Hi everyone! I'm Emily and I have JUST treated myself to a year of Platinum membership! SO EXCITING! I am an artist and illustrator based in the UK. If you're interested in seeing what I do, I make fantasy and folklore based art www.emilyhare.co.uk. I am a BIG fan of oversized clothes (mostly I find ready made stuff via Etsy!).
I learnt to sew growing up and the last two years of school did something called 'Textiles City & Guilds' which was a 2 year qualification to learn how to make clothes from scratch, make a dress block block, design etc. It was brilliant and I am SO glad I did it but I haven't kept practicing very regularly. I did at one point consider going into making clothing but the call to painting was stronger! Last year I made two Hanten jacket's for me and my other half and a Kimono for my other half too. I'm about to make a gorgeous plum linen coloured kimono for myself (using the mia dress photo fabric with the triangles as a lining) and then I will proceed to make the endless gorgeous patterns I've downloaded from here! The only pattern I'm missing, that I would like is the Maxine, but at the moment it's not showing up as free, so I will have to be patient!
Here is the plum linen with the triangle cotton I bought (at completely OTT expense from Tina since I have to ship to the UK, but I HAD to have it) that will be the lining, I think it's going to look amazing, even though I will mostly be wafting about at home in it! I hope that I will have some left over...
My plan is to make the Daniella pant first I think. (I usually make myself one or two new pairs of Salwar style pants each year, I'll post a pic later of those) and it looks like Tina's pants will be right up my street too. I've also got my eye on the Elope top too, I have lots of long bag dresses but need some lighter ones. I find it very hard to find nice fabrics here in the UK and it's so hard buying online when you can't see the drape of the fabric! I wish linen wasn't so expensive as I adore it.
Anyway, I'm so excited to be here and get sharing and making! I hope everyone is managing to stay safe and well X
Hi Emily,
Like you, I just treated myself to platinum membership and I’ve been downloading patterns like mad. I had to laugh when you said you couldn’t find great fabrics in the U.K. and had to order elsewhere. I just ordered some fabulous linen from Merchant and Mills because I swear I can’t find great linen here in the US! I also ordered some block printed voile from India through Etsy. I have no idea when these items will reach me. Meanwhile I’m starting off with the Poppy slip made from a large, vintage, white linen tablecloth and the Annabelle slip to go over it in lightweight blue chambray.
I‘d love to see your Daniella pants when they are finished—I have enough linen in my stash for pants but haven’t yet decided on a pattern. Good luck on your sewing!
Hi Pamela!!
Yeah it's not that there are NO fabrics here, it's that most of the online fabric stores are for 'crafting' (fat quarters etc) of horrid patterned fabrics (I'm not a fan of prints unless they're stripes or bold geometrics like the one I got from Tina! Or block prints like you say... Etsy is SO good for interesting fabrics). I try not to order fabric from abroad now though because they charge 20% of however much it cost... so this fabric I got from Tina, whenever it was, cost a painful amount because of the 20% VAT! Merchant & Mills is really lovely, I wish they did more colours though. I got a lovely big bold triangle indigo cotton from them a couple of years ago and am wearing the pants I made from them today! Another place that is good that you might not know about over here is www.raystitch.co.uk which has some really lovely linens (I've got my eye on a couple of their colours, right up my street), and also when i get to london I ALWAYS go to www.clothhouse.com which is again, also amazing and has LOADS of block prints etc (although most are not online, but some are!). So those are my go-to ones along with Etsy! I ordered some lovely linen (the plum one above) on Etsy however, unfortunately the other colour I got (green) was too 'hard' if that makes sense. So I have 5meters of linen I'm not sure what to do with! I've been thinking I might bleach it and see how it looks. I will definitely share my Daniella pants! Any pants from Tina you can particularly recommend or show me pics of?
Hi Emily. Thank you for the suggestions for fabric. I will check them out. I haven’t made any pants yet but I have cut out the pattern for the Jacqueline pant and they have an interesting panel that runs down the side of the pant. I may try them first. I bet Maefairie has good info on pants. It seems she has made many of the patterns. Im excited to see what you will make!
@Emily hi Emily, one more thing I forgot to mention—you might consider dying your sharply green linen. It might be fabulous overdyed with blue. I have used these amazing cold water fiber reactive dyes from Dharma Trading Company. when done correctly they dye natural fibers beautifully and do not run or fade with subsequent washings—even in hot water. I’ve used these dyes on vintage linen, silk velvet, and even those little choir Christmas trees. They have tons of colors, thorough instructions, and the prices are very reasonable. Maybe you have a similar resource where you are. https://www.dharmatrading.com/dyes/dharma-fiber-reactive-procion-dyes.html?lnav=dyes.html
Hi Emily so glad you are joining us, been a member a long time been sewing Tina's patterns for 7 years
welcome to the club it is great to see other sewers that make fabulous lagen outfits
I made the Maxine it is a free pattern in Sychil #5 page 21 it is the blue tiny stripe dress in my pictures
Living in the country in Florida there is not much fabric to be found. I order mostly online
from https://fabrics-store.com/ there linen is priced very reasonable and they have sales all the time. I have used the handkerchief linen and the middle softened linen both are great. They ship really fast too. They also run deals on Instagram for 5 to 10 yards of linen usually in black or white. So you can dye it or paint it. Great deal.
I love Tina's pants have made The Elope 6 times,
Need any help or have questions always here
WElcome WElcome
I'm on Instagram at Merfaeriewings
often put up sewing pictures, when not sculpting
Karen
Hi Karen! I just followed you on instagram, you'll see my handle @artbyemilyhare on there. Seems us creative types are creative in all sorts of areas! I don't think I know any of my illustrator friends who don't also do something else that's in the 'making' sphere! Those dolls are super fun.
You must be able to live in linen all year round in Florida! I'll check out fabrics-store but I'm a bit windy about buying from outside the EU now as the VAT is so huge if I've bought lots of it. Even wondering if I've been silly to line the kimono with that lovely tina fabric as it's so nice but it could actually be a reversible one possibly if I'm careful! It's nice to see you in the Elope top and pants, they look great. You say you are really tall, how tall? I am 5'8" so not mega tall but taller than the average and often have issues with things not being long enough (particularly sleeves!) but also trousers, usually because of my large arse! You really have been prolific in making the designs, it's pretty impressive. I did finally manage to download the Maxine. I think i got confused as some of the patterns have the same picture on them (I guess because they've not had a photo shoot yet), so I keep passing it by because it looks like one I already have rather than looking at the name.
I'm hoping joining up here will work (feels like it will) like joining the gym, now that I'm a member it provides impetus to sew. I'm trying not to work at weekends which is what I normally end up doing (as nice as it is to paint), so having a sewing project every weekend will be great!).
Thanks everyone for such a warm welcome!
@Emily Hi Emily I have to add 3 to 4 inches to my pants because I'm 5'10 the Elope are short on me also slimmer fit, I added inches to the bottom and made a bigger size I am a big Scottish girl.
@merfaerie Good info, I will go for a larger pant size too then to make up for the arse!
Hi Karen,
I’ve been looking at your many photos on the forum. Wow! You are so inspiring. Thank you for sharing your creations. I just joined as a platinum member so I am busy getting patterns downloaded and assembled and ordering fabric. I hope to post some photos soon.
Hi Emily and welcome! We all love Tina’s patterns she’s brilliant! and inspired❤️ You’ll love the Elope pant, but measure your length because if your legs are longer they’ll be to short. everything I‘ve made I’ve loved.
Good to know thank you! Just ordered myself a roll of calico to do trial clothing when I'm not sure how it works! Feels like being back at school and making blocks from calico!