Wow! This Summer is a real sorcher! ☼

What better way to stay cool that a gorgeous, open-knit crochet lace? In gorgeous white, this top is just the thing for making the most of the breeze that will help you cool down.

So, which dress bundle did you choose for your Eliza M Vintage project? With so many dress patterns and printed cotton combinations available, we're sure our customers had a great time choosing what to make. Our blogger Amanda certainly did. Read more about which supplies she selected and take a look at the outcome!

If there is one person out there who has perfected the Lottie Blouse, it has to be Amanda! Not content with sewing up a whole collection of Lottie's for her own wardrobe, she has now turned her talents to helping her mum expand her wardrobe too! 3 Lotties and counting.....

When we added some lovely, affordable Spring/Summer cotton prints to the collection, we weren't suprirsed to find Amanda being one of the first to order some! Since she ordered this fabric and published her blog post, sales for this gorgeous design have rapidly increased. Take a look below at her beautiful dress and you'll see why!

The Rosie and Jim Dress

  

I bought this beautiful fabric from White Tree Fabrics. I often blog for them and they send me beautiful fabric to make whatever I choose. This time though, I decided to make the most of my 20% off code (SEWDEPUTY) and bought two metres of this cotton.

  

It just had to be a Summer Ruby. When it arrived, I draped it on my mannequin and everytime I walked past it reminded me of when my children were little and watched a programme called Rosie and Jim. They were a little boy and a little girl who lived in a barge with Duck. Ginny  (@sweetmyrtle) was reminiscing along with me and sent the photo of Rosie and Jim ……who still live in her house!   

We decided I really did need a barge for the photo shoot and a barbecue for  my nephew’s birthday at my sister’s house in York gave me an opportunity to get some boat shots! 

  
Here are the twirling shots!

I used the Simple Sew Ruby dress pattern and added the concealed zip down the centre back. I used the fabric to make some bias binding to edge the sleeves.

As you can see we have some very mixed weather again and the River Ouse is very high today.

We even managed to find a solitary duck for the photo shots! 

I managed to find some waving passengers on a boat trip! Blog Manager was not impressed!!

She needed a mango smoothie and pain au raisin after all the river bank strolling and stress of her Mother waving at random people!

Pattern : Simple Sew Ruby Dress

Notions: 16inch concealed zip

Fabric : 2 metres from White Tree Fabrics

Wonky Factor: 9/10 maybe a little too short! 

Amanda

Thanks to Amanda for letting us share this make with you!

Liberty Wildflowers is our best-selling Liberty fabric. Our blogger Amanda simply couldn't resist buying some for herself and she has been kind enough to let us share her blog post with you all.

The Liberty Alan

It was my Dad’s birthday on Saturday and so the treat is always morning coffee in our nearest Bettys. If you follow my blog you will know how often I visit! It is a quintessential English tea rooms. He is called Alan, hence ‘The Liberty Alan’ and he collects old cameras. Here he is, showing off the birthday gift. 

I know I keep making Lottie blouses, but my excuse is…they really are lovely to wear, I feel smart even when casual and they really show off the fabric.  After sewing my other blouses – The Lawn Lottie and The Feathers- (remember I cut out three waiting to take the Blog Manager to the bus to Rome!!?!) and loving them so much, I decided I was an expert and could certainly make a space in my wardrobe for a Liberty classic.

It was a gorgeous Spring day walking to Bettys and so could not resist the daffodil cluster for a few Liberty Wildflower themed shots! 

I bought the Wild Flower Liberty fabric from White Tree fabrics. I just bought one metre and you may have noticed (those eagle eyed followers!) that the bow is slightly shorter on this Lottie.

Despite only buying a metre, I still had enough to make my own bias binding- I know May Martin would be so proud!! So I decided again to let it show on the edge of my sleeves. What is this called??!? I did it on The Feathers too and liked how the fabric is in a different direction, just an added extra! 

I really loved sewing this fabric, it is like the Rolls Royce of fabric. I keep looking at the other choices on the website and eyeing them up as possible Lotties!! 

HELP ME!! I think I have a Lottie problem! Be warned it is contagious! Hila has now decided she needs one in her wardrobe- will she stop at one tho!?! 

Pattern: Simple Sew Lottie Blouse

Fabric : 1m of Liberty Wildflower from White Tree Fabrics. 

Wonky Factor: 8/10 I’m wondering if I hemmed it slightly shorter than the others…..my midriff is not the type for showing off!! 

You will be please to know I have ordered some more fabric from White Tree Fabrics…….wasn’t this designed  to be made into a Ruby!?!

Amanda 

Time for another fantastic make from our very own GBSB contestant, Amanda!

The Lawn Lottie

I had to take Annice to school at 12pm on a Saturday night for her school visit to Rome, so I knew I had to stay awake and not drop asleep…..I knew sewing was out of the question because it would have gone wrong , but cutting out!!????

What better way to launch our beautiful new Flower Guipure fabric than with the help of Amanda of Sew Deputy? You may recognise Amanda from Series 3 of The Great British Sewing Bee - she made it through to episode 4 of 6. Here, she shows us what you can create when there are no deadlines or pressures involved!

We were in the 90% view of the eclipse here in the North East of England, so it seemed appropriate to name my new guipure lace dress after a viewing!  

I got the lace from White Tree Fabrics to recreate the Lace Coat dress, however, when it arrived it was so beautiful I couldn’t cut into it without perfect pattern pieces…..just in case it went horribly wrong! 

Bet you can’t guess the pattern I reached for???

Yes, the Simple Sew Skater dress . I didn’t have enough fabric for the circle skirt and so went for a gathered skirt attached to the bodice. I was worried it was too ‘sticky out’ on my waist, but a new black patent belt seems to do the trick. I also made the back higher and used a side zip. I didn’t make the slip as I have a few from BHS (British Home Stores- a UK STORE) and as they are only £8 it seems silly to make them! 

My blog photographer felt with such a posh, lace dress we needed a contrast background…….the back alley of our Victorian terrace seemed perfect!

My shoes are just beautiful…they are black velvet with butterflies embroidered on them…tricky for cobbles though! 

Pattern: Simple Sew Skater Dress #006

Fabric: 2m of black guipure lace from White Tree Fabrics. I have a 20% off code for you to use at WT Fabrics: Enter SEWDEPUTY at the checkout.

Notions: 9inch zip in the side seam

Wonky Factor : I did think 7/10 because of the gathered waist, but am tempted to up it to a 9/10 now I have seen the photos! The lace is just beautiful! The better the fabric the better my sewing! 

Amanda 

Ps. I also spotted Kate Garraway wearing a very similar dress! 

Pps . Shoe  inspection photo by request!

The latest from Series 3 Great British Sewing Bee contestant Amanda of Sew Deputy!

 The Olympia-White Tree Fabrics

The lovely wife of King Bee Matt arranged for the Bees to meet up at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Olympia last Saturday. As you know I usually visit the show when it is in Harrogate and do a blog post of my visit. 

So the Bees met for a coffee before heading in to the Show…..we did lose a Neil to begin with,as he was in the queue with an admiring crowd!

I had emailed Lisa at WT as I was really excited to think they may have a stall and I might finally get to meet her! I can’t wait for that! Sadly, not this year, so I decided instead to take White Tree with me! 

I used this beautiful petrol Ponti Roma to make The Olympia! 

As a blogger for WT I can choose the fabric to make for a blog post, and this is a definite go-to knit to use. It is a lovely fabric to sew with. I also made the Wiggle Dress from the same fabric in black.

I have made lots of these dresses now, but I feel really comfortable in this style and feel like it is very complimentary to my body shape. It is the first Skater Dress in a knit,however. The York  and The Elizabeth are in wool  mix fabrics. 

Back to the show……it was the best day ever! Lots of lovely people recognised us and wanted photos of us and their book signing. I had a ball! Talking and smiling is what I am all about so I had a great time! 

Hope you have enjoyed my Sewing Bee related posts! That’s it folks! Back to the usual twirling, swirling me, me, me posts from now on! But it was certainly a once in a lifetime experience!

Amanda 

Pattern: Simple  Sew Skater Dress 
Fabric: 2 metres teal ponte available here
Notions: thread
Wonky Factor: 10/10 the Bees said I had a perfect neckline……there can be no higher praise!

And thanks WT Fabrics for the beautiful fabric! 

We love this fabulous vintage make from our blogger Amanda. Truly elegant and perfect for all upcoming Spring/Summer events, this make would  add timeless chic to any wardrobe.  Over to Amanda!

I found this amazing dress when looking on Google images. I knew I wanted to have a go at making it.

I love it when the decision is made and then it is all about finding the right pattern and fabric…so I had a good search through my pattern box and decided my vintage Simplicity 9084 had to be the best choice.

Is it truly embarrassing to admit that I REALLY want the turquoise outfit????

As the dress on the photo looks like it would open I decided to make a false placket. Purely because I knew I would do a poor job of hemming the scallop of the lace! Links gratefully received!

As you know by now, I am a blogger for White Tree Fabrics and if you saw their latest blog post about me you would think I had been rather greedy in the ‘free fabric for bloggers in the network’ ! I hadn’t realised I had made so much, however, they have so much beautiful fabric…….it is like letting me into a candy store!

So I had a look on their website for fabric inspiration and bought two metres of flower lace.
The dress was an easy sew as it is a simple shift pattern with bust darts, I was going to add a side zip but did not need to in the end as I could get it over my head!

 My personal 15year old stylist is being very accommodating at the moment so I even got a lovely hairstyle with a flower bobble to co ordinate!

I did not do cuffs on the dress instead I went for a wide 3/4 length sleeve. The placket is an interfaced piece of lace which I sewed on and then added buttons. I only zigzagged the edges as I really could not work out how to hem the lace in a scallop! Here are some work in progress shots:

I am very pleased with it and it is a different style for me. I would however, like to make it in a guipure lace, so this could actually be a weekend wearing muslin!

Pattern: Simplicity 9084
Fabric: flower lace from WTF

Wonky factor: 7/10. I like it but I’d like it more in a guipure lace and I am not sure the placket edge will stand the test of time!

Amanda

Amanda's latest creation is a classic black dress, made from our Ponti Roma fabric. Take a look.....

As you well know I am really enjoying making the Love Sewing magazine free patterns (The Ruby and The Skater Dresses). So when They included an Eliza M pattern for a wiggle dress called The Eva, I was very tempted.
Lisa from White Tree Fbarics asked what I would like for my next sewing post and decided on a ponte roma and she very kindly sent me some black and teal. As a blogger for White Tree Fabrics I get the fabric provided by them. The fabric feels beautiful and was great to sew. It has a heaviness about it which I always felt was lacking with stretch fabric I have used before………it comes down to cost once more!
I had planned to make one of the dresses from my Little Black Dress book.

It was a hard decision to choose but decided on the Eva wiggle! This was in the Love Sewing Magazine.

I decided not to use the facings or a zip, so I sewed the back seam up and cut myself some bias from my spare fabric, to edge the neck and the armholes. I used a flash of fuchsia bias for the hem.

I was quite brave with my fitting and just went for it as I knew it had to fit like a glove!
The stylist (aged 15yrs!) was very creative with my hair today so I got a beautiful style!

Pattern: Eliza M
Fabric : 2metres of ponte Roma from WTF. 
Notions: black thread , fuchsia bias for the hem
Wonky factor: 9/10…..I’m loving that wiggle!