Tutorials
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How to clone a ready-to-wear sports top
A few years ago I bought a sports top in an M&S sale. I love the shape and fit of it, but I can’t really pull off a crop top. So back then I extended it with a bit of black jersey and it works perfectly, because the extended bit is tucked under my leggings or skirt. When a local deadstock fabric shop, Textile Mountain, had a drop of sportswear fabrics from a Czech brand, Kinoko, a few months ago, I couldn’t resist getting some and thought I’d try to clone my top into a new and improved one. I’ve never tried making patterns from existing clothes. As I usually…
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Back with a bang: How I made a sparkly evening gown in two days
Hello there, remember me? It’s been a while. This year was a bit of a whirwind. I was working hard to finish my PhD thesis (which I handed in in October, yay!, although the viva won’t be until the end of February) on the top of my regular job, and then I took some time off to go on an adventure to Australia. I came back early December, three days before my work Christmas party. Of course, I needed a new dress! I had the fabric ready, but I only had one eveing and the next day to make it. I had an idea of what I wanted and I…
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A little red dress: a modified Sew Love Patterns Joelle dress
I’m sure you know the feeling. You see a new pattern and instantly fall in love with it, but there is one little detail that’s stopping you from immediately pushing it to the top of your to-sew pile. When I came across the Sew Love Patterns Joelle dress, I really liked the open neckline, the shape across the bust, and of course the bow detail. But what was putting me off a bit was the little peak-a-boo under the bust, because I don’t really feel like exposing even that little bit of skin there. Nonetheless, when Sew Love Patterns had a sale on, I snapped the pattern up, knowing I…
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Hacking diaries: the Deer and Doe Myosotis dress hack inspired by an RTW dress
Tell me, how many screenshots of RTW clothes do you have on your phone? As a sewist (and I’m sure I am not alone in this), I have a whole different outlook on fashion now. It’s not just about liking or wanting something. What I’m interested in the most are the style lines, the seams, the construction, the fabric, and whether I know a pattern that I could replicate it with. In the summer, Instagram kept showing me an ad for this Reserved dress for so long, I fell for it. But not in a way that would benefit the clothing brand, haha. I decided I really liked the style…
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Back wrap dress tied with a bow: A Sew Over It Molly top hack
I love following a pattern, but sometimes, when an idea strikes you and you see an image of a garment right in front of your eyes, but can’t think of a pattern to use, it presents a great opportunity to get creative with what you have. This was the case when I saw this Art Gallery fruity jersey in the fabric shop. I knew I wanted a dress that would wrap over at the back and have a tie at the top for good measure, because we all know how much I love me a bow (and it’s also functional, preventing the dress from potentially slipping down the shoulders). I…
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The Joys of Slow Sewing and Pattern Adjustments: McCall’s M7974 Dress
The lovely Sally of @modistasewing organised a challenge in April which encouraged sewists to share pattern adjustments they make to achieve a better fit. The #memademodista challenge inspired me to sink my teeth into the M7974 by McCall’s that I’ve been lusting over since it came out. Now that their patterns come digitally, it was easy to get during one of their 4.99 $ sales. The bodice comes with a plunging v-neck, gathers at the bust and shoulder to add shaping, a back yoke, and a midriff panel. I knew I would have to toile this and adjust the bust to make it sit in the right place, and this…
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Tie-front tee: Tilly and the Buttons Freya hack
One of the reasons we turn to sewing is being able to make our wardrobe dreams come true. Sometimes all the inspiration you have gathered browsing instagram, Pinterest, the high street, or observing passers-by materialises in mental images so detailed, you instantly start thinking which pattern to use as a starting point to make it happen. As soon as I got the idea for a jersey top with a tie at the neck, I knew the Freya top from Tilly’s Stretch book would be perfect. The hack itself was actually quite simple – all that was needed was adding the tie and cutting out a little keyhole neckline. For those…
