Anna Rootes, Author at Anna-Jo Sews

#OneYearSewn: winter 2018-19 – a wardrobe analysis

This is a bit of a hodgepodge of a post, but I’m starting out with a quick run through and wardrobe analysis of the four items I sewed last winter. Here goes!

#OneYearSewn wardrobe analysis

First up is my Plum Pudding Cardigan (Jalie 2919) which definitely scores the highest in wear count, clocking up an impressive 57 wears so far. It’s no surprise to me really, as I tend to wear a cardigan layer pretty much every day of the year. Our weather out here in Somerset is highly variable, so layers are key to being able to keep a comfy temperature. Continue reading “#OneYearSewn: winter 2018-19 – a wardrobe analysis”

The Sweetheart Dress: sewing the Ottobre Bubu Dungaree dress

So, this is me sharing a make from last May, and the photographs are from back then too. Lauren definitely doesn’t fit this one anymore! It’s the Bubu Dungaree Dress from Ottobre 1/2019. I meant to share this last week, but I completely forgot! Never mind. Here it is:

Doesn’t she look a little cutie? I love dungaree dresses, which I’m sure won’t come as a surprise to anyone who’s been following this blog a while. I’ve made three Cleo dungaree dresses for myself, so it was about time I made something similar for my baby girl. Continue reading “The Sweetheart Dress: sewing the Ottobre Bubu Dungaree dress”

The Silver Stripe Boat Neck Top

Today I’m sharing a make from last March, which is late but at least I can give you an idea of how much I’ve been wearing it. Silver linings for a silver-ish top 🙂 This is the Boat Neck Top variation of the Knit Sweetheart Top from my favourite sewing book, Gertie Sews Vintage Casual (affiliate link) by Gretchen Hirsch.

This was a bit of an experiment for me as it’s the first time I’ve ever even worn, let alone sewed, a boat neck top. I don’t know why I’ve avoided them. Perhaps it was just down to not being sure which colours looked good close to my face, so I’ve tended to go for lower cut necklines in the past. Continue reading “The Silver Stripe Boat Neck Top”

The Quilted Pencil Skirt – sewing Seamwork Margo

I made the Seamwork Margo skirt again (previous version in navy scuba crepe here), this time in a rather lovely quilted jersey. I actually made it last March, but at least after a year I can give a true picture of how useful it’s been in my wardrobe.

The answer is: sadly, not as useful as I thought it would be, although depending on the weather that could change this next year. Let me elaborate… Continue reading “The Quilted Pencil Skirt – sewing Seamwork Margo”

The Leopard print Nursing Bra – sewing Jalie 3131

So, I finally went and made a bra. And actually, I made this one back in September 2018 when Lauren was a tiny baby. I’ll catch up on all the unblogged stuff eventually! This is Jalie 3131 which contains both regular and nursing versions of a cami and simple bra (more of a bralette really). I made the nursing version of the bra, and here’s me wearing it back in May of last year when I still had need for breastfeeding access.

I’ve just realised that I’m blogging a leopard print bra on Valentine’s Day, which really wasn’t planned! Honestly, I wouldn’t class this particular bra as sexy, and I’d honestly forgotten it was Valentine’s Day. I am planning a lovely meal for Andy this evening so all romance is not lost, but we’re not big Valentine’s people. It’s a bit of a Hallmark holiday in my mind, and I don’t like being told I need to buy tacky crap covered in hearts to let someone know how much I love them. Continue reading “The Leopard print Nursing Bra – sewing Jalie 3131”

The Whatever-the-Weather Cardigan – a Jalie Drop Pocket Cardigan for Daisy

I made one of my TNT patterns, the Jalie Drop Pocket Cardigan for Daisy. And this post actually went live on the Minerva blog back in July, but hey, I’m sharing it here now. Better late than never!

Ah, the Jalie Drop Pocket Cardigan. My love for this pattern knows no bounds! Seriously, I wear one of my two versions (blogged here and here) nearly every day, even if that’s just around the house in the evening. And quite often that’s not the case: I’ll be wearing it as part of my outfit for the day.

Why do I love it so much? Continue reading “The Whatever-the-Weather Cardigan – a Jalie Drop Pocket Cardigan for Daisy”

The Velvet Citrus Leggings

Oh yes, I made leggings! And in stretch velvet! Read on to find out the complicated route my Velvet Citrus Leggings took from a maternity version pattern test to the final (non-maternity) version pictured below…

I’ve never been particularly drawn to pattern testing. Perhaps it’s my background in self-publishing, but I’d only ever expect friends or superfans to want to read and comment on my unfinished writing for nothing. I’ve always paid to get proper edits and proofreads. Seriously, this is valuable work and people deserve remuneration. Continue reading “The Velvet Citrus Leggings”

The Bits and Bobs Pocket Top – Ottobre

I thought it was about time I shared one of my favourite kids’ makes from last year: the Longline Loop-back Sweater from Ottobre Magazine.

This make hit the Minerva blog back in August, but in case you missed it then I thought I’d better link it here. Also, I like to have a record of everything I’ve made on my own blog. The full write up is over there, but I’ve got some more thoughts to add here.

Gabriel loves this top and pleasingly he’s wearing it right now, with no prompting from me. In fact, I’d only just put it back in his drawer clean yesterday, so this is definitely an item of clothing in regular circulation. That’s definitely what you want with kids makes as they grow so fast, it seems a total waste to make something they only get to wear a few times before they grow out of it. Continue reading “The Bits and Bobs Pocket Top – Ottobre”

My Make Nine plans: 2019 results and ideas for 2020

It must be the time of year for MakeNine plans! Oh wait, I’m a bit late? Not as late as last year, when I shared my plans in… [runs off to check] yeah, April. That was late!

Anyway, this is how I did in the end with my 2019 goals:

Four out of nine. Never mind. I’m really pleased with the four things I did sew. I still want to make all the remaining things from the 2019 grid, but only two of them have been copied over to this year. I will try to make the others anyway, if I get a chance.

Here are the links to the projects I made: Black linen Shirtdress, Green Burda Jacket, Jalie Eleonore “jeans”, Zebra swimsuit.

And here’s the grid for this year’s plans:

L-R, top to bottom as follows: Continue reading “My Make Nine plans: 2019 results and ideas for 2020”

The Vintage Baby Beach Set – Butterick B3405

Here’s my review of making up Butterick B3405 baby dress and bloomers. Or what I can remember of the process, at any rate!

Okay, time for a very belated blogging of a dress I sewed up for Lauren in the very early days after she came into the world. It was born of a desire to get back into sewing by making what should have been a quick and simple project, and one that was suitable for the insanely hot summer we were having in 2018. Continue reading “The Vintage Baby Beach Set – Butterick B3405”

A rather late #SewingTop5 2019

If I don’t do this now it’s never going to happen. I know this because I never did blog last year’s #SewingTop5. Ah well. I guess I just have to begin the new decade as I mean to go on 🙂

Without further ado, here’s my rundown of last year’s sewing. Not much made it to the blog, but needle and thread did meet fabric. Yay!

Here’s a quick rundown of the 23 garments I made last year:

For me: top x 3, bodysuit x 1, jacket x 1, skirt x 1, jeggings x 1, dress x 4, jumpsuit x 1, swimsuit x 1
For Lauren: dress x 4, trousers x 1
For Gabriel: top x 2, shorts x 1
For Daisy: cardigan x 1
For Mum: dress x 1

That’s 13 for me and 10 for others. Hmmm… I think I might have to concentrate a little more on making for myself this year.

I’ve taken part in the SewingTop5 for a few years now and find it a great way to quickly sum up a year of sewing. Here’s the 2019 results:

Top 5 Hits:

Continue reading “A rather late #SewingTop5 2019”

The (unseasonal) Party Animal Jumpsuit: Closet Case Patterns animal print Sallie Jumpsuit

Yep, this is a very belated sharing of my very last make as part of the Minerva Blogger Network, and it’s the Closet Case Patterns Sallie Jumpsuit in a rather in-your-face animal print. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

The post actually went up in August so I’m more than a little tardy in blogging it here, and it’s definitely not seasonally appropriate (unless you’re lucky enough to live in the Southern hemisphere), but hey, if I’m going to catch up with all the unblogged stuff I’ve got to start somewhere!

There are lots of sewing details on the Minerva post, so I’m going to skip recapping all that and just muse about jumpsuits in general. Continue reading “The (unseasonal) Party Animal Jumpsuit: Closet Case Patterns animal print Sallie Jumpsuit”

The Christmas Jumper Dress

That’s Christmas jumper dress in the UK sense, by the way. Americans would call it a sweater dress. But I’m not American. So there.

Umm, it’s been a while since I last posted here, hasn’t it? Over five months, in fact. I’m going to try to post weekly this year as I have a huge backlog of projects to share and I do enjoy blogging. I enjoy reading other people’s blogs too, so it’s only right to reciprocate by sharing my makes too 🙂

So, without further ado (and no apologies! I have three kids and life has been busy), here’s a recent super cute make for 20 month-old Lauren, along with the less successful version of the same pattern I made her last winter. Continue reading “The Christmas Jumper Dress”

The Sewing Bee Zebra Swimsuit: making Butterick B6358

Just popping by to share my latest Minerva Blogger Network post, which is a super-cute zebra print swimsuit, using the now out of print Butterick B6358. You can find out all the nerdy sewing details here: https://www.minerva.com/posts/1005899

This post is also my penultimate Minerva Blogger Network post (for the time being at any rate), as I’ve decided to step down for a while. Continue reading “The Sewing Bee Zebra Swimsuit: making Butterick B6358”

The Black Linen Shirt Dress – Vogue 8903

Hey up! Now that summer seems to finally have arrived in the UK, what better time to share my version of Vogue 8903: a classic shirt dress in black linen. This is my June Minerva Blogger Network make and you can find the full post with lots of nerdy sewing deets here: https://www.minerva.com/posts/1005877

Continue reading “The Black Linen Shirt Dress – Vogue 8903”

The Margo Scuba Skirt: making the Seamwork Margo skirt with scuba crepe

Hello peeps! I’m back with a make I completed back in January, a lovely version of the Seamwork Margo skirt using John Kaldor scuba crepe gifted to me by Minerva in return for a 500+ review with pictures over on their blog, which you can find here: https://www.minerva.com/posts/1005864

Yeah, I made this in January! However, sometimes those Minerva Fabric Focus blogs can take a long time to make their way onto the blog. Even longer if you’ve been a bad blogger and taken ages to write the post up. In my defense, Daisy had heart surgery just after Christmas so my mind was somewhat preoccupied in the months after.

But what I really needed after the ordeal of Daisy’s surgery and post-operative hospital stay was an easy win. The Seamwork Margo skirt definitely fits the bill! Continue reading “The Margo Scuba Skirt: making the Seamwork Margo skirt with scuba crepe”