The UK ,s No.

1 sewing mag

Feel-good Hello
MAKES
L Sew perfect princess seams
SUNSHINE!
Sizes 10-28
L Master tricky buttonholes
L Couture sleeves made easy

Sizes
6-24

LUXURY
eveningwear
Made-to-measure
SKIRT

REVEALED!
SEWING BEE
finalist tells all!
ISSUE 124 UK £10.99 AUSD
UK £10.99
$24.99 CAD $27.99

Summer -ready
MAKEUP BAG Gift not available in all territories
2
Summer-ready
accessories Sew this sleevele
on page 60 ss
dress on page 14

… to issue 124
of Love Sewing!

W
elcome to our Simplicity
special this summer!
We have plenty of dress

Meet the variations this month to help you sew

the perfect outfit for the season – or
maybe even a whole bunch! Plus, we have

TEAM plenty of interesting reads to get stuck into

with a cuppa, from the history of 1950s fashion
on page 10 to expert advice on shortening or
lengthening waist measurements on page 78.

Simplicity 9325 is the perfect pattern for sunlit

strolls across the beach or afternoon teas by the
promenade. Add some flutter sleeves for an elegant
look for wining and dining. With length and
Hannah sleeve variations, this tasteful pattern can be easily
adapted to suit your style. Take a look at page 14
PRODUCTION EDITOR to see our dresses using this pattern.
Hannah loves designing costumes
for events and studying a variety of Our second pattern this month is the fabulous
creative mediums from East Asia. Simplicity 8874. This 4-in-1 dress collection is
perfect for boosting your wardrobe if you’re
looking to invigorate your attire with a splash
of style. Perfect for an advanced beginner, this
pattern includes a range of views to cater to every
occasion. Turn to page 39 to see how we put the
pattern to the test. Stylish evening
Mitch If you’re looking for more dressmaking ideas, we wear on page 52
CONSULTANT EDITOR
also have plenty of inspiration from our designers
Mitch appeared on season 8 of to give you lots of new ideas this month. Draft
The Great British Sewing Bee. your own skirt with our expert instructions on
He is passionate about getting page 22 to help you create beautiful outfits without
more people making things. the use of a pattern! Or, if you’re looking for the
Visit his Instagram perfect pouch to take in your carry-on luggage this
mitchbridgewater or website summer, turn to page 60 to start making yours.
www.mitchbridgewater.co.uk
All this, plus our panel of industry experts deliver
their usual hearty dose of advice and inspiration.
Amy Scarr shows us how to sew perfect princess
seams on page 33, and Claire-Louise Hardie shares
her top tips for mastering buttonholes on page 18.

As always, write in with your makes and

Ian comments to [email protected]
or tag us on Instagram at lovesewingmag.
SENIOR DESIGNER
We love hearing from you!
When he's not spending time
with his family, Ian is enthusiastic
about great design and loves Until then,
getting creative with the team.
Check out more of his arty work at
icdartwork.etsy.com

Hannah
 Inside this
ISSUE
REGULARS
AND FEATURES 14

6 Love Sewing loves

10 A brief history of
50s fashion
18 Perfect buttonholes
with Claire-Louise Hardie
26 Pattern picks
28 5 minutes with
David Morrish
Fall in love
33 Princess seams with with flutter
Amy Scarr sleeves!
36 Piping foot masterclass
with baby lock
44 Fabric focus
PROJECTS
46 Stitcher’s story:
Sewing Bee
14 Your Simplicity 9325
50 Machine review flutter-sleeve dresses
58 Behind the seams: 22 Tropical Punch skirt
Dragonfly Fabrics
30 Dancing Daisies embroidery
63 Shop of the month
39 Your Simplicity 8874
65 Dressmaking dilemmas
with Elisalex Jewell SAVE 4-in-1 dress collection
52 Cowl neck top

50%
68 Reader’s makes
60 Bucket pouch
70 Staystitching masterclass
74 Skater dress
with Janome
78 Adjusting waist
measurements with Turn to page 42 to find
Alison Smith MBE out more
80 Coming next issue
Find us online
www.craftworld.com
82 This month, I’m making

search ‘lovesewingmag’
4
 39

74
Editorial
Consultant Editor Mitchell Bridgewater
Production Editor Hannah Williams
Sub-Editors Andrea Petrie, Gemma Poole
Designer Ian Danby
Photographer Laura Conroy
Covermount & Packaging Designer
Sharon Drury
Contributors Jenny Billingham, Jenny Cornet,

4-in-1 dress Debbie von Grabler Crozier, Claire Louise Hardie,

Elisalex Jewell, Annie Mollison, Elizabeth Owen,
Michelle Rowley, Amy Scarr, Alison Smith,

col lection! Jan Wright

Advertising
Advertising account executive Noune Sarkissian
[email protected]

Publishing
Head of Content Kate Heppell
Group Buying & Licensing Controller
Lucy Pedder-Blythe
Group Business Development Manager
Chris Cooke
Head of Product Carol Kavanagh
Strategy & Insights Director Dave Cusick
Managing Director Danny Bowler
Group Managing Director
Robin Wilkinson

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Contact
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22 52 Subscription Enquiries
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[email protected]
Love Sewing is published by Practical
Publishing International Ltd ISSN 2054-832X

All material © Practical Publishing International Ltd. The

style and mark of Love Sewing is used under licence from
30 Practical Publishing International Holdings Ltd. No material
in whole or in part may be reproduced, stored or transmitted
in any form whatsoever without the prior written consent
of Practical Publishing International Ltd. The publisher
welcomes contributions from readers. All such contributions
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format or forum now known or hereafter developed, for any
purpose, in perpetuity.
Stock images provided by Shutterstock Inc

CONTRIBUTORS
Claire-Louise Hardie
Amy Scarr Claire-Louise is an author, pattern designer, teacher and
Amy is the UK Brand Ambassador for Simplicity Ltd. costumier. Claire-Louise teaches a range of step-by-step
She shares tips and tutorials, fresh ideas and the best sewing classes online at www.thriftystitcher.co.uk and this
of the sewing community at simplicitymccallsuk on month, guides us through spotless buttonholes. Head to
Instagram. Read her expert guide to princess seams page 18 to learn more!
on page 33.

Elisalex Jewell Alison Smith MBE

Elisalex is a regular columnist for Love Sewing, and is also Awarded an MBE for her services to dressmaking, Alison is
the head of design and co-founder of By Hand London, an industry expert in classic couture, an author and has her
which produces high-quality patterns available at www. own line of patterns. Join Alison for her expert guide to
byhandlondon.com. Turn to page 65 for finding out her adjusting waist measurements on page 78.
tips on perfect sleeves.

5
 The patterns, people,
fabric and finds getting
us sewing this month

FEELING FLORAL
The new floral range at Cheap Fabrics is a must for your summer
makes. The cotton lawn fabric is perfect for the summer months.
The lightweight construction and soft-touch finish make it an ideal
choice for comfortable wear. The prints feature lovely floral designs
to create an absolutely gorgeous summer style, making a great
addition to any holiday wardrobe. Experience the luxury of this
lightweight fabric against your skin. www.cheapfabrics.co.uk

UNMISSABLE EVENTS
Make sure not to miss the upcoming exhibition at Kettle’s Yard, ‘Material
Power: Palestinian Embroidery’, that will run 8th July – 29th October.
The exhibition will explore the history and cultural significance of
embroidery in Palestine over the last 100 years of turbulence. On
display will be more than 40 intricately embroidered dresses, alongside

IT TAKES TWO other embroidered objects, that will tell a story of female labour and
resilience. ‘Material Power’ will trace the evolution of this ancient
Simple to sew and incredibly versatile, this craft from a traditional core to everyday village life, to its use as an
top-and-trouser co-ord makes an instant outfit, increasingly militarised symbol of Palestinian identity, and still, to its
staple separates for layering or even a chic faux- later transformation into an exploitable commodity.
jumpsuit look. Whether you’re a beginner or more The dresses will be shown in dialogue with the work of
experienced stitcher, our signature step-by-step contemporary artists, including Maeve Brennan, Mona Hatoum, and
photo instructions will make the Esti co-ord a Aya Haidar, which speaks to the current role of the craft within the
speedy and satisfying sewing project. Palestinian social and political landscape. www.kettlesyard.co.uk
www.tillyandthebuttons.com

6
SLIDE TO
THE LEFT
This sliding gauge is perfect
for marking seam allowances
with measurements that can
be set anywhere between
5-120mm. It can be set at 1mm
increments for precision work
and can even be used like a
compass to create circles. Ideal
for spacing and marking out
buttonholes and other fasteners
and very useful when scaling
and drafting patterns, it is sure
to become a treasured tool
for a multitude of measuring
and marking tasks.For stockist
information, contact Clover at
[email protected]

With the ongoing fight against fast fashion,

IN STITCHES Hobbycraft is here to help revive, repair and
reimagine your wardrobe and help you to
learn simple 'make do and mend' skills with its new Beginner’s Guide to Visible
Clothes Mending workshop, priced at £28. A craft kit is included in the price
and consists of an embroidery hoop, four stranded threads, five fat quarters, a
template and 16 embroidery/crewel needles. Led by an expert Hobbycraft Artisan,
this workshop will introduce six stitches: the porthole stitch, the lazy daisy stitch,
a French knot, the star stitch, the eyelet stitch and the porthole mending stitch.
By the end of the workshop, you’ll have had the opportunity to practice each
of the stitch types on your embroidery hoop and you’ll be ready to transfer those
skills to mend your clothes in style. All you need is a little
bit of prep, a few helpful tips, some patience and the
right materials. www.classbento.co.uk

NEW
PATTERN
RELEASE
The Sofia dress is a gorgeous strappy dress
with a lower back cut-out and the choice
of buttons or a bow for the back closure.
The bodice is lined and gathered at the
centre front to create a gentle sweetheart
shape over a wide waistband. Version one
closes with a beautiful bow at the back
(fully bra-friendly when tied the right way).
Version two closes with buttons at the
centre back and includes two different
options to create a higher or lower back
cut-out. Make your Sofia in cotton or
chambray for a more structured look and a
fuller bow, or create a flowy summer dress
in viscose or crêpe. www.sewoverit.com

7
 BOOK OF
THE MONTH
The ultimate collection of basic
patterns that can be sewn, modified,
and styled to yield more than 100
unique looks. Make It Yours with
Mimi G is all about creating a fully
functional wardrobe to love. Starting
GO DIGITAL with six base patterns, Mimi G then
hacks each pattern to create 26
Artistic Digitizer embroidery software is equipped with a next-generation working new designs that will be styled both
environment which will excite with its innovative design, 3D integration, intuitive together and separately for a total of
usability and stunning embroidery quality. You can create professional-level results more than 100 looks.
without needing to be an expert! But this book isn’t just about hacking
With this software, you can simply import your image to fill with stitches patterns to give you a complete
automatically or use your image as a background which you fill with your digitised wardrobe; it’s also about showing
stitches. You may already have an array of embroidery designs – get inspired you how to style each garment and
and generate further designs from these embroidery designs, create layouts, make your DIY wardrobe work for
borders, add lettering and motifs. Create designs and styles from a variety of tools you. Fashion and style are an integral
– appliqué, cutwork, ambience quilting, trapunto, stumpwork, carved stamping, part of making your own clothing,
motif stamping and buttonholes, to name a few. This software can be used on and this book offers a complete guide
MS Windows® or MAC OS-based products, incorporating many of the to making the perfect wardrobe for
conventions with which most PC/Mac users are already familiar. each individual.
The full version of Artistic Digitizer includes tools for creating cutting, painting Make It Yours with Mimi G: A Sewist’s
and quilting designs. Enjoy your creations. Go ahead… get creative! Guide to a Custom Wardrobe,
www.j-shop.co.uk Mimi G. Ford, Abrams, RRP £25

FOLLOW YOUR @inthefolds

PASSION @mialayzell
@forest.and.thre
Instagram is full of ad
inspirational sewists
and influencers, and
these are the three
to follow this month!
www.instagram.com

If you’re looking for a carefully

curated page full of varied and
stylish daily makes, this page is
the one for you!
conscious
For environmentally-
sig ns, check Discover a bran
handmade de d-new
t this beautiful page full collection of patte
ou rns through
of summer vibes the gorgeous ou
tfits for all
occasions on th
is page

8
2
 A BRIEF
HISTORY OF

Fabulous Fifties
B4790
FASHION
Michelle Rowley explores
what shaped the styles of her
favourite fashion decade

W
hen you think of 1950s fashion,
what do you see? Whether it’s
teenagers jiving in fabulous
full skirts, Marilyn Monroe in pedal
pushers or a housewife in a twin-set and
pearls, you can be sure of one thing – it’s
an image of glamour. From an era rich
in style icons, such as Grace Kelly and
Audrey Hepburn, we take a look at how
this decade of great cultural change
created some of the most loved fashion
styles that are still popular today.

The fashion of the early 1950s was

shaped by the aftereffects of war. World
War II had ended in 1945, rationing was
over and the government Utility Clothing
Scheme was coming to an end. It was a
time of new prosperity, great excitement
and an opportunity for fashion to move
away from years of making do.

NEW LOOK
The name Dior has become synonymous
with fifties fashion and haute couture.
Christian Dior presented what would
go on to be known as his New Look
collection in February 1947. The
collection, his first for his own
fashion house, was officially
called La Ligne Corolle. This
botanical term referred to a
circlet of flower petals, a form
Dior wished to capture in
his designs. When Carmel
Snow, Editor-in-Chief of
Harper’s Bazaar, cried out: “It’s
such a new look!” the term for the now
iconic collection was born.

Dior’s designs took shape to the extreme.

By emphasising the bust, waist and hips,
his heavily constructed garments were
the embodiment of female sexuality.
In stark contrast to the fabric-saving

10
 SEW SOME
50s GLAMOUR

Recreate your favourite look of the era

with our pick of fabulous fifties patterns

✂ Looking to recreate a statement 1950s

dress with a full skirt, cinched waist and
fabulous collar? Both Simplicity 1459 &
Simplicity 9105 have all these statement
features and are beautiful button-fronted
dresses. Likewise, Butterick 6870 has all
these features, as well as the option for a
pencil skirt.

✂ Fancy doing the chores (or better yet,

to head out and enjoy the sunshine!) in a
wraparound dress? Simplicity 8085 is a
pretty wrap dress with three tie closures
and optional large patch pockets, whilst
Butterick 4790 is the iconic ‘walk away’
dress popularised by its appearance on
season 3 of The Great British Sewing Bee.

✂ Just wanting a gentle nod to the era?

The Simple Sew Ruby dress is a fun fit-
and-flare dress with a more contemporary
look that’s both easy to sew and wear.

designs of the war years, his gowns were accessible to the middle classes. At S9284
elaborately cut and required interior a time when the majority of women
support to hold up many layers of were homemakers expected to keep
material. His skirts could be constructed their home, children and themselves
from up to 25 yards of fabric, whilst tidy, these new consumer goods were
some evening dresses were known to thought to free up more time for
take up to 90 yards. It’s little wonder that women to spend on their appearance.
after years of austerity, such extravagant Busy housewives trying to do it all,
opulence received a mixed reception. and in style, opted for comfortable
but still feminine garments such as
However, it wasn’t long before a more gingham wraparound dresses, softly
accessible version of the feminine pleated dirndl skirts and pastel twin-
silhouette of a full skirt, tight waist sets. In contrast to Dior’s New Look,
and sloping shoulders found its way to the mixing of coloured separates
mainstream fashion. “The New Look enabled women to create a range of
was one of the most significant fashion comfortable outfits for everyday wear.
events of the twentieth century,” explains
fashion historian Lucy Adlington in DANCE HALL DREAMS
her insightful book Stitches in Time. “It In a new era of prosperity and in
remained popular until the early 1960s which there was a strong desire
and has been regularly reincarnated”. to escape the memories of war,
Indeed, the continued popularity of a fit dancing was big. Latin America,
and flare dress today is a testament to untouched by the war, brought the
the lasting impact of Dior’s New Look. cha-cha to the dance hall by the
early 1950s. The Latin influence
THE MODEL WIFE was reflected in the clothes, with
With a booming post-war economy, new off-the-shoulder dresses and vibrant
technologies such as washing machines colours providing a holiday feel and
and fridges were becoming more form of escapism.

11
 Fifties fashion
is making
a comeback!

With the arrival of rock 'n' roll in TEENAGE KICKS

1955 came the clothes to show off on There was no shortage of youth in the
the dance floor. Layer upon layer of mid to late 1950s, thanks to the babies of
nylon petticoats were worn under full the post-war baby boom who were now
knee-length skirts cinched in with tight growing up. Teenagers, as an age group
elastic belts. The skirts were made from distinct from adults or children, with
attention-grabbing colourful fabrics, their own culture and fashion, was a new
often sporting bold checks, polka dots concept for the era and was reflected in
or a fun appliqué, such as the famous the popularity of the word ‘teenager’ in
poodle. The look was completed with many Hollywood films of the time. Even
a short sleeve blouse, neck scarf and more films included a restless adolescent
swinging ponytail! as a lead character. The silver-screen
rebels, such as Marlon Brando and
The southern rock ’n’ roll style of Elvis James Dean, rejected suits and wore
Presley, known as rockabilly, saw the tough labourer’s clothes that could
emergence of a fashion trend which withstand time spent tearing around on
embraced the two fashion styles of a motorbike. When Marilyn Monroe was
the hipsters and the bikers. Whilst a seen on screen in jeans, it cemented their
rockabilly chick could be wearing a status as womenswear with sex appeal.
sharp suit one day, she might be in These Hollywood heartthrobs helped
jeans and a T-shirt the next, much like to move T-shirts and jeans beyond US
Elvis himself. In 1956 with the release of soldiers and workmen, and in doing so
the film Jailhouse Rock, Levi launched changed the face of fashion forever.
black ‘Elvis Presley Jeans’. Although
already becoming popular, the banning THE BEATNICKS
of the jeans in schools, unsurprisingly, Arguably the coolest teenagers of the
only led them to become further 1950s were those adopting the style of
coveted, and music and youth style the beatniks of Paris. These jazz- and
would go on to be forever closely linked. poetry-loving youngsters rejected the

12
full skirts and stiff corsetry and instead
opted for capri pants with ballet pumps
and sweaters. Their bohemian dressing,
which favoured dressing down and a
preference for black, was a bold and
modern contrast to the dressing up and
use of colour and print in mainstream
fashion. These young women would
also dress in a more androgynous style
by wearing oversized men’s shirts with
pedal pushers or, more daringly, with
men’s shoes and trousers.

The look had reached the silver screen

by the end of the 1950s, where Katherine
Hepburn could be seen in wide-leg
trousers and loose men’s shirts. When
Breakfast at Tiffany’s, starring Audrey
Hepburn, was released in 1961, it left a
lasting impression of the Beatnick style
still much admired today.

ABOUT
MICHELLE
ROWLEY A NEW ERA
People across the globe are reclaiming the true stories and influences of
old garments, embracing the modern non-Western, gender-diverse people
Michelle is a Content Writer & Dressmaking
freedom to wear whatever they choose, with a love for vintage fashion. To get
Tutor at The Sew-Cial Gathering. Follow her on
without the restrictions previously involved, follow the hashtag over on
Instagram stitchywhitney and at
www.michellerowley.journoportfolio.com held. Nowadays, we are able to hear Instagram vintagestylenotvintagevalues

13
 Use your
PATTERN

Flutter
ON BY
This 3-in-1 dress collection
with flutter sleeves and
self-ruffle detail is certain
to put a spring in your step

VIEW A
This sleeveless view in
lightweight fabric is perfect
for summer beach days

We used
Happy Harbour viscose challis
£15.99 per metre
www.minerva.com

14
Hannah says…
You could
lengthen the front
and back pieces
below the pockets
for a longer style

Subscribe
today and get
A MCCALL’S VIEW B
Flutter sleeves turn this
CO PATTERN summer dress into the
perfect evening outfit
WITH EVERY
ISSUE! We used
See page 42 Lucienne tencel lawn
for details £12 per metre
www.croftmill.co.uk

15
 MASTERCLASS
BEST FOOT
FORWARD
Get to grips with this fabulous
presser foot, so you can go the
extra mile when working with
layered projects

Sometimes known as an even-feed foot, the

walking foot is an incredibly useful presser
foot for your sewing machine that helps you
tackle bulky or layered fabric. Your sewing
machine is made to move fabric using
feed dogs that draw your fabric along from
below. Sometimes, particularly slippery,
bulky, or multi-layered fabric won’t all be
moved along by these feed dogs at the
same rate.

The walking foot combats this by adding a

second set of feed dogs above that work
in tandem with the machine feed dogs to
smoothly move all of the fabric through
at the same time. Because of this, a
walking foot can help to give you incredibly
even stitches, making any visible stitching,
such as quilting and topstitching on
garments, look much more professional.
It also helps with those thicker projects
like leather or sandwiched seams so that
you never feel like you have to pull the
fabric through the machine.

Take your time when using a walking foot

for the best results. Remember, you can
only stitch forward with a walking foot. Do
not force your project through the sewing
machine when you are using a walking foot,
or you may end up with some puckering on
your project.

16
2
 ABOUT
CLAIRE-LOUISE
Claire-Louise is an author, pattern V1939
designer, teacher and costumier.
We recommend her online course
www.learntosewwithapro.com/
ultimate-beginners

Claire-Louise’s book, The Great British

Sewing Bee: Fashion With Fabric,
accompanied the third series of the
show and is priced at £20 from
www.quadrille.co.uk

Join Claire-Louise’s monthly sewing

club and learn how to take your sewing
to the next level with expert tips, tricks
and techniques to try. Visit
www.thethriftystitcher.co.uk
to find out more

PERFECT
BUTTONHOLES…
WITH THE T H R I F T Y
STITCHER
Claire-Louise Hardie shares her tips
and tricks for perfect buttonholes

18
 BOUND BUTTONHOLES
Unlike other buttonholes, this style has
pieces of fabric sewn to the raw edges
of the buttonhole to prevent the fabric
Bound buttonholes
from fraying. This style is believed to have
been developed for military uniforms as
they are more robust than those sewn
with just thread. They were very popular
in 50s/60s fashion. They are rarely seen
Types of buttonholes on modern ready-to-wear garmemts,
as they are the most costly style of
Let’s begin by taking a look at what buttonhole to produce.
different buttonhole types are used for.
These are the most common shapes of MARKING UP
buttonholes, which can be sewn either My top tip is to always mark the centre
on a machine (domestic or industrial), front/back line onto the right side of
or by hand. your garment when transferring all your
pattern marks right at the beginning of
✂ Standard buttonhole (A) – This is the your making process. It’s crucial to be
most common buttonhole on garments able to stack the centre front/back
and home décor. The standard markings on top of one another when
buttonhole should be used on medium- you’re ready to apply the buttonholes
to heavyweight fabrics. This style of and buttons. It really is one of the few
buttonhole is generally found on even things I will regularly tack. A
the most basic machine.
✂ No bar-tack buttonhole (B) – This is a Buttonholes can either be placed
buttonhole that is rounded at both ends. vertically or horizontally. One very
It should be used only on fine fabrics, common misconception about lining
like silk or stretch. The rounded edges, up your buttonholes horizontally is to ⁄8 inch
1

without a bar-tack, finish the fabric position the centre of the buttonhole
inside the buttonhole edge but do not across the centre front/back line. When
tear or alter the delicate fabric fibres. done like this, the button will appear
✂ Keyhole buttonhole (C) – A keyhole off-centre when done up. The buttonhole
buttonhole should be used on heavy should extend just ⅛” over the CF/CB line
fabrics and 'thick' buttonholes. Some towards the outer edge. (See Pic A.)
jackets or jeans may require this style.
The 'keyhole' bottom allows a thick Horizontal buttonhole B
band
or shank button to move through the These buttonholes are best for closely
buttonhole and thick fabric layers with fitted garments and styles without
ease. Sometimes a thicker thread, known a placket. Jackets, coats, or other
as a gimp twist thread, is used to create a outerwear are usually sewn with centre front
more reinforced buttonhole usually only horizontal buttonholes to allow the
found on high-end machines. button to glide in and out of the fabric
✂ Top bartack buttonhole (D) – This without destroying the fabric. If sewn on
buttonhole is used on fine to a close-fitted blouse/shirt, the body may
medium-weight fabrics. It is used be visible through the buttonhole when
on children’s garments and women’s done up.
fine clothing, again not common on
most machine models. Vertical buttonhole
These should be sewn on the CF/CB C
Hand-worked buttonholes are often and are best for garments with a banded
considered the crème de la crème of or placket opening. Generally, this type
buttonholes and are usually only found of buttonhole is found on closer-fitting
on couture or bespoke tailored garments. blouses or shirts. Sewing the buttonhole
They require a great deal of skill and vertically takes up less room on the
practice to create a beautiful hand-worked garment, so less fabric is required in the
buttonhole, and for this reason, they aren’t button stand. (See Pic B.)
found on ready-to-wear clothing items.
Saville row tailors will have a ‘finisher' On shirts, the buttonhole on the collar
who excels at hand-sewing to do this, so is always horizontal, even when the rest
it really is a specialist job. of the buttons are placed vertically.

19
 This is because there’s not enough Machine-sewn buttonholes
space on the collar stand to position
a vertical buttonhole.

PLACING YOUR BUTTONS

I usually mark and place my buttons
after sewing in the buttonholes. This
means if the buttonholes are fractionally
misaligned, I can match that up with
the buttons avoiding the fabric between
buttons from straining or gaping. Start
by laying the centre lines on top of one
another, matching up anything like the
collars, hems etc. Anchor in place. is done by manually changing settings on
(See Pic C.) the machine.

For a horizontal buttonhole, stick a pin The 4-step buttonhole foot is small
through at the CF/CB line, ⅛” in from the and doesn’t have a space to insert your
end of the buttonhole. This will be where button at the back. You will need to
you sew on your button. For a vertical mark the top, middle and bottom of
buttonhole, insert the pin ⅛” below the top your buttonhole before you get started.
of the buttonhole, which is where you will On your machine, select the buttonhole
sew the button. setting – usually this is a little rectangle.
Before getting started, you should test
Again, it’s common to think that the the best width etc. Most machines will
button is to be sewn at the centre of the give you an optimum ‘standard’ length
buttonhole. However, doing this will mean and width, but you may need to finesse
the buttonhole will slide until it reaches this for your fabric. Essentially you will
the button, making the garment appear need to do each side of the buttonhole
off-centre. On a shirt with vertical as a new step, manually lining everything
buttonholes, it can make the collar slide up when sewing.
down on the buttonhole side, making the
collar stand misaligned.

PREPARING YOUR FABRIC

Since buttonholes require us to cut through
the fabric in order for them to be opened,
it’s essential that the area to be cut is
interfaced to add stability and help stop
the cut edges from unravelling. Choose an
interfacing that’s a little lighter than the
fabric of your garment, that way the front
edge won’t get too stiff. On very fine fabrics,
I use small rectangles of interfacing just
in the immediate area of the buttons and Brother F084AP
buttonholes rather than applying as one
long strip, this keeps the fabric from getting 1-STEP/AUTOMATIC
too rigid/stiff. Always test your interfacing BUTTONHOLE
before applying it to your fabric. Even light This type of buttonhole function is done CUTTING YOUR BUTTONHOLES
interfacings can stiffen up once ironed in, ‘automatically’. There is a space at the Once your buttonholes are sewn, you
and it’s best to find out before you dive back of the foot to position your button, will need to carefully cut them open. To
straight into your actual garment. and this then makes the buttonhole the avoid cutting through the ends, I fold
correct length for that button. Once the them in half and make a teeny cut in
SEWING A BUTTONHOLE ON buttonhole foot is attached, there is usually the middle. Then, with the buttonholes
YOUR SEWING MACHINE a sensor to be pulled down from inside laid flat, I place the tip of my small
There are two main ways buttonholes are the machine and positioned in the foot. All scissor just before the bar tack and cut
done on domestic machines. machines are slightly different, so do check from the middle out. Swap and do the
your manual. As before, do test the settings same for the other side. By using the tip
4-STEP MANUAL BUTTONHOLE and stitch length etc. The beauty of these of small sharp scissors, I can ensure I
This technique will produce a great feet is that once you start, the machine never cut the ends.
buttonhole, but you have to do a little does all four sides of the buttonhole in
more work as each side of the buttonhole one single function.

20
21
 We love
STYLE

Tropical
PUNCH This box-pleated skirt is a
simple, no-pattern garment
that really packs in the drama
Project JENNY CORNET

Jenny is a 38-year-old creative

force living just outside of
Washington, DC. She is passionate
about making DIY fashion both
approachable and affordable.
Her lighthearted videos focus
on sustainable materials and
feel-good projects.

You can find her on TikTok,

Youtube and Instagram under
canjennymake

22
 A B

C D

MATERIALS & TOOLS: HOW TO MAKE:

• 115cm-wide fabric (we used 3m 1 If using fusible interfacing,
for this project) install on lower half of the
• 7"-long zip waistband. On upper edge,
• medium-weight press under ½”.
fusible interfacing 2 Mark the centre of the
skirt panel along the top
MEASUREMENTS: edge. (“Point 1”). Working
Waist where the skirt will sit out in both directions, mark
(high/natural waist, or low). 1” intervals.
This will be noted as “Waist” 3 To make the pleats,
in these instructions. consider each dot from
Chosen skirt length. the centre out to the right
having a number assigned
NOTES: to it. The centre being “Point
These instructions include a ½” 2”, next “Point 3” and so on.
seam allowance. (See Pic A.)
4 Count 2 marks from the
For this skirt, I have gone with centre (“Point 3”). Bring
25” length (includes a 1” hem) “Point 3” to “Point 1” on the
which hits mid-shin. wrong side of the fabric.
(See Pic B.) You now have
Depending on your fabric width
and your waist measurement, you
may need to piece panels together
three layers of fabric
together. This makes up
half of your first pleat. Pin
Top tip
Customise your look
Take note of this when purchasing in place.
your materials if pattern matching 5 Bring “Point 6” to “Point 4”
by adding side seams
is necessary. For the example, I have on right side of fabric. This and pockets or
put together three panels to achieve completes your first pleat. adding buttons!
one long rectangle. Pin in place. (See Pic C.) 8 Fold waistband in half,
6 Continue this pattern bringing the previously
CUTTING: along the entire length of pressed edge just below the
For the waistband, cut:
• 33/4"xWaist+1” main fabric
• 17/8"xWaist+1” medium-weight
skirt panel (on both sides
of centre). Press upper 6”
of skirt panel, creating crisp
skirt panel/waistband seam.
9 Stitch the ditch to finish the
waistband. Hem 1”.
Shopping list
Clementine Dream Pink
interfacing pleats. (See Pic D.) Find a stockist at
For the skirt, cut: 7 With RST, attach waistband
www.hantexonline.co.uk
• 3xWaist+1x261/2” to skirt panel. Install zipper.

23
 MASTERCLASS
HOW
TO ADD
MORE
TIERS
Fancy adding tiers to
your skirt? Read on!

First of all, you’ll need to

decide how much length you
would like to add to your skirt.
If your skirt already has tiers,
you will want to keep them
an even length, so it’s useful
to measure them and decide
whether you will need to add
one or more tiers to reach
your desired length.

If your garment doesn’t have

existing tiers, then you could
take the desired length and
divide it into how many tiers
you would like. For example, if
you would like to add 60cm,
then you may want to try two
30cm tiers or three 20cm tiers.
The choice is yours! Add an
extra 1” (2.5cm) of fabric for
each additional tier to take
account of the seam allowance.

For the width, it’s worth

noticing that these will need to
be different to ensure you get a
nice flow to your skirt towards
the bottom. A good rule of
thumb is to take your waist
measurement and multiply
by 1.5 for your first tier, then
multiply by 2 for your second
tier and then 2.5-2.75 for your
third and so on. If you’re adding
an additional tier, then measure
the tier width and divide this by
your waist measurement. Keep
note of this number, and for
subsequent tiers, raise it a little
so that you get that lovely flow
we adore at the bottom.

24
25
 PATTERN
PICKS

Swish and
sway
This variety of
light and breezy
skirts are perfect
for beach trips and
summer adventures

Top tier
Nothing sings of summer
more than a tiered, flowing
skirt. S9750 is a pull-on
skirt pattern with tiers and
pintucks in three lengths:
midcalf, knee and mini.
View C also includes a
lace trim at the hem.
Available in sizes 8-26
for £13

Ultimate
Mirror image summer
S9648 is a beginner-friendly
collection of skirts for those
looking for something a little
style!
different. The skirts display a
side-zip closure and include an
unusual asymmetrical style, with
flared options in four lengths.
Available in sizes 8-24 for £13

All patterns available from www.sewdirect.com

26
 City chic
This mock-wrap
skirt with or
Button up without an inside
Flared skirts in sheer panel is the
two lengths, perfect pattern
S9377 features for both office
button closure wear and evening
variations, has soft attire, depending
pleats from the on how you wish
hip yoke and side- to style your look.
seam pockets. S9238 comes
Personalise your in three length
skirt with the variations to help
perfect buttons you sew your
and make this perfect skirt.
pattern your own! Available in sizes
Available in sizes 6-24 for £13
6-24 for £13

Pretty Retro style

For a retro style,
pockets look no further
S9710 is a trio of than S9711. This
button-front pattern consists of
panelled skirts pleated full skirts
that feature with contoured
back yokes waistbands and
and have side-seam
length and pockets. View A
hem style has a belt sewn
variations. into the side
The skirts seams, whereas
feature front View C has a
slant pockets pleated self-tie
or flap pockets to sew it your
with button own way.
closure for Available in
customisation. sizes 4-22
Available for £13
in sizes 8-26
for £13

27
 DESIGNER
SPOTLIGHT

DAVID MORRISH We sat down with David Morrish, one of the most
exciting digital embroidery designers right now!

Hi David! Can you tell us a little David has worked as a fashion

bit about yourself? design academic for 13 years
Where do I start? I have worked
for the last 13 years as a fashion
design academic at Sheffield Hallam
University, teaching design to under
and postgraduate students. I live with
my wife, 10-year-old son and four
cats in a lovely house overlooking the
hills of Yorkshire. In 2018, I decided
to return to education as a mature
student and studied towards a master’s
degree in Fashion and Textiles at
Nottingham Trent University, where
I was awarded the Wilcom Award for
Digital Embroidery and received a
scholarship with the Embroiderers’
Guild. I have spent the last two
years exploring digital embroidery,
collaborating with various artists
and designers from different
disciplines, which ultimately led
to me working with celebrities on
one-of-a-kind pieces.

How did you get started in

digital embroidery?
I have always loved art and design
from a very young age, especially
graphics and illustration, as it was
the subject I most loved at school. What have been the highlights of of my career, as these helped build my
Subsequentially, I studied fashion your career to date? confidence to keep moving forward
design at Lincoln College and then That’s a difficult one! My career can and exploring digital embroidery as
for a degree in Fashion Design at be split into two, which often interlink. a standalone art form. In terms of
the University of Derby, 1996-2000. My academic role as a design tutor actual embroidery projects, the biggest
In 2008 I emigrated to Eastern is incredibly rewarding, helping and highlight was designing a Firebird for
Latvia, where to pass the time, I nurturing other creatives to realise their Natalie Imbruglia, which was featured in
imported my first digital embroidery dreams. I have been honoured to have her first music video for the single On My
machine, a Janome Memory Craft picked up two Inspirational Teaching Way. I designed the Firebird with Natalie
9000 hybrid machine that I spotted awards during my time at Sheffield and embroidered it on the back of her
on eBay. I taught myself how to use Hallam, and these mean a lot to me as denim jacket. It is something I can tick off
the machine and software and it was the students who nominated me. my bucket list and tell the grandchildren.
eventually started making embroidered If they can see me achieving things and
T-shirts, phone cases, bags and art working with celebrities, brands and Do you have a favourite project
pieces for family and friends. It was designers, why can’t they? Winning the you have worked on?
only really a hobby, and I didn’t think Wilcom Award from Hand & Lock in My favourite project to date has to be
it would become anything more. 2019 and 2021 are notable highlights the jacket I made for Siobhan Murphy,

28
 Dannii Minogue in on
e of
David's incredible jac
kets

David gives new life

to old denim jackets

Art and fashion combined What does the future hold for you ?
in unique garments
The million-dollar question! I
would love my brand to grow and
UK TV personality, fashion and interior have always had a Janome Memory be successful; seeing people wear
designer. Siobhan had 100% belief in Craft; my first was a 9000, then a my pieces would be amazing.
me and gave me full permission to see 10001 and now the 550E. It is an I would love to get hold of the new
what I could do with her old jacket. We incredible machine with one of the Janome CM17 machine and work on
chose one of her images to recreate, largest hoop sizes for a domestic a commission from Janome; being
and I knew I wanted to go big and bold. machine and a max stitch limit of one of the first in the UK to use this
It was a mammoth technical about 200k. It has made my life so game-changing machine would be
challenge. I did end up taking the much easier, not having to split large an honour and privilege! Who knows
whole jacket apart, embroidering designs into lots of smaller sections. what the future will bring?
each panel and then remaking it Due to the size of the machine and Hopefully, more exciting projects,
again. I had never done this before, its portability, I could take it outside whether working with brands,
so to do it on a celebrity and embroider in the private clients, celebrities, students,
client's jacket was risky garden for a project! TV, publications, guest speaking or
and brave to do (or silly, My industrial machine workshops. Watch this space!
depending on how you is a single head, 12
look at it). Both Siobhan It is something needle, ZSK Sprint
and I were pleased with
the outcome, which is
I can tick off Classic, which I have
only had a few months
certainly unique and my bucket list and I am still getting
Find out more about
screams attention!
and tell the used to. This machine David and their incredible
is not as portable, but work on their website
Do you have grandchildren runs faster, has a larger
www.kingfly.co.uk, or check
any favourite hooping area, and has
machine/equipment other attachments out kingfly_embroidery on
that you couldn’t allowing me to Instagram to get a look at
live without? embroider on shoes
I currently have a domestic and and other products. Both machines
their latest projects
industrial embroidery machine, both offer something different, and they
of which are very different. For the complement each other very well
domestic embroidery machines, I in a studio.

29
 We love
HOME
Dancing
DAISIES
Add a touch of nature to your wardrobe
with this embroidered sweatshirt
Project JENNY BILLINGHAM, flynn_and_mabel

ABOUT
JENNY
BILLINGHAM
(flynn_and_mabel on Instagram)
Jenny is a self-taught embroidery
artist who studied surface
design and printed textiles at the
University of Northampton. She
began experimenting with simple
stitches and embroidery designs
just before the pandemic began
in 2020. Since then, she has
created hoop art and embroidery
patterns and it has become
more than just a hobby.

30
 A B C

MATERIALS & TOOLS:

• sweatshirt
• embroidery needles
• 8” embroidery hoop
• embroidery and fabric scissors
• erasable pen
• sticky soluble stabiliser
• stranded cotton
embroidery thread
• Sulky Tender Touch D E F
Cover-a-Stitch stabiliser
• template downloaded from
www.craftworld.com/cms/
love-sewing/

NOTES:
This pattern is to scale for an
8” hoop.

Sweatshirts with a higher cotton

percentage are easier to stitch than use rose (DMC 3687) to add
those with stretch. If your sweatshirt a single straight stitch to the
does stretch, a fusible interfacing on base of the petals. In the Download this template
the reverse will help the tension of centre, stitch one French knot from www.craftworld.com
the fabric when framed in the hoop, in six strands of beige (DMC and transfer using an
making stitching easier. 543). Next, use three strands erasable pen
of mulberry (DMC 315) and
HOW TO MAKE: satin stitch the second flower’s
1 Trace the floral design onto petals. Fill the centre with
the sticky soluble stabiliser French knots in six strands of
using an erasable pen. blush (DMC 778). (See Pic C.)
Position the pattern on the 4 Satin stitch the petals of
left shoulder and stick it to the four daisies in three
the sweatshirt fabric. Frame strands of beige (DMC 543).
the design with the 8” In the centres, stitch one
embroidery hoop, and you’re French knot in six strands
ready to stitch. (See Pic A.) of coral (DMC 3778). In the
2 For the large pink flower, largest daisy, stitch three
satin stitch the petals in three French knots. For the pink
strands of deep pink (DMC blooms, single chain stitch the large branch in six strands
3350). Next, stitch the small the petals in six strands of of moss (DMC 3052). Then
pale pink flecks on the lower rose (DMC 3687). Over the backstitch the stem. For the
parts of the petals using six top, stitch three more single green, chain stitch branches
strands of blush (DMC 778). chain stitches in aqua (DMC using six strands of olive (DMC
For the flower centre, use six 3813). These overlap the pink. 3011). Stitch the leaves first
strands of tangerine (DMC Backstitch the stems in the and then the stem. Finally,
977) and satin stitch the same colour. (See Pic D.) stitch the last chain stitch
middle circle. For the large 5 Satin stitch the yellow branches in three stands of
yellow flower, satin stitch daisy in six strands of lemon mulberry (DMC 315). In the
the petals in three strands (DMC 677), and then satin centre of the chain stitches,
of honey (DMC 676). Add stitch the centre in six strands add one straight stitch to fill
three straight stitches to each
petal in six strands of lemon
of duck egg (DMC 3817).
Backstitch the stems of the
the space. (See Pic F.)
7 When the stitching is
ABOUT
(DMC 677). Finally, stitch
French knots in the flower
berry branch in six strands
of sage (DMC 3022). For the
complete, submerge the
fabric to soak off the soluble
THE BOOK
centre using six strands of berries, sew three French stabiliser. Cover the stitches Creative Embroidery &
pink (DMC 316). (See Pic B.) knots at the end of each stem on the reverse using the Beyond, published 6th
3 Satin stitch the orange using six strands of dusky pink Cover-a-Stitch backing June 2023, by Walter Foster
flower petals in three strands (DMC 223). (See Pic E.) to protect the design and Publishing, an imprint of
of orange (DMC 3776), and 6 Fishbone stitch the leaves of prevent rubbing on the skin. The Quarto Group

31
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32
 Butterick 6850
by Palmer Pletsch
has princess seams
without a waist seam

ABOUT
AMY SCARR
Amy is the UK Brand Ambassador
for Simplicity Ltd, which produces
all your favourite brands – Vogue,
McCall’s, Butterick, New Look
and Simplicity, available at
www.sewdirect.com. She shares
tips and tutorials, fresh ideas and
the best of the sewing community at
simplicitymccallsuk on Instagram

Perfect
PRINCESS
SEAMS
Get a great fit and
a flawless finish!
Amy shows you how
to sew princess seams
with confidence
33
 F
ound on dresses, blouses, tops
and even outwear, you may have
tried this seam style without ever
asking yourself…

WHAT IS A
PRINCESS SEAM?
Who is the “princess” in the princess
seam? It is, of course, Alexandra, Princess
of Wales (1844–1925)! Around 1880, Princess
Alexandra adopted a form-fitting style of
dress that hugged the torso closely and
continued seamlessly over the hips with no
Princess seams waist seam between the skirt and bodice. It
used vertical tucks and darts for fitting.
require both These days, we tend to call a bodice
with vertical shaping seams that pass over
clipping and the bust point a princess-style bodice, but
historically, that absence of a waistline
notching to seam was a crucial part.
We now also play around with the
press flat princess seam position. The princess seam
was originally designed as a panel seam,
extending from the shoulder/neckline
downwards. But what we most commonly
call a princess seam is actually the
Viennese seam variation, which curves into
the armhole. You can also have princess
seams that extend into unusual positions if
McCall’s 8040 blouse the pattern designer is especially creative!
is fitted with princess seams
The shape of the pattern pieces create
the same effect as darts would at the bust
and waist, so people can find them tricky
to sew because they curve so dramatically
for fuller figures. But the results are
wonderful as they can be more easily
adjusted to get a great fit.
Plus, you can enjoy the benefits of
formulaic printed fabrics like stripes and
checks because they are less distorted on
princess seam bodices compared to darts.
You can even steer into more inventive
print placement!

TOP TIPS
I want to share a number of tips for
beginners as well as some for more
advanced makers to help improve
your princess seams;
✂ The first is to not skip stay stitching
around the curves, but instead, make
it a couple of mm away from the seam
line. Adding it too far into the seam
allowance will make it more difficult
for you to avoid puckers when you sew!
✂ Match the stitching lines of the two
pieces when you sew them together,
not the fabric edges. Marking in
water-soluble or air-erasable marker
doesn’t take too long and can make
things much easier for you when it
comes to getting a smooth finish.

34
Simplicity 9743 features a ME2006 is a princess seam Vogue 1878 uses
strapless bodice with princess coat and jacket dress by straight princess seams
seams in the front and back The Corny Rainbow that extend to the neckline

✂ Don’t tug the curves to get them to fit,

as this will distort the fabric and the
garment’s fit. Those curves are very
stretchy with a degree of bias and you
by the feed dogs and matches to
the flatter curve of the front.
✂ Ever sewn a beautiful princess seam
Top tip
don’t want rippling fabric at the seams and then tried to press the allowance
Lower your stitch
where you’ve stretched and had to try flat and ended up with a lumpy seam? length for more
and ease back in the extra fabric. When sewn together, one side of the control and a
✂ Lower your stitch length! When passing allowance is actually too tight to press smoother curve
around a curve, drop your stitch length open and the other side has too much
to around 1.8, and you’ll find it gives excess. The seam allowance needs a few
you much more control to create a careful snips to lie flat. The front piece
smooth curve. is formed of a concave curve so that the fabric edges and the narrower
✂ I’ve talked in previous articles about allowance needs to be snipped into (aka seams don’t require clipping to lie
the importance of which layer of your 'clipped'). And the side front bodice is flat, so the seam allowances
garment you place closest to your feed a convex curve which needs 'notching' are stronger. Simply press both
dogs. It is always the more troublesome with small triangles removed to help allowances towards the front piece.
layer, eg the uninterfaced piece, the the fabric lay flat. ✂ You can still finish your seam
gathered piece, etc. When sewing your ✂ Another method is to redraw the seam allowance! If you’re not lining your
princess seam for the side front piece allowances to ¼” before cutting out the garment and don’t feel safe to trim
and front piece, the side front is placed garment, or trim off the excess before down your allowance, I recommend
against the feed dogs with the front pinning together! The smaller seam overlocking the seam first, then
piece on top of it. This is because the allowance width makes the seams easier clipping and notching before pressing
rounder curved edge is handled better to sew without the risk of stretching open – this will minimise fraying.

35
 Top tip!
If you want to add a piped
finish to a stretch fabric,
use an elastic cord and cut
your piping tape across the
fabric in the direction of
greatest stretch

Mini Series:
Fabulous feet for the
OVERLOCKER!
Jan Wright shares her tips for mastering
the amazing feet available for the babylock
overlockers and combination machines

36
A PIPING FOOT
The piping foot is used to insert piping
into seams and edges for the perfect
tailored finish. There are typically two
sizes of piping foot available for use. As
a general guide, the 5mm is more for
upholstery, whereas the 3mm is probably
better for clothing, although this is by no
means a definitive guide!

INSERTING PIPING
To create your piping tape, you will need
piping cord. For the 5mm piping foot,
any cord up to 5mm officially will do,
although when using both needles, I find
3mm is adequate. Any thicker and you
B run the risk of the needle catching in the
cord. For a very pronounced and fatter
piping, remove the left needle. Piping
is really useful for giving a tad more
stability to seams, helping such projects
as bags to maintain their shape.

For this sample, I was using a bought

binding which I had pressed flat. Should
you wish, you can cut the binding from
your project fabric. Why do we cut it
on the bias? Because the slight stretch
in bias fabric gives a smoother corner if
you are making a square cushion cover
or bag. 7 Turn the tape at right angles to align it
with the next side. Drive off the end.
C 1 If using both needles, your stitch 8 Turn the fabric, place the piping under
selector (which is the magic wand the groove of the foot and carry on.
delivering automatic tension) should be Repeat for each corner.
set on 'A'. The sensor under the presser
foot will fine tune the tensions according INSERTING A ZIP
to the fabric that you’re using. Putting in a zip with the piping foot is easy
2 Place the piping under the foot, to do. However, I would not use it for
positioning it into the groove. Fold your dresses or trousers, as you must have the
bias tape in half lengthways and wrap it zipper pull out of the sewing area. Because
around the cord, placing the end of the overlockers work with two needles, it is not
tape just in front of the blade (See Pic A.). possible to pivot around the obstruction of
A stitch length of 4mm is perfect for this the pull. Therefore, the zip must be longer
job; I see no need in wasting thread on a than the opening.
shorter stitch!
3 Stitch a piece the full length of your 1 Lay the zip onto the fabric, right sides
project, plus a few inches extra for together, and slide the zip into the groove
D
correct alignment. of the foot. Once that seam is secured,
4 Once your tape is complete, change do the zip up partway in order to position
the stitch length to 2.5-3mm. We are now the second side accurately.
creating a seam, so a shorter stitch length 2 Pin into place, take the zipper pull
gives better stability (See Pic B.). back out of the sewing area and sew
5 Insert the piping tape under the foot the second side.
again and sandwich it between the two 3 Slide the pull into the middle of
layers of fabric, right sides facing (See Pic your project before you cut off the
C). With stitch width at maximum, stitch excess zipper.
to almost the end of the seam.
6 To create a right-angled turn, snip into Keep overlocking!

Jan Wright
the tape at approximately 7.5mm (the
stitch width!) from the end (See Pic D.).
Do not cut the last needle thread.

37
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38
 Use your

Stretch your PATTERN

SKILLS
This 4-in-1 dress collection
is the ultimate summer
wardrobe builder

VIEW C
This all-season dress
is an excellent wardrobe staple

We used
Humbug velour jersey stripe
£9.50 per metre
www.empressmills.co.uk

39
 Hannah says…
The finished
garment
measurements
are printed on
the pattern tissue.
To choose the
best size for you,
compare these
measurements
to a garment
which you know
fits you well

Subscribe
today and get
A MCCALL’S VIEW B
This versatile dress
CO PATTERN would suit both bold
and subtle prints
WITH EVERY
ISSUE! We used
See page 42 Daisy sponge jersey
for details £5.99 per metre
www.cheapfabrics.co.uk

40
40
 MASTERCLASS
FEELING
STRETCHED
The word jersey is often used
interchangeably for a variety of
knit fabrics, but not all jerseys
are the same. Most have a
4-way stretch, but some only
have a 2-way stretch. Typically,
jerseys are fabric blends, but
some are not. So, with such
variation, how should we
approach sewing with jersey?

For anyone who hasn’t worked

with jersey before, you’ll be
relieved to read that it is not
as difficult to work with as it
may first seem. Whilst there
are many varieties of jersey
(cotton, polyester, interlock
etc), there are some universal
techniques that hold true
across the range. Here are
some top tips for mastering
this versatile type of fabric:

✂ Prewash your jersey – Jersey can be

prone to shrinking when washed, so
make sure to prewash before cutting.
✂ Cut jersey carefully – Jersey is universally
a stretch fabric and can therefore easily
warp out of shape with exuberant cutting.
Lay on a flat surface and try a rotary
cutter for accurate pieces.
✂ Special needles – Using universal needles
can snag and leave holes in your jersey
because the sharp tip pierces through
the fabric. A stretch or ballpoint needle
uses a rounded tip that moves through
the weave of the fabric without piercing
or tearing, helping the fabric return true
when the needle retracts.
✂ Skip the straight stitch – Good seams on
a jersey garment will stretch and move
with the fabric itself. If your machine
doesn’t have a special stretch stitch,
then try using a zigzag stitch.
✂ Easy finishing – Few jerseys fray at the
edges, so whilst you might like the clean
and professional finish that an overlocker
gives you, it is mostly unnecessary to
finish your seams. For that professional-
looking hem, try using a double needle.

41 41
 THE NEW WAY
TO SUBSCRIBE!
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43
 FABRIC
FOCUS 1

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44
45
 Read Patrick and Esme’s interviews
on season 9 over on CraftWorld!
www.craftworld.com

BEHIND THE
SEAMS

The final
COUNTDOWN
We hear from Brogan Sommerville about
life as a season 8 Sewing Bee finalist

46
When did you first start sewing and most nervous about the transformation
why do you love it so much? challenge. I always thought they looked
I started sewing when I was 15 after being really tricky and wasn’t sure if I’d be able
surprised with my first sewing machine for to come up with any ideas.
Christmas. I taught myself from scratch
using YouTube videos and a lot of trial and Can you give a sewing tip for amateur
error, so it certainly wasn’t an easy journey. sewers who have discovered sewing
I absolutely loved being able to create through the Sewing Bee?
outfits that fully reflected my personal style, I’d say take it slow! Start with easy and
so once I got started I never looked back. achievable projects to build up some
core skills, maybe a cute tote bag or
Why did you want to be a Great British cushion cover! Once you’ve mastered
Sewing Bee contestant and which judge the basics, then you can have fun with
did you want to most impress? more adventurous dressmaking. It can
I had always loved watching the show and sometimes feel disheartening when things
had been a huge fan right from the first don’t go to plan or you make mistakes,
series! I never thought I would be good but it’s all part of the learning journey
enough to apply, but after spending a lot and gets you one step closer to being an
more time sewing during lockdown, I experienced seamstress.
thought ‘why not?!’. My husband gave me
the final push to send in my application What is the best way to describe
on the closing date and I’m so glad he did. the relationship between the Bees
I definitely wanted to impress Esme – she during your time on the show?
has such an eye for design We were like a sewing family.
and, of course, is a fellow You spend so much time
bow lover. together, so naturally we
all grew super close. They
Describe your experience
when you first walked
It’s every made my time in the show
so special and I’m grateful to
into the sewing room on sewers dream have met them all.
last year’s Sewing Bee, and
which challenge were you What were your best and
fearing the most? worst moments overall for
I honestly couldn’t believe you during the series? This
the size of the sewing room when I can be during filming or away from the
first walked in – it’s so big! And I was set with the other Bees.
completely taken aback by just how much The best time for me was the quilted
is in the haberdashery. I was definitely jacket pattern challenge in Reduce, Reuse,

47
 struggled to get How did it feel to make the final of the
them finished in Sewing Bee?
time. And aside I never imagined in a million years that I
from the quilted would make it to the final. It is one of my
jacket challenge, proudest moments to date, and I’ll never
I loved the forget it.
transformation
in Sports Have you watched this year’s Sewing
week. I made Bee? If so, what were your favourite
a cheerleader- garments created?
inspired dress and I Yes, I’m definitely watching this year. I
absolutely love how absolutely loved all the crochet outfits
it turned out. It was they made in Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
so fun letting my week. Mia’s matching set was incredible!
Recycle week. I didn’t even win the imagination run wild with the netball kit.
challenge, but I had so much fun sewing Do you feel you have progressed now as
that garment. I completely forgot we If you could go back, would you make a sewer since being on the show?
were even in a competition – it just felt any changes to any of your projects? Definitely! I get to put all that I learned
like I was on a fun sewing course with My origami dress definitely divided on the show into practice at home. I feel
friends and completely got lost in the opinion, both between the judges and like I’ve really refined my personal style
process. The hardest part was probably online too! I wish I had known what and eye for design, and I’m loving being
the judging of the semi-final. I wasn’t the judges were looking for because able to channel this in my makes.
feeling confident at all and was pretty it certainly wasn’t neoprene! I would
sure I would go home. It felt gutting to be redesign that dress if I could. What have you been working on since
so close to the final and not know if I’d The Great British Sewing Bee?
get to sew my final show-stopper for my Would you encourage other amateur I’ve been putting a lot of time into
sister. I’m so glad we all got through. sewers out there go on the series? building my social media and sharing
100%. I learned more during my time lots of sewing inspiration over on my
What was your overall favourite in the show that I had in all my years Instagram the_crafty_pie. I’ve also been
challenge and least liked challenge? of sewing leading up to it. It’s such an working on some very exciting projects
The shoes were definitely my least amazing learning experience and you behind the scenes, so watch this space!
favourite – they were so hard and I really make friends for life.

FREE
Sewing Bee BOOK!
Looking for a free sewing resource with downloadable patterns?
Look no further than this free Sewing Bee book! With a variety of
patterns for all skill levels, this book offers step-by-step instructions
and detailed illustrations to guide you through each project.
Download the included PDF patterns and start sewing today!

Download your free book at www.craftworld.com

48
 ✂ Our own new range
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49
 MACHINE FOCUS

Sing Aloud
We compare two of the best Singer sewing machines on the market!
SINGER 2259 SINGER 9960 QUANTUM
TRADITION STYLIST
£189 £699

This machine truly has it all

The Singer® 9960 Qantum 13 Fully Automatic
Stylist™ sewing machine 1-Step Buttonholes
has everything you need Buttonhole sewing is a simple
and more! Its 600 built-in 1-step process providing
Just learning? Just perfect! stitch patterns, including
five alphanumeric fonts and
reliable results every time. The
sides of the buttonholes are
The Singer 2259 Tradition has of fabric with adjustable stitch 13 fully automatic one-step sewn in the same direction to
the features to make starting a length and zigzag width. buttonholes with exclusive prevent gaps in stitching or
new hobby easy. This sewing buttonhole underplate, fabric distortion.
machine features an automatic 19 Built-In Stitches mirror imaging and stitch
four-step buttonhole, easy Nineteen built-in stitches offer elongation options, give you Extension Table Included
stitch selection and snap- a variety of options for fashion the freedom to customise The included extension table
on presser feet. Thread the sewing, crafts, home décor and your projects. Start up is provides a larger working
machine quickly and easily decorative sewing. a breeze with quick and area, an essential for quilting
– just follow the arrows on the easy threading, automatic or when working with a
machine, and you are threaded 1 Automatic 4-Step Buttonhole stitch length and width, larger project.
in no time at all. 19 basic, Buttonholes made easy! stitch editing capabilities, a
stretch, and decorative built-in start/stop button and direct Large Back-Lit LCD Screen
stitches provide options for Free Arm with button stitch selection. The with Brightness Control
everything from the most basic On-Board Storage Quantum Stylist™ sewing Clear and easy viewing of
garment alterations to more The free arm provides easy machine features a one-touch stitch functions, including
elaborate home décor projects. access to cuffs, collars, trouser automatic thread cutter stitch length, stitch width,
hems and other difficult-to- that automatically trims the tension settings, recommended
Easy Stitch Selection reach areas. The on-board upper and lower thread, presser foot, needle up/down
Simply choose the stitch that’s storage provides easy access leaving your machine ready position and more! Easily
right for your project. to the included accessories. to start the next seam. adjust the screen brightness.

Adjustable Stitch Length Adjustable Tension 600 Built-In Stitches 5 Built-In Alphabets
& Zigzag Width This system ensures stable Fulfil your creative dreams Personalise projects by adding
Keep your seams strong and stitch quality, whatever type with a large selection of a monogram, name or phrase
prevent bunching on any type of fabric you use. stitches, including basic, with the built-in block or script
decorative and stretch style numbers and alphabets,
stitches for clothing both available in upper and
These machines are available from construction, quilting, lower case, stitched at 5mm
www.franknutt.co.uk home décor and crafting. stitch width.

50
51
 We love
STYLE

Corinna
COWL
This is the perfect top to
wear into the office under
a blazer and then straight
out for dinner after work
ABOUT ANNIE
Project ANNIE MOLLISON
Annie Mollison has been sewing and
designing since she was a teenager.
Annie studied Fashion Arts in
Vancouver in the 90s and is inspired
by street style, vintage designs and
unconventional designers. This can
be seen in her playful creations on
her blog, Nine Stitches.
www.sewthispattern.com/blog

52
LAYPLANS
A B

C D

MATERIALS & TOOLS: CUTTING:

• satin, georgette, lightweight For the top, cut:
crêpe, charmeuse or any soft • front bodice/lining
woven fabric with drape (for • back bodice/lining
fabric quantities, see table below)
• for back lining, use the same PREPARATION:
fabric as main fabric or a 1 Layout the pattern
lightweight fabric with drape pieces, pin in place, paying E F
• co-ordinating thread careful attention to grain
• templates downloaded from lines before cutting out.
www.craftworld.com/cms/ If you choose a plaid or a
love-sewing pattern that needs matching,
make sure you allow extra
NOTES: fabric for matching.
If you are lining back in self 2 Transfer all markings,
fabric, ensure you add the lining including notches. When
requirements to the fabric notching, ensure to only
requirements for total meterage. snip 5mm into the seam.
3 Mark an 'X' on the wrong of straight stitching (stitch lining seam allowance to
The pattern includes 1.5cm side of the front self-lining length 2mm) 6mm away from 6mm and the bodice seam
(5/8”) seam allowances unless and back lining pieces to save the raw edge. Stitch in the allowance to 1cm. Clip into
otherwise noted. confusion in later steps. direction from shoulder seam the seam allowance every few
to centre back and shoulder centimetres, clipping as close
For size 24, the front pattern piece HOW TO MAKE: seam to armhole. to the stitching line as you can
might not quite fit on 150cm-wide 1 Stabilise the front and 2 With RST, pin the back without cutting any stitches.
fabric. If you can’t find fabric wider back armholes, front side to the back lining at the 4 Press the seam allowance
than 150cm, shorten the length seams and the back neckline. Stitch. towards the lining and pin the
of front and back to the length of neckline by staystitching. 3 Grade the seam allowances seam allowance in place from
size 22. Staystitch by sewing a line by trimming back the the right side. (See Pic A.)

FINISHED GARMENT MEASUREMENTS (IN CM)

6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Bust 94 96.5 101.5 106.5 111.5 116.5 124 131.5 137.5 146.5
Waist 86 88.5 93.5 98.5 103.5 108.5 115.5 122.5 129.5 138.5

FABRIC REQUIREMENTS (IN M)

6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
135cm 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.7 1.7 N/S N/S N/S N/S N/S
140cm 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.7 1.7 1.7 N/S N/S N/S N/S
150cm 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 2
N/S (Width not suitable)

BACK LINING (IN M)

6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
115-150cm 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 1 1 1 1 1

53
 5 Using a straight stitch, 12 Stitch, trim and notch
understitch by stitching a the seam allowance. Pull
few millimetres away from your burrito through at
and parallel to the seam. the shoulders. Lay your
Press gently. bodice out and repeat the
6 Chalk mark a point 1.5cm same process on the other
in from the point of the V armhole. (See Pic E.) Press
on the shoulder seams and the seam allowance towards
use a ruler to connect from the lining and pin in place.
the notches to the point. 13 Understitch by stitching
Staystitch on the marked a few millimetres away
line before sewing from and parallel to
shoulder seams the seam. Start

Top tip
together. Clip stitching at
to the point your front
without armhole and
cutting Bias-cut seams can stretch stitch as far
through the when sewing together, as possible.
stitching causing a ripple effect. A Repeat on
line. (See narrow zigzag stitch will the back
Pic B.) help eliminate this armhole. Turn
7 With RST, right side out
pin front and and press gently.
back at shoulder 14 Lay out your top
seams (ensure the back with RST, matching side
lining is RST with the front seams of main fabric and
self-lining piece). Pin in lining. Pin in place.
place, matching the back 15 Before stitching and
neck seam at the point of finishing the seam, baste
the V. Ease to fit. and try it on for fit. Using
8 Stitch on the line towards the longest stitch on your
the point of the V and then machine, stitch from the
leave your needle down to hem up to the armhole
pivot and sew the remainder point and then back down
of the seam. Trim seam. to the other hem. Try on.
Press seams towards the Stitch with a regular stitch
back. Fold the back and length. Trim the seam and
self-front lining inside. finish with a zigzag stitch.
9 Lay the bodice out in (See Pic F.)
front of you with right side 16 To prevent the lining from
of the lining facing you. rolling out, secure the lining
Start rolling the fabric (like to the seam at the armhole
a burrito) from one side to point. From the right side
the opposite armhole. Stop of the side seam at the
when you reach the shoulder underarm point, sew exactly
seam of the opposite side. on top of the seam, catching
(See Pic C.) the lining underneath for a
10 Once you reach the couple of centimetres.
shoulder seam, take the 17 On both lining and main
raw edge of the front and body, sew a line of stitching
back armhole which is 6mm away from raw edges
laying on top and wrap of hem. Using the stitching
over your burrito. Then flip line as the guideline, press
it so that it is facing with RST the seam allowance to the
with the other armhole. wrong side of the fabric.
11 The burrito will be Trim away a few millimetres
sandwiched between the of the fabric close to the
layers. With right sides stitching line.
together pin the raw edges 18 Turn 6mm towards
of the armhole together the wrong side again.
matching shoulder points. Stitch close to the fold
(See Pic D.) line and press.

54
 SHOP LOCAL DIRECTORY
CHESHIRE CHORLEY CUMBRIA CUMBRIA

We stock lots of wonderful fabrics for

crafting, dressmaking, soft furnishings,
upholstry JUST SEW
Also a fabulous selection of buttons, Poets Walk, Penrith, Cumbria,
trims, and haberdashery Welcome to DymphnaJane for all CA11 7HJ
Why not pay us a visit? We're at your sewing, knitting, crochet and
3-7 Tatton Road, Sale, M33 7EB Tel: 01768 866791
T: 07540 634351 needlecraft essentials. Excellent and • A real aladdin’s cave of fabric just
E: [email protected] friendly service, quick dispatch or order waiting to be made into something
Facebook: @BlueButtonDesigns online and collect in person. Stockist of 82 Dalton Road, Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria, LA14 1JH gorgeous!
Gutermann, Prym, Knit Pro, Milward,
We stock a wide range of patchwork
Hemline and so much more. Jenny Fazackerley and dress fabrics as well as
www.dymphnajane.co.uk www.jennystitches.co.uk haberdashery, patterns and threads.
@dymphnajanecrafts Instagram @jennystitchesfabrics www.justsewpenrith.co.uk
facebook.com/jennystitchesfabrics

CUMBRIA DORSET DUMFRIES GLASGOW

Stockists of dressmaking, quilting and bag

making fabrics, a wide range haberdashery Large selection of
and independent sewing patterns haberdashery
2 Market Street, Ulverston, Haberdashery and Sewing School
Cumbria, LA12 7AY Fabrics, yarns,
embroidery & 180 Irish Street, Dumfries, DG1 2NJ
07496 506421 tapestry threads, 01387250867 07881361978
https://thelakesfabricstore.co.uk/
Sewing, knitting & crochet patterns. [email protected]
Friendly & sound advice www.romys-sewing.co.uk
32A Southbourne Grove, Southbourne, Shop selling Fabrics, Patterns,
Bournemouth, Dorset, BH6 3RA Haberdashery
01202 428612 Sewing classes/workshops starting soon.
www.haberdasherdo.co.uk

GLOUCESTERSHIRE GLOUCESTERSHIRE HAMPSHIRE HARWICH

• Fine Fabrics
• Haberdashery
Fleur et Ours
8, Kingsway, Harwich, CO12 3AG
• Machines
Open Fridays 9am-5pm | Saturdays 9am-1pm |
• Workshops
By Appointment
Silks & Velvet • Quilting
• Dressmaking
• Crafting
Natural, printed & dyed
(over 80 colours) Phone:
Small quantities at wholesale Fabric, Wools and Haberdashery 01730 858020
Buttons, Ribbons and Patterns Web:
prices (min. 1/2m) sewcreative.org.uk
Weekly Make Space Group Book our Workshops & Sewcials online
www.beckfordsilk.co.uk 39 Parsonage Street Follow us on: Shop at www.fleuretours.com
01386 881 507 Dursley, Glos, GL11 5RG worldwide shipping
Email: [email protected]
Nr. Tewkesbury, Glos. GL20 7AU www.inchesfabrics.co.uk Sew Creative 20-22 Lavant Street, IG: @fleur.et.ours FB: fleuretours
Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3EW

HERTFORDSHIRE KENT KENT KENT

For all your Quilting &
Dressmaking Needs. Fabrics,
BUTTONS AND BOWS Haberdashery, Knitting,
PLUS FABRIC Crocheting and more.
Workshop Room
You will find a great range
of fabrics and an extensive selection Our air condition workshop room is available
of haberdashery and trim, for hire for £12 per hour.
you won’t be disappointed.
Craft Sessions now available on Wednesday
A little haven for crafters, friendly family and Thursdays.
Sewing and craft classes available run craft shop by the sea. Come to us for
too in our ‘Making It - Not Wasting It!’ all your fabric, and yarn supplies
workshop. Shop Opening Hours Monday to Saturday
9am to 4pm
Shop 2, 49 The Strand Walmer,
Stevenage Indoor Market, Hertfordshire, Deal, CT14 7DX
SG1 1EP www.littleshopoffabrics.co.uk
Tel: 01304 274740 New Barn, Smarden Road, Smarden, Kent,
Email: [email protected] TN27 8QJ
07396 499 085
Facebook: Buttons and Bows plus Fabric T. 01233 770389
Mon to Sat 9am - 5.30pm E. [email protected]
www.beecraftybeehappy.co.uk

55
 SHOP LOCAL DIRECTORY
LINCOLNSHIRE MANCHESTER MANCHESTER NORFOLK

Fabric is a gift you buy for yourself! High

quality branded cottons and jersey prints
delivered in giftwrap presentation

63 Holland Street, Denton, Manchester

Haberdashery | Fabric | Yarn | Alterations M34 3GE
www.HeyHoLetsSew.co.uk Call the number below to visit or
33 Church Street, Atherton, you can purchase on our website at
Manchester M46 9DE www.mimiandbee.co.uk
Facebook @HeyHoLetsSewUK Tel No: 07551 041906
Instagram @heyholetssew

NORTHAMPTON NORTHUMBERLAND SCARBOROUGH SHEFFIELD

An independent, family-run sewing store in Sheffield.

A Haven for All Things Sewing Under One Roof We stock a wide range of fabrics, including Craft Cotton
Classes & Workshops Company, Kaffe Fassett and Tula Pink, as well as a good
range of reasonable priced budget cottons.
Quality Dress Fabrics & Haberdashery
Indie Patterns – Sewing Books We also offer classes in a variety of crafts, from patchwork
to dressmaking, ceramics to needle felting.

1a Arundel Road,
Husqvarna Viking Sewing Machines, Sheffield,
Overlockers & Coverlock machines.
Adjustoform Dressmaking Models S35 2RB
Craft Lights – Sewing Baskets & more 0114 245 5996
handmadehappyhare@
yahoo.co.uk
21 Gladstone Road, Scarborough, YO12 7BQ
01723 377289 www.handmadehappyhare.com
[email protected]

SOUTH WALES ST AUSTELL STORRINGTON

J & B Sewing Machine Co Ltd

1 Biddicks Court,
St Austell, PL25 5EW
Tel: 01726 75385
* Workshops & Classes * Coffee mornings * Brother, Bernina, Janome, Baby Lock, Elna, Email: sewandfabric@yahoo.
Bernette sewing machines * Training Courses * Fabrics * Grace Quilting Machines & Frames *
co.uk
Curlew Close Gripoly Mills
Queensway Meadows
Newport NP19 4SY
01633 284646
www.jbsewing.com Sloper Road
Cardiff CF11 8AA
02922 402418
Find us on Facebook

SUFFOLK WILTSHIRE WORCESTERSHIRE YORKSHIRE

We have patchwork and dressmaking

fully covered! Even the lessons! In
18 High Street our stunning little shop, set over 2
Upton upon Severn floors. We have over 160 LIBERTY
Worcs quilting bolts, a great range of natural
WR8 0HB dressmaking fabrics and 15 sewing kits
all make in house
Mob: 07989 407748
www.sewingdays.co.uk
[email protected]
67, Church Street, Keighley BD21 5HT
www.upton-stitchery.com 01535 603977 07927071537
[email protected]

56
 SHOP LOCAL DIRECTORY
SWANSEA ABERDEENSHIRE BURTON UPON TRENT CUMBRIA

Debby's Patch Haberdashery

With Online shop

A must visit for all sewing enthusiasts, new
starters and professionals
Stockists of Simplicity, Prym, Clover,
Hemline, Trimits, Mettler, Quilt as you go,
Tilda, Bonfanti, Mouline, Mrs H, a wide
range of fabrics.
open Tuesday – Saturday 10 - 4
Plenty of parking, Cafe and other shops in
the courtyard
Unit 5, Craythorne farm, Craythorne road,
Stretton, Burton upon Trent, DE13 0AZ
07917728701
www.debbyspatch.co.uk

BRISTOL NORTH YORKSHIRE WORCESTERSHIRE CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Haberdashery & Handmade

Large range of fabrics & yarn

Visit us in store or online Haberdashery including
to see our range of Dress Fabrics, buttons & ribbons
Patchwork Fabrics from Makower, Moda, We have a wide selection of fabrics to
Riley Blake and many more, plus knitting offer for all your sewing needs, whether Workshops and weekly
yarn and haberdashery. its dressmaking, quilting or craft come social groups
along and visit our friendly shop. Sewing Machine servicing
19 Badminton Road
Downend Nellies Fabric Shop & repairs
Bristol BS16 6BB Charlotte Offices 16 St Benedicts Court, Huntingdon, PE29 3PN
Tel. 0117 329 3857 Pershore, Worcestershire 69 High Street , Sutton, Ely, CB6 2NL
www.fabrics-plus.co.uk WR10 1BY
Tel 01386 244554 www.patcheshaberdashery.co.uk
[email protected]
www.nellies.store Find us on Facebook too: Patches Haberdashery

DORSET CAMBRIDGE DEVON GREATER MANCHESTER

11-12 George Arcade, South Molton,

Devon,
An independent family run shop EX36 3AB, 01769 574071
An Aladin’s Cave stocking a wide range Patchwork and quilting supplies.
of natural and synthetic yarn suitable for Classes and workshops.
every pocket. Inc WYS, Woolcraft,Wendy, Open 9am - 5pm Monday to
Stylecraft, King Cole, Bretts, Katia Rico & Saturday
Malibrego. Plus pattens & Accessories www.stepbystep-quilts.co.uk

HALIFAX SCOTLAND LEICESTER SCOTLAND

A friendly fabric shop,
based in Inverness and
online, our aim is to help
you match beautiful fabrics
with independent dress-
making patterns, find the
right haberdashery for your
The Fabbadashery
Fabulous Fabrics, Beautiful
Buttons and Truly Scrumptious
project and increase your
sewing confidence with our
kits and classes.
A litTle hub of hapPinesS
100% cotton fabrics including Rose & Hubble,
Trimmings. Lewis & Irene, Dashwood Studio, Sevenberry, To advertise please
Craft Workshops Every Week! The Wee Tilda and many more.
We also have a large range of haberdashery,
contact Noune on
Fabric Shop
[email protected] 21 Tomatin Road,
craft & wool supplies. noune.sarkissian
www.thefabbadashery.com Inverness [email protected] @practicalpublishing.co.uk
01422 647574 IV2 4UA 0116 2869072
(01463) 263 007 1 Townsend Road, Enderby, Leicester. LE19
10-12 Clare Road, Halifax, HX1 2HX www.thewee 4PG
fabricshop.co.uk
www.habbyhub.co.uk

57
 BEHIND THE
SEAMS

Find out more at

www.dragonflyfabrics.co.uk

Diary of a
DRAGONFLY We hear from Dorte from
Dragonfly Fabrics about her
experiences in the world of sewing

58
 Inside Dragonfly Fabrics Meet the team

Thank you so much for taking the What inspired you to establish your
time to answer a few questions for own company, Dragonfly Fabrics?
Love Sewing. Firstly, could you please When I started teaching sewing classes
introduce yourself to our readers? in my workshop 10 years ago, I thought
We are a family-run fabric online it would be a good idea to have fabrics to
shop. I started teaching sewing classes hand for people to start sewing straight
in my garden studio when our children away in their first lesson, so we started
were little and then I set up Dragonfly stocking some quality fabrics from
Fabrics with my husband Simon. Germany, which everyone loved. We
We focus on offering natural and expanded our range and set up as an
eco-friendly dressmaking fabrics, including online shop specialising in dressmaking
linen, organic cotton and bamboo. We also fabrics, at that time there were very few
sell indie sewing patterns. good online fabric shops.
V9255 using blue
cotton chambray
Did you always want to go into What are you most proud of
design as a profession? achieving at/with the company
Fabrics and sewing have always been over your time there?
my passion since I was young, so after Launching our own fabric and small
my dressmaking apprenticeship I went pattern range as well as successfully
to college to study fashion design and running Dragonfly Fabrics for over
pattern cutting. 10 years, seeing it grow and learning
so much about all the aspects of M8104 using
red petals viscose
How did you come to work for running a business and having fun
Vivienne Westwood? at the same time!
After finishing my fashion studies
in Hamburg, I really wanted to work Do you have a favourite collection What would you say are the biggest
in London and applied to work at of fabrics? If so, what type of challenges when it comes to designing?
Vivienne Westwood as a work placement patterns would you apply them to? The amount of time and detail which
and was then offered a job there. She Our Linen range is one of our favourites, goes into developing your own fabric
was a lovely lady to work for, and from as the quality is great. These, as well range and sewing patterns is far more
there I also started freelancing for other as our own brand-new range of cotton than we realised! Though it is so
London designers. lawn fabrics, which are inspired by the rewarding once they are in print.
beautiful Sussex countryside where we
work and live. They are co-designed with Is there anything that has you
local fabric designer Eleanor Ross and particularly excited about your
also printed in the UK. planned future releases?
Continuing to provide quality
In what ways do you feel like your dressmaking fabrics and expanding
style has evolved? our own Dragonfly Fabrics range
We have always liked natural fabrics and and hopefully inspiring people to
have increased our range of sustainable sew and make their own clothes.
fabrics over the years.

59
 We love
BAGS

Floral Bloom
ABOUT DEBBIE
Debbie von Grabler-Crozier
BUCKET
POUCH
designs modern homeware
and bag patterns. Discover
more about Debbie at
www.thefolkartfactory.com
and on Instagram craftyvamp
Shop a wide range of modern
bag patterns at This floral bucket pouch is the perfect hold-all for
www.thefolkart all your summer adventures
factory.etsy.com
Project DEBBIE VON GRABLER-CROZIER

60
 A B C

MATERIALS & TOOLS:

• 50cm floral fabric for the exterior
• 50cm co-ordinating fabric
for the lining
• 50cm H630 thin fusible
fleece (Vlieseline)
• 50cm Style-vil foam
interfacing (Vlieseline)
• Fat Eighth G740 fusible
interfacing (Vlieseline) D E F
• 6½” zip
• 17” zip
• 3x8” piece of leather/
vegan leather
• clear-drying glue suitable
for fabric
• templates downloaded from
www.craftworld.com
/cms/love-sewing

NOTES:
Seam allowances are all ¼” and the front panel, right sides
have already been added. together and line the centre
creases up. The pocket lining
CUTTING: will be 1½” down from the
From the exterior fabric, cut: top edge of the panel. Pin.
• 2 exterior panels (template I) 3 Working on the wrong
• base panel (template II) side of the pocket lining,
• 4 (12 ½x 4”) the slip pockets measure down 1” and mark a
From the lining fabric, cut: horizontal box 6½x3/8” deep
• 2 front and back lining panels for the sewing line. Mark
(template I) another line, also horizontal,
• base lining (template II) down the middle of the box
• (8x11¾”) front zipper box with two angles at either end.
pocket lining This will be the cutting line.
From the leather, cut: (See Pic A.)
• (1½x3”) main zipper end tab 4 Sew around the sewing line
• 2 (¼x8”) zipper pull decorations and cut along the cutting line
From the H630 interfacing, cut: (including the angles) and
• 2 exterior panel interfacing ‘post’ the lining through the
(template I) aperture that you have made.
• base exterior interfacing Smooth out and press the
(template II) pocket. Topstitch the zipper
From the G740 interfacing, cut: into the aperture. (See Pic B.)
• 2 (12½x4) slip pocket interfacing 5 Working on the back,
bring the other short end
PREPARATION: of the pocket lining up to
1 Interface all exterior panels meet the first and sew the
(including the base) with top and sides of the lining
H630, fusing the interfacing to to complete the pocket. Lay
the wrong side of the fabric. the front and back exterior
2 Make the exterior zipper panels onto a slightly larger
box pocket using one of the piece of foam interfacing,
interfaced panels, the zipper attach with a narrow basting
box pocket lining and the seam and trim the foam back
smaller zipper. Fold the front to the seam allowance.
panel and the pocket lining in 6 Prepare the long zipper
half and crease or mark to find next. If there’s a stopper, sew
the centre. Place one short the end and cut the stopper
end of the pocket lining onto off. Fold the tab in half width

61
 Shopping list
Abundant Meadow, Path
to Discovery collection
Tangerine, Floral Elements
collection. Find a stockist at
www.artgalleryfabrics.com

wise and glue it onto the end 10 Decide how many pocket make a mark on both sides. sew past so that it emerges
of the zipper. Clip it until dry. divisions you need and sew 4 To begin with, open the zip from the lining and outer.
Then, on the opening end of a seam from the bottom all the way to the stopper. The 8 Still with the zip fully open,
the zip, fold the ends up and of the pocket to the top, bag exterior should be the push the lining down inside
to the side. (See Pic C.) backstitching to reinforce the right way out. Lay the zipper the bag (the zipper teeth will
7 Attach the interfaced base seam. Repeat for the pocket opening end onto one of the poke up at this point). Pin in
outer to a piece of foam on the other piece of lining. left-hand side marks and pin. place. Topstitch around the
interfacing with a narrow 5 Baste the zip on sewing top edge, lifting the zipper
machine basting seam and HOW TO MAKE: from the end to the tail to sew under it.
trim the interfacing back to 1 With the right sides facing, mark on the zip, (See Pic E.)

Top tip!
the seam allowance. With sew the two exterior panels backstitching 9 To finish,
the wrong sides together, on the sides. Do the same at the turn the
attach the base lining to the for the lining, making sure beginning pouch inside
interfaced outer and neaten. that the slip pockets are and end. out and turn
When sewing thick layers,
8 Interface two of the pocket aligned beautifully and put Repeat the bottom
consider changing the
panels. Place an interfaced the lining aside. for the raw edge
needle for a thicker one
exterior, right sides together 2 Attach the base next. The other side. of the lining
with an un-interfaced piece base panel is already lined 6 Bring the
and increase your stitch over to the
of lining and sew the top and the idea is to pin or clip lining in and,
length just slightly wrong side by
and bottom seam only. it to the outer, right sides with the right about ½”. Hand
9 Turn the pocket out through together and sew it on. Notch sides facing, pull the sew the turned
one of the side gaps and press the corner curves on the lining onto the outer. This lining edge to the base.
so that the top and bottom base and turn the pouch the will be a bit of a firm fit. It (See Pic F.)
edges are perfect. Topstitch right way out to check that has to be if the lining is going 10 When the lining is sewn
narrowly (1/8”) along the top everything looks good. to be smooth when it is in. down, turn the pouch
edge. Site the pocket onto 3 To put the main zipper in, 7 Sew right around the top the right way out, gently
the lining 3” down from the mark ¾” from each side seam, edge of the pouch and when manipulate the edges so that
top edge and pin. Topstitch on each side. (See Pic D.) On you get to the part where the they are in the right place and
narrowly along the bottom the zipper, measure 10” along zipper tail hangs down, very decorate the zipper pulls with
edge and baste the sides. from the opening end and gently pull on the zip as you a piece of leather.

62
 FABRIC
FOCUS
V8766 misses' petite dress,
sizes 6-20, £17.50 1
www.sewdirect.com

LOVELY
IN LACE
Elevate your evening wardrobe with our pick
5

of lace, available now at Cheap Fabrics

Fabric shopping 6
1 Black & Gold fine-cord lace, £7.99 per metre
2 Maroon crystal lace, £2.99 per metre
3 Purple Scalloped-edge guipure lace, £29.99 per metre
4 Cream & Gold Beach Swirl abstract lace, £4.99 per metre
5 Magenta Sequin guipure lace, £9.99 per metre
6 Royal Blue & Cerise Rainbow lace, £3.49 per metre

ALL FABRIC AVAILABLE FROM WWW.CHEAPFABRICS.CO.UK

63
 To advertise please
contact Noune on
noune.sarkissian
@practicalpublishing.co.uk

64
 Dressmaker's
DILEMMAS
Up your sleeve game and try something
With Elisalex a little different with the help of Elisalex’s
creative hacks

H
ere are four simple yet exciting
sleeve hacks you can try today!
All you really need is a basic
sleeve pattern and some sticky tape,
paper, scissors and a tape measure.

FLUTTER SLEEVE
Creating a flutter sleeve from a basic
sleeve pattern is the ideal first sleeve
hack project, as it perfectly and simply
illustrates the ‘slash and spread’ method
we use to manipulate patterns – whether
it be for aesthetic or fit reasons. ‘Slash
and spread’ means we’re going to slash
the pattern piece at key points (ie chop
it up) and spread it out (or in) in order
to change the shape or fit.

1 Take your traced sleeve pattern and

draw a horizontal line where you want the
sleeve hem to be. Flutter sleeves usually
fall just above the elbow but can certainly
be longer, depending on the width of

TOP TIPS
✔ Start with a basic sleeve pattern
that already fits you well at the
armhole and bicep with no
gathering at the sleeve head or
additional design details.
✔ Keep the original pattern intact
and always trace it off before
you start a new sleeve.
✔ If this is your first foray into pattern
alteration, work your way through
these different hacks from the
beginning, as some of the skills
and techniques build upon the
previous tutorials. McCall’s 8083

65
 A

B C D

Flutter sleeve

E F G H

Puff sleeve

your fabric. Cut along this line to remove PUFF SLEEVE

unwanted sleeve length. (See Pic A.) Next, we come to the puff sleeve that, in
2 Now it's time to prep the sleeve ready essence, follows the same rules as the
for slashing and spreading! Mark out the flutter sleeve, only the other way around.
stitching line at the sleeve head. Draw Instead of creating volume through to
five vertical lines evenly spaced across the hem of the sleeve without changing
the width of the sleeve. (See pics B & C.) the length of the sleeve head, for the puff
3 At the point where each vertical line sleeve we’re going to open up the sleeve
meets the stitching line, draw a little head, creating extra length and height
circle to indicate a ‘hinge’. while keeping the sleeve hem as it was.
4 Starting from the bottom, cut up the
vertical lines, stopping just 2mm away 1 Like the flutter sleeve, start with your
from the stitching line and hinges. Next, sleeve pattern tracing, with the excess
spin the sleeve 180° and snip carefully length chopped off horizontally (I would
along what’s left of the vertical lines into opt for a short, mid-bicep length; you
the seam allowance, stopping at the can always add more length later if you
hinge. You can now fan out the sleeve wish), but with three vertical slash lines
while keeping the length of the sleeve marked out – one down the centre and
head intact and pattern piece flat. If you one either side. (See Pic E.) We’re adding
were to cut the lines up to the stitching the volume right at the top of the sleeve
line but not snip into the seam allowance, head, so we don’t want to create extra
when you fan out the sleeve, the seam space as the sleeve curves down towards
allowance would go wavy and not sit flat. the underarm seam. There is
If you were to cut all the way through the no need to mark out the stitching line
stitching line and hinge at the very edge at the sleeve head.
of the sleeve head, you would lengthen 2 Starting at the sleeve head, slash down
the stitching line of the sleeve head, thus the vertical lines, stopping just shy of the
making it too big for the armhole it is hem. This will be your hinge that keeps
destined to be set into. (See Pic C.) the width of the sleeve at the hem intact.
5 Slip a piece of paper underneath your 3 Fan out the sleeve head evenly,
sleeve pattern. Fanning the sleeve out and when you’re happy, slip paper
evenly, determine how much volume underneath and tape it down. Start
you want and tape each segment down. with 1-2” at each opening and check
6 Draw a smooth curve along the hem what you prefer. (See Pic F.)
to join all segments together, and true 4 Now we need some extra height if
New Look 6681 out (redraw and smooth out) the curve it’s going to be a proper puff! Draw a
of the sleeve head. (See Pic D.) horizontal line across the top of the

66
I J
Bell sleeve

K L M

Bishop sleeve

sleeve head, cut across and shift the 1 Like the flutter sleeve, start with your
top bit up by 2”. The puff starts at the sleeve pattern tracing, sleeve head
shoulder, goes up and then comes stitching line marked out and the same
back down, so you’ll need more length five vertical slash lines. (See Pic H.)
here than you would think in order to 2 Choose whether you would like for
get a decent lift-off! When you’re your sleeve head to be flat – without
happy, slip paper underneath and any height or gathers – or if you would
tape the top section down. like a little puff going on as well as the
5 Finish by trueing out the curve of volume through the length of the sleeve.
the sleeve head and draw a straight For this example, I’m going to show you
horizontal line across the sleeve hem. how to create volume and puff.
(See Pic G.) 3 Slash all the way through the three
Butterick 6486
central lines, no hinges needed. For
EASY BISHOP SLEEVE the two outer lines, slash up and leave
One of my favourites, the bishop hinges at the stitching line, as with the seam. Use this measurement to draft
sleeve, is a surprisingly straightforward flutter sleeve. (See Pic I.) a circle (or half circle, or quarter circle,
follow-on from the flutter sleeve and 4 Combining the flutter and puff sleeves depending on how much volume you
can be tweaked to suit you. steps, fan the length of the sleeve out want) that will become the bell part of
to create volume through the length of your sleeve. Use our circle skirt calculator
the sleeve, as well as extra length and at www.byhandlondon.com and follow
height in the sleeve head for that bonus the instructions and diagram to help you.
gathered puff. Don’t worry about seam allowances, the
5 Slip paper underneath and, when you calculator factors in 5⁄8” at the ‘waistline’
have everything spaced evenly and to (where your bell will join to the sleeve)
your liking, go ahead and tape it down. and ‘side seam’ (the underarm seam(s) of
True out the sleeve head and hem. your bell. (See pics K-M.)
6 For the easiest no-fuss finish, you
can sew the sleeve so that it has an
elasticated cuff. (See Pic J.)

BELL SLEEVE ABOUT

1 The beauty of the bell sleeve is its clean
seams and floaty fabrics. Start with your ELISALEX
sleeve pattern tracing and chop off the
length just above mid-bicep height (you Elisalex is the head of design and
can play with this length if you want!). co-founder of By Hand London,
Add seam allowance here – the bell will an independent pattern company.
be a separate pattern piece that will be It produces gorgeously designed,
seamed to this line. high-quality patterns that are available
2 Measure the width of the sleeve where as PDF downloads through the site
New Look 6471 you cut across it, subtracting seam www.byhandlondon.com
allowance at each side of the underarm

67
 Show us your
MAKES Take a look at some of our
readers' fabulous makes!

tches
goldandsilversti
issue 108

lle
sew_fearlessly_miche
issue 89

thefabricsquirre sophie.sewan
l
issue 111 dsow
issue 105

misslisagh
issue 100

Tag us in your Love Sewing makes on Instagram or send them by

email to [email protected] for your chance to be featured here

68
 An independent, family-run sewing store
in Sheffield.

We stock a wide range of fabrics,

including Craft Cotton Company, Kaffe
Fassett and Tula Pink, as well as a good
range of reasonable priced budget
cottons.

We also offer classes in a variety of crafts,

from patchwork to dressmaking, ceramics
to needle felting.
1a Arundel Road, Sheffield, S35 2RB
0114 245 5996
[email protected]

www.handmadehappyhare.com

A wide range of quality dressmaking

fabrics, patterns and haberdashery for
your handmade wardrobe.

Providing a friendly personal service

at affordable prices, with fully
recyclable packing.
jennystitchesfabrics

Shop online at www.jennystitches.co.uk

or visit in the shop in Cumbria.
82 Dalton Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 1JH

69
 MASTERCLASS
IN STITCHES
Become a pro at using
staystitching and understitching
in your projects to control your
fabric and guarantee a polished
finish every time

Top tip!
Use these tips to prevent the
front edges of your wrap dress
from stretching and stop the
neckline facing rolling
to the front

This feature is sponsored by

70
 Staystitching and understitching are key skills for
Why not
DEFINITIONS
achieving a professional, shop-bought look

USING THESE STITCHES

TRY?
Staystitching is a row of stitching 1 Imagine you are sewing a bodice
along or just inside the seam line that neckline. You will just have sewn the
stops those edges stretching during shoulder seams.
the making process. 2 Staystitch the neckline – using a
regular stitch on your sewing machine,
Understitching is a row of stitches very sew a line of stitches on the seam
close to the seam line that sews the line (usually 1.5cm) along the curved
seam allowance to the facing and stops neckline edge. There is no need to
it rolling to the outside of the garment. reverse-stitch. If you prefer, stitch slightly
The stitching can only be seen on the inside the seam line, 1.3cm, to further
Bloomalicious super-deluxe
wrong side of the garment. guarantee the staystitching doesn't show
satin, £7.99 per metre
on the right side of the finished garment.
www.cheapfabrics.co.uk
TOP TIPS 3 Attach interfacing to the assembled
Staystitching is helpful on areas cut on a facing and neaten the outer raw edge
curve or on the bias of the fabric, aka a with a zigzag stitch or on an overlocker.
45°. Here the fabric becomes naturally 4 With RST, sew the facing to the bodice
more stretchy and may pull out of shape, at the neckline.
distorting your garment and meaning the 5 Trim the seam and notch the curves.
fabric is a different length when you try 6 Press the seam allowance towards the
to match it to another pattern piece. Try facing and pin in place if you need to.
to staystitch as soon as possible in the 7 Now you will understitch the seam.
process before you have overly handled Open out the neckline so the facing sits
your pattern pieces. to the right of your presser foot.
8 From the right side, sew a few Liberty London Floral tana
Understitching is best performed after millimetres to the right of the seam line, lawn, £24.99 per metre
you have added your facings. It may not ensuring your stitching goes through all www.minervacrafts.com
be referenced in the pattern instructions, the layers underneath.
so remind yourself as you sew. 9 Use the guides on your presser foot to
help keep the stitches even, and move
Trim and notch the seam allowance as your needle position if that helps.
you need, then press the seam allowance 10 Press the facing to the inside of
towards the facing rather than open. your garment and admire your
To get a straight, even understitch, try professional finish.
moving your needle position on your
sewing machine, allowing you to line MOVING THE NEEDLE
your seam up with one of the guides If your machine has a zigzag stitch,
on your presser foot. there is a good chance you’ll be able Isla Sunseeker viscose challis,
to change your needle position as, to £10.95 per metre
COMMON PROBLEMS sew a zigzag stitch, the needle has to
www.croftmill.co.uk
With staystitching, stitches can show swing from left to right. Check your
through on the right side of the garment manual. Some machines have set
stitches that will position the needle
if seam allowances are not strictly
to the centre, left or right.
adhered to.
On a scrap of fabric, sew a straight
When understitching, it’s important line with a 1.5cm seam allowance using
to keep the stitching straight, while the different needle positions and note
staying close to the edge. Avoid where the needle is positioned. The
stretching the fabric through the centre position will give you a precise
machine, instead guiding gently. 1.5cm seam allowance. The right
position will sew a slightly narrower
Iris Garden Damson fine
You may not be able to understitch seam allowance (useful for staystitching
cotton lawn, £15.99 per metre
close to the angles so stitch as far as and understitching) and a left position
is handy for topstitching your garment. www.dragonflyfabrics.co.uk
you can, and restart the stitching after
the angle. This is often referred to as
‘understitch as far as possible’.

71
 MACHINE FOCUS

Sew new!
We take a look at two fabulous Janome sewing machines this month

SEWIST 740DC JANOME

USUAL PRICE: £629
CONTINENTAL M17
USUAL PRICE: £13,999
The incredible award-winning Continental M17 combines the
best features from our most decorated machines to create the
most expansive sewing machine on the market. The amazing
M17 Is the sewing industry’s newest benchmark in sewing.
Featuring an incredible plethora of features, including a
massive 850 stitches and an industry first – two touch screens!

High-definition Embroidery
Embroidery will never be the same with 1,230 built-in
embroidery designs, including designer collections, ten
embroidery fonts and in-the-hoop projects that will
keep you engaged and creative for hours. This is all
included, as well as an extra-large embroidery area
(largest hoop size 280 x 460mm), giving you ample
space to finish your projects.
This Janome Sewist 740DC computerised sewing machine
has a wide range of practical features to cope with general High-definition Quilting
sewing tasks. It has an auto one-step buttonhole with three Introducing A.S.R. (Accurate Stitch Regulator), a
styles and a wide range of 40 built-in stitches, 20 of which Janome first! Our new stitch regulation system comes
can be chosen by the quick direct selection keys. Simply use standard with the CM17 and has four feet, including
the arrow keys below the LCD to access the 20 stitches which a ruler work foot! AcuFeed Flex, renowned for its
aren’t directly selectable. legendary precision and power, plus our professional
grade needle plate are also both included in the
The drop feed facility is for freehand embroidery and quilting, M17 as well as an ample working area and
whilst the automatic needle threader takes the strain out of ergonomic design.
threading the needle.
High-definition Sewing
The Janome 740DC is a machine suitable for beginners to Sew with ease as the
experienced sewers because of its versatility, allowing you to M17 includes many
cope with a variety of sewing projects, such as patchwork, great features for
quilting, soft furnishing, alterations and home furnishings. high-definition sewing
There are plenty of features for the machine, ensuring you including a convenient
a smooth, trouble-free experience. thumb wheel, an amazing 850
stitches, 91 needle positions
General Features and different zigzag options,
✂ 40 stitches with auto one-step buttonhole, three styles plus much more!
✂ 20 direct pattern selection keys
✂ 7mm stitch width
✂ 5mm stitch length For the
✂ 4mm length triple straight stitch ultimate
✂ Built-in stitch reference charts
✂ Easy set bobbin
treat…
✂ LED light
✂ Hard cover

To find out more, head to www.janome.co.uk

72
83
We love
STYLE

The Skater
DRESS
A classic full-skirted dress with
an elegant V-shaped back
and mid-length sleeves
Project CLAIRE GARSIDE, Sewn by LIZ OWEN
Simple Sew Patterns

74
 A B C D

E F G

MATERIALS & TOOLS: H I J

• cotton, satin, Tana lawn,
crêpe-backed satin,
tweed, wool
• 0.75m iron-on
medium-weight interfacing
• 16” concealed zip
• templates downloaded from
www.craftworld.com/cms/
love-sewing
HOW TO MAKE: 2 Sew in darts and press 5 Clip notches into the inside
NOTES: 1 RST, pin and then stitch the side darts down and waist edge of the neckline facing
Finished garment front and back facing at the darts towards centre down to stitch line. RST pin
measurements include ease shoulders. Press seam open. front. Tie the ends of the facing to dress neckline and
(See Pic A.) dart threads rather than stitch in place. Notch the
LAYPLAN: backstitch – this prevents neckline facing. Turn back to
4 bulking. (See Pic B.) the inside of the dress. Press
3 Join the front and back flat. (See Pic E.)
2
5

7 1
neck-facing bodices RST 6 Sew a running stitch on
at shoulders. Press seams the sleeve curve and gather
FOLD

3
6
open. (See Pic C.) the sleeve head so it will fit
4 Facings opened out. the curve of the armhole.
(See Pic D.) Stitch the sleeve to the
FABRIC armhole curve of the bodice
REQUIREMENTS: SIZING: RST. Repeat for other side.
SIZE 60" WIDE SIZE BUST WAIST HIPS
(See Pic F.)
7 RST, join the front rise of
8 2.4m 8 33” 26" 36"
the trousers and then the
10 2.4m 10 35” 28” 38” back rise. (See Pic G.)
12 2.4m 12 37” 30” 40” 8 Pin one side of the zip in
14 2.4m 14 39” 32” 42” place RST with back bodice.
Pin in place, then hand tack
16 2.4m 16 41” 34” 44”
to secure. Remove pins.
18 2.4m 18 43” 36” 46 Change machine foot to

75
 K

a zipper foot and stitch

as close as possible to
the zip teeth. Stitch as far
down as you can. Repeat
on the other side, making
sure that seams align when
the zip is closed. (See Pic H.)
9 Turn the dress inside out
and, from the last stitch you
made, continue to stitch
all the way down the back
seam. (See Pic I.)
10 Turn the dress over the
right way out and flip over
the back-neck facing so it
is lying over the top of the
zipper tape. Stitch down
the side of each zipper tape.
Trim the top corners. Turn
facings through so they are
back on the inside of the
dress. Iron flat. (See Pic J.)
11 Now all you need to do
is hem the skirt. Turn up
0.5cm, iron flat and stitch
Shopping list
Heavy Ponte Roma Double Stretch,
close to the edge. Repeat £21.99 per metre www.minerva.com
and iron flat. (See Pic K).

76
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 ASK THE
EXPERTS

The long
and short
of it
Alison Smith MBE shares
her advice on how to
lengthen and shorten
waist measurements

ABOUT
ALISON SMITH MBE

Awarded an MBE for her services to

dressmaking, Alison is an industry
expert in classic couture and a
published author. Alison has her own
shop and line of patterns, and you
can also learn with her at one of her
exclusive workshops. Find
out more on her website
www.schoolofsewing.co.uk

78
 A B

O
n all top or dress
dressmaking patterns, it’s
important that the waist on
the pattern corresponds to your
waist. Why? If your dress has a
waist seam, then this needs to sit
where your waist is. If the garment
is not waisted, then it may have
darts to shape the waist and on a
princess line pattern, there is also
shaping within the seam lines to
give waist definition.
C D
To establish if the waist is falling in the
correct place for you, you will need to
make a toile (a mock-up) of the garment.
This is a process I would encourage you
to do for any new pattern you are going
to make, as not only can you make sure
the waist is falling in the correct place,
but you can also discover any other fitting
issues and establish whether or not you
actually like the garment on you.
E F
Before you cut out any pattern, it is
essential to cross-check your body
measurements against those of the
pattern. To establish your waist position,
you need to check your back waist
measurement. To take this measurement,
tie a piece of elastic around your waist so
that it is snug and doesn’t move around.
Now measure from the knobbly bone at
the top of your spine, down your spine
to the lower edge of the elastic. You will
need a fitting friend for this! of the paper pattern. Draw a line parallel G
to the lengthening and shortening lines,
This measurement needs to correspond to the distance between the line being
the back waist measurement on the paper the amount that needs to be taken out.
pattern. Remember your pattern has a (See Pic B.) Fold the lengthening and
seam allowance at the neck edge, so mark shortening lines onto the pencil line
this onto the pattern. The pattern may and tape to secure. (See Pic C.) Repeat
also sit lower at the back neck, so when on all pattern pieces.
measuring you need to take both these
factors into account. Measure to the waist TO LENGTHEN
marking on the pattern. Is this the same However, if you are long-waisted, then you
measurement as your back waist? If not, will need to slash your pattern along the
then you need to adjust the pattern. There lengthening and shortening lines and Use a ruler or a French curve to join the
should be horizontal lines on the pattern insert paper. (See Pic D.) edges together and cut. (See Pic G.)
to indicate where to make lengthening
and shortening adjustments. There are, On a piece of pattern paper, draw two Repeat as necessary to all remaining
however, a few designs that do not feature parallel lines, the distance between them pattern pieces. Remember this alteration
this quite often due to a complex pattern being the amount you need to lengthen may affect front facings. I hope you enjoy
cut, and these are more difficult to adjust. by. If you make one long strip, you can use putting you new-found skills to the test!
(See Pic A.) this for all the pattern pieces that require
lengthening. Tape one half of the pattern
TO SHORTEN to the strip. (See Pic E.) Draw the straight
If you are short-waisted, your back waist
measurement will be shorter than the
pattern and you'll need to fold out some
grain line across the lengthening strip as a
reference point and place the second half
of the pattern to it. (See Pic F.)
lison
79
 Next month in Sizes
4-20

T H E U K ’ S N O .1 S E W I N G M A G A Z I N E

2 TREATS
FOR YOU
worth £24

Simplicity 9742
3-in-1 dress pattern
Simplicity 9101
2-in-1 pull-on dresses

Inspiring articles,
projects and guides:
P Made-to-measure projects
P Sew welt pockets for trousers
P Dopamine dressing tips
P The history of fashion in film
P Seasonal embroidery patterns

Plus much more!

80
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SHIRRING
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81
 Discover more on Instagram
at ccmercer
This month, I'm making
LYRA DRESS
Camilla talks us through her new dress using the
Tilly and the Buttons Lyra pattern. See more of
her makes at ccmercer on www.minerva.com

T
his dress is the Lyra from Tilly and the I’m pretty sure they are now close enough
Buttons and it was my first time sewing not to be too obvious. Again, I did a regular
up this pattern. Initially, I dismissed double-fold hem of about 1cm over fold and
it as just another shirt dress, but as so often I think this has worked out. The only other
happens, after seeing multiple gorgeous adjustment I made was to swap out buttons
versions online, I took the plunge and bought for snaps, which was a massive time saver.
it. I sewed up a size 5, which is generally the
right size for me in Tilly patterns, and I think Now it’s finished, I am actually super pleased
it works fine for this make. I didn’t make any with this dress! I honestly can’t believe that
deliberate modifications, although one or two I abandoned it for so long. I like the length
things aren’t quite as intended – more on that and the fit, particularly with the added waist
to follow! The fabric is a Minerva exclusive – tie to give a bit more definition at the waist.
Inky Grove viscose challis. It was the contrast I haven’t added any belt loops or anything so
of deep blues on a white background that it’s just a simple tie, but I think it works. I also
drew me to select this fabric, coupled with like the option of wearing it without the tie to
the large-scale print that I always loved. breeze around on warm summer days. I can
definitely see more Lyras in my future and I
As I hinted above, a couple of things didn’t have learnt a few lessons with this one that
quite go to plan with this make. For one, will hopefully make them even better.
when I cut this out in winter, I cut out the
long-sleeved view. Sewing it up in June/
July, I couldn’t see this as anything but a
summer dress, so I decided to cut the sleeves
down to the shorter length. Laying the
pattern pieces on top of one another – yes,
I even remembered to flip one so they were
mirrored – and then overlaying the traced
odd pattern piece, I found no two pieces
lined up. Consequently, I just lopped off an
approximate amount and hoped for the best.
Secondly, after attaching the ruffle, I realised
the proportions of the skirt looked a little
bit off. I almost knew before checking the
THE MINERVA pattern; I’d cut the full-length skirt instead of
MAKERS the ruffle-friendly view. As this was straight
Minerva’s online platform after gathering, pinning on and stitching the
is dedicated to makers and gather, I was loath to unpick it.
sewists and allows you to
share your latest projects in Upon trying it on, I could immediately see
a new interactive way. Not that, unsurprisingly, the sleeves were different
only can you post photos and lengths. I’d done double turns and then
videos of your own makes, stitched the sleeve hems, so I just turned it
but you can also ‘like’ and up once more, pressed it and re-hemmed.
‘comment’ on other makers'
posts, follow them and find
out all about the fabric and
pattern supplies they’ve
used in their projects. I can definitely see more
So much inspiration! Lyras in my future
Discover more at
www.minerva.com

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