a new blog, everyday notions

Hi there! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Rebecca & you could say I'm in the middle of #thegreatsewingbinge. Seriously, I can't stop sewing.

It's all for fun & I fit in with my job- looking after a little one at home. Like a lot of others, I'm really hoping in 2014 I can spend some time on the basics, filling & replacing my wardrobe with me-makes that work- in the area of fit, quality & look.


Sleeveless Grainline Archer


And like all sewing bloggers I guess it all starts with having somewhere to record the makes, the good the bad the magnificent. I love seeing what others have done & hope my little voice can join in the ravelry & fun that is the online community of making! 

Find me on Kollabora here. & Instagram & twitter @bechem .




P.s. I'll be spending a few days posting some previous makes (from the last month or so) just so I've got all the recent stuff documented). 

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Almada Robe : a Lovefest

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Dressing gown, robe, kimono, cover-up, wrapper.  Call it what you will but I am a total sucker for them. I get so much use out of my Nani Iro kimono robe (it is total double-gauzy-dreaminess) but was instantly taken with the lastest Almada Robe from the February Seamwork magazine. I made two in two nights, both gifts sadly. Sadly because I want to keep them for myself. I have dreams of a liberty version... Wouldn't that be perfect?  Some notes I made up the XS as both my recipients are quite petite. It fits me pretty well so I think I will stick to that size. As this style is a fairly generous fit it makes sewing for a gift pretty easy! This pattern is drafted so beautifully. The gorgeous curves of the seams and cut-on sleeve means using French seams is a breeze. (I always get caught on how-to French seam the right-angle corner of the sleeve/body in a traditional kimono pattern. This pattern negates that with a beautiful curved seam. )  Fabric used
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Baggage :: Portside Duffle and Desmond Backpack

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Here's two bags I sewed up for gifts recently! When sewing garments as gifts often sizing/fitting can be an issue, so sewing bags is a great alternative!! The first is Taylor Tailor's Desmond Rolltop Backpack for my Brother.  I used a thick grey cotton in from my stash, almost a denim? The hardware is mostly repurposed from old bags. I would have loved to buy one of Taylor's hardware kits but shipping to Australia made it a bit prohibitive for this make (and I was sewing to a rather close deadline!) It was an pretty easy sew, just taking it step-by-step with the instructions.  Between the instructions & the great sewalong I definitely learnt a few new tricks for sewing bags. I really liked the specific notes and guidance for the reinforcing stitches - when and how to do it, to make for a strong & useable bag. I would highly recommend this pattern!  The result is great! It's definitely a pretty hipster looking bag, but so functi
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Tencel Colfax Dress

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My latest make! It's the new & shiny Colfax Dress by Kelli at True Bias. I think she has an absolute effortless style and I love everything she makes and the patterns she drafts. I have made 5 (!!) versions of her Southport Dress alone. Her patterns fit me with minimal changes needed, so we are definitely talking TNT AND #fangirl territory.  Her latest dress pattern is a lovely summer dress- cutaway/racer back style in a slightly A-line shape. The pattern has a lovely front yoke (which I then proceeded to omit... More on that soon.) I think this style is quite timeless so I used a dark Tencel for my version (Spotlight). I loved some of the inspiration ideas Kelli linked to- there are also lots of denim/chambray swing dresses to be seen on Pinterest and I don't think there's one I didn't look at! In the end I got an idea for an exposed zip in my head and I had to go down that route. This style reminds me a bit of the Tessuti Ruby dress, but I like tha
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