The Edie Top - Balloon Sleeves And Summer Breezes

This year's Edie Top is perfect for summer.

Summer has come early to Cornwall. Days start with mist rising off the river revealing clear blue skies by the time my tea has brewed. The sun has brought all my freckles out, and I have learned that the sunblock I have isn’t resistant to sea swimming. My wardrobe has had to come out of its comforting woollen cocoon to embrace the linens and cottons that are now looking at me from the ironing pile. It's the season of balloon sleeves and summer breezes, which means it is time for me to revisit The Edie Top, by Merchant and Mills.

Last summer, my Edie was the one project that was cut out and then sadly left it to linger. The reason it was popped in the to-do basket rather than under my sewing machine was simply due to the fact that the weather was so bloody awful last year; we had nine months of rain, and by the time the end of August rolled around, the idea of wearing the cotton broderie anglaise left me with goosebumps. Last week, as I flicked through the BBC weather pages to see that the sun was about to bless us with glorious days of back to back warmth, I remembered that it was there waiting for me, and decided it was about time to just sew it up and pop it on my body! 

The Edie is a top that I have now sewn three times, and each one gets a little better. The first was done to the pattern, with ties at the back where the slit on the collar was placed (which ended up irritating me), and the sleeves were far too long, and the balloon detail was overly voluminous. (To be totally frank, the black and gold check made me feel as if I had remade Rupert The Bear’s trousers, and I didn’t like the weight of the cotton.)  

The second was where I lengthened the top by two inches to avoid it being too cropped, and took the sleeves up, as well as in. To take away a lot of the volume of the sleeve, whilst still giving it a generous puff, I simply took the grain line and marked 2.5inches either side near the cuff, then taking my meter rule I drew a line from the bicep point of the grain line to the mark by the cuff on each side. This basically made a huge dart, and I just moved the marked lines I had drawn together to the grain line. Is this how it is ‘supposed’ to be done? I have no idea, but it worked, and the cream linen version I made with it was hardly off my body before someone decided it needed a red wine stain all the way through the front. 

My Second Edie.

Hand sewing the bias tape

The second Eddie also taught me that I can hack the heck out of a pattern to make it fit my style, as bows at the back are not my vibe, and the ones on the sleeve cuffs end up in my coffee. My hack was to move the slit in the collar to the front and ditch the ties, as well as use elastic in the sleeve cuff in order to save both my laundry, and my coffee. Both decisions were perfect, and I kept them. 

This third version is the best yet! I purchased the fabric knowing that I would have to piece it together along some hidden lines as I couldn’t afford enough to pattern match the whole thing without some jiggery pokery. I chose to do the piecing for the sleeves, as the puff would hide any edges that were not 100% pattern matched, whereas the front and back would be too obvious. It was my first time doing pieced work, and I was delighted with the results - the edges are well hidden, and they look great on the back of the sleeve, right near the seam.

My pieced sleeve fabric

Pattern matching eyelet fabric

Marking out the perfect pattern match

This version also has a lining for the front and back, and although I know that there is a very pretty flower detail to the fabric, no one else will know, and I quite like that. It’s a bit like my pocket linings; they are always pretty and colourful, but they are just for me to enjoy.

I decided that I wanted to practice my French Seams for the project as I know that I reach for my overlocker too often. I was glad that I did, as my skills definitely needed to have the rust knocked off them. At the beginning they were a bit too chonky for my liking, and the first ones I did for the shoulder seams ended up having a top stitch put through them to ensure that they lay flat. However, by the time I got to the sleeves, they were looking a lot neater, and I am pleased that I stuck with the process. The only overlocked seams are around the armholes, as the three layers needed stabilising, and I wasn’t about to do a Hong Kong seam with bias tape… the sun is out now and probably won’t wait for me to stop procrastinating over that option. 

Stitching to keep all the layers of fabric together whilst I work

My pin cushion on the ironing board, with my thimble

I am delighted with the results from this project, and not just because I was wearing it out as soon as it had been through a much needed laundry cycle (it had been in storage for nearly a year!). I know that I need to spend more time sewing to keep my techniques in tip-top order, so it was a good project to start the rhythm of it again. I haven’t sewn much since my move down here, but I now feel as if I know my space better and can get into a flow in the evenings after work. I have moved stuff around in my living room to make this easier, and it’s a much more inviting space to create in. I think that coming to this version of The Edie allowed me to realise that I could still just do little bits each evening and not worry about doing it all in one go, and I am very thankful for that.

I absolutely love my version of the Merchant and Mills pattern. I have altered everything about it - even the back dart placements and the shoulder drops, but it has taught me how to do all those things; it is the perfect basic pattern to learn how to hack, and there is even an option to make it longer so that you can make a dress, which is on the list as I need a good beach cover-up.

I hope that you are encouraged to give it a go, as you can make it out of any flow-y material and end up with a winning staple in your wardrobe. If it is your first time with balloon sleeves, I would just urge you to make a mock-up first, as they are quite full and they may be a little overwhelming if you are, like me, a Hobbit. 

Until next time, may your needles always bring you joy, and may your frogging be rare. 

Love, Jenny xx

The back is my ideal length.

Cloning My Clothes.

This is the (very worn-in) linen jacket that I wanted to remake!

As the summer roles in, my attention is drawn to my sewing projects, so when the idea of cloning my clothes came up my sewing machine gave me a nudge! Today, I wanted to share a joyful Saturday that allowed me to learn so much that will bless my wardrobe, as well as enjoy a lot of fun with friends.

I remember getting my first sewing machine when I was 8 years old at Christmas; a small singer that could go forward and backwards, as well as a wonderful zigzag stitch. Christmas day was spent going up and down lines that mum had drawn onto cotton, but by boxing day she had me perfecting circles, which I would appreciate later in life. My dolls wore scrappy patch clothes, and I learned how to do darts around my teddy, so that by the time I hit my teenage years I was happy to faff about and make my own clothes with a preference towards cotton and linen. 

Patterns do not frighten me, and I have drafted my own blocks, but I have never cloned a piece of clothing from a store to create a pattern from it so that I could make more versions. So when Helen from Dot.N.Cross mentioned she was popping a Saturday workshop on to teach the cloning technique, I jumped at it; the idea of being able to create the project I had been thinking of for about a year was in danger of actually happening! 

Check Out Helen's Website!

One of the last gifts mum had given me was a blue linen shirt jacket from Seasalt, and I have been wanting to re-make it and hack it into a shower-proof jacket. Naively, I had thought that cloning my clothes would mean that I had to unpick the original, meaning that I would be unable to wear it again. This was the main reason why I had steered clear of the practice, as I didn’t want to lose mum’s gift. When I mentioned this mental road block, the reaction was a giggle and a reassurance, making me feel a lot easier about embarking on the workshop. 

Jess had such a giggle with her gathered shirt

Last Saturday morning found myself, Laura (from Thread Pegs), and Jess (from Beyond Making) beetling down to Cast in Helston to meet two other makers for Helen’s class. It was fun to be with friends as we caught up and chatted about our ideas about our current sewing (and knitting) projects in the car before we got there. The clothes we had brought to clone were very different! Laura had brought along a swimsuit that had shorts attached to the waistline (with pockets!), and Jess had arrived with a hand made shirt from the 80’s; a cotton lawn with pale pink roses, balloon sleeves and a gathered back.

Helen has been a pattern cutter for the big London fashion designers, and has done her fair share of fashion weeks and seasons. Now she teaches classes and one-to-one tutorials, bringing an attention to detail and professionalism that is second to none, (as well as the best chocolate chip cookies). With five very different clothes being hauled out of bags around the workshop and being laid on the big cutting tables, Helen became very excited with how each item could teach us different skills about pattern cutting and dressmaking.

Pins, a pattern master, pins, a tracing wheel, and more pins!

The real trick with cloning patterns is pinning, pinning, and pinning some more, as well as finding your grainline. It surprised me how long it took to make sure my jacket was pinned on to the pattern paper in a way that I could trust before I marked it all out. For parts of the pattern that I couldn’t halve accurately down the centre, I had to find the grainline and pin that to a line of dots on the paper, from that point I could anchor the rest of the pattern down so that I could use the tracing wheel. This was especially needed for my saddle shoulder pieces, as well as my collar.

Pinning my saddle shoulder down after finding a grainline and anchoring the piece.

With each part of the patterns being drawn up, Helen would occasionally stop us to show how to make measurements for parts we couldn't unpick, which was great for the gathers at the back of Jess’s shirt. When it came to the overly stretched elastic on Laura’s swimsuit, a little bit of negative ease was popped into the equation. When it came to my split cuffs, we decided to trace the pattern as one sleeve piece, and then add the option for a split sleeve on the paper, so I could do either. 

After we had marked it all out, Helen taught us how to true-up our patterns to make sure that they all worked together. Personally, I love the ‘walking’ technique, where I could walk through my pattern piece by piece as I got a feel for the 3-D shapes and how I was going to end up constructing it. All I have to do is remember to add the seam allowance! 

Laura had a great time drafting her new swimsuit

I found the whole day eye opening, and although I have very few shop-made clothes now, I can see how my wardrobe will benefit in the future. Finding old dresses in the thrift shop that I like the style of, but don’t like the fabric, can now be taken home and cloned before being gifted or re-donated. Is that wasteful? I don’t think so in the grand scheme of things, as the amount of times it would happen is small. 

Apart from anything, it was a day of laughter, friendship, and memories, which is the best combination for any day! The lunch at Cast was absolutely delicious, and to spend time chatting to the other two makers who joined us was great; I learned a lot about reenactment costume making, which I have always admired, but have never known anyone to chat about it. I am so thankful to Helen for inviting us along, making space for us to learn more about the hobby we love which enables us to clothe our bodies, and for teaching us so well. I am very tempted to join her autumn course so that I can make my own Dress Block, as the one I have no longer works for my post 40 body. 

No doubt I shall be updating you with plans for my sewing wardrobe soon as we head into summer, and my jacket will be sure to get a lot of my attention!

Until then, may your needles always bring you joy, and your frogging be rare, 

Jenny and Finchley xx

Mr Finchley is enjoying the Cornish sun this month.

The Mindful Wardrobe: Creating Space For Our Creative Makes

Creating A Home With Awareness.

Welcome to 'The Mindful Wardrobe’ series. It's been rummaging around my mind for a while. As I share it with you I hope it will create a space where we can open our wardrobe doors, take a breath, and enjoy some reflection whilst we look at our knitting and sewing projects. The series is a gentle focus on our knitting and sewing projects, mood boards, and where we source our materials, to a rounded chat about sustainable fashion and how we care for our world.

The aim is not simply on what we can gain from our daily meditative knitting and stitching sessions, but how we can powerfully harness a mindful process of creating to help engage with change.

‘Mindfulness’ is a term that was bandied around a lot when I was in the wellbeing and physical rehab world. In all honesty, I got to the point where I became a little disillusioned with it all; someone was always selling something to enable people to slow down and make space. I started to talk about it less and less when I treated my clients as I didn’t want them to think it was yet another thing that they had to put their money into. The concept of pausing, talking a breath, and allowing our mind and body to connect and slow down in harmony is something I feel should be a basic, instinctual, human state - we have a right to be at peace. 

It is with this caveat that I rather hesitatingly start this new blog series; I can assure you that I am not about to try and sell something to you. 

What Is Mindfulness?

Taking time to breathe.

Mindfulness is a practice of reflection in our bodies, our minds, and our hearts. I used to term it the ‘pause-and-breathe’ moments in the day; those times when you are in a grocery queue where you can pause, breathe, and check in with body and mind to align yourself. Mindfulness is nothing more, or less, than being aware of your present state. 

You can broaden this practice out in ways that make sense for you. Personally, I make a point of creating time to breathe with intention each day, and journaling is a powerful tool in my arsenal to help me reflect on the past so that I can focus on positive movement towards my future. Many of my therapy clients used yoga as a useful tool for their own healing, as well as walking and structured meditation. But you get the idea… find some time, be with yourself, gently reflect and enjoy a little peace. You do you, and you don’t have to spend a fortune doing it. 

In this blog series, we are taking mindfulness one step further to see if we can offer breath and peace to the wider world around us.

The Economics Of Mindless Fashion

Fashion and Mindfulness.

We will get to our wardrobes in a moment, but I want to set out the two concepts that we will be returning to, before we begin this series. Consider this our compass setting as we roll out the map before us.

It is worth noting that ‘Mindfulness’ on its own is set to become a billion dollar business by 2027, in a wellness industry that is with trillions. (Yes - that’s Trillions with a T.) 

The fast fashion industry is worth billions also, with Shein alone worth between $66-$100 billion in 2023 according to Mackinsey. If we add every other form of fast fashion, we get another ‘Big T’ heading up the numbers.

Both of these industries, fashion and wellbeing, arguably take advantage of our basic needs for health and clothing on an industrial scale, but we can get into those topics at a later date. Waste, over consumption, debt, slave labour, water pollution… The list is endless. But my point here is that to presume that our wardrobes and our peace of mind are not linked is to be blind to the economic structures of the world that we live in; leggings for a yoga class is the easiest example I can think of.

Inner Development

Taking Time To Stop, Think, And Create.

The term ‘Inner Development’ may seem a little heavy handed for a knitting and sewing blog, but it is the name given to a process that can be used when thinking about human development, or in our case, mindful making. It’s a framework backed by the UN, and if you are keen to learn more, I would encourage you to follow the link below. I learned about this during a masterclass for Sustainable Fashion at Falmouth University, and I thank them for offering this to everyone! 

Inner Development Framework

When we are knitting and sewing at home, embracing Inner Development is a great way of seeing how we can start to turn the tide towards a more sustainable way of life in our own homes, and how that can enable change in our communities: 

1. Being - Our relationship to ourselves

2. Thinking - Our cognitive skills

3. Relating - Caring for those in our world

4. Collaborating - Our social networks 

5. Acting - Enabling Change

(As I look back at my work in rehab for physical trauma, I also think the World Health Organisation’s ICF framework could also be applied to this subject, but that is a whole other tangent!)

We shall be using Inner Development for our series, referring back to it time and again as we grow in our understanding of how we can mindfully create and embrace change for the better. So, let’s start! 

Mindfully Opening The Door

Opening The Wardrobe Door.

Our wardrobes are an eclectic array of rainbows. Different colours, textures, styles, and designers are reflected there. Every time we get dressed in the morning we choose to dress in a way that reflects how we feel and where we are going. Fashion can also be seen as showing off our economic and political stances to those we meet or pass in the streets. Our wardrobes are never ‘just clothes’.

Before we delve into the series, I want to encourage you to download the pdf and take it to where you house your clothes; your bedroom, dressing room, laundry room, and just sit in that space. 

Opening My Wardrobe Door pdf.

David Hockney was once asked when he knew his paintings were finished, and he said that it was when he could sit with them for an hour and not fiddle with something on the canvas. As you sit there with your clothes, what makes you want to get up and ‘sort it out’? What irritates you? What makes you happy? Is it a colour, a texture, a style? Also, what do you feel is missing?! Is there a red dress that needs to be added, or a sweater that you’ve always hankered after? Is there a spot where a lightweight cardigan could go? What colours do you want to see added to your sock draw?

Other questions could be:

• What does a ‘core closet’ look like for you? 

• What does colour mean for your wardrobe?

• How can you plan our projects in a mindful and meaningful way? 

• Is there a community of makers and creators near you that you can join to help you make your wardrobe? 

All of this gives you data and information to build on later. Take note, write it down, and then just close the door. Allow these note-ings to settle in you for a while; let them be and then see how they evolve. Take note of thoughts that occur later on when you are out for a walk, and embrace time; there is no rush to the next thing we need to do.

The only thing I would encourage you to do is pause, take a deep breathe, and offer thanks for the clothes that you do have, and for the space that they are in.

Let’s Travel Together!

Let's Enjoy Our Mindful Wardrobe.

We have set our compass, and the map has been laid out in front of us, and one thing I am sure of is that we will probably get a little lost in the middle of the series. At the end of this trip together, and what I wish is for, is that these blogs to help us define our wardrobes in ways that reflect our true selves.

“Align Your Wardrobe With Your Values” is the call from Sew Liberated, and I believe this to be a rallying call that we can start to get behind. Even though it will mean different things to each of us, our making and creating can build communities that can help nurture our world in a better way.