September 30, 2013, 4:00 pm
Yoshiko Tsukiori's Happy Homemade Sew Chic was top of my list of Japanese dressmaking books to buy next, so I was tickled pink when Tuttle Publishing sent me a review copy of it in English translation. Wow!
The book contains 20 typical Tsukiori designs to sew. It has the same format as her other dressmaking books (with trace-out paper patterns enclosed in an envelope at the back) but also includes a Basic Sewing Techniques section with clear photographs and instructions, as well as detailed diagrams showing you how to make a paper pattern. I'd say it's ideal for beginners and those new to Japanese sewing books.
I immediately fell in love with pattern C 'Dress with Front Tuck'– a simple A-line tunic with a single front pleat and patch pockets – and thought it would be the perfect pattern to showcase this Painting by Numbers deer print fabric (designed by Erin Michael) bought from Worthing's Eclectic Maker.Happy Homemade suggests finishing the dress with a bias facing at the neckline and armholes but as my chosen fabric is quite thin (and creases easily) I decided to fully line it with a soft cotton material to give the garment extra body. The finished dress hangs beautifully and the cotton lining gives extra warmth making it substantial enough to see me through autumn, into winter and beyond! For step-by-step instructions on lining a sleeveless dress, you can't beat Blithe Stitches ace tutorial.
Once I'd drafted the pattern the dress was quick and simple to sew in an afternoon. There will definitely be more Happy Homemade dresses appearing in my wardrobe in coming months...
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Tucked away at the back of the designs in Yoshiko Tsukiori's Sweet Dress Book is the bell sleeve coat dress (pattern W). It's easily the loveliest garment in the book - a front buttoning A-line coat with fairytale sleeves.
I found the perfect fabled frock coat fabric in this grey linen-look cotton printed with French dressmaking notions (including slightly sinister scissors) at C&H Fabrics in Chichester. They couldn't tell me who produced it and there is no name printed on the selvage but it's similar in design and texture to the Berlin Macaroon fabric I made a dress from last month.
I thought the coat dress would be more like outerwear if I lined it, so used a floral print Japanese cotton which reminds me of the wallpaper in BBC TV's Peaky Blinders and gives the finished coat a charmingly retro feel. The flower-print wooden buttons are from Etsy shop BerryNiceCrafts - well worth a look for button bargains (I've also got my eye on these and these).
The coat has one front patch pocket and by fluke I managed to line up the pattern exactly.
I'm not sure the photos really do the garment justice, it's such a beautiful thing in real life. I wore it to meet friends last week and they all gasped in excitement at the fabric and ever so feminine flounce of the sleeves!
Sweet Dress Book is worth buying for this pattern alone but for added cuteness the book includes an almond cupcake recipe and several pictures of this lilac colourpoint cat.
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October 9, 2013, 11:42 am
I first saw Gudrun Sjödén's clothing in an advertisement in The Guardian some 10 or 11 years ago. The picture showed a handsome woman cutting an elegant silhouette wearing a printed button-front tunic over long layered skirts. The colours were autumnal; greens, ochre and grey-blues, and the print looked like scattered autumn leaves. It was love at first sight. I sent off a postcard requesting a catalogue (these were the days before home broadband internet connections) and my relationship with the Gudrun Sjödén brand began. The clothes looked beautiful with their rich fabrics and bold prints – exactly what I ideally wanted to wear but thought out of reach for me at the time. However, I loved studying the styling in the catalogue's sublime photographs which showed me Gudrun's colourful world. I didn't buy anything for a year or so, continuing to be locked into fast fashion purchasing and not quite adjusted to the idea of sustainable, lasting fashion. When I could resist no longer my first purchase was in one of their winter sales – a soft quilted printed cotton grey jacket (it remains a favourite today and still gets compliments every time I wear it). I was hooked on the quality and craftsmanship and from then on have afforded myself one judicious new Gudrun Sjödén garment a year, supplemented by some great Gudrun Ebay finds. Her clothes are well made and designed to be washed and worn – good quality lasts.
![Celebrating 10 years of wearing Gudrun Sjodén's designs!]( "Celebrating 10 years of wearing Gudrun Sjodén's designs!") |
| Celebrating 10 years of wearing Gudrun Sjodén's designs! |
My appreciation for all things Gudrun Sjödén continues to grow. I visited her store in Malmö, Sweden (a heavenly experience) and eagerly welcomed the arrival of her first UK boutique, joining fans from all over the country in travelling to London for the store opening last year. I was over the moon to win the “Most Colourful Woman in London” competition.
And now I'm giddy with excitement to have been invited to join Gudrun's band of brand ambassadors – women all over the globe who in their own way represent the brand at a grassroots level. It's a huge compliment to be asked and I'm only too happy to continue talking, writing about, wearing her clothes, using her fabrics and generally cheerleading for the company. Pretty much business as usual then at Ivy Arch, but with an added colourful spring in my step!
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October 14, 2013, 3:23 pm
On a crisp, sunny autumn Saturday afternoon we cycled to Broadwater Green to take part in Transition Town Worthing's Sustainable Foraging Walk. Organised by Dr Barbara Pilley-Shaw, the walk was advertised in our school newsletter and invited us to rediscover useful downland and woodland plants in an amble up to the South Downs led by RSPB plant guide, folklore expert and clover muncher Brian Day. Other experts were on hand too, generously giving us a host of botanical and local historical information while we walked in the leafy Sussex countryside. ![Midsummer Oak, Worthing]( "Midsummer Oak, Worthing") |
| The Midsummer Oak – beware dancing skeletons at Midsummer's eve! |
Some 37 like minded people assembled at the Green and more arrived later, joining us along the way. We were all ages (the youngest a 5-week-old baby snuggled up in a sling) and it was a family (and dog) friendly occasion. Worthing historian Chris Hare took us from the Green across busy A roads to a small patch of grass where the Midsummer Oak stands. The tree is said to be over 300 years old and local legend has it that on Midsummer's Eve skeletons rise from the ground and dance around it until dawn. Hare explained that the story was first recorded by folklorist Charlotte Latham in her book Some West Sussex Superstitions Lingering in 1868.
From there we crossed more main roads in busy Saturday afternoon traffic and walked to Hill Barn Recreation Ground – a lovely wide open green space.
![Hill Barn Recreation Ground]( "Hill Barn Recreation Ground") |
| Hill Barn Recreation Ground |
Brian Day led us around the edges exploring trees and hedgerows, with intelligence of which plants were edible or could be used for medicinal purposes illustrated with some eye-watering descriptions of ancient customs. We continued on past the golf course at Hill Barn and up into the Millennium Woods. Walking around the woods Dr Pilley-Shaw helped the children identify and take cuttings of trees (which we'll plant at school). The woods also provided plenty of opportunity for our children to play and they formed a merry group.
![Sustainable Foraging in Sussex Millenium Woods]( "Sustainable Foraging in Sussex Millenium Woods") |
| Foraging in the Millennium Woods |
We walked for a couple of hours and it was a really enjoyable day. I have to admit that we did cheat a little and stuffed a few pieces of chocolate and flapjacks into our pockets to take with us, not quite sure whether foraged leaves and fruits would sustain us. However, I am inspired to boil some nettle leaves at home – one of these days...Top row of cuttings: Spindle, Yew, Ash
Middle row: Field Maple, Hazel, Guelder Rose
Bottom row: Guelder Rose (again), Hawthorne, Hornbeam
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October 22, 2013, 4:21 am
The most frequently made garment from the first Stylish Dress Book has to be the one on the front cover – Dress E. A web image search shows dozens of home sewn versions of this lovely simple smock frock. My favourite is this one by Mariane de Bougre d'Ane. She has lengthened the sleeves, lined the body with an old quilt and sewed a lace trim around the bottom to stunning folkish effect. Inspired to have a go at Dress E myself I thought I'd make a winter version using a piece of plaid suit fabric bought for £4 a metre at Worthing's Wednesday market. I made the sleeves longer to 3/4 length and embellished it with a few different pieces of mix and match brocade trim left over from other sewing projects.
I didn't realise until I tried on the finished dress that the fabric has exactly the same colours as my greying brown hair. Sadly it was the end of the roll, otherwise I'd go and get some more and make an entire hair-coloured outfit!
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October 25, 2013, 4:35 pm
This dress took me two hours to make from start to finish, including fathoming out the Japanese instructions in Yoshiko Tsukiori's Easy Cute Straight Stitch Sewing book and drafting the sewing pattern from scratch.
I'd made a similar Gather One-Piece dress before so knew what to do. The pattern is essentially two rectangle shapes and the trickiest part was drawing a pleasing curve for the neckline – and that's as hard as it got. The sewing diagram is so easy to follow (even in Japanese) with just five simple steps.
I used 2.5 meters of red poly-jersey bought from Worthing's Wednesday market – synthetic stuff but feels soft and silky and it's printed with thousands of tiny stars. I lined the bodice in the same fabric as I thought it would give a smoother neckline and sleeve edge than binding such a stretchy material, this probably took less time than making bias binding too.
This must be the quickest garment I've made since running up skirts out of tie-dye bed sheets as a teenager! It's the perfect dress-make to appease a fast fashion habit but without sweatshop production values.
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October 30, 2013, 3:25 pm
The day after Saint Jude's storm saw calm blue skies with bright puffy clouds over Worthing. I headed up to Highdown with friends to breathe some South Downs air and hike across the breezy hilltop. Our children scrambled through long grass, explored ditches and climbed trees while we marvelled at the splendid views across Worthing and out to sea – blighted only by the sight of a sprawling Asda superstore.
As the air began to chill we gambolled back down the hill to Highdown Tearooms and refuelled with huge glasses of hot chocolate with whipped cream and generous portions of cake before investigating Highdown's chalk gardens. The children disappeared in a game of hide and seek and we could've stayed another hour enjoying the rich autumn colours but were driven out by the sound of a ringing bell warning us that the gardens were about to close.
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October 31, 2013, 10:20 am
I've listed four new ukulele appliqué bags in my Etsy shop today. I made them from heavy vintage cottons which were originally produced as furnishing fabrics for William Morris, Laura Ashley, Peter Hall and Bernard Wardle.The colours are just right for autumn – but don't let that stop you using them all year round! To buy, or take a closer look visit the Ivy Arch Etsy shop.
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October 31, 2013, 6:02 pm
Like many DIY dressmaking fans throughout the land I'd been eagerly awaiting the release of Happy Homemade Sew Chic Kids so of course jumped at the chance to review Tuttle Publishing's forthcoming title!
This is my first look at a Japanese childrenswear sewing book. Sew Chic Kids contains 20 designs by Ruriko Yamada for children aged between 2-8 years – several girls dresses and blouses as well as shorts, trousers, a shirt and a hooded pull-over (suitable for boys and girls). All simple, elegant designs. It follows the same format as its mother title Happy Homemade Sew Chic and has a thorough section devoted to basic sewing techniques, sewing machine tips, how to draft a paper pattern and advice on pattern placement.
My daughter was delighted that these Japanese clothes would fit her instead of me! I asked her to choose an outfit she'd like me to make and after half an hour of ruminating she managed to narrow her choice down to 9 garments. We finally agreed on pattern J, a v-neck dress (and I've promised to make the pull-over parka next).
![Happy Homemade Sew Chic Kids]( "Happy Homemade Sew Chic Kids") |
| Happy Homemade Sew Chic Kids: V-neck dress J |
I thought the clean lines of dress J would look good in Gudrun Sjödén's bold, bright Solros fabric. It's 100% organic cotton and is printed with large scale multicoloured flowers – a sturdy fabric great for this autumn/winter dress.
I fully lined the dress in another Gudrun Sjödén material – a soft airy cotton voile printed with her Krokus design. The finished dress feels lovely and silky inside. Here's what it looks like inside out:![Dress lined with Gudrun Sjödén's Krokus fabric]( "Dress lined with Gudrun Sjödén's Krokus fabric") |
| Inside out: dress lined with Gudrun Sjödén's Krokus fabric |
We went across the road to Homefield Park to take our photos amongst the dishevelled leaves and fallen branches of trees struck by St. Jude's storm.
My daughter loves her very first Happy Homemade Gudrun Sjödén fabric dress!
Gudrun Sjödén's fabulous fabrics are available by the metre from her webshopand in store at her boutiques.
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November 4, 2013, 3:58 pm
The half-term school holiday began with St. Jude's storm and ended today with blue skies over Worthing. We had a splendid week of bright if blustery weather after the storm blew over and today's inset day gave us a last chance to run around on the beach before the second half of autumn term begins tomorrow.
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November 5, 2013, 2:43 pm
Tonight's fireworks over Worthing Pier were spectacular! Hundreds of people – row after row all along the beach and at both sides of the pier – turned out to witness an astonishingly beautiful pyrotechnic display.
The funfair was also in town and dozens of food stalls (with long queues) packed out Montague Place. For once Worthing's cafés stayed open late and the town centre was brilliantly bustling with happy revellers. Worthing has never looked so bright and busy by night!
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November 11, 2013, 4:08 am
The run up to Christmas is the busiest time of my lavender bag producing year and the soothing sweet scent of this herb permeates my house.
According to folklore lavender is a favourite scent of the elves, which is why it is sometimes referred to as Elf Leaf. Some incredible properties have been attributed to it including the power to ward off depression (by simply gazing at the plant) and the ability to maintain peacefulness at home (by scattering lavender flowers around the house). It was also recommended to smell the plant as often as possible to guarantee a long life.
While I can't promise that my lavender bags have magic properties they do smell great and make ideal Christmas gifts. I've added two new lines to my Etsy shop today, new telephones and typewriter lavender bags in Melody Miller's Ruby Star fabrics for Kokka, Japan.
If only this was smell-o-vision I could share the gorgeous scent with you on this blog too! Go here for a closer look and to buy.
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November 19, 2013, 4:59 am
As promised earlier this month, I have made my daughter pattern S from Tuttle Publishing's Happy Homemade Sew Chic Kids book. The book calls it a Pull-over Parka but to my British ears that suggests more of a coat than the cute simple hooded sweatshirt it is.Pattern S has three-quarter length sleeves, a drawstring waist and a loose hood. I used a lovely bright floral fleece for added huggability. It was a very easy make and I will definitely be sewing more versions of this – perhaps with full length sleeves and an added kangaroo pocket next time.
I can report that the Happy Homemade hoodie has been thoroughly tested climbing trees in Homefield Park! It more than passes muster and is currently her favourite thing to wear.
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November 23, 2013, 3:30 pm
News that local hero Leo Sayer was to return to Worthing for the final night of his 2013 UK tour brought a frisson of excitement to Wukulele HQ. Leo was born in neighbouring Shoreham-by-Sea and was part of the Worthing Workshop arts and music scene of the 1960s, attending West Sussex College of Art & Design. In tribute to his genius songwriting we staged a flashmob in Montague Street two years ago (the street mentioned in his hit Moonlighting) and were eager to celebrate his return 'home' in a similar fashion.
And so yesterday evening I found myself wrapped up against a cold November night waiting outside the town's biggest capacity music venue, ukulele in hand. One by one the hardiest members of our uke group arrived and we huddled round the corner for a warm up of our first song. Unexpectedly the Mayor of Worthing appeared in full regalia and cheered us on with a dance – it's true, see video below!
Moving to the front steps of The Assembly Hall (they wouldn't let us inside) we played to a round-the-block queue of Leo Sayer fans who'd been lucky enough to afford tickets to his concert. Our renditions of You Make Me Feel Like Dancing and Moonlighting went down so well that we were asked to perform an encore. With freezing fingers we happily obliged.
Wukulele's favourite documentary film maker Ned Ouwell recorded the whole thing for us – and for you to enjoy.
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November 28, 2013, 3:22 am
It was more than ten years since I had been to Bristol and on a return weekend visit I was amazed to find how much the city has changed. The harbour (relatively empty last time I saw it, except for the Watershed and Arnolfini) is now a fully regenerated tourist attraction with museums, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and expensive-looking apartment buildings. The city centre is a maze of shopping malls (or 'quarters') and I got lost in a throng of recession-proof Saturday shoppers while trying to navigate my way across town to the fabric stall at St. Nicholas Market.
My phone's GPS map happily led me away from the crowds and through silent back streets. I whiled away an hour exploring lanes lined with empty factory buildings and stumbled upon this magnificent soviet-style building at the site of the old Telephone Exchange round the corner from St. Nicholas Market. Unfortunately Avon Textiles fabric stall was closed – a sign told me the owners were on holiday in New York.
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December 4, 2013, 2:10 pm
There's always room for one more corduroy dress in my wardrobe and I snapped up this blue floral needle cord fabric at Brighton's Fabricland in September as soon as I saw it (it quickly sold out). It was a few months before I decided what to make with it, then along came Happy Homemade Sew Chic, and tunic K seemed perfect for winter layering over long sleeved tops and jeans.
This dress pattern is super easy to sew. It has a shirring elastic detail at the shoulder (essentially just two lines of stitching) and this clever small detail nicely curves the wrap-over front neckline.
I made the sleeves and hem a couple of centimetres longer than the sewing pattern and added a patch pocket which I have sewn on just a bit too high. Haven't had the heart to unpick and re-stitch it yet though, so may just leave it where it is, it's pretty well camouflaged in the floral print! The finished garment is effortless to wear and feels lovely and soft.
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December 10, 2013, 4:01 pm
This is a party frock I've made for Harriet 'Wukulele' Booth's seven year old daughter. It's another Happy Homemade Sew Chic Kids garment, Dress J made from remnant fabrics left over from a beautiful bespoke Dig For Victory dress Harriet recently had made. Therefore, I take no credit for choosing these wondrous fabrics which were picked by Ms Booth herself – a green lawn print cotton by Michael Miller and contrasting garden gnome design cotton from Hoodie's Collection at Timeless Treasures.
There wasn't quite enough of the grass print fabric to make a full length skirt so I added a jolly gnome border to the hem. I also lined the bodice in a bright green cotton material left over from making this kimono.
The dress is a surprise Christmas present for Harriet's daughter – I do hope they both like it!
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December 16, 2013, 4:18 pm
Anna Maria Horner's Painted Portrait Dress is a garment as beautiful as it sounds. Sold as a make-it-yourself dress and blouse sewing pattern it has become one of those oft-pinned items that this seamstress couldn't stop thinking about. Last week I succumbed and ordered the pattern from Backstitch as a Christmas treat (ahem).Only the best fabric would do, hence a trip to Worthing's Eclectic Maker. I was excited to find they had Eloise Renouf's organic cotton Bark and Branch range and though I would've liked to buy some of each design in the collection, the Autumn Wonderland tree-print was my favourite. For the contrast yoke I chose a grey printed cotton designed by Rebekah Ginda for Birch Organic. The two fabrics look and feel great together. ![Organic cottons from Eclectic Maker]( "Organic cottons from Eclectic Maker")
The Painted Portrait sewing pattern can be made up in several different variations. I decided to opt for a dress with solid yoke, sleeves and pockets this time. Before beginning I perused a few blogs for advice from expert makers. Fancy Tiger Crafts has blogged a parade of pleasing Painted Portraits, Lempo Bee gave good advice on the sizing (I adore her Melody Miller version) and on her recommendation I cut the dress out in a small size (I'm usually a medium but found this pattern rather roomy - if in doubt make a toile first). I followed Cookin' and Craftin's lead (see her superb blouses) in cutting the back yoke as one piece. I'll always choose a button-free dress if possible – easier to sew and more comfortable to wear.
![Anna Maria Horner's Painted Portrait Dress]( "Anna Maria Horner's Painted Portrait Dress")
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December 19, 2013, 2:52 pm
This onion fabric was purchased on a peri-menopausal whim. I spied it in Worthing's soon-to-be defunct Sewing Machine Shop, hidden away downstairs with the quilting fabrics. I love it! Called Eat Onions it's 100% cotton and is produced by Makower UK.
Makower's fabrics are intended for patchwork and quilting but they have such delicious designs I can only imagine them for clothing. Eat Onions is the same superb quality as the Tape Measure and Cotton Reels fabric I made this skirt from. It hangs well, washes and irons beautifully and returns to form.
The sewing pattern is an old favourite from Stylish Dress Book volume 1. It's letter T, the first dress I ever made from a Japanese sewing book and a design I have now made several times – always a winner!
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December 23, 2013, 4:53 pm
I've wrapped and placed the final home-made Christmas gift for my daughter under the tree. It's this trio of cute felt kittens made from a sewing pattern purchased at the eleventh hour from Dolly and Paws at Etsy.
The pattern (a scanned PDF file) was instantly emailed upon purchase and looks like it comes from a Japanese craft book. Instructions are in Japanese but the pattern pieces are labelled in English with easy-to-follow picture diagrams.
I stitched these cats together while watching the final fantastic episode of BBC TV series Ripper Street and two episodes of ITV drama Lucan (which wasn't as enjoyable as sewing-along to Ripper Street, but I persevered to the end). The finished kittens measure approximately 9cms high and are off the scale on the cute-o-meter.
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