Exciting Times!

Hello, hello!

It has been a week full of good things!

There are things happening in the background that I can’t share just yet, but hopefully it all continues to go well and I can share a bit more with you soon. 🤐

Workshop planning has continued and I am very grateful for the response I got to the ones that I have launched already.

One is ready to launch and I still have another 2 that I need to make samples for. These last two are seasonal workshops.

The workshop launched today is to make your own colour blocked sweater, all on an overlocker.

This workshop is perfect for those who are new or getting into dressmaking, or for those who are new to or unsure about an overlocker.

Sew a Colour Blocked Jumper Workshop - Click here to learn more!

I’ve also started working on a new pattern that I am going to launch at the retreat in November! 🤩

I was working on a tote bag pattern, but I have set it aside for now to work on this one.

Well! It’s actually been set aside for months. 🥴

I will get back to it again, just not now.

It’s so exciting to work on creating something where you get to make the ‘rules’ on a design.

It is so freeing, it allows you to express your thoughts, challenges your thinking including maths and it’s hard work writing it all out in a way that makes sense to those looking at it for the first time.

Currently it is still in pieces, nothing is sewn together. I’m just working out dimensions, placements and thinking about which fabrics from a fat quarter I’m putting where.

I’m pretty excited for this one! 💃🏼

Stitches of the Week

BeeSilva - Sew&Bond™

These days are just so good!

I love creating spaces where sewists can come together and just share patterns, fabrics, knowledge and life!

We are all so different, yet one thing connects us all and we just get along as if we have known each other forever.

And it was a brilliant Saturday!

We had new people join - newbies and very experienced sewists - and it was lovely to see some challenge themselves with their makes.

The projects that were being worked on were dresses, blouses, trousers, bags, home accessories and a pet outfit.

The pet outfit was a dog tshirt. It was a first for Sew&Bond and a first for the person making it!

They had made some pouches before, but were completely new to sewing garments and jersey fabric, and they even had a go at doing it all on the overlocker! 

It was a pleasure helping Abi make her first outfit for her fur baby, who even got the pleasure of mummy going home for a quick fitting and then back to us for some adjustments.

I love how throughout the day everyone just helps each other - whether it’s helping check the fit, opinions on how to do certain sewing techniques or just allowing us to look at how they are doing something - everyone leaves with just that little bit more knowledge.

Thank you so much for such a brilliant day. ♥️

Tilly and The Buttons - Drew

Every time I make a jersey garment, I’m surprised by how quickly it comes together.

I used to sew so much with jersey fabric on my overlocker, and if you own one, you know how quick it goes and how quick you can slap something together.

I got ahead of myself though with this one and I sewed the wrong pieces together!🫠

I missed out the middle part of the sleeve and sewed the top part to the bottom of the sleeve.

5 hours later (heavily exaggerating😂), the overlocker thread was removed and I continued on successfully.

I wasn’t keen on having the cable jersey on the sleeve, but I also didn’t want it to be strippy with the plain french terry - orange to teal to orange and back to teal.

It looks so much better made up than when it was just cut on my table.

Before I sewed it, I sent a picture to my partner and he asked what he thought about the combo. His response was “Is it for me?”.

So I know if I don’t reach for it, he will happily take it from me. Cropped and all! 😂

This was made as a sample for one of my next workshops at Janome. It’s aimed at those who want to get into dressmaking or are new to overlockers and want to have a go with lots of support.

Materials: Orange and teal french terry, and teal cable jersey

Size/Version: Size 1 which is a size down from my body measurements, in the colourblocked cropped version with no modifications.

The Drama: Sewed the wrong pieces together!🫪

The Win: Fabric stash successfully used and sweater completed!

Summer Lee - Luna Socks from The Sock Project book 

I’ve surprisingly been on two longish (1 hour) car journeys during the week this week where these came along.

The leg is finished, but I did knit an inch extra because I got distracted.

In the pattern instructions it’s says to knit an afterthought heel for this design, but I’ve never done one and I wasn’t going to start thinking about doing one in the car.

So, I decided to go with what I know and knit a ‘normal’ heel gusset. 

I’m doing it in red to liven up the sock a bit and so far, so good. I like how it’s looking.

Yarn: Rosários 4 Meia

Size: Started with an L for the cuff.

Needle Size: Cast on with 2.5mm, knit one row and transferred to 2.25mm for the rest.

The Win: Quite a bit of progress this week!

Skill Builder of the Week

Hong Kong Seams

We always hear about finishing seams with a zigzag stitch, overlocker or pinking shears.

But you can make the insides of your garments look a lot more interesting by finishing them with what is called Hong Kong seams.

It is particularly useful in unlined jackets, coats, waistcoats and other garments where the inside may be on show.

How to do it:

- Sew your seam as normal.
- Press the seam allowance open, or to the side.
- Wrap each raw edge with bias binding and stitch it in place.

The fun part is that you can use a contrasting colour, a pretty print or even some leftover bias binding from another project.

So next time you want to have a more interesting finish to your garment than just a zigzag stitch or overlocked edge, try this one.

 

Maker Spotlight

This week’s spotlight goes to @sewing_in_spain!

Suzy waited all summer to find the perfect fabric to make this dress, a beautiful striped cotton sateen! 😍

She thought she only needed 2 meters of it, but the pattern pieces were pretty wide, so she ended up shortening the dress and adding the crossways border. 

I think it was the perfect choice and it’s made the dress even more gorgeous!

It’s the Style Arc Bronte dress.

Want to be featured in my newsletter? Just reply with a pic of your make and a little about it, I’d love to see what you’ve made!😍

 

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'My Sewing Journal' - Order Yours!

 

Events:

Sewing Retreat 2026 at Browsholme Hall (SOLD OUT)

Sew&Bond™ - 26th of Sept 2026 (SOLD OUT)
Sew&Bond™ - 17th of Oct 2026 (SOLD OUT)
Sew&Bond™ - 31st of Oct 2026 (SOLD OUT)
Sew&Bond™ - 14th of Nov 2026 (10 spots left!)
Sew&Bond™ - 29th of Nov 2026 (3 spots left!)

Workshops:

Sew a Colour Blocked Jumper Workshop - 29th Oct 26 (NEW)
Make Your Own Dress/Top Workshop - 3rd Oct 26 (SOLD OUT)
Make Your Own Dress/Top Workshop - 15th Oct 26 (3 spots left!)
Sew Your Own Trousers Workshop - 13th Nov 26 (SOLD OUT)

 

My Sewing Patterns:

Lisbon Organiser
Roma Necessaire
Paphos Pouch

 

Thanks for reading and happy sewing!
Bye for now, B! xx