Laura-Bear Makes

Just a post to say I'm coming off social media for a bit... I'm not sure how long for or if it might even be for good... I'm really struggling with my adhd brain, feelings of inadequacy and overwhelm and it's turning my sewing and social media into something stressful... it's just all become too much... I need to remove the trigger for a while and see if I can find some more balance and get back to slow enjoyable sewing and knitting again that doesn't consume every second and every space in my brain...

What I realise is that I'm constantly feeling pressure (from myself) to be more, to do more to have things to post, rather than because it fills my cup and my family's cup... quite the opposite as it is depleting our cups... and it's making me feel like I don't measure up and feeling things I don't want to feel... I don't want to lose my love for sewing and knitting and that's what is beginning to happen

I've uninstalled insta and will be unistalling fb too for a while (I'll keep messenger as friends use that to message sometimes)

Laura # # #

My first holey monstera leaf... I'm so excited

My very first fly front zip, even featuring a cute little bar tack!
I've also done my first pocket facings, as I usually use self-fabric for slanted pockets...
I can not rate patterns highly enough; the instructions are absolutely top-notch for detail and clarity, and the drafting is excellent - every piece aligns beautifully, and I am thoroughly enjoying the process
I'm so excited to wear my first pair (of many)
Fabric is linen from

Good morning...
It's blowing a hooley and lashing it down here, so it's an indoors day... sewing, knitting, films and pizza on the plan!
What's your Saturday shaping up like?

Ready for tomorrow...
From top to bottom, these are going to be: a in a cotton percale from ; a in denim the lovely brought me back from Turkey with contrasting cotton facings, lining and pocket bags from my remnants; and a pair of also by in a deadstock linen from with contrasting happy pocket bags, also from my remnants stash
I've done all the interfacing ready and it's all good to go!

Ridiculously excited about my mini tabletop ironing board for pressing while sewing! I love my wool felt pressing mat too, but sometimes I need the end of the ironing board for ironing bits that are trickier to iron flat... I also need to invest in a tailors ham at some point I guess too!

It's a kind of sewing day today!
I wish I could capture the true colour of this cherry-red firm linen from
Floral lightweight denim was brought back from Turkey by the beautiful inside and out

It's finally time... I'm so excited to be piecing together and starting my trousers!
I'm going to be making them in gorgeous cherry-red firm linen from
I was always firmly on but I find myself more and more on ... I have surprised myself with how much I genuinely enjoy this part of the process
The tea is courtesy of my 12 year old... she makes the WORST tea (it was originally very milky and only half a cup) but I'm slowly teaching her so she can be my tea bitch 😉😆

No sewing to share currently... it was the husband's and the smallest small's birthdays over the weekend, plus my long Sunday shift, so I've not been up to much
I've another shift today followed by some much needed housework, and tomorrow will be finishing off the housework... adulting life
I do hope to piece the patterns together for my and trousers after housework tomorrow, and maybe even get them graded and cut out for my next two sewing projects 🤞🏻
I've finally picked up my again after a break, while I mentally prepared myself to pick up all the neck and buttonband stitches... turns out, as with most things my brain says no to, that it wasn't that bad at all 🤦🏻‍♀️
One day, I'll learn how to override my brain-nope

Today's is my latest in a cotton poplin I snapped up from
This pattern feels so me to wear and I live, love, love the sewing process of it too... It's like the comfort food you sew rather than eat! I barely even needed the instructions this time around!

I finally finished my , and I am so happy with it!
It was NOT an easy journey to get to this point though: there were lots of fit issues, mostly with it coming up very big, even though I went off the finished garment measurements to choose what size I made... I originally made the strappy version but, once I'd sorted the fit issues out, I realised I really didn't like the style on me, so I unpicked all the facing, removed the straps and had just enough fabric left to cut out two short puff sleeve pieces! It wasn't ideal as I'd obviously used the bodice pattern pieces for the strappy view but, on overlaying them, there was very little difference, thankfully!
Despite all of this, and literal blood (stupid stabby pins), sweat, and tears, I have a dress I love and lots of notes for the next time I make this pattern... because when the outcome is something you feel this amazing in, why wouldn't you?! I'm proud I stuck with it and so grateful for who came on the rolllercoaster ride with me via voice notes of my despair and her encouragement!
I'm planning a long sleeve viscose version for my next one, but I'm definitely going to do some other patterns first while I recover from the trauma of this one 😆🤦🏻‍♀️
To summarise it wasn't an enjoyable sew, but it challenged and pushed my growing skills and I love the finished piece! I think I will probably enjoy the process far more next time around
Fabric is deadstock cotton poplin from

Wearing my latest with the petal sleeves from the expansion pack today... one small for issue with some pulling across the high bust/shoulders at the front
After a chat with we think we've got an adjustment solution for my next one though and it is still perfectly wearable!
Fabric is one of many remnants I bought last summer from .fabrics

Is there anything worse as a than to pick your project up to find this...
Not a skipped stitch... but a cut or chewed thread that's made a hole... I think maybe my cats might be the culprits 🤦🏻‍♀️
I've cut off the bind off and am unravelling to just before the hole... thank goodness it was on the waist ribbing and not on the lace yoke!

More dreamy beauties from
A beautiful navy cuoro and this even-more-stunning-irl cotton sateen rose print!

Early morning sunshine and coffee... please let the kiddos sleep in this morning so I can lap up this peacefulness a wee bit longer!
I'm not going to lie, I'm not hugely enjoying the process and fit issues with this current sew, but I'm oddly enjoying the challenge to my slowly growing skills... I think I've fixed the gaping under the arms, but there is definitely some adjusting to do today to the bubble hips it seems to have!
made me feel heaps better by saying she'd heard it wasn't an easy sew in terms of fitting issues and also said it wasn't a particularly enjoyable sew but worth it for the dress she had at the end of the process!
Despite all this, if I can achieve something I'm happy with, I'm totally making a second one with a mid-thigh length and full-length sleeves to wear with tights and boots all winter! Just call me a ma-SEW-chist!

So frustrated...
This thread keeps snapping... It's never happened before... It's all threaded correctly... I've even set the tensions to 0 to then check various tensions to see if that is the issue... I'm going to give up at this rate... I just want to sew 😭😭😭

My second blouse is finished
I opted for the shorter sleeve option, which I like, but I think I like the below elbow length best... I do love how changing the fabric for a slightly stiffer cotton poplin changes the volume, structure, and puffiness of the sleeves, too!
I used small mother of pearl buttons to complete it
Swipe for jasper photo bombing!

I wasn't going to sew today...
Pahahahaha... I blame
Onto my first for a birthday dinner with the husband on Friday... all he wants for his birthday is to go for dinner with me and for me to wear a dress I feel happy in 🥹

Wore my to town... I LOVE THEM
The barista in our little local coffee shop said she loved my outfit and I got to say 'Thanks, I made it!'... is there a better feeling as a sewist? I don't think so!
Pattern by
Top is also and is the top also by Helen's Closet in a viscose rib jersey from
Fabric from
from
Happy smile courtesy of sewing your own!

I made a thing and they're absolutely AWESOME

Fabric from

I think these are going to be the MOST epic ever!
Amazing cotton from

Unpopular opinion: I really love doing button holes!

A full day of sewing and I finished my third but my first using the sleeve expansion pack, and I've almost minified my second too!
I've hit some fit issues with the Ashton top expansion pack, as you switch out the whole upper body above the bust dart with a new piece... although I made the same adjustments to it as the original piece, I've got pulling across both shoulders in the front... I consulted my sewing jedi, and we've arrived at the concensus that I need to slash and spread just bove the bust darts to raise the shoulder and bring it up towards the neck... I'll be trying this out after u finish these current projects!

Barely past 8am on a Thursday and I'm giving my machine some much needed tlc before a day... a whole blissfully day... of sewing!
I noticed she (jenny janome for those wondering) was sounding a bit loud and in need of some lubrication!
I don't do this anywhere near as much as I should, but I'm going to try really hard to make it a more routine part of my sewing practice

The can't-fit-my-head-through-the-neck-hole problem has been resolved, and now I'm onto the sleeves!

I'm pooped!
I'm home after my long shift of the week, showered, into my pjs, and chosen my .avec.anna to work on, as I need some easy knitting!
I'm using yarn also from .avec.anna and it's beautiful to knit with!

Today has been ALL about cutting out!
From top to bottom:
Ochre cotton dobby remnant from .fabrics
Rose and hubble floral cotton poplin from
Emerald green cotton poplin deadstock from
Pomegranate cotton twill deadstock from (with facings and pocket bags in contrasting coral cotton poplin offcuts because I thought it'd look cute)
These are going to be:
My third but my first with petal sleeves by
My second by
My first (a, hopefully, wearable toile) dress by
And last but not least, my second pair of also by
The pomegranate fabric is very autumnal but I just can't resist sewing it up, as I've been desperate to turn into another pair of rubys since it arrived back in spring!

Time to finish piece together the pattern!

Today's my first , which is a wearable toile in a beautiful for and my , which I will wear, but I'm not hugely happy with the fit, although it's significantly better than it was, and I probably won't make a second pair...
I think I'll use the elastic back hack for the on 's blog instead for my next pair of flat-fronted pull-on wide leg trousers... its a beautiful pattern that I love, so I don't know why I cheated on it with this pattern!
If anyone else has any pattern recs for some less wide leg, pull on trousers, please do hit me up though! I also need to try the , as I've had that pattern forever and not made it!

Wearing my for the first time and I LOVE it... the fit, the fabric from , the breezyness, the puff-sleevey-ness, my .shops buttons, I felt incredible in it... so much so, I'm about to cut another out before dinner!
I think I definitely want a dress version too... mid thigh, for summer and to wear with tights in the autumn and winter!