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What Abi Makes

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Which support my content at no extra cost to you.

Find the links to everything featured here further down

It was only going to be a matter of time until this blog post appeared. As an openly obsessed Sabrina addict on Instagram, I thought it was about time I got some inspiration together to make your own Spellman looks, and honestly, I'm doing that anyway so creating this post is easy peasy.

In this post you'll find sewing patterns and fabrics to sew smart-casual looks inspired by the show (sorry no fancy dresses here, I want the everyday looks!), along with some patterns and wool for those knitwear fans out there too! Now I could spend a VERY long time on this post, but there's only so much time I can spend in this rabbit hole. So I've picked out some of my favourite inspired by looks, with a focus on indie patterns. 

Tops & Bottoms


Roll up, roll up! You need a roll neck top ASAP.

1. Tilly and the Buttons 'Freya' Top from Make It Simple
2. Nina Lee London 'Bloomsbury Blouse'
3. Deer & Doe 'Ondee' Sweater
4. I Am Patterns 'Chouette' Polo Shirt

-

Minis & Cigarette Pants all the way!

1. Tilly and the Buttons 'Bobbi' Skirt
2. Tilly and the Buttons 'Arielle' Skirt
3. Sew Over It 'Ultimate Trousers'
Special mention to 'Gertie Sews Vintage Casuals' for some top notch retro day wear that definitely worth checking out.


Dresses


It's all about the collars & the layers...

1. Seamwork 'Dani' pinafore
2. Tilly and the Buttons 'Rosa' shirt dress
3. Mary Quant Dress (so many options, including a dagger collar)
4. Nina Lee London 'Camden' Dress & Skirt  
5. Tilly and the Buttons 'Francoise' Dress


Knitwear


Needles at the ready witches. Tight knits, lace work and floral embroidery!

1. Wool and the Gang 'Edith' Cardigan (as soon as I spotted the floral embroidered knitwear in Part 4 I was very excited to have this kit in my possession already!)
2. Untangling Knots 'Hetty' Cardigan
3. Untangling Knots 'Arachne' Sweater
4. Poison Grrls 'Beauty School' Sweater
5. Poison Grrls 'Rizzo' Sweater

Honestly literally any of the knitting pattern designs by Untangling Knots & Poison Grrls are excellent choices for Sabrina Spellman style knitwear, it was hard to choose what to highlight here. My comfort zone is chunky and I haven't ventured into fitted knitwear but now my need is stronger than ever. But where to start!

As I was putting this post together, I was watching the last episode and thought I had all my knitwear covered. Then this absolute DREAM of a red and pink heart jumper appeared and floored me. So here's a special mention! I actually downloaded this knitting pattern over a year ago, started it and abandoned it. Now I must immediately find it again! 

Featured in the main post image:

Top of image patterns:
Tilly and the Buttons 'Freya' Top from Make It Simple
Tilly and the Buttons 'Arielle' Skirt
Blue Jersey Fabric
Blue yarn
Wool Tweed Check 1
Wool Tweed Check 2 

Bottom of image:
Tilly and the Buttons 'Freya' Top from Make It Simple
Sew Over It 'Ultimate Trousers'
Red Pattern Ponte Roma
Black & Red Zig Zag Ponte Roma
Red Yarn
Black Jacquard Fabric

--

Other Sabrina style essentials:
- Leather mini skirt
- Satin pjs with piping details a la the Carolyn Pjs Pattern
- Lace trimmed slips
- A black satin headband, obviously

--

Thanks so much for checking out my blog post about creating your own Chilling Adventures of Sabrina looks! I've enjoyed the styling so much throughout all the seasons and her casual looks are my favourites and something I've enjoyed recreating in the colder months. I'll miss the show so much and I hope you've found this post inspiring.

If you have a recommendation for a Sabrina inspired sewing pattern or fabric, don't forget to leave a comment. Thank you!

Abi xo
1/14/2021 No comments
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Which support my content at no extra cost to you.



The first blog post of the New Year has to be a Make Nine right? It's tradition around here now. Even though I don't always have massive success with my plans, I feel good about last year's and I enjoy putting a list of potential makes together for the year ahead.

So, much like last year's line up (you can check out my 2020 Make Nine HERE), I'm sticking to the theme of finishing some already started projects or using some of what I have. I included some fabric last year, but this year I've just stuck to my outstanding knitting projects, plus my wedding dress fabric which I already have. I hate having so many knitting projects on the go, but still want to complete them all, so I put them on this list in hopes I wouldn't go down a rabbit hole of looking at new things. 

Let's have a break down of my plans...



1. THIS flipping red yarn. I've started projects with this red yarn about 4 times now. I know I would get a lot of wear out of whatever I eventually make out of it and 2021 WILL be the year I use it dammit. Currently it's a WIP cardigan but don't ask me what pattern because I have no idea what I was making *insert crying emoji here*. I'm my own worst enemy. 

2. Nina Lee 'Bakerloo' Dress. Obviously. I got this pattern for Christmas and it's next on my to make list.

3. Purl Foundry 'Cable Mesh Sweater'. 2020 was the year I tackled and loved cable knitting and I love the look of this sweater pattern, which Purl Foundry kindly sent me a copy of and I haven't got around to using yet. It looks like the perfect Spring knit to layer over slip dresses, a la Rouje style, so I best get started if I want to wear this any time soon. Yikes. I guess I'm adding a 4th project to my WIP knitting pile...

4. Historical sewing. This is something I've been doing a lot of in secret I suppose over the past few months. I've made a few pairs of stays and am loving everything about it. So consider this entry a general "historical garment" because there's a few styles I'd like to tackle but I haven't made my mind up which yet. This pattern is the Butterick 4254 which I have cut out and ready to sew already.

5. My dream coat. THIS Alexa Chung coat haunts me and I'd love to sew something similar. I love the rich colour and the gingham lining, it's a forever coat. I'd love to make something like this to wear ideally ASAP, so I'm tempted to start looking for fabrics and patterns. But it's a great transitional style so I know it'll be great at the end of the year too. I'm terrible for making/buying coats too big for me and for once I would like to make one that doesn't swamp me, is made well and is practical. 

6. My wedding dress. Let's just ignore that one for now shall we. But THIS is the fabric I'm using and that's all I know.

7. Wool and the Gang 'Edith Cardigan' aka my dream knitting kit. What a beauty. The mini cables, the mint colour, the flower embroidery. I'm about half way through after a two month hiatus and dammit I want this on my body in the next couple of months!

8. Tilly and the Buttons 'Françoise'. Much like the 'Martha' pattern which was on last year's Make Nine, this is a favourite pattern of mine style wise, that I totally disrespected when I first made it and desperately want to redeem myself! A simple black one would suit my wardrobe. 

8. Simple cardigan. This started as my need for a dark cardigan after knitting a bit of a dodgy one. I loved this multicoloured speckled grey yarn and am just knitting in garter stitch to make something simple and cosy.

--

Let's have a look at last year's Make Nine:


 

1. Wool and the Gang 'Malibu' Sweater - sold this kit.
2. Became a Sew Over It 'Eve Wrap Dress. Which you can see in THIS vlog post.
3. Completed! Which I wore in THIS vlog.
4. Sold on.
5. Lost interest/no need for it.
6. Yes! I've made a few things from this book now.
7. Lost interest.
8. Hell yes! Check out THIS blog post for one of my favourite makes ever!
9. Lost interest (for now).

So overall, last year's was quite successful and I'm pleased with what I achieved. 

--

I'm feeling good about 2021's Make Nine plans, having those unfinished knitting projects is starting to stress me out, so hopefully this will keep me focused. 

Thanks for reading!
Abi xo
1/03/2021 No comments

The Tilly and the Buttons 'Martha' dress pattern is aesthetically one of my all time favourite sewing patterns. It was one of the first sewing patterns I got a real buzz about when it was released and I whipped up my first version pretty sharpish. In hindsight it's a hot mess, and you can see it in my old blog post HERE - although it'd be great if you could save me the cringe and ignore it...

Here's a look at the pattern:


Ever since my first, I've wanted another crack at it. Mainly because my first was not very well made and hasn't stood the test of time. I don't think I did any stay stitching because I'm lazy and I think my seam allowance was off, so the resulting fit was a bit wonky to say the least. The 1960s style of the dress is something I've never fallen out of love with and every year since, I've said 'this will be the year I try it again'. The time has finally come, and it's only taken getting engaged to get my act together!



Basically, Martha is on my potential wedding dress sewing pattern list. Not only that, but it's a style that's cropped up a lot recently with some of my favourite designers e.g. O Pioneers, Vampires Wife & Batsheva So I needed to get back to it and see what this pattern could actually do for me when I act like a good sewist and make it carefully.

I'm so proud of this Martha dress. I really took my time with it (so. much. stay stitching) and my sewing has improved so much since the first. The invisible zip is actually invisible and there's no bump at the bottom and it closes neatly at the top. 



I'd spotted THIS collar online and really liked how it looked and thought it would work perfectly with Martha. Now as you might have guessed, I don't have the greatest patience and didn't meticulously plan this collar out by any stretch of the imagination. 

It was all a bit of a happy accident. I had a length of my fabric leftover so cut a strip I thought looked like a good width to be folded over. Then I sewed either short edges like the usual Martha collar, then on my machine, by eye, I folded pleats as I sewed. Now by some strange miracle the finished pleated collar fitted pretty perfectly. Not all the pleats are perfectly even but who cares! So apologies if you wanted a tutorial, it was a fluke!



My only slightly questionable sewing moment is the dress hem. I let the dress hang for two days before hemming and it dropped quite a bit (as I expected). I knew I wanted to shorten the dress to make it a mini on me anyway so I was always going to chop a fair bit off. But by the time I came to chopping I think I had lost my previous patience with it and it's probably a bit rougher than I'd like. But unless someone grabs me by the hem and inspects the inside, no one will see the occasional tuck...

Sewing Summary:

Pattern: Tilly and the Buttons 'Martha' Pattern

Fabric: Green floral viscose crepe - watch THIS vlog for a discount code!

Notions: Invisible zip and a button.

Sewing time: Made over a couple of days. Hem needs to drop.

Modifications: Made slightly shorter.

Fit: Great! Could do with a little extra on the bust if I'm being picky.

Difficulty: Intermediate, but simple when broken down.

Watch out for: Make sure to stay stitch, it really does make a difference.

Make Again?: Yes. This pattern is a favourite of mine, it just takes a little longer to sew but it's worth it and I would love to make more. 



The fit of this dress is pretty great for no adjustments and I'm really happy with it. However I would add an extra 1cm to the bust princess seams for a little extra room if I were to make this again. You could spend hours making stuff fit to perfection, but that's really not me so if it's on my body and I'm comfy, that's all I need!


So a potential wedding dress pattern? Absolutely! I think this would make a hella cute 60s style wedding dress. I'm still figuring out what style I want and have a few more patterns to try. But I'm so pleased I finally found time to make Martha again. It's one of my favourite makes ever and this dress is so 'me'. 


Thanks for reading,
Abi xo

Disclaimer: contains affiliate links.

12/29/2020 1 comments


Possibly wrapping up blog posts for 2020 with a simple, cosy (& kind of festive) make! It's got to be pjs. Growing up we got a new pair of pjs every Christmas and this year I plan to spend the entire day being cosy and this outfit is a winner for me!

Follow along with me on my sew day whilst I make this simple jersey long sleeve top and leggings set. It includes some chill music, tea making and lots of sewing action. I hope it'll keep you company whatever you're up to. I really enjoyed making and editing this one so I hope that shows, it's the kind of content I love watching myself so hopefully a few of you out there will like my take on it too!



Don't forget to subscribe to my channel!

The pattern I'm sewing is the Juno pyjamas from Tilly and the Button's book Make It Simple, probably my favourite book of hers (so far). 


The fabric I've used here to make my Juno pjs is such a perfect weight for pyjamas and so comfy to wear. Which I can now confirm as I've worn them to sleep in. Shop the green hearts jersey fabric I've used HERE and make sure to watch the vlog as there's a 20% off discount code in there! Woo!

My stretchy pj fabric picks:




1. THIS viscose jersey looks like a plain colour range of the one I've used. There's an amazing colour range, but I'm loving this forest green right now!
2. I'm very pro novelty print when it comes to pjs and THIS poodle one just shot up my 'must have' list.
3. I'm not proud of myself but I would totally use THIS tiger stripe jersey for pjs.
4. Warning: adorable heart print jersey ahead.
5. You can never go wrong with a polka dot, especially when it's THIS lovely.
6. Obviously I was going to include a leopard print!

Thanks so much for watching!
Abi xo

Disclaimer: contains affiliate links.
12/16/2020 No comments


I may have missed the boat on this post, but as I browse for gifts I want to get myself... I figured I still have a little bit of time left to create a Christmas gift guide for crafters for some last minute gifts! There's so many lovely things out there, it was quite a struggle to create a small selection, but I really love the above and hope it might inspire you too. In my opinion, the creative gal in your life would be very lucky to receive any of items in my guide, or if you're like me, a lovely treat for yourself. It's been a hard year after all!

1. Nina Lee 'Bakerloo' Sewing Pattern 
2. Simplicity Vintage Style Mug
3. LDH Midnight Edition Fabric Scissors
4. That's Pretty Major 'What Shall I Wear Today?' Print
5. Lauren Aston Designs 'Wool Boobs' T-shirt
6. Stoff Stil Notebooks
7. Sew Dainty Scissors Necklace
8. Pigeon Wishes 'Chai Latte Buttons'

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I didn't want to include my own shop Crafty Pinup in the above line up, but I do have a fabulous range of gifts perfect for the sewists and knitters in your life (even if I do say so myself)! Check out my blog's side bar for a discount code too...




1. Mint Sewing Machine Pin
2. Needle & Thread Pin
3. Woven Label Multi Pack
4. Lilac Fabric Clips
5. Essential Pins
6. Made By Me Woven Labels

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I hope this post has inspired your gift ideas. Why not send it over to Santa to give them a nudge ;)

Thanks for reading!
Abi xo

Disclaimer: contains affilate links.
12/10/2020 No comments


Can you tell I covered too much and then couldn't think of a name for this vlog? Whoops. It's been a while since I vlogged (or blogged for that matter), so to get back into the swing of things I thought I'd just sit down in front of the camera and see what happens! 

In the vlog I get into some of my fabric stash highlights, some maybe sewing plans, potential upcoming vlogs and even share my secret Instagram account....



You know I have a love/hate relationship with /YouTube, but at the moment I'm spending a lot of time on there consuming lots of creative content and felt inspired to make a comeback! I really hope you enjoy the catch up.

Thanks for watching,

Abi xo

12/08/2020 No comments

This isn't your usual sewing pattern review. It's my first blog post featuring MY OWN FABRIC DESIGN! You heard it right, my very own fabric. If you follow me on Instagram (@whatabimakes or @craftypinupshop) you'll probably already know about it because it's all I've been talking about for months, but this is the first time I'm going to be sharing it on my little old blog. 

In the process of designing a fabric collection, I ordered samples to test how it sews etc, so I thought it would be cool to share my new fabric in the form of a new sewing pattern review! I've been wanting to make the True Bias Shelby dress for months now and I've been saving trying it for this fabric because I knew it was going to be a great pattern & fabric pairing. 

The 90s style, button up True Bias Shelby Dress pattern is one of the most popular indie sewing patterns out there right now. Seriously, just search the hashtag on Instagram... 

Here's a peek at the pattern:


I've made the short dress version of the pattern and I used exactly 2m of fabric. This is under the recommended amount of fabric, but as I was set on using my own fabric for this pattern I did my stealthiest cutting out ever. I ended up cutting the two front-side pattern pieces on the bias for minimal waste and I cut my facings out of a different fabric (as they're hidden on the inside, know one will ever know...). 

Let's have a moment for the fabric! I'll be going into it all in more detail over on my shop blog and perhaps I'll write a post here about designing it, but for now let me just cover the highlights:

Here's a look at my Crafty Pinup fabric designs:


My debut design 'In Bloom' comes in two beautiful colours: classic black with pink highlights (used in this post) and emerald green with added touches of sky blue. The fabric is a viscose poplin, made from renewable plant wood pulp. It's (in my opinion) the perfect, dressmaking fabric with a lovely drape and vibrancy. 

  • Designed by me & exclusive to Crafty Pinup
  • Made in the UK
  • Sustainably & ethically produced

>> SHOP CRAFTY PINUP FABRIC <<



Let's get into the sewing pattern review of Shelby. Shelby is a collarless button up style and the front and back sections are made up of 3 pieces each with simple t-shirt sleeves. As I said above, I cut my facings out of a different fabric (same weight) to be able to cut it out of my fabric. 

It's a simple pattern to sew and it was an enjoyable process. There's lots of long seam sewing for the panels and it all comes together really quickly. It features thin ties on the back sides to pull in the waist and I love that detail and it worked so well with my viscose. 


I'm really happy with the fit of my Shelby dress and wouldn't make any changes. I made no adjustments and it fits comfortably across my bust. Its worth mentioning, under 99% of my dresses (especially when they're viscose like this) I wear a black or nude slip underneath to combat any transparency. 

If I had more fabric I would have pinched the sleeves from the By Hand London Jenna Dress (and made the sleeve ties thinner) as I love those tie sleeves so much, but the simple t shirt sleeves suit this dress, maybe I just find them a little boring. I would also love this in a mid length but would definitely need more like 4m for that.

Sewing Summary:

Pattern: True Bias Shelby Dress

Fabric: 'In Bloom' Crafty Pinup viscose poplin fabric in black

Notions: small self covered buttons

Sewing time: A couple of hours to half a day

Modifications: None

Fit: Spot on!

Difficulty: Beginners & beyond

Watch out for: Getting a neat facing. Make sure to clip the curves and do lots of pressing as you go!

Make Again?: Yes, I've already got plans to make another very soon and can see myself hacking it a little for extra customisation.


I loved making the Shelby dress and didn't come across any hiccups and have a great fit on my final dress, so I'm sorry I don't have too much to say on it! It's a simple sew that works perfectly with my fabric and this dress will be great to wear across the seasons, I think this will look so good paired with my leather jacket and boots in a couple of months! 

I hope you've enjoyed seeing my fabric in action too. I'm really proud of what I've made and have done so in a sustainable and ethical way and I really think I'm adding something of value to the sewing community and hope you'll love it too.

>> SHOP CRAFTY PINUP FABRIC <<


Some other blog posts from me you might want to check out:
- 5 Tips For Sewing With Viscose Fabric
- Designing a Sustainable Fabric Collection

Have you made the Shelby dress? Did you think it lived up to the hype?

Thanks for reading!
Abi xo


Disclaimer: contains affiliate links.
7/31/2020 2 comments

I'm getting married and yes, I am making my wedding dress!

In this post I'm going to share with you the initial inspiration I've been gathering for my dress, including shapes and styles, some potential sewing patterns to look into and my dress fabric!

If this had happened 5 years ago, I can tell you the exact dress I would have wanted. I was in a 1950s phase, so it would have been a fit and flare, petticoats and a red lip. But now, on the verge of turning 30, I'm much more relaxed with my style and have realistic expectations when it comes to my appearance. I never enjoyed spending hours on my hair trying to achieve symmetrical victory rolls and having to constantly be worried about where my red lipstick had smudged on my face. I've embraced softer 1970s silhouettes, lazy hair and simpler, lighter makeup. This is a round about way of saying, I've left 50s and pinup style behind me, and that the late 60s & early 70s is where I belong and the wedding dresses from that era are a big inspiration for me. 

The Fabric:

All of this started because I found my fabric (not the engagement lol just the dress making!). Up until this point I hadn't thought too much about my dress, making it and so on but then I stumbled across the fabric. Now I know it'll sound a little lame, but I really did feel like I found 'the one'. It couldn't be more 'me' if I had designed it myself and I couldn't see myself finding anything I would prefer over this. So my search had ended as quickly as it had started! It also pairs perfectly with my vintage flower diamond engagement ring. Sensing a theme yet?


>> Ditsy Floral Embroidered Tulle Lace Dress Fabric Ivory <<


The fabric is a soft tulle, embroidered with flower shapes in white. It's dreamy AF. It's quite weighty, but still has a nice drape and I think it will lend itself perfectly to the styles of wedding dresses I'm looking at. 

Vintage Wedding Style Inspiration:

I want my dress to be a happy medium of boho 70s, with some 60s details but made for the modern woman and for what I want to get up to on the day. Of course Pinterest is where I'm spending my time gathering images for dress shapes and styles. I can honestly say this is something I've never been interested in before, but having disappeared into many a Pinterest rabbit hole recently, I'm all in with the wedding inspo! 

 >> Check out my Wedding Inspiration Board on Pinterest! <<



These are just a couple of vintage images I've saved to share with you here, but I've pinned lots more...

>> Check out my Wedding Inspiration Board on Pinterest! <<

Vintage Wedding Dresses:

Via Pinterest I've visited many an Etsy shop recently to discover some beautiful vintage wedding dresses. Here are some of my favourite shapes and styles..


1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

Honestly I love looking at vintage so much, I could have a dedicated blog post to vintage wedding dresses alone! These ones are from a 1970s focused search. Whilst none of the above are one of my dream dresses, each one has a feature I love. Like sleeve details, neckline or length. 

Modern Dress Inspiration:

I've also been taking a lot of inspiration from some of my favourite designer brands. Below are some shapes I love...
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

To be honest, if I could afford any of The Vampires Wife dresses above, I would totally scrap any plans to make my dress! I haven't actually looked at any bridal designers yet, I don't even know where I would start, especially as I don't want anything too traditional. But I love these designer ones and they are probably more representative of the shapes I liked to recreate rather than the vintage ones. 

Modern Sewing Patterns I'm Considering:

It's very early stages and I'm in-between a few styles I like at the moment. Initially, I thought a high neck 60s mini would be cute, but after some thought, I feel that probably wouldn't suit me best. But for any 60s loving brides to be, that pattern would be so cool as a wedding dress! 

I can't get the By Hand London Jenna dress pattern out of my head, perhaps paired with a long Wilder Gown inspired skirt?


By Hand London Jenna Dress Pattern
Tilly and the Buttons Martha Dress Pattern
Friday Pattern Co Wilder Gown

Currently I'm liking the idea of square necklines, long sheer overlay skirts and midi sleeves.  Of course I could go down the vintage sewing pattern route. I just find that a little hard work and don't know if that would all become a little more complicated (mainly because of sizing). But we'll see!


So that's just about where I'm at right now with planning my wedding dress! Whilst planning anything to do with actually getting married is still up in the air right now, it's so nice to actually have my fabric and feel like I've made a little progress with our wedding. It's my escape and my happy place right now that's for sure.

Did you make your wedding dress? Would you make yours?

Thanks for reading!
Abi xo

Disclaimer: contains affiliate links. Fabric gifted from Minerva.
6/27/2020 2 comments

To celebrate the release of Deer and Doe's newest sewing pattern, the Passiflore dress, I've collaborated with them to review it on my blog. You know I can't say no to a shirt dress or a wrap dress and this pattern is a great mix of the two.

As soon as I saw this pattern I knew it would be something I'd love to wear and it's different from anything I already own. The Passiflore pattern is a belted coat dress with a relaxed fit, with a double breasted style button detail. I've made option B, a knee length, long sleeve version of the dress.

Here's a peek at the pattern:


Before I get into the pattern, let's just take a moment to appreciate this truly stunning fabric! My favourite fabric to sew with and wear are rayon/viscose types. So when I saw that THIS beautiful print was rayon, I fell in love. I think it has a bit of a 60s vibe and I couldn't get over the colour palette. It's so unlike anything I own but I just thought it would make the loveliest shirt dress and would work well with my hair colour and skin tone. You can tell I may have leaned in to the 1960s secretary vibes I was feeling (and loving!).


Lets get into the pattern... Passiflore has quite a lot of pattern pieces which when printing the PDF at home I regretted pretty quickly (I'd recommend copy shop printing this one)! For the long sleeve version I was sewing, you'll also be making plackets so look out for those, coming from someone who almost binned the pattern piece. There's also a lot of small interfacing pieces you need to trace off of the main pattern so bare that in mind as it's a pretty time consuming step.


When I cut out my pattern and had finally sat down to sew, it wasn't long before I was scratching my head, as I hadn't noticed that the centre back yolk piece is cut out twice, one for a lining. By that point I had used up every inch of my fabric so had to raid my stash. Luckily I found some light weight, pale pink cotton fabric which ended up working well. Phew!

Thanks, I Made It! woven label from my shop
The sewing is reasonably straight forward if you have experience sewing collars. When I was in the zone, it all came together quite quickly. I wasn't looking forward to sewing the sleeve cuff plackets and when I got to that step I even considered abandoning them in favour of the short sleeves, but I knew it would be sacrificing the overall look I wanted for the dress so decided to buckle up and deal with it. Honestly sleeve cuff plackets aren't too difficult but I think they always look like they're going to be a headache. It actually all went quite smoothly and I was just being a drama queen!


Fit wise, I went by my bust measurement like I usually do. But because the dress is designed to have a relaxed fit, with simple princess seams and no buttons on the actual bust (for the dress version), so the fit for this is actually surprisingly simple. I could have sized down, but with the belt in place, I'm really happy with it.

I think the double breasted style button detail is an interesting design choice. Its something you're used to seeing on trench coats and I didn't know if I was going to like it for a dress. But now I've seen a few more versions on Instagram, it's grown on me. For mine, I raided my stash for buttons and as I'd chosen gold for my D rings on the belt, when I came across these vintage plastic and gold glitter buttons I knew it was meant to be. The perfect combo! As the fabric is so busy, they aren't too noticeable but when they do catch your eye it's a nice surprise.



In hindsight, I would have used a heavier weight interfacing for my belt selection as with just light weight interfacing, the belt feels more like a tie because it doesn't hold it's shape very well or sit flat against my body. Next time I sew a belt I'll be sure to use something sturdier. And yes, I did have to watch a tutorial on how to tie a D ring belt...

Sewing Summary:

Pattern: Deer and Doe 'Passiflore' Dress pattern

Fabric: Art Gallery Fabrics - Blue Bank Flora Rayon / Viscose from Catch and Release

Notions: 8 buttons

Sewing time: Best part of a day.

Modifications: None.

Fit: A little loose, but good.

Difficulty: Confident seamstresses.

Watch out for: Getting a neat collar and sleeve plackets. Lots of pressing!

Make Again?: Yes. I think this is a great pattern and an unusual mix of styles.


Overall, I'm really proud of this dress. I think it showcases a great range of sewing skills including collars, plackets, cuffs and button holes. For that reason I would recommend it for sewists with a little more experience. But the pattern's instructions are great and well illustrated if you do want to tackle it.

I think this pattern and fabric are a match made in sewing heaven. I love the 60s vibes and it feels like it could be a true vintage piece. It's so comfortable to wear and will be perfect for warmer months and but I can definitely see myself pairing this with black tights and a leather jacket for Autumn.

Thanks for reading!
Abi xo


Disclaimer: I was gifted the pattern and fabric in exchange for this blog post. But all opinions are my own.
5/03/2020 1 comments

Let me provide you with some Spring/Summer sewing inspiration with my latest haul vlog. I don't often do hauls as I'm not a big shopper and I have a small fabric stash, but I have been stocking up for Spring.

Check out the video below:


There was one fabric in particular that had a pretty quick turnaround...


I couldn't wait to use this fabric and it was at the top of my list to wear. Once I had the By Hand London Jenna dress pattern in mind, I needed to make it ASAP. I'll be back soon with some proper photos and a review maybe, but in short, I love it!

--

Thanks for watching!
Abi xo
4/14/2020 No comments

After the response to these on my Instagram Stories, I had to whip up a blog post ASAP to share how I did my mid century inspired gold star and nude gel nails with my Cricut Joy machine.

In my early twenties I went through an intense nail art phase, I painted leopard print, Aztec patterns, stars, dots, flowers - you name it. I had books on nail art design and all the tools, in hindsight, it feels a little cringe. But honestly I've impressed myself with how nice these gold stars look. Much better than using those old nail art pens...

I invested in an at home gel nail kit a couple of months ago, I've been getting my nails done in the salon for a few years now, so I feel confident in the process and that it could be something I could tackle myself.

I've seen Cricut machines used for nail art a couple of times, and wondered how well it worked. I figured combined with setting it under the UV light with gel nail varnish it would make the vinyl nail art more durable. In this post I'm going to tell you all the supplies you need and include my step by step process to achieve this look for yourself.


I'm sure I'm not the only one who's hands are suffering with the excessive hand washing - please excuse the dryness!
Like I've mentioned, for this tutorial I'm using gel nails. You could do this will regular nail polish, it just probably won't last as long.

Firstly, you need all the gel nail equipment:
- I have THIS exact gel nail kit, which includes everything you need (minus polish).
- There are some extra tools I would recommend for doing your own gel nails, like THIS cuticle tool and THIS buffer.
- A polish base colour. I used THIS shade of light pink.

To create my nail art I used:
- Photoshop
- Cricut Design Space
- Cricut Joy Machine
- Cricut Removable Smart Vinyl in gold
- Cricut tools and tweezers


Step 1:
Prep Cricut nail art.

I found a mid century star template and put it through photoshop. I deleted the background and saved it as a PNG. I transferred this over to the Cricut design space. I judged the size by eye and made sure to place plenty, in various sizes, so there would be room for mistakes as I knew it would be very fiddly.

My Cricut Joy then cut them out on removable Smart Vinyl in gold. I was worried it might be too small and fiddly, but Joy handled it perfectly! I made sure to gather up the Cricut tools and set up a space to work at with my gel nail kit and vinyls.

Step 2:
Nail prep & base.

After you've done the normal gel nail prep; cuticle removal, buffing, shaping etc - apply your gel nail base coat as normal. I then applied TWO coats of my chosen polish which provides a semi-nude pink base to work on.

Do this one hand at a time, or one nail at a time. Which ever you find easier. I did my left hand entirely first, then my right.

Step 3:
Apply vinyls.

Gel nails remain tacky until the final step in the gel nail application process, so don't think you can start pressing your finger on your nail etc and remember to work quite quickly to avoid fluff and dust build up.

Use the Cricut tools or tweezers to pick up a star from the vinyl, it can be quite tricky to get the hang of it, but you'll find your flow. Carefully place the nail art where you want it and smooth the vinyl down with the tools being careful not to scrape the polish. Make sure all the fiddly star points are smoothed down. Repeat across your nails.

Step 4:
Top Coat.

Check your art is in place as you want it and no bits are poking out. Carefully apply a generous layer of clear top coat and seal under the UV light. Be careful not to pick up any of the star points with your brush as you don't want the top coat to go under the vinyl as it will lift up.

Repeat. I applied TWO clear top coats (I'd recommend this as a minimum) but I may add a 3rd to make sure none of the points of the stars can be caught and pulled up.

After the final step of setting your gel nails you'll be able to run your fingers over the nails and see how well the vinyls are set in. You might feel they are poking up a little bit, if so add another top coat and seal. Whilst your nails won't feel completely smooth as if they had no vinyl on them, you should still be able to run through your nails through your hair or over fabric and not have them catch.


I have surprised myself with how well these have appeared to have worked and this has unleashed a whole world of possibilities for me and my Cricut Joy now! What a cool thing to be able to use this little machine for. With so may colours of vinyl on offer from Cricut, my mind is whiring away with thousands of nail art designs! So this might not be the last you see of my Cricut nail art!

If you've found yourself looking to do your own gel nails at home with a kit, regardless of nail art, I would really recommend THE KIT I bought. I've used it a few times now and have been really impressed with the products. My first manicure lasted about 2 weeks (but that was before I realised the importance of cuticle removal and nail buffing), my second manicure was much better and the 2 week mark was this week, and whilst they were lasting well (only one chip), I wanted to try this nail art. My toes lasted about 3 weeks, again though it was my first attempt and a bit dodgy, my second looks much better and I hope it'll last a month at least.

You do need quite a bit of patience with this project and a steady hand will help. But practise makes perfect and have fun with it!

Let me know if you're going to try this, it's going to be my new obsession for sure!

Thanks for reading.
Abi xo

Disclaimer: contains affiliate links.
Cricut Joy was gifted to me, but this post is of my own accord and not required as part of our collaboration.
4/09/2020 1 comments

Hello! Last week I had one of those days where the sun was shining, new fabric arrived and I had a wave of positivity and creativity. Combined it made for the perfect sew-day, so I decided to film it and take you along with me as I made the Safiya dungarees/jumpsuit from Tilly and the Buttons newest book Make It Simple.

The vlog starts with my plans for the day, then moves into the cutting out and my sewing set up, and I've filmed my first try on and my final review. I really enjoyed this one and it's super casual. I hope it'll provide some light relief and inspire you to crack on with your own perfect sew-day.


Check out the video below:



Sewing Summary:

Pattern: Safiya Dungas - Tilly and the Buttons Make It Simple

Fabric: Cotton Double Gauze - I found my fabric in stock HERE.
But I've found some more great CDG fabrics I think would be amazing for this; HERE, HERE & HERE.

Notions: Nothing but a Crafty Pinup 'DIY FASHION' woven label!

Sewing time: A couple of hours

Modifications: A couple of inches off the leg length.

Fit: Great! I was worried they might too tight on my hips or bust, but these fit like a DREAM and they are so comfy. See the vlog for lunging prowess. 

Difficulty: Simple. Just like the book says!

Watch out for: Matching up your side seams. 

Make Again?: Yes! This was one of those patterns where as I was wearing it after my final try on, I was already looking at my fabric stash to see if I could make another. I'd love a darker coloured one, or perhaps in chambray.

--

Have you got Tilly's new book yet? Out of the three she's done, I think this one is my favourite. 

Thanks for watching!
Abi xo

Disclaimer: contains affiliate links.
3/30/2020 1 comments
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