Ok, can I get a "How cute!"? I defy anyone (broody or not / with or without children) not to find these little dresses adorable! Embarrassingly, it was waaay back in January when Jeanette (aka Lazy Seamstress) asked me if I'd like to try out her Flossie's Pinafore pattern, but I'm glad I eventually got round to trying it out. The occasion couldn't have been better either - first birthday presents for two special little ladies!

The pattern itself is nice and simple, with just two pieces printed out on high quality paper. It has a sweet little front V-neck and I like that the buttons are actually at the back. I decided to go ahead and make my dresses reversible, so I skipped Jeanette's instructions altogether. As a result, they've come out a little more like tunics in length than dresses. Had I even glanced at the instructions beforehand, Jeanette clearly states that the pattern is designed to be short and advises that extra length might be necessary. So even though this pattern is really simple and highly versatile, I would recommend you at least look through Jeanette's helpful instructions.
The cherry on top in terms of my timing, is that everything in Jeanette's Etsy shop (Flossie's Garden) is currently on sale, including her pinafore kits which include the pattern, fabric, buttons and thread!

On an unrelated note, who's excited about One Week, One Pattern kicking off tomorrow? Are you taking part? I'm off to finish my fifth version of Colette Patterns' Hawthorn in the hope that I can create seven fun outfits...
Saturday, September 06, 2014

You probably already know Lauren Guthrie from the first series of The Great British Sewing Bee and I'm almost certain you've come across her beautiful haberdashery, guthrie & ghani. It'll come as no surprise then that the GBSB finalist just released her first book - Learn to Sew with Lauren - and I was excited to receive a review copy from Octopus Books.


The book itself is filled with beautiful photography aided by the pretty fabric choices which I bet you can pick up from Lauren's haberdashery. To me it feels a little crowded at times, but the overall aesthetic is lovely enough to overlook this. 

As the title suggests, the book is aimed at beginners, with a detailed first third comprising of all manner of information and tutorials. It guides you through the basic tools needed, how to read patterns and understand the markings, techniques like setting in sleeves, different types of zip insertions, a variety of ways to hem and much, much more.




Like most crafty books aimed at beginners it has a wide selection of simple projects, including a clasp purse, an oven glove, an apron, a bow-belt and roman blinds. My favourite of the lot are the three pictured above - a weekend bag, a pathcwork quilt and a boarder cushion.




What does set this book apart from others for beginners though, is the very welcome inclusion of dressmaking projects. Lauren has designed her book cleverly right from holding your hand on the easier projects, all the way through building up your confidence and flexing your creativity with a spot of dressmaking. The multi-sized patterms - including pyjama shorts, a yoke top, a skirt with pockets and a collared dress - are all included in full scale. They're overlapped and need tracing, but it's a small price to pay for what you get with this book. 

If you're local to Birmingham and free this Saturday (6 September) then why not attend the official book launch at guthrie & ghani? Don't worry if you can't make that though, because Lauren has developed a series of workshops designed around projects in this very book!

Do you like the look of this book? I think it would make a really great gift for someone wanting to dip their toes in the stitching sea.
Thursday, September 04, 2014
We're over half way there and you guys are making excellent progress with your #vintagepledge makes! You were super productive in July and August, which calls for a celebratory and inspirational round-up. As always, you produced some gorgeous separates, but dresses won out once again. To see more pictures, read about construction details and explore any of the blogs below, you can locate them through my dedicated Vintage Sewing Pattern Pledge Pinterest board...enjoy!


If these makes don't get you all pumped up for vintage patterns, I don't know what will! I know I'm lagging behind with just one of my five down, but I assure you that I have another two in the pipeline and then two more to decide on!

How are you getting on with your #vintagepledge?
Tuesday, September 02, 2014

So last Saturday I enjoyed a jaunt down to London organised by the lovely Roisin and also attended by the equally lovely Amy, Emmie, Janene, Jen and Katie. Predictably (and most enjoyably) we kicked off the day with a trip to Goldhawk Road, pretty much visiting each and every shop. I didn't go crazy, choosing quality over quantity for once, and snapping up some divine sandwashed silk crepe.

Then we headed over to the Barbican to gawp at The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk. Oh my, what an excellent exhibition! It was much larger than I expected and I couldn't stop marveling at just how many of his designs I recognised not only from the catwalk, but also from all walks of popular culture! Admittedly I didn't know an awful lot about the man before, but I picked up so much about him on the day which Janene sums up beautifully here.
 
I went a little snap happy to be honest (you would have too), so I'm just going to share my absolute favourites below, which really are a tiny taster of what was on show.

I was particularly enamoured by the structured lingerie...



These ethereal creatures stole my heart with their floaty gowns and haunting faces. In fact, the moving faces projected on many of the mannequins was one of the highlights of the
 exhibition for me...some of them were exceptionally cheeky!




My love of animal prints is well documented, so no wonder I was drawn to this masterpiece! Despite the realism, it was actually hand-beaded in *just* 1,060 hours...the detail is exquisite!




It's hard not to have a soft spot for the very iconic nautical line which inspired the popular fragrances...


Mr Gaultier himself even made an appearance to tell us a little bit about the exhibition...hehe!


Lastly, how could my inner Sex Pistols loving punk not be drawn to these!?!



Janene has set herself the challenge of recreating this super cool jacket...can't wait to 
see how it turns out!!!


As you can imagine, a great day was had despite my train journey woes (which I won't bore you with even though I love a good moan). I stupidly didn't take any group shots or selfies...but here's some photographic evidence of Roisin and I enjoying a Gaultier-themed cocktail.

Do you have a favourite Jean Paul Gaultier line or era?
Friday, August 29, 2014
Hello friends! Today I'm partaking in a bit of blog hop fun after being nominated to play by my super cute friend - Amy of Almond Rock. Amy and I have shared a hotel room before and if my piglet-style snuffles at night haven't put her off being my friend, then she's made of strong Yorkshire stuff, as well as being wonderfully charming and a very clever little seamstress! I've no clue where The Blog Hop begun (do tell if you know), but the premise  is nice and simple with just four questions to answer and two nominees onto pass the baton to.

Why I write

I predominantly started writing this blog to keep track of my stitching progress, but have dabbled in writing before because I find the act both cathartic and enjoyable. Since starting A Stitching Odyssey over four years ago, it has become so much more than I ever imagined. I now feel like I'm able to give a little back to the sewing community, whilst sharing snippets of my life outside of stitching as well. For me though, the most rewarding and addictive part of writing is the interaction with my readers. Each and every comment makes me feel fuzzy inside and the advice offered is always priceless. So thank you all for making all of this so worthwhile!

What I'm working on


Oh boy, what aren't I working on? I always have a massive queue of sewing project, which inevitably get bumped by pattern testing commitments, shiny new pattern releases and the like! Back in February though, I pledged to put my extensive vintage pattern collection to good use, by sewing at least five of them by the end of 2014. So far I've managed just the one, so with well over 100 of you joining me in my Vintage Sewing Pattern Pledge - the proof of which is on Pinterest - I need to make some serious progress during the latter part of the year.

How my blog differs from others of its genre



I could never claim that my blog is unique or special in any way, because there are simply too many talented, witty and creative people out there doing great things. However, one non-stitching thing I do like to share with my readers is updates of our home improvements. The boyfriend and I bought our first ever house back in October 2013 and we've been chipping away at the outdated decor ever since. Progress is slow, but it's a really rewarding process, especially when the transformation is as dramatic as our living room was. Next up is a full reveal of our dining room!

My writing process


Having a hobby I'm passionate about definitely helps to keep me focussed and has made writing this blog seem effortless. I must admit that I've been a little more sporadic since my commitment to writing for Craftsy back in April. I don't regret my decision because it's been a great learning journey, but I'm still trying to find my feet in terms of balancing the two a bit better. As a general guideline I try to blog at least once a week, usually about a finished make, a work-in-progress, a quick tutorial, or a review of some sort. So no, there's no real method to my madness...but I do try to keep posting as consistent as possible.

My two nominees to keep this fun little blog hop going

Joelle from The Handstitched Files. I only 'discovered' Joelle after being paired with her for Kerry's Spring Sewing Swap 2014 and I'm so happy that I did. She's a Swedish architect by day and is just as creative by night - sewing, knitting and embroidering to her heart's content.

Louise from In which a bit of an enthusiast sews six patterns in a year. I had the pleasure of meeting Louise in person and I can confirm that she is one of the most enthusiastic person I've ever known! I'm fascinated by her fast progress as a new-ish stitcher juggling caring for two young children.

So make sure you check out both Joelle and Louise's blogs next Monday (1 September) to see what they have to say about their writing habits!
Monday, August 25, 2014

Like many of you no doubt, I was recently(ish) contacted by Teach Me Fashion, a talented mother and son duo from Australia who create sewing patterns and accompanying video tutorials. They wanted to know if I would try out their free Two-Tone Singlet and tutorial, and considering how cute the pattern is I didn't hesitate to oblige!



The Two-Tone Singlet is perfect for using up leftover fabric so I smugly put the remains of my second Lilou dress to good use. I may or may not have sparked a bit of an online debate by originally referring to the print as 'tribal', so I'll go with 'geometric' to avoid knickers getting in twists this time. Whatever you want to call it, I love this viscose and want it in all available colourways!



The pattern is quite boxy, but it has some pretty cute design details which make it fun to sew and wear! The interesting panelling is open to endless variations in terms of fabric matching/contrasting, and I like the sweet pleats on the lower half of the back. The right angles are tricky to sew though, especially in slippery viscose, and mine are not even close to being perfect! I think I just about got away with it due to the busy print.


Despite how adorable I find this pattern, I'm not sure it suits my larger bust. Sure, it's floaty and comfortable, but it's not exactly flattering on me. If I decide to sew it again there are two main things I'd change. First, I'd lower the neckline a tad as I find it sits unnecessarily (but not chokingly) high. Then, I'd raise the armholes by a lot! I'm kind of annoyed I didn't automatically do it on this version, because I could tell from the version on the model that they looked way too low for my liking. Nevermind, you live and learn!



I must say, I'm really impressed by Teach Me Fashion! Although not all their designs are to my personal taste, they have a neat range consisting of dresses, a skirt, leggings, trousers and a coat, which you can pick up from their Etsy shop. What sets this mother and son duo apart though, are their accompanying video tutorials, which are pretty great. They are cleanly shot and straight to the point, with no unnecessary frills and pointless chatter! 

Have you experienced Teach Me Fashion yet? What do you think to their approach?
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
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