Parcels from Paris

I recently decided to treat myself to a couple of the Deer and Doe sewing patterns.
Created by Elanore from France the designs are sweet and feminine with a retro feel. I have seen so many lovely versions of all the patterns it was very hard to choose. I ended up going with the Bleuet Dress dress, which is a shirt dress and the Belladone Dress a gorgeous 60's style dress with a back cut-out.

I was very excited when I checked the post today and found my parcel had arrived ( I love getting parcels in the post, so much fun!)

Heres what the styles look like made up

 ( The Bleuet Dress )

 ( The Belladone Dress - Front )

( Belladone Dress - Back )

images courtesy of www.deer-and-doe.fr

I tried to order some for The Shop, sadly Elanore is supplying only bricks and mortar stores at this stage.

Next Project - Chambray Shirt

I love chambray.. It's soft and comfy to wear, goes with just about anything and in my opinion just gets better the more worn in it gets.

I recently found some cotton chambray at a really great price. It is actually really hard to find chambray fabric here in Australia I have no idea why that is?

Anyway I'm thinking of a classic button down shirt with collar and pockets, undecided as to whether it will have sleeves or not yet so we'll see.
I'm planning on using a vintage pattern I inherited from my mum, one of her patterns from the 70's. I have sewn it before and liked the fit so if it aint broke..

 Here are some of the images on my mood board

 

( photo via cupcakesandcashmere.com )

 

 

 

Flat fell seam tutorial

Flat felled seams are most commonly used on Jeans and heavier fabrics as it's a really strong seam finish. I have employed the technique for the project I'm working on which is using a light/mid weight denim fabric and doesn't really require a super strong seam, but I like the effect of the visible stitches as a design feature.

Flat felled seams can seem a bit tricky but are really quite simple to do.
First sew your two pieces of fabric RIGHT sides together with a 5/8" seam. Press open and trim one side down to 1/4".

Take the other side and fold in half so the raw edge is meeting the seam then fold again over the trimmed side so that all raw edges are enclosed, stitch close to the folded edge and press.

Voila! you have a flat fell seam.

DIY Wedding idea : Custom Cake topper

I was recently browsing the web when I came across Shona's blog and saw the gorgeous cake topper she made for her wedding.

Aren't they cute? I instantly thought of the Peg Doll Kit's in the shop. They are only $13.95 for a pack with two dolls. It's an easy and affordable way to add a personal and fun touch to your special day.

Shona used a tutorial from Going Sew Crazy with some changes. She used jewellery wire for the dolls arms ( included in kit) and winged the grooms suit.

All images are courtesy of www.shonastitches.blogspot.com

Big Thanks to Shona for allowing me to share them with you!

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Finished Garment : Jamie Christina Mission Maxi

I love this dress it is like wearing comfy pj's that look stylish.

This dress has been a total lifesaver for me, our mornings are quite hectic we have just one car at the moment which means for the first half of the week I have to drive my partner to work before doing the school run and between running errands, playdates, school pick up and picking up partner again in the evening its a lot of time spent in my car so my clothing needs to be crease free and comfy and I like to look nice so cool also, I think this version of Jamie Christina's Mission Maxi dress ticks all the boxes.

I used a viscose spandex jersey from Tessuti ( you can purchase here ) and cut in a size 6 with no alterations other than to shorten the hem ( all you tall ladies this pattern is drafted super long) cant remember how much by but it was quite a bit.
It came together very quickly I made this during my sons afternoon nap ( about 2-2.5 hrs) that includes the time it took to cut out. I will be making this one again no question. please excuse the grainy pics my camera has been playing up so I've resorted to i phone snaps in the meantime.

Finished Garment : Wiksten Tova Shirt

I recently made up the Wiksten Tova Shirt (which is currently sold out unfortunately but more stock arriving very soon!).  The pattern includes a longer dress length also but I just made the tunic length which falls to my lower hips halfway over my bottom ( I'm 5'7 so it generous in length)
The instructions are really well written and feature plenty of pictures to help you along the way. The pattern came together easily, I was a little concerned about the stand collar being tricky but it was a breeze!

 ( I'm making a weird face here, not sure what that's all about but the lighting is pretty good so I'm putting it up anyway)

I used a cotton voile from Tessuti's ( you can buy it here ) which was a good choice. I personally wouldn't use anything too heavy as you have a couple of layers to sew through with the collar.

I have been wearing this shirt loads as our weather cools down here and I would love to make another shirt, Plaid flannel would be nice I also like the idea of a white/cream crepe de chine too!

New Megan Nielsen Maternity Collection Lookbook

Megan Nielsen recently released a new lookbook showcasing her Maternity patterns.
Many of the designs can be worn after pregnancy as they are also suitable for nursing too!

The styling of the garments is really fresh and fun dont you think?
All patterns are designed for knit fabrics which is great for maximum comfort and wearability during pregnancy.
All patterns are available in The Shop.