Tilly and the Buttons

How Do You Store Your Vintage Sewing Patterns?

2012-01-21T07:00:00.001Z

Where are your vintage sewing patterns right now? Are they carefully ordered and stored away in a box or filing system? Or are they out on display?

Why am I asking? Well, I've been doing a little reordering at home and was looking for some pictures to put up on a bare wall or two. It suddenly struck me that I LOVE ogling and swooning over my vintage sewing pattern collection, so why not put some of them up on my wall?

Eek! I can hear some of you gasping in shock!

There seem to be two schools of thought on keeping vintage sewing patterns:

1) The Preservationists

These people cherish their vintage sewing patterns and look after them very carefully. They are precious historical artefacts, after all, often in a very delicate condition with paper that can be torn easily and images that are starting to fade. To preserve them for posterity, this camp keeps them in controlled conditions - acid-free envelopes and a covered storage container at the very least, dehumidifiers and treatment sprays for the more serious storage fiends. They sew with the patterns, yes, but trace a copy off first so they don't damage the original.

Image courtesy of A Beautiful Mess

2) The Users
These people cherish their vintage sewing patterns too, but would rather enjoy them now than keep them for posterity. In fact, it may not even have occurred to them to make an effort to look after their patterns... or maybe they have debated the issue at length and concluded that the patterns are there to be used. Their patterns are piled up on their sewing table, or even pinned up on their wall.

Of course I am totally stereotyping here, and you may not recognise yourself in either description, but the duality helped me think about how my attitude has started to shift recently from Preservationist to User. I would absolutely love to be able to pass on my vintage sewing pattern collection to a child or grandchild, but I'd also love to get as much pleasure out of them as I can myself (after all, the child or grandchild may not be interested!), and that means being able to see them every day. They bring me real aesthetic pleasure, plus having them on show may well inspire me to sew more. At the moment my patterns are stored in a covered box under my sewing table. But I plan to let them see the light of day - yay!

So now I've got to decide how best to display them, while also making sure I don't completely let them deteriorate. Initially I was thinking of framing them individually, but I'm not sure I want to separate the instructions and pattern pieces from the cover... hmm. Another idea is to get one of those wall-mountable perspex brochure holders that you see in hotels displaying leaflets for Viking museums and the like. That way I can flick through them when needed and keep my current favourites or next-to-sew at the front of the rack.

Knowing you lot, I'm sure you've got ideas and opinions on the matter. How do you keep your vintage sewing patterns? Are you a Preservationist, a User or something else entirely? Do you have any ideas for how I should display my patterns? If you've got any creative ideas or images of your own uniques storage or display system, do share!

[Soundtrack: 'I'd Rather Go Blind' by Etta James - RIP]

What's On My Sewing Table... and a Tip for Slippery Fabric!

2012-01-14T07:00:00.000Z

Pin It
I'm currently working on a third button-back blouse from my self-drafted pattern (the first was my lace refashion, the second my teal blouse). This version will have tucks on the yoke and simple bound neckline. I'm making it in a dreamy chocolate brown polka dot poly blend scored for about tuppence ha'penny from Walthamstow market. I found these gorgeous vintage pearl-effect buttons on a work trip to Nottingham (a girl's gotta take the occasional break!). I think they were about 30p a pack, whereas in London they would have been more like £30 a pack. It seems a shame to use them as they look so pretty on the card, but I have three sets of three buttons so should be able to keep one set intact. Do you feel the same dilemma about using your vintage notions?

Onto the aforementioned tip. Constructing the button stand on such a slippery fabric was proving a bit difficult, even having spray starched the fabric to death! Trying to press in two neat, straight, parallel folds is no mean feat. So I cut out a strip of card in the width of the button stand, folded the fabric round it and pressed it in place. Very easy and it turned out extremely neat!

What's on your sewing table?

[Soundtrack: 'Wild Honey' by The Beach Boys]

Pin It

PS. I know I'm a little late to the party, but is anyone else obsessed with Pinterest? Just experimenting with the "Pin It" buttons above - not quite sure the best way of using them in a blog post - anyone got any experience to share?

Easy Sewing Projects for Beginners

2012-01-08T09:00:00.027Z

This post is part of the Learn to Sew series aimed at beginners.

Now that you've got to grips with your sewing machine, you'll be itching to make something! I've gathered together a few suggestions for things you might want to try, but first a few tips for choosing an easy project. I'm a big advocate of diving into sewing fearlessly, but for your very first project you might want to ease yourself in gently:

* While you're still making friends with your sewing machine, it's advisable to choose a project with simple straight lines. You may want to avoid curved lines, gathering, pleating etc for now.

* Zippers and buttonholes are a little tricky at first, so go for a project that doesn't need a fastening, and save the fun for another day!

* When buying fabric, a medium-weight cotton would be good for a first project as it lies flat, presses well and won't slide all over your machine. There are lots of lovely printed cottons available in department stores, haberdasheries and online fabric shops.

* Patterned fabric not only looks pretty but can hide dodgy stitching!

* Read through the pattern or tutorial instructions in advance to ensure you have all the materials you need to hand - not only the fabric, but matching (or contrast) thread, sewing tools, plus any extras that the project may need, such as elastic, cord or interfacing.

* You might also want to consider whether you can see yourself making up the same pattern a few times. Once you've completed your first project, it's worth going through it again to remind yourself what you learnt... and so you can feel you've made progress with your second try!

There are some great online tutorials and simple commercial patterns which would be great for your first project. Not all of these tutorials were written specifically for beginners, so if you're completely new to sewing you may not understand all of the terms or steps (eg. "seam allowance", "apply interfacing", "sew right sides together") - although these tutorials are clearly presented so you may be able to work out what they mean. In a later post, I could do step-by-step instructions for something like napkins, pyjama bottoms or a bag, written with the complete novice in mind and explaining absolutely everything as we go - let me know if that'd be useful.

Right, onto my suggestions for beginner projects:

One-Hour Skirt
A delightful video tutorial by Brett Bara author of Sewing in a Straight Line. This skirt is so easy, it doesn't require a pattern - just your own waist and hip measurements - nor a zipper as it's elasticated at the waistband. A great project for using the prettiest or wackiest fabric you can find.

Lavender Bag
Is this the easiest project ever? Could be! Each one only uses a small amount of fabric so you can make lots of them to practise.

Cushion Cover
This cushion cover is an "envelope back", so it requires no zips, buttons or topstitching... plus it's easy to take the cushion out if you spill wine on the cover! This tutorial is very clearly explained, so it should be simple for a beginner to follow. The only potentially tricky part is when it comes to hemming, which requires precision stitching - practise on some calico first until you feel comfortable trying it on your nice fabric.

Bow Belt
Made by my own fair hand :) All you need is fabric, matching thread, two hooks and eyes (or velcro), and some interfacing, which you iron on the fabric to act as a stiffener. This project is a great way of snazzing up an outfit - get some inspiration from bow belts that have already been made by other people here and here.

Shopping Bag
Karen from the brilliant blog Did You Make That? talks us through making a simple tote. A bag is really easy for beginners to practise sewing straight lines and corners, and you don't need to worry about it fitting your body. You can use a medium-weight cotton - choose a lovely print or go for plain calico and try out the fancy topstitching settings on your machine to decorate it.

Pyjama Bottoms
Not a tutorial, but a commercial sewing pattern - I made these ones with McCalls 5248. Once you get your head around putting together the... err... crotch area, sewing pyjama bottoms is a pretty simple and satisfying project. A garment, yes, but loose fitting enough for it not to cause any headaches. Commercial sewing patterns do have a language of their own though. Perhaps I should go through this step-by-step as a novice sew-along one day?

Apron
Another commercial sewing pattern - although there are a few free templates available online too... with less dodgy illustrations! Just avoid any that have gathering at the waistband, unless you fancy a challenge, of course...

Wash Bag
Another great make from Handmade Jane, requiring a little more precision and some waterproof fabric.

If you've sewn before, what was the first thing you made and how did it go? If you've got any suggestions of your own for first sewing projects, do leave a link in the comments.

How to Stitch: Part 2

2012-01-06T07:00:00.001Z

This post is part of the Learn to Sew series aimed at beginners.

If you've read the previous posts, you'll know how to set up your sewing machine, thread it and start stitching. Now practise stitching straight lines, curved lines and corners.

Stitching a straight line

Once you’ve got the hang of stitching willy-nilly, you’ll want to practise sewing in a straight line. To get started, try drawing a straight line directly onto your fabric as a guide. You can also use the guidelines on the needle plate (that metal bit under the presser foot), which tell you how many cm or inches the edge of your fabric is from the needle. Take a bit of time getting used to controlling how the fabric goes through the machine, until you’re happy with your straight lines.

Stitching a curved line

Once you’ve mastered stitching in a straight line, how about trying a curve or two? Draw a wavy line onto your fabric, keeping the bends of the curve nice and large for now (you can narrow them as your stitching gets more precise). Place the fabric onto your machine so the presser foot is lined up in the direction of the first bit of the curve.

When you stitch, you’ll want to gently guide the fabric with your hands, keeping the presser foot lined up with the direction of the upcoming part of the curve. Go slow, taking as many pauses as you need to keep up with the twists and turns. It does take practice to get the hang of this, so have a few goes until your stitching line is following the drawn line.

Turning corners

Draw a right angled corner onto your fabric to practise. Start machine stitching along one line until you reach the corner. You want the needle to be pushed down through the fabric right at the point of the corner, so you could use your hand wheel to help you get to the exact point precisely.

Raise your presser foot so you can pivot the fabric so the next line to stitch is in front of you and parallel to the guidelines on the needle plate.

Lower your presser foot again when it’s in the right place, and continue stitching. Voila!

Up next: Easy Sewing Projects for Beginners. Catch up on previous Learn to Sew posts.

Did you find this tutorial useful? Easy to follow? Anything left unclear? I'd love your feedback...

How to Stitch: Part 1

2012-01-05T07:00:00.002Z

This post is part of the Learn to Sew series aimed at beginners.

Set up your machine? Check. Threaded it up? Check. Now comes the fun part!

Using a sewing machine for the first time can be a little daunting but just relax, take your time and have some fun with it. Practise stitching on some calico (unbleached cotton) or plain medium-weight cotton - basically you want something that’s cheap and not slippery. Pick out some brightly coloured thread that stands out against the fabric so you can monitor your stitches … and marvel at how your accuracy improves with practice!

I've divided this 'How to Stitch' post up into two parts as it was getting quite long. In this first post I'll show you how to start and finish stitching, and in part two you'll get some practise in sewing straight lines, curved lines and corners.

Preparing to stitch

Check your machine is on the basic stitch setting and that it’s threaded up correctly (see How to Thread Your Sewing Machine). You want to have pulled out about four inches or so of “spare” thread to prevent it from unthreading itself from the machine – it also helps to hold onto the threads when you make your first stitches.

Place your fabric under the presser foot with the area you want to stitch in front of the machine, and lower the presser foot to hold it in place. NB. Lowering your presser foot is essential to help keep the fabric in place (unless you’re doing some freestyle advanced machine embroidery) but is easy to forget – you might want to make your sewing mantra “lower your presser foot” for a while…

The upper/spool thread should be under the presser foot but on top of the fabric, and the lower/bobbin thread underneath the fabric. Both threads should be sticking out towards the back so you don’t sew over them and tie them in knots.

Go!

Turn your machine on. Place both hands lightly on the fabric either side of the presser foot to help guide it as you’re stitching - but don’t push or pull. Needless to say (arf!), keep your fingers out of the way of the needle! Gently lower your foot onto the pedal to start stitching…

Wooooooooooooooooooo!

Fun, isn’t it? Right, I’ll let you enjoy that for a little while…

Okay, back to business. Some machines have speed setting buttons, so you can start slow and build up speed as you throw caution to the wind. If, like me, your machine doesn’t have this luxury, you’ll have to learn to control the speed by how much pressure you apply to the pedal. Apparently this is like driving a car, but I wouldn’t know because I don’t drive.

Using the handwheel

If you want to stitch reeeeeally sloooowwwly – or maybe just move forward by one or two stitches for added precision – you can use the handwheel at the side of your machine. Turn it towards you to basically perform the same function as the pedal but manually. I often use the handwheel to make the first stitch into the fabric to avoid the thread coming loose and to ensure the needle goes exactly where I want it to go.

Cutting loose

When you’ve finished stitching, raise your presser foot so you can pull your fabric out a little. The needle will need to be raised – you can use the hand wheel to move it up slightly until the thread gives enough for you to move the fabric. You can snip the threads with small scissors (embroidery or nail scissors are fine).

Alternatively – and pretty awesomely – your machine might have a little blade on the left hand side that you can use in one uber-slick manoeuvre.

Securing your stitches

When you’re sewing for real, unless your stitches are temporary, you’ll want to secure them in place. You can do this one of two ways:

1) Hold down the reverse (or back) stitch lever or button on your machine to sew backwards two or three stitches over the end of your stitching, then forwards again to secure. Snip the threads close to the fabric. This is the method you will probably use the most.

2) If you’ve sewn off the end of the fabric, you can just tie the two ends of thread together in a double knot and snip close to the knot. This is usually done on darts or other tricky spots where you don’t want the extra bulk of reverse stitches.

You can sew! Hurrah!

Up next: How to Stitch Part 2 - straight lines, curved lines and corners. Catch up with previous Learn to Sew posts.

Did you find this tutorial useful? Easy to follow? Anything left unclear? I'd love your feedback...

How to Thread Your Sewing Machine

2012-01-03T07:00:00.004Z

This post is part of the Learn to Sew series aimed at beginners.

Threading your sewing machine is a quick and easy process once you know how. This post may look long, but practise it a few times and you'll soon be threading up in seconds, I promise.

Ready to sew? Let's go!

1) Wind the bobbin

A sewing machine uses two sources of thread – the spool (or reel) of thread that sits on top of the machine and the bobbin of thread that comes up from below. You buy the spools of thread in the shops and the bobbins come empty – so before threading the machine, you need to get some of your chosen thread off the spool onto the bobbin.

Place the spool of thread onto the spool pin (the prong sticking out the top of your machine). Some spool pins stick upwards, others stick out towards the left and have a plastic cover to hold the spool in place. The thread should be coming out from behind towards the left. Unravel a few inches of thread, pull it to the left and wrap it round the front of the little nubbin sticking out on top of your machine. Thread a little up through the tiny hole in the top of the bobbin and wrap it round a few times so it’s coming out round the back and towards the left. Place the bobbin on the bobbin winder and flick this towards the right to secure it in place.

Switch your machine on and press your foot down on the pedal to start the thread winding from the spool onto the bobbin (if the thread ends up on the bobbin winder rather than on the bobbin itself, you may need to switch the direction the thread is being wrapped). Keep winding until the bobbin is full of thread (or as much as you need). Snip the thread to separate the spool and bobbin, before flicking the bobbin winder to the left to remove the bobbin. Now turn your machine off so you don't accidentally sew over your hand doing the next part (don't get confused by the light on my machine, it was only on to help me photograph the machine details!).

2) Thread the spool

Now you need to thread your machine – you start with the spool thread from the top and do the bobbin thread after that.

The thread should be coming out from behind the spool towards the left. Now you need to guide the thread down to the needle - your machine will probably have arrows directing you so you can’t go too wrong. Pull it round to the left of the first hook, then down through the first ditch (1), up the second ditch to the left (2), round the second hook (3), and back down the second ditch again (4).

Then you need to secure the thread behind the two hooks, one at the front of the machine and one next to the needle. Now thread it through the front of the needle. This will be easier if you snip the thread so it has a clean end. You might also want to switch your machine on so you have the light to let you see what you’re doing – just remember to switch it off again so you don’t accidentally sew over your hand! If your needle is down in the ditch, turn the hand wheel (the knob on the right of the machine) to move it up into a position so you can thread it easily.

3) Thread the bobbin

The bobbin thread goes in the bottom of the machine. On some machines it's positioned horizontally directly under the needle – flip off the little plastic lid to reach the bobbin holder. My machine is front loaded, meaning the bobbin is positioned vertically - you need to remove the arm on the front left of the machine and flip down the cover to reveal the bobbin holder.

Take the bobbin case out – this is the silver thing in the middle. Place the bobbin of thread inside it, pulling a few inches of thread down the little shaft and out through the side, before placing the case back in the machine.

Now you need to get the bobbin thread up to the surface of the machine, using the spool (upper) thread to fish it out. Holding the spool thread in your left hand, turn the hand wheel with your right hand for one rotation to move the needle down and up again. Now gently tug on the upper thread with your left hand and a loop of the bobbin (lower) thread should emerge to the surface with it. Use small scissors or a pen to pull out the loop of lower thread. Close the cover, put the arm back on your machine... et voilà!

You’re ready to sew!

Before you do that, it’d be a good idea to pull your thread out from whence it came and practise rethreading a couple more times. I promise that, once you do that, you’ll realise that it’s actually a quick and easy procedure, and not as complicated or time consuming as this long tutorial makes it seem!

Up next: How to Stitch part 1. Catch up on previous Learn to Sew posts.

Did you find this tutorial useful? Easy to follow? Anything left unclear? Your feedback will help me get this right.

How to Set Up Your Sewing Machine

2012-01-02T08:00:00.002Z

This post is part of the Learn to Sew series aimed at beginners.

First time in front of a sewing machine? Stitched before but need a refresher?

This post will walk you through the basic steps to set up your sewing machine.

I've labelled some of the most important parts of the machine in the diagram above. You don't need to learn all the proper names for the different parts of your machine - "that twiddly knob" is fine if you're just talking to yourself - but it's useful to know what all the parts are for at least. Machines vary, so some of the parts on my machine (a Janome JS-18) may be in different positions to yours, but nothing will be that different that you won't be able to work it out.

Ready to sew? Let's go!

1) Plug it in!

Plug the cable into your machine and the power socket. Position the pedal on the floor where you can comfortably reach it with your foot while sitting comfortably. (Note: You don't need to turn your machine on for any of the steps in this post - it's advisable to leave it off so you don't accidentally sew over your hand or anything! Don't get confused by the light on my machine, it was only on to help me photograph the machine details!.)

2) Attach the needle

The needle may already be in place, in which case you can ignore this part if you like. But it's useful to know how to change it in case it snaps (eek!), if you want a different sized one (a thick one for thick material, a fine one for fine fabric, ballpoint for jersey...), or if you just want to change to a fresh, sharp one every so often.

To remove the needle, twist the little knob to its right a couple of turns - this will loosen the needle so you can pull it out. To insert the needle, just push it up into the hole and tighten the knob again. The top of the needle is rounded on the front side and flat on the back side so you should be able to tell which way to fit it.

3) Attach the presser foot

The presser foot is used to hold the fabric down and to guide the needle when stitching. You can get different kinds of feet designed for different stitches and notions, but you don't need to worry about that yet - a standard presser foot will get you far. The presser foot sits on the end of the bar behind the needle. There's a lever on the right which you can use to raise and lower it when you need to.

Some feet are attached with screws. My machine is a "snap on" - raise the bar using the lever on the right, position the foot directly underneath, then lower the lever to click the foot into place. You may need to shuffle it about a little to get it in the right position. Lift the lever again to raise it up. To remove the foot, flick up the other little lever at the back of the bar and the foot will drop right off.

Up next: How to Thread Your Sewing Machine. Catch up on previous Learn to Sew posts.

Did you find this tutorial useful? Easy to follow? Anything left unclear? I'd love your feedback!

Learn to Sew: Introduction

2012-01-01T21:32:00.000Z

It’s that time of year when many people are thinking about taking up a new hobby or lifestyle. Happily, more and more people are becoming interested in sewing. Sewing machine sales are at an all time high, craft cafes are popping up all over, DIY culture is on the rise. The number of blank or bemused looks I get when I say that I make my own clothes is diminishing. The number of friends asking me to show them how to sew is increasing. Yay!

As part of my mission to spread the sewing bug and inspire more people to get stitching, over the next week I’m going to start posting a series of introductory ‘Learn to Sew’ tutorials. (This week also begins with my blogiversary and ends with my birthday!) Obviously most of my existing blog readers already sew, but I do get quite a few comments and emails from people who like the idea of making their own clothes but haven’t got started yet. Also, I’ve been promising some of my IRL friends written tutorials for a long time ☺ I hope to add to the series later on if people find them useful, but for this week the posts will cover:

- How to set up your sewing machine
- How to thread your sewing machine
- How to stitch: Part 1 – basic stitching, using the handwheel, cutting loose, securing your stitches
- How to stitch: Part 2 – straight lines, curved lines and corners
- Easy sewing projects for beginners – suggested patterns and tutorials

Of course, we all learn in different ways and online tutorials aren’t for everyone. There’s a lot to be said for face-to-face classes where you have access to instant feedback and a tutor on hand to get you out of any messes. In London at least there is a choice of sewing classes available at fashion colleges, sewing cafes and specialist schools, ranging in price from about £50 to £400.

But not everyone has a class nearby and some people prefer to learn from home. Not everyone can afford the fees of attending a sewing school, and some may want to test the waters at home before making a commitment. Others may have sewn years ago and just need a refresher. And some people are self-starters who like to master new things themselves. For these people, I hope you’ll find these posts useful.

I’ve tried to make the tutorials as easy-to-follow as possible, with step-by-step instructions and annotated photographs. I’ve reached the point where I have just enough experience under my (homemade) belt, having made 25 or so garments, but not so much experience that I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be a beginner! I understand the potential pitfalls and frustrations of trying to get your head round something totally new, I won’t take any pre-existing knowledge for granted, I won’t expect you to understand the jargon, and I can tell you which entry level mistakes to watch out for as it wasn’t so long ago that I was making those mistakes myself!

My philosophy is that sewing can be as easy or as complicated as you want it to be. It doesn’t take too much skill or experience to make something lovely – just a few hours’ practice and you can whip up wonders. And there’s always more to learn so you’ll never get bored. Give it a go, learn at your own pace and make your own decision about what level of challenge you’re ready to tackle.

Let’s get the world stitching!

In 2012, I Intend to Sew.

2011-12-31T16:06:00.001Z

I’m really enjoying reading other sewing bloggers’ round up posts reflecting on 2011 and things they’ve made over the year. Cor blimey, some of you ladies are productive! And inspiring with it.

Take Debi from My Happy Sewing Place, for example. I used to consider myself a counterpart to Debi - we both started blogging around the same time, she was the first sewing blogger I met in the flesh (and yes, she is as lovely as she seems), and we were pretty much sewing at the same pace for a while. Then all of a sudden she signed up as a weekly contributor to The Sew Weekly - and she was off! This year I made 11 garments (see above). Debi made 58. FIFTY-EIGHT. Not even one a week was enough for Debi, she had to make an extra six. Talk about super woman! (In case you missed it first time, Debi wrote a guest post for my blog sharing her sewing productivity tips.)

Then there’s Patty the Snug Bug. 79 gorgeous makes. SEVENTY-NINE. That’s all I’m going to say. (Seventy-nine!) At the time of writing Jessica Stitchy Witch hasn’t posted a round up of her 2011 makes, but that’s probably because the number of photos is too big for Wordpress to handle. That lady sews. And of course there are the other The Sew Weekly ladies who have been whipping up sartorial delights at a mind blowing rate.

I really want to sew more.

I’ve just come back from a week in Chicago where I spent the holidays with my brother and his gorgeous babies. There’s nothing like a change of scene to give you some perspective, and as I was pondering my new year’s resolutions, I realised that the simpler the better. My general life resolution for 2012 is to have more guilt-free pleasure (the other day someone asked me if I am secretly Catholic - I’m Atheist-Jewish, so I'm not sure where this guilt issue comes from).

Related to that, I have one simple sewing resolution (re-sew-lution, if you will). In 2012, I intend to sew. I’m not going to go down my usual route and create an intricate strategy to increase my sewing productivity with pie charts, lists and ten point plans. Nor do I plan to procrastinate by writing loads of blog posts about productivity (but if anyone fancies writing a guest post for me on their own productivity tips, let me know!). I'm gathering a few inspirational images and patterns I like on Pinterest, but I'm not going to compile any "to make" lists which can add a sense of pressure. I'm just going to sew. For pleasure, recognising the importance that sewing has in my life, enjoying the creative process. And sewing. And making sewing patterns. And sewing them up.

Eeeeeeep! I’m so excited!

Have you made any new year’s resolutions – sewing-related or general life ones? (I’m nosey.) And do you have any productivity tips to spur me on? I’d love to hear them!

[Soundtrack: ‘This Train’ by Sister Rosetta Tharpe]

The Rewind: My Favourite Posts from 2011

2011-12-23T07:00:00.031Z

One of my (non-sewing-related) resolutions for the new year is to take more notice of the things that I get done. As a productivity-obsessed crazy lady, whenever I finish a task or project or whenever something good happens to me, I have a tendency to appreciate it for about two seconds before moving on to the next thing on my never-ending to do list. My life has been shaken up a bit recently and in an effort to avoid losing it altogether I've decided to take the advice of some wise friends and sloooooooooow down. But hey, what's slowing down without a strategy?! One of my new schemes is to keep a little notebook by my bed, and every night just before I turn out the light I write down the things I have achieved and the nice things that have happened that day. Taking this time to reflect, collect and appreciate what I've got done has made a real difference to me.

As a blogger, too, by the time I click "publish" I'm already thinking about the next post and very rarely give myself a little pat on the back for the blog posts I've already written. With this in mind, one evening I curled up on the sofa with my favourite tea (Pukka Revitalise, since you ask) and started looking back over what I posted in 2011. Satisfying? Yes. Self-indulgent? Hell, yes. Here are my favourites:

Happy Blogiversary to Meeeeee
Awww... this was a little reflective post one year since I first signed up for my blogger account. I'm a bit embarrassed about some of the things I made in the first few months - not to mention the dodgy growing-out non-hairstyles - but it's all part of the learning process, isn't it?

Sewing Emergency Room
Cripes! Sewing is, like, dangerous! A gentle reminder of why you should never sew when you're tired.

My New Sewing Space
Creating one's first dedicated sewing space is a big milestone in a stitcher's life. Golly! It looks so tidy! It doesn't look anything like that now, believe me.

Refashioned Lace Blouse
It was such fun to be part of The Refashioners project, which set a group of bloggers the mission to upcycle a thrifted garment chosen by Portia.

I Got an Urge to Serge
Hahahahaha! My first encounter with the serger!

A Day in the Life of Tasia, Sewaholic
I get so excited every time an inspiring stitchy business lady writes about their typical day for A Day in the Life. Tasia was the first - it's wonderful to see how her business has progressed in the few months since she wrote this post.

One Week, One Skirt Pattern
How to pack light for a trip to Washington DC. Beignets all week for me.

Sewing Productivity Project
Or, How to Procrastinate Even Further by Producing Pie Charts.

Autumn Maples Skirt
One of my favourite makes. And it works with all those beautiful quilting weight cottons that beckon us with their siren call from the aisles of John Lewis... buy me... buy me...

Has Sewing Changed Your Life?
The answer for many people was a resounding "yes!" The comments readers left on this post helped me write my Clore provocation paper, provocatively titled, 'Creativity in Every Home: What Can the Cultural Sector Learn from Dressmaking Blogs?'

One thing that's clear from this little round up is what a huge contribution my readers make to my blog - through comments, inspiration for posts, interviews, group projects... Thank you so much to everyone who has taken an interest in my little spot on the interweb over the past year. I'm going to give myself a break in 2012 by blogging a little less frequently in order to free up more time to make things... and to make the posts I do write a bit better, hopefully!

How about you - if you have your own blog, have you taken the opportunity to reflect back over what you've published this year, and if so what's your favourite post you've written? I'd love to read it!

Have a lovely festive break, y'all!

[Soundtrack: 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)' by Darlene Love - my all time favourite festive tune!]

Vintage Fashion on Film... from the Midlands

2011-12-17T08:00:00.000Z

I'm currently conducting a research project which is taking me around the country visiting regional film archives. In preparation for my interviews, I keep finding myself sucked into the online video section of the archives' websites. Amongst the gems are plenty of movies to keep the vintage fashion enthusiast swooning. I thought you might like to see a few nuggets from the Media Archive for Central England, the last archive I visited. Much of their collection is footage filmed to create TV news compilations, hence the reason the clips are short and silent... so put on your own tunes, put your feet up and enjoy!

Dior Fashions at Ragley Hall, 1959
Behold that tiny cinched in waist and stunning scoop back on the second dress! The models are so elegant - I simply must learn to walk like that... although possibly not practical down Brixton High Street...

Spring Fashion Show, 1961
Oh my! The floral and geometric prints being shown off at this Fabric Fair are just gorgeous! Great Horrockses style, don't you think? Plus some good twirling action to boot.

Jersey Autumn Fashions, 1963
Spot the Jenny Skirt with Suspenders!

Fashion Show, 1956
Loving the cape-sleeved (?!) coat. But again, is it practical to walk around with your elbows sticking out like that?

Fashion Parade at Grand Hotel, Birmingham, 1963
Another great coat here, with an adorable little bow at the waist, fabric covered buttons and cute collar.

Parade of Fashion, 1967
This one should come with a health warning. If you have even the slightest feminist inclination, be prepared to be disturbed by this undies display at the West Midlands Agricultural Show. Yes, "Agricultural Show".

And finally, to cheer us up after that hideousness, a nun sewing And why not.

Anyone got any patterns in their stash similar to the lovely styles showcased in these videos?

[Soundtrack: 'Try a Little Tenderness' by Otis Redding]

A Day in the Life of Lisa Comfort - Sew Over It

2011-12-09T12:30:00.001Z

Over the last year or so, it's been exciting to see sewing cafes popping up around the UK, street-level evidence of the rise of sewing culture - hurrah! Lisa Comfort, who thinks that everybody should be able to sew, set up her own venture, Sew Over It, up the road from me in South London earlier this year. Sewing classes, haberdashery shop, cake... sounds bliss, but what's it like to run a business like this? "And what kind of tea does she drink?" you beg. Over to Lisa for this month's A Day in the Life...

******

"I live in Highbury with my boyfriend Matt, a journalist. We moved here a week before I opened the shop in Clapham. Why, people ask me? Because Matt grew up round here and has a lot of family and friends nearby. Mine are scattered all over so apart from the shop, I had no attachments to Clapham. Although it would be easier to walk to work! Our flat is tiny – we christened it the ‘corridor’, so I feel Sew Over It is more of my home.

Since opening the shop, my days have never been busier. I have never worked such long hours but I have also never been happier.

I spend four days a week in the shop and two days working from home. When working in the shop I aim to get there for 9am. I get up around 7am and try and tip toe around the flat as Matt doesn’t get up until later. I usually put my clothes out the night before so I don’t have to search in the dark for them! I always try to wear something I have made, be it a dress, earrings or a necklace. I think it is important that I am an advertisement of what you can do with sewing!

I love cereal so breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. Then I have a cup of Yorkshire (tea) and off leave the flat around 8am. I have recently bought a little Fiat 500, Lucia I call her, so I drive to work. I hate the tube and this is my luxury. I love driving to work, I put on the Today program and I am in my own little world with no sweaty armpits in my face and grumpy commuters, just a little road rage ☺. The route I go takes me over Tower Bridge and it lifts me every day – such an amazing view.

When I arrive at the shop, Georgie and I clean the shop and get it ready for the day. At 9.30 we sit down and have a cup of tea (Yorkshire of course) and talk about the day. Georgie only started in October and she has been an amazing addition to the Sew Over It team. She is a whizz on photoshop and a very creative machine embroiderer.

I usually teach in the mornings. Our classes start at 10am or sometimes I have private lessons. I love teaching. I find it so rewarding. I also really enjoy getting to know our customers – that’s one of the best things about sewing – you can have a good natter whilst you sew. We can get into discussions about everything from politics, children, relationships and celebrity gossip – all whilst sewing away! At around 11.30am Georgie serves cake and I try to resist, but it’s hard. Our cakes are made locally by the lovely Sandro. They are amazing – my favourite is his carrot and courgette – so moist mmmm……

Our lessons finish at 1pm and then I go upstairs and spend the rest of the afternoon in the shop with Georgie. Lunch is usually a sandwich that I eat whilst writing emails. There isn’t usually time to stop. My afternoons can be very varied. We could be working on our shop display, sewing new products for classes, writing newsletters, scheduling classes and speaking to customers. We are currently working on our online shop, which is a much bigger job than I thought it would be. I am hoping it will be live in the New Year. We will sell sewing kits, patterns and gifts and then fabric eventually. Dominique, who also teaches, is helping me with this. She is a whizz on the camera and Photoshop – whereas I am hopeless. We are also working on a Sew Over It merchandise range – sewing boxes, needle cases, travel kits and more. So excited about seeing the prototypes – it has been great fun designing them.

Georgie leaves at 6pm and I get ready for my evening classes. At the moment I teach on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, although in the New Year I will drop one evening. Our class sizes are always bigger in the evenings so the atmosphere is a little different. I guess there is more of a buzz with larger groups. We have women of all different ages from 20s to 60s but mainly most of our customers are in their 30s. We recently had a guy in one of intro to sewing groups and the rest of the group treated him like a celebrity and cheered when he arrived each week! He was lots of fun and often some great banter to the group and was really good at sewing. I leave Sew Over It soon after the classes finish at 9.30 and head back home in Lucia. I usually only have soup when I get in as it’s quite late. Then I catch up with Matt, check my emails one last time and go to bed around 11.30.

When I work from home my days are more relaxed. I usually go for a swim first thing and have a more leisurely start to the day. I am writing a book at the moment so I am working on that – deadline is looming! Or I do my accounts – far less interesting. I also go to my fabric wholesalers and run errands.

The variety in my days is one of my favourite things about having my own business. No two days are the same. I am never bored and I am constantly learning. I have had to learn basic accounting, and cash flow forecasting. I have learnt how to update my website and how to write press releases amongst many other things.

It’s not all bliss, I am more tired than I have ever been and have a lot less time to see my friends and family. I guess that is the sacrifice you have to make initially. For the first six month I put Sew Over It first in many ways. But now I am trying to find more of a balance and a sustainable way of living. It is very hard when you have your own business not to ever switch off and become a bit of a control freak about it. At first I felt I could never leave the shop in someone else’s hands. But now Domnique looks after it on a Friday and Sunday and she does a great job. This means I can work from home a couple of days a week and have a proper day off as well. Sew Over It is like my baby, but it is still just a job at the end of the day, and I have to keep reminding myself of that.

Someone told me just before I started to set up Sew Over It that to really think about it because once you have a business, that’s it you are tied to it and life will never be the same. It will consume so much of you. She was right and I think it is important to think about that before committing. That would be my piece of advice to thinking of setting up their own business. But for me my life is a lot more fulfilling with Sew Over It in it and I wouldn't change it for the world."

******

Thanks Lisa! Best of luck growing your business... and writing your book, setting up your online shop, starting your own merchandise line... phew!

What's On My Sewing Table...

2011-12-01T22:45:00.000Z

... lots of plans, that's what!

Taking a pattern drafting course is dangerous. It opens up so many possibilities, so many different styles of piecing together fabric, it's enough to send you into a crippling panic. In one day we'll wizz through options for closures, collars and cuffs, and I emerge from my class bursting with ideas, wanting to make EVERYTHING, but not being able to make a decision about where to start. There are simply too many options and I end up doing nothing at all!

So my new strategy is to start with one basic design and build on it gradually to produce a series of variations. I started with a fairly simple bodice for my Refashioned Lace Blouse, which I then adapted into the Teal Button Back Blouse by adding a yoke, puffed sleeves and Peter Pan collar. Next I want to add pintucks to the yoke and try a different collar (TBC - ideas?) and longer sleeves, using a chocolate brown polka dot mystery fabric. I'm then going to add gathers under the bodice and lengthen the blouse into a smock dress, using a lovely blue and white Ikat fabric. I'm hoping this smock will make me look like a Toast model warming her hands on a mug of organic coffee as she gazes at the ocean view from her window. In reality it might just make me look like I'm pregnant, but we'll see.

What's on your sewing table?

[Soundtrack: 'Dinosaur Sex' by Emmy the Great]

Playing with Patterns: Puff Sleeve Tutorial

2011-11-26T08:00:00.034Z

Who wants to have some fun with scissors and glue? Even if you don't want to make your own sewing patterns from scratch, it can be useful for a stitcher to have some basic pattern cutting techniques up their sleeve (arf!), in case you want to adapt existing patterns in your stash to create something a little different. So I thought I'd show you how to puff a sleeve.

I like a good puff in a sleeve - don't you? I'm going to show you how to puff out the bottom of the sleeve, like I did for my teal button back blouse - this style is sometimes called a bishop sleeve, although they often have a more exaggerated shape. If you want to add the puff at the top, just apply the same technique upside down to the top of the pattern. This tutorial will also demonstrate - and hopefully demystify - the "slash n spread" technique, one of the basics of pattern cutting that is useful and easy to pick up.

You will need:

- straight sleeve pattern piece that you know fits both you and the garment you're going to insert it into (I used a block drawn to my measurements, but you can use a sleeve piece from a bought pattern)
- paper
- pencil and pen
- paper scissors
- glue, Scotch tape or pins
- ruler
- curved ruler, vary form or Pattern Master if you have one, otherwise you can get away with using a straight ruler or drawing freehand (ssshh!)
- tape measure

1. Trace the sleeve pattern off onto a new sheet of paper, marking in the shoulder point, grain line and any notches. (NB. You are tracing the stitching line, not the cutting line, which we will mark in later.) The sleeve can be as long or as short as you like - I've ended mine a couple of inches below the elbow. Draw vertical lines up the pattern, dividing it into equal sections (I've done five).

2. Cut along these lines from the bottom upwards, stopping just before you reach the top. This is the "slashing" part. (If you want to puff out the top, cut from the top downwards.)

3. Place the pattern on a new piece of paper, fanning out the pieces to the width you want. This is the "spreading" bit. Glue, tape or pin the pieces down.

NB. Spreading adds extra ease at the crown too. Personally I like a bit of gathering at the crown so I'm leaving it in. If you'd prefer to, you can remove the extra ease by overlapping the middle pieces at the top before sticking them down.

4. Draw around the new shape, smoothing the bottom into a curved line and squaring the corners off so they're right angles (so the seams will match when you sew them together). You can either retrace the new shape onto a fresh piece of paper or just peel off the spread pieces if they're not stuck down too hard.

5. Add seam allowances and mark the shoulder point, notches and grainline. If you've left the extra ease in at the crown, your notches will have moved, so you need to mark them in the right place to help you set the sleeve into the armhole correctly when it comes to sewing. Measure the position of the notches on the original pattern piece from the armhole upwards - you can measure a curve by standing your tape measure on its side - and transfer these to the new pattern.

6. To make the cuff band, measure the circumference of your arm at the point where the sleeve will end and add 1.5cm ease. If you're making a 3/4 length sleeve, I've found that it's a good idea to measure a little further up your forearm than you want the cuff to lie so you can pull your sleeve up a little if you have a habit of doing that (I know I do). On a new piece of paper, draw a horizontal line to this length. Turn it into a rectangle with the vertical line to the width you want the band to be. Draw a second box adjoined underneath for the inside of the band. Add seam allowances round the edge.

That's it for the pattern play! Interface the band before sewing, and use gather stitch to set the sleeves into the bands as you would with any other gathered piece.

Hope this was useful! If you follow this tutorial, I'd love to know if the instructions were clear (particularly for pattern playing beginners) and I'd love to see what you make!

[Soundtrack: 'The Muse' by Laura Marling]

Teal Button Back Blouse

2011-11-22T12:30:00.008Z

Finished! I made this blouse from a self-drafted pattern. I based the bodice pattern on my Refashioned Lace Blouse, but adapted it by:

- making puffed three-quarter length sleeves with cuff bands

- adding a small Peter Pan collar

- including a yoke

- loosening the fit of the bodice.

The fabric is from a little shop in Brixton market and feels like a sand-washed silk habotai but is probably more like some kind of genius imitation as it only cost £3. In real life it's more of a greeny-teal colour than is showing up on my laptop screen.

I have a feeling this pattern is going to become a wardrobe staple, like the Beignet skirt, of which I've made multiple versions. I simply adore button back blouses. And the style of blouse is so versatile, my head is bursting with ideas for tweaking the pattern to produce lots of different versions...

Do you have a staple pattern that you return to time and again?

[Soundtrack: 'All the King's Men' by Wild Beasts]

Can You Recommend Some Good Sewing Blogs?

2011-11-19T08:00:00.023Z

"You read a LOT of sewing blogs!" exclaimed Zoe as we sat in a Brighton cafe plotting the sewing blogger discussion forum. I guess I do. It's no exaggeration to say I read hundreds of them. Hundreds! There are so many great sewing blogs out there... and so little time. Eek! It's all a bit overwhelming at times, don't you think?

Zoe's observation has prompted me to do a little blog roll housekeeping. As I write, I'm ruthlessly deleting 59 (59!) blogs from my blog reader. Blogs that stopped posting ages ago (apparently they have something better to do with their lives!). Blogs that I started reading because of one particularly great post or awesome make and which haven't quite lived up to my expectations. And blogs that just aren't inspiring me at the moment. It may sound harsh, but the sheer number of sewing blogs out there means that you have to refresh your reading list every so often to make room for new (or new-to-me) blogs. Plus, you have to have some kind of criteria when deciding which blogs to follow.

I'll follow a blog if it meets two or more of these criteria.

1) Stitchers who make lovely things that appeal to my personal taste. Cute but not Cath Kidston, a nod to vintage style but not costume-y, bonus points for preppy, granny chic or cat-themed. Bloggers like Nette and Stitch and Witter make the grade.

2) Striking photography. When I'm whizzing through my blog roll at breakfast, aware of the time ticking away until I have to go to work, I'm most likely to click on the ones with a nice image. Like iro iro, who can make a very appealing post out of one little bow.

3) Prolific stitchers whose prowess at whipping up three dresses a week makes me want to do better myself. Yes, I'm looking at you Stitchywitch.

4) Bloggers who don't construct a divide between "experts" and "amateurs" but see blogging as a way of encouraging, inspiring and empowering anyone and everyone to give sewing a go and try new techniques fearlessly.

5) Blogs that show things they're working on but don't just waffle on for hours about the details of how they constructed a particular garment. I like bloggers who really think about what the reader is going to get out of the post, particularly if they share tips and techniques that others can replicate. Even better are tutorials, which take a lot of work to produce. Casey and Tasia are great at these. It's this kind of sharing which what makes the sewing blogosphere so awesome.

6) Reflective bloggers who write posts that get me thinking about what it means to sew and what impact it has on the world. Like Zoe, obv.

7) Talented writers who make me laugh out loud and splutter my organic muesli over my laptop screen. Karen, Selfish and Oona - I bow to your wit and wisdom.

8) Blogs which only focus on sewing. I'm not interested in seeing people's holiday snaps (sorry!) or read about what their little sprogs have been up to at school. Harsh, I know - but what I really want to read about is sewing. Oh okay, so I'll make an exception for food - food is good, Dispatches from Whitcomb Street can stay. And I do have a soft spot for reading about the picture perfect lives of super motivated creative business ladies, so I'll also make an exception for A Beautiful Mess.

The upside of doing a blog cull, of course, is that it makes room for fresh new blogs to enter your roll. Yay! I have lots of lovely space just waiting to be filled with pretty makes and inspiring reads. Perhaps you can make some suggestions?

* What are your favourite sewing blogs? I'm particularly interested in any great blogs you have discovered recently - the newer, less well-known blogs that I may not know about.

* Do you have criteria for which sewing blogs you choose to read? What makes a great sewing blog for you?

I'm really looking forward to adding some lovely new blogs to my reading list...

[Soundtrack: 'Cruel' by St. Vincent]

What's On My Sewing Table...

2011-11-16T12:30:00.001Z

I'm doing the intermediate pattern cutting course at London College of Fashion at the moment, along with Suzy and another lady who reads my blog (hello!). For someone who is used to sitting at a desk all day, the course takes serious brain power and intermediate leg muscles, but it's lots of fun and intensely satisfying to get down and dirty with the scissors and glue on a Saturday. So far we've done fancy intersecting darts for a bodice, tapered trousers and flared trousers (oh yeah). I'm really looking forward to the last week when we get to work on our own design - I've got so many ideas I want to work on, so it'll be quite difficult choosing just one!

Back at home, I'm working on a self-drafted button back blouse. The pattern is an adapted version of the one I made for the Refashioned Lace Blouse, with a looser fit, yoke, puffed sleeves and small Peter Pan collar. You might call it a wearable muslin (sorry, toile) of a blouse I've been wanting to make for ages in a lovely chocolate brown polka dot fabric which I've been saving for the perfect project. I was hoping to have finished this blouse by now but I'm juggling so many different non-sewing projects at the moment that it's taking longer than expected. But isn't that always the way?

What's on your sewing table?

[Soundtrack: 'How to be Invisible' by Kate Bush]

To Pin or Not To Pin? Your Sewing Tips Unleashed

2011-11-13T10:23:00.000Z

I loved reading all the sewing tricks submitted as entries to the Pattern Cutting book giveaway. I learnt loads of new ideas - so glad I asked! I also discovered some lovely new (to me) blogs through the process, which is always a bonus. I thought I'd pull together a Top Ten Tips list from your submissions.

I should qualify the term "top" by saying that, firstly, this list is more of a random selection than an official canon or indeed even my favourites - it would be impossible to favour ten of them over any others as they all had value. Secondly, if you're a regular reader you will know that something I particularly value in sewing culture - and the sewing blogs I choose to read - is the attitude that there is no single right way of doing things. So if you don't agree with any of these tips, that's fine! In fact, it was fun to read contradictory tips in the list. "Don't pin!" "Always pin!" "Get on with it!" "Slow it down!" You get the idea.

Right, onto your tips:

1) "Fasten two pens or pencils together with a rubber band when you're tracing patterns from burda magazine as it instantly adds seam allowance without having to draw it in afterwards, just measure the distance between the lines and use that when you stitch the seams - most are 1.0-1.5cm." (Lazystitching)

2) "Tissue paper is a must for the sewing kit. You can lay it down when cutting slippery fabric. Or sandwich it between fabric when sewing seams on slippery or stretchy fabric. It's helped me TONS!" (Jill)

3) "Whenever you have to ease a larger piece of fabric with a smaller one [like sleeves], put the gathered larger piece on the bottom while sewing on the machine. The feed dogs will pull the bottom layer a little bit more than the upper layer, and this will help ease in the fabric." (Heather)

4) "I use washable glue to install my zippers. I get better control when positioning and then I wait for it to dry before sewing." (Carmencita B)

5) "If you are using a serger to sew a seam, the left needle thread is the one that could show through on the right side of the garment. So if you just match the left needle thread to your fabric colour, you can get away with using white or black for the other three threads. This way you don't have to buy four spools of thread for every colour of fabric you sew." (Margiwarg)

6) "Write a review of the pattern (even if you don't want to put it on the internet), as you'll have a good record of what you did with a pattern and how it worked out. This helps to figure out what patterns work for you and your body type and will speed up the process of sewing a pattern a second time if you like it." (Hilde)

7) "When sewing several layers of fabric or an area of thicker fabric, you can use the wheel at the side of your machine instead of the pedal, so you are not making the motor work too hard. It is good for short sections of sewing when you know your machine might struggle." (Kestrel)

8) "When machine sewing oilcloth (right side), stick some masking tape to the bottom of your foot to enable it to glide easily across the surface." (Elisalex)

9) "If you have a overlocker/serger, keep a stock of thread in blendable colours (ivory, grey, rose etc NOT primary colours). You can use these blendable colours quite successfully instead of an exact shade." (Sarah)

And finally...

10) "Listen to other people's sewing experiences, but don't listen to their opinions. And by that I mean, learn from others as much as you can, but once they start saying things like 'slide-fasteners are a pain in the back', 'trousers and bras are the most difficult to sew' or 'knit fabrics are for professionals', it's time to let it go in one ear and out the other. For one thing, it's bound not to be true, and for another thing it's up to you, not other people, to decide your limitations." (Emma)

Too right.

Righto, so who won the Pattern Cutting book, then?

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:153Powered by RANDOM.ORG

zilredloh said...

Ooooh! What a wonderful book to be able to give away.

Hmmm... favorite sewing trick ehh. I've found that using strips of silk organza underneath invisible (and regular) zippers helps a ton with stability and to prevent warping. They're little strips of amazing. heh

9 November 2011 22:38

Another great tip! Thank you, Liz from zilredloh, and enjoy the book! Woooooooooooo!

Right, today is going to be a good day. I'm juggling so many different projects at the moment but today I'm going to focus on sewing and blogging only (I've glimpsed lots of interesting looking posts in my blog reader that I'm looking forward to reading) and I think I'll channel sewing queen Gertie by staying in my pyjamas as long as possible. Ah bliss! Anyone else got a similar Sunday planned?

[Soundtrack: 'Eternal Flame' by Joan As Police Woman]

A Day in the Life of Gretchen Hirsch - Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing

2011-11-09T12:30:00.000Z

Does this woman need an introduction? I doubt there's anyone in internet sewing land who doesn't know - and adore - Gertie. Writing her sewing blog was the start of a whole new, exciting, multifaceted career for this super talented seamstress, so she makes the perfect interviewee for A Day in the Life. "That's all very well, but what does she wear when she's sewing?" you beg. Read on, my friend, read on...

******

"Hi Tilly and Tilly’s readers! Thank you so much for having me here to write about a day in my life. I’ll admit I was a little daunted by this prospect because it seems that every day is so different! I’ll do my best to try to wrangle my various tasks into something coherent for you to read.

First off, I used to work full time at a “day job.” I was a children’s book editor and worked at some of the big publishing companies. After I started my blog, I began to get lots of other opportunities related to sewing - teaching, writing articles, and even a book deal. I juggled all this with my 9-5 job for quite a while before finally taking the leap to go freelance in March and have a career in the sewing biz. I think the best way to explain all this is to first give you a run-down of all the different ways I bring in income:

1. Blogging. First and foremost, I’m a blogger. The blog doesn’t directly bring in the most money, but I can definitely say that every opportunity I’ve been given has come about because of my blog.

2. Teaching sewing at The Sewing Studio here in New York. I teach group glasses once or twice a week, but the majority of my teaching income comes from private lessons. I have a group of regular students and I meet with each of them once a week for two hours, so it’s steady work.

3. Writing. I have a book coming out next year, woo hoo! I also write articles for sewing magazines.

4. Editing and proofreading craft books for STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books on a freelance basis.

5. Teaching sewing online. Earlier this year, I launched my first online course with Craftsy, Sew Retro: the Perfect Fit Bombshell Dress and it’s been a great success! I loved the experience of making that course; it was very gratifying to be able to teach really intricate garment construction. I’ll be filming my next online course in January!

6. Traveling to conferences and events to teach.

7. Selling ad space on my blog. I have an advertising program on my blog, and it brings in a small chunk of my income.

8. Another super exciting thing that I can’t tell you about yet but it’s killing me because I’m the worst at keeping secrets.

So, as you can see, my freelance life involves juggling many different tasks—and I love it that way! Every day is new and exciting, and I don’t feel bored by the endless routine that used to fill me with ennui when I was in the corporate world. (Yes, I’m a touch dramatic at times. My first career choice was Broadway star, but that didn’t quite pan out.)

I live in Astoria, a neighborhood in Queens, New York. I start each weekday by getting up around 9:00, right after my husband leaves for work. I wish I could be more of an early riser. But, well, I’m not. Moving on! I usually spend the mornings working at home. I don’t get dressed or do my hair/makeup until I’m preparing to leave the house. Many people would find this slovenly, I suppose. I had grand ideas of getting dressed every morning and looking fabulous to work at home. But then I figured: what’s the point of working freelance if you can’t do it in your jammies?

Mornings are my “administrative/writing” time. I have coffee in bed with my laptop and check my e-mail. I answer e-mails for a bit, respond to questions on my online course, and work on my book. My two cats are usually nearby. In fact, Henry stays by my side if I’m home (he even follows me into the bathroom) so I never feel lonely.

The book is taking up a lot of my time right now. It’s in the stage of being illustrated and designed, so I work with those folks quite a bit these days. I’ll often have meetings with the illustrator so we can review how things are sewn and what she needs to draw. It’s very hands-on. I’m also working on finalizing all 11 patterns for the book. This means making sure I’ve drafted them correctly, sending them out to a grader, and then having them tested in a variety of sizes. It’s a huge job, and definitely the hardest part of my freelance life. The book is a big, daunting task and I’ve often felt like I’m in over my head with it. But I must forge on! (See? Drama.)

If I’m working on a freelance project, I’ll often spend long-ish hours proofreading or editing. For instance, I’m currently proofreading a book on terrariums (which are rad, by the way) and I’ll work in big chunks of time to get it done by a deadline.

In the afternoons, I usually head to the Sewing Studio in Manhattan. I take the subway and it’s about a 20-30 minute commute. I love not being a part of the rush-hour commute anymore! Sometimes I read or embroider on the train, but usually I just sit and think. It’s quite peaceful, actually. The Sewing Studio has become my office in a sense. I bring my laptop and any patterns or sewing projects I’m working on, and get things done between lessons and classes. I often have a private lesson in the afternoons. Tuesdays I teach late, until about 9:00 pm. Other days I’m home around 6:00 or so.

Fridays I generally work at home all day, and I get stir crazy around 1:00 or 2:00, the time I usually leave for the studio. So I get dressed and run an errand that involves taking a long walk in my neighborhood. Sometimes it’s grocery shopping or going to the post office, but other times it’s something silly like buying a new shade of nail polish.

Oh! You asked about eating. I find my daytime meals very tedious and annoying to deal with. I have cereal or a peanut butter and honey sandwich for breakfast, and then I grab something light for lunch from one of the many places near the Sewing Studio. My husband gets home from work around 6:30, and he usually makes dinner. (Mostly because if I did it, we’d have cheese and crackers or peanut butter sandwiches all the time.) It’s usually something simple with a salad, but on the weekends he makes really extravagant things like delicious stews and banana cream pie! I do the dishes.

Jeff is a writer too and he spends his evenings working on his latest novel. I’ll use this time to write a blog post or work on a sewing project for fun. At around 10:00, we have tea together and chat or watch a sitcom. Jeff goes to bed and I stay up - reading, writing, or sewing - until about 1:00.

On the weekends we sleep late (until 10:30 or so) and then have coffee in bed together. We’ll write or go to the gym, and often I’ll sew for several hours on end. We love to go out to eat on the weekends, or get takeout and stay home in our comfies. (That’s our term for jammie pants and t-shirts.)

All in all, it’s an extremely pleasant existence and I think I’m incredibly lucky to have this life. My favorite parts are the ones when I’m feeling completely inspired, usually when I’m at the beginning of a new idea - a new design or a new subject that I’m compelled to blog about. I also love my interaction with my private students, because we get to know each other so well. They’re all a big part of my life now. I like going to conferences because it feeds my urge to be “on stage” but I’m trying to cut down on traveling in the next year or so, just because I find it a bit stressful. But I’ll definitely go to the big sewing shows because they are so incredibly fun and inspiring.

The hardest part is something that I think a lot of writers and creative types deal with: self-doubt. I go through periods when I’m really affected by a negative comment or don’t feel qualified to write a book or show someone how to make a bias-cut wedding gown. And perhaps I’m not! But there’s no subject I feel more passionately about than fine garment sewing and sharing it with others, and that at least counts for something, right? And, to be honest, I’ve learned the most from critical feedback; it always pushes me to try harder. It also helps that 99% of the interaction I have is with completely lovely, supportive, talented people!

Thank you again for hosting me here, internet friends! And hey - let me know if I can shed any more light on the freelance sewing life."

******

Phew! I feel exhausted just reading that. No wonder you sleep in late. I bet even your jammies are super stylish though. Thanks, Gertie!

Musings on Pattern Cutting... and a Giveaway!

2011-11-05T08:00:00.077Z

"Pattern cutting is a skill through which we are packaging human anatomy, just like designing a package for an object. Many products we purchase nowadays rely on intelligent packaging design for marketing: the iPod, chocolate, shoes, books, perfume and many more. In the same way, designing clothes that fit the human shape well affects marketability, both of the clothes and also of the package within - the wearer.

Imagine you are wrapping a present. Some of the easiest presents to wrap are flat rectangular shapes or cubes, such as CDs, books and diaries. It has always been much more challenging to wrap a gift that is an irregular shape, like a mug or a coffee maker. Under those circumstances, we will automatically go to look for a box...

Body packaging has to cope with a basic principle: human anatomy is an irregular three-dimensional shape. We do not have the option of searching for a box. Pattern cutting is about finding ways to cut fabric so that it wraps neatly around the three-dimensional body in the desired shape."

- Dennic Chunman Lo, Pattern Cutting, p.16

When I read this section in Pattern Cutting, a little lightbulb went off in my head. Ding! It may be obvious, but describing pattern cutting like wrapping an awkwardly-shaped gift sounded like a perfect summary of a process I find quite difficult to explain to people who have no idea of what it involves. I tested this explanation out on my boyfriend the last time he asked, "Er... what is pattern cutting again?" and he understood the concept immediately.

If you're keen to get your hands on this book following my review last week, I bring good tidings! The good people at Laurence King publishers are offering up a copy to one of my blog readers. To be in with a chance of winning, leave a comment below. How about sharing your favourite sewing tip or trick as part of your entry?

The deadline to enter is Thursday 10th November at midnight GMT. The giveaway is open internationally with shipping included. The winner will be picked by random number generator and announced on Friday 11th November. Don't forget to leave your email if it's not attached to your blogger profile so I can contact you if you win.

Bonne chance!

[Soundtrack: 'Video Games' by Lana Del Rey]

A Meeting of Minds: UK Discussion Forum Needs YOU!

2011-11-02T07:00:00.002Z

Exciting announcement time!! Currently underway are plans for an awesome creative meet-up, the like of which may never have been witnessed in the UK before! And we need YOU to help make it the most fantastic, useful, engaging, thought-provoking, joy-inducing event it can be…

Zoe and I are planning to organise a discussion forum for people who make their own clothes. The online creative community is such an enriching and wonderful entity, but sometimes it’s good to talk face-to-face. We’ve loved chatting to people at the IRL sewing meet-ups that we’ve attended, but it can be difficult to discuss anything in depth when there is lovely fabric competing for our attention!

What would happen if the creative clothing DIY community in UK had the opportunity to meet en masse to talk? What would come from being able to have more in-depth discussions over a participant-directed range of topics and a larger scale than previous crafting meet-ups have achieved? Let’s find out!

Zoe and I are passionate about creating an event that is as democratic and user-led as possible. We are in the early stages of discussion about how to arrange and organise this, but we are certain that everybody should get the opportunity to shape the content of the discussions by submitting topics and everybody will get an opportunity to contribute to those discussions once underway. So, in this spirit, now is the perfect time to ask you for your input...

When will the discussion forum be?
Spring 2012, date TBC, but probably a Saturday day time.

Where will it be?
London. We’re not trying to be metro-centric, it's just the easiest place to get to for most people.

Who is it aimed at?
Anyone who makes their own clothes - sewers, knitters, crocheters, refashioners... You don’t have to have to be a blogger or even read blogs regularly, but topics on blogging may feature.

How much will it cost to attend?
We're aiming to make it free to attend, although can't promise anything. We've got a few ideas about venues and potential sponsors, but if you have any thoughts or contacts we'd love to know.

Who will the speakers be?
You! Everyone! The idea behind the event is to involve everyone in the discussion, to share ideas as a group, rather than have "expert" panellists.

What will the topics of discussion be?
What do you want to discuss? We'd like you to help programme the event. Tell us what you want to discuss, and we'll pick the most popular issues. Just as some ideas to get you thinking, topics could include:
- What role does sewing/knitting play in your life?
- Is making your own clothes a passing trend or here to stay?
- What impact does making your own clothes have on the world?
- What draws you to read a blog/blog post?
- What's the future, where do you want this movement to go?

Will I get to learn about hemming techniques, bound buttonholes etc?
No. This won't be a practical workshop, it will be all about thinking, talking, discussing.

Sounds like a genius idea! How can I help make this happen?
Why thank you! Please tell us:
1) Whether you think you'll attend, so we can get an idea of numbers for venues;
2) What burning issues you would like to discuss (remember: this is not about practical techniques);
3) If you have any genius ideas about venues, sponsors, anything else we may not have thought of that would make this event amazing...

Looking forward to reading your thoughts!

Tilly + Zoe

Pattern Cutting: Book Review

2011-10-29T07:00:00.004+01:00

I've been heartily enjoying reading Pattern Cutting by Dennic Chunman Lo, a new book released this month which I'd been sent to review. This really was perfect timing, as I needed a refresher before I start my advanced pattern cutting course at London College of Fashion in a couple of weeks. As it happens, the author teaches at LCF, and the text reads like a finely tuned version of what I was taught on the introductory course.

The book is about flat pattern cutting (as opposed to draping on the stand) and clearly outlines how to draft the basic blocks (for bodice, sleeve, dress and trousers) and how to convert those blocks into different pattern designs. It also demonstrates how to draft patterns for a few modern (almost avant garde) designs - not my style, but inspirational nonetheless. Before you get to this stage, there is a lot on preparation and tools, including handy diagrams demonstrating how to use a pattern master and other instruments. Since it is aimed at students planning a career as a pattern cutter, the book also includes information on how the industry works, how to annotate your patterns with codes to communicate information to the manufacturer, and how to use CAD (Computer Aided Design) software - not essential knowledge for the home stitcher but sections I was curious to read anyway.

While other pattern drafting books that I've dipped in to adopt either a didactic or chatty tone, this book comes somewhere in between. The information is presented clearly and concisely, and while the language is fairly dry it includes lots of interesting points and food for thought. It's perfect for reflector types like me who don't appreciate being told what to do without being able to probe the underlying reasons - not simply an instruction manual, the author explains why certain things are standard practice, and encourages readers to take an experimental approach to design, style and fit.

Visually the book is very appealing and easy to read. While packed full of useful information, it avoids overcrowding each page. There is lots of white space around the words, and the text is illustrated with simple line diagrams as well as colour photos helpfully showing what something should look like in real life, making it easy on the eye and much less daunting to read than some other pattern cutting tomes. While I can see myself pulling this book out a lot as a reference manual, it also makes for an enjoyable read while lying on the sofa with a mug of coffee. I'd go as far as saying that it's quite the page turner! I found it hard to put down and got through the whole thing in two or three sittings.

The book doesn't assume much prior knowledge, so would make a good introduction to the subject or refresher for people who have done some pattern drafting before. It is practical, inspiring, and offers clear explanations of various concepts or practices, such as how to decide what grain lines to cut different pieces on, or what kind of suppressions (eg. darts) you might choose and why.

My one criticism is that, while it explains most things in just the right amount of detail, it glosses over the processes of pivoting and slash 'n' spread required to convert blocks into different designs. If you've never done it before and were teaching yourself from home, I think you could be left a little confused or at least not certain that you were doing it right. So if you're a beginner, you might want to find a demonstration of this part of the process elsewhere.

Overall, however, I would highly recommend Pattern Cutting for beginners, intermediates, or possibly even more advanced home pattern drafters who are interested in a fresh take on the subject. I was surprised at how quickly I raced through reading it and will definitely keep it within easy reach when I'm creating patterns in future.

[Soundtrack: 'Hello Goodbye' by The Beatles]

A Fashionable Stitch Giveaway Winner

2011-10-28T08:03:00.000+01:00

Oh my, Sunni's belt kit was popular! I really enjoyed reading the entries about what sewing projects you're working on and discovered some lovely new (to me) blogs in the process. I'll definitely use that question again!

The lucky winner of the giveaway is...

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:37Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Jenny Wren! Woooooo!

Thank you so much to Sunni for donating the prize.

Bon weekend, tout le monde!

Autumn Maples Skirt

2011-10-26T12:30:00.013+01:00

Ahhh... Autumn! How dreamy is this fabric? It's Autumn Medley Maples by Martha Negley and the pattern is BurdaStyle's Jenny skirt. There was only 90cm of the fabric left in the shop, so I made the waistband half the size it's supposed to be. As much as I like high waisted skirts, I actually prefer it this width as it's much more wearable on a little person like me.

This project ended up taking a LOT longer than I'd planned because of the lining. The lazy lady in me was planning on using up the mint green lining leftover from the Betty Draper Suit, but I thought twice and made the effort to source a lining in mustard yellow to match the occasional yellow leaf. Stitching and finishing the seams on the lining was the most time-consuming part of the process... so you can imagine my rage when, after attaching the lining to the facing, I discovered that the lining was mysteriously much smaller than the shell of the skirt, meaning that I couldn't sit down in it. Grrrrrr!

This is the kind of hitch that can lead you to chuck a project on the UFO pile. But I calmly (okay, so not so calmly) considered my options and, after a couple of days reflection, I rejected the "rip it out and wear the ruddy thing unlined" option, and instead painstakingly unpicked the lining from the waistband, made a THIRD trip to John Lewis for more lining fabric, took a squillion hours checking and rechecking the sizing, and stitched it all again. I got there eventually and am very glad I made the effort to do it properly, as the golden loveliness of the inside is a beauty to behold and feels so lovely when I slip it on. If you're going to make the effort to make something, you may as well make it gorgeous, non?

Speaking of gorgeous, I hand picked the zipper. I didn't want lines of machine stitching spoiling the beautiful print - with a hand picked zipper, you only see little dots of thread on the outside if you look closely. I followed Tasia's extremely good and detailed tutorial, although I found it easier to line the two sides up by keeping the skirt zipped up when stitching.

Quite a bit of work, but I really love this skirt!

[Soundtrack: 'Little Bird' by The White Stripes]

A Fashionable Stitch Giveaway!

2011-10-23T08:57:00.000+01:00

Did you enjoy reading about how Sunni spends her average day? Wanna get your mitts on some really useful bits and bobs from her shop? You do? Well, you're in luck! Sunni is offering one of my readers a belt and buckle kit of their choice plus an eyelet tool to go with it.

To be in with a chance of winning, leave a comment below telling us what sewing project you're working on at the moment if any (just because I'm nosey). The giveaway is open internationally, with shipping included. The deadline to enter is Thursday 27th October at midnight GMT and the winner will be picked by random number generator on Friday. Please leave your email if it's not attached to your blogger profile so I can contact you if you win.

Good luck!