Hey guys!
I just wanted to update you that I have moved my website over to www.dominiquemajor.com
With a new year I thought it was time for a fresh and professional start, so be sure to head over there for fresh new content.
You can also keep up to date with new content via Bloglovin’ or over on my Instagram.
See you over on the new website!
After giving myself a much needed physical and mental break I am ready to tackle 2017 and get back in the creative groove. I have a post about my plans for 2017 lined up so keep an eye out for that to find out more about my sewing plans and what to expect from this blog and my vlog, but for now I wanted to do a round up of the year.
So here is a look back over 2016…
Instagram: So 2016 has been quite the year for my love of Instagram and I have found it such a great creative outlet to share things with the sewing community. Here is my top 9 from the year and I am so happy to have reached over 1000 followers, which I know in the grand scheme of things is small but seeing as I started the year on about 200 I am so happy to be able to share my photos with all my wonderful new followers.
Work and things: After a rocky end to 2015 and start to 2016, one of goals for the year was to push myself further with my work so I am happy and proud to look back over some of the things I have done in 2016. Of course the biggest and most exciting has been making Suzy Magazine and seeing it going out into the world. It has been such a great way to the end the year and surpassed any expectations. I can’t wait for more Suzy fun in 2017. I have also been pushing myself to write for other websites. Earlier in the year I published writing for The Huffington Post and most recently for gal-dem magazine. Some of you might also remember the dresses I made for The Tuts’ music video, these were also on the cover of Bristol Live Magazine. I completed a Introduction to Pattern Cutting course at LCF and, of course, became part of the Sew Crafty Design team. Phew… I can’t wait to have a 2017 full of even more exciting opportunities.
Travel: I had another year of wonderful travels with a VERY cold trip to New York in February and another summer trip to the US travelling from Vancouver to Seattle and finally down to Portland (somewhere that had been on my travel list for quite a while).
Me Made Wardrobe: And, of course, my handmade wardrobe has really developed this year. Since the start of the year my small handmade collection has developed significantly and I am now actually wearing #memadeeveryday. I feel my skills have developed and while there are still many areas of improvement and ways in which my wardrobe can expand, I am proud of how much I have achieved in such a small space of time.
So that’s 2016 in a nutshell and I can’t wait for 2017 to be even more exciting!
So how long has it been since my last real blog post? Let’s not be too specific with dates but I am very aware it has been far too long.
You might have been thinking, have I given up on this blogging and vlogging thing? The answer is no but there have been multiple reasons for this unintentional hiatus.
Firstly, I always suffer from post summer come down. My motivation levels drop as soon as winter hits and I find I have less energy to do even the things I love. I have been struggling to keep up with my sewing to do lists so haven’t had the chance to keep up the blog as well. With that in mind I decided a break might be good. Gather ideas and come back with great content rather than something half put together! This also goes for the vlogs because the other problem with winter is I don’t have the light in which to film videos. Ugh!
Thinking about the blog and vlog content I haven’t been completely pleased with how it has all been looking and for me putting out content that I am not completely happy makes me uncomfortable. So I’ve wanted to do more than sitting in front of the camera holding up fabric on the vlog (though sometimes there is a place for this) I have been eager to go for a redesign for my blog, perhaps even a new platform. So fingers crossed I can get my arse in gear and that will be coming!
Lastly and perhaps most excitingly, I have been working on launching Suzy Magazine! In case you haven’t seen, Suzy is an Indie sewing magazine for the fashion forward sewist. With my friend Rosa I have been creating this magazine because we wanted to fill the gap between fashion magazines and sewing magazine. We wanted to have a magazine that had a fashion magazine feel, with editorial shoot, styling ideas etc but with handmade clothes instead of clothes from the high street. I will do a detailed post very soon.
So as you can probably guess this has been taken quite a lot of my time. We are currently sold out but we have some new issues coming from the printers very soon so if you haven’t managed to get your hands on a copy yet, you can put yourself on the waiting list over at www.suzymagazine.com
So feeling a wave of motivation (read: craziness) I have figured that the best way to get back into blogging is to take part in Blogmas. So stay tuned for a post every single day. I am going to combine blogmas and vlogmas together and use this as an opportunity to revamp both. So I will be posting everyday, not on each platform but across both platforms. So some days it may be a blog and others a vlog. I am still deciding on how I plan to make this work and I am going to be honest I only decided to do this, this morning. So be patient.
See you tomorrow…
After a week off Monday’s hurt even more. I seems like the only things I post are Monday Moments, I will be getting some more posts out soon.
Style- Leopard
Read – Rookie Yearbook
Watch – Submarine
Listen- Modern Girl – Sleater Kinney (The soundtrack to my life)
Sew – Heather Dress – Sew Over It
Quote – Mondays: The Only Day You Can Wear The Same Exact Outfit As Yesterday Without Anyone Knowing.
Unless of course you post outfit pictures on Instagram.
See you next Monday!
This past month I’ve been on a self imposed spending ban, which didn’t go particularly well. With the release of the Republique du Chiffon Ernest coat, I needed to make a winter coat. So I had to buy the pattern and of course the material to go with it. I’ve also found my AW wardrobe to be lacking in the me made department so I’ve been having to buy bits here and there. Now I have enough to keep my occupied I shouldn’t really be spending anymore but here’s what I have my eye on at the moment!
My one rtw weakness has always been khaki green utility style jackets (I own 7 different styles) I never felt the need to make one of my own but then enters the Kelly Anorak from Closet Case Files. It looks like it might be a challenge but I want to add to my utility jacket with a me made one.
Continuing on the wardrobe staple theme, pinafores definitely fall into that category. They are perfect for stylish A/W layering and the Ivy Pinafore from Jennifer Lauren is fab! The gable top is pretty great too.
What’s a pay day wish list without a Wear Lemonade pattern? This time I am lusting over the Maria Jacket. I like the classic shape and think it will look great in some statement fabric.
L-R Cloud 9 – Yucca , Liberty – Day Dream , Art Gallery – Nightfall Lunation
I have a week off this week so this Monday isn’t that bad. If you aren’t that lucky here is some motivation!
Style- Coats
Read – The Great Gatsby (nothing beats reading an old favourite)
Watch – The Grand Budapest Hotel (for all those pink goals)
Listen- The Lively Show (Podcast) Behind Oh Joy the brand
Sew – Tilly and the Buttons Rosa ( I plan to tackle this, this week in a Liberty Cord)
Quote – ‘I have a whole little world in my brain’
See you next Monday!
You might remember this fabric from my July Sewing Haul, but since then I haven’t shown you what it became over here on the blog. You might have seen it over on my Instagram but I thought I’d give you a little pattern review her on the blog.
I think I mentioned in my vlog that I was playing on turning this gorgeous fabric into a Megan Neilsen Darling Ranges dress hack and extend it into a maxi dress version. After some consideration I decided against this and went for the normal length of this dress. Mainly because I don’t think Maxis ever suit me.
Let me just say I LOVE this dress. It’s just so comfy! I made the unfitted version in this soft viscose fabric from Fabric Land (similar) which has made it a dream to wear. Occasionally I nip it in at waist with a belt but I like the versatility and think it looks fine without. And hello, pockets! Love, love, love!
The pattern was easy to sew. At first I had a little bit of an issue with the binding around the neck but it was easily fixed. I had the PDF version of this pattern so found the Megan Nielsen app a great help when sewing this together. Genius idea.
I wore this when travelling to America and let me just say it is great plane wear. Comfortable because you don’t have to worry about fitted areas becoming uncomfortable when you’re wearing it for hours on end and covers you up enough when the plane gets cold, all while you carry on looking stylish.
I can’t wait to make more. I have plans for a blouse version from the lovely constellation fabric I bought while in America and would also love to try the version with the fitted waist. Overall just really love how simple pattern this pattern and how versatile the style is. It will quickly become a wardrobe staple!
Have you tried this pattern? What patterns do you love for comfort and style?
For all my sewing updates come and say hi over on Instagram
So over this last week I have been swamped so I haven’t posted a blog/vlog between last weeks Monday Moments and the one you are about to read. I have one week till my week off where catching up will commence. Have a good Monday!
Style- Polka Dots
Read – The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter – Carson McCullers
Watch – The Royal Tenenbaums
Listen- Pardon My French (Podcast)- How To Build a Brand Your Own Way Garance Dore, Grace Bonney, Anna Bond
Sew – Ernest- Republique du Chiffon 😍
Quote – ‘Think About What Could Go Right’
Anyone else forget to do that last one?
See you next Monday!
Monday is here again. I hope you all had a lovely weekend and have a fabulous week!
Style- Pyjama Blouses
Read – In the Company of Women (I haven’t read it, but I need to read it!)
Watch – IamKarenO – Moonrise Kingdom Halloween Inspired Short
Listen- Adulthood Made Easy – Breaking Through Your Quarter Life Crisis (Podcast)
Sew – Dita – Wear Lemonade (I’ve decided I need to make this dress)
Quote – ‘You are enough. You are so enough. It is unbelievable how enough you are.’ #Worldmentalhealthday
See you next Monday!
I’ve answered questions for The Seamstress Tag which has been set up by Hollie from Hollie Sews.
You can watch the video below but don’t forget to subscribe to my channel for lots of exciting content!
Let me know in the comments below if you have taken part by leaving a link to it or if you haven’t choose your fave question and let me know your answer below. I’d love to know some of your answers! 🙂
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