Boat neck swishy holiday dress

Hello....

Yes, that is what I am naming this post, because well, today I am writing to tell you about just that,  the boat neck swishy dress I made for my recent holiday to Wales.

I have been in a bit of a wardrobe awkward phase at the moment, largely in part to changes in figure, and half of my clothes being in storage. I felt that summer has just passed me by and I have just kept on wearing my winter clothes. This just would not do, you see the thing was, we were going on holiday... to Wales, probably one of my favourite places to holiday in. I couldn't go away without a new summer frock, the situation needed to be rectified. 

So, in usual Hannah style, the day before we go on holiday, I decide to open the fabric stash cupboard doors, find a suitable candidate and locate my favourite easy to sew pattern.

I had recently bought a large piece of Viscose/Rayon from Abakhan fabrics in Bolton and decided that this would be the perfect choice for my summer dress. It is a lovely black and cream wobbly striped print that I hoped could be dressy or casual.

Next was my pattern of choice, this is a self drafted pattern. It has transformed and morphed over the years. It started life as a princess seamed sundress and gradually morphed into several different patterns, one being a boat neck bodice. The thing about this bodice is that it only has one bust dart, which is really unusual for me, I usually need more than one bust dart to achieve the shaping I need. I think the key to its success is that the darts are shaped, the dart legs are not straight lines, helping give the extra shaping needed.

The skirt for this pattern varies, I have several ranging from full circle to gathered circle and quarter circle, but in this case I was rushed on time, couldn't locate my gathered skirt pattern pieces and just gathered two rectangles and hoped for the best..... bad sewing... I know! I was rushing!!!

So here it is, my Boat neck swishy holiday dress.... 

I always use bias binding as a facing to finish the neck and armholes on these self drafted dresses. This Viscose/Rayon was so soft the only thing I had in my stash that was a good match for the softness of the fabric was a hot pink, so there is a nice surprise flash of colour on the inside of this dress! 

The Viscose/Rayon worked perfectly for this dress and I was so happy with the amount of drape that it had in the skirt, and it also gave nice soft lines to the bodice. I got a large piece from Abakhan and still have enough left to make something else.

I have made so made versions of this dress now, but I still keep coming back to it, I think that it has become so invaluable to have a self drafted pattern that can be adapted easily, but that also sews up quickly. I also find with this pattern that it is very versatile, I have made several casual versions, but  I also made a version last year to get legally married in, but that's a whole other story. :)

Also, here is a nice extra photo......It got really windy when I was taking the photographs, and so the trees were hitting me in the face.... as you can see from the picture below it doesn't make for a good photo shoot!....ha!!

Thanks for stopping by today guys, it has been a bit of a sewing whirlwind since the International Anna Party, and I still feel so much excitement over that! I haven't had much time to sew, but I am slowly sneaking moments here and there when I can. I was lucky enough to be gifted some wonderful patterns from By Hand London through the International Anna Party, so I am really looking forward to sewing those!!

Do you have a sewing pattern that is your all time favourite?

Is drafting patterns something you do or are commercial patterns your favourite?

I would love to know, drop me a message in the comments below!

~HJF~

Thirty gifts for Thirty - Mens Keyboard wallet

Hi all,

Today's post is yet another instalment of Thirty gifts for Thirty, where I challenged myself to make twenty handmade gifts for my husband for his thirtieth birthday! 

Today I wanted to show you the handmade wallet I made for him. I wanted to make him a simple fold over wallet but with a bit of personality, so I set about drafting a quick pattern. 

I wanted a simple design with a fold down the centre, a place to hold notes and cards, and that's it. 

I came up with the pattern fairly quickly and set about sewing. I decided I would take step by step photographs of each stage so that I could make a tutorial with the hope of giving my pattern away as a free download. It was the first time I have made an accessory pattern with the intent to make public, it is usually garments patterns I draft for myself, so I tried to be organised about it and made sure I documented each step.

 It all went together fairly quickly, I made a couple of silly mistakes near the end, but I think that was just due to tiredness. I ended up remaking the whole wallet because I had handled it so much by this point it looked a mess! But I got it together and finished it off in time for his birthday.

 I can't say I am overly happy with the finished product, it just doesn't look professional enough for me. So after taking all of the photographs and drafting the pattern, I decided not to post my tutorial after all. I think I am better sticking to the garment making and this has definitely taught me that small accessories are not my thing! But I am ok with that, you know, I am a garment girl at heart, and that's ok. I have loved sewing clothes for as long as I can remember, so maybe this little accessory adventure didn't go quite to plan because my heart wasn't really in it (it was, I wanted to make Mr. F a rad wallet) but who knows, I am ok with not being a whiz at the old wallet making. Pass me the dress patterns any day....:)

So here we have it, gift number three...

As you can see in this photograph the corners are not square, this is due to the amount of bulk, even though I trimmed out all of the excess. I am not sure how I would eliminate this next time?

The two lovely fabric I used were from The Village Haberdashery.

Here is the finished gift with the label attached. Although I am not completely happy with the finished product, it still taught me a lot, and it taught me about what I enjoy sewing too. I really thought I would enjoy sewing this, but I really didn't. I guess there won't be too many more wallets in my future sewing plans. ;) 

Are there things you sew that you don't particularly enjoy sewing? 

Are there any things you sew that you know you find difficult?

 I would love to hear about them in the comments below! 

Thanks for stopping by. 

~HJF~ 

Linden Sweatshirt Dress - Paisley Vintage Jersey

Hi all,

It feels like an age since I have written a blog post! I have been so busy with birthdays and the like that posting has been put on the back burner. Well I am back today with a super quick sewing fix!

I have been doing a lot of sewing recently some of which I hope to be sharing with you guys in the coming weeks, but I kind of overloaded my self and needed a bit of a break. So I have had a week without sewing pretty much, which for me felt kind of crazy! But this week I gave in and decided I needed a quick simple project to get me back at the sewing table. 

Firstly let me explain, I have a 'to sew' list which changes on occasion but mostly I work my way through it and am pretty happy, but the weather has kind of made that a challenge recently. I had planned my next batch of sewing to be vests, summer tops, dresses, things for my holiday. In fact I had a whole post based around it ( but lets not talk about that shall we) but when the weather decided to stay wet, grey windy and well, very cold I decided, all this summer sewing just won't do! 

I got out my Linden Sweatshirt pattern from the ever faithful Grainline Studio and decided, I NEED more sweatshirts. So that was that, I cut out a lovely grey knit sweatshirt from my newly modded pattern and thought this will be my sewing fix. For some reason I wasn't quite content with that, so I went back to the fabric cupboard and sought out my Vintage paisley cotton jersey. 

I feel I must explain, this is stuff of legends, it is 100% cotton and so thick it could keep you warm in winter like a blanket, it is wonderfully stable, sews like a dream and.....is over two meters wide!

Where did I find such a magnificent piece of cloth, well like most of my snazzy prints it was handed down to me from my Aunty. Back in the day when there were multiple fabric shops on the high street, my Aunty would go and buy amazing fabric so cheaply it now makes me feel a little queezy just thinking about it. She would not only buy for herself but for me when I was a kid, so she has amassed a rather large stash of pretty rad 70's, 80's and 90's prints that she very generously donates to me when I am looking to make something super snazzy.  

Okay, sorry, getting back to the point, I got a little off track there with the whole 80's fabric shopping nostalgia. I  have saved this particular piece of fabric for about eight years, yes, that's right, eight years, I love it that much. I decided it was time to cut that 80's fabric up and have myself a new dress by the end of the day. I wanted a dress that would see me through the pretty poor weather we have been having, something I could wear with tights and a shirt underneath, but equally just on its own in the summer. I wanted to make myself a t-shirt smock dress and decided that the Linden Sweatshirt pattern was the perfect place to start.

I wanted a smock t-shirt style dress, so I set to shortening the the Linden bodice, adding some shaping and then cutting two rectangles to give the gathered skirt I wanted.

Here we have it, I think it fits the purpose I made it for, it is perfect for layering, but also great for when the weather gets a little warmer. I purposely made it just long enough so I could go bare legs if it ever gets warm enough here and the wind drops.... this is not a dress for a windy day...

I have to say I finally had some success with the neckband on this Linden, I feel super happy with the finish on it. ( I was getting a little jealous over here of everyone's wonderful Linden necklines)  I have had a little trouble with this in the past and thought it was perhaps just me being a sloppy sewer.... but as it turns out it was my fabric. My previous two Lindens were out of crazy unstable knitted fabrics that laddered when stretched so adding the neckline had been a challenge. I feel it looks neater this time around, yay for stable jersey!

Here I am laying up my dress because as predicted by the time I had finished my dress it was still mighty cold and I needed my shirt and tights to keep me warm. 

And here is how I hope to wear it if the weather gets a little warmer, however by that point I hope that my legs won't quite blend in to the magnolia colour on the walls quite like they do now.... lets just say I need some sunshine......

I am pretty happy with my quick sewing project, I think I will be making a few more, possibly in a woven next time just to make things a bit cooler for the summer.

I would love to know if you have tried any hacks out with the Linden Sweatshirt pattern. If so please let me know in the comments below!

~HJF~

Sea Change Top - Pattern Testing for Lily Sage and Co

Hi all,

I am back today with a lovely bit of pattern testing. I started following Debbie of Lily Sage and Co over on Instagram a while ago, and was so inspired by her fashion an her sewing skills, her style is just fabulous. So, when she posted her new Sea Change top and shouted out that she needed pattern testers I thought I would try my luck.

I was aware that Lily Sage and Co are very popular so I wasn't sure I would be in with a chance but I think being at the larger end of the size spectrum meant I got a shot at testing. I have never tested a pattern for anyone before so I have to say it was quite exciting for me, and it felt really nice to be a part of someone else's creative journey instead of just my own, and hopefully I was able to give some constructive feedback too.

 

Ok so here we go, the Sea Change pattern is a cropped shape top with loose kimono style sleeves. It is super easy to assemble with only minimal pattern pieces to achieve what I think is a really nice clean finish .

 

 

 

Above you can see the kimono sleeve details, there is so much scope with this pattern. It is styled to be a slightly cropped fit, and I made it this way for the pattern test and think it looks great. For me personally next time around I will be adding just a little more length to make it a bit more flattering to my larger figure.

 

 

I made this top in some navy and off white georgette that I had in my stash, it has lovely drape to the fabric so I thought it would be perfect for this (nautical stripes....again!!). This pattern states it works for jersey fabrics too and I can definitely see that being a bit hit, a bamboo jersey with just the right amount of drape would be perfect for this top.

 

 

 I am seeing potential for a really great dress hack here too, add elastic into the waistband and an A-line skirt and it would be great wardrobe staple!

 

All in all I am super happy with this make and will be making more once the official pattern comes out. If you are looking for a new top/blouse pattern for the summer (or the winter, think of the layering options!!!!!) this really is a winner. Great work Debbie!

 

That's all for now,

 

~HJF~

 

 

 

 

Dotty swing vest - #selfishsewingweek

Hey guys,

 I am back again with another selfish sewing week post....

Garment number 5! I (I actually had to check that then... I had lost count!!!) 

Today is another quick sew with my swing vest top pattern. I created this pattern using the same pattern as for my mums Tokyo Train Ride Tank Top pattern, but I did an FBA to get the fit better for me.

I do believe I did it slightly wrong..... Well, I think I did it right, I just put way too much fullness across the front. I could have fit another of me in there too! 

I wanted to salvage the vest top, so I cut out the excess down the front and added in a faux button placket. (Now I know this isn't strictly the right thing to do, and it has made the dots across the front look a little awkward but there was sooooo much fullness across the front I didn't have any other option)

I cut the fullness out of the centre front, then stitched my button placket over the top. Although it looks wonky in this shot, it is straight!! I had problems with the gale blowing outside again... I guess that's what you get for living on the top of a hill. 

Thanks for stopping by to see my selfish sewing this week, I still have two garments that I would really like to have completed by Sunday night...but I am not convinced I will manage it. 

More on those to come, and hopefully a full round up of all my makes this week.

~HJF~ 

Chiffon Blouse - #selfishsewingweek

Hi guys, number three on my Selfish Sewing Week list was my self draft chiffon blouse pattern.

I have made this top countless times, in a huge variety of fabrics. I used to make a lot of these to wear for work as they are really comfortable and so quick to sew up. 

I chose to make my latest version from some lovely digital printed chiffon I picked up a few weeks ago. I got the end of a bolt and ended up getting three meters for just £3.50, so I need to get thinking what I can make with the left over yardage. 

The fabric is really see through, but looks great paired with a white vest top underneath. 

I also got to try out my new rolled hem foot. It definitely seemed easier with more stable fabrics, but I mainly bought it to use with silks and chiffons. I have to say it is a little tricky, but I am sure with practice I will get the hang of it.

This was a super quick make, but I just wanted to share it with you all seeing as it is #selfishsewingweek after all! 

I would be really interested to hear you you guys get on with rolled hem feet, is there a secret to it? Any suggestions I should try, I would like to hear them. 

~HJF~

Yoga bag prototype

Hi all, today I wanted to share with you my new yoga bag design.

I recently started going to a yoga class and I thought I only needed to take my mat with me, turns out you need a few bits of kit if you don't want to borrow from the studio. This led me to need a new kit bag, I just didn't have anything big enough to hold all my gear.

I wanted to design something simple, that was lightweight, but that had a place for everything.

I started sketching out my design and got onto drafting the pattern.

 And here it is, it is my first attempt, so there are a couple of things I would do differently next time. 

I bought my fabric after I decided to make my bag, I got it from a printing company that sells fabrics with slight faults on the rolls, but i got lucky and mine is fault free! 

(After I bought this fabric, I showed it to Mr.F and asked him if he liked it, he said hmm well, it's very yoga isn't it, ha ha! ) Good to know my fabric choice is on point. 

The bag comprises of ;

one main compartment with an outside zipper pocket, 

two elasticated pockets,

And one square pocket.

My bag is fully lined, with grey cotton and the exterior is a aubergine printed linen mix.

I don't carry a lot of things with me to yoga, so It didn't need to be an over complicated make.

The main body of my bag holds two foam blocks and my mat, but there is room to spare for a towel, extra jumper etc. There are two elasticated pleated pockets, on one side which hold my water bottle and strap. The other end has one square pocket to hold my foam brick.

There is an outer zipper pocket that has just enough room for my phone keys, etc. 

I am pretty happy with my bag, but I need to improve my pleated pockets, mainly just tighten the elastic slightly. 

I would love to hear if you guys make your own kit bags, and if you use any specific pattern? Do you draft your own?

Do you all think there is a market for yoga bag sewing patterns? I would love to hear your thoughts!

That's all for now. 

~HJF~