Bloom and Grow

What was your “lockdown project”? Baking sourdough bread? Perfecting your banana cake? Or, like me, gardening? I use the term gardening very loosely. Our garden has decking and fake grass but I have been enjoying planting up a few pots and watching them grow. I have even taken in a few houseplants in recent months and hope to turn from plant killer to plant mum!

So there you have the inspiration for this months bloomin’ great box! Alongside all that, inspiration also came from Lily, a local to me artist who loves using plants in her illustrations and has created a gorgeous print exclusively for SewHayleyJane subscribers. You can find Lily on Instagram @lily_ifa.

Luxury Box

I’m so excited to include something a little different in the Luxury boxes this month. A beautiful white broderie anglaise with a green leaf print in the background, keeping the stunning embroidered design as the focal detail. I’ve already used some to make a Sew Over It Sylvia Robe which feels gorgeous to wear.

I’ve paired it with the Everyday Chic Dress by Sew Different a softly fitting A-line dress with integrated pockets and raglan sleeves. Either lined or worn with a slip underneath this is a perfect “back to the office” dress for anyone starting to head back to work over the next few months.

If lining isn’t your thing I’ve seen lots of broderie anglaise on the high street being used with contrasting fabric to create puff sleeves or a beautiful yoke piece. Definitely time to unleash your creativity.

Classic and Mini Boxes

The fabric inside this months Classic and Mini boxes is a stunning blue viscose jersey with a vertical stripe and large daisy print. The colour makes it such a wearable fabric at any time of the year but I can’t wait to get a summer maxi dress sewn up in this one.

As well as the stunning print by Lily – hands up if you could happily spend a whole day sewing in this set up? – every box also includes a selection of flower buttons in various colours and sizes to use on multiple projects as well as the matching reel of Gutermann thread. The Classic and Luxury boxes will also find a set of craft clips – perfect for using in place of pins on thicker fabrics or more delicate fabrics that you don’t want to create a hole in.

Finally, let’s just take a minute to marvel at these fat quarters. The Sun Valley collection from Craft Cotton Co features incredible and vibrant watercolour style cactus and flower prints. These colours are so vibrant, I think I am going to have to find a way to actually use them in my garden this summer.