It's the season of long plaid skirts, I do not make the rules - a February 2025 design recap
I blinked, and it’s March already?
For those who are new, welcome! Every month I like to do a little design recap & catch up for the month. I show you everything I have made, my honest opinions on them, and the construction notes. I hope it’s a fun way for you to learn how each of these pieces are made and hopefully inspire you to create! I then tell you my plans for the next month and my upcoming projects! I also tell you about “Playtime”, a new hack that I’ve been using to boost creativity & productivity. Stay tuned!!!
Without further ado, here is everything I made in February.
The bow corset
No way!!! Something with ruffles and bows on it??? Revolutionary. This was my newest drop and I am SO happy with it. I did the cutest shoot with my photographer friend Rachel Medina (I consider us best friends now because we got Pitbull tickets together and nothing bonds two people like putting on a fake mustache and a bald cap). The corset is out on the 12th of March and I am currently mid roll out for it’s launch. I’m having so so much fun with the content and I hope you enjoy it too!
Construction notes:
I go into much more detail in my YouTube video but the corset is made of three layers. the outer white is cotton, the interlining is a sew on (not glue on -personally quite dislike the way it puckers) and the lining is a polyester satin. The lining sounds flimsy but it’s quite thick and sturdy which is perfect because it holds the boning.
The boning edges are cut in a curve and covered with a little piece of the lining to prevent the ends from digging into your skin. This is a step I’ve added recently and really recommend it if you want it for longer wears.
The bows I bought at a fashion wholesaler in London. I originally bought it for my Rapunzel inspired costume and never used it.
I’ll be honest, I do wish the ruffles were a tad wider. I think they’re maybe an inch and a quarter wide but if I were to make another one I’d make it about 2 inches wide.
I also wore it to London Fashion Week and got this insane shot taken by Tahjana (@style.explorer)
I feel famous.
Ordering this corset does not guarantee paparazzi style photos to be taken of you on the streets of your city. You will get a LOT of compliments though.
credits to: https://www.instagram.com/style.explorer/
I filmed a YouTube video of the entire process of making this corset. Please enjoy below 💕 it talks more in depth of my decision to do various parts and it’s very soothing to watch.
https://youtu.be/PSWpOr4-go4
2. Grungy skirt
If you read my January recap then you know that I was playing around with some scrap fabrics. The photo I had of my “idea” looks nothing like the final product but hey ho. This is a little collage of fabrics I had lying around. The scrap fabrics come from the projects below:
The black see through corsets that I sell on my website (named the Cherry Corset)
The bias satin skirts I used to sell on my website. Not sure why with all of the wonderful ideas I have in my head, a super basic skirt would by the thing that I thought people would be so impressed to buy. I sold none. Lesson learnt.
Extra fabric from this dress
The bottom of a dress I thrifted a while ago
The end result is a much heavier version of the January drop but she feels very winter appropriate.
I made this skirt during what I call “playtime”. This is an hour a day where I put aside any client work and let myself make whatever I want. Not to be dramatic but it’s been life changing.
Construction notes:
the hem was the part I wanted to make the most scrap book like. I hand pleated a lot of the hem pieces and also trimmed the bottom in a curved way so they didn’t look too uniform. The key to making it look “random” is overlapping each section by a few inches so you have a cool transition from one panel to the next. The panels alternate from the plaid, to the satin to the shiny funky fabric.
I wanted to add ruffles made from the translucent black fabric on all of the horizontal seams. That’s where the yoke meets layer 1, where layer 1 meets layer 2 and where layer 2 meets the hem. I made the ruffles using a gathering foot and I didn’t bother sewing each piece together - instead I tucked the raw edge under when sewing each ruffle to the skirt. To make the ruffles less uniform I swayed each piece of fabric left and right so the needle path would be wavy and the ruffles would have an uneven top and bottom
Overall a very fun skirt to make, and a lot more of a free spirit than my usual structured pieces.
I don’t think I would sell a skirt like this as a lot of the edges are left raw for the funky effect but never say never. If you’re interested in it, feel free to hmu.
3. The January Drop Western Ruffle Skirt in a Green Plaid
I also said I would make this skirt in my January recap and I am proud to say I did. You know what else I did? I rented it out the day I finished making it so I’ve not been able to wear it since. I have to say, I LOVE this skirt, the color is so London. Because the plaid fabric is much thicker than the original pink gingham, the ruffles stand out a lot more. I’ve gotten so many compliments on it on and off line and even an order straight away so I’m so glad to know that others are loving it too!
No construction notes as it’s the exact same as the skirt in pink :)
4. Cat Bolster Cover
Dare I say this is my favorite piece of month? I was tasked to make a bolster cover by my two lovely friends Surina & Arianna. Obviously JUST a bolster cover would be boring but you know what isn’t boring? Their cat, Boo. So I patch worked some adorable little cats onto it to keep Boo company. I hope she appreciates it. This was in the works since last summer so I was so glad to finish it, I hope it was worth the wait xo
I have not given it to them just yet so I will include a photo of it on the actual bolster next month for you to see!
Things I want to and plan to make in March
The Jan drop western skirt in a white. This is a customer order so it’ll most definitely happen, I am so excited, we chose this beautiful 100% cotton fabric with this cute little trim for the hem.
2. I also have an order of the Jan drop skirt in the green plaid!
3. June drop top
I started making a June drop top order nbut it’s not done yet! I did the first round of sewing, so I now have to turn all of the tubes inside out and do a round of pressing, followed by a last round of sewing. How thrilling.
4. Tank top?
I have an order from a friend to make a tank top with as scrunched effect below the bust. I have started on the muslin and she looks like this so…. There’s a lot of work to be done. Stay tuned.
5. Regency nightgown
I started this Bridgerton inspired nightgown dress about a year ago. It’s the same pattern that I use for all of my Bridgerton dresses but the opening is at the front, not the back and the sleeves are going to be cinched at multiple points. There’s a nightgown that Philippa wears that strongly inspired it. I can’t remember what scene it’s in though so I’ll have to rewatch the entirety of season 3 to find it (the things I do for work 🙄). I spent too much money on the black velvet piping and ribbon to not make it. This will be the project that I work on during Playtime so I am confident I will get it done.
For those who missed last month’s recap, Playtime is an hour a day where I work on creative projects. This helps me keep being excited about my little side quests and also my creative juices flowing. It’s made a world of a difference to start the day on a fun and playful note.
And finally some wishful thinking (aka things I would make if I had all the time in the world, that I know I won’t because, well, I have jobs to work)
I recently posted a video of myself draping a top from men’s shirt collars. I got some comments on the flowy top that was on my dress form. I actually cut out the same top but in blue ages ago so when I have a moment I’d love to put it together.
Scalloped skirt: You’ve seen my scalloped hem dress. Well I want to make a skirt version. Mostly because I bought myself white tights to celebrate 50k on instagram (woop woop) but all of the skirts ive made recently go down to my ankles. So the obvious solution is to make myself a mini skirt. It is also starting to get quite sunny in the UK so this may be my last winter-y piece of the winter (oh no! It’s summer dress ruffle season soon! Dang!)
Super excited for another month of creating and documenting. Thank you for your continuous support, see you in April!