January has always been a difficult month for me. It’s long, it’s dark, and every single brain gremlin I’ve ever had seems to pick this time of year to come out and play. I have both depression and anxiety, and I don’t hide that. I manage them with a combination of medication and cognitive behavioural therapy, but there are ups and downs, some more extreme than others.
So I thought, this weekend, that I’d sew something bright and cheerful to raise my mood – and you know, it kinda worked. First I get the satisfaction of making something and having it turn out well, and second I get to look at this yellow-and-hot-pink cotton and let it make me smile.
My first Hinterland was sleeveless; I like the cap sleeved version just as well, I think. I removed 3cm from the front bodice just under the bust dart then copied the adjustment to the back. I also made a fakest-of-the-fake placket: I cut the front bodice on the fold, then cut a 5cm-wide strip of fabric, pressed the edges under, and topstitched it down the center before sewing the buttons on.
Might make a full-front actual functional placket next time. Hmm. Either way, this dress makes me happy, and that’s all I really ask from sewing.
Slight pattern hacking on this Cashmerette Montrose top – added a ruffle to the overbust. I cut a strip 9cm wide and 100cm long, folded it in half, pressed it, and gathered it where I’d split the front. I like it. Might do it again!
Just for the record, Made for Mermaids’ beanie pattern takes about ten minutes, cutting included. I used scraps of my fish-on-bicycles jersey because delightfully weird prints still amuse me. Going to do an insect-print one next.
Not even three weeks into the year and I’m already into the double digits with my makes. Can you tell I’m a bit of a sewing addict? I’ve been lucky so far, too – all but one of my sews I’ve really liked.
Had to take a mini-break from sewing due to a fractured coccyx that made it difficult to sit for long periods of time, but I’ve figured out a sewing setup that works – involving pillows, donut cushions, and a different chair – so I’m back at the machines!
This dress? I love. It’s By Hand London’s Anna dress in its new-ish D-cup extended-sizing block, and it’s already on my TNT radar after just one make. I shortened the bodice by two inches and the skirt by six; the bodice is perfect but the skirt is not quite long enough for my liking, so next time I’ll only shorten it by three. Other than the hem length I’m making precisely zero changes the next time this graces my cutting table. And it will grace it again. And again. And probably again. I love finding patterns I want to make in all the fabrics.
I have a ton of cotton, really. It’s 90% of what’s available locally plus it’s just so easy to sew. Since I tossed and reorganised my stash I’ve confirmed that I have a lot of nice prints hiding away in bins, and I think those prints should be hauled out and used. I have a lot of patterns that are suitable for woven cotton so I won’t have trouble figuring out what to do with it all.
Flamingos in the middle of winter? Sure, why not. They keep me from forgetting that snow-town doesn’t last all year, and that warmer weather will come around again eventually.
Make #4 for 2021 – a sleeveless Hinterland dress. This is another one I’ve been meaning to make for ages, and in this case, I even had the fabric pre-washed and ready to go. For, er, a while now. But! Now it’s done. It was a quick and easy sew with few alterations. Fabric is quilting cotton because of course it is.
So right now I’m on a five-day vacation, and I’m making it a sewcation. I’ve sewn two tops and a skirt in two days, and now on day three I’m working on a dress.
Next up is a Megan Nielsen Veronika Curve skirt. I love circle skirts, but for the longest time I thought I couldn’t wear them. Turns out all I needed was to make them a bit longer, as knee-length doesn’t quite work for me. I’ve made a few in the past, but this is the first one without an elastic waist – and therefore, also the first one with an invisible zipper. I may actually have invented new curse words while inserting it, but it’s done. Not quite invisible, but I’ll chalk that up to a learning experience and do better on the next one.
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