Sewing a cotton lawn dress from Givenchy 1970’s Vogue Paris Original 1950 pattern
Shortening a 1970’s Givenchy pattern I have worked with before, turning midi into mini, my journal on making this dress in Pima cotton lawn in a busy print. Details on total make time, pattern adjustments and lessons learnt.
Mavala purple polish, Black Cherry
Colour scrutiny of Mavala’s Black Cherry nail polish
The hardest thing to declutter - the scruff stuff…
I am totally onboard with the Marie Kondo method - but there are some things necessary in a useful wardrobe that neither spark joy nor get used all that frequently: the clothes you keep for scruffy jobs
Sewing a spring coat in moss green cotton-linen twill from 1960’s Simplicity 5984 pattern
There’s an absense of outerwear for spring that actually offers warmth but isn’t made from wool. My journal on making my first fully lined spring coat, working from a 1960’s Simplicity pattern, complete with back vent and gorgeous topstitching throughout, made up in moss green and blush pink twill, cotton flannel interlining for warmth, and rayon-acetete lining.
Leighton Denny pink nude polish, 3 Times A Lady
Colour scrutiny of Leighton Denny’s Three Times a Lady sheer pink polish
Sewing a square neck pinafore dress in grey wool from 1970’s Style 1169 pattern
Journal on making a midi dress with a ruffle tier and sleeves, suitable for autumn. Made in light grey wool from a 1970’s pattern. Details on total make time, pattern adjustments and lessons learnt.
Sewing an A-line skirt in Designer’s Guild cotton duck from 1990’s Vogue 7018 pattern
Experimenting with Designer’s Guild upholstery fabric………..I asked myself: ”how well can cotton duck be applied to dressmaking?”……..what I learnt
Sewing a high-waisted trousers in sage green twill from a 1970’s Vogue 1275 pattern
A high-waist wide-leg trouser made from sage green cotton twill from a 1970’s pattern. Journal of my total make time, lessons learnt and pattern adjustments.
Sewing a square neck pinafore dress in navy blue needlecord from 1970’s Style 1169 pattern
Making a square-neck, tiered midi dress in navy blue corduroy from a 1970’s Style pattern. Fully lined in rayon acetate and made as a gift. Details on total make time, adjustments and lessons learnt.
Maybe I’ve been doing it wrong all these years
Do I really need to keep changing my wardrobe every 6 months?
Sewing a loose-fitting tent dress with dagger collar from 1970’s Very Easy Vogue 8593 pattern
Working from a 1970’s Style pattern, turning craft cotton to the job of dressmaking - here’s how I got on. Main lesson: oversized is still a fit….
Sewing a cropped jacket in cotton twill from 1980’s New Look 6007 pattern
Sewing a cropped jacket in sage green cotton twill, using a 1980’s cropped suit jacket pattern as the starting point. Details on total make time, adjustments, seam finishes, and lessons learnt.
Sewing high-waisted trousers in linen-rayon blend from 1970’s Vogue 1275 pattern
Working with a 1970’s Vogue Basic Design pattern, sewing a pair of single pleated trousers in rayon. Details on total make time, adjustments, seam finishes, and lessons learnt.
Sewing a drop-waist skirt from 1990’s Style 4987 pattern
Working with a 1990’s Style pattern, my journal on making a drop-waist skirt for a petite frame with high waist-to-hip ratio. Details on total make time, adjustments and seam finishes, and lessons learnt.
Maggie Anne yellow polish, Jessy
Colour scrutiny of bright yellow polish, Jessy, by Maggie Anne
Sewing a herringbone wool dress from Givenchy 1970’s Vogue Paris Original 1950 pattern
Working with a 1970’s Givenchy Vogue Paris Original pattern, sewing a dress in herringbone wool. Main lesson: get more knowledgeable about fabric weights and gsm…..it not enough to know the fibre…
Style refinement is…
Can I call myself a minimalist?
Musings on the definition of being a minimalist - am I one and should I care either way?
Making more of a transeasonal wardrobe
I have started to change the way I approach building my wardrobe for a season. The main objective of this change is to make as much of my clothing work across all the seasons if I can. I’m getting more creative about how things can be used to achieve this, and essentially ignoring all the typical fashion advice about what-to-wear-when.