Bits and Bobbins

Bits and Bobbins: Cottage Life

If you follow my Instagram feed, you’ll notice that I’m not in London anymore, I’m enjoying Canadian cottage life. I should explain the change in my summer lifestyle and posts. Home in Canada I live in Hackney, London, but I’m Canadian, born and raised. Furthermore, I’m lucky enough to enjoy summers on a lake outside Kingston, Ontario, which is… Continue reading Bits and Bobbins: Cottage Life

Wardrobe Architect

Wardrobe Architect: Pattern II

I’m following the Wardrobe Architect series to help me build a well curated collection of hand-made clothes. You can find all my Wardrobe Architect posts in their own category. I’m very keen to see and talk to others, working through this series, so please share your experiences with me. In my last post I explored How and Where… Continue reading Wardrobe Architect: Pattern II

Pattern Hacks

Jersey A-line Dress Hack: Princess Seam

Here’s a pattern hack for a faux princess seam. I’m still working from the A-line dress pattern, that I hacked out of this raglan T-shirt pattern. The dress above is from Toast and is made of a cotton, medium weight, single jersey. They use a nice thick jersey. The fabric has stripes, at various distances across its width,… Continue reading Jersey A-line Dress Hack: Princess Seam

Wardrobe Architect

Wardrobe Architect: My Palette

This week’s task, in the Wardrobe Architect Series, was to identify my colour story and organise my palette. Oh boy, did I find this tricky! My problem is, I love all the colours. There is no colour I wouldn’t consider wearing. There are combinations of colours I don’t particularly want to wear, but there is no single… Continue reading Wardrobe Architect: My Palette

Wardrobe Architect

Wardrobe Architect: My Key Silhouettes

I’m finding the Wardrobe Architect series really useful. Having found my core style, I am now exploring my key silhouettes. I worry that it seems self-indulgent to show you all my key silhouettes, but I have enjoyed looking at other peoples, so I’m sharing mine here. Five Key Silhouettes I kind of knew my shapes, but… Continue reading Wardrobe Architect: My Key Silhouettes

Bits and Bobbins

Bits and Bobbins: Merchant & Mills cottons

I visited Rye and Dungeness this week and finally got to see Derek Jarman’s house and garden. I was on a photoshoot, where we were trying to avoid the impending storm. It was great for lighting but hard for model’s hairstyles. We also popped into Merchant & Mills in Rye.  I know their goods from the internet… Continue reading Bits and Bobbins: Merchant & Mills cottons

Pattern Hacks

Drunken Dressmaking Part II: How to Make a Pattern for A Contrast Hem Panel

In my last post I showed you my drunk dress; made while enjoying too much Brandy, because of not enjoying a toothache. This is an easy modification to make to any jersey dress pattern. I think it would look nice with solids or with a print jersey and a solid woven. The stretch fabric needs to… Continue reading Drunken Dressmaking Part II: How to Make a Pattern for A Contrast Hem Panel

Sewing · sewing tutorial

Drunk Dressmaking Part I: Sewing a Jersey Dress with a Woven Panel Hem

I’ve had a toothache all week, which has led me to drink a little more brandy than I might usually. One night, I decided I needed to make a version of the dress from Cos, with the contrast hem panel that I discovered while playing Dressmaking Detective. This was an impulsive, drunken sew session. I had… Continue reading Drunk Dressmaking Part I: Sewing a Jersey Dress with a Woven Panel Hem