Home sewn

The 2023 List: Sewing plans to kick off the year

The new year seems to get us all in planning mode and as an avid list maker, I love the excuse to plan some sewing projects! I gave up on the Make Nine challenge a couple of years ago; it’s brilliant but I’m too indecisive/fickle to plan that many projects in advance. Instead, I’ve had a good look through the fabric I have, thought about what shapes and styles I feel good in, and created a plan around that. This list will no doubt evolve, but as it stands, this is the current Plan. Of. Action…

Bonkers cotton sateen

I got this in the Black Friday sale from Fabric Godmother. It’s bonkers and brilliant. When else would you see rain clouds, scissors, sunshines, animals, eyes, dots, pencils, even ketchup on one print?! I’ve already made a start on this one and cut out a shirt using the Lyra Dress pattern from Tilly and the Buttons. I’ve made a couple of these before and it’s the ultimate preppy shirt, although it’s nothing like the intended design (a floaty viscose dress)! I’m faffing about whether to add a contrast frill around the collar, but I’m hoping to start sewing this in the next couple of days, along with a matching neck tie.

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Finally succumbing to the lure of pyjamas

Home sewn, Pattern review, Sewing ideas

I have always professed to have little to no interest in pyjamas or loungewear, so although they look great, those comfy hoodie, jogger and pyjama sewing patterns have never been on my sewing list. It took an almighty convergence of circumstances (and fabric) to bring handmade PJs into my life, but I’m sold, friends. Fully sold. Who knew pyjamas were so awesome?

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Go shorty: Nina Lee Portobello Trousers-come-shorts

Home sewn, Pattern review, Sewing ideas

The Portobello Trousers by Nina Lee is a pattern I’ve had for ages but for some reason never got round to making. I’ve been getting more into trousers and separates, so the time was finally nigh to make some Portobellos!

I’ve always struggled to get trousers to fit (maybe the real reason behind the Portobello-avoidance is coming to light), so I decided to toile these and make a pair of shorts to begin with.

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The Wilder Gown and the joy of a home sewn gift

Home sewn, Pattern review

As you may have seen from the Ilford Jacket saga, handmade gifts are not my forte. Truth be told, I just prefer sewing for myself. However, my best mate’s birthday was nearing and she sent me this photo from the Esska shoes Instagram page. Of course, my sewist mind instantly jumped to the Wilder Gown and I before I knew it, I was saying “I could make you that”:

So I did.

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Nerida Hansen Fabrics: my first foray

Home sewn, Nerida Hansen Fabrics

I’ve been creepily eyeing up Nerida Hansen Fabrics for far too long than is acceptable. The colours, the prints, the shapes, it is all so so gorgeous. If bold prints and colours are your thing, Nerida is your gal. The ethos of the company seems really cool; Nerida Hansen left her job as a buyer and created this collective of independent artists and designers, all supported by and working under the Hansen name. Mmmbop indeed.

But back to the creepy lurking. Although I LOVE sewing and all the fabric and stuff that comes with it, I am careful with how I spend my money. The fabric I’d been eyeing up was from Fabric Godmother at £20 per metre, and if I’m going to get fabric as amazing as this, I’m going to get 3 metres. That’s £60 in one pop. Before notions. And time. Precious, precious time. I kept going back to the Fabric Godmother site, revisiting the 3 metres in my basket that I never clicked ‘purchase’ on. Then it went out of stock. The regret hit me hard, friends.

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