Making the most of the 🍫 Easter 🐣 Holiday 🐇 quiet time by spending the morning/afternoon sewing. 'Check' out my new #pomonapants , which, whilst they look like PJs, will likely become one of my most worn items, on account of their comfort value. As always, I loved making this pattern and this is my fourth pair now! Also, my 'crew' of #victorypatternsfrances crew neck top in various 3/4 and elbow sleeve lengths. I love this crew neck version, but for me, the scoop neck versions are pretty terrible when I attempted it. Will try the dress version though, and I'm sure this won't be the last version of the top I make. Fabrics from #amazon, #poundfabrics #tiaknightfabrics What have you been sewing this Easter? PS-I have also been making some things for a certain little one, for the challenge #selflesssewapril23 #victorypatterns #annaallenclothing #annaallenpomona #annaallen #sewingclothes #sewyourown #sewersofinstagram #sewyourownclothes

Are you torn between making pretty dresses and outfits and practical everyday wear? I love making frocks and tops from ever so pretty fabrics in lovely designs but a voice out there calls out to me that I should be making knock about clothes that I can wear at home or to dash to the supermarket! This long dress definitely falls within the former category. It is a scuba double knit with delicious life-like raspberries, blackberries, blue berries, gooseberries and red berries with lush pink roses and rosebuds on a blue and white tile background. The print looks wonderfully Dolce & Gabbana! It was purchased from @minervadotcom and, if your are interested, is still available. The pattern is Frances, by Victory Patterns from @thefoldline , with pockets and extended to maxi length. I tried to centre the main large print on the bodice but for a lengthening effect had the straight lines between the large 'tile' pattern run down the centre front and back of the skirt. #sewover50 #memade #maxidress #VictoryPatternsFrances #Minerva #thefoldline

Finished my @victorypatterns Frances top in this lovely jersey from @material_girl_laura and added one of my @kylieandthemachine 'me made' labels too, love how it looks with a proper label in :D I needed a couple of tops for everyday wear so this is perfect, really good fit and comfy too. Best thing about the Frances pattern is the options for different sleeve lengths/necklines and you can even make a dress too, love a pattern like this that is so versatile. I did try and pair the top with my Cleo dungaree dress for a picture but felt like a minion...!! Hopefully I'll get a good pic of the dress soon. #victorypatternsfrances #francestop #memade

Winter sewing - The @victorypatterns Frances dress made in lovely viscose jersey from @minervadotcom (gifted). This pattern has limited sizing. I received it as part of an online magazine subscription. The Sew Liberated Stasia dress and tee have a very similar look and come in 0-34. #francesdress #francespattern #victorypatternsfrances #victorypatterns #minervabrandambassador #minervamakers #sewingwithjersey #sewingwithjerseyknit #handmadewardrobe #sewover50 #memade #diywardrobe #custommade #imakemyownclothes #nzsews #aucklandsews

Ready to wear clothes don’t always fit me well. I have broad shoulders, am sort of muscular in places, and have a long torso (like my brilliant cousin @kasalters who says, “it takes a long time to get to my vagina”. Trust me. This is what she meant). Imagine my surprise to find that homemade things are imperfect. A fit adjustment is countered by a puckered hem or amateurish finish. The favourable glow cast by the personal investment is some magic that makes some clunky thing that you would never buy, wearable. But look at THIS. Maybe my fourth or fifth go at the #victorypatternsfrances shirt and I fucking nailed it.

I gained my patience for sewing my clothes from the patience I gained through knitting 🧶 Everything seems to belong together. Wearing my #francesdress ❤️ #victorypatterns #victorypatternsfrances #sewingpatterns #ilovesewing #nähenmachtsüchtig #nähen #nähenistliebe #handmadeclothes #slowfashion #slowfashionstyle #slowfashionmovement #capsulewardrobe #handmadewardrobe

I’ve been sewing up a little collection of wintery fabrics that can be worn together. Here is the @victorypatterns Frances dress with (1) a floral quilted jacket. I used @theavidseamstress Raglan dress pattern to make this jacket in pre-quilted fabric from @spotlightstores and (2) a @tessutifabrics Verona jacket made in boiled wool from @drapersfabrics. The dress is made in “Boudoir Bouquet” viscose jersey from @minervadotcom #francesdress #francespattern #victorypatternsfrances #victorypatterns #minervabrandambassador #minervamakers #theavidseamstress #theavidseamstressraglan #theavidseamstressraglandress #veronajacket #sewingwithjersey #sewingwithjerseyknit #handmadewardrobe #sewover50 #memade #diywardrobe #custommade #imakemyownclothes #nzsews #aucklandsews

The weather is getting cooler. Time for some cosy comfy dresses. I loved this knit from Art Gallery Fabrics from the moment I saw it: a lovely understated denim blue with delicate beautiful pale cream blooms in a super-soft cotton knit. The fabric is from Minerva and the pattern is called Frances by Victory Patterns. I absolutely loved this pattern - first the dresses have pockets, which I love. But better still, the pattern has a whole a la carte of ways one can use it - crop top, long top, dress - any length of sleeve - a whole suite of necklines from scoop to turtle neck. I am already planning other makes which would be quite different! #artgalleryfabric #jerseyknit #autumndress #knitdress #victorypatterns #victorypatternsfrances #bluedress #minerva

Day eleven of Me Made May sees another black garment, a colour that I wore a lot in the eighties and nineties, and is always good. A bit on the safe side maybe, but mostly stylish and flattering nonetheless. This time it's the Frances dress by @Victorypatterns that is comfortable and dressy at the same time, the term secret pyamas is spot on here. I love the ballerina style top, with it's wide neckline and threequarter sleeves, and the skirt flares out very elegantly. Made in a thickish jersey this is a perfect winter dress but on a day like today, spring but not very warm, it is really nice as well. I especially like the pockets (always somewhere to leave your hands when you're uncomfortable posing ;) that are not sewn on but cut on the skirt. #memademay #mmmay18 #adifferenthandmadegarmenteveryday #francesdress #francespattern #victorypatternsfrances #victorypatterns #studiowall #workinprogress

A roundup of the things I stitched up from a little bundle of wintery fabrics in my cabinet. ❄️ Quilted, lined jacket. Adapted from @theavidseamstress Raglan dress. Fabric from @spotlightstores 💙 @victorypatterns Frances dress made in viscose knit from @minervadotcom - “Boudoir Bouquet”. 🦋 @tillybuttons Cleo Pinafore in blue corduroy, also from @minervadotcom Worn with @papercutpatterns Array top in bamboo jersey. 🧵@tessutifabrics Verona jacket in boiled wool from @drapersfabrics #theavidseamstress #theavidseamstressraglandress #victorypatternsfrances #victorypatterns #tillyandthebuttons #tillybuttons #sewingcleo #papercutpatterns #arraytop #handmadewardrobe #sewover50 #sewover60 #memade #sewistsofinstagram #diywardrobe #custommade #imakemyownclothes #nzsews #aucklandsews

Me Made May 2021 days 1&2! I wear self-made clothes every day, so for #memademay2021 I'm going to highlight my favorite parts of each outfit and anything I would change if there is something I dislike. Day 1: Frances Top from Victory Patterns under a York Pinafore from Helen's Closet. 👍I love how put together this outfit feels. 👎I was lazy and didn't hem the sleeves of this top, and it bugs me every time I wear it. I should fix this simple problem! Day 2: Marettimo tee from Boyland Knitworks and cropped Lander Pants from True Bias. 👍 I love both of these pieces and should make another of each 👎 I used a navy zipper on my Landers thinking the zip tape wouldn't be visible but it is and it bugs me.

I’ve been sewing up a little collection of wintery fabrics that can be worn together. Here is the @victorypatterns Frances dress with (1) a floral quilted jacket. I used @theavidseamstress Raglan dress pattern to make this jacket in pre-quilted fabric from @spotlightstores and (2) a @tessutifabrics Verona jacket made in boiled wool from @drapersfabrics. The dress is made in “Boudoir Bouquet” viscose jersey from @minervadotcom #francesdress #francespattern #victorypatternsfrances #victorypatterns #minervabrandambassador #minervamakers #theavidseamstress #theavidseamstressraglan #theavidseamstressraglandress #veronajacket #sewingwithjersey #sewingwithjerseyknit #handmadewardrobe #sewover50 #memade #diywardrobe #custommade #imakemyownclothes #nzsews #aucklandsews

A roundup of the things I stitched up from a little bundle of wintery fabrics in my cabinet. ❄️ Quilted, lined jacket. Adapted from @theavidseamstress Raglan dress. Fabric from @spotlightstores 💙 @victorypatterns Frances dress made in viscose knit from @minervadotcom - “Boudoir Bouquet”. 🦋 @tillybuttons Cleo Pinafore in blue corduroy, also from @minervadotcom Worn with @papercutpatterns Array top in bamboo jersey. 🧵@tessutifabrics Verona jacket in boiled wool from @drapersfabrics #theavidseamstress #theavidseamstressraglandress #victorypatternsfrances #victorypatterns #tillyandthebuttons #tillybuttons #sewingcleo #papercutpatterns #arraytop #handmadewardrobe #sewover50 #sewover60 #memade #sewistsofinstagram #diywardrobe #custommade #imakemyownclothes #nzsews #aucklandsews

Beginning this month's #whalebonestitchclub prompt to consider my body of artistic work by paying attention to the clothes I like to wear. After 5+ years of making a lot of casual clothes (as opposed to concert clothes only), I'm finally at a point where wearing all handmade clothes is more my norm than not. Today's outfit is one of my most-worn: #closetcoremorgan jeans made in 2019ish (I think I bought the denim somewhere in Mile End but honestly don't remember), #harveypullover sweater (I thrifted the yarn for $8! And it's wool! One of my proudest finds ever. Also made about 5 years ago) and a #victorypatternsfrances as an unseen base layer (in lovely stormy blue merino deadstock from @corefabrics , made earlier this winter). I feel good, I look cute, I know where my clothes came from, and they're hard-wearing enough to stand up to life with kids and animals. It's taken some trial and error, but I'm learning how to use my clothing as a tool to feel good in my body and at home in my life. I will always love pretty dresses, but I'm definitely in a sturdy-jeans-and-sweater season of life 👖🧥 (Also pictured, though not to great advantage, is my new favorite sweater: a #latasweater knit at record speed by @anniejacobsperkins . I promise, it's in a heap on the floor because I wear it almost every day.) @whalebonestitch @closetcorepatterns @victorypatterns

Not the most exciting #memademay2020 week - too few proper pictures and there have been a lot of leggings and big woolly jumper days (why was it sooo cold?) - but in the rotation: #bowlinesweater #victorypatternsfrances ; an old Burda twisted jersey balloon(ish) skirt and some black and white dots (obvs)

This is the Frances dress in viscose jersey. I really like this dress. It is such an easy and comfortable dress to wear and I think it looks stylish. There are loads of neckline, length and sleeve options for this dress and top pattern. I made the medium neckline. I added a lining to the bodice because the viscose knit fabric is quite light and also has lots of 4-way stretch. I did not want the bodice to be pulled down by the skirt so my knit lining has very little vertical stretch. It all went together really easily. The pockets are part of the skirt pattern piece - so clever. Sizing note: I received this @victorypatterns pattern as part of an online magazine subscription. The sizing range is limited. The @sewliberated Stasia dress and tee have a very similar look with a size 0-34 range. The Stitch Sisters reviewed this pattern on their YouTube channel and provided lots of details about the dress options. I picked up this fabric from @backstreetbargains #francesdress #francespattern #victorypatternsfrances #victorypatterns #backstreetbargains #sewingwithjersey #sewingwithjerseyknit #handmadewardrobe #sewover50 #memade #diywardrobe #custommade #imakemyownclothes #nzsews #aucklandsews

Finally got around to making the Tula shorts by Papercut Patterns. I also tested out the cropped view of the Victory Patterns Frances with the low scoop back. Next time I will lengthen the top a couple of inches. The shorts are basically perfection. 💯 #tulashorts #papercutpatterns #victorypatternsfrances #francespattern #isewmyownclothes #asianswhosew #shortsewists #handmadewardrobe #pdf4papercutsupport #indiesewingpattern