My Tilly and The Buttons Megan Dress and My Bowling Shirt.

Lockdown 2020: 

Experiencing fresh excitement, exploring a new hobby and learning a new skill; while it's lots of fun watching other people doing their favourite craft, I can definitely recommend immersing yourself in doing something new. For me, it didn't matter that by November I was on furlough and that I couldn't meet up with a friend for a chat. I had a new focus and the rest wasn't important. 

My sister gave me a lovely book for my birthday. It's called Love at First Stitch. 

   

by Tilly Walnes, also known as Tilly and the Buttons.

This is the first Tilly and The Buttons pattern I made from the book: The Megan Dress.

Before attempting this, I watched lots of YouTube videos on various sewing subjects, but my favourite were those where people showed their versions of the dress, not necessarily how to make it.

I measured myself and saw that the size 6 is really close to my actual size. I bought some really cheap fabric with a view to making a wearable toile. I traced and cut out the pattern and followed the book. The only adjustment I ended up making was to take it in in the back seam where the zip is placed. For some reason, the side seams and darts were all in the right places, it was just a bit more spacious than I wanted. I like fairly fitted styles that have a proper waist.

I had never made an item of clothing with a separate bodice before. Also, I had never made tucks instead of darts either. The instructions were easy, the pictures were good and the bodice darts lined up well with the skirt darts. I like the dress so much that I intend to make another one, maybe in a soft stretch fabric. Tilly has a lovely chatty way of writing, which I like.

As you can see, I made the seam at the back wider where I took it in and I used my overlocker to neaten the seams. I also used the blind hem foot attachment (see below) to sew the hems. You can hardly even see the stitches from the outside, even up close. I wanted an overlocker, as the only two stretch stitches on my really old entry-level machine, which I bought in about 1998, are zigzag and twin stitch with a twin needle. It doesn't have a lightning stitch. 

This is the Bowling Shirt I made from  Sew Your Own Wardrobe

This is the first button up item of clothing I have ever made. Also my first collar. I think I am prepared to try a proper collar soon.

These are the first buttonholes I have sewn. I was really pleased at how straight they are, considering my machine has a 4 step buttonhole.

I can't remember exactly where I bought this fabric. Its polycotton and I am pretty sure it was in the clearance section. I also bought some Mixed Buttons. I didn't like the fabric colour on me - it didn't look quite the same as the online picture, so I used some remnants from another project for the collar - at least the colour that doesn't suit me so well isn't against my skin.

Please look out for my YouTube Channel. It's my first video - let me know what you think. I am a beginner at sewing, so I welcome any tips or tricks you may have.

Sew And Everything Else. on YouTube