Finally Trousers That Fit!

Hello, hello!

If it wasn’t for fans, I would have melted this week!🥵

I’m loving the warmer weather but the UK is in no way equipped to deal with it. My house is hotter than outside.😫

So my fan has been on constantly this week.

And not having many summer clothes options in my wardrobe that fit is not helping me keep cool.

I have to work on some summer pieces ASAP, especially because I’m going to Portugal soon too and I don’t have much that I can pack.

Again this year, my children don’t know we are going away, it’s going to be a surprise for them.

Last year we went all the way to the boarding gate with them thinking that they were carrying fabric in their backpacks for a Sew&Bond™ at a new location.

When we finally allowed them to open their bags, they were surprised to find lots of goodies for them and of course to find out they were going to Portugal.

I’m not sure we will be able to pull it off again this year, but we will try so that they only find out at the last minute.

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Thursday night I launched the Sew Your Own Trouser Workshop and it sold out the next morning!

Thank you so much to all who booked on, I can’t be more grateful that we get to make another project together. ❤️

As the school summer holidays approach, it is slightly more difficult timewise for me to arrange more workshop dates, but I will definitely look into more as soon as I can.

This trouser workshop came as a suggestion by many, so as always, I am open to suggestions of projects you would like me to set workshops for. It is just as easy as hitting reply to this email and I will read and get back to you.

I am looking into trialling a few weekend day workshops at Gatley Hill House as many have said weekdays don’t work for them.

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In sewing retreat news, thank you to everyone who has put their name down on the waitlist and filled in the feedback form.

I’m going to sit down and take all the information in and start planning the weekend and work on creating the website listing for it.

Some have asked if there will be a payment plan for it.

On my website there will be a ShopPay option which will allow you to pay for the weekend in instalments if you wish to.

If you haven't, join the waitlist here!

Stitches of the Week

 

BeeSilva - Sew&Bond™

What a lovely day!

Despite the heat we have been experiencing, everyone was very cheery and ready for a full day of sewing and catching up with each other.

We had no massive dramas this week with any of our projects, just one tiny mishap. 😂

We had the back crotch of a pair of pjs that had a triangular shape sticking right out and no one is sure how it happened. I think you can guess who this may have happened to. 🤭

There was so much being worked on today: cushion covers, tops, skirts, dresses, and the cloning of much loved shop bought clothing.

I took along a dress to make and an alteration project for a friend, but they didn’t even come out the bag. I was helping a few people with their projects and it was lovely to see their happy expressions with what they had completed.

This week’s menu items were ham and cheese & chopped cheese sandos, sausage rolls, curried zucchini and carrots parcels, potato and onion pasties, banana bread with double chocolate and banana cake with banana frosting. Due to the hot weather, we also had watermelon lemonade which was amazing!

Thank you so much to everyone that came! ♥️

 

 

Tilly and the Buttons - Thea Trousers

Although it’s been too hot to wear them, they are a much needed addition to my wardrobe!

I made these mainly as a test run before the workshop on the 17th of July, but I will definitely make a couple more soon (I’m thinking of doing one with each leg a different colour).

They were very straightforward to make, the zip fly went in easily but I got distracted and didn’t check that the top of my waistband on either side was matching.🫠

I changed the size of the button from a 15mm to a 25mm and it may have made the mismatch more visible.😂

Another change I made was using a jeans button instead of a shank button to give my pair more of a jeans look since I used denim for it anyway.

I made a straight size 2 but then I decided to take them in at the sides by 5/16 inch, starting about 3ish inches below the waist because they were just a little too loose for my liking.

I mentioned last week that I was doing a test to see how long the whole process would take and this is what it came down to:

- 40 minutes to cut all the pieces.
- 6 hours to sew over 2 days.

The sewing portion includes the front and back patch pockets, belt loops and taking it in by the side. I did do a bit of filming too, but not so much that I thought it made a big difference in the timing.

Materials: Denim fabric gifted by Deborah, a lovely newsletter subscriber. Jeans button and 6-inch metal zipper, both from my stash.

Size: Straight size 2. My waist (27”) was between a size 2 and 3 and my hips (35 ¾”) were just over a size 2. I compared this to the finished measurements and decided to go with a straight 2 that I still took in a little by the hips.

The Win: I finally have trousers again that fit! I want to make another version soon in a different fabric.

 

Summer Lee - Trompe Le Monde from The Sock Project book

I’ve been chipping away very slowly at these socks as life has been very busy.

The colour changes look beautiful with the slipped stitch in another colour that is pulled over but I’m quite tired of it.

I have decided to do the rest of the foot the grey brown colour. The foot portion is always going to be in a shoe where I’m not going to see all the colourwork anyway.

It wasn’t an easy decision as I don’t like to take the easy way out, but on this occasion it is going to have to be.

Then comes a mistake.

I’ve been so focused on decreasing the leg stitches into the foot every time I pick them up that I’ve now decreased too many! 😂

I needed to reduce the stitches until I have 64 for the foot and I currently have 63 stitches on one sock and 61 on the other.

How I have different numbers for each is beyond me, but I now have to go back a little and fix this.

Yarn: Drops Fabel in pink, cream and brown yarn from Portugal.

Size: Started with an L for the legs, decreasing to an M for the foot.

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

The Drama: I’m giving up on all the colourwork and I’ve got the wrong amount of stitches in my needles.

 

Maker Spotlight

 

This week’s spotlight goes to @bringingsewingback!

How gorgeous is this dress! It’s the perfect feel-good-summer occasion dress!

Catherine started making this dress 3 days before an Italian themed ball where her followers helped her choose the fabric for it.

The bodice is the Daria Patternmaking Rose Cafe Bustier and the skirt is self-drafted.

Well done Catherine, it is a fantastic make!

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:

Sew&Bond™ - 11th of July 2026 (3 spots left!)
Sew&Bond™ - 25th of July 2026 (1 spot left!)
Sew&Bond™ - 29th of Aug 2026 (SOLD OUT)
Sew&Bond™ - 12th of Sept 2026 (4 spots left!)
Sew&Bond™ - 26th of Sept 2026 (SOLD OUT)
Sew&Bond™ - 17th of Oct 2026 (10 spots left!)

Workshops:

Sew Your Own Trousers Workshop - (SOLD OUT)

 

My Sewing Patterns:

Lisbon Organiser
Roma Necessaire
Paphos Pouch

 

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