Tag: sewing blogs

Oooopsa lacy!

Published on by Emma_Ciarrocca2 Comments

Since the 5th May I’ve been on a fabric ban but this Friday past I broke it and I broke it hard!

You see when you see something RTW and the stock is low in your size but you have the sewing skills (this does not include boning or lace!!) you go what the heck and go all in, pretty much head first.

So this is the RTW dress I’ve fallen IN LOVE with and just wanna swosh about in.

The RTW dress is a beautiful Monsoon one but as said a second ago, the size I was looking for had gone out of stock. I would definitely pay £139 for it but that’s if they had it. But I’m not going to buy that dress, I’m going to make it eeek!

Fabric:

After ordering several different swatches and doing a ridiculous amount of searches for “mint guipure lace” online I wasn’t anywhere forward. Locally I was starting to loose my confidence in getting what I really wanted. It was on the final straw that I took the tip from a previous co-worker to visit Fabric Focus. It should’ve been first choice – doh!Above the linings, there lay the beautiful lace guipure in exactly the colours and shade I was looking for and too even make my July better the lining was there to make it pop! It’s a-lot more minty than the photo suggests. The lining is a skin tone. But I may have to double it up with a cotton because of the boning!

The Pattern:The pattern was a lot easier to find and in the end the McCalls 7720 was a very close fit.

I’ll get the boning, hook & eye, threads and zip organised at a later date. I might make a toile and see how that goes before I start back at my evening classes in August if I get other projects finished! I can’t thank Kevin at Fabric Focus and his lovely Mum (who actually served me) enough for stocking this lace. You made a very happy lady. This is just a perfect example why we should support local shops like this!

Disclaimer: all opinions are my own!

5 things I wish I knew before I started sewing.

Published on by Emma_Ciarrocca2 Comments

1. It’s ok to mess up.

We’ve all do it.  We’ve all piled so much pressure on ourselves and when something went wrong we left the unfinished garment in a crumpled mess on the floor in a corner.  I’ve admitted defeat on one or more handmade garments.  I’ve still got to pick them up and see what I can do to rectify the mistakes but for now, they sit it a small pile away from my view!

At the moment I’m amending a shoulder sleeve due to them being lopsided – don’t know how I managed but this is going to be worthwhile in the long run as it’s one of my favourite makes so far despite the sleeve issue. Making mistakes is also learning from them, how else are you going to learn and stretch that skill base?

2. Ask for help.

I’m very lucky to have such a good teacher at the sewing class that I go to.  I also have a couple of very good sewing buddies I can bounce off ideas and problems with alongside a fantastic community on Instagram too.

3. Measure yourself.

Pattern sizes are completely differencing to ready to wear sizes (RTW).  Please don’t buy a pattern and go on you RTW as you’ll have a garment that won’t fit once you put all that time, effort and lovely material (and dosh!) into it.

Measure yourself. Take that tape measure (grab a friend if you need help!) and jot down your measurements.  Pattern companies can differ in finishing measurements, so check each new pattern before you start the project!

Remember this: Don’t beat yourself because it may seem you are going up a few sizes from the RTW to the pattern sizes and also your finished garment will fit you better if you take your time to measure yourself correctly 😘

4. Seam allowances matter,

Again. Check, check, check!  Read your instructions a couple of times before you even start the process of cutting out. Highlight the seam allowances on each step.

Get yourself a seam guide and test to see if your seam allowance is really 1/4”.  Same with 1/2″ and so on.

When you find the spot on your machine that is 1/4” mark it with washi or masking tape that way you won’t forget where it is.

5. Invest in a basic sewing kit.

Scissors (Straight, pinking, little snippers for cutting little threads and ones for paper), Measuring Tape, chalk, pins and a seam ripper is all a good start and then you can add more, such as hand sewing needles, extra bobbins (make sure you get the right ones for your machine as there are not universal where as are machine needles are), pin cushion (homemade or bought). This list could go on for miles (trust me!) but get the basics and add from that, which should keep you right!

Favourite Blogs: March

Published on by Emma_Ciarrocca2 Comments

Blimey, March has come up all rosy with these crackers!

 

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I’m pretty sure I found all of these whilst on The Fold Line website.  The Fold Line itself is a great encyclopaedia for us sewists, I keep finding loads on the forum.  It’s something I’d recommend to anyone who sews as most questions have been asked and answered!

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http://beebeeshandmadedress.blogspot.co.uk/  – I can’t remember why I clicked but I’m sure happy I did as a Seamwork “Mesa” was reviewed and shown off by the lovely Stevie.  It’s been one of the Seamwork patterns that have been on my radar and really must get down as I’m sure Little Miss Lorraine has done one as well and it looks so good!

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https://sewinprogress.com/2017/02/25/the-saunio-cardigan/ – As you can see the title just cries out with the saunio cardigan!  Ha Ha and I’m not quite sure if you know that I wasn’t particularly blown away at first.  Well that changed, thanks to this version and a whole lot of other versions of Saunio.  I love her layout of her blog as well.

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https://stitchingupparisblog.wordpress.com/tours/ – Who wouldn’t run around in sheer hyper happiness shouting “yes, Yes YES” to Fabric tours in Paris?  Personally, I love a macaron, but combining a tour with fabric and Paris is sheer amazing in my books … I wonder who many pennies I would have at the end of one of these tours?  Probably zilch! I better started saving if I want to go!

Hope you enjoy these as much as I did.

Keep stitching!

Emma

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own.

My favourite blogs of the month: February

Published on by Emma_Ciarrocca2 Comments

This feature is new.  Yes, Brand spanking new on my blog.

Why?  Well, clearly it’s quite cool (in my opinion) to share a blog that you may or may not know about.

This month I’ve decided to share with you Sea Salt & Stitches blog.  It’s brand new to me and I love her style!

Little Miss Lorraine (another new favourite!) mentioned her via a blog post all about bullet journaling (something I’m trying out myself, Thanks to these two and Holly Dollie) and I suddenly on her website within a flash.  Yes. A FLASH!

I’ve also had a sudden explosion organisation.  This involves coming up with a lot of blog post being named via my #makenine2017 list (which is soon to be released!) and some other projects, both selfish and selfless.  Plus splurges (fabric and sewing related pieces) and “Sew Shop Local” features.  This sudden explosion has definitely got to do with the idea of bullet journaling.  I think this is going to be an interesting journey.  I feel both inspired and empowered seeing the origin of the Bullet Journal.

 

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Just a snippet of what’s in the pipeline!

You get I’m all excited about the Bullet Journal, don’t you?

Anyhow enough of that talk because there will be a fully loaded blog post coming very soon to your screens with my version.

Sea Salt & Stitches‘ has lovely tutorials also.  I’m looking forward to trying a couple out – particularly the Christmas apron and the flower pot pincushion!

The dresses that Suzie has made have a similar taste in what I want to be able to achieve. They are all gorgeous.  My favourite dress is the tartan washi’s – perhaps that’s the wee Scottish girl calling out of me!  The washi dress is definitely on my top 20 and by the looks of it, it’s now a firm favourite!

 

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Very keen to try this beauty of a dress out!

The blog site is nice and clean, easy to navigate and quite delightful!

Little Miss Lorraine is another recent addition to the blog reading list.  I found her blog because I subscribe to her YT channel, which is one of my favourite channels to watch.

Her blog also features her Etsy shop where you can buy her handmade items – which are all lovely, so lovely it’s quite difficult to decide which one to get!

LML’s YT channel is a delight to watch and so is her blog.  It took me a while to actually click that she has a blog (don’t worry it’s me, not you LML!), I’m sometimes a bit slow to catch on!

Another very informative sewing blog with lots of things to keep you entertained for hours!

Last but not least, is the delightful Hollie Dolly.  Again, I was slow to click on that she had a blog also.  I think that has a lot to do with the number of ideas I want to do.  Seriously I am OCD with ideas for this, that and the other lol.

Anyhow, Holly Dollies’ site is quirky featuring what’s she has made and her latest fabric hauls.  I can’t get over how smiley she is on camera – she is so sweet!

So that’s a wee scoop into why these are my favourite blogs this month … Now, how many will I come across before next month lol!

 

Emma

Disclaimer: all opinions are my own and this post is not sponsored!