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BEGINNER’S GUIDES H BEAUTIFUL BAGS H TRY PATCHWORK & SMOCKING e New magazinng i w e from s ie expert Debb Shore

ISSUE 2

TREE PINCUSHION

23 STYLISH

PROJECTS

SEW A RAG DOLL

USING YOUR FABRIC SCRAPS

UPCYCLE A SHIRT

Make yours tonight!

£1,600 WORTH OF

PRIZES TO WIN! CUTE DOORSTOP

Brought to you by the craft experts

EASY APPLIQ UÉ

WELCOME

!

Meet desig ner, maker and TV ,praeuthor Debbie Shosenter re...

Hi, and welcome to issue 2 of Sew Inspired.

I've called this 'the bag issue' as I know you love making bags and purses as much as I do! As well as your free satchel pattern and the five pretty purse patterns on your free CD-ROM, you'll find designs for a colourful patchwork tote (p7), an origamistyle cosmetics bag (p20), a handy foldaway shopper (p24), clasp-frame purses (p27) and more. Of course there are lots of other projects to tempt you too, from my easy patchwork cushion cover (p31), cute cat doorstop (p39) and quilted chair back cover (p60), to lots of sweet mini projects to make using your free bird stencil.

When I think back to my childhood, sewing was always a part of it. My mum was a seamstress and her sewing room had cupboards full of wonderful fabrics, biscuit tins full of buttons and threads, and drawers stuffed with ribbons and lace. Now that I have my own sewing room full of goodies I often create designs to use up some of those fabric scraps – the adorable Leftover Lucy doll (p57) and festive tree pincushion (p42) are perfect for doing just that.

It was my mum who taught me how to repair and alter my wardrobe by shortening skirts (this was the Sixties) and making the flares of my loon pants even more so by adding triangular flashes of paisley fabric to the side seams! I still love to make do and mend, like my skirt from a shirt (p46) and denim rescue tips (p44).

I love sharing ideas, tips and sewing techniques with you and it's been wonderful reading all of your letters and seeing the projects you've made from issue 1. I hope you enjoy this issue too, do get in touch (details on p18) and let me know what you’ve been making.

Until next time, happy sewing!

Debbie Shore is a best-selling sewing author with eight published books, including the award-winning Half Yard Heaven series. For more inspiration visit Debbie's website at the address below and subscribe to her YouTube channel.

www.debbieshore.tv

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e our coupt y t r a t S rst cat doioght! n to

ISSUE 2

39

CONTENTS

27 60

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PROJECTS 7 9 10 11 14 15 20 23 24 27

Patchwork bag This colourful tote is a great way to use up your fabric scraps Bird bunting Brighten up a room with Abi Bramdaw’s charming little love birds Notebook cover Make your journal extra special with a pretty fabric cover Hot water bottle cosy Sew a fleecy hot water bottle cover and add appliqué with your free stencil Draught excluder Keep your house cosy with this stylish winter warmer by Tina Elvy Folk art Stitch Melissa Nayler’s beautiful appliqué wall hanging Origami bag Make Debbie Shore’s pretty cosmetics bag with its clever foldover detail Phone cosy Abi Bramdaw’s cute phone cosy makes a lovely gift Foldaway bag Pop this foldaway tote in your handbag ready for any last-minute shopping Pretty purses Follow Debbie Shore’s simple steps to make a pretty clasp-frame purse

31 Patchwork cushion Give patchwork a go with this shabby chic cushion design 37 Oven mitt Add a touch of kitsch to your kitchen with this sweet cupcake design 39 Cute cat doorstop Paws the Cat will make a lovely housewarming gift 42 Tree pincushion This festive tree pincushion is not just for Christmas!

44 Sewing surgery Sewing expert Dr Deb’s fabulous fixes for your favourite denims 46 Upcycled skirt Turn his checked shirt into a stylish skirt 49 Smocking step-by-step Debbie Shore shows you how to smock a pretty waves design 52 Smocked tote Use your smocked panel to make a sweet tote bag 54 Glasses case Stitch a pretty case using a flex frame 57 Leftover Lucy Use your fabric scraps to make an adorable rag doll 60 Chair back cover Sew a stylish quilted cover in retro brights

www.debbieshore.tv

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meet the team

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Editor Debbie Shore Photography Garie Hind Brand Managers Louisa McLean & Sunny Pahal

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With thanks to our contributors: Abi Bramdaw, Tina Elvy, Melanie Kershaw, Melissa Nayler, Karen Robinson Please send all reader contributions to: deardebbie@sewinspiredmag.com Brought to you by the craft experts

Sew Inspired is produced by Immediate Media Branded Content, 2nd Floor, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN

20 FEATURES 6 18 30 33

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36 48 62 63 64 65

52

66 67

Using your free stencil Follow our simple steps to get started Your letters We love to see what you’ve been sewing Best buys Top up your sewing kit with these fantastic new tools and accessories Fancy footwork How to choose the right presser foot for your project First aid kit Make running repairs in a jiffy with this handy kit Fabulous freebies £1,600 worth of sewing prizes to be won!

Your sewing kit What you’ll need in your basic sewing kit Beginner’s guide Your essential guide to buying fabric, machine needle sizes and more Jargon buster Fabric terms demystified!

Stitch library Finish your projects to perfection with these pretty hand stitches Debbie’s diary Debbie opens her sewing room and tells us what she’s making right now Coming next issue...

Why you won’t want to miss issue 3!

www.debbieshore.tv

Editorial Coordinator Kirstie Duhig Art Editor Carolyn Bunt Production Editor Katriel Costello Technical Editor Heather Nugent Project Manager Celia Beale Director of Immediate Media Branded Content Julie Williams Sew Inspired is published by Immediate Media Co Ltd. All material © Immediate Media Branded Content. Printed in the UK by William Gibbons. All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission of the publisher. This magazine is not to be resold, lent or hired out for more than the recommended retail price or in part. Every effort has been made to secure permission for copyright material. In the event of any material being used inadvertently, or where it proved impossible to trace the copyright owner, acknowledgement will be made in a future issue.

The publisher welcomes contributions from readers.

All such contributions and submissions to the magazine are sent to and accepted by the publisher on the basis of a non-exclusive transferable worldwide license unless otherwise agreed in writing prior to first publication. Such submissions are also subject to being used, reproduced, modified, published, edited, translated, distributed and displayed in any media or medium, or any form, format or forum now know or hereafter developed , for any purpose, in perpetuity.

The views expressed herein are not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. While every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, the publisher cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information or any event or consequence arising as a result of the information. While reasonable care is taken when accepting advertisements, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any resulting unsatisfactory transactions, but will investigate any written complaints. All prices quoted are correct at the time of going to press.

Immediate Media is working to ensure that all of its paper is sourced from well-managed forests.

This magazine can be recycled, for use in newspapers and packaging. Please remove any gifts, samples or wrapping and dispose of it at your local collection point.

Sew inspired (ISBN 5017558512003-01)

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!

YOUR

FREE

GIFTS

USING YOUR STENCIL

Your free bird stencil is so simple to use.

Debbie Shore shows you how to get started

YOUR FREE PATTERNS Here are your fantastic free patterns this issue

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Your free CD-ROM features 5 pretty purse patterns with easy-to-follow video tutorials

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Take a good look at the shapes and you’ll see more than just birds on branches [1].

Try drawing around the shapes on paper before cutting from fabric, and you’ll see that you can use both the birds’ wings and leaves to create flowers; the branches could be flower stems, the leaves become tail feathers and I’m sure you’ll come up with even more ideas! [2] Felt is an easy fabric to work with as it doesn’t fray, and can be either machine stitched or hand sewn. Simply draw around

the inside of the shapes on your stencil and cut out the pieces [3]. Use an erasable ink pen, such as Frixion, so that you don’t see the ink on your project.

These little birds are ideal for appliqué.

I used free motion embroidery on this cushion cover, which is a technique I really enjoy [4]. You’ll see lots more ideas of how to use the stencil in this magazine, and I’d love to see what you’ve made with yours too!

You can find all the details of how to get in touch on page 18. Have fun!

www.debbieshore.tv

Designed by Debbie Shore, make up this chic satchel in fabrics that suit your style

We can’t wait to see what you make with your free gifts this issue! Your exclusive Debbie Shore Pretty Little Purses CD-ROM features 5 gorgeous purse designs for you to sew, each with a video tutorial by Debbie plus printable instructions. Your Debbie Shore Satchel Pattern is accompanied by a handy step-by-step instruction book, to help you create a professional finish whether you are new to sewing or a dab hand!

YOUR

FREE

STENCIL

!

patchwork bag This colourful tote is perfect for a trip to the shops and a great way to use up scraps. By Debbie Shore

MAKE WITH YOUR STENCIL

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MAKE THIS EASY BAG

!

YOUR

FREE

STENCIL

YOU WILL NEED

A Your free stencil A Scraps of fabric amounting

A A A A

to about a fat quarter, cut into 5cm (2in) wide strips 1 fat quarter of plain cotton (46cm) ½ yard lining fabric (46cm) ½ yard of fusible fleece Basic sewing kit

Note: Use a 0.5cm (¼in) seam allowance TOOLS

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A Sewing machine A Cutting mat A Rotary cutter SKILL LEVEL

‘This patchwork tote is so quick to sew, why not make more than one to match a few different outfits?’

DEBBIE SHORE, DESIGNER

This easy patchwork technique is a great way of using up your scraps or jelly roll fabric left over from other projects! I’ve chosen a green theme for my patterned section, and seeded cotton for the top, although any plain colour would look good.

HOW TO MAKE Trim the strips of printed fabric into uneven lengths, then do the same with the plain so that when they join together they’ll make a square. I’ve used eight strips for each side of my bag, and varied the lengths [1].

Sew the plain pieces to the top of the patterned pieces, then press. Iron the seams towards the printed fabric when you sew the strips, so that the pattern doesn’t show through the plain fabric [2].

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Sew the strips together, then press the seams all in the same direction [3].

Trim the fabric panels to make a square [4].

It doesn’t really matter the size, as long as the back and front are the same. Cut the lining pieces to the same size. I’ve used the free bird stencil to make a little bird appliqué, I thought it looked like he’s sitting on a fence post! I used a tiny zig zag stitch to apply.

Fuse the fleece to the back of the panel.

Repeat with the second side of the bag.

The handles are made from two of the plain 5cm (2in) wide strips of fabric, 35.5cm (14in) long, sewn together along the sides [5].

Turn the handles right side out using a loop turner or safety pin, and press [6].

The rest of the bag is made up in exactly the same way as the smocked tote bag on page 53: follow steps 3 to 7 to assemble.

YOUR

FREE

STENCIL

!

Abi Bramdaw My mum taught me to cherish handmade items from a young age. I love making bags, cushions and small quilts – free-motion embroidery is great for a quick creative fix.

YOU WILL NEED

A A A A A A A A

Your free stencil Fabric scraps Felt Stuffing 1m (39in) waxed cotton cord Seed beads Two larger beads Stick & Spray Adhesive for Fabric

TOOLS

A Sewing machine A Beading needle A Darning needle SKILL LEVEL

MAKE WITH YOUR STENCIL

love birds

Cheer up a corner of your home with Abi Bramdaw’s bird bunting HOW TO MAKE Use your stencil to cut out four small wing shapes from fabric scraps and four medium wings from felt. Spray the backs of the fabric wings with glue and position centrally on the felt wings. Free-motion stitch around the edges of the fabric, to secure it in place.

Use your stencil to cut out four medium bird body shapes from felt. Place two pieces together, wrong sides facing, and stitch 2mm from the edges, leaving a 2cm (¾in) gap around the edge. Stuff, then hand stitch the gap closed. Repeat for the second bird.

Create your own heart design and cut out two matching shapes from felt. Stitch and stuff the heart as you did for the birds’ bodies.

Attach the wings to the birds’ bodies by tacking them in place, making sure the stitches don’t show through on the front.

Sew on the seed bead eyes.

Thread a darning needle with wax cotton cord. Insert the needle into the back of the bird’s neck and out through the front. Now attach the heart to the cord and through the

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other bird – making sure it is symmetrical.

Pull the cord through so the heart is positioned centrally. Tie knots either side of each object to secure them in place.

Thread a large bead onto one end of the cord and position it towards the bird. Make a loop from cord and tie a knot. Pull the bead up over the end of the cord so that the end is now poking out of the bottom of the bead.

Tie another knot to secure the bead. Repeat with the other end of the cord.

TIP Why not put a little blusher onto the birds’ cheeks to add some character?

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