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! 

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.

Hello! Long time no blog.

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...

How many jumpsuits does one woman need in her wardrobe? If you're me the answer is an awful lot! I was just beginning to think I might have stated my desire to have any more jumpsuits on rotation when Closet Case Patterns released the Blanca Flight Suit . I love the contemporary cut of this and all the little details which Closet Case Patterns do so well. Whilst I love the full on workwear vibe in the denim I felt like the second view with the short sleeve, tie belt and cropped leg I might get a little bit more wear out of. Heather models a sample made up in a linen which I loved the soft, chic yet relaxed vibe of so I hunted down some linen for my own.

The project I'm sharing with you today was so enjoyable to make. I don't know about you but I haven't had the concentration of late to get stuck in to an all day or even all afternoon sewing sessions. This project turned out to be the perfect antidote to feeling frustrated with that and I sewed it up across a number of half-hour/hour stints. As I've become more experienced and confident with sewing I think I've developed a tendency to dive right in and speed through things. But this pattern (despite being straightforward and not particularly taxing to construct) made me stop, think and try something new. Trying something new and enjoying the process always makes me fall a little bit in love with sewing all over again. Plus at the end of the process I've made something I'm really proud of and I think improved my techniques slightly too. This Wrap Top Pattern is one of the impressive selection of In The Folds patterns free to download from Peppermi...

When we decided to head back to Africa again this winter one of the things I knew for sure that I wanted to add to my handmade holiday wardrobe was a pair of harem style loose fitting cuffed trousers. A lightweight and breathable pair of full length bottoms with an elasticated hem to keep the mosquitos off in the evenings. Initially I went on a pattern hunt for a simple shape of harem pant. As I was on quite a tight turn around time I wanted a PDF pattern that I could download and get started on right away which limited options to indie designs. This turned out to be surprising hard to find! I hunted through the whole Foldline database of trouser patterns before deciding I was going to have to add my own elasticated hem to a straight/wide legged trouser pattern. I didn't want anything too voluminous but did want a bit of width in the leg to create a nice billow at the bottom where the elasticated hem pulls it in. I was looking at a number of options including the Paper Theory...

One of my most worn pieces in my handmade holiday wardrobe, certainly whilst I was in Africa, I didn't have time to document before I left. They are another design from the Papercut Patterns' new collection and are again effortlessly wearable but a unique style with interesting design details. These are the Palisade Shorts which can also be made as tapered trousers. I've had this heavyweight paprika linen from The Fabric Store in my stash since last summer as I originally had them in mind for a pair of shorts using the True Bias Lander Pants pattern or possibly the Tessuti Esther Shorts but once I saw this new release I couldn't resist. I really put these shorts through their paces whilst travelling and I ran out of time to get them photographed beforehand so what you're seeing here is far from new! They've had a few hard washes a tumble dries in shared laundry facilities at campsites in Africa which isn't usually how I care for my linen and...

When Papercut Patterns released their Geo collection a few months back I didn't know which pattern to buy first! All six are gorgeous, contemporary styles and feature interesting shapes and pattern cutting. I'd already planned what handmade additions I wanted to make to my holiday wardrobe, but I couldn't resist adding a couple of these to to queue. First up the Sierra Jumpsuit which I made the short version of but can also be made with full length trousers. I wanted to use a solid colour so the lovely design of the jumpsuit would be shown off and was instantly drawn to this fresh and vibrant leaf green linen/rayon chambray from The Fabric Store . The rayon in the blend gives it a slightly softer drape and smoother hand than their regular linens and the weave is slightly tighter and finer. I could not be happier with my choice to pair it with this pattern. Although you might think a fabric with a bit of weight and structure best for a jumpsuit something fairly fin...