Edition 19 – December 2021
Modern sewing starts here..
CHALLENGE
Fabric Revelations!
Take up the fabric baton and show us what you can make with this versatile fabric collection?
We take a sneak peek at • New fabric collection releases! • Christmassy print fabrics
PICK OF THE PATTERNS
New pattern releases for you to make!
GIFTS TO FILL CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS www.modernsewingstartshere.co.uk
Pattern Finder
www.hantex.co.uk/patternfinder Details
Find the perfect pattern for your next project … search by brand, garment type, fabric type, skill level or even season Pattern Finder
Use the find a stockist facility to support independent retailers and designers
Editor’s Letter Hello. Another year comes to a close and we have a Christmas and New Year to look forward to celebrating. In this edition, we showcase all the gorgeous festive fabrics that are available for those handmade gifts, as well as some stocking filler ideas for those that sew. We’re delighted to start our Pure Solids Challenge. Art Gallery Fabrics now has the biggest range of Pima cotton with the highest quality of base cloth making it perfect for sewing projects. We want you to get creative and make a project using this go-to fabric collection. It can be a wall hanging, small bag, cushion, accessory – the choice is yours! Sarah Ashford shares what she’s been making with the Pure Solids collection to give you inspiration to start the challenge!
For those that love dressmaking, we have the latest sewing pattern releases plus we match the season’s skirt trends with contemporary fabrics for autumn/winter. We share with you some hem finishes you can sew without an overlocker. Here’s to happy holidays and a wonderful New Year!
Hantex team www.hantex.co.uk www.modernsewingstartshere.co.uk Subscribe free to get your copy – click here
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Christmas GIFTS
Handy haberdashery gifts to fill those Christmas stockings!
PRYM LOVE STITCH RIPPER This stitch ripper comes from the Prym Ergonomics range. It’s ideal for unpicking fabric seams, but the most impressive features are its sharp blade, the rounded tip and the ergonomic shape of its handle. The recessed grips are both soft, anti-slip and let you work for long periods without fatigue.
OH SEW! MINI STASH ‘N’ STORE ORGANISER This organiser comes in two sizes but the mini pocket-sized Stash ‘n Store is the perfect size for even the tightest and smallest of spaces. With multiple pockets and centre divider, it can easily stow away sewing notions, marking tools and even small scissors and rulers. The silicone pockets are smooth and offer a sturdy grip and it’s simple to keep clean and available in lots of colours!
PRYM PINCUSHION WITH SCISSORS This sweet pincushion measures 9.5cm by 10cm and is 4cm thick. The embroidery scissors are secured with a fabric loop that can be safely stored in a small pocket sewn onto the pincushion so these two items will always be at hand and ready to use. This set is perfect for a small sewing basket or as a lovely gift.
SELF MEASURING TAPE FROM SEW TO GROW If you make your own clothes you will know how difficult it can be to measure yourself accurately at home when no one else is around to help. Simply wrap this versatile tape measure around your body, pop the end of the tape into the opposite side of the device, push the button so the tape retracts and let it contour to the shape of your body. This allows you to look in a mirror and make sure the tape is level and in the right place so you get accurate measurements every time!
CHRISTMAS TREE SUBLIME FLOSS PACK Grab and go with Sublime Floss colour packs! Every palette has seven 8m (8¾yd) skeins of quality 100% cotton six-stranded floss that are smooth, shiny and colourfast! Each palette tells a story and every colour is a character. The selection comes in an attractive presentation pack of co-ordinating colours and there’s another eight selection packs to choose from.
SNOWMAN TRIO WALL-HANGING This sweet felt wall hanging pattern is just one of the lovely pieces from this collection, from Countryside Crafts. It’s perfect for using with Woolfelt.
To see more haberdashery and sewing notion gift ideas – click here
FAT QUARTER PACKS Art Gallery Fabrics’ Fabric Wonders provide scrumptious fabric packs in smaller cuts of fat quarters and 10in Squares from most of its fabric collections. Perfect for smaller projects and a superb gift idea for quilters. AGF’s Pure Solids range will soon be available in Fat Quarter packs. Join the Fat Quarter Gang and get inspiration from AGF who has teamed up with talented bloggers to bring you lots of sewing project ideas. To find out more – click here
CURVY SKETCHBOOK This Curvy Sketchbook from Cashmerette is designed exclusively for curvy sewists to help design and plan your wardrobe on a figure that looks like yours! If you have great ideas and want to capture them on paper, but struggle to draw them accurately then this sketchbook has 100 plus size croquis (curvy body outlines) that you can sketch garments on top of them to give you a realistic and professional fashion drawing. This sketchbook comes in two sizes. To view the Curvy Sketchbook – click here
NEW NATURE-INSPIRED COLLECTIONS FROM CLOUD9 FABRICS All these collections feature quilter’s weight 100% organic cotton. INTO THE WOODS We love this new collection created by Sarah Watson. Into the Woods showcases her love for modern interior design and architecture, old magazines, and botanical gardens. Fabric designs include this lovely collection of insects and their scientific names and this luxurious green turkey trails. These fabrics are perfect for adding some fun and quirkiness to you sewing projects.
Focus on FABRICS
We take a closer look at new fabric collections about to launch!
FLORA Cassidy Demkov is an artist and surface pattern designer living in Salt Lake City, Utah. She enjoys designing intricate floral patterns and illustrating lovely art inspired by her love of traveling, flowers, animals and vintage things. Her new collection for Cloud9 is called Flora and features delicate flower prints of bramble, rose, fern and sweet briar. These small print fabrics are perfect for making skirts, dresses and soft furnishings.
CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL Designed by Beck Ng, this quilter’s weigh 100% organic cotton features a lovely array of flora and fauna. Beck NG is a surface designer who has a love of creating patterns and making things. Her designs are stylised, colour driven and inspired from her travels, nature and life around Melbourne. This collection is a celebration of all the creatures, no matter how great or small that we share this world with. It’s also a reminder that we all have a part to play to protect these living creatures for generations to come. To find your nearest UK stockist, and view all of the current collections from Cloud9 Fabrics – click here
GORGEOUS COLOURFUL ART GALLERY FABRICS’ COLLECTIONS TO LOOK OUT FOR! Featuring high thread count 100% pima cotton with a wonderful soft feel. The ranges are always on-trend and the fabric works equally well to make apparel, soft furnishings, quilts and crafts.
WILD FORGOTTEN Several words from the natural world like ‘doe’ & ‘dandelion’ were removed from the dictionary to make room for our children’s new vocabulary. Through earthy colours and whimsical prints, this collection will reignite the use of these words in our home and help our children remember the wild once forgotten. Designed by Bonnie Christine, this collection is full of lovely earthy tones and woodland wonders.
TWENTY Katarina Roccella’s infinite love for design has led her to celebrate her 20th fabric collection with this new range! Twenty combines groups of warm and cool hues and merges past prints with current ones for the ultimate line of blenders yet versatile that can be used as a whole collection.
ONWARDS + UPWARDS Embracing the powerful experience of self-discovery and the beautiful nature of life, Onward + Upward illustrates Jessica Swift’s journey through loss and grief and the rise through it all with bold colours, folkloric designs, and magical creatures. To take a peak at these forthcoming collections from Art Gallery Fabrics – click here
n o s u c o F FESTIVE FABRICS Christmastime is the perfect opportunity to sew for family and friends. Here are five wonderful festive fabrics available this year COZY & MAGICAL Maureen Cracknell has a new festive collection, Cozy & Magical! What makes this time of year so special is the way that we decorate our homes during this time. This fabric range celebrates cherished traditions like decorating the tree with twinkling ornaments, wrapping presents and wearing cosy sweaters. These whimsical prints have everything you need to make holiday sewing magical and beyond. To view this beautiful collection from Art Gallery Fabrics – click here
JINGLE MINGLE
CHRISTMAS PAST Designed by Lori Rudolph for Cloud 9 Fabrics, this organic cotton fabric brings together memories of Christmases gone by! It’s a homage to Lori’s Grandmother who loved Christmas and displayed her vintage glass ornaments on a rather kitschy tree and decorated her home with her own unique flair. Made from 100% Organic Quilters Weight Cotton and including vintage baubles, winter wreaths, pretty pines, gift tags and winter branches prints you can bring a retro flavour to your festivities. To see this and more collections from Cloud9 Fabrics – click here
This retro fabric collection includes a collaboration of prints from several fabric designers from Cloud9. Our favourites include this traditional print with candy canes and boiled sweets from Alicia Cambridge, Dashing Through The Snow from Louise Cunningham and Vintage Ornaments from Alanna Cavanagh. All fabrics are GOTS certified and 100% Organic Cotton. To find out more about this collection from Cloud9 Fabrics – click here
SNOW DAY Fans of Mister Domestic will love this wintery wonderland of fabrics. Snow Day reminisces on everything that makes a chilly day truly special, from creating snowmen, getting into snowball fights, bundling up, and drinking hot cocoa. To find more designs in this fabric collection from Art Gallery Fabrics – click here
MERRY & BRIGHT Since Art Gallery Fabrics’ prints are so versatile, they can often be grouped together to create a certain theme for sewing projects. AGF has started to curate new groups that are truly ‘Collective!’ The first Collective is inspired by winter and cozy feels with whimsy prints from AGF Designers like Amy Sinibaldi, Pat Bravo, Maureen Cracknell, Katarina Roccella, and Bonnie Christine and turned them into this holiday-inspired collection called Merry & Bright! To take a look at this collection more closely – click here
GIFT inspo
TRENDSETTER - SKIRTS
Match the season’s skirt trends with contemporary fabrics for autumn/winter
Salida Skirt from True Bias – click here
Upton Mix & Match Expansion Pack from Cashmerette - click here
Fleuron Sanctuary Cotton from AGF’s Kismet collection and Perennial Soiree Cotton from The Flower Society designed by AGF Studio. To view the current fabric collections for Art Gallery Fabrics – click here Hartford Pine Green Fine Stretch and Danbury Mustard Chunky Needlecords from Modelo To view these fabrics and more from Modelo – click here
1. MINIMALIST STYLING WITH CORDUROY The Salida skirt has a soft V-shaped yoke at the front and back, a high waist, and a front zipper fly. Make either a fitted, knee or mid-calf length panelled skirt or that flares out at the hem. FABRIC: Medium-weight woven fabrics – corduroy, denim, twill, linen and chambray.
2. MAXI LENGTH & AUTUMNAL FLORALS Who said florals and maxi-length skirts are just for the summer months! Mix and match your way to a wardrobe of beautiful skirts (and dresses) with the Upton Dress & Skirt Mix & Match Expansion Pack! This single pattern features multiple bodice, skirt, sleeve, and neckline options for hundreds of styling options. FABRIC: Cotton, linen, double gauze or upholstery fabric. Heavier fabrics will give a more structured look.
Stella Skirt Pattern By Sew to Grow – click here
Ditsy Abrasion Denim Print and Adobe Clay Solid Smooth Denim from Art Gallery Fabrics. To view the full range of denim fabrics – click here
3. RETRO FLARE & COME BACK DENIM Inspired by the effortlessly chic styles of the 1960’s, this skirt pattern features exposed topstitched pockets, chunky belt loops, and a thick hem for extra retro flare. Keep it clean and simple with a stone washed linen or thick wale cord and remember denim doesn’t only come in blue! This skirt comes in two lengths – above the knee and just below the knee. It has a simple shape but lots of opportunities to add personal touches like piping to the front panel or pockets. FABRIC: Denim, linen and corduroy
Pyjama SEASON
A COOL CLASSIC
As nights get colder, it’s all about making the cosiest pyjamas. We look at three patterns that will keep you and your family toasty warm right through to the spring! Carolyn Pajamas by Closet Core
Designed for chic lounging, the Carolyn Pajamas are tailored with a modern, figure-flattering cut. The top has a classic notched collar, curved hem and breast pocket with three sleeve options. For a matching pajama set, choose between a straight-legged trouser (with or without cuff) or cuffed shorts. Both have a comfortable elasticated waist, pockets and a faux fly. Personalise this pattern with contrasting piping details for an elegant finish. This pattern comes in sizes 0-20 and can be made in cotton flannels, linens, quilting cottons, shirting and lawn. To view the full pattern collection from Closet Core Patterns – click here
Unisex Pajama Pants by Wardrobe By Me
This simple pair of pajama pants has an elastic and pull string in the waist casing. As they don’t have a side seam, they’re super comfortable for sleeping and have several lengths to choose from. This pattern is very fast to make and also ideal for beginners and has unisex sizing. Choose fabrics that will be comfortable in bed like cotton, viscose, silk polyester, or a blend of other fibres. To find more patterns designed by Wardrobe By Me – click here
FOR HIM A ND FOR HER
ONESIES
Footed Pajamas by Jalie Patterns
This all-round pattern makes fun gifts for loved ones who are always cold at night! It includes a footed pair of pajamas or with ribbed ankle cuffs. There’s a centre front zip (inseam for babies) plus a practical side pocket and ribbed collar and sleeve cuffs. The pattern starts at size 12M for the little ones and has 29 sizes so you can make one for the whole family – girls and boys, women and men as well as plus sizes. Fleece with 30% stretch across the grain with some stretch in the length is ideal. For more sewing patterns from Jalie – click here
Check out the free-to-use resource listing of the very best Indie patterns and filter by fabric, garment, brand or skill level by visiting www.hantex.co.uk
MACHINE FINISHED
SEAMS
Don’t have an overlocker? Then no worries, Julie Bonnar from The Pattern Pages shares 5 seam finishes that you can do on your sewing machine Finishing the raw edges of your garment will make the results look more professional but also it will prolong the life of the garment too. An overlocker is a fantastic machine and can trim the raw edge encasing it in thread but not everyone has room to store another machine or the budget to purchase. Here are some seam finishes that you can do on your sewing machine if you know the right stitch and presser foot to use!
1. Turned under
This method is the easiest to do. Turn up your hem/seam allowance, pin and press. Then fold ½in of the raw edge into the hem, press again and straight stitch to close. Or if you prefer you can use traditional hand stitching to finish.
2. Mock overlock
You can create an overlocker-style finish by using an overcast stitch and an overcast foot. Most machines will have some sort of mock overlock stitch and presser foot which could also be called an overedge or overcast foot. If you don’t have an overcast setting on your machine, you can use a zigzag stitch. The only difference is that an overcast stitch has a slightly neater appearance than a zigzag stitch.
3. Zigzag
Zigzag seams can be used on just about every type of medium weight fabrics but avoid using it on lighter weight fabrics as your sewing machine can chew the fabric up! Choose a three-step zigzag for a single layer of fabric as this will help prevent getting a ridge in the fabric. TIP: If your sewing machine starts to chew up the fabric edge – sew ¼in in from the edge and trim the excess when you’re done. Just remember to then deduct this from your seam allowance when you fold and press your hem. This is easier to do if you press your seams to one side and zigzag over the double raw edge as shown here!
4. French
This seam finish encases all the raw edges making it super neat. Wrong sides are placed together using a ¼in (8mm) seam allowance and then trimmed to 1/8in (4mm) and then press. Turn the fabric so that the right sides are facing and sewn together using a 1/3in (1cm) seam to encase the raw edges. These seams are very strong and best for light, sheer and delicate fabrics and garments with lots of straight seams. TIP: Use a ¼in foot to make this easier!
5. Pinked
This finish is ideal for tightly woven fabrics liked boiled wool that don’t fray. After pressing your seams open, trim the raw edge with a pair of pinking sheers or a pinking rotary cutter. TIP: If you are going to use this method, you can save time if you cut out your pattern pieces with pinking sheers form the start!
New apparel pattern releases for you to make! ALLIE OLSON
Create a no-gape wardrobe staple with the Elio Top from Allie Olson. This fitted knit top has a stylish faux wrap front and the neckline is finished with narrow elastic that allows the bodice to lay flush against the body. The hem has a fold over elastic, which creates a smooth fit under high-waisted trousers and skirts. Three sleeve lengths (cap, elbow, and long) make this garment ideal for year-round wear. This new sewing pattern comes in sizes 0-18 B-cup and sizes 12-30 D-cup. For more sewing patterns from Allie Olson – click here
CASHMERETTE
Create a loungewear piece that looks great but also gives a custom-fit for your body! The Stanton Hoodie has a curved shoulder yoke, with the great fit of a set-in sleeve. This pattern is ideal for colour blocking for a fun style or monochrome for a chic look. From the yoga studio to the coffee shop, make a classic pullover, or a snazzy zip-up version. This pattern comes in sizes 0-16 and 12-32, and has three-cup sizes C/D, E/F, G/H. To find more designs from Cashmerette – click here
Check out the free-to-use resource listing of the very best Indie patterns and filter by fabric, garment, brand or skill level by visiting www.hantex.co.uk
LIESL + CO
Liesl + Co. has just released three new sewing patterns to its pattern collection. The Melville Cardigan + Vest is a versatile cardigan and vest pattern that includes a V-neck, classic styling and clean lines. Make a slightly cropped-length cardigan with long sleeves and buttons or a longer on-trend vest that’s sleeveless and buttonless. The Fira Dress + Top is a simple pull-on style with a front and back yoke, gentle raised V-neckline, and subtle gathers. The cut-on sleeve makes this style easy to sew. Make the dress with on-seam pockets and the pattern can also be made as tunic style top. The Geneva V-neck Blouse is a classic blouse with a little twist! In addition to the elegant, deep-but-not-revealing V-neck, this top has a classic shirttail hem and the centre-back pleat and a choice of two sleeve options – 3/4-length lantern sleeve and a gentle 3/4-length bell sleeve. The Melville Cardigan + Vest comes in sizes XXS-XXL, and the other two lovely patterns The Fira Dress + Top and The Geneva V-neck Blouse come in sizes 0-20. To take a closer look at these patterns and others from Liesl + Co – click here
CHALK & NOTCH
Hantex is happy to announce it has four more of Chalk & Notch’s best selling sewing patterns in stock – the Waterfall Raglan, Orchid Midi Dress, Farrah Blouse & Dress and Victory Tank Top. These patterns come in sizes 0-30, with two bust cup options and are perfect garments for everyday wear. To view these patterns and more from Chalk & Notch – click here
Check out the free-to-use resource listing of the very best Indie patterns and filter by fabric, garment, brand or skill level by visiting www.hantex.co.uk
COLOURFUL
coasters
Get inspired with Sarah Ashford, obsessive quilter and fabric lover’s ombre placemats using the Pure Solids fabric collection from Art Gallery Fabrics
YOU WILL NEED
CUTTING GUIDE
For each placemat 6 neutral fabrics 6 coloured fabrics 15in x 11in - backing fabric
15in x 11in - batting 1½in x 50in - single fold binding
NOTES Use a ¼in seam throughout and a Hera marker is really useful for marking quilting lines.
Neutral fabrics (lightest to darkest)
Coloured fabrics (darkest to lightest)
Neutral 1-8 ½in x 2in Neutral 2-6½in x 2in Neutral 3-7½ x 2in Neutral 4-5½in x 2in Neutral 5- 6½in x 2in Neutral 6-9½in x 2in
Coloured 1-5½in x 2in Coloured 2-7½in x 2in Coloured 3-6½in x 2in Coloured 4-8½in x 2in Coloured 5–7½in x 2in Coloured 6-4½in x 2in
STEPS TO MAKE
1. Organise your fabrics into two piles, neutrals and colours. Order the neutral fabrics from light to dark, and the dark coloured fabrics dark to light. Take a photo to refer back to, as it’s very easy to get in a muddle! 2. Using the chart, cut one strip from each of the fabrics and pair neutral (1) with its corresponding coloured (1) fabric. Stitch together and press seams to the dark side. Pair the remaining neutrals with their corresponding colours (2-2, 3-3 etc.) to create six strips. 3. Stitch the strips together to create the placemat top. 4. Layer up the backing, batting and placemat too, adhering together with basting spray or quilting pins if you prefer. 5. Quilt as desired. I have used a cross hatch grid, horizontally and vertically, and then stitched a diagonal grid in each direction over the top. Trim the excess batting. 6. Stitch the binding on using your preferred method. I have used single fold binding at just 1½in s so that it’s quite skinny and less bulky. Hand stitch the binding to the back for a neat finish.
Hope you have been inspired by Sarah’s project and we look forward to seeing your project entered into our Pure Solids Challenge! To view all stockists and purchase fabrics for this challenge – click here
e g n e l l a ch
If you were inspired by Sarah Ashford’s Pure Solids sewing project on the previous pages then here’s your chance to make your own! Art Gallery Fabrics now has the biggest range of Pima cotton Pure Solids with the highest quality of base cloth making them perfect for all sorts of sewing. We want you to get creative and make a project using this go-to fabric collection.
About the Pure Solids range With improved dip-dye technique the most brilliant and purest colours are now available. Pure Solids are Oeko-Tex certified, so you can rest assure that the dyes are the most environmentally safe to use. Commonly known as ‘Pima’, Art Gallery Fabrics’ premium cottons have the softest hand and the lowest shrinkage percentage between one and two per cent. They almost don’t fray, making them perfect for all kinds of projects. To view the complete collection – click here
How to enter
1. Design and make a small project using only the Pure Solids range from Art Gallery Fabrics. This can be a wall hanging, small bag, cushion, accessory – the choice is yours! To view all stockists and to purchase fabrics for this Pure Solids Challenge – click here 2. To enter the challenge - click here Closing date - Saturday 30th April 2022 3. . After the closing date, the winners will be notified by email as well as the projects to be featured.
The prize Two lucky winners will receive the complete collection of Pure Solids in fat quarters plus a colour card, which is worth over £400. We will also feature the best projects in future issues of Modern Sewing Starts Here and share your makes on social media #PureSolidsChallenge.
Sci-fi-inspired Quilting Patterns For quilting lovers, Elizabeth Hartman has just brought out three new quilting patterns. The Robot Sampler uses fat quarters and charm squares to make sampler quilts featuring five friendly patchwork robots! The finished quilt comes in two sizes: 48in x 48in (small) and 69in x 85in (large). For stargazers, the Star Systems quilt features nine clusters of colour-coordinated stars, making it the perfect project for using a rainbow of colourful fat eighths, pre-cut 10in squares or scraps. The pattern has instructions for making an 80in x 80in quilt. The feline ‘Cats in Space’ adventurers will add a little fun to your quilt making. This quilt comes in two finished sizes: 52in square (small) and 76in square (large). All of these quilts are made using conventional patchwork techniques and there’s no templates or paper piecing. To view more patchwork and quilting patterns – click here
WHAT’S
NEW
We keep you posted of the latest launches! All Occasion Bag Making ByAnnie bag patterns focus on practical and useful projects that appeal to sewists of all ages and levels. You’ll love the tick boxes on each step, which helps you to keep track of where you are in the making process. New bag patterns to add to the already extensive range includes: Contain Yourself (soft-sided storage), Going Places, Grab Some Grub 2.0 and Meshing Around (drawstring bags for swimsuits etc.). To see the other new and existing bag patterns from ByAnnie – click here
Expansion Pattern Pack Cashmerette has just released its new Upton Expansion Pack Pattern for sizes 0-16 so you can mix and match your way to a wardrobe of beautiful dresses and skirts with the Upton Dress & Skirt! This pattern features multiple bodice, skirt, sleeve, and neckline options for hundreds of possible dresses so there’s a dress for every occasion from brunch to cocktails and weddings! To view this pattern from Cashmerette and find your nearest stockist– click here
Details
Ash Jeans … The ultimate stretch jean pattern set. Includes four cuts and multiple lengths for tall, regular and cropped complete with classic jeans detailing. Make these great jeans from Megan Nielsen using Modelo Visit www.hantexonline.co.uk/denim
Find the right fabric for your next project …
