Peppermint Pocket Skirt Sewing Pattern Review

I've been meaning to sew the Peppermint Pocket Skirt for a while, and the #SewFrugal challenge hosted by Sam @frugalisama and Ruan @theyorkshiresewgirl seemed like a good opportunity to give it a try.

The idea of the #SewFrugal challenge is to make a free sewing pattern using fabric from your stash. I have some sizeable pieces of fabric left over from other projects, so that gave me a second good reason to join in. The fabric I've used for my skirt is some Ankara fabric that I had left from a coordinating top and trousers set that I made last year, and it originally came from Ankara Shop.

If you're not familiar with the sewing patterns from Peppermint magazine, I'd definitely recommend checking them out - there's a whole library of them here. All of the patterns are produced in collaboration with various indie pattern designers and they're available to download for free, with the option to make a voluntary contribution if you are able to. 

The Pocket Skirt was designed by Tara Viggo of Paper Theory. It's a relaxed midi-length skirt with a gathered, elasticated waist and oversized panel pockets, and is available in waist/hip sizes from 24"/34" to 47.5"/57.5".

Sewing the skirt was no problem at all. It's a fairly simple construction, and the instructions were good.  One point I would mention is that I added a couple of extra millimetres when folding the top of the skirt over to form the waistband - if you follow the instructions exactly I think it would be a bit of a battle to feed the elastic through (they have you fold a 4cm waistband and sew it down 2-3mm from the edge, when you're meant to use 38mm elastic). It does literally only need an extra millimetre or two though. Other than that I just followed the instructions.

One point to note - this is one of those patterns where you definitely need to mark the notches. You'll need them on the upper and lower side panel pieces in particular because they're used to make the pockets.

I made a size 16 as is recommended for my measurements, and the fit is good. Having said that, the fit is mainly just based on the length of elastic that you use in the waistband so that isn't much of a surprise! In case it helps to know - my skirt is the length that the pattern intends and I'm about 5'9".

I really like how my Peppermint Pocket Skirt turned out, and I can definitely see myself making more. My only slight disappointment is that I was hoping this would be a year-round kind of skirt but the fabric clings to tights terribly (as you might be able to see in some of these photos!) so it'll have to be kept for bare-leg weather. Never mind - that's only a small hardship really isn't it?!

Waves & Wild Superstar Bra

I've tried making a bra before and it wasn't very successful - I didn't particularly enjoy the process, and the end result wasn't brilliant. I was quite content not to get sucked into the world of lingerie sewing, but when Waves & Wild released the Superstar bra it looked like it would be easy to sew and comfy to wear so I was tempted to give bra making another try!

The Superstar bra is a lounge bra with crossover back and three band options (regular jersey, cropped top jersey and elastic). It's for high bust sizes between 28" and 52", and has cup sizes A to H.

It can be made using just jersey fabric (with options to add clear elastic or sew in cups if you want), which appealed to me for two reasons; firstly it meant I could potentially make it using jersey left over from other projects without the need to buy lots of extra notions. Secondly, it was all the little rings, sliders and various types of elastic that made me not enjoy my first bra making experience - I don't like sewing fiddly things!

The instructions for the pattern are really good - they're clear, easy to follow and contain just the right amount of detail. They also provide good information on picking a size and on possible fitting adjustments. 

I found the process of making the bra fairly simple, and didn't have any problems.

In terms of sizing, my high bust measurement is 36.5" and my full bust is just over 39" so I made the size L in a C cup. 

I lengthened the straps because I almost always have to lengthen tops as I'm slightly taller than average. I decided to add 1.5" because I usually have to lengthen patterns by somewhere between 1 and 2 inches, and I was intending this version to be a wearable toile so I was happy to experiment a bit.

Thankfully the experimenting worked out well and I'm really happy with the fit.

The main fabric I used is some cotton jersey that I had left over from making some Juno pyjamas a while ago - I don't think they ever made it to my blog, but they're on my Instagram here. The bra is lined, and my lining fabric was some slightly thinner cotton jersey, also left over from another project.

Having worn the Superstar bra a couple of times, I'm happy to report that it's really comfy! As it's designed to be a lounge bra, it's not as supportive as a "proper" bra might be, but I found it's perfectly fine for my not-very-large bust for daily life.

I'm really pleased that I gave bra making another try with the Superstar bra, and I can definitely see myself making more. If you fancy giving the pattern a try yourself and happen to be reading this in the next few days after I post this, now would be a really good time to treat yourself to the pattern because Waves & Wild have a 50% off birthday sale running - grab yourself a bargain!

Sabina Skirt - Free Sewing Pattern Review

Who doesn't love a freebie? Particularly if that freebie is a super detailed sewing pattern for a really pretty skirt! In case you haven't seen already, Rumana of The Little Pomegranate offers her blog subscribers the lovely Sabina skirt pattern for free - and I for one couldn't resist such a generous treat!

Sabina is a gathered skirt that sits on the waist, with an elasticated waistband and gentle shaping at the hips. It has roomy pockets and a pretty ruffle hem. 

It comes in sizes from waist 25"/hips 34.5" to waist 51.5"/hips 61".

This may be a free sewing pattern, but you wouldn't know that from the effort and attention to detail that have obviously gone into it. It's just as good as (if not better than!) many paid-for patterns. The instructions are excellent - they're really detailed, very clear and provide explanations of any sewing-specific terms along the way. 

I think it would probably be a really good pattern for beginners as long as you picked a stable fabric, as detailed in the fabric recommendations for the pattern. If you're more experienced, it's a nice simple pattern to sew and looks lovely in a drapey fabric.

The skirt is also really easy to fit. Basically, all you need to do is to make sure you cut the right length of elastic and you're pretty much sorted! On that note, I'd definitely recommend checking how much the elastic you're using stretches when you're cutting it to size - some definitely stretch more than others in my experience.

I made the size recommended for my measurements and it turned out nicely. I didn't make any alterations, so this is the length as it is in the pattern - for reference I'm about 5'9".

The fabric I used for my Sabina skirt is a pretty viscose from Like Sew Amazing - it's still in stock here, and the same print is also available in a teal colourway. It's a lovely drapey viscose, and works really well for this pattern. And happily the colours in the print go really nicely with the jumper that I'm wearing here that I knitted last year.

I'm really pleased with how my Sabina skirt turned out - it was fun to make, and it's lovely and swishy to wear. That did mean that it wasn't the easiest garment to take photos of on a breezy day, but that's not a major hardship! I can definitely see myself making more versions of Sabina in the future, and would heartily recommend giving it a try. A big thank you to Rumana for a lovely pattern!

Simplicity 9380 Dress

If anyone fancies a fun new jersey dress, the pattern that I have to share with you today could be just what you're looking for! It's Simplicity 9380 - I picked up the pattern in the Sew Direct Black Friday sale at the end of last year, and have been looking forward to making it ever since.

Simplicity 9380 is a pullover sweatshirt dress with high-low, straight and tiered skirt variations, and options for long regular or gathered elastic cuff sleeves. You can also choose between a hooded version or a regular neckband. I chose the high-low hem, regular sleeves and neckband (a mixture of views A and B).

It's available in sizes up to bust 46", waist 39", hip 48".

The instructions for this pattern are quite good. They weren't quite as in-depth as some indie patterns would be, but I felt like they were more detailed than commercial patterns often are. 

The dress is also fairly simple to sew, so as long as you're happy sewing with stretch fabrics then I wouldn't think you'd have too many problems making this pattern.

I would say that the sizing is generous. I made a medium - my bust measurement is just slightly over the top for the medium range (but below the large), and my waist and hip measurements are firmly in the large range but the medium fits me fine with room to spare. I'd definitely recommend looking at the finished garment measurements (on the pattern paper) to see what size will work best for you - particularly if your measurements fall towards the bottom of a size.

I made my usual adjustment of lengthening the pattern - I added 2 inches to the bodice and an inch to the skirt. 

If I were to make the pattern again using the regular sleeves, I'd either slim down the sleeves or shorten them a bit - I think they're meant to have a bit of a slouchy look, but my wrists are proportionately quite slim so the sleeves have a tendency to fall down over my hands. I might go back and adjust the sleeve hem - I'll see how I feel when I've worn it a bit more.

I'd possibly also make the neckband a little wider - it's quite narrow as it is. Part of me likes that, but part of me thinks a wider neckband would be a little better around the back of the neck in particular - it feels a little low there (but not low enough to put me off wearing this version!).

The fabric that I used is a brushed French terry from Jelly Fabrics (no longer in stock). It's a lovely print, was great to work with and it's so cosy to wear. I think it was a really good choice for this pattern.

All in all, I'm a big fan of my Simplicity 9380. It's definite secret pyjama territory - it's so comfy and cosy to wear. It was also a nice simple pattern to sew, and I can easily see myself making it again. I'll have to keep my eye out for some more lovely fabric!

Tilly & The Buttons Nora Top

Hello there! It's been a little while since my last post, hasn't it? Things tend to get a bit quiet on my blog towards the end of a year because I'm busy making Christmas presents that need to be kept secret. But now the gifts have all been given, we're into a new year and I have a project to share with you - the Tilly & The Buttons Nora top.

Nora is a modern, boxy t-shirt or sweater with drop shoulders and wide sleeves. It has options for a high neck or regular neckband, and you can also choose between short, elbow-length or extra-long sleeves as well as a long hemline or a cropped and stepped deep hem with side splits. Plenty of variations to play with! 

I opted for the high neck, extra-long sleeves (more on that later...) and cropped and stepped hem.

The pattern is fairly simple to sew and has excellent instructions. I didn't have any trouble when I was making my Nora, and it was finished within a couple of hours. The boxy shape also means that you probably won't need to worry as much about fitting as you might with more figure-hugging silhouettes as this is a fairly forgiving style.

The pattern is available in UK sizes 6-20 (bust sizes 30" to 44"), however there is quite a lot of ease in the pattern so it might work for slightly larger bust sizes too. I went a size down (my measurements put me in Tilly's size 5, but I made a 4) and there's still plenty of room for me.

In addition to sizing down, I also lengthened the pattern. This is a common adjustment for me because I'm 5'9". I added my standard 1" to the length, but probably should have added a bit more - if I'd followed the instructions it would have ended up just a bit too cropped for my liking (you don't want to have a sweater that's supposed to keep you warm but actually exposes your middle!). As the pattern instructions mention, the hem for Nora is quite deep (7 cm), so I just made mine a bit shallower (4.5 cm) to give myself some extra length. So in total my Nora is about 7cm/almost 3" longer than the length out of the packet.

Along with lengthening the bodice section of the top, I should have lengthened the sleeves too. I like the look of the extra-long, wide sleeves, but even if I'd have used a smaller sleeve hem than the pattern intended, the sleeves would have ended up a length that just didn't look quite right on me when combined with the wide shape. I decided to solve the problem by cutting a couple of centimetres off the end of the sleeve, then using a 3cm hem and inserting 2cm-wide elastic (just a touch longer than my wrist measurement) to cinch the ends of the sleeves in a bit. I really like the effect, and I think it'll make the sleeves much more practical for me.

I'd also recommend you consider the length of the high neck piece. I have a large head, and my fabric wasn't super stretchy so I added a couple of centimetres to the neck piece - I'm glad I did because I can just get it over my head now. The neck is quite high, but that makes it nice and cosy. It also looks good folded down in half as I've done in some of these photos.

The fabric I used for my Nora is a sweatshirt fleece from Fabric Godmother - although it's currently out of stock. The colours are lovely and bright and the fabric itself is nice and warm so it's the perfect choice for keeping me cheerful and cosy during a chilly January!

All in all, I'm really pleased with how my Nora top turned out. It's nice to start the year with a successful project, and I'll have to explore some of the other options in the pattern at some point - a t-shirt version would definitely be fun for the summer!