Top 5 Favourite Makes of 2020

With all the strange events that this year has brought, a positive has come in the form of more sewing time. Whilst I can't say that spending six months stuck at home is something that I'd like to repeat, it did give me a lot of sewing time! Some of the projects that I've made this year are things that I know I'll love and wear for years to come. Here are 5 favourite makes, although narrowing it down was a challenge!

I'm kind of cheating to start with because this is technically two makes, but I couldn't choose between my Lander Pants! Having had this pattern for a while, I finally made a pair at the start of 2020 and it's my new favourite pattern, definitely the best-fitting trouser pattern that I've ever used. The gingham Lander Pants pictured above turned out so well and I really love them.

I wanted to include my black Landers too because I've worn them so much this year. They're not quite as exciting as the gingham ones but I love the classic look of them and really enjoy wearing them. I haven't been able to wear my gingham ones quite as much as I made them towards the end of summer but I'm looking forward to wearing those next year.

This zip-neck top is special as it's made from one of my fabrics from Tokyo. I'm proud of how well this top turned out, the zip especially. It also feels very me, and alongside this jumper I'm pleased to have conquered zip-necks!

I wanted to include this top too as, like the red one, it feels very me. This top is a copy of a navy one that I made last year and I love how it turned out. The fabric is also really lovely and makes the top what it is.

I'm not much of a dress person but I really wanted to make myself a summer dress to wear this year. After watching the Sewing Bee I decided to make this black floral Shelby Dress. I'm so happy with how it looks and loved wearing it during the summer.

Finally, I had to include my black joggers because that's what I've really been wearing in 2020! Lockdown made me realise that I needed another pair of joggers and I enjoy wearing these so much. I especially like the cuff which I'd like to add onto another pair too.

I love all of these makes and also a lot of the others that I haven't added to this list. Next year I'd like to make even more pairs of trousers, definitely some more joggers and maybe even more Landers! If you're interested, here were my top 5 favourite makes in 2019, 2018 and 2017.

As always thank you for following along with my sewing this year, see you in 2021!

2020 Sew Down

Another year of sewing, another round-up of makes! This year more than ever sewing has provided a wonderful escape in light of current events and times of stress. I've enjoyed every project and have managed to make some clothes that I really love.

Proudest make: I've only ever included dressmaking projects in this category so far but this year my favourite make has been my English Paper Piecing quilt. I'm so proud of it and I love both the process of making it and also how it looks. It's not finished yet, but you can find my most recent update here and previous updates here, here and here.

Proudest make: In terms of dressmaking, my proudest make this year is probably my sherpa jacket. Because I made it right at the start of the year I'd forgotten that it was a 2020 make, I've worn it so much this year and I really love it. It looks so professional, I'm so proud of the lining and details like the zip.

Most worn make: It's hard to know which make from this year I've actually worn the most but my black joggers are definitely one of them. Despite making them towards the end of the year I have worn them so much.

Least worn make: I realised when choosing a make for this category that I've actually been really good at sewing items of clothing that I've worn a lot this year. I haven't really worn this top though, purely because the fabric isn't very 'me'. 

Most unexpected make: This has got to be making scrubs! Never did I expect to sew a pair of scrubs, but covid had other ideas. My mum joked the other day that this is by far her most worn item of clothing that I've ever made her! I did also make her another scrub top out of a lovely chambray fabric once we were able to go out and buy fabric again, although I haven't blogged that one.

Last year's favourite: Definitely my gingham Anima Pants, I love these so much and have worn them loads. Other makes from the past that I've worn lots this year include my grey joggers, this linden and this t-shirt.

Favourite make for others: I finally made my auntie an item of clothing this year and I'm so proud of it.   I really focused on the details of this blouse and I think she really likes it too. 

Most used pattern: I've made 3 pairs of Lander Pants this year - my black denim ones, gingham ones and a cream needlecord pair that I'm currently making. It's definitely been my favourite pattern of 2020 and I'm looking forward to using it again next year.

Favourite fabric shop: This is obviously a tricky category to answer this year as I haven't been able to visit a lot of fabric shops! I wanted to include an online fabric shop instead that I've enjoyed working with this year - my viscose skirt and black hoodie made with fabrics from Fabrics For All are some of my favourite makes this year.

Favourite fabric: I've loved making things from viscose fabric this year, especially my Shelby Dress. This black floral viscose fabric was exactly what I had in mind and I love how it looks.

Most exciting sewing event: This year I started selling hand-decorated sewing boxes on Etsy! It's been such a fun venture and I have loved making these and sending them off. You can find them here.

Pink Zip-neck Jumper

I'm very excited to write about this make because I love it so, so much! It's basically the jumper that I've had on my mind for at least two years now, and I've finally managed to make a version that's just right. 

If this jumper looks familiar, it's because it kind of is. Back at the start of this year I made myself this jumper out of the same pink fabric. I liked the style of the jumper but I just didn't really like the end result, the main reason being that the zip insertion looked a bit strange. I tried wearing that top a few times but I just wasn't really happy with it, so it stayed in my wardrobe. A few weeks ago, I decided that as I wasn't wearing the top at all I might as well pick it apart and try and remake it. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make it any better, but I thought it was worth a try.

I'm so happy I gave it another go because this version turned out so well! Luckily I had a bit of fabric leftover which, combined with the pieces I got from unpicking the old jumper, was just enough to remake it. Because I had less fabric to work with I had to change the style a bit, so this jumper isn't as loose as the other one but I definitely prefer this look. The main thing that I knew had to change was the neck because that's what was bothering me about the first jumper. So for this one, the zip is inserted into a turtleneck style top which worked so much better than the collar of the other one. I thought this would be a better technique after the success of my zip-neck Freya top, and it is definitely lying more flat.

After the neck, I didn't really have enough fabric to make any major changes. In changing from a normal shoulder to a raglan sleeve top I ended up using a lot of fabric on the sleeves and was slightly worried there wouldn't be enough. To get around this I added in a seam halfway down the sleeve. I then chose to replicate the added seam effect by putting in another seam down the centre of the lower half of the sleeve - I cannot emphasise enough how much I love this detail! The gathered sleeves on the first top were a really nice feature so I'm glad I didn't have to lose the statement sleeves. Topstitched seams also show up so well with this fabric.

My main focus on this top was the neckline, and I'm very pleased with how smoothly the zip went it. I tend to wear this top with the zip partially undone but it looks really nice done up too for a cosier feel. This fabric so soft and cosy, like the fabric for this jumper it's a fleece-backed sweatshirt which is perfect for this time of year. 

I'm so happy with this make, I feel like it's a style I've been wanting to create for ages and now that I've finally cracked it I can make lots more. I'd definitely like to make a plain black version with a contrast zip. To finish off this jumper I added a hem band, I had just enough fabric left and I think it's the perfect finish. Once again I was able to add topstitching to tie it all together.

Handmade Forest Green Jumper

I've liked the colour forest green for so long that it seems crazy to me that this is the first item of clothing that I own in that colour. It wasn't hard choosing this fabric from the Minerva website as it's exactly the colour that I had in mind and I love cotton jersey. Deciding what to make out of the fabric once it arrived proved to be a much harder decision as I think it would have looked good as pretty much any style of top.

In the end, I decided to make a jumper - it's such a great item of loungewear. Because it's new it feels more put together than a hoodie, but it's also really comfy. I'm living in joggers at the moment but I think it will look really nice worn with jeans too in the autumn/winter months. I made the jumper really oversized with dropped shoulders, adding to the comfort. Cotton jersey isn't really typical for jumpers so I added cuffs to make it look less like a top, a hem-band would also reinforce this although I just left the hem raw. I like how the raw hem rolls up and it's obviously a really quick and easy finish.

To finish off the top, I added an Eiffel Tower patch to it. I thought the plain top needed a little something extra and this was the perfect addition. You may recognise the patch from a top that I made a few years ago - this simple grey t-shirt. I wore that top so much and was really disappointed when it no longer fit, but I'm glad that I got to reuse the patch. I bought it on my first trip to Frou-Frou in Paris.

You can head over to my profile on the new Minerva website to read more

Handmade Boxy Placket Collar Jumper

 

My goal when it comes to making clothes is always to make something wearable. For me, that's pieces like joggers, trousers, t-shirts and jumpers. Wearable doesn't have to mean boring though, and I am a big fan of making basic garments with a twist. This jumper is the perfect combination of something easy to wear, but with interesting design details that made sewing it enjoyable.

I love sewing with stretch fabrics and I wear plain fabrics the most, so this grey French Terry from Bobbins and Buttons was the perfect fabric! I own quite a few grey jumpers already but they are definitely my most worn items of clothing, especially at this time of year. I know from personal experience that sewing t-shirts and dresses in the Autumn and Winter is not fun because they can't be worn for ages, so my sewing at this time of year tends to gravitate quite heavily towards jumpers! For this project, I was able to create something that I've had in my mind for a while. I really like the look of jumpers with placket collars and I wanted to try and make one, it's a style that I can see myself wearing a lot. 

The jumper definitely turned out quite oversized and boxy, but it was the look I was going for and I think the proportions work well together. It also makes it really comfy to wear! The sleeves are wide at the top but taper down to the cuff so they don't get in the way. Although I made my jumper cropped and boxy you could definitely add a placket collar to a more fitted jumper and I've recently made a placket t-shirt.

In order to add a placket collar like this one onto an existing jumper pattern, you'd need to create a collar that fits around the circumference of the neckline. Alternatively, you could keep the neckband and just add in a placket. I've made several placket tops (I'm not sure why, I just really like them!) and have found this tutorial to be really helpful. With this jumper, I veered off track slightly and was worried the placket had gone completely wrong but the next day was able to come back and rectify it. A lighter-weight knit like a French Terry is a good fabric to use when sewing details like a placket as it's fairly forgiving and not too bulky.

As a last-minute decision, I decided to add some jazzy cuffs! I bought this Albstoffe cuff ribbing so long ago and never seemed to find the right project for it. I wasn't sure if I should add it this jumper in case it limited what I could wear it with, but I'm so pleased I did! I love the pop of colour and it makes this jumper feel so much more special. Cuffing fabrics are quite hard to come by, but Bobbins and Buttons have two lovely navy versions here and here which I really like.

I'm really pleased with how this jumper turned out, it definitely fits the vision I had in mind. I also love making things that I know I'll get a lot of wear out of. The combination of this jumper with the black joggers I made recently is the ultimate comfy loungewear outfit!

Navy Sweatshirt with Red and Grey Stripes

It feels pointless to make dresses or even t-shirts in the autumn and winter as it's just too cold for me to wear them, so I've been trying to make items of clothing that are warm. Because of this, I've found myself gravitating towards sweatshirting fabrics which are just so soft to wear and sew with that it's going to be a while before I want to sew with any other kind of fabric again!

When I was planning what I wanted to make next, I knew that the only thing I actually want to wear at the moment is a jumper that feels comfy and warm to wear. Determined to make myself a perfect jumper, I started looking online at sweatshirt fabrics and found exactly what I had in mind at Fabrics for All. They have a large range of different sweatshirting fabrics but I kept being drawn to the fleece-lined ones which I decided would fit my brief of warm and comfy perfectly! I liked the idea of using a plain colour which I could then get a lot of wear out of but didn't want the jumper to look too dull. The design actually came together perfectly once I saw that there were three colours in the fleece-lined sweatshirt range and I decided to use the navy as the main colour of the jumper, with red and grey as accents.

I was expecting the fabrics to be soft, but the level of cosiness when they arrived was even better than what I'd hoped for! The wrong side of the fabric is fleece-lined, making it super soft and nice to wear. It's also heavyweight, making it ideal for a jumper. I've found it so tricky to find fabrics that are thick enough to make jumpers out of so I'm really pleased to have found these. There's nothing worse than making a jumper to wear in winter but finding that the fabric is too thin to actually be able to wear it.

The stripe was so simple to do but completely makes the jumper and it's definitely something I'd like to do again. I spent a while deciding on the widths and placement, in the end I went for 1.5" for the red and 1" for the grey. My main advice for doing this would be to use fabrics which are all the same weight, as I mentioned before the fleece-backed sweatshirting fabric that I used came in three different colourways which was perfect.

When it came to choosing the style of the jumper I knew from the start that I wanted a long, relaxed fit. I enjoy wearing and making more cropped jumpers like this white hoodie and this purple Linden, but when it's cold I want something a bit warmer. Also, a relaxed jumper like this one is ideal for throwing on without having to think about how it looks! With my new jumper, I'm essentially replacing this navy Linden jumper that I made a few years ago. I really loved it and wore it so much but it's a bit worn out now and shrunk a little in the wash. I considered making another Linden but decided against raglan sleeves as I wanted to add in the stripes. The design I came up with in the end was also a bit looser than the Linden is, making it really comfortable.

Hand-decorated Sewing Boxes

 

I can't believe I'm writing this - I've opened an Etsy shop! This is something that I've put off doing for a long time but I've now taken the plunge to launch it. On it you can find sewing boxes, designed and decorated by me.  

The thing with a hobby like sewing is that you end up with a lot of stuff. My sewing space is always scattered with notions like zips, buttons, ribbons and thread. I like to store all these accessories in boxes and drawers that actually look nice, so I decided to decorate some.

The bottom section of each box is painted and the top features a panel from a sewing pattern. I love the two together, they definitely provide something that is practical as well as looking lovely.

The boxes measure 16x16x7cm and are ideal for storing sewing notions. I use mine to store pattern weights, spare sewing machine needles, zips and basically any other sewing notions that need a storage space! They would also be ideal for storing fat quarters of fabric or English paper piecing tools.

These would make a lovely gift for anyone who loves to sew, especially filled with fabric or a handmade present.

I hope you like these boxes! If you'd like to buy one, you can do so on my Etsy shop. I've really enjoyed both making and using them and love the thought of others using them too.

Fibre Mood Norma Blouse

Keeping with my custom of dragging reluctant family members around fabric shops when I'm on holiday, my auntie and I visited Le Marché Saint-Pierre together. It's one of my favourite shops in Paris' fabric district, a few years ago I bought the fabric to make this skirt and this dungaree dress from there. On my most recent trip, I bought a gorgeous grey and white gingham fabric which I used to make a pair of Lander Pants. It's a really big shop with about four floors and we found a lovely selection of floral cotton prints on one of the floors. I offered to make my auntie a blouse out of one of the fabrics, and after hesitating between this fabric and one with blue, purple and pink fabrics we left the shop with 1.5m of floral cotton as well as the gingham.

What really made this blouse come together was the fact that we'd been to Rouje the previous day admired their collection of blouses. They really do have the most lovely ready-to-wear clothing, but it's also very expensive! Judith (my aunt) especially liked the Julie blouse (now out of stock) and when we found this floral cotton print the next day I said I'd try to recreate it. The main features of that blouse we'd seen in Rouje was a v-neck with buttons, gathered sleeves which ended just above the elbow and a small peplum at the hem. I immediately thought of the Fibre Mood Norma Blouse which had the same neck and sleeve details, albeit no peplum. I was initially going to try and add the peplum on, but in the end I decided to just stick with the pattern as I Judith couldn't try it on for size while I was making it.

The sleeves on this pattern are what really sets it apart, I love how they're gathered at the end with a cuff to finish it off.

There was a lot of gathering involved in this make which I don't mind too much but definitely wouldn't have enjoyed if the fabric was heavier weight. Luckily this cotton was perfect gathers and it was a really enjoyable sew. It's also heavy enough to give the sleeves some structure so they stand out when being worn.

In the end, the only adjustment I made was to lengthen the bodice by 4cm which was pretty easy to do. The hardest part about making an item of clothing for others is them not being able to try it on, so I took lots of measurements when I could to compare them to the pattern size chart. 

This was my first time using a Fibre Mood pattern, I purchased it from the Foldline who have a PDF printing service. The best part was that the Foldline added on the seam allowances, it's a bit annoying that Fibre Mood doesn't do that!

Although this wasn't intended to be a birthday present I finished it around the same time as my aunt's birthday, which was a nice coincidence! I really enjoyed making this and would happily make another Norma Blouse, maybe one for myself next time. 

Judith, je te souhaite un bon anniversaire et j'espère que tu aimes ta nouvelle blouse!