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What Abi Makes

 Originally posted on my shop blog.

Woven labels are a fun way to add a touch of customisation to your makes. I love the pop of colour they add and the fact they make anything you make look a touch more professional. I've designed a collection of crafty woven labels in a range of colours with various quotes, so you'll be sure to find one to suit your next project!

I've only started using woven label in my makes over the past year, there's so many cute ones out there right now! So I thought I would put together a blog post to share some ways on how to sew labels into your makes. Whether you're worried you'll find labels itchy or if you want to make a statement! 

Here are a few popular ways to stitch and show off woven labels in your sewing projects:

1. The most common way I stitch in my labels, is in the facing of my makes. I sew a lot of dresses, most of which will have a neck facing and that's a classic label spot! A regular straight stitch will be perfect for my flat labels. I like to switch it up, but you can either stitch around the whole label like a box, close to the edge and pivoting at the corners. Or simply sew a straight line at either end. 

Top Tip: Instead of using pins and potentially making a hole in your garment, stabilise the label with a strip of washi tape! 

2. Do you find labels in your clothes itchy? Or perhaps you want to be extra snazzy with your stitching? Try a mini zig zag stitch! This will encase the label, making sure there are no spikey corners or edges to rub against your skin. This stitch looks super cute, why not try stitching in a contrasting colour to make a statement of it too.

3. If you have the patience, hand sewing your labels is always an option. I'm terrible at hand sewing, so if I can do it on my machine, I'd rather do that, but I'm also a knitter and to attach labels to my knitwear hand sewing is a must. I like to do a little 'X' stitch on each corner to secure a label or a couple of running stitches, but make sure to catch enough yarn! 

4. Display your labels on the outside! Again if you're worried about itchy label but still want to add them to your makes, how about attaching one to the outside of your hem?

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I hope this woven label guide was helpful and will inspire you to add one to your next make! Why not check out my Woven Label Multi Pack, that way you don't have to pick a fave!

Thanks for reading, pinups!

Abi xo

2/05/2021 No comments

 Originally posted on my shop blog.

 

Looking for a way to show off and display your growing enamel pin badge collection? Then look no further! I've been wanting to make one of these display banners for a long time, as my ever expanding pin collection has been knocking around all over the place! I've got some in a box, some in a dish, and some lost never to be seen again! So I thought it was about time I treated my pins properly and create a cute and secure way to keep track of them, whilst brightening up my office.

 

 

To make your own pin display banner you will need:

- a wooden dowel rod
- something to hang you banner with e.g. ribbon or string
- cotton fabric
- medium weight interfacing
- an A4 piece of paper (to make your pattern)

Along with:

- a sewing machine
- basic sewing supplies
- a selection of your fave pins of course!

 

 

 

 

Step 1 - Make your pattern

Of course you can make your banner as small or large as you like. To make life easy I'm using an A4 piece of paper to make my pattern and would say it's a good medium size for a selection of pins.

Have your paper portrait and mark the centre of the bottom edge. Fold your two bottom corners in to meet the centre, creating a banner shape. Tada, this is now your pattern piece, minus seam allowance.

Step 2 - Cut out your banner

First, you will cut out 2 banner pieces from your cotton fabric. Fold your fabric to create 2 layers, and lay your paper pattern piece on top. Mark a 1cm seam allowance around the 2 long sides and pointed bottom edges. Mark an extra 1 inch at the top.

You can do this on larger paper before this step to create a pattern that includes seam allowance if you like, but this saves paper. 

Cut out your cotton banner pieces.

Depending on the weight of your fabric, you will also need to interface these pattern pieces. The fabric I'm using for this banner is actually a linen, it is quite drapey so I've used a medium-heavy weight interfacing on one piece to hold its shape. You may find 2 pieces of cotton fabric will be thick enough, or if your fabric leans more towards viscose, you will need to use interfacing. 

Step 3 - Sew your banner shape

Once you've cut out all your banner pieces and interfaced your fabric (if you needed to), it's time to sew!

Lay your fabric right sides together, and sew around the sides and bottom point edges with a 1cm seam allowance. Sew across the top of your banner but leave a gap in the centre (about 5cm) so you can turn your banner right side out.

Trim your corner points and seam allowances. This will make your points/corners nice and sharp!

Turn your banner the right side out. Press, making sure to fold in the top seam allowance where your gap is.

Step 4 - Finish your banner

Once your banner is neatly pressed. Fold over the top of your banner about 1 inch (or to fit the size of the wooden dowel you have). Pin, press and sew across. Forming a channel for your dowel.

Step 5 - Start pinning!

Insert the wooden dowel in the channel you just created. Then tie your ribbon (or string etc) around the dowel at each end to your desired length. 

Then start adding those pins! First, I placed my pins on top so I could figure out where to pin them so the weight was nicely balanced and before I started making holes. Then pop your pins on and hang up and admire!

Customise it!

- Add a pom pom trim 
- Make the banner shape a triangle 
- Paint your wooden dowel 

 

If you try this pin display banner tutorial please take a photo and share it on Instagram and tag me @craftypinupshop - I'd love to see and share! 

For all the pins featured in this post, visit my shop HERE.

Thanks for reading,

Abi xo

2/05/2021 No comments

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.

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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. 

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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
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