Showcasing the denim @merchantandmills #Ludlow Jacket that I made for Mr T’s birthday last July in the fabulous denim I bought loads of from @stonefabrics. He didn’t wear it much because the sleeves were so wide, but I’ve narrowed them now. I would size down next time. I used the same measurements as I did fit his Landgate jacket but it came up large. He loves it now. He’s also wearing #jedediahpants in M&Mills sanded twill from a few years ago and a #mmthetee in their 185 linen and a #finlaysonsweater in gorgeous organic sweatshirt fabric from @raystitch, as ever. Even if you’re exhausted and feel rubbish, getting out in the countryside is such a tonic. This is Salcombe Regis, a beautiful little village above the sea only a couple of miles from our new home. It’s on a part of the SW Coastal Path that we’ve yet to walk. Isn’t it stunning? Thatched cottages, birdsong, woods, country lanes, quaint church and sea views! #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes #englishvillage #englishvillagechurch

Well hello there! It’s been a few days. We have been so busy unpacking, getting quotes for work that need doing and tidying that I’ve not had the energy to post. Downsizing is not for the faint hearted, especially those with hobbies!!! Anyway, we have been out before breakfast each morning, walking our dogs in the many amazing paths and lanes we can choose from, without needing the car. Today’s was along the river that runs through our new tiny town. This walk was what made us want to move here when we chanced upon it one Sunday in September 2023. Having grown up in the Lake District in a water mill, I have so missed having a river for the past twenty years, living in Brixham. I do love the sea but there’s something life giving about a river. I plan to and sit and knit there, or play my harp there this summer. It’s only ten minutes’ walk from home. We’re rocking our @merchantandmills clothes today. I’m wearing the first Camber dress I made and my first Ottoline jeans, plus my #ruskasweater by @jessicamknits in gorgeous lightweight but super warm @bcgarn Loch Lomond worsted yarn from @woolontheexe (of course). Mr T is wearing @threadtheorydesigns #jedediahpants in sanded twill from #merchantandmillsfabric and their #finlaysonsweater from @raystitch. I may not be going to make clothes for a while but I do love to see others’ #reworn clothes. After all, that’s better for the environment. And my bulging new wardrobes here 🤣🤣 Anyway, I think we’ve pretty much recovered from the chaotic and hasty move after 18 months of frustration and we are LOVING it here, despite things that need work. Hope all is well with you all. #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #memadeeveryday #memadeeverything #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes #iknitthis #handknit #handknitsweater #knittingaddict #iknitmyownclothes #morningwalk #riversidewalk

We actually had a dry day yesterday and it was beautiful down at the harbour - swipe to the end to see the seals who mostly seem to lie on the pontoons in winter. I’m wearing my #mmwhittaker which I made about four years ago and have hardly worn. I didn’t like the way the skirt hangs, but I’ve decided I really like it now! Somethings just grow on you, do any of you find that with clothes you make? I made it up in 6oz denim from @stonefabrics years ago, in fact the same fabric I used for my first Ottoline. (I’m currently making a heavier denim Ottoline). Mr T is still loving his #jedediahpants in M&Mills corduroy and his favourite #finlaysonsweater also by @threadtheorydesigns in some gorgeous organic sweatshirting from @raystitch. We need more of this beautiful fabric. #imadethese #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyhusbandsclothes #imakemyhusbandsclothes #sewover50 #sew50dresses #sew50october

I haven’t been doing too much sewing lately because I’ve been really busy with work but I did teach both my sister and husband to sew tee shirts! I guess all my years of extolling the virtues of making one’s own clothes are finally getting through because they both separately asked me to teach them around the same time. Anyways. Not only did he knock out 6 tee shirts on my serger and tackle decorative topstitching with a twin needle, but then he went extra extra and blockprinted them too! He carved the tree block himself and bought a pack of Indian woodblock owls. 👏🏼😍 my work here is done. The tee pattern is the #strathconahenley by @threadtheorydesigns which I totally recommend! Shorts are made by me and are #jedediahpants also by @threadtheorydesigns.

#memademay day 24. I missed yesterday but I’m making up for it today with a Twofer! Thanks to @joemunro5 for being a good sport, even though he hates the camera! I told him to give me his best catalogue modelling vibes and I think he nailed it 😉🤩 Joe is wearing the #ilfordjacket by @fridaypatterncompany that I made him for his birthday in January (details a bit further back on my grid) with his new #jedediahpants from @threadtheorydesigns. They were made in a lovely stretch cotton drill from @spotlightstores - I love this fabric! I made the leg of the pants straighter and wider by gradually grading out to the largest size from the hip to the hem. Apart from that I didn’t make any other alterations. I’m wearing previously documented makes - #smittenjacket by @patternemporium_kate in stretch denim from @spotlightstores and #sewliberatedchanterellepants from @sewliberated in black cotton/linen blend from @backstreetbargains. My tee shirt is a new make this month and is my second #florenceboxytee tee from @sizemesewing made in a gorgeous drapey viscose knit that was an end of roll from @thefabricwarehousewgtn a couple of years ago. I love this pattern! I like to have three styles of basic tee on my wardrobe, boxy, slightly fitted short sleeve and slightly fitted long sleeve - this will now be my go to boxy tee, I don’t need to look any further! If you are new to sewing with knits and also don’t have an overlocker then this #florenceboxytee is fantastic, the instructions are all aimed at construction in the sewing machine and there is also a great sew along tutorial on YouTube. #sewover50 #isewmyownclothes #sewingismysuperpower #sewnz #sewwhatihave2025 #memade #memademay2025

It rained all night on Tuesday and into yesterday morning!! Hurrah. My new plants were all standing to attention. After the flooring guy came to measure up the whole bungalow, we walked along the beach looking at the moody skies. Mr T was wearing his @fridaypatterncompany #beachcomberjacket in #merchantandmillsfabric dry oilskin. I wore mine too. This fabric is amazing. It’s stiff when you buy it but quickly turns softer and do gorgeous to wear. It’s warm too. These jackets were a fun make and perfect to wear. The pockets are deep and the curved back hem is spot on, as is the hood which you can see out of in the wind and rain, unlike some RTW ones. He’s also wearing the newest #jedediahpants in M&Mills 8oz sanded twill which I made last summer. I made a month’s worth of granola in the evening- a ginger one (with crystallised ginger) from dishingupthe dirt.com which I’ve made for years, and then tried @terianncarty ‘s Nutella granola, but used palm oil free chocolate hazelnut spread from @waitrose. It has macadamia nuts and hazelnuts in it, and oh my goodness, it’s divine served with their delicious Greek yoghurt and strawberries and blueberries. I also took a couple pics of the amazing sunset after a cloudy day. We get the best sunsets and sunrises here. #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes #sew50jackets #sew50men #sew50pants #beachwalk #seatonpromenade

Yesterday was a scorcher and we did a 6 mile walk along the Undercliffe at Lyme Regis, where the film The French Lieutenant’s Woman with Meryl Streep & Jeremy Irons was filmed - the part where he encountered her walking in the woods. We’re so lucky to have this 19-15 minutes drive from our new home. For #memademay2025 I wore the seaside themed picture top I made three years ago out of scraps of linen from leftover projects and my #esflorencepants made in @merchantandmills check linen which are lovely to walk in in hot weather. Mr T’s #mmthetee is also in #merchantandmillsfabric 185 linen as well as his #jedediahpants shorts. It’s a magical place, almost like a tropical forest and a really interesting ecosystem because of the land slips. The path is narrow, rocky with chunks of flint everywhere and sheer drops, but such a special place. The last photos are looking east along the Jurassic coast. #memademay2025 #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #memadeeveryday #memadeeverything #sewover50 #sewover50may #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #sew50tops #sew50pants #isewmyhusbandsclothes #sew50men #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes #swcoastpath #swcoastalpath #swcoastwalking #swcoast

I’ve just finished these #jedediahpants by @threadtheorydesigns Love the drafting and the fit is great (although I modified the legs to allow for Joe’s big calves) and I will definitely make more. I do have to admit I wasn’t overly impressed with some of the instructions. In general they felt hard to read and absorb. Large blocks of text that felt overly wordy in places and that I had to read several times to get the context. The fly front instructions were particularly poor - just as well I had done some before - and they didn’t deal with the excess that gets folded back to stitch the zip and fly guard onto. For me it was really easy to miss bits because of the way it was written and laid out and the pictures included didn’t always show what they were said to. For future makes I will just do my own thing and ignore the instructions but I always follow them the first time I make a pattern because I never know what I will learn and it’s helpful for reviews. Fabric is a stretch cotton drill from @spotlightstores in navy. It has a lovely brushed finish that reminds me of moleskin. Ive used this a few times and it’s a hard wearing and comfortable fabric that washes and wears well. #sewover50 #isewmyownclothes #sewingismysuperpower #sewnz #sewwhatihave2025 #memade #sewingformen

Excuse the squinting! We haven’t shown you many beaches in our new neighbourhood yet, so after a visit in Axminster with our bathroom planner this morning, we drove to Branscombe beach which is 20 minutes from our new home and will probably become our new favourite daily swimming spot. I wore my second pair of @sewhouse7 #oxbowpants (as shorts made out of offcuts of several pairs of jeans) and a @rowanyarns denim sweater from their first denim book which I knitted around 20-25 years ago. Mr T was wearing Memade #jedediahpants that I made into shorts when the knees went through and a #mmthetee in brown check linen/cotton which started out as a M&Mills Trapeze dress that I rarely wore. Both our fabrics were from @stonefabrics and from quite a few years ago. So #reworn. Today was so beautiful and we feel like we’re glowing now. The cliffs here are very dramatic with limestone and then chalk layers on the top and they can be seen for miles along the coast. In the penultimate photo the limestone shows black flint pieces which started life as sponges in the sea! In the last video in the distance right along the coast you can see Berry ahead which is the headland in Brixham where we recently moved from. I used to sit at my sewing machine in the attic only months ago, looking across to these white cliffs on a clear day, longing to be here! memademay2025 #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #memadeeveryday #memadeeverything #sewover50 #sewover50may #memademay2025 #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #sew50shorts #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes #iknitthis #handknit #handknitsweater #denimyarn #rowanyarns #knittingaddict #iknitmyownclothes

Memade May Day 14 & what a scorcher! “Let’s go for a walk this morning before lunch & then some gardening” said Mr T. It was nice and cool when we set off but the walk was 5 miles and took hours in the heat, but I’m glad I wore my @sewhouse7 #reveltipper in linen from a duvet (same as my Olya shirt from Monday’s post) and my #esflorencepants in some gorgeous heavy chartreuse linen from @simplyfabricsbrixton made in 2021. Mr T in his @merchantandmills #mmthetee in their lovely Indian cotton & #jedediahpants in M&Mills sanded cotton twill - both from @makerstableonline Maker Maker in Exeter What a stunning walk on this glorious day. We walked from home and up the River Umborne valley to Seaton Junction railway station, now closed, and back down the other side of the valley to have a delicious lunch at The Bear Bakery. Then the hill back up home was a bit of a killer, but we just had a lovely nap with our friendly Robin serenading us and we might just get some gardening done now it’s a bit cooler. In the last photo you can see Colyton across the fields and in the top right hand corner our bungalow. There’s nothing better than being able to do a superb walk like this from home and not use the car. We were totally immersed in the countryside for hours and didn’t hear cars! Such a privilege. It’s so uplifting. We get so much pleasure from the nature around us. We’re so grateful to be here! #memademay2025 #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #memadeeveryday #memadeeverything #sewover50 #sewover50may #sew50tops #sew50pants #englishcountryside #englishmeadow #englishmeadowflowers #devoncountryside #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes

Very special #fitcheck and #memademayday3! Went to the wedding of @hagirandi and @wadosean! Made these two very special looks for @chris_c__d and myself. Overjoyed to celebrate so much love and to have such an amazing day! Chris’s Look Vest - #belvederewaistcoaf from @threadtheorydesogns Shirt - #goslingshirt from sewsew def @norrisdantaford fabric from @ewefibers Trousers - #jedediahpants from Thread Theory, fabric also from Ewe Fibers My look: Dress - #selfdrafted by me, fabric from @raystitch #GarmentSewing #sewingcommunity #sewcialistofinstagram #sewist #sewing #imakemyownclothes #sewistsofinstagram #sewcialist #fitcheck #memademay #memademay2025 #memadeeveryday #EWEmademay

a word about the dress i wore to Alex’s opening. I finally finally made a @christinehaynes #emerydress and it is a classic for a reason! the strange embroidered brown cotton fabric is from Mood, and I made an entirely different dress out of it last year from a vintage mod wrap dress pattern that confounded me and was a bit of a dud. but i loved the weird fabric so much that when I saw it was still available—and on sale!—i had to have a redo. this time I wanted something fitted, basic & cute & the Emery was just the ticket. I graded the torso two sizes from shoulder to waist (from 6 to 10, maybe?), raised the neckline a little, and shortened the bodice a bit to ensure the skirt really hit at/above my waist. I got lazy (or was in a hurry? probably) & omitted the zipper. I realized later why you might not do that—it messes your hair up when you shove your head through a neckline!—but since i barely comb my hair and dont wear makeup 🤷🏼‍♀️ it works out. I made this dress for a holiday party but figured it might get reused for a future opera opening… I also made 2 things Alex is wearing: the #mmforeman jacket and a pair of #jedediahpants made in a nice navy cord. #thisweekssewingproject #norshandmadetravelclothes

Dartmoor is my happy place. A land of contrasts. Wild, open moorlands and deep river valleys, with a rich history and rare wildlife, striking tors and swathes of heather, Dartmoor definitely touches my soul. With 450 miles of paths to walk, cycle, run or ride, thousands of archaeological sites and features to discover the past, Dartmoor is packed full of stunning views that steal your breath, mysterious stories to intrigue and spaces to simply sit and be. Oh, & the beautiful wild ponies! Every time our kids come home, the first thing they want to do is go up on the moor. Today it was just glorious. With a few more weeks ahead of us yet again, hoping that this latest house move chain will complete, we have set ourselves the challenge of climbing as many of the Tors as we can. In the last two 12-week chains we set the challenge of hiking to, and swimming at, almost all of the beaches & coves along the south Devon coast and we did it, bar about four or five. It really helped keep the stress levels down and being up here on the moor will most definitely do that. Isn’t it so beautiful? Today we climbed two tors - Mel Tor & then Sharp Tor. We did Rippon Tor on Boxing Day and saw the fog bow. Today was the opposite kind of weather. Swipe to the end to see we wore memade clothes - all in @merchantandmills cloth : an #mmfielder #lbpullover and Mr T in a #mmlandgate in dry oilskin and #jedediahpants He knitted his hat. We don’t look glamorous but we were warm and it was 3oC. #memadeeveryday #memadewardrobe #imakemyclothes #imakemyownclothes #isewmyownclothes #imakemyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandsclothes #hikingadventures #dartmoorwalks #wildponies #moorland

Another beautiful sunny day and temperatures around 3oC again up on the moor. We popped into @dartmoorwoolloft on the way to pick up some more yarns for a project I’m starting again after 40 years, inspired by our Dartmoor walks. They had their Friday morning craft session in full swing and we will be joining it very soon and will play harps for them, too. Such friendly people! An inspiring place to be, too. Anyway, we went on to climb up Hel Tor which isn’t too far away. A gentler walk today because our little German Spitz is 12 and has arthritis. He was stiff after yesterday’s ramblings on the Moor. Hel Tor is very impressive when you round the bend and it suddenly appears. It’s a scramble up the rocks at the end but the 360o views from it are spectacular looking out all over Devon, which is one of England’s largest counties. In the last photo you can see the distant hills where we are soon moving - the Blackdown Hills. We will be able to see these from our bedroom and kitchen soon. I’m wearing my new fair isle cardigan I designed using @jamiesonsofshetland #spindriftyarn from @woolontheexe , whose craft nights we will soon be joining. I’m also wearing the second @merchantandmills Union dress in their denim that I made quite a number of years ago now. Mr T, of course, is still wearing his new Christmas #tundrasweater in Loch Lomond yarn from @woolontheexe land his #jedediahpants in #merchantandmillsfabric look at the penultimate photo - this amazing granite Tor has teeth! These are caused by a layer of micro granite which pushed its way through as the rest of the granite cooled. Rocks are fascinating. We have two days of rain forecast now, so I get to knit and sew and plan our next climb of a Tor or two. I’m making a M&Mills Scout dress, and a Tamdou shawl by @mairlynd Happy Friday! #mmuniondress #fairislefriday #fairisleknitting #fairislecardigan #idesignedthis #handknit #dartmoor #dartmoorwalks #dartmoortors

Last night I promised I’d post photos of Hope Cove in the morning and I managed to get these two from our hotel room and then immediately a thick sea mist rolled swiftly in, so we set off home. These views are facing west towards Plymouth but once we drove around the corner and onto the south facing beach at Slapton, the sun was burning off the mist and creating a beautiful and ethereal scene which you can swipe to see. Our gig went well and we’ve been booked for next December! I literally just finished Mr T’s sweater hence this late post. It was 15oC here today so unusually, we could stand on the beach without coats etc. Both in memades. Anyway, we hope you’re all set for tomorrow and can start to wind down. #hinterlandhack #fairisleknitting #carmanahsweater #jedediahpants #christmaseveonthebeach #slaptonsands

I love trees! I was born in a house surrounded by woods, then moved to an old mill in the woods aged 6 and spent much of my childhood running barefoot in the woods playing by myself and with my black Labrador Bess. If only there were more houses built in woodland…. Our new bungalow will be within easy walking distance of woods, so that makes me happy. Still no move date, but despite another hiccup I think we’re getting closer to getting a date. Wearing my @paper_theory Olya Shirt in linen purchased at a Portuguese market a few years ago now and my well-worn M&Mills Heroine jeans which were too big after losing over 28lbs earlier this year. In fact all of my jeans were too big, but I didn’t fancy making a couple more pairs, so I washed them on a long 60oC wash (2 hours) then tumble dried them at the hottest temperature and they fit perfectly now. I thought they would stretch out again with wear but neither have! Mr T is wearing his usual favourite @threadtheorydesigns Jedediah Pants & Carmanah Sweater and M&Mills Allstate shirt. These woods are up on the edge of Dartmoor near Ashburton and we’re at a 40th wedding anniversary party of our besties later. A quick change will be in order. Hope your Saturday is going well. #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #imakemyownclothes #olyashirt #heroinejeans #imakemyclothes #sewover50 #sew50tops #sew50pants #oxbowpants #carmanahsweater #jedediahpants #allstateshirt #memadeveryday

All summer I have been waiting for today when the dogs on the beach ban would be lifted so we could swim here. After seeing this beach when we visited on 10 October 2021 I really thought it would be a great place to swim. Swipe to next slide to see it back then and then what we found today. What a difference a storm makes! Sunday’s storm appears to have ripped all the local sea kelp from the ocean floor and dumped it on Wembury beach. We waded out through it and the sea was absolutely thick with it and it was impossible to swim properly! In the cold wind the sea felt warm though. It’s 15.2oC now. The pyramid shaped rock in the sea is called the Mew Stone. A couple hundred years ago Samuel Wakeham and his wife, Ann, set up home on the island when Sam was due to be transported to Australia. Instead, he negotiated to live his years of exile on the Mewstone. They enlarged an existing house, the odd turret-shaped building that remains today, and cleared a garden to grow food and keep some animals. Anyway, we only have a couple more beaches to swim at between us and Plymouth now. I’m wearing my Marilla Walker Isca Dress in 6oz denim . Mr T is wearing the M&Mills All State Shirt & Thread Theory Jedediah Pants, both in M&Mills fabrics from Maker Maker in Exeter. All old makes from about six years ago. #iscadress #jedediahpants #mmallstate #iscadressmarillawalker #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #sewover50 #sew50dresses #memade #memadeeveryday #seaswimming #seaswimminguk #coldwatertherapy #beachlife #swimmingforlife #wildswimming #wildswimminguk #wildswim #reworn

Not very flattering photos but wearing my latest make - the Peppermint Wrap top in M&Mills Indian block print from @makerstableonline in Exeter & my Henrietta skirt from @spaghetti_western_sewing in M&Mills 4oz denim. Mr T is wearing a M&Mills The Tee in their Oxblood 185 linen & his Jedediah shorts in cotton twill from @stonefabrics. We had a beautiful swim back at our local beach yesterday and the water felt warm but 😱 I got stung by a jelly fish or a blenny on the bottom of my foot - ouch! I was so glad to have boots with such soft padded insides to climb back up to the top with a sore foot. I wore my new @vivobarefoot hiking boots. The track down there, which is a mile long, is very steep and covered in small rocks that you roll and slip on if you’re not careful. The soles on Vivobarefoot walking shoes & boots have amazing grips, unlike any other hiking boots I’ve had and I always buy really good ones, having grown up in the Lake District mountains. These boots feel like slippers on the inside and the padded ankles are so cosy. I am so pleased with them. #henriettaskirt #peppermintwraptop #mmtheteeshirt #mmthetee #jedediahshorts #jedediahpants #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #sew50dresses #sewover50 #sew50august #imakemyclothes #imakemyownclothes #imakemyhusbandsclothes #imakemyhubbysclothes #isewmyhusbandsclothes #vivobarefoot #seaswimming #seaswimminguk #coldwatertherapy #beachlife #swimmingforlife #wildswimming #wildswimminguk #wildswim #ourlocalbeach#mmsocialclub #merchantandmillsfabric

Look who we had the pleasure of seeing and hearing her and the Stroud Ukelele band play at Sidmouth Folk Festival today! @farmerslass aka @sewing.in.somerset Kate. She was wearing my favourite dress of hers - a Lotta Jansdottir #esmedress which she had cleverly hacked. Mr T & got to demonstrate harps at our harp maker’s stall afterwards and I had enquiries for some new harp students for when we move nearby next month! We wore memades too - Mr T his M&Mills #mmbuckethat & #mmtheteeshirt #mmthetee and #jedediahpants all in M&Mills fabrics from @makerstableonline in Exeter. I’m wearing last year’s #m7969 in Indian block print. Perfect for humid weather. We saw lots of our fellow folk musician friends, which was nice. We didn’t swim because the sea turned really rough and I’m not strong enough for rough sea. Still, we will be living only about ten miles away as if the beginning of next month, and will be able to swim there anytime. In the last photo of you zoom in, you will see the white cliffs of Beer Head which is where our new daily swimming place will be. Exciting times ahead. #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #sew50dresses #sew50july #imakemyclothes #imakemyownclothes #imakemyhusbandsclothes #imakemyhubbysclothes #isewmyhusbandsclothes

Hope Cove near Salcombe, SW Devon. We had a fabulous swim this afternoon even though we had to swim through some silky soft sea weed to get out into the deeper water. Maybe that will mean we will have absorbed even more magnesium? The big building on the top of the cliff with a red tiled roof is the @thecottagehotel where we play to guests on the 23 December every year, have dinner and then stay the night. A truly special place and lovely staff. The food is amazing. Hope Cove is quite remote. We sleep to the sound of the roaring sea pounding the rocks in these photos and every year a group of ladies swim there before we go down to a sumptuous breakfast. A very different scene to today’s! You can see photos of it on my grid from most Decembers. Mr T is wearing another M&Mills The Tea in Indian cotton and his favourite @threadtheorydesigns #jedediahpants in their 8oz sanded cotton twill. Both of these fabrics came from @makerstableonline We hope the sun shone for you too. ☀️☀️🌤️🌤️🏊‍♀️🌊 #devonbeaches #devonbeach #hopecovebeach #seaswimming #seaswim #seaswimmingdevon #coldwatertherapy❄️💧😀 #coldwatertherapy #isewmyhubbysclothes #isewmyhubbyclothes #imadethese #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes

We had a proper hot summer day today, hurrah! At least 25oC. I spent the morning jet washing the brick paving by our back door and the top patio, whilst Mr planted out plants from RHS Rosemoor that have been in big clay pots for years, for our buyers. It became so hot by 1:30pm that we had a quick lunch and hot-footed it down that long steep slope to Scabbacombe beach and what a glorious azure blue greeted us! Who needs to go to the Med when living here? @muddle_and_grace asked a similar question earlier when she posted that she was at one of our Brixham beaches. Take a look at her photos. We are so blessed. The sea was crystal clear as you’ll see when you swipe through. We swam several times. Mr T was wearing his birthday M&Mills The Tee from last year and his first pair of Jedediah Pants which I cropped last year after he wore the knees out. Today most of the schools have finished for the school year and we will have to share our beaches with the holiday makers now for six weeks. Lovely to see people enjoying what we could quite easily take for granted. We came home and I made a new batch of mayonnaise and Mr T more loaves of his delicious sourdough bread. Then we collapsed on the sofa this evening watching the First Night of the Proms. A brilliant day! #imakemyhusbandsclothes #imakemyhubbysclothes #memade #sew50menswear #sewover50 #swcoastpath #swcoastalpath #swbeach #swbeaches #mmthetee #mmtheteeshirt #jedediahpants #jedediahshorts #seaswimming #seaswimminguk #wildswimming

I’m on a roll sewing up Indian block print cottons this week. Still no word back from the charities involved in our offer on the new home in SE Devon. It’ll be two weeks tomorrow since we put in our offer! I’m using sewing as mindfulness to keep my racing mind calm. The worst thing for MS is stress. So yesterday I finished this glorious dress using a fabulous pattern by @karmme_apparel called #summervibesdress. Designer Imby Langenbach has very cleverly designed several dresses which work especially well with Indian block print fabrics and she sells them too, which is fab is you live in Australia. This one one is so similar to one I wore in my first three pregnancies in 1978, 1979 & 1981 and I wanted to recreate it. I just need to find the right beads for the ties now. It feels amazing on and only took a couple of hours to make up. Thank you Imby! It will be perfect for packing on summer holidays. I bought this particular fabric a few years ago for £20 on eBay. Mr T is wearing one of his many M&Mills The Tee #mmthetee in their Goodnight linen which is fading nicely and his #jedediahpants in their 8oz sanded twill - both fabrics and patterns from @makerstableonline The photos are at the Daymark a couple miles from our cottage. The barley fields look amazing in sunshine. I hope you’re having a fun weekend. #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #imakemyclothes #imakemyownclothes #sewover50 #sew50dresses #imadethis #slowfashion #imakemyhusbandsclothes #imakemyhubbysclothes #shownseated

Posted by @frankie_and_me_33 “Todays theme for #sewapril2024 is #OuterwearCoats My favourite outerwear make is this #harristweedgilet I made for my husband after a wonderful trip to Harris a few years ago. In the Harris Tweed exhibition we saw a Harris tweed gilet. He liked the neck but didn’t want it to be so exaggerated or poufy. We saw a gilet in the shop in quite a dull green for £195. On a fabulous visit to Donald John Mackays weaving shed in Luskentyre we chose this tweed for the project. I quilted it with lambs wool wadding. When I came to quilting it I clearly channeled my inner Chanel as it wasn’t till later I realised the original was quilted horizontally. I used @seamwork #seamworkdenali as my base pattern He lives in this through Spring and Autumn and often is stopped by people commenting on it. 💕 oh also the best bit. Total cost for my gilet was £60 He’s wearing it here with @threadtheorydesigns #jedediahpants #ryliss_sewinganddesignschool #fiberstofabric #sewover50 #sew50menswear

Life is short, but your pants don't need to be. Unless they are shorts. Getting ready for my next project. Pumpkin orange shorts. #readyforspring #wawak #threadtheorydesigns #jedediahpants #orangeshorts

Hacked Jedediah Pants 💙 New jeans for my partner. I added some jeans pockets and coin pocket to the Jedediah Pants pattern. Some fun topstitching on the back pockets, french seamed pockets and some binding on the fly for a fancy look. Also some fun labels in different places. Pattern: #jedediahpants @threadtheorydesigns Fabrics: Gap deadstock denim @rainbowfabrickilburn Hardware: @kylieandthemachine #sew #jeansmaking #threadtheorydesigns #rainbowfabrickilburn #deadstockfabric #memade #sewing #kylieandthemachine #kylieandthemachinehardware #jeanshardware

Stoked about how these #jedediahshorts turned out, even though they didn’t end up fitting Kyle for some reason—fortunately they’re perfect on my dad! The instructions for this pattern were a bit challenging to follow, and apparently call for an unusual method of pants construction, but I persevered. This veerrry slightly stretch denim from @stonemountainfabric was a joy to work with and shows off the details so well. Swipe for a fun pocket peek! Pics of another pair in the size up (and hopefully modeled, though it’s definitely not shorts weather) coming soon. Looking forward to being able to make my asparagus of a husband some pants that actually fit. #jedediahpants @threadtheorydesigns #secretdoggypockets #pregnancysewing

We braved the cold for a very quick photo shoot to show you these Jedediah Pants made in Adventure Stretch Woven. I very much enjoyed the process of sewing these, including the mad cackling about keeping the label a surprise through two fittings - he only got to look when they were done. The other side of the label says “I am but a humble courtier in the palace of the ass king” which is just freaking terrific. The deets: @discoveryfabrics for fabric (incl. Coolvent used for pockets) @threadtheorydesigns pattern #jedediahpants @insidevoiceslabels label via @heathersewist and @poppyjoysewing doing a bulk order And finally @kludahk who has the most wondrous ass in all the land.

A perfect outfit for a visit to Dartmouth on a slightly chilly and windy afternoon. My #mmharlene in M&Mills cotton twill and my first #antheablouse by @annaallenclothing in soft linen by M&Mills - both fabrics from @makermakershop in Exeter. Mr T is wearing his @threadtheorydesigns #jedediahpants which he went through the knee on after five years of wear, which is jolly good going, methinks. Great fabric as ever from @stonefabrics. He’s also wearing his #carmanahsweater also from Thread Therory. The lovely organic sweat fabric was from @backstitchshop in 2021. Across the water is the beautiful village of #kingswear where I taught music for 10 years at the lovely primary school there. Happy memories. Oh, and apparently the very sleek grey sailing yacht behind Mr T is worth £45m!! #sewover50 #sew50july #imakemyclothes #imakemyownclothes #imakemyhusbandsclothes #handmadebyme #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyhusbandsclothes #kingsweardevon #dartmouth #dartmouthdevon

We have restocked all your favourite @threadtheorydesigns sewing patterns and added a few new styles to our range aswell. Thread Theory Designs create patterns for both men and women (we have a few of the women’s styles online too!) and focus on timeless, practical and functional styles. Keep an eye out for lots of menswear inspiration in the next few days. #LamaziFabrics #ThreadTheoryDesigns #WoodleyTee #CarmanahSweater #QuadraJeans #JedediahPants #FulfordJeans #SewingForMen #MenWhoSew #MenSewToo #Sewing #Dressmaking #SewistsOfInstagram

A full me made outfit on the hottest May day. Luckily this linen shirt is super light weight ☀️ 👕 Fairfield Button up by @threadtheorydesigns, fabric is a linen cotton blend from @countryclothesline 🩳 Jedediah Pants/Shorts by @threadtheorydesigns, 8.5oz washed cotton from @blackbirdfabrics 🩲Comox Trunks by @threadtheorydesigns, you can’t see them but the fabric is from @mimifabricscanada 😅 #threadtheorydesigns #threadtheory #fairfieldbuttonup #fairfieldbuttonupshirt #jedediahpants #jedediahshorts #comoxtrunks #blackbirdfabrics #countryclothesline #countryclotheslinefabric #mimifabricscanada #ottawasews #ottawasewist #memademay2022 #memademay #menswear #sewingmenswear #funfairfieldraffle

I’m playing catch-up. We have been so busy digging a new flowerbed in the front garden whilst we had a chance to, after a day of rain, that I’ve not had time to post. In fact I’m feeling guilty I’ve not been looking my fellow sewist’s posts much either. During the stressful last few weeks before we finally got to move here, knitting this sweater was what helped me stay sane. I was walking up at 3am most nights and so I knitted the colourwork part of this all in the dark of the night. It was such a great fun knit. The kind that you don’t want to put down. It’s the #hideandpeaksweater by @maxtheknitter. What a clever designer he is. The pattern actually calls for Sport weight yarn, but scrolling through the hashtag I found someone had knitted it up in worsted weight successfully, so I gave it a go with our all-time favourite worsted weight yarn @bcgarns #lochlomondyarn from our favourite yarn shop @woolontheexe I used a size smaller gauge needles than the yarn suggests and the swatch came out accurate, so just went for it. The only thing I will do differently next time is I will make the neck ribbing a bit narrower and deeper, but it’s fine as it is really. I absolutely love it, as does Mr T. We were glad to have a couple of cool enough mornings for him to wear it. Both of his trousers are in @merchantandmills f8iz twill fabrics and are @threadtheorydesigns #fulfordjeans and #jedediahpants I’ve already started a new project. Once all of our planting is done I will be scrolling and checking out everyone’s makes. The gardens were so sad when we moved here that our first priority has been to dig out the many many evergreen bushes and fill the flowerbeds with flowers! Have a great day! #memademay #memademay2025 #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes #iknitthis #handknit #handknitsweater #knittingaddict #iknitmyhusbandsclothes #iknitmyhusbandssweater

We escaped the rain showers here in South Devon today for a birthday swim for Mr T in Cornwall, where both the Met Office and BBC weather apps for once showed almost identical weather forecasts and no rain!! A rare thing these days! We walked a few miles along the beach towards Looe and had the best swim so far this year. The water was lovely and felt warmer than yesterday even though it was slightly cooler at 15.4oC. We had a delicious lunch at @summinkdifferent at Downderry. Their oat coffee was absolutely delicious, as was the halloumi wrap and salad. I made Mr T a new M&Mills All State Shirt in their gorgeous dark teal & navy gingham linen which they no longer sell, and dark navy 8oz sanded cotton twill @threadtheorydesigns #jedediahpants I got both fabrics from @makerstableonline. I also made him a couple other garments which I’ll post later when he wears them. Tomorrow we have a gig and so will be up early rehearsing. It’s an outdoor one, too, so fingers crossed! We hope you managed to dodge the rain too. This is a very strange summer. #seaswimming #wildswimming #wildswimminguk #wildswim #wildswimmcornwall #imakemyhusbandsclothes #imakemyhubbysclothes #isewmyhusbandsclothes #cornishbeach

Showcasing the denim @merchantandmills #Ludlow Jacket that I made for Mr T’s birthday last July in the fabulous denim I bought loads of from @stonefabrics. He didn’t wear it much because the sleeves were so wide, but I’ve narrowed them now. I would size down next time. I used the same measurements as I did fit his Landgate jacket but it came up large. He loves it now. He’s also wearing #jedediahpants in M&Mills sanded twill from a few years ago and a #mmthetee in their 185 linen and a #finlaysonsweater in gorgeous organic sweatshirt fabric from @raystitch, as ever. Even if you’re exhausted and feel rubbish, getting out in the countryside is such a tonic. This is Salcombe Regis, a beautiful little village above the sea only a couple of miles from our new home. It’s on a part of the SW Coastal Path that we’ve yet to walk. Isn’t it stunning? Thatched cottages, birdsong, woods, country lanes, quaint church and sea views! #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes #englishvillage #englishvillagechurch

Excuse the squinting! We haven’t shown you many beaches in our new neighbourhood yet, so after a visit in Axminster with our bathroom planner this morning, we drove to Branscombe beach which is 20 minutes from our new home and will probably become our new favourite daily swimming spot. I wore my second pair of @sewhouse7 #oxbowpants (as shorts made out of offcuts of several pairs of jeans) and a @rowanyarns denim sweater from their first denim book which I knitted around 20-25 years ago. Mr T was wearing Memade #jedediahpants that I made into shorts when the knees went through and a #mmthetee in brown check linen/cotton which started out as a M&Mills Trapeze dress that I rarely wore. Both our fabrics were from @stonefabrics and from quite a few years ago. So #reworn. Today was so beautiful and we feel like we’re glowing now. The cliffs here are very dramatic with limestone and then chalk layers on the top and they can be seen for miles along the coast. In the penultimate photo the limestone shows black flint pieces which started life as sponges in the sea! In the last video in the distance right along the coast you can see Berry ahead which is the headland in Brixham where we recently moved from. I used to sit at my sewing machine in the attic only months ago, looking across to these white cliffs on a clear day, longing to be here! memademay2025 #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #memadeeveryday #memadeeverything #sewover50 #sewover50may #memademay2025 #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #sew50shorts #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes #iknitthis #handknit #handknitsweater #denimyarn #rowanyarns #knittingaddict #iknitmyownclothes

Hello - long time no posts! Let's see if I can remember how to do this! This one is sewing related, but it is not my sewing. My husband decided that he wanted to learn to sew recently and was keen that I teach him. I am not a natural teacher so we decided that I would be on hand for queries and guidance. He has used a sewing machine in the past and likes to work out how things work so I was confident that we would get something wearable at the end. I am a firm believer that if you want to learn to sew garments, make something that you want to wear, rather than starting tote bags or pillowcases - so nothing like jumping in at the deep end, he chose the Jedediah shorts by Thread Theory. We had a jaunt into London and visited Goldhawk road on a mission to find some suitable fabric. I can't remember which shop we bought from in the end, but we got a forest green cotton/poly twill, matching zip and thread. He made a toile in a size 38, but felt it was a touch snug particularly when sitting down - white version pic 6, so then made a size 40 which fits the legs but is a little big on the waist - pic 5 yellow version. We worked through the instructions together and both really struggled with the zip fly and the waist band, but he worked it out before I did! The instructions for finishing the seam allowance on the lower outer seam of the legs gave an option for binding so that they would like nice rolled up. I had mentioned the technique for making continuous bias binding and was all set to show him, and found he had already made some using a tutorial online! The fabric for the pockets and binding was harvested from an old Timberland shirt that I kept because I liked the fabric. I am super proud of him for making these! I don't think he was convinced that he was going to get something wearable at the end, but he has worn them for the last couple of days - suns out guns out! I now have a long list of fabric requirements to shop for at the Stitch Festival tomorrow. #menwhosew #mensewtoo #cambssews #sewover50march2025 #SewOver50 #threadtheory #threadtheoryjedediahpants #jedediahpants @threadtheorydesigns

The temperature in SW England dropped by about 8oC yesterday and in the afternoon we toddled down to the beautiful church in our new little town to hear a piano recital by @simonwatterton perform, who we were blown away by. This is one of the reasons we moved here - we were missing such concerts and fed up of tribute bands in the theatre. I taught piano for years and now I’m missing my piano 😢, although I didn’t play this! We wore memades, of course, which isn’t difficult these days as we gave most of our RTW clothes to Save the Children because they had good labels and highly sellable. We both desperate much more comfortable in our memades. My dress is a @merchantandmills Ellis dress in their gorgeous linen. It’s actually my Christmas dress although the linen is only 170gsm. No pattern matching on the back bodice because I didn’t have enough fabric as I squeezed it out of less than the pattern called for and I’m not ashamed, either. My jacket is my favourite M&Mills Ottoline in gorgeous denim from @stonefabrics who I need to go back and visit 🔜 Mr T is wearing his #jedediahpants in M&Mills Tobacco 8oz sanded twill, a #mmthetee in their India cotton l, both from Maker Maker in Exeter and his #finlaysonsweater in fabulous organic sweatshirting from another favourite shop - @raystitch in Islington, London. The last picture is another view from our road looking out to the Blackdown Hills, which we also see from the back of the bungalow. #memademay #memademay2025 #memademay2025day4 #sewover50 #sewover50may #sew50dresses #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #memadeeveryday #memadeeverything #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes

Very special #fitcheck and #memademayday3! Went to the wedding of @hagirandi and @wadosean! Made these two very special looks for @chris_c__d and myself. Overjoyed to celebrate so much love and to have such an amazing day! Chris’s Look Vest - #belvederewaistcoaf from @threadtheorydesogns Shirt - #goslingshirt from sewsew def @norrisdantaford fabric from @ewefibers Trousers - #jedediahpants from Thread Theory, fabric also from Ewe Fibers My look: Dress - #selfdrafted by me, fabric from @raystitch #GarmentSewing #sewingcommunity #sewcialistofinstagram #sewist #sewing #imakemyownclothes #sewistsofinstagram #sewcialist #fitcheck #memademay #memademay2025 #memadeeveryday #EWEmademay

#memademay day 24. I missed yesterday but I’m making up for it today with a Twofer! Thanks to @joemunro5 for being a good sport, even though he hates the camera! I told him to give me his best catalogue modelling vibes and I think he nailed it 😉🤩 Joe is wearing the #ilfordjacket by @fridaypatterncompany that I made him for his birthday in January (details a bit further back on my grid) with his new #jedediahpants from @threadtheorydesigns. They were made in a lovely stretch cotton drill from @spotlightstores - I love this fabric! I made the leg of the pants straighter and wider by gradually grading out to the largest size from the hip to the hem. Apart from that I didn’t make any other alterations. I’m wearing previously documented makes - #smittenjacket by @patternemporium_kate in stretch denim from @spotlightstores and #sewliberatedchanterellepants from @sewliberated in black cotton/linen blend from @backstreetbargains. My tee shirt is a new make this month and is my second #florenceboxytee tee from @sizemesewing made in a gorgeous drapey viscose knit that was an end of roll from @thefabricwarehousewgtn a couple of years ago. I love this pattern! I like to have three styles of basic tee on my wardrobe, boxy, slightly fitted short sleeve and slightly fitted long sleeve - this will now be my go to boxy tee, I don’t need to look any further! If you are new to sewing with knits and also don’t have an overlocker then this #florenceboxytee is fantastic, the instructions are all aimed at construction in the sewing machine and there is also a great sew along tutorial on YouTube. #sewover50 #isewmyownclothes #sewingismysuperpower #sewnz #sewwhatihave2025 #memade #memademay2025

Posted by @frankie_and_me_33 “Todays theme for #sewapril2024 is #OuterwearCoats My favourite outerwear make is this #harristweedgilet I made for my husband after a wonderful trip to Harris a few years ago. In the Harris Tweed exhibition we saw a Harris tweed gilet. He liked the neck but didn’t want it to be so exaggerated or poufy. We saw a gilet in the shop in quite a dull green for £195. On a fabulous visit to Donald John Mackays weaving shed in Luskentyre we chose this tweed for the project. I quilted it with lambs wool wadding. When I came to quilting it I clearly channeled my inner Chanel as it wasn’t till later I realised the original was quilted horizontally. I used @seamwork #seamworkdenali as my base pattern He lives in this through Spring and Autumn and often is stopped by people commenting on it. 💕 oh also the best bit. Total cost for my gilet was £60 He’s wearing it here with @threadtheorydesigns #jedediahpants #ryliss_sewinganddesignschool #fiberstofabric #sewover50 #sew50menswear

It rained all night on Tuesday and into yesterday morning!! Hurrah. My new plants were all standing to attention. After the flooring guy came to measure up the whole bungalow, we walked along the beach looking at the moody skies. Mr T was wearing his @fridaypatterncompany #beachcomberjacket in #merchantandmillsfabric dry oilskin. I wore mine too. This fabric is amazing. It’s stiff when you buy it but quickly turns softer and do gorgeous to wear. It’s warm too. These jackets were a fun make and perfect to wear. The pockets are deep and the curved back hem is spot on, as is the hood which you can see out of in the wind and rain, unlike some RTW ones. He’s also wearing the newest #jedediahpants in M&Mills 8oz sanded twill which I made last summer. I made a month’s worth of granola in the evening- a ginger one (with crystallised ginger) from dishingupthe dirt.com which I’ve made for years, and then tried @terianncarty ‘s Nutella granola, but used palm oil free chocolate hazelnut spread from @waitrose. It has macadamia nuts and hazelnuts in it, and oh my goodness, it’s divine served with their delicious Greek yoghurt and strawberries and blueberries. I also took a couple pics of the amazing sunset after a cloudy day. We get the best sunsets and sunrises here. #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes #sew50jackets #sew50men #sew50pants #beachwalk #seatonpromenade

It has rained all day today and I’ve been at my sewing machine for eight hours making a dry oilskin jacket for Mr T, so I thought I’d indulge myself and show the photos my lovely son took of my Hinterland dress hack in @merchantandmills Moonlit stripe linen. I absolutely love this dress and the waitress at our cafe in Glastonbury complimented me on it, which was flattering as she was probably only in her 20s. It doesn’t look too bad in the photos considering we had been two hours in the car driving north and then sitting eating lunch. Linen is the best fabric, in my opinion. The linen clothes I’ve been sewing these past few years will hopefully last a lifetime and can be patched up creatively when necessary. Mr T and I have given away 90% of our RTW clothes to Save the Children and because I Gift Aid to them, they tell me how much they have raised from them, and our books and CDs etc, and it’s a substantial amount since we started decluttering to move last October. It seemed a nice way to start semi or total retirement and feels good to have a memade wardrobe that fits and suits our new life. I’m still glowing from our fabulous afternoon with my son and daughter in law and looking forward to seeing lots of them when back here for the whole of December. I added a few shots of the spectacular views over Somerset from the top of Glastonbury Tor too. Mr T is wearing his chunky cord #jedediahpants that I made him for Christmas using corduroy from @merchantandmills as well as his new #finlaysonsweater #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #sewover50 #sew50dresses #hinterlanddress #slhinterlanddress #hinterlanddresshack #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #imakemyhusbandsclothes #imakemyhusbandclothes #memadeveryday #mmsocialclub

Memade May Day 14 & what a scorcher! “Let’s go for a walk this morning before lunch & then some gardening” said Mr T. It was nice and cool when we set off but the walk was 5 miles and took hours in the heat, but I’m glad I wore my @sewhouse7 #reveltipper in linen from a duvet (same as my Olya shirt from Monday’s post) and my #esflorencepants in some gorgeous heavy chartreuse linen from @simplyfabricsbrixton made in 2021. Mr T in his @merchantandmills #mmthetee in their lovely Indian cotton & #jedediahpants in M&Mills sanded cotton twill - both from @makerstableonline Maker Maker in Exeter What a stunning walk on this glorious day. We walked from home and up the River Umborne valley to Seaton Junction railway station, now closed, and back down the other side of the valley to have a delicious lunch at The Bear Bakery. Then the hill back up home was a bit of a killer, but we just had a lovely nap with our friendly Robin serenading us and we might just get some gardening done now it’s a bit cooler. In the last photo you can see Colyton across the fields and in the top right hand corner our bungalow. There’s nothing better than being able to do a superb walk like this from home and not use the car. We were totally immersed in the countryside for hours and didn’t hear cars! Such a privilege. It’s so uplifting. We get so much pleasure from the nature around us. We’re so grateful to be here! #memademay2025 #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #memadeeveryday #memadeeverything #sewover50 #sewover50may #sew50tops #sew50pants #englishcountryside #englishmeadow #englishmeadowflowers #devoncountryside #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes

a word about the dress i wore to Alex’s opening. I finally finally made a @christinehaynes #emerydress and it is a classic for a reason! the strange embroidered brown cotton fabric is from Mood, and I made an entirely different dress out of it last year from a vintage mod wrap dress pattern that confounded me and was a bit of a dud. but i loved the weird fabric so much that when I saw it was still available—and on sale!—i had to have a redo. this time I wanted something fitted, basic & cute & the Emery was just the ticket. I graded the torso two sizes from shoulder to waist (from 6 to 10, maybe?), raised the neckline a little, and shortened the bodice a bit to ensure the skirt really hit at/above my waist. I got lazy (or was in a hurry? probably) & omitted the zipper. I realized later why you might not do that—it messes your hair up when you shove your head through a neckline!—but since i barely comb my hair and dont wear makeup 🤷🏼‍♀️ it works out. I made this dress for a holiday party but figured it might get reused for a future opera opening… I also made 2 things Alex is wearing: the #mmforeman jacket and a pair of #jedediahpants made in a nice navy cord. #thisweekssewingproject #norshandmadetravelclothes

Look who we had the pleasure of seeing and hearing her and the Stroud Ukelele band play at Sidmouth Folk Festival today! @farmerslass aka @sewing.in.somerset Kate. She was wearing my favourite dress of hers - a Lotta Jansdottir #esmedress which she had cleverly hacked. Mr T & got to demonstrate harps at our harp maker’s stall afterwards and I had enquiries for some new harp students for when we move nearby next month! We wore memades too - Mr T his M&Mills #mmbuckethat & #mmtheteeshirt #mmthetee and #jedediahpants all in M&Mills fabrics from @makerstableonline in Exeter. I’m wearing last year’s #m7969 in Indian block print. Perfect for humid weather. We saw lots of our fellow folk musician friends, which was nice. We didn’t swim because the sea turned really rough and I’m not strong enough for rough sea. Still, we will be living only about ten miles away as if the beginning of next month, and will be able to swim there anytime. In the last photo of you zoom in, you will see the white cliffs of Beer Head which is where our new daily swimming place will be. Exciting times ahead. #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #sew50dresses #sew50july #imakemyclothes #imakemyownclothes #imakemyhusbandsclothes #imakemyhubbysclothes #isewmyhusbandsclothes

Dartmoor is my happy place. A land of contrasts. Wild, open moorlands and deep river valleys, with a rich history and rare wildlife, striking tors and swathes of heather, Dartmoor definitely touches my soul. With 450 miles of paths to walk, cycle, run or ride, thousands of archaeological sites and features to discover the past, Dartmoor is packed full of stunning views that steal your breath, mysterious stories to intrigue and spaces to simply sit and be. Oh, & the beautiful wild ponies! Every time our kids come home, the first thing they want to do is go up on the moor. Today it was just glorious. With a few more weeks ahead of us yet again, hoping that this latest house move chain will complete, we have set ourselves the challenge of climbing as many of the Tors as we can. In the last two 12-week chains we set the challenge of hiking to, and swimming at, almost all of the beaches & coves along the south Devon coast and we did it, bar about four or five. It really helped keep the stress levels down and being up here on the moor will most definitely do that. Isn’t it so beautiful? Today we climbed two tors - Mel Tor & then Sharp Tor. We did Rippon Tor on Boxing Day and saw the fog bow. Today was the opposite kind of weather. Swipe to the end to see we wore memade clothes - all in @merchantandmills cloth : an #mmfielder #lbpullover and Mr T in a #mmlandgate in dry oilskin and #jedediahpants He knitted his hat. We don’t look glamorous but we were warm and it was 3oC. #memadeeveryday #memadewardrobe #imakemyclothes #imakemyownclothes #isewmyownclothes #imakemyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandsclothes #hikingadventures #dartmoorwalks #wildponies #moorland

Yesterday was a scorcher and we did a 6 mile walk along the Undercliffe at Lyme Regis, where the film The French Lieutenant’s Woman with Meryl Streep & Jeremy Irons was filmed - the part where he encountered her walking in the woods. We’re so lucky to have this 19-15 minutes drive from our new home. For #memademay2025 I wore the seaside themed picture top I made three years ago out of scraps of linen from leftover projects and my #esflorencepants made in @merchantandmills check linen which are lovely to walk in in hot weather. Mr T’s #mmthetee is also in #merchantandmillsfabric 185 linen as well as his #jedediahpants shorts. It’s a magical place, almost like a tropical forest and a really interesting ecosystem because of the land slips. The path is narrow, rocky with chunks of flint everywhere and sheer drops, but such a special place. The last photos are looking east along the Jurassic coast. #memademay2025 #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #memadeeveryday #memadeeverything #sewover50 #sewover50may #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #sew50tops #sew50pants #isewmyhusbandsclothes #sew50men #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes #swcoastpath #swcoastalpath #swcoastwalking #swcoast

We escaped the rain showers here in South Devon today for a birthday swim for Mr T in Cornwall, where both the Met Office and BBC weather apps for once showed almost identical weather forecasts and no rain!! A rare thing these days! We walked a few miles along the beach towards Looe and had the best swim so far this year. The water was lovely and felt warmer than yesterday even though it was slightly cooler at 15.4oC. We had a delicious lunch at @summinkdifferent at Downderry. Their oat coffee was absolutely delicious, as was the halloumi wrap and salad. I made Mr T a new M&Mills All State Shirt in their gorgeous dark teal & navy gingham linen which they no longer sell, and dark navy 8oz sanded cotton twill @threadtheorydesigns #jedediahpants I got both fabrics from @makerstableonline. I also made him a couple other garments which I’ll post later when he wears them. Tomorrow we have a gig and so will be up early rehearsing. It’s an outdoor one, too, so fingers crossed! We hope you managed to dodge the rain too. This is a very strange summer. #seaswimming #wildswimming #wildswimminguk #wildswim #wildswimmcornwall #imakemyhusbandsclothes #imakemyhubbysclothes #isewmyhusbandsclothes #cornishbeach

Hacked Jedediah Pants 💙 New jeans for my partner. I added some jeans pockets and coin pocket to the Jedediah Pants pattern. Some fun topstitching on the back pockets, french seamed pockets and some binding on the fly for a fancy look. Also some fun labels in different places. Pattern: #jedediahpants @threadtheorydesigns Fabrics: Gap deadstock denim @rainbowfabrickilburn Hardware: @kylieandthemachine #sew #jeansmaking #threadtheorydesigns #rainbowfabrickilburn #deadstockfabric #memade #sewing #kylieandthemachine #kylieandthemachinehardware #jeanshardware

I love trees! I was born in a house surrounded by woods, then moved to an old mill in the woods aged 6 and spent much of my childhood running barefoot in the woods playing by myself and with my black Labrador Bess. If only there were more houses built in woodland…. Our new bungalow will be within easy walking distance of woods, so that makes me happy. Still no move date, but despite another hiccup I think we’re getting closer to getting a date. Wearing my @paper_theory Olya Shirt in linen purchased at a Portuguese market a few years ago now and my well-worn M&Mills Heroine jeans which were too big after losing over 28lbs earlier this year. In fact all of my jeans were too big, but I didn’t fancy making a couple more pairs, so I washed them on a long 60oC wash (2 hours) then tumble dried them at the hottest temperature and they fit perfectly now. I thought they would stretch out again with wear but neither have! Mr T is wearing his usual favourite @threadtheorydesigns Jedediah Pants & Carmanah Sweater and M&Mills Allstate shirt. These woods are up on the edge of Dartmoor near Ashburton and we’re at a 40th wedding anniversary party of our besties later. A quick change will be in order. Hope your Saturday is going well. #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #imakemyownclothes #olyashirt #heroinejeans #imakemyclothes #sewover50 #sew50tops #sew50pants #oxbowpants #carmanahsweater #jedediahpants #allstateshirt #memadeveryday

Last night I promised I’d post photos of Hope Cove in the morning and I managed to get these two from our hotel room and then immediately a thick sea mist rolled swiftly in, so we set off home. These views are facing west towards Plymouth but once we drove around the corner and onto the south facing beach at Slapton, the sun was burning off the mist and creating a beautiful and ethereal scene which you can swipe to see. Our gig went well and we’ve been booked for next December! I literally just finished Mr T’s sweater hence this late post. It was 15oC here today so unusually, we could stand on the beach without coats etc. Both in memades. Anyway, we hope you’re all set for tomorrow and can start to wind down. #hinterlandhack #fairisleknitting #carmanahsweater #jedediahpants #christmaseveonthebeach #slaptonsands

Another beautiful sunny day and temperatures around 3oC again up on the moor. We popped into @dartmoorwoolloft on the way to pick up some more yarns for a project I’m starting again after 40 years, inspired by our Dartmoor walks. They had their Friday morning craft session in full swing and we will be joining it very soon and will play harps for them, too. Such friendly people! An inspiring place to be, too. Anyway, we went on to climb up Hel Tor which isn’t too far away. A gentler walk today because our little German Spitz is 12 and has arthritis. He was stiff after yesterday’s ramblings on the Moor. Hel Tor is very impressive when you round the bend and it suddenly appears. It’s a scramble up the rocks at the end but the 360o views from it are spectacular looking out all over Devon, which is one of England’s largest counties. In the last photo you can see the distant hills where we are soon moving - the Blackdown Hills. We will be able to see these from our bedroom and kitchen soon. I’m wearing my new fair isle cardigan I designed using @jamiesonsofshetland #spindriftyarn from @woolontheexe , whose craft nights we will soon be joining. I’m also wearing the second @merchantandmills Union dress in their denim that I made quite a number of years ago now. Mr T, of course, is still wearing his new Christmas #tundrasweater in Loch Lomond yarn from @woolontheexe land his #jedediahpants in #merchantandmillsfabric look at the penultimate photo - this amazing granite Tor has teeth! These are caused by a layer of micro granite which pushed its way through as the rest of the granite cooled. Rocks are fascinating. We have two days of rain forecast now, so I get to knit and sew and plan our next climb of a Tor or two. I’m making a M&Mills Scout dress, and a Tamdou shawl by @mairlynd Happy Friday! #mmuniondress #fairislefriday #fairisleknitting #fairislecardigan #idesignedthis #handknit #dartmoor #dartmoorwalks #dartmoortors

Life is short, but your pants don't need to be. Unless they are shorts. Getting ready for my next project. Pumpkin orange shorts. #readyforspring #wawak #threadtheorydesigns #jedediahpants #orangeshorts

Took my @stylearc #bobpants in Indian blockprint out for a traditional Portuguese dinner of Bacalhau in old Albufeira this evening. Such delicious fish after a day of swimming in our pool at the villa (which has a windmill by it) and the beach here. Mr T is wearing his memade too - #jedediahpants in M&Mills 8oz twill, a @merchantandmills #thetee in linen from @stonefabrics My black linen top is vintage, apparently, according to my kids. I bought it from @monsoon in 1999. #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #imakemyclothes #imakemyownclothes #imakemyhusbandsclothes #memadeeveryday #sewover50 #sew50april

All summer I have been waiting for today when the dogs on the beach ban would be lifted so we could swim here. After seeing this beach when we visited on 10 October 2021 I really thought it would be a great place to swim. Swipe to next slide to see it back then and then what we found today. What a difference a storm makes! Sunday’s storm appears to have ripped all the local sea kelp from the ocean floor and dumped it on Wembury beach. We waded out through it and the sea was absolutely thick with it and it was impossible to swim properly! In the cold wind the sea felt warm though. It’s 15.2oC now. The pyramid shaped rock in the sea is called the Mew Stone. A couple hundred years ago Samuel Wakeham and his wife, Ann, set up home on the island when Sam was due to be transported to Australia. Instead, he negotiated to live his years of exile on the Mewstone. They enlarged an existing house, the odd turret-shaped building that remains today, and cleared a garden to grow food and keep some animals. Anyway, we only have a couple more beaches to swim at between us and Plymouth now. I’m wearing my Marilla Walker Isca Dress in 6oz denim . Mr T is wearing the M&Mills All State Shirt & Thread Theory Jedediah Pants, both in M&Mills fabrics from Maker Maker in Exeter. All old makes from about six years ago. #iscadress #jedediahpants #mmallstate #iscadressmarillawalker #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #sewover50 #sew50dresses #memade #memadeeveryday #seaswimming #seaswimminguk #coldwatertherapy #beachlife #swimmingforlife #wildswimming #wildswimminguk #wildswim #reworn

I’m on a roll sewing up Indian block print cottons this week. Still no word back from the charities involved in our offer on the new home in SE Devon. It’ll be two weeks tomorrow since we put in our offer! I’m using sewing as mindfulness to keep my racing mind calm. The worst thing for MS is stress. So yesterday I finished this glorious dress using a fabulous pattern by @karmme_apparel called #summervibesdress. Designer Imby Langenbach has very cleverly designed several dresses which work especially well with Indian block print fabrics and she sells them too, which is fab is you live in Australia. This one one is so similar to one I wore in my first three pregnancies in 1978, 1979 & 1981 and I wanted to recreate it. I just need to find the right beads for the ties now. It feels amazing on and only took a couple of hours to make up. Thank you Imby! It will be perfect for packing on summer holidays. I bought this particular fabric a few years ago for £20 on eBay. Mr T is wearing one of his many M&Mills The Tee #mmthetee in their Goodnight linen which is fading nicely and his #jedediahpants in their 8oz sanded twill - both fabrics and patterns from @makerstableonline The photos are at the Daymark a couple miles from our cottage. The barley fields look amazing in sunshine. I hope you’re having a fun weekend. #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #imakemyclothes #imakemyownclothes #sewover50 #sew50dresses #imadethis #slowfashion #imakemyhusbandsclothes #imakemyhubbysclothes #shownseated

Back from holiday and posting too late for #mymakesforthemonthjuly24 coordinated by Lou @sewmuchtodesign but fun to get these up on the grid anyway! Already posted my @stylearc #sahopewovendresshack (middle left) but you haven’t yet seen the #jedediahpants by @threadtheorydesigns made for my husband’s birthday; mixed success but good experience (top left). Bottom left was arguably the most sewing fun I had in July - helping my middle son make a banner in support of his London Aussie Rules club’s women’s side in their league final. Crazy couple of days putting this together out of two bedsheets but I’m told it went down pretty well (and I’m sure was instrumental in them lifting the trophy!!🏆🤣) Otherwise, July was very much Hat Month (is there a new hashtag there?!). @elbe_textiles Sorrento bucket hat is my go-to pattern - I think I’ve made 6 or 7 now, from size S up to XL+, from old trousers and fabric leftovers, for friends and for family and finally for myself (top right). This latter was made from offcuts from the tiger jacket & skirt made a couple of years ago and already gridded. Unlikely to ever wear them all together but I just can’t throw anything away!!! ♻️ #summersewing #sewover50 #sewover50july24 #handmadewardrobe #sewingbanners #elbetextilessorrento #sorrentobuckethat #loveineverystitch #useyourscraps #sewingupcycle #mymakesforthemonth #mymakesforthemonthjuly

We survived Storm Darragh intact and went out for a cracking breakfast at @therivershackdevon this morning. They are closed now until March, sadly. It’s such a beautiful place to eat by the beautiful mill pond at Stoke Gabriel. We couldn’t eat outside today - the wind was so fresh and blowing at 47mph and icy 🥶. We were toasty warm in our @fridaypatterncompany #beachcomberjacket @merchantandmills dry oilskin us such a great fabric because it cuts the wind. Worn here with my M&Mills #mmmargot pinafore in their gorgeous soft 11-wale corduroy. Mr T’s #jedediahpants are also in their 11-wale corduroy. He knitted his hat. The wind has stripped all of the trees of their leaves now, so it’s well and truly winter. Bought a little Christmas tree on the way home but we were so full of cooked breakfast that we didn’t have the energy to put our decorations up!! We’ve spent the afternoon knitting, each knitting a sweater for Mr T. We’re so used to having a smoothie followed by poached eggs for breakfast 😆. We hope you had no storm damage where you live and have had a peaceful day. The wind has finally calmed down now. #reworn #so50reworn #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #sewover50 #sew50jackets #sew50dresses #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes

We got to share the beach with the wild ponies yesterday tea time! So lovely to see them enjoying it too, though it confused our German Spitz who decided to question them loudly whilst we swam. The sea temperature is currently 15.6oC so still a tad 🥶. Interestingly the current thinking re osteoarthritis of the knee is that moving and exercise lessens the pain. I’ve been too busy getting removal quotes, chimneys swept, cooker professionally cleaned etc etc for the move this week, and the weather has been wet, to swim. Walking down the steep path was so very painful and I almost gave up, but ten minutes in the cold water and the steep walk did the trick. I trotted back up the cliff path almost pain free!! It seems exercise does “oil” the joints. I’m wearing my favourite summer M&Mills Ellis dress in their moon print indian cotton from @makerstableonline about five years ago. Underneath I’m wearing one of two of M&Mills new slip dresses. Will post these later. I find it easier to get changed on the beach in a dress, plus I could sit in the sun in my slip dress for a bit to warm up. Mr T is wearing his M&Mills The Tee and @threadtheorydesigns #jedediahshorts. Both fabrics from @stonefabrics in Totnes. We will miss this beach! Swipe to the end to see the reason I was glad I could trot madly up the almost vertical cliff path back- I had a whole week’s washing on the line just over the hill and it was almost dry when we left! We got home just as the heavens had started to open and got the washing in. The weather here in the U.K. is bonkers at the moment. One minute summer, then April showers in July, then cold wind and dark clouds. #mmellis #mmellisandhattie #mmellisdress #jedediahpants #jedediahshorts #mmtee #mmtheteeshirt #mmthetee #scabbacombesands #wildswimming #wildswimminguk #poniesonthebeach #wildponies #swcoastpath #swcoast #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #imakemyhusbandsclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes #mswarrior #osteorthritis #osteoarthritisknee

Hope Cove near Salcombe, SW Devon. We had a fabulous swim this afternoon even though we had to swim through some silky soft sea weed to get out into the deeper water. Maybe that will mean we will have absorbed even more magnesium? The big building on the top of the cliff with a red tiled roof is the @thecottagehotel where we play to guests on the 23 December every year, have dinner and then stay the night. A truly special place and lovely staff. The food is amazing. Hope Cove is quite remote. We sleep to the sound of the roaring sea pounding the rocks in these photos and every year a group of ladies swim there before we go down to a sumptuous breakfast. A very different scene to today’s! You can see photos of it on my grid from most Decembers. Mr T is wearing another M&Mills The Tea in Indian cotton and his favourite @threadtheorydesigns #jedediahpants in their 8oz sanded cotton twill. Both of these fabrics came from @makerstableonline We hope the sun shone for you too. ☀️☀️🌤️🌤️🏊‍♀️🌊 #devonbeaches #devonbeach #hopecovebeach #seaswimming #seaswim #seaswimmingdevon #coldwatertherapy❄️💧😀 #coldwatertherapy #isewmyhubbysclothes #isewmyhubbyclothes #imadethese #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes

Stoked about how these #jedediahshorts turned out, even though they didn’t end up fitting Kyle for some reason—fortunately they’re perfect on my dad! The instructions for this pattern were a bit challenging to follow, and apparently call for an unusual method of pants construction, but I persevered. This veerrry slightly stretch denim from @stonemountainfabric was a joy to work with and shows off the details so well. Swipe for a fun pocket peek! Pics of another pair in the size up (and hopefully modeled, though it’s definitely not shorts weather) coming soon. Looking forward to being able to make my asparagus of a husband some pants that actually fit. #jedediahpants @threadtheorydesigns #secretdoggypockets #pregnancysewing

Christmas Eve corduroy! Sebastian always takes a fantastic photo, whereas I had to beg my long-suffering husband to take a shot of my pants, and I couldn’t figure out how to stand 🤷🏻‍♀️ Sebastian’s pants are Jedediah pants from @threadtheorydesigns with fabric from @joann_stores. He loves them, and I love to make make him things he loves. Mine pants are a wide-leg version of my usual Birkin Flares. (I’ll tell you a story sometime about stretch percentage, and how sometimes you sew two pairs of pants at once - one corduroy and one denim - same size, and only one will fit up over your butt because it’s stretchier. Many, many curses were said.)

Wearable toile of the #jedediahpants by @threadtheorydesigns . This is a thrifted twill. And it does not like to be ironed. It’s also not Scotts colour preference. I’m guessing though, that he’ll wear them a lot, because I made them, and they’ll fade. This pair will be perfect for camping and just casual wear. I did all the steps. That I could understand, these really are an intermediate pattern. I read and re-read multiple times. I’m used to more pictures and hand holding. Some techniques I already had a handle on, and some like the binding of the seams was new to me. I didn’t go for binding all the way, just enough to practice. And the fit is just spot on. Scotty doesn’t have much in the way of a tush, and these look great. The zipper instructions were ace!! Totally nailed that, so satisfying when you get that ‘hard’ ware to work. I have oodles of thrifted buttons and zips, so all in all the fabric and the notions cost me $2.50. Add in a couple bucks there for thread. The binding was from my scrap drawer, left over from my BIL hat. The pattern cost $30. I’ll include the full cost of the pattern in this pair’s costing, when costing the next pair, I won’t include it. I find costing my makes interesting. 🤷🏼‍♀️. So all up $34.00 I managed to just squeeze these pants out of the fabric- it was gently used- meaning it had already had sections cut out. I had to get a bit creative with the placements. The pocket bags used up part of an old shirt that had been handed along to use for buttons and rags. Now I’m tossing up weather to make another toile- or just jump straight into his ‘good fabric’. Either way I’ve got 2 kids dresses, a tshirt and some parkour shorts cut out ready to sew, a shirt for Scott and a pair of pj’s for me. #sewersgonnasew #sewforguys #sewingforguys #opshop #opshopfabric #thriftednotions #thrifted #resuse #recycledfabric #recyclingremnants #sewsustainablefabric #sewdelightful #newcastlehuntersews #newcastlesews #newcastlesewinglovers #sewsustainable #australiasews #memadeeveryday #wearabletoile

Helping or hindering, I don’t know. #rescuecat #desexyourpets #jedediahpants #threadtheorydesigns

Xmas gift shorts in designer deadstock military drill from @drapersfabrics. They fit and the labels and logo were a hit.

My first ever pair of men's trousers! Super proud of completing this project. A couple of mistakes but managed to fudge it. Several firsts on this project: French seams, flat felled seams and fly zip. Made a little alteration to the back pockets to make them possible to close. Pattern is Jedediah Pants from @threadtheorydesigns. Fabric is some stretch denim from @poundfabrics #cardiffsews #jedediahpants #seamstressesofinstagram #sewingtrousers #sewproud

We had a proper hot summer day today, hurrah! At least 25oC. I spent the morning jet washing the brick paving by our back door and the top patio, whilst Mr planted out plants from RHS Rosemoor that have been in big clay pots for years, for our buyers. It became so hot by 1:30pm that we had a quick lunch and hot-footed it down that long steep slope to Scabbacombe beach and what a glorious azure blue greeted us! Who needs to go to the Med when living here? @muddle_and_grace asked a similar question earlier when she posted that she was at one of our Brixham beaches. Take a look at her photos. We are so blessed. The sea was crystal clear as you’ll see when you swipe through. We swam several times. Mr T was wearing his birthday M&Mills The Tee from last year and his first pair of Jedediah Pants which I cropped last year after he wore the knees out. Today most of the schools have finished for the school year and we will have to share our beaches with the holiday makers now for six weeks. Lovely to see people enjoying what we could quite easily take for granted. We came home and I made a new batch of mayonnaise and Mr T more loaves of his delicious sourdough bread. Then we collapsed on the sofa this evening watching the First Night of the Proms. A brilliant day! #imakemyhusbandsclothes #imakemyhubbysclothes #memade #sew50menswear #sewover50 #swcoastpath #swcoastalpath #swbeach #swbeaches #mmthetee #mmtheteeshirt #jedediahpants #jedediahshorts #seaswimming #seaswimminguk #wildswimming

The temperature in SW England dropped by about 8oC yesterday and in the afternoon we toddled down to the beautiful church in our new little town to hear a piano recital by @simonwatterton perform, who we were blown away by. This is one of the reasons we moved here - we were missing such concerts and fed up of tribute bands in the theatre. I taught piano for years and now I’m missing my piano 😢, although I didn’t play this! We wore memades, of course, which isn’t difficult these days as we gave most of our RTW clothes to Save the Children because they had good labels and highly sellable. We both desperate much more comfortable in our memades. My dress is a @merchantandmills Ellis dress in their gorgeous linen. It’s actually my Christmas dress although the linen is only 170gsm. No pattern matching on the back bodice because I didn’t have enough fabric as I squeezed it out of less than the pattern called for and I’m not ashamed, either. My jacket is my favourite M&Mills Ottoline in gorgeous denim from @stonefabrics who I need to go back and visit 🔜 Mr T is wearing his #jedediahpants in M&Mills Tobacco 8oz sanded twill, a #mmthetee in their India cotton l, both from Maker Maker in Exeter and his #finlaysonsweater in fabulous organic sweatshirting from another favourite shop - @raystitch in Islington, London. The last picture is another view from our road looking out to the Blackdown Hills, which we also see from the back of the bungalow. #memademay #memademay2025 #memademay2025day4 #sewover50 #sewover50may #sew50dresses #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #memadeeveryday #memadeeverything #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes

It has rained all day today and I’ve been at my sewing machine for eight hours making a dry oilskin jacket for Mr T, so I thought I’d indulge myself and show the photos my lovely son took of my Hinterland dress hack in @merchantandmills Moonlit stripe linen. I absolutely love this dress and the waitress at our cafe in Glastonbury complimented me on it, which was flattering as she was probably only in her 20s. It doesn’t look too bad in the photos considering we had been two hours in the car driving north and then sitting eating lunch. Linen is the best fabric, in my opinion. The linen clothes I’ve been sewing these past few years will hopefully last a lifetime and can be patched up creatively when necessary. Mr T and I have given away 90% of our RTW clothes to Save the Children and because I Gift Aid to them, they tell me how much they have raised from them, and our books and CDs etc, and it’s a substantial amount since we started decluttering to move last October. It seemed a nice way to start semi or total retirement and feels good to have a memade wardrobe that fits and suits our new life. I’m still glowing from our fabulous afternoon with my son and daughter in law and looking forward to seeing lots of them when back here for the whole of December. I added a few shots of the spectacular views over Somerset from the top of Glastonbury Tor too. Mr T is wearing his chunky cord #jedediahpants that I made him for Christmas using corduroy from @merchantandmills as well as his new #finlaysonsweater #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #sewover50 #sew50dresses #hinterlanddress #slhinterlanddress #hinterlanddresshack #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #imakemyhusbandsclothes #imakemyhusbandclothes #memadeveryday #mmsocialclub

Not very flattering photos but wearing my latest make - the Peppermint Wrap top in M&Mills Indian block print from @makerstableonline in Exeter & my Henrietta skirt from @spaghetti_western_sewing in M&Mills 4oz denim. Mr T is wearing a M&Mills The Tee in their Oxblood 185 linen & his Jedediah shorts in cotton twill from @stonefabrics. We had a beautiful swim back at our local beach yesterday and the water felt warm but 😱 I got stung by a jelly fish or a blenny on the bottom of my foot - ouch! I was so glad to have boots with such soft padded insides to climb back up to the top with a sore foot. I wore my new @vivobarefoot hiking boots. The track down there, which is a mile long, is very steep and covered in small rocks that you roll and slip on if you’re not careful. The soles on Vivobarefoot walking shoes & boots have amazing grips, unlike any other hiking boots I’ve had and I always buy really good ones, having grown up in the Lake District mountains. These boots feel like slippers on the inside and the padded ankles are so cosy. I am so pleased with them. #henriettaskirt #peppermintwraptop #mmtheteeshirt #mmthetee #jedediahshorts #jedediahpants #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #sew50dresses #sewover50 #sew50august #imakemyclothes #imakemyownclothes #imakemyhusbandsclothes #imakemyhubbysclothes #isewmyhusbandsclothes #vivobarefoot #seaswimming #seaswimminguk #coldwatertherapy #beachlife #swimmingforlife #wildswimming #wildswimminguk #wildswim #ourlocalbeach#mmsocialclub #merchantandmillsfabric

Back from holiday and posting too late for #mymakesforthemonthjuly24 coordinated by Lou @sewmuchtodesign but fun to get these up on the grid anyway! Already posted my @stylearc #sahopewovendresshack (middle left) but you haven’t yet seen the #jedediahpants by @threadtheorydesigns made for my husband’s birthday; mixed success but good experience (top left). Bottom left was arguably the most sewing fun I had in July - helping my middle son make a banner in support of his London Aussie Rules club’s women’s side in their league final. Crazy couple of days putting this together out of two bedsheets but I’m told it went down pretty well (and I’m sure was instrumental in them lifting the trophy!!🏆🤣) Otherwise, July was very much Hat Month (is there a new hashtag there?!). @elbe_textiles Sorrento bucket hat is my go-to pattern - I think I’ve made 6 or 7 now, from size S up to XL+, from old trousers and fabric leftovers, for friends and for family and finally for myself (top right). This latter was made from offcuts from the tiger jacket & skirt made a couple of years ago and already gridded. Unlikely to ever wear them all together but I just can’t throw anything away!!! ♻️ #summersewing #sewover50 #sewover50july24 #handmadewardrobe #sewingbanners #elbetextilessorrento #sorrentobuckethat #loveineverystitch #useyourscraps #sewingupcycle #mymakesforthemonth #mymakesforthemonthjuly

Took my @stylearc #bobpants in Indian blockprint out for a traditional Portuguese dinner of Bacalhau in old Albufeira this evening. Such delicious fish after a day of swimming in our pool at the villa (which has a windmill by it) and the beach here. Mr T is wearing his memade too - #jedediahpants in M&Mills 8oz twill, a @merchantandmills #thetee in linen from @stonefabrics My black linen top is vintage, apparently, according to my kids. I bought it from @monsoon in 1999. #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #imakemyclothes #imakemyownclothes #imakemyhusbandsclothes #memadeeveryday #sewover50 #sew50april

Thank you to you lovely folks who have messaged us to ask if we are well and haven’t been infected by the cryptosporidium in our water supply. I apologise because I should have posted to say we are ok but Mr T decided on Thursday to redecorate our bedroom as we haven’t had any viewings booked for eight weeks now, and I started to totally rearrange and declutter the attic bedroom which is my sewing room now all our children have flown the nest. As soon as the cottage was all upside down, guess what? The estate agents rang to book a viewing for tomorrow morning!! Typical! So, you see, we’ve been busy running painting and I’ve been going up and down two flights of stairs and packing things in plastic crates in our workshop at the bottom of the bottom garden. By the skin of our teeth we have the cottage tidy again and ready for our viewing. The person viewing hasn’t yet got her house on the yet either, but is relocating here and in this absolutely dead market we have to let people view. Anyway, back to the water fiasco, SW Water have put notices in our doors yesterday and today to say that they’ve lifted the boil water rule on 14,500 homes in the rest of Brixham, but those of us up here in Higher Brixham have to carry on. We live a few hundred yards below the water storage facility where they’ve found cryptosporidium. It’s in a farmer’s field. They have been emptying some of it down the road and tomorrow they will start flushing all of our pipes out, so they must be emptying the whole huge tank! We have been warned we might get muddy water from our taps. Last year we had a hosepipe ban from March till November and most of this time the tank was leak just like it had for the past 19 years we’ve lived here. It was galling. We e lost what little confidence we had in SW Water. The news last autumn said they had been pumping sewage into the River Dart behind us and also into our bay 🤢. Anyway, #memademay2024 & I’m wearing my #matchatop by @sewliberated in m&mills block print cotton & my linen #florencepants by Elizabeth Suzanne Mr T is wearing his favourite #jedediahpants . #memadeeveryday #sew50tops #sew50pants #sewover50 #isewmyclothes #isewmyhusbandsclothes

Thank you to you lovely folks who have messaged us to ask if we are well and haven’t been infected by the cryptosporidium in our water supply. I apologise because I should have posted to say we are ok but Mr T decided on Thursday to redecorate our bedroom as we haven’t had any viewings booked for eight weeks now, and I started to totally rearrange and declutter the attic bedroom which is my sewing room now all our children have flown the nest. As soon as the cottage was all upside down, guess what? The estate agents rang to book a viewing for tomorrow morning!! Typical! So, you see, we’ve been busy running painting and I’ve been going up and down two flights of stairs and packing things in plastic crates in our workshop at the bottom of the bottom garden. By the skin of our teeth we have the cottage tidy again and ready for our viewing. The person viewing hasn’t yet got her house on the yet either, but is relocating here and in this absolutely dead market we have to let people view. Anyway, back to the water fiasco, SW Water have put notices in our doors yesterday and today to say that they’ve lifted the boil water rule on 14,500 homes in the rest of Brixham, but those of us up here in Higher Brixham have to carry on. We live a few hundred yards below the water storage facility where they’ve found cryptosporidium. It’s in a farmer’s field. They have been emptying some of it down the road and tomorrow they will start flushing all of our pipes out, so they must be emptying the whole huge tank! We have been warned we might get muddy water from our taps. Last year we had a hosepipe ban from March till November and most of this time the tank was leak just like it had for the past 19 years we’ve lived here. It was galling. We e lost what little confidence we had in SW Water. The news last autumn said they had been pumping sewage into the River Dart behind us and also into our bay 🤢. Anyway, #memademay2024 & I’m wearing my #matchatop by @sewliberated in m&mills block print cotton & my linen #florencepants by Elizabeth Suzanne Mr T is wearing his favourite #jedediahpants . #memadeeveryday #sew50tops #sew50pants #sewover50 #isewmyclothes #isewmyhusbandsclothes

We got to share the beach with the wild ponies yesterday tea time! So lovely to see them enjoying it too, though it confused our German Spitz who decided to question them loudly whilst we swam. The sea temperature is currently 15.6oC so still a tad 🥶. Interestingly the current thinking re osteoarthritis of the knee is that moving and exercise lessens the pain. I’ve been too busy getting removal quotes, chimneys swept, cooker professionally cleaned etc etc for the move this week, and the weather has been wet, to swim. Walking down the steep path was so very painful and I almost gave up, but ten minutes in the cold water and the steep walk did the trick. I trotted back up the cliff path almost pain free!! It seems exercise does “oil” the joints. I’m wearing my favourite summer M&Mills Ellis dress in their moon print indian cotton from @makerstableonline about five years ago. Underneath I’m wearing one of two of M&Mills new slip dresses. Will post these later. I find it easier to get changed on the beach in a dress, plus I could sit in the sun in my slip dress for a bit to warm up. Mr T is wearing his M&Mills The Tee and @threadtheorydesigns #jedediahshorts. Both fabrics from @stonefabrics in Totnes. We will miss this beach! Swipe to the end to see the reason I was glad I could trot madly up the almost vertical cliff path back- I had a whole week’s washing on the line just over the hill and it was almost dry when we left! We got home just as the heavens had started to open and got the washing in. The weather here in the U.K. is bonkers at the moment. One minute summer, then April showers in July, then cold wind and dark clouds. #mmellis #mmellisandhattie #mmellisdress #jedediahpants #jedediahshorts #mmtee #mmtheteeshirt #mmthetee #scabbacombesands #wildswimming #wildswimminguk #poniesonthebeach #wildponies #swcoastpath #swcoast #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #imakemyhusbandsclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes #mswarrior #osteorthritis #osteoarthritisknee

Well hello there! It’s been a few days. We have been so busy unpacking, getting quotes for work that need doing and tidying that I’ve not had the energy to post. Downsizing is not for the faint hearted, especially those with hobbies!!! Anyway, we have been out before breakfast each morning, walking our dogs in the many amazing paths and lanes we can choose from, without needing the car. Today’s was along the river that runs through our new tiny town. This walk was what made us want to move here when we chanced upon it one Sunday in September 2023. Having grown up in the Lake District in a water mill, I have so missed having a river for the past twenty years, living in Brixham. I do love the sea but there’s something life giving about a river. I plan to and sit and knit there, or play my harp there this summer. It’s only ten minutes’ walk from home. We’re rocking our @merchantandmills clothes today. I’m wearing the first Camber dress I made and my first Ottoline jeans, plus my #ruskasweater by @jessicamknits in gorgeous lightweight but super warm @bcgarn Loch Lomond worsted yarn from @woolontheexe (of course). Mr T is wearing @threadtheorydesigns #jedediahpants in sanded twill from #merchantandmillsfabric and their #finlaysonsweater from @raystitch. I may not be going to make clothes for a while but I do love to see others’ #reworn clothes. After all, that’s better for the environment. And my bulging new wardrobes here 🤣🤣 Anyway, I think we’ve pretty much recovered from the chaotic and hasty move after 18 months of frustration and we are LOVING it here, despite things that need work. Hope all is well with you all. #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #isewmyownclothes #isewmyclothes #memadeeveryday #memadeeverything #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes #iknitthis #handknit #handknitsweater #knittingaddict #iknitmyownclothes #morningwalk #riversidewalk

Hello - long time no posts! Let's see if I can remember how to do this! This one is sewing related, but it is not my sewing. My husband decided that he wanted to learn to sew recently and was keen that I teach him. I am not a natural teacher so we decided that I would be on hand for queries and guidance. He has used a sewing machine in the past and likes to work out how things work so I was confident that we would get something wearable at the end. I am a firm believer that if you want to learn to sew garments, make something that you want to wear, rather than starting tote bags or pillowcases - so nothing like jumping in at the deep end, he chose the Jedediah shorts by Thread Theory. We had a jaunt into London and visited Goldhawk road on a mission to find some suitable fabric. I can't remember which shop we bought from in the end, but we got a forest green cotton/poly twill, matching zip and thread. He made a toile in a size 38, but felt it was a touch snug particularly when sitting down - white version pic 6, so then made a size 40 which fits the legs but is a little big on the waist - pic 5 yellow version. We worked through the instructions together and both really struggled with the zip fly and the waist band, but he worked it out before I did! The instructions for finishing the seam allowance on the lower outer seam of the legs gave an option for binding so that they would like nice rolled up. I had mentioned the technique for making continuous bias binding and was all set to show him, and found he had already made some using a tutorial online! The fabric for the pockets and binding was harvested from an old Timberland shirt that I kept because I liked the fabric. I am super proud of him for making these! I don't think he was convinced that he was going to get something wearable at the end, but he has worn them for the last couple of days - suns out guns out! I now have a long list of fabric requirements to shop for at the Stitch Festival tomorrow. #menwhosew #mensewtoo #cambssews #sewover50march2025 #SewOver50 #threadtheory #threadtheoryjedediahpants #jedediahpants @threadtheorydesigns

I’ve just finished these #jedediahpants by @threadtheorydesigns Love the drafting and the fit is great (although I modified the legs to allow for Joe’s big calves) and I will definitely make more. I do have to admit I wasn’t overly impressed with some of the instructions. In general they felt hard to read and absorb. Large blocks of text that felt overly wordy in places and that I had to read several times to get the context. The fly front instructions were particularly poor - just as well I had done some before - and they didn’t deal with the excess that gets folded back to stitch the zip and fly guard onto. For me it was really easy to miss bits because of the way it was written and laid out and the pictures included didn’t always show what they were said to. For future makes I will just do my own thing and ignore the instructions but I always follow them the first time I make a pattern because I never know what I will learn and it’s helpful for reviews. Fabric is a stretch cotton drill from @spotlightstores in navy. It has a lovely brushed finish that reminds me of moleskin. Ive used this a few times and it’s a hard wearing and comfortable fabric that washes and wears well. #sewover50 #isewmyownclothes #sewingismysuperpower #sewnz #sewwhatihave2025 #memade #sewingformen

He won’t stay still for long to get a good picture, but here are my latest #jedediahpants. The black pair are reminiscent of Ben Davis, slims.

We survived Storm Darragh intact and went out for a cracking breakfast at @therivershackdevon this morning. They are closed now until March, sadly. It’s such a beautiful place to eat by the beautiful mill pond at Stoke Gabriel. We couldn’t eat outside today - the wind was so fresh and blowing at 47mph and icy 🥶. We were toasty warm in our @fridaypatterncompany #beachcomberjacket @merchantandmills dry oilskin us such a great fabric because it cuts the wind. Worn here with my M&Mills #mmmargot pinafore in their gorgeous soft 11-wale corduroy. Mr T’s #jedediahpants are also in their 11-wale corduroy. He knitted his hat. The wind has stripped all of the trees of their leaves now, so it’s well and truly winter. Bought a little Christmas tree on the way home but we were so full of cooked breakfast that we didn’t have the energy to put our decorations up!! We’ve spent the afternoon knitting, each knitting a sweater for Mr T. We’re so used to having a smoothie followed by poached eggs for breakfast 😆. We hope you had no storm damage where you live and have had a peaceful day. The wind has finally calmed down now. #reworn #so50reworn #isewmyclothes #isewmyownclothes #imakemyownclothes #imakemyclothes #sewover50 #sew50jackets #sew50dresses #isewmyhusbandsclothes #isewmyhusbandclothes #isewmyhubbysclothes