Hannah of Evielaluve asked me if I wanted to pattern test her new bra pattern The Mighty Sports Bra as she is branching out into larger sizes and of course I snapped her offer!

I’m finally getting to some sort of normality still have pain but I’m persevining and not letting get me down and with being on steriods for 2 months there has been unwanted weight gain so its back to healthy eating and getting exercising again!

Also, with my local Gym they offer a discounted rate on Les Mills on Demand with a 30 day free trial and before my health detoratied I was always there taking part in Body Combat and RPM classes and now I have access to these from home and in manageable class times ranging from 15 mins up to the full class so it’s ideal of getting back to it which I’m happy about.

Thankfully I had the majority of the supplies all ready at hand with Grey Saturnus Spandex Scuba and Stretch Mesh from Sew Crafty Shop which is just perfect for that support us busty girls need.

The pattern matched up really well when cutting and sticking and for ease of reading through the instructions and making any notes I could do easily as I printed the instructions off also but normally I would transfer it to my iPad and save a tree. Now, you can’t go without a cuppa in your fav mug can you?

For some strange reason I decided to go for glitter foe which I got from eBay for a couple of quid and kinda wish the magpie in me decided not to go for it as it turns out when wearing the bra it’s quite scratchy on our skin and isn’t comfortable sso you are best sticking to normal foe.

To say this was my 1st sports bra it came to together really well and I would highly recommend using a wide plush elastic for the band at the bottom as I feel it stays in place better and no fear of underboob ?

The only adjustments I made was adding a layer of power mesh to the front in-between the layers just to add more support especially as I’m a 34ff ? I measured 42″ for my bust and went for size 2xl and it fitted spot on.

I took part in Body Combat on Demand and it passes the bounce test with me!

Here is my finished version:

I will be definitley making more of these as I’ve never had this much fantastic support from RTW Sports bra!

Now a little cheeky disocunt for my readers! Hannah has kindly let you have a nice 10% off this pattern but only for a limited time only!

Use code ‘SEWMIGHTY‘ at the checkout

Its valid from Thursday 11th July till Midnight Sunday 14th July 2019 GMT

Happy Sewing!!

Sal xx

The post Pattern Test of The Mighty Sports Bra by Evielaluve appeared first on The Yorkshire Sewist.

Hi all!

Can you believe that I haven’t blogged since November! I’m so sorry, life has been quite upside since I’ve been diagnosed with b12 and Vit D deficiencies, I’ve been back and forth to GP fo injections, medication and appointments. Fingers crossed things will be on an even keel soon but thankfully some of my energy is returning and managed to get some sewing! But then to top it all off i’ve gone and fractured my knuckle!! So I’m a little bit annoyed that everything has come to a stand still yet again!

A part of my treatment is to get exercise back into my week but slowly and not to overdo myself which will set me back so I attend my local leisure centre at least once a week with a PT session to see how I’m getting on and making sure I don’t over do it lol, easier said then done though!

So I thought to get my sewjo going I’d make myself a Gym top.

I choose the awesome Saturn Spandex which is more like a scuba in the way it drapes and it’s thickness but it’s really good quality. It’s perfect for activewear! Just look at how cute Sammy packages your goodies!!

I’ve had Melissa book of sewing your activewear for a while but not dared to make anything from it till now! I put on Instagram that I was going to tackle my first activewear project and Melissa kindly replied to tackle the loose fitting top.

First of all, i read the instructions and carefully looked at the sizing chart to make sure I get the correct fit.

So armed with my tracing paper, hello kitty pencil, grading ruler I made a start of tracing my block. Melissa’s instructions are really good to get the perfect fit. At least i did remember to add the Seam Allowances too! 

The loose fitting top is only 4 pattern pieces – front, back, sleeve and neckband. Gotta love simplicity!

Armed with Mr and Mrs Singer I was raring to go!

To give my top an extra special touch I decided to use a twin needle finish to hems and it didn’t take long to get the tension/stitch length right for the fabric.

So here we are the finished results!

My Gym Gear and of course Moi in the leisure centre changing rooms…. I like to be colourful!

It’s also a fab too for running in too as it didn’t ride up  I started back to running/walking last week with the eldest wanting to join in. Well at least i managed to get this made before my accident so its been washed and put ready with my Gym clothes to make a return soon as i’m all healed!

Happy Sewing!!

Sal xx

**All Fabrics and Habersashery were given to me to free of charge for promtion of SewCrafty Shop**

The post Sew Crafty Design Team Project -My 1st activewear Top! appeared first on The Yorkshire Sewist.

Did you guys celebrate Halloween at all? Well my youngest Rhys and myself did but not Ethan, think he is going into the ‘tween’ stage hahaha!

Rhys wanted to be a shark… Baby Shark Song has a lot to answer for but thankfully i had the Max and Meena All The Ears PDF pattern.

It Features well over a dozen animal ears/spikes/fins that can be incorporated into the hood, the All Ears Hoodie allows you to create one of a kind hoodies from newborn to teens!! So it covers my boys for ages!!

The pattern gives you the option of using a standard or pixie hood and includes cut lines for adding ears or for sewing up a standard hood as well. Also options for long sleeve, short sleeve, and tank sleeves are included making this a hoodie pattern that can be used year round.

So this pattern is a steal at only $12.95!

I used a Navy Ponte Roma that i bought from B and M Fabrics, many moons ago and for the Teeth used white felt.

I only added the Fin and Teeth to the Hoody as Rhys only decided he wanted to be a shark with only 2 days before his School Halloween disco…. talk about a deadline! 

I managed to get it completed the night before at 10pm!

Thankfully i had a bit more time for mine as i was only getting dressed up for work on actual Halloween rather than Rhys’s Disco on the 24th! So here is Rhys on his way to the Disco!

I had a dress from last year which thankfully was too big now since ive lost weight so i refashioned it using Love Notion’s Laundry Day Tee. Which at time of publishing is currently on sale for $5 or join the Love Notion’s pattern support Facebook Group for a very special discount code that makes the LDT FREE just for the members! Click on the link to join and read the pinned post to get the code !

It comes with three neckline options- scoop, v-neck & cowl as well as five sleeve lengths – tank, short, elbow, 3/4 and long. You also get to choose from a regular tee shirt length,  tunic length & dress. The tunic and dress lengths have a high/low hem option. Win Win!

I cut a size Medium, Elbow Sleeves and Tunic Length. I also added my own Cuffs to the Arms to add a bit more to it.

I used Tubular Black ribbing for the Neckband and Cuffs from Minerva Crafts.

I knocked this up in no time at all as its simple construction and even better when i use over locker to get them professional results on the inside too

So here i am at my work all dressed up spookly with my witch’s hat hahaha! We had a fab day making our slime and party games to play later on the day! For some reason that’s the only photo of myself but it was taken with work’s tablet which doesn’t have a fab quality camera!

What did you guys get up to Halloween?

Sal xx

The post Halloween Projects! appeared first on The Yorkshire Sewist.

As you can probably tell, I’m off with the kids for Easter holidays so i can finally play catch up with my blog!

The lovely Muriel from Craftine asked if i would like to review one of her bi-monthly subscription boxes as they have recently started offering this beautiful boxes to the UK, well as a Yorkshire lass can’t say no to that!! Hahaha!

Let me explain a little about how it works!

It’s a Sewing Subscription and every two months you will be sent out a Box of Sewing goodies directly to you with free delivery! You can’t get better than that can you!

You have everything you need to make yourself a garment as the fabric given in the box is very generous! I was surprised that inside the box that you even had the matching thread and sewing machine needles a very big win in my book! Plus, a little treat of Herbal Tea, such a nice touch!

The pattern in the box was for Bergamote Top which is sized 6-20 UK which covers a lot people which is fab and there is a link for the instructions online, where I personally prefer this method as it saves paper and I actually get to use the iPad from the kids!

The pattern supplied is a suggestion to use but I didn’t feel pressure to use as they say in the notes which was nice.

Truth be told, i wasn’t a fan of the sleeves but the pattern is in my stash ready and waiting if i ever changed my mind or want to make one for a friend!

So i decided to make The Frankie Top by Tilly and The Buttons. This Top was a freebie inLove Sewing Magazine Issue 50 or in her new book Stretch!

The fabrics supplied were absolutely gorgeous! I’ve never sewn with Milano Jersey before and my word it’s a dream!! Its a great quality thick jersey that doesn’t crease or unravels! Win win! So this fabric would be great for a beginner tackling their first jersey project or even for the experienced amongst us that want a little bit snugness!

I love the fab little note inside the box of giving you all the details of what is inside, tips and info!

So me being me, i decided to live a bit dangerously and use 3 colours to make my Frankie! Well i just thought of Frankenstein( yes my brain works in peculiar ways!) aka Frankie so i thought it’d be quite appropriate for a mash up of colours!

I used Grey Velvet Polka Dots Milano (love it!!) for the Sleeves, Blue ( i would say teal!) Milano and for the collar, i used some Black ribbing in my stash.

I cut out a straight size 4 as with my previous make of the Stella Hoodie but then shortened the 3 quarter length sleeves by 2″ for my stupidly short arms! hahaha!

I put in the new needle out of the pack provided, wound the thread onto the bobbin and tested out which stitch length/width to use before i got cracked on and i’m glad i did as it took me a few attempts to get it right so that the stitches were showing through when stretched. So i set my machine to zig-zag stitch at 0.6 length and 2 wide and off i went!

I’m thankful of the menthol Tea that was in the box too and it helped clear my nasal passages as i was bit congested, blumming kids being caring and sharing of their cold! It was rather sweet yet menthol taste at the same time, unusual but at least i gave it a go!

The Milano was a dream to sew with, it behaved itself with Mr Singer who is known to eat said Jerseys in the past.

I didn’t bother with changing the colour of the thread as i went onto the Grey as i quite like the contrast of the blue to the Grey and i think it helps tie in the colour theme i’ve got going on!

So after a few hours sewing my Frankie was made!!

Of course moi wearing it! It’s a secret PJ Top!!

So my verdict of the Craftine Box is well worth its weight in gold!!

It’s such a great box aimed at the Dressmakers of all abilities rather than Quilters or Crocheters – no offensive of course but us sewists don’t seem to have many ‘Happy Mail’ boxes to come through our letter box like this! I’ve got left over fabric to make myself some knickers, just need some lace and fold over elastic! Yay!

Happy Sewing!

Sal xx

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In Issue 40 of Simply Sewing Magazine there was a fantastic freebie pattern by Tilly and The Buttons – The Stella Hoodie!! It’s also available from her new Book – Stretch! Make yourself Comfortable Sewing with Knit Fabrics.

Truth be told, I’ve not had much look with Tilly’s patterns in the past but on a whim i decided to give them another go and I’m glad i did!!

GirlCharlee has kindly provided me with the softest French Terry in Teal that i have ever come across! It’s a bargain at £10.96 per metre! It even behaved really well on my Singer Quantum Stylist 9960 and Singer Overlocker so a def winner in my eyes!

I had a rummage through my stash too as i wanted to add a bit of pop to my hoodie and thankfully i had some left over Grey Floral Cotton Jersey from January’s Sew My Style of the Sunny Top.

According to my measurements I need a size 4 and i risked it by not making a toile but as the saying goes “risk it for a biscuit” and I’m glad I did as it saved myself time and the fit is great! but I wouldn’t recommend it if you do have to grade between sizes as making a toile would make sure you had the perfect fit.

I used my Overlocker for the majority of the construction of this Hoodie as i am sucker for nice neat lines inside and out. Doesn’t hurt have a glass of wine as a companion either, especially when the football is on! Hahaha!

I love my Automatic Buttonhole feature on my machine as it makes buttonholes a breeze and remember if you are using jersey to interface the back of your fabric to stabilise it and to achieve a great buttonhole.

The only thing I did change was that rather have a normal cuff, I wanted thumbholes! Since the weather is still naff and i wanted to try something new!

I’ll show you how to do this! It’s rather simple but uber effective!

I had to shorten the sleeve itself by 2 inches but that’s me with short arms so best check where the cuff would be by pinning the folded cuff piece to the sleeve using 1.5cm seam allowance for guidance.

First of all I pinned the cuff piece in place and added an extra 3″ to the height of the piece.

Take one cuff and pin so that the raw edges meet, right sides together. Now mark 1″ away from the edges at the top and bottom of the cuff and then measure 1.5″ (that will be your thumbhole) so once folded they will line up when you fold the cuffs.

Sew the seam using 1.5cm seam allowance, stopping and backtacking on either side of the holes to leave them open. Start at one end to the 1st pin, remembering to backsticth and then continue on from the 2nd pin as you will need this gap for your thumbhole and repeat to the end of the seam.

I graded my seam allowance down by half and pressed the seam open.

Fold the cuffs with wrong sides together, lining up the thumbholes. Pin together along either side of the holes and along the seam. Yeah… I go overboard with Pins!

This next step is a little awkward on your machine. I flipped my cuff so that the pins were in the inside and gently eased the rest o the cuff away whilst sewing. Sew 1/4″ from the seam from end to end, closing up the sides of the thumbholes. Repeat on other cuff.

Add a bartack at either end of the thumbholes to secure this stress point.

Ta-dah! You now have a thumbhole cuffs! Yay! Can you believe that’s all there is to it!

Just remeber when attaching the cuffs that the thumbhole and seam match to the sleeve seam or you will end up with the thumbholes wrong way round.

Tilly’s instructions are great for making this hoodie and i’m thinking I need a copy of her book as the patterns look fantastix and that this one has fitted really well it’s given me the confidence to try the patterns again! So win win!

I finished the hoodie by using aqua 1.5cm wide cotton tape that I bought from eBay for 99p, gotta love a bargain!

I hope you like this little tutorial on making your own thumbhole cuffs, I have a feeling I’ll be making all long sleeve tops like this now ?

Now here is the finished result hung up.

Of course moi wearing my new secret pj top, it’s soo comfy yet pretty with the floral accents!

Happy Sewing!

Sal xx

The post Tilly and The Buttons Stella Hoody and a Thumbhole Hack appeared first on The Yorkshire Sewist.