Top 5 Sewing Goals for 2013!

Happy New Year! I had so much fun sewing in 2012… and learned that for me, rules take the fun out of creating, so I’ve deliberately made these goals achievable and practical!

Here’s goes: 

1. Make a basic dress sloper. 

Inspired by the techniques in the new Craftsy course, "Sew the Perfect Fit", I’m attempting to make myself a well-fitting dress sloper! In fact, I’ve already started… I’m trying so hard to follow all the precise steps for once to get a really great fit! I’m using the Colette Truffle as a basic starting point (minus the ruffle, of course!). I sadly lost the version I had traced and fitted over the year, so I’m starting fresh… and already realising that part of the trouble I had fitting Colette bodices is because I was using a size or two too big! Once I’ve got my sloper ready, I’m looking forward to drafting all kinds of variations for myself!

2. Learn more about the fibre content of knits. 

Great knits are hard to find in my neck of the woods, so I’m always tempted to order online… but when I look back over my web purchases, I realise that I’ve almost always been disappointed by what arrives! I need to pay more attention to what I like in RTW clothing and knits that I touch in person, and use that to make more informed purchases online. (Also, if you have any recommendations for great online retailers, let me know in the comments!) 

3. Make Leggings!

They only cost about $8 in stores, so I’ve been content enough buying leggings until now… but I’d love to get over my fear of sewing for legs by making some leggings! Maybe something a litle more colourful or fun than I can find in stores? My grade 1’s will like that, even if I do end up looking like a stripey-legged witch! ;) 

4. Give it away! 

Now that I’m sewing with knits more than wovens, it’s so fast and easy to finish projects… and I just don’t need that many clothes! Rather than change to more complicated and slow sewing, I’m just going to make sure that I pass on a steady stream of t-shirts and dresses to my mom, sister, and sister-in-law. For starters, I finished a 2nd Tiramisu in half a day, then realised that the bodice stretches to me a bit long for me… so I’m going to find it a new home with someone more endowed! 

5. Take the Seamless Pledge. 

I’ve always admired the idea of Elena’s Seamless Pledge: To avoid fast fashion by promising to make or thrift all new clothing. I wasn’t quite ready to join this past year - After 3 years of being to big for the biggest size in Japanese stores, I was pretty excited to be able to refurbish my wardrobe here in Canada! I have more than enough clothing now though, so I think it’s almost time. It’s partly about frugality for me, and partly about sustainability - both of my sewing output and the environment! 

There we go! I think these goals reflect that fact that I love sewing “cake” - no coats or fancy event dresses for me. Instead, I’m excited to see the me-mades continue taking over my everyday wardrobe!

ps. Can you tell that I’m LOVING doodling on my new iPad? That thing is so fun! 

Bloggers that inspired me in 2012

Wow. This post was much harder to write than I expected! Like many of you, I started worrying that complimenting some people would hurt the feelings of others… Which is obviously not the point! I’m open to suggestions for how we could change up this topic next year to make it easier! 

Nevertheless, here goes… Some of the bloggers that inspired and motivated me in 2012!

The Colette Sewalong ladies: Sarah at Rhinestones and Telephones, Erin at Miss Crayola Creepy, and more recently, Rochelle at Lucky Lucille. And for good measure: Sarai at Colette Patterns for drafting cute dresses that even a beginner could make!

Thank you for hosting the Sewalong. The flickr group offered amazing support as I first started sewing. I checked it every day - I met new bloggy friends - I got all kinds of help, support and encouragement. Thank you. I hope you know that you’ve made a big impact on my life as a sewist! One day I really hope I can dream up a project that will do the same for other would-be-crafters!

Sew Busy Lizzy: 

Thank you for your bubbly personality that comes out in all of your posts, tweets and comments. I know this was a stressful fall for you, but you always take the time to encourage me and heaps of other bloggers too! Thank you for that! Thank you also for being a true Sewaholic-aholic: I thought I had made a lot of Tasia’s pattern, but you take the cake! I love seeing patterns made up in many different ways, and you do it very well!

Kirsty from Top Notch and Inna from Thewallina: 

I love reading both of your posts to see just what you’ve made next. Your clothes are never boring, and always just a little more “out-there” than the average blogger… but you still come up with very wearable, very gorgeous clothes! On top of that, you are both really kind and supportive - Thank for that! Inna, I loved doing a swap with you this fall… and Kirsty, I’m determined to make myself at least 1 Liberty garment this year! 

Liza Jane Sews, Andrea from Four Square Walls, and Morgan from Crab and Bee: 

Ladies, you make everyday “Cake” look so stylish! All three of you sew the kind of clothing that I’d want to wear everyday - and you are kind and generous to boot! Liza Jane, I’d dearly love to come hang out in your garage and do some screen printing and batik… and hey, if you could teach art in my classroom, that would be great, too! You bring art and creativity into sewing in a very unique way. You are going to make a great mama! Andrea, keep up the inspirational pattern hacks and fabulous knits! Morgan, you’ve really nailed your personal style this year - I can’t wait to see what you make next! Thank you all for the comments and encouragement!

My sister Anne, from AnnieBeeKnits
I’m so lucky to have a crafty family! Anne is a perfectionist and a talented knitter and knit designer, who is also really active in her local guild and knitting community. Luckily for me, she’ll also wear anything I make her! Thanks, Anne! 

Last but not least: Want to know who else inspired me this year? Go look at the list of people joining in the the Top 5 listmaking, because WOW! There are some phenomenal blogs and personalities out there!

Thank you to everyone reading for all of your support and encouragement this year. Its amazing to see so many people learning new skills, pushing themselves, and building connections all over the world. Give yourself a pat on the back - You are a wonderful group!

From Fail to Win!

Remember this disasterous unfinished dress? Clearly I should have waited for the Tiramisu to be released, instead of making this McCalls pattern. It’s been balled up in the corner of my sewing room for a month, haunting me… so this morning it because something new! 

A Renfrew! I managed *just* have enough fabric, with a centre back seam from the original dress. I’ve made this pattern a million times, so it was a nice brainless project. 

To make it a bit more fun, I added a bit of lace on the shoulder before sewing all the pieces together. It curves down under the arms a bit, like my Two-Toned Sorbettos from the summer. This is a very basic shirt, but wow, it felt so good to get that ugly UFO out of my sewing room! 

PS. I’m so enjoying reading all the fabulous Top 5 lists going around! if you are joining in, don’t forget to put a link to your blog in the comments here so that other people can  find you! :) 

My Blogger Kit!

The very first blog post that I ever wrote was a thank you to my husband for clearing out the basement to make me a sewing room. He’s always encouraged me to sew, blog and sew some more… so it’s fitting that his Christmas gift to me was all sewing/blogging-themed! 

First up, a gift card to Needlework, my favourite local-ish modern fabric store. I spent a lovely craft night there the other week, and I’m so excited to go back and splurge on fabric!

Next up: A pink polka-dot bathrobe that I helped pick out, and… omg, omg, OMG,  A MUG WITH MY BLOG HEADER!!!!!

Squee!!!! Jamie snuck down to the sewing room and took pictures of my fabric from the boarder, and used some pictures from the blog as well. I’m so touched that he thought of this! It will be a great reminder of this blog for years to come!

And then… *jumps up and down* AN iPAD!!!!! 

Complete with a stylus that fits on a Sharpie. (Because Sharpies are the best!) I’ve been wishing for an iPad for a few months, but I never though I’d be able to get one. A huge thanks to J’s family for helping make this possible! Wahoo! I’ve barely put it down for two days since I got it. I can’t wait to use it for school, sewing, blogging and fun! 

On top of all of that, my Dad went into a sewing store and asked the women there to pick out all kinds of sewing essentials - the kind of useful things I might not buy myself, like a big thread box, pins, thread, and more. Plus, my mom bought me a flexible ruler for drafting. Sweet! 

A huge thanks to everyone for a wonderful Christmas… and three cheers for my family who are all so supportive. As for Jamie, who just *happened* to get HIMSELF an iPad Sharpie stylus to go with my iPad… well, I guess I’ll just have to share! ;) 

I’m a lucky, lucky, lucky girl. I think I might just go thank everyone again!  

Enough sappiness - I’ll leaveyou with something silly instead! This doofus: Dexter, my In-Law’s English Bulldog! 

Top 5 Reflections on a Year of Sewing

A year ago, the thought of sewing clothes from a pattern was completely intimidating. I finally decided to dive right in at the end of January, and made a Sorbetto… folowed quickly by a couple of Peonies, and then the Colette sewalong… and in 4 months I had enough clothes to join in Me-Made May! In fact, it’s pretty much been a me-made year ever since - It’s a rare day when I’m not wearing something handmade!

It’s been a whirl-wind year of sewing - Here are my thoughts looking back!

1. Looking back, I’m really grateful for all the support from my friends and family, and most particularly my husband. He’s always believed in me, and valued the time I spend sewing. (Bless him, he’ll roll over in the morning with eyes barely open and complement whatever me-mades I’m wearing!) He’s a nerd himself, so he understands the all-consuming focus and joy of exploring a topic you love. For him it’s comics, music and games, and for me it’s sewing and blogging! In fact, his Christmas present to me was a “blogging kit” - More on that in a day or two!

2. I can do this. I was so nervous when I first began sewing clothes - I’d sewn since I was young, and I’m pretty confident wth a machine, but clothes just seemed way more difficult thank pilows or bags! The most amazing revelation this year was that sewing clothes is just like knitting - the end result might look complex but each little step is simple! At some point I’ve moved from a beginner to an intermediate sewer, confident that I’ll be able to sort out a pattern as I go. It’s a great feeling!

3. I like simple projects. I LOVE the process of sewing: The whir of the macine, the zen of fitting the next peice. I *don’t* love fussing with instructions or trying things again and again until they are perfect. As a result, I’ve made almost every pattern I own more than once! I get more joy out of my 10th Renfrew whipped up in an hour than I do from plodding away at a more complex dress that haunts me for a week on the dress form. (Yeah, for me a week is a UFO!) Sometimes I’ve felt guitly this year that I’m not more a technical perfectionist… and wondered how my closet will ever fit my wardrobe if I continue to crank out new stuff! It’s been a stressful year though, and I’m so grateful for the stress relief that sewing offers. For now, simple sewing is the key to happiness!

4. Confidence and style. After a lifetime of wanting to “fit in”, sewing has been a revelation. I love my clothes now, and I never waste any time wondering if they are fashionable. I feel like I’m developing a personal style for the first time, and now my clothes make me happy every day. I’ve always been a little bit dumpy - short and round, and I can’t say I ever felt very pretty… but looking at hundreds of pictures of myself and learning to sew for my figure have both laid those old fears (mostly) to rest. (Hey, no one’s perfect!) And of course, this goes back to #1 - Thanks to my husband for thinking I’m beautiful and brilliant! 

5. Last, but not least: YOU. Bloggers, you have made my year better in a way that I never could have predicted. Our sewing blog world is such a tight and supportive community that I forget it is a tiny slice of the internet and pretty much unknown to the average person. I wouldn’t miss you guys for the world though - in fact, I could kick myself for not starting to blog earlier when I was feeling isolated and alone in Japan! Silly me. Thank you. Thank you for every comment, for every encouragement, and for posting such wonderful writing that brightens every day. You rock. 

The next topic in the Top 5 list is Inspiring Blogs and Bloggers. For me, this is the big one - the topic that is about recognising other people instead of simply navel-gazing! (In fact, when I first was thinking about this Top 5 project, I toyed with the idea of making up a new blog award as a way to “pay it forward”!) It seems almost impossible to narrow down all the wonderful blogs you write to only 5 that inspire - so I, for one, am going to go over 5 on this list! 

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful Christmas! Happy sewing, and happy blogging!

Top 5 Linky Love!

I’m so blown away by home many people are joining in the Top 5 list-making! I’m really enjoying reading all the posts I can, but I know I’ve missed a few. That got me thinking: If you are doing any kind of Top 5 blog post, why not leave a link to your blog in the comments below?  I love that this project is bringing together well-known bloggers and beginners (my morning squee was waking up to find out we’re being joined by Ms. Put A Cat On It herself, Cation Designs!)  And hey, who doesn’t love to find new blogs to read?!

So go for it: Link to your blog or Top 5 posts in the comments below, and let’s connect and share the love! 

In other news…

(Check out this awesome Lego portrait of my husband and I that he gave me last Christmas! Only a month into blogging at the time, he nailed my sewing machine and laptop. How did he know I’d become so obsessed with sewing this year? )

It’s the first day of winter holidays here, and it *dumped* snow yesterday. It finally looks like we’ll get a white Christmas! I woke up at 6am thinking about sewing. Wannasewwannasewwannasew!!! My brain is tripping over itself with ideas. I hope that you’ve got some quality creative time coming your way too! 

Well THAT didn't work out: My top 5 sewing fails of this year!

Look, most of the time, blogging is a very positive (and very staged) insight into our sewing. Every once in a while, I like to shake it up with a bit of a reality check. Nothing everything turns out the way I hope! (Shocking, I know! :P) Here are some of the finish garments I made that just never get worn!

1. Colette Sorbetto

Guys! Look! This is my very first piece of clothing that I sewed in about a decade. I was so nervous about using a pattern, and so proud when I finished. Sewing this gave me the confidence to join the Colette Sewalong, which in turn made me the garments obsessed blogger I am today! With all of that background, I really don’t care that this top gapes at the neck and is too short. The only thing that makes me feel guilty when I see it in the closet is the cute Echino-covered buttons I added. Maybe I should put them on something else? 

This photo from Me-Made May/Japanese for Crafters is the only pic I seem to have of this top, from one of two times I made myself wear it!

2. Colette Meringue Skirt

This was the second piece of clothing I made when I got back into sewing. Meringue was the first pattern in the sewalong. I’m actually pretty proud of it! It’s lined, I love the fabric, and I think the ricrac trim is cute. But oh man, I just wouldn’t wear a skirt that sits so low on the hips these days! Looking back, I can really see my pre-sewing style about to morph into what I love now, and this skirt just got lost in the mix. I could take an inch or two off the sides and make it sit higher, but it would get pretty short at the same time! 

3. Sewaholic Cambie

Made from a bedsheet, worn for the photoshoot, and tossed on the floor to rot. It’s not me, and it just doesn’t fit well! Fail, fail, fail. 

4.  Sewaholic Alma

Honest truth? I haven’t worn this once. i might dig it out in the warmer weather… maybe. I love the double gauze in threory, but the sleeve cuffs mean I can’t wear it under sweaters, and the stupid neckline and contrasting dickie-effect drive me nuts!  (I do love the pattern though!) 

5. Self-drafted Dolman

This is a much more recent make, and one of a bunch of knit fails I blogged about lately. I had to include it again here though because it’s just that awful! I brought it as a pyjama top to my in-laws last weekend, and was embarrased to wear it! 

Phew! That was harder than I thought! I have some really bad UFOs I could have thrown in… and some slightly=unflattering but still practical garments that get worn… but I guess the good news is that I like most of what I sew! 

Next up in the Top 5 Lists is Lessons Learned… could be profound, could be silly, could be practical tips about technique - depends on each persons interpretation!  Thank you so much to all the people playing along - I’m enjoying your posts so much, and I hope you are enjoying writing them too!

*added later*

ps. If we do the Top 5 lists again next, year, I’m going to change this “fail” topic. I didn’t mean for it to make us sound like we are trash-talking our bodies or sewing skills… In truth, I was just curious which clothes don’t get worn!  Can anyone suggest a snappy title for that kind of category? “Fail” is too severe!

Oops! I made a summer sundress in the middle of winter...

Hi everyone! First of all, I’m so excited to see so many people posting Top 5 lists up on their blogs! I’m really enjoying reading them, and I hope you are too! Thanks for joining in!

A week or two ago I got the urge to make a pretty dress for Christmas day. I knew it had to be comfy, for lounging and eating massive amounts of dinner! I immediately thought of the Washi Dress by Made by Rae, which has shirring in the back. Perfect for comfort, right?  I was a little worried about the highwaist and pleated skirt though - I’m rather round, and anything that flatters a baby bump is probably not a great choice for me! 

There was only one solution: Make a wearable muslin and find out! But a funny thing happened along the way…

I ended up making a sundress! In theory it is sleeveless to wear under cardigans, but somehow with the light colour, it reads really summery to me. I didn’t realise how light it was… in fact, I have another dress in fabric from the same line, and the grey background is much darker! 

In fact, I wore this dress today!

The good news is that the dress was quick and easy to make and well drafted… though I had to do some pretty serious bust adjustments! The shirring was a fun challenge, though it took a lot of problem solving to get it right. 

Voila! The back. 

Unfortunately, the shirring makes it hard to add a full lining, so I can’t wear it with tights. Seriously, it was clinging to everything like mad - even to my undies when I didn’t wear tights! Not terribly practical in winter. 

The U-cut out was fun to make, and easy to do… but it does gap a bit on me. I think I needed to take out even more fullness in the darts…

But now the crux of the matter: Does it flatter? In short: No. To counter-act the preggers look, I added an inch and a half to the bodice, but most of the got eaten up in the bust adjustments. Still from the front it’s quite cute… but oh, the side views!

Guys, it’s not good. I made myself slouch comfortably in these shots, because I’m never going to have great posture in real life… and I’m not delusional - I know what shape my body is, and I quite like it. But compared to other dresses I’ve made, this one is doing me no favours! I’ll wear it in summer, but it’s not what i want for a holiday dress.

So, back to square one. I want to put my pretty Liberty Lifestyle cotton to better use. But how? I”ve got pretty liberty Lifestyle cotton, and lovely soft teal lining all ready to go, but no pattern! I thought of doing another Truffle, since you have all been so complimentary about my seersuckerTruffle in the roundup… but wouldn’t ya know, i’ve lost the pattern somewhere in the depths of my sewing room! I could do another modified Alma dress, like the washi tape one above… it’s casual and comfortable, and reasonably flattering… Or I could do Peony #6? Nothings jumping out at me right now… and I’m running short on time, so it has to be a pattern I’ve used before.

Luckily, last night I whipped up a Tiramisu in red patterned jersey, so I’ve got a back-up ready! (Side note - Love that Triamisu pattern! I’ll be making a lot of those!) 

Now to get some sleep - and dream of sewing! Honest truth - How many of you either dream of sewing, or think about it as soon as you wake up? 

Top 5 Favourite/Most Worn Clothes of 2012!

It’s Top 5 time! (Don’t know what I mean? Look back at my post here.) I’m starting off with the good stuff: My top 5 favourite or most worn clothes of the year! 

Looking back, I really can’t believe that I only started (restarted?) sewing garments back in late January. I mean, just 18 months ago, my sister’s speech at our wedding involved a silly anecdote about how *badly* my sewing projects turned out in highschool… but how much fun I had making them! It’s totally true - I always loved sewing, but found patterns really intimidating,and would do anything to avoid them. What a difference a year can make!

Without further ado, in no particular order, my top 5 projects!

1. The Workhorse: Colette Peony

This dress is cake - everyday, easy dressing. It is also the second dress I ever made! It’s nothing fancy (no zipper, just pulls on) but it’s also got some good touches, like piping at the neck, a lined skirt, and pockets! I wear dresses like this one to work at least a couple times a week, and thanks to sewing, this has really become my signature style: cute patterned dress, tights, belt and cardi! What more could a girl need?

2. The Everyday Dress-Up: Colette Truffle

I made this pattern twice… and I’m thinking of whipping up another before Christmas. The Truffle pattern was part of the Colette Sewalong, which played a huge role in giving me the confidence to sew clothes. This one is made of turquoise seersucker, and really feels like *me*. It fits just the way I like: snug, but not tight, and skimming right over my lumps and bumps! It’s fully lined with an invisible zipper. I’ve worn it to work, and I’ve worn it to parties… It’s the kind of everyday-pretty dress that I’ve made over and over this year!

3. The Frosting: Parfait Maxi Dress

I’ve only worn this dress a few times, but I love it! It makes me feel pretty but completely comfortable, which is an empowering combination. The pattern was a bit more complicated than I usually sew, so it feels like an accomplishment!

4. The Beginning of Something New: The Renfrew

This shirt in itself is nothing special, and really doesn’t get worn much.. but it’s a landmark project. My first time sewing with knits, my first project on my new serger, and my first Sewaholic pattern! I’ve now made more than 10 versions of this pattern - and countless knit projects. I’m so glad I got over my fears and gave knits a try! Speaking of which…

5. The Way Forward: Sweater-Knit Cardigans

For the first half of the year, I made cute dress after cute dress… but this fall, I’ve been all about comfort and more modern shapes. I wear both of these sweaters at least once a week, and really enjoy them. It’s so nice to be able to make cosy clothes for winter! It’s nice to be able to throw on jeans and sweater, but still feel like myself in me-made clothing!

Phew! That’s was tough! I figure that this year I’ve made about 1 garment a week, which means I had a whole lot to choose from. Before I started writing this post, I assumed I’d have more stand-out favourites… but in fact, most of the ones I’ve chosen are symbolic of a whole series of makes. I’ve made them all in so many versions that this list is really more about my favourite patterns than my favourite garments! 

What about you? Do you make the same patterns over and over, and love them all? Or do you take your time crafting individual, beautiful pieces?

It’s not to late to join in and post your own Top 5 lists before the New Year! Grab the logo here and get writing! :) 

Thanks for joining in!

I admit, I was a little nervous last week when I posted about my plans for Top 5 Lists of 2012. I mean, what if no one joined me? What if you all said, “Uh, someone else already planned that, silly?” Luckily, you are all lovely as always, and I’m thrilled that at least 10-15 of you are going to join in! :) Thank you!

In fact, I’m so excited about it that I think I’m going to start posting my lists this week! I mean, why save all the fun for a crowded series of posts between Christmas and New Years when I could spread it out? (Lazy blogging, hello!) 

To review, here are the Top 5 lists I suggested we write: 

• Top 5 Favourite Creations (most worn, or most loved!)


• Top 5 Sewing Fails (UFOs, worn once, or complete disasters!) 


• Top 5 Lessons Learned (either practical tricks and techniques, or life lessons) 


• Top 5 Blogs and Bloggers that Inspire


• Top 5 Goals for the New Year 

If you are joining in, you can grab the graphic here. I’m going to start with my 5 favourite creations, but you could start anywhere, really. I’m very curious to read everyones posts - I’m dying to know which creations never to worn after the first photoshoot, and which ones are in heavy rotation! 

In other news, here’s a bit of selfish sewing I did on the weekend… 

A half-finished Washi dress, two jersey infinity scarves for me, and an appliqued wool lap rug as a gift!

It’s been a tough week, so I’m very glad it will be weekend soon. I hope your holiday season is shaping up to be relaxing and fun!

Top 5 of 2012: Will you join me in celebrating this past year in sewing?

I’ve been blogging for a year - and I feel so lucky to have stumbled into this wonderful, supportive community! Blogging has made me more motivated in my sewing, and more confident in myself. It has completely changed my sense of personal style, and connected me to all of you inspirational people. It’s almost 2013, and I think it’s time to celebrate! 

Here’s my proposal: Let’s take time to look back on the past year of our blogs by posting a series of Top 5 lists leading up to New Year!  You might post just one big list, or separate posts, or just join in on a few of the topics… It’s up to you and your schedule. 

Let’s write about our Top 5 from each category: 

• Top 5 Favourite Creations (most worn, or most loved!)


• Top 5 Sewing Fails (UFOs, worn once, or complete disasters!) 


• Top 5 Lessons Learned (either practical tricks and techniques, or life lessons) 


• Top 5 Blogs and Bloggers that Inspire


• Top 5 Goals for the New Year 

As a blogger, sometimes we pressure ourself to constantly have some new to show. The teacher in me says that we have to take time to reflect and learn before we can move forward. (Besides, a blog post is just the beginning of the life of a me-made garment - and being a little nosy, I’d love to know the rest of the story!)

I’m planning on posting my Top 5 lists between Christmas and New Years, and I’d really love if you joined me. If you are interested, you can grab the “logo” from my flickr profile, and spread the word! 

The good, the bad, and the dreams

The Good: Black Dolman t-shirt

This is a straight copy of a RTW shirt of my sister’s, made in a 4-way stretch black jersey. It stretches out to be HUGE, but luckily it drapes forgivingly when worn. There is a band at the bottom, and turned hems at the neck and arms. It’s nothing special, but it’s handy for wearing under cardigans! I made my mom one too, so now all three of us can dress to match! :P

The Bad: Long-sleeved Dolman Top

This is the same pattern - but what a difference fabric makes! This narrow navy and grey stripe is rather eye-boggling, and has much less stretch than the black. As a result of some hasty cutting, I made the hips narrower than I meant to… and it didn’t fit! I patched in the vertical strip triangle, so it technically “fits” now… but it sure doesn’t flatter! I was hoping it would add a bit of interest under cardigans, but I haven’t found a combination that works yet! I don’t like how the dolman style means the stripes are vertical on the sleeves, and the neckline is too wide. Boo. I guess it’s a pyjama top now! 

The Dreams: Washi Dresses in Liberty Lifestyle and Washi Fabric

I’m planning my first Christmas dress…and the shirring in the back makes Made by Rae’s Washi dress the perfect choice! 

I’ve bought the PDF pattern, so now I just have to bite the bullet and tape it together. I’m inspired by Crozette’s beautiful version in Dear Stella Gilt Trip, and Miss Matatabi’s Nani Iro winter dress.  The only drawback of this pattern is that it calls for 3m of fabric… Where’s it all going? I’m hoping I can squeeze it out of much less. 

I have two versions planned… a practice version knocked up in the floral print from Rashida Jones Washi line, for which the pattern was named, and then my Christmas version is this beautiful Liberty Lifestyle print. 

I ordered it on Thanksgiving from Marie Madeleine for $13/m… and they are still offering that price, so I just bought some more! It’s much finer weave than I expected. I can’t wait to sew it up!

I’m looking forward to putting more time into a project, and hopefully having it turn out well! I’ve been doing plenty of sewing-for-sanity this fall, so now it’s time to shift gears and really take my time. 

Anyone else sewing something special for the holidays? 

Cosy Clothes for Winter

It’s happened, folks… the snow has started staying on the ground. Winter is officially beginning, and it’s high time I start dressing like it! I’ve got a few long-sleeved t-shirts planned, to replace the tank-tops I’ve been wearing under cardigans. In the mean time though, here’s my first warm outfit of the season!

A flannelette Scout Tee, and a much-modified McCalls cardigan! (Also, check out my chunky wool knee socks which did a great job keeping my toes warm.) I made these up last weekend, and it turned out they were perfect for sitting in the freezing cold hospital room this week! Somehow if didn’t seem *quite* appropriate to ask my husband to take pictures from the hospital bed though… :P

I’m a big fan out the Grainline Scout Tee, so when I planned to make a second version I looked high and low for a flannel that would drape enough for this top. I thought it would be the perfect comfy winter shirt. (Hello, pyjamas you can wear outside the house? Yes please!) The fabric was great to sew with, and it’s comfy to wear… but somehow between the loosely woven fabric, the scooped neckline, and the loose hemline, it actually lets in a lot of drafts! Which is why I’m glad that it just happens to match my next make…

This is my third version of McCalls M5890, made up with a navy sweater knit. This time, I traced the draped panels off a RTW sweater I like, and redrafted the front. It’s hard to explain, but instead of the front panel folding back on itself to make the collar, this one has a wide folded band sewn behind the neck and down the front. It makes for a heavier drape, but also a warmer sweater. It also has a longer drape in the front and longer sleeves, compared to the original pattern.

For reference, here are my first two versions, out of the same sweater knit in pink, and a blue jersey: 

I wear the pink version quite a bit, and I’ve already worn the new blue version 3 or 4 times. I’m debating making it one more time in a grey-and-navy stripe sweater knit… or should I make a Renfrew sweater instead? Decisions, decisions! 

Oh, and can you tell my current winter “uniform”? Patterned shirt, solid cardigan, and slightly-skinny coloured jeans. (Seriously, I own stretchy jeans in black, grey, red and turquoise, and I almost never reach for my blue jeans anymore!) I just dug my winter clothes out of the basement, and there is are a lot of clothes that I’ll never reach for now that I have a me-made wardrobe. Time to donate to charity!

What is your go-to clothing this season? Do you have a handmade wardrobe for every season, or is it heavy on summer and short on winter like me?

My little sewing box is sharing some secrets...

Remember this sewing box that I posted about yesterday? Well, through the wonders of the internet, my om, who bought it for me, has found out some more about it’s original owner! Double thanks, Mom!

• As I showed you before, there is a name and date on the bottom. Well, Mom has found an obituary for Violet, and it seems she passed away earlier this year - on my birthday! Mom found the box in a second-hand shop just a few months later. Maybe I’m a hoarder, but I just can’t believe that her family gave it away for sale! Their loss, my gain, and it’s certainly found a happy new home. 


• Interestingly, Violet was born in 1928, so she would have been 11 when this was painted. Mom thinks that since it’s dated to December 23rd, it was likely a Christmas gift. When I was 11, I love painting and decoupaging little boxes, but mine were never this nice! It doesn’t look like the work of a child to me, so a gift certainly makes sense!


• I wonder who it was from? Mother, sister, friend… She kept it all her life, so it must have been treasured. And where would the blank box come from? Nowadays it’s easy to get little wooden boxes at the dollar store - but what about in ‘39? 


• As for the poppy, a little more poking around revealed that Violet’s older brother was in the military. He would have been to young to enlist at the start of WW2, but he came of age during the war. I’m happy to report that he lived a long life, just like Violet!

That’s more than enough obsessing from me - but it has been really fun and satisfying to be able to find out a little more about this little treasure. I doubt that my grandchildren will be looking back at my plastic thread box in 80 years with quite the same nostalgia, but who knows?