Sewing Bee

It was like receiving an unbirthday present!

I had a bit of a mad creative burst over the weekend. Inspired by the latest Great British Sewing Bee programme I decided I wanted to make something to wear!

In all honesty how this normally pans out is that I get all motivated, go and buy a pattern, look at some fabric, think ‘wow, that’s expensive’ and then lose all interest for several months. I used to make lots of things but haven’t done for quite some while. Last year I rediscovered Clothkits, the home sewing company from the 1970’s and 80's that has undergone a fashionable revival, being relaunched to a whole new audience in 2008. I ordered their 1950’s teadress and then got no further with it.

However, this time I was determined it would be different! One of their beautiful skirts was on special offer so I ordered it on Friday, it arrived on Saturday, wrapped like a present, and so on Sunday I made it.. Yes, I actually did it :)

 The pattern was very easy, all the pieces are printed onto the fabric and the instructions are simple to follow – my only problem was machine related, I have never been able to get the tension quite right with my electric sewing machine. I managed all the seams ok but once I’d changed the foot to put the zip in (on the sewing machine, not my actual foot) the tension went completely mad. I ended up dusting down my treasured 1930’s hand powered Singer sewing machine to complete this task and it didn't let me down!

Yes, I know, I should have ironed it first....

Once completed I was thrilled with the results. I could have easily made a size smaller as the fit is a little loose but that, again, was my mistake..... and better too big than too small. Extra room in case I overindulge on scones and pork pies.

Clothkit details.....

Following on from this success I ordered a pattern from Tilly and the Buttons. Tilly Walnes was a contestant on the first series of TGBSB and has her own fab blog and has just launched a range of printed patterns. I chose Coco and am very excited to get started. I might even dig out that teadress and get started on that before the summer :)