Author: sewmanju

By day I work in the exciting world of pharmaceutical regulatory affairs, registering medicines (!), but by night I turn in to a sewing diva, making all manner of clothes in my beautiful sewing space (which you can tour using the link at the top of this blog). I love how sewing and sewing clothes that fit my curvy body continually challenges me. I enjoy working with all different types of fabric, and whilst I don't like to put restrictions on myself and say I won't buy RTW, the truth is that I probably rarely do buy it, preferring the fit of my own me-made clothes. I love to use natural fibres where ever possible and colourful coats are an obsession of mine! Sewing is both my addiction and my therapy. You can contact me at sewmanju@yahoo.co.uk

Butterick 6295 and greenstyle lille racerback tank: Diy active wear

September 8, 2020.Reading time 5 minutes.

Hi Everyone, Today’s post features a remake of an active wear outfit that I first made 4 years ago. Check out the outfit back then: I have come a long way since then in terms of understanding fit, fabric and mastering sewing techniques! Working out from home and I was tired of the active wear […]

Kwik sew 3586 and mccalls 6613: diy womens silk blend and mens cotton checked shirts

August 14, 2020.Reading time 4 minutes.

Hi Readers, I have been on a shirt making kick. Shirt making is a great way to improve your precision sewing! And it is something you only get better with, with practice. Over the years I have accumulated my own tried and true methods for shirt making, so I rarely follow pattern instructions, preferring to […]

OOP McCalls 7543 and mccalls 7902 pattern mashup: diy shirred bodice dress with full sleeves

August 2, 2020.Reading time 8 minutes.

Hi Everyone, These Sleeper-inspired dresses are popping up everywhere at the moment. The idea behind the brand is dresses handcrafted in Ukraine using natural materials like linen, to make sleepwear inspired dresses comfy enough to nap or lounge in, but pretty enough to wear out. That’s the idea anyway. The whole shirred bodice dress is […]

Simplicity 9052: DIY showerproof utility jacket with fishtail hem and detachable hood

July 14, 2020.Reading time 15 minutes.

Hey Everyone, Sometimes we need a deadline to give us focus to complete a project, right? That was the case with this make; we headed off for a short break to the North East coast last week (self catering and socially distanced!), and I decided I needed a new raincoat to take with me (an […]

McCalls 7974: DIY button front, v neck dress with gathers and tie sleeves

July 1, 2020.Reading time 9 minutes.

Hi Everyone, Let me introduce my new favourite dress: McCalls 7974. This pattern is an almost identical match to the famous Cult Gaia Willow dress, so this pattern is the perfect way for home sewists to achieve the designer look but at a fraction of the cost. And yes, the pattern comes with the option […]

McCalls 8040 #EmmieMcCalls and Megan Nielsen dawn jeans: DIY V-Neck princess seam puff sleeve blouse and straight cropped leg rigid denim jeans

June 23, 2020.Reading time 10 minutes.

Hi Everyone, this blog post should see me largely caught up with my blogging. Today I wanted to share a review of a new to me blouse pattern, McCalls 8040 (#EmmieMcCalls), which I actually ended up making twice because I didn’t like my fabric choice in the first version, and a second pair of Megan […]

Grainline studio Moss mini skirt: diy denim midi pencil skirt

June 22, 2020.Reading time 5 minutes.

Who Diss? Three blog posts in as many days?! I am trying to keep these posts brief as they are mainly all patterns I have sewn before. Today I am sharing a pattern I first made 7 years ago! What? It has taken me that long to revisit this pattern, and it is so close […]

simplicity 8389: yellow pull on linen cuffed trousers

June 21, 2020.Reading time 4 minutes.

Hi Everyone, Back again: same shirt as my last post, but different trousers. This time, my third iteration of Simplicity 8389 (version one here; version two here). The only alteration to this version was to lower the back crotch and extend it out by 5/8ths inch. I took the slash and spread extension down to […]

kwik sew 3586 and simplicity 1167: diy oversized white shirt and stretch cotton floral trousers

June 20, 2020.Reading time 9 minutes.

Hi Everyone, I have been sewing and making in general throughout lockdown. I have noticed that, as mentioned in my previous post, I have been trying to sew practical, more casual clothes rather than churning out dresses that might not get worn any time soon. So, over the next few days I hope to clear […]

Peppermint Magazine Ruffle Sleeve Top and True Bias Ogden Cami – DIY Embroidered Tulle Dress with Slip

May 15, 2020.Reading time 8 minutes.

Hi Everyone, Lockdown sewing continues, and although the restrictions in our part of the world are being lifted somewhat, life has still not returned to normal. I have had this dress idea for Kezia (11) for some time now, and as I am trying not to sew too many fancy things for myself, why not […]