Fibre Mood Holly Dress

I’ve really enjoyed wearing my Myosotis dress and thought it was time to try a different style on a similar theme. I’ve made lots of summer dresses but not so many for the cooler months and after not making many …

Autumn colours

Sewing dresses has become appealing again now that I have a clearer idea of what I like to wear and what the gaps are in my wardrobe. It feels as if I’ve not made much other than activewear and bras …

Slow, slow, quick, quick, sew

We’ve had weeks of grey, wet and cool weather and it seemed as if summer was far off. Sewing this dress slowed down accordingly as it just wasn’t going to be worn much. However this week, it’s changed. We’ve not …

Simple patterns and tricky fabrics

How do you find inspiration for a creative project? In this case it was a slow process. I had found some fabulous satin in a colour I can only describe as slate. It’s a dark grey/ navy/ purple that looks …

The making of a prom dress

A few years ago, I was making for others on a regular basis. It is intensive and demanding work and can be frustrating but also incredibly rewarding, so I’m more careful about what I take on. In the spring of …

Fabric from afar

I’m always a little hesitant when I receive a message from someone I don’t know but this was a lovely surprise! Vishruti from Fibers to Fabric contacted me via Instagram a few weeks ago, asking whether I’d be interested in …

Velvet dresses

We have found that each of the four of us has a distinct colour palette, which makes fabric shopping much easier! The Smaller Small likes pink, peach and purple whereas the Big Small – like me – veers towards greens, …

Named Clothing Gemma Maxi Dress

As soon as I saw this pattern in the new Earth Science collection from Named Clothing, I fell for it. The combination of the fabric colour and texture in the original photo and the unusual construction drew my eye. It …

Letting the fabric speak

It’s such a blessing to have good local fabric shops! You’ve probably heard me talk about The Shuttle before. It’s a treasure trove of fabric that’s just a few miles from where we live (a long walk or short car/ …

Pattern Review: Solange Dress

I first discovered the Belgian sewing magazine La Maison Victor three years ago, on the shelf of a French supermarket.  I was drawn to both the styling and the wide variety of patterns that was included. The arrival this summer of …