I made a vow to myself that I would sew some more practical things this year. I have tended to make lots of dresses and skirts which I feel very comfortable in, but living in a very windy city, aren’t always the most modest! Now that I am working from home, my daily outfits are usually some form of secret pyjamas – think lots of stretchy fabrics, elastic waistbands and boxy tees. I love these because they make me feel proud that I’ve gotten out of my real PJs and am dressed like a real grown up, but don’t restrict my need for cosy comfort.

When Helen’s Closet came out with this new Avery leggings pattern, I bought it almost immediately. I wear leggings about 5 out of 7 days per week, but have always been annoyed by how they roll down during the day. Helen has solved all that by adding a super high waisted option, which is reinforced with elastic.  I also love that the pattern only has an inner leg seam – I hadn’t really thought much about what a difference this would make under tops and dresses but it really makes me feel a whole lot more sleek.

I had had this burgundy leopard print in my stash for some time – these are pieced together from remnants of a Cashmerette Appleton and a Halla Agnes dress that I sewed with this fabric last year.  I made another pair in this 80s hieroglyphic monchrome print. These have been in heavy rotation since I made them. I love Helen’s instructions on her patterns – they provide the right amount of hand-holding and encouragement for me as an advanced beginner. The leggings are a perfect project for when you want a quick sew that you know that you’ll use a lot. They also use far less fabric than a dress, so are excellent for sewing on a budget.

I didn’t make any modifications to the pattern and sewed a straight XL in the high waist and longer leg option.  I think they are supposed to have a bit more extra fabric at the bottom around the ankles, but these suited me just fine. No cold ankles here!

Based on the success of these leggings, I decided to download the Blackwood Cardigan pattern. I think a couple of these cardigans will be perfect for slouching around the house in winter, and they’ll go so well with my Averys!

I bought some beautiful grey french terry from Fabric World and got going with the sewing. Unfortunately, pretty early on, I did this to the fabric with a very hot iron:

I would say out of all of my sewing skills, pressing is not my best. I know I should use a lower heat and/or a press cloth, but I was feeling impatient and wanted the cardigan to just be finished already. Not one to be put off by this minor setback, I decided to make a plan to fix the hole. I cut out a little patch that I could use to cover the hole, and thought that I might as well make it a feature of the cardigan. Here is how it looks now:

The heart shape is probably a bit cutesier than I would go for on a store bought item, but I think it works ok as a save for this version. I’ve already worn the cardigan a lot since I made it.

What I like most about the patch is that reminds me not to take this hobby too seriously. I sew to give myself a creative outlet and time away from my ‘real’ cerebral work, and not getting too stressed out about mistakes is part of the enjoyment of sewing for me. Plus, letting myself off the hook for mistakes in sewing actually helps me to do the same in other parts of my life, where I tend to hold myself to very high standards.

I think being honest and sharing some mistakes is also helpful for others getting into sewing. When I first started sewing, I found all of the blogs and Instagram accounts really inspiring but also quite intimidating. I thought that I would never be able to do things as well as others. But under dresses and in pockets there are probably loads of burn marks and wonky seams and badly installed zippers – and that’s ok! I may never do couture sewing, but I feel really chuffed to make wearable, comfortable items that keep me warm, and making them helps to keep me sane!

Here is a picture of the finished Blackwood, featuring me, my Liberty StyleArc Adeline dress, and tea: