Create because you can, not because you have to.

We've just returned from a week in North Devon, celebrating a lifelong friend's wedding which was so so beautiful, pretty much everything was hand-made, with so much time and love gone in to every lasting detail it really was one of the most beautiful weddings ever - some images from the day can be found on the official photographer's blog here.

What with the wedding, days lounging on the beach until darkness, watching the sunset, fighting through crashing waves, walking for hours along riverbanks and through sand dunes with no real destination, upon returning home I've never been so inspired to create - I even found inspiration for a new dress in a washed up pile of rocks at Putsborough Beach (of which I've brought a few home as a reminder).. I'll be collecting fabrics for this over the next few weeks or so.

As for dresses, I actually started on a brand new dress today and have spent the last few hours playing with materials and my Singer, the living room looks like a fabric bomb has hit it. It's very much based on the dress I made for my wonderful friend in Canada which you'll find here.

Some progress shots?

I've been having so much fun these past two and a bit years growing my tiny little business that I completely forgot to slow down and take a break - even throughout my holidays I'd continue working..! I LOVE running my little shop, it means everything to me and I love all the people I've met who support me and make it possible for me to do what I love - over the last couple of months it's sort of exploded into something so much bigger than I ever imagined, every spare minute of my days and nights have been spent working hard on my etsy shop and bookbinding, I totally forgot about all the other things I love to do as well! 

Some of you may have noticed my etsy shop is currently in 'vacation mode' and will remain that way until at least the end of this week and possibly a little longer whilst I re-visit all the stuff I've not had time for like dressmaking, illustration, photography and generally being creative.

I'll announce on facebook / twitter once I've re-opened and if you really want to stay up to date, you can use the 'notify me' button in my etsy shop using the link above. 

Until then, never forget - it is ok to slow down from time to time. Don't miss out on the other great things life has to offer and always take time to create because you can and not because you have to. 

Happy creating - I'm off to explore my fabric boxes..

♥

Colette Sorbetto Tank Top Pattern Review

During my self-induced Pattern Therapy sessions (hah) I decided I needed to make myself some new tops for Summer since my wardrobe consists of the same colour palette: creams, khaki greens, smudgy browns and dusty Pinks! Seriously - If you've seen me anywhere around over the past 12 months you'll think I always wear the same thing! 

Not only does my wardrobe consist of the same colours, but also the same style of garment, namely the trusty tunic, thus begins the search for the perfect tunic pattern (I can only change one thing at a time, and this time it's the colour, NOT the style, K?). Whilst looking for the perfect tunic pattern (still searching if anyone has any suggestions!) I re-stumbled across the Colette Sorbetto tank top and since it's a freebie download from the website, decided to give it a go.

I've had to peg the tank for 'aesthetics' - more on the sizing below!

The top itself is a basic tank with no closures (yey) and a box pleat down the front. This would be a great starter project for beginners using only two pattern pieces and just a handful of basic techniques. It's easily adaptable if you want to make adjustments too which is my next challenge.

The pattern prints out onto 25 pages which includes all your instructions, there's no colour coding so you can print out in grayscale to save your ink. It was simple to piece together and the fact that I have a guillotine REALLY saved me some time cutting out each block! 

I found the fabric requirements to be very generous, suggesting 1 1/2 yards of a 45in or 60in fabric but I used a 60in fabric and managed to squeeze the pattern into just half of that with a 27 inch cut for the size 10. If you want matching bias tape you'll need more and I can't vouch for any size larger than a 10 as I haven't made them! You'll definitely need more if using a 45 inch fabric. 

I have SO much of the fabric I used so this project would help use a bit more up (I really have to start using the materials I already have and stop buying new stuff and squirreling it all away). It's a lightweight cotton given to me by my grandmother last year so the ideas was to make a pyjama top to match the knickers I made using the same fabric a few weeks back. 

I won't lie, the length of the original scared me - I'm used to wearing my tops swinging around my hips, this is WAY too short for me but I wanted to follow the pattern accurately to work out adjustments for the next one and for a PJ top this length is just fine.

Now, sizing.. Because this is US sizing I made sure I took all my measurements to get the right size and came up somewhere between a 6 and an 8. The pattern recommends taking the larger measurement and cutting this size so I should have cut an 8. Somehow when I came to actually cutting the pattern though I managed to follow the lines for a size 10 and only noticed when I finished - I think there must have been a mental note embedded in my brain telling me I'm a UK 10 so cut that, urgh.
To make things easy I just went with it and made up the 10 BUT it didn't matter this time round, firstly because this was just a trial to see how the pattern goes together and secondly because it's only going to be used as a pyjama top so actually, the larger size is ideal. I'll pretend I did it on purpose ok? OK?! When I re-make I'll have to go for the 8, maybe even the 6.

See those gaping arm-holes? That's kinda what it looks like on me!

This pattern is so easy to follow and I'll definitely be buying from the Colette range in the future. All techniques are fully explained before going ahead to do them so if it's your first time you can't really go wrong! The one and only bit I really really hated was applying the bias tape. This was horrid - not because it was hard, it was just too tedious for my liking! If I'm going to go through all that effort again I'll definitely make matching bias (although I have my eye on this amazing panda fabric from The Eternal Maker, and some blue spotty bias similar to the stuff I used that goes really nicely)!

I'll definitely be making more of these, in the smaller size for day-wear! Adjustments I'd like to make are the following:

Add a peter pan collar with buttons down the pleat

Add lace on pleat

Lengthen into a tunic

Lengthen into a dress (maxi, anyone?)

Invert the pleat

Buttons down reverse

All in all I'm happy I have a new set of PJ's, I've used up some more of this fabric which seems to be never-ending and I have a new pattern to play with - yey!

Pattern Therapy - Dyslexia Busting Flirty Thrifty Floral Short Shorts

I can't be the only one who avoids shop bought patterns can I? Back in my pant post I mentioned how rusty my pattern cutting skills were. Well, I also really need to brush up on pattern reading skills! I've been dressmaking for a while now but have fallen into this irritating habit of avoiding shop bought patterns because they scare the heck out of me - and I don't think it's just because if I'm making for myself I can be a really really lazy seamstress. 

My dyslexia has always been a total pain in the backside when doing anything remotely academic. If I have to read it first, it's 100% going to take me 10 times as long as it should. I need to either see or do, to learn anything. With a deficit in working memory, short term memory loss and a 'below average' comprehension score, I find it really hard to follow the simplest of instructions, especially when I have to read them, so this pattern reading lark was a little test to see if I can train my coconut in to thinking it's cleverer than it actually is. Let's call it pattern therapy. Yeah I like that. T.H.E.R.A.P.Y.

"Read. Now read again. And again. Well done. Ooh what did that bit say? OK now read again. OK good, now sew. NO NO WAIT. WAIT WAIT. Read again. Double check that bit. hmm.. Tea break."

If I'm one day going to be the super pro dressmaking lady I hope to be I need to dream big and start small - easing myself into this new pattern reading territory with a nice and simple starter project. I had a rummage through a whole bunch of old patterns that belonged to my grandmother and picked out a 1969 McCall's (9784) misses dress and shorts pattern with a little "Time saving QUICKIE" logo that I liked the look of! I opted for the shorts as a nice easy make to start with. And a nice easy make they were!

I was super happy to find I didn't need to buy a single thing for this project which I LOVE. I used supplies I already had and the fantastic floral stripe fabric which used to be a curtain came from my stash, originally bought from a car boot sale for about 50p. I have literally so much of this fabric it's about time I actually started using it. 

I also want to point out that after not bothering to check my measurements against the envelope or even try them on whilst making to see if it was going to be worth the effort, I'm happy to announce that they are the perfect fit - which means this was a very smooth make indeed.

I found this particular pattern really easy to follow, with minimal 'extra effort' steps apart from the occasional traipsing off to press fabric and seams which I should be doing anyway. The only thing that bothered me was the zip and that was my own fault. Let's not talk about the zip, I got there in the end and that's all that matters. It definitely took me longer than it should have, but I made it through the entire pattern (many times) and my shorts look like shorts! The only alteration I made was to the length, turning them up twice as much as the pattern states and outwards to make the turn-ups a feature as opposed to inwards to make a tidy hem. I really really love these, the pattern could easily be altered too - I'd definitely like to try making them with a slightly heavier fabric next time and a wider waistband.

I loved doing this, so I now challenge myself to work my way through the entire pattern box.

 Here's to Pattern Therapy ♥

FEATURE - Flutterbydaisy

Meet Natanya Waybourne, brainchild of her very own magical world and creation - Flutterbydaisy. I've been following Natanya's work for a few years now after seeing her photos on DeviantArt way back in 2008/2009 and remember always being intrigued by her style and work. Wearing flowers in her hair, lace, torn fabric and her make-up like a little doll.. She makes beautiful dresses, perfect for hiding in the woods and running through fields, writes enchanting words and takes some gorgeous photographs.. Here's an interview for you all to enjoy with images of pretty people in pretty flutterbydaisy dresses:

Self Portrait by Flutterbydaisy

Flowers in the Attic

I just thought I'd show a couple of examples of a collection I've been working on.
It's called 'Flowers in the Attic', and is inspired the wonderful but haunting Novel by Virginia Andrews.

This has been an ongoing project for around a year now, I've spent a lot of time sourcing the perfect materials so that I can do the best I possibly can. And now I think I've finished my sourcing, I'm ready to complete the collection!

The collection will consist of vintage and vintage style floral fabrics mixed with cream, ivory and peach tones, mixed with a little bit of lace here and there to create a collection of pretty garments suitable for day or eveningwear.

I'm determined to have a collection of one-offs finished at some point in the future!

The above dress was reconstructed out of a pleated lightweight cotton skirt and using a vintage 1970's caravan curtain to create the bodice. The back fastens with two rows of lace and ties in a pretty bow. The skirt zips up at the side and ties at the waist in a matching fabric.

This dress consists of a pretty textured floral bodice, finished off with a light-weight poly/cotton mix skirt with a tiny delicate floral pattern. Fastening in a similar fashion to the first dress but with a vintage scarf instead of lace, the halter-neck straps tie at the back of the neck and the skirt zips at the back.

♥

Photography by me, Louise Knight
Modelled by the fabulous Rachael Holmes

Beautifully Tattered, and Gratefully received!

Remember my post back in May about the super-secret dress I was making for someone super-special? Well I finally finished it, and she received the dress yesterday and is SO happy with it, which makes me amazingly happy - and THAT means that I can now post pictures for you all to see!

The entire dress consists of both new and vintage materials. There's some really old lace mixed up in there that is so, so delicate. Also some hand-crocheted lace that my great-grandmother made herself. There are vintage doilies, shreaded silk, vintage buttons, scarves, ribbons.. I tea-stained a lot of the materials so they all went really beautifully together.

First up, a little self portrait I shot when the dress was 'in-progress'. I couldn't bear to send it off without taking a few little photos to remember it by!

And of course, some standard shots of the finished garment:
(I left the straps pinned like that so she can choose whether to have a halter-top or 'normal' straps)

And some close-ups:

Soon I will show the simply AMAZING dress that I received in return. Honestly.. it's stunning, I've never had anything so beautiful in my wardrobe :)

Enjoy ♥

Beautifully Tattered . . .

Currently I'm working on a beautifully tattered dress for a friend over at craftster.org

It consists of shreaded silk, vintage fabrics, lace, tea stained doilies, scraps and more.. all draped together on my dressform and stitched lovingly under my sewing machine, and with a few personal touches here and there such as trinkets and possibly a little bit of hand embroidery - I hope to soon have a wonderful dress to hand over..

Here's a sneak peek :)

I can't believe how much fun these are to sew.. I was going to sketch out some designs and work from there but I already had an idea in my head so I just went with it, I'm in love..

Although.. my machine isn't so impressed, but she's holding out!

I will update on the dress again once she's received it.. it's supposed to be a surprise ;)