✉ josie@itisjosie.com 📍 Yorkshire, UK
A bright and airy sewing workspace with a flowing floral sundress on a dress form, soft natural light, warm cream and blush tones, calm creative atmosphere.

Sewing & Crafts, Made with Love

Indie pattern reviews, DIY garment projects, and sewing tips from Josephine's creative corner in Yorkshire.

Insights

  1. Adding a Contrast Band to Your Love Notions Moxie WrapThe Moxie wrap from Love Notions has earned a quiet cult following among home sewists for its relaxed silhouette, clever convertible sleeves and forgiving fit…
  2. Tracing PDF Sewing Patterns Without Cutting the OriginalThe convenience of PDF patterns means we can print exactly what we need, when we need it, without waiting for international postage or hunting down indie…
  3. Joining a gathered skirt to a bodice without puckersThere's a particular moment in dressmaking when the waistband seam decides whether your project will look homemade or handmade. That seam where a gathered…
  4. Sew a fabric wristlet keychain with zipper that holds up to daily useA fabric wristlet keychain with zipper closure is one of those quick weekend makes that pays for itself the moment you start using it. It clips onto a belt…
  5. Cotton lawn for crisp collars and blouses: a fabric spotlightWhen the heat of a Brisbane January rolls in or a Melbourne spring turns unexpectedly humid, sewists reach for fabrics that breathe. Cotton lawn has long been…
  6. Sewing the Patterns for Pirates Sway Dress: a relaxed knit dress reviewPatterns for Pirates has been on my radar for years, and the Sway Dress finally pulled me in with its easy, breezy silhouette and beginner-friendly…
  7. Cropping the Love Notions Rosalind Top for Warm Weather SewingThe Love Notions Rosalind Top is a relaxed-fit knit pattern with a gently scooped neckline, soft gathered shoulders, and a swingy silhouette that skims rather…
  8. How to Adjust the Waist of a Love Notions PatternA well-fitting waist can make the difference between a garment that lives on the hanger and one you reach for every week. Love Notions patterns are designed…
  9. Working with velvet: cutting, pinning, and pressing techniquesVelvet has long carried a reputation for being difficult to work with, but home sewists across Australia are discovering that a thoughtful approach can turn…
  10. DIY Fabric Ornaments for Holiday DecorFabric ornaments bring colour, texture and personality to a Christmas display without requiring a large budget or advanced sewing skills. They are also a…

Popular Pattern Reviews

Pattern Designer Type Highlight
Compose Robe (Kids) Love Notions Robe / Loungewear Sizes 2T–16, cosy & practical
Tempo Sundress Love Notions Sundress No closures, shirred back panel
Arlington Sweater Love Notions Sweater Cold-weather staple
Sybil Illusion Skirt Love Notions Skirt (knit) 7 variations, optional pockets
Camden Pinafore Nina Lee Patterns Pinafore dress Year-round layering piece
Ogden Cami (dress hack) True Bias Cami / Dress Versatile wardrobe builder
Burda 6829 Burda Dress Multi-sized, special-occasion

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