Posts by lizhaywood
The Aquascutum suit
Have you seen this before? It’s WW2 make-do and mend advice for women. The idea is, while your man is away raiding the enemy, you raid his wardrobe and cut up his suit (so the poor man doesn’t have a suit when he returns). For best results, match a large husband with a petite…
Read MoreThe Haywoods do Fancy Dress
It’s the final week of school holidays and there’s been plenty of sewing going on here (not much else to do in the middle of a heat wave). Our family attended a fancy dress birthday on Saturday, with the theme of L, E or B (being the initials of the birthday girl). Unfortunately the 38…
Read MoreLast post for 2017
Hello All, School holidays officially started yesyerday and this blog is now on holidays too. The summer stretches endlessly before us, to be filled with all sorts of wholesome things, such as afternoons at home playing lego, craft, swimming lessons, bike rides, visits to the library, picking fruit, having friends over to play etc. My…
Read MoreI wanna be a cowl girl
Last week’s festive season batik cowl neck dress has been an absolute winner! I’ve worn it twice already. Did you like the cowl neck? It’s a shallow cowl, the sort where you don’t have to press your hand to your chest when bending over to avoid displaying everything. It’s an easy bit of patternmaking if…
Read More2017 Christmas Dress
That time has swung around again where Christmas plans are underway. This of course includes thinking about one’s Christmas day outfit. I didn’t get around to making anything new last year, but thought I might this year. It’s rare that a garment goes perfectly right first go, but that’s what’s happened this week. I had…
Read MoreRuffler Attachment attachment
This week I have been making some aprons with ruffles around the edges. I had been putting off the job because of all the gathering, but then a saw a ruffler attachment video on facebook. Wait a minute! I own a ruffler! I’ve never used it, but it’s been sitting in the accessory box all…
Read MoreFree Pattern: Make a Hat
Are you a hat person? Have you ever sewn yourself a hat? It’s been a while since I did a free pattern on this blog, but here is a hat pattern I hope you’ll like. This hat has an oval crown, with side seams on the crown’s side and brim. It has a slightly deeper…
Read MoreWhat’s that gadget?
Inspiration: Corduroy Day 2017
My dad was fond of saying If Fashion and I cross paths, it is Fashion’s good fortune. And that’s what has happened: corduroy, one of my very favourite fabrics, is in fashion this season. (Well, for you people in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s a bit late for us; we’re already thinking of sundresses and tank…
Read MoreA pair of bathing beauties
My children have started swimming lessons again, in an indoor heated pool. After their lesson they get in the car with their towels, then shower and change at home. I had in mind to make them some sort of toweling dressing gown to wear after their swim. The sewing brief: long, robe-like, hooded, long sleeves,…
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