This week was...

This week was crazy, which is part of the reason you haven't seen any updates on the blog. The other reason is that I'm finally moving all my stuff to a new self-hosted Wordpress site, and all the posts have already been migrated. So, adding new ones would mean manually reposting them on the new site, so I thought I'd keep the number of those posts to a minimum. Plus, this helps me to really focus on getting the new site finished up and ready to go live. Fingers crossed!

This week was about starting something new. The whole experience of launching an online course has been such a learning opportunity for me. From developing a course layout, to creating promotional materials, to building members-only site, to launching and marketing. To, now, actually teaching the classes and producing material for that. Talk about a learning curve.

This week was about seeking new opportunities. The state of my business is becoming more clear, and I'm also being more realistic about the growth potential, so I'm finding new ways to provide stability into our lives. At this point, every week is a new adventure, and changes happen very quickly for us. It's hard to even imagine what our life will look like in a month, much less 6 moths, or a year. Crazy times. Hard times. But, happy times.

This week was refreshing. The warm and sunny weather has re-energized me in the best way. Summer has always been my time. I'm a summer child through and through. I'm soaking up all the sun I can before flying to Estonia for a week on Tuesday. My mom said it's the coldest spring she remembers in years. Perfect.

I will be back next week with a couple new projects and the routine here will shortly fall back into its usual track. It's a sort of change of seasons - there's always the odd transitioning phase before we settle into the new one. Hopefully, I can greet you soon on the new site!

See you soon!
xo. Hanna

Doors are closing!

I just wanted to let you know that it's the last day of registration to the Start Sewing Club. At midnight, the doors to the club will close for months. I'm not going to open up another club before fall.

So, if you're still going back and forth between "Do I join? Yes...No, maybe wait....But...I really would love to....But, I don't know....I'd love to join...but" then it's your last chance to hop on board. I'd hate for you to miss out because you hesitated for too long.

The ladies are already chatting in the Facebook group, and I love seeing the club that I only envisioned in my mind just a few short weeks ago, turn into a real thing. It's the best feeling in the world!

There are loads of places online to learn all about sewing, but what makes the Sewing Club unique is the connection to others you can make in it. It's not JUST a place to learn, it's a place to connect and engage with others. 

Plus, I'll be there to guide you and help you. Most online classes don't offer that kind of support. 

One of the best things about our craft lessons at school was the chatting around the craft table. The stories and laughs shared and the deeper connection we formed through it. I think that's what we all crave in these online communities as well - whether it's commenting on blogs, or participating in forums, or even writing our own blog.

We want to connect with other like-minded people. Share our stories and hear theirs. Feel the deeper connection to each other. That's what I've tried to create with the sewing club. And it seems I've succeeded.

I'm uploading the first week's sessions as I write this. It includes loads of videos and useful guides (like the 5-page Ultimate Sewing Machine Troubleshooting Guide and the Fabric+thread+needle Guide). Plus a growing library of resources.

Join here!

Whether you join in or not, I'm still happy and grateful to have you in my little community, and to be able to connect with you through my projects and life stories.

xo. Hanna

20 quick and easy refashions for beginners

Refashioning is a great way to get the most out of your wardrobe. In fact, every season I go through my wardrobe and take out things that I haven't worn and think of ways I could update them to get more wear out of them. Even after just 6 months of moving to Germany with my capsule wardrobe, I'm finding things that aren't working for me.

Maybe they're just a tad shapeless, or I don't feel comfortable because I fear my boobs might fall out (we all know how tricky those strapless dresses can be). Whatever is stopping me from wearing those garments, there's almost always a way to fix it and make it more interesting, comfortable, or wearable. So, I thought it would be fun to round up some quick fixes from the archives to inspire you to spring clean and update your wardrobe.

You really don't have to be DIY queen to do these. Anyone can get into refashioning - you just need to be able to see the potential in every garment.

1. Dye is the quick fix with a lot of impact. Sometimes, all it takes are a few rubber bands an a little dye to turn a boring white tee into a colorful summer staple. Find the tutorial here.

 2. If you're not that into tie dyeing, you should dry dip dyeing for an ombre look. I don't think were quite over the ombre trend yet.

 3. If you're not that into messing with dye, or you have dark items to refashion that won't take in any dye, try bleach for a change. You'll get the same drastic color change, but with less of a mess. I love this shibori-style t-shirt dress I bleached (it was black before).

4. Just throwing something into bleach is really one of the easiest refashioning tricks I know. You never know how exactly it's going to turn out, but that half the excitement anyway. You can read moe about this pullover refashion here.

5. You don't need to dye the whole garment to add some color. Fabric paint is a great way to change up a garment by adding a colorful pattern - like this spotted T-shirt. 

6. You can go a little crazy and try this splatter technique. I love it!

 7. Here's a fun way to add a tribal or geometric pattern to a jacket.

8. Pearls are a super easy way to add some fancy to otherwise simple garments. All you need are some basic hand-sewing skills. Add some pearls and sequins on a shoulder....

9. ...or around a neckline....

10. ...or bedazzle a pair of jeans!

11. Why not use buttons to add some personality to jeans or trouser pockets? I'm definitely a fan of buttons (I have a whole box full of them).

12. If pearls nor buttons rock your boat, what about zippers? This zipper embellished T-shirt is one of my all-time favorites.

13. Or, try adding some zippers to an open-back dress with slippery shoulders.

14. Sometimes it's the fit of a shirt that makes you pass each time you look at it in the morning. Try shirring the waist to add some more definition and shape.

 15. Have a nasty stain on a comfy t-shirt? Maybe putting a lace heart on it will do the trick.

 16. Lace hearts are super cute on the back of a tee as well.

 17. Sometimes, all a blouse needs is a lace collar. You'll be amazed at the difference a little lace can make.

18. Adding lace straps to a strapless dress can turn it from something you fear wearing into something you love. It certainly turned this dress into one of my favorites. 

 19. When in doubt, add fabric flowers. It helps. Every time.

20. Last but not least, you can take something away. Whether it's taking some length off of a skirt, or a the sleeves of a jacket. Snipping off what's not working, can sometimes be the simplest solution of them all.

I hope you're inspired to give your closet a good clean-out and refashion some of those unloved garments to give them another go. Sometimes an easy fix can turn a "meh"-garment into a wardrobe staple.

xo. Hanna

Is the Start Sewing Club right for You? (+ giveaway winner)

It's easy for me to say that you should all join the club. But, to be fair, the club is not for everyone. Yes, it's awesome! Yes, it'll be so much fun! I believe in it 100%. But, is it worth your investment?

I'm here to help you decide.

   Who is the Start Sewing Club for?   

Originally, I created the Start Sewing Club for women who wanted to get into sewing, but didn't know where to start, or tried and felt overwhelmed by it, and were looking for a fun and engaging place to learn.

So, if you feel that you'd love to 
+ learn all the basic sewing skills to sew your own garments and other sewing projects,
+ start sewing beautiful clothes that fit your taste and body,
+ build a self-stitched wardrobe,
+ learn in group of supportive classmates,
+ have clear step-by-step instructions to follow,
then this course is perfect for you!

Even if you aren't madly in love with the 2 projects we're making, you'll learn so many valuable skills in the process. Those are skills that you can use to stitch up a lot of different garments, so I can promise they'll come in handy.

This course is ALSO for you, if
+ you have already dabbled in sewing, but feel you'd love to learn some new tricks and techniques to really get a solid foundation,
+ you want to give sewing another go,
+ you could use the extra motivation that comes from being cheered on by a group of awesome, like-minded women to finally get some projects done,
+ you'd love to add 2 self-stitches garments to your wardrobe.

   Who is the Start Sewing Club NOT for?   

The club is not for you, if you have zero interest in learning how to sew.

Sadly, it's also not the best use of your money if you have no access to a sewing machine. You can borrow, steal (just kidding), or clock in hours at your local sewing cafe if you don't have a machine of your own.

If you're an avid seamstress, and you're way past the basics, it's probably not the best investment for you either.

   The 3 BUTs that shouldn't hold you back!   

So, now that we've cleared up who the course is for and who it's not for, I'd love to address a few "but"s I know some of you have. I really don't want those little roadblocks to stop you from joining.

1. I don't have time right now.
Whether you feel you don't have enough free time to do the coursework, or you just can't be all-in for the 6 weeks, I've got you covered.

First, the whole coursework should take you less than 3 hours a week to complete. That's less than 30 minutes a day, or one weekend afternoon.

Don't have that much? You will have access to the course materials for LIFE, so don't sweat it. You can totally still take the course and sew at your own pace. The Facebook group will stay open indefinitely, so you can still connect with the other club members even after the live portion of the course is over.

2. I'm afraid the garments I make will suck.
I've done everything I can do make the process fun and easy to follow. There will be video tutorials for every step along the way. AND, you can always get answers to your questions in the comments area and lots of support in the Facebook group. In fact, we're already discussing supplies.

The other thing I want to emphasize is that this should be a learning experience. Yes, the perfect result would be for you to make a wearable hand-stitched outfit by the end of the course, but even if you're not in love with the end result, you've still learned a ton. And, you're next makes will already be so much closer to the ideal.

Sewing is all about learning through doing!

3. I can't afford it.
That's what we say to ourselves a lot, isn't it? Especially when it comes to investing in ourselves. This isn't a necessity - I totally get it. I don't want you to feel pressured into joining, but I do want to make you think for a second.

Is it that you truly can't afford to spend that money right now, OR is it that you feel guilty spending it on a hobby?

If you're feeling guilty, let me ease your mind a bit. I consider sewing one of the most useful skills I have.
It enables me to alter store-bought clothes to fit my body.
It helps me make clothing last longer, because I know how to mend or refashion it.
I can make quality garments that I love, but couldn't afford buying from a store.
I'm able to create so many practical items for our home myself (from oven-mitts to pillow covers to bedding to curtains to sofa covers, and the list goes on).

Sewing is such a valuable skill-set to have. It will save you money in the long-run.

If you've been on the fence about joining, I hope this will help you in making the decision. You can find all the details and join HERE. Registration is open until the 17th of May.


Congratulations to Laura who won the Membership giveaway! So sorry I couldn't just give out free memberships to everyone who joined the giveaway. I loved all your reasons for wanting to start sewing and I hope I can still see some of you in the club.


What's the one things that's holding you back from joining the club?

xo. Hanna

Sewn // Maxi skirt & Pleated blouse

I've talked a lot about the Start Sewing Club on the blog over the past week, but I haven't properly blogged about the garments I made for the club. So, I thought I'd share a few (ahem...) photos of the finished projects that I made as samples for the club.

We did the shoot for the samples in a nearby park, and I love how they turned out. Hence the million photos about to follow. I've said this before, but every time Rein takes photos of me (aka 99% of the photos you see on the blog these days) I'm amazed by how much he's grown as a photographer over the past year. For instance, I didn't crop any of the photos from this shoot. I loved all the angles he shot! I'm seriously considering getting him into a photography course. I know this is totally unrelated to this post, but I'm just so proud of him.

Have you also noticed the improvement in the photography on the blog, or is it just me?

Back to the projects. I'm totally loving the maxi skirt! I'm actually contemplating wearing it to my best friend's wedding, but since I made it to be worn with flats, I'm not really sure.

I used a creamy pink slightly textured fabric I already had in my stash. I'm not sure about the fiber content, but if I had to guess, I'd say it's a cotton-viscose blend. It's a medium-weight and has a great drape. Luckily, I had just enough to make the skirt. I lined this one, since it was a tad too sheer. Adding a lining will be one of the bonus sessions in the course, by the way.

 My aim was to design something that would be very easy to create even for beginners. I know patterns can be a stumbling block for beginners, so I designed both my club projects to be made without a pattern to transfer and trace. This skirt, for example, consists of 2 rectangles, basically.

I know that a circle skirt is often suggested as a great first sewing project, but I actually disagree with that. Drafting a circle skirt is much more difficult than drafting a pleated skirt. Also, it's more difficult to sew, because of the curved hem.

Pleats, on the other hand, are so easy to construct and sew. And, there are have so many variations that once you've masted the basics of pleating and understand how to construct them, you can sew up a whole wardrobe full of different pleated skirt - each different from the rest.

I also wanted to leave out zippers. They can be intimidating for a beginner, and take the fun right out of sewing. And, I wanted to show that there are other ways to construct closures that don't involve the notorious zipper.

I carried the same principled onto the blouse. A very simple self-drafted pattern and no zippers. Also, no darts. A simple silhouette that would suit most body types was what I was after. I've been loving flowing loose-fitted deigns lately, so that's what I went for. You can always belt it is what I say.

To make room for our feminine curves, I added shoulder pleats, which also make pretty design features, I think. The width of the blouse and the fabric band create a faux capped sleeve. (Side note: the design is also very maternity-friendly)

The pattern is again constructed based on a rectangle that is then modified in the course of the sewing process. This is a process I developed to make creating a self-drafted pattern very easy and straight forward. You don't need any knowledge of pattern-drafting - being able to hold a ruler is enough.

The fabric I used for the blouse has a story of its own. I got it from my Grandma a few years back. It's a vintage fabric she had kept in her stash for about 30 years. So, the fabric itself is older than I am. What I love about it is that it has an oddly modern pattern. Which shows how styles always come back in fashion.

I hope you enjoyed the look at my club projects, and the behind the scenes details. What do you like or dislike about the projects I created for the club? Did you get excited to create your own version? Tell me in the comments!

xo. Hanna

P.S! If you got inspired to maybe join the sewing course, you can get all the club details HERE. 

5 thoughtful Mother's Day gifts for the forgetful

Here's the thing - I'm very bad at remembering important dates. I often forget someone's Birthday or a holiday. I always mean to be very prepared, and I love giving meaningful gifts, but it always sort of happens that I just forget to prepare. So, usually, I end up getting my gifts last minute. It's an awful habit, I know. And, I'm doing my best to change it, but if you're a little bit like me, here are a few ides to help you out of that pickle and still give a thoughtful gift this Mother's Day.

1. Give your time! I'm sure that all our Moms would appreciate some more time with us. Everyone's lives are so busy these days. There hardly seams to be time to even visit family. Go and hang out with your Mom! Take her to a cafe or spa, or to see a play. I'm sure she would greatly appreciate that.

2. Donate on her behalf. I know Mother's are givers, and everyone keeps saying to give to Mother's on that day, but in the light of recent events in the world, it might not be a bad idea to take the opportunity to help our Mother's give even more to the world.

3. Make a family photo. When was the last time you had a family photo taken? I know that doesn't happen all too often in our family. Or, maybe take a photo with your siblings. It would be a nice addition to the ones of you when you were little. We've tried to do it every couple of years, and my Mom has them beside each other. It's fun to see how we've grown.
Why not have a photographer pay a quick visit to you on Mother's Day? Or, take a trip to a studio near by.

4. Plant a tree. A tree has a special meaning. It's a symbol of life, and I'm sure your Mother would love a reminder of the life she helped create into this world every time she looks at the your tree.

5. Give her an experience. I think things are over-valued. Most of us don't need more things. Yes, those scented candles are a nice touch, but our experiences are what build us. So, enrich her life with a new experience. Whether it's a gift card to her first Yoga lesson, a ticket to the opera, or a crafting course (wink wink!), she'll love experiencing something new.

I hope you'll remember to (at least) call your Mom on Sunday, and let her know how appreciated and loved she is.

xo. Hanna

Get a Free Membership to the Start Sewing Club! (Giveaway)

I have a special treat for you today! One lucky lady is going to get a FREE membership to the Start Sewing Club. If you've been on the fence about joining, because... All the good excuses. Then today is your chance to win a spot!

You can enter by leaving a comment on this post and tell me why you want to get into sewing. For additional entries, you can tweet it out and share a post of Facebook to increase your chances of winning.

So, leave a comment / + tweet /+ share on Facebook. It's that easy!

You can tweet and share every day to get additional entries.

The giveaway closes on Sunday at midnight.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!
xo. Hanna

DIY No-Sew Sequin Scissors T-shirt

I rarely wear simple T-shirts, but I got this pink one for our engagement photos. Since it was pretty sad in my closet, I thought I'd spice things up. And, what better way to do it than to add some sparkling scissors. This one has Pearls and Scissors (literally) written all over it!

 I made this project for the Mood magazine a couple of months ago. You know, doing DIY projects as a job is so much different than just doing them for fun. It's a little like making something for someone else and you don't exactly know what they like. But, I still try to come up with things that I would actually love to make for myself. After all, I'm the one who has them in my closet once the article's been published.

Luckily, so far I've loved most of the projects I've made. And this one is definitely 100% me!

This is what you need:

• T-shirt
• Glitter string
• Big scissors
• Fabric pen or other fabric marking tool
• E6000 glue or fabric glue (+ a match or toothpick for precision glueing)

 STEP 1

Put the scissors on the T-shirt the way you want them and trace around the scissors with a fabric pen or any other fabric marking tool (like Taylor's chalk or a chip of soap).

STEP 2

 Use a toothpick or match to apply some glue to the back of the glitter string and start glueing it along the template line. After i did the outer line, I went back and covered the inside of the scissor handles as well. Finally, I added the little joining screw out of sequins.

A tip I would have to cover the end of the string with a few loose sequins whenever you need to cut and restart.

It's a very quick and easy project, and holds up very well in the wash. Also, your kids/cousins/nephews and nieces/any other small children can pull on scissors (which they will) and the glue will hold. It's babysitter proofed, so you can take my word for it!

If the Start Sewing Club had an official club T-shirt, this would be it. I love this T-shirt more than any other I've owned. It's definitely getting a lot of wear these days, which in my book is the best indication of a DIY success.

I've been welcoming the first members to the Start Sewing Club and I couldn't be more happy about it! I'd love to have you as well, so do consider joining. (Have you seen the video introduction yet?)

There won't be another club before Fall. And, the next one will have all new projects. You will have lifetime access to the classes in this edition of the Club, so if you think you'd like to take them, get them now for a good price! Also, if you hop on the mailing list below, you could still catch the earlu bird special I have running for the list only ;)

I'd be beyond excited to have you in the club!

xo, Hanna

The Start Sewing Club is Open!

The day is finally here! The epic sewing journey called the Start Sewing Club is officially accepting members!

If you’ve ever thought about learning how to sew, 

or would like to extend your sewing skills into making self-stitched garments, 

BUT 

the process of learning all these new skills seems overwhelming, 

and you’re really tight on time...

THIS COURSE IS FOR YOU!

The Start Sewing Club is an epic sewing course that takes you from zero to a self-stitched outfit in just 6 weeks!

More than that! It’s not only a sewing course – it’s a place to connect and engage with other sewing-enthusiasts, and have fun learning together.

It's the most exciting thing I've done since getting married and I would be so honored and happy to have you in the club.

There are only 45 seats available, so if you're thinking about joining, don't think for too long. The Club will run for 6 weeks starting on the 18th of May and registration will close on the 17th of May, or once all seats are filled.

You can find all the details and video introduction by yours truly on the official Start Sewing Club site. Go and check it out!

Also, if you have a friend who might like this, be sure to send tell them about the club!

I hope to see you in the Clubhouse!

xo. Hanna