Jennifer Lauren Handmade Mayberry dress review

I appear to have fallen off the blogging waggon! But back to the new year with a bang and the first item off my #makenine2018!

Introducing the Jennifer Lauren Handmade Mayberry dress (Pattern link) This dress looks scary complicated with the off set buttons etc but it's really not!

My sizes were super confusing between sizes, so I opted to make a size 20, with an D cub bodice. I'm normally and E cup and 18/20 in rtw (especially if my bums needs to fit in!) but I didn't make any changes to the sizing and made a straight 20 partly through laziness and partly through interest to make the pattern as it comes. I Made mine with super lightweight Viscose that I've had in my stash for a while. It was from ohsewcrafty and it's only £4 pm at the moment!

I accidently cut my pattern pieces for the front the wrong way around, so if you are making it make sure you remember your fabric is right side down, and the pattern piece is facing up looking a you. It doesn't matter really if you forget though, it just means your buttons are on the opposite side. Make sure you do your facing pieces the same way as the pattern piece though which ever way you decide.

I love the drawstring waist on the dress allowing for larger lunches if required, it also mean the top is lovely and floaty perfect for larger buster women like me. Also normally I worry about long sleeves in women fabrics as my arms are a little larger than patterns normally allow but I didn't make any changes to this and they don't feel or look tight and uncomfortable. I think this is due to the lovely floaty design of the bodice and sleeves.

Talking about sleeves I did make a slight edit. The instructions say may slight gathers on the sleeves to fit the cuff in which gives the billowy look. I'm not good at freestyle gathers, so I cut two pieces of elastic the same length of the cuff pieces and stretched it around the bottom of the sleeves sewing it on with a zig zag. This meant when I let go of the stretch it was all beautifully gathered and the right size for the cuff to be attached. I then just overlockered the cuff on top of the elastic and sleeve all together. This bit may be easier to do before you sew up the side seams on your sleeves so remember to do that first if you are going to.

I made small button holes for the drawstring to go through my I think in my next one I will purchase an eyelet set as I think it will finish it off lovely.

I used beautiful big statement buttons on my dress and I think the lovely neckline and buttons deserve drawing your attention to! My fabric had ever so slight gold flecks in so I went all out with gold shiny buttons!

So all in all, I really like this pattern! I've become a bit of a lazy seamstress since Christmas so the amount of pieces I had to cut out scared my bit actually they all come together really quite easily and quickly.

Now for the next on my make nine list! Also, the pup's really likes it too :)

Pattern testing for Studio TKB - The Fallon top!

This is the first time I have ever done a pattern test, and I LOVE IT!

I was a little disheartened at first as to be perfectly honest I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to fit and there were people talking about arm scythe, like what even is that?! but i survived in the end.

This Fallon top has a lovely front side seam which makes it very flattering and lovely and floaty. You can change the sleeve lengths very easily and I think my next one will be 3/4 sleeves for evening cooler nights.

I think it's easily dressed up or down with jeans or a skirt, here I am in my works trousers so very boring but I think the top brings out the best in it!

My first tester I made out of very cheap jersey which had very little drape really, I son learnt from this as it looked really odd and was very tight and restricting, as you can see (excuse the slippers!). So I thought hard about what fabric to use for my proper one.

I made the next one in exactly the same size (size H) with no alternations. I could probably do with a little extra wiggle room in my chubby arms but I thought it would be good to test the pattern to it's full. The new fabric is a very lightweight jersey, I got from Peterborough market about a year ago, at £1pm!! I've been 'saving' it for the right project and here we are!

I did the 'false bow' neck line the Tina put in the back on the instructions as I wanted to try something different and I wasn't confident on my abilities for a neat neckline I thought I could hide it with a tie! I think it also works really well with the relaxed style of the top and finishes it off lovely.

For those of you who have the new LIDL singer overlocker, I did nearly all this on my overlocker! Just the hemms and the neckline on my normal machine, It was so quick and easy and lots of straight lines so it's a great start!

I loved it so much I've worn it to work today and had a few people asking if I make to order, and I think my Mum will like it too as it has a long back to keep her lower back warm but it still nice and floaty.

                                                                    Here's to Fallon!!

Jumping on the bandwagon - Tilly and the Buttons Cleo Dungadress

Ta Daaaaa.

I finished my new Dungadress, and I think I am in love! The Cleo by Tilly and the Buttons is fabulous. It is the first time I have used dungaree clips, and the first time I have done any top stitching so I am still working my way through all my firsts.

I ordered a meter and a half of Denim fabric from Sew Crafty Online which was more than plenty! I still have quite a bit left and was thinking of projects to stash bust with some hard wearing denim. I already had some top stitching thread, which to be perfectly honest I had ordered a good while ago by accident as I needed some normal thread the same colour for my Daisy Dress and didn't realise there were different types of thread! This is how far I have come in the last year of so, yet this project taught me I probably needed a top stitching needle but I managed ok.

The denim was easy to work with which I was surprised about and it wasn't too thick so I used a normal need rather than a denim one. The hardest part I found was turning the straps the right way, so I got out my giant knitting needles and it did make it easier.

I only did one line of top stitching mostly because I ran out of thread, but also I think it makes it a bit more unique. I didn't even have enough thread to do the hem but actually I love the frayed look! I have done a line of zip zag in an inconspicuous black just above the hem so it won't fray too far.

Here is a picture of the whole dungadress with added Murphy dog the cockerpoo! He loves it too.

Winslow Culottes in crepe!

Two firsts for this project! First some kind of trousers, with a gusset and pockets and everything, also first type using a slippery material like crepe.

The beautiful Crepe was from Sew Crafty Online and the flow on it is lovely. There are so many beautiful colours on the fabric I had too many to choose from for my jacket! Please excuse hubby's stupid face! Doh!

I really enjoyed this pattern though as it has minimal pieces and I am beginning to love PDF patterns as I don't have to trace them out and they seem much easier to store than rolled up grease proof paper!

There are 4 pieces for the 'legs' and a waist band, two pockets and a zip. So a nice easy sew really. I've never really made trousers before that have looked suitable for wearing outside the house!

I struggled with the fabric really as I have never used crepe, it seemed to creep a bit whilst sewing as I think my tension was a bit too tight. After I had done a few seams I changed the tension and it seems to ease off a bit. I used my normal foot for this but I'm told a roller foot may have been a better option for me, so that's one to try next time!





I love these culottes as they were so comfy all day at the wedding, I could dance and move around not worrying about skirts exposure, and they still looked formal enough for the wedding.

I think I am going to make myself a long pair of these for the summer as the waist band hit me at a really nice 'high wasted' point perfect with baggy tops. Made in crepe they will lovely and floaty for the summer too. I think I may experiment in a thinker cotton too for some for work as the shape really suits the shape of my body.

I really do recommend trying out the Winslow culottes!