A-Line Skirt hack: Make a Pleated Skirt!

Hello lovelies! Having been very inspired by The Great British Sewing Bee a couple weeks ago, here is my A-Line Skirt Hack based on my super duper popular Patternless A-Line Skirt Tutorial to make an Inverted Box Pleated Skirt as they did. The original Tutorial is amazingly simple, and I highly recommend it if you are learning to sew or want …

Sewing Bee Snippets Week 1

As previously discussed, here are my insights in to construction details, tips and tricks, and practices used on The Great British Sewing Bee this week. The contestants were really put through their paces this week sewing each basic staple fabric- Cotton, Wool and Silk. Their Cotton Tunic Tops displayed a very wide range in construction details- and finishing techniques!- and …

The Great British Sewing Bee: Week 1

Well… what did we all think?! Click the above link to watch (it will be available to watch until the 25th of February, if you are in foreign parts you may have to search the underbelly of the Internet!) the first episode, which was a tour de force of sewing techniques! Those poor contestants, they were well and truly worked …

Best Tips, Notions and Tutorials of 2013

Roll up!, Roll up! The first Laura After Midnight retrospective is upon us! 2013 has been quite the whirlwind! Here are my favourite Blog posts from each month… so without further ado, and not a whiff of preamble take my hand and follow me down the yellow stitched road!   January   Book Review: The Handmade Marketplace by Cari Chapin As …

How to Make a Mans Tie inc. Pattern

   So, I have been fighting with technology to bring you a wonderful Vintage Tie, Cravat and Bow Tie Pattern I inherited a while ago. Alas, it was not to be, and creating Patterns with PDF downloadables’ has now made it on to the 2014 list… which is exciting as I have a whole heap of ideas about new Patterns …

Christmas Pyjamas!!

Who wouldn’t want a gorgeous, hand made pair of Pyjamas this Christmas? I know I shall be whipping up a few pairs to give as gifts, so I thought I’d share how to make up Pyjamas, without having to buy a Pattern! I have sorted out the following, super simple printables for you all to follow, which illustrate how to …

Doe Eyed Deer Christmas Decoration

Now, I’m not going to lie to you! I completely copied this idea from the new Cath Kidston Catalog!! However; I think these are cuter, and much cheaper!!   You will need: Felt in a Deer Colour (I chose Red, but you could use a Pale Brown, Pink or something wild!) White Felt Stuffing Ribbon Needle, Thread, Pins and Scissors …

Enlarging Vintage Patterns and Using PDFs

I’d like to talk a little on alternative methods of Patterning i.e. Scaling up Vintage Patterns either from a print out or book or dealing with PDF Patterns. The internet presents rather an enormous resource for free Patterns, if you know how to deal with them. Often they are simply illustrations with measurement guidelines and it is intended that the …

Pattern Month on Pinterest

For an awesome selection of Vintage, modern, free and many more Patterns please take a look at Pattern Month on Pinterest. I’ve also made sure there are a great little selection of tutorials on how to re-size Patterns and how to deal with PDF printable Patterns. These are my favourites…         A 50s Slip, complete with Pattern information and …

50s Couture Summer Dress Pattern

My Sewing Group and I are going to start making up Tap Pants, or Petti-Pants this evening, so I have just been searching online for free patterns- there are so many out there! (I would recommend proceeding with a search only if you have some pattern knowledge as many of them need re-sizing or adjusting however they are limitless)- and …