to give me. I've never had a dedicated place to sew before that hasn't been the corner of a room and I feel so lucky!
Work has also taken over more than I would have liked it to. I'm now Sewing Producer for The Great British Sewing Bee, and also worked on the first two series of M&S: Dress the Nation while attempting to juggle other projects. I love my work, but it’s really full on and sometimes doing so much sewing related work takes the shine off of doing it for fun. It takes me a while to get my sewjo back at the end of each shoot.
All of that, combined with what's going on in the world taking a mental toll, has left not much energy, time or headspace for sewing. And when I do I feel slightly like I'm racing through. I put together a reel at the end of last year with photos of everything I'd made in 2025 - and seeing it all together it was a lot more than I realised! I made a lot of things out of practical need, quite a few straightforward sews and patterns I've made before - comfort sews! Last year was all about sewing things on a whim to get those creative juices flowing again but this year I want to be more intentional, get stuck into big juicy technical sews and try some new skills. I’m seeing a lot about slow sewing and that’s really resonating with me.
All this to say I’m hoping you’ll see more of me in these parts this year. It might be sporadic and I’m not promising anything but hoping it just flows! I've got plenty to share from last year's sewing but there might be some slightly different posts as I slow down, take the pressure off and focus on the details. I've got lots of plans and I can't wait to get started.
Yay! I'm so glad you popped up in my feedly! I'm not on any of the socials, forced myself to go cold turkey from the scrolling when I got fed up with everything being taken over my sponsored and promoted posts. I much prefer to settle down with a cuppa and have a good inspiring and educational read. Long live the blog!
ReplyDeleteLong live the blog indeed! And let's escape the ads! Well done you for going cold turkey, sounds incredibly peaceful and liberating. Maybe I should block out a little time in my diary each week for a cuppa and a read.
DeleteThanks for the lovely welcome back!
Your PJ's (and new sewing space) look lovely! I hear you on the changes in the world/social media formats; for me a bit overwhelming (and disheartening). Happy to see you're in a good place to post again, I've always appreciated your write ups on the process and details of your sewing. The pattern company landscape is so different now! I'm also in the process of picking up the pieces after several years break for life stuff, so look forward to seeing your next projects (and completely understand if it doesn't work out either.)
ReplyDeleteOverwhelming is the main word for me too. I find it harder to connect and absorb anything when it's so fast and brief.
DeleteYou're so right about the pattern company landscape too, I find it hard to pick a pattern anymore and there's a lot of AI nonsense on Etsy. Was thinking about writing a little post about it.
Thanks so much for the encouraging comment. I'm feeling really positive about it. Hope you're doing ok and good luck with your 'comeback' too
So fab to see you back on the blog. I love your posts and love these pjs! I'm reducing my insta use a lot in favour of longer reads, like blogs, and I think a lot of people are moving this way as well.
ReplyDeleteYeah I've been really encouraged to see more people starting a Substack etc! Hopefully this is the start of a trend.
DeleteThanks for the welcome back! Feeling so encouraged to get back into it
Hurray hurray hurray! I miss the sewing blogs too - Instagram just isn't the same - and yours has always been one of the best for proper sewing details. So glad you're coming back to blogging and I'm looking forward to reading your posts. x
ReplyDeleteAh thanks so much Nina! It's really heartwarming to hear how all my waffle about the detail was actually appreciated. Looking forward to chatting about sewing again!
DeleteI’m so happy to see you back! I agree about the lovely slower pace of reading a blog, and have pretty much stopped posting or looking at Instagram. I hope you can work out a good work life balance going forward. I’m very lucky that we retired early to the seaside five years ago and work is no longer an issue, but your job sounds amazing so that’s a major plus. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteO retiring to the seaside sounds glorious! Bucket list goals there.
DeleteI'm so pleased to hear that I'm not alone in needing a slower pace than socials. Thank you for the lovely welcome back!
Oh WELCOME back. I never blogged myself (maybe this is the push I need) but I totally understand the insta of it all. I think the changes to the algorithm really didn’t help and I used to adore reading sewing blogs at lunchtime. And I got so much inspo in the past from your Indie Pattern Round up. I can’t wait to read about what comes next
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the lovely welcome back! Yeah Instagram has definitely changed a lot and it's harder to find the content I actually want to see in amongst everything else.
DeleteI highly recommend starting a blog, it does take some time to write...but actually it's probably faster for me than attempting to edit a reel haha!
I miss doing those Indie Round ups, too many designers to keep up with now though!
Hello Fiona! So great to hear you'll occasionally blog again. I've missed your informative and interesting posts. I am with you on minimal social media - I declined to be on IG; still occasionally post on Facebook but tend to go on to search a specific name. I am on Closet Core Crew's private sewing subscription community and really enjoy that. House remodeling and the chaos takes a lot of energy! Good luck with it and your impressive work responsibilities.😁
ReplyDeleteHi Heather! Thanks so much for the lovely comment. Well one on avoiding socials! The Closet Core subscription sounds really interesting, if there a sort of forum where you can post and chat with other people who sew?
DeleteI'm so happy to see you back with a blog post! It sounds like your career has really taken off and I hope the beautiful and light new sewing space will help you relax with sewing again in between the massive work projects. Even just seeing the photo has totally boosted my sewjo!
ReplyDeleteO yes, I think the promise of it being almost finished might be what has kick started me to get the blog going. It's going to be a dreamy peaceful space to hang out in. Thank you for the welcome back!
DeleteSo glad you're back! The new home looks lovely, and I am 100% with you on my preference for the blog format. I can relate to the great unmooring with the loss of a parent; I have no doubt she'd have been very proud of your remarkable recent achievements :).
ReplyDeleteO gosh thank you for that lovely touching comment. I'm sure she would have been. I'm so sorry to hear that you have been in the same grief boat, it's a difficult journey.
DeleteThanks for the welcome back!
I want to add to the chorus of being thrilled to see you in my feed, Fiona! I always looked forward to your posts, and I am sincere when I say that they were always worth waiting for. A thoughtful and helpful post is always better than quick bragging snapshots, which is what insta is all about these days. Please post when you like about what you like, and you will always have an audience. I hear you about the stress and pace of the world. I lost my husband almost 2 years ago, and I have had trouble finding my way. It's all just so disorienting, but it will get better, I trust. BTW, those pj's are beautiful, and I am so pleased that you shared them with me.
ReplyDeleteAh thanks so much for the kind words Becky! All the little details of sewing is what first sucked me in so I'm looking forward to getting back into all that.
DeleteI am so sorry to hear about your husband, grief is a complicated, difficult and confusing path. We adjust slowly. Sending you lots of support and love
Lovely to see you back Fiona, the first blog post from you that I really remember clearly was when you made the Sewaholic raincoat, in a beautiful green I think. I was in awe as I think you were fairly new to sewing then. Lots flowed under the bridge since then! I’m another big fan of blogs and miss them… love your pjs!
ReplyDeleteO wow that raincoat really was right back at the start! It took me such a long time and I was so proud of it. I have always loved the more complex projects with challenging skills to try so long may that continue.
DeleteThanks for the time to comment and the lovely welcome!
I always liked your blog and am glad to see you are back. Back then I thought about sewing again but wasn't but things have changed as I have found myself dressmaker to my tiny granddaughter who loves purple.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful inspiration to sew a grandaughter must be! Purple is one of my favourite colours so it sounds like she has good taste. I am now a proud Auntie to a three year old niece and it's really nice to have someone small to sew for and some new patterns to try. Thank you for the lovely comment
DeleteHello from snowy NC, USA! I'm so happy to see you back on the blog, I've always loved seeing the thought and care you take creating your pieces. I'm also not much of a short form lover; it's contributed to my unhealthy habit of doomscrolling but not much else. I've been on a long hiatus from sewing overall - motherhood and all that - but I've started to feel the itch again and I'm hoping that I'll be able to pick it back up again soon. I haven't retreated from the sewing community at all, and your blog has always been one of my must-reads. I'm certainly happy to start seeing your posts in my inbox once again, but I also know how freeing it is to acknowledge what truly makes you happy. Taking steps to return to blogging is courageous, especially when it sometimes seems like the whole world is going in the other direction. You have lots of fans and we're all rooting for you!
ReplyDeleteHi Talina! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment, I'm so touched by your words! I am absolutely with you on the doomscrolling habit, a hard one to break. I'm going to keep my hands busy with some sewing instead!
DeleteIt's nice to hear that whilst you haven't had the time to sew you've still been able to be involved in it all through the internet. That's really motivating to me to keep posting.
Fingers crossed you may find yourself back at your machine soon.
Stay warm!
I enjoy writing my blog and reading others, thanks for posting again. (https://ruthieksews1.blogspot.com/)
ReplyDeleteHi Ruth! Nice to hear from a fellow blogger! I'll definitely check yours out
DeleteHi Fiona. Your story popped up on my Instagram - as at some stage in my increasing reliance on doomscrolling I must have followed you, possibly due to something or someone connected to the Sewing Bee. Love your PJs by the way. Your blog made me think however about how I spend so much time scrolling through all the Insta posts and stories (personally I hate reels and don’t have TikTok), but if I were to then also read blogs from everyone I’m interested in following, I’d never get anything done.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I enjoyed your blog and perhaps I need to find a way to wean myself off the grid and just find a few good blogs.
Hi Sue! Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment!
DeleteVery true that with the time it takes to read blogs there's not much time for anything else haha. I too am hoping to maybe wean myself off so much mindless scrolling and focus on reading some more in depth content. I think the way Insta is now, so much of what I'm seeing isn't actually what I'm there for or even related to the sewing and running and home dec stuff that I want to see. And that's put me off. Used to be that you just got to see content from the people you followed, not all the endless ads. Those are what are really frying my brain!
Thank you for sharing a new blog. I love reading about the process of sewing, the ideas and the finished product.
ReplyDeleteAh you're welcome! Thanks for taking the time to comment, it has encouraged me to post more!
DeleteSo glad you're posting again. Instagram is all well and good for snapshots, but I want to know why you made it, how it went, what didn't go so well and all the little things that make up a project. Blogs are also so much easier to come back to and use as a reference.
ReplyDeleteSo glad everything is going well professionally. Although I appreciate that there are things you don't want to share, I love reading your life updates, even when they're not so happy.
Exactly that Rachel! I want to know all the ins and outs of the making process and see lots of the sewing detail! I still very much rely on blogs before I use a new pattern and have found so many useful tips that way
DeleteThanks so much for the encouragement to share, it's something I always feel slightly awkward about but the warm response to this post has made me feel like I can
Lovely to hear from you again Fiona 🌸
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! It's so lovely to be back connecting with everyone again
DeleteI am SO GLAD you're back! I've been hammering away at publishing our new site so you've been on my mind from our Mood days. And lo and behold you're BACK!
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you're saying about all the bite size info taking over...I hope this is a trend back to blogs. It was always such a great and engaged community. And I covet your new digs. And your pjs are nooooice. And YAY HI!!!!!!
Marcy!! O it's so lovely to see you pop up.
DeleteA couple of days after I hit publish on this I saw the photo of you in you new sewing room and I was SO delighted to see that you are also dipping your toe back into the online community. I can't wait to see what you've been up to. Missed your joyful colour and creative talents popping up on my feed.
You've really hit on something there with the engaged word, there's something about blogs that I can connect better with people through than socials.
Yay to blogging!
I was so happy to see your blog post! I miss the old blog days too and all the nitty gritty details of pattern, fabric and process. Your new sewing space looks beautiful! And fab PJs!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, all these lovely comments have lit a fire under me to bring those good old blog days back to life
DeleteSo lovely to see you posting again. I too am working on a new pair of closet case Carolyn pjs ! Maybe I should learn how to blog. I so much prefer blogs to instagram. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI cannot recommend blogging more! It is really straightforward to set up on a platform like blogger. It's a great way to connect with people over a shared hobby.
DeleteHow funny that we both chose the Carolyn pattern at the same time! It makes a great classic pair of PJs. Enjoy making yours and thank you for the lovely welcome back
I miss blogs. I’m far less inspired without them. People were really generous in sharing their knowledge. Thank you for posting. Your upcoming sewing space looks beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to see you back! I really enjoyed your blog and all the projects you shared. I too appreciate the slow sewing side of this creative hobby. After all we are meant to enjoy it and not feel pressure to perform in a certain way as social media so often wants us to. Please know what you put out here has value and is enjoyed my many of us.
DeleteI saw this linked on a Closet Core newsletter, and am glad I took the time to read it. I've been feeling very much the same about sewing blogs vs sewing social media. I'm not in a life place where I can be constantly making and uploading new projects, and the pressure to endlessly produce and feed algorithms to get any interaction at all has become overwhelming to me. I haven't posted or even checked my sewing IG in a couple of months now, and I don't really miss it. What I do miss is the conversational tone of the blogs I used to read, and the longer form interaction in the comments, so it's gratifying to know I'm not alone in this feeling.
ReplyDeleteIt is so gratifying to me too to read all these comments from people like you who feel similarly. The pressure and overwhelm is real!
DeleteHow interesting that you haven’t missed Instagram, maybe I need to give that a go a dive head first into blogs again
Welcome back! I loved reading your blog before and am so excited to see you back at it. Can't wait to see what you do next.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the lovey welcome! I am so touched to see how many people have enjoyed my blog
DeleteI enjoyed your blog immensely. So much of what we see is so fast paced and focused on building stashes or rapid production of makes. I’m so happy I found your blog recommended by Closet Core.
ReplyDeleteIk so glad to hear that you enjoyed reading and it resonated with you! I’ve never been one for having a massive stash but definitely guilty of feeling the pressure to keep making making making. I’ve been focusing on the little details instead over the last few weeks and really enjoying it
DeleteHello Fiona, so lovely to see this post and your beautiful PJs. And to hear from you and how you are doing. I love long-form content and completely agree with your views on Insta, blogs, etc. I started a DIY blog last year (always late to the party!) simply in the hopes of helping bring back the joy of the written word and all the details that you miss on social. And of course, content written by real people doing real work. Long live the beautiful blog! Look forward to reading more from you! Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteO how great that you started a blog last year! I think rather than late to the party you may be ahead of the curve…I’m sensing a return to blogging in the air
DeleteThere is definitely a joy in writing about the things we’ve made, that’s beautifully put. I’ve missed that for sure
Long live the blog indeed!
This really resonated with me, thank you for writing it. I love my sewing insta but it's all too fast and gives me the impression that everyone is churning out a garment a day and why am I so slow? Like you I love the details and the process, and love reading more long form about making the garment. Your pyjamas are gorgeous and that new sewing space is going to be a huge boost! I also lost my Mum in 2020, and I try to make something around this time of year which I know she would especially like. This time it will be a beautiful white linen Jenna shirt ❤️
ReplyDeleteI’m so glad it resonated with you. You’re absolutely right, there is a kind of ‘I’m not good enough’ feeling of comparison when you see all these beautifully curated daily posts about sewing on socials. I think writing the blog is part of the enjoyment for me, it makes me slow down and think about all the little details and I enjoy thinking about what I will write as I’m sewing
DeleteI’m so sorry to hear that you also lost your mum, it’s a very difficult journey. That is such a beautiful way to honour and connect with her each year, I love it
So happy to see you back as I love reading through all the geeky details. You really encouraged me back to sewing nearly 10 years ago so thank you !
ReplyDeleteI’m so pleased that you’re here for the geeky sewing details, there will be plenty of them haha!
DeleteSo touched to hear that this blog got you back into sewing
Your post and all of the comments have been so refreshing to read. As someone who has always been a bit too scared to join Instagram, I have really missed the long-form blog format, including yours! Often when I sew garments I will read your post if you have made the pattern and see what your experience was with sewing and fitting. I can't tell you how helpful it was when I was a beginner sewer. I also really appreciate the deep dive you do on the fabric each time you make a garment. Over the years this has taught me so much about how to choose the right fabric for my projects. I can resonate with so much of what you say about the overwhelm of social comparison and the state of the world and the pressures of work. Take good care of yourself and know that your readers will be delighted whenever you choose to write!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back. And welcome to the West Country. I missed your blog and I’m so pleased to have you back.
ReplyDeleteAdore your PJs! Well done on the tetris. Absolutely jealous of your to-be sewing space - that stonework!! I do hope that once you are installed it gives you the fillip you are wanting. You said you sewed a size 10 - is that a US size 10? I get confused with online patterns and generally end up with things swimming on me. Love your work btw - Great British Sewing Bee - wowsers!
ReplyDelete