When I first introduced a puppy to my household, I was given loads of advice:
All of these rang true, though I never quite mastered the art of being the first to walk into the house. What no one told me is … you’ll have an excuse to sew a new dog-walking bag once every other year!
Six years on, here’s the latest.
The last time I sewed this Deer & Doe Myosotis Dress, I announced I’d make a second version in silk. I didn’t. I made it again in viscose bought for £3 a metre from The Bloke Outside Asda. Just kidding! I bought the fabric from TMOS.
The season’s are changing. Does nature’s palette influence your sewing and colour choices?
I would never have paired my turquoise earrings with red lace, if I hadn’t spotted a local cottage garden. This stunning cotton lawn from Sew Me Sunshine magnificently combines both colours. As Harriet herself says, ‘perfect for autumn’!
And some hues just make you want to cuddle up in cosy fabrics. Coat sewing, anyone? I’d love to make the Tessuti Oslo coat.
Goodness knows, we’ve all been there. You’re tired and deserve a reward for a hard week. Lying on the sofa, you browse online fabric stores and hit that Paypal button once too often.
Or you’re out physically shopping and the lure of those patterns and those prices is too much to resist. You carry ten metres of fabric home, wondering if you can stuff this under the bed before anyone notices.
Yup, we’ve all been there.
But I’ve noticed an increasing trend towards anxiety over these impulses and a desire to fabric shop more responsibly. People are starting to question whether or not a large stash is a good thing.
I think a stash can be a very good thing. If I spot a rare-to-find fabric, particularly in a solid colour, I’ll stock up on three metres. And I love holiday shopping – fabric as a reminder of places I’ve visited.
But in the meantime, here are my tips to manage your fabric splurges whilst still enjoying the creative inspiration of all those lovely bolts.
I have so many opinions about the Deer And Doe Myosotis Dress! Which makes for a good sewing pattern, don’t you think? Nothing worse than indifference, after all.
I was inspired to sew this after trying on a dress in COS. A cotton dress that cost £80. Nah, mate, I thought, placing it back on the rack. I own a sewing machine.
And I LOVE my Myosotis dress. It’s a loose-fitting shirtdress with a tiered skirt. I would never have considered this pattern if I hadn’t seen Rachel of The Foldline wearing it at The Sewing Weekender. I thought she looked absolutely beautiful and I couldn’t stop gazing at her. I was sold.
So, the Myosotis. Once you nail the bodice fit, you’re laughing – but you do need to nail the bodice fit.
One day you’re walking through parched fields, slathered in sunscreen. The next, squirrels are scampering before you and leaves crunch beneath your feet.
Ah, Autumn! The time of year when women clamber back into their tights and cardies and breath an audible sigh of relief. I don’t have to lay eyes on my own flesh for the next six months. Is there anything more satisfying?
Yes! Sewing for autumn. It’s a whole new season of inspiration, just as you thought you couldn’t churn out yet another Ogden cami. So, I thought I’d do a quick round up of projects for this time of year.
PYJAMAS
I seem to collect pyjama patterns the way other women collect cats. I have several! You can’t really go wrong with a PJ sewing pattern as the fitting is close to negligible. The last pattern I worked from was the Kwik Sew 3553 and it was perfect.
If you like your bedtime toasty, hunt out some brushed cotton. A quick Google search turned up this and this.
If you prefer to stay cool, I recommend a quality viscose. I sewed a pair of pyjamas from this viscose at Stoff & Stil and I love wearing them.
Of course, the ultimate question is whether or not 2018 should be the Year Of The Onesie? People seem to have strong opinions on these, so maybe I’d better move quickly on!
QUILT
To go with my pyjamas, maybe I should finally sew together these quilting squares. Any tips? I have 42 squares here and am a quilting novice.
COAT(S)
You absolutely cannot beat a coat for a satisfying autumn make. Or if you’re in the groove, make two! I use my Sew Over It Lola coat in chambray as an early Autumn outfit and then shrug on my pure wool V9275 longline bomber jacket as it gets colder. Both are easy to sew and have been worn on heavy rotation.
Ridiculous Posing Optional
One Of My All-Time Favourite Patterns
When I was recently interviewed on the Stitcher’s Brew podcast, one detail of sewing that Almond Rock and I touched on was the rise and rise of sewing pattern companies. When Amy and I began sewing about eight years ago, there were The Big Four – Vogue, McCalls, Simplicity and Butterick – and the only indie was Colette Patterns. Burda fitted in there somewhere.
Boy, has that picture changed.
The Foldline’s database of sewing patterns currently runs to nearly 250 pages of content. That’s a lot of patterns to sew. Interestingly, Tasia (who used to run Sewaholic) recently shared on Instagram that her sewing productivity runs to 21 items a year.
Yay, it’s The Handmade Fair this weekend at Hampton Court! Such a lovely part of London. Are you going? I am!
I attended for the first time last year and LOVED it. Don’t feel anxious about rocking up on your own – that’s what I did. It’s so friendly that you shan’t feel alone for long. The fair is great energy, loads of activities, the shopping is TO DIE FOR and there is a prosecco tent. Job done!
If you’d like a discount on your tickets, you can apply here and enter the discount code DYMT. This shall give you the following online discount:
| Ticket Type | Full Price | Saving | Offer Price |
| Entry Only | £16 | Save £4 | £12.00* |
| Full Experience | £33 | Save £5 | £28.00* |
| VIP | £95 | Save £10 | £85.00* |
I intend to be there on Saturday, so give me a wave if you see me! And if I’m dithering over buying some fabric, feel free to enable me.
Ooh, how long has it been since I sewed a pretty dress? Too long!
This is the Sew Over It Marguerite Dress. I was instantly sold on the details. Those flattering gathers, cute sleeve cuffs and super feminine aesthetic. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; Lisa Comfort really understands the female body.
Way to flatter a woman’s figure, Lisa!
I was recently invited to sew the M7575 pattern that came free in August’s Love Sewing magazine – and I loved it so much I made two!
This is my second iteration sewn from a polyester bought years ago from The Man Outside Sainsburys. This pattern really suits a fabric with drape.
