summer – Emma and her Machine

Hi everyone,

It’s been a while since I’ve had chance to do a holiday series… I’m not complaining, I’m lucky that I go on holiday quite often usually but this is our first and only this year so I’m making the most of it. We’ve come to Portugal with my lovely in-laws and of course, my me mades have come too!

Day 1 – I never blogged this top as I was meant to be a Toile for my bee Kalle tunic but I actually wear it more than the second! It’s perfect for travelling and I would definitely make more. I wore it with RTW secret pyjama pants!

Day 2- although I had cut the new costume by Cashmerette, I didn’t get chance to sew it… So they’ll be no pictures of me in my cossies (I know, what a shame!) However, I did make this tote bag which is self-drafted using this fab vintage swimmer remnant from Sew Me Sunshine. I used rectangles to construct it and tapered the corners. I included little pockets inside and a little coin pouch. Perfect for the beach!

Day 3- we visited Loulé Market today so I wore my new Ultimate Trouser shorts. I made the trouser pattern a while back and was instantly hooked. It’s such an easy make and I got these out of a remnant of 70cm of this lovely stretch cotton (perfect for ultimate trousers) from Sew Me Sunshine. Quite a lot of my holiday makes are made using remnants from when I have a bit of a splurge! I wore a RTW vest, I have recently bought the ogden pattern but I’ve not had much time to master it yet! I even found a fabric shop, which made my day!

Day 4- another lazy day on the beach but I did wear these awesome trousers for dinner. They are Self-drafted wrap trousers, which I saw at a craft fair some time a go. They were selling for £45 (queue brain saying ‘pfft, I could make those’) and I made these up super quick in 2 metres, for a grand total of £4! I would really recommend making some, they are super flattering. It is essentially 2 rectangles sewn together using a semi circle shape for the crotch which you then tie at the front and the back. I proudly wore them with my new Pink Coat Club Me Made necklace.

Day 5- having fully intended to make a plethora of Ogden Camis for the holiday, I only actually made this one. I used this fab grey fabric with neon splodges which I stashed from a craft fair last year. Perfect teamed with white jeans.

Day 6- saw the return on my Velo Cullottes,which I wear a lot. They are made in a silky soft peach skin from Sewisfaction. The pattern is perfect and a great fit. Plus, they have pockets!!

Day 7- I made another Cotton and Chalk Rosie Dress, I’m afraid! I love this pattern and find it so flattering. I won’t blog about it separately having already made 2 but the fabric is a block print cotton from Sew Me Sunshine and I feel I’m really perfecting the fit now. I wore it with my new Sewing Machine necklace from Sewalicious. Cool. Or. What?

Day 8- I wore a Deer and Doe Datura hack to Vilamoura for a meal, which I will blog fully soon but I LOVE it!

Day 9- we visited Faro, which was the best day ever!! I wore a Sew Over It, shortened Florence Dress in this tropical print from what is now Pound Fabrics. It’s a super easy pattern and really cool to wear.

The eagle eyed amongst you may notice that I have gotten a little rounder over the course of the holiday but the food was truly amazing. I have never been anywhere with such amazing food. I realise that mine is a sewing blog but I just wanted to quickly share some of the amazingness. Really yummy! And whilst I fully promote curvy sewing, I have left Portugal feeling a little bit too curvy for me so thank god there’s no Portuguese steak around!!

See you soon for some individual makes! Don’t forget to check my. Instagram where I update my currently wearing quite often!

Hi everyone,

I can’t put my finger on it but I’ve really tailed off at the end of Me Made May. It’s the end of another busy half term, I wasn’t too well at weekend (my most hated online moan but it’s true!) and I think I’m just in need of a little online switch off.

I have used that time to get stuck in with my sewing machine and I’ve been making lots of holiday makes (not the easiest to model). I thought I was losing my sewjo a little, which wasn’t helped by the most recent make I’m about to share but I think I’m back on my game!

Anyway, I’m not usually overly enamoured by Cocowawa patterns, I feel they are definitely made for a slimmer frame but I thought the tie sides of the most recent Honeycomb dress would flatter me so I wanted to give it a go. I will just have one more moan though (sorry, last one I promise) – I was really disappointed to find that most of the pattern testers for this were significantly smaller than the size 20 the pattern claims to go up to… which doesn’t seem very inclusive.

Anyway, undeterred, I carried on with it. I made a few changes, obviously I made the chest pieces bigger (possibly should have been even bigger and also longer as you will see), I also omitted the collar and created a bias binding instead and I lengthened it to create a maxi. Also, contrary to my instincts, I made it sleeveless, in acceptance that not all of my summer clothes can have sleeves.

I used the lovely birdy viscose from Adam Ross fabrics. Whilst, I’m really happy with the neat finish on my dress and I’m loving the self covered buttons, I’m just not sure it is quite me. What does everyone think? I’m wondering if it’s the sleeves, the fit on the chest or the colour. I may dye it. Any thoughts?