Diane from @dreamcutsew has an amazing sewing blog. In September Diane shared a picture of her Burda Style dress (101 from the August magazine) that she made using some of my Atelier Brunette Granito Chestnut viscose on her instagram account and I instantly fell in love with her make, you can read all about her make on her blog.
Every month I pick someone who has shared a make on their social media using fabric from Sew Me Sunshine and used the hashtag #sewingsunshine. I love following this hashtag as I get so inspired by all of your amazing makes. The monthly winner receives a £20 e-voucher, and gets featured on Sew Me Sunshine's blog so that we can all get to know the winner a little bit more, so I will now hand over to Diane so we can get to know her a bit more...
Quick Fire Questions:
Pins or Weights: Both! I weight my fabric first and then pin in place.
Scissors or Rotary Cutter: Scissors always.
Cut or Trace: I've always cut my patterns.
Favourite sewing tool: Walking foot for my machine.
Your machine: I have a mechanical (i.e non-computerised) Bernina 1008 and a Bernina 115MDA overlocker
What do you listen to/watch when you sew: Smooth radio, sometimes a CD and occasionally I watch Youtube videos about Instagram growth or blogging tips.
Let's Get To Know You A Bit More:
When did you start dressmaking and why did you start?
I started to sew as I grew up watching my mum sew for herself and for others. She instilled a huge love of fashion and sewing into me. I began with sewing Sindy clothes and progressed to making my own clothes as a teenager. I was never ever happy shopping for clothes and was taught a proper fit by my mum and as a result, I'm never happy with the fit of RTW clothing, plus it's great to have something unique.
Who inspires you with your dressmaking?
Who inspires you with your dressmaking?
All sorts of sewing bloggers, fashion bloggers Instagrammers and fashion designers. I also get so much inspiration via watching runway shows and browsing Pinterest and love to study the new trends each season.
What is your favourite fabric to work with and why?
This one's easy...wool! It's lovely to work with. It stitches easily, presses like a dream. It never puckers, topstitches well, it can be steam pressed and moulded into shape and comes in many different weights and weaves.
What is your all-time favourite dressmaking pattern and why?
What is your all-time favourite dressmaking pattern and why?
Oh gosh, this one's tricky. Do I have to pick only one?? Lol! I don't often make patterns up again and again, though I have made up Vogue 8884 trench coat twice and McCall's culottes 7445 three times and I love both patterns to bits, but I think I'll go with Butterick 6244 by Lisette because it was a dream to sew and I adore the shape with the dramatic waterfall collar and neat shoulder line. Every time I wear it I feel so good!
Pick one fabric from Sew Me Sunshine and tell us what you would sew with it:
Pick one fabric from Sew Me Sunshine and tell us what you would sew with it:
I'm going to choose the Robert Kaufmann Shetland flannel in peachy pink. I think I would make a top with a puffed sleeve and deep cuff.
Thank you so much Diane for answering our questions and for sharing your beautiful dress. Don't forget to follow Diane on instagram. Make sure you share a photograph of your sunshine make in October and use the hashtag #sewingsunshine to be in with a chance of winning £20 & to be featured on our blog.
Thank you so much Diane for answering our questions and for sharing your beautiful dress. Don't forget to follow Diane on instagram. Make sure you share a photograph of your sunshine make in October and use the hashtag #sewingsunshine to be in with a chance of winning £20 & to be featured on our blog.
Thanks for the feature Harriet! I’m looking forward to spending my voucher :)