A roaring success - that's what my Tilly and the Buttons Indigo Dress is. Before I delve into the pattern details, can we take a minute to admire the fabric? 

Any animal print lover will agree that finding the 'right' colour and scale print is the holy grail of sewing. This leopard print viscose from Like Sew Amazing (currently sold out, but Sarah has a lovely selection of prints) has body, a bit of stretch, barely creases, and is quite literally perfect.

Right, back to the pattern. Due to the loose fit, I sized down and cut a straight 4, which was a bold move that thankfully paid off. My fit changes were minimal, but made all the difference. 

I added 2cm to the bodice length to accommodate my bust and because I don't really suit an empire waistline. For a 'mini' look, I took 7cm off the skirt length before hemming. To avoid gaping (a common problem for me), I took 2cm wedges out of the front and back necklines. This almost backfired as I can just about squeeze my head through, but there's no gaping sight!




I couldn't resist the exposed frill seam on the sleeves, which is such a pretty detail. However, I was hesitant to add bulk to the waistline, so settled for a classic gathered seam there instead. Maybe next time I'll be braver.



Inspired by fellow stitchers, I added waist ties for a little extra shaping, a feature I've incorporated into all three of my Myosotis dresses too. My finished ties measure approximately 75cm long by 1cm wide. To avoid having another viscose dress I'm terrified of hanging up, I used stay tape to stabilise the shoulder seams, which worked a treat.


I really, really love how this make turned out. A lot of it has to do with the fabric, but I'm also surprised by how much I like the shape too. Just like the Myosotis dress, Indigo has proven to me that going out of your comfort zone can totally pay off.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019

As soon as I finished my first Myosotis Dress, I started a second one in this sweet gingham crepe from Sew Me Sunshine. What can I say...the Deer and Doe pattern has totally stolen my heart!




Despite loving how extra my red floral version is, I wanted this one to be slightly more wearable and easier to layer during the colder months. To achieve this, I left the ruffles off the sleeves, meaning I can slip a cardigan/jumper on without any fuss. I also omitted the Mandarin collar for a more open neckline and drafted a facing instead.

I kept the tiered, ruffled skirt though, because...duh! I also added waist ties again as I prefer a nipped in waist on my shape. For reference, just like last time, I made a straight size 40.




I didn't think it would be possible, but I love this version even more than my first one. It's the perfect mix of fun and wearable - from days in the office to nights out with friends, it's already on heavy rotation in my wardrobe.

If you're a Myosotis fan, what's your ideal version?
Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The cat's out of the bag! I auditioned for the part of Robin Buckley in season three of Stranger Things, but Maya Hawke got the callback and the rest is history.

Not really, but my outfit is giving off some serious Scoops Ahoy vibes, don't you think?



I made this Pauline Alice Aldaia Dress months ago and wasn't planning to blog it, given that I have nothing to add about the fit and construction that I didn't already cover when I shared my first, second, third (if my refashion counts), fourth and fifth versions.

That's until I remembered the 1950s-inspired linen collar I made in 2011 (look at my baby face!), using vintage McCall's 1911. It's the perfect companion for my anchor-print jersey from Stoff and Stil and I just couldn't resist a kitsch photoshoot.




Despite loving a nautical look, I haven't been brave enough to wear this collar/outfit in public. Would you wear it out and about? Should I?
Wednesday, August 14, 2019

I'm back for a second week running, can you believe it? This time I'm sharing my totally rad Libby Shirt, which I made weeks and weeks ago, but only got around to photographing recently. 



As soon as Sew Over It London released this pattern, I fell in love. It's exactly the kind of shirt I go for in RTW styles, so I jumped at the chance to make my own. When I found this geometric print satin from Crafty Sew & So, it was a match made in heaven. I even had the perfect vintage buttons in my stash.



I love the pattern's boxy (but not too loose) shape, grown-on cuffed sleeves and notched collar. Beware of the collar though. Granted, I'd never sewn a notched one like this before, but I found it really tricky and struggled with part of the instructions. Luckily, Sew Over It London has a comprehensive step-by-step tutorial online, which was a life-saver. 

If I remember correctly, I cut a size 12 grading up to a 14 at the hips and I'm really happy with the fit. One thing I would say though, is beware of the straight front hem version because it comes up pretty short. The shirt is a cropped style anyway, but I'm only 5ft 3ins with a particularly short waist, and it's borderline on me. If in doubt, add a little extra length or go for the curved front hem instead.



Despite how fiddly I found the collar, I definitely love this shirt enough to make another. Speaking of love, have you seen Sew Over It's Bonnie Blouse pattern? I'm smitten!

Have you made Libby or Bonnie? What are your thoughts?
Friday, August 02, 2019

It's taken the sewing world by storm, but the Myosotis Dress by Deer and Doe was a slow-burner for me. I was convinced that all the body and flounce of the pattern would swamp my frame, but I couldn't be happier to be proved wrong. 



I have geniuses like Fiona (Diary of a Chain Stitcher) and Bianca (Sleepless in Bavaria) to thank, for giving me the idea of adding waist ties to the dress. Doing so gave me that extra bit of shaping which allowed me to carry off this style.

It's such a romantic silhouette that I felt compelled to pair it with an equally feminine fabric, so I opted for the most gorgeous floral viscose from Fabric Godmother. Sadly, it's now sold out, but Josie has many more beauties on offer. 



A sudden rush of bravery led me to go big or go home, so I plumped for both sleeve and skirt ruffles.  Usually, I hate gathering fabric and avoid it where possible, but this time round it was oddly therapeutic and satisfying. The only fiddly part of construction is the mandarin collar, and admittedly, mine turned out a little uneven. I'm ok with that as my hair covers it 90% of the time, but I'm not a massive fan of that collar style on me and I omitted it for my second version - yep, I've already made  another Myosotis! 

Due to the pattern's floaty nature, I sized down to a straight size 40 and I'm pretty happy with the fit. It irks me a little that from behind the ties don't sit on the waistline (see pic above) despite lining them up with it on the side seams and I suspect it's because I've used drapey fabric that is weighed down by the ruffles. I could also perhaps narrow the shoulders and shorten the sleeves a touch, but these are just minor quibbles.



Minor quibbles aside, not only do I feel fabulous in my Myosotis Dress, I get SO many compliments when I wear it. Lots of people have even asked me to make them one, which is sweet, but never going to happen...haha!

Are you a Myosotis fan? 
Thursday, July 25, 2019


She may not have made it to the ball, but my Named Anni hack is a cutie nonetheless. 

At one point a contender for #TheDressmakersBall, I decided that made in this fabric - a sold out crepe from Fabric Godmother - my Anni wouldn't be quite smart enough for the occasion. 

I set her aside while I whipped up this luxurious Gable/Aldaia hack instead, but I'm so glad I picked her back up again and finished her off. 




What first drew me to this version of Anni was the unusual cutout detail on the front bodice, which I just love. The construction and somewhat confusing instructions/diagrams left me scratching my head and feeling very frustrated, but I thankfully figured it out in the end.

My dreamy vision for this dress originally involved the wrap skirt add-on, but I didn't have enough fabric to see it through. I used the skirt from the Selkie Patterns London Dress, before realising that I had cut the fabric slightly off grain. Normally I don't sweat the small stuff, but with the striped pattern repeat it was SO obvious, making the skirt look super wonky. My only option was to unpick it and cut it on grain, which resulted in an unplanned shorter, gathered skirt. Far from my first choice, but sweet enough.



Anni required me to do my first ever FBA (full bust adjustment) and it turned out to be less scary than I feared, thanks to this handy tutorial from Sew Over It. I'm pretty happy with the overall fit after shortening the bodice by 2cm too, but movement is a little restricted across the back in the shoulders and sleeve caps. I've never had this issue before, but it's definitely something I'll need to address for future versions as I can't get the wrap skirt vision out of my head. If you have any tips for how to fix this issue, I'm all ears!



P.S. I'm wearing the chunky ASOS sandals that loads of people hated in my Instagram poll, but I'm still not 100% sure I want to return them. I kinda like them...what do you think?

Thursday, May 02, 2019
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