For me 2019 was a big turning point in my sewing and knitting. It was the year I switched my blog name and embraced a more relaxed style. I think last year was truly the first time since I started dressmaking that I actually made useful, wearable garments which I love. I'm no longer sewing vintage floral dresses willy nilly, I just don't dress like that enough to justify it, and I dipped my toe into the 70s for the first time and it lead my sewing in a new direction.

So at the risk of trying and failing at YouTube for the 100th time, I've filmed a vlog showing you my most worn makes of last year. It's pretty chatty and relaxed and I hope you enjoy it. Find the video below:



1. Tilly and the Buttons - Coco and Francoise 60s mash up - Fabric bought in store.
Check out this amazing dogtooth fabric I think would work well HERE.

2. Simplicity 8608 - Jersey Jumpsuit - Fabric bought in store.
I've found an alternative HERE

3. Deer and Doe - Myosotis Dress - Fabric now sold out.

4. Simplicity 6301 - Jersey Wrap Dress - Fabric bought in store.

5. All About Ami - Downtown Cardigan - Lilac Yarn
We Are Knitters Simone Cardigan - Blue Yarn

Thanks for watching!
Abi xo

Happy New Year everyone! I'm a little late with the reflection post and planning my Make Nine but I've enjoyed taking some time out over the festive season so I'm only just getting back into the swing of things over here.

I don't know whether it's the time of year, but I've really lacked any kind of sew-jo the past couple of months. I've probably made less than 5 things since Summer (including a very boring ironing board cover), but honestly I'm not too bothered. It means I've been wearing a lot of my favourite older makes and showing them some love. This year I also ditched the crafty pinup blog name (it's just my shop now), so 2019 involved a lot of embracing my true style which is much more casual and I've been trying to work on that.

I wish I was someone who had a super tonal wardrobe and everything worked together but I'm accepting I'll never be that person, just because I like too many things, but I'm trying to find a middle ground. So even though overall 2019 was a weird year for my sewing I hope to roll into 2020 with some inspiration and more direction.

Lets talk Make Nine goals:

I've been putting together a Make Nine for the past couple of years and normally I keep on track and I enjoying the process. But 2019's was an absolute FAIL. You can check it out HERE. My 2019 make nine wasn't crazy or anything, and I still like the makes I included, but I think I gave myself too much. I was never going to complete 5 big knitting projects (what was I thinking?!) and I went off the pink denim jacket idea pretty quick and realised the last thing I needed was another pinafore... I made a couple of things from the list but the lack of sewing projects made it feel like more of a fail overall.

I'm using my 2020 make nine plans to finish/start some knitting and crochet kits I have already bought, some fabrics I have but haven't used yet and some patterns I keep lusting after or want to try again. I think I've set myself some very realistic goals and nothing requires learning a new skill or feels too daunting so hopefully there won't be anything stopping me from diving into these projects!

So here's my 2020 Make Nine plans:



1. Wool and the Gang 'Malibu' Sweater

Oh jeez, this kit. I bought this kit in the summer thinking I'd make it in a month. Turns out crochet isn't a skill that comes naturally to me and I learned the hard way. I'm determined to get back into it this year and tick crochet off my skill list.

2. Star print viscose fabric

My fave fabric I have in my stash right now! I know the garment I sew with it will be just around the corner, I'm just struggling to find the time at the moment. But I'm torn between a wrap dress (my go to), a button up tea dress or something short and 60s. But luckily I have enough fabric for a couple of garments as I snapped up all that was left when I saw it in store.

3. Wool and the Gang 'Needed Me' Cardigan

I've been lusting after this one for a while and finally bought the kit in the sales. I haven't made a cardigan in mohair yet and I really want one. I think it will be a great piece of knitwear for summer so hopefully this one will be a success (and quick-ish).

4. Powder blue sweatshirt fabric

I've had this fabric stashed for a while, thinking I would make the Tilly and the Button Stella hoodie and joggers set. I still haven't used it. I think maybe the colour is too light and that's putting me off because I know if I had this fabric in black I would have used it by now. But recently Tilly released a Nora cardigan hack and I think that could work very well for me instead of a hoodie in this colour. We'll see! But it takes up too much room in my stash to sit around much longer!

5. Named Clothing 'Lempi' Dress

This pattern has been in my dreams all last year. I've loved every version I've seen. I don't own it yet but I'd definitely love to try it and I think it would be a great transitional piece.

6. Tilly and the Buttons 'Make It Simple' book

This book comes out in February and after watching Tilly's preview of the patterns I don't think there's a pattern in there I don't like! So I'm including the whole damn book on my Make Nine list because I'll probably be making a bunch from it this year (overambitious maybe?).

7. Friday Pattern Company 'Ilford' Jacket

Another pattern I've been lusting after and don't yet own. I love the styling of this floral one pictured but would love to make it in a plain drill because I think that would be super useful in my wardrobe.

8. Tilly and the Buttons 'Martha' Dress

I made this dress once when I first started sewing. It was a bit of a mess technically but I loved it. I've been thinking about this pattern a lot recently and every smart/casual occasion that has come up recently I've thought 'oooh Martha would be nice to wear', but my first one hasn't lasted well. Time to make Martha round 2!

9. Nina Lee London 'Kew' Dress

Oh this pattern. I absolutely disrespected this pattern the first time I tried it and I can't quite bring myself to look at it again. That dress has never seen the light of day, but gosh I love this pattern and long to make a successful one! Mine was all down to a horrible, very lazy fit (all my fault), so I need to have a proper look at this one and make my dream dress.


I hope 2020 will be productive and will lead to me creating a more coordinated wardrobe which suits my style (since shedding the pinup stuff). I feel much more comfortable in my skin and hope to reflect that in my makes.

Have you put together a list of makes for 2020?

Thanks for reading.
Abi xo

P.S. I'm starting the decade with a fiancé, so that's pretty nice too!

• Add waist ties to the bodice to pull the loose fit in at the waist.
• Add a tiered skirt (like me!)
• Add patch pockets instead of in seam ones.
• Add a Peter Pan collar, like I did on THIS dress.

Overall, Indigo is probably my new favourite sewing pattern. I know it's going to be my new go-to when I have a spare afternoon to sew. It's easy to sew and lazy to fit, my kind of sewing for sure!

I hope you enjoyed the post and found it helpful. I really would recommend it to beginners and beyond and think it's a really nice thing to make with lots of possibilities to make it your own. Again thanks for your patience and understanding with my struggle for blog photos!

Thanks for reading!
Abi xo

'Tis the season for gift guides and what kind of blogger would I be if I didn't throw my hat in the ring!  I also enjoy creating mood boards and scouring the internet for cute stuff as its a great way to procrastinate... So here's my Christmas gift guide (but also highly recommended to reference for birthdays, valentines day, weekends, just about any time) for the knitter in your life!

1. Addi Gold Glitter Needles
I have a pair of these, and I'm not going to lie, I chose my current knitting project because it meant I got to use them again. Lovely to hold and to look at!

2. Lauren Aston Designs - LAD Bags
Everything Lauren designs is a winner, but how useful are these LAD bags?

3. We Are Knitters - I Am A Knitter T Shirt
Say it loud and proud!

4. Wool and the Gang - Knitting Kits
You know I love a knitting kit and in my opinion Wool and the Gang have the best ones. Choose from simple scarfs through to cable knit cardigans.

5. Crafty Pinup - The Knitter Pin Bundle
Couldn't do a knitting gift guide without a shout out to my own pin designs! Get my two woolly designs in a 20% off bundle.

6. Paintbox Yarns - Value Pack
I think Paintbox Yarns are a great affordable yarn option and their super chunky is a great dupe for the designer wools. Why not gift a value pack in their favourite shade? The colour choice is amazing!

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Seriously my all time favourite present to get? A Gift Card. Yep! Honestly I love nothing more than a gift card for one of my favourite shops. Here's a round up of my favourite Gift Cards for knitting shops:

• Wool and the Gang
• We Are Knitters
• Love Crafts
• Minerva
• Deramores
• Abakhan

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Perhaps send this post over to your gift getters as a not to subtle hint.

Thanks for reading!
Abi xo

'Tis the season for gift guides and what kind of blogger would I be if I didn't throw my hat in the ring!  I also enjoy creating mood boards and scouring the internet for cute stuff as its a great way to procrastinate... So here's my Christmas gift guide (but also highly recommended to reference for birthdays, valentines day, weekends, just about any time) for the seamstress in your life!

1. Crafty Pinup - Sewing Machine Pin
Here I go again plugging my own stuff, but you've got to admit, a sewing machine makes a pretty cool pin right?

2. Sew Dainty - Mirror Acrylic Scissors Necklace 
Finished with a super sparkly Swarovski crystal, this scissor necklace is a stunner!

3. Tilly & the Buttons - Make It Simple
Very important sewing news! Tilly's next book is available for pre-order and you know it's going to be a best seller.

4. ETO Buttons - Matte Green Flowers
I've been stalking ETO Buttons on Instagram and I've tracked down a UK seller. You'll probably start seeing them everywhere soon though.

5. Ernest Wright & Son - Pink Shears
Dream scissors. End of.

6. Pink Coat Club - Contains Dog Hair Woven Labels
As a family who has a doberman, I need these labels in my life. Check out Joy's other hella cute designs too (yes there's ones for cat people).

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Seriously my all time favourite present to get? A Gift Card. Yep! Honestly I love nothing more than a gift card for one of my favourite shops. Here's a round up of my favourite Gift Cards for sewing shops:

• Sew Me Sunshine
• Like Sew Amazing
• Material Girl Laura
• Minerva
• Abakhan
• Sewisfaction
• Tilly and the Buttons

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Perhaps send this post over to your gift getters as a not to subtle hint.

Thanks for reading!
Abi xo

• Sew Hayley Jane - 20% off items in the Outlet Shop - code: BLACKFRIDAY

• Samantha Claridge Studio - 20% off EXCLUSIVE - code: ABI20 

• Material Girl Laura - #BARGS - ends Sunday

• Oh Sew Shop - 20% off everything - code: BLACKFRIDAY20 - ends midnight Sunday

• Sister Mintaka - 20% off almost everything (excludes preorders & sale)

• Crafty Sew & So - Free delivery all week

• Sewing Daze - Sale on Christmas fabrics & end of bolts

• Like Sew Amazing - 15% off fabrics - code: WOWZER15 or 20% off over £40 code: WOWZER40

• Pink Coat Club - Free notepad with orders over £25 - 20% off low stock - half price seconds

• The Fabric Fox - 20% off - code: BLACKFRIDAY - ends Monday

• Sewisfaction - up to 60% off

• My Handmade Wardrobe Patterns - 25% off

• WeaverDee - multiple offers

If you'd had said to me a couple of years ago that I would one day be knitting every evening I would have said 'hell no'. I've tried to learn in the past with varying success but nothing ever stuck. Until the end of last summer. Fast forward a year, I have a collection of me made knits, a bunch of patterns and wool stashed around the flat (shhh) and 3 projects on the go at once. I'm obsessed.

I hate to use the phrase but, I get a lot of DMs about knitting, about how I learnt, recommendations for patterns and yarns and a lot of messages saying they're nervous to try or can't find their flow and what advice do I have for them. SO, you guys have inspired me to start a new Knitting 101 series on my blog, sharing everything I know and my favourite resources for troubleshooting your knitting problems. Hopefully this series will inspire you to pick up your needles, learn or fall back in love with knitting.

My preferred style of knitting chunky, squishy and simple, so if you're after tight knit or fitted garments, this probably won't be for you. My attention span doesn't last long enough to tackle that style, I've tried but honestly it just doesn't interest me. I like to be able to complete my knitting projects within a couple of months, I'm too impatient and want to wear everything NOW. With that being said, lets get into it...

Online classes:

I initially kickstarted my knitting with a beginners scarf class on Skillshare. The class advised what size needles and yarn to go and buy, then you follow along with the class video. This appealed to me as I wanted to be able to watch someone knit each step and really hold my hand throughout the process. You can also see other people's projects and reviews who also took the class, a part of Skillshare I really like and find very helpful.

As I'm a Skillshare ambassador, you can get 2 FREE months of Skillshare through me. CLICK HERE to sign up and start exploring today! I've also checked out tutorials on weaving (great for yarn leftovers!), embroidery, crochet and tech stuff. I've found it to be a really useful platform for creatives and I am proud to be an ambassador and to be able to offer you a freebie!

YouTube:

For literally any issue you have with your knitting project there's a video to help you out. I'm a big fan of Wool and the Gang's YouTube channel and recommend it to everyone who needs some help. The videos are short, close up and simple. Slow down the speed, pause and replay to your heart's content. That's what I do!



Other channels I'd recommend checking out for knitting explained are Sheep and Stitch and We Are Knitters. 

Knitting Kits:

Knitting kits are my jam. Without these guys I think I would have lost interest in knitting pretty quick. If you grab them in the sales (of which there are lots), buying kits is a great way to knit in my opinion. You get everything you need, nothing more, nothing less, to make your project. And as someone who has trouble figuring out how much yarn you need for a pattern and what size needles, this takes all the fuss out of it. I'll always praise kits and recommend them, because without them I think I would have given up trying to learn.

Of course some of these kits can be pricey, and if you're happy to figure out your yarns and patterns for yourself then that's great. But as a newbie, kits were a breath of fresh air when I felt overwhelmed by knitting supplies and trying to piece everything together became stressful instead of fun.

Knitting kits brands that I love:

• Wool and the Gang
• Hip Knit Shop
• Laura Aston Designs
• We Are Knitters

Here's a couple of beginner kits I started with:

• Wool and the Gang 'Whistler Scarf'
• Wool and the Gang 'Lula Hoop'
• In these photos, I'm knitting THIS scarf kit.

My affordable faves:

I've experimented with expensive yarns and affordable yarns, but as a beginner (or just in general) more affordable and budget friendly options are more appealing. They also don't feel too precious. Here are some of my favourite affordable brands:

Paintbox yarns - I've used this brand a lot and have been really pleased with the quality and the awesome colour range. They also have a selection of free patterns, I've got a bunch downloaded!

Stylecraft - Remember my pink cardigan I shared recently? I made that out of Stylecraft Aran weight yarn and I love it.

Rico - Rico have an amazing selection of yarn weights and styles, I've got lots on my wish list to try next. Definitely check out their patterns too, there's lots of styles that will appeal to all ages.

In general, I'd recommend visiting Love Crafts, my go-to knitting supply shop. You can browse patterns, yarn and more and filter the searches to suit your needs. It's an easy to navigate website and is full of inspiration.


Picking projects:

A scarf is a great place to start and that's what I recommend to people looking to start. You can get a feel for how you hold the needles and yarn, and you can see if you're a tight knitter or loose. You'll learn about good tension and it will help you move onto your next project. Plus if you end up hating it, you haven't invested a lot in supplies.

After I cracked the scarf and found my flow, I knew I wanted to stick with simple and chunky. But I couldn't knit scarves forever. Luckily there's lots of simple jumper and cardigans out there.

I thought any knitted jumper would involve increasing, decreasing and lots of complicated sizing and measurements and.... maths (eek!). WRONG. I'll be sharing my jumpers and cardigans in my next Knitting 101 blog post. Stay tuned!



I hope this post has been helpful to you and has demystified knitting a little and at least persuaded you to check out some projects. I feel silly for avoiding it for as long as I have, its brought so much to my life and has inspired me when I've felt out of whack with my sewing. Now it's my favourite lazy craft to do in front of the TV in the evenings. I still feel productive and there's a squishy piece of knitwear waiting for me at the end.

Next up, I'll be sharing my journey into knitting garments!

Thanks for reading!
Abi xo

Hi everyone! It's time for my second Makers Style File post, after what I think was a pretty successful first one. A blog post followed my first mood board featuring a dress and a cardigan that were in-keeping with my plans and made me feel a little proud that I actually stuck to something! I really enjoyed putting it together and I hope you enjoyed checking it out. So now we're 100% in to Autumn, my favourite time of year, I figured it was time for my next!

This time of year I always gravitate back to 1960s inspired styles and now more so than ever with my new style crush Lucy Boynton (along with THIS Instagram account featuring some stunning beauty looks). Not only am I planning a few 60s style mini dresses and smocks to steal her looks, my hair appointment is booked and I'm ready for a good chop!

I made the Tilly and the Buttons Martha dress a couple of years ago and it's a dress pattern that I always think of when I see retro high street styles and I think to myself that I really need to try that one again. The first time around I made it with the high neck, but I'm tempted to draft a Peter Pan collar on it, like I did in my last blog post HERE. Plus that will look super cute with a bob...

I'm also in a weird limbo with my knitting projects, I've got nothing chunky on the go and everything feels like its going to take forever but I want to wear them now. I've been looking a lot at the yarn and patterns by Rico recently and THIS yarn is a dupe for a cardigan I spotted in Urban Outfitters. It will knit up much quicker than what I'm doing at the moment, I just need to find the right pattern. And finally, I may already be an owner of a dreamy pastel blue bag, but THIS one is the ultimate and the colour looks so good with classic Autumnal tones. I'm looking forward to planning some outfits and makes to incorporate my love of both colour palettes.

Let me know if there's any 1960s patterns out there you think I'm missing out on!

Thanks for reading.
Abi xo

Hi guys! Today's post is all about pattern hacking. If you've followed for a while, you'll know I'm partial to a simple pattern hack or two, and when I was asked if I wanted to be a part of this year's Simplicity Hack-Along for The Eve Appeal, I couldn't say no!


Since changing my blog from Crafty Pinup to What Abi Makes, I'm definitely feeling a little more relaxed with my style and I'm enjoying sewing garments I know are more 'me'. One of my favourite styles at the moment are smock dresses. I've always had a few on rotation in my wardrobe and I love that they can be styled with a 1960s flare, which is always a style I lean to in the Autumn. When I spotted the Simplicity 8658 top pattern in the hack along line up, I knew that this was the pattern for me. Its simple design lends it's self perfectly to multiple styles, but it wasn't until I'd found my fabric that I had a lightbulb moment.

Here's a peek at the pattern:


We've all got garments in our lives that we loved and lost and my memory was sparked when I spotted THIS stunning hydrangea print viscose crepe fabric. Years ago I had this TopShop smock dress, with a Peter Pan collar, full length sleeves which were elasticated around the wrists and it was made in the loveliest blue hydrangea print jersey. I wore that dress to death, quite literally. I had forgotten all about it until I saw this fabric and it came flooding back into my mind. Then I went back to my 8658 pattern, realised the sleeves were literally the same as my TopShop dress and all I needed to do was draft the smock skirt and a design a collar.

Then on came the mega sewing excitement feels!


How I hacked this pattern:

1. Firstly, you need to decide where you'd like your skirt to start and mark it on the bodice. The first time, I drafted it at my natural waist, but it ended up dropping a bit over night and looked quite unflattering, so I shortened it again to more of an empire waist. So have a play around and choose what works best for you.

2. Once my shortened bodice was sewn up, I drafted my Peter Pan collar by eye. Lying my garment on pattern paper to roughly trace the shape and curve of the neckline, and after a couple of trial collars and playing with the size, I got my perfect collar!

3. I pinched the skirt pattern piece from the Tilly and the Button Indigo smock dress, which is just essentially a rectangle, but I already had the piece to hand. I gathered the top of the skirt slightly and attached it to the bodice, matching up the side seams.

Simple as that!

I'm so happy with the final dress and other than a different shade of blue and not being made from jersey, it's a pretty accurate replica of my old TopShop dress.


Sewing Summary:

Pattern: Simplicity 8658 Top

Fabric: Lady McElroy Stretch Viscose Crepe Fabric Green & Black

Notions: 1cm wide elastic for the wrists. Button and hoop for the centre back.

Sewing time: About half a day.

Modifications: See above for the details on my hacked dress!

Fit: It started off a little big but the final dress is much better. Next time I would cut the size Small.

Difficulty: Simple.

Watch out for: Getting smooth edges on the Peter Pan collar.

Make Again?: Yes! I love smock dresses and now I have my own collar drafted, I can see myself making another one of these very soon.


Overall, I'm so happy with how this dress came out. I'm even happier I decided last minute to slice it at the waist and shorten the bodice. And when I say last minute, I mean one hour before I headed out to take these photos! Looking back, I think it probably looked a bit frumpy initially, but in the space of about 15 minutes, I whipped the skirt off and stuck it back on again!

I really enjoyed the whole sewing process for this one and the fabric was lovely to work with. It's a simple pattern to follow and because of that it allowed me to concentrate on finishing my seams really nicely and take a bit more care over the simple things. I'm really proud of this dress and how it's finished. I'm hoping it'll last as long as my original TopShop number.


So if you fancy making yourself a cute, raglan sleeve smock with billow-y sleeves, this pattern is a great place to start! Check out all the details on Simplicity's Pattern Hack Along for The Eve Appeal and how you can join in HERE. Simplicity will be making a contribution to the Eve Appeal for every ‘Hack-Along’ pattern purchased in the UK during the event.



Join in and don't forget to use the hashtag #hackalong. There are three categories for makers to enter to win prizes and these hashtags are: #hackalongday #hackalongparty #hackalongvintage - I'm choosing the vintage category for mine as I love the 60s vibes of my swishy smock!

Are you taking part? Make sure to follow along to see what the other bloggers featured in the hack along are making. I can't wait to see...

Thanks for reading!
Abi xo

Hi guys! Time for a wordy post and some new makes in one. I didn't want today's post to just be a sewing pattern review, I also want to combine it with a little discussion about finding my personal style and moving on after my rebrand from The Crafty Pinup (there's a little explanation about that HERE). So this is the first bit of sewing (and knitting) I'm sharing since changing my blog to What Abi Makes and I think that this outfit really sums up my true style and where I feel most like myself, it helps that it's also super comfortable!

There's a little more behind this dress than normal as I didn't sew it on my usual sewing machine. Every September I dog sit at my parents for a week, and being away from work can be really stressful for me, so I thought I would distract myself and set myself up on my mum's sewing machine and make myself a 'slow sew' dress.

Normally I whizz through the sewing process (I like simple patterns and finishing makes in one sitting), but this time I wanted to take a little more time over the sewing process and try to enjoy it a bit more. Along with the fact I was also using a very basic machine compared to my usual. Mum has the JL110 machine from John Lewis, which I reviewed a while back HERE. Its a great little machine and worked like a dream on this project.


The pattern is the 'Etoile Dress' by French Poetry Patterns. I've been searching for the perfect button up, collarless dress pattern for months, but I'm not yet recovered after my awful first attempt at the Nina Lee London Kew Dress (I really effed that up). Then I saw this pattern release via The Fold Line and fell in love. I snapped it up straight away and paired with THIS floral viscose I figured it'd be a great match.

I'm not going to lie guys, this isn't my finest make and I'm so annoyed because I had the time to concentrate properly and I still managed to make a mess! The problem I'd like to say first, isn't with the pattern itself, more like me being an idiot. Let's talk measurements, my bust measures about 42" which puts me at the top end of sizing when it comes to most patterns, but that doesn't match the rest of my body compared to the size charts. I know I should do more full bust adjustments, but honestly, I like to opt for styles like a wrap or sew in jersey so I don't have to. In short, this was one of those occasions where I cut the larger size for my bust and ended up with a huge dress...


I was so in the zone following the instructions and having a jolly old time sewing and listening to podcasts that when I came to try it on just before doing the button holes, I thought 'oh crap what have I done'. So to rectify the massively oversized dress I made, I tried my best to pick up the shoulders without unpicking the sleeves as it was super long in the body and then I gathered the shoulders (because they were SO wide), I then took it in at the waist a little. I extended the length of the dress as I wanted a midi length.

Whilst technically this dress may be a little bit of a mess, I can honestly say I still LOVE it. Before I started this dress, if you saw my Makers Style File post or follow me on Insta, you'll know I've been wanting a midi length, viscose button up dress with a relaxed fit for some time, and this make ticks all the boxes. Even though it's large, it has that 90s style that's everywhere right now and I love it paired with my new boots. I've worn it a handful of times already and I made it less than a month ago so I'm counting that as a resounding success.


Sewing Summary:

Pattern: The 'Etoile Dress' by French Poetry Patterns

Fabric: Floral Viscose

Notions: 12 x simple black plastic buttons

Sewing time: I spread this out over about 4 days

Modifications: See above for the alterations I had to make

Fit: Again, see above for the alterations I made after making a size or 3 too big!

Difficulty: Pretty straightforward

Watch out for: I took extra care with the facing to get a flat and tidy neck edge. Lots of pressing!

Make Again?: Yes, I really love this dress, but I do need to fiddle with the pattern to get the sizing to work for me. E.g. narrowing the shoulders, shortening the bodice.

--

Knitting Summary:

Pattern: The 'Downtown Cardigan' by All About Ami

Yarn: Aran weight by Style Craft Yarns in 'Fondant' - leftover from a jumper last year

Needles: 5mm Knit Pro straight needles

Modifications: I used a smaller yarn and needles to create a smaller cardigan

Fit: I made a larger size as I was knitting in smaller yarn and needles than recommended. It's just what I wanted, a lil mini Downtown cardigan!

Make again: This is my second time making this. I made a huge squishy lilac one which I love. This mini one is super cute and great over dresses, I've already started it in red.


When I was out and about taking snaps of this dress, I haven't felt so myself in an outfit some quite some time. Having a blog called The Crafty Pinup made me feel like I was letting everyone down every time I made something that didn't have a vintage aesthetic, and when I talked about the blog name change recently with friends, one said he'd never seen me in vintage style the whole time he'd known me. It became really apparent I was trying to keep up appearances for the internet with boundaries I had set myself. The whole thing sounds so silly when I type it out now. Anyway, I feel so inspired to create new content for What Abi Makes, more so than I have for a long time. A lot has changed in my life since I started this blog, I sew for myself a lot less and I no longer have the space to set up my white backdrop for photos. But I feel more confident going outside to take photos and am planning my makes more consciously to suit my personal style, and I can breathe a sign of relief knowing that no one cares if I don't have victory rolls!

Thank you for the support for the name change/rebrand. I've got lots planned for What Abi Makes, I'll still be sharing sewing pattern reviews, I've got a big knitting for beginners blog series on the way and I'll be vlogging occasionally too.

Thanks for reading!
Abi xo

P.S. On the day me and my friend went out to take photos, it was the windiest day ever! So these are the best of a bad, very wind swept, bunch.

P.P.S. I also wore this outfit to The Handmade Festival and had a blast!

Hi everyone! Welcome to my first makers style file post. A simple, mood-board style post with my current style faves and how to create the look, whether that be sewing, knitting, crochet or another crafty skill. This post is all about transitional dressing and what I'm making to fill this space in my wardrobe.

I'm currently lusting after everything from Nobody's Child, but mainly their Alexa style midi length button up dress. I love the relaxed fit, flowy fabric and it's a style that I love the look of paired with boots and leather jackets. It's time to sew the look for myself instead of lusting after it on other people. I'm currently sewing this pattern but the 'Kew' Dress pattern (pictured) is going to be my next one. Luckily there's lots of gorgeous, affordable floral viscose fabrics to experiment with. Check out my 2 recommendations HERE and HERE.

Along with some mid-season dresses, I'm starting to plot some knitting too. A couple of months ago I started my fondant pink, mid weight cardigan and it's so nearly finished. It looks kinda like the RTW one on the mood-board and I think it'll pair really well with the dress. It's going to be perfect for September's weather and it's a departure from a lot of the super chunky knits I made earlier this year. Next though, I've been eyeing up THIS mohair kit, it's been in and out of my shopping basket for weeks!

What's on your sewing table, or in the knitting bag?

Thanks for reading.
Abi xo

Welcome to What Abi Makes, a UK based sewing, knitting and crafts blog. If you're wondering what happened to the Crafty Pinup, fear not, it's still me. It's just time for an identity change!

I've been thinking for a very long time now about changing my blog name, but it feels like such a mammoth task, that I didn't even know where to start. I've felt uncomfortable for a long time about the aesthetic suggestions the name 'crafty pinup' carries and every time I post a picture of myself or make something new, I feel like I'm letting down everyone who follows me because they love vintage style. It was really starting to get me down and knock my confidence. All for some pressure I put on myself.

I started this blog a couple of years ago and it's taken me on a mad journey. It was just going to be my little corner of the internet to share my sewing, not with anyone in particular, but to give me a reason to dress up a bit and get creative with writing and of course, to inspire me to sew. At the time I was loving 1950s style, so my blog name made perfect sense and for the first year or so a lot of what I made was either vintage reproduction or had a retro flair. But a few years on, I no longer feel like the same person and certainly don't live up to any 'pinup' look that you'd associate with the name.

Since starting this blog not only have I been lucky enough to collaborate and work with some of my dream sewing brands, I even opened my own shop and designed my own products. So in one way, it's only the beginning for Crafty Pinup, as now that'll be solely my shop,  I've got lots planned for it and I really hope it'll continue to grow. But as for my sewing blog and social media, I'm not setting myself any unrealistic goals and I'm keeping it simple. What Abi Makes is a 'does what it says on the tin' blog name. I'll continue to share what I'm making with you, whether that be my dressmaking, knitting, (hopefully) crochet and other crafts I'm dabbling in. I already feel so much better about it and like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders!

I'll always love vintage style. Since my teens I've dipped in and out of it and so much of my inspiration, from my home to my makeup, is taken from retro looks. So who knows, maybe the odd vintage make will pop up again in the future. But going forward, the old posts won't be going anywhere and I hope you'll continue to follow me on my crafty journey!

Thanks for reading,
Abi xo