A Blanca Flightsuit and Garment District recommendations

The design is wonderful. I love the pleat / pintuck on the back bodice, that not only makes it really comfortable to wear, but adds a kind of utilitarian feel to it and specifically fits with the ‘flight suit’ naming.

Bottoms, jumpsuit, Pattern Review, CritiqueCharlotte Wensley27 April 2021flightsuit, jumpsuit, denim, closet case patterns, closet core patterns, Blackbird Fabrics, pattern review, blanca flightsuit Comments

My favourite trouser patterns

Pants aren’t necessarily the easiest garments to make, but also not the hardest. In fact the hardest part is getting the fit right.

Have legs, wear shorts

In the Spring when we couldn’t leave the house and anxiety was at an all time high and I was turning to online retail therapy window-shopping, I came across a pair of high waisted, belted, kind of bleached denim shorts.

Bottoms, shortsCharlotte Wensley2 October 2020shorts, tie dye, bleach, vintage pattern, vintage vogue, vogue 8260, have legs wear shorts, denim, cone mills denim, body shaming Comments

The Fibre Mood Anna Skirt

Writing honestly about patterns can be a bit of a minefield, particularly when writing about independent pattern designers.

Pattern Review, Skirt, Sewing Community, Review, Bottoms, Sewing Saga, CritiqueCharlotte Wensley24 November 2019Fibre Mood, Anna Skirt, Blackbird Fabrics, pattern review, a-line skirt, skirt, corduroy, pink, winter sewing, critique Comments

Can home garment sewing be a lucrative business?

I’ve started doing something I aways swore I’d never do. I’ve been making clothes for other people.

Bottoms, blouse, Self-drafted, separates, Skirt, TopCharlotte Wensley10 July 2019Separates, dress, Top, occasion wear, lace, silk, sewing for others, sewing for money, sewing for friends, self-drafted, mood fabrics Comments

Stylemaker Fabrics + Carolyn Pajamas + M7907 = Ace

Earlier this year, Michelle from Stylemaker Fabrics contacted me asking if I would like to be part of a blog tour.

I drafted a jumpsuit!

Today, I finished sewing the buttons onto this jumpsuit, slapped on some make up, grabbed the camera and .

Self-drafted, Trousers, jumpsuit, Bottoms, denimCharlotte Wensley7 March 2019denim, stretch denim, jumpsuit, sewing pattern, Self-drafted, The Fabric Store, sewing fail, sleeve placket, blue jumpsuit Comments

A 90s nostalgia moment - The Evie Skirt

Oh the 90s. Back with a vengeance and causing me so many confused feelings.

Bottoms, separates, SkirtCharlotte Wensley3 February 2019Skirt, evie skirt, tessuti, Blackbird Fabrics, leopard print, the 90s, bias skirt, sewfrosting, simple sewing Comments

Searching for the perfect fabric

As with so many of the clothes I make, I saw an image of some teal-coloured jumbo cord wide-legged trousers and had to have them.

Bottoms, TrousersCharlotte Wensley18 January 2019Peppermint Magazine, wide leg pants, in the folds, corduroy, fabric sourcing, trousers, Pants, inspiredby, stitches seattle Comments

Persephone Pants x 2 ... and Mental Health Awareness

You may or may not be aware (or indeed care), that a significant amount of my sewing over the past couple of years

Bottoms, Trousers, Thinking, separates, denimCharlotte Wensley12 October 2018Trousers, kamm pants, persephone pants, anna allen clothing, cone mills denim, stretch denim, denim, wide leg pants, selvedge denim, fittin, mental health Comments

The Refashioners 2018

Refashion, a definition: taking an existing garment and turning it into something else - usually another garment.

Copycat, Jacket, Bottoms, Self-drafted, SkirtCharlotte Wensley16 September 2018refashioners, inspiredby, Copycat, rosie assoulin, leandra medine, therefashioners2018, thrifted, jacket Comments

Paperbag Trousers

Does anyone else hear that phrase and start singing it to the tune of 'Paperback Writer' in their head?

Bottoms, separates, TrousersCharlotte Wensley10 May 2018trousers, pants, wide leg pants, linen, the fabric store, stripes, paperbag waist, mccalls 7726 Comments

Terra Pantastic!

I love love love LOVE these trousers.

Bottoms, separates, TrousersCharlotte Wensley27 April 2018Terra Pants, Pattern Fantastique, Pants, trousers, fitting, twill, Blackbird Fabrics, pattern love Comments

Salmon Pink Baggy Pants. On the Roof!

There's this tension when writing a blog post after you've been MIA for a while;

Bottoms, Trousers, TopCharlotte Wensley25 February 2018trousers, pants, baggy pants, corduroy, vogue patterns, new york elegant fabrics, mood fabrics, bodysuit, Nettie bodysuit, blogging Comments

Slogan tees and handmade jeans and a mid-life crisis

Slogan tees. What do you think of slogan tees? I am well and truly on the fence.

Alteration, Bottoms, Jeans, Modified pattern, Trousers, denimCharlotte Wensley20 October 2017jeans, wide leg pants, New Look 6459, closet case patterns, sallie oh, denim, slogan tees, Britex, Alteration, kamm pants Comments

The Judith Jumpsuit - good for all bottoms!

I had a boyfriend when I was at university who used to find it amusing to call me 'Jumble Bum'. Nice, right?

Bottoms, Sewing Community, Trousers, Alteration, jumpsuitCharlotte Wensley4 October 2017sewing around the world, schnittchen patterns, cupro, Alteration, bottom, judith jumpsuit, jumpsuit, stoff + stil Comments

How good fit nearly broke me and other stories

Oh woe, oh woe. The last few months have been an unutterable fetid quagmire of sewing angst.

I made a hat. And went on a march. And before that I made a skirt.

I haven't really been sure how to write this post. I absolutely want to tell all the lovely people who relate

Bottoms, Skirt, Top, Thinking, Modified patternCharlotte Wensley26 January 2017Skirt, velvet, Inari Dress, named clothing, silk Comments

Wedding Season

I claim here and in other conversations that I only really got back into sewing three years ago.

Copycat, Skirt, Top, Sewing Saga, separates, BottomsCharlotte Wensley7 November 2016sewaholic, gabriola skirt, simplicity patterns, wedding wear, occasion wear, mood fabrics, pattern hack, Copycat Comments

Winter culottes stylin'

Every time I look at the above photo I can't help but think of Bowie and Jagger Dancing in the Street.

Bottoms, Trousers, denimCharlotte Wensley27 March 2016culottes, teamculottes, wineandcheesewithkashi, metrotextiles, exposed zip, vogue patterns, denim, wide leg pants Comments