I was having a conversation with somebody recently about the different techniques we use in sewing clothes. So I began to make a list. I'm not talking about the basics like laying out a pattern, cutting, simple darts. They are important for sure, but I'm more...
This is an ongoing post, and I'll update it as I go The 2026 wardrobe contest organised by Sewing Pattern Review is the perfect opportunity for me to use up my (huge) stash and also to sew a new wardrobe after big weight loss over the last 12 months. I also need to...
..through the medium of Vintage Sewing Patterns. I discovered this classic deep in my stash recently. Apparently I was a size 12 back when I was 18 years old and sewed this the last time. I loved this pattern, especially the jacket which was so cool. I made it from a...
I've been shopping for plants at Farmer Gracy for the great garden redesign of 2025. These arrived today and are now potted up, parked in the greenhouse and doing their thing while I get the borders ready. Photos and descriptions from the Farmer Gracy websiteOne...
I’m Lisa Machin, I’m in my 50s and I live in Shropshire (it’s near Wales). My mother was the most skilled dressmaker I ever knew, and I learned to sew at her knee. The first garment I ever made for myself was a camel wool skirt with an embroidered waistband. I was 8 or 9 years old.
These days I still sew for myself, and for my three grown-up daughters. I have plans to sew for my tall thin husband too, but that is a work in progress. I make quilts, on and off, and the last couple of years I’ve begun to learn to digitize embroidery designs. You can find them over at Flowerdog Designs.
I’m lucky enough to have a dedicated sewing room at home, in the heart of England, where I can enjoy the garden outside my window. When I’m not sewing, I’m running the family business (a boatyard on the canal) with my husband.
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