The year of the Minx

I noticed a few of the blogs I follow are currently featuring round-ups of their sewing year. It occurred to me it would be a good idea to have a look back at the first year of One Crafty Minx, and review my projects and be realistic about how I feel about them all! So - here we go...

Liebster award!

One Crafty Minx has been nominated for a Liebster Award by the gorgeous girls at Tea for Two Diary. Thanks, ladies! I must confess I hadn't heard of this award until recently but it is possibly one of the nicest, most positive things around.

The Liebster Award is an award set up to bring recognition to and increase viewership for blogs with fewer than 200 followers.

As part of the award I now have to tell you 11 facts about myself:

1. By day, I'm a production editor for a medical communications agency.
2. I love country music.
3. I have an insatiable appetite for hugs.
4. I am a big fan of market towns.
5. I have a fear of pipes. Yes, pipes.
6. I would always choose a starter over a dessert.
7. I was vegetarian for 18 years. But now ribs are one of my favourites.
8. I have a Blue Peter badge.
9. I write to two death row in-mates.
10. I'm happiest frolicking in the countryside with my big and little minxes.
11. I'm old before my time and love a good Horlicks before bed.

Bonjour, Belladone!

Pattern: Belladone from Deer&Doe

Size: 10

Fabric: Cotton from Village Fabrics in Wallingford

I spent aaaaages trying to find a pattern to make a dress for my work Christmas party. Once I'd whittled out the ones that just wouldn't work with my figure, and the ones using terrifying floaty fabrics, I wasn't left with much. Luckily I stumbled across Belladone from the wonderful Deer&Doe. It's a simple enough construction, to be made from a sturdy fabric, but that back opening is enough to make it party and beautiful.

I found some great fabric in Mason's - blue and gold, really snazzy and festive but once I started sewing I realised it had a weird diagonal stretch to it and just wasn't going to create the neat, crisp lines required for Belladone. So it has been relegated to cushions. With only two weeks to go until that party, things were getting desperate so we decided to check out Village Fabrics in Wallingford, and what a find! It's no good if you're after fancy fabrics, but if you want a comprehensive range of cottons, then this is quite the goldmine. The one I chose is black with stripes of grey and a bronzey-gold with a slight shimmer. I wanted to bring in a bit more colour and so opted for a burgundy satin bias binding which really highlights the awesome bits of the dress.

The 90's called...they want their top back!

 

Pattern: Renfrew from Sewaholic
Size: 10
Fabric: Jersey from Saeed's in Walthamstow

A boyfriend once said that about my jeanie jacket. It wasn't funny and he's now an ex-boyfriend. It is important to know when such a phrase is an insult, or when it's just plain true and something to be embraced. Enter...my first Renfrew!
It seems pretty much everyone in the sewing world has made this pattern. There are so many wonderfully different versions out there, all tailored to the individual. My latest blog obsession, Four Square Walls has revealed that there are 24 possible combinations (if you include making it in to a dress!).
I've decided on two concepts and this first one I wanted to be more of a slouchy over-top than a t-shirt. I love love love the cowl neck and I think it really gives that look of effortless chic. I hope so, anyway. I made a size 10 for this as I wanted it to be more like a jumper, but when I make version 2 I'll make it in an 8 (or even a 6 as the 10 is so roomy) so it's more of a t-shirt fit.