My fabric. And why it’s often never enough

In my previous post I did say there is so many cool things now available for the sewist needs and things you don’t need… same goes for fabric shops, especially online. There is a plethora of them, from well established ones like Minerva to these like £1 for meter… 

But I am too scared to spend too much. I saw a stunning print of some floaty drapey fabric in a sewing magazine once, when to look how much it was and it was £23 a meter!!! I almost cried! It’s not a cheap hobby. But I want to make sure I don’t just make something purely coz I want to make it or it’s popular… looking at you puffy sleeves. The same way I tend to source my own clothes and clothes for my boys preloved, when and where it is possible. Not only for sustainably reasons but also it saves me money so I’d rather spend on experiences rather than things. 

I am mainly getting fabrics on eBay as remnants from some one else’s project, or vintage stashed of their grand mother’s or destash from other makers… I can tell you that so far I only purchased new fabric was that pretty cotton from hobby craft for my Star Wars dress. And I purchased from lovely Fleur et Ours who is a small mum run business and also stocks fabrics with eco certification. 

Actually vinted after you dig for ages is pretty good too! 

I also managed to find some amazing vintage bed linens for some jazzy makes in charity shops. Same goes for like buttons and bits, a while back I found some one on eBay selling their relatives sewing boxes. Cute vintage tins went to my Etsy shop but the rest after checking and chucking into my haberdashery stash….

 Of joys of vintage buttons and cool pattern fabrics. And this way it’s not as scary if I will mess up…. My mistake then didn’t cost £10 a meter or something! 

So win win here, I still buy very little new, have unusual patterns…  And this is why sometimes I do not have enough! 

P.S. my African wax stash came from small female run business and supporting small makers. So I m cool with that too! 

I won!

I never win anything…. Well that’s not true I won once like £25 in lottery, and a stunning colouring book in a craft magazine giveaway. 

I commented on the post during Ankara appreciation week, and next thing I know I was tagged. 

There is me on the bottom very small feet! Also hens very small threads! 

You might think what is Ankara is anyway… it’s same as African wax print, usually 100% cotton with nice pattern/design created using wax resistant dyeing technique. (Thank you Juliet Uzor for lovely article on Simply sewing) 

My chosen pattern arrived today. I decided to make Frida dress … 

It was hard to chose! Emporia Patterns have great options I am however not if they have more sizes above 24. 

I love the shape and pockets. And I love the how the top looks and someone styled the dress with a belt! Stunning! 

Just to find the fabric… 

I have a good stash of African print fabric… I did participate one day of Ankara appreciation week with this top 

Pattern and fabric came form Wax and Wraps  Jacqueline had a wonderful taste! I didn’t make as much as suggested patterns but I m on the mission to use my stunning fabrics! And a made this … 

I will review this sun hat at later day but it sure helped me during the heat wave and after the sun stroke. 

Anyway I am super excited to win! And it’s sewing related! 

Instagram challenges

Last year in lockdown I was busy watching videos of on YouTube with some home sewist/sewers talking about their plans for frugal frocks challenge. It sounded like an amazing challenge. 

Some things about sewing can be rather expensive and some might think that you need all the gadgets… so idea is frugal frocks to find a free dress (frock) pattern use the fabric your already have, and post snap of it on the reveal day. 

I didn’t realise how many free patterns are there! It’s rather amazing! And I am a massive fan of the free pattern. Obviously depends what it is. 

This year Sam and Ruan changed the challenge to make it more inclusive. I am not sure if there was male sewist entries , but #sewfrugal22 was an amazing show of talent and proof that you can shop your stash or even your home, some one made things out of bedding. I felt really inspired this year and suddenly found some time on my hands … so I made this self drafted skit. It was really easy, two rectangles (I pinned them together and walked around the house to ensure I can walk in finished product)  and long waist band. 

It is in no way perfect. And sadly I forgot to do pockets. But it’s perfectly wearable flowery skirt. I think it’s an upholstery fabric I sourced on eBay. The remnants was just enough. 

And the same month of March 22 saw another challenge #sewyellowforendo. Lovely Jess also made like an educations video about endo, but there is so much more to learn about the condition. I am not going to go into details but basically if men menstruates it would have been solved and researched by now. … I digress, yellow is the colour of endo so I made these. And I wear them a lot! 

 Fabric again vintage score from eBay, perfect for summer months. And pattern is Safiya trousers by Tilly and the Buttons from Make it simple book. Very easy and quick make. I am currently making shorts using this pattern. 

And then there was lovely Yvette who only went and influenced me to get some fab fabrics from the amazing Fleure et Ours shop, but since I was there (online) anyway I grabbed some some fruity remnant to participate in the #sewfruity 

It was a small piece of fabric so I had to piece together one of the facings, but the result is very pleasing. And I used cami top pattern from Simplicity Patterns S9114 Mimi G style. I made is a bit wider and longer as I don’t really do cropped. 

Also some of the challenges have sponsored and have prizes I am yet to win anything but it makes me motivated to make. 

There is also another great challenge called me made May by fabulous Zoe. But that’s a story for another day! 

Summer dress. Ida top and dress

I have decided to write about making of this dress as I have posted it on socials and it seems to be a hit. Well it sure is hit with hot weather attire. Fabric is so nice and light. 

 




When making a new pattern it’s advisable to make a toile, like a tester garment. I guess Ida top/dress isn’t very complicated but I wasn’t sure if it will go well and I only had small amount of fabric. So I made a top 1st.

I made a top. In this cute pink patchwork pattern. It’s just lovely simple cotton I sourced on eBay. 

This pattern I had for ages from Fiber Mood (issue 10) magazine. But it was on my to make list, it seems easy to make, and like a lovely easy fit. 

But I am glad I did a top 1st… attaching the cuffs was a little tricky and besides I got distracted and didn’t follow the steps with facings and slight untidiness in the neck line. So when I was making a dress I made sure I follow instructions and made some gathering before attaching the cuffs. 

The main issue I had making a dress was the fabric…. 

I am not sure what type of fabric this is. I know it’s light and has this crinkle like texture. But it’s a nightmare to sew. At some point I even broke a needle in 3! Lucky it was the final stitch. I seems to stretch it when I was trying to hem it. And once I hemmed dress was too short for my liking. So I have unpicked it and left it unhemmed for a week or two. I was very unmotivated to finish it. And then it occurred to me: I must finish it by hand. 

And I managed to rescue some length, as I wasn’t folding it twice like was on the machine… I finish the edges with blanket stitch (thinks that’s what it’s called) so fabric won’t fray, and just turn the hem once! Just don’t look too closely! 

And now I have a perfectly wearable dress! 

(Label from little rosy cheeks on Etsy) 

It’s not perfect but it’s wearable. The V neck and back aren’t very sharp. Hem is a little wonky. But you know the dress is super light and airy just what you need in the heatwave! 

Sewing. Leaving and coming back.

I was lucky enough to move to a different country to study. And the luggage allowance isn’t big. So I couldn’t bring my jewellery making, or sewing kit (I so should have brought basics) and beside it’s first time I was independent so why would I want to make things?! But I missed that sense of accomplishment when you take raw material and after some cleaver making your have an entirely different thing, like a piece of jewellery, clothes, cushion cover, a soft toy? 

Save to say we can blame Great British  Sewing Bee for my going back to sewing. It’s sad that it isn’t showing all around the world. 

A good few years ago my lovely mother in law was shortening her work trousers, got her machine out…. So I got so excited since I haven’t touched the machine in about 7-10 years at that point. I ended up shortening the trousers. Don’t remember it going well as tension was all wrong…. Well I know this now. But seeing me so excited hubby got me a preloved sewing machine for Christmas that year.

But only since pandemic it has been in constant use, making masks, potential patchwork quilt (it’s not going well) and garment making. 

I only used patterns from Burda when I was sewing in my teens and it’s amazing how much things are out there now. Sewing magazines that not burda, books, YouTube tutorials, amazing online community, tones of things form sewist from cute labels to advent calendars and many many more! 

I felt really strongly about sewing challenges, there is always seems to be one happening somehow. So far I have participated in SewFrugal22 SewYellowForEndo SewFruity22. And I have challenged myself to make a dress for Star Wars day! 

Well hello there!

Sewing is great for busy or anxious mind, well my mind…. But when did I learn? 

My grandmother form my mum’s side was always making things. Her own clothes, very colourful boxer shorts for my granddad, clothes for my mom (there is was even a swim wear from old slip that didn’t go so well in the water) lot of dresses for her granddaughters. And she taught us how to embroider, and when I was poorly that one time how to use her very old singer sewing machine. 

It was a beautiful thing of machinery. Sadly used as a base for putting poppers into kids winter dungarees one of my moms side hassles. And wood of the table was a little damaged… but it had a table, a cute handmade cover (made by my baba Tonya), a pedal (not the usual electric kind) it was the kind that you see power of human legs. And the bobbin was long sort of barbell shaped. 

I have this beauty. It works but it’s not as fast as my electric machine. Anyway it has the regular round bobbin and this machine came with original documents (oh don’t you love charity shop) it’s and form the 40s so the machine my baba Tonya had must have been her mothers…. Sadly it needed servicing and well it was taking a lot of space and not used. It was turn into a table or something, my mother no longer has it. 

Anyway that the machine I sewn my warp skirt, denim skirt with massive side pocket, pencil skirt with bad bad zip. And tons of bags. Oh how I wish I had photos of these! 

But I have lost my sew-jo (sewing mojo) since I have moved away to study. And besides you don’t just need a machine, you also need patterns (or knowing how to self draft) fabric, and few more bits and bobs to sew…. I think all the sewing I did shortening some trousers (badly, but it looked good on the outside). And besides it seems uncool somehow. 

However I wanted to go back to making and crafting….