My New Fleece Jacket

Hello!👋

Hope you have been keeping well!

My Mikal Fleece Jacket is finished and I have been wearing it on repeat!

This was a great first garment of the year to sew! Colourful and fun!

And best of all, all materials came from my stash. Fabric, zipper and snaps. 😀

I love how the colours work really well with each other, especially the light blue, it just tied it all together!

Other than enjoying putting these colours together, I really enjoyed all the topstitching. It just gives a project a more finished, professional look.

I wanted to use metal snaps that I had in my stash but I was missing like 4. So I checked my box of plastic snaps and the light blue was a perfect match, but I was missing 2 of these too. 😑

I didn’t want to buy a new box of snaps, so I decided to mix it with some orange snaps. 🤷🏼‍♀️

I didn’t want the orange to be visible from the outside so I put them all on the inside. I quite like how it looks, I would not have liked it as much if I had mixed them on the outside.

This has been part of my wardrobe for most of the week and it did well keeping me warm when doing the school run, so it’s a win for me! (I did have another sweater underneath though.🤭)

There are a couple of things that I found scarce in the pattern instructions in regards to construction. Obviously, I figured it out, but I did wonder if a beginner would be able to get past some steps with ease.

The other thing is that it is a little too big for me even though I made a straight size S based on my bust measurement alone. If I had graded for my waist and hip it would have come out even bigger.

The nature of the design is oversized, but it’s a little too oversized for me, so I will size it down on my next one for sure.

The Roma Necessaire is practically ready for release now!

We are just having some technical delays. I have to change websites! 

The current one I have is not fit for sales, so the new one is still under construction and dependent on my partner. I couldn't even set up a website to save my life, so I have to wait until he is ready. 😅

This just gives me more time to check the document over and make sure that everything is ok. The only other thing is that every time I look at it, I change something, even just a word. 😂

So I am looking forward to getting it out so I don’t fiddle with it anymore.

My testers have made fantastic versions of the Roma Necessaire, each one is so unique and many have added some embellishments! It just shows you how customisable it is! 

In the meantime, the Palma Pouch is coming together really well! Even my partner said he likes it! 😂

The new element to the design is the handles. I have kept the handles short because I think it just makes it look super cute!

I also played around with the length of the main zipper but I still need to decide and see what works best.

After I have settled on everything, I need to get it digitised and then I can work on going through the testing process.

Exciting! 😱

My I’m So Basic Socks by Summer Lee have also been coming along really nicely!

I have been working on them for about 1-2 hours everyday and although I don’t see a lot of growth as I knit, it has grown quite a bit!

I made a start on the heel flap in the contrast colour and I am just knitting flat now instead of in the round. 

Even though this is the case, I am still knitting one row at a time on each sock to keep them the same instead of me keeping count to make sure I do the same amount of rows on each side.

And let me tell you that knitting 2 socks at the same time is a game changer!! 😍

I will never knit socks any other way!

How good is it that I don’t have to think about making the second sock after I finish, it will already be done! 🤩

In making this project, I have not only learnt a new cast on method, the German Twisted Cast on, but I have done something new, using the magic loop to knit 2 socks at the same time! 🏆

I love projects like these because they are so much more satisfying when you know you have been able to expand your skill set!

I would just like to add here how handy my Roma Necessaire came in over the weekend!

It was the perfect size to carry the three balls of yarn I was using, plus the socks and my mobile inside!

As for the project I am doing in collaboration with Wool Warehouse, I made 2 little swatches and I love how the colours work together!

I have moved the pink and cream around to see which I prefer, and both my partner and I like the one where the cream is in the middle!

Which one do you prefer? Let me know!

I have not yet decided if I am going to cast on for it before the socks are finished, but I feel there is a high possibility that I will. 😶

I wish I could place a sample for you to touch here on the screen because these yarns together are so gorgeously soft and fluffy.

One of them is their latest release from their Yarnsmith range, the Kids Mohair Silk, and the other is their previous release, the Merino DK Superwash. Both of these ranges are just natural fibres.

On a side note, I would like to correct myself in my previous newsletter. I kept on calling my new needles from Wool Warehouse Knit Pro, but in reality they are Drops Pro. 

In other news, I posted my first video in a long time on Youtube!

I felt a bit awkward at the beginning of the video because it has been so long since I spoke directly to the camera, but I feel like I warmed up a little towards the middle of it.

I am planning to release a series of weekly videos to complement my newsletter and I have yet to decide what to call the series. 

If you have any suggestions, please fire them at me! 😀

Also, if there is anything specific you would like me to mention about my projects, just let me know.

Here is a link to watch the video from earlier in the week if you would like to watch it:

😎Confidence Corner:

You have something unique that no one else has - your life experience. That's the power of you. - Mel Robbins

Have you ever stopped to think about how truly unique you are? Not just in your skills or talents, but in the way you see the world, the experiences you've lived, and the lessons you've gathered along the way.

It's easy to overlook the value of our own journey, especially when we're surrounded by inspiration from others. But what makes your work, your creativity, and your voice stand out is the perspective only you can bring.

Every challenge you've faced, every mistake you've learned from, and every joy you've celebrated has shaped you into someone with a story worth sharing.

If you're working on a creative project, building a business, or simply trying to make a difference, remember that no one else can bring what you bring to the table. The way you approach problems, the colours you choose, the stitches you sew, the way you explain something—all of it is influenced by you. And that’s your superpower.

Lean into what makes you, you. Whether it's in your craft, your conversations, or your choices, trust that your perspective is valuable. You don’t need to be like anyone else, your experience is enough.

🧵This Week's Tip:

The Purpose of Topstitching

These last couple of weeks I have used a lot of topstitching in my projects. It gives projects a finished and more professional look.

It’s not only for decorative purposes though, depending on what you are working on, it has other functions such as:

• Reinforcing seams – On heavy-use garments like jeans, jackets, and bags, topstitching strengthens seams, making them more durable.
• Adds a professional finish – Whether it’s the same colour as the background for a subtle stitch or a bold contrast, topstitching gives a garment that polished, ready-to-wear look.
• Keeping seams flat – In structured garments or lined items, topstitching prevents seams from rolling or shifting, keeping everything in place.

⭐My Favourite Things This Week:

• Finishing My Mikal Fleece Jacket from Petite Stitchery.
• Making progress with my bag designs.
• Making a swatch with the yarn from Wool Warehouse for my next project.
• Making steady progress on my socks.

🗓️Upcoming Plans

• Continue knitting my socks.
• Cast on for my collaboration project with Wool Warehouse?🤔
• Plan another project for myself.
• Make one quilt block 🤔 (Is this ever going to happen? 😂)

🎉Upcoming Events

23rd of February 2025 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event - in Gatley Hill House, South Manchester, 10:45h - 16:15h
Email bianca@beesilva.co.uk and quote reference: SEWBOND014
For more information: https://www.beesilva.co.uk/sewbond014/

More 2025 Dates!

22nd of March 2025 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event
26th of April 2025 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event

Thank you so much for reading it! And if you enjoyed it, please tell a friend about it to allow me to reach more people. 🥰

Bye for now,
B! xx