Most of the people that know me well, know I’m not a very sociable person, and I keep a pretty tight knit group of friends around me. I may not see them very often but we know we are there for each other.

The work I do, involves meeting and mixing with lots of different types of people and having the ability to get on with them. Which I think is why I’m mostly quite happy with my own company. On my days off its quite nice to just not have to talk. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s also nothing I like more than a nice piece of cake and a coffee and good old gossip with friends too. Just not every day.

Since starting my little sewing journey I’ve almost become more of a hermit than usual. Probably because for the most part sewing is a very individual activity, and I’m very happy being at home and making my tops.

I started blogging to document my sewing for myself, so I can see how far I’ve come and what I’ve been doing. A personal record of my work, and if anyone reads it thats great, but I write it for myself so I’m not worried if nobody else reads it.

Which is why I was quite surprised at how happy I was when I got a comment from Poppyinstitches,  she found my blog after searching for the Merchant and Mills Strand coat. It was nice to see a comment from someone I didn’t know from anywhere. So I hopped on over to her blog and found another lovely blog about all things sewing. I was ecstatic to find my blog added to her list of blogs she enjoys reading :0)

Well we exchanged comments on each others blogs and found we had a mutual love for Merchant and Mills, and one day she’d commented that she might be popping down to Rye to visit M&M. This comment floated round my little brain for a while and I wondered if she might like to meet me in Rye, I never so no to an excuse to visit. Eventually I plucked up the courage to ask her if she’d been to Rye yet and when she said “no” I took the plunge and offered to meet her if she did plan to visit. And she took me up on the offer.

About a week later I met up with her and her lovely daughter in Rye, and we went to M&M where she bought some lovely things (I’ll leave it up to her to say what she bought on her blog, can’t wait to see the finished result) and I of course also bought some more lovely fabric of which I didn’t need but couldn’t resist. We then went for lunch to one of my favourite places the Apothecary coffee house. Had a lovely chat, such a warm and friendly person. After that we had a another little wander and then parted ways. I’m so annoyed I forgot to take my camera and take any photos to share but trust me it was a lovely day.

And then blow me down during the following week I got a Tweet from the lovely “sewing parlour/La La Rookh workshop” (they changed their name the week after my visit to “La La Rookh” ) inviting me down to visit as they would love to meet me! Meet me! Well I was flattered beyond belief and of course said yes. and then self doubt crept in. why would they want to meet me? What on earth would I possibly say… and so on?

I went back and forth for the rest of week about whether I would go or not, but then on the Friday evening I made up my mind that I would go. Of course there was always time for me to change my mind, I wasn’t going till the following afternoon. Saturday came and I was still in the mind set that I was going. This was feeling good.

I decided I was going to wear the top I made from the fabric I bought from there last time I went. Thought it might be a nice gesture, and I love the top…

Here’s what I wore.

I was a little nervous, but I had a nice little walk along the seafront (not too far as I took the car, didn’t want to arrive all sweaty).

Had to take a pic of the sea and sky.

And then I arrived outside and thought it would be a good idea to take a photo of the shop front.

Of course it looks a little different now after the name change.

I walked in and was given the warmest of welcomes by two of the loveliest ladies you could ever wish to meet. Even though they were sort of in the middle of an informal meeting with a local entrepreneur and founder of Hastings Voice. I became included in their conversation. And very interesting it was too.

Afterwards I was invited into the workshop part of the shop and given coffee and cake. And we just sat around chatting about all sorts of lovely things. I would love to chat to Anna (owner of said workshop) more about her skills, I get the impression she’s a very talented lady but doesn’t really shout about it. And Lexie is a very talented lady too, take a look at her blog Those words she wrote, truly a gifted writer, she really has a way with the words. Together they are chatty and funny and I felt like I’d known them forever.  Time passed all too quickly and I had to leave. Of course I didn’t leave empty handed, always good to have a look at the fab array of fabrics she has.

Always so difficult for me to capture the true colour. Another gorgeous Indian print cotton. 

And here’s a pic of the two fabulous ladies themselves.

Anna on the right and Lexie on the left.

I can’t wait to go back again and hopefully get to know them a little better.

I think what I’m trying to say is, that sometimes its good to put in a little effort and meet new people. You just never know who you might come across. I’m still a mostly unsociable bugger but sometimes I come out of hiding!

So I now have 3 garments in the grey daisy fabric from Merchant & Mills. All based on the same pattern, Tilly and the Buttons “Mathilde”, but all quite different. The latest is the short sleeve top.

Here come the pics

This pic is just because I like seeing the pins.

I know I’ve said it before but I can’t believe how different it looks once I put the sleeves in. I’m never sure I’ll like it at this point.

Boom!

Looks so much better now.

And now here come the other two garments in the same fabric.

Dress.

Long sleeve top.

Loving them all.

I have decided to just embrace the fact that I love this style of top and that I will be making it in lots of different fabrics, and sometimes the same fabrics. I am a creature of habit and when I know what I like, I know what I like. So if you’re after a blog that shows you lots of different garments then I’m afraid you are in the wrong place my friend.

I love this fabric, its a cotton poplin. And at £6 a meter (I bought a meter and a half) this top cost me a mere £11. And that includes the matching thread.

I love the pretty selvedge.

Very happy to get all the pattern pieces on the right way round on 1.5meters of fabric. And its only about 110cm wide. I know it looks like it doesn’t fit, but it worked out perfectly.

Its usually at this stage I think I don’t like it. I’m never very impressed until I’ve added the sleeves.

Love the neckline.

There we are, much better.

Loved the selvedge so much I kept it.

Trying a new pose!

And there we are.

I would also like to add that it is 2 years ago today that I made my very first cushion cover

This one.

And I have not looked back since. Sewing is the best thing I’ve discovered, EVER! I still can’t believe that I can create my own clothes and bags. It really truly gives me endless enjoyment. And nothing can compete with the feeling I have whenever I’m wearing clothes or carrying a bag I made. I think I probably wear something I made pretty much most of the time now. Happy happy me :0)

For a while at least!

7 lovely blouses.

This does not include the first 2 I made. So they make 9, and there’s the 2 dresses I’ve made too. Which is a total of 11 garments made from variations on the Mathilde pattern. Although most of them don’t really resemble the Mathilde too much at all anymore.

4 short sleeved blouses.

I do particularly love the short sleeved version.

A wardrobe full of self made tops :0)

I can’t remember the last time I bought an item of clothing, the only clothing (I’m talking outer clothing, not underwear) I’m likely to buy now are jeans, as I have no intentions of ever making any. For me there are somethings that are best left to the professionals, and jeans are one of them. I might have a go at trousers one day, when I find the right pattern, but not jeans, no sir.

Its a sickness! I’ve made another blouse.

I bought 3 more metres of this gorgeous fabric from M&M, in the hope that I would be able to get 2 blouses out of it. As the fabric is just a mere 110cm wide it takes a bit of juggling. As you can see the back piece of the bodice is overhanging the fabric a bit, this doesn’t matter as I don’t have the button fastening down the back so usually end up cutting off several inches down the centre back seam anyway. I thought I might have to put the sleeve piece on sideways in order to fit it all in but happily using the shortest sleeve pattern piece I was able to get it on right way round. The picture shows the cuff piece (top left hand corner) in the sideways position but I actually managed to get that on right way round too. It is a bit of a tight squeeze with the bodice pieces but they do all fit onto just under 150cm.

How to get two tops out of 3 metres of narrow fabric!

Now, I don’t have an overlocker but I am so far getting away with just zigzagging the edges. I have also gotten better at this each time I make a blouse. Getting pretty neat now.

neck facing

centre back seam. Looks better in real life than it does here!

I really like the inside of my blouses, the finish is quite lovely. Even if I do say so myself.

It is very similar to this one except the sleeves are shorter now.

The sleeve cuffs gave me a bit of trouble on this one, but only on one sleeve. I just couldn’t get it to attach nicely, in the end I did what Anne from the first Great British Sewing Bee used to do with tricky fabrics and situations, and I talked very firmly to it, and it eventually went on OK. Not perfect but OK.

I have more fabric for more blouses, probably another four I think (and I’m thinking about buying some more of the white cotton eyelet), but I might need a bit of a break from making these for a little while. Lets see what I come up with next.

I know its only the end of March, but I want to reflect a little on the turn my sewing has taken so far this year.

In January I made my first Mathilde blouse which was also the first thing I’d made using a proper pattern. First time I made sleeves too. I was so damned happy and pleased with myself.

I might not look it but I am.

Then came another one in a different fabric.

I got a bit carried away with myself after that and thought I could make a coat!

Here it is on me.

And that was January…

February saw me back to making Mathilde blouses and variations of it. I wanted to make it longer, so I just added 5cm to the bottom of the front & back bodice pieces.

Like so.

Perfect length, I love it.

Then came another one the same length.

Really is the perfect length for me. Thats what I love about making your own clothes, you can adapt things to suit yourself. So you get what you want.

Next up comes the Liberty dress. Which is the dress version of the Mathilde, my style ;0)

Modelled by Gerti…

And that was February. Its now nearly the end of March and I have another three garments to share. Coming up soon…

Finished my 3rd Mathilde blouse. Did I tell you I love this pattern? I made this one 5cm longer though and I’m much happier with the length now.

lengthened bodice front & back, and also made cuffs and facings a bit deeper. Makes them easier to work with.

No pics of me wearing this yet as I haven’t got a decent one. As soon as I have I will post it.

Made this one from black 5oz dress weight denim. Love it, think it worked really well. I was a bit worried the fabric would be too thick for french seams, but happily it was just fine.

3 Mathilde blouses all in a row!

And I have the fabric all ready and waiting for Mathilde blouses 4 & 5…

Well you know me, if I like something I want it in multiples! So here is my 2nd Mathilde top and stay tuned for a 3rd, 4th…………

I really really love this pattern, this pattern seems to suit everyone. Its lovely to put together too. Very satisfying to make.  I’ve included some pics of the gather stitches that I forgot in the last one. And one of inserting the sleeve, just to give a rough idea of how its done.

The pieces…..

Top of the sleeve gathering stitches.

Bottom of the sleeve gathering stitches. Not very straight, but doesn’t seem to matter once you’ve gathered them.

Showing the pins in the shoulder after gathering the stitches. This is quite fun to do actually. Although the actual sewing is quite fiddly!

Cuff went a bit wonky on this sleeve, but I really couldn’t be bothered to unpick and do it again. Don’t think it matters too much. I’m really pleased with the gathering on this blouse though, at both the shoulders and the cuffs.

What do you think? I love this fabric.

Another pic of me wearing the 1st one. I can see me making lots of these, as this is perfect for me (sorry for my weird face again).

Ok lets try and catch this up shall we? I’m just going  to post the rest of my makes from 2014 now. Here we go!

September, bag for Nona.

Denim lining.

Other side.

Trying to line up the pattern. I love the bottom right corner.

Sept/Oct, Black dress weight denim top. Started as a dress, didn’t work!

October, another one. Loving the contrast hem.

October, Love this black and white top.

November, made another black dress weight denim top. I do like multiples. Again I’d tried to make a dress with it! Just can’t get it to look right!

November, afternoon tea in London.

Wore one of my tops. CHEERS!

November, altered one of my jersey tunic tops. Think I like it at this length. Tough if I don’t really…..

November, this is the last thing I made in 2014. Liberty fabric top.

So there we have it. That was 2014. I made a lot of tops and quite a lot of bags. I thoroughly enjoyed my sewing. And learnt some new things. It was also interesting to see how different my very simple tops could look using different fabrics. Don’t think I ever need to buy another top again!

I’m just too damn excited not to post about this make today. I finished it today and seriously I can not believe I’ve done it, I really can’t! This is going to be long………

My friend Lucy gave me this for Christmas

Yep, its a pattern. But I have an irrational fear of patterns don’t I? Why, yes I do! But something about this pattern was calling to me. I’ve loved this top ever since I saw Tilly make it, on “The Great British Sewing Bee”in 2013. It was my dream top. And I hadn’t even started sewing then. I got very excited when I saw you could actually buy the pattern from TillyandtheButtons web site, and then got disappointed when it was only a digital pattern, don’t have a printer.  I then learnt how to sew, bought a pattern and didn’t like it. Didn’t understand it, couldn’t work it out, so I left it alone and stuck to drafting my own tops from two rectangle pieces of fabric( as you will be aware of by now, if you’ve been following this blog).

After making my OWN tops for over a year I started to get a little bored of the same shape. Although there were always slight variations on it and different fabrics meant a different outcome, but still I was feeling ready for a new challenge. I got very excited when I saw Tilly had started producing paper patterns, but when they first came out I still wasn’t ready. Back in November I went to London with Lucy and was going to buy the Mathilde pattern in Liberty, but they had sold out. So I was very happy that Lucy bought me one for Christmas.

Then I looked at it! Read some of the instructions and got scared again.  I decided the best way to tackle it was one step at a time, don’t look ahead, stay focused. I bought some fabric, (not the Liberty fabric I was going to order at £22 a metre) but some a little cheaper. Brought it home, put it straight into the washing machine. Next day I ironed it, then marked out the pattern for the size I wanted and cut it out, laid it out on the fabric and cut that out.

Can’t get over how much fabric the sleeves take up!

Some of the pieces

This took me about 3 hours to do, and by the time I finished my back was killing me so I took a break till the next day.

The next day was a first for me, I sewed darts and french seams.

French seam, attaching yoke to bodice.

Beautiful dart!

After sewing the bodice to the yoke and attaching the back to the front at the sides and shoulders I again called it a day. See I’m taking it slow ( I usually like to start and finish in one day), this had taken about 3 hours again.

Here it is so far….. I’m very bloody happy with myself!

Next was about facings for the neck line and inserting sleeves! GULP!! I have done facings for a neck line before but it was a long time ago and I have since found a way round having to do this( although I’m learning its actually quite nice to do these things). I didn’t line the facings with interfacing, as I don’t have any and didn’t really think it necessary. My finishing of the facing isn’t perfect and would probably have been better with interfacing, but hey ho! It still worked, and I’m still really pleased with it.

This also shows the neck line facing!

I put a little stitch in at the front to help hold it down. Otherwise it wants to roll back out!

Now inserting sleeves was a bit of a head fuck! After sewing the 3 lines of gather stitches at shoulders and bottom of sleeves, you then have to insert the sleeve. This takes a bit of reading of the instructions and I found the web site more useful than the instruction booklet. Once I got my head round it and understood what I was meant to do, it wasn’t too difficult.

showing the shoulder seam and sleeve attachment, sort of!

Sleeves without the cuffs. You can just about see the 3 rows of gather stitching on the bottom of the sleeves. Wish i’d taken better pictures of these.

I forgot to mention that I left off the beautiful tucks that are on the front of the Mathilde blouse and also the button fastening for the back. I just sewed a centre seam down the middle of the back

Bottom of back centre seam.

top of back centre seam.

I also hemmed it this day too. This all took me about 6 hours. So again I called it a day, although the temptation to just get it finished was strong, I resisted! And I’m flipping glad I did, as doing the cuffs was more complicated than I had anticipated.

Yep doing the cuffs took me way longer than I thought it would and was quite fiddly, but happily I completed them. Took about 2 hours!

one cuff

other cuff.

Finished!!! YAY!!!!

Cut head off as looked awful, and i am that vain!

How gorgeous is this? Top that is, not me!

I can’t tell you how happy I am that I’ve finally tackled a pattern. And inserted sleeves. I never in a million years thought I’d have the courage to do this without attending a class.  I didn’t think it was possible, but it is. I’ve obviously taught myself enough that working out what to do, wasn’t too much of a problem. I’m extremely happy with the results and its currently hanging up in my living room so I can look at it and admire it! I am slapping myself on the back big time people! Yes I am!

I have started on my next one already too……..

The beauty of this paper pattern is, the paper used is sturdy enough to use again and again! So here’s to many more Mathilde tops in many different fabrics……..