Fabric:  Check Wool (see similar HERE & HERE) & Black Lining Fabric

Notions: None.

Sewing time: I made this over a couple of days.

Modifications: Added a waist tie belt and front pockets.

Fit: Oversized but cosy.

Difficulty: Simple! Beginners should check out this pattern.

Watch out for: The collar points are the trickiest part, but the instructions are clear.

Make Again?: YES! I love this pattern and can see myself making another. 
Overall, I'm so glad I waited until this pattern came along, I think we were meant to be! It's exactly the style I wanted; oversized, big collar, waist belt, big pockets and simple to make. I've worn this coat every day since I made it and it's going straight to the top of my proudest make list! Coats always feel like such an achievement to make, but this pattern was far simpler than some of the dresses I've made, plus I didn't have to worry about fit. Although I did try to put my sensible seamstress head on and attempted a bit of pattern matching!

Ana from CocoWawa has started a new hashtag to end the year #myproudestmake - join in on Instagram with yours!

Are you making a coat this season?

Thanks for reading, pinups!
Abi xo

Hi pinups! What a crazy couple of months it's been with the opening of my new Crafty Pinup shop and coping with the madness of the festive shopping season. Whilst it's all been a bit of a whirlwind over here, I'm still finding some peace and quiet amongst all the madness, and trying to squeeze in a couple of sewing projects that are quick and satisfying along the way too. My December Spoonflower project certainly ticks my boxes for a comfy and cute make, with an perhaps an unlikely fabric choice too..

If you're a long time follower, you may recognise the pattern in this blog post. I made the Burda 7109 babydoll nightie and shorts set in 2017. See the original post and my full sewing pattern review HERE.

Here's a peek at the pattern:



The Burda 7109 pattern wasn't actually what I had picked for this fabric, but when it came to cutting my project out last week, I realised I didn't have quite enough for the pjs bottoms and shirt set I had planned. As the fabric is so bold, I didn't think it would look right to only make a pair of pj bottoms or a top, so I turned to one of my favourite nightwear patterns to sew a vintage style nightdress instead! I've sewn option B, the mid length babydoll nightie with a ruffle neck edge.

The fabric:

Novelty print fabric isn't usually something on my fabric shopping radar at all. But it would be such a waste to shop on Spoonflower and not get a fun print for some colourful pjs eventually. Whilst I think I've exhausted the search options on Spoonflower for anchors, leopard print, polka dots and lemons... I turned to another favourite; tattoo prints! As soon as I saw this 'Vintage Ink' print I knew it had to be mine. I love the softer colour palette and all the motifs, especially the 'Mom' one. As someone who loves traditional tattoos and has a couple herself, this fabric and me and meant to be.




The Burda 7109 pattern is a 1960s reproduction pattern and it really is one of my faves. It's such a simple sew with so many possibilities. I do love the look of the longer nightgown with the waist pull. I think that version would be amazing in something sheer with some ruffles for some full 60s vibes. But the shorter styles really lend themselves nicely to cotton fabrics. The cotton poplin I chose for this project is the perfect weight. It's not too stiff and washes well, along with sewing nicely and creating perfect pleats for the neckline detail. Like I did on my previous version of this babydoll nightie, I used a satin binding detail for the neckline instead of making and sewing bias binding (I'm such sewing cheat).

What I love about projects like this is that you know they're going to fit! The loose free fitting style takes all the usual fitting stress out and I know the outcome of the project with be comfy. I spent far too long in this set up on Sunday taking my photos for this post, and if it wasn't so cold I'm not sure I would have bothered getting dressed! Come Summer, I think this will be my weekend look...


As for the festive madness, I think I'm just about catching up! Balancing businesses and life in general, it sometimes seems like Christmas just totally passes me by. This season I've tried to focus more on what makes me happy, not taking on too much work and setting realistic expectations for myself.

Learning to knit this year has also had a huge impact on me. It's the cosy me-time I needed away from my office and sewing machine. I try to do a little bit each day and I love my new ritual of setting up my knitting corner on the sofa with a cup of tea, wearing my favourite pjs. So no matter how stressful the day has been or the work that's buzzing around my head for the next day, I can spend a moment thinking solely about my knitting and nothing else. Bliss!


If you can't tell already, I'm going through my seasonal 1960s phase. I love this look for Autumn/Winter and I'm definitely gravitating to sewing patterns at the moment which I can put a 60s spin on. In the end, I'm pretty glad I didn't have enough fabric for the pj shirt and bottoms set I planned, as I had far more fun in this!


Overall, this project definitely cleared my head this December. It was quick, colourful & fun and I got to spend the morning dressing up a little and taking nice photos and generally taking a moment out of the festive chaos to focus on this. I also nursed that cup of tea a little longer than I should have and did a few rows of my knitting! From now on, that's how I want all my Sunday mornings to be!

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Don't forget to visit Spoonflower today for thousands of unique designs! I might just start a new fabric stash for novelty print pjs...

Thanks for reading, pinups!
Abi xo