Who is Mie?

A few weeks ago I received a message from Inês asking if I was interested in making a surprise video for Mie. “Who is Mie?” I replied. There was an assumption that I (along with about 35 other bloggers) knew who she was, without any more information than a three letter name.

As it happens, I was just kidding (oooh! I’m such a card). The kid-sewing-blogging community is a small one and unlike Kevin Bacon, there is less than six degrees of separation between us. So I knew exactly who Mie was, even if I didn’t know how to pronounce her name.

Mie blogs at Sewing Like Mad, I got familiar with her during Stylo 04 when she posted some photos in our secret Facebook group of what she had made. I couldn’t take my eyes off her colourblocked Sunki dress. Which looked nothing like my Sunki dress or any other Sunki dress I had ever seen. To me her Sunki dress was a masterpiece and from that point onwards, I became a Sewing Like Mad fan.

I later found out that Mie was the Colourblocking Queen. Now we’re sharing the same dream and our hearts they beat as one…

Mie can colourblock in places you would think were uncolourblockable. (But she can’t spell colourblock, arrrrgh!!! COLOUR HAS A ‘U’.)

I love the idea of colourblocking but choosing fabrics that mix and match, contrast and compliment drives me into procrastination.

But, inspired by the Colourblocking Queen, I decided to make some Morocco Pants (at last).

So I took a trip to Walthamstow Market and with surprisingly little effort I found some twill at ‘the stall outside Sainsbury’s’ which came in a variety of colours. Incase you visit Walthamstow Market during the week, its ‘the stall between the mall and the library’.

If you live within 1000 miles of Walthamstow, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Anyway, I digress. There were 6 or 7 colours to choose from and it took me only a few minutes to pick black, steel blue and azure blue. Please refer to Exhibit A.

The speed at which I choose my fabric shocked me into shopping further. And lo and behold I came across some canvas in multitude of delicious colours at Saeeds. My eyes became fixated with a lime green, a dirty mustard yellow and a powder blue. I bought the powder blue [Exhibit B] and left.

Then, I accidentally stumble and fell into the fabric shop ‘just past Saeeds’. Unable to resist a bargain and a really lovely baby blue colour, I made a small purchase and left with a bag containing the lovely baby blue fabric, note Exhibit C above.

So there I was, 2 hours later with all the evidence of a successful fabric shopping splurge, ready for some fun colourblocking action.

Never mind that I only needed 3 colours, it only took 4 days Your honour to make up my mind which blue to go with.

I now present to you ladies and gentlemen, my black, steel and baby blue Morocco Pants.

Being an advanced pattern, you need to have a certain degree of knowledge, logic and accuracy to take on the challenge of the Morocco Pants. Hmmm! I struggled at step 2 and it was uphill onwards. Certainly a pattern that I shouldn’t have been working on after the midnight hour when my brain cells aren’t working to their fullest.

Anyway I got through it, with just one dodgy welt pocket as proof that late night sewing is detrimental to becoming a skilful Sewing Ninja. Hi yaa!!!

I am really pleased with my colourblocking, the Morocco Pants fit really well and look pretty damn cool don’t you think?

In case you were wondering…

• I sized up 2 sizes so that they last a while
• I took them in at the waist somewhat (with the ability to let them out as my daughter grows)
• To fasten, I added a snap and concealed it behind the lining
• I lengthened them to infinity and beyond

Thank you Mie, if I ever feel my colourblocking (spelt with a ‘u’), procrastination disorder coming on, I will refer back to your Stylo Sunki dress for colourblocking inspiration and candy for my eyes.

Mie is quite an inspiration in the kid-sewing-blogging community…

Here’s the proof…

And if you want to hear more about how Mie inspired other sewing bloggers, click on the links below…

Celina . Petit à Petit and Family, Abby . Sew Much Ado, Rita . Conversas de Hermanas, Heidi . Handmade Frenzy, Olu . Needle and Ted, An . StraightGrain, Jenya . While she was Sleeping, Trine . Groovy Baby and Mama, Andreia . In a Manner of Sewing, Jess . Sewing Rabbit, Hayley . Welcome to the Mouse House, Marta . Do Guincho, Maria . My Cozy Co, Natalie . La Gang à Nat, Holli . Hello Holli, Erin . Erin Always, Olga . Coffee and Thread, Delia . Delia Creates, Alida . Alida Makes, Gabriela . Chalk and Notch, Victoria . As it Seams, Rachel . Stitched Together, Chelise . Chelise Patternson, Emi . Just Add Fabric, Inês . La Folie