Monday 29 December 2014

Looking Forward: 2015

Hey guys! 

I hope you have all had a very lovely and relaxing Christmas (or just a few lovely and relaxing days for those who don't celebrate). 

With just a couple more days of 2014 left to go, I want to set out a few sewing resolutions for the upcoming new year - it's been a year since I first learnt to sew and I feel I've improved so much. However, there is still a lot to learn and so I want to set myself a few targets so that I can keep on improving my sewing knowledge and ability in 2015. After all, if we all stayed in our comfort zone, we'd never get any better at the things we love, would we? 

So, without further ado...

My Five Sewing Resolutions for 2015

1) Create a garment from a type of fabric I have never used before. In my time as a sewer, I have embarassingly only used a very limited range of fabric - quilting cotton, knit, corduroy and velvet. So, in the new year I would like to set myself the challenge of sewing with something completely different - chiffon, wool, chambray...watch this space. 

2) Make two items of clothing which are not dresses. Readers, if you're in for the long haul I'm sure you will have noticed I almost always wear dresses. Jeans are just NOT my thing. However, if I had a handmade top to accompany my jeans I'm wondering if my feelings towards them may be a little more accomodating. So, because since beginning sewing I have only ever really made dresses and the odd skirt, I hereby challenge myself to sew two items of clothing in 2015 which are not dresses (for example, two tops, or a top and a cardigan). We'll see how it goes. 

3) Try at least three new sewing techniques. In the year I've been sewing, I'm pretty confident that I've managed to learn all the basic skills that are required to sew a garment. However, I've not pushed myself for a long time now to try anything new, simply perfecting the techniques I know already. Therefore, this year I would like to make some clothes which feature: buttonholes, tucks and princess seams. These are three things I would love to feature in my wardrobe but I've never attempted, so hopefully this upcoming year I can learn how to do them. 

4) Make at least three garments from vintage patterns. I've had very little experience with sewing vintage, having only made one dress from a 50s pattern which, I have to admit, I almost never wear. The lack of knowledge of sewing vintage meant it just didn't come out right, but I would love to be able to practice and create true vintage pieces that I can wear everyday. So, that's my fourth target for 2015 - three vintage garments. 

5) Sew with a pattern from an Indie Designer I have never used before. Just recently I've got stuck in a bit of a rut with my pattern choices. My signature style is coming on really well and I couldn't be more pleased with it, but having the exact form of sillohuette all the time as well as the same colour palette is getting a little dull. So, this year I want to branch out, look for Indie Pattern Designers I haven't bought from before and try something totally different. After all, what's the use of sewing our own clothes if we can't experiment? 

And that's it, my five sewing goals of 2015. Now, I also challenge YOU, my lovely readers, to set yourself some sewing goals for the new year. Comment what they are below, I'll keep a note of them and we can go through together at the end of the year and see what new things we've tried. It's good to try new things isn't it? 

For now, I wish you all a very happy, healthy and creative new year - I'll see you in 2015!

Beth x

Tuesday 23 December 2014

2014: A Look Back

Merry Christmas everyone!

First up, I would like to start with a little announcement - I have been sewing for one whole year! My first self-sewn garment was made in the run up to Christmas 2013 and now, twelve months later, I have a whole handmade wardrobe. Learning to sew is one of the best things I've done with my life so far and so, with 2014 coming to an end, I just wanted to take a look back over my first full sewing year and all the things I've achieved. I hope that's ok :)

The Blog

I started Sewing Soothes the Soul on the 18th April this year, inspired by the likes of Tilly and the Buttons, Kitchen Table Sewing and So Zo. Back then I still had pretty much no clue what I was doing when it came to sewing and a lot of the clothes I made don't get worn anymore. However, I owe a lot to those first failures - they helped me get to the level I'm at today. My photography skills have also developed over the year! I started off with awful selfies taken in the mirror in my bedroom, but now I've mastered remote photography with my phone so thankfully my photos don't look too bad anymore.

Favourite Posts

Reasons for Sewing

Tilly's Book Launch Party @ Guthrie and Ghani

My Signature Style

Introducing...*drumroll please*...my new Etsy shop!

Favourite Makes

Stripy Sailor Dress (Sewaholic Renfrew) - my first knit project! Super stylish stripes, and soooo comfy.






By Hand London Anna - yes, all three! I love these all so much, I'm barely ever out of them. They all fit well and are totally me.


Lisette 1419 - I adore the Peter Pan collar on this and LOVE the fact it has sleeves. This is something I always feel really nice in.

Misses (because we can't get it right all the time, right?)
 

Christmas Anna Dress - a learning curve here, sparkles just aren't me, but at least I know for the future.

Most of these, to be honest...bar the floral pinafore which came in sooooo handy during summer. These were early projects and full of mistakes, but I am ok with this though, they helped me to learn and allowed me to become a better sewer.

Finally, I would like to take the time to thank you, my readers, for all the support you have given me this year. Nine months, 64 posts and 6,129 page views in, my little blog is still going, which I would never have expected when I first set it up! I'm so glad that a few people out there find what I have to say interesting - this blog helps inspire me and I hope that it helps to inspire you too.

Have a fantastic Christmas everyone, and a wonderful new year.

All the best for 2015,

Beth x

Wednesday 17 December 2014

Bangor Craft and Sewing Society Market Stall

Hey guys!

The Bangor Christmas Market was on today and thankfully went really well! We made £129.50 for our society as well as £81 for the British Red Cross through selling our handmade items and a Guess the Name of the Bear competition, so I'm really pleased. 


From left to right: Medi Williams (Secretary), Fernanda Nereu (Treasurer) and Gabriela Olszewska who crocheted us some beautiful scarves. 



I sold six of the seven bags I made, which I was really happy with and meant I got to keep one to give as a Christmas present! 





I bought a LOT of things at the market as well! Everything was so beautiful, there were so many stalls selling a wide variety of items. I came away with two hair clips, a scarf, a bauble, a christmas pudding tree decoration, a headband, some natural soap, a bracelet, some earrings, a necklace and a bookmark! Welllllll....let's go with the excuse that I was trying to support independent craft businesses ;) 

I had a great day and would like to thank everyone who came and supported us. 

I hope you have a good week (8 sleeps until Christmas!) 

Beth x

Wednesday 10 December 2014

Bangor University Christmas Market

Happy December everyone! 

Today I'd like to take the opportunity to invite you all to the Bangor University Christmas Market, where the Craft and Sewing Society - which I am the Publicity Officer for - will be having a stall selling the handmade items we've been making!

I'm going to be on the stall from ten o clock onwards, so if you're in the area and fancy picking up a few Christmas presents or a lovely treat for yourself, do stop by and say hello! 

The market is being held in the Pritchard Jones Hall, in the Main University Building on College Road, Bangor (that's Bangor in Wales, not to be confused with the Irish Bangor!) from 12-5 on Wednesday 17th December. It should be a really great day; I'm so looking forward to it. Some of the crafts are really beautiful - my friend Gabriela has crocheted some gorgeous scarves. 

Here are just a few of the things which will be on sale: 

Christmas Baubles! 

Tree Decorations! 

Crocheted Headbands! 

Hats! 

and of course.....

Bags, made by me! 

If you are nearby then please do come along and help to support our society - the money raised will go both to charity and to help buy some society sewing machines so others can get into sewing! 

Thank you for reading and I hope to see you there! 

Beth x

Wednesday 26 November 2014

Mustard Sunflowers

Hey guys! 

Time for sewing has been sadly lacking recently - I have an essay due next Wednesday and am working to get it finished! However, last Friday I did have some spare time to sew up a new dress for a trip to London at the weekend (yes, Liberty fabric was purchased!) which has quickly become a wardrobe staple. 


I loooove this dress! It feels so autumnal with the warm, rich shades of mustard (the pattern is lots of teeny flowers, I'm not sure you can see on this photo). The sleeves also mean that it's suitable to wear as a winter piece, especially with a cardigan. Speaking of cardigans, won't it go brilliantly with my Mama Vertebrae cardigan once it's finished? 



Apart from a slight hiccup ... yes, I may have sewed the neckline to the skirt (don't ask) ... this dress came together smoothly. My favourite part is the skirt - look at the volume! Entirely natural by the way - there's about three metres of fabric gathered round that waist. 

Fabric wise, it's a simple medium weight cotton found at the local market on a visit home a few weeks ago. I fell in love with the pattern and knew it would make a stunning dress. The weight of the fabric gives the skirt a lovely body as well. I couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out, especially when paired with my black cardigan. 


You can see the pattern a bit better on this photo. I think it's so adorable, but not too summery even though it's so floral. The richer colours mean I'll definitely be wearing this dress all winter long - but I can envisage some thick tights having to be bought if I'm to brave the Welsh weather! 

Have you been sewing much recently? Share your makes below! :) 

Beth x

Sunday 23 November 2014

New Etsy Shop Items!

Hey guys! 

As long time readers will probably already know, I opened my very own Etsy shop, Elizabeth Stitches (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ElizabethStitches?ref=hdr_shop_menu) a few months ago and am really excited to tell you I've had a little shuffle around of pictures to refresh the appearance of the page, as well as added some new listings! 

The first major new addition, perfectly suited to the season with winter soon on the way are these lovely knitted fingerless mittens - 


I persuaded my boyfriend David to model them for me as they are unisex and should comfortably fit most hand sizes. I used high quality yarn containing 10% merino wool to make them with so they are soft and cosy to keep your hands warm in cooler weather whilst remaining unrestrictive thanks to the fingerless design. 

I've also updated the photos for my 3 in 1 scarves to demonstrate some of the many ways they can be used to add an extra detail to any outfit - 

Neckscarf...

Headscarf...

or Hairbow! 

If you like the look of these items, there's even more over on the Elizabeth Stitches webpage (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ElizabethStitches?ref=hdr_shop_menu) all handmade by me, so please do feel free to pop over and take a look! 

Thank you very much for reading and I hope you all have a great week. 

Beth x

Wednesday 19 November 2014

Review: ProcrastaStitch

Hey guys!

Today I wanted to share with you a review of the lovely Etsy shop ProcrastaStitch, run by friends Emma Tiernan and Lyndsey Waite, which sells cute cross stitched items like keyrings, door hangings, bookmarks and badges.



Emma is the Chairman of the Craft and Sewing Society at my university, and asked me if I would be interested in reviewing the products in her shop when she realised I had a blog. Don't worry though, be assured that all opinions stated here are my own.


What sets ProcrastaStitch apart from other Etsy sites selling handmade cross stitched goods is that instead of the cutesy teddy bears and flowers we normally see on little accessories like these, the products from ProcrastaStitch have a brilliant nerdy fandom theme. Dedicated Whovian? Pokémon trainer? Waiting for your letter to Hogwarts? Then this is definitely the shop for you.


I can certainly vouch for the high quality of these products; I have a cute little keyring from the site decorated with a cross stitched Minion (Despicable Me anyone?). The detail is beautiful, even down to a few little strands of hair. For the work that goes into each one, including the cost of sourcing the materials, I would say the retail price of £4 is incredibly reasonable. I enjoy the occasional cross stitching project and can say from experience that even a little picture like this one takes hours to complete - I have no idea how both Emma and Lyndsey find the patience to turn out keyring after keyring at such a high standard, which can only be a testament to how much they love the craft.


The originality of this business venture is something which really impresses me - with so many craft shops out there it's hard to think of a product to sell that no one else has touched on already, but I truly think that is what ProcrastaStitch has done. By focusing their creations around fandoms like Pokémon and Doctor Who, they've become a one stop shop for completely one of a kind accessories that fans of the shows will treasure. 


So, if you're looking for a unique birthday present, a gift for Christmas with the holidays coming up, or maybe even just a little something to treat yourself to, head over to ProcrastaStitch or like their Facebook page and show your support for an independent crafting business - they'll even make personalised designs for you.

Disclaimer: I received a keyring from ProcrastaStitch free of charge, but as the prize for a competition in Craft Club, not as payment for this review. I agreed to review ProcrastaStitch's products because I genuinely think they are good quality and thought my readers would be interested too. I was not paid for the review. All opinions stated here are my own.

Monday 10 November 2014

Recent Aquisitions

Hey guys! 

No sewing news around here I'm afraid, I'm at home for Reading Week (the uni equivalent of a half term) and didn't want to lug my sewing machine on the train. Plus, I've been busy moving all my belongings out of my bedroom so it can be redecorated! The walls of my room have been a garish shade of pink for as long as I can remember which clashed horribly with the red carpet, but now there's a lovely colour scheme of pale blue and cream which reminds me of the sea and makes me happy. 

I've also been shopping! Sadly there are no fabric shops where I live now, which for a place twice as big as my home town is pretty disappointing. However, now I'm back home I could visit Abakhan in Chester where I did go slightly crazy at the sight of all the precut fabric lengths just waiting to be snapped up....

Want to see? Of course you do! 


This is a beautifully soft lightweight cotton which looks far more white in real life than it does in this photo. I want to make it into a full skirted dress that hopefully will still be wearable in winter months with a pair of burgundy tights. 


Again, this a lightweight cotton in navy with a little white flower design. Predictably, this too is destined to become a dress (a girl can never have too many dresses, right?) 


I've volunteered to make handbags for my university's Craft Club to sell at the Christmas market, so I picked up some of this pretty fabric which has a thick linen feel and I thought would be sturdy enough to use. 


Again, this is bag making fabric - just look at that print! 


I know, I know, this is the girliest fabric the world has ever seen. But I thought it might offer the buyers at the Christmas market a softer looking alternative to the darker coloured bag fabrics above. Plus, there is an absolute ton of it (about five metres!) so I should be able to squeeze an incredibly twee dress out of it as well. Let's face it, every little girl has wanted to be a ballerina at some point in their lives (no? Just me then...) 


And finally, this floral georgette just sprang out at me as being perfect for a blouse, and the darker background means it would be suitable for winter wear if layered over a long sleeved black top. 

So! That lot should definitely keep me going for a while and stop me feeling too regretful there isn't a fabric shop near me...plus I'm taking a trip to London next week so there should be plenty of fabric buying opportunities there too! 

I hope you all have a lovely week, and feel free to share your makes below so I can sew vicariously through you all in the absence of my machine! 

Beth x

Sunday 2 November 2014

Stripy Sailor Dress

Hey guys! 

Today I am proud to introduce my first EVER knit garment! 


This dress started out life as the Renfrew t-shirt pattern by Sewaholic, which I bought in a sale they had a while back. For my first attempt, I think this turned out pretty well! I shortened the bodice significantly and then just attached a simple rectangular gathered skirt to turn it into a dress. 


I did attempt some pattern matching because of the stripes, which you can see here on the sleeves. It is a bit hit and miss in some places, but on the whole I'm really pleased with how it looks. 

The one thing I did find hard to get right was the neck band - on the first attempt I didn't realise I had to stretch it, so when I tried on the dress the neck was just flopping forwards. However, in a surprising bout of patience, I unpicked and reattached the whole thing, which thankfully sorted the problem. 


This dress is super snuggly, I am sooo looking forward to wearing it this coming winter. Definitely look out for more Renfrews around here, they're so simple to put together! I don't know where poor knit fabric gets it's bad reputation from. 

So, with my sewing mojo back, I'm off to collect my jacket potato out of the oven :) 

I hope you've all had a good weekend! 

Beth x

Friday 24 October 2014

The Innocent Smoothie Big Knit Campaign

Hey guys!

Today I thought I'd take the opportunity to talk a little about the Innocent Smoothie Big Knit Campaign, and why it's a good idea to get involved.

The first Big Knit took place back in 2003, when Innocent began to ask people of all ages around the country if they would like to make little knitted hats to put on the top of the Innocent smoothie bottles. For each bottle sold, a 25p donation was made to Age UK and since then the campaign has reached epic proportions, with over 4 million hats knitted and £1.5 million raised. With the money donated by Innocent each year, hot water bottles, blankets and cooked meals can be provided for thousands of elderly people all around the UK. The charity Age UK also organises knitting groups which give people a real chance to socialise and make friends.

In the UK, over 24,000 people die each year because of the cold weather, with the elderly being the highest risk group. With help from the knitters of Britain, enough money can be raised to limit this number and make sure that help is given to those struggling so they don't have to die needlessly.

Together, we can use our knitting skills to raise money and awareness for Age UK, and help our grandparents stay warm this winter - so let's get started!

Here are the hats I have knitted so far:


I know, they're all green! I stupidly left the majority of my knitting things at home, so green is the only colour available to me, but I guess it's the thought that counts :) I also made two rainbow hats using multi-coloured wool at the university Craft Club on Tuesday, along with a red, orange and yellow striped one which I thought looks a little like a sunset.

They are so easy and satisfyingly quick to knit! I can go from casting on to a finished sewn up hat in about twenty minutes, and it's really good fun being able to make something that you know is going to such a worthwhile cause.

So, if knitting's your thing, please keep the Big Knit in mind and please do have a go at making your own little smoothie hat! They need to have been sent off to Innocent by December 12th (address here) but that still leaves plenty of time.

For more information on the Big Knit, click here, or take a look at the amazing knitting patterns for you to try your hand at - look at this cute watermelon one!

Thank you so much for reading, and happy knitting!

Beth x

Thursday 23 October 2014

Love at First Stitch, One Make a Month: September, the Margot Pyjamas

Firstly I'd like to start with a massive apology for how late this documentation is! I do faithfully promise that the planning of this make did begin in September, so I hope it's still eligible for the challenge. My sewing output has slowed down massively in the last month which I'm not too pleased about, but it can't be helped. Uni is a big adjustment! 

I am pleased to announce though that I am FINALLY round to posting my September installment of the Love at First Stitch challenge, the Margot Pyjamas. 


I used a pale blue flannel for these pyjamas which, though plain, is sooo soft. I can't imagine I'd be cold in these come winter, they are incredibly warm and snuggly! I also thought I'd use a floral ribbon for the drawstring instead of a matching flannel one to liven them up a little bit, and I think it adds a nice feature. 

For my first trouser shaped project, I think these could have gone a lot worse, so I'm really happy with them. I did struggle a little on the crotch, but after studying a pair of my ready to wear pyjamas and Tilly's helpful instructions, I soon found my way. 

I'm sure that these will see a lot of wear in the coming cold months, especially here in Wales. I also hope to pick up my productivity levels and have just finished cutting out the pattern pieces for my October Love at First Stitch challenge, the Mimi Blouse, so hopefully it shouldn't take too long before it makes an appearance on the blog! 

Thank you very much for reading as always, and I hope that wherever you are you're having a lovely week. 

Beth x

Thursday 16 October 2014

Starry Night

*sigh* 

Ever get given a piece of advice that you ignore then wish you'd heeded? 


I found this gorgeous starry fabric at the market back at home when I visited for my birthday, and immediately thought that it would be perfect for a dress. It's navy - one of my signature colours - and so gorgeous. However, when I asked if I could have two metres of it, the stallholder seemed confused. On realising I meant to make a dress, she looked a little doubtful. 

'It is Christmas fabric, you know? Are you sure it should be a dress?' 

I did know it was Christmas fabric, but I still thought it was pretty and I couldn't see what the problem was, so I went ahead and bought it. 


Ah, so that's the problem. 

It took me four rounds of photos to get to this stage, and it still looks fairly awful. This is my fourth Anna dress, from By Hand London, but even the brilliance of my favourite pattern does nothing to help with the fabric issue. 

I assumed the little golden stars would stay just that - little and golden. But they reflect the light strangely, almost merging together to make me look like I'm shimmering. It's odd, and I really don't think I like it. 


I've asked the girls in my building their opinion, and they all seemed to like it, so I came to two possible conclusions - either the light in my room is at fault for the odd reflection, and it would look fine if I was just wearing it out and about (they saw it in the kitchen where there is more natural light), or it looks fine when off the body, which is how the girls saw it, but not when I'm wearing it. 

Hmm...opinions please! Would you wear a shimmery fabric like this? Do you think it looks ok, or should I just give up and turn it into Christmas cushions instead? 

I hope you're all having a good week :) 

Thank you as always, 

Beth x

Wednesday 8 October 2014

Lisette 1419

Hey guys!

After taking a few weeks time out from sewing whilst I settled into uni, I'm pleased to report that I'm finally back on track and have finished my first version of Lisette 1419. 


I used a medium weight cotton fabric that I picked up from Abakhan a while back for something ridiculously cheap like £2 a metre. Bargain! The collar is simply cut from a fat quarter of plain white cotton. Don't you just love Peter Pan collars?

I followed the pattern pretty much exactly, aside from changing the skirt pleats to gathers, which I prefer. This dress is so perfect for the transitional autumn-winter period; it goes well with all my cardigans, has sleeves, and can fit my petticoat underneath as an extra layer. 


I must admit, I'm thrilled to have settled down into a new project after such a long break from sewing. This dress is such a good addition to my handmade wardrobe, I'm sure I'll be wearing it long into the autumn. 

In other news, I celebrated my nineteenth birthday on Saturday and got an overlocker! After about an hour of unsuccessfully trying to thread it correctly, I gave up and left it at home - I'll have another attempt the next time I go for a weekend visit. Any tips? 

And finally, I feel like I should apologise, to myself as much as you guys, for the delay in blogging September's Love at First Stitch make, the Margot Pyjamas. I was doing really nicely with sticking to the schedule I set for myself when the competition was first announced, but with everything that's been going on around here recently, I've fallen a little behind. So for that, I'm really sorry, but please bear with me and know that I aim to document the finished make very soon. 

As always, thank you for reading, and have a great week, wherever you are :) 

Beth x

Tuesday 30 September 2014

Knitting Progress

Hey guys, I finished the body of my cardigan! 


The final steps are the sleeves and body edging, both of which I'm unsure of so it will definitely be a learning curve for me.  I'm looking forward to getting going though, spurred on by the fact that it really is beginning to take on a proper cardigan appearance! 

There is also a lovely knitting shop here, just a five minute walk away from my halls. I called in the other day and picked up three balls of a lovely green double knitting yarn, and have already started another cardigan. I've just separated off the sleeves and am beginning to work my way down the body. 


I know it seems silly to have two knitting projects on at the same time, but I am actually enjoying having them at different stages. If I want a tricker project, I'll start work trying to learn how to knit the sleeves to my mustard cardigan, and if I'm im the mood for something a little less challenging, I can simply carry on with the body of the green cardigan. 

In the instructions for this project, it says to use a magic loop method for the sleeves. I know this involves the use of a circular needle, but the tutorials I've read online make this method seem no less mind boggling to me - any tips would be most welcome. 

And finally, I've joined the university Craft and Sewing Society! The first meeting is tonight for a taster session and I'm really looking forward to it. When I signed up, I was asked if I'd made the dress I was wearing (my Strawberry Anna), and asked to teach a class! I've never had the opportunity to teach others how to get to grips with the basics of garment sewing, but I would really like to have a go and give others the chance to get as much joy out of sewing that I do. 

I hope you all have a lovely crafty week, and thank you very much for reading, 

Beth x

Saturday 20 September 2014

University!

Guuuuys! I moved into uni! 

Wow, the last couple of days have been seriously hectic. Last minute shopping, packing and then worrying I'd forgotten something important, but yesterday was finally the day I officially moved in. It's so exciting! I was really nervous about starting, as I have not exactly been blessed with the skills of socialising, but I settled in right away and have already met another girl who sews! 

Wanna take a peek at my room? Sure! 



The wicker basket in the bottom right of the top photo is my fabric stash! All the lovely fabric I'd ordered before I moved thankfully arrived on time, so I have a stash for the first time ever! I can't wait to get started on the projects I have in mind. 

On the bottom photo, you can clearly see my sewing machine in the big blue bag on top of my bookshelf, underneath which is my sewing books and pattern box! Further along the bookshelf is also my sewing box, fabric scraps box and my knitting. Apparently there is a wool shop here so I've brought all my knitting needles! I've also put up some bunting that I found at a vintage fair, which I think brightens up the room a little :) 

It's a big change moving to uni, but I'm one night in and enjoying it so far. Fresher's week starts tomorrow so I'll be picking my modules, completing the registration process and picking up my student card! 

I hope you're all having a good weekend :) 

Beth x

Thursday 18 September 2014

Recent Acquisitions

Bonjour dear readers!

I hope your week has been more productive than mine on the crafting front. I've had to put sewing on the back burner for a while, as on Monday I packed the car up with all my possessions, ready to be taken to university on Saturday! Yes, I am very excited, but so nervous too - I just hope everything goes ok!  So, with my sewing machine in the car, there's been very little craftiness going on around here, aside from making some progress on my cardigan. However, to make up for the frustrating lack of productivity, I've had a total splurge on fabric and sewing supplies, ready to get making my autumn/winter wardrobe once I get to uni. Want to see? Of course you do!

Cotton-Corduroy-Fabric-Black-New
Two metres of lovely black cotton corduroy, which I'm going to be making a pencil skirt and dungaree dress from. If everything goes to plan, the skirt should also feature some beautiful vintage buttons I picked up from a fair a while back.


A metre of polka dot crepe de chine, for making a Pendrell Blouse from Sewaholic Patterns. I ordered this pattern in their recent sale along with the Hollyburn Skirt, Renfrew Top and a pink tape measure! I hope the blouse will become a real wardrobe staple over winter with my jeans and pencil skirts.


A metre of beautiful navy and white striped jersey fabric to make a long sleeved Renfrew in preparation for layering up in colder weather!


A metre of gorgeous burgundy and black striped ponte de roma, which I'm certain is destined to be a funnel neck, three quarter length sleeve Coco top, from Tilly and the Buttons.

Learn-to-Sew-with-Lauren-First-Stitches-to-Perfect-Projects-by-Lauren-Guthrie
Learn to Sew with Lauren! I know I'm not exactly a beginner sewer anymore, but following the blog hop launched in celebration of this new book, I could see there were some fantastic patterns included that I had to have, so into the shopping basket it went!

(photos above sourced from Ebay)

Guiltily, this is actually only half the new fabric I've acquired recently! It's been packed away into the car so unfortunately I don't have any photos, but I feel like I need to confess I picked up a metre and a half of what is, in my opinion, the most buttery soft floral cotton lawn ever at my local market on Tuesday, and I also paid a trip to Abakhan last week and came away with about four metres of purple and white butterfly printed cotton, two metres of bordered cotton lawn and two metres of burgundy cotton voile. If I didn't have a stash before, I do now!

And finally, I'm thrilled to be able to announce that I finally have my own rotary cutter and self healing cutting mat! I've been wanting these for ages but have only just got around to buying them - hopefully they'll make cutting all the drapey fabric I've just ordered a little easier. Ooh, and I also ordered a spool rack, as my sewing box is currently overflowing with half full reels of thread, so I thought it would be nice if they got a proper place to live.

I do apologise for the over-indulgent post, I just had to share my recent finds with you all - to get rid of the guilt associated with collecting so much lovely fabric if nothing else! We've all been there... right? Now I just can't wait to get stuck into all my planned projects :)

Thank you so much for reading - the next time we speak I'll be at university! Have a fabulous week and I'll see you all soon,

Beth x