omg when you said "sometimes you get told a thing and you don't really understand the value of why it's there until you skip a step" felt that in my whole soul, I've done this so many times
Two minutes into this video and I am already touched. «I don’t have to show every curve of my body to lead a happy life and why shouldn’t I have clothes that just leave me alone». Love that! I used to think I only looked good in tight clothes that made me look smaller but I am so much more comfortable in less form fitting stuff. They let me breathe! And do stuff! And sit however I like! Will unpause now but just had to stop and comment this, love the video already!
Morgan Donner did a vid a while back about adding different types of pockets to all her skirts, I think you might enjoy watching that ready for a Christmas time pocket spree
If you're making mahoosive pockets, make sure to anchor them at the waist to stop pulling the sides of your skirt/dress down. I love a good pocket and just make them rectangular now to stop fabric wastage.
I'm trembling on the precipice of cutting into a very nice thrifted gigantic men's all-cotton sweatshirt to make a cozy ruffled around-the-house-in-the-winter hoodie dress, so thanks for the extra dose of courage.
I love the 80s style dress, it looks great! You might be able to make bias binding for dress two with the sleeves you cut off. If you are adding pockets to a dress that has a waist seam I would recommend anchoring the pockets to the waist seam with a different shaped pocket that has a straight top to line up to the waist. It is more work, but it makes the pockets that you add bigger and makes the dress hang more nicely when you have stuff in the pockets. Another pocket tip is that you can make historical pockets that tie around your waist, and have openings in your skirts and dresses to access the huge historical pockets. The last dress is super cute!
For anchoring the pockets, you can also anker them with a bit of tape/ribbon to the waistband if you don’t want that top horizontal pocket shape (sometimes it adds a bit too much fabric in something you want to feel airy). I love having the pockets anchored as it also means they hang in the right direction and getting your hands in them is less of a struggle 😂
I love ye olde tie on pockets. My fave handmade summer skirts are in the 18th century style: two rectangles sewn into a tube about up to the hip or so, hemmed at the bottom, then pleated at the waist with ties on the front and back. I made them with cotton double gauze and they're nice and airy if it's warm, but they can be a light blanket for summer evenings. And a tie-on pocket is key for that kind of skirt. It's great!
These turned out great! For the denim dress, you could just add one pocket, if the thought of two different pocket insertions is overwhelming. One pocket > no pockets.
I sewed a split side skirt the other day along the instructions of Charlie from "The Stitchery" YT channel. It has purse pockets. So inside the pockets, there are more pockets. 😍♥️
Oh my goodness, you said "If you have the urge..." and all I could think was, "I feel the URGE...to SERGE!" And then I wanted to think of other Top Gun sewing puns. "I feel the ITCH...to STITCH!!" "I feel the need...for TWEED!" LOL, okay maybe not that last one. Who's got more?
(this might be advice you're not into, in the same way as you had to skip the binding on dress 2 to "get" it, but...) I have experience with massive pockets. my ideal size of pocket is fingertip length. I'm tall, so a skirt with 2 fingertip-length pockets can carry my phone, my purse, 4 bottles of beer or cider and a small board game. this experience teaches me: 1. really big pockets get heavy 2. heavy pockets need support. so don't just scale up the side seam pockets. it'll make it hang weird (which doesn't bother me much, but will bother some people) and put strain on the fabric (which makes the fabric around the pockets wear out faster. this *does* bother me, and will probably be a problem for you). if it's a garment with a waistband, either add a piece of twill tape (NOT bias binding tape) to the top or extend the top of the pocket bag and sew it into the waistband. if it doesn't, do the same but extend it to the armpit or the shoulder seam.
Dear Leena, you had me with the first dress, it's a masterpiece of upcycling! As for the inherited pink dress you added ties to, great idea! I think that in general in cotton dresses there's often a lining added to prevent the friction with tights or things underneath, that causes it to bunch up between your thighs as you walk 😅 Loving seeing your sewing skills growing with these videos. Keep up ❤❤
I make my pockets so big that I can carry a mass market paperback. I also have a curved edge on top so I can sew it to the waistband. It helps so it doesn't sag and make the side of the dress or skirt wonky. Also I would recommend adding extra reinforced stitches on the bottom of the opening of the pocket because that's where there is the most stress from you pulling and putting things in them.
Omg please give your loved ones pockets for Xmas! I’m currently wearing a pair of shorts that cost me $40 to add pockets to because I don’t know how to sew and can’t be bothered to learn right now. I would love a gift like that!
Every time I see someone on a video taking their clothes in for a simple hem or some such, I think "I wish I could fix that for you!" I wish I could have fixed your pockets for you!
lol, I've spent that much to have the pockets taken out of things -- they ruin the line of some clothes. Not an issue on a fun floofy dress like Leena's, of course.
@@RishaBond That is a project well worth learning to run a sewing machine for. Nothing simpler than a straight seam closing up the pocket and then cut it off!
I *just* spent my weekend altering a pair of dungarees I've had for ages but don't wear. It's my third attempt at making them perfect (for me) and I think we are getting close! No way would I have this kinda mindset without this channel, I love it, thank youuu ❤
Loving your sewing journey! From where you started to where you are now, you’re doing great. I feel the majority of sewing is problem solving, experimenting and learning from mistakes… which leads to great pride in wearing our creations after all the blood, sweat and tears😅
Upcycling is cool because everyone can express their own creativity. Withe the denim dress my idea probably would have been to turn it into a set and add a panel to the skirt to make it skim instead of hug. But the 80s dress is sooooo cute and i would have never thought of that!
Holy crap, the denim dress looks amazing! I remember when you first did your 40 before 40 list, it’s crazy how good you’ve gotten at sewing over the past few years
Probs said a thousand times over, buuuut the pocket fiasco is a super quick fix! Keep them sewn to the dress, unpick the base seam of the pocket and add more cheeky fabric and they will be a patchwork Frankenstein and no one will know!
ooh, that first denim dress is great. It turned out quite swishy, I can tell you'll wear it often! You're inspiring me to tackle my own to-fix pile of clothes 😅❤❤
You're being so humble with your self ratings on all these pieces, I think they're all fantastic! One tip on the second dress if you'd like it: since the dress had sleeves originally, the shoulder part is wider than if it had been designed to be sleeveless. If you want to make it fit more like the sleeveless shirt you're wearing in the talking portion, you can just taper that in starting at the shoulder point and finish with bias binding that tucks itself inside. It's up to you though because I think it looks great!
When I make pockets, I make them huge! Best tip I have gotten is to lay what you want in the pattern and then cut that length (plus sem allowance). That way it does not pop out.
Bernadette Banner has a video on how to draft your own pocket pattern, and they turn out very big if you want them big 😁 she also has step by step instructions on how to add them to dresses and skirts! I absolutely loved how you changed the denim dress, it went from ok to fabulous ❤
You're a visionary! I was so worried the whole time with that denim dress but it turned out fantastic! I feel like you perfectly kept the bits that you like while making it a bit more fun and way more your style.
I have a Son de Flor dress of my own that I love but don't wear because the fit just isn't quite right. I think this gave me the courage to finally alter it, thank you!
I love that denim dress! It's beautiful! Of course, I was in my 20s in the 80s, so that's where my tastes are. Also, this video inspired me to take two dresses out of the donate pile and make alterations so they're more what I want. Fingers crossed!
this is so creative and amazing! i think that first denim dress is so gorgeous and way more interesting after your changes. this is giving serious great british sewing bee energy
The sleeveless Son de Flor is gorgeous!! Love how it looks on you, and we can see more of your tattoos as well. Also, I can assure you from my own first and much-more-awkward dress alteration, no one will notice or care about the bobbles!
This is my favourite clothing-creation video of yours so far!! I'd just given up with my current project (that was supposed to be a birthday gift for a friend - in July!) and now I'm inspired to give it another go!!
I am massively impressed by you, and I’m also super proud of you! You’re doing to your clothes what I wish I could do. I feel inspired watching you customize your clothes. Thank you, Leena for this content!!!! ❤️ much love from the States
Thank you for sharing your bravery! This is such an intimidating thing to do as a beginner (even a confident beginner) sewist, and the fear of ruining or wasting fabric is so real.
11:54: fwiw I found the pocket pattern from that book to be a bit on the small side (for my phone at least), but of course it's also a matter of the fabric/construction of what they're going into and whether the weight of my phone in there will drag the whole thing down. I think you can get away with swapping in deeper pockets for that dress!
I would recommend French seams for pockets; they're pretty easy once you wrap your head around them (and probably do them wrong every time if you're me) and require less stitching than your current zigzagging method does so it'd save on thread (though not as much on fabric since you need a slightly bigger seam allowance. They do look very fancy and professional though.
I’ve recently started alternating my clothes, and you’ve definitely inspired me to do more! I love the asymmetrical dress you made! And the one inspired by the ganny blouse! I have a dress that’s too short and I think it will actually make a perfect ganny blouse! Thank you! My own current favorite alteration for myself was turning a really long oversized men’s sweater vest into the perfect length sweater vest for myself. I think I’m ready for more creative ideas!
LOVE THIS VIDEO!!! So so inspiring. I really appreciate how you talk about your journey into sewing. And how you share these very practical upgrades in such a fun way. There are a few pieces in my own wardrobe Ive been fighting with keeping, and this is so helpful to see how I could solve the problems without donating & buying new 🙏🏼💕🌟
On you tube, Rachel from Stitched Up does some fabulous little sewing tip videos (she normally does sewing vlogs etc but has a spate of making top tip Tuesday videos). The reason I mention this is that she does a brilliant tutorial on adding inseam pockets really neatly. I’ve not tried it on existing clothes, just when I’m making from scratch but it should work. You’d have to work out the seam allowance to get them in correctly though. If you want a simpler option, try Rosary Apparel’s vlog on making a tiered skirt. Not only does she show how to add pockets but you could follow the instructions to make a tiered skirt out of old sheets/duvets like I did - it was my first proper garment I made.
I did the same with a beautiful dress from Collectif that had puff sleeves as you did your your Son de Flor dress for the same reason...now it fits under a jacket it's much more wearable!
Drafting pocket patterns is super easy :) I would advise when drafting your pocket pattern to put your phone/whatever else you want in there on the paper and then draw a blob that's large enough to comfortably contain that and your hand. However, I learnt early on in my sewing journey that it is possible to have pockets that are too big! Shocking, I know! The deeper they are, the wider you have to have the opening to get your hand to the bottom. But a wider opening means stuff falls out when you sit down! But a narrower opening makes it really hard to reach the chapstick that's sunk all the way to the bottom. Cut to me in my lovely winter kirtle STRUGGLING to get my arm all the way down there for my vaseline. So alas there is an upper limit on pocket size :((((
The first dress got me so very excited you have no idea! Love it so much and maybe I'll find a way to create my own. Also the last one is very cute! Hadn't seen that kind of dress before and now I want one as well lmao
Leena - your sewing videos are so inspiring 🤩 Could you make a video on your sewing machine recommendations? Or maybe what to look for in a decent sewing machine? It's hard to know where to start looking - I want to learn but don't want to break the bank!
I'm going to have to rewatch this video as I put it on when hanging my laundry and kept missing the clips of the outfits 😂 also I really appreciated the Mrs Doubtfire reference at the end.
Regarding the pockets: you should keep in mind that you need to attach the pocket at the waist seam if you intend to make them big, aka hold a lot of weight. If you only attach them to the side seams of the dress, they can rip out :)
For sure make your pockets giant next time! To help the weight distribute more evenly, sew a tab with your pocket, and attach it to the waistline. That'll help it not pull on the sides of your dresses. Love the voucher idea. Might add things like mends to that idea for me.
LOL I totally made the same mistake with the pockets on my last pair of pants!!! I cut some of the pieces without any seam allowance, then I trimmed them all to match... and now I can't fit my hands in my pockets :/. But my work keys still fit, so not a total loss. Thanks for sharing that mistake; it makes me feel less alone. :P
First dress is amazing Leena!! (I've not finished the video yet so don't judge me if there's even better coming 😂) well done. It looks so good on you x
omg when you said "sometimes you get told a thing and you don't really understand the value of why it's there until you skip a step" felt that in my whole soul, I've done this so many times
I made my own pocket pattern and I felt smug AF on holiday that I could fit an entire wine bottle in there 😂
The pocket voucher idea is amazing, i wish more people did that.
Agreed, fantastic idea!
All I want for Christmas is a pocket! (Or two..)
Agree this is such a good idea, I know loads of people who would love this
Two minutes into this video and I am already touched. «I don’t have to show every curve of my body to lead a happy life and why shouldn’t I have clothes that just leave me alone». Love that! I used to think I only looked good in tight clothes that made me look smaller but I am so much more comfortable in less form fitting stuff. They let me breathe! And do stuff! And sit however I like! Will unpause now but just had to stop and comment this, love the video already!
Morgan Donner did a vid a while back about adding different types of pockets to all her skirts, I think you might enjoy watching that ready for a Christmas time pocket spree
I literally said 'WHOA' out loud when you did the denim dress reveal! It's absolutely gorgeous. Well done you!
If you're making mahoosive pockets, make sure to anchor them at the waist to stop pulling the sides of your skirt/dress down. I love a good pocket and just make them rectangular now to stop fabric wastage.
Historical method, woo!
I was going to say the same thing! That extra support for a big pocket is really important.
I really love the contrasting thread color on the last dress! Such a nice touch.
Me too! It makes me think of western wear in the US: cowboys love contrast stitching.
I'm trembling on the precipice of cutting into a very nice thrifted gigantic men's all-cotton sweatshirt to make a cozy ruffled around-the-house-in-the-winter hoodie dress, so thanks for the extra dose of courage.
Good luck! I hope you for it and it's even better then you hope for!
I love the 80s style dress, it looks great!
You might be able to make bias binding for dress two with the sleeves you cut off.
If you are adding pockets to a dress that has a waist seam I would recommend anchoring the pockets to the waist seam with a different shaped pocket that has a straight top to line up to the waist. It is more work, but it makes the pockets that you add bigger and makes the dress hang more nicely when you have stuff in the pockets.
Another pocket tip is that you can make historical pockets that tie around your waist, and have openings in your skirts and dresses to access the huge historical pockets.
The last dress is super cute!
For anchoring the pockets, you can also anker them with a bit of tape/ribbon to the waistband if you don’t want that top horizontal pocket shape (sometimes it adds a bit too much fabric in something you want to feel airy). I love having the pockets anchored as it also means they hang in the right direction and getting your hands in them is less of a struggle 😂
Morgan Donner has a great pocket video where she does this exact thing.
Charlie of The Stitchery has great pocketmaking in some of her videos, too.
I love ye olde tie on pockets. My fave handmade summer skirts are in the 18th century style: two rectangles sewn into a tube about up to the hip or so, hemmed at the bottom, then pleated at the waist with ties on the front and back. I made them with cotton double gauze and they're nice and airy if it's warm, but they can be a light blanket for summer evenings. And a tie-on pocket is key for that kind of skirt. It's great!
These turned out great! For the denim dress, you could just add one pocket, if the thought of two different pocket insertions is overwhelming. One pocket > no pockets.
I often find commercial pocket patterns are not big enough for modern mobile phones! I audibly gasped at the diagonal denim dress, so impressed
I sewed a split side skirt the other day along the instructions of Charlie from "The Stitchery" YT channel. It has purse pockets. So inside the pockets, there are more pockets. 😍♥️
Oh my goodness, you said "If you have the urge..." and all I could think was, "I feel the URGE...to SERGE!" And then I wanted to think of other Top Gun sewing puns. "I feel the ITCH...to STITCH!!" "I feel the need...for TWEED!" LOL, okay maybe not that last one. Who's got more?
(this might be advice you're not into, in the same way as you had to skip the binding on dress 2 to "get" it, but...)
I have experience with massive pockets. my ideal size of pocket is fingertip length. I'm tall, so a skirt with 2 fingertip-length pockets can carry my phone, my purse, 4 bottles of beer or cider and a small board game. this experience teaches me:
1. really big pockets get heavy
2. heavy pockets need support.
so don't just scale up the side seam pockets. it'll make it hang weird (which doesn't bother me much, but will bother some people) and put strain on the fabric (which makes the fabric around the pockets wear out faster. this *does* bother me, and will probably be a problem for you).
if it's a garment with a waistband, either add a piece of twill tape (NOT bias binding tape) to the top or extend the top of the pocket bag and sew it into the waistband. if it doesn't, do the same but extend it to the armpit or the shoulder seam.
Dear Leena, you had me with the first dress, it's a masterpiece of upcycling!
As for the inherited pink dress you added ties to, great idea! I think that in general in cotton dresses there's often a lining added to prevent the friction with tights or things underneath, that causes it to bunch up between your thighs as you walk 😅
Loving seeing your sewing skills growing with these videos. Keep up ❤❤
I make my pockets so big that I can carry a mass market paperback. I also have a curved edge on top so I can sew it to the waistband. It helps so it doesn't sag and make the side of the dress or skirt wonky. Also I would recommend adding extra reinforced stitches on the bottom of the opening of the pocket because that's where there is the most stress from you pulling and putting things in them.
Omg please give your loved ones pockets for Xmas! I’m currently wearing a pair of shorts that cost me $40 to add pockets to because I don’t know how to sew and can’t be bothered to learn right now. I would love a gift like that!
Every time I see someone on a video taking their clothes in for a simple hem or some such, I think "I wish I could fix that for you!" I wish I could have fixed your pockets for you!
@@aksez2u I wish so too 💚
lol, I've spent that much to have the pockets taken out of things -- they ruin the line of some clothes. Not an issue on a fun floofy dress like Leena's, of course.
@@RishaBond That is a project well worth learning to run a sewing machine for. Nothing simpler than a straight seam closing up the pocket and then cut it off!
I *just* spent my weekend altering a pair of dungarees I've had for ages but don't wear. It's my third attempt at making them perfect (for me) and I think we are getting close!
No way would I have this kinda mindset without this channel, I love it, thank youuu ❤
Loving your sewing journey! From where you started to where you are now, you’re doing great. I feel the majority of sewing is problem solving, experimenting and learning from mistakes… which leads to great pride in wearing our creations after all the blood, sweat and tears😅
I'm so impressed with your courage to cut into clothes 😅 And also I feel like doing it myself now hahaha
Upcycling is cool because everyone can express their own creativity. Withe the denim dress my idea probably would have been to turn it into a set and add a panel to the skirt to make it skim instead of hug. But the 80s dress is sooooo cute and i would have never thought of that!
You NAILED these alterations Leena! Well done 🙌
Holy crap, the denim dress looks amazing! I remember when you first did your 40 before 40 list, it’s crazy how good you’ve gotten at sewing over the past few years
Probs said a thousand times over, buuuut the pocket fiasco is a super quick fix! Keep them sewn to the dress, unpick the base seam of the pocket and add more cheeky fabric and they will be a patchwork Frankenstein and no one will know!
I did just that for a store bought summer trousers that had ridiculously small pockets - 20 minutes well spent!
ooh, that first denim dress is great. It turned out quite swishy, I can tell you'll wear it often! You're inspiring me to tackle my own to-fix pile of clothes 😅❤❤
The "80's dress" is stunning! It looks sooo clean and well finished 😍
Hahah the inside tells a different story ;) but thank you!!!
Eh the insides don't need to be pretty unless it's reversible
@@leenanorms A little thrifted bias tape enclosing the raw edges will right a multitude of wrongs!
The irony of the video of all the ads I had were for Shein 😭 RUclips is trying to make me like fast fashion 😂
You're being so humble with your self ratings on all these pieces, I think they're all fantastic!
One tip on the second dress if you'd like it: since the dress had sleeves originally, the shoulder part is wider than if it had been designed to be sleeveless. If you want to make it fit more like the sleeveless shirt you're wearing in the talking portion, you can just taper that in starting at the shoulder point and finish with bias binding that tucks itself inside. It's up to you though because I think it looks great!
When I make pockets, I make them huge! Best tip I have gotten is to lay what you want in the pattern and then cut that length (plus sem allowance). That way it does not pop out.
Ohh the creativity, the boldness!!!
Thank you for the inspiration!
That first dress looks so cool! I love the pattern of lightning bolts :) adding pockets to dresses is just *chefs kiss*
Every time I watch your sewing videos I spend 30+ mins looking at sewing machines. I gasped at the ganni dupe reveal!!!
Every single alteration in this video was a slay!!!! You look great in all the new looks!
This is good motivation to get me to chop the sleeves off a blouse that I don’t wear anymore 😅
The first and last dress look AMAZING 🤩 loving this series sooooo much
Bernadette Banner has a video on how to draft your own pocket pattern, and they turn out very big if you want them big 😁 she also has step by step instructions on how to add them to dresses and skirts!
I absolutely loved how you changed the denim dress, it went from ok to fabulous ❤
THE DENIM DRESS IS SOOOOOOOOOOO CUTE!! I think adding the remnant fabric was a total win.
You're a visionary! I was so worried the whole time with that denim dress but it turned out fantastic! I feel like you perfectly kept the bits that you like while making it a bit more fun and way more your style.
I absolutely love this! Now perusing my wardrobe for items I can alter... that final dress was perfect 😍
The diagonal dress!! So lovely!!
The first denim dress changes look incredible!!!
Definitely! Creative and flattering!
Love the Ganni-esque/Damson Madder ribbon tweak! Especially the color (ribbon & thread) choices!
The idea of offering a making pockets Voucher as a gift is great❤
"The whole time" 😂 I've never heard someone narrate a meme so perfectly!
Haha thank you for picking up on it 🙏
These alterations were so cool! I am very impressed and inspired 😊
That Jean dress is soooo cute!!! Your talent!!!
I have a Son de Flor dress of my own that I love but don't wear because the fit just isn't quite right. I think this gave me the courage to finally alter it, thank you!
go for it! you got it ❤❤
I love that denim dress! It's beautiful! Of course, I was in my 20s in the 80s, so that's where my tastes are. Also, this video inspired me to take two dresses out of the donate pile and make alterations so they're more what I want. Fingers crossed!
Omg the first dress is INCREDIBLE I LOVE IT
you keep making fantastically creative videos and I'M HERE FOR IT
this is so creative and amazing! i think that first denim dress is so gorgeous and way more interesting after your changes. this is giving serious great british sewing bee energy
The sleeveless Son de Flor is gorgeous!! Love how it looks on you, and we can see more of your tattoos as well. Also, I can assure you from my own first and much-more-awkward dress alteration, no one will notice or care about the bobbles!
This is my favourite clothing-creation video of yours so far!! I'd just given up with my current project (that was supposed to be a birthday gift for a friend - in July!) and now I'm inspired to give it another go!!
Loved the Mrs Doubtfire reference xx ♥️🇵🇸🍉🧿🧿🍉🇵🇸♥️
You make me happy in the brain. Look how far you have come as a sewist!!
I am massively impressed by you, and I’m also super proud of you! You’re doing to your clothes what I wish I could do. I feel inspired watching you customize your clothes. Thank you, Leena for this content!!!! ❤️ much love from the States
The binding maker, what sorcery 🔮🐈⬛⭐️
the Frank and Oak alteration is GORGEOUS.
and the 80s dress is seriously genius, i love that you went with the diagonal.
if someone gifted me a pocket making voucher i would love them forever!
obsessed with the last alteration, it looks so good!
Thank you for sharing your bravery! This is such an intimidating thing to do as a beginner (even a confident beginner) sewist, and the fear of ruining or wasting fabric is so real.
11:54: fwiw I found the pocket pattern from that book to be a bit on the small side (for my phone at least), but of course it's also a matter of the fabric/construction of what they're going into and whether the weight of my phone in there will drag the whole thing down. I think you can get away with swapping in deeper pockets for that dress!
I would recommend French seams for pockets; they're pretty easy once you wrap your head around them (and probably do them wrong every time if you're me) and require less stitching than your current zigzagging method does so it'd save on thread (though not as much on fabric since you need a slightly bigger seam allowance. They do look very fancy and professional though.
The Denim dress looks AMAZING!!! great job!!! sooo cool
I’ve recently started alternating my clothes, and you’ve definitely inspired me to do more! I love the asymmetrical dress you made! And the one inspired by the ganny blouse! I have a dress that’s too short and I think it will actually make a perfect ganny blouse! Thank you!
My own current favorite alteration for myself was turning a really long oversized men’s sweater vest into the perfect length sweater vest for myself. I think I’m ready for more creative ideas!
Continually amazed by your eye for creating the absolute CUTEST dresses!!
the first dress is AMAZE!!!!!!
Omg I've only seen the first transformation but I LOVE IT IT'S AMAZING WELL BLOODY DONE
LOVE THIS VIDEO!!! So so inspiring. I really appreciate how you talk about your journey into sewing. And how you share these very practical upgrades in such a fun way.
There are a few pieces in my own wardrobe Ive been fighting with keeping, and this is so helpful to see how I could solve the problems without donating & buying new 🙏🏼💕🌟
You're so good as designing things. These all turned out so cute!
On you tube, Rachel from Stitched Up does some fabulous little sewing tip videos (she normally does sewing vlogs etc but has a spate of making top tip Tuesday videos). The reason I mention this is that she does a brilliant tutorial on adding inseam pockets really neatly. I’ve not tried it on existing clothes, just when I’m making from scratch but it should work. You’d have to work out the seam allowance to get them in correctly though. If you want a simpler option, try Rosary Apparel’s vlog on making a tiered skirt. Not only does she show how to add pockets but you could follow the instructions to make a tiered skirt out of old sheets/duvets like I did - it was my first proper garment I made.
Everything looks amazing from here, really nice job Leena 👌🏼
my audible gasp at the transformation of the first dress - that remnant fabric was made for the denim
I actually gasped when you revealed the first dress...it's so beautiful! Very sound of music!
I did the same with a beautiful dress from Collectif that had puff sleeves as you did your your Son de Flor dress for the same reason...now it fits under a jacket it's much more wearable!
Absolutely LOVE how the denim dress turned out, the diagnal cut was definitely the best choice, its adds so much interest to the dress!!❤
the last dress is soooooooo cool! you did an amazing job!
Drafting pocket patterns is super easy :) I would advise when drafting your pocket pattern to put your phone/whatever else you want in there on the paper and then draw a blob that's large enough to comfortably contain that and your hand. However, I learnt early on in my sewing journey that it is possible to have pockets that are too big! Shocking, I know! The deeper they are, the wider you have to have the opening to get your hand to the bottom. But a wider opening means stuff falls out when you sit down! But a narrower opening makes it really hard to reach the chapstick that's sunk all the way to the bottom. Cut to me in my lovely winter kirtle STRUGGLING to get my arm all the way down there for my vaseline. So alas there is an upper limit on pocket size :((((
This was amazing! The first and last dress were my faves, definitely inspired to try this with my wardrobe!!
I think the last dress deserved to be rated 10/10 :)
Really enjoyed this one, thank you for being so open about failing and learning from it. It's actually really encouraging x
The first dress got me so very excited you have no idea! Love it so much and maybe I'll find a way to create my own. Also the last one is very cute! Hadn't seen that kind of dress before and now I want one as well lmao
Catherine Sews on RUclips is a master at refashioning thrifted finds. Worth watching.
Blueprint DIY is great as well.
The way my jaw dropped at the ribboned dress, amazing!!
Love all these! I have a lot waiting mending/alteration projects and this is inspiring
Omg, I love the pocket voucher idea, especially with the amazing cool patterns you have.
Leena - your sewing videos are so inspiring 🤩 Could you make a video on your sewing machine recommendations? Or maybe what to look for in a decent sewing machine? It's hard to know where to start looking - I want to learn but don't want to break the bank!
I'm going to have to rewatch this video as I put it on when hanging my laundry and kept missing the clips of the outfits 😂 also I really appreciated the Mrs Doubtfire reference at the end.
i'd love a more in-depth video on adding pockets to dresses and other items! your pocket voucher idea is a stroke of genius
There is a yearly challenge I think in the autumn where people make massive historical pockets you might want to look into it
Regarding the pockets: you should keep in mind that you need to attach the pocket at the waist seam if you intend to make them big, aka hold a lot of weight. If you only attach them to the side seams of the dress, they can rip out :)
that first dress✨✨!! my jaw dropped
For sure make your pockets giant next time! To help the weight distribute more evenly, sew a tab with your pocket, and attach it to the waistline. That'll help it not pull on the sides of your dresses. Love the voucher idea. Might add things like mends to that idea for me.
Oml I wish I had a friend who could add pockets to some of my clothes, what a precious skill 😭😭🧡🧡
Amazing video! Loved everything, especially the first dress is stunning!
Excellent Mrs. Doubtfire reference. Also, well done on your alterations!
LOL I totally made the same mistake with the pockets on my last pair of pants!!! I cut some of the pieces without any seam allowance, then I trimmed them all to match... and now I can't fit my hands in my pockets :/. But my work keys still fit, so not a total loss. Thanks for sharing that mistake; it makes me feel less alone. :P
First dress is amazing Leena!! (I've not finished the video yet so don't judge me if there's even better coming 😂) well done. It looks so good on you x
The denim dress is so gorgeous!!! Big big fan
I love how the denim dress turned out!
This was amazing, feeling so inspired - thank you Leena!!