Girl Can Sew

  Have you ever had a fabric in your stash with no idea what to make with it and then, as if by magic, a new pattern is released which matches perfectly? Well, that’s what happened to me! I picked up this Chambray remnant from Ditto Fabrics in Brighton over a year ago, washed it, and lovingly placed it in my stash and there it sat until now. This fabric has a soft feel and good drape in a classic indigo shade so I knew I’d find something to make with it eventually. When I saw the Bakerloo Dress (by Nina Lee) made up in chambray I didn't have to reach too far for my own, it was meant to be! The pattern has really clear instructions and is beginner-friendly. The hardest part is attaching the frill to the collar because it can get caught in the corners. I tried the top part on once I had stitched the side seams and I have to say it was a bit of a struggle to pull down over my bust. I double-checked the size chart and I’d definitely chosen the correct size but because generally, th...

I saw this Mind the Maker viscose fabric on Sew Me Sunshine ’s website and just needed it, even though I had no specific plans of what to make with it. The colours and abstract print really appealed to me! Then it sat in my stash for a few months waiting for inspiration to strike me. Sometimes I buy a fabric and love it so much that I end up not using it because no project I ever imagine is good enough to truly showcase the fabric. I didn’t want that to happen this time so I began trawling through Instagram hashtags to see what other people had made with it and I finally settled on a hacked version of a dress I have made previously – Megan Nielsen,Sudley Dress ( see previous version here ). I really love this shape on me, it’s relaxed and loose fitting which is great for the summer – if it’s not already over! I also think it will look lovely with tights in the autumn. I made the following hacks: ·          Added a frill to the waist seam ...

Hey Sewers! I  am very excited for this weeks blog post, never have a pattern and fabric gone together so well! I have teamed the  Megan Nielsen - Sudley dress with this beautiful embroidered sheer fabric from Montreux Fabrics which I picked up at the Knitting & Stitching Show. It's lined with a simple black cotton I got from Goldhawk Road. I saw this fabric from afar across the stall buried under many other rolls, I made a bee line for it, wedging myself between the hordes of people queuing and fished it out. It has vivid multicoloured embroidered flowers meandering across a sheer black base giving it a psychedelic 70s vibe. There is a blue border along the selvedge which I took advantage of for all the hems, this did mean ignoring the direction of the grain on the fabric but I don't think that's a problem. I opted not to pattern match with this fabric because of the way it is made, even though the pattern has a repeat they're not perfect and I k...

Hey Everyone! Another week, another make! Inspired by Rosabella from Sewn I decided to purchase the New Look, 6469 pattern and paired it with this luxurious stretch velvet from Minerva Crafts . Originally I intended to make it in a similar purple stretch velvet from Goldhawk Road but found when I got home that the fabric was faulty and large patches of the pile were going in the opposite direction resulting in large black areas when the light hit it. Not sure what caused it but that will teach me to pay better attention to the fabric I purchase there in future by unrolling it some and checking for faults. Pattern instructions were easy to follow and had clear illustrations. Originally I was a bit confused as to why you would need a zip in a knitted garment - surely you can just pull it over your head? I stuck with the pattern anyhow and I'm glad I did because the neckline is quite close fitting and so it would put too much strain on the neckband if you did not includ...

Hi Sewers! This week I am very excited to share my latest summer make, it's a hacked Tilly & The Buttons Martha Dress. On my commute to work I often find myself observing other peoples clothes, making mental notes for future projects. Recently I've seen a lot of Broderie Anglais dresses and blouses with plenty of romantic details such as: frills, gathering, mandarin collars and trims. So I went about drafting up how I wanted it to look: Excuse my rough sketch! I was at work. Key features: Frills! - Bust, neck, sleeve Bell sleeves Lace zip Once I knew how I wanted it to look I went about finding an appropriate pattern and found the Martha Dress  with it's princess seams and mandarin collar was the perfect match.  Pattern Alterations The Broderie Anglais fabric has beautiful border embroidery so I wanted to take advantage of this on the hems of the skirt and sleeves. However, the skirt is cut on the bias which would have made this impossible. So...