So I finally jumped on the By Hand London bandwagon, and can’t believe I didn’t do so sooner. I’ve met the By Hand girls on a couple of blogger meet-ups and they are so tall, slim and stylish I just didn’t think I would suit their patterns. Then at a Spoolette gathering at SewDixieLou’s house we all played dress-up in her Victoria Blazer and I was convinced (despite Claire’s version being many sizes smaller than mine would be). One birthday wishlist later and here I am, a By Hand London convert (garment number two is in production as we speak!)
My version is made in some lovely stretch black “posh cotton coat” that I got from another Claire at the latest Goldhawk Road meet-up and with black and white star cotton lining/cuffs/collar. I followed the pattern instructions as written (adding french seams to the sleeves) and used a left-over scrap of stripy bias-binding to finish the arm-hole seam. When finished I hand-sewed the lining armhole to the outer-jacket (on the train at 8am, getting very funny looks from other travellers).
I was on the train to visit a friend in Newcastle. One of our day trips was to the beach and a paddle in the refreshing North Sea. I was excited to have a real photographer and a proper location to get photos and I gave her instructions of the look I was after: SewBusyLizzy style gazing into the distance at the beach (see her first 2 versions of ByHandLondon’s Anna dress).
So there is Lizzy in WINTER (photo from her super blog) and here is me in SUMMER…
Hmmm… despite being the middle of August, the North Sea doesn’t look quite as lovely as the Australian beach does it? It was definitely weather for sleeves (over another unblogged self-drafted tee).
I must make sure I thank my friend H and her little 3 month old assistant.
Another Little Crafty Creation 