2013 Review...

As usual its the end of the year and you have to do a round up!

This year hasn't been the best ever but I'm keeping it positive for 2014. Our house is further along than last year although we still have a new bathroom to afford and no carpet in our bedroom, I've had to give up my MA. I'm still totally bummed about this but i'm going to try and make 2014 the year I get a job I enjoy doing and have some time in the workplace before going back to finish it. Also WE GOT THE PUG! Pixel appeared on the 31st of May and is now happily settled in with his squeaky toys and pechant for frozen carrots. So onto the Sewing! My goals this year were simple:

No garment quota - I made 18 Garments, more than last year!
Learn to make a nice fitting pair of trousers - Do leggings count?
Make a Jacket/Coat - Tick!
Slow down and make everything to the best of my ability - I have tried to do this but not on every project.
Knit one sweater - My Miette is so almost done! I have sleeves and bindings left!
Reduce my stash (yeah right :P) - Hahhahahah
Make a capsule of key pieces, considered and budgeted - I have been budgeting my projects this year and realised I don't spent a huge amount on my sewing hobby. I'm often sewing from stash and I haven't accumulated too much more this year.

This year i've made:

• 9 Shirts and Tops 
• 3 Dresses
• 1 Skirt
• 1 pair leggings 

I currently have finished but unblogged

• 1 Skirt
•  2 Jackets
• 1 Pair Leggings

Getting chance to blog has been a bit of a problem this year, I need to get back into taking my own shots with my remote and queueing posts in advance. I have probably got more finished items i've forgotten to blog but as far as sewing goes I think I just owe you 4.

Knitting has been good to me this year again mostly unblogged i've finished:

• 2 hats
• 1 Cowl
• 80% of a Miette

Not too shabby! My favourite pieces this year have been both my Archers, my Moss Skirt, My Virginia Leggings and my Hazel Dress! Most of them are boring day to day clothes but they have got the most wear!

Here's hoping you have a Wonderful New Year, Thanks so much for Reading! I can't wait to meet  you and see your own creations in the new year! x

Life according to Instagram: October

 Should all sewing posts start with a Pug picture? Yet again I'm behind on my Instagram feed but it really is a great way of capturing our life at the moment.
Lets start off with the basics, I've had a tough couple of months. I've had to give up my MA which i'm truly gutted about, i'm still in a job I don't enjoy too so i'm hoping come January we can get out of the rut we're currently in, I can get a new job and start earning some normal money. Right! Depressing stuff over, here is my Instagram pics from October:

 I have been sewing more than it seems lately and samples are the best way to get exactly the fabric you want! These are for a lovely imaginary outfit, blue coat, liberty shirt and cord skirt anyone?

 This was my last train journey to Bristol. My family live there so I often take my knitting along for the 3 hours. This was my Brassica hat, yet to be properly blogged. Can't beat a Pumpkin Spiced Latte in Autumn can you? Below i've been knitting with the same yarn, Lofty british wool I used another skein to make myself a small Gaptastic Cowl.

I am so behind on showing you finished objects but I am going to drag Piemaker in to get lots of pictures, especially over Christmas! 

I'm loving everyones makes at the moment by the way! 

What have you got in the pipeline?

Completed:Virginia and Briar...

 Another two i've been dying to photograph! This is my favourite version of Briar so far in a navy sweater knit. Its inspired by this Boden sweater with jewels and sparklies. The trim is Sari trimming in a lovely acid green. As its straight it makes the collar stand away from my neck and i've received lots of compliments when wearing it! I think that its different enough without being in your face and oh so snuggly!

 Now onto my next make, Virginia Leggings y'all! I actually made something reminiscent of pants! These are Megan Nielsen's Virginia Pattern and they took literally no time, I'm never buying leggings again, these are comfy (bamboo jersey!) and have great coverage. The bamboo jersey is so soft but not the best for opacity. It would be much better in a cotton knit but i'm going to make them over and over again!

Stats:
Briar:
Fabric: Sweater knit - Ditto £4.50per metre, Still have loads lefts so say £8.00
Notions: Sari Trim in stash and Thread in Stash 0.00

Virginia:
Fabric: Bamboo Jersey Remnant £6.55 Ditto
Notions: Thread in Stash 0.00
Total: £14.55
Wearability: Briar 7/10 Virginia 10/10! Both awesome additions to my wardrobe and they definitely contribute well to my Fall Essentials!

Completed: Lady Skater Part One...

Phew finally I can reveal a few of the projects i've been working on recently! Its really dark here in the evenings so Piemaker and I were waiting for a bright day, sadly it never came and I got sick of waiting. So here is the first thing in my Fall Essential's Sewalong. The Lady Skater dress in a purple ponte. I made this way too long then ended up cutting it way too short. I know i'm going to have to make some serious changes before I make this again. I can only wear this with lovely warm leggings as it doesn't always cover my bum.

First things first, this ponte didn't stretch much on the cross grain so I ended up with this weird ripply neckline. I don't mind too much but an FBA is much needed if you look at the drags under the arms. 

I took the waist up about two inches but it could really do with going up at least another inch, then there is the back!

It is way too big for me here, if I could put the excess from the back onto the front we would be ok!

This is not the stunning manifestation i've been seeing on other people's blogs but i'm calling this a muslin. I think it could be a seriously awesome dress with a few major adjustments. I'm chalking it down to experience.

Stats today are:

Fabric: CHEAP Ponte from Fabricland £6.00

Notions: Thread From Stash

Total: £6.00

Wearability: 3/10 I doubt I'll wear it in its current version but It looks ok under a coat when walking the dog.

Life According to Instagram: August and September...

Hey y'all I kinda skipped out on an August instagram post for some reason so i've smooshed it together with September. There was lots of fabric dreaming and puggy watching this month.

I made another Archer and have at least one more to make,

I pulled out all the jersey I have looking for something to make a Hemlock with and found NOTHING.

This was followed by wailing to Piemaker something remicent of "I have nothing to wear! I have not got enough fabric blah blah blah..." 

This pretty much sums up my efforts at stashbusting. But I have been much more restrained of late. Particularly compared to last year. There has definately been themes in my instagram posts over the last two months and these have pretty much been Fabric and project sneak peeks,

The Ever Growing and Ever Cute Pixel Puggleton,

 Plus the trials and pleasures of life such as new patterns, necklace/headphones brain explosion, fresh apples and blackberries and Piemaker's epic search of the kitchen for baking ingredients!

It always amazes me the randomness of what we choose to capture! What have you been up to this month?

Ok Stevie, You Can Stop with the Stripes Now...

Have you ever broke one of your cardinal fashion rules? I'm talking bulldozing right through that sucker, deciding that actually sod everyone else I want to wear it!
Mine was horizontal stripes.
I am not the thinnest pencil in the box. One of the cardinal rules I grew up with was that women over a size blah blah blah couldn't wear horizontal stripes.
I stared in admiration at Breton tops and cute stripey dresses wishing I was 'allowed' to wear them. Last year I decided enough was enough. Why couldn't I wear them? What was stopping me? Stripes looked cute on other people why not me?

The first top that broke the spell was my Stripey Renfrew. It was a meetup swap fabric from Zoe and the colours reminded me of the seaside. "This isn't so bad" I thought, I look like a normal person. Little did I know i'd turn into this crazy Stripe obsessed monster! Here's some evidence, just of stuff i'd made. I'd also been purchasing stripes like a woman posessed!

So after the stripe rule had been broken, a stripe binge had begun and oh my god do I own a lot of stripey clothes now! (11 in the top photo, not including 2 in laundry, plus i'm wearing one,) Seriously. I think its time to stop with the stripes now!

Fall Essentials Sewalong...

I know my history with sew-alongs has been generally poor since day one, but I've decided its my duty as a online sewist to suck it up and actually take part in one.

As I love Autumn so much I went for the Fall Essentials Sewalong, to keep me in check and make sure I get my wardrobe ready for the colder weather. A Month is a bit of a toughie but i'm hoping I can crack on and finish at least half. That way I'll have some useful layers and pretty items to boot!

Here's my preliminary plan!

• Fashionable Foundations for Frosty Weather - Zinnia Skirt in Caramel Crepe. Ever since I saw this pattern I was desperate to make it! Therefore its been pushed way up the queue. I know exactly what yummy fabric I want to use, its a bit of stashbusting and a quick make so totally a bonus!

• Chic Chemises for Cool Climates - Archer Shirt in Cerulean Chambray. This will be my third Archer and not my last! I've had the Chambray earmarked for this for a while. Its one of those classic pieces i've never owned but always wanted to.

• Fabulous Frocks - Skater Dress in Plum Ponte. This is a lovely dress and another quick make. I've done a quick muslin and had to move the waistline up and shorten it lots but now I intend to make multiples and I have a stash fabric in mind!

• Underneath it All -Virginia Leggings in Black Bamboo Jersey. Another pattern I had to have straight away! I never sew with black nowadays but I have a silky soft bamboo jersey that is begging to be made into lovely leggings!

• Those Cosy Nights - Briar Sweater in Nubbly Navy Knit. I know this is my fourth Briar but a sweater knit Briar? Thats got to be an awesome idea right?

• Baby its Cold Outside - Anise Jacket. This has been earmarked for way too long. I am going to tackle this jacket before I lose the opportunity to wear it in the cold seasons for another year. Not sure on what fabric yet though!

This is preliminary, but most of the patterns are simple yet effective. I may opt for similar projects that are already cut out but it depends on what ends up where in the neverending sewing queue of Stevie's life!

Completed:Seasalt Renfrew...

Yay another finished top! This one has been in the UFO pile for a little while but i'm glad I got it done in time for the weather to change. Did you guess by now this is the same photoshoot as the last two? Like I said I had an impatient photographer that day.

Anyhoo, this top reminds me of family holidays in Cornwall and wandering around Padstow watching the boats. Hence why seasalt.

I'm not going to say anything more about Renfrew as a pattern, its been covered. Needless to say this jersey is not the best quality and it isn't terribly flattering at the back. Nevertheless I'm prepared to wear a vest top with it as I really love the sky blue stripe. (Promise its a stripe, difficult to see on my monitor!) Pixel wanted to be in these photos and I kept the back fat one simply because he's copying my pose! What a professional!

 I then preceded to pick him up and have a cuddle but he just looked rather bemused...

Stats time!

Fabric: Cheap fabric from fabricland about £6.00

Notions: Thread in Stash £0.00

Total: £6.00

Wearability:5/10 Its ok for day to day wear but not the most flattering top i've ever owned. It should be useful for a season or two! I can't promise you guys there won't be any more Renfrews. They are just so damned useful!

My Favourite Season... Autumn Sewing Ideas

I have to say although summer is lovely, Autumn has always been my favourite season. Its the back to school feel, the cooler, yet still sunny weather.
Also the summer dresses go away and out come the comfy coats and jumpers and hand knitted socks! I know I pretty much do this post every year but there is something special about Autumn for me. I'm much more into layering than it all hanging out in the summer. I've been daydreaming about all the awesome possibilities there are for Autumnal outfits. Here's a few of the things on my mind sewing wise:

Shouldn't everyone own a hot pink coat? I think so! It reminds me of Kate Spade and it needn't be overly cutesy! I love the black buttons that contrast so nicely on this Boden Jacket!

Mustard is my favourite colour! If only I could find a sweater knit in this shade so I could make myself a Briar with it! I think i'd probably pair it with chambray Colette Juniper's too!

Or if I was going for layers perhaps some tights boots and this lovely henley dress. Could use McCalls 6747 and just flare the skirt a little! 

Personally I think i'd pair it with a pumpkin coat in a snuggly ponte knit like this one!

I'd use Simplicity 1759

My final dream autumn outfit would be this sweater with neckline detail, paired with a Grainline Moss Skirt and perhaps a Chambray Archer underneath. 

Oooh how about a gold one?

 What Autumn outfits have you been dreaming up?