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STUNNING STORAGE H VINTAGE STYLE MAKES H ZIPS MASTERCLASS e New magazinng i w e from s ie expert Debb Shore

ISSUE 3

25 BEAUTIFUL PATCHWORK TOTE

PROJECTS

SMOCKING MADE EASY

YOU’LL LOVE THE BONES TECHNIQUE

HEXAGON CUSHION

Make yours today!

£1,500 WORTH OF

PRIZES TO WIN! STORAGE CUBE

Brought to you by the craft experts

EASTER BON NET

WELCOME

!

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

p17 Hello and welcome to issue 3 of Sew Inspired.

I've called this 'the vintage issue' as I know you love all things retro-inspired as much as I do! I chose the gorgeous vintage style Butterick Weekend Dress as your free pattern as it is such a versatile design – it works in a myriad of dierent prints (I picked these poppies) and it's a wonderful starter project if you are new to dressmaking.

To help you get going, I've included my essential dressmaking tips and tricks (p16) and this issue's jargon buster (p64) is all about dressmaking so you can sew your dress with confidence.

Continuing the vintage theme, I hope you enjoy making the fabulous retro pinny (p6) that made our cover this issue and Abi Bramdaw has created a beautiful clutch bag (p17) which will make the perfect accessory to your Weekend Dress. You'll also find four fantastic projects to make using your free sewing themed stencil (p9), including a cute cotton reel catcher, a sweet sunglasses case with a 50s style shawl collar and a pretty sewing roll. In fact, there are so many lovely projects this issue your only dilemma will be what to start first!

A big thank you to all of you who've been in touch. It has been wonderful hearing from so many of you and seeing what you've been making from issue 2, so do keep your emails and letters coming.

And if you have a sewing query, don't forget to email me at deardebbie@sewinspiredmag.com and I'll do my best to help!

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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is Make tahvender l prettyt tonight! sache

ISSUE 3

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CONTENTS

24 56

4

PROJECTS 7 11 12 13 14 17 22 24 27 29

Retro pinny Debbie Shore’s vintage inspired pinny has all the right ingredients!

Sewing roll Keep your accessories tidy in this retro sewing roll by Abi Bramdaw Cotton catcher Make Tricia Ablett’s cute and practical cotton reel holder Sunglasses case With its 50s style shawl collar this floral print case will store your shades in style Gorgeous greeting Weave your passion for sewing into a homespun greetings card Clutch bag Make a vintage style clutch to match your Butterick Weekend Dress Dressing table mat Add a touch of Parisian chic to your dressing table with this appliqué mat Storage cube Make Debbie Shore’s handy storage cube to keep your sewing room spic and span Coat hanger Create Tina Elvy’s pretty covered coat hanger in shiny satin fabric Pretty pocket purse Make Debbie Shore’s easy-peasy zip purse with its myriad of uses

31 Sock monkey Jacqui Joseph shows you how to turn a pair of argyle socks into an adorable toy 36 Lavender sachet Whip up Tina Elvy’s pretty little perfumed sachet in minutes 39 Patchwork bag Make an easy patchwork tote – it’s the perfect everyday bag 42 Notebook cover Try free-motion embroidery and create a covetable vintage-style notebook cover 44 Upcycled wreath Use your treasured bits and pieces to create Debbie Shore’s beautiful lace wreath 46 Smocking – bones technique This issue Debbie Shore shows you how to create the ‘bones’ smocking technique in this handy step-by-step tutorial 56 Easter bonnet Your little girl will be a hit at the Easter parade in this cute bonnet 58 Hexagons cushion Lovely twisted tucks give Melissa Nayler’s hexagons cushion a vintage finish 60 Fabric postcards Create a set of crazy patchwork and appliqué fabric postcards and make a friend’s day

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meet the team

49

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

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With thanks to our contributors: Tricia Ablett, Abi Bramdaw, Tina Elvy, Jacqui Joseph, Melissa Nayler, Lesley Tawton 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

22 FEATURES

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10 Using your free stencil Follow our simple steps to get started 15 Best buys Top up your kit with these new accessories 16 Dressmaking tips & tricks Top tips for making your free dress pattern 20 Your letters Here’s what you’ve been sewing!

38 Fabulous freebies Over £1,500 worth of sewing prizes to be won including new appliqué dies!

44 Sewing surgery Our experts answer your sewing queries 52 Zips masterclass Achieve a professional finish every time 62 Your sewing kit What you’ll need in your basic sewing kit 63 Beginner’s guide Your guide to buying fabric and more 64 Jargon buster Fabric terms demystified!

65 Stitch library Finish your projects to perfection with these pretty hand stitches 66 Debbie’s diary Debbie is contemplating her family heirlooms and stitching one of her own 67 Coming next issue...

Why you won’t want to miss issue 4!

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Editorial Coordinator Kirstie Duhig Art Editor Carolyn Bunt Production Editor Katriel Costello Technical Editor Jo Benner 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.

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STORAGE

CUBE

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hip to be square Make this handy storage cube by Debbie Shore to keep your sewing room spic and span

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STORAGE

CUBE

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SKILL LEVEL

YOU WILL NEED A Five squares of plain fabric for the cube sides and top measuring 20x20cm (8x8in) A 20x23cm (8x9in) piece of plain fabric for the cube base A Four pieces of contrasting fabric for the pockets measuring 20x13cm (8x5in) A Four pieces of contrasting fabric for the pockets measuring 20x10cm (8x4in) A 23x10cm (9x4in) piece of contrasting fabric for the handle A 61cm (24in) of 2.5cm (1in) wide bias binding A About 200g (7oz) of toy filler A Stabiliser to back the fabric pieces (optional) A A weight for the base, such as a pebble or bag of rice

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Reader offer!

We've teamed up with The Craft Cotton Company to offer you a fantastic Fat Quarter Bundle featuring these pretty ditsy floral designs and more with 30% off the RRP. Turn to page 48 to take advantage of this fantastic offer!

This is a really simple cube with pretty pockets around the outside that create the perfect place to keep your essentials like pins, pens, scissors and cutters. The great thing is that it can be made in any size you like depending on what you'd like to tidy away!

HOW TO MAKE Cut your squares of plain fabric to size, mine are 20cm (8in) squares, which will

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make a cube measuring 17.75cm (7in) [1].

Cut the 20x23cm (8x9in) piece of fabric in half along the shorter side [2].

Cut your pocket pieces, you should have four pairs in two sizes [3].

Now make up the handle. Cut a 23x10cm (9x4in) piece of contrasting fabric [4].

Fold this piece in half lengthways, then fold the raw edges to the centre and press.

Fold the handle in half again, and edge stitch along the long sides, as shown [5].

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STORAGE

CUBE

TIP When sewing down the pockets to make dividers plan the sizes carefully to ensure your items fit

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“This is a lovely way to use up scraps of patterned fabrics – go for similar patterns or pick a colour palette to ensure they match” DEBBIE SHORE, DESIGNER

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Fold one of the 20cm (8in) plain squares in half to make the centre point, then sew the handle to each side, close to the edge [6].

Pair the pocket pieces wrong sides together, and apply bias tape across the top of each pair [7].

Place the pockets over the side pieces, and sew close to the sides to hold in place. Sew down the pockets to make dividers, as far apart as you like [8].

Sew the two base pieces together with a 1.25cm (½in) seam allowance, press the seam open [9].

Sew the four sides together to make a tube [10].

Sew in the top of the cube, then the base.

Use your quick unpick to undo about 7cm (3in) in the base seam [11].

Turn the cube the right side out. Stuff it with toy filler, but not too tightly or you’ll have a ball instead of a cube! Pop your weight into the base to add stability then sew the opening closed by hand to finish.

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EASTER

HAT

56

Adap for t this a we at ddih ng

bonny Easter bonnet Your little girl will be a hit at the Easter parade wearing this cute bonnet by Debbie Shore

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EASTER

HAT

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SKILL LEVEL

YOU WILL NEED

A 1 fat quarter of fabric A Toy filling A 1 pop sock A A CD A Silk or paper flowers A 60cm (24in) ribbon A 25 (10in) string of beads A Headband A Basic sewing kit

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TOOLS

A Hot glue gun A Scissors or pinking shears

This Easter bonnet is a real headturner and once she’s seen it your little girl will want to wear it for the entire Easter weekend. With its pretty fabric, big silky ribbon and tiny paper flowers around the brim it certainly looks the part. And when Easter’s over, it can be used as a bridesmaid’s fascinator too.

Either leave it as it is or customise it with feathers and a tiny veil.

HOW TO MAKE Cut a circle of fabric measuring 20cm (8in) across. Gather around the edge of the circle by hand with the strong thread.

Pop the CD in the centre. Then pull the thread tight and knot. Cut another circle of fabric measuring 15cm (6in) across and gather around the edge loosely.

Cut the pop sock in half, then stuff the toe with a handful of toy filler. Wrap the sock around itself to keep the filler firm and together. Cover with the second piece of gathered fabric.

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TIP Cover your toy filler with a pop sock to stop the stuffing from escaping

Drizzle hot glue around the gathered side of the ball, and squish on top of the gathered side of the CD. Push the ball down firmly to give it a flat shape.

Use your hot glue gun to attach flowers around the brim in the position shown. Now it’s starting to look like a hat!

Add a bow and a couple of strings of beads to the back. Squirt a large blob of hot glue into the centre of the base, then push the headband into it, so that the hat sits slightly to one side. Hold in place until the glue is set.