Make It Today Dressmaker Issue 34

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PATTERNS £9.99 | Issue 34 May/June 2018

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Summer Patterns

DESIGNS

IN SIZES *

6 -28

CREATE THE LOOKS YOU LOVE TO WEAR

EASY-SEW

LAYERED DRESS

4 Quick

TOPS & TEES IN YOUR BONUS PULLOUT PACK

Petal Power

THE BOTANICAL PRINTS EDIT

OF THE YEAR

2018 REVEALED!

Skills to thrill...

GET CHIFFON SAVVY BUTTONHOLE BASICS FASTENINGS IN A FLASH * SIZE RANGES VARY PER PATTERN APPROXIMATE UK SIZING

10 patterns free

SUMMER STATEMENT PIECES WITH YOUR

This Month’s patterns We’re loving the light and airy makes possible with this month’s New Look 6281 and Simplicity 8169 patterns. Sewn in beautifully bold prints and striking solid colours, they’re sure to have heads turning. They are perfect for an afternoon by the riverside or drinks with friends at night.

With so many options, which one will you be making tonight?

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.

We’ve added key techniques from our dressmakers to help you create the perfect garments makeittoday.co.uk

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YOUR FREE

PATTERNS

Fresh, light and casual...

Step into summer and swap out your spring wardrobe for more suitable styles. After all, a closet built on a streamlined selection of items will make your day-to-day dressing infinitely easier. Perfect your style with New Look 6281 featuring four floaty dresses, which include layered options and asymmetrical designs.

They are surprisingly feminine, and the slightly looser silhouette works

NEXT MONTH’S FREE GIFTS...

GET YOURS ON 21ST JUNE 2018

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wonders in keeping you fashionable and cool. Meanwhile, Simplicity 8169 is this season’s answer to delicate, chic and comfortable wear – the blouse comes with six variations to flatter any figure. Opt for a flouncy sleeve or a sleeve casing, depending on your preference. They are perfectly practical and endlessly versatile to ensure you feel confident whatever the occasion.

SEALED WITH A KISS If this pretty fabric collection from whimsical print emporium Tilda doesn’t have you feeling the love, we don’t know what will! With its sorbet of scintillating summer tints, the Sunkiss Collection is a smoochie selection of ripe satsuma and crisp apple hues, and it’s sure to give you fresh incentive for those holiday makes. Pucker up and play! sewandso.co.uk

Make it, buy it, Attention to Detail

If you, like us, are a fan of the V&A’s fashion collections, you’ll adore this sumptuous coffee table tome. Written

by Susan North, the museum’s curator of fashion, 18th Century Fashion in Detail brings together all the intricacies and artistry of an inspired and exquisite period. £24.95, thamesandhudson.com

love it Bring me sunshine in your style...

D R E A M B R OT H E R

Wondering which sewing machine to pick for your next stitchy purchase?

As the proud recipient of the illustrious iF Design Award for Best in Class, Brother’s Cover Stitch series is just the ticket. Singled out by judges for its innovative functionality, these award-winning models offer the perfect blend of performance and user-friendly functions. See coverstitch.brothersewingnews.eu for more details.

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It’s

O STA R A’ S B O R N !

Bring a little forties flair into your easy knit style with the figurehugging charms of the Ostara Top, the latest lovely release from Jennifer Lauren Handmade.

Hugging your body in all the right places, this elegant pattern, with its choice of neckline and classic silhouette, is the perfect base for any outfit. Sizes 6-24. £8, jenniferlaurenhandmade.store

Italian Job

Who says you have to choose between holiday travels and stitching this summer? Join fellow needlework creatives in the breathtaking countryside of Umbria, and you can work on your cross-stitch whilst soaking up the sun amidst some of the finest embroidery traditions. Cross-Stitch in Assisi with Jane Greenoff, 15th-21st September 2018, sewandso.co.uk

Why not try?

W R AaP

FLATTERING FITS FOR EVERY FIGURE ULTIMATE WRAP DRESS Dressed up or down, this versatile pattern will comfortably see you through the changing seasons and also any changes in your shape! Supercomfy and easy to fit, it’s a lovely pattern for working with knits.

Sizes 8-20, £14.50, sewoverit.co.uk

ULTIMATE WRAP WRAP DRESS DRESS ULTIMATE

CHARLI ANNE WRAP DRES Designed for everyday elegance, this pretty pattern with its flutter sleeve option and tulip hem works a treat for beach style as well as summer events and a girl’s night out.

Sizes XS-XL, £10.99, sewtogrow.com CHARLI ANNE DRESS

BUBBLE B E AU T I F U L

GET 20% ENTER OFF D DUR M20 C H E C KIN G OUT

Keep your little lassies looking pretty as a picture with this vintageinspired frock.

Complete with halter top, criss-cross back straps and bow fastening options plus a super-cute sweetheart bodice, the Dream Big Bubble Dress is an adorable pattern for all petite fashionistas from six months to 12 years old.

Full price £5.85, ellieandmac.com

Vintage Beauty

As if its extensive pattern range wasn’t inspiration enough for dressmakers, Simplicity’s gift range is set to captivate a brand-new audience with its whimsical yet tasteful designs. Featuring all sorts of throwback treats, from tins and charms to pouches and even an umbrella, it’s a glorious celebration of 90 years of beauty.

Vintage Gift Collection, from £2.50 per item, simplicitynewlook.com

TRINA WRAP DRESS Slinky and dramatic, Trina effortlessly fuses the charms of a classic wrap dress with a cool kimono. Its cross-over front and raglan sleeve help to create a gorgeous Art Deco allure.

Sizes 4-18, £11.99, victorypatterns.com

TRINA WRAP DRESS

A N D F I N A L LY…

The clock is ticking if you fancy entering the most thrilling telly event in the dressmaking calendar! Yes, that’s right – casting has begun for the new series of The Great British Sewing Bee, so this is your chance to show the nation what you’ve got and take your place alongside the stitching illuminati. Enter before 28th May at applyforsewingbee.co.uk

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YO U R

FREE

DYNAMIC LINES AND LAYERS

Pattern

Summer Shifts Playful overlays and asymmetric hemlines with your free patterns

Ever since New York Fashion Week declared its intent in layers of feminine flounce, designers have been teasing at conventional rules of height and form.

The high-low hemline and layered bodice have received a dynamic makeover, with elegant sideways slicing by Nicole Miller and forwardthinking plunges from Temperley London. New Look’s 6281 four-way pullover pattern elongates the silhouette while caressing natural form with relaxed lines. Why not practise overlays, tiered effects and mixed hemlines with a chic scoop neck in charmeuse, crepe-back satin or challis, or try colour-blocking for extra shaping potential?

Offering the ultimate drape and contouring, these slinky shifts are truly a cut above the rest‌

Jayne Cordle

YOUR FREE PATTERN WITH FOUR STYLISH SHIFTS

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Beginnproejrect FA B R I C

NO-PATTERN

make

Iconic Stripes

Classic sailor style with a medium-weight monochrome Ponte Roma, ÂŁ9.95 per metre, girlcharlee.co.uk

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YO U R FUN AND FLIRTY

Tunic Tops

FREE

Pattern

Versatile all-rounder for sightseeing and drinks on the terrace The Great British summertime may be a bit unpredictable, but with New Look’s 8169 flouncy tunic designs, you’ll have the perfect all-rounder for when the warmer weather comes your way. Providing the ultimate in comfort and breathability, these six beautiful patterns work well for many figures, offering a classic take on a carefree, romantic look that oozes graceful feminine charm. They aren’t too tricky to work, either! Featuring a medley of sleeve designs and an easy-to-construct neckline, you’ll be able to step out in style in no time.

Jayne Cordle

YOUR FREE PATTERN WITH SIX STUNNING LOOKS

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YO U R

FREE

Pattern

FA B R I C

OPTION A 6281

Martigny Floral Turquoise Stretch Satin

Finer Fitting To make the darts in the front of the dress, bring the right sides of the fabric together and match the broken lines and small dots.

Sew along the line from the wide end to the point, then press the dart down. Stitch the front to the back at the shoulder seams, right sides together. Open out one edge of the bias fold tape and, with right sides together, pin the tape to the neck edge with a crease 1cm from the neck edge, turning under and lapping one end at one shoulder seam, then sew in 1cm seam and layer. Under-stitch the tape, turn to the inside, press and tack close to the inner edge. On the outside, topstitch as tacked.

Try an asymmetric hemline to elongate the frame and create a naturally slimming effect

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New Look’s sleek and sophisticated lines are ideally suited to bright colours and vibrant florals.

This relaxed stretch fabric partners dreamy opacity with playful scribbles in languid swirls of teal and olive green. ÂŁ9.50 per metre, clothspot.co.uk

Side View Apply pockets to the side edges of the front and back as follows. With right sides together, pin the pocket piece to the trousers or shorts, checking raw edges are even and using a 1cm seam.

Press the seam towards the pocket, then pin the front to the back at the sides.

Sew the side seams, leaving an opening between the large dots. Stitch the pocket edges from the side seam to the upper edge. Clip the back allowance at the lower end of the pocket. Press the seam open below the clip, then press the pocket towards the front and tack 6mm from the upper edge.

Confident beginner CHIC AND STYLISH

Sleeveless Jacket Add a pop of colour with this summerinspired design Fancy going sunny side up this season?

Channel your inner fashionista by stitching up this classic sleeveless jacket in one of our favourite hues by Amanda Walker. Master the basics of neatening edges, creating armholes and affixing buttons in this simple-to-construct project. You’ll be smiling at your finished make after only one weekend. Pair with a striped long-sleeve top, black jeans and black heels for an unmissable and effortless look!

Amanda Walker

DOWNLOAD THE PATTERN FROM

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PE RFECT FO R N OVI C E ST I TCHERS F ROM TON E F I N N A N GER , S UN SHI NE SEWING!

USE CUTTING GUIDES AT

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D I S C OV E R MORE MAKES Find an array of gorgeous sewing patterns in Tilda Sunshine Sewing by Tone Finnanger (£9.50, Sew and So) sewandso.co.uk

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Tweed Cap

Parisienne Top

Tunic Dress

MORE PATTERNS, MORE MAKES...

Bonus Projects For You Liberty Collar

Even more DIY dressmaking inspiration at makeittoday.co.uk Expand your stitching repertoire with an assortment of quick and easy handmade fashion projects

Plus....

Peplum top for parties ◆ Bell blouse with easy ruffles ◆ Tulip dress to wow friends ◆ Drape cape for all seasons ◆ Fitted dress for a princess ◆ Pretty shirred gypsy blouse ◆ Vintage Monte Carlo skirt ◆ And much, much more! ◆

Floral Top

Everyday Tee

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