Challenging · Ideas · LaineeMakes · Pattern drafting · Pattern making · sewing · Sewing challenges

Sewtogetherforsummer my SMYLY time.

This time last year I was bursting with joy over the brilliant challenge started by @sewsarahsmith, @rocco.sienna and @sewing_in_spain. so this year I had to enter again and it just so happened that the challenge garment was on my #2018makenine list. The Diane von Furstenberg Wrap dress is the inspiration and I wanted to draft my… Continue reading Sewtogetherforsummer my SMYLY time.

LaineeMakes · Motivation · sewing

The No Sewjo Sojourn cannot go on!

You know when you've had one of those No sewjo sojourns where you just keep hiding from the stash, the WIPs, UFOs and your 'To Make' list. Well, that's where I'm at right now. A few months back I smugly congratulated myself on tidying my stash, organising and ranking my WIPs, actually finishing some UFOs… Continue reading The No Sewjo Sojourn cannot go on!

Destashing · Ideas · LaineeMakes · Plans · Sewing challenges

2018 Make Nine Premier Division

It's a little less than a year since I started sharing my sewing on social media so I'm still finding all the challenges and "traditions" of this community. I always want to join in and when my other love - travel - has allowed, I have taken part sporadically, in a couple of photo challenges… Continue reading 2018 Make Nine Premier Division

Destashing · LaineeMakes

Blast from the Past: One of my DKNYs takes life

During 2017 I kept saying to myself I have to address my patterns stash as well as the mountain of fabric I have accumulated. I settled on a pattern the which I've had for many years and never made up. I actually cut this out months earlier on a trip to my sister's but my busy… Continue reading Blast from the Past: One of my DKNYs takes life

LaineeMakes · sewing

A Perfect Place to make: a new sewing space

I live in a little house in a terraced street which probably used to be a "Two up two down" once upon a time. We added a room in the loft/attic whatever you want to call it about 20 years ago to accommodate our home-based work. Both being teachers we needed a space to do all… Continue reading A Perfect Place to make: a new sewing space

Challenging · LaineeMakes · Pattern Testing · resolutions · Targets

Reflection: how sewing saved me in 2017

A look back on what I made in 2017 and how it helped me love myself a bit more.

Clothing · how-to · LaineeMakes · Pattern drafting · Pattern hacking · Pattern making · sewing · Sewing challenges

Sleevetober? A twist in the tale.

I didn't have time to enter #sleevefest as I was travelling, nevertheless, I am bringing it with a sleeve AND and twist front on my latest make. This dress is my favourite RTW dress and I've worn it nearly to death. I have been trying to figure out the twist front for years without success!… Continue reading Sleevetober? A twist in the tale.

Clothing · Destashing · Madebyme · Pattern making · sewing

Self drafted T-shirt goes long – taking it to the Maxi.

In March I was getting my sewjo back with a vengeance and sewed my first self-drafted item for a while. I made a simple T-shirt based on an old RTW favourite and used some dramatic fabric to give it life. I'm going to use the same technique and extend that self-made pattern into a maxi… Continue reading Self drafted T-shirt goes long – taking it to the Maxi.

Challenging · Clothing · Fabric · LaineeMakes · Pattern drafting · Pattern making · Product testing · sewing · Sewing challenges

Evergreen: an adventure in colour and creating

A little while ago  I blogged about drafting a dress from a photo I had seen in the Vogue Pattern book. I'll show you here how I turned that pattern into a real-life dress. The original was a shift style dress in denim and I had intended to make a close copy in the traditional fabric… Continue reading Evergreen: an adventure in colour and creating

Clothing · how-to · LaineeMakes · Pattern making · Sewing challenges

Making it work – upsizing commercial sewing patterns.

I don't know if it was overconfidence, wishful thinking or both but I seem to have a number of patterns that are not the right size for me. Some of these date from my earlier sewing days when I would buy patterns fully believing I was going to make that item next week. These patterns don't… Continue reading Making it work – upsizing commercial sewing patterns.

Clothing · LaineeMakes · sewing · Sewing challenges

Something tells me I’m into something good.

There I was sitting at my computer trying to force myself to complete the hundreds of exam scripts I still had to mark, I hear the third knock at the door this morning. It's not as if I need distracting anymore than I can do myself. I have had to put my phone away so… Continue reading Something tells me I’m into something good.

Clothing · Destashing · Fabric · LaineeMakes · sewing · Sewing challenges · Sewing saves · UFOs

The Accidental Winner: why it pays to dig out those sewing UFOs.

Now meet my "Afterthought" dress, the late to the party dress, the slow-slow-slow game-winner. It's months since I made her but only now got around to wearing and writing about it! I'm currently in a phase of craving instant gratification I see a new fabric or pattern and I want to sew it now, but… Continue reading The Accidental Winner: why it pays to dig out those sewing UFOs.