Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 20 i Simply Sewing

Apart from sewing (obviously), cooking up a storm in the kitchen is one of our favourite hobbies. We love nothing more than baking a batch of cupcakes to share with our sewing pals - sticky fingers away from the sewing machine, though! So with summer celebrations in full swing we’ve gone all domestic and curated a delicious batch of accessories to sew for your kitchen and garments to prettify your wardrobe with. Bon appétit! Tag your photos with # simplysewingmag - we’d love to see.…

2-4 SEPTEMBER 2016 Great Northern Quilt Show, Harrogate. A celebration of all things quilting, with stunning quilts from all over the world on display. www.grosvenorshows.co.uk 16-18 SEPTEMBER 2016 London Design Festival: New Artist Textiles from Canada. Fashion and Textile Museum, London. A display of Canadian artists’ fabric designs in collaboration with the London Design Festival 2016. www.ftmlondon.org 16-18 SEPTEMBER 2016 The Handmade Fair. Hampton Court Palace. One of the biggest craft events of the year with workshops, stalls and talks from the likes of Patrick Grant. www.thehandmadefair.com UNTIL 2 OCTOBER 2016 Britain in the Fifties. Compton Verney, Warwickshire. A look at art and design in postwar Britain, with clothing, home furnishings and illustrations. www.comptonverney.org.uk…

YOU WILL NEED • Pair of flip flops • Patterned T-shirt • Basic sewing kit Jennie says: “This is a quick and simple restyle. All you need is a pair of flip flops and a T-shirt. Team with a summer dress and you’re good to go!” CUTTINGTHE STRIPS Step one Separate the front and back of your T-shirt by cutting along the seams, so you have two panels. Use one panel for each flip flop and make them in the same way. Step two Take one panel and fold it in half vertically, down the length of the T-shirt panel, then into thirds vertically again. It’s important to fold and cut your strips vertically – if you cut horizontally, the fabric will roll inside out when it naturally rolls and…

YOU WILL NEED • 2 coordinating patterned fabrics: 112x225cm (44x90in) of each • Striped fabric: 112x450cm (44x180in) • Matching thread • Basic sewing kit MEASUREMENTS This will fit a standard double-bed duvet, 200x200cm (78¾x78¾in). NOTE • Use a 1.5cm (5/8in) seam allowance. Choose bold, contemporary fabrics to make this reversible duvet cover. It can be difficult to buy fabric wide enough to fit a double bed, so it’s made with squares and strips of fabric. CUTTING OUT Step one Cut eight pieces measuring 53x53cm (20¾x20¾in) of each of the two patterned fabrics for the patchwork front. Step two Cut two pieces of striped fabric 203cm (80in) long and the full width of the fabric for the striped back. Cut off one of the selvedge on each piece. MAKING THE PATCHWORK…

1 You can use this technique on any similar patterns to the one we chose, and, of course, you can make it from fabric if you don’t have a suitable shirt to refashion. 2 Cut the back pieces from two different fabrics for a contrast effect. 3 Retain the original button placket at the front of the shirt to give added decoartion to the front of your top. 4 Bind, instead of facing, the edges using a contrasting colour. Cut a strip of fabric from a striped shirt or fabric for a fun bit of stripe play!…

From mini pom pom trims to giant pom pom garlands in rainbow hues – we love pom poms in all their forms! These bright balls of joy will bring an instant hit of fun and colour to a room scheme or craft project, and it's so simple to make your own. We have fond memories of using yarn and cardboard to make pom poms as children, and it's still a technique we use today. Don't limit yourself to just using wool, though, as pom poms can be made from just about any material that can be cut into strips, so they're a great stash-buster. Our workshop overleaf covers all the different methods and materials, as well as how to create your own Pinterest-worthy tulle pom pom garland.…

YOU WILL NEED • 1 fat quarter • Zip: 10in (25cm) • Ribbon scrap • Basic sewing kit NOTES • Use a 1cm (3/8in) seam allowance. FABRICS USED Sweet Notes from the Cotton Candy range by Susan Driscoll for Dashwood Studio. www.backstitch.co.uk Designer Jennie says: “For this handy box case, you’ll make the outer and the lining separately for a nice, neat, seam-free finish. Top tip – if you’re using a different lining fabric, make sure it is of a lighter weight than the outer.“ CUTTING OUT Step one Cut the fat quarter into four pieces, each measuring 17x27cm (6½x10½in). Two pieces are used for the pencil case outer and two pieces for the lining. INSERTING THE ZIP Step one Place one piece of fabric right side (RS) up then…

MARKING PENCIL Choose a colour that shows up on your fabric. SEAM RIPPER This sharp blade cuts through and unpicks stitches. MARKING PEN Transfer markings to your fabric, then wash them out when finished. TAPE MEASURE flexible fabric tape measure will take accurate measurements. TAILOR’S CHALKSX Chalk temporarily marks fabric and can be easily brushed away. FABRIC CLIPS Use these instead of pins when sewing thicker fabrics. THIMBLE Wear to protect your fingers when handstitching. PINS Stainless steel pins with sharp points are best. SMALL SCISSORS Use for snipping threads and cutting notches. PINKING SHEARS These cut a zigzag edge on fabric to neaten. SHEARS Keep a pair of sharp shears just for cutting out your fabric.…

IT’S IMPORTANT TO CHOOSE the correct fabric for your pattern. Most patterns give suggested fabric types that will work best with the style of garment. Use this to guide you as some patterns need more drape, body or structure than others. Fabric can be made from natural fibres such as cotton, linen, wool and silk or synthetic fibres such as acetate, acrylic, nylon, polyester, rayon and viscose. All these fabric come in different weights, or thicknesses, which suit different garments. Lightweight fabrics are ideal for lingerie, nightwear and summer clothing, and include cheesecloth, chiffon, crepe-de-chine, georgette, lawn, muslin, organdie, organza and voile. Medium-weight fabrics, which work for dresses, shirts, trousers and childrenswear, include calico, cotton, crepe, dupion, linen, poplin and finer wool. Heavy-weight fabrics are used for garments or projects…

For me, girly prints and floaty dresses are what summer is all about. For day trips with friends we’ve got a stunning (and super-comfy!) maxi dress (p40) by Arianna Cadwallader that I’m certain you’ll be wanting to whip-up this weekend. Brand new indie pattern company, Storybook Patterns, share their debut Overture Set (p30) and designer Cassandra explains her sustainable approach to pattern cutting and dressmaking (p18). I hope this issue inspires you! pS: GET A HABERDASHERY HOUSE when you subscribe (see p34)…

WILD THINGS TO MAKE Kirsty Hartley (Laurence King, £40) Kirsty Hartley’s second book is as inspiring as her first, with clothing and accessories to sew that will fire children’s imaginations during everyday play, from shark dungarees to a mermaid sundress. You and your child will be charmed by these whimsical projects. www.laurenceking.com STRING CRAFT Lucy Hopping (CICO Books, £12.99) Lucy Hopping shows you how to create stylish storage baskets, wall art, accessories and more simply by winding, looping and stitching with string. www.cicobooks.com STITCHES IN TIME Lucy Adlington (Random House Books, £9.99) Costume historian Lucy Adlington takes us on a journey from ancient times up to the present day to explore the history of the clothes we wear, as well as those we’ve long forgotten about. www.penguin.co.uk MAKE CREATURES WITH…

“ Set When yourself I started challenges thinking but about keep the them fabric, there realistic were and a couple flexible of !” things to consider. My Matt first and consideration Gemma Chapple was to , Sew find What a textile ’s company New, www that .sewwhatsnew cares about sustainability .co.uk and integrates it into their business model. And “Be aware , secondly of the , I needed fine line to between find a fabric work that and family The Splendid business Stitch , and (www think .the carefully splendidstitch about where your .co.uk strengths ) could stock lie and , as we’ve partnered figure out with how them to combine for the them fabric for .“ maximum Cassandra effect isn’t . willing ” to forgo style for sustainability Elis…

1 GATHERED A-LINE SKIRT YOU WILL NEED • Fabric: see the instructions for details • Elastic: see instructions for details • Matching thread • Basic sewing kit NOTE • Use a 1.5cm (5/8in) seam allowance throughout unless otherwise stated. MEASURING UP Step one Take the following measurements and write them down: Waist – Measure around the smallest part. Length – Measure from waist to knee (or desired length). CUTTING THE PATTERN Step one Using your measurements, draw a paper pattern following the diagram. Step two You can use any fabric for this skirt. Cut two pieces of fabric using this pattern for the front and back of the skirt. MAKING THE ELASTIC WAISTBAND Step one Cut a piece of elastic to your waist measurement plus 3cm (1¼in). Step two Fold…

There’s no need to head to the high street to buy a pair of slim-fit trousers this summer – instead, take in an existing wide-leg pair for the perfect fit following our tutorial. PINNING YOUR NEW SEAM Step one Put your trousers on inside out and pin on both sides of your leg, starting at the point where you want to start tapering and finishing at the ankle. You’ll need to pin on the inner leg (inseam) as well as the outer leg (outseam). It’s best to pin the front and back together the same distance in from both existing seams so they hang properly. The back of the trouser leg is usually wider than the front so by taking the front and back in by the same amount will…

YOU WILL NEED • Denim scraps: pale blue • Felt scraps: coral, mustard, lavender • Felt for backing: pale grey • String or cord: pale grey • Fray stopper • Sewing thread: navy blue • Brooch back • Air erasable pen • Basic sewing kit NOTE • You will find the templates needed to make this project on the pull-out pattern sheet provided. Designer Jessica says: “I sketched these daisy and gerbera designs to make floral bunting and a brooch, but you could make masses of flowers and create long lengths for a summer garden party. The brooches as so quick-to-sew, they make ideal last-minute gifts. It’s a great way to practice your machine embroidery skills.” TRACING AND CUTTING OUT Step one Trace around the flower templates and cut them…

We love accessorising our handmade summer frocks by stacking up colourful bangles and bracelets. Small-scale cross stitch designs are a simple way to add a personal touch to bags, purses and jewellery, like this festival-ready bracelet cross-stitched with a geometric design. Make your own bracelet from fabric, or buy one with pre-punched holes (we got ours from www.sewcraftyonline.co.uk) for you to stitch through. To get started, master cross stitch with our handy stitch workshop on page 69.…

We can’t resist a pom pom! To make your own, you can go traditional and use two circles cut from a cardboard box, or a specialist pom pom maker for a quick make. Use wool or try other materials for different effects – just make sure it's colourful! WHAT YARN TO USE Pom poms are traditionally made from wool. You can use any fibre, from fluffy mohair to cotton, and any thickness – the thinner the yarn, the more you’ll have to wind. Don’t limit yourself to only using yarn, though, as there are lots of other materials to try – anything you can wind around and cut can be used, so experiment! You can even make pom poms from plastic carrier bags.01 MAKING A CARDBOARD CIRCLE POM POM Step…

YOU WILL NEED • Cotton fabric (for the skin): skin tone, 45x40cm (18x16in) • Plush fabric (for the hair): hair colour, 40x25cm (16x10in) • Plush fabric (for the top tail): blue or green, 35x20cm (14x8in) • Plush fabric (for the bottom tail): light blue,15x20cm (6x8in) • Felt (for the bikini and waistband): blue or green, 27x10cm (11x4in) • Felt scrap (for the hair flower): pink 3x3cm (1½x1½in) • 2 safety eyes: black, 6mm (¼in) diameter • Stranded cotton: black, pink, skin tone • Polyester toy filling • Water erasable pen/pencil • Basic sewing kit FABRICS USED Cotton fabric: Kona Cotton Solid, Sand. Hair fabric: Smooth Cuddle, Gold or Brown. Top tail fabric: Smooth Cuddle 3, Azure or Seafoam. Bottom tail fabric: Smooth Cuddle 3, Baby Blue. All fabrics from www.plushaddict.co.uk…

BACK WAIST LENGTH From the top of your spine at the base of your neck to your natural waist BUST Around the fullest part of your bust HIPS Around the fullest and widest part of your thighs and bottom HEIGHT Stand against a wall, barefoot, then measure from the top of your head to the floor HIGH BUST/CHEST Across the back, under your arms and above the bust WAIST Your natural waistline, around the slimmest part of your waist ALWAYS MEASURE YOURSELF BEFORE you choose a pattern size to cut out. The sizes do vary greatly from pattern to pattern, so it’s always best to measure yourself accurately and then refer to the pattern’s size chart to find your size. The chart will usually be printed on the pattern envelope…

UNIVERSAL A great multi-purpose needle which can be used for woven fabrics and has a slightly rounded point for stitching knit fabrics, too. BALL POINT This needle has a more rounded point than the universal needle so you won’t get snags, ladders or holes. Perfect for knit fabrics. JEANS A strong needle, ideal for stitching several layers of fabric or tightly woven fabrics like denims. SHARPS With a sharp point, these are for sewing very fine and delicate fabrics and neat buttonholes. LEATHER This needle’s wedge-shaped cutting point is used to work strong seams on non-woven fabrics like leather, suede and vinyl. STRETCH Designed for sewing two-way stretch knits such as lycra and silk jersey. It prevents skipped stitches on fine knit fabrics. QUILTING This will pierce multiple layers whilst…

DRAPE A term used to describe the way a fabric hangs under its own weight. Different fabrics have different drape qualities. EASE The addition of extra fabric in a pattern to allow the finished garment to fit the body well. EDGESTITCH A row of stitching on the very edge of a garment, usually 2-3mm (1/16-1/8in) from the folded or seamed edge. Used to hold the fabric edge neatly in place. FACING This pattern piece is cut separately to stabilise and create a neat finish on the edge of a garment, such as the neckline. fAT QUARTER A term used to describe a cut piece of fabric often used for patchwork projects, usually measuring 46x55cm (18x22in). FINISHING/NEATENING RAW EDGES This is done to stop the fabric edges, particularly of a seam,…

Use these basic hand stitches to complete your home and dressmaking projects. LADDER STITCH Used to join together and close two turned-under edges invisibly, such as on a dress lining or soft toy. Bring the needle up at 1 on one side of the seam, then in at 2 on the opposite side and out at 3, so the stitch is 3mm (1/8in) long. Push the needle back in the opposite side at 4 and out at 5. Repeat this to close the edges. SLIp STITCH This stitch is used most often for hems where you need to stitch a turned-under edge to a flat piece of fabric using small, almost invisible stitches. Bring the needle up at 1 on the turned-under hem then back in at 2 and out…

CASSANDRA MACINDOE Cassandra is the founder of The Stitchery sewing studio and socially-minded pattern company, Storybook Patterns. She designed this issue’s Overture Set pattern (p30). Find out more about her sustainable sewing ethos on pages 13 and 36. ARIANNA CADWALLADER Arianna Cadwallader is a bespoke maker and milliner specialising in wedding and vintage designs. She has designed costumes for lm and television and runs her own sewing school in London. Make her boho maxi dress on page 40. THERESA GONZALEZ Thesesa Gonzalez lives in San Francisco with her partner and her daughter, Matilda. She has contributed to a variety of craft magazines and is the author of two books, Dorm Decor and Sunday Sews. She shares what inspires her relaxed sewing style and her plans for the future on page…

Zero-waste clothing design is avoiding fabric waste through efficiency in pattern-making and design. It’s shocking to learn that on average 15% of fabric is wasted in the fashion industry when garments are cut. It’s estimated that the global apparel industry produced around 400 billion square metres of fabric in 2015, with 60 billion square metres of fabric wasted. I told you it was shocking! For home sewers, the average amount of waste is much higher. Let’s use the Overture top I designed for this issue as an example. The optimised pattern-cutting layout shown below uses 1.75 metres of 150cm wide fabric. If you were to use this layout you would use 54% of the fabric for your garment and create 46% or 0.63m2 of waste. If 100 sewists make this…

FABRIC INSPIRATION The Overture pattern features a dress version and a blouse, and includes a classic shirt collar with a collar stand. Its design is based on a trapeze silhouette, with a light and flowing shape. In-seam pockets make the dress version practical and functional. It has no tricky closures, but instead a centre back opening along the yoke, closed with a button and rouleau loop. It features a wide centre back pleat for fullness and a dropped back hem. Techniques include finishing seams (such as French seams and a Hong Kong seam finish), adding darts, pleats, yokes and inseam pockets, sewing a collar and collar stand, and making a rouleau loop and button closure. FABRIC SUGGESTIONS Woven fabrics such as cotton cambric, batiste, voile, lawn, cotton/silk mixes, cotton sateen,…

YOU WILL NEED • Lightweight cotton fabric: 115cm (45in) wide x 4m (4½ yds) • Elastic: 1cm (3/8in) width x 150cm (60in) • Cotton tape: 2cm (¾in) width x 2m (2¼yds) • Basic sewing kit NOTES • You will find the templates needed to make this project on the pull-out pattern sheet provided with this issue. CUTTING OUT Step one Cut out your pattern and stick it together along the dashed lines. Step two Fold the fabric right sides (RS) together matching selvedges. Step three You need to cut out four of the pattern pieces as the front and back of the dress are the same. Pin the pattern piece on your fabric, followng the marked grainlines. Cut round it to make two pieces then repin it below and cut…

YOU WILL NEED • 1 T-shirt: extra large • Elastic: 2cm ( in) wide, see instructions for details • Basic sewing kit CUTTING THE T SHIRT Step one Cut the sleeves and neck from the main body of the T-shirt. The sleeves will become the front and back of the top of your dress and the large part will be the body.01 Step two Cut along the bottom seam of one sleeve. Open it out and trim off the excess to make a rectangle. Keep the finished hem intact as this will be used for the dress top. Step three Repeat with the other sleeve.02 ATTACHING THE TUBE TOP Step one Measure and mark the centre point of one side of the main body with a pin. Measure and mark…

In our opinion, few things make for a more satisfying Sunday than the pleasure of sewing something to wear, or to enhance the prettiness of our home. It’s also the reason we suspect designer Theresa Gonzalez may be a woman after our own hearts, as this is the concept she has tapped into with her beautiful book, Sunday Sews: 20 Inspired Weekend Projects. For Theresa, the gentle whir of a busy sewing machine has been a constant soundtrack to her life, beginning when she learnt to use one in 7th grade at the age of 12. She’d already been sewing by hand for several years by that time and had “actually received an award in home economics for a stuffed rabbit I had sewn!” she recalls. REVIVED SEWING SKILLS Theresa…

YOU WILL NEED Tulle: 6in (15cm) strip x 15m (16yds) (for each pom pom) Twine for tying: 30cm (12in) Ribbon or cord to hang Clover pom pom maker Basic sewing kit NOTE We used a pom pom maker by Clover. To find your nearest stockist email clover@stockistenquiries.co.uk STARTING OFF You can make your pom poms any size you want but we chose the 85mm (3››in) diameter pom pom maker to make ours. You can cut your tulle into strips if you have bought it off a roll or you can buy rolls of tulle already cut into 15cm (6in) strip. We bought ours in 90m (100yd) rolls which was enough to make 6 pom poms.01 Step one If your tulle isn’t already cut, then cut it into 15cm (6in) strips.…

Preparing your fabric and cutting out your sewing pattern accurately is just as important as the actual sewing. Wash your fabric before you begin as fabric can shrink and run. Once dry, press it well. PREPARING THE PATTERN Patterns often come with several options of different finishes so you may have more pieces than you need. The instruction sheet will tell you which pieces to use. Roughly cut out all of the pieces outside the lines then press the pieces using a dry iron on a low heat to remove the folds and creases. CUTTING OUT THE PATTERN Choose your size using your measurements and the size chart. Cut along the corresponding lines on your pattern. When you reach any fiddly curves, take care to cut along the correct size…

ONCE YOU HAVE FINISHED stitching your seam, it’s best to press it open on the wrong side so it lies flat. Sometimes it’s better to press it to one side to reduce bulk but the pattern instructions will tell you this. Usually the seam allowances are left as they are as they help to strengthen the seam, but sometimes they cause too much bulk so they are trimmed to half their original width. If your fabric has a tendency to fray you should neaten the raw edges after you have worked the seam. There are several ways of doing this. To machine-finish them, set your sewing machine to the zigzag stitch then stitch close to the raw edge all the way along. The zigzag must be small enough to stop…

“SAYING I AM PROUD of this dress feels like a bit of an understatement. Back in August 2015 I commissioned the lovely gals at By Hand London to create a pattern for us to feature in our February issue. I wanted it to be flattering, elegant and have a beautiful floaty skirt. Naturally, I couldn’t wait for the paper samples to arrive so I made mine using the huge cardstock proofs from our printers (which were a nightmare to cut out) before the magazine had even gone on sale. Perks of the job, right? A few months later and the Charlie Dress appeared on the cover of issue 12. Elizalex made the sample garment from a lovely fine needlecord - it fitted our model like a glove. Seeing it all…