Planning a Handmade Travel Wardrobe

I've got two separate sewing queues going on at the moment. As well as the change in weather inspiring new sewing plans I've been thinking about warmer climates as I'm heading to South Africa and the Philippines in January and February! I'm incredibly excited about it as it is the kind of trip I've wanted to do for a long time. My boyfriend and I will be in South Africa for a month and are going to be travelling around and spending a fair bit of time on safari in Krueger National Park so practical clothing is key. We are then heading to the Philippines for two weeks for a wedding so although warm weather clothing is still appropriate there will be a lot of beach time and party time too so this is going to require a slightly different wardrobe. I will have two days back in the UK between trips to do bit of a wardrobe swap!

I hit briefly on the topic of slow sewing in my last post and am trying to put this into practice with my travel wardrobe too. I don't want to take vast quantities of clothing with me so I've been giving what garments, patterns and fabrics will be really useful some serious thought. I've tried to make use of fabrics in my stash as much as possible and am pleased to say it should be vastly depleted by the time I've made all this! Of course there are garments I've already made that will certainly be coming with me; my short Sallie Jumpsuit (heroine of my warm weather wardrobe!), checked linen Flint Shorts and burnt orange Erin Skirt to name just a few. I don't think I'm quite there yet with the plan but this is my starting point. I'd really love your suggestions on what other garments and patterns you think would be good to include.

For South Africa I'm thinking about comfortable, practical clothing in natural fibres to keep me cool in the heat. Muted tones of lighter colours and some designs which provide me with coverage from the sun and mosquitos. I'll be taking some of these things along to the Philippines too but would like to add in some more vibrant colours, more beachwear and some more dressed up outfits for the evening and wedding.

First up The Fabric Store added this amazing big cat cotton shirting to their online selection a few weeks back and I pounced on it straight away! I'm not usually one for novelty print but wearing little big cats whilst looking for big cats on safari? I'm in! I'm going to use it to make a shirtdress using Hot Patterns 1237. I had a rummage through their designs on the Sew Box stand at the Knitting & Stitching Show and was really impressed by the quality and detail in the styles. The fabric is nice and light and breathable so I'm going to make it with long sleeves for coverage. I'm looking forward to sewing this one up.

There's a few Halfmoon Atelier designs I've got my eye on, the first of which is the Tofo Jumpsuit. I think it will be great to throw on on really hot days when I need to get about easily and will be great over swimwear. I've got a length of this beautiful ikat from The Fabric Store to make it in.

A project that I didn't get around to making this summer but definitely want to get done before holiday is a Tessuti Bondi Dress in this pine green linen I've had stashed away. The colour is a little richer in reality than the photo. This is such a great easy to wear design that I think will be really comfortable in linen and I've been keen to try out another Tessuti pattern since I made my Oslo coat.

I'd like to make a couple of pairs of shorts and have selected some paprika linen from my stash (its the heavyweight linen from The Fabric Store) and some denim left over from my Cleo Pinafore for these. I was thinking about the shorts variation of either the Lander or Persephone Pants but a pattern soon to be released has since caught my attention so I'll have to keep that pattern choice secret for now!

To go with the shorts and some of my existing skirts and linen trousers I want to work on my collection of handmade t-shirts. I'm still on a quest to find my ultimate t-shirt/casual top patterns and would like to use designs which have a bit of interest to them. At the moment the contenders are the MIY Collection t-shirt pattern, Common Stitch Sparrow Tee, Named Selja Knot Tee and Style Arc Como Top. I also think a couple of basic tanks using the pattern just released by Halfmoon Atelier could be useful. Fabric wise I loved the milano viscose jersey from Fabric Godmother when I visited their open day last month and they have it in some lovely warm, neutral colours. I prefer my tees to have a little drape and viscose will be lovely and cool in the heat.

For coverage I'd love to make some kind of lightweight kimono to throw on over anything. I'd love your pattern suggestions for this! I'd like it to work thrown over shorts and tees on safari but also over bikinis on the beach. I've been looking at this zero-waste tutorial from Elbe Textiles but think maybe I want something a little more detailed than that. Perhaps something that can wrap and become a dress? Fabric-wise I'm also undecided but am quite drawn to this lovely printed double georgette.

Of course I'm going to require an assortment of swimwear and I'm excited about this as there have been so many great swim patterns being released lately. I've got a Halfmoon Atelier Wells Bay Bikini cut out but haven't decided on which other patterns to use yet. I've been looking at designs from Swim Style and Sew Swimmingly and considering the Vernazza Two Piece from Friday Pattern Company and the Greenstyle Creations North Shore Swimsuit. I've got a little stash of Liberty swim fabric squirrelled away and ready to turn into something special.

This amazing fabric I picked up in Misan West on Goldhawk Road. Its actually a cotton but has the drape and smooth hand of a silk or viscose. Amazing! I'm just going to hem it and possibly shape it a little to use as a sarong.

For the wedding I'm torn between making a Named Anni Jumpsuit (the variation with the short sleeves, trousers and cut out neckline) in one of these beautiful plain double viscose crepes from Fabrics Galore or a Closet Case Patterns Amy Jumpsuit in a dramatic print. I think both would be lovely and cool and just the right amount of dressed up for a tropical wedding. Perhaps I should make both and the other can be worn as evening wear?!

I've had a small piece of this amazing vibrant jacquard in my stash forever and am thinking to turn it into either a pencil skirt or little pair of dressy shorts to wear on a night out in the Philippines, what do you think?

I've been looking at more designs from Elbe Textiles and Common Stitch but can't settle on any further additions yet. Perhaps I should get on with this lot and see how much time I have left! Do you guys have any suggestions?

Fabric Shopping in Paris (and giveaway winner!)

I've recently returned from a short break in Paris during which I mentioned on Instagram that I had spent some time exploring fabric and sewing shops around the city. This prompted quite a few questions so I thought I'd do a little round up here on the blog for anyone who is planning a visit in the near future to refer back to. Paris is a great place for fabric shopping and has a wide variety of fabrics and price points. I did two little spouts of shopping; a morning in the Marais/Bastille part of town and a few hours up in Montmartre. Both were very different experiences and offered up a different kind of treat.

Le Marais & Bastille

On the Friday morning I hit the streets of Paris with a map in hand on which I had plotted a number of independent sewing shops. I'd collated this information by combing through whatever blog posts I could find about fabric shopping in the French capital. I found these posts from Katie, Tilly and Christine for Seamwork Magazine particularly useful. The shops are fairly spread out but walking between each one down the higgledy piggledy backstreets was such a lovely way to see and explore a different side to Paris. I found many other shops and eateries along the way to pop in to as well as just soaking up the beautiful architecture. The shops themselves make for such a pleasant shopping experience; well laid out and organised and with helpful staff who all spoke reasonably good English.  Almost every shop sold all kinds of crafting equipment and supplies and many stocked a healthy selection of yarn and knitting paraphernalia as well as fabric, trims, notions and patterns. One of the things I was really struck by was how many of these stores had a wide range of indie patterns and not just the French companies. These shops reminded me of places like Sew Over It, Ray Stitch and the Village Haberdashery in London.

Maison Cousu - 25 Boulevard Voltaire 75011

First stop of the day was the beautiful Maison Cousu. This spacious shop stocked a nicely curated selection of crafting supplies including some kits. The left hand side of the shop focused on knitting whilst the right housed a good amount of top quality fabrics including cottons, knits, home furnishing and some more unusual bolts. As well as the fabric they had a great choice of buttons and other notions. Everything you need to get started with a project. In the image above you can see their selection of indie patterns, all from French companies and including some children's designs. Downstairs is their Atelier Couture where they run regular sewing classes.

Entrée en Fournisseurs - 8 Rue des Francs Bourgeois 75003

Next I wandered down to Entrée en Fournissuers which I had a little trouble finding as it is tucked away in a gorgeous courtyard off of Rue de Francs Bourgeois. This is a real gem of a shop kitted out with old fashioned haberdashery cabinets and racks. The majority of the shop is filled with trimmings and buttons (and what a stunning selection of them!) but there is a small selection of fabrics at the back (mainly Liberty print cottons) and a countertop of indie sewing patterns. While you're nearby make sure to take a wander through the Place de Voges, Paris' oldest square.

Mercerie de Charonne - 69 Rue de Charonne 75011

I hadn't put Mercerie de Charonne on my list of places to get to as I wasn't particularly looking for haberdashery and from previous reports it sounded quite small. I came across it quite by accident on the way to the next stop though and am really pleased I stopped by as it is one of those real treasure troves of a trimmings shop; packed to the rafters with everything you might need. There was also a wide ranging collection of sewing and craft books towards the back of this dinky little space.

Brin de Cousette - 2 Rue Richard Lenoir 75011

Continuing along Rue de Charonne you'll soon come across Brin de Cousette which is a lovely welcoming space with a carefully curated selection of fabrics, yarn and patterns. In fact out of all the places I visited this was the best stockist of patterns; stocking designs from the majority of the french companies and many international brands like Sewaholic, Papercut, Colette, Named and more. Around half the shop is a teaching space and there was a knitting class going on during my visit.

Atelier Brunette - 16 Rue Keller 75011
On the site of what was Anna Ka Bazaar when I visited is the very first Atelier Brunette boutique. This is an absolute gem of a place with large hanging samples of their fabrics to stroke, plus garments made up in a wide range of them to inspire you. There are drawers of their coordinating buttons along with racks of bias tapes and piping matching their fabric range. They also stock a wide range of indie sewing patterns in their lounge area and I love that you can see the Atelier Brunette team busy in their office through a large window. The shop looks like a delightful place to hang out amongst like-minded sewers and every bit as visually appealing as their prints. I'm tempted to make another trip sooner than planned...

Malhia Kent - 19 Avenue Daumesnil 75012

After a quick bite to eat near Bastille I headed along Avenue Daumesnil, otherwise known as the Viaduc des Arts. The viaduct running along the length of this road used to carry a railway in the 19th century and now is home to the Promendade Plantée; an elevated park which is well worth a wander if you have the time. The arches of the viaduct are now home to many craft shops and workshops including Malhia Kent which is entirely unlike any of the other fabric shops I visited on my trip. They are weavers of high end fabrics for RTW, couture and furnishing and in this store sell off the roll at €30/m or coupons of varying lengths at €10/m. The weaving is incredibly creative and colourful. Fabrics to really treasure. The sizeable scraps in baskets by the counter are sold off at €1 a piece.

La Droguerie - 9-11 Rue du Jour 75001

From here I spent a bit of time wandering around the Jardin des Plantes before heading back up towards the Pompidou where I was staying. Before calling it a day I wanted to check out two more places. First up, tucked away behind Église Saint Eustache is La Droguerie. I was blown away by how beautiful this shop was with all its old fashioned wooden fittings and notions and beads lined up in jars. It is surprisingly large and mainly stocked with top quality yarn, beads and buttons but there was a nice selection of natural fibres fabrics at the back of the store.

Mokuba - 18 Rue Montmartre 75001

I accidentally stumbled across Mokuba on the way to my final stop of the day. Mokuba are manufacturers of ribbon who I have used frequently for work so I was delighted to happen upon their real life shop. The kind of ribbon they make gives a whole new meaning to the word ribbon which pleated, embroidered, braided and lace designs in all the colours of the rainbow. Through the back of the shop there was another small shop across the courtyard stocking more ribbon and other decorative bits and pieces like beads.

Lil Weasel - 1-4 Passage du Grand Cerf 75002

Lastly I just about made it in time to Lil Weasel who have a gorgeous location in one of Paris' many covered arcades. They have two shops across from one another; the smaller of the two stocking yarn and knitting patterns and the larger focusing on sewing and fabric. There was a much wider variety of fabric here than I expected and I had a hard time walking away from a mustard brocade, a beautifully soft denim and a quilted sweat-shirting. They had a large range of Liberty prints and the second biggest selection of Atelier Brunette I saw.

Montmartre

This area is more purely fabric based although there are a couple of lovely haberdasheries in amongst the fabric shops. The majority of the shops are along the Rue D'Orsel, Rue Livingstone and around the corner as it turns into Place Saint-Pierre at the base of the Sacré-Coeur. It felt like the Goldhawk Road of Paris to me but with some much bigger shops! They were much more chaotic than the shops I'd been in the previous day and often packed with rolls of fabric and coupons. Many of the shops in this area sell fabric in coupons which are 3 metre lengths at often discounted prices. This can make fabric shopping in another language a little easier as they are often labelled up and ready to buy so you don't have to ask for a specific quantity to be cut.

Marche Saint-Pierre (Dreyfuss) - 2 Rue Charles Nodier 75018

My first stop was of course the famous Marche Saint Pierre which is basically a department store of fabric. Spread across five huge floors they stock practically every fabric type known to man! From what I'd heard I was expecting to be loaded with delights when I left but didn't actually find anything I couldn't resist. Perhaps I was a little overwhlemed! I was surprised by the amount of furnishing fabrics and found the 2nd floor the best for dressmaking. The first floor had some bargains but a lot of it seemed quite low in quality with a lot of polyester. I felt similarly about the small coupon branch directly across the street; there were bargains to be had but I struggled to find anything I wanted. I did like how the tables were labelled clearly with the price and fabric content.

Tissus Reine - 3-5 Place Saint Pierre 75018

Next door is the similarly sized Tissus Reine. I much preferred this store as it felt a little more spacious and welcoming organised and the fabric seemed of better quality. I found some lovely viscose and jersey prints in particular. This was also the only place in Paris that I came across to buy big four patterns from their pattern department upstairs!

Sacrés Coupons - 3 Rue Pierre Ricard 75018

My favourite shop in this district was a tip off from Marie-Emmeline at I Am Patterns (who I am still so disappointed that I didn't get to meet up with after a technology mix up!). Sacrés Coupons is a little further down the road and has two stores next to each other; the first and smaller shop has leather and knit fabrics and the second everything else! The fabrics in here are all end of roll and you can score some designer gems! Almost everything is sold in a coupon of around three metres with the exception of some rolls at the back of the store. I really liked that each coupon was clearly labelled with length, width, price and fabric content. Some also have an additional sale label! There were some truly beautiful silks, wools and laces.

There are many, many other smaller stores along this street and a couple of the adjoining ones and I by no means ventured in to them all but here's a quick run down of those I did pop my head into. I found Frou Frou (pictured above) to be better for quilting, stocking its own range of fat quarters and sewing notions and laid out more like the independent shops from further into the centre of the city. Moline had a nice selection of fabrics mainly on the roll but a large percentage of the shop was devoted to furnishing fabric. If you're after African Wax Prints I've heard very good things about Toto, although I didn't pay a visit myself. To buy haberdashery in the area the Mercerie Saint Pierre (beind the Marche) looked good. A shop selling mainly coupons that I particularly enjoyed is one of the first you encounter on the way from the metro; Paris Tissus. Although slightly chaotic feeling the stock is well organised and labelled and there was a good variety of garment appropriate fabric.

As the shops are so busy in this area (I was there on a Saturday afternoon so probably saw it at its busiest) the staff are less available to assist than in the smaller shops elsewhere in the city. Most shops I ventured into had fabric clearly labelled with price as well as fabric content but it may help you to know some fabric names in French! Here's a brief run down of some of the most common terms:

fabric - tissu

mercerie - haberdashery

cotton - coton

wool - laine

silk - soie

polyester - polyester

viscose - viscose

linen - lin

denim - denim/jean

leather - cuir

suede - daim

acrylic - acrylique
sale - soldes (very important!)

If you're looking to buy a lot of fabric and are on the hunt for bargains I would hit the streets up by the Sacré-Coeur. If you're after a more peaceful experience and are happy to browse and perhaps treat yourself to a couple of irresistible items I would highly recommend taking your time to explore the smaller shops in other areas in the city. Either way there's no chance you'll be leaving empty handed!

So what DID I leave with you may ask...well I was fairly restrained as I wasn't in need of much and don't like to have a large stash of fabric waiting to be used. I bought a DP Studio pattern from Maison Cousu that I was excited to find in person in paper format. I treated myself to a length of gorgeous lace trim from Entrée des Fournisseurs which I am hoping to use on the cuffs and hem of a simple black top. Up in Montmartre I found just the fabric I was looking for to make a Berlin Skirt in Sacre Coupons. It is a lovely crisp cotton in Khaki green with a soft almost brushed finish on the right side. And my final purchase on the way back to the metro was a beautiful coupon of chambray in Paris Tissus. I'm not sure if it is viscose or tencel but it has the most beautiful drape and three metres is be plenty for a summer dress or jumpsuit.

Whenever I may return to Paris I'll certainly be making a second visit to most of these stores and will come prepared with a shopping list and some money saved up so I can really make the most of it next time. Do any of you have any other Parisian favourites that I missed? I'd love to discover some more next time!

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway for tickets to the Spring Knitting & Stitching Show. I enjoyed reading about what you were looking forward to and there were some great comments; I particularly loved that some of you liked seeing so many people in one place wearing handmade outfits! The competition closed last night and I selected the 5 winners by random number generator this morning...congratulations Rachel, Kate, Meagan, Julia and Lisa. I'll be sending you an email today to get your details for the tickets. Don't forget if you weren't successful this time you can get your tickets for £11.50 using the code DIARY18 at the checkout!

A Breton Top and a Danish adventure with Stoff & Stil

Like the Nancy Dress I just posted, this top has become another wardrobe favourite. It came as a bit of a surprise to me as this drop shouldered, loose fit isn't one I naturally gravitate towards. I had in my head that this shape probably wouldn't be a great one on me but it's like a more oversized version of the Toaster Sweater which I wear to death so I decided to give it a whirl.

The idea for the top presented itself to me during my visit to the Stoff & Stil store in Herning when I was lucky enough to visit in January. If you follow me on Instagram you probably saw that they invited a handful of sewing bloggers out to visit their H&Q and find out what they are all about. The trip was all expenses paid and included a variety of treats (how lucky were we?!) but my opinions in this post were not swayed by that; I was genuinely super impressed by the whole organisation. In fact I was so impressed by the whole Danish way of life and hospitality that I kind of want to move there immediately!

Stoff & Stil means Fabrics & Style and I'd say those two words sum them up pretty well. They have been selling fabrics for 37 years and have 24 stores in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Germany. They have grown from a small family business selling remnants from local textile manufacturers to producing almost everything themselves, from prints to threads, notions and crafting equipment. If you haven't checked out their website yet hop on over there immediately and you will loose about two hours of your life. They have an amazing array of fabrics suited for all different crafts but I was most impressed by the sheer amount of fabric that was suitable for dressmaking. It it is so unusual to find a one store with such a range of fabric types for clothing including wonderful contemporary prints that are the kind of thing you want to be wear. From viscose to leather, denim to sportswear it's all there. We were like kids in a candy store in the shop let me tell you. The size and variety of supplies and notions for all kinds of crafting kind of reminded me a little of a HobbyCraft here in the UK. But it's more sleek, modern and appealing with MUCH more dressmaking and home decoration fabric available rather than quilting cottons. The store is roughly divided into notions, home dec fabrics, kids fabrics and then fabrics by type and some of my favourite features were how they showed the yarn knitted up into samples and that the pattern area included sewn up samples of some of the designs. Those little touches make such a huge difference to the shopping experience.

The UK webstore is exactly the same as the Danish version and offers you all the same products, inspiration, free DIY templates and downloads. I actually already discussed my impressions of the website in more depth when I used some of their fabrics when they first launched in the UK last year. The only negative I have found in either experience is that delivery can be a little on the slow side but I know that is something the company are working on. The only thing we don't currently have access to here in the UK (aside from a bricks and mortar store) is the printed catalogue they release twice a year. I got my hands on a copy in Denmark and it's a real gem. It's not simply a catalogue of fabrics but shows their fabrics, notions and trimmings made up into garments and modelled. I was super impressed by their choices combining fabrics and trimmings with one of their own patterns to create these garments. They look like real clothes and that is really inspiring. All the pictures from the catalogue can be found on the product pages on the website and in the inspiration section you can even buy the kit of everything you need to recreate some of your favourite looks. I think inspiring is the best word to sum up both their stores and website; great creative spaces packed with contemporary craft ideas.

Anyway back to the sewing as that's what you really come here for! The idea for this top started with this beautiful fabric as it leapt off the shelf at me as the perfect width of stripe and shade of cream with navy for my dream Breton top. It's a really quite unusual cotton french terry with no elastane and limited stretch. The matte almost raw texture seems like it should be a woven and it is fairly thick with a smooth finish on both sides rather than any kind of loop back. It is great quality; the only fault I found with it is that the edges do curl after a wash but a steamy press sees everything nice and flat again. I have been wearing it regularly for about 6 weeks now and after a number of washes it still looks like new. That was one of my favourite things about the Stoff & Stil HQ actually (aside from the amazing machines, one of which automatically cuts the right amount of fabric for each order from a roll when you scan the barcode!). They have a washing machine e.t.c in one corner of the warehouse so every fabric gets put through a washing test and the best way to launder it is then listed on the website.

Once I'd staked my claim on the fabric I nipped over to the pattern area to find an appropriate pattern for my classic Breton top. Luckily I hit on a top which featured just the fit I was after and the semi turtleneck neckline I loved from the Toaster Sweater. Unfortunately I can't find it on the website now. I actually loved the fabric so much I almost played it safe and stuck with the Toaster I already knew but I liked the idea of the dropped shoulder for a Breton rather than a set in sleeve and I'm sure my wardrobe doesn't need three versions of the same sweater! I'm so pleased I steamed on ahead as I think my favourite part of the finished garments it is how the dropped shoulder combined with the stripes has created a chevron pattern down the upper arm. I'm pretty proud of my stripe matching efforts on this one if I do say so myself! As there are only two pattern pieces to cut twice each this was pretty straight forward. I cut it all on the flat and as the front piece is the same as the back piece I cut my one then used it as the pattern piece to cut the back so I could get the stripes lined up exactly. The sleeve pieces you just need to make sure you've got spot on on grain to get a nice match running down the underarm.

Although the neckline looks almost identical to Toaster Sweater #2 it's actually constructed in quite a different way. Both methods give you a lovely clean finish but I probably prefer this method as I've never found stitching in ditch particularly easy for some reason! These instructions have you fold both parts of the neckline down to one side and then you follow you're original stitching line to stitch it in place. You then fold one of the layers back to the right side to give you a kind of faced neckline opening. It probably wouldn't be great in a thicker knit as it does result in the shoulder seam allowances being pressed to the back rather than open and where it's folded back that results in six layers of the fabric in one spot.

The Stoff & Stil patterns are really unusual in that they arrive already cut out in a type of paper fabric that reminded me of interfacing. In a way this is great as you can sew a toile up straight from the envelope, it's really robust and super easy to slip neatly back into the envelope without worrying about torn or crumpled pattern pieces but it has a few disadvantages too which have me on the fence. Once you've sewn the pattern up into a toile you then have to unpick it all to have your flat pattern to cut with, although this might not both those of you who like to tissue fit and still saves time on making an actual toile. The pattern I chose was for jersey fabrics so obviously making it up in the woven pattern paper wasn't going to be an accurate assessment of fit, it only works for woven designs. Lastly the pattern has limited markings with just a handful of punched holes with not much indication as to what they mean so it's like working with a really old vintage pattern! Obviously this is based on my experience with this very simple top which doesn't require much guidance so perhaps the more complex designs do have more info. I've also got the pattern for an excellent running jacket to try (which I really want to pair with this awesome fabric which has reflective spots in the print or maybe this amazing soft-shell) so will feed back on my experience with that soon!

Like the markings on the pattern pieces the limited instructions also reminded me of old vintage patterns. I think they rely on people having a fairly good level of sewing skills which unfortunately are not as commonly taught nowadays. I was worried that the limited guidance would make me feel like I was being less accurate somehow, or at least less certain that I was doing things right. But then I ended up with a beautiful, well finished garment so do we always necessarily need the hand holding that most modern indie patterns give us? The patterns are SUCH a reasonable price compared to many indie companies that I definitely felt like I got value for money and it's quite a nice to change to work with a pattern that leaves you to use use your preferred techniques and sewing know-how.

As the pattern comes already cut (including seam allowances F.Y.I) you have to pick the size that matches you measurements best to buy which would be problematic if you usually fall across a number of sizes on a measurement chart. For a relaxed style like this is totally works for me but for something more form fitting I'd find it frustrating having to do so much work to get a good fit when I could usually grade between sizes and give myself a pretty good starting point. I had the size small and bought exactly the amount of fabric suggested on the envelope; as I had the stripes to contend with I had JUST enough. If you're thrifty like me and usually wing it with slightly less than the fabric requirements indicate take note you will need the required amount with these patterns!

I was worried this would be far too oversized looking on my petite frame as the sample garments were made up with a much clingier drapey viscose jersey but I'm pretty delighted with it! It's really comfortable but I don't feel like it's unflattering. However, part of what saves it from looking like an all encompassing sack was my decision to cut a whopping 6" off the length. I would definitely call it a tunic and far too long on me no matter what fabric I had used but in this cotton which holds a shape away from the body I decided an ever so slightly cropped version was the way to go. The stripes really helped when deciding as I kept folding it up by one stripe at a time to see how it looked. On the other hand the sleeve length is great and the width is actually lovely. I have quite skinny little arms and would worried they'd feel big.

There are so few seams and pattern pieces on this pattern it took me less than two hours to make including cutting and stripe matching. So satisfying. Even the sleeves are easy to set in as they are rectangles being sewn together rather than a shaped armhole. No easing required!

I'm definitely going to be placing somewhat regular orders from the website and am looking forward to the new collection already! I'm so happy to have found a source of good quality dressmaking appropriate fabrics and really enjoyed the experience of trying out a pattern so different to the usual. I've got all fingers and toes crossed for a store opening in the UK at some point!

A Handmade Holiday Wardrobe

If any of you follow me on Instagram you'll probably know that I've just got back from a little break to the French Riviera. I was staying in the town of Antibes which is just so drop dead beautiful I couldn't resist filling all your feeds with holiday spam! For that I apologise. It was a bit of a last minute decision and booking to visit a friend but I realised that my wardrobe is severely lacking in clothes for real hot summer weather, the likes of which we don't really see in the UK. Of course I like to cause myself as much stress as possible before a holiday so I planned to sew myself up a storm over the few days off I had before I departed! It was actually a very enjoyable few days as for once I didn't over stretch myself and made some simple but fun to sew and new to me things.

I was only taking cabin baggage with me as the trip was just for four nights but I needed outfits appropriate for the beach, exploring the local area and long lazy evenings of wine and food along with possibly a spot of yoga. I endeavoured to take just what I needed and to be prepared for every eventuality whilst wearing as much handmade as possible. I was really chuffed with my case of 60% me made clothing when I left and thought it would be fun to look back on that now and see how it worked out. A fair few of these garments were whipped up just before the holiday and so haven't made it to the blog yet but full reviews of the patterns and fabrics will be following.

Day One

Luckily it was a nice day in London when I departed so I didn't have to worry about wearing anything warm. I chose my recently completed Mustard Viscose Midi Skirt and grey cotton lycra tee to wear on the plane. Both are super comfy and were perfect for arrival in sweltering hot Nice being breezy and breathable.

That evening I just chose to swap the top for a RTW (ready to wear) black cami to freshen up a little before watching the final of the Euros on the streets on Antibes. The mustard viscose does wrinkle up quite badly with wear but in quite a nice soft way so I stuck with it!

Day Two

The second day I headed straight down to the beach. I made two bikinis for the holiday and I really couldn't wait to wear this watermelon version of the Named Beverley Twisted Bikini. Over it I put on my hot off the machine Navy Sallie Romper. This was the real star of the holiday wardrobe but more on that later!

My fair British skin doesn't deal well with all that sun it's not used to so I made sure to escape the beach before midday. It was super hot so I threw on a shop bought trapeze dress which I bought recently in American Eagle for a mooch around the beautiful little streets and big port of Antibes.

That evening we went out for dinner and wine and I went for casual evening style with my new Tropical Shorts (posted yesterday) and my Black Silk Sutton Blouse which is a total wardrobe staple of mine. I wash it in the machine and over time it has developed such a lovely sand-washed quality.

Day Three

Another baking hot day and I headed in to Cannes to explore so needed something suitably on trend for arguably one of the most glamorous spots on the Riviera. I thought my Tropical Shorts were a great little combo with my self drafted Off The Shoulder Top and I was really comfortable in it, although a little concerned about the risk of shoulder sun burn! Lots of sun tan lotion required!

Returning to Antibes and a dinner which mainly consisted of amazing French cheese the glamour of Cannes most have got into me and I pulled out my new By Hand London Holly Palazzo Pants. I paired them with my trusty black cami tucked in to show off the lovely high waisted style.

Day Four

The aim of my final full day was pure relaxation. I headed down to an almost empty beach mega early and went with my plain black version of the Named Beverley Twisted Bikini this time. Again I popped my Sallie Romper on over the top and stayed in that all day with the exception of a change of bikini for sun bathing later in the afternoon! That romper is a real trooper. Easy to dress up or down I felt great in it on the beach, at the market, in the Picasso Museum and on the little train round to Juan les Pins. I even felt good in it when I had it on back to front by accident on my way down to the beach!

That evening we had a leisurely dinner on the terrace of the house my friend Izzy is staying in and then wandered down the the beach for fireworks. My Tropical Shorts made another appearance, this time with the the top that I had made to wear with them; the Named Inari Tee with back cut outs which I posted yesterday.

Day Five

To make the most of my morning before heading to the airport I headed down the the beach early, Black Beverley Bikini again with the second RTW sundress I had packed. After this the Inari Tee made it's second appearance with my Mustard Midi Skirt again. I wanted to have a last look around the shops before catching my flight so I needed a cool and comfortable outfit which wouldn't be too chilly when I got back to London. I thought shorts might be a little optimistic for the UK despite it being mid July!

So all in all I'm pleased to report that I wore mainly handmade all holiday! I didn't wear the RTW bikini I packed nor a pair of H&M palazzo style trousers. I did fall back on a couple of super easy RTW summer dresses though, I seem to make dresses too fancy for the beach! The only handmade garment I didn't get around to wearing were my favourite Pacific Leggings which I packed for yoga as the day we had planned to go was exceptionally hot and I decided I just couldn't face any exercise after a day of wandering around Cannes in the heat. (I was much more in the mood for wine!). I was intending on pairing them with the grey Renfrew tee from earlier in the trip.

The main thing I've learnt about trying to pack light and for various eventualities is that separates are great! Being able to mix and match means getting more wear out of each item. I think it was really good for me to sew for a purpose like this and it made me make good choices. I've also learnt a thing or two about some holes in my self sewn wardrobe, namely that I need to make some simple, neutral camisoles. I might just copy the black vest pictured above as I really like the shape of it but can anyone recommend a good cami pattern? I'd also like to make myself a couple of draped cardigans with slim sleeves as the Zara one I took with me was very useful for taking off the chill, which was pretty much only on the plane and the journey to and from the airport in the London! I've got some delicious bits of merino stashed away which might work for this but perhaps for a more summer appropriate one I could try a linen knit.

The only trouble I have is that I've returned with (as well as the ambition to make perfect macarons) the desire to sew a whole new summer wardrobe as I was so inspired by the fashions of the super stylish French women around town! They sure know how to look super chic in the heat.


I'd like to finish up by saying that after five gorgeous relaxing days in the area I was stunned to wake up to the news from Nice the morning after I flew home. It seemed impossible to relate that tragedy to the peacefulness and beauty I had experienced in that part of the world during my break. My thoughts are with everybody affected by this kind of unexplainable cruelty anywhere in the world.
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