This is a pattern that has been on my radar for a long, long time. It’s so long ago since I bought it that I had almost forgotten I had it. With Gertie’s monthly Patreon projects, I has plenty of her vintage patterns to work on. I bought this floral print cotton from The Rag […]
All Posts By: Mary-Ellen
Sew Over It, Ivy Skirt
I wear dresses 99% of the time and that’s unlikely to change, if I am honest. However, I have made quite a few tops lately and I need a couple of skirts to wear with them – this is a no trousers zone! I have plans to make a few Stanwyck skirts (Charm Patterns) but […]
Gertie’s Swirl Dress
I finally made the Swirl Dress from Gertie Sews Jiffy Dresses. This is the second pattern from this book I’ve now tried, and it didn’t disappoint. This book is a great starting point for anyone beginning on their sewing journey; it covers all the basics, from sewing techniques to fitting adjustments. They’re all expertly illustrated, […]
May 2021 Sew Diary
It was a pretty dismal May, until this weekend. With the weather having me at home more often than I would have liked, I managed to create quite a few garments. The Me Made May challenge was running this month – it’s been going for quite a few years but it’s the first time I […]
Skipper-eta
I was on a roll making basics for my wardrobe over the last few weeks, including a few bodysuits after Gertie released her Skipper pattern on Patreon last month. Skipper is both a bodysuit (check out my post on the history of the bodysuit here) and dress pattern and while I’ve made three top versions […]
This Feminist Sews
This post was born out of a throwaway comment that was directed at me recently: “sewing is a bit of an anti-feminist hobby, isn’t it?”. When I recovered from the initial shock of such an uninformed and uninvited opinion, I was not shy of explaining why this person were wrong in their rude assumption… I […]
Sewing with Stretch Fabrics
Many of us are a little intimidated to start sewing with stretch – I used to be – but, if you read this post, you will be well prepared to get started with stretch fabrics. Sewing with stretch fabrics is not as difficult as you might think. All you need are three basic things: The […]
Sewing with Double Gauze
Until I sewed with double gauze, it was a fabric I would have associated predominantly with babies; it’s interchangeably referred to as muslin, swaddling and even ‘baby cloth’. It’s easy to understand why; two of its main characteristics are that it is soft and squishy making it perfect for little people. What is Double Gauze? […]
Singer Series: Struck by Lightning
I finally upgraded my sewing machine. For over a year now, I’ve been working on my starter machine which Simon bought me for Christmas (2019). I never imagined that I would get into sewing with such a passion as for years I have dipped in and out of other crafts with no real consistency. But […]
Puff Sleeves: History’s ‘biggest’ trend
In L. M. Montgomery’s 1908 novel, Anne of Green Gables, Anne Shirley dreams of owning a puff-sleeved dress. Set in the late 1800s, puff sleeves were the height of fashion and Anne’s longing for a puff sleeved dress speaks to her desire to fit in with all the other girls. Much to her disappointment, Marilla […]