Ellen's Sewing Passion

My name is Tanja,  and I discovered my  real  passion for sewing  just about two years ago  when I was one of the contestants of Symesterskapet - the Norwegian Sewing Bee  (and somehow managed to win the whole shabam)!  After this experience I decided to pursue this newfound passion of mine,  and was lucky enough to get an internship with Tine Solheim  - one of the judges from the TV-show.  Right now my life is sewing-sewing-sewing 24/7, and I LOVE IT 💖 I also love-love-love teaching & sharing with others,  so I give classes & keep my Instagram profile filled with inspo, tips & tricks😊 Here’s one of my latest projects as an apprentice - a Chanel-inspired jacket and skirt.  This was my first time sewing this kind of jacket,  and I really loved all the hand sewing that went in to it!  Now it is a part of an exhibition at the Oslo City Museum,  which showcases ...

Hello! My name is Vesna,  I'm 34 years old archaeologist and I live in Belgrade, Serbia.  I started sewing in January of 2009 and haven't stopped ever since -  learning this craft for these past 10 years has been so satisfying and rewarding!  I also enjoy knitting, crochet and hand embroidery -  pretty much anything that involves needle and fiber 😊 I love documenting my sewing on Instagram and  I also started a  Blog   with the same purpose (that I don't spend nearly enough time cultivating..)  If I'm not working or sewing I tend to waste my time by watching way too many TV shows,  drinking way too much coffee and having long conversations with my indifferent cat Lulu. Here's a link for sewing project I'd like to share:  Magnolia Dress Sewing tip - embrace hand sewing!  Take a little bit of time to finish that hem on your coat or skirt by hand  - it'll make all difference in the wo...

I started my “sewing career”  app. 2 year ago  with the simple question of my mother if I can repair her sewing machine.  The truth is that I fail, but my interest was born to sew.  I got a voucher from my lovely wife for my first own machine, a Brother Innov-is 15.  Table clothes and cushion covers my first projects. In my real live I’m an engineer in the field of industrial brazing,  so it was a nice experience to build some things with my hands.  I’m really happy about the fact that my wife loves to put on the things I’m sewing.  Yes sometimes I also make clothes for myself.  In the meantime I change my machines completely to Bernina.  Most of my projects are visible on Instagram  and Facebook    For the next year I plan ahead to sewing any month a new waistcoat for me.  In additional I like to make an original Scottish kilt. First parts I bought this year. Here is a pictu...

Ingrid Bergtun is a 27 years old sewing and refashion blogger.  She discovered sewing only two and a half years ago  and got addicted to this amazing world of creativity.  Ingrid participated in the Norwegian sewing bee contest in 2017.  Thereafter she decided that sewing should be a bigger part of her life.  She made a business of her creativity, and this is now her full time job.  On the picture she is wearing a refashion jumpsuit made of an old blazer and skirt. This is a Christmas dress she has made on less than 2 hours in a TV show! Last September she present her very own refashion clothing line at a fashion show in Oslo.  She has also cooperated with H&M on their new concept TAKE CARE.  A concept where customers can get their old clothes and stash refashion.  She shares sewing inspiration, tips and tutorials on her blog,  YouTube and Instagram account every day.  ...

Hello!  I’m Lisa  who lives in the mountains of South Carolina, United States  and blogs at   Lisa'sCarolina | Handmade     It is such an honor to be asked by Ellen to share a little with you today.     I've been making my own clothes since early 2013 sewing mostly Burda  and Ottobre Design Woman patterns with a few Big 4 patterns here and there.   I do not buy ready-to-wear clothing anymore.   It has been an amazing journey of learning new skill-sets ,  but what I cherish most is having the opportunity to meet and learn from smart,  inspiring and creative ladies like Ellen,  who is very gracious in sharing her beautiful work.    In this photo (below) I am wearing all Ottobre Design Women   -  Cardigan (unblogged),  Drape Front Top   and  Miniskirt   This year I've challenged myself to make more patterns from my Burd...

Trudie Scholman (or with my given by birth names: Geertruida Maria Scholman),  born in the Netherlands and moved to Norway in '93.  Living in Stavanger and working as a graphical designer. Always very active with her hands  - either painting, woodcraft, ceramics or whatever...  not at last SEWING. Together with Ellen I was one of the contestants of the Norwegian Sewing Bee (2017),  a great experience - unforgetable! it gave me friends for life. I love to learn and my latest course was last weeks 'serigraphy course',  (thanks to TAU trykk). I wished there were more hours in a day!  for time is too short to do everything I want to. By the way... yes my hair is my natural color 😊, Ha! One of my projects is to design fabrics, just to fit for a special project.  You cannot make it more unique! Like a t'shirt. It is very easy to do and with great effect.  You can either desi...

Hi! I’m Maria and it’s a pleasure to be part of Ellen’s advent calendar!  I’m Jordanian but I’ve been living in Norway since 2012.  I started sewing at the end of 2014 mainly because I was bored and  because I already had a sewing machine  (a Bernina from 1964 donated by my husband’s grandmother),  as you can tell: I haven’t stopped sewing since 😊 .  I even took my hobby a step further and started an online fabric store,  Cottoncandy   and decided to use a year on studying Sewing and Design which I’m currently doing. I like experimenting with fabric and have tried loads of different ones.  The garment I want to share with you today is my Red skinny jeans. I wanted red jeans for a long time and last summer I finally made me a pair,  which you can see more of here on my blog (I even have a modifications video). As for a sewing tip from me…I have many!  My main one will always be:...

My sewing friend from Germany I Love to sew and Knit for me and my family and I love colors - Especially blue💙  You can see more projects or pictures on  Instagram This is a Fifties Dress  I made for a BurdaStyle sewing competition 2018. My sewing tip:  Do not be afraid of new fabrics or patterns - just start!

My name is Sonja and I live i the Netherlands.  I started making my own clothes almost five years ago  because I wasn’t able to find suitable and good fitted clothes anymore.  I’me a self taught seamstress who likes to use books,  YouTube  and experience of others to learn more about the sewing process.  Besides making clothes for myself I also make them for my husband,  youngest daughter, my mother and sometimes for friends as well.  Refashions are another part of my sewing  but also re-cycling discarded jeans into bags, useful objects  or decorative toys and discarded sweaters into soft toys for kids.  On one fine day I want to start making a Chanel jacket with the quilting,  hand sewn buttonholes and chain at the hem. This dress is made of a self drafted T-shirt pattern.  I like patterns with a twist, an unusual design or asymmetrical details.  I decided...

Hello, I am Hila.  When it comes to sewing – I have voracious appetite!  I nurture and value bold colors  in my sewing collection,  I guess you could say that’s my signature style.  And, as part of my commitment to lifelong learning,  I constantly seek out challenging designs and unusual techniques.  I have a myriad of interests I pursue, but sewing is chief among them.  My love of bright floral's  is mirrored from my equal love and passion for gardening. I’d love to share a project that creates joy in me and in others whenever I wear it.  This is the Rainbow Moneta Dress .  Whenever I wear this dress I get so many compliments from all ages of people  and they tend to say that it made them smile and thank me for making them smile.  That’s a beautiful sentiment that is common to all humanity – joy.  This dress fills me with so much joy that I believe it overflows and pass...

My name its Mihaela Lopanov, I’m from Bucharest Romania. As many of the sewing addicts, I’ve started in early childhood making dresses for my dolls.  I remember I was dreaming about the day when I will be skilled enough to make dresses for myself.  The years have passed and here I am now and what a journey have it has been 😊  I’m 41 years old and by now I have done so many dresses, I’ve tried so many techniques,  I’ve tried so many fabric choices, combine sewing with crafting,  keeping all this only as a hobby till few weeks ago. As everything happens for a reason and at its very own time,  I succeeded to fulfill one of my dreams  – to have own business where I can create everything that I ever dreamed of,  but in an organized way 😊 The name of my business I’Dia Concept Design , its inspired by the most precious gift  that I could ever get from God, my daughter Diana,  who been my most inspiring...

Besides being an addict of music (opera), literature and film,  and an interest in current political mindsets,  another part of me finds a lot of pleasure in sewing, tailoring culture one might say. The kick off for this interest, and still the main reason,  is to get better fitting and slightly more colorful garment for everyday use,  and as a spice, fancy dresses and classical suiting will surface now and then.  My passion is to refine my shirt sewing,  making details crispy,  and done within reasonable time.  The one on the picture is not one of my best overall.  It stayed with me for too long,  but the collar went of beautifully, as did the cuffs.  As always with shirts, no overlock, just French seams. The British sewing bee tempted me into sewing,  when I discovered how nice garment people made  after just two years  in spare time practices.  Wow, if they can, I ...

Hello, my name is Rita, and I am very honored Ellen invited me. I really enjoy all the beautiful makes Ellen makes. I am an early retired 57 year old and love to sew every day when I am able too,  unless I am enjoying my grandchildren. My granddaughter is learning to sew with me.   My husband and I enjoy going on vacations either by plane or in our motor-home.  Our favorite place is Las Vegas; the shows are wonderful!    I have two rooms in our home dedicated to sewing, one room is where I sew and have my machines, and the other room stores my fabric. I think I have a lifetime supply of fabric and notions!    This is the  Sweatshirt   my daughter is wearing. (I did not know I was on the pattern sale page! I just sent her a 'fit' picture because  I tested the pattern for her before it was released for sale.  I just saw the picture now, taken in my sewing room)  It is well drafte...

Almost 50 but I feel 30… Hard working IT Director in the morning,  passionate seamstress at  night,  caring mum the rest of the day. Addicted to sewing, embroidery, crochet, painting but also to math and algorithms. With a head full of colorful clothes and a pocket holding a budget of 20 €, at most. I adore  fabric shopping but I don’t have a stash. I work with  technology but in sewing I only  trust my hands. Life is not easy, but I can’t imagine selling the clothes I make. Elpida is the Greek word for Hope, and I just hope I can keep going like that. One of my Favorite Project My instagram account

I'm Hana, I was born in Indonesia, but living in Macau-China for many years now.  I'm a wife and a mom who love to sew for myself and close family.  I started my sewing journey in the end of 2009 after I got my first Janome sewing machine,  Janome overlocker and Burdastyle magazines.  Since that day, I never stopped sewing and making stuff.  Sewing makes me feel happy, creative and accomplished. Also, I learned how to knit two years ago.  I thought hand-knit was difficult but I was wrong,  it was easier than drafting my own sewing patterns 😊  I mostly sew in the morning and afternoon while my kid at school and knit at night.  My goal is to continue creating handmade wardrobe and  I'm happy that at this moment 70% of my clothes are made by me.  Here are my two latest garments, Burdastyle boucle jacket  and high neck top based on Sew Your Own Active Wear Book by Melissa Fehr. ...

My sewing friend from Romania 💖   Most of the time I am an engineer and a mother of 2 trying to shape the world  of tomorrow, but every now and then I am just a sewing addict and a fabric junkie.  I discovered sewing in my late 20's and it has become my breath of fresh air.  I just love experimenting with colors and textures and design lines  and learning something new with each project.  For me sewing is almost an alternative reality where I lose and find myself,  where anything is possible if you can just imagine it and dare to reach for it. One of my favorite projects of all time is the Koos van der Akker coat .  I just love how 8 different fabrics got together in harmony  and love the hypnotizing design lines Koos created!  The best advice I got after starting sewing was to press every seam as I sew.  It can make such a huge difference in the final garment! It was a revelation!...