Aisling blouse

My pledge for Me Made May in 2021 is to identify some of the gaps in my wardrobe. It's not too difficult to tell.....hint, it's separates! As much as I love making dresses they're just not practical for the Dutch rain. Now that outdoor hospitality can open 12-6, we are trying to explore our new…

The Lola Tank by Staystitch Pattern Co

I was on the pattern testing team for Staystitch and received a free copy of the final pattern in return. There was no obligation to share and all the feedback below is my own. Introducing the Lola tank! When I saw that Candice from Sew Bake Make was releasing her first pattern in partnership with…

Pattern Review: Dawn McCall’s

Do you sew with "Big Four" patterns? McCall's are one of the biggest sewing pattern companies, stocked worldwide and you usually find their patterns sold in printed form on the tissue paper you traditionally associate with home sewing. I haven't got too much experience with them but here is my very short summary... Before working…

Spring inspo with Tammy Handmade & Rainbow Fabrics

I know I'm not the only one planning my Spring makes at the moment and daydreaming of sunnier days! For this blog post I've taken inspiration from this month's Modista brands, Tammy Handmade and Rainbow Fabrics! Both are offering exclusive discounts this month to Modista Patreon members - Tammy's PDF patterns are 15% off and…

My Spring Frankendress!

PSA: Organising your sewing stash does wonders for your productivity! Last month I took a Friday off and specifically reserved the day to play with my new toy - a home printer. Now if that isn't the most 2021 activity.... My PDF pattern stash had gotten out of control and the tactic of rolling them…

Reeta Dress by Named

Here in Amsterdam we are on strict lockdown with an evening curfew, everything closed including shops and bars and schools, including my workplace. So let's just say my #MakeNine2021 is moving MUCH faster than I'd expected! I bought the Reeta dress last autumn after seeing the fabulous version by Stitch Odyssey. I love Marie's version…

Sewing themed gift ideas – global edition

This blog post contains affiliate links that are clearly marked. I have worked with some of these brands previously but not on the basis of this blog post - if they're on here, I really rate their products! Normally, every month in the Modista newsletter I send an introduction to the sewing community in a…

Fibremood Honey Blouse

This blog post contains affiliate links. I was given early access to the Honey pattern in exchange for making the pattern and posting it on launch day. All views are as usual my own! Fibremood 12 is released today and it has some stunning patterns to choose from! I've always really liked Fibremood patterns and…

Homer and Howells Blair Jacket

I was given the Blair jacket pattern as a prize in the Homer & Howells giveaway. There was no obligation to sew or review the pattern. Can you believe it is the end of October already? I feel like October Blairly just started! Ok, I'm sorry. Let's get to sewing. The Blair pattern is intended…

Sewing in the Netherlands round up

It's that time again where the Modista tour takes us to a new country to explore the instagram sewing community there. This month I had to highlight my new home of the Netherlands where I moved about 6 weeks ago. Having done some research in advance I knew there were some great sewists and stores…

On the rise: Ready to Sew Pio

This week I finished one of the first pieces from my autumnal WFH capsule; the Ready to Sew Pio pants and have been really enjoying wearing them! It’s no secret that I really like Ready to Sew patterns -available in French, Spanish and English their patterns always have simple silhouettes with an interesting deisgn feature,…

‘Sia dress’ by Marsha Style

This blog post contains gifted products - all opinions are honest and my own! This week I finally finished my Sia dress and couldn’t wait to show it off! This is my first make from our new home in Amsterdam (!) where we moved just over a week ago. In between flat hunting and exploring…

Autumnal picks from this month’s brands!

Is it just me or has this year gone by in the flash of an eye? With lockdown the spring/summer of 2020 felt like they went by so quickly and already we are into planning our autumn makes.! In this month's Modista newsletter we have two cracking independent fabric brands offering exclusive discounts to subscribers…

Constructing the Sew Over it Libby collar

This blog post contains gifted fabric. I chose the fabric to be able to blog about a garment and topic of my choosing; One of my favourite recent makes is the Sew Over It Libby blouse. I'm entering the sewing stage that follows the immediate intense obsession of initially discovering sewing; now I'm realising I…

Sewing a Kew dress hack

Happy hump day everyone! I was off on Monday and it's strange how easily that throws me completely out of kilter - it's felt like Tuesday all day and the last 3 months have basically been the longest Monday ever. A couple of weeks ago I worked on this project while taking part in the…

An introduction to the world of French sewing

Salut! As I've written before on here, I love all things French and have enjoyed French culture, language and fashion ever since I started learning the language when I was little (the cool kids went to dance class, I went to French Saturday school...) and lived in Paris on and off between 2014-17. Years later…

Lockdown loungewear – my favourite patterns

Who else can count on one hand the number of days they've worn a bra since lockdown? Strangely, for me jewellery was the first thing to leave my daily routine in lockdown - normally I wear a necklace, earrings and a minimum of two rings but stripped them all off in March and have barely…

New Look6461 trousers

Even before lockdown, I was dreaming of comfy linen trousers to lounge in. Linen makes me dream of warm summer evenings, romantic European city breaks and categorically not being sweaty. Aka, the ideal garment. I wanted a simple, wide leg shape and elasticated waist to be friendly to the extra tummy rolls I've gained during…

Liberty Dress by Simply Sewing

For a long time I've fantasized about being as effortlessly chic as the French, who seem to have the knack for making a sack look classy. As far as I can tell from careful study and Instagram stalking, the common denominator between the French women who look so cool on their way to buy the…

Beginner-friendly sewing ideas during lockdown

With the Great British Sewing Bee starting on the 22nd April and the majority of people in the world now living under some sort of lockdown, it makes sense that a lot of people will want to start sewing as a new way to pass the time. A lot of people who have bought the…