(Backup) Four Fabulous Freyas

Long time no blog! Not really sure why I’ve been absent for so long, think life has just been in the way of blogging. I’ve been sewing like mad for the last few months, so will endeavour to catch up on blog posts about my new makes!

As the weather started changing, I had to put away all the lovely Summer dresses I had been wearing for months and think about Autumn/ Winter projects. I’d been eyeing up the Freya pattern from the Stretch Book by Tilly and the Buttons for a while, but waiting for the weather to cool down before making it. 

My first version was in a stripe ponte de roma from 1st for Fabrics. I’ve seen loads of similar tops in stripes in the shops, and I was so pleased with how this one turned out. I also made a new Cleo pinafore in mustard twill to wear it with. The Freya is a really easy sew, mainly made on the overlocker. I decided to get over my Coverstitch fear and use that to finish the neckline and do the hemming. It really does make a difference to the finished look of the garment, so I’ve vowed to keep on practicing with it. 

After my success with the top version, I decided to make a dress. The ruffle version was one of the first patterns I saw from the book, and I couldn’t resist making a version myself. I used a real ponte de roma, also from 1st for Fabrics. The construction of the dress was identical to the top. It took a long time to get the placement of the ruffle right. I pinned and re-pinned the guide ribbon time and time again. I was pleased that I persevered, as I’m really happy with the final version - just need to find an occasion to wear it now!

My Freya top and mustard Cleo immediately went into heavy wardrobe rotation so I decided to make another using up some ponte from my stash. I used this to make a Coco earlier in the year, and was pleased that there was enough left for another Freya. Black and white seems to go well with the mustard colour of the pinafore. 

The final Freya was a gift for a friend, using the remainder of the striped fabric from my first version. I had to put a seam down the centre back, which gave me an opportunity to practice my pattern matching. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a photo of this one. 

I’ll definitely be making more of these - they are perfect under pinafores and dungarees, and the dress version is smart enough for a party dress. 

Keeping cool in the Heatwave - the Stevie dress

Can you believe the weather this Summer? It’s amazing - I’ve been able to wear my holiday wardrobe to work. The only downside (and I really don’t want to moan) is that I work in an un-air conditioned office that is glass-sided and south-facing. Luckily an email popped into my inbox with news of the new pattern releases from Tilly and the Buttons a couple of weeks ago. While the Seren dress looks nice, it was the Stevie that caught my eye as I knew it was something I’d get loads of wear out of. 

I had a couple of fabrics in my stash that I thought would work well with this pattern. I opted to make the first version in some navy cotton voile bought in the sale from Seasalt. You can only buy this fabric in pre-cut lengths. Luckily I had 3m of it as it is super narrow. I’ve only just about got enough for something for Polly left. I opted for the version with pocket and cuffs and was super proud of myself that I pattern-matched the pocket so well you can hardly see it!  This is marketed as a beginners pattern and it is a quick easy sew. However, it has some lovely features such as the back yoke and bow. I love the fit without any adjustments from my usual size in Tilly patterns (3). I was slightly concerned that it was too short, but looking at the photos, I think it’s ok. The fabric was gorgeous to sew with and so comfortable to wear. 

For my second version I used a bold Liberty print lawn from Abakhan. I bought this a while ago without a project in mind, and I knew it would work well with the simplicity of this dress. I decided to leave off the pocket this time as the design of the fabric has a large print. I also didn’t pattern match at the back as I was trying to be frugal with the fabric, but I think I got away with it!  As with all Liberty fabric, it feels buttery-soft and luxurious. I’m saving the rest for another project. 

I’m leaving it at two versions of Stevie for now, but I’m sure I’ll make other versions in future. It’s perfect for the warm weather and easy enough to sew in an evening. 

Tag you’re it!

At the end of last Summer, I saw the new Alexander Henry fabric designs and fell in love with ‘Tag You’re It’, which is a retro New York style graffiti print. I’ve always loved old school hip hop and the opportunity to make a dress in this fabric was too good to be true. I bought the fabric straight away, then it sat in my cupboard for almost a year while I ummed and ahhed about what to make with it. I used a bit for the side and top panels for some board shorts for Thomas while I was trying to work out what to make. 

I came across a discussion on a sewing group on Facebook where someone had the same fabric and was asking for suggestions about what to make with it. Someone else suggested Simplicity 3833 which is a reissue of a 1960s pattern. It’s a simple a-line dress which suits a bold fabric design. It was a great suggestion and I ordered the pattern straight away. 

There were more pattern pieces that I expected, and I ended up cutting into the pattern itself rather than tracing off as I usually do in order to save time. For some reason, I got distracted by other projects, and this sat in a bag for about three months. We were going to a gig last week and I fancied making something new to wear, so picked it back up again. 

The bust dart seams were a new technique, and I’m not convinced that I’ve got the fit quite right. I really didn’t like the instructions or sewing order with this pattern, so ended up making it in the order I would normally sew a dress. I also changed the zip for an invisible zip. As I often find with Simplicity patterns, there is a huge amount of ease and it came up far too big. I took it in at the side seams which helped, but I think there are a few more adaptations I would make if I was going to make this again. 

The fabric is lovely quality and really nice to wear. I would be tempted to make the dress again in another fabric, but spend more time on fitting (as usual, I was sewing up to the wire with this!).

Crazy about Kitty

The Kitty dress by Maven patterns first came to my attention when my Mum and Sister went to Sewing for Pleasure at the NEC (without me - how very dare they!!) and sent me a picture saying they thought this pattern would suit me. They were right - it pretty much ticks all the boxes - retro 60s style, Peter Pan collar, puffed sleeves and pockets. However, I had so many other projects lined up at the time, it was only this week that I actually got round to making it, inspired by all this fabulous weather we have been having (hope I haven't tempted fate by actually mentioning it...).

I bought some green denim from Sew Over It especially for this project and it has been sitting on my 'to-sew' pile for a few weeks.  I cut the size 10 based on my measurements. The garment is only semi-fitted. I found sewing with the denim fine using a denim needle and had to make very few adjustments to fit. The central bust dart and centre front seam are both unusual features. I love how the bust darts change the grain of the denim at the top of the bodice. I chose to topstitch in co-ordinating thread rather than contrast thread due to the bright colour of the fabric. Contrast top stitching would look amazing with blue or black denim and I'm tempted to make another version doing this. 

I was really pleased with the collars when I turned them out until I noticed a tiny hole on one at the seam. In the past, I'd have been tempted to just leave it and hope for the best, but I've learned the hard way that things like that always get worse after washing so I re-did the whole collar piece. 

I'm really pleased with this dress, it's a perfect daytime Summer dress and I feel like it's closely aligned with my personal style. The colour is really bright, but who wants to be dull, hey?  I also made another Blackwood Cardigan by Helen's Closet in cable knit jersey from Higgs and Higgs, this time using a raspberry colour in the shorter length. All in all, I'm super pleased with this outfit and I can see it going into heavy rotation. 

Sweatshirts and Hoodies - Beep Beep and Stella

I absolutely love wearing hoodies - I've probably owned 100s over the years. Making the perfect hoodie for myself has been a bit of a holy grail, dressmaking-wise. Last year I made myself the Papercut Patterns Undercover Hood. Although it is really warm and I love the colour (pale pink sweatshirt fabric from Guthrie and Ghani), I've never been completely happy with the fit and style. Recently, my newsfeed has been full of Stella sweatshirts from the new Tilly and the Buttons book. I bought some dark grey sweatshirt fabric with silver glitter stars from Fabrics Galore at GBSB Live back in September which has been waiting for the right project. I decided to make it with the sleeves in a pale grey (also from Fabrics Galore) in a nod to the 90s. 

The pattern actually came free with one of the sewing magazines I subscribe to, so I decided to cut it straight out rather than trace off like I usually do. I cut out a size 3 (my usual size in Tilly patterns), but graded out a bit at the waist. I used sweatshirt ribbing (also from Fabrics Galore) for the cuffs and neck band. I decided to add a waistband after seeing this on someone else's version  as I hate tops and jumpers to be too short, and used the ribbing for this as well. I cut the body pieces and hood from the star fabric and sleeves from pale grey. I used a remnant of grey jersey for the hood lining. Having made hoodies for the kids and myself previously, the construction was straightforward, with the hood itself taking the most work. Tilly's instructions were excellent as ever. I added the buttonholes for the drawstring but wished I hadn't as they weren't completely level so I decided to leave out the drawstring so as not to draw attention to them. I'm really pleased I added the waistband as I like the slightly longer length. I'm really happy with the fit and style of this hoodie - I think this is the pattern I have been looking for!

I had quite a lot of fabric left and I decided to use the leftovers to make the kids a Beep Beep Sweatshirt from Made by Jack's Mum from the latest issue of One Thimble sewing magazine (an awesome digital magazine full of sewing patterns for kids which I have only just discovered). For Polly, I used the star fabric for the body and sleeves and pale grey for the side strips and pockets. I made Thomas's in reverse. This is such a great kid's sweatshirt pattern - I love the raglan sleeves and the side strip/ pockets are a great opportunity to colour block/ stash bust. MBJM always have great instructions as well. I think this is my new favourite kid's jumper pattern. It was so quick to sew and I'm already planning more. I'm not sure I'll ever made the version with the road appliqué, but it is so versatile, I'm sure there will be lots of variations over the years as it goes up to age 12. 

We are off on a glamping holiday today, these are bound to get a lot of wear!

Summer in the City - the Zoe Dress

I am absolutely loving this beautiful weather we have been having recently. Even though I've been under the weather, the sun always puts a smile on my face. The only downside is that I work in possibly the hottest office in the universe. Comfortable cotton Summer dresses are a must, so I was really excited when Sew Over It released the Zoe Dress pattern. It is a semi-fitted dress with princess seams and most importantly, in-seam pockets (gotta love a dress with pockets!). I found some beautiful Japanese floral cotton from Higgs and Higgs, which has a heavier weight which is perfect for a slightly more structured dress. 

My measurements came out as a size larger than I usually make, so I cut out in this size. This is quite a straightforward sew, but I struggled with mistakes as I have done with all my recent projects. I've found it quite hard to concentrate while I've been ill. When I'm feeling myself, I'm sure this could be made in a couple of evenings.  The fabric was lovely to sew with, I'd definitely get more in different colour ways/ designs. 

When I tried the dress on, I was disappointed with the fit, it was far too loose and I wished I had made my usual size. I managed to take it in at the back side seams (it was too hard to alter at the front due to the pockets), and that rectified it. I have had this problem a couple of times recently - think I probably need to stick with the size I have made before with particular pattern houses, as I keep making stuff that is too big. 

I'm so pleased with the finished dress, it is perfect Summer work wear, I will be making plenty more!

Back in time - Mila Dungarees

Everywhere I turn at the moment, people are wearing dungarees. While I've been wearing my Cleo dungaree dresses for ages, I haven't taken the plunge with full dungarees yet. When I saw the Mila pattern by Tilly and the Buttons, I decided to give it a go. The last time I wore dungarees was to youth club disco when I was about 13, so these are definitely a blast from the past!

I bought some amazing pineapple print stretch denim from the Denim Company to make a dress a while ago. However, I decided to repurpose as soon as I saw this pattern. Pineapples and dungarees seemed like the perfect combination. The pattern is designed to be quite fitted, so I decided to make a size up as I wanted them to have a looser fit. I managed to cut them out with quite a lot left from 2m - planning bags/hats from the remainder. 

As usual, the instructions from Tilly are fantastic. The first parts of the construction (front and back bibs, pockets and straps) reminded me of making the Cleo dress. I opted for black topstitching rather than the yellow I had initially planned. I was pleased with this decision, as it doesn't detract from the design of the fabric.  Although the instructions were clear, I made a right hash of the waistband. I stitched the inside bands on the wrong way twice and spent a lot of time unpicking. I've been feeling ill, and this project was mainly completed in short bursts as a way of trying to make me feel better. My concentration hasn't been great, so I'm blaming the mistakes on that!

Once I got my head round the waistbands, the rest came together quickly. I finally used some silver buttons I bought for another project years ago that was abandoned. The fit of the bib and waistband was spot on but the legs, especially around my hips and thighs was huge. I increased the seam allowance on inside and outside legs to remedy this. I'm pleased with the final result, although it feels weird to wear dungarees again after all these years. About half way through completing these, I got another dungaree pattern free with a sewing magazine. I might tackle that pattern next. 

Some cute pyjamas and my Me Made May pledge

I've been busy with a couple of projects that I can't tell you about yet (all will be revealed very soon), but I'm the meantime, I sewed up some super cute pyjamas for Thomas and Polly to wear on a recent weekend away.  I started by making a pair for Thomas after he moaned that I don't make things for him (untrue by the way!). As soon as Polly saw them, she asked where hers were, so I made a pair for her. For both of them, I used the Made by Jack's Mum harem pants pattern for the bottoms and the explorer raglan pattern for the top. I extended the sleeves to make them full length at Thomas's request. Both fabrics are from my Girl Charlee stash. 

Here they are looking lovely despite very little sleep 

It's that time of year again, and I need to make my Me Made May pledge. I really want to challenge myself this year and also use this as an opportunity to think about what I actually wear and sew more of these wardrobe staples (I'm always getting sidetracked by party dresses!!).  I usually wear me made clothes so to push myself, my pledge this year is that between myself, Gareth and the kids, our family will wear at least 3 me made items between us each day during May, with as few repeat wears as possible. I also pledge to finish at least 4 projects for myself that are wardrobe staples, not party dresses. Phew! It's going to be an interesting month!

60s style - I finally made a Coco

I've been seeing so many fabulous versions of the Coco Dress by Tilly and the Buttons recently. The pattern is a few years old and I wasn't too bothered by it when it first came out. My Mum bought the pattern last year and made herself a fabulous houndstooth print dress, which I loved. I traced off the pattern, and aside from making the top version for Mum for her birthday, forgot about it. 

Recently, everyone in the FB sewing groups I'm in seems to be making this. I was so inspired by all these fab makes, I went rooting through my stash to make a version. I had some gorgeous geometric print ponte that I bought in the sale from Girl Charlee a while ago. The pattern is very retro and I thought it would make a perfect Coco. I decided to make the dress version with rollneck, 3/4 sleeves and sleeve cuffs. I decided to leave out the pockets. I can't resist pockets usually, but I felt they would be a bit lost with this fabric choice. 

I cut the size 3, and found I used a lot less fabric than expected (more for another project yay!). This ponte is really thick and stable, absolutely brilliant to cut and sew with. I was a bit concerned that the dress would be too tight across my tummy, so took a smaller seam allowance there. In retrospect, I think I should have taken the standard seam allowance, as it is quite a loose fit. I added some hand stitches to the cuffs and collar to keep them in place and hide the topstitching, which is really visible due to being in black when against the white parts of the fabric design. This is a quick and satisfying sew, and really versatile - I can see this working well as a casual Summer dress without the rollneck. 

My only concern was that my fabric choice was so 60s, that when combined with the style of the Coco, it looked like I was going to a fancy dress party!  However, I felt less like this when actually wearing it. I can't believe I left it so long to make a Coco. 

A stash-busting Bibi Skirt from the new Tilly book

I was beyond excited to finally receive my copy of 'Stretch' by Tilly and the Buttons last week. I preordered it months ago, and my excitement kept building each time I saw a post on social media about someone else receiving their copy!  It didn't disappoint - the format is the same as 'Love at First Stitch', which is basically my sewing bible. The photos are beautiful and the patterns are all really wearable. I thought I knew a lot about sewing with knits, but I've already learned more from this book (and I've only skim read so far).  As you can imagine, I was itching to get going with one of the projects ASAP. That meant finding something I could make from my stash. 

I landed on the Bibi Skirt - a pencil skirt with panels made in ponte de roma. I decided to use two fabrics to highlight the panelling. For the centre panels, I used a monochrome geometric print from Girl Charlee (I actually have another project coming up using this, but the skirt uses such a small amount, I knew I could squeeze both from my fabric). I managed to squeeze the side panels and waistband from some black ponte that I bought from the bargain section at Abakhan to make a Bettine dress last year. 

This skirt is supposed to be really tight, but I prefer things to be figure-skimming rather than figure-hugging, especially around the tummy!  So I actually made this up in a size larger than I would usually use for Tilly patterns (I'm normally a 3, but made this in a 4). This means it is still fitted enough, but it isn't too tight and also means I can wear for work with a blouse tucked in. 

The construction was really simple - this is the skirt pattern I didn't realise I have always wanted! My only challenge is that my overlocker is playing up and I don't trust it on the seams, so I sewed as I would do with wovens (on the sewing machine for seams and overlocker for finishing). This means that it took twice as long as it should have done!  Even so, it was a one evening project. I'm on the lookout for some brightly to coloured fabric for my next one - this can easily be dressed up or down and it is super comfortable to wear. 

A couple of Strathcona Henleys as belated presents

I was so behind with sewing in the run up to Christmas that I didn't even stop to photograph one project before starting on the next. I vowed to learn my lesson and start a lot earlier with any future homemade presents. Then I totally ignored this when it came to Valentine's Day and left making something so late that I didn't even get finished on time. Oh well, maybe I really will stop being such a 'time optimist' in future and plan my makes properly!

I finally finished Gareth's Valentine's Day present at the weekend, which was a Strathcona Henley by Thread Theory, the same as I made him for Christmas. The pattern includes a traditional version with button placket and a t-shirt version. I ended up making a mash-up of the two, with long sleeves but a t-shirt neckline, as I couldn't picture Gareth wearing the button placket version. This is a really simple sew, but added features like cuff and hem bands make it more than a standard long-sleeved t-shirt. 

For his Christmas present, I used a digital camo print by Girl Charlee, which I bought at GBSB Live with Gareth in mind. The Valentine's version was in a blue star print also from Girl Charlee, bought online in the sale. The only slight issue I had with this project was finishing the neckline. I really do need to get to grips with my cover stitch machine, as this would have finished it more professionally. Other than that, it is a quick afternoon project and I'm told, very comfortable to wear. 

Dining in style - the Florence Dress

Last Autumn, Gareth and I both celebrated 'big' birthdays. My family arranged a weekend away for us, including train travel, babysitting, luxury apartment and a voucher for a Michelin starred restaurant. The trip came around last week and naturally, this was an excuse to plan a new outfit. I joined the Sew Over It PDF club at the start of the year as part of my mission to get my sew-jo back. I used my joining discount on the Florence Dress pattern, a 70s style maxi dress with button-front, mandarin collar and elasticated waist.  Having decided to make this dress for our trip to Wilks in Bristol, I ummed and ahhed about fabric choice for ages. I had seen an amazing retro print crepe but decided against it in the end - it was fab but there was the risk of looking like I was in fancy dress. In the end, I opted for some lovely floral crepe from the Sew Over It online fabric shop. 

The size of the pattern pieces meant it took even longer than normal to stick the PDF together. If I hadn't been in a rush to get this finished, then I would have used the print shop option and would definitely use that for my next PDF from the club. The dress is quite straightforward to sew, with the buttons and placket probably the only slightly tricky aspect due to the fabric I used. I can't bear clothes to be too tight on the waist (especially if I know I'm going out for a big meal!), but I think I used too much elastic around the waist and as such, it isn't as flattering as it could be (I'm pulling it together at the back in the picture below). I ran out of time to alter it, but I will do this before I wear it again. The length is good for me, and I think I will make another version in brighter colours for the Summer. It's really comfy to wear and very similar to something I saw in a high street shop the other day, which is always pleasing!

We had an amazing time at Wilks - go if you ever get chance!

Victorian style - the Bloomsbury Blouse

I realised recently that I haven't made any smarter tops to wear with jeans for ages (partly because my jeans were pretty tight post-Christmas....).  Thankfully, I've lost most of the mince pie weight, so I decided to tackle the second of my 'Make Nine challenge projects. I bought the Bloomsbury Blouse pattern from Nina Lee's stall at GBSB Live and also bought some beautiful cotton lawn from Doughty's to make it. I had planned to make it back in the Autumn but ran out of time. Once I decided to get on and make this, I went to Abakhan to get some buttons and cut out the fabric that night. 

I decided to make the version with the narrower ruffles, and I had been tempted to leave out the neck ruffles completely, but decided to keep them after seeing So Zo's version. There are a lot of pattern pieces because of the yoke and the ruffles themselves. It was nice to tackle a project which felt like a bit of a challenge again. The majority of this project was straightforward, but making, pinning and sewing the ruffles took a long time. I made it in a size 10, but took a smaller seam allowance as I didn't want it to be too tight. I wish I'd kept to the correct seam allowance because it is a bit loose. My Mum had recently made a version of this blouse and advised me to cut the yoke smaller because I am quite narrow across the shoulders. Foolishly, I ignored this advice (I'm sure there's a lesson in this), and the edge of the ruffle sits a bit lower than my shoulders. 

Despite these minor issues, I am really pleased with the blouse. It's on-trend, but really wearable. I have worn it with jeans, but it would also look good worn with a pencil skirt for work. I will definitely be making another version, maybe a sleeveless one for Summer, but will alter the width of the yoke and take the correct seam allowance. This was the first Nina Lee pattern I've made, and I really enjoyed making it. I've got my eye on the Southbank Sweater Dress next. 

A Winter Warmer - the Blackwood Cardigan

At this time of year, my (semi-smart) work uniform consists of dresses, boots and long cardigans, or sometimes jeans, boots and long cardigans. I have a couple of cardies I wear to death and have been on the lookout for a pattern and the right fabric to make some replacements. I came across the Blackwood Cardigan by Helen's Closet and the longer version seemed perfect so I added this to my 'Make 9' list for 2018. Scrolling through Facebook (looking at sewings stuff obvs), I saw some textured, cable knit style jersey by Higgs and Higgs. I have never bought fabric from them before but I had to have this as soon as I saw it. I was delighted when it came - it is heavyweight, so nice and warm and the colour I chose (pale green) was beautiful. 

I could only buy a PDF version of the pattern in the UK, but luckily I had a willing helper (Thomas) to stick it all together (with supervision!).  I was surprised at the number of pattern pieces for a seemingly simple garment, but the extra features such as the hem and collar band make a lot of difference. My overlocker has been playing up for a while - I think it needs to go in for a service but I can't bear to be parted from it. It can finish seams but the stitch is too loose for sewing with, so I decided to make this using a ballpoint needle and zig zag stitch on the regular machine. Because the fabric is thick with a couple of layers, it looked as though it might fray, so I finished the seams with the overlocker as I would do for a woven fabric. 

The instructions were excellent, and I would recommend this pattern to anyone. There are a couple of trickier techniques, but on the whole it's a very straightforward and satisfying project. The longer version took a couple of evenings to sew, mainly because of its size. I am over the moon with the fabric choice - it's so warm and comfy. I'm planning at least one more in another colour. I also think the short version would make a smarter cardigan to wear with a pencil skirt on days I have meetings. 

Here I am wearing it this morning:

The Cocoon Dress mark two

As promised, I'm catching up on writing up projects from the end of last year. I've got a couple of exciting projects on the go as part of #makenine2018 which I'm hoping to be able to update on in the next few weeks. In the meantime, I am writing up a make from November. 

I last made the Simple Sew Cocoon Dress back in the Summer. I was really unsure about how it looked, but I got some fantastic feedback. The pattern has been a real hit with loads of versions being shared online. I fancied having another go, but using fabric with more of a drape to make an evening version.  I bought some beautiful viscose from Guthrie and Ghani at the Great British Sewing Bee Live which I decided to use for this. 

The dress really is a very simple project and can be completed in a couple of evenings. I was pretty distracted while making this and ended up putting the pockets on inside out. Given that no-one can see them, I opted to leave them that way to save time!  It was slightly trickier working with this fabric, but I think it was a good choice for the style. It definitely feels more of a 'dressed up' dress than my Summer version, and I have worn it loads. The style makes it so comfortable, and it's very forgiving if you have been out for a big meal!

The Birthday Shirt (and my 2018 sewing resolutions)

Happy new year! It's back to reality for me today after all the Christmas celebrating (and eating), and I've got a renewed focus on stitching and blogging for 2018. I was pretty lax with writing about things I had made during the second half of last year. As a result, there are lots of projects that I haven't blogged about yet. I spent November and December in a blur of Christmas present making, and didn't even stop to take photos, so I'm starting this year with a project I made back in late October. 

Gareth had a big birthday back in November (6 weeks after mine) and we bought each other a trip to Berlin to celebrate. I wanted to make him something special and landed on the idea of printing fabric with his DJ logo (His moniker is CheekyDJ).  I had seen other people share pics of fabric they had printed using various websites and found the Prinfab website following an online recommendation. The site was really easy to use and I was delighted with the quality of the fabric when it arrived. 

I opted for a negroni shirt for him as the fit and style is similar to shirts he has bought previously and he still wears the whale print one I made earlier in the year. I'd forgotten quite how much work is involved in making a shirt, but it is really satisfying. As I have now made this a couple of times, I found it easier than before, but there are a lot of steps and techniques so it was still a time-consuming project. 

The birthday boy was very pleased with his shirt and wore it when we went out for a special meal in Berlin. It was pretty much the trendiest restaurant I have ever been to, so I was gobsmacked when the waitress said that she liked Gareth's shirt. When he said I'd made it, she asked me if I was a fashion designer - best compliment EVER!

I've signed up for the #makenine2018 challenge in an attempt to push myself further and also to step out of my comfort zone, both in terms of sewing and style. I will update my progress on here.