Pattern Review: The Bibi Pinafore!

Today I am pleased to share with you the positive outcome of cutting into the wrong fabric last Christmas… it’s the bibi pinafore!

Details

  • Pattern name: Bibi
  • Variation/Style: Pinafore
  • Design House: Tilly and the Buttons / Tilly Walnes book Stretch!
  • Size I made: 4

Fabric

I used the leftover fabric from the Kinder cardigan I made my nan for Christmas.  As I have mentioned in that pattern review, I accidentally got two fabrics mixed up (downside to having a huge stash) and ended up cutting lovely thick ponte from a fabric shop in Tiverton which I was saving for a dress.  However, it has worked out beautifully for this make so I feel a lot better than I did at the time!  It is a lovely dark red and a nice quality.  I probably would not have made it from this if the meterage had not decreased as you do not need much fabric to make this pinafore.

Difficulty

The Bibi skirt is the first pattern in the Stretch! book because it is the easiest and made with the most stable knit fabric.  It lived up to expectation and was a nice simple make.

The pinafore variation was not much harder – the bib and straps are provided on the pattern sheet and the instructions were clear on how to add these.

The only challenge I found was getting the straps attached in the right place.  I ended up adjusting them a couple of times to get it right.

Clarity

I feel a bit like I always say this, but Tilly and the Buttons patterns are beginner friendly and feel as though you are being guided step by step.  

Design and Fit

When I first got the book, I didn’t want to make the Bibi skirt.  Firstly, I don’t wear a lot of skirts, and secondly, I didn’t think the shape would suit me.

When I saw the pinafore variation, I was smitten.  I have a soft spot for pinafores and this one was no different!  The great thing about this pinafore is that depending on your fabric choice, it can be smart enough to use as part of your work wardrobe!

The fit is perfect but I would like to make a note of caution – it has no zip or fastening so you need adequate stretch/strong machine stitching on the waistband to get it over your hips!

Time Taken

This was a really fast make which I made in a day.

Conclusion

I am really impressed with this pattern and it works really well with the fabric.  I may even be tempted to make a regular Bibi skirt in the future!  Being in a knit fabric, it’s very comfy and would see you through both a day off or working day.

You can watch my video review below:

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Free Machine Embroidery set up: My 7 point checklist

Recently, I made a birthday card for a relative using free machine embroidery.  It had been a while, so once I finished the design, I discovered that I had kept the dog teeth up and had probably been competing with them the whole time!  I thought it would be useful for me, and perhaps other people, to have a checklist to run through when you decide to configure your sewing machine for free machine embroidery.

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Pattern Review: The Joni Dress

I am gradually getting through the book Stretch! which came out last year!  Most recently, I made the Joni Dress.

Details

  • Pattern name: Joni
  • Variation/Style: Flared short sleeves
  • Design House: Tilly and the Buttons/Tilly Walnes book Stretch!
  • Size I made: 4

Fabric

I have used a simple two colour floral fabric from a local haberdashery a year or two ago.  It is quite thin but substantial and opaque and as a result the skirt section hangs well.

Difficulty

It is a bit more challenging than a simple knit dress, but I think it looks more complicated than it is to actually make it.  I’d say it is suitable for confident beginners who have had a go with knit fabrics before.

Clarity

Like all the other TATB patterns I have tried out, the guidance is very clear.  However, I did follow Sewisfaction’s video tutorial on making the front bodice twist rather than use the book instructions.  Next time, I might try out the original instructions just to see how much difference it makes.

Design and Fit

The design of this dress is great.  The twist detail adds interest and the volume in the skirt section along with the subtle dipped hem makes this dress look more complex than it is.

As it is a knit dress, I found that I didn’t make any adjustments.  My bust size was a bit bigger than the guide for the size 4, but with this fabric it did not matter and fits fine.  As it has a dipped hem, and it has more of an empire waistline, I did not bother to adjust for my sway back.

Time Taken

This was a relatively quick make or a slightly more detailed knit dress.  I took a bit of extra time drafting the flared sleeves and choosing the sleeve length but this was still fairly fast as the instructions are clear.

Conclusion

I love this dress!  It’s so comfy and easy to chuck on for the day.  I definitely want to attempt making one with stripes soon.

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Making your own beach towel poncho from two towels

I’m excited to share with you something I made with my mum a few months ago – the beach towel poncho!

Pictured above is my mum showcasing our efforts on the beach!

If you fancy making a similar poncho, you will need two towels measuring 100cm by 150cm and a small amount of bias binding.

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Crafting with a chronic illness: my experience with Ankylosing Spondylitis

Crafting with a chronic illness can be a bit of a roller coaster for some.  One day, your hobby is a lifeline, providing you with a focus and keeping your mind in the present, the next it is exacerbating your symptoms.

Three years ago, I was diagnosed with Non-Radiographic Ankylosing Spondylitis (which I will refer to as AS from now on).  At the time, it was almost a triumph because it had been a long year of visit various health professionals and being able to put a name to the symptoms provides a grounding in a way.  That is, of course, until you have to acknowledge that it is something that is not going to go away and will affect you for the rest of you life.

I thought it might be useful to share what I have found helpful for my circumstance in case it is also useful for someone else.  Everyone is different though, so you must keep problem solving until you find your own strategies.

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Pattern Review and Upcycle: Cleo Pinafore

This is arguably one of my faourite makes of 2019 so far – the upcycled cleo!

Details

  • Pattern name: Cleo
  • Variation/Style: Knee length
  • Design House: Tilly and the Buttons
  • Size I made: 4

Fabric

I made this completely out of two pairs of size 16 jeans which were gifted to me the other year.  I had my sights on transforming them into a pinafore towards the end of the year but Sewisfaction’s Great British Sewing Bee challenge brought it forward.

The denim of the jeans is lovely and thick and and as a result it is a real treat wearing this pinafore.  Best of all is that it doesn’t crease – yes!

Difficulty

The pattern is beautifully simple.  I did not have to make any adjustments as it is loose fit, but you may wish to grade between sizes if your measurements vary.

The most challenging part for me was topstitching as I wanted to use a contrast thread colour and I struggled to get the tension right on my machine.  If your fabric is thick and your machine is not suited to heavy weight materials, you may struggle going over seam bulk.  However, I found that using a denim needle for the sewing up and a top stitching needle helped, along with the trusty walking foot.

The hardest part was cutting out all the parts from the jeans.  I am not convinced that I cut the front sections perfectly on the grainline, and unpicking the seams took hours!

Clarity

As I have mentioned in other TATB pattern reviews (and many others have said the same), the instructions are very clear and guide you step by step.

Design and Fit

Cleo is a loose fit garment and as a result, is easy to fit.  If you use buckles and don’t stitch down the straps, it even leaves room for adjusting in this area at any time.

I decided to put the front slit at the back.  I think a slit is needed for the knee length version or your walking gait might be a bit restricted.  I really like the hip pocket detail as well.  I was tempted by the bib pocket but it seemed a shame to not use two of the ready made back pockets from one set of jeans!

Time Taken

It is really difficult to evaluate how long it took me to make this garment.  The sewing up was pretty quick and didn’t take long.  The main time sink was unpicking the original jeans construction as they are made so well!  However, if you made these from a piece of fabric it would not take long at all, especially as the pattern is designed for use with stable woven fabrics

Conclusion

I have always had reservations about the Cleo.  Like many of the TATB patterns, I’ve always felt that I like the look of them but that they might not suit me.  However, having made it and worn it many times, I am really happy I went ahead with it.  It has soared to the top as my favourite pinafore to wear and I really feel that repurposing the jeans has made it such a satisfying make to wear that is likely to last a long time.  The fabric of the jeans is so substantial and feels so nice – I suspect it would have cost me fair bit to find the equivalent in a fabric shop!

In particular, I love the blend of the two jeans.  They are a similar weight, but I like the fact you can see the medley of the two types of denim.

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Pattern Review: Kinder Cardigan

Having made two of these cardigans, I felt it was time to write a review on this pattern.

I got Wendy Ward’s Beginner’s Guide to Sewing with Stretch Fabrics as a gift about a year ago, and while a few designs appealed to me, I didn’t get round to tracing any patterns until around Christmas time.

The Kinder Cardigan is definitely the one which stands out for me in the book – especially the long, almost coatigan, version.  However, the first make was for my nan for Christmas.   It didn’t begin well as I accidentally cut it out in the wrong fabric (a sure sign that you need to use up some of your stash if you have two similar ones…) and I had issues as I was using my mum’s machine (which was my nan’s machine incidentally) which was not too happy and was demonstrating this with unbalanced tension and tight stitches.  Still, I got there in the end and the end result inspired me to make one for myself.

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