Secret Life of a Seamstress

Secret Life of a Seamstress

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Latest from YouTube

  • Pattern Reviews

    My (first) three versions of the Billie Sweatshirt by Tilly and the Buttons – a pattern review…

    February 25, 2021 /

    As soon as Tilly and the Buttons released the Billie pattern, I fell in love with it.  I love to wear jersey and sweatshirts have fast become my wear of choice during this extended lockdown period we’ve found ourselves in here in the UK meaning that we’re at home in our cosy clothes far more than we usually would be perhaps.   The Billie can be made as a sweatshirt or as a dress.  I’ve not yet made a dress version but I definitely hope to in the future. You can order yourself a copy of the Billie pattern here. I loved the look of the basic sweatshirt pattern, but…

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    Sally Gauntlett 0 Comments

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    DIBY Club Emmeline Dress

    DIBY Club Emmeline Gathered Dress Pattern Review

    March 5, 2020
  • Pattern Reviews

    My First Wildergown – a pattern and fabric review…

    January 23, 2021 /

    I absolutely loved the look of this Art Gallery Rayon fabric from Minerva particularly because of the beautiful rust/burnt orange colour of the print.  I loved it so much that it took me ages to decide what to make with it because I had so many ideas. I’ve been thinking about making the Friday Pattern Company Wilder Gown for a long while now too and after a lot of deliberation I decided that the Wilder Gown and this beautiful, floaty rayon would make a perfect match. I am 5’ 3” in height and although I absolutely love the look of the full length dress, I decided that, for my first…

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    Sally Gauntlett 2 Comments

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    DIBY Club Emmeline Dress

    DIBY Club Emmeline Gathered Dress Pattern Review

    March 5, 2020
  • Pattern Reviews

    The Florence Blouse by Size Me Sewing – A Pattern Review (in collaboration with Makerist.Com)

    January 6, 2021 /

    Before Christmas Makerist kindly asked me if I would like to try one of the patterns from the designers they were featuring in a post Christmas $2 sale.  Makerist have an amazing selection of craft patterns including sewing, knitting, crochet and embroidery, you can visit their website and view their vast collection here. Flicking through all of the lovely sewing patterns on their website the Florence Blouse caught my eye.  I loved the relaxed style of the blouse and the shirring detail at the cuff.  I thought this would be a make for my wardrobe that could be dressed up or down so I knew I would get a lot…

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    Sally Gauntlett 0 Comments

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    DIBY Club Emmeline Dress

    DIBY Club Emmeline Gathered Dress Pattern Review

    March 5, 2020
  • You Tube

    VLOG – What I’ve been sewing during July and August (part 2)

    August 27, 2020 /

    Hi everyone, welcome back to my channel and to part two of my ‘sew and tell’ all about what I’ve been making over July and August. As there are quite a few makes to get through I’ve decided to split the video into a part one and part two. You can find part one on my channel if you haven’t watched it and would like to. I would love you to subscribe to my channel if you haven’t already and don’t forget to hit the notification bell to be notified of any future videos I make. Happy sewing and thank you again for your support! Sally xx

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    Sally Gauntlett 0 Comments
  • You Tube

    VLOG – What I’ve been sewing during July and August (part 1)

    August 25, 2020 /

    Hi everyone, welcome back to my channel and to a bit of an overdue ‘sew and tell’ all about what I’ve been making over July and August. As there are quite a few makes to get through I’ve decided to split the video into a part one and part two. I would love you to subscribe to my channel if you haven’t already and don’t forget to hit the notification bell to be notified of any future videos I make. Happy sewing and thank you again for your support! Sally xx

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    Sally Gauntlett 0 Comments
  • Uncategorized,  You Tube

    Cosy Rainy Sewing Day | Sew a Megan Nielsen Darling Ranges dress with me

    June 21, 2020 /

    Join me for a cozy, rainy day sewing day where I sew up my latest (there are many!) Megan Nielsen Darling Ranges dress in this beautiful embroidered chambray denim. I’d love to know what you thought of this video and whether you would like to see more of this kind of thing. Also do comment below and let me know if you’ve made the Darling Ranges dress and what you thought of it. Happy sewing! Sally xx

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    Sally Gauntlett 0 Comments

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    Five of My Favourite Sewing Tools

    April 24, 2020

    Beginner Sewing Project Hair Scrunchie Tutorial – easy ‘make in an hour’ project

    April 14, 2020
  • Minerva Blog

    Megan Nielsen Sudley Dress/Top Hack

    May 26, 2020 /

    I think I have an obsession with Megan Nielsen dress patterns, there’s always so much potential to adapt and so many different variations to the patterns.  When I saw this beautiful blue spot crepe fabric on the Minerva website loved it immediately and wasn’t sure what to make with it at first, then the Sudley Dress pattern came into my life and I knew it would be the perfect match.  I wasn’t sure at first whether to make the dress version or a top from this fabric and in the end I settled on something in between.  A sort of hack of the pattern to make a peplum top.  Here’s…

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    Sally Gauntlett 0 Comments
  • Uncategorized

    Summer Sewing Inspiration – five looks I’m loving…

    May 17, 2020 /

    Like a lot of us, even though we’re still in lockdown here in the UK, the nicer weather has got me thinking about all of the lovely summer makes I want to sew.  Yes, even though I’m spending most of my time at home in comfy loungewear I still need lots of pretty dresses ok husband!! 😉 Here’s a little round up of summer inspiration I’ve collected over the last few weeks. I’ve linked to anything I mention so if you want to take a closer look just click on any of the links or pictures and it should take you directly to the item. The Floral Midi Dress I…

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    Sally Gauntlett 0 Comments

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    Five of My Favourite Sewing Tools

    April 24, 2020

    Beginner Sewing Project Hair Scrunchie Tutorial – easy ‘make in an hour’ project

    April 14, 2020
  • Pattern Reviews,  Uncategorized

    Pivoine Blouse Review – Delphine & Morissette

    May 10, 2020 /

    I made this blouse back last summer 2019 and, after posting pictures of it on Instagram, I had so many lovely comments, messages and questions about the making process that I kept saying that I would write a blog post on the pattern and I am just getting around to it now in May 2020!!  Lockdown does have some advantages, it’s giving me time to write up a lot of my makes and it’s lovely to get them done and remember what I loved about them. So, anyway, I had seen so many beautiful versions of this pattern around and fell in love with it.  I absolutely love French style,…

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    Sally Gauntlett 0 Comments

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    DIBY Club Emmeline Dress

    DIBY Club Emmeline Gathered Dress Pattern Review

    March 5, 2020
  • Uncategorized

    Five of My Favourite Sewing Tools

    April 24, 2020 /

    For this blog post I thought I’d do a little round up of my top five favourite and most used sewing tools.  I could have added many more but these are my current favourites J I’ve linked the products in each section if you would like to check them out for yourself.  Burda Tracing Paper Not sure if this can be considered a ‘tool’ but I guess it kind of is.  I absolutely love this stuff, since I trace off all of my patterns now I go through quite a lot of it. I’ve tried various types of paper (I’ve even tried greaseproof baking paper) for tracing patterns and I…

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    Sally Gauntlett 0 Comments

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    Beginner Sewing Project Hair Scrunchie Tutorial – easy ‘make in an hour’ project

    April 14, 2020
 Older Posts





secret_life_of_a_seamstress

✂️ Sewing, knitting and Craft Blog & YouTube Channel
💝 Handmade Gift Shop @poppy_and_primrose
🌸 Mum to 👦🏼 👧🏻 🐶
Links to everything below👇🏻

Sally
✨GIVEAWAY✨ I’m so excited to have teamed up ✨GIVEAWAY✨
I’m so excited to have teamed up with @bygraziela_fabrics for a fantastic giveaway!! 

The winner will receive 1.5 metres of fabric of your choice from the @bygraziela_fabrics website and there are so many beautiful designs to choose from.

To enter you simply need to:
1. Like this post
2. Follow me @secret_life_of_a_seamstress and @bygraziela_fabrics 
3. Comment tagging a friend below. You can enter as many times as you like - one comment equals one entry.

Open to residents of the UK only! 

Giveaway closes at 10pm on Saturday 24th April. The winner will be chosen at random and notified soon after.

I’m wearing a @tillybuttons Billie Sweatshirt with 3/4 length sleeves in this cute navy and grey heart print sweatshirt fabric which is so cosy!! 

Good luck 💗

This giveaway is in no way endorsed by Instagram. 

Fabric #gifted by @bygraziela_fabrics.
Sneak peek (or not so sneak peek because you can s Sneak peek (or not so sneak peek because you can see quite a bit of it here 😂) of my latest make in some beautifully soft sweat-shirting fabric from @bygraziela_fabrics. If you’re still loving the cosy as much as I am at the moment then stay tuned I might have something super exciting relating to this fabric to share tomorrow 👀🤗😍
Fabric: @bygraziela_fabrics #gifted
Pattern: @tillybuttons Billie
My latest Minerva Ambassador make is now up on my My latest Minerva Ambassador make is now up on my profile (link in bio). I made this little loungewear set for my daughter using this super cute doggy print fleece backed jersey. I have it on good authority that it’s very cosy to wear 😊
Anyone else from the 80’s remember when we used to call loungewear sets jogging suits btw??? 🙋🏼‍♀️🙈🤣 
The patterns I used for this set were the Jasmin Sweatshirt by @ikateecouture and the joggers were from @madebymepatterns.
Pulling my best ‘I don’t feel awkward at all’ face 😆 
___________________________________
Here’s a full view of my Carolyn pyjamas and I love them so much! I’m all for a speedy sew but sometimes it’s nice to have something that makes you slow down, take your time and that teaches you something new along the way (piping, well bias binding in this case). It’s also nice to have some very fancy pjs in my nightwear wardrobe to replace all the scraggy looking jersey I have!
___________________________________
PS. Does anyone actually have a real nightwear wardrobe because I would be all for that if we could fit one in the bedroom 🤣 
Pattern: Carolyn Pyjamas by @closetcorepatterns 
Fabric: Floral viscose @abakhanfabrics
•Spring outfit plans• Absolutely nothing handm •Spring outfit plans• Absolutely nothing handmade to see here! I got these dungarees for Mother’s Day but I haven’t worn them yet because I’m slightly unsure and wondering how old is too old to be able to pull them off 😂 💗
My new Carolyn pyjamas... 💗 Anyone else go to My new Carolyn pyjamas... 💗

Anyone else go to bed planning their next sewing projects and then lie awake thinking about them all night 🙋🏼‍♀️ So. Many. Ideas....
Also anyone else get nervous posting again after a little break 🙋🏼‍♀️ (it’s been 5 days)!! 😂 
Pattern: Carolyn Pyjamas by @closetcorepatterns from @minervadotcom 
Floral viscose fabric from @abakhanfabrics
I’ll let you into a little secret, I wasn’t su I’ll let you into a little secret, I wasn’t sure about the colour combination of these cuffs while I was making this Linden but now it’s done I quite like it. Sewing is all about experimenting sometimes isn’t it 😉 xx
Spring and summer sewing planning 💗 Spring and summer sewing planning 💗
I made another Linden!! This time I decided to use I made another Linden!! This time I decided to use different colours for all of the cuffs and I really love how this has turned out. How many Lindens is too many? (Asking for a friend 🤪)
Pattern: @grainlinestudio Linden Sweatshirt 
Fabrics: Ecru sweatshirt fabric from @abakhanfabrics green ribbing from @sewisfaction coral ribbing @minervadotcom
Hooray!! My first article for @thepatternpagesmaga Hooray!! My first article for @thepatternpagesmagazine is now up on the blog. If (like me) you’re not quite ready to give up your comfy clothes just yet pop over and have a read for some comfy spring/summer lounging and working from home sewing inspiration 😊 🧵🪡 
(Link to blog post over on the @thepatternpagesmagazine bio)
•Tiger Tiger• Last one of this dress (for now) •Tiger Tiger• Last one of this dress (for now) I promise but I took SO many photos of it!! Too excited for the challenge obviously 😆🐅😍
I hope you have a lovely Good Friday xxx
Forgive me if I milk photos of my #frugalfrocks202 Forgive me if I milk photos of my #frugalfrocks2021 dress for a couple more days but y’know it’s the Easter holidays and not a lot of sewing will probably be happening for a week or two especially with a birthday for a super excited soon to be nine year old happening in there too!! 
________________________________
I’m ashamed to admit that this is actually the first of my rather large stash of free @simplysewingmag patterns I’ve actually sewn up and it turned out much better than I was expecting (I don’t know what I was expecting) 🤣 It was so lovely to see everyone’s entries yesterday- we have such an amazing sewing community here on IG 💗
Pattern: Evelyn Dress
Fabric: Tiger print viscose from @abakhanfabrics
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Recent Posts

  • What I’ve been sewing in March 2021 – Vlog description… April 18, 2021
  • VLOG | My five favourite beginner jersey sewing patterns… March 29, 2021
  • The Rowan Beatrice Beanie by Lisa Richardson – a knitting pattern review March 24, 2021
  • VLOG | Crafty catch up, new fabrics, sewing plans, knitting and news… March 22, 2021
  • Sewing my first coat | A review of the I Am Merlin Coat by I Am Patterns March 17, 2021
  • VLOG | #frugalfrocks2021​ Free pattern and fabric choices | Help me decide what to sew… March 8, 2021
  • Five reasons why I believe crafting is good for our mental wellbeing… March 4, 2021
  • What I’ve been sewing and making in February… March 1, 2021
  • My (first) three versions of the Billie Sweatshirt by Tilly and the Buttons – a pattern review… February 25, 2021
  • Vlog | Playing the ‘ask me anything game’, answering questions about sewing and life… February 15, 2021

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