Me Made May 17 - Week 2

So my camera battery still isn't here and I now have a grand total of 8 things to photograph. Yep they are all sat in my spare room waiting for that little sodding battery to turn up so I can use my camera.

In other news: I'm still going strong with Me Made May! Here's what I've been wearing this week.

Day 8 - Denim Wrap Skirt

pattern - Prima Magazine

Fabric - Craft cotton company

I love this skirt, its a really neutral piece and works with at least 90% of my wardrobe. I think on this day we opted to visit our local record shop only to find it was closed!! Anyway this denim is by the craft cotton company and has held p to some serious washing and wearing. Plus its never run in the wash, genuinely one of the best denims I have ever seen.

Day 9 - Tape measure dress

pattern - Lilou by tilly and the buttons

fabric - abakhans 

I need this fabric in the other colour way. This dress is just the bomb I actually feel like a sewing blogger when I wear it!

Day 10 - off the shoulder top and wrap skirt

skirt pattern - none

fabric - upcycled

top pattern - self drafted 

fabric - vintage from my nan

This is what I wore the day my hayfever kicked in and I was miserable. all the skin on my nose went dry from the constant blowing and I was fully grumpy. I did buy some washers to use as pattern weights though and I made Rikki take me to 2 supermarkets to buy the softest tissues I could find. He also got me some cat socks to cheer me up. The biggest issue I had with this outfit was the lack of pockets!!! I had no where to put my tissues!

Day 11 - African wax print dress

pattern - second gbsb book, bodice is princess seamed and skirt is box pleat skirt [also added waistband]

fabric - abakhans 

This was a super relaxed day and I read a whole book from cover to cover! I was reading "the poison tree" and I just couldn't put it down. I hadn't worn this dress in a while, mainly because of how creased it can get. However it fared really well and I remembered that the skirt on this doesn't blow up because of how stiff the wax cotton is! And not showing your knickers is always a bonus!

Day 12 - wool skirt

pattern - prima magazine

fabric - abakhans 

When I woke up on this morning the weather was foul! So foul that I took the car to school because the idea of walking made me want to cry. Luckily however it did mean I could wear this skirt which is lovely and toastie. I did wonder if it s a bit short but I think its passable as long as I keep my knees together!

Day 13 - Raglan jumper 

pattern - prima [its very close to the linden by grainline]

main fabric - abakhans

Piping and collar/cuffs - sew essential

This day was awful. I woke up feeling a bit icky and then suddenly I wasn't very well. I had to tell lil man that he couldn't go to football practise and bless him he was really good about it but I felt like an awful mummy so I sat and cried. Which sounds a bit wimpy but he loves football club and their was no one else to take him. The raglan jumper however was perfect for mooching around in. I paired it with jogger bottoms and large mugs of tea. [honourable mention goes to my mum and dad who dropped off some medicine before they drove to Newark to help sort my late uncles house. Not a stress they needed but they did it anyway! AND to the lovely ladies of instagram who made me feel 100% better by telling me I wasn't a bad mummy and to get well soon!!!!!! ]

Day 14 - coco dress

pattern - coco dress by tilly and the buttons

fabric - sew essential

Luckily I;m feeling much better today [I think the rest I had yesterday did me the world of good] Today is mainly about relaxing so I chucked on a comfy coco dress and did some minimal makeup. I would stay in jammies but whenever I stay in my PJs you can guarantee that we end up with visitors. Although I have laddered my tights so I'd have to change those anyway.

So yeah that's week two! I'm trying not to outfit repeat so I;m really having to dig to the back of my wardrobe to find things to wear and I've found a few things to alter as well!

How are you doing with your me made pledge?

Much Love

Frankie 

Clutch Bag

Some days you just HAVE to sew something. This was the result of one of those days. I knew my time was going to be short so I needed a quick project that I could bust of in under an hour.

I opted for the Anya Bag pattern by SoZo. But I omitted the straps and swapped the 2 small box pleats for one large central one. I wanted to see if I could make a decent looking clutch bag using this pattern.

Mainly because I have a love hate relationship with clutch bags. On one hand they are so cute and dainty and on the other hand how the hell are you meant to fit things in them? I dunno about you but when I go for a night on the razzle I like to take:

House keys

phone

makeup

purse

tampons

pen [hey don't knock it , you never know when you might need a pen] 

painkillers [places are so noisy nowdays]

glasses

spare contact lenses

hand sanitiser [you might think this is silly but some pub toilets are quite frankly foul]

BUT the only thing I can fit in clutch bags from the shops is maybe my phone? a key? a small amount of air?

Anyway as it turns out you can make a cute clutch that does actually fit things in! This was a trial version so it will probably end up in the spare present box. However when I make my final version I think I might go back to the two small box pleats and try and incorporate a zip? Having a semi open bag in a crowed space is just asking to have your phone/wallet nicked. 

The button is none functional instead the whole thing closes with a press stud. 

All in all I think its a pretty cute bag and will make a lovely gift for someone!

In other news!

I'm trying to get back on track with blogging and vlogging regularly.

I'm addicted to a cleaning product called Zoflora! Honestly its the most amazing thing ever! Its a disinfectant but it has a really strong smell and come in loads of different scents. It is definitely worth picking up a bottle!

Much Love

Frankie

xxx

What I made in February and March Vlog

So here is my long overdue Vlog of everything I made in February and March!

Sadly its a bit fuzzy around the edges becasue of the sunlight on my camera!

Hope you enjoy 

Frankie 

xxx

Me Made May 17 - Week 1

It feels as though the first week of me made may has flown by this year. That or we've just been busier!

Anyway here's my round up of the week!

Day 1 - Kimono dress

pattern - simple sew

fabric - abakhan

We actually had a birthday party on this day and I wanted something that was a good mixture of smart/casual/sassy. I think it filled the brief, I felt dressed up enough to fit in with the dressed up people but not super overdressed went we went to Rikki's aunties for a brew. The only issue I have with this dress is that I need to wear a slip underneath and this one is a bit "busty" to say the least. So I think I need to invest in a new slip. But other than that I really need to put one of these on my to make list!

Day 2 - Gingham dress

pattern - lilou dress by tilly and the buttons [with added faux button placket]

fabric - abakhan 

This dress is my whole life, I literally wash it and then wear it straight away! I've made another [as yet unblogged] version but I think I could do with a few more!

Day 3- Striped Lilou dress

pattern - lilou dress by tilly and the buttons

Fabric - abakhans

This dress is from 2015 and is just about ready for its retirement. Whilst I still love the style of the dress its getting and touch tatty now. I think its maybe got about 2 more good wears in it before I have to give it up!

Day 4 -measuring tape skirt 

pattern - no pattern used

fabric - abakhans 

Confession time this is the first time I've worn this skirt since I made it. Yep seriously I just couldn't get on with it. I could never find the right top without looking frumpy. This RTW striped top is a good start though I think. As an added bonus I wore this when my niece came over and I got to have baby cuddles. I mean she sent my arm numb and there was some drooling but it was nice all the same. I am currently debating shortening it a touch more?

Day 5 - Spotty georgette blouse

Pattern - GBSB Book 3

Fabric - from my lovely friend Jeanette pin_n_tonic on instagram 

I have a love hate relationship with this blouse, part of me loves the style but the other half of me knows that some of the sewing on this is just plain bad. That said I think I'm going to try and wear it a bit more. Plus it was pretty comfy for a morning of cleaning and sewing!

Day 6 - simple jersey dress

pattern - sew style essentials magazine

fabric - FC Fabric Studios

I LOVE THIS DRESS! I NEED MORE! This dress is my everything, its sassy its smart. It works for shopping and the school run and I could wear it to a nice dinner it is just "the dress!" On Saturday I wore it to morning football club [Where being comfortable for 2 hours of sitting is very important] and then on to a vintage fair with my mum and dad. Then we went to lunch then It was still awesome and comfortable whilst fitting a bodice on my mum! And later I had a Chinese with Rikki and I had room for all of the food! 

Day 7 - Princess seam bodice and box pleat skirt mash up

pattern - bodice , gbsb book 2

Box pleat skirt gbsb book 2

Fabric - FC fabric studio

Lil Man actually chose this today. I pretty much had a morning of pjs planned but then we realised we needed gerbil food and to drop off birthday presents and then a friend asked to come over in the afternoon so yerp I had to put clothes on! He actually made a pretty solid choice, I love this dress for summer because unlike some of my dresses the skirt is heavy enough not to be blown up in the slightest breeze! Plus the colour is LUSH! I'm trying to make more solid clothes rather than focusing on prints all the time! 

And thats my first week of Me Made May now this is where the whole thing falls apart and I forget to take pictures or I become really ill!

Wish me luck!

Hows your me made may going?

Much Love 

Frankie 

xxx

Vintage Sewing Patterns

I'm feeling pretty knackered. Long gone are my lovely Saturday morning lie ins instead we need to be be up dressed and out of the house by 9am ready for Lil man's football club. Its an hour and a half if me sitting and him playing football and he really loves it. I on the other hand have to sit and make awkward conversation with the other parents. I might take some knitting next time but the amount of balls flying around means that might be a bit risky if I;m not paying attention.

 However today after football my mum and dad came to pick us up and suggested we attend a vintage fair in Nantwich. As far as vintage fairs go it was pretty naff, lots of overpriced tat and some handmade items. There was however a stall selling vintage sewing patterns for a pound each [which surprised me considering everything else they had was extortionate!] Sadly for me they only had two in my bust size. well one really the other is an inch smaller but I'm hoping it will still fit me!

One is butterick 3598 and the other is vogue 6807. I picked them out becuase they fit my bust size but it wasn't until I was sat in chatwins eating my brownie that I realised they are basically the same pattern. Luckily they do have some different features each and at £1 each its not like I've been ripped off!

Lets take a moment to appreciate how beautiful the pattern artwork is!

They are single size patterns and both are already cut so no faffing about for me!

The details are the best part though, the butterick pattern had a name and some other writing on the envelope. Its kind of weird to think that someone sewed this pattern before it came into my possession. I like the history of it and you could tell the pattern was well cared for. 

I was even more surprised when I found a piece of fabric already pinned and cut on one piece. It feels like a synthetic type fabric and I'm not really sure what to do with it? I might save it for a scrappy patchwork project? 

I also have a surprise in the vogue envelope. This pattern is slightly older and its pattern pieces have no writing on only cut out circles. But it also had a more modern simplicity collar piece in. So either someone lost the original pattern piece, or they mixed them up or they enjoyed a good pattern hack as much as I do!

In other news:

Me made May is going well, keep an eye out for my round up of the first week!

My new battery for my handheld shutter on my camera hasn't arrived yet. Apparently its a very particular size and we've had to order it online. I've actually got 4 new things sewn up I just don;t have a way of getting decent pictures. I have my fingers crossed for it arriving on Monday!

Much Love

Frankie 

xxx

 

Carboot Haul

Okay so every month our local Tesco hosts a carboot on its back car park. And well if there is one thing I love its a carboot. Anyways I went last month and happened upon some ladies selling a few lengths of fabric for 50p per piece and after chatting to them for a bit one of them said to come back this month because she had some more. 

Well naturally I spent the whole month looking forward to going back and seeing what she had! So I found their car , picked up any of the fabric I had left last time and went to pay and one of the ladies got a HUGE bag of stuff out of the car for me and gave it too me as a gift! I mean OMG! I nearly cried, I did make a donation because they were selling for charity but we did have a really nice conversation about sewing and they all said how nice it is to meet someone so young who enjoys making things! [and they told me to go back next month......and to bring the car........]

Anyway here's all the stuff I brought/gave a donation for.

  

Odds and sods of ribbons

Longer lengths of ribbon, I especially like the embroidered ones! 

Buttons!

Hook and eyes and snaps. Fun fact apparently the hook and eyes were by appointment of the queen mum!

Slinky blue stuff, possibly good for a dress/top?

Animal print!

Paisley print, I have a vague idea some some sort of princess seamed lace up back dress?

Some sort of drapey woven stuff? I'm going to make a shirtdress of sorts.

Fairy print!

Mesh!

A floral hippy style cotton, I absolutely love this it might be my favourite thing!

Flower print cord? I love this, but I think there only enough for a bag.

Plaid crepe, absolutely no idea what to make from this.

Black and white cotton strip, hopefully with some clever cutting I can make a sundress from this.

small amount of shirting.

A really really fine cotton. Its so beautiful that I'm tempted to just hemp it and make a vintage style scarf. 

Pale pink cotton.

Pale pinks and purples floral [looks vintage] Its quite fine so I think it would need lining but I love the idea of making a dress from this. But I'm not sure how much wear I;d get out of it because its so far from my comfort zone! I love the idea of PJs is that its too pretty for bed!

Flannel type fabric

Pale pink cotton

silky floral thing, I'm going to make a nude slip type thing from this!

silky purple

lavender floral with jewel embellishments!

Ditsy print, I'm hoping to make a short little dress from this!

Striped waffle fabric, this is destined to be a box pleat skirt!

Upholstery material, I;m keeping this to one side for the next time our dining room chairs need re upholstering [Small child = messy chairs]

Floral viscose, I have a few ideas for this I just need to decide which one I want to do!

Floral cotton , no idea what to make from this!

slinky purple! Top/dress

Plaid , I think this will end up being used for quilting!

This is a grey SHOWERPROOF fabric [I actually discovered this whilst ironing it after pre-washing and the water from my iron spray just kept running off!] Guess who's going to make a coat!  

Slinky green , No ideas!!! 

Floral cotton , nope no idea!

Pale blue polka dot, you guessed it ! Sundress!!!

Heavy cotton, I think I'm going to make a skirt from this, maybe!

Green cotton, I love this but I;m not 100% that greens my colour so I really need to think about what to make from this!

Poly silky thing with monkeys on! This will be used for linings and I might make myself some silky Pjs!!!! 

Biba style print chiffon, Again I'm not sure that the combo of yellow and green will be great for my complexion but I just couldn't leave it!!!

 So yeah the moral of this story is that its always worth checking out carboots!!! 

Much Love

Frankie 

x