with my hands – Dream

sewing, knitting, creating… always learning, always dreaming

  • Home
  • Shop
  • My projects
  • Sewing
    • The pleated skirt calculator
    • The Big List of Sewing Pattern Companies
    • Ompelun suomi-englanti sanakirja
  • Tutorials
  • Reviews
    • Sewing patterns
    • Sewing books
  • Other crafts
    • Pirtanauha-generaattori
    • Crochet
    • Knitting
    • Paper crafts
    • Food
  • Events
  • About me
  • Resources
    • Suomalaisia käsityökirjoja – Finnish sewing books (for free)
    • Käsitöitä 1894-1915
  • Home
  • Shop
  • My projects
  • Sewing
    • The pleated skirt calculator
    • The Big List of Sewing Pattern Companies
    • Ompelun suomi-englanti sanakirja
  • Tutorials
  • Reviews
    • Sewing patterns
    • Sewing books
  • Other crafts
    • Pirtanauha-generaattori
    • Crochet
    • Knitting
    • Paper crafts
    • Food
  • Events
  • About me
  • Resources
    • Suomalaisia käsityökirjoja – Finnish sewing books (for free)
    • Käsitöitä 1894-1915
  • Home
  • Shop
  • My projects
  • Sewing
    • The pleated skirt calculator
    • The Big List of Sewing Pattern Companies
    • Ompelun suomi-englanti sanakirja
  • Tutorials
  • Reviews
    • Sewing patterns
    • Sewing books
  • Other crafts
    • Pirtanauha-generaattori
    • Crochet
    • Knitting
    • Paper crafts
    • Food
  • Events
  • About me
  • Resources
    • Suomalaisia käsityökirjoja – Finnish sewing books (for free)
    • Käsitöitä 1894-1915

No Widgets found in the Sidebar Alt!

  • Red tailored jacket, Marfy #1989
    Affiliates,  My projects,  Sewing,  Tailoring

    A made a Victorian-inspired tailored jacket

    March 28, 2021 / 1 Comment

    I made a Victorian-inspired wool tweed jacket based on Marfy #1989 pattern and using real tailoring methods.

    Read More
    kk
  • Kokkola shirt
    My projects,  Sewing

    Kokkola costume, part 3: The 18th-century shirt

    March 12, 2021 / No Comments

    As I had to replace the worn-out shirt of my national costume from Kokkola, I decided to make it more historically accurate.

    Read More
    kk
  • A guimpe and a blouse
    Clothes refashioning,  My projects,  Sewing

    Making a guimpe and refashioning a fleamarket blouse

    February 24, 2021 / 3 Comments

    I refashioned a thrift store cotton and silk blouse to an Edwardian blouse by adding some vintage lace details and a cotton tulle guimpe.

    Read More
    kk
  • Voice of Fashion 1897 chemise
    My projects,  Sewing

    Making a chemise using a free 1897 pattern from the Voice of Fashion

    February 15, 2021 / 2 Comments

    I made a chemise using a free pattern from the Winter 1897 Voice of Fashion magazine. Interpreting an old pattern had its challenges!

    Read More
    kk
  • Assembly line apron dress
    My projects,  Patternreview,  Reviews,  Sewing

    The assembly line apron dress

    February 5, 2021 / No Comments

    This apron dress is one of the patterns that I loved from the first sight. Even though I nowadays don’t use modern patterns that much, I had to buy this pattern. Apron dresses are just so cute and this one has a beautiful shape and an interesting cut. This is also the first pattern from the Assembly line that I have ever made. The side seams are slanted so that the lower part of them shows on the right side. The shoulder straps criss-cross at the back and the centre back has a big pleat that closes either with buttons or snaps. My favourite thing about this dress are the…

    Read More
    kk
  • Bashlik hood
    My projects,  Sewing

    A Victorian Bashlik hood

    January 20, 2021 / 5 Comments

    I made a Victorian bashlik hood. This garment contains both a hood and a scarf and it really helps to keep me warm in the Finnish winter.

    Read More
    kk
  • Bicycle sweater
    My projects,  Sewing

    Sewing a Victorian bicycle sweater

    December 31, 2020 / 6 Comments

    When I saw this mustard yellow knit fabric at Eurokangas fabric shop, I knew exactly what I wanted to make out of it. I have planned to make a Victorian bicycle sweater after seeing some very nice examples online. They all are based on this lovely example on Met. It is from circa 1895 when the sleeves were huge and bicycling was trendy. Of course, the original sweater has been knit but my poor shoulders can’t stand knitting anymore. Luckily, this kind of sweater can be sewn quite neatly, too! I found three videos/blog posts online that were really helpful. The first is the YouTube video by Lady Rebecca Fashions.…

    Read More
    kk
  • My projects,  Sewing

    A Karelian dress for my daughter

    December 20, 2020 / 3 Comments

    I made my daughter a Karelian dress similar to my own. This also gave me a good chance to test my new ruffler.

    Read More
    kk
  • Drawn thread work.
    Embroidery,  My projects,  Sewing

    Kokkola costume, part 2: An apron with drawn thread embroidery

    December 10, 2020 / 2 Comments

    My national costume from Kokkola needed a new apron. This gave me a good chance to learn how to make drawn thread embroidery!

    Read More
    kk
  • Kokkola skirt fabric
    My projects

    Restoring an old Finnish national costume from Kokkola, part 1

    November 26, 2020 / 2 Comments

    I restored an old Finnish national costume of Kokkola. In this first part I concentrate on the red wool pinafore dress.

    Read More
    kk
123

Subscribe

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Luo oma pirtanauha!

Katja's sewing tip:

My affiliates

This website uses affiliate links. This means that sometimes, when you click a link, I earn a small commission. This helps me to support this website. All the opinions expressed are my own.

Foundations Revealed - Your wardrobe unlock'd. The costume makers companion.

From my YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsUWz_jCoP4

Top Posts & Pages

  • 10 different types of fabric that you should recognize with your fingertips!
    10 different types of fabric that you should recognize with your fingertips!
  • The quest for the well-fitting trousers - what I have learned
    The quest for the well-fitting trousers - what I have learned
  • What a sewist should know about interfacing?
    What a sewist should know about interfacing?
  • The Big List of Sewing Pattern Companies
    The Big List of Sewing Pattern Companies
  • Ironing board cart for your sewing room
    Ironing board cart for your sewing room
  • How I made a Victorian Symington corset and greetings from Turku castle
    How I made a Victorian Symington corset and greetings from Turku castle
  • A wool walking skirt
    A wool walking skirt
  • A grey teeshirt bra and panties
    A grey teeshirt bra and panties
  • Kielo jumpsuit tutorial - Kielo haalari
    Kielo jumpsuit tutorial - Kielo haalari
  • A fan skirt by Black Snail Patterns
    A fan skirt by Black Snail Patterns
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Our Cookie Policy

Follow me on Instagram

withmyhandsdream

Katja Kuitunen
I was invited to see and study the genuine Victori I was invited to see and study the genuine Victorian Bashlik at Espoo City Museum. Check out my YouTube video to see it! My warm thanks to the intendent Suvi Kettula ja Espoo City Museum! #bashlik #espoocitymuseum #kamuespoonkaupunginmuseo #Victorianfashion #hood #historicalfashion #Espoo #antiquegarments #history
I made a hair stick out of a chop stick. I never t I made a hair stick out of a chop stick. I never thought I could keep my slippery hair in control with a simple stick but I tried with a chop stick and it worked. Only the chop stick was wat too big. I shortened the stick and made a decorative spiral end. To be honest, that was an accident! I didn’t cut the wood straight with my Dremel and I saw the spiral forming. I then just continued cutting in an angle. #hairstick #woodcarving #diy #hairideas #dremelproject
It's been exactly 15 years since I married my husb It's been exactly 15 years since I married my husband but the time has gone so fast. And yes, we married on April Fool's day! Made it much easier to find the venue! However, we look so young in the picture! Five years ago we took a trip to Edinburgh together, just the two of us. We might have done something special this year, too, if not for covid, but now it's just a regular evening at home. #anniversary #15yearstogether
I managed to find real silk ribbon in my hometown! I managed to find real silk ribbon in my hometown! My Edwardian silk underwear deserves real silk and not polyester. However, this quick lets-just-use-the-silk-scraps-for-a-quick-corset-cover project has turned in a long one with days spend carefully hemming ruffles by hand and sewing lace on with silk thread. #Edwardianunderwear #trulyvictorianpatterns #sewing #costuming #historicalcostuming #corsetcover #silk #lace #ribbons #ruffles #sewfun #sew #ompelu #ompeluelämää #historiallinenompelu
My newest blog post and the YouTube video are now My newest blog post and the YouTube video are now live! I can finally show how I made this Victorian-inspired tailored jacket. The pattern was (a bit modified) Marfy #1989 and the gorgeous wool tweed was from @materialshelsinki. I finished the jacket already in December but it took me a while to edit all the footage I recorded during the process. In the meantime I have been wearing this jacket a lot. It is very warm and comfortable and a perfect jacket for #historybounding  shenanigans. #sewing #sewingblog #tailoring #jacket #tweed #tailoredjacket #räätälinhommia #ompelu #ompeluelämää #sewcialist #sewistsofinstagram #victorianinspired #sewfun #sew #sy #nähen #marfypatterns #marfy1989
Just uploaded three old Finnish sewing and pattern Just uploaded three old Finnish sewing and patternmaking books from the years 1892, 1902 and 1915 to my blog. After all these years they are in public domain but as far as I know they haven't been available digitally. Go and have a look! Link in bio! #sewingbooks #historicalsewing #oldbooks #digitizedbooks #sewingpatterns #sewing #patternmaking #historybounding #ompelu #ompeluelämää #ompelukaavoja #historiallinenompelu
Onion peels and tea for the dye and potato starch Onion peels and tea for the dye and potato starch to stiffen! Today, I started the work for my petticoat project in the kitchen! Now I must get silk ribbon to match - or then more onions! #sewing #historybounding #naturaldyeing #dyeingwithfood #lace #cottonlace #historicalsewing #petticoat #laceinsertion #sewcialist #sewistsofinstagram #ompelu #luonnonvärit #ompeluelämää #historiallinenompelu #pitsi
This wide lace was bright white similar to the nar This wide lace was bright white similar to the narrow lace in the picture. However, my silk fabric was cream-coloured. I first dipped my lace in hot tea (a good use for those bags in a selection that no one wants to drink) and it turned into light reddish beige. The colour was much better but I would have wished a colour closer to yellow. So, I took some leftover onion peels and dyed over. Now the colour matches exactly! Note that to do this your lace has to be made out of natural materials. I also put some salt in and removed the onion peels before adding the lace. I then used vinegar to set the dye. #fabricdyeing #lace #historybounding #dyeing #matchymatchy #sewing #sewcialist #historicalsewing #ompelu #värjäys #luonnonvärit #ompeluelämää #pitsi #puuvillapitsi #cottonlace #onionpeels #sipulinkuorivärjäys
I made an 18th-century style Finnish shirt for my I made an 18th-century style Finnish shirt for my Kokkola national costume. In a true 18th century fashion, the shirt is long but the lower part of the shirt is made out of cheaper fabric, I used an old tablecloth from the Recycling centre. Check out my YouTube video on sewing it! #sewing #sewcialist #sewistsofinstagram #ompelu #ompeluelämää #kansallispuku #kansallispuvunkorjausprojekti #sewfun #paita #aliset #historicalsewing #folkcostume
Should I line the hem ruffle? How much pf the cott Should I line the hem ruffle? How much pf the cotton netting should go beyond the lining? What lace trim to use? Can I match the colour of the silk if I dip my lace into some tea? Decisions, decisions? Opinions, please! #sewing #silk #victorianpetticoat #blacksnailpatterns #historybounding #lace #ruffle #historicalsewing #victorianfashion #labelleepoque #sew #sewfun #sewcialist #sewistsofinstagram #ompelu #pitsi #alushame #ompeluelämää
Load More… Follow on Instagram
© Katja Kuitunen, 2021
  • About me
  • Collaboration – Blogiyhteistyö
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact me