I don’t know about you, but the fall and winter are the busiest times of year for me. There’s birthdays, holidays, and the busiest time of the year at work.
When I get really busy, it’s usually self-care that loses its spot on my calendar. That includes sewing.
But it IS important to continue doing things that help you relax and de-stress. As everyone is always saying- you can’t pour from an empty cup. I highly recommend squeezing in a little creative time whenever you can. Even if it’s only a few minutes.
Fast and Easy Sewing Ideas
So, the solution for beginners who are busy: projects that are simple AND have clear instructions. The Stretch Book by Tilly and the Buttons is the perfect resource for this (I am not in any way affiliated with Tilly and the Buttons- I genuinely love their books).
So, far I’ve made the Bibi Skirt (using stretch wool from the discount section of Fabricland).

This Freya dress (using Rib knit fabric from BlackBird Fabrics)

The Freya Turtle neck sweater (fabric is also from BlackBird Fabrics—I’m really not affiliated with them either; they’re honestly just my favourite fabric store).
BONUS time saving tip: I knew ahead of time that I wanted to make both the dress and the sweater. So, I cut out both patterns at the same time and then sewed them at the same time. Meaning, I did the shoulder seams of the sweater and then the shoulder seams of the dress. This method really does save time- I had both done in 2 hours! (For more tips on how to sew faster, click here)

And the Frankie T-Shirt (I actually made this a while ago but it was still a fast sewing project!)

I can honestly say that all 4 projects were super easy and fast to sew. (The skirt only took 45 minutes and that includes sewing the waistband twice because I didn’t notice I ran out of thread).
(I’m predicting a Joni dress and some Stella joggers in my future!)
Where to Get the Patterns
Amazon for America and Canada
The Tilly and the Buttons Website if you’re in Europe
If you are not a beginner, I still highly recommend these patterns- they’re so cute!
That’s all! Thank you for reading and happy sewing!
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