Make Nine 2018

Whoooooo look at me....another post! Hello my lovelies. Since I had such a blast doing the Make Nine 2017, there was no question about doing it this year. Making a plan back in April, even though it did change slightly, gave me a goal to aim for which was amazing for my motivation. Pop back to this post here if you want to see what I did make.

Last years Make Nine list was full of patterns that I confidently knew I wouldn't have too much trouble getting stuck into. I didn't pick anything that I felt was out of my comfort zone. Remember this was my way of getting back into dressmaking and I didn't want to put myself off before I'd even started. As I said in my previous post I was pleased that I had managed eight of out the nine considering I only started in the April.

Now that I feel more confident with my machine and making clothes this years Make Nine I have made a challenge for myself. I have purposely picked items that I know will push me wayyyy out of my comfort zone. And to be totally honest some of the patterns scare the shiz out of me lol

Here is my list (see photo above):

1. The Drop Set by Made It Patterns

2. Bettine Dress by Tilly and the Buttons

3. Overalls by Burda Young

4. Kelly Anorak by Closet Case Patterns

5. The Jenna Jumpsuit by Cotton and Chalk

6. Ginger Jeans by Closet Case Patterns

7. Ultimate Trousers by Sew Over It

8. Agnes Top by Tilly and the Buttons

9. Ultimate Shift Dress by Sew Over It

There are two in the list that make me nervous just by looking at the illustrations on the front, the first one being the Kelly Anorak. I mean come on its a coat!!! Look at all the pieces and the notions required not to mention the zip and poppers!!!! SHIT.......see I told you it made me nervous. I'm totally gonna do it though!!! I have made a promise to myself that even if I'm petrified of it I'm gonna do it anyway!! Whats the worst that can happen? 

I dont have a fabric picked out yet but I'm twoing and froing over plain or patterned fabric? What do you lovelies think?

My second terrifying pattern is the Ginger Jeans, I love skinny jeans and because of my height I do struggle to find ones to fit my gangly legs sometimes. If I could actually pull this off and make my own jeans......well that would just be it for me!!! Life mission accomplished (almost te he!) I mean how amazing would it be to be strutting around in a pair of skinnies that I'd actually made with my own hands!!!!!

I've popped in a couple of patterns so that I can get some practice in of sewing stretch fabric and some dungarees and a jumpsuit, again for those blimmin' legs of mine. I've always wanted an adult pair of dungarees, I practically lived out of them when I was a kid. 

So wish me luck on my Make Nine, I will come back and try to do a review of some sort of each of the patterns.....let me know if there is anything else you would like me to cover.

Till next time my lovelies.....stay smiling :)

Emma xxx

My Make Nine 2017 - almost

Hello my lovelies, well as promised here are some photos of my Make Nine from last year. There were also a pair of pj shorts but I have no idea where the photo has gone so I've popped in a photo of my Linden Sweatshirt that I finished over the Christmas break...didn't quite finish it before the end of 2017 but the intention was there so surely that counts rights?

Its been a busy couple of weeks here again but I have managed a little sewing, I've finished my latest crochet blanket and I've been working on some more plans for 2018.

Hopefully blogging will pick up a little bit now as I have a stash of photos to show you all and still some more to take *thumbs up* could this be a sign of me finally getting my sh*t together and getting organised? 

This is part of the reason I love my blog, its great for getting my head straight. Getting all those ideas and plans down and out there so that you kinda said it out loud so that means you have to get your ass into gear and get them done! :) 

How do you all find it best to lay out plans? Are you a list writer? Have you got any suggestions on how to be more organised? I'd love to hear them, I am a terrible (I should say expert) procrastinator so anything that gets me organised and focused is a win in my book.

Right I'm tootling off now to go and make another (3rd of the evening) cup of tea and start planning the rest of this weeks posts.

Have a fab week guys....see you soon,

Emma xxx

Sew over it - Ultimate Shift Dress

Hello my lovelies and happy Friday to you all!! 

Well what a week it has been, I did plan on writing this post on Wednesday but time just seems to have slipped by me. I've just taken a break from cutting out some fabric, made a cup of coffee and plonked my bum down in my chair in the corner of my sewing room. Now, this is becoming a rarity as Summer, my youngest furbaby, has now decided that this chair belongs to her! Cheeky monkey! 

If there are times when I cant find her any where in the house its because she has sneaked up here and snuggled herself into the throw on it. There has even been times when I've been sat in it and she has walked into the room with a look as if to say "Errrrm scooze me Mama you is sitting in meez chair!!" and of course I move and go and sit at my desk (I know what you're thinking, idiot, but how could I refuse that face?).

So in amongst the job hunting (here has been a lot of that this past week, as my time of semi retirement has almost come to an end sadly) I have made another item for my wardrobe.

This time its the Sew over it - Ultimate shift dress. I can hear you all moaning from here, uurrrggghhh why doesn't make something from a different pattern company? Its coming soon I promise, its by accident I keep making from their patterns, another way you could look at it is that they must make very good patterns. They are easy to follow, good for beginners (I think), and the fit is true to size (for me anyway).

Right lets get to it!

So this fabric, I purchased from an ebay shop, I think its called Regencyragsfabricstore or something similar. As I said before I bought a load of fabric from them, mainly because it was cheap and great for practising dressmaking. So if I did make any mistakes it didn't matter so much.

The pattern consists of one front piece, two back pieces, two facing pieces (depending which version you make) and two sleeve pieces. Now you have got the option of making, a sleeveless, short, 3/4 or full sleeve. I'm a huge fan of a short sleeve, this is due to my obsession with cardigans and the fact I love to throw one over a dress. Again another first in a long time for me with this pattern was setting a sleeve in. Now, it wasn't perfect there was a little puckering at the back seam, but all in all it was quite good and I'm fine with it :) Next time I will nail it!! 

It was another hook and eye fastening at the back, I love this, partly because I love sewing this type of opening but also because I think it looks really nice.

I found sewing the dress together pretty easy, the only part I was a little nervous about was the sleeves but I needn't have been as it wasn't half as scary as I had been picturing it in my mind (from previous experience years ago).

And of course, one of my labels. At this rate I will have to get some more made!! That's a good thing though, right? I cant tell you how much I am loving making my own clothes. I have to give a little shout out to the people who taught me to make clothes in the first place, now I know that they will never get to see this but its nice to give them the credit they deserve. When I was at Newcastle College studying Fashion Design we had two technicians called Joan and Christine and they were AMAZING!!!!!! Thank you for teaching me the skills I have today!!!

And here it is the finished dress, for the next one that I make I have adjusted the pattern ever so slightly. I have added 1cm to the front and back pattern pieces at the centre seam and I've added 2 inches to the length. The length on this one is OK but I wanted this dress for work wear and I think its a little short.  I think could get away with it with thick tights and boots for the winter of course. That is very me :D

Saying that though I do love it, its definitely my style, it should be worn without a belt as its a shift dress but anyone who knows me knows I cant live without accessories, so out came the belt. I was also a little unsure of the fabric when I first bought it but I think it works well with this dress pattern. 

My verdict then: big thumbs up for Sew over it, this pattern is easy to make/follow and looks great on. I would definitely recommend this pattern to anyone wanting to try a simple dress. As always looking forward to making another soon!!!!

Have a fabulous weekend.....

Emma xxx

Sew over it - Silk Cami

Hello my lovelies, I'm so sorry for the break in posts, I've been feeling unwell for the last week or so. I had planned in 3 posts over the last 2 weeks but non of them materialised. Believe it or not I've felt really run down, I think a lot of it is psychological but it has brought out my famous cold-sores. Great!! Urrrgghhh!! 

Anyway onto something more fun than that...I've managed to complete another of my Make 9 items, well I actually made this a couple of weeks ago and have since made another. But here is my journey.

I've seen quite a few people on Instagram making the Sew over it, Silk cami, so I thought I'd give it a go too. I love the retro images on the pattern packet. Its the type of top I love to throw on with a pair of trousers or jeans and pair with a cardi.

I had bought this beautiful panel of Italian designed, silk backed crepe a while before I bought the pattern. So I was living in hope that I would be able to squeeze a top out of it. I managed to cut the main front and back pieces out of it but had to cut the facings out of some plain white crepe. But to be honest that was better, otherwise you would have seen the pattern of the fabric on the facings through the outer garment which I didn't like.

The pattern is really simple, a front piece, a back piece, front facing and back facing. I always like to use a high lighter to mark out the size I want to cut out and because this was my first attempt I decided to trace off the pattern rather than cut it. I made the 12 based on the finished garment sizes due to my bust lol, I didn't want the 10 to be crushing them.

It was a little nerve wracking cutting out the beautiful fabric, it was a little slippery so I decided it would help if I pinned it to the carpet first, that worked a treat.

I cut it so that the blue panel on the fabric was at the bottom of the top, obviously lining up the grain line correctly too. It didn't take too long to sew together, the pattern calls for french seams at the sides. I haven't sewn a french seam since I was at college and had honestly forgotten how beautiful they are once finished. I had a little trouble with the hem stretching out slightly but this was corrected with a little bit of steam pressing. 

And here it is all finished, I must show you a photo of it on it looks gorgeous with jeans and a dress jacket. I actually wore it out on Friday night when we went out for dinner with my Dad.

It wouldn't finished off properly if it didn't have one of my labels sewn inside now would it. 

I can happily tick that one off my list now, already planning my next make :D

thanks for reading....

Emma xxx