I made JEANS!!!!!!

So I sucked at blogging again huh? What can I say? Between work and sorting lil man and seeing friends I'm left with enough time at the end of the day to shower and crawl into bed and that's about it! 

Anyway I made Jeans!!!! 

I know, I know. I swore I would never make them BUT what can I say? I had the fabric and then BOOM a pattern presented itself and before I knew it, I was saying to myself "ahh go on, give it a try. You need a challenge"

Funnily enough I made these before LIFE became challenging when I actually had time to sew! 

Right so details!!!! The pattern is a mimi g style pattern for simplicity 8516.  

It comes with three fit options, average, curvy and slim. After looking at the pattern pieces I decided to go for the slim fit because my waist is a lot smaller than my bum. 

FYI I got my hands on the pattern during the big pattern swap on Instagram! Which I loved and I'm really hoping it gets run again this year! 

I did do decorative top stitching on my bum pockets but I think I should have used a triple stitch because it hasn't really shown up. 

The fabric came from the abakhans fill a bag sale in Hanley. Which means I got enough denim for jeans in a bag with other fabrics for ten pounds which is just about the bargain of the year!!! 

Fit wise I'm actually really pleased. I was worried about making my own jeans because I find shopping for them an absolute nightmare!!! 

Its got some pretty deep pockets at the front and even one of those lil tiny pockets that's half hidden inside one of the front pockets. I am wondering what that stupidly tiny pocket is actually for because you can't really fit anything in it! 

I decided not to hem them because I knew I'd just end up turning them up anyway. I used to wear my jeans turned up all the time especially in the summer and I really liked the style.

I didn't buy any extra hardware to make the jeans. The zip is recycled from an old hoody and the button is just an old one from my stash!.

I'm really proud of the front fly zip. It wasn't the easiest zip I've ever sewn but I think it turned out really cool!

These jeans actually broke my sewing machine. In fact I still need to book it in with the sewing machine repair man! 

All in all I'm 100% proud of these jeans and I've been wearing them all the time. They came in very handy during the long winter school runs when my legs would have been frozen in skirts!

Anyway if you'd like to watch me actually sewing these I have done a little vlog on it! I warn you its long so I suggest making a brew first! But if you watch it you get to watch me fall into my mums hometown accent when I get stressed!!!!! 

Much Love 

Frankie

xxxx

Hawaiian Print Crop Top

If you've all finished laughing from my last post I'd like to give you an excuse for another giggle.

I made a stripper top. But I'll get to that in a minute.

So I eeked this crop top out of the left overs from my tie shoulder Hawaii dress. And its lined using an old pillow slip, because well I'm a classy girl who uses what she has! and the lace is thrifted off the bottom of an old dress? top? something?

The fabric by the way was by the craft cotton company!

Anyway the pattern is from the third great british sewing book, its one of the hacks. But I added a bit to the front so I could have a button band.

Which is why its a stripper top. Because as it turns out my button hole foot does not like sewing through six layers of fabric, so instead I used press studs. Which seamed like a great idea until I realised, as I was removing it by pulling apart the front to a rhythmic "pop, pop, pop" that this is how strippers remove their stage wear. To a rhythmic "pop pop pop" and of course the hoots of drunken men!

So yeah I'm classy and apparently I now have easy access to.....well....... stuff............ 

But yeah stripperness aside the fit is pretty good. Its a bit short for my liking but I'm told that exposing ones tummy [omg can you tell I love with a four year old? Tummy? TUMMY for gods sake!] anyway I hear its the new thing! 

Oh look at me being all fashionable and stuff!!!!! 

No idea why I look so miserable on these pictures? I'm actually very pleased so this face must be related to something else? Maybe I was thinking about the ironing?

Anyway In a slightly new feature I'm going to show you not only what I've made but two ways I've styled it! I know right! Aren't I the best! Which means if you have a burning desire to make a crop top we can dress the same and be twins! 

So look one! this one is actually what I wore a few days ago and now it might be my flying to Vegas outfit, mainly because I can wear this top bra-less and a long haul flight with no underwire seems pretty blissful to be honest.

Blue skinny jeans - mine are Newlook but similar here

white shirt - Pretty sure mine is a george at asda mens one? but similar here

crop top - handmade

This is the slightly more summery look and I'm thinking of packing it for Vegas. Now normally I wouldn't wear shorts this tight and well short on the internet or ya know in the real world, but someone on instagram said my legs looked "amazing" and its given me quite the confidence boost! [I swear I'm basically Heidi Klum now]

Anyway 

Slouch cardigan - Handmade , my own tutorial can be found here! 

Crop top- handmade

shorts - cut off levis! [pretty sure this pair was my sisters and that one summer my mum took all of my sisters jeans and cut the legs off, but I might have just imagined that! Either way these jeans are nearly as old as me!] Similar here

Shoes - Matalan, similar here 

Anyway so yeah I'm loving this as a tourist look, minus the heels! Actually I've seen a pair of red Hawaiian print trainers in the nike shop in free port and I'm pretty tempted, although to be honest I'll probably just pick up some low top converse wannabees from primark!

Let me know what you thought of the style ideas!

Much Love

Frankie

xxx