This weeks Crafty Bloggers' Club post is from Steff.  You can find more of her makes on Instagram @steffleeartist 

Hi!  I’m an artist based in Leicester, making animation and illustration as my day job and then getting creative and crafty in my spare time with painting, sewing and making :)

I’ve loved sewing since I was a kid and have always enjoyed making small hand-sewn projects and crafts. A few years ago I decided I wanted to learn to make my own clothes and Crafty Sew & So provided the perfect workshops to get me started. I treated myself to my own machine but struggled to find the time to work on any larger projects at home.

The lockdown gave me the opportunity I’d been looking for and after making lots of face masks I was ready to get back into stitching clothes. I love making things to wear, those items always feel extra special to me and I feel great when I’m wearing something I’ve made myself. I find the process is a bit like a puzzle and my favourite bit is the point where all the little shapes you’ve cut out, pinned and stitched all come together and transform into REAL CLOTHES! It feels like magic. :)

I was really excited when Sarah asked me to try out the Crafty Sew & So beginners pattern - The Pintuck Cami.  It was the first proper clothing pattern I have worked with completely on my own and I love the fruity lemon fabric. It came with a PDF pattern containing easy-to-follow assembly instructions. I found it quite therapeutic to stick all the pieces together. I was nervous placing and cutting the pattern - it had been a while since the beginner workshops, so I found myself a bit confused and stressed by the lay plan. However, Sarah was on hand to point me in the right direction and I had my DK Sewing Book on the side for reference.  As soon as I made those first snips I was on my way and loved seeing each piece emerge. This pattern also gave me the chance to overcast with the zig-zag stitch which was something I hadn’t tried on my machine before.

When I first opened the pattern I wasn’t even sure what a pintuck was, or where to start with it. But there was a super helpful post on the Crafty blog which took me through the process step by step. The first few I made were a little wonky, but I soon got into it and think the end result looks really cute.

I made the size S which fitted great across my body. The straps were a little loose, but I often have this problem with clothes, so next time I’ll make them a bit shorter. The top hangs really nicely and is very comfy - in this cotton fabric it would be perfect as a PJ top, but in a viscose fabric it could also work really well as a top on a summer day.

Having made the pyjama shorts in a previous workshop, I felt confident enough to make myself a new lemony pair to match. I’m so pleased with the end results, just gutted the weather is so unsettled! 

I’m thinking my next project needs to be a pair of long PJ bottoms to match my new cute top :)

Thanks for reading.  Happy sewing!

Steff x

“Crafty Bloggers' Club Contributors are given products and materials to test from Crafty Sew & So. We hope you enjoy their honest and impartial reviews of the products. All opinions are their own.”