Here's a peek at the pattern that won the vote:

Whilst I loved the style of the pattern, the thought of working which such a formal fabric like velvet or tweed didn't fill me with hope. I wanted to make the pattern work for me and read through the instructions before thoroughly to see how I could adapt this dress for cotton. The dress is also fully lined which seemed like a lot of faff for me. Again after analysing the pattern, I made a few changes to the construction.

In the video below, I discuss the changes I made and how I adapted it for cotton. You'll also be able to follow along with me as I sew the dress, finishing with a close up look discussing the fit and details and an in depth pattern review.


It is my longest Stitch by Stitch video yet, but the dress has a lot of steps to it. I really wanted to do the pattern justice and help anyone looking to sew it. I tried to make the construction look as simple as possible and I felt like if I edited too much out it wouldn't be much help. So I really do hope my video will be helpful! Unfortunately my camera wasn't having an easy time dealing with the black fabric so the quality is a little off.
I'm really pleased with my finished dress. I found the sewing process a lot simpler than I thought it was going to be. I was prepared for a sewing headache, but the bodice came together pretty quickly. Then the steps like the sleeves and skirt are much the same as other patterns. So what I thought was going to be a tricky make ended up to be rather straight forward!
My favourite thing about the dress is the top-stitching and the scallop neck edge. I really enjoy topstitching and find the process really satisfying. I opted for baby pink to compliment my lovely rose print fabric. I love the finished look and the neckline and bodice shape is really flattering.
I'm also really pleased with the fit of the dress. If I were to be super picky I'd say the shoulders could be taken in and the bodice shortened slightly, but I'm really happy with the fit nonetheless and will certainly enjoy wearing this dress! I think it's the perfect retro Autumn dress!

Sewing Summary:

Pattern: Simplicity Pattern 8259 Women's Sew Chic Button Front Dresses

Fabric: Vintage Style Floral Print Polycotton Dress Fabric

Notions: 5 x 1 inch buttons.

Sewing time: A day.

Modifications: See my above video to learn about the changes I made.

Fit: Really good.

Difficulty: More straightforward than expected. For confident seamstresses.

Watch out for: Tidy scallops will make all the difference for a clean neck line finish.

Make Again?: Maybe one day!

Overall, this dress is a surprise favourite of mine. The style lines of the pattern are gorgeous and I love the 1950s feel. I think the design lends itself really well to cotton fabric and the added top stitching make the creative possibilities of this sewing pattern endless.

To compliment my 8259 dress, I wore a gorgeous hair flower by Daisy Jean Floral. I'm wearing the Signature Rose Double in Peach. Shop the look HERE. It's such a perfect match!

I really hope you've enjoyed my extra special 8259 Stitch by Stitch post and video as much as I have. Will you be adding this gorgeous vintage inspired dress to your sewing list? Don't forget to tag me in your version @craftypinup!

Thanks for reading, pinups!
xo

I am so excited to be able to finally share this make with you! I was lucky enough to be a pattern tester for Sew Over It's NEW Elsie Dress Printed Pattern, sewn with one of their equally beautiful fabrics. I knew this dress was going to be something special and it's been super hard not to gush all about it this past month!

Here's a peek at the pattern:

Again with the beautiful illustrations and beautiful Lisa!

Elsie is a stunning 1950s inspired dress (and skirt) pattern, with a princess seamed bodice and a full skirt exaggerated by the large pleats giving the dress a great structure, especially when worn with a petticoat underneath.


So the Elsie pattern is pretty good looking, but 'what about the sewing' I hear you ask! I found Elsie, overall, a pleasure to sew. There were a few techniques in this dress which I was reasonably new to. For example, when sewing the bodice lining the technique in this pattern was something I have not yet come across. Whilst I struggled with this step, the finished effect is wonderful and totally worth the bit of extra care. Also with my fabric being a weighty cotton sateen, it's a little thicker than some fabrics which probably added to my struggles.

Inside the dress, I really like the lining. It's part facing and part bodice lining and I used my floral fabric for the facings and black cotton for the lining and find the finished look to be really professional and clean looking. I'm thinking about filming a 'Behind the Seam's video on Elsie, would you be interested?

Sewing Summary:

Pattern: Sew Over It - Elsie Dress Printed Dress Pattern

Fabric: Stretch Cotton – First Date

Notions: A 22" invisible zip.

Sewing time: A day.

Modifications: None

Fit: Great, other than my need for a full bust adjustment.

Difficulty: Perfect for confident beginners! There's lots of great skills to learn in this one.

Watch out for: Tidy pleats and matching them with the bodice seams.

Make Again?: Absolutely! Elsie's a winner in my eyes.


You may have noticed something in my hair.... Every lover of vintage style knows your wardrobe isn't complete without a hair flower (or 10) and the Veronica's Roses Clip in Light Pink from Daisy Jean Floral does not disappoint. It's a show stopping piece without being too large or heavy on the head. It feels so secure to wear and I think this gorgeous pink option was destined to be worn with my Elsie dress!

Hi pinups! It's been a while since I've done a regular old pattern review and this make was 100% selfish! I know I talked on YouTube and Instagram about my birthday outfit plans, it was part of my Me Made May pledge, long story short I wanted to keep up the tradition of sewing a me-made outfit for my birthday in May. (So you can see how late I am with this review!).

In my previous post I announced becoming Simplicity's Vintage Ambassador, and this is my first post in the series! The 8342 Simplicity pattern is part of the new season range, and whilst not vintage or reproduction, you can't deny it's sassy, rockabilly, 1950s appeal. I jumped at the chance to get my paws on this pattern and knew just the jersey fabric to go with it!

For my first version I used THIS gorgeous Girl Charlee striped jersey fabric to create Version B, the capped sleeve top pattern.

Here's a peek at the pattern:

I love all the options that come with this pattern, I can certainly see myself making the cigarette pants next to complete the pinup look!

I'd certainly recommend this pattern for fellow busty girls, as the top has a really flexible fit. I find that when sewing jersey garments I don't really need to do any full bust adjustments, and even more so with this pattern as you can tie the front to suit you. Perfect!


I was pleasantly surprised at how simple the top was to sew and it didn't take more than a couple of hours. The fit of the top is really good and I love the overall style. My only negative would be that personally, I'm not sure I find the cap sleeves very flattering on me. I think they make the proportions of my arms look bigger. I'd love to make a version omitting the cap completely, or perhaps the cute halterneck version instead.

Like I said in my previous Simplicity Vintage Ambassador announcement post, I've filmed a super handy sew along video to go along with this pattern. Which also meant I got to make another version of this great summer staple top!





In the video below, you'll be able to follow along as I sew my second version of this top, along with a first look at my floral make in my first 'out-and-about' photo shoot. I really hope you find the video helpful and inspires you to try this gorgeous new pattern!



If you have any questions about the making of this pattern please do leave a comment on the video!


Sewing Summary:

Pattern: Simplicity Ladies Sewing Pattern 8342 Knit Tops, Cropped Trousers & Skirts

Fabric: Homestead Life Saloon Stripe Cotton Spandex Knit Fabric by BOLT by Girl Charlee

Notions: Ribbon to stabilise the underarm seams, elastic.

Sewing time: A couple of hours.

Modifications: Just a slight shortening of the straps.

Fit: Spot on!

Difficulty: Straight forward, beginners shouldn't be put off sewing this pattern - there's some great techniques to learn in here.

Watch out for: Take extra care sewing the cap sleeves for a nice and tidy finish.

Make Again?: I already did! See my video above for a first look at my floral version I made in the sew along video or here's a peek below...


Next up, I'll be sharing my images from my first outdoor photo-shoot featuring the above 8342 top AND I'll be hosting a giveaway for people to win 3 copies of this pattern!

Overall, I am very pleased indeed to have these new pinup style tops in my handmade wardrobe. They're easy to wear and comfy whilst remaining stylish with the ability to dress up jeans or pair with circle skirts for a true 1950s look. I really hope you've enjoyed my first post as Simplicity's Vintage Ambassador. Stay tuned for lots more sewing fun. Will you be trying this pattern?

Thanks for reading, pinups!
xo

Butterick Patterns by Gertie B6453 - The Ultimate Retro Summer Dress!

Here's a peek at the pattern:

Two gorgeous variations!

I chose a vintage style ditsy floral cotton fabric for my first B6453 dress (I say 'first' as my 2nd is on the way...). It's the perfect fabric for the dress and really lends itself to the vintage vibe! The pattern is very much like the popular Pinup Girl Clothing 'Jenny' dress and is a great summer staple, I know I'll be making lots more of. The fact that the dress is nice and simple too, certainly makes it a dream to sew!

Every gathered skirt deserves pockets!

This pattern is lovely and straight forward, I would certainly recommend it for beginners. The dress features flattering princess seams, a full gathered skirt, pockets and a lapped zipper. This was the first time I have sewn a lapped zipper, and I feel silly for avoiding them as it's far more straightforward than I thought. I'll be sewing them a lot more in the future that's for sure!

Finally achieved a great fit!

The only complication for this pattern, for me, was needing to do a full bust adjustment (FBA). This won't be the case for everyone but it is for me. I've never done a FBA before and certainly wasn't looking forward to doing one. I didn't need to do anything major, but after the disappointing too-tight bust on my Kim dress, I thought I should stop avoiding it and do it!


I'm hoping to film a video on my FBA and talk about my fit details and adjustments in more detail on my . I have mentioned a little about it my and will update this section with my FBA video when it's live.


Sewing Summary:

Pattern: Butterick Patterns by Gertie B6453 Dress Pattern

Fabric: Small Rose Print Cotton Poplin Fabric - Turquoise Blue

Notions: 14" zip & 2 x Hoops and Sliders

Sewing time: A day with my FBA.

Modifications: Full bust adjustment.

Fit: Great! But I'll be shortening the waist and altering the straps next time.

Difficulty: Nice and simple - a great make for beginners.

Watch out for: Even waist gathers and creating a tidy lapped zipper will make a big difference to the final look!

Make Again?: Yes! I have another one lined up and look forward to tweaking it further and trying different styling.

No longer fearing the FBA!

Overall, I'm totally on board with the hype of the B6453 pattern! Its simple, sassy and quick to make, the perfect project for getting my creativity back on track. Have you tried this pattern yet? What do you think of it?

Thanks for reading, pinups!
xo

P.S. Thank you for bearing with me whilst my blogging schedule has been inconsistent. Between here and my new YouTube channel, I've been trying to balance my content better to fit in with my work schedule. I'm currently aiming for one post a week here (at the start of the week) and a new video every Thursday. Please do subscribe to my channel .

Minerva Craft Blogger Network: Butterick Patterns by Gertie B6130 Slip

It's time for April's Minerva Craft Blogger Network make! I've been wanting to try Gertie's retro slip pattern for a while now, and after seeing some of her own versions on her Instagram recently, I bumped it to the top of my sewing queue!

For my full pattern review and images, CLICK HERE!

You can see this slip in my March Sew & Tell YouTube video HERE!

Thanks for reading, pinups!
xo

The Cocktail Hour Sew-Along - V8943 - 1950s Inspired Prom Dress!

I'm really excited to share my make on The Cocktail Hour Blogger Tour! A super fun (and glamorous) sew along hosted by McCalls raising money for The Eve Appeal through the sale of each Vogue pattern selected for the sew along. Stay tuned until the end of this post for my video of the dress in action AND the delicious cocktail recipe!

"You can join in with sewists from all over the country to help raise funds and awareness for The Eve Appeal charity by sewing one of the dressmaking patterns from the Cocktail Hour collection. Monies raised from the sale of each pattern will go towards helping The Eve Appeal achieve better detection and prevention of women’s cancers."

The Fold Line have put it far better than I can, read HERE.

"As the year progresses you can see what everyone else is making by searching for #sipandsew (hehe!) on Instagram and Twitter and of course share your makes too. Post a photo with the hastag #sipandsew and copy in @McCallpatternUK on Twitter or @McCallpatternUK on Instagram.  Find out more details from McCall’s about Cocktail Hour here."

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A fancy dress AND a cocktail recipe? Count me in!

I'm not going to lie, I had a pretty hard time choosing from the patterns! I have a wedding coming up in June and I had an idea in mind for the type of dress I'd like to make for this occasion. I don't get much of a chance to sew occasion dresses, so I hoped to combine the two!

I decided on the V8943 dress pattern.
Here's a peek at the pattern:


This pattern appealed to me because of the lace overlay, bodice shape and full skirt. I knew I could use this pattern with tulle fabric instead of lace to create the vintage 1950s effect I wanted. The pattern is made up of two separate garments, the sheer overlay and a slip. I opted not to make the slip, and instead focus on the dress.

Feeling straight out of Mad Men!

So I decided, if I was making a posh dress, I was going all out. You certainly won't miss me coming your way in this bright red! I searched high and low and found a delicate polka dot tulle on eBay and paired it with THIS stretch satin fabric. I think the combination works perfectly, and the stretch in the satin allowed me to make a super fitted bodice, whilst remaining comfy and soft across my bust. If it were made in a non-stretch fabric, a full bust adjustment would of been needed.


Even though my dress looks quite dramatically different from the pattern, the alterations are actually really simple. The only difference on the tulle layer is that I removed the hip seam. I thought this would look unflattering on me so to keep with the retro vibe, I altered the skirt to a full circle skirt.

I also haven't finished the edges on the tulle and have neatly cut it instead. The fabric doesn't fray and I think it provides a delicate looking finish. I finished the inside seams with my overlocker. However, sewing an invisible zip into tulle is not for the faint-hearted and I will be re-doing mine in time for The Dressmakers Ball.


The dress underneath is made from the same skirt and a bodice pattern with exactly the same darts. Leaving a neat finish when the layers are worn together. Whilst I didn't follow the pattern's instructions too closely, I love the design and am really pleased the V8943 pattern enabled me to live my Grease party dress dreams!

As I said, I hope to wear this dress to The Dressmakers Ball and I will be making a couple of alterations to this dress for the event. I'll be redoing my tulle zip with a longer zip as the tulle dress was a little tricky to get into for this shoot! I'll also be shortening the tulle sleeves to just above my elbow as to not stretch the tulle on my elbows when bent. And lastly, I will be shortening the satin dress slightly, as it falls a touch longer than the tulle which is not what I wanted. I also hope to make a little satin bow belt to finish the look. Then I'll be very happy indeed!

Sewing Summary:

Pattern: Vogue 8943 Dress & Slip

Fabric: Polka Dot Tulle & Red Stretch Satin

Notions: 2 x invisible zips & hook and eye for the tulle.

Sewing time: I made this dress in bursts over a week

Modifications: See above!

Fit: Great! Fabric choice with stretch meant I didn't need to do an FBA. Phew!

Difficulty: It had some challenges, due to my alterations. Great for confident sewists.

Watch out for: Too much to mention! Mainly working with tulle.


Make again?: Whilst I love the dress, I don't think I need another in my wardrobe! Or at least maybe a subtler version perhaps...

Delicious!

Why yes I am holding a delicious looking cocktail in this photo shoot! And 'yes' you can make it yourself! Check out my video below to see my dress in action and how to make this super tasty cocktail!



Be sure to let me know if you try the cocktail!

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Overall I had  a great time making this dress. It's been lovely to participate in a sew along with a meaning (and a cocktail!) and I really hope I've inspired someone to try the V8943 pattern to create a vintage inspired dress of dreams! It's so fun to wear and whilst it had it's challenges, it was worth it.

Will you be taking part in The Cocktail Hour? You totally should do! Sewing a fancy dress, raising money for a great cause AND a tasty cocktail recipe? Hell yes. Shop from THIS selection of Vogue patterns to take part. Don't forget to use the hashtag #sipandsew and tag @McCallpatternUK!



Thanks for reading, pinups!
xo

CocoWawa - Lily Blouse

Hi pinups! Adorable new pattern alert! Meet 'Lily' from indie designer CocoWawa, a blouse and dress pattern with the cutest sailor collar. So when Ana asked me to review her new pattern, I jumped at the chance.

Here's a peek at the pattern:

How happy and colourful is this?!

I opted for the blouse version with simple short sleeves. I like the dress pattern but the cocoon shape would be awful on my curvy figure and be super unflattering, however the blouse is a lovely top to pair with jeans for Spring. Did I mention the amazing sailor collar?


Whilst I'm usually too lazy for PDF patterns, I do have a very helpful boyfriend who enjoys putting them together! So I left the sticking together to him which worked great for me. I cut the size 4, which translates as a UK size 12 (got to think about that boob room!).


The instructions were great to follow with helpful illustrations. I did struggle with the centre front placket, but I think that's my own struggles with this technique and not a reflection on the pattern. But I got there in the end and am really happy with the result.

Whilst I'm super happy with the finished top, I do think I could have sized down. I may even try a fitted bodice next time with the help of some darts. As I know I need more of this collar in my life! Or maybe even chopping the blouse at my waist and adding a skirt...

I aimed for a little 1960s monochrome twist for mine!

Sewing Summary:

Pattern: CocoWawa Lily Blouse and Dress PDF Pattern

Fabric: 1/4" Check Corded Gingham Dress Fabric & Plain Cotton Poplin Fabric

Notions: 3 self cover buttons with pink cotton from my stash

Sewing time: Half a day

Modifications: None

Fit: A little big, but I'll size down next time!

Difficulty: Nice and simple with some techniques to get you thinking.

Watch out for: Getting a neat and tidy placket.

Make again?: Yes! I think it's a nice style, but I'd like to make some alterations to suit my curvy shape.


Overall, Lily is a super sweet pattern. A lovely simple design but with some nice design touches for a smart finish. I'm looking forward to making this pattern again, like I already said, I'd love to tailor the top and go full nautical style on that collar!

Support an independent designer, and pick up your copy of CocoWawa's Lily pattern.

Thanks for reading, pinups!
xo

P.S. My gingham bandana comes with it's own tutorial on my YouTube channel! It's a great stash busting mini project that all level of sewists should try! Check it out below: