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The Millie Dress: It's Party Season

by Adaku Parker June 24, 2021

For my 50th birthday I wanted to make a simple dress in my favourite fabric, African wax print. I had been gifted the book “Sewing with African Wax Print Fabrics” by Adaku Parker and she asked if I was happy to blog a review of one of the patterns. I chose the Millie dress as it had the vintage vibes I was looking for. Adaku also gifted me 4 yards of this gorgeous fabric.

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The Jennifer Jumpsuit: The on-trend Summer staple.

by Adaku Parker June 01, 2021

This pattern has 4 pieces: front bodice, back bodice, front trouser and back trouser. There is also an option to have a fully lined bodice which I didn't use at this time. The jumpsuit came together very quickly in less than an hour.
Attaching the zips, binding neckline and sleeve edges were a breeze and instructions can be found on page 114-115; 120-121.

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The Christie Circle Skirt: A simple sew with amazing results!

by Adaku Parker June 01, 2021

As a circle skirt lover, one thing I have come to realise is really important is waiting for the hem to drop. As circle skirts are made on the bias [*note that this skirt was cut on the cross-wise grain*], the fabric is likely to drop in different areas of the skirt. As such, you should wait before hemming your skirt.

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The Philippa Pinafore Dress: Stylish and oh so versatile!

by Adaku Parker May 28, 2021

This pattern is marked a three star difficulty (most of the other garments are two stars) and there definitely were some new techniques for me. I’d never done a half elasticated waist before, it was quite fiddly and a bit different from elastic all the way round, because you don’t pull the elastic through a channel, you insert it from the long side. It felt a bit counterintuitive and was a bit fiddly, but it worked a treat! It’s so nice to have it fitted at the back waist but still have a nice clean flat front. Definitely more half elasticated waists in my future!

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MEASURE TWICE CUT ONCE: How to measure yourself for the perfect fit.

by Adaku Parker May 09, 2021

Knowing how to measure yourself accurately is key to a well-fitting garment. For best results, ask a friend to help or take your measurements whilst looking in a full-length mirror. Wear the undergarments you would normally wear under clothes and use a flexible tape measure. When measuring, hold the measuring tape so that it's comfortably snug but not tight. Remember to jot down your body measurements on a piece of paper for reference.

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The Etta Shirt Dress: A guaranteed show stopper!

by Adaku Parker April 12, 2021

African wax print fabrics are also perfect for new beginner dressmakers, being woven they are easy to create a variety of different projects from. From the projects within the book, the Etta dress was the one I just said ‘wow” as I turned the page! A classic shirt dress which a closely fitted bodice teamed with a flared skirt. A timeless piece that will be perfect for the summer days to come.

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Wax Print Lottie Culottes: A Super Comfy Staple

by Adaku Parker April 09, 2021

The Lottie Culottes pattern was an incredibly easy sew, without the pockets they took me less than two hours from start to finish. African wax print is always a joy to sew and when the pattern is this straightforward, making these culottes is such a pleasurable way to spend a couple of hours. The instructions and illustrations were so easy to follow!

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The Lottie Culottes: Made for Summer

by Adaku Parker April 03, 2021

Black woman standing in front of a red brick wall wearing a pair of culottes made in African wax print fabric in red fabric with large circular motifs and a white top.

When I received the 'Sewing with African wax print fabric' book, I was so excited to make the garments in the book. The book is awesome, it has a wide variety of garments and in an unusual fashion, it also has accessories, which is simply amazing.

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The Christie Circle Skirt : Made for twirling!

by Adaku Parker March 24, 2021

"I started by placing the fabric tightly against my skin (just because) and then I washed and spun the fabric in the machine using a temperature of 30 degrees. Then I left it to completely air dry."

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IRIS INFINITY SCARF

by Adaku Parker March 15, 2021

Infinity scarves are great for when the cooler weather starts setting in. This one is lined with fleece but you can use satin or cotton for a more lightweight accessory. Simple yet stylish, this infinity scarf is long enough to wrap around your neck twice!

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Claudette Trousers- The Power Pants for 2021

by Adaku Parker January 22, 2021

Lena King Black woman standing in front of a brick wall wearing a pair of teal and grey trousers, a black suit jacket and white trainers. She has her hands in her pocket and is wearing a pair of blue earrings.

Claudette Trousers- The Power Pants for 2021

If you have been wanting to make these trousers for a while or you would like to give them a go, then this blog post is for you.

Posted in Adaku Parker, African Fashion, African print, African wax, African wax print, african wax print article, African wax print blog, African wax print fabric, africanwaxprintfabric, Ankara fabric, ankaraappreciation, Ankaralovers, Blog, Blogger, claudette trousers, Dovetailed, Dovetailed London, Dressmaking, Fabric, For people who love prints, Independent pattern designer, Learning to sew, Live your life in colour, sewing pattern, sewing patterns, sewing tips, sewing tutorial, Sewing with african wax print fabric, Sewing with wax prints, sewingwithafricanwaxprint, sewmuchwax, Trousers, Wax print, Weekly blog

Sewing with African wax print fabric? Here are 5 top tips to get you started.

by Adaku Parker December 22, 2020

Remove any manufacturer’s labels. African wax print fabrics are made from 100% cotton and are printed using a wax-resist method of printing ont...

Posted in Adaku Parker, African Fashion, African print, African wax, African wax print, african wax print article, African wax print blog, African wax print fabric, africanwaxprintfabric, Ankara fabric, British Design, Business news, business owner, Dovetailed, Dovetailed London, Dressmaking, Fabric, For people who love prints, Learning to sew, Live your life in colour, pattern matching, Pressing tips, removing labels, Sew, sewing tips, top tips, washing your fabric

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