The Story When Minerva sent out their new selection of plaid Jacquards, Netflix’ The Queen’s Gambit was fresh in my mind, as well as a revived infatuation for A-line dresses and checkered patterns. The show follows the rise of fictional chess prodigy Beth Harmon and, among other things, is a beautiful sartorial homage to the [...]
I hardly have any time to sew these days, because in just two weeks, we're moving back to Canada. But when the ladies at Deer and Doe asked if I would be interested in reviewing their new pattern, without any hesitation I said “yes”! I love Deer and Doe patterns so much that I couldn’t [...]
The story: I met Joe last year at the Revive Fashion Show Fundraiser. He was there to watch his daughter Emily model the dress I had made out of repurposed neckties. Following the show, Joe contacted me to ask if I could help him turn a long-held vision of his into a reality. He had an old [...]
In bowling jargon, “Pin Action” is when the ball causes the pins to smash into one another, knocking themselves down. The colour combo of my latest make reminds me of a bowling shirt, so I’m naming it “Pin Action”. Plus, it required a little handsewing, which required more than a few pins. So, “needleless” to [...]
This one I’m naming “Dawn Chorus”. Lately, I’ve had trouble falling back asleep after Jules’s night feeding. So, for better or worse, I’ve decided to just stay up and do some uninterrupted sewing between 4:30-7:30am. That’s how the dress came to be. In the process, it has helped shift my thoughts from the COVID-19 pandemic [...]
The Pattern Papercut Patterns describes Axis as their “ode to Audrey Hepburn” and I can totally see it. I love how the pattern combines a sleek and timeless silhouette with some interesting details. For my version, I chose to make the pencil skirt with the front split. The versatility of the dress is also a [...]
I knew that pregnancy would change my wardrobe and my sewing practice. Initially, I told myself this would be an occasion to sew a whole new set of clothes for my changing body and that in the process, I would learn a bunch of new fitting skills. However, after giving it a bit more thought [...]
Holiday sewing! I couldn't resist a little "sew frosting" when I received this gorgeous Embroidered Tulle fabric from Minerva in exchange of a blog post on their website. Pattern: McCall’s M7995 View AFabrics: Embroidered Tulle by Minerva underlined with black Bemberg rayon. Burgundy stretchy satin fabric for the contrast collar and flounces.Sizing & Modifications: I cut a size [...]
The Toaster Sweater is another one of my recent makes. I received this fun French Terry from Minerva in exchange of a future blog post on their website. It won't be live for another few months so I'm sharing a few details and pictures today of this toasty little sweater! Pattern: Toaster Sweater 2 by Sew [...]
Today the sewing project I'm sharing is not something that I sewed for myself. However, I had so much fun working on this special piece that even though it's not technically part of my handmade wardrobe, I thought it deserved a little blog post to document my experience making it. On October 6th 2019, I [...]
I was gifted a beautiful floral cotton jersey by Minerva for an upcoming blog post on their website. I decided to make the Ultimate Wrap Dress by Sew Over It. All the info will be on Minerva in a few months but in the meantime, here are a few shots and details on how I [...]
A couple of months ago, I posted on Instagram a sneak peek of this beautiful dress. Today, I'm excited to share it on the Minerva Blog! For my very first guest post on Minerva, I made By Hand London's Jenna dress in a beautiful emerald embroidered voile. All the sewing details and more pics are [...]
We just spent a relaxing Sunday afternoon on the Lake Mendota shoreline and I got to wear my newest make for the first time. Ségur is a lovely summery top and dress pattern by Cozy Little World. There are lots of variations to play with, and I decided on the ruffled button-front dress. I typically don’t [...]
After a 3 month hiatus, I'm back on the blog to share a cute mini gown named "Wilder" that I just finished.
Deer And Doe just released their new collection of patterns and I was lucky to receive the Agave pattern a few weeks ago. Agave is a high-waisted A-line wrap skirt with asymmetrical panels. The design is super cute AND version A is reversible! 2 skirts in 1, what's not to like?! Another great thing about [...]
I just completed a Saraste Shirt Dress from Named Clothing's book Breaking the Pattern. The Saraste is a semi-fitted shirt dress with a gathered skirt. It’s my second project from Breaking the Pattern (I made the Ruska knit dress) and I’m really fond of this collection of designs. They are simple yet full of interesting details [...]
I started this Jackie Dress way back in December, but with holiday travels, my mom visiting from France, and several time-sensitive orders (including a very special wedding dress - pics soon!), I’ve only just finished it. And here I thought it would make the perfect holiday outfit… Maybe next year! This was my first time sewing [...]
Athina just released a new dress pattern, the Kimberly, and I’ve been lucky to be able to test it for her. The Kimberly has a beautiful, classic silhouette with a half circle skirt, a soft V-neck and optional long sleeves and pockets. This was the first time sewing this style of garment since my wedding [...]
I had been eyeing the oversized blazer trend this fall. So when I saw Orageuse’s menswear-inspired Amsterdam blazer, I decided to give it a try. Having recently made my first coat, I went into making the Amsterdam feeling confident and ready to tackle the tailored jacket challenge. I usually keep my personal stash pretty small [...]
What better way to start October than to wear a newly me-made autumn coat. For the past couple of years, I've been wanting to make a coat for myself but have always chickened out, thinking it would be too big a time commitment or would require tailoring tools which I do not own. So when [...]
Here is my new Givre dress with contrasting yoke. It is close-fitting. Wearing such a close-fitting body-con dress is a bit intimidating, but having worn it around yesterday, I realized it can be quite liberating too. Yep, this is me, and I ain't hiding it! The two jersey knits that I used for this dress [...]
