The past few years I've taken more of a novelty Christmas route for the December boxes but this year I've gone in a slightly different direction, opting for some seriously luxurious fabrics perfect for making a glamorous party outfit for the festive season.
Regular subscribers will know the thrill of receiving a SewHayleyJane box, new subscribers you're in for a treat! I get so excited when it's post day to see what amazing goodies are inside. My very first box was a Mother's Day gift back when Hayley sent the boxes with handwritten postcards. It was always a ritual to try to guess what the fabric would be like from the clues, and I was always surprised! Now we have the even better magazines, and I am over the moon to be featured in it as make of the month this time!
The November boxes included the most gorgeous illustration by Jo Want of Hello Sunshine to accompany the Pyjama Party theme. Jo creates custom "Sunshine Portraits" (I have one of the family hanging in the hallway) as well as jewellery and homewares amongst other amazing goodies, make sure to check her page out. I interviewed Jo to find out more about her business.
As soon as this blue double gauze arrived in the studio I had a piece cut and in the wash pronto! I already knew I wanted to make another Indigo dress after I made my first one from Septembers stretch crepe. I did have a brief look through my pattern stash just in case something jumped out at me but I was set.
I bought my sewing machine on a whim. Most people that you hear about have a lovely romantic story, but not me! It was New Year’s Day 2018 and I wanted something new to get stuck into. I started making the basics: cushion covers, millions of zipper pouches that I didn’t know what to do with and dabbled in some bag making.
One of the things I love about receiving my box each month is the surprise element of what kind of fabric I will receive, and Octobers fabric did not disappoint! A child of the 90’s, this ripped denim/tartan mix number really took me back, invoking many memories of some rather choice outfits from when I was younger (I’m looking at you mum!)
This box has been in pipeline since the beginning of summer. I got so excited at the thought of creating a box with snuggly double gauze fabric but just knew it would be better to wait until the cold weather sets in and we are all excited to cozy up under blankets with hot chocolate and a movie.
Scrunchies are back in a big way and sewists rejoice as they are a great way of using up small pieces of fabric - make one to match every new garment! I have put together a tutorial for a basic scrunchie but you can definitely get a bit more creative and add a bow or maybe use piping along the long edge.
October's Sew Retro themed Luxury boxes included the gorgeous Alex Jumpsuit pattern from Workshop, a stunning pattern company, fabric shop and sewing cafe company based in Headingley Leeds. I caught up with company owner Aliss for a feature in the accompanying magazine.