My Sewing Wife

I first met my sewing wife Molly through a Facebook sewing group, we have a similar sense of humor and many of the same interests, if she was a guy we'd probably get married. Molly makes handmade personalized gifts, keepsakes and textile products with a wide range of fabrics and designs. She lives far away from me in Hucknall, Nottingham I dream one day we might meet, wearing our makes and drinking sparkling wine from a fine public establishment.

Sewing Wife Pin from Pink Coat Club

We share tips on patterns, fabric and other crafts, we're generally encouraging and inspiring each other but mainly competing, like who has the best fabric or who made the sewing pattern best. She sends me small gifts like lapel pins with sewing slogans on and vinyl stickers for my sewing machine which is so sweet. I send her little gifts too and we message regularly, I consider her a best friend even though I never met her! Us girls have to stick together, not just for emotional support but also encouragement, motivation and for a laugh too!


Check out Molly Makes on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/mollymakesnotts

Follow Molly's Sewing on Instagram:
www.instagram.com/madeinhucknall

If you mention my name I'm sure she can do you a good deal.

Love you babe, Ashley x

The Waterfall Swimsuit Pattern from Ellie & Mac

Hi sewers, this is the Ellie & Mac Waterfall Swimsuit mix & match pattern. It has the option to make a bikini or tankini with high or mid-waist bottoms, you can add straps or leave them off.

I decided to make the bikini with a high waist and I changed the shoulder strap for a halter neck, personal preference. This is why mix and match patterns are so good, they're really versatile! So the PDF pattern comes with great step by step instructions with photos, there are some useful tips and suggestions too. Elle & Mac always do a good variety of sizes that are easy to grade and well explained. It's nice to see real people in the pattern photos, it gives a more realistic idea of how the swimsuit will look on.

  

For this swimsuit I used a four-way ITY fabric with an Aztec style print. I love the pattern and the fabric is soft, lightweight and holds its shape well, perfect for this swimsuit.

Ellie & Mac have a wide variety of quality PDF patterns which are good value for money, they sell bundles, do Wacky Wednesdays sales and have regular discounts.

Check out the Waterfall Swimsuit Pattern by Ellie & Mac:
www.ellieandmac.com/waterfall-swimsuit-pattern...

Ellie & Mac - Waterfall Swimsuit

Printing Patterns

Printing patterns can be tricky depending on the software you use, some programs tend to add a margin which effects the scale of the pattern. It's recommended to use a program called Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is free to download and has an important function to hide and reveal certain layers of the pattern pertaining to sizes.

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC website: www.get.adobe.com/uk/reader/

So once you've downloaded and installed the software, have your PDF pattern and your printer is plugged in, switched on and fully loaded with ink and paper.

Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat, select the of size pattern you would like to print. Find the layers tab on the left hand side vertical menu, it looks like a stack of papers. Hide the layers you don't want to print by clicking on the eye symbols. Some patterns can often span up to 50 pages or more so get some paper!

Home Printed Pattern

If you can't be fussed with all that there are lots of printing shops that offer patterns size prints, although this can get quite pricey. I have a friend called Lizzy who runs 'In Stitches' on Facebook, she prints her own full size patterns and offers printing services, her prices are cheaper than the on the high street and from my experience much better quality!

Find In Stitches on Facebook: www.facebook.com/In-Stitches

Hope you found some of this info useful, if you have any questions let me know!

Thanks, Ashley x

Welcome to My Sewing Journey!

Welcome to My Sewing Journey!

A few years ago, I stumbled upon sewing, and it quickly became more than just a hobby. It all started when I needed to shorten a pair of jeans (being on the petite side) and reattach a pocket that my partner had removed to embroider a skull.

To save costs, I decided to invest in my very own sewing machine. I found a second-hand 'Brother LS14' locally on the Shpock boot sale app. Coincidentally, my partner had a Brother Innovis V3 embroidery machine, which fascinated me. Soon, I was hooked.

Pinterest became my go-to for patterns as I explored my newfound skills. I crafted tote bags, makeup pouches, shoulder bags, Christmas stockings, baby bibs, and even tops and dresses.

As my passion grew, I delved into sewing patterns and fabric, often sourcing them from local Facebook groups. Tilly and the Buttons' books, 'Love at First Stitch' and 'Stretch,' guided me through the process. Eventually, I began creating my own wardrobe, often losing track of time as I sewed late into the night.

  

A year later, I upgraded to a 'Brother FS40' sewing machine with an extension table. And for my birthday, I received a 'Brother 1034D' Overlocker – a lucky gift indeed! My custom clothing rail now groans under the weight of my creations, and friends and family encourage me to start selling them.

Social media has been a great source of encouragement, connecting me with fellow sewing enthusiasts. Those Facebook groups that supply fabric have become my go-to for materials.

But my setup doesn't end there. I've added a Cricut machine to my workspace, allowing me to explore card making, heat transfers, stickers, labels, and precise fabric cutting. In this blog, I'll share my pattern-finding adventures, discuss fabric choices, reveal my stash secrets, and walk you through my garment construction process.

 

Every day brings new learning opportunities, and I welcome feedback to improve. Join me on Facebook and Instagram to see my latest creations!

Much love,

Ashley ❤️

Here we go!

Hi everyone, my name is Ashley Riley, sewing is a recent hobby of mine. I am self-taught, I've learned everything I know from books, videos and Google. With lots of encouragement from friends after 3 years I've finally decided to start a blog.

I'll be posting about my handmade garments, show you the patterns I use, where I get my fabrics, the machines I prefer to use etc.

Follow me on Facebook & Instagram for more info and pics!