So, it’s only been six months (*coughs* at least…) since I bought the Thread Theory Fairfield pattern with the intentions of making Mr Distracted a well-earned handmade shirt!  And I’ve pretty much had the supplies for this make for just as long; fabric washed and ironed, pattern printed and ready to go. I guess I was put off starting by ALL. THE. PATTERN. PIECES.

A busy April means that Me Made May is looming on the not too distant and hopefully sunny horizon and will be here in no time at all.  And since MMMay pledges are already popping up on Instagram, I decided to take my April sewing energy and apply it to making my own pledge for 2019.

I wanted to improve my jersey sewing skills and make a few more casual t-shirts, and the Frankie sits in that middle ground between ‘comfy and loose’, and ‘shapely and fitted’. Plus, the raglan sleeve and neckband means the Frankie can be brilliantly colour blocked – so the style opportunities are endless!

For a while now I’ve wanted to try some free motion embroidery, with the idea of using it to customise a me made…

In Greek mythology, Cassiopée is boastful about her own beauty, so she must be good right? I took a gamble and popped it onto my Make Nine list…

This past Friday I discovered something that changed my entire weekend – the Happy Fabrics UK website!

A special ‘secret’ project, Christmas, followed by a lingering New Year cold has had me running a bit behind posting my end of 2018 makes, and since my motivation to photograph my makes is generally terrible I’m even further behind than I had hoped! I thought I would try and catch up quickly, showing you these three lovely ladies, before those exciting 2019 projects start stacking up too!

My final make of 2018, this Christmas version of the Fancy Tiger Crafts Sailor top was originally planned for Christmas 2017!

I have loved my sewing journey over the past year; looking back I know I can be proud of everything that I have achieved, and I feel in a better position to make informed choices about the things I want to make in 2019. I have so many ideas and plans, if only there was enough time!

Since the looming New Year is traditionally a time for reflection I decided I would take a look back over my first sewing year and see how far I have come before I start making those fresh, new and exciting plans. 

Jack-o-lanterns, ‘guising, apple bobbing and trick or treating are all recognisable as Halloween celebrations, and conjure up excitement and nostalgia for this time of year – crisp cold evenings, autumn leaves; bonfire night followed quickly by Christmas…the start of the cosy season!

These past two weeks I have been incredibly lucky to have been able to attend the short course ‘Introduction to Customised Pattern Cutting and Fitting’ with the London College of Fashion, UAL...