Little Black Top - Sagebrush Top

January 29, 2023

The Sagebrush Top by Friday Pattern Company scored a place in my Make Nine this year in my quest to make myself a new black top that wasn't going to be boring.  I feel like I've ended up with the perfect cobination.


The fabric is this Swiss Dot Cotton from Blackbird Fabrics. I purchased this in their Black Friday Sale and the discount pretty much ended up covering the shipping cost. It's been a few years since I purchased from Blackbird but I'm pleased that the quailty is still as good as ever.


The ruffle along the front yoke of the top adds a beautiful detail, and in conjunction with the sleeves creates a modern classic silhouette. I'm convinced this top will get plenty of wear. It's classic but still so much fun.


 I did make a couple of changes to this pattern.  I lined the back yoke pieces so that there wasn't a need for visible stitching on the back, I also used premade bias tape for the neckline and ties. This was the right choice as I think the texture of the Swiss Dot would have caused more problems than it would have been worth. Next time I think I'd end up lining the front yoke too, to enclose the seam with the gathering as I think it would really elevate the finish.

A Modern Day Dorothy - Myosotis Dress

January 22, 2023

 So I might be the last person in the sewing community to make the Deer and Doe Myosotis Dress.  I feel like I've been seeing it everywhere for the last few years now.  Its a classic v neck dress with a gathered skirt and collar stand.  I made veiw A with allllll the gathering. 

I think the gathering was what put me off, I love the look of gathering, however I always think its more effort than it is.  Thankfully the result is always worth it.



I used a beatiful navy and white rayon gingham which I purchased from The Fabric Store during theire sale late last year.  This is one of the most beautiful rayons I've ever worked with.  It had a beautiful weight and drape, plus is just good quality. I purchased 2.5m and managed to just squeeze it out, even though the fabric recommendations state 3m. Nothing a bit of pattern tetris can't solve!


To save time, and be kinder to myself, I used my overlocker to do a rolled hem on both the skirt and sleeves.  This was so much quicker than doing a double (or single for that matter) fold hem, especially given the length of the hem - I think this is about 3m from memory, if not a bit longer!


This was a surprisingly quick make, I think probably about 3-4 hours from start to finish, if that. I made it while on a sewing retreat with some friends so it probably could have been done quicker if there wasn't so much chatting.

Helen's Closet Gilbert Top

January 9, 2023

I think there is something really classic about a white button up shirt. I made one a few years ago, however was chasing a replacement in my wardrobe.  I knew I didn't want a plain shirt, my previous shirt was a Cheyenne/Lucerne Mash up (both by Hey June) featuring the fabulous tie sleeves of the Lucerne. However, for some reason the Helen's Closet Gilbert Shirt wasn't top of my list when looking for replacements.

That was until I checked the fabric requirements.  I'd managed to score 1.4m of white cotton crepe as a remnant from The Fabric Store during a visit and hoped I'd be able to squeeze a sleeved top out of it. The Gilbert Top View A (short sleeves and tie front) has a maximum fabric requirement of 2.3m for 115cm wide fabric, as I had 150cm fabric I was able to play a bit of pattern tertis and get it out of what I had. Though there wasn't much room for error!


I'm really happy with the fit of this one - the only adjustment I made being a full bicep adjustment.  The sleeves still feel a little snug, I think I shouldn't have raised the sleeve cap as much as I did in the end. However it won't stop me wearing it.


 I think this is the perfect shirt which can either be dressed up or dressed down depending on the occasion.  I know I will get plenty of wear out of this in the future.

First Finish of 2023 - Tea Towel Quilt

January 4, 2023

 Instagram is a wonderful place for connecting with the sewing community and finding inspiration.  I've got to credit Sharni from Lyrebird Lamb with the inspiration for this quilt - it all stemmed from seeing her Pete Cromer Tea Towel Quilt on Instagram a few years ago.

When I came accross these city tea towels by Megan McKean tea towels on clearance in Myer a few months ago I knew I needed to make a quilt with them.



I didn't use a pattern for this quilt, just trimmed each tea towel down to about 50x50cm and places them in a 3x3 placement. I did have an extra three but the colours and size wasn't doing it for me.


I quilted it using a 3 step zig zag stitch lengthened to 4.0, this created a bit of a honeycomb effect, though I've realised how out of practice I am when it comes to quilting!  What a workout.


I used one of my all time favourite fabrics for the binding, this beautiful washi tape-esque fabric by Laura Blythman in her range from Spotlight a number of years ago now.  I've been hoarding it and thankfully still have some more in my stash.  I was planning to using a black and white stripe, however didn't have enough left and given my goals for this year I wasn't buying anymore fabric when I had something suitable to use. 


The backing is a mixture of fabrics I bought when I was overseas after I finished school, meaning some of these fabrics have been in my stash for a decade or more.  I wanted to add in fabrics that reminded me of where I'd traveled and these tea towels were the prefect addition to this project which has been planned for a long time!


Overally, I'm really happy with how this turned out, its lovely to have another quilt to snuggle under - not that its needed at the moment!  I was binding this quilt in nearly 30 degree weather, which was not ideal. But I feel like thats become my thing at this stage, if I'm not trying to finish of quilt WIPs in January who even am I?

DESIGNED BY ECLAIR DESIGNS