Just this week our guild is starting a study of “Acts of Sewing”! First up is a simple top that I am eager to begin. I sewed well enough for the children, but never really got it for myself. Part of my problem is the denial of my measurements. I have to acknowledge that my hips are 43” and my waist is 35” which isn’t easy because in my mind I am still that 18 year old with the 21” waist. Perhaps I should learn to embrace more confidently this eight decade old body and the magic it has made…. And the best way to do that is to adorn it lovingly and creatively. Hmmmm… and I do adore your dress!!!
What a great post! Brought back memories of school needlework lessons at 13; taking a whole year of an hour a week making a red skirt which was too short by the end of the process as I’d had a growth spurt, but I added a Royal Stewart tartan tier and felt a huge sense of achievement to wear something I’d made! By necessity I made /altered most of my clothes at Uni in the 80s when jumble sales were cheap and plentiful! In my upcoming retirement from teaching when I have time to myself, I have notebooks full of plans for head squares and duvet covers …….. Thankyou for the inspiration Jane!
Pump bag, oh my God, mine shot into my mind, obligatory school grey with red drawstring, slightly too small as one size fits all doesn't work when you wear size 41 aged 10 :)
What a pain it is to have large feet! Mine were size 9 at age 13 and looking for shoes was miserable. To be honest, it's still terrible - hence the Birkenstocks. I made a lilac pump bag with yellow chain stitch initials, but even my groovy choices didn't make the whole term of needlework any better!
I too had a dreadful term of needlework sewing an apron for domestic science. The teacher was so impatient, bias binding was my nemesis, pale blue on my pretty pink and white gingham check, couldn't sew a straight line to save my life! Fast forward to lockdown and I made 2 peg bags and some bunting for my grandson and for the VE Day celebrations and felt so proud of myself aged 60!
I learned to sew on my mothers hand cranked sewing machines and as a child made clothes for my dolls. My mother made many of her own clothes, as we as a family lived in Ghana for my fathers job and clothes shops were non-existent. She could buy pretty fabrics from an Indian run stall in the local market and so made most of her cotton dresses and those of me and my sister. When she moved back to England, we all carried on making for ourselves, and I had lessons at the various grammar schools I went to. I can remember making a red velvet shift dress while at school (in the 6th form in the 1960's) and was encouraged by the teacher to make sure the pile/nap all ran in the same direction when cutting it out. I made my wedding dress from a Vogue pattern and still occasionally make things for myself. I did give up making trousers for my sons when they needed to have flies in their trousers - too fiddly and time consuming. I still look at some simple garments in shops at some rather expensive price and think I could make that for a lot less money. I recently made myself a new dressing gown which was admired in hospital when I had an operation recently, which was very satisfying to the ego. I admire your coat making.
This post has made me so happy. I have fantasized about doing those M+M retreats for ages. It sounds so heavenly to hide away with sewing and fabric and to have experts on hand to gently guide you away from disaster. I love that you went on one at the most perfect time of all. I've had the factory dress on my make list for a while... you've inspired me to bump it up the queue.
I can also recommend Modern Sewing - Hetty is a great lover of tailored shirts and has a lovely option to purchase very good video tutorials for many of her patterns, which walk you through the making process. They've become a bit of a security blanket, but I've gotten used to her thoughtful constructions with french seams or similar built in and I've made a number of things I'm very happy with. Hope to see more of your beautiful garments!
They’re really well designed. I’ve made the Frida shirt twice, the Boatneck top and the Overshirt in a heavy canvas twill from M+M and it turned out just gorgeous. I can’t wait to see what you pick! I could see you in the lovely collared dress. The Celia dress, I think it’s called. It’s been in my sewing queue for a while…
You have captured all my feelings about sewing for myself and introduced me to so many beautiful artworks and illustrations on that theme. Thank you! I was lucky enough to attend one of Merchant & Mills' week long workshops a few months ago and loved every minute of it. As I live in Australia (a happy coincidence meant that I was in the UK when workshop spots became available) it was a particularly special experience. I've sewn for myself on and off since I was a child and I value the opportunity to create a unique garment which meets my needs in a fabric I have chosen. It has been wonderful to see the rise of small, women-led pattern companies like those you mention whose output reflects my needs. The gap between idea and reality can sometimes be disheartening but when a sewing project comes together the satisfaction is enormous.
I’ve just made my first garment for many years, a very simple shirt using an embroidered tablecloth from a charity shop. It involved much cutting and sellotaping of pattern pieces so I love the idea of zero waste patterns.
Decades ago, back in the 1980s, I worked in a fabric shop as I finished my undergraduate degree and started graduate work. Four US pattern companies dominated the US market, so there was everything from super easy Simplicity patterns to designer originals offered by Vogue Patterns. And the fabric store was a good one, offering first rate materials, from Liberty Tana Lawn to Italian wools. I sewed most of what I wore. I made a black wool suit, with a short Chanel-style jacket and a pencil skirt. I made Hawaiian shirts with incredible tropical prints from Hawaii. I made a kilt with a Menzies tartan with wool from Scotland. I used Liberty silk to make the most beautiful camisole (that was as much fabric as I could afford to buy, even with my employee discount).
Your post brought to mind a favorite skirt pattern that I used again and again. This pattern was a simple dirndl, with a waist opening at the left pocket. And you cut everything either on the grainline or on the cross grain. This made it perfect for the plaids that I loved. There was a great, simple blouse, and a simple jacket, but I only made one blouse and one jacket. But that skirt pattern I used over and over. My favorite was a Viyella plaid with a black background, with a rich ochre, red, and light teal. Still have it, packed away.
It must be particularly satisfying to choose every aspect of a garment you're wearing, and to know it exists because you made it, rather than just handed over money for it. I remember my mother making her simple cotton summer frocks in the 60s, and loving the material she chose. Sadly it's not a skill I'll ever have - talking of darts, a whole year of being made to re-do and re-re-do darts in an unfetching A line nightie in school sewing was my last contact with it.
Great! I’ve purchased so many pattens over the years and your post has definitely given me the kick to achieve this sometime soon! I love the Stanley Spencer drawing, never seen that before, it’s exquisite. Also great to see Joanne making her Oscar dress, the photo of Paul Newman makes me smile of him sewing, what a couple. (I’ll send it too you)
That was wonderful, a great inspiration and nudge to finally get out the worn-through favourite trousers and tops that I've kept because they fit me (I am an awkward multisize shape), take them apart and make them again using the pieces as patterns. I used to sew well, I've made wedding dresses for friends, but somehow stopped sewing for myself years ago. Except face masks, sigh. Time to get back to the cutting table.
What a great post! Makes me want to sew a dress again, which I haven’t done in years. Loved sewing dresses and outfits when my girls were young and they loved choosing the fabric! Thank you!
Wonderful post! First off I greatly appreciated that you admitted you were actually not great at something right out of the gate ... it seems like you have many, many craft practices that you are exceptionally skilled at. I do recall you mentioning a few you didn't take to. But I liked this because you have become skilled at it. And I also must admit to a huge envy of your taking the "last" pre-Covid M&M workshop. I've wanted to do that workshop for years. As a Yank I probably won't get around to it any time soon so I just have to appreciate it vicarously. I agree with another commenter that your coat making is very enviable.
My mom taught me to sew when I was a kid, though, so I do have a lot of grounding to draw upon. My challenge is I am larger than I want to admit and I am not willing to be honest about my measurements, and thus the things I've sewn in the past few decades have not fit well for the most part. I have sort of ruined sewing for myself. I have a stash with a lot of gorgeous fabric (some from M&M) and patterns in a queue but just haven't wanted to take the risk. Maybe I'll find a way.
So inspiring. I feel the same about sharing what I've made on social media. Making is the best but the best made items are those that get worn lots! Your coats sound glorious, I would love to make a wool coat one day. Thanks for sharing ❤️
Just this week our guild is starting a study of “Acts of Sewing”! First up is a simple top that I am eager to begin. I sewed well enough for the children, but never really got it for myself. Part of my problem is the denial of my measurements. I have to acknowledge that my hips are 43” and my waist is 35” which isn’t easy because in my mind I am still that 18 year old with the 21” waist. Perhaps I should learn to embrace more confidently this eight decade old body and the magic it has made…. And the best way to do that is to adorn it lovingly and creatively. Hmmmm… and I do adore your dress!!!
What a great post! Brought back memories of school needlework lessons at 13; taking a whole year of an hour a week making a red skirt which was too short by the end of the process as I’d had a growth spurt, but I added a Royal Stewart tartan tier and felt a huge sense of achievement to wear something I’d made! By necessity I made /altered most of my clothes at Uni in the 80s when jumble sales were cheap and plentiful! In my upcoming retirement from teaching when I have time to myself, I have notebooks full of plans for head squares and duvet covers …….. Thankyou for the inspiration Jane!
Pump bag, oh my God, mine shot into my mind, obligatory school grey with red drawstring, slightly too small as one size fits all doesn't work when you wear size 41 aged 10 :)
What a pain it is to have large feet! Mine were size 9 at age 13 and looking for shoes was miserable. To be honest, it's still terrible - hence the Birkenstocks. I made a lilac pump bag with yellow chain stitch initials, but even my groovy choices didn't make the whole term of needlework any better!
I too had a dreadful term of needlework sewing an apron for domestic science. The teacher was so impatient, bias binding was my nemesis, pale blue on my pretty pink and white gingham check, couldn't sew a straight line to save my life! Fast forward to lockdown and I made 2 peg bags and some bunting for my grandson and for the VE Day celebrations and felt so proud of myself aged 60!
I learned to sew on my mothers hand cranked sewing machines and as a child made clothes for my dolls. My mother made many of her own clothes, as we as a family lived in Ghana for my fathers job and clothes shops were non-existent. She could buy pretty fabrics from an Indian run stall in the local market and so made most of her cotton dresses and those of me and my sister. When she moved back to England, we all carried on making for ourselves, and I had lessons at the various grammar schools I went to. I can remember making a red velvet shift dress while at school (in the 6th form in the 1960's) and was encouraged by the teacher to make sure the pile/nap all ran in the same direction when cutting it out. I made my wedding dress from a Vogue pattern and still occasionally make things for myself. I did give up making trousers for my sons when they needed to have flies in their trousers - too fiddly and time consuming. I still look at some simple garments in shops at some rather expensive price and think I could make that for a lot less money. I recently made myself a new dressing gown which was admired in hospital when I had an operation recently, which was very satisfying to the ego. I admire your coat making.
This post has made me so happy. I have fantasized about doing those M+M retreats for ages. It sounds so heavenly to hide away with sewing and fabric and to have experts on hand to gently guide you away from disaster. I love that you went on one at the most perfect time of all. I've had the factory dress on my make list for a while... you've inspired me to bump it up the queue.
I can also recommend Modern Sewing - Hetty is a great lover of tailored shirts and has a lovely option to purchase very good video tutorials for many of her patterns, which walk you through the making process. They've become a bit of a security blanket, but I've gotten used to her thoughtful constructions with french seams or similar built in and I've made a number of things I'm very happy with. Hope to see more of your beautiful garments!
Thanks for the recommendation - some great patterns!
They’re really well designed. I’ve made the Frida shirt twice, the Boatneck top and the Overshirt in a heavy canvas twill from M+M and it turned out just gorgeous. I can’t wait to see what you pick! I could see you in the lovely collared dress. The Celia dress, I think it’s called. It’s been in my sewing queue for a while…
You have captured all my feelings about sewing for myself and introduced me to so many beautiful artworks and illustrations on that theme. Thank you! I was lucky enough to attend one of Merchant & Mills' week long workshops a few months ago and loved every minute of it. As I live in Australia (a happy coincidence meant that I was in the UK when workshop spots became available) it was a particularly special experience. I've sewn for myself on and off since I was a child and I value the opportunity to create a unique garment which meets my needs in a fabric I have chosen. It has been wonderful to see the rise of small, women-led pattern companies like those you mention whose output reflects my needs. The gap between idea and reality can sometimes be disheartening but when a sewing project comes together the satisfaction is enormous.
I’ve just made my first garment for many years, a very simple shirt using an embroidered tablecloth from a charity shop. It involved much cutting and sellotaping of pattern pieces so I love the idea of zero waste patterns.
Pump bag! With my name stitched on in yellow…
Decades ago, back in the 1980s, I worked in a fabric shop as I finished my undergraduate degree and started graduate work. Four US pattern companies dominated the US market, so there was everything from super easy Simplicity patterns to designer originals offered by Vogue Patterns. And the fabric store was a good one, offering first rate materials, from Liberty Tana Lawn to Italian wools. I sewed most of what I wore. I made a black wool suit, with a short Chanel-style jacket and a pencil skirt. I made Hawaiian shirts with incredible tropical prints from Hawaii. I made a kilt with a Menzies tartan with wool from Scotland. I used Liberty silk to make the most beautiful camisole (that was as much fabric as I could afford to buy, even with my employee discount).
Your post brought to mind a favorite skirt pattern that I used again and again. This pattern was a simple dirndl, with a waist opening at the left pocket. And you cut everything either on the grainline or on the cross grain. This made it perfect for the plaids that I loved. There was a great, simple blouse, and a simple jacket, but I only made one blouse and one jacket. But that skirt pattern I used over and over. My favorite was a Viyella plaid with a black background, with a rich ochre, red, and light teal. Still have it, packed away.
It must be particularly satisfying to choose every aspect of a garment you're wearing, and to know it exists because you made it, rather than just handed over money for it. I remember my mother making her simple cotton summer frocks in the 60s, and loving the material she chose. Sadly it's not a skill I'll ever have - talking of darts, a whole year of being made to re-do and re-re-do darts in an unfetching A line nightie in school sewing was my last contact with it.
Great! I’ve purchased so many pattens over the years and your post has definitely given me the kick to achieve this sometime soon! I love the Stanley Spencer drawing, never seen that before, it’s exquisite. Also great to see Joanne making her Oscar dress, the photo of Paul Newman makes me smile of him sewing, what a couple. (I’ll send it too you)
Happy Sunday.
That was wonderful, a great inspiration and nudge to finally get out the worn-through favourite trousers and tops that I've kept because they fit me (I am an awkward multisize shape), take them apart and make them again using the pieces as patterns. I used to sew well, I've made wedding dresses for friends, but somehow stopped sewing for myself years ago. Except face masks, sigh. Time to get back to the cutting table.
What a great post! Makes me want to sew a dress again, which I haven’t done in years. Loved sewing dresses and outfits when my girls were young and they loved choosing the fabric! Thank you!
Wonderful post! First off I greatly appreciated that you admitted you were actually not great at something right out of the gate ... it seems like you have many, many craft practices that you are exceptionally skilled at. I do recall you mentioning a few you didn't take to. But I liked this because you have become skilled at it. And I also must admit to a huge envy of your taking the "last" pre-Covid M&M workshop. I've wanted to do that workshop for years. As a Yank I probably won't get around to it any time soon so I just have to appreciate it vicarously. I agree with another commenter that your coat making is very enviable.
My mom taught me to sew when I was a kid, though, so I do have a lot of grounding to draw upon. My challenge is I am larger than I want to admit and I am not willing to be honest about my measurements, and thus the things I've sewn in the past few decades have not fit well for the most part. I have sort of ruined sewing for myself. I have a stash with a lot of gorgeous fabric (some from M&M) and patterns in a queue but just haven't wanted to take the risk. Maybe I'll find a way.
So inspiring. I feel the same about sharing what I've made on social media. Making is the best but the best made items are those that get worn lots! Your coats sound glorious, I would love to make a wool coat one day. Thanks for sharing ❤️