My Gemma Tank Journey

It's difficult to explain exactly why these two basic little tops took up as much time and brain space as they did, but I'll try. It's definitely not a fault with the drafting of this pattern, however I have a theory that it's actually the simplest garments that are the hardest to fit, because when there are no frills, flounces, gathers or any other busyness, there's nowhere to hide any wonkiness! 

Pattern:

Towards the end of last summer, I was feeling a desire for some woven tank tops. My anchor La Brune top had convinced me that the world wouldn't come to a stand still if I exposed my upper arms, and actually it feels really nice to wear a sleeveless garment in hot weather (who knew?!). I spent ages going back and forth between Made by Rae's Gemma tank pattern, Wiksten's tank pattern and the no-longer-available Tiny pocket tank pattern by Grainline Studio. By the time I selected my #2018makenine plans, I had finally fallen down on the side of the Gemma tank because I felt the bust darts are a nice addition for preventing this type of garment from looking too shapeless. 

A quick note about the bindings. One of the things that make this a speedy, simple pattern to make is that the neck and armholes are bound with bias binding rather than being finished with facings. Rae has helpfully detailed three methods for using bias binding on her blog. What she calls the 'French method' is by far my favourite, and is what I have used on both my versions that you see in this post. However, because this method flips the binding to the inside of the garment, rather than encasing the raw edge with no folding, as the other two methods do, the neck and armholes become wider, and the shoulder strap gets narrower. To combat this, I've added a little to my neck and armholes. However, my bra straps do peek out a tiny bit from time to time, so I may increase my addition to the armhole around my shoulder for future versions. 

This pattern helpfully comes with two different front pieces for different cup sizes: A/B and C/D. Although you'd never guess from looking at me with clothes on, I actually wear a D-cup bra. However, pregnancies and breast feeding have, umm, 'redistributed' my fullness and I chose to go with the front piece designed for the A/B cups. I also graded between the Small around the bust, out to the Medium for the waist and hips, which is my usual adjustment. I toiled this up in some thin cotton and the result was ok, but there was far too much fabric around the lower back area. I realised that I'd forgotten to pinch out some of the length to account for my short waisted-ness, so I did that and made another version in gingham left over from this Tova dress. I was hoping that it'd end up wearable, if not perfect, but I should have dug deep and found the patience to make a second toile in not-so-great fabric first because the gingham version did NOT end up wearable. There was still a whole load of fabric bunched up at the lower back that the short waist adjustment didn't solve. 

(image source: Made by Rae)

It was time to accept something that I'd been avoiding admitting for a while: I have a sway back issue going on. I spent a bunch of time researching sway back adjustments, and eventually came across this excellent Youtube video by Alexandra Morgan which shows three methods clearly and thoroughly. I went with the method that requires you to make a centre back seam rather than cutting out the back piece on the fold. I did this for two reasons; firstly, it made more sense to me to have a CB seam for achieving an adjustment that thoroughly deals with the sway back problem, and secondly, the next piece of fabric in my stash that I had my eye on for a Gemma tank was quite small, so I thought that cutting the back of the garment in two pieces rather than on the fold was going to be necessary anyhow. 

This time, I did managed to summon up the patience to make a toile before ruining another piece of nice fabric. I could see that the sway back adjustment had definitely improved things, but it was far from perfect. Because I didn't have anyone around to help with the tricky business of fixing a fit issue around the back, I'd had to guess the position and amount of the adjustment I was making. After that toile, I went back to the pattern and pinched a tiny bit more out of the sway back adjustment then got out the chicken fabric. 

The chicken print version:

This fabric is another of those pieces that seemed to have magically appeared in my stash, as I have no memory of how or when it got in there. Weirdly enough, I had another, larger, piece of African wax fabric with this chicken print before that I made into a dress for my best friend almost a decade ago! The previous piece was some kind of synthetic or synthetic blend (which contributed to it's demise when it met with a hot iron), but this smaller, orangey-er piece is definitely 100% cotton. 

I struggled to make the most of the print placement because of the amount I had to work with, and I promise you the back print placement looked better when it was the full length version of this garment. Anyways, seeing as I didn't take photos of any of these steps you'll have to believe me that this chicken version was definitely an improvement, fit-wise, on the previous sway-back adjusted toile. I knew that this fairly crisp fabric was stretching the limits of the suitability of cotton for this pattern, and although I seemed to finally be rid of much of the excess fabric around my lower back, every time I bent down or forward, or lifted my arms, the lower back section kept kind of 'sitting' on my upper bum and I'd have to yank it back down again. This quickly became tiresome, and I decided that the only way to salvage this chicken version as something I would actually want to wear was to hack the bottom off and make it a boxy crop top. I tell you now that I am NOT a crop top kind of woman. However, the denim sweet shorts that I've wearing a lot this summer are pretty high waisted, so I felt confident that a cropped Gemma tank would have a mate to form an outfit with. 

The feather print version:

Before I hacked the bottom off the chicken version, my mum came to visit and I got her to have a look at it on me and get her assistance. Together, we were able to take any residual lessons from it that could be gleaned before I went at it with the scissors. She got busy with the pins and worked out that just a tiny bit more was needed to be taken out in the sway back adjustment, and worked out the precise position for where it should come out. We also figured out together that my sway back adjustment was swinging the side seam backwards, and by slicing through the seam and allowing it to open up, we worked out that 1cm needed to be added to the side seam of the back piece from the hem up to nothing around the upper hip area. 

With these alterations made but my stash depleted of suitable fabric, I lay in wait for another viable piece of fabric to come my way before I could test this (hopefully final) set of changes. Those who follow me on Instagram (@sozoblog) may have seen in my feed a couple of weeks ago my beautiful little haul of fabric and notions that came home with me from a recent trip to Rouen, France. In one shop called Fabric et Moi (a blog name if ever I heard one, surely?!) I found this beautiful feature print cotton poplin (I'm guessing it's poplin) and snapped up a metre with this pattern in mind. (In the same shop I bought a small length of a similar fabric, pale pink background with a subtle gold feather print design for my daughter, convinced that she would crap herself over it. When she saw them, she preferred mine *eyes roll skyward*.) 

I managed to complete this Gemma just in time for the weather to turn and for no-sleeves to stop being an option, so I haven't had a chance to give it a proper test run. From these photos it looks like even more could be pinched out of the sway back and/or I could give myself a bit more at the side seams over the hips. However, IMO it doesn't look bad, especially from the front, and in a softer, drapier fabric like the kind used in the Made by Rae image towards the top of this post, you might not even see a need for further adjustment. Either way, I'm done with tweaking, or even thinking about, this pattern for at least six months. 

What did please me very much though, is that not only did I squeeze this top out of 1 metre of fabric along with self-made bias, but I also was able to make a pair of shorts for Frankie with the remains. I find few things more satisfying. In case you're wondering, I used the Made Everyday with Dana Kid shorts pattern, size 3 (Frankie will be 2 years old next summer, however, I find this pattern runs a bit small). I also added labels to both the tank and shorts using some cute woven ribbon with birds that was the perfect theme and colours for my fabric. I was kindly given a length of this and some other ribbons by Textile Garden a number of years ago. If you're in the market for some sweet woven ribbon, then you should head over there as they have a great selection. 

Return of the Geranium Dress

Back in the winter, I decided to bust some of my fabric stash to make a couple of summer dresses for Dolores. It was fun to dream of warmer weather during chilly greyness, and because this is a TNT pattern and I felt confident in the sizing, I knew that I was making garments that would get lots of wear when it eventually got warm enough. 

Pattern:

Both this white dress, and the orange African wax fabric version pictured at the bottom of the post, have been made using the Geranium dress pattern by Made by Rae. If you have a child in your life who likes to wear dresses, I kind of feel that you owe it to yourself to get this pattern. It has a number of neckline, armhole, skirt style, skirt length and pocket variations included which can help you create a multitude of different looking garments and gets you your money's worth. And Rae's released an expansion pack that gives you even more design options, totalling an insane number of mix and match options. 

These dresses represent at least the 8th and 9th times I've sewn this pattern. I've previously made four for Dolores (this, this, this and this), as well as at least two for window displays at the Village Haberdashery, and one as a birthday present for Dolores's friend, Naomi. Plus I've taught a couple of Geranium dress classes at VH in the past, so I feel I know this pattern pretty well now!

Dolores is now 4.5 years old, so I made the size 5 (the biggest size in the smaller pattern size range), hypothesising that they'd see two summer's worth of use. For the white dress, I used the sleeveless armhole option with notched neckline and gathered skirt. For the orange one, I chose the faux cap sleeve option with simple scoop neckline and, again, the gathered skirt. I like the pleated skirt option too, however the gathered skirt option has the perfect amount of fullness, IMO. Enough to satisfy a child with 'girly' clothing preferences, but not so much as to make it unsuitable for everyday wear. 

After cutting out the white version, I realised that I had enough fabric left over for a matching bucket hat. So out came my fave: the Oliver + S free bucket hat pattern. The hat is looking a little battered in these pictures because it's already seen MASSES of wear this year, by both Dolores and Frankie. 

Fabric:

Part of the popularity of the Geranium pattern is down to the fact that it works well in quilting cotton, and fabrics with that type of weight and handle. In fact, when I tried making this pattern in a drapier fabric (by accident), it definitely didn't hold its shape as well and looked tatty after fewer wears than the stiffer stuff. Quilting cotton can come in such amazing, beautiful and fun prints, and it's so often crying out to be made into children's wear.

The white-background fabric above has a beautiful circus acrobats print in lovely subtle colours that I found in the spring of 2017 at the Ditto fabrics closing-down-their-warehouse-space sale. Initially, I felt the dress looked a bit plain, and I planned to add some pompom trim or something to it somehow. However, I struggled to find anything in a suitable scale and it started to get worn, so it's remained plain. It's a firm favourite with Dolores, and even though these photos were only taken a couple of weeks ago, it's now sadly (but inevitably) stained with pasta sauce and lord knows what else.

The insane eyeball print African wax fabric found its way into my stash via a fabric swap I hosted in Brighton a trillion years ago. She's modelling it here, appropriately, in the African section of the anthropology museum in Madrid when we visited in April. It's the same fabric I used to make her this Geranium dress three years ago. I loved her wearing the initial version, and it's made me really happy to see her wearing this reboot!

Thoughts:

This pattern has been the very definition of a TNT pattern for me. I've relied upon it to make fantastic, well fitting and perfectly proportioned dresses in the type of fabric (quilting cotton and similar) that often doesn't lend itself well to garment sewing. Now that Dolores is at the top of range of sizes of the pattern I own, I have to debate whether or not to buy the size 6-12 range pattern. Perhaps it's time to hang up my Geranium making hat and venture into the unknown with some of the other amazing kids patterns that are out there.  

Flora and Fauna Secret Pyjamas

So, having fallen hard for Made by Rae's Luna pants pattern, it'll be little surprise to learn that another pair has been whipped up already. But before I made my second pair, I was a good girl and went back and fixed the issues I had with the stress points on my anchor pair. 

Thanks everyone who left a comment making suggestions on how I could both fix that pair, and avoid the issue with future versions. Want to know which piece of advice I implemented? ALL OF IT!!! First, I cut narrow strips of fusible interfacing and applied them to both sides of the seam where the stress points had appeared. I then restitched the seams slightly inside the original row of stitching, which kind of 'ate up' the bits where the fabric was coming apart (unfortunately I couldn't let out the side seams to compensate for this slight reduction in fabric around the hips because of the in-seam pockets). Finally, I topstitched the rise seam allowance down to one side to reinforce the whole thing, and after a couple of wears, these steps seem to have fixed the issue with no further signs of stress so far.... But to err on the side of caution, I took another piece of advice and chose a size Medium, rather than the Small, for my next pair.

Pattern:

Starting with the size Medium has obviously given a baggier silhouette to this second pair. I think I still prefer the look of the smaller, less-voluminous anchor pair, but I didn't want to wreck this amazing fabric if a repeat of the stress points occurred, so I'm trying to embrace this look. To avoid adding any more fullness around the hips, I didn't bother with the in-seam pockets this time. I know that omitting pockets would be close to blasphemy to some sewers/sewists! I like having pockets in my anchor pair, but the finish on this second pair definitely looks sleeker without. Plus, without them, this was a super-quick project. Aside from not bothering with the pockets, the only other pattern mod I made was to shorten the leg length by about 4cm. 

Fabric:

A couple of months ago Claire, Stevie and I organised a little South Coast sewing meetup. We visited the soon-to-be vacated storage space of Ditto fabrics, and Fabric Godmother's unit/treasure trove. We all came away from the latter with a goodie bag that included 2m of this A-MAZING Cobra corsage cotton lawn. I had been taken with this fabric at a previous Fabric Godmother open day, but had been focussing on purchases for specifics projects at that time. To have acquired some cost-and-therefore-guilt-free, was such a treat! An Instagram thread between the meetup attendees followed about what we planned to make with our pieces, but so far I only know of Claire's epically awesome kimono to have been realised from the fabric we were given.

What I particularly love about this fabric is the fine detail of the printed illustrations. They make me think of Victorian tomes cataloging flora and fauna, the type that might exist at the Natural History museum. I'm actually wearing these trousers now and keep finding myself staring at the veins of a leaf or the scales on the snake. 

As for the fabric itself, it's pretty perfect for this trouser pattern. It's light-weight enough to feel airy when worn on a hot day and to hang well with this type of trouser style, but it's also opaque so no undies are on show. Plus, it's a natural fibre, yet doesn't seem to crease. Hurrah! 

Thoughts:

If my anchor Lunas were a major style departure, then I'm taking the journey further still with these. I'm totally in love with them, but because they're not my usual look, they are pretty much wardrobe orphans. I have only one breastfeeding top that works with them, so I'm currently planning a couple of simple tops that will look good with these and other things in my wardrobe. 

Leopard Geranium Dress

Yep. I can't lie, it's another Geranium dress. Even though I've already made about seven of these already, and have even taught other people to make them in a sewing class, this project still had some lessons to teach me. 

(image source: Made by Rae)

Pattern:

I've waxed lyrical about this pattern a number of times before, but I'll say it again: I really love all the different design options included. It makes the planning stage of your project even more fun than usual. For this version, I decided to try the faux-cap sleeve option for the first time, along with the U-shaped neckline cut out and the pleated skirt (minus the side seam pockets). I also added some black shop-bought piping in the bodice seam to add some interest, and to match the back buttons (you'll have to trust me on that because I forgot to photograph the back). This dress pattern isn't the quickest make ever, but it is super satisfying and you're left with such a classic, well-proportioned garment. 

As you can see, the seasonal suitability of this dress pattern can be extended when worn with a long-sleeved t-shirt and tights underneath. Since I made this dress Rae has released a Geranium expansion pack which includes long-sleeved options. Bring on the Autumn sewing plans....

Fabric:

When I was pregnant last year (was that really only a year ago?!) we chose to find out the gender at the 20 week scan, which I duly announced to the world. The incredibly lovely Josie from Fabric Godmother then sent me a bundle of fabric and a sewing pattern for making into boy clothes (a lot of the fabric became this little selection). Because she is so thoughtful, Josie also included a metre of this coral-y/orange leopard print twill (sadly no longer available) to make something for Dolores so she wouldn't be jealous!

When I received it, it had a crispy handle which softened a bit after a pre-wash. I must have chosen the design elements based on my initial assessment of the fabric, thinking the stiffness would hold the U-shape and pleats nicely. Subsequent washes has softened the fabric further still, and revealed that it is actually very drape-y, and I've subsequently regretted those choices. Sad face. 

Thoughts:

This dress has been worn approx. three hundred times since these pictures were taken. Dolores probably chooses so often because the fabric's weight and drape make it pleasing for twirling around in! Sadly, the U-shape at the neckline has stretched out a lot (despite the interfacing used around that area) and the pleats are even less defined. I regret choosing to include any kind of cut out, and for not making the gathered skirt instead. So my takeaway here is: choose what you're going to make from a piece fabric based on what it's like AFTER it's been washed, not BEFORE. My other lesson, that I think I probably already knew, is this: no matter how much faff piping is, including it is always the right decision.

Luna Mission: Secret Pyjamas

So this is pretty major for me. These trousers are a massive departure from an aesthetic that I've been pretty dedicated to for the best part of a decade. The casual retro/Rockabilly-lite tip I've been on may not have always been super evident in all of my personal sewing projects, but they were the vibes I have most identified with and been inspired by for agessss. However, last year I felt something shift and I became less interested in those looks. But because I was pregnant and my body was changing shape and size, I had to put any real experimenting into my new stylistic inspiration on hold.  

I'm a big fan of the designer Rae Hoekstra, AKA Made by Rae, and I'd been sniffing around her Luna pants pattern almost since she released it. I couldn't see myself wearing them, but I'd often suggest the pattern to students in my sewing classes if they were looking for an easy-ish trousers pattern to make. Then, when I was pregnant, a friend lent me a big bag of various maternity trousers and jeans, which contained a pair very similar in style to the Luna pants. When I first saw them I put them straight back in the bag and mentally labelled them 'not me', but in the last few months of my pregnancy I ended up wearing them almost constantly. So having identified during #MMMay17 that light-weight trousers would be a welcome addition to my wardrobe, it was time to go Luna exploring... (sorry, too obvious?!).

(image source: Made by Rae)

Pattern: 

The Luna pants pattern was a welcome respite from my trouser fitting woes. Yet, as per Rae's recommendation, I still made a toile (muslin) to check the fit before chopping into my precious fabric. Partly because the fabric has sold out so I couldn't buy any more if I messed it up, and partly because I've decided that sewing time is too rare and precious to spend it making garments that don't fit well and won't get lots of use. 

My main concern was getting a fit that didn't look too baggy. I prefer the look of the green pair pictured below which seem to have a similar fit to the maternity pair I borrowed, as opposed to the yellow version that you can see here. This pattern has about 4"-5" of ease through the hips, which seems like a lot to me, so I decided to go down a size from what my measurements would suggest to should cut (which Rae suggest if you're using a loosely woven fabric). (BTW, there is also a series of extra-detailed blog posts from the Luna pantsalong, if you require a little extra hand-holding for this make). 

(image source: Made by Rae)

It turned out to be a good call and I'm really pleased that I went for the Small, rather than the Medium, as the fit was pretty much exactly what I was hoping for. The only changes I then had to make to the pattern were to shorten the leg length by about 4cm, and to slash-and-flare through the back rise to add 1cm as it felt a teensy bit tight through the seat. 

Fabric:

Although I was on a self-imposed fabric diet after my then-recent move (nothing like packing up to move house to force you to acknowledge how much fabric you own!), I treated myself to a couple of metres of this light-weight washed anchor print denim from the Village Haberdashery on my last day teaching there before going on maternity leave. Pre-washing revealed its super-soft and slightly drape-y nature, so I had a hunch that it'd be a great match with this pattern. I wish I could link to the fabric, but sadly it's not on their website so I assume they have sold out. 

Thoughts:

I put these on as soon as I finished making them and then wore them for three days on the trot before I accepted they should have a wash. The fit was exactly what I hoped for, and they were pleasingly airy during the roasting hot weather we had last week. The only thing that felt less than pyjamary was the elasticated ankles. Not being used to this style, and not having worn the maternity pair I borrowed for eight months, I felt really conscious of them to start with. However, sensory adaptation did its thing and I didn't notice them at all after an hour or so. 

What is breaking my heart is that the loose weave has resulted in the fabric coming apart a bit at a couple of stress points on the rise. There's a bit on the front but it's more noticeable on the back (see above and below). These appeared after just one wear, and I'm not sure what, if anything, I can do about it now, or how I could prevent that in the future. Thoughts most welcome. 

Cost:

Pattern: available here in PDF form for $12 (approx. £9.44)

Fabric: I can't remember!!! I'm guessing £16 for 2m?

Elastic and thread from my stash

Total: £25.44

A fairly pricey make by my standards, especially if their days are numbers if those weak points rip apart entirely. However, thanks to the the fabric being really wide, I still have a sizeable chunk of it left (enough for a Scout tee or a woven tank of some kind, for sure) and I definitely plan to make more Lunas in the future. In fact I've just pre-washed some more precious fabric with this pattern in mind, watch this space...

Singin' in the Rain Hat

Well no one could accuse me of not trying to get my money's worth from the free Oliver + S children's bucket hat pattern! Rather than simply keeping the sun off, I figured it could also be used to keep the rain (or shower water!) off too. 

Pattern:

I used the size medium (approx. age 3-5) and made no alterations to the pattern. You can read more of my experience of and thoughts on this pattern here when I made using cotton, and also over here where I used it to refashion some unwanted jeans. I fully intend to use this pattern many more times; not only is it a satisfyingly quick make and a great scrap buster, it also produces a genuinely useful item. I can vouch for that, Dolores used her denim one almost every day for several months last summer.   

Fabric:

I'm a big fan of Rae Hoekstra of Made by Rae and all her designing output. Her fabric print designs for Cloud9 fabrics are amazing, especially for kid's wear IMO. I was lucky enough to be given a piece of needle cord from her Small World Cloud9 range which I used to make Dolores this dress. about 18 months ago. It remains one of my very favourite makes and never fails to elicit some compliments when she wears it. But as you may know by now, I try to use my stashed fabric and secondhand textiles in most of my sewing projects, however I love that all Cloud9 fabrics certified organic, and ensure ethical and ecological practices have been reached at every step of the fabric production, not just during the growth of the cotton plant, so didn't feel particularly guilty for buying this piece of Cloud9 laminate called 'Signin' in the Rain'. 

Although this fabric is laminated, it doesn't feel any thicker than a heavier-weight quilting cotton. Whilst using it I didn't treat it particularly differently than regular cotton, except for making sure all pins went through the seam allowance to avoid any pin pricks in the finished item, and using a pressing cloths and wool heat setting when pressing the seams. I didn't even bother getting out the walking foot for my sewing machine, but I did lower the foot pressure to help it go through evenly. 

Thoughts:

Such a fun project, both to make and to see in action as a finished item. My only gripe is that I didn't take a very holistic approach in regards to what bits of the print I used for what pattern pieces when I was cutting it out. Therefore the same bits of print are repeated a bit too closely than I would have preferred, but that's something to learn from for future projects I guess. It's great to have on hand, as I often find that the hoods on children's coats are designed more for appearance than practicality, and tend to blow off her head in any kind of wind. 

Cost:

Pattern: £0

Outer fabric: £5.50 for 0.25m from the Brighton Sewing Centre, enough for two hats

Lining: £0 a gift from a friend's de-stash

Total: £5.50, which will be halved when I use the rest to make Frankie one in a smaller size the autumn 

Happy Me-Made-May'15!: Village Haberdashery Giveaway

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS EVERYONE WHO ENTERED. THE WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED**

Happy Me-Made-May'15!!!!! I hope you stepped out of the door this morning in your fabulous handmade garment/s feeling super proud of yourself! Like last year, round these parts I'm going to be celebrating this year's Me-Made-May with weekly giveaways for participants of the challenge to enter. There's a nice range of sewing/garment-creating related gear up for grabs, and this first week's is a real corker.  

North London based shop-of-dreams, The Village Haberdashery, are offering up a £50 voucher for one lucky participant (to be chosen at random) to spend on their online shop. The Village Haberdashery post internationally, so this giveaway is open to ALL Me-Made-Mayers. 

The Village Haberdashery are sponsors of this blog, plus I also teach sewing classes there from time to time. Therefore I am lucky enough to have spent a lot of time in the presence of their seriously impressive inventory. I can tell you that they stock a frightening quantity of the most awesome quilting cottons known to (wo)man, and have a rapidly growing range of gorgeous garment fabrics, both woven and knit. They also stock stunning yarns (check me out not calling it 'wool'!), a great selection of notions and every freaking independent printed sewing pattern ever released (don't quote me on that last bit, but it certainly seems that way when you're standing in front of them all).  

So let me further whet your whistle with what you could spend the fiddy-quid on. Well, as I say there a squillion amazing quilting cotton designs like the two Cotton + Steel options pictured above. The lime green above is called Mochi and is currently available in sky blue here. The blue floral fabric on the right is a lovely border print called Mustang which you can see better here. Both these dresses are made using the fabulous Made by Rae Geranium dress pattern which you can also buy from The Village Haberdashery, AND make with me in a class in London on 6th June. 

Or, if you're more into wearing knit garments, you could use the spends on some luscious organic interlock. I can personally vouch that this stuff is seriously soft and cosy. The pattern used for the garment pictured above is the Christine Haynes Marianne dress pattern (would you be surprised to learn that you can also buy that pattern from VH?!) AND you can make one with me in a class on 20th June. 

Here's one more suggestion on what you could spend the voucher on. Some epically awesome printed organic needle corduroy designed by that multi-talented Made By Rae for Cloud9 Fabrics. Both the fabric collection and this specific print design are called Small World. See all the designs the VH stock in this collection here. I'm a lucky lady as I have 1 metre in my sticky mitts that the VH kindly gave me which I'll hopefully turn into something great that will be blogged about soon.  

So, the giveaway. You are not required to do anything in order to be in the running to win this £50 voucher, but I would very much recommend signing up to their newsletter. Also, I have started following their beautiful feed on Instagram (@vhaberdashery) and suggest you do too if you like be visually teased by beautiful fabric and projects on a regular basis!

Please remember that the giveaway is open to participants of Me-Made-may only. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post which includes your email address, unless I can access your email address within two clicks of my mouse. No email address, no way to get the voucher to you. If you aren't positive that it can be accessed within two clicks, then leave it in the comment itself. Your email address will not be used for any purpose other than contacting you if you are the winner. Leave your comment by midnight GMT Friday 8th May 2015. I will pick a winner by random number generator the following day. 

Happy May lovelies!!!