Diary of a Chain Stitcher

I made this jacket back in about April. I didn't expect it to be getting quite as much wear during this very wet summer here in the UK! I was in need of a practical jacket for walking the dog when it was wet but not that chilly. I absolutely adore my Kelly Anorak for winter but I lined the whole thing in cosy wool flannel so for damp spring walkies it gets a bit too warm. While I'm on the subject, I just realised I made my Kelly over 5 years and after a lot of wear it's still going strong. It must be one of my most worn garments so definitely worth all the effort I put into making it. 

I must admit that I wasn't sure on this top when I first made it. I finished it back in February and I must have been trying it on with the wrong trousers or skirts when trying to make it work for winter because I put it back on last month with some slimmer fit jeans and sandals and have been wearing it on constant rotation ever since! That age old story of putting something away in the wardrobe for a little while and coming to it with fresh eyes strikes again. 

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! 

Those of you who follow me on Instagram may have seen on my stories that I spent a large chunk of December working on a new coat. I've been meaning to make one for the last couple of winters but never seem to find the time. This year I planned ahead and got the fabric early (I think back in August!) and the forecast of a very cold spell here in the UK before Christmas motivated me to get going. 

As usual, I’m playing catch up and still sharing some of my favourite summer sewing projects! I also don’t have much to share in the way of winter appropriate sewing as my sewing time has been occupied with sewing baby clothes ready for the rapidly approaching arrival of my niece. I'm also about to tackle a big coat project which I think may take me some time...I'm excited to get my teeth stuck into a long and complex project though.

I made this top a while ago and it has swiftly become one of my favourites. It has been particularly good for that late summer into autumn season when I find it tricky to know what to wear. It looks great with jeans or wide legged trousers. The pattern is the Sofia from Victory Patterns which I've used once before to make a dress but I wanted something a little different from it this time.

I, like many others it would seem, loved the unique design of the Saguaro Set from Friday Pattern Company as soon as it was released. Fashionable secret pyjamas at their finest. I like that FPC designs always have a sense of fun to them. I did have a few doubts about how much I would enjoy wearing an outfit which flashed a bit of midriff as it’s not an area I love, but I’m pleased I took the plunge as this is cleverly drafted to sit in just the right spot so that I don't feel too exposed at all.

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 really enjoyed making my top version of Birgitta Helmersson’s  Zero Waste Gather Dress last year and decided it was about time I tried another. This is the ZW Block Pant . Her patterns don't come with much in the way of pattern pieces (this time it was just a patch pocket and template for shape at the hem) and instead instructions to draw out the pattern pieces on your fabric. It is really fun to do something a bit differently when you've done as much sewing as I have. I also like that drawing it out really helps you to understand the drafting and how it all works together. The key to making a pattern zero waste is tessellating the pattern pieces so that you don't have any scraps left over. In this instance the interior of the crotch curve for the patch pockets and the back legs are formed of two pieces with a seam just under the bum.

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! 

Hello! Long time no blog.

I've been a little uninspired to sew of late. I always find my sew-jo has a little lull in the winter months. I find the warmer weather so much more exciting to sew for and I can feel my motivation creeping back with the first bulbs peeking up at this time of year. However, I have recently added two winning winter garments to my wardrobe which have seen a lot of wear since I finished them in January.

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.

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!

I have been intrigued by zero waste sewing patterns for some time now and there seem to be more of them available lately. I recently updated my list of Independent Sewing Pattern Designers to include a number of companies who have zero waste patterns if you'd like to explore. The idea of a zero waste garment is that it uses up every little bit of the fabric you have, using clever tessellating pattern pieces to leave you without even a tiny scrap left over. I'm always quite careful when buying fabric to not buy more than I need and often lay out the pattern pieces prior to purchase to figure out how little I can get it out of as pattern designers often over estimate to avoid disappointment. Despite this I still end up with large amounts of unusable awkward shaped and sized scraps which I never know what to do with in an environmentally responsible manner. A lot of work and resources go into the making of every single piece of fabric so shouldn't we do our best to use and no...

I was drawn to the Coeli Blouse from Pauline Alice when it was first released last year. It was the sleeves which hooked me! I love the big balloon shape combined with the beautiful tuck detail. But two things delayed me from sewing this up. Firstly I wasn't sure about the high neck collar in combination with this voluminous style on me; it felt like it could potentially be a bit overwhelming and I might get a bit lost in it. Secondly I had a hard time deciding what fabric to use. You obviously don't want anything too thick and bulky with all that gathering but I wanted something with enough body to really amp up the drama of the sleeves. I didn't want to use a print and loose the tucks in it but I also felt like the fabric needed a bit of texture or something going on in it to break up the expanse of fabric. 

I've been mulling over a plan for this jacket since last summer and when the weather finally started to heat up for spring (although it doesn't seem to have 100% made up its mind yet here in the UK!) I decided it was about time I got on and made one. I adore my Hampton Jean Jacket and it gets so much wear during three seasons of the year but I could do with a jacket of this type that I can wear with all the denim and blue items I have in my wardrobe. I also really love making outerwear so any excuse really!

The Elio Top from Allie Olson caught my eye as soon as it was released. I love a wrap neckline and particularly liked that this has nice clean lines without any bulky ties which means it can be easily tucked into high waisted trousers. This is due to it being a 'mock wrap' and the edges of the wrap are sewn into the side seams. When thinking about gaps in my wardrobe and what I miss when I'm getting dressed it is often comfy, casual tops that I can wear with high waisted trousers and skirts. The Elio fits the bill perfectly and goes with my Dawn Jeans, Persephone Pants and Evie Bias skirts beautifully.