Featuring You: Freya May from the Dressmaking Diaries!

Hello my lovely readers! Today I will be featuring Freya May, a great seamstress and all-round talent. Besides sewing, she loves all things creative: knitting, writing, drawing, baking etc. and in the meantime is working on her MA dissertation! Sounds familiar? Her blog is about everything I love doing myself. (I wish you’d live closer to London, Freya May! Hehe.) – Well, luckily, I just finished my dissertation!  I’ve been following her blog for quite a while now and hope you will, too! 

Hey guys! I’m Freya May and I blog over at The Dressmaking Diaries. My blog is my way of documenting my attempt at teaching myself to make clothes, with the odd style, DIY or food post thrown in for good measure.  I was so excited when Charlie asked me to be a part of this ‘Featuring You!’ series- I’ve been reading her blog since the start of the 27 Dresses Challenge and love her work.

Q: For how long have you been blogging and why did you decide to start a blog?

I’ve been blogging on my current blog for almost a year now, but I started blogging three and a half years ago.  My old blog was more of a random/lifestyle blog and when I started really getting into dressmaking I decided that I wanted to be more focused with my blogging and started a fresh.

Q: What was your first ever blog post about? How do you feel about it now?

My first post was about the first dress I ever made with my mum when I was 14.  It was a super simple style, I’ve seen people on Pinterest refer to it as a ‘pillowcase dress’.  I never wear it anymore, but it was nice to go back and remember the start of my sewing journey and share with my readers where I came from.

Q: What was the first blog you regularly read?

It was called ‘Playing Grown Up’, and it was this super cute lifestyle blog by a young married woman in the USA.  She documented her life and as a newlywed at the time it was nice to see other people in that stage of life.  This blog inspired me to start my first blog and I totally ripped off the name! (Bad Blogger)

Q: How and when did you learn how to sew?

My mum taught me the basics back in my teens but when I got my own sewing machine for Christmas three years ago was when I really started learning.  I’m self taught, but would love to do an evening class or something soon to help me improve.

Q: What are you doing when you’re not sewing or writing blog posts?

I’m writing up my MA dissertation (which I’m sooo bored of) and hanging out at home with Dave (my hubby).  I like writing fiction, sketching (although I’m awful and you’ll never see anything I draw on my blog), shopping and running.  I’m doing a 5K training program and really getting into it.  I’m also learning to knit and loving it! Just finished my first jumper and have many plans for more.

Q: What does a normal day in your life look like?

I wake up about 8 or 9, depending on how late I went to bed, and eat breakfast while reading blogs, facebook etc.  Then I’ll either sit at my laptop and (attempt) to get on with some dissertation work or head in to the uni library when my bike doesn’t have a flat tire (as it does now 🙁 ).  We eat dinner about 6, usually in front of the telly- we’re working through my Buffy box sets at the moment.  After tea I’ll blog/sew/bake and watch more TV before bed.  I’ve just joined the gym so need to find space to fit that in now too!

Q: Do all of your friends/family know that you are a blogger?

Yeh, I probably shove it in their faces- ‘have you read my blog? I’ve a new post up! I just made this dress, check it out on my blog! Etc’

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

I’ve a few projects on the go- naturally 🙂 .  I’m making two yellow summer dresses, one white sundress, my first full sized quilt, pillow cases for our sofa and a bow tie for a friend.

Q: What is your go to pattern brand?/ Or if you’re not using patterns, what is your favorite tool/technique to work with?

I don’t have a particular favorite pattern brand, I use Simplicity, New Look and McCalls mostly.  I do enjoy using vintage patterns too.  I’m still working my way though different patterns, companies, designs and styles but I would say my favorite pattern so far is McCalls M5094.

Q: If you had 500 dollars/euros/pound to spend on your blog/hobby, what would you buy?

Fabric and patterns, every last pound would be gone! I would like to start buying independent patterns, so I’d totally use the money on them.  Particularly I’m eyeing up the Belladona dress by deer and doe, the Mathilde blouse by Tilly and the Buttons and Colette Patterns Violet Blouse.

Q: What can we look forward to seeing on your blog in the future?

I’m planning on planning my A/W sewing soon, post dissertation hand in date.  I’ve chosen 7 patterns I want to make in the next 6 months, including trousers and a jacket to really challenge myself.  Also I’m doing a house tour.  We’ve just moved in and have almost got our stuff together.  I love poking around other people’s homes, so I thought it’d be fun!  And, hopefully, I’ll share my current projects as they get done.

Thanks for answering all my nosy questions, Freya May!
P.S.: I want to steal the shoes you’re wearing in the picture above. Awww.