Bonus project! Quick pencil skirt. McCall's Sewing pattern 7631

When Minerva kindly gave me 2m of suiting fabric for a project, I decided to use it to build up my work wardrobe, making a Tilly and the Buttons Megan dress with contrast sleeves. Luckily there was enough fabric left over to make a skirt as well. The fabric is perfect for work, being substantial enough not to need lining and not creasing either, so I was pretty glad to be able to get another item from the 2m. It's brilliant value too by the way (currently only £3.99 per metre).

Tilly and the Buttons Love at First Stitch Megan dress with long sleeves

With lots of businesses arranging for people to work from home, there is a distinct lack of smart work wear available to buy lately. I still need it though! (Key worker, front line services, need to look professional). Luckily enough, I can make what I need! Suiting fabric like this poly viscose blend are perfect because they have a good weight to them, don't crease easily and don't need a lot of looking after. I had considered tailored trousers but felt that a dress would be more comfortable in the long run.

We Are Knitters Stomp Sweater Kit review with knit in the round hack

 

I started knitting with kits from We Are Knitters because I knew that in that one pack, I would have all the right tools for making the project I had selected. They have a range of kits available, ranging in difficulty from the beginner level I had picked to other advanced levels that I liked the look of. I had liked the Stomp Sweater from the moment I first looked at the site and bought it fairly soon after my first kits, but it's taken a while for me to get round to making it. One of the reasons was that I was reticent to knit a garment that was in pieces as I prefer to knit in the round, but now I've figured out how to adapt the pattern and I'm really glad I did!

Kaste dress from Breaking the Pattern by Named Patterns

I almost chose not to blog this make. It has taken me so long to complete that I wondered if I would be able to talk purposefully enough about it in case anyone else fancied it for themselves. but it is beautifully uncomplicated to wear. Also, I feel that it deserves a bit of attention as the pattern I see mentioned most from this book is the Solina dress (which was also my first stop), and this is an interesting design too, so here we go! I did make a few alterations so this isn't quite true to pattern, but I am happy with the final result (even if it did end up in my wip box for a while!)

Tilly and the Buttons Freya sweater three ways

I've had a bit of a binge on this one pattern lately, and all in this dark red colour too! It all started with the intention to make a cosy sweater dress. Some bad luck later (more to come on that) I had one sweater and ideas for the other 1.5m length of knit fabric in the stash. I have a definite favourite to wear, mainly because of the fabric, but love all three styles.

Tilly and the Buttons Ness Skirt

I was lucky enough to be gifted indigo stretch denim by my lovely auntie last year for my birthday. I managed to make the jeans that I originally was looking for fabric for earlier this year, using the Ultimate Trousers pattern . There was a fair bit left over and I have needed a new denim skirt to wear in winter for a while, so I sought out the Ness pattern. There are many, many skirt patterns available, but I particularly liked that this was designed with denim in mind - details like the yoke and topstitching were what I was looking for. I knew as well that as a Tilly and the Buttons pattern, I could rely on it to be straightforward and easy too.

It was  - I love this pattern!