I'm having a bit of a love affair with this fabric at the moment and amidst the mayhem of wedding dresses in the studio decided that life couldn't...
Tips and tutorials
Occasionally we think of intelligent things to tell you, or we are bursting with excitement over a latest project. You will find them here, our ‘snippets from the studio’.
My favourite shirt (and some tips on getting sharp corners on collars)
You know what it's like when you've got a favourite garment? The fit's just right, the colours go with everything, and the fabric has that lovely...
Grey Blanket Coat
Two winters ago I cut out a coat in some beautiful grey wool that I bought in Ditto, but time was not on my side and Spring had sprung (twice)...
Unpicking – oh joy!
Unpicking is unfortunately an inevitable part of dressmaking. However carefully you've placed your pins or even tacked a seam, at some point you'll...
Little Liberty pattern weights
If you use a lot of commercial sewing patterns then like me you probably get frustrated that every time you move around your work, the pattern paper...
Short fringe shawl
I was out shopping and spotted this beautiful wool/cashmere mix in Ditto. I knew it wasn't a good idea for me to make a garment (such a fine, loose...
Tutorial – Shortening a mitred cuff
This is a fairly common alteration but a little time consuming and quite fiddly. Having said that if you have a beautiful jacket but the sleeves are...
Little Leather Clutch
I recently purchased a walking foot for my sewing machine. Without being over dramatic IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE! There are certain materials that can...
Silk Pyjamas
I've had this piece of fabric for years and always imagined that it would become a Maxi dress, but when I held it up in front of the mirror I felt...
Rouleau Button Loops
Over the years I have been lucky enough to make many dresses for really fantastic clients. In 2011 on a very rainy February day, Angelina wed Jo,...
Spring smock
Last week I popped into Ditto to have a look at the new season fabrics, and totally fell for this beautiful vintage looking viscose crepe. Not sure...
Tips for working with Silk
Inspired by the silk nightdresses on last weeks 'Great British Sewing Bee', Ditto Fabrics in Brighton asked me to guest on their blog, and write a...