Theunpickstitchpapers

Fibre Mood Phyllis

Phyllis is not a name I associate with funky and modern. Apologies to any Phyllis’s who might be reading this. It’s a name I associate with old dears, because the only Phyllis I ever knew was such a one.

When I got to preview Special Edition 3 of Fibre Mood magazine, my eye was drawn to this wonderfully clever looking shirt dress called Phyllis, gorgeously modelled by a very chic older model. I was being sucked in and wanted to pull off this look too.

I was drawn by the pleat detail down one side, the 3/4 length sleeve with a split, the fact that there was no traditional shirt cuff to faff about with and the neat little collar.

At first, I thought that I would make it in some African wax print, but then I came across this amazing graphic print poplin from Bornello fabrics and had to snatch it up.

I love this shade of green at the moment, and I’ve been wanting to try out a wavy graphic print for a while, so this looked like the perfect pairing. Now, I was determined to make a funky, modern version of the Phyllis, which would, in time, become an old dear to me.

And as if the fabric wasn’t funky enough, I decided to embelish the collar with some Ric Rac to echo the wavy lines of the print.

The dress is a boxy, slightly fitted design, finishing just past the knees. I hoped it would be a good style for me as at the moment I’m not able to wear anything fitted around the waist. Trousers and skirts are uncomfortable at the moment, so I am wearing dresses mostly now.

The pattern measurements were putting me as a medium for bust and a large for hips. Fibre Mood patterns are printed without seam allowance added, but there is an option to allow printing with seam allowance. It was only after I had printed and stuck all the pieces together that I remembered that I hadn’t clicked the print with the seam allowance option. Annoying, but as it turned out it was perfectly fine. Worried about the fit, I just cut out the large and hoped for the best.

For a neater, more professional look, I decided to French seam as many seams as I could. And for the first time, I even French seamed the sleeve head and was very pleased with myself! The sleeve comes in 2 pieces which are joined along the front, but not all the way to the end, thus creating a slit. This is the only seam I overlocked.

The star of this garment is the pleated right bodice front. Lining up the pleats took some care but it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. The front, right bodice is made up of two parts, the upper and lower bodice. The upper bodice pleats fold into and are incorporated into the button band and the lower bodice pleats fold just up to the button band.

For the collar, I followed a quick tutorial by @thepolkadotpalace on Instagram. But I had some trouble getting it right. There is a pucker in the collar which I am ignoring!

The other thing I struggled with was placing the button holes, hence the chalk marks you can see. Hoping they wash off. It took me ages to evenly spread the buttons out and ensure that I wasn’t sewing a buttonhole through layers of pleated fabric.

Speaking of buttons, the other thing I was really worried about was that the skirt would be too tight and the buttons would gape when I sat down. This fear goes back to struggles I had in the 90s with straight, button up skirts. The shops didn’t cater for women with hips and thick thighs. But I am happy to report that though I have no photo to confirm it, I can sit comfortably in this without any gaping.

All in all, I am really happy with this make. I made it slowly over 5 days and enjoyed most of the making. The boxy shape has been made less so by the pleats and dart in the left bodice. I love how comfortable it is without sacrificing style.

I styled mine with trainers and this is how I’ll be wearing it as soon as the weather is warm enough. The thing about poplin is that when it is unlined it’s a pain to wear with tights. It sticks to your legs and bunches up and you’re forever pulling it off you. Do this will definitely be a Spring and Summer dress.

So, if you’re thinking of adding a shirtdress to your wardrobe, I would recommend trying this one, it’s certainly one of a kind. I am definitely going to make one out of Ankara and maybe one in soft denim. I prefer the look of more structured fabrics. What do you think, will you be trying this?

Go With The Ebb And Flow

Last year, my friends at Emporia Sewing Patterns sent me a free copy of their new pattern, the Pene lope dress. Now, I’ll be honest, I didn’t immediately love it.

Because my preference is for a more fitted silhouette, I had been resisting the “toddler dress” trend. You know the sort, puffy sleeved, wide fitting style, full gathered skirt, sometimes with buttons down the back. But there was something about the Penelope that made me eager to try it. The sleeves looked phenomenal! I loved the v- neck and the fact that the bodice is lined. So I decided to give it a try.

Whenever I’m unsure of a pattern, I play it safe by making it in my favourite colour or favourite fabric. So my first attempt at the Penelope was made in a joyful ankara print. I decided I didn’t want a maxi, I prefer a midi length, so I lengthened the skirt piece a little and didn’t add the bottom tier.

Well, I was really surprised by how much I loved the dress. There are no fastenings which made for a straight forward make, and quite enjoyable, barring the gathering, which I never enjoy. But the finished dress looked so good and was so comfy and easy to wear. It became one of my most worn dresses of 2023. Bonus points for pockets and being able to be layered.

Some time after this make, I noticed that my body was beginning to behave strangely. I put it down to aging and tried to ignore it, but after a while I realised a trip to the GP was necessary. Nothing super alarming was found, just extremely low iron and the presence of sizable fibroids.

I gave up weighing myself quite a few years ago for my own well being and in order to foster a better relationship with my body. But as a sewist, I am frequently taking my measurements and have become acutely aware of changes to my body. I was noticing a thickening of my torso and my lower abdomen was a little extended. Some of my recent makes had suddenly become uncomfortable to wear and that was upsetting.

The bloating, discomfort and the occasional pain as well as the uncertainty over treatment was beginning to get me down, reminding me of my past fertility struggles. I really had to pray hard for the strength not to go into a downward spiral of self pity. I remembered to be thankful for my two precious daughters, thankful that treatment was available and thankful that I was otherwise healthy.

But my changing body meant that I would need to change my style and I wasn’t sure what that would look like.

I had been gifted 2.5 meters of gorgeous viscose twill from a local fabric store, Ray Stitch. I wanted to use it to make a dress that wasn’t too fancy and that I would want to wear on repeat and one that would be really comfortable. Nothing tight around my tummy. I also really didn’t want to buy a new pattern but to use what I already had. It took me a while to realise that the dress I needed was another Penelope.

Because I only had 2.5 metres, the skirt isn’t quite as full and gathered but I think it still works beautifully. The more drapy fabric gives a less structured look than the ankara one but the sleeves still make a loud statement.

As with my African wax print fabrics, I believe that a beautiful, patterned fabric doesn’t need to be made into a busy, fussy garment. A simple design let’s the fabric do the talking. The Penelope is that elevated toddler dress that perfectly shows off this gorgeous fabric.

This is a style of dress I am happy to get used to wearing. The darts give shape to the bodice and the v-neck is graceful. This was a happy make, an injection of joy in a low spell.

I must have been radiating joy when I was out with my daughter getting shots of the dress because our local street sweeper asked to join in with the photoshoot! What a laugh!

This period of life has taught me and is teaching me that I’ve got to learn to go with the ebb and flow of things. My body is changing, and thankfully, because I can sew, I can tailor my wardrobe accordingly. It’s taught me to embrace new styles and get out of that rut of mourning over what I can’t wear. And I’m reminded again that smiling, laughing and enjoying life is infectious 😅

Joyful, mindful Sewing

I’m always a bit hesitant to say that sewing is my therapy. I don’t want to take away from the real, good and helpful work of a professional therapist, neither do I want to belittle the very painful mental struggles people have. All that said, sewing does provide for me a way to relax, to think about things other than my struggles, to channel my energy and negative thoughts into something constructive and beautiful. The buzz and joy I get from fabric and pattern coming together beautifully does my soul good. Even the challenging makes are good as they bring joy and satisfaction when they are conquered. So, in this way, I venture to say that sewing is for me a form of therapy and sometimes when I’m away from it, I miss it.

I was blessed to have a couple of weeks away in two different UK locations this year, and whilst the weather wasn’t brilliant every day, it wasn’t bad either. The first week was just my husband and me in a cottage in Northumbria and for the second week we took our youngest with us to a cottage near Dorchester.

Both holidays, we enjoyed beaches and woodlands, both of which are such beautiful,calming locations for me, giving me the opportunity to be peaceful, mindful of my smallness, and thankful for my existence and my creator.

The holiday was mostly restful. Our bodies and minds were in desperate need of rest. I got some reading done, I made the most of the opportunity to meditate on God’s word and to cut down my social media time! But difficulties don’t disappear just because you are away from home and we faced some challenges in between the relaxation, fun and beauty.

By the time I got home, I was itching to get sewing. I wanted a pattern that wasn’t too complicated and I wanted to use some bright, joyful fabric. I wanted to make something that would work for me, wearable, not too fancy.

I had recently been sent a new pattern to make and review and it seemed that this would fit the bill.

Izzo Sew Studios is a new independent pattern company. I’ve had the pleasure of following Izzy of Izzo Sews Studios on Instagram for a good while and then rather surprisingly bumping into her at a wedding recently. I was gifted the pattern and paid in return for an honest review.

The Dovestone dress is a simple, trapeze dress pulled together by a long drawstring that acts as straps and ties. There are several options for tying the straps, changing the look of the dress. Little loops at back of the dress (which I forgot to use for these photos!) helping to keep the straps in place.The pattern comes as a maxi or knee-length. And there are pockets.

I knew that I didn’t want to make the maxi dress as I have come to realise that much as I love the look, I’m not a maxi person. Whether it’s that I feel overdressed in a maxi or my body feels overwhelmed by too much fabric, I’m not sure. I considered adapting the pattern to make a top as I am a bit of a “jeans and nice top” person. But when I saw some of the versions of the pattern popping up on Instagram, I knew I needed to make the knee length dress.

I chose to make it in this amazing 70s inspired viscose crepe. The colours and crazy pattern gave me such good feels. The only problem with this fabric is that it is really easy to get pulls in it, and annoyingly, I managed to get a pull or two.

I strongly recommend using clips instead of pins and using ball tips or microtex needles.

The Dovestone is a quick and easy make, the instructions are detailed and clear. This would be a good pattern for that last minute desperate make, that we sewists are prone to! I wish could tell you how long it took me but I didn’t time it. I am a slow, distracted sewist, and I am rarely able to sew consistently, but I wrapped up the project over a couple of days of dipping in and out of sewing it. It was pleasant sewing. I should say that with those long ties and loops, there’s a lot of ironing, potential finger singe-ing ironing! If you have a bias binding machine, it might make this process easier.

Although my measurements put me at a UK 14, I went with the finished garment measurements and sewed a size 12, B cup. I knew it wasn’t a fitted garment, and I didn’t want too much fabric swathing my body.

I’m really pleased with how the dress turned out and how lovely to have sewn it while the sun was shining. I might actually get to wear it before summer goes. I am planning to go abroad in October and this make will be perfect.

I’m hoping that I’ll be able to make it work for autumn too. I’m thinking tall, brown boots, a close fitting polo-neck and a denim jacket maybe.

This dress is a little out of my comfort zone in that it shows a lot of flesh, and parts that I’m uncomfortable with. Flabby arms, untoned back, varicose veins. But I am wanting to fight my negative body issues and be kinder to myself. I love how I look in this dress and I love this body that has carried me for 53 years!

This was such a good post holiday make, speedy and beautiful. Just the right amount of effort needed, with space to think and enjoy. Quite an ingenious pattern and it was a joy to see it coming together. I absolutely love the fabric too, a great pairing methinks. All in all, just the confidence boosting, joy-giving thing I needed 😊

Sewing and Struggling

The last few months have been tough, I have felt so drained. There have been days when I’ve struggled to think straight and others where I’ve leapt into action with an energy and wisdom that can only have come from God himself.

As parents, when you care for and love deeply, a child who is insecure, anxious, afraid, who feels unloved, who both rejects love and demands it, you will find that life is unpredictable. It’s hard to make plans because the one thing that is predictable is that drama is never far away.

When life is about locking things away, fear lurks. When a phone call from school fills you with dread and life is a series of meetings with therapists, counsellors, doctors, police and school, it’s hard to be calm, and yet calm is needed.

As a Christian, my faith in Jesus grounds me, and I get a lot of comfort from reading my bible and praying. God has given me a wonderfully supportive family, church, and friends, for which I am so grateful. I also believe my ability to sew is a gift that helps.

A few months ago when I saw a family therapist she told me to make sure that I was doing things that brought me joy and to do them as self-care. I told her that sewing gave me a lot of joy. It really does but yet it is one of the first things I let go of when life is hard because it feels frivolous.

I started making the Mc Calls 7908 jumpsuit in the beginning of March hoping to have it completed by the end of March and enter it into a sewing challenge being hosted on Instagram. I got so close to finishing it when I encountered some fit issues at the same time when a family crisis was kicking off. I had been clinging on to sewing this jumpsuit remembering that I needed to do something that brought me joy, but March was particularly hard for our family and I had to let go of my project to be fully present. Although I was gutted not to be able to participate in the challenge, I knew I would pick the project up again at some point, unrestrained. Priorities, right?

I’m glad I did give myself fully to the situation. March was hard, April was harder, but we pulled through, and I did manage to finish my jumpsuit at a much slower pace. It was a sweet thing when I sewed the last stitch and cut those last stray threads.

I haven’t sewn much with commercial patterns over the past 20 years. Of course, when I started sewing many moons ago, commercial patterns were all that were available. I was never a fan, I hate the tissue paper, the covers rarely pull me in, the instructions are often scarce, and I find for me that the sizing is often hit or miss.

But I want to conquer my fear and possible misconceptions. So let’s talk about the M7908

When it comes to commercial patterns, I don’t have the energy to scroll through what feels like hundreds of patterns. So for this make, I let instagram do the work! I posted an image of what look I was going for, and soon enough, someone pointed me to the M7908.

The very gorgeous J-Lo in this jumpsuit was my inspiration.

It wasn’t a perfect match, but I was happy with it and thought it would work. I searched the hashtag on Instagram, and this version blew my mind. I knew I had to make one! Again, the cover photo wasn’t that inspiring, but I could imagine it on me, a larger and more curvy body.

https://instagram.com/sew.with.caro?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

I bought my pattern from Sew Direct and it was delivered really quickly. At first I thought that I’d made a mistake because the pattern had a petite label on it. The lovely Amy from Simplicity Patterns put me right and said that it just meant the pattern was easily adapted for petite sizing.

I bought the 14-22 size packet and my measurements put me between a 14-16 bust, an 18 waist and between 16-18 hip. I cut the 16 and graded the trouser piece out to an 18. The bodice pieces come in 4 cup sizes A-D, I cut the smallest, A-B.

To make it look more like the J-Lo version, I drafted a large patch pocket piece for the front of the trousers instead of the hip pockets the pattern had.

The sewing was really straightforward and the instructions were clear, so I take back that criticism! One lovely touch that gave the jumpsuit a smart, professional look,was the use of bias binding around the neck.

I wanted my jumpsuit to lean into that 90s look, so I lengthened the trousers, for that slouchy vibe. I might regret that choice with all the rain we’ve been having!

I had some issues with the fitting. The size 16 was too big, so I increased my seam allowance to make up for it. I also think that the bodice was a bit long, I didn’t shorten it as I wasn’t sure if the length was needed to help with ease of movement. The trousers felt a little bit snug around my bottom but I think that’s just the new feel, the soft denim will stretch with wear, I’m sure. Also, having hated my bottom for many years, I’m always super self-conscious of anything that sticks to my butt!

I did choose to add 1.5 inch thick elastic to the back of my jumpsuit to tackle what I call the ski slope effect, that discrepancy between my waist and bottom. The elastic pulls everything in nicely, I think.

I’m not entirely happy with the fit across the shoulders. The neck and collar don’t sit as flat as I would like and there’s a bit of gaping. But perhaps I’m being too critical? I have more gathers on the shoulders as I choose to cut a larger sleeve size to accommodate my biceps.

The fabric I bought from New Craft House is really gorgeous and great to work with. Pinstripe, light weight, dark denim, what’s not to love. It gives the jumpsuit a smart look. The stripes and the separate bodice pieces meant that playing around with the stripe direction was a must!

So after all my struggles, I can actually say that I am really pleased with this make. I think my love for it is heightened by the fact that I sewed it through a tough emotional time and resilience won. Don’t give up on the good things, do the things you love in good times and in bad.

My Ghana Holiday Wardrobe

On my recent holiday to Ghana, I was surprised by how easy packing was, and this is rarely the case for me. It helped that we were going somewhere where the weather would be consistenly hot rather than the UK or European holidays I’m more used to having. What was extra pleasing was that I noticed for the first time that my suitcase consisted of I’d say 95% memade clothes. So I thought that was blog worthy 😊

I’m going to just walk through what I took on holiday and comment on how suitable each garment was. I’ll talk about the things I took which weren’t me made and I’ll also talk about what I learned from this me-made holiday wardrobe.

We went to Ghana to celebrate my mum’s 80th birthday and unfortunately we were only there for a week. Apart from the dress I wore for my mum’s party, I didn’t make anything new for the trip, I didn’t think I needed anything new. And most of the rest of the gear I packed were firm favourites, worn many a time. That was pleasing because I’m not in the business of making a wardrobe that doesn’t get worn because it doesn’t fit with my lifestyle. I do think carefully before I take on a sewing project about the wearability and practicality, my garments need to earn their place in my wardrobe.

Let’s start with my outward bound airport fit, which left a lot to be desired! I didn’t think this one through very well, I just knew I wanted to have a white shirt out in Ghana as a throw-over and I wanted layers to make the transition from cold October London to hot, sticky Accra. But the look I achieved with my vintage Gucci bag made me feel like Paulo Gucci in the House of Gucci film- not very well put together! My trousers and jacket are me made, the shirt is from H and M and a lovely friend made the crochet vest for me.

The next day we were travelling from Accra, the capital, to Kumasi, the second main city. We were travelling by road and comfort was key.

I chose to wear this simple faux wrap dress in a really light cotton and it was perfect. The journey was really long and frustrating but it gave us the opportunity to soak in some of the surroundings.

Saturday was the day of the party and we spent much of the morning and afternoon by the pool. I wore a pretty old tankini which I love, even though it is a bit bobbly. I have considered making my own swim suit. I am not a bikini fan, but I like a two piece, and halter neck or racer backs are my favourite. I’m happy to hear your suggestions for swimwear patterns.

The evening was party time! I had spent 3 weeks leading up to our holiday frantically sewing up 4 outfits for my sister, two daughters and me. I ran out of time to sew for my husband and brother in law so a lovely sewing friend of mine stitched a band of fabric and a pocket onto white shirts for the guys. We all chose different garments which I sewed in matching printed kente ankara cloth. It really was fun sewing to each person’s specification.

Traditional kente is the cloth of Ghana, worn and designed originally by the Ashanti and Ewe people mostly. It is heavy, woven in strips on a loom and then hand stitched together. It is expensive due to the process and often uses silk along with cotton. I opted for a printed cotton version as it was a cooler fabric for us – and a lot cheaper! We all had a ball and my parents loved the party. The dress code was white and Kente. In Ghana, white is the colour of thanks giving and kente represents wealth and celebration.

Sunday was church and my mum didn’t tell me that it was a thanksgiving service and that we all would have to go up to the front at some point and be prayed for. Oh well. It was really lovely though, we joined a few other members of the very large church that day who were wanting to give thanks to God for something special. White was the order of the day but I didn’t know that and was wearing my all time favourite dress in bright yellow. I don’t actually own a white dress but now I really want to make one so I will always be ready for a Ghanaian thanksgiving!

On Sunday evening we all went out for a meal, my brother, his girlfriend and son had also travelled out. We enjoyed a lovely time as family. The restaurant served excellent food and had a wonderful atmosphere.

I wore a trouser set, the Saguaro Pants set by Friday Pattern Company. The deep v-neck top can be worn either way and I found that I really liked it with the v at the back, no cleavage issues and the higher neckline looked quite classy.

Monday was a bit of slow pool side, a bit of being tourists before heading to have dinner with my parents. I started off the day in my Tilly and the Buttons Seren dress, but the crepe fabric was not very breathable and I felt very hot and uncomfortable.

So I changed into a simple cotton shift dress, the Stevie by Tilly and the Buttons. It was very comfortable but that day was hotter than the others and I was also mercilessly bitten so in many ways it was still a very uncomfortable day.

Tuesday was market day, again unbearable hot. We navigated the large market in Kumasi looking mostly for fabric and shea butter. I wore my Jessica dress by Mimi G Style, which is unfortunately a little tight now. I was quite a hot, sticky mess by the end of that day. I love the Jessica dress though and I definitely need another for next year.

On Wednesday we spent most of our day in the hotel relaxing, packing and hanging by the pool. I wore a simple slip dress made from the True Bias Ogden cami bit I didn’t get a picture of it. My parents joined us later at the hotel. It was so good to spend that time with them. I got changed for dinner and wore a Mimi G for Simplicity dress. This dress is a newer one and hasn’t been worn much, but I really like it. The ankara fabric has glitter worked into some of the print which makes it feel quote dressy, not to mention the dramatic puffed sleeves and low back.

And so the week was drawing to an end and it was hard saying bye to my parents. I was nonetheless so pleased that we’d been able to get out there even if it was for just one short week.

On the Thursday we were heading back, firstly to Accra to very quickly soak in the city before heading back to the airport for a night flight to London. We flew to Accra this time, the journey taking a mere 40 mins rather than the 6 hours it took by road! I am not good in aeroplanes, for one, I always need to take sickness tablets and I am also scared of flying. This little internal plane was a terrifying experience for me, I had my eyes closed all the way and offered many prayers! But I had a cute dress on so that was good 😆.

We met a friendly photographer while we were in Accra and he kindly took a family photo for us.

For the night flight home, I changed into my Homer and Howells Lennox boilersuit. I didn’t get any photos of it but you can check out my previous blog for details. My homeward bound airport fit was more put together!

I didn’t deliberately choose a mostly African wax print wardrobe, it just so happens that most of my summer outfits are made from wax print. In Ghana you’ll find people mostly wearing jeans and t-shirts like everywhere else. Wax print you’ll tend to see more of on Sundays and for events. But I couldn’t possibly face wearing jeans in such heat!

The clothes I make tend to be quite fitted because I like that fit on me but I felt that I could do with more floaty, voluminous dresses that allow air to circulate around the waist and under the bust. I’ll be doing some research on patterns I could make that fit the bill, it’ll be tricky because I don’t like that sort of shape on me, I feel my body looks nicer with fit and structure.

I also really loved wearing my Saguaro set for an evening look, that pattern needs repeating. I noticed aswell that many of my dresses had v-neck and faux wrap, that’s obviously a neckline and cut I like on me.

Well, thank you for coming on this little trip with me reflecting on my holiday wardrobe. I’m not sure why it feels so good to have a me made wardrobe that really works for me, so much so that I mostly don’t need shop bought stuff, but it really does feel very good!

Homer and Howells Lennox Boiler Suit plus thoughts on Queen and Country

Phew, what a strange time we Brits and it would seem, the world find ourselves. “The end of an era” will be the catchphrase now to top “the new normal” spawned in the covid pandemic.

I wanted to write a blog post on this boiler suit, which is my current favourite and best but my mind kept turning to the Queen and all the emotions and thoughts her death stirred up in me. So I shall do both.

I am not a true monarchist at heart, but I make no apology for having had a huge admiration of the Queen. There was something so nobel about her character, she had a servant heart which is extremely rare to find these days in our celebrity obsessed culture. I admired her commitment to her family and to her country, she fulfilled her promise of lifelong service. And it would seem from her comments and people’s observations that she shared the same religious beliefs as I do. Her love for God and Jesus his son was a reality to her and not empty words spoken at ceremonies. I respect that.

And yet, the monarchy. Unelected individuals who by reason of birth rule us and get to live in excessive luxury at the taxpayers expense while often getting up to all sorts of unsavoury and unpleasant things. And history makes it uncomfortable for me as a black person to cheer the monarchy on with it’s past hankering for empire, lording it over many nations, committing and sanctioning some atrocities along the way.

And yet. Life is way more complicated than just black or white, love it or hate it, support or dismiss.

All through my life I have had to navigate voices telling me what I should believe, who I should love, who I should hate, what I should listen to, what I should wear. Voices from white people and people of colour. There is often an expectation that as a black person, I should like x and I should dress like y. It really frustrates me and I have always fought against it. I am guided firstly by my faith and then secondly by a desire to see the best in people and beauty in the world.

And so, I am sad at the Queen’s passing and not thrilled at Charles becoming King. If we became a Republic, I wouldn’t be devastated, it is the end of an era after all.

Moving swiftly on, what I am thrilled about and hoping will mark a new style era for me, is this boiler suit.

When I first came across the Lennox pattern from Homer and Howells, I was quite impressed with it. My love for stylish adult onesies has been steadily growing over these past few years. Yes, they’re a pain when you’re desperate for the loo. Yes they can be struggle to get out of. Yes you do feel odd sitting on a loo half naked. All this aside, they do look so good, are super comfy to wear and like dresses, they simplify getting ready in the mornings.

The Lennox was one of my make nine, an instagram challenge to make a selected 9 garments in a year. I’m not sure I’ll complete the challenge as this is only number 4 out of the 9.

It was when I saw the Lennox boilersuit on one of my favourite instagrammers and bloggers Alice of thepolkadotpalace, that I decided that I needed to get on and make one. In fact, she had made 2, one in a similar lightweight denim as this, and one in pink corduroy, they are both gorgeous. Alice put yellow buttons on her denim Lennox and I loved this look, but red is so much more me.

I enjoyed the making process of this even though I took it really slow and got distracted by other things along the way, like Ankara Appreciation Week back in July. In fact, I paused the making of the Lennox jumpsuit to make a Lennox shirt out of wax print.

This shirt and this jumpsuit have been well worn already. Next time when I make the shirt version, I will add a couple of inches in length as it is a bit cropped and I find myself pulling at it too often.

For the jumpsuit though, the bodice length was fine. For the trousers, I did an adjustment for the seat. I added an inch or so to the crotch length for the back leg piece and it’s perfect. No more wedgies for me!

I also lengthened the leg pieces as I wasn’t really sold on the cropped version.

The fabric I used was from Minerva and it is a really lovely chambray, both to work with and wear.

In the Lennox, I think I’ve found the perfect shirt and boiler suit pattern. I am trying really hard to be a pattern repeater and not get influenced into buying and trying every new pattern I see. There’s something to be said for finding something that suits you and that you love and making it again, with adaptations and variations. For example I plan on turning the Lennox into a shirt dress, I’ll let you know how that goes. Being a pattern repeater saves money and time. And surely it helps to build a more wearable wardrobe don’t you think?

It struck me as I was preparing to do this blog that the colours were quite pertinent to some of what I was saying earlier. Red, white and blue with a flash of Ankara too. That’s me.

Fibre Mood Sienna with Big Arm Sleeve Hack

I’ve always been the sort of person who only needs to look at a set of dumbbells to gain muscle. Lucky you I hear you say, yep it’s just how the good Lord made me. A couple of decades ago when I was involved in car crash the doctor’s report described me as a “pleasant mesomorph”. That was new to me, so I searched it up. We mesomorphs gain muscle easily and are the envy of bodybuilders everywhere.

I didn’t always regard my build as a blessing, sure I was always one of the first to be picked for sports teams but I always had a hankering to be more delicately built. I had the sort of frame which meant boys were happy to punch my arm and treat me as one of the lads. Some even wished they were built like me.

But my greatest annoyance was trying to fit my arms and legs into shop bought clothes that were definitely not made for girls like me. From an early age I avoided all clothing with cuffs that fell at my biceps and were buttoned, fitted or even elasticated. They were always too tight and restricting.

Knowing this, you’d think that I’d always be on top of sleeve adjustments now that I have the skill of making my own clothes. And yes, I usually am. I size up, grade out, slash and spread, swap out for a more generous sleeve, but for some reason I forgot to do this for this blouse, the Sienna from Fibremood.

Let’s talk about this blouse. As a Fibre Mood insider, I get to preview the patterns each time ahead of the magazine launch and choose one pattern for free. There were as usual many great patterns but shirts and blouses have been calling me lately. The gathered, slightly cropped and boxy shape of the blouse with high neckline and possibly bicep constricting sleeves were all things that may have put me off in the past but I was drawn to this pattern.

Other lovely features are the hidden placket, shoulder yoke with gathers, back yoke with centre pleat and gathers and neat, cuffed, buttoned sleeves.

I choose to make mine from a cotton madras check print I bought from New Craft House. It’s a lovely soft, light fabric with a slightly crumpled look which helps give this blouse a very casual feel. It’s quite a roomy blouse and I’m not a huge fan of being swathed in excess fabric so although my measurements put me at a large, I cut a medium based on the finished garment measurements. I had to cut carefully in a single layer to match the pattern design and am thankful that I got that right.

As well as gathers at the back and shoulder yokes, there are gathers at the sleeve cuff. Gathering is not a particular favourite of mine but I think I’ve got into a gathering routine that works fine for me: change bobbin to a contrasting colour. Turn machine tension right down. Use the longest stitch length. Sew two parallel lines within the seam allowance. Keep threads long at both ends. Pull on the bobbin threads to gather. Spread gathers evenly but don’t get too hung up about that part!

The sewing process for this make was quite pleasant. I even had huge success with my sleeve placket, infact I’d say they were the neatest sleeve plackets I’ve ever made. The instructions were clear and I went slow. So you can imagine my great annoyance when I discovered after all the hard work of making the sleeves that they were never going to button up over my arms!

I briefly contemplated unpicking the sleeves and making a new set as I had enough fabric left over but I couldn’t bring myself to do that. So I decided to make some cute ties instead, and unpick a tiny bit of the cuffs to neatly insert them and voila, a cute little hack was born!

Am I happy with the outcome? For sure! I’m not usually one for high necklines, I prefer a v or square neck but I love the buttoned up neat finish of this shirt. With the concealed button placket it reminds me of the smart , long shirts often worn by men in West Africa.

It’s another Fibre Mood winner and the sleeve ties mean no tears were shed!

Big shoes, big smile

My Ghanaian day name is Adjoa, I’m a Monday born Ashanti girl. Go Google Ghanaian day names if you’re interested to know more. Growing up, one of my dad’s nicknames for me was Adjoa bassa bassa. Not speaking the lingo, I’m told that “bassa bassa” is slang referring to something messy, disorganised, not put together well. Hmm. My parents often despaired of me because I wasn’t very “ladylike” in my dressing and I seemed to pair everything with trainers or heavy boots.

Very little has changed. The nickname didn’t upset me, I liked to taunt my dad with my scruffy, sometimes ‘boyish’ dressing. And he liked to taunt me and say that I looked like I was going to work on a farm. Please don’t be too hard on my dad, we love each other very much, it was all a bit of banter.

The picture at the top of this piece is my WhatsApp profile and recently, it caused my dad to bring up the old nickname. “Adjoa bassa bassa, are you going horse riding” was his comment. But then he said how much the picture made him laugh as it reminded him of younger me and he loved how happy I looked.

Younger me and older me have always struggled with footwear. I really don’t like delicate shoes. Many people have tried to convert me over the years, but to no avail. When I was planning what to wear on my first date with my now husband, a couple of older friends tried to help me and they despaired that I didn’t own a sensible pair of court shoes. I ended up wearing a chunky pair of Kickers.

What can I say, I just like a sturdy shoe. I can’t be doing with teetering about on heels with my feet pinched. I’m all about foot freedom!

My footwear choices do impact my clothes choices though. I guess I’ve always felt that I couldn’t wear certain clothes because I just didn’t have the right shoes. All my shoes seemed too casual or hefty for delicate dresses and smart trousers. It’s taken me a while to shake that off and say I don’t care. Having discovered clogs a few years back, I think, a pair of Lotta clogs are the smartest I’ll go with footwear.

I was really pleased a couple of years ago when sturdy shoes, dad sandals and trainers were doing the rounds on the catwalk with beautiful dresses- I always knew I was on to something!

Being comfortable is a huge part of my style. If I’m not comfortable, I don’t feel confident. Making my own clothes has been a big step towards a more comfortable wardrobe and not listening to the shoe gods has been another important step in that direction.

So here’s to many more years of being Adjoa bassa bassa, pairing big shoes with a big smile 😀

Comfort Dressing

The other day, I realised that I was getting therapy by stealth and I wasn’t mad about it. It was free after all.

Our family is being supported by some kind and sensitive CAMHS (Child and adolescent mental health services) staff and I’m thankful. We’ve been run through the mill a bit and the emotional roller coaster isn’t about to end I’m sure.

It was on my third one to one visit with R, a CAMHS worker who’d been on our case from the beginning, that I realised what she was doing. There was some digging into my past that I wasn’t prepared for but as I shared, I saw it made perfect sense and shed light on the situation. I’m not going to lie, I was momentarily uncomfortable and hoped that I wouldn’t cry.

As a Christian and a minister’s wife, I have to remind myself that it’s okay to seek help from others who don’t see the world as I do and it’s okay to cry for help while holding your bible close to you. This might sound strange, even silly to those of other faiths or none but this is the reality for many people like me.

It may sound a little trite and a bit contrived but as I spoke, I was also aware of what I was wearing.

Both my trousers and shacket were memade and both items connected to a part of my life I was being encouraged to talk about. And the juxtaposition of the two brought me up to date to this time and place with all it’s responsibilities, loves, beliefs and burdens.

My woven joggers made from a delightful, soft waxed cotton, of course had the connections to my Ghanaian heritage and upbringing. My parents’ loving yet Victorian-esque mode of parenting has obviously shaped me and given me much to work through.

My patch work denim overshirt took me back to university days, when I lived in denim and flannel shirts and worker jackets. Those were complicated, messy days, and it seems that I’m still working stuff through from that era.

The fact that I am now making and wearing my own clothes and deriving so much comfort from doing so is a direct result of some of the difficult stuff I’m going through. Sewing helps. It distracts, it excites and delights, it brings a sense of control and achievement.

In a very small way, my sewing is a form of escape, but it us not an addiction, it doesn’t control me. But I am so glad I have something that is beautiful and I love to do while working on more important things, people whom I love but cannot and shouldn’t control.

I was thankful that my outfit that day was comfortable and I didn’t feel awkward in it. My clothes were comfortable, they fitted and suited me and being unconcerned about them gave me more freedom in an otherwise tricky space. Don’t believe the lie that clothes are unimportant. We all know that a great outfit can boost confidence. We know that wearing happy colours can give us energy and joy. And sometimes we just want comfort and reassurance from our clothes, a sense of a hug and some grounding.

On that day, the outfit that I unwittingly chose to wear reminded me of my growth and change. The fact that people are growing and changing, living and learning helps me to keep the faith and be hopeful.

Perhaps this post makes little sense to you, but it felt needed for me. Sometimes when I’m low or feeling overwhelmed, I’m tempted to push sewing aside, allowing sadness and busyness to take over. But I have learned that this is not helpful. There is room for joy and sadness to co-exist and a little creativity can make hard days a little softer.

Fibre Mood Moira- Barrel legs and balloon sleeves

Do you like jigsaw puzzles? In a pre-kids, pre-sewing life I enjoyed a good puzzle of middling difficulty. I was not one for those ‘plate of baked beans’, almost one colour excruciating puzzles. A bit more simplicity please.

When it comes to sewing, I’m a bit like that too. I usually opt for simple patterns from companies known for their clear instructions. I look for YouTube tutorials and sew-alongs as seeing what to do in action often helps my sewing.

Now, much as I love Fibre Mood patterns and am thrilled to be one of their pattern previewers, I have to admit that their patterns can be a bit tricky to navigate. I remember the first Fibre Mood magazine I bought, pulling out the patterns and being faced with what seemed like hundreds of coloured lines resembling a very complicated underground map. I have read several comments on similarly bamboozled people, not only stumped at the patterns but also feeling lost with the minimal detail of their instructions.

I believe that Fibre Mood patterns are so worth persevering with as their designs are really great, I’ve not yet been disappointed with a single garment I’ve made from their patterns. So in this blog I will include some survival tips for sewing with Fibre Mood.

My first tip would be to spend time familiarising yourself with the pattern. Check out the pattern on-line to see how it looks made up. Study the instructions to understand each pattern piece and what it does. I was flummoxed by the front bodice piece for a while before I realised it folded in half to make a facing which was a clever move.

Secondly, remember to add the seam allowance. Fibre Mood patterns don’t include seam allowances but will instruct you to add usually 1cm. Occasionally, I can’t be bothered to add seam allowances and just sew a size bigger.

When you decide what size you need, you might find it helps to use a highlighter to trace over your lines, that’s my third tip. Fourthly, I also label each pattern piece as they are usually just numbered. It saves constantly referring to the instructions if I write on each piece exactly what they are.

Then tip number 5, just go slow and enjoy the process 🙂

And now on to this particular pattern, the Moira jumpsuit. I knew this year I wanted to make a couple of jumpsuits, so I jumped at the chance to make it. The pattern is actually for a sleeveless bodice with optional sleeve trim. Being sleeveless it offers opportunities for layering. The sleeve trim adds an eighties feel to the garment.

Much as I like the sleeveless look, I felt that a jumpsuit with sleeves would just make dressing much more simple, just one garment, no need to find a base layer. Also, most of my base layers are black, I need more polo necks and t-shirts in a variety of shades, but that’s another story. So I decided to add sleeves.

I knew I’d make mine in denim as I had a 2m piece in my stash. I also had some denim offcuts and two half metre pieces. My mind was swimming with ideas of colour blocking with the different denim shades, of making a ruffle out of the sleeve trim. I’d seen so many amazing denim tops and jumpsuits/ boilersuits from Toast, Cos and Seventy Mochi, which was new to me .

In the end, I decided not to cut into my two half metre pieces but to keep those for a future skirt or shorts project. I decided to use my offcut piece to make the sleeves and belt which would make just a subtle colour change. I’m super pleased with this decision as it felt like the least wasteful, I just have a handful of scraps left.

The barrel leg is a style I’ve not worn and wasn’t sure how I would feel about it, but I love it. The shape suits my legs I think and the length is perfect. I cut a size 14 bodice and graded out to a 16 hip and leg. I really wanted a roomy garment and my legs to feel free. I pondered dropping the crotch but I’m glad I didn’t as the fit is good as it is. The only little fit niggle I have is that it gapes a bit at the back across the shoulders. I’m not sure how I would fix that if I made another, making it too narrow might make the jumpsuit a bit more difficult to get out of in a hurry.

As for the sleeves, I decided I wanted something a bit balloon like and bracelet length. Having recently made a By Hand London Marie blouse, I used that sleeve pattern, omitting the placket and sleeve trim. I wondered whether I would need to change the arm hole (arm scye) to make it fit better but I didn’t and it seems okay. I just gathered the sleeve at the head and then at the hem, keeping it quite loose, and stitched a narrow band to encase the raw edge. I really like this sleeve shape and feel like I want to add it to all my makes!

Another thing I love about this is the topstitching, which surprised me. I have previously avoided making things that require topstitching, but I embraced this. I think my current machine makes this much easier as it has more markings on the sewing foot and plate. I chose a more traditional gold brown thread over white which seems more “in” at the moment. No regrets there. I ended up unpicking the topstitching I did down the back bodice because I just couldn’t get it to sit right and it looked odd, maybe because I added sleeves.

There are so many seams to sew in this garment, each leg is made of four pieces and the bodice has side panels. So it lends itself quite well to colour blocking, with the patch pockets too. There was something quite soothing about sewing lengths of seams. Also, finishing seams on my overlocker still feels quite exciting and pro-like two months in!

Okay, so let’s talk snap fastners. This was only the second time I’d used them. The first time I couldn’t work out how to insert them and wasted a whole pack before conceding defeat and calling on my husband for help. This time I was determined to do it myself. I managed to install the first snap and then it went all wrong and I wasted two. Enter Mr King.

The truly galling thing is that after my dear hubby fitted all the snaps and I tried on the jumpsuit, the snap I installed fell off! Oh well, I am glad that my husband will enjoy this jumpsuit too, knowing he had a pretty important input!

There are a couple of things that I may change if I have time and energy, the belt loops and belt. I think both are a bit thin. I have seen some versions using thicker, shop bought belts and another with fatter belt loops and they look really good. We’ll see.

So, that’s it, a wonderful new jumpsuit has entered my life and I love it! The topstitch, the big pockets, the relaxed, comfortable shape, the sleeves all make this so lovely to wear. When I make garments, making them look ‘shop bought’ isn’t on my mind but occasionally I make something that looks like it came from one of my favourite stores and my tummy does a little flip. Call it skill, a gift or a super power, sewing your own clothes is just the best.

A little happy dance for your amusement!