Diary of a Chain Stitcher

Long time no post! Things have been a little crazy around these parts but a little bit of sewing has been going on here and there. I finally motivated myself to take some photos last weekend so more blog posts are incoming! 

If you follow me on Instagram you might have seen that I've been working on a pretty epic coat project for the last month or so. It's now finished and I can't wait to show you all but after all that sewing I'm struggling to muster up the enthusiasm to take photos and write what I imagine will be a fairly epic blog post. So in the mean time you're getting a Christmas party dress!

I loved the look of the recently released Everyday Dress from The New Craft House as soon as they posted a sneak peek of it on their Instagram. So I was over the moon when it appeared in my inbox as Hannah and Rosie kindly sent it over as a gift for being part of their ambassador programme. I've taken a while to get on board with the puff sleeve trend but it is definitely starting to grow on me. And yes I liked it enough to make it even with all that gathering to do! The fabric actually made the gathering really quick and straightforward. It is lightweight so gathered up easily and it has quite a crisp hand so stayed put where I wanted it rather than slipping about.

I'm going to start this post with a confession. I didn't expect to like this dress as much as I do! I loved the style of the Closet Core Patterns Pauline Dress from the moment it was released but I wasn't 100% sure whether the design would suit my proportions. I'm so glad I pushed those doubts to the back of my mind though as I absolutely adore it! 

I've got quite a quick little post for you today as I've already talked about this pattern twice before. But I wanted to share with you my winter version of the Wilder Gown from Friday Pattern Company . The rave reviews of this pattern drew me to it when it was first released but at that time oversized smock designs were quite a departure from my normal style (now I'm ALL about them!). I tentatively dipped my toe in the water by making the top first and loved the straightforward construction and fit which was more slim around the shoulders and upper chest than I expected. I think it is this fit around the upper portion of the body which prevents me from feeling swamped in fabric when wearing the dress as everything sits really nicely and the swooshy movement all happens from below the chest down.

I'm back...with a completely seasonably inappropriate dress! I made and photographed this dress way back in August and it became such a favourite over the last few weeks of summer that I decided it was too good not to share. Plus when the thing I like least about sewing and blogging is taking the photos and I've actually gone to the effort to take some I'm going to share them!

Summer has been very damp and a little chilly here in the UK so I tried to inspire the weather into making one last late attempt to get hot and sunny by making a very summery dress! The Hallon Dress from Paradise Patterns caught my attention on Instagram when it was first released (under a different name to begin with). I love this easy breezy style of dress but really loved that this particularly style retained a bit of shape (rather than hanging like a tent) and a whole lot of drama because of that low back! I think the volume of the lower portion of the dress is balanced out really nicely by the strappy top and exposed skin up top. Although perhaps after the last 18 months of on and off lockdown and restrictions I was just sucked in by the sunny product photos and the idea of wafting around on a beach in such style! 

Now that I have been sewing for a good number of years it is very rare that I see an item of clothing and think 'I want that, exactly as it is. Same fabric, same cut, same fit, same details, no tweaks necessary.' The inspiration for my sewing projects generally comes from an assortment of places and I like to tweak the details of a pattern to suit the image in my head. However, when I saw on Instagram the Aura Dress that Sandy made I absolutely had to have it. And so I did!  Sandy used paprika gingham linen from The Fabric Store to make her dress and I did exactly the same...even down to the same colour! I'm really drawn to warm and spicy tones like this paprika at the moment and I think the richness of the colour helps to make the gingham feel contemporary rather than twee. I've definitely been sucked right into the gingham trend this summer and have a few pieces waiting to be cut. Linen (in particular this mid-weight linen) is such a great choice for this pattern a...

I usually tend to start with the pattern when I'm planning sewing projects. I'm either inspired by the pattern itself or by a style of garment and then find a pattern to match or hack. However, on this occasion I started with the fabric and am so pleased I did as this has turned into one of the most joyous items of clothing in my wardrobe! A couple of months ago Polina from Good Fabric reached out to me to see I would be interested in reviewing a fabric from her online store. I was very happy to have the opportunity to work with her as all of the fabrics she stocks have a variety of sustainable and eco-friendly credentials and are drop dead gorgeous to boot!

The team at The New Craft House asked me to join their ambassador team a couple of months ago and I was really excited by the prospect of working with their fabrics. All the fabrics they stock are deadstock and sourced from local designers. Deadstock fabrics are left over once collections have been manufactured, which means when buying this fabric you are using up waste products rather than buying 'new'. I've been thinking a lot about the sustainability of my sewing recently, given that I like to sew a lot. Looking in to where your fabrics come from and have been manufactured can be quite a daunting process so buying deadstock is a straightforward place to start.

This dress was born from a desire for more dresses which would work worn with dark tights and boots. I've got a good number of summery dresses which get a lot of wear during bare legs season but so often throughout winter feel a bit of a mess just through need to be warm and comfortable. Sometimes I feel like I've focused so hard on sewing practical garments I need and will get a lot of wear out of that my wardrobe has become rather boring, particularly in winter! Does anyone else feel the same?

I chose to make the Daniella Dress from the latest release of Fibre Mood patterns mainly for the sleeves! The weather has turned cold here in the UK and I need more comfortable, snuggly garments to see me through...and not give the impression that I'm wearing pyjamas to work! I already have a couple of handmade turtleneck dresses ( made using the Seamwork Neenah pattern ) which are on heavy rotation through the winter months. But I was sold on adding another to my wardrobe when I saw those lovely voluminous cuffed sleeves! I don't have any knit garments with that kind of detail and the Neenah dress is more form fitting which sometimes I'm not in the mood for wearing.

Papercut Patterns describe the Axis Dress as their ode to Audrey Hepburn. When I picked this combination of fabric and pattern I certainly had high hopes for creating the kind of failsafe little black dress which would become the perfect choice to wear to so many events for years to come. Have I succeeded? I'm delighted to say I think so! This dress is absolutely going to be my go-to for all kinds of occasions. It feels modest whilst still a little sexy. Dressed up but understated. Interesting but o so timeless and chic. I just love it.

If asked if I usually start a project with the pattern or the fabric I'd say pattern 90% of the time. I don't often buy fabric without a specific garment in mind but this is one of those fabrics I just couldn't resist and ended up on a hunt for the perfect pattern to pair it with. Viscose is one of my absolute favourite fabrics to sew with and wear. It is comfortable, breathable, drapes beautifully and is not too fancy to wear day to day. Whenever I see it in a wearable print I love I snap it up. I had a little preview of the new additions to Fabric Godmother 's range of reproduction vintage prints at a trade show earlier this year and fell head over heels in love with this one. My obsession must have been obvious as Josie offered to send me some to sew up when the new designs were released.

The  True Bias Shelby Dress pattern has been on my radar for a while. I love the nineties grungy vibes! However, it took until last month for it to get made and find a place in my wardrobe as I had a hard time finding the fabric I wanted. I really wanted a viscose, the drape of which would make the most of the movement in that full panelled skirt. I also wanted a print rather than a solid but didn't want anything too twee and girly as the Shelby style is already quite feminine. Viscose prints I want to wear are very hard to come by! I mulled over a fair few from Fabric Godmother (who do stock a really good selection of viscose and rayon including their own vintage inspired prints) before stumbling upon just the thing on the Guthrie & Ghani stand at The Stitch Festival . This was only at the end of February but the thought of being at a big crowded event like that such a short time ago seems so surreal to me now. I had initially thought I wouldn't want a flo...

I was incredibly excited about the Mayfair Dress when it was released by Nina Lee  over a year ago and I snapped up a paper copy soon after release. For years I'd had this favourite style of French Connection dress that saw me through many summers; flattering, comfortable and seemingly suited for any occasion. I owned versions in various prints, colours and lengths but may favourite by far was a maxi length version. The previous summer I'd been wearing it with too many holes in to repair, hoping that the little purple, black and dusky pink print disguised them. It had been on its last legs for a while and sadly French Connection stopped making them a while before. I couldn't bear to throw it out so I couldn't believe my eyes when I spotted the Mayfair and realised it was almost an exact match. I could make my own replacement! Why then has it taken me so long to make one you may ask? I had a really hard time finding fabric that was going to live up to my expec...

I have got a very special project to share with you today. My bridesmaid dress for my Mum's wedding back in May. I was really excited about making it, but knew it could turn into quite a stressful project and a real sewing challenge. It was a big deadline to meet and I knew because of my work schedule I was going to have very limited time to put towards it. So, as much as I would have liked to make a complex and challenging gown, I kept the design and construction simple and focused instead on finding some really beautiful fabric. Mum had only a few requests. That all three of us bridesmaids (my sister, step-sister and I) wore floor length dresses and that they were a neutral colour (in the end we all ended up in shades of grey, Mum's favourite!). Once my sister had bought her dress Mum also asked if we could all have some beading on the bodice too. I slightly panicked as that meant my simple project was likely to get considerably more involved and complicated! Howev...