This time round I'm testing LLFAB's custom cotton Lycra print. My youngest was beside himself as he LOVES the film this print is inspired by. Print quality is good, fabric feels nice in the hand, only a cm lost after the initial pre' wash, subsequent washes haven't shown any noticeable shrinkage. pre wash pre wash post wash underneath, pre wash piece pinned on top post wash underneath, pre wash pinned on top post wash With custom prints such as these I prefer the fabric to do the talking with a simple pattern, plus I have boys so complex patterns with frills and flounce don't really appeal! They picked a t-shirt (with explicit instructions to make it a bit too big so it would 'last forever', and a pair of boxers. First up is the t-shirt, he chose which fabric for the arms and the back as we had a large panel for the front. T-shirt pattern is one of my own. Next up were the boxers, I used the Made By Jacks Mum...

There's a clever website where you input your instagram name and it will show you your most popular instagram posts. My instagram at lizdsd is a mix of personal and work pictures as is shown in my #2016bestnine

Pantone the colour institute have released their colour trend predictions for Spring 2017, colours are generally muted and earthy with a couple of pops of bright colour. The overall colour for 2017 is Greenery They look at the fashion houses and runway shows, entertainment and general trends to identify what they think will be the colours featuring in our fashion and lifestyle choices for the year ahead.  Pantone’s executive director Leatrice Eiseman puts it this way: “Greenery symbolises the reconnection we seek with nature, one another and a larger purpose.” No black but I guess black is always 'in' if you are an old goth like me ;)

Finishing can mark out a garment as being top notch rather than a hurried thrown together item. Properly finishing can affect the way a piece of clothing sits on the body, how well it wears and how professional it looks. I see many makers nowadays using shortcuts, time is money and I understand that top stitching and pressing are easily bypassed in the rush to get something finished. At Dark Star Designs we press and top stitch, constructing the garments to last as long as possible. If you are thinking of sewing something for yourself or your child it is always worth the extra investment of time to do the following during construction. Neck ribbing is top stitched down on Dark Star Design's t-shirts Pressing seams during construction is really important especially if working with a non stretch woven fabric. When doing this make sure you are pressing rather than ironing. Top Stitching on all fabrics can help a seam lie flat and help garments that are reversible stay toge...

The dreaded last posting dates if buying gifts with a Christmas deadline. Information taken from Royal Mail website. Special Delivery will have a higher postage charge and anything after the 20th December will be signed for, any parcels with a value over £50 will also be sent signed for whatever date it gets sent. Local people can pick up until the 24th December if pre arranged. INTERNATIONAL Saturday 10 December Greece, Australia, New Zealand Wednesday 14 December Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland Thursday 15 December Canada, Finland, Sweden, USA Friday 16 December Austria, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland Saturday 17 December Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg UK INLAND Tuesday 20 December 2nd Class and Royal Mail Signed For® Wednesday 21 December 1st Class and Royal Mail Signed For® Thursday 22 December Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed®

Supplies needed.  Fabric, preferably upholstery/decor weight or if using quilting cotton sandwich 2 layers together, you could also use interfacing in between. 1. Cut your fabric 28cm * 36cm 2. Fold in the long edges , turn them over twice approx 1cm (just under is better than just over) each time  press the folds, pin if needed and using a straight stitch sew along the edge. 3. Fold in the short edges the same way, press, pin and stitch. 4. Fold in the short ends, one end 5cm and the other 7cm. Press and pin. 5. Pin the 5cm folded end approx every 4cm, these will mark out your 6 pockets for the block crayons. Pin the 7cm approx every 3cm, these will mark out your 8 pockets for the pencils/pencil crayons. 6. Stitch from the fold to the seam, doing a few stitches back and forth at the end, this will help secure the stitches.  7. If adding a tie use ribbon (seal ends with a lighter for a few seconds), pin at a mid po...

We are lucky enough to have the lovely Pru modelling the dress and her mum Kirsty behind the camera. Beautiful photographs in the Autumnal sunshine, there could even be a few fairies in the dappled sunlight if you look close enough.... Fabric: Moon Gazing Hare Pattern: Hi Low Dress Model : Pru Photographer: Kirsty Hopley over at Schoolhouse Photography Custom items in this fabric can be ordered from the  Dark Star Designs  page, message me and talk to me about what you would like.