REE SEWN: November 2015

Hello! How quickly did November whizz by? I hope it treated you well. I'm currently really enjoying every day life, which is always nice, and I'm loving the approach of the festive season. I am also wishing (as I do every year) that I had starting making my Christmas gifts earlier. Ah well, I think it's still do-able!

Anyway, Sewvember! I decided to join in this year, posting a sewing photo a day from the prompts Bimble + Pimble provided, and it was a lot of fun! It also led me to discover lots of new blogs to follow, and provided lots of inspiration. Search #bpsewvember on Instagram if you're ready to fall down the rabbit hole of sewing photo goodness!

Here is my Sewvember round up.

Day 1: Three Facts

1. My mum taught me to sew as a child, mostly as she was making our many dance costumes!

2. I hate throwing anything away.

3. I'm a compulsive list maker. I also keep notes of everything I sew with any alterations I made in my little sewing book.

Day 2: Like A Boss

Unusual for me but at the moment I'm using up fabric scraps like a boss making quilt blocks. This is going to be a lovely snuggly lap quilt for the living room.

Day 3: Inside

Inside my Blue Dress (which was my practice wedding dress) is a corselet which helps keep the structure, keep stress off the lace sleeves and keep a lovely line. It was really fun to sew, too.

Day 4: Inspiration

My main source of inspiration is the internet. Blogs, tutorials, and course, Pinterest. There's a lot of tartan on my sewing inspiration board at the moment. Plans are a-forming!

Day 5: Work in Progress

A block from the scrappy quilt I'm making bit by bit by bit.

Day 6: Slow or Fast

I favour slow prep, fast stitching! This was on Sunday - pinning all my quilt blocks together in one go before sewing them together. I actually don't mind slow sewing, I find it relaxing and would rather not rush!

Day 7: Stash

I don't think mine is too bad! I'm solidly using up my fabric stash, and this is my pattern box. Think I may need another box soon!

Day 8: Why Sew?

I'm a creative soul. I sew because I find great joy in making beautiful and/or useful things. I also love clothes and having the ability to sew well fitting, well made clothes in my style to my spec is wonderful and very freeing.

Day 9: Game Changer

My little bobbin box (£1.50 from Muji!) and my made over Ikea thread drawers. Such small things but they give me joy every time I go to get thread.

Day 10: View

This beautiful wall hanging that was a gift from my darling friend Carly. It hangs behind my sewing machine in my little sewing corner. I love it.

Day 11: Tools

Not glamorous or beautiful but these are my favourite sewing tools! Especially the heat reflecting board cover. It reeeeally works. Now I'm one of those people who talks about their ironing board cover. Yep. Ok, off now....

Day 12: Community

Blogs blogs blogs!

Day 13: Style

Classic shapes, jewel colours and fun prints!

Day 13: Help

When I need sewing help I usually consult this book. I wish so much I could ask my mum instead, she would know the answer!

Day 15: Heirloom

My Nanna's button tin, which I inherited along with loads of vintage buttons inside it. I need to make more projects that need buttons!

Day 16: UFO (Unfinished Object)

I can't believe I still haven't finished this Liberty silk dressing gown! It was supposed to be finished for my wedding 5 months ago and uses my wedding dress lace as a trim on the cuffs. It will be so lovely when it's done and it's not even that far from complete. Need to finish it soon. I made matching dressing gowns as thank you gifts for my two lovely bridesmaids (I got those finished on time!) but ran out of time to finish mine. But I will now!

Day 17: Print or Plain?

Print print print!

Day 18: Dream Project

If money, time and practicality were no issue, I'd love to make something with lots of layers of tulle and intricate beading like one of these beautiful Ellie Saab dresses.

Day 19: Workhorse

My stylish 90s overlocker. It did a decade of work for my mum before it was passed down to me and is still going like a good 'un. I rely on it for beautifully finished seams and it never lets me down.

Day 20: Tried and True

The B4443 bodice pattern has worked hard for me! It has been a sun dress, strapless, V neck, halter neck and even the under bodice of my wedding dress.

Day 21: Best Part

For me the best part is seeing it all start to come together. This picture was taken when I had finished draping my wedding dress bodice, sewn it up and then tacked it onto the skirt. The relied and joy were palpable. It all worked!!!

Day 22: From the Vault

This picture is from 2009. A dressing gown I made that ended up being mostly a dressing room dressing gown and though it was't perfect in any way, it served me well!

Day 23: Sewing Essentials

Mine are tea and an old movie musical! Today I've got a lovely cup of Lady Grey and 42nd Street. All my jobs for today are done. I can do an hour or two of sewing!

Day 24: Skill Up

I really need to learn how to use this little guy (a blind hem foot). I usually hem by hand but this would speed things up soooooo much. I've tried a few times and always get the fabric folds wrong when attempting to blind hem by machine. Tips appreciated!!!

Day 25: Oh No!

When you put in an invisible zip and the waist seam really REALLY doesn't match up...

Day 26: Best Make

It HAS to be my wedding dress! The hem is still only tacked in this still from my trying-on video so technically it's not quite finished here, but even so, you can see how much I loved it. I really enjoyed sewing it, making it exactly as I wanted and the finished dress was so perfect for me. It was also so special to make the most important promises of my life in a dress I'd made with my own two hands. Such a special dress.

Day 27: Detail

Button loops on my wedding dress (obviously before the buttons were sewn on and before the lace overlay was added).

Day 28: Sewing Space

This corner of our living room has become my sewing space. I admit to being envious of those with dedicated sewing rooms, but this works well for me! Grateful to have this space to sew!

Day 29: Confession