Introducing The Cressida Skirt Pattern

It's official, The Cressida Skirt is now available for instant download right here!

View 1 - Double-breasted button up semi-circle skirt with inseam pockets

View 1 - Front

View 1 - Back

View 2 - Single-breasted button up semi-circle skirt with inseam pockets & button belt tabs

View 2 - Front

View 2 - Back

It's an age-old conundrum for seamstresses across the world - what do you love more? Buttons or pockets? Well, why do you have to choose? Your love affair with both buttons and pockets need no longer be kept a secret, as you show both your craft and love in the ultimate skirt, Cressida.

View 2 Cressida Skirt worn with a Long Sleeved Bronte Top

Cressida is a gently flowing semi-circle skirt with your choice of a single or double breasted button placket, sweet button belt tabs and inseam pockets, which means you certainly won't disappear into obscurity.

Any number of different fabrics can be used to make your Cressida skirt, from breezy summertime linens to cozy woollen fabrics worn tucked up by the fireside. Deep pockets leave plenty of room for hiding all of your treasures, tokens and secret love notes.

It was bound to happen wasn't it? It's no secret my love of a circle skirt and a button or two, so why not combine the lot, add in a pocket and call it a day (or a Cressida).

So, what do you think?

Cressida is available now for instant download - go check it out!

xx

J

The Afternoon Blouse is Here...

Well folks, you can now buy your very own Afternoon Blouse pattern right here. Just in time for some Easter Weekend sewing!

Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments last week when I announced that I had been working on my first pattern. It's really rather a nerve racking thing to have worked to hard and spent so much time on something and not know how people are going to react. I said it in my last post and I'll say it again - your comments have been so supportive and really very humbling. THANK YOU!

I've decided that I'm not going to be running a sew-a-long per say, mostly because it's such an easy pattern, but I will be writing a number of posts about the blouse on things like stabilising seams (especially useful if you plan to make the blouse using silks, rayons or other 'slinky' fabrics), pattern hacks (a sleeveless version anyone? Or how about adding waist-ties for a bit more definition if you want to wear it untucked?) as well as a tutorial on printing and assembling your Afternoon Blouse Pattern as I've chosen to lay my pattern out a bit differently to other PDF patterns, which hopefully means it's easier to put together and you'll have less paper wastage!

So, ummmm, I guess all there is to do now is go get your own copy of the blouse, find that amazing vintage button that for some reason you only have one of, set aside an afternoon and get sewing, huh?

If you make an Afternoon Blouse, well, I'd REALLY like to see them, so please let me know if you've blogged about one, or feel free to email me a picture :)

Yay!

xx
J

The Afternoon Blouse - Pattern Release Sneak Peek...

So, I've been keeping secrets. I've been busily working away on my first pattern for release, The Afternoon Blouse!

WHAAAA! {insert excited, nervous, happy dance here}

Yes, I know - everyone and their cat (and/or dog, fish, rabbit, guinea pig, chickens...etc) have been releasing patterns lately, but after a few doubts and some sage advice, I thought 'Why not?!' and bit the bullet. You see, sewing is my passion and I want to share it with everyone I possibly can. The worst that can happen is everyone hates my patterns and doesn't buy them, but at least I've had fun making them right?

So, how did this all come to be? Well, it sort of started when I approached our local Recreation Centre about the possibility of teaching sewing classes there (oh yeah, did I mention I'm going to be teaching sewing classes starting on Monday? YAY!! Except, more nervous dancing - what if I forget how to sew?). I wanted to teach two classes initially to gage reaction to them, one a Learn to Sew class and the other an Introduction to Dressmaking class. For the latter, I decided that I kind of wanted to teach my own patterns and so away I delved, into the relatively unknown. Cue: huge learning process here.

These patterns were originally going to just be for my classes, but then I realised what a whole buttload of work was going into one little pattern, that I wondered if I should sell them too. Just in case, you know, any of you wanted to make one!

So, my first pattern, The Afternoon Blouse.  I guess you could sort of call it a retro-vival pattern, as it is based off an original 50s pattern. However, I had made a number of significant fit changes to my original Afternoon Blouses and I've made even more changes to the pattern that I'm going to be releasing. I've made it easier to construct, have drafted a second neckline option and have made the overall shape and design of the blouse more modern so it should blend in well with a vintage and modern wardrobe.

It is a beginners pattern but for the advanced sewer, you should be able to make the blouse in an afternoon - hence the name, but it's also kind of perfect for receiving afternoon guests and for just kicking around in on a lazy Sunday afternoon - making for a quick and satisfying make.

As I said above, the blouse has two necklines to choose from, a round version and a square version. The Button detail on both versions is decorative (aka non-functioning) and it also has my very favourite, soft 1940s style kimono sleeves.  While the blouse is designed to be tucked into high waisted skirts and pants, it looks equally cool worn with jeans and sandals for the modern gal. Really, it's the perfect flowy blouse for those of you heading into summer, and you can make it up in luxurious silk or a practical cotton. Both work perfectly!

The pattern is currently with my lovely testers at the moment and it will be available in the next week or two. At this stage, I'm only going to be releasing it in PDF format, however, if there is enough of a demand for paper patterns, then I'll certainly look into getting them done as well.

AND if you don't sew, but want one, I'm going to be taking orders to make custom Afternoon Blouses for all! Ain't no reason why you non-sewers should miss out, right?! The Afternoon Blouse ranges in size from an NZ6 right through to an NZ20.

So, keep an eye out for when the pattern is officially released for download straight to your computer - I'll be announcing it right here! I'm also pretty sure there'll be a giveaway somewhere in there as well.

Can't wait to hear what you think!!

xx
Jen