Tree Fall

Checked Pears

 

 

The pear fabric is a Japanese print that I bought a couple of years ago from the Festival of Quilts (I think) and the red gingham is once again from Fabrics Galore.

I've lined the bodice with the grey circle (again) and because the pear print felt a little thin (it's a lightish weight quilting cotton) I've sewn in a red gingham underskirt.

This one's a gift for a four year old with quite strong opinions on what she'll wear  (I know that problem all too well), so I'm just keeping fingers crossed that she'll like it. But thanks to Lily, I totally understand if not. I once cried when Bella didn't like a dress I made for her. I now scoff at the idea of indulging such sensitivities!

Tartan Empire

 

 

 

 

 

I'm finally getting a bit more confident with drafting patterns and a lot better at understanding the basic construction. This dress started with wanting to make a skirt out of the Jack Wills tartan that I bought from Fabrics Galore on my birthday.

I started by pleating a rectangle of the tartan (which is extremely soft and light - the same weight as cotton lawn) and then decided that it would look good with the grey circles cotton lawn (again from Fabrics Galore I think) so graded up the bodice pattern that I drafted for Lily's dress last week.

Once I'd sewn up the pattern I was unsure about the proportions of the bodice to the skirt and thought that it looked a bit of a dud. I also thought it was sized for a 4 year old (still working on the sizing thing!), until Bella tried it on and it fitted her perfectly.

Once it was on I was really relieved to see that the proportions worked how I had hoped they would. I had been wanting to create an empire line, with a high waist and a flowing skirt and that's pretty much how it worked out. Which made Bella happy too, because she still loves a twirly skirt.

There are a couple of faults with the dress (I free handed it with the pleats, so they're not even) but over all I like it and so does Bella. I really do need to work on the sizing thing though!

 

 

 

Freya and Fred, by Janet Clare

 

 

I tend to find most sewing books a bit of a disappointment these days. I often find myself getting distracted by low production values, with messy, unoriginal layouts and, worst of all, sloppily finished projects (how hard it is to just snip those threads?).

Anyone who knows Janet Clare however, has no doubts that low production values and sloppy projects would never be acceptable on her watch. Which is exactly why 'Freya and Fred' is such a beautiful, clever, and inspiring book.

 

With over 20 inspiring projects, Janet Clare's first book fully embraces her beautiful style of applique and free machine embroidery. With its seamless blend of traditional, nostalgic imagery and modern techniques and fabrics this book will inspire you to produce your very own heirloom pieces (if they can survive the every day use that Janet insists they are for!).

 

'Freya and Fred' describes itself as "A week full of quilts for a girl and her dog" and starts with a Alphabet Quilt pattern on Monday as Janet's creation 'Freya' starts at school. The book then continues with patterns for the other six days of the week as Freya and her dog Fred go to parties, take ballet lessons and have picnics.

As with all the patterns in the book, the emphasis is on applique and embroidery and how to use them to personalise your quilts. For example, with the Alphabet quilt, Janet shows how to take a basic template of Freya and by just changing hairstyles and fabric choices, you can create 26 different appliqued girls and boys. She then leads you through the process of fusible applique with extra hints and tips to make it all as easy and as fun as can be.

 

Every page of this book is a genuine pleasure to read. Janet's writing style is open, chatty and fun and manages to make you feel as though she really is talking directly to you. The illustrations and instructions are all clear and easy to follow and the finished projects are as beautiful as you would expect from Janet, whilst still looking completely achievable.

I've been sewing for a good few years now and I still learned new skills and I want to make almost every project in the book (the lace curtain tutu alone is genius).

I love 'Freya and Fred'. It not only inspired me, it also made me smile. It's been written with such obvious care and love that I defy anyone not to enjoy it whether new to applique and free machine embroidery or not.

 

Freya and Fred is available to buy online through Janet Clare's etsy shop, but I have a copy to give away to one lucky reader.

To be in with a chance at winning a copy of 'Freya and Fred' just leave a comment between now and Monday September 5th, when I will use the Random Number Generator to pick a winner.

 

Overflow

 

It has to go somewhere!

Greenfield Dress

 

 

Today I wore a dress, in public, that I designed and made myself. I've never done this before, because although I've made a few bits and pieces for myself, I've never made anything that I felt looked finished enough to actually wear!

 

I checked and double checked with Jim and the girls that it looked like a dress, that people might wear, and I left it hanging around for a week or two after finishing it, in the hopes that that would give me some professional distance from it.

But it didn't work. Because I still spent all day feeling as though people were looking at me and thinking "she clearly made that herself. It's so obviously homemade!". And even worse, feeling as though all people could see was a piece of fabric I bought, that I was pretending was a dress!

The fabric is Denyse Schmidt Greenfield Hill voile and the pattern is the same as this one, with a few tweaks. Including two darts down the back and a couple of pleats on the arms and the neckline. I also finished the inside raw edge of the neckline with bias binding and then folded it in and topstitched it to give the neckline some structure.

 

 

I still think that it needs a few changes - although the original plan was to make a straight forward tunic, I've found that I actually want a more fitted, figure skimming dress, so next time I'll probably add some more darts and pull it in slightly at the waist.

I wonder though, if there's a point that you stop feeling conspicuous when wearing something you made yourself? Is it just a matter of practice? Do you stop feeling self conscious? Or is it just me?!

 

Inspiration

 

 

 

I've found it interesting to see how my taste and buying habits in fabric has changed over the years. These days I seem to be focusing so much more on childrens clothes, rather than patchwork and that has led very naturally to me looking for less recogniseable, named fabrics as well as increased yardage.

I'm also finding inspiration in new places, including fashion mags (because goodness knows I need an excuse to buy more magazines) and now have a whole new (huge) pile of tear sheets to try and store somewhere.

But the biggest change seems to be the choices in fabrics that I've been buying. Not only am I looking at a lot more cotton lawns, rather than quilting weight cottons, but I'm buying much darker, less illustrated, more graphic prints.

Which I also have to try and store somewhere.

 

Liberty & Linen

 

I made this in a size 2, assuming that Lily, who is very much a pink girl, and hugely fussy about the length and twirl factor of her dresses, would not be interested.

Instead she asked if it was for her with such surprising longing, that I had to lie and say yes, even though it's almost too small and is certainly too short.

 

 

 

The top part of the dress is made from the most amazing Liberty print, which has tiny shots of jewel colours on a black and white woodland print.  And the bottom half is a natural linen with a red woven stripe.

 

 

I had originally finished the centre seam without any braiding, thinking that I would keep it plain. But I love the way the soft yellow of the vintage ribbon picks up the colours of the Liberty print and contrasts with the thin red stripe.

 

 

The bodice is lined with a dark Paul Smith stripe and the back has an open v neck, so it just pulls on and off.

As I said, this is actually a size 2, and should be knee length, but at 3.5 it still fits Lily comfortably as a tunic.

 

 

 

Make@Angel

I'm very excited to say that the beautiful shop Angel, in Easingwold will be the venue for some exciting new sewing workshops, that I'll be teaching from Monday 22nd August.

I'm extremely happy to be involved with Angel (and it's owner/designer, Kirstin) and to be able to teach in such a beautiful setting. Easingwold itself is a gorgeous village just outside of York, and Angel (which is next door to an amazing, traditional style sweet shop - lethal!) stocks the most beautiful vintage inspired home accessories and is the perfect setting for spending the day sewing, eating and chatting.

The first workshop is an introduction to sewing and using a sewing machine, whilst learning to make a flat bottomed tote and a zippered pouch and includes all materials, written instructions, lunch, tea and coffee and cakes! And promises to be great fun.

 

To book a place on the workshop, or any of the future ones, just call 01347 822044 or email enquiries@angel-lifestyle.com

For more info about what to expect from the workshops, see the link in my sidebar.

 

Autumn/Winter

Grey and white spotty cotton blouse with unbleached cotton eyelet trousers, lined with natural linen.

 

Liberty Lawn baby blouse.

 

 

New for autumn/winter.

 

Working on plaids, tartans and wools, in greens, greys and yellows.

 

Tea and Toast

It's that time of the year again (already) where the new Toast catalogue arrives and I start mourning the loss of summer just a tiny bit less, because I realise that Autumn and all it's glory is on its way! I should probably be embarressed that the Toast catalogue can make me less sad about the change in seasons, but I can't help the way I feel. Especially when greeted with such lovely images...

 

 

 

Just as a slight aside, the UK riots have made me think twice about posting this. I firmly believe that our first world culture of prizing possessions over all else, and respecting spending power above any other kind of power, plays a huge and obvious part in many problems within our society. Which is not to say that I think posting about the Toast catalogue plays a noticeable role in perpetuating that problem, I just thought twice, in these sad times, about writing about things I want. But I went ahead, because although I love these images, I will never own any of the actual pieces, and I have no problem with that.  I hope that wanting a better world where community is prized above possessions does not mean that we can't also enjoy frivilous beauty. These images inspire me, but I do not aspire to actually own any of it.

Except maybe that bedding (shhhh)