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£7.99 | Issue 29 Nov/Dec 2017
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Christmas Party Looks
STYLISH DRESSES & SEPARATES
SEW Academy... LEARN HOW TO M A ST E R PERFECT P L E AT S
Wrap it up!
Stitch
CSHAPING, L E VDARTS ER AND FRENCH SEAMS EXPLAINED
Look!
YO U B E COULD A PION H O U R C MM R K D R E S S A1 8 E? 0 FOR 2 Se e pa ge 30
★ Elegant Capelet ★ Tweed Jacket ★ Sweet Kelly Bag
Easy for beginners
Brands we
LOVE
8 paterns fre GLAMOROUS EVENING LOOKS WITH YOUR
Your free patterns ’Tis the season for parties galore, so why not prep an armoury of outfits that can take you from drab to fab presto? With New Look 6245 and 6322, you’ll have the option to create four statement tops, plus an array of chic frocks.
We’ve added key techniques from our dressmakers to help you create the perfect garments
What’s your size? When selecting a pattern, it is important to use your body measurements, not your ready-to-wear size. The style of the garment will also determine the fit, so check your proportions against the pattern’s chart. If you are between sizes, opt for the smaller one if you’re small-boned or would like a close fit, and the larger one if you prefer a loose fit. Find out how to take accurate measurements, increase the size of a dart, and view size charts at simplicitynewlook.com.
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YOUR FREE
PATTERNS
Easy Party Frocks and Tops... When you’re not tucked up in layers of sweaters and scarves, Christmastime is the perfect opportunity to don your finery, which is where this month’s patterns step in! New Look 6245 offers four loose and flowy tops that bring statement finesse with a gathered neckline and bold bow that can be tied at the shoulder. Not just suitable for opulent silky types, you can also make the most of your cotton stash, as with our floral design on the previous page. New Look 6322, meanwhile, is this season’s answer to the Little Black Dress. A must for any dressmaker’s capsule collection, the dress comes with four skirt and bodice variations to help perfectly flatter your figure. You also have the choice of a lace neckline with option B and a pretty A-line hem with option C.
Choose a bold floral pattern for year-round chic
Silky types with a soft drape will create a luxe look NEXT MONTH’S FREE GIFTS... GET YOURS ON 21ST DECEMBER 2017
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O H J AC K I E ! With supple knit fit and flare frocks at the top of our wish list, this dreamy two-way dress pattern from Victory is truly swoon-some. Closurefree and quick to make, it features flattering seams and a high neckline for easy elegance guaranteed. Stitch Jackie in a light two-way stretch jersey, ponte or velour for a delectable silhouette pleaser: gorgeous in claret. £10.50,
© Kristiann Boos
victorypatterns.com
Make it, buy it, love it Put these on your list for Santa C OV E R G I R L S
Puppy Love Give your pooch the gift of crushed velvet and put your best paw forward this party season! This dapper bow tie is the perfect way to ensure your best friend looks every bit as stylish as you do at Christmas. Available in four colours – we just love the Purple Pomp. Party Luxe Velvet Dog Bow Tie, £15.50, notonthehighstreet.com
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Make some room on the coffee table, ladies – this stunning collection of 125 years of pioneering fashion photography demands to be touched! Vogue: The Covers by Dodie Kazanjian beautifully captures the visual evolution of a publishing empire, featuring all manner of celebrated sirens from Grace Kelly to Cher. £45,
abramsandchronicle.co.uk
Christma
© Fashion Museum Bath
S E W S P EC I A L ! Stitch the season to be jolly with the polished Janome 230DC! Featuring a wealth of easy-to-use features, including 30 built-in stitch settings, speed controller, foot pressure adjustment and no-fuss threading, it’s the dream machine for both beginners and confident dressmakers, and light enough to carry to your New Year classes. Special price £299 (RRP £349),
janome.co.uk
EDIT C H OO R ’ S ICE
Amazing Lace Showcasing the artistry and versatility of a luxury fabric beloved of crafters and catwalks alike, Lace in Fashion catalogues some of the most exquisite examples of this enduring textile, from the 1660s silver tissue dress to pieces worn by Balmain, Balenciaga and Bond heroines: just breathtaking. Open until 1st January 2018, fashionmuseum.co.uk
C R AC
Why not try?
s
KERS
OUR FAVOURITE PARTY DRESS PATTERNS THE LANEWAY DRESS Comfort and elegance in perfect harmony! Jennifer Lauren’s 1940s A-line style features double open-ended darts, multiple cups, inset pockets and a distinctive asymmetrical or centred collar. Sizes 6-24, £10 (approx), jenniferlauren vintage.com
The Laneway Dress
© Daisy Darling Millinery
REETA MIDI SHIRT DRESS Go with the flow during the festive celebrations with this relaxed yet stylish frock pattern, which includes front button closure, yoked bodice, turn-up sleeves and breast pockets with box pleats. Sizes 4-22, from £10 (approx), namedclothing.com Reeta Midi Shirt Dress
Wow Bazaar Treat yourself to a little handmade happy time. The Vintage Bazaar returns to The Corn Exchange in Devizes, Wiltshire, with its famed treasure trove of stunning one-off pieces, plus trims, ribbons and haberdashery goodies, so grab your fix of bygone beautification. Saturday 25th November, thevintagebazaar.blogspot.com
1940S WRAP DRESS This firm favourite from the Sew Over It archives is a dream for the demands of holiday season. Oozing sophistication and easy glam, with a wrap front bodice, an A-line skirt and pretty shoulder pleats. Sizes 8-20, £8.50 (PDF), £14.50 (paper), sewoverit.co.uk 1940s Wrap Dress
A N D F I N A L LY… SAV V Y L I N I N G S Take good care of your seasonal garb and send in the reinforcements! Vlieseline’s F220 Fusible Interlining is lovely and lightweight: just what you need to seal the deal and make the finishing touches to your festive fashions. F220 Fusible Interlining from £3 per metre,
crafts@stockistenquiries.co.uk
TWOFOR-ONE TICKETS WITH CODE OV74
The inspirational Creative Craft Show returns to the NEC, and as a special reader offer we’re offering you the chance to buy one, get one free! Don’t miss this crafting extravaganza of workshops, catwalk shows and supplies. Order online and enter code OV74 for your free ticket. £14, 15th-18th March 2018,
ichfevents.co.uk
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YO U R
FREE
Pattern
COTTON, CREPE OR SATIN
Pussy Bow Top Party season stitching that’s wrapped up in style!
For an instant shot of feminine glam that delicately frames your features, you can’t beat a billowy bow – a style Coco Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent made famous in some of their most memorable designs. For those of us angling to add easy luxe to our seasonal wardrobe, New Look 6245 is the gift that keeps on giving, thanks to its bow fastening, gathered neckline and choice of straight, curved or double-layered hem, which you can embellish with a lace trim for extra wow factor. Master darts, underlays and armhole edging in soft cotton or a celebratory sateen, crepe or georgette. Thanks to its relaxed shaping, it’s forgiving to all figures; just pair with a tailored pencil or jeans, and go chic, sleek, special and unique with this versatile party pattern. What’s new, pussy cat?
YOUR FREE PATTERN WITH FOUR GORGEOUS LOOKS
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YO U R FOUR TWIRL-WORTHY
FREE
Pattern
Party Dresses
Timeless frocks you’ll reach for again and again
Everyone wants to look their best at the annual Christmas party and – more importantly – avoid the dreaded dilemma of matching your dress with a fellow guest! So what better way to make an entrance in style than with a handmade pattern that’s perfectly tailored to you. New Look 6322 offers four different skirt and bodice variations to choose from: if you’re not a fan of the A-line, you can switch to a swing; pop on some sleeves or dare to go bare; plus, get creative with lace to add interest to the neckline. The subtle pleating at the waist will also give you that enviable hourglass shaping through the hips, whatever design you choose to stitch. It’s simple, classic and just what you need for your winter soirées!
Jayne Cordle
YOUR FREE PATTERN WITH FOUR STUNNING LOOKS
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Beginproejrect VERY BERRY
Pleated Skirt Make an entrance with a chic number in a classic hue The weather may be getting chillier, but that’s no reason to pack away your skirts until the summertime – with boots in one hand and a leather jacket in the other, they can soon be transformed into a year-round staple! Why not get started with this chic design by Amanda Walker? It combines big and bold inverted pleats with a yoke waistband that’ll hug your curves in all the right places.
Amanda Walker
DOWNLOAD THE PATTERN FROM
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Beginproejrect SWEEPING STATEMENT
Vintage Capelet Cloak yourself in glory with timeless outdoor chic
There’s something irresistibly cool about a cape, uniting fashion icons down the ages with its simple, sweeping elegance and full, flowing lines. With a few adjustments to the hem length and collar, you can create a striking silhouette with the minimum of fabric. Comfortable and feminine, this capelet will add class to any ensemble with its flattering doublebreasted design, contrast faux fur collar and button detail. Channel your inner glamour-puss for a look that’s totally swish!
Amanda Walker
Vintage capelet Download and cut out
1 ESSENTIAL KIT Main fabric, 1m x 1.5m Lining, 1m x 1.5m Faux fur trim Coordinating thread Fusible interfacing, medium weight, 50cm Buttons: four black, one flat
the pattern from makeittoday.co.uk. Attach interfacing to the wrong side of the two front facing panels, and iron some to the back of the fabric collar. With the right sides of the fabric and lining together, pin and stitch the outer edges using a 1cm seam allowance. Trim the bulk, then turn the collar out and press.
3
Using a 1cm seam allowance, stitch around the neckline, down the front and around the curved hem, leaving a gap on one straight front edge. Trim the bulk and clip around the neckline. Turn the cape out through the gap and tease out the corners and seams. Press, then slip-stitch closed.
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Make two buttonholes on the right-hand side of the cape, plus one on the top left. Check the angle of the Line up the centre of the buttonholes is parallel with the collar and the back neck neckline and base of the cape. edge. Pin the collar around the Stitch two buttons in the neckline, matching the front corresponding place on the edges to the notches on the opposite side, then another cape, then stitch using a 1cm two to complete the doubleallowance. Place the lining on breasted effect. Sew a small the main fabric, right sides flat button to the inside of the together, matching necklines, left-hand side. front edges and curved hems. Lay each fabric and lining piece out and pin the edges.
2
PRESS FOR SUCCESS If you are using faux fur for the collar, press the edges from the lining side. Otherwise, the iron may mark the main fabric. 22
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Confident beginer SIXTIES STYLE
Tweed Jacket Emulate an iconic garment that never grows old Flash back to the swinging sixties when mini dresses and sophisticated coordinated suits were all the range – think Jackie Kennedy, Coco Chanel and all the fashion icons that made the era so iconic. Fifty years on, Amanda Walker has created a contemporary A-line jacket that celebrates this classic style. The tweed fabric has a soft casual feel to it and is loosely woven, making it relatively easy to stitch; however, it does fray so take care with the handling.
Amanda Walker
DOWNLOAD THE PATTERN FROM
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FA B R I C
Wool Suiting Herringbone Grey Timeless elegance is assured with this lightweight 100% wool. Keep those seasonal tones neutral and classic with a herringbone weave in soft pewter – the perfect complement to rich tan leather. £28 per metre, trurofabrics.com
Fold in the raw edges of the gap and topstitch. Slip the lining inside the bag, press and topstitch the top bag edge.
6
Hand-sew snap fasteners to the top corners of the bag, 1cm down from the edge and 3cm in from the side seam, so the sides can be pinched together and fastened, or opened to allow extra capacity. Decorate the bag by cutting a further 7mm-wide strip of leather, threading with charms and looping around the handle.
SHOPPING BASKET Nunn Tree of Life Bag Charm Finish off your Parisian satchel with a charming antique-style charm, such as this embossed Nunn Design disc with its traditional arboreal detail. £3.97, beadsdirect.co.uk
DOWNLOAD THE TEMPLATE FROM
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