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The UK's No.1 sewing mag

Bold &

bright!

Make eye-catching garments you'll love to wear

Sizes

6-26

MIX & MATCH Create your new wardrobe

MASTERCLASS Luxe leather

The Palmer/Pletsch fitting technique

CIRCLE BAG

Expert guide overlocker tips & tricks ISSUE 48 UK £7.99

Inspire Imagine Create

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Patchwork heart CUSHION 08/12/2017 10:08

BRAND NEW EMBROIDERY KITS AVAILABLE DECEMBER 2017

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See Jenny's review on page 23!

Meet the

TEAM

‌ to issue 48 of Love Sewing

W

ell hello 2018! It's on our doorstep and it's time to get excited. This issue is crammed full of mix-and-match garments to create a new capsule collection for spring. Our free gift is a Palmer/Pletsch for McCall's trouser pattern that features an easy-to-fit design and works in wovens and jersey. We are turning the spotlight on the Palmer/Pletsch fitting technique in our Brief History Of feature. Head to page 10 to read more about how this ingenious method became so popular and meet the mother-and-daughter team creating these wonderful patterns.

Simon ART EDITOR Simon is passionate about design and has a keen eye for detail.

He's creative in his spare time too and we love his range of bright and cheeky enamel pins.

See more at www.instagram.com/ simonsayspins

Learn the technique on page 10!

As you know my favourite day of the month is always the visit from our guest reviewer and I loved the colour and print Jenny chose for her version of the trousers. She's channelling 1930s beach pyjama style with a glam finish. Hear her honest thoughts on making the trousers on page 23 and get inspired to make your own pair!

I've been working on my own little capsule collection in my spare time.

After reading so many articles and admiring systems like the Colette Wardrobe Architect I thought I should see if it would work

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Bethany

for me (on a small scale) with nine complementary garments in shades of black and white, red, blue and turquoise. You can see two finished elements in the above picture! I drafted a super comfy spot ponte circle skirt and hacked a Vogue 9000 dress pattern into a retro blouse in teal polyester. I love the tiny pearl buttons and Peter Pan collar. Find the full set of inspiration garments at www.pinterest. co.uk/almondrocksews/vintage-wardrobe Why not try your own capsule collection using the frill dress, pleat front Poppy top and panelled Megan skirt from this issue? They're the perfect partners to your Palmer/Pletsch trousers!

DEPUTY EDITOR Bethany loves nothing more than indulging in a quiet spot of cross stitch in her free time. She’s also the creator of the Make It Betty 'Sketch it Stitch it' notebooks available at www.makeitbetty. etsy.com

Lorna EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Lorna joins the team this month and brings with her buckets of enthusiasm for making magazines.

She's excited to see your makes so remember to send them to letters@lovesewingmag. co.uk

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Inside this ISSUE REGULARS AND FEATURES 3 6 10 14 16 18 23 24 26 32 34 36 38 40 43 44 50 52 55 58 60 65 72 77

Welcome Love Sewing Loves A Brief History of Palmer/Pletsch Fabric focus – Save 20% on fabric at Montreux Fabrics Shop of the month WIN sewing show tickets Reader review: free pattern gift The Dressmaker’s Diary with Elisalex de Castro Peake SUBSCRIBE TODAY Jade Earley the girl with the bright red hair Behind the seams with Wendy Ward The Cocktail Hour Sew-along Swatch Selector with Kerry Green Thrifty Stitcher with Claire-Louise Hardie Claim your free baby sewing book Sewing room swoon This month I’m making Sewing workshops In the good books Claim your free McCall’s dress PATTERN READING BASICS AND FITTING ESSENTIALS DISCOUNTS AND GIVEAWAYS Skill building with Wendy Gardiner Readers’ makes

Sew your own trousers!

19

PROJECTS

Receive Sewing With Knitted Fabrics when you subscribe – see page 26 for further info

80 Couture sew-along with Alison Smith MBE 83 Machine review 84 Pattern picks – Save 20% on By Hand London patterns 87 Fabric focus – Press the button 88 15 minutes with Kate Marsden

19 Your free McCall’s pattern gift – Palmer/Pletsch designer trousers 28 Be my Valentine heart cushion 30 Go full circle leatherette bag 47 Cord have mercy skirt 56 Hold all the cards wallet 62 Up, up and away tape measure 68 Free as a bird pleated top 78 Light as a feather clutch bag 92 Frill seeker shift dress 98 Woah Nellie! elephant family In issue 47 we credited the McCall’s make-up bag to Sarah Lawson, but of course it was our columnist and McCall’s Brand Ambassador Wendy Gardiner who compiled the project for you.

Find us online

www.lovesewingmag.co.uk

96 Coming next issue

/lovesewingmag

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10 Editorial Editor Amy Thomas Deputy Editor Bethany Armitage Editorial Assistant Lorna Malkin Senior Sub-Editor Justine Moran Sub-Editor Kayleigh Hooton Senior Art Editor Sher Ree Tai Art Editor Simon Kay Senior Product Photographer Tym Leckey Photographers Renata Stonyte, Amy Worrall Hair & make-up Nina Rochford Contributors Claire-Louise Hardie, Alison Smith MBE, Elisalex de Castro Peake, Wendy Ward, Jade Earley, Wendy Gardiner, Kerry Green

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Publishing & Advertising Head of Softcrafts Ruth Walker Advertising Sales Executive Noune Sarkissian noune.sarkissian@practical publishing.co.uk Advertising Consultant Amanda Paul Subscriptions Manager Daniel Tutton Distribution Manager Lauren Murray Production Executive Anna Olejarz Buying Assistant Rachael Edmunds Managing Editor Kate Heppell Managing Art Editor Jennifer Lamb Head of Content & Positioning Gavin Burrell Group Buying Manager Olivia Foster Financial Director Chris Dunbar Strategy & Insights Director Dave Cusick Managing Director Danny Bowler Group Managing Director Robin Wilkinson

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Distribution Seymour Distribution Ltd

Contact Practical Publishing International Ltd, Suite G2 St Christopher House, 217 Wellington Road South, Stockport SK2 6NG info@practicalpublishing.co.uk www.practicalpublishing.co.uk Tel: 0844 561 1202 Fax: 0161 474 6961

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28

Subscription Enquiries

Tel: 01858 438899 practicalpublishing@subscription.co.uk

Other Enquiries

Tel: 0844 561 1202 customerservice@practicalpublishing.co.uk Love Sewing is published by Practical Publishing International Ltd ISSN 2054-832X All material © Practical Publishing International Ltd. The style and mark of Love Sewing is used under licence from Practical Publishing International Holdings Ltd. No material in whole or in part may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form whatsoever without the prior written consent of Practical Publishing International Ltd. 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 licence 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 known or hereafter developed, for any purpose, in perpetuity.

Stock images provided by Shutterstock, Inc

47 Practical Publishing International Ltd is a member of the PPA

CONTRIBUTORS Jemima Schlee

Pati Palmer

Debbie von Grabler-Crozier

Katy Jones

Author and crafter Jemima is showing us how to whip up a quick and clever card wallet on page 56. Try more of her speedy makes in her book Fat Quarter Gifts, £12.99.

(GMC Publications).

Our regular bag-making expert is back again with a fabulous leatherette circle bag tutorial on page 30.

Debbie is a talented sewing book author. Discover more at www.sallyandcraftyvamp.blogspot.co.uk

Meet the mother-and-daughter team sharing an ingenious fitting technique. They’re the creators of our free pattern gift this month – head to page 10 to find out how the method began and what it’s like to work with your daughter!

Katy is the Editor and creative force behind Quilt Now magazine and shares her fab patchwork heart cushion on page 28. Discover more about the magazine and download free patterns at www.quiltnow.co.uk

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The patterns, people, fabric and finds getting us sewing this month

LIFE IN PATT ERN

Foxy fabric

When: 25th May – 23rd September 2018 Where: Fashion and Textile Museum, 83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF Price: £9.90 adults, £8.80 concessions, children under 12 free from www.ftmlondon.org With some of the most recognisable patterns around, designer Orla Kiely is one of the UK and Ireland’s most successful designers.

Her new exhibition Orla Kiely: A Life in Pattern features over 150 patterns and products from the past three decades of her work.

It includes her stunning fabric collections, showing them all the way from sketch to stitch.

A must for all fans of her graphic prints and mix of contemporary and vintage aesthetics. Book ahead so you’re not disappointed!

Celebrate the magic of woodland critters with the latest fabric range from Crafter’s Companion. Fox in the Wood has nine co-ordinating cotton fabrics, ideal for homeware and dressmaking projects. We love the foxy prints, and those leaf patterns would make a lovely spring circle skirt. It features olive, brown, grey and peachy colours, making it wearable all year round. Plus, there’s a six-piece thread box to match perfectly!

For fabric prices and more information, check out www.crafterscompanion.co.uk

MEASURE UP How lovely is this beautiful wooden ruler from Beyond Measure? It measures 2m and folds up to 24cm, meaning you can easily pop it in your bag for a sewing class or trip to the shops. Precision-made in Germany, it has been carefully constructed using 10 different types of wood – with little snippets of info about each tree included on the reverse! A real heirloom, this can be passed down to the next generation and would make a brilliant gift for a new sewist.

Price: £22 from www. shopbeyondmeasure. co.uk

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Best foot forward

Stitchers gonna

STITCH

When: 13th and 15th January, 25th February 2018 Where: John Lewis, 300 Oxford Street, London Price: £45 from www.themakery.co.uk Sew your own super-soft moccasin slippers with this brilliant brand-new workshop from The Makery! It’s designed for beginner sewists and beyond and you can use anything from jersey to soft denim for your tops, with premium leather soles and gorgeous Sherpa fleece lining provided on the day. Enjoy your first foray into shoemaking, and create a pair of snuggly slippers to keep your feet nice and toasty around the house.

Turn to page 65 to WIN a fat quarter

HANG IN THERE! Well hello there Mr Sloth! This fun little felt kit includes everything you need to sew up a sweet little sloth. Once you’ve finished stitching on the finishing touches you can decide whether to keep him as a cute cuddly toy or carry him with you as a handy key ring.

The kit is suitable for kids over the age of seven, with a little adult supervision. Ideal for snow days!

Price: £6.50 at www. notonthehighstreet.com

Inject a little citrus twist into your next project with the new Lemon Tree collection from Tilda. It features 20 beautiful designs on 100% cotton fabric, combining traditional and contemporary patterns with an Oriental twist, including vibrant florals, birds and sunny hues of yellow. As well as stunning fabric, there are buttons, ribbons, quilt labels, plus bag and homeware kits to inspire your next projects.

Available January 2018. For prices and to find your nearest stockist, contact groves@ stockistenquiries.co.uk

The cross stitch and embroidery we’re loving this month

Bethany Deputy Editor

FREEMOTION MAGIC

I’m showcasing my favourite bits and pieces in the world of machine embroidery this month and I couldn’t resist recommending the work of Minki Kim! You can find her at www. minki.com, or download our free templates for her beautiful coasters from her book Sew Illustrated at www. lovesewingmag.co.uk

ALL ABOUT APPLIQUÉ

Sam Molloy of www. stitchedupby samantha.co.uk is one of my favourite machine-embroidery artists, and I love how she combines this with appliqué! Check out her amazing stitched portraits and look out for her upcoming free-motion workshops at www.fabrichq.com

MEMORY CRAFT MACHINE

You can do a lot of amazing machine embroidery on a standard model, but if you’re a frequent user and are looking to create your own motifs, you can’t go wrong with the Janome Memory Craft 500E. It has 160 built-in designs, plus three fonts and powerful editing features.

Available for £1,499 from www. sewandso.co.uk

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right

SEW IT

Are you brand-new to sewing or are you simply looking for a comprehensive companion you can keep on your sewing table for years to come? Try How to Start Sewing by Assembil Books. This one-stop resource guides you every step of the way from what machine to buy and how to choose fabric to how to fix troubleshooting issues, garment construction and professional techniques to help you to sew fabulous clothes with high-level finishes. You can then turn to the back of the book for a library of sample patterns to get you started and helpful advice on how to adapt these and plan your own projects.

Price: £25 from www.assembil.com

Turn to page 66 to WIN a copy!

Happy hexies Keep your needle safe as you sew with this smiley hexagon needleminder. Designed by the queen of cute, embroidery artist Mollie Johanson, exclusively for Cloud Craft, it’s made of hard enamel and has a super-strong magnet that attaches to the back, while the shiny front sits proudly on top of your fabric to guard your needle. No more losing your favourite needle under the couch!

Price: £9.75 from www.cloudcraft.co.uk

CAPE TOWN! New Look 8324 Sizes: 6-24 Price: £6.95 Available from www.simplicitynewlook.com Cover up in style with the New Look 6324 Misses’ Cape. This crew neck cape can be made with optional one or two-fabric closures, with edging variations and even a shorter style with a necktie for special occasions. We’re loving the vintage 70s vibe, and can’t help thinking of crushed velvet and suede versions as well as tweed and wools. Simple to fit, this is a real wardrobe staple and perfect for taking you into spring.

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Fat quarter fun The Priory Square collection for Art Gallery is back by popular demand! Designed by the talented Katy Jones, Editor of our sister mag Quilt Now, it was first released in 2014 and its combination of vibrant colours with graphic floral blooms has been such a hit that it’s back in shops! This 100% quilting-weight cotton can be used to sew creative quilts, pretty patchwork accessories and beautiful garments like spring dresses, shirts and statement skirts.

Price: £3.20 per fat quarter at www.misformake.co.uk

Ready, set, BAKE! Whip something delicious up in the kitchen, right after you whip up something fabulous in your sewing room! We love this patchwork ditsy print apron from Cath Kidston, featuring adjustable neck fastening and long waist ties. There’s even a handy front pocket! Why not make your own using mixed fabric and rock the print clashing look at home? Find the apron online www.cathkidston.com priced £20.

LISTEN UP! Need something to listen to while you’re at your sewing machine or even on the commute to work?

The Love Sewing team can’t get enough of the new podcast Love to Sew from Helen Wilkinson and Caroline Somos. These best buds share a fun, weekly show all about (you guessed it) sewing! The creative Canadian duo discuss making clothes, the crafty community and what it takes to run an indie business too. Plus, most of the shows are at least an hour, giving you tonnes of sewing inspiration and motivation.

Find out more at www.lovesewpodcast.com

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF

A brief history of

THE PALMER/ PLETSCH TECHNIQUE 10 www.lovesewingmag.co.uk

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The tissue-fitting method in action

Melissa Watson for Palmer/Pletsch Princess Fit Dress M7352

Pati and Susan were joined by Marta Alto in 1981. Marta brought a wealth of sewing experience, having created costumes and designer clothing, as well as teaching classes around the world. Susan left the business in 1984, and Marta and Pati went on to coauthor several Palmer/Pletsch books.

Marta has since taught the technique through workshops, retreats and seminars for nearly four decades.

To begin with, Palmer/Pletsch asked sewists to take nine width and six lengthwise measurements to determine their size.

However, after beginning tissue fitting, Marta took just the one measurement, the high bust. Once you have the right size, other measurements are not needed as you will be trying on the tissue pieces, where you can add, subtract, slash or spread to fit to your body shape. Tissue soon replaced the need for muslin toiles, saving time and revolutionising the fitting process for generations of sewists.

Pati Palmer

The Palmer/Pletsch tissue-fitting method has been used by sewists for 40 years to help make garments that are simple to sew and fit perfectly to your figure, without the need for lots of measurements!

T The tissue-fitting method has proved to be very successful

he concept began life in the 1970s with Pati Palmer and Susan Pletsch as they travelled around North America and Australia teaching sewing in fabric stores. This developed into the Palmer/Pletsch International School of Sewing in Portland, Oregon, and has since spawned satellite sewing schools and vacation workshops at sites across the US. In 1975 Pati and Susan designed a trouser-fitting pattern for Vogue, the V1798, and two years later a basic dress-fit pattern was added. Both sets of instructions explained how to make the fit shells in check fabric for added fit assistance. In 1980 the duo designed the McCall’s 7263 8-Hour Blazer, which included a guide showing tissue fitting for shoulder fit, hip width, waist length and sleeves.

They continued to show tissue fitting across many more McCall’s patterns and guide sheets, with added alteration advice and lines.

Pati says that it has taken decades of fine-tuning but the tissue-fitting method has proved to be very successful. “Instead of fitting a muslin, you try on the pattern tissue and determine your alterations.

Then you alter the pattern and try it on again. We’ve developed a sequence of which alterations to do first.” She explains that you don’t need to measure your body, just use the high bust measurement for size and trust your eyes. It can easily be done on yourself with a little practice too.

In order to sew well-fitting garments, Pati recommends that if you are in any doubt about ease, cut 1” side seam allowances. “We call them ‘in-case’ seam allowances. They are there in case you need them. First tissue-fit then cut out the altered tissue and fabric fit. You tissue-fitted only half of your body, so in fabric you will be able to fit both sides and do ‘tweaking’ where necessary.”

Pati during an early fitting classes

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The Palmer/Pletsch pattern line evolved into a new series from 1997 called Palmer/Pletsch Fit for Real People, Fashion for Every BODY, with alteration lines shown on the tissue and guidance on how to tissue-fit and alter your pattern. The brand has gone on to design and write more than 220 patterns for The McCall Pattern Company, making it a very familiar name in the world of home sewing.

After years of research, development and teaching, in 1998 Pati and Marta launched their book Fit For Real People, featuring their tissue-fitting techniques and new ways of altering. Pati has now authored or co-authored 10 sewing books, as well as edited/published 20 more – not to mention 18 how-to videos!

Pati’s daughter Melissa Watson has since joined the brand, designing her own patterns, teaching classes and training people all over the world. Melissa began her career designing clothing for the ready-to-wear market, working on major brands like Ralph Lauren. With a keen eye for fit, it was only natural for Melissa to begin teaching and start working with her mother to help spread the Palmer/Pletsch tissue-fitting techniques.

Melissa explains that tissue fitting is “the best way to easily teach and learn how to fit. I’ve heard from many teachers and students alike that they have gone through many muslins and still had not been as successful as using our tissue-fitting method.” When looking for a great fit, Melissa advises that any small amount of tissue fitting and alterations you do before you cut out your fabric will yield a better finished garment.

The mother-daughter duo make a brilliant creative team too. After studying at Parsons School of Design

Melissa Watson

Melissa modelling her McCall’s 6901 trousers

in New York and working as a garment designer, Melissa realised that she too had an entrepreneurial spirit. Pati welcomed her involvement and says “there is nothing better than working with your daughter, especially when she is so willing to learn from me and my peers and respects our knowledge”. As well as a passion for sewing, Melissa has also been able to bring a lot of new skills to the business, creating the website and offering technical assistance too. Melissa says: “I couldn’t ask for a better boss or mentor… I really believe in the company she built and I’m so happy to be able to be a part of it while trying to grow my individual brand.”

Melissa has forged a successful line of patterns, Melissa Watson for Palmer/Pletsch, uniting the famous techniques and methods of Palmer/Pletsch with her own contemporary styling. Each pattern includes instructions on how to fit the pattern in the guide sheet, as well as alteration lines printed on the pattern itself to make it super-simple to fit to your figure.

So, what does the future hold for the Palmer/Pletsch brand? A bumper new book is due out in summer 2018, exploring the history of the world-famous fitting technique and offering guidance on how sewists can take their fitting skills to the next level. There are lots of new workshops planned at the Portland, Seattle, Michigan, Philadelphia, Connecticut and Brooklyn sites. Or, for something a little closer to home, search ‘Palmer Pletsch’ at www.craftsy.com for e-courses.

Pati, Marta and one of their fitting classes

Tissue fitting is the best way to easily teach and learn how to fit

Find out more Find out more about Pati Palmer, Melissa Watson and the Palmer/Pletsch technique at www.palmerpletsch.com

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F420 The Innov-is F420 is packed with a huge range of features including 140 stitches, lettering, lock stitch button, automatic thread cutter, and Square Feed Drive System for strong, smooth, even sewing on all types of fabric.

Create your own style

55FE The feature-packed Innov-is 55 Fashion Edition will shape your fashion dreams into reality. 81 stitches including 10 one step button hole styles plus lettering together with the included 12 accessory feet make this an excellent all round machine.

27SE The Innov-is 27SE offers fantastic versatility for both the beginner and experienced sewer. With fingertip controls, 50 stitches including 5 one step button hole styles and a protective hard case; it’s ideal for all kinds of sewing.

brothersewing.co.uk www.lovesewingmag.co.uk 13

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SAVE 20%

with code LSMONTREUX. Visit www.montreux fabrics.co.uk to take advantage of this great offer

Established in 1973, Montreux Fabrics is a family run business in Leicester committed to supplying its customers with the finest fabric and service. Head to www.montreuxfabrics.co.uk to see its huge selection of gorgeous fabric and use the code LSMONTREUX at checkout to save. Shop online or visit the retail warehouse at The Old Shoe Factory in Belgrave, Leicester.

Offer valid from the 28th December – 25th January 2018

Blouse from Laura Ashley

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FABRIC

1

2

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New year,

NEW PRINTS! 4

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Banish the January blues with this exclusive 20% discount on Montreux Fabrics

Fabric shopping Butterflies canvas, ÂŁ9 per metre Cotton stripe jersey, ÂŁ9 per metre Pink needlecord, ÂŁ10 per metre Printed cotton poplin, ÂŁ8 per metre Single jersey, ÂŁ9 per metre Single jersey printed, ÂŁ10 per metre Single jersey stripe, ÂŁ9 per metre Panama viscose, ÂŁ8 per metre All fabric available at www.montreuxfabrics.co.uk

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SHOP OF THE

REMNANT KINGS

Argyle Street, Glasgow Established in 1946, Remnant Kings has become a household name in Scotland for great quality fabric, haberdashery and crafts. We caught up with Hazel at the Remnant Kings HQ in Glasgow Hi there! How are you and what are you up to at the shop today?

Hello! I’m well thank you. Today has been quite a busy day in the shop, we’ve had lots of customers in store buying lovely fabric to make themselves new bits and pieces and some who are making gifts for others.

We also had a meeting with one of our suppliers to look at fabric for next season which is always fun as we start to plan our ranges and put trends together.

Which sewing machine would you recommend for a beginner, or an experienced sewist?

We use the Janome CXL301 as these are the machines we use in our classes and think they’re a great basic with some great stitch options and they are incredibly reliable. We’ve never had an issue with any. I use the Janome DKS100, it’s a great next step up for more stitch types and a few more sewing options.

Tell us a bit about the history of the business We’ve been around a long time, since 1946, and it’s our current owners’ grandfather and friend who set up Remnant Kings in Glasgow’s East End. We now have five stores across Central Scotland and our online store, which means we get to meet customers from all over. We’ve always been a household name locally for fabric and haberdashery and we keep sourcing all round the world for new and exciting products to bring to our stores.

Have you had any particularly memorable moments with customers in store?

We have memorable moments with our customers every day! We’re very fortunate that we get to meet a whole range of sewists in our stores as we cater for dressmakers, quilters, curtain makers and everyone else in between.

What sets you apart from other shops?

What sets us apart is our quality, service and value. We pride ourselves on having the best selection of products to appeal to every kind of sewist, with many colours, prints and textures available. And we source these from all over to offer them at the best possible prices. Couple this with our friendly, knowledgeable staff and we think we have a unique offering that appeals to everyone who visits us in store and online.

Is there anything new or exciting coming up that you’d like to tell our readers about?

For 2018 we’re continuing to develop our dressmaking fabric, making sure we have a great range of basics alongside our seasonal prints and weaves. And we’ll be adding more and more of these to our website to expand our online store to reflect what we have in our physical stores. This means more designer fabric and patterns and trimmings to go with them!

Visit us!

REMNANT KINGS 146 Argyle Street 1st Floor (above House of Fraser) Glasgow G2 8BL Telephone: 0141 221 2220 Other store locations: Glasgow – Howard Street Falkirk Hamilton Edinburgh – Cloth Shop Or search for Remnant Kings on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram www.remnantkings.co.uk

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Request your free fabric catalogue today!

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06/12/2017 12:07

WIN

TICKETS TO THE SPRING KNITTING & STITCHING SHOW OLYMPIA LONDON 1ST – 4TH MARCH 2018 We have 15 pairs of tickets to give away for The Spring Knitting and Stitching show in London. The Knitting and Stitching shows are definitive events for anyone with a love of textile-based craft.

Championing creativity with hundreds of workshops, demonstrations, dressmaking clinics and galleries by leading textile artists, this is an event not to be missed!

Spend a day restocking your fabric stash, learning to sew, mastering the art of tailoring and more. There has never been a better excuse to get involved in craft! For more information, visit www. theknittingandstitchingshow.com/spring

15 PAIRS TO WIN!

Enter today

Visit www.ppjump.c om/ lovesewing48 and ad d your details to enter this competition and our other giveaways featured th is month.

Closing date 1st Febr uary 2018

Tickets are valid on any day excluding Saturday 3rd March. Winners will be notified by email. Competition open to UK residents only.

The show takes place at Olympia London from 1st – 4th March 2018. Ticket prices are £13 in advance (concessions £12, children, aged 5-18, £6). There is a £1.50 booking fee payable per order. A wide selection of options are available from www.theknittingandstitchingshow.com/spring or by calling 0844 581 1319.

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07/12/2017 10:23

Your free

GIFT

Wear the

TROUSERS Don't be afraid to sew trousers! We've got you covered. Palmer/Pletsch patterns come with in-depth step-by-step fitting guides to make sewing a breeze

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Subscribe today to get a

McCALL PATTERN CO. DESIGN WORTH £8.95 WITH EVERY ISSUE! See page 26 for details

What Zip?

Use a concealed zipper foot for an invisible and perfectly matched finish

VIEW C Cool cropped trousers are a wardrobe staple for work and play!

We recommend using crease-resistant fabric if you're going to get a lot of wear out of your pair.

We used

Soft teal panama cotton, £5 per metre www.fabworks.co.uk

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MASTERCLASS

FITTING

Learn the Palmer/Pletsch fitting technique with your McCall's pattern

Amy says...

Remember the finished measurements are printed on the pattern tissue! This helps you pick the perfect size

FIRST THINGS FIRST Trouser fitting is usually done at the sides so how do you tweak the fit when there are no side seams? It's easy but you will need to think outside the box.

You'll also need to remember this pattern works in both stretch and woven fabric so you'll require a different fit for each fabric type!

MEASURE UP Measure the fullest part of your hips snugly above the crotch, about 7-9" from your waist. Write down your measurement and select the size closest to your hip. Then compare this to the finished garment measurements printed on the tissue at the hip area.

If you're working with stretch fabric you can pick the finished garment size that is the closest match to your hip.

With woven fabric you'll want approximately 1-11â „2" of wearing ease so pick the finished garment size that is 1-11â „2" larger than your hip.

ESSENTIAL GUIDES Palmer/Pletsch patterns feature built-in fit help with large 1" seam allowances, adjustment lines and a clever tissue fitting approach to double check the pattern before you cut into your expensive fabric.

Follow the tutorials provided on the instructions for adjusting the waist, crotch and hip to fix issues like a full tummy or hip, bagginess at the back, and smile and frown lines at the crotch.

Throughout the pattern steps you'll find helpful tips for using stabilising tape, achieving a flawless zipper installation and finishing your hems like a pro!

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VIEW B

Easy, breezy and beautiful, palazzo trousers elongate the silhouette and give you a chance to play with fun prints.

We used

Black floral polyester, find similar at www.croftmill.co.uk

07/12/2017 10:33

V9280 1948 Vintage Vogue

Forever Chic

Available from fabric stores and websites countrywide.

Or visit www.sewdirect.com

22 www.lovesewingmag.co.uk

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Vogue Patterns advertisement Love Sewing Issue 48.indd 1

04/12/2017 16:46

30/11/2017 18:36

eview eader R7415 RMcCall’s The lovely Jenny of blog www.jennystitched.wordpress.com shares her version of our Palmer/Pletsch free gift

W

ide-leg trousers are having a fashion moment right now, and for good reason – they suit all shapes and sizes, they’re easy to dress up or down and they’re so comfy!

McCall’s 7415 is a semi-fitted trouser pattern that includes several different options: shorts, cropped and full-length trousers in a straight or wide leg. It can be made up in woven fabric and jersey fabric. This pattern is a Palmer/Pletsch tissue fit pattern, which means that you fit the pattern tissue using the steps listed instead of making a muslin. The pattern comes with an entire doublesided sheet dedicated just to tissue fitting and while this may seem a little bit intimidating at first, it is an incredibly simple process. The steps are very clear and easy to follow and fitting these from start to finish took less than an afternoon.

the crotch seam by ½” at the front and ¾” at the back as well as adding extra darts to fit my swayback. There are lengthen/ shorten lines on the tissue to help with this. I extended the side darts by ½” to skim my hip better, straightened the front crotch seam and slimmed the leg by 4”.

I also only turned the hem up by ½” instead of 2”, so the leg would sit better with high heels.

This is a versatile pattern and looks great in a big, bold print for the spring and summer months, but would work well in a lightweight wool for winter too. I am planning a cropped straightleg version in a jersey knit to wear as loungewear. This is the first pattern I’ve ever tissue-fitted, and the semi-fitted shape makes it a brilliant starting point for those who want to make their own perfectly fitted trousers!

I chose to make view B, the fulllength wide-leg trouser in a beautiful draping floral crepe by John Kaldor as I wanted a vintage 1930s beach pyjama sort of vibe – all floaty and glamorous for the warmer months ahead. My fabric was £11.99 from www.minervacrafts.com that stocks a large range of John Kaldor crepe, and there is also a pink colourway of this print on offer.

I followed the tissue fitting instructions exactly and lengthened

Say hi to Jenny at

In issue 49 our Editor Amy reviews Butterick 5926

www.twitter.com/jennystitched www.lovesewingmag.co.uk 23

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08/12/2017 14:50

The Dressmaker's

DIARY

With Elisalex

Elisalex offers advice on sharing your sewing adventures both online and in person

S

ewing can be really quite a lonely hobby; inspiring, exciting and satisfying for sure, but solitary. Mindful, meditative and therapeutic no doubt, but who do you turn to when you’ve just nailed that collar stand first time around and you’re bursting with joy?

For the vast majority of us who don’t have a core group of friends who share in our sewing obsession, social media seems to be the only way to connect with like-minded hobbyists. Instagram is my goto for inspiration to see all the wonderful things that people are making, for interaction when I want to post about something I’m proud of or need advice on and to get a real feeling of community. And I never fail to find it incredulous, and deeply moving, that through social media I have actually made some genuine friends in the sewing world.

Making new friends who share your passion is so rewarding

Win

show tickets on page 18!

Classes are a great way to meet new people

A

s well as the many perks, there are obvious downsides to 'sewcialising' exclusively online, and I would urge everyone who has avoided real world meet-ups in the past to take the plunge and do it! The online sewing community really is unlike any other, full of (mostly) wonderful, non-judgemental, welcoming women who, just like you, just love to sew and make stuff and, given half the chance, would love to sit around chatting with others who feel the same. I’m the kind of person who has never been to the cinema alone, and am only just learning not to squirm when grabbing a bite out alone, but a sewing meet-up? No problem. I have come away from every single one I have attended exhausted from all the excited chatter with cheeks aching from all the smiling. Cockles warmed, inspired, understood.

But how do you know where to go?

Luckily, there are a number of ways to

Why not host your own meet-up?

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07/12/2017 10:40

Larger meet-ups happen at lots of locations reach out to other sewists without feeling creepy or stalky! And before you even start to feel like you’re the only one looking to make a new sewing pal, let me reassure you right now you're not! We ALL want to make genuine, real-life connections with people who share our passions.

MEET-UPS AND RETREATS There are a number of larger meet-ups that happen all around the country throughout the year. Some are free to attend, such as Sew Brum in Birmingham, and others require booking, like The Fold Line’s summer sewing retreat. With that there are added benefits such as extra workshops, excellent goodie bags and more resources at your disposal. Sign up to www.thefoldline. com and you will receive a list of upcoming ‘sewcial’ events in its newsletter. Also look out for some of the more impromptu meetups, for example when an overseas sewist comes to visit the UK and organises an event in order to get to know their foreign followers, and they’re always great fun.

CLASSES, TALKS AND EVENTS When I first started teaching I was surprised that many of my students already had more than adequate sewing skills and

Connecting with like-minded sewists

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probably didn’t really need to be there!

I quickly learned that one of the main reasons for attending was in fact to meet and spend time with other sewists. That, and the fact that students and teachers alike are guaranteed pick up some great tips and tricks in the classes! Classes are a great way to meet new people in a more intimate, focused environment, and this is especially appealing if larger meet-ups appear overwhelming.

If you’d rather not shell out for a weekend workshop, lots of haberdasheries run evening talks, seminars and events that are often free and provide a similar intimate and more local crowd. The Village Haberdashery in London hosts fabulous and free informal talks every month with inspiring makers and small business owners. And there are always exhibitions like The Knitting and Stitching Show that take place in in multiple locations; you could gather together a little group and explore the show together!

HOST YOUR OWN #SEWCIAL If you’re the party-planning type, why not host your own meet-up? This can be anything from a trip to a historical costume exhibit followed by fabric shopping, to evening cocktails where everyone has to dress up in their finest handmade garments. Use social media to get the word to local sewists, and don’t be afraid of asking your nearby

haberdashery if it could help spread the word. You can also try searching relevant city hashtags. This was masterminded by Helen and Caroline of the Love to Sew podcast – try using #(city/country)sews eg #LondonSews to connect with sewists near you.

In my experience, other people who sew are more often than not really rather great! Making new friends who share your passion is both rewarding and inspiring and can even lead to the birth of new business ideas and initiatives! Needless to say you should always be careful when meeting people you’ve met online and make sure someone you trust knows where you are going and when you’ll be back!

ABOUT ELISALEX Elisalex is the head of design and co-founder of By Hand London. An independent pattern company, it produces gorgeously designed, highquality patterns that are available as PDF downloads through the site www.byhandlondon.com

07/12/2017 10:40

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08/12/2017 15:05

FREE WENDY WARD BOOK!

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Subscribe to Love Sewing and receive your very own Wendy Ward book, A Beginner’s Guide to Sewing with Knitted Fabrics.

With patterns and detailed instructions for these functional but beautiful basics, the book will teach you the skills to make knitted garments using just your regular sewing machine.

NEW for January 2018!

There are core wardrobe basics that you’ll turn to again and again; T-shirts, wide-leg trousers, lounge pants, tank tops, cardigans, skirts and dresses with styling and fabric selection help that will enable you to dress them up or down.

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LS48.P26.indd 27

08/12/2017 15:06

We love

HOME

Be my

VALENTINE Love is in the air with this beautiful heart cushion made from half square triangle blocks Project KATY JONES www.quiltnow.co.uk

MATERIALS & TOOLS • selection of scraps in differing shades of the same colour. There should be at least 19 pieces, each at least 10cm (4") square • 0.5m background fabric • 05m for cushion backing • 50cm square fusible fleece or thin quilt wadding • co-ordinating thread • neutral thread for quilting • 45"-square cushion pad

CUTTING: • Cut the coloured fabric scraps into a total of 19 10cm (4") squares and cut each of these in half across the diagonal to form triangles • Cut the background fabric into 2 10cm (4") squares and 28 8cm (3”) squares. Cut the 2 larger squares in half across the diagonal to form triangles

NOTES: Finished size approximately 45cm square

HOW TO MAKE:

Shopping list All fabric used is from www.pinitandstitch.co.uk

ASSEMBLY 1 Refer to the photo of the cushion and begin to lay out your design. You can make it as random or as planned as you prefer.

2 Match up the coloured triangles, place them RST and sew with a ¼” seam along the longest length (the diagonal cut) to form half square triangle units.

You need a total of 17 coloured units.

3 Pair up the background triangles with the remaining coloured triangles, place RST and sew along the longest side to form background/coloured half square triangle units.

4 Open each of these out and press the seams open.

Measure each unit and trim to 8cm (3") if necessary.

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08/12/2017 14:59

MASTERCLASS

HALF SQUARE TRIANGLES Half square triangle blocks look their best when a symmetrical square is achieved. It makes life a lot easier if you're matching up seams too! Follow our top tips for sewing success.

Press the seam allowance towards the darker fabric to avoid a shadow on the finish design. If needed you can grade back one half of the seam allowance to reduce bulk.

Match your two chosen trianges along the same raw edge and pin together.

See below.

Sew with a 0.5cm (1â „4") seam allowance, taking care to keep an even seam all the way along.

Referring to the cushion photo, lay out the patchwork pieces and sew in rows. Press seams open. Sew the rows together and press these seams open. Once the heart is pieced, press well all over.

QUILTING Lay the fusible fleece flat on an ironing board and carefully place the patchwork on top.

Centre so there is an even amount of overhang from the fleece all round. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for fixing in place.

Quilt using neutral thread, following the seam lines to

Trim off the little corners of seam allowance that peek out of the ends of your square to neaten things off.

We recommed using a rotary cutter and self healing mat but a small pair of scissors will work as well.

facing up on a flat surface.

Place the first backing piece on top with the RS down, the raw edges aligned at the top and sides and the hemmed edge towards the middle of the patchwork piece.

Lay the second backing piece on top with RS down and with the hemmed

edge overlapping the first hemmed edge and the raw edges aligned with the sides and the bottom edge.

Pin well all the way round and sew around the perimeter with a generous Ÿ� seam allowance. Turn RS out and stuff with a cushion inner to finish.

QUILT NOW 45 ON SALE 11TH JANUARY

create a grid. You can do this by machine or by hand.

Once quilted, trim off the excess fleece.

FINISHING Create an envelope back for the cushion. Cut the 0.5m of backing fabric into two pieces, each the same width of the cushion top by 33cm. Hem each piece of fabric by folding down the 45cm side by 1cm, press and fold by another 1cm. Pin and sew along the folded edge.

Place the quilted patchwork piece, right side

Katy says...

“I love the effect co-ordinating shades create, but you can always mix things up with different bright prints�

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08/12/2017 15:00

We love

BAGS

Go full

CIRCLE Make a statement in gold leatherette. With its fun shape and decorative tassel, this great little bag has it all Project DEBBIE VON GRABLER-CROZIER www.sallyandcraftyvamp.blogspot.co.uk

Top tip

Try to use your iron as little as possible to avoid marking the leatherette.

Use a cool setting if you must press it

MATERIALS & TOOLS:

NOTES:

• 70cm gold leatherette • 50cm lining fabric • 50cm Vlieseline Style-Vil foam interfacing • FQ Vlieseline Decovil I Light fusible interfacing • gold medium trigger clip • 2 2.5cm-wide bronze or gold rectangle rings • 41cm co-ordinating zipper • 2 medium gold Chicago screws • co-ordinating thread • baker’s twine • hot-glue gun • templates downloaded from www.lovesewingmag.co.uk

Seam allowances are 0.5cm unless otherwise stated

HOW TO MAKE: 1 Cut a 7x145cm-long piece of leatherette for the crossbody strap. With RST, sew along the length to close, turn it the right way out and then top-stitch along both long sides. Trim the ends.

2 Make two 10cm tabs for the rectangle rings in the same way. Fold them in half and insert the rectangle ring.

3 Make 2m of bias binding from the lining fabric. Cut

3.5cm-wide strips on the bias and join them together to form a long strip. Fold in half lengthways and press. Fold in the raw edges and press them too. You can use a bias tape maker to make this easier.

4 Cut two discs of lining using the template. Cut two 47x5cm pieces of lining for the zipper section and one 11x37cm piece for the bottom. Put these aside.

5 Cut two discs of Decovil I Light and trim so that they are about 1cm smaller than the lining discs (this keeps it out of the seam allowance).

Fuse this to the back of the main lining. It is unusual to interface the lining like this but the faux leather will not thank you for too many applications of a hot iron. Interfacing the lining instead will provide the necessary structure.

6 Cut two 47x5cm pieces of leatherette and two pieces of lining the same size (these were cut before and put aside). Attach the leatherette to a piece of Style-Vil and trim.

7 Take the zip, a 47x5cm piece of interfaced leatherette and a piece of gusset lining and put RST to make a sandwich. (See Pic A.) Sew along the teeth, trapping the zip. Repeat for the other side.

8 Attach a tab with a rectangle ring to the gusset at each end of the zip. (See Pic B.) You can shorten the tabs

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A

B

Shopping list

C

Metallic gold vegan leather (other colours also available), ÂŁ16.96 per metre www.girlcharlee.co.uk

D so that they look right and balanced – about 3cm is right. They're easier to handle if they are a little longer to begin with.

Cut a 11x37cm piece of gusset bottom from the leatherette and attach this to Style-Vil. Trim the Style-Vil. Attach the piece of lining and zigzag-stitch the edge.

Attach the bottom gusset to the top zipper part of the gusset, checking for fit around the circle.

Take a piece of bias binding and hand-sew it over the join where the top zipper gusset

meets the lower gusset on each side. (See Pic C.) Use the template to cut a circle of leatherette. Lay this onto a piece of slightly larger Style-Vil and attach with a very narrow seam, keeping everything nice and smooth. Trim back the foam interfacing to match.

Take a lining disc and attach the lining to the front with WST using a zigzag stitch close to the edge.

Make the back exactly the same as the front and, as before, attach the lining to the WS of the outer and finish with a zigzag stitch.

Attach the zipper gusset to the front and the back of the bag, keeping all the seams inside.

For a tidy inside finish, bind the internal seams with bias binding.

Make the tassel by cutting a 20x15cm piece of leatherette and making a series of cuts along one edge about 0.5cm wide and approximately 2cm from the top.

Cut a 7cm-long piece of baker’s twine and thread it

through the trigger clip. Hotglue the tassel to the twine.

(See Pic D.) Start rolling and hot-gluing until the tassel is completed. Clip onto the zipper pull.

Attach the strap to the tabs, first with an inconspicuous dab of hot glue and then a Chicago screw or similar rivet.

Voila! You are party ready.

Debbie says...

This fun circular style would work in tweed, denim or printed cotton canvas as an eye-catching daytime handbag!

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08/12/2017 14:55

THE GIRL WITH THE BRIGHT

ABOUT

Jade

Jade Earley was a finalist on The Great British Sewing Bee 2016 where she shared her love for sewing with the world. Follow her adventures online at www. thegirlwiththebrightredhair.co.uk

r i a h Red

F

irst things first, I want to wish you all a Happy New Year! I can't explain how happy I am that 2018 is finally here... I just know it's going to be amazing with all the plans that I have lined up.

Watch this space!

I wanted to focus on two pattern companies with exciting news to share.

They're not big brands like Simplicity or Butterick, I'm talking about two independent companies. If you haven't taken the time to look closely at an indie pattern, let me take you through what you'll find.

This issue Jade is chatting about gorgeous indie pattern designs you're going to love too!

I have only known about Sew La Di Da Vintage for a year or so, but I am in love with these patterns.

The top-quality packaging is nice and thick so you know you are spending your money well and the pictures showing what is inside are beautiful and clear. When you get to the actual pattern it is like heaven! The paper is thick, lovely to work with and doesn’t rip easily, which is always a plus.

Sizes go from 6 to 20 and you can trace the pattern and keep the original in great condition ready to use again! I have recently made myself a Sew La Di Da Vintage jumpsuit for my holiday and can't wait to have a fancy event lined up so I can make the newest release – The Destiny Dress!

Find all the patterns online at www.sewladidavintage.com The other indie pattern company I want to mention, Tilly and the Buttons, is run by Tilly Walnes, a contestant from series one of The Great British Sewing Bee. The packaging is amazing and the patterns are so well presented, but when you open it up it gets even better! The instruction booklets are high quality, the text is really easy and clear to follow and the pictures are excellent. Instead of line drawings there are clear photos of Tilly making the garment, which I find much easier to follow than drawings.

I also can't wait to get my hands on Tilly's new book Stretch. It will be released in March 2018 so mark it on your calendar! For more information

about Tilly's fabulous designs, visit www.tillyandthebuttons.com.

I would highly recommend having a look at both these indie pattern companies and give the designs I mentioned a try. I can't wait for the new year to get going; I have so much I want to do. I will be creating patterns, pitching a book, hosting workshops, building my online shop and much much more. So, watch out as the girl with the bright red hair will be taking over 2018!

! g n i w e s y p p a H

32 www.lovesewingmag.co.uk

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07/12/2017 10:47

The world’s most innovative fabrics

Linton Tweeds design and weave luxury fabrics for the world’s most exclusive fashion houses See our website for the Linton Direct collection Use discount code

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www.misformake.co.uk www.lovesewingmag.co.uk 33

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06/12/2017 12:06

D S N I AM H E BE E S TH

Discovery Knitting

UK-made fabric

With Wendy Ward

Step inside a working fabric factory with Wendy as she visits the Discovery Knitting team in Leicester

I

n issue 46 I wrote about the textile heritage of the Derwent Valley and my visit to Masson Mills. Even until quite recently it was common to make things, including fabric, in the UK, but with the arrival of mass globalisation in the 90s much of the UK’s textile industries moved to countries like of China. As a result jobs, skills and businesses were lost. But it’s not all doom and gloom! Leicester has long had a strong reputation in the manufacture of knitted textiles of all descriptions and it still has a thriving textile industry.

Wearing my cardigan from the book!

One of the businesses keeping the ‘Made in Britain’ flag flying is Discovery Knitting, a family-run operation based in the southern suburbs of Leicester.

I first came across Discovery in spring

2016 when my then boss recommended the company to me. Its website was full of gorgeous fabric, the like of which I’d been struggling to find elsewhere AND it was all being made in the UK. “Where have you been all my life?” I shouted out loud! Well Discovery had been focusing on supplying wholesale fabric rather than retail, and certainly hadn’t considered the home sewing market yet.

After using Discovery’s fabric for some dyeing and screen-printing projects, I knew I wanted to keep collaborating. In the autumn of 2016 the perfect opportunity presented itself with new book A Beginner’s Guide to Sewing with Knitted Fabrics.

After an enthusiastic conversation with owner Simon Cook, he very generously offered to supply me with fabric for use in my new book. This was an amazing offer since buying fabric for my other books had used up a very large portion of my advance; leaving not much of the budget remaining – the not-so glamorous life of an author!

FIND OUT MORE Discovery has a minimum order of just 2m on most fabric – visit www.discoveryknitting.co.uk

Knitting machines in action

Learn more about Leicester’s thriving textile industry at www.leicestershiretextileshub.co.uk and more about English Fine Cottons at www.englishfinecottons.co.uk

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ABOUT ME I design my own range of easy-to-follow modern sewing patterns called MIY Collection. I am a qualified teacher and also have a degree in fashion.

I spent seven years working in the fashion industry before starting to teach dressmaking in 2011 from my own studio called MIY Workshop in Brighton. I have written two books about dressmaking: A Beginner’s Guide to Making Skirts and The Beginner’s Guide to Dressmaking. Both are available from all good bookshops, and my third book A Beginner’s Guide to Sewing With Knitted Fabrics is out on 9th January 2018! www.wendyward.co.uk www.miycollection.com www.miyworkshop.co.uk

WHO IS DISCOVERY KNITTING? Simon Cook is the Sales and Technical Director and owner of Discovery Knitting and has worked in fabric since leaving school.

It’s a close-knit team (no pun intended!) with Simon’s wife Lyn and their daughter Phoebe both involved. Phoebe has the not-so enviable task of running the online side of the business, trying to balance running the social media accounts, answering emails and managing orders.

Julian Ward as photographer and © Cico Books

Simon & Phoebe

Iconic British luxury clothing brands Sunspel, Private White and Preen by Thornton Bregazzi are just a few clients.

And for many years Discovery has worked closely with designers showing at London Fashion Week. Most recently it has begun a collaboration with Cheshire-based cotton spinners English Fine Cottons, getting even closer to closing the loop and bringing the whole garment production process back to the UK.

The factory floor has a wonderful collection of spaceage looking knitting machines

WHAT HAPPENS AT DISCOVERY KNITTING? A lot of knitting! All its fabric is produced in house and, as well as using organic cotton and recycled yarn, it uses a lot of luxury yarn such as Merino wool, silk, cashmere and bamboo. It creates gorgeous unusual textured fabric, stripes galore, gorgeous denimeffect knits, tweed and confetti colour effects as well as a really comprehensive range of high-quality basics such as solid colour cotton/Lycra jersey, solid colour sweatshirting and matching ribs.

Discovery has spent years working with other Leicestershire textile businesses such as dyers to keep production as local as possible and the factory now generates almost no waste thanks to the recycling of waste yarn into cleaning cloths.

INSIDE THE FACTORY I have never been inside a knitted textile factory before but have long wanted to, so I was really excited to have a good old nosey around. The first thing that stuck me was that it’s compact – like most UK manufacturers this team is doing a lot in a relatively small space. The factory floor has a wonderful collection of space-age looking knitting machines. To see cobweb-thin Lycra yarn being knitted into fabric and machines knitting stripes and changing colour was fascinating. The machines are a bit like giant spiders spinning a web, with the big machine spider in the middle drawing in the multiple yarns arranged around it.

Simon proudly told me about the week he spent renovating an old machine he rescued from being scrapped for spare parts, which now hums smoothly.

As well as being extremely savvy in business, he also has a deep love for the process of making and the machines that

Find this project inside the book on page 26 are involved. You can see some short films of the machines in action at www.youtube.com/c/WendyWard Across the road is Discovery’s showroom and warehouse. Let’s just say my mind was blown by the wonderful things I saw in there; it’s a good job I didn't visit in a van – I would’ve left with it full!

The next time you’re looking for high quality or unique fabric have a look at Discovery Knitting.

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08/12/2017 13:03

The cocktail hour

Follow the fabulous blogger tour, chat with your favourite sewists and see pattern reviews at www.thefoldline.com/blog

SEW-ALONG Have you joined in with The Cocktail Hour yet?

It’s a fun opportunity for sewists to come together and ‘sip and sew’! We’re thrilled to have Rachel and Kate from The Fold Line to share all the news from the fun blogger tour. So, who’s been sewing some DIY glamour in the final month?

Janene Spencer ooobop

ABOUT

THE COCKTAIL HOUR

I

n March, The McCall Pattern Company in the UK chose 20 of its most popular Vogue patterns perfect for wearing while sipping cocktails. A contribution from every pattern sold in the inspirational edit will go towards supporting The Eve Appeal charity. Find out how to take part, plus read all about the year's events at www.sewdirect.com

Janene selected the characterful Vogue 9241 dress, which is a princess-seamed dress with raised collar stand. There are two hem options including straight skirt or godet inserts.

Janene made her dress using a pin-striped suiting fabric and it looks fabulous! The collar is kept in place using wiring sewn into the seam allowance which means it can be moulded into the perfect shape. Apart from lining up the pin stripes for the godets, Janene found the instructions for this dress easy to follow. She made a size smaller for a better fit and took of 4" from the hem for a more modern look. The result is spectacular and a cocktail is definitely in order! www.ooobop.com/vogue-cocktailhour-dress-v9241

Kate and Rachel say:

What better way to get inspiration for your own cocktail dress than to see what your favourite sewing bloggers are making? We've had a fun-packed year with bloggers taking it in turns to make one of the 20 patterns and each month we shared their amazing outfits with you.

This is the last month and it was the turn of Elena Rosa Brown, Laura Clarke and Janene Spencer!

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Laura Clarke

Sew For Victory

Laura decided to make the Vogue 8997, which is a lined dress with princess seams and a close-fitting bodice. The dress comes with five different versions including both full and fitted skirts. There are also several sleeve options including fluted and three-quarter length. And not forgetting there are also different cup size options for the bust, which saves time doing any adjustments.

Laura chose a brocade fabric with gorgeous sparkly stars that has real wow factor. She also left the skirt lining unattached at the hem which gives the skirt a lovely volume and swish. She finished the dress with a concealed zipper at the back. This is a beautiful garment and perfect for some #sipandsew celebrations. www.sewforvictory. co.uk/2017/11/17/the-cocktailhour-blogger-tour-my-make

Elena Rosa Brown Randomly Happy

Elena chose Vogue 1537, which is an A-line dress with French darts and deep v-back featuring eye-catching straps. As you may remember, this pattern also comes with a co-ordinating coat that has princess seams, patch pockets and a single-breasted button-up front.

As you can see Elena has done an epic hack with this pattern and turned it into a clever jumpsuit, using the bodice of V1537 with the wide-leg trousers from the Holly pattern from By Hand London. The jumpsuit has a lovely drape, being made from an Atelier Brunette viscose and lined with sand-washed cupro. Not everyone wants to wear a dress for sipping cocktails and this is a glamorous alternative! www.randomlyhappyblog. com/sip-and-sew

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SWATCH SELECTOR

s r a t s e h t h t a Bene Unleash your inner explorer and make a block inspired by the great outdoors

ABOUT

Kerry Kerry Green is co-author of 500 Quilt Blocks and is a contributor to many other books and magazines. Find sewing tips, free tutorials, patterns and more at Kerry’s blog www. verykerryberry.blogspot.co.uk

A

s a new year beckons, my head is full of wanderlust and I’m longing for starry skies and open spaces. Annie Brady’s Big Sky collection for Moda is a delightful mix of cute creatures, mountains and forests. It plays very nicely with a new Peter Pan-themed collection by Jill Howarth for Riley Blake. And the new Neon Neppy range from Robert Kaufman is chambray with a twist – each colourway has subtle, textured highlights of neon running through it. The traditional Bear Paw quilt block complements the outdoorsy vibe and is a handy design for showcasing a feature print in the large square and using blenders and solids in the surrounding half square triangles. You can find a free series on my blog to make a simple Bear Paw baby quilt www. verykerryberry.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/baby-bear-quilt-plan

1

2

Shopping list

3

4

8

7

6

5

Big Sky, Animals in Mustard, by Annie Brady for Moda, ÂŁ3.75 per FQ, www.eternalmaker.com Neverland Main in Blue, by Jill Howarth for Riley Blake, ÂŁ3.45 per FQ, www.fabrichq.co.uk Priory Square, You Are Here

by Katy Jones for Art Gallery Fabrics, ÂŁ3.20 per FQ, www. misformake.co.uk Over The Rainbow, Green Arrows, by Kathy Hall for Andover, ÂŁ2.25 per FQ, www.plushaddict.co.uk Supernova, Gemstones,

by Rae Ritchie for Dear Stella, ÂŁ4 per FQ, www.misformake.co.uk Neon Neppy chambray in Grey, by Robert Kaufman, ÂŁ3.50 per FQ, www.eternalmaker.com Big Sky, Leaf in Azure by Annie Brady for Moda, ÂŁ3.50 per FQ, www.backstitch.co.uk Neverland, Pixie Dust in Blue,

by Jill Howarth for Riley Blake, ÂŁ3.45 per FQ, www.fabrichq.co.uk

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ASK THE EXPERTS

THRIFTY

STITCHER Claire-Louise Hardie takes us inside the signature sewing details of the haute couture master, Balenciaga

D

uring my time as the sewing producer for The Great British Sewing Bee, I began a Master’s degree. It was 2015 and little did I realise that within the first year I would get to become involved in a unique collaboration with the Victoria and Albert museum and contribute to the highly anticipated exhibition Balenciaga – Shaping Fashion.

So what exactly was my small part in this project? Five of us from the MA Pattern & Garment Technology course at London College of Fashion selected the Balenciaga project as our collaboration unit in the spring of 2016. The curators were interested in creating digital patterns from some of the key pieces in the V&A collection. These

Cristóbal Balenciaga at work, Paris, 1968. Photograph Henri Cartier-Bresson © Henri Cartier-Bresson, Magnum Photos

digital patterns would form an animated video demonstrating how a flat piece of fabric formed a garment. We were also to examine the construction elements of the pieces to identify exactly what makes haute couture, and whether or not there were signatures in the garment construction that were unique to Balenciaga.

As a professional costumier, my training involved studying fashion history rather than fashion design and designers. I’m rather ashamed to say that I had never really heard of Balenciaga, unlike fellow Love Sewing columnist Wendy Ward who has long been inspired by his work. I therefore began the project with no notion of his work. My first trip to the Cloth Workers centre to see the pieces we might work with was mind-blowing! I couldn’t get over how modern and contemporary his cutting style felt, and how I could see how his designs are still inspiring fashion designers today. Fellow couturier Dior had this to say about Balenciaga: “Haute couture is like an orchestra whose conductor is Balenciaga. We other couturiers are the musicians and we follow the direction he gives”.

During the four-month project examining nine pieces of vintage Balenciaga, we found many signature construction details across the pieces. It’s these signatures that define Balenciaga as a master couturier, and some of them separate his work from others.

Whilst some of Balenciaga’s signatures were unique to him, others were signatures of haute couture in the 1950s and 60s.

I focused most closely on the Evening Cape but thoroughly enjoyed examining every piece.

Evening gown and cape, ziberline, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Paris, 1967 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

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couture SPECIAL

Back neckline with tiny gussets

My fellow students on the collaboration project the sack dress and the baggy loose tulip dress all disguise some hidden internal structure. Both the Fuchsia dress and the pink Tulip dress have hidden corsetry, over which the rest of the dress is supported.

FOLDED EDGES

The first signature that our group agreed appears to be unique to Balenciaga was the way he used soft folded edges, often turning back fabric in areas that commonly would have been faced or had something applied to finish off the edge. Almost all our pieces feature some elements of this signature. In modern fashion, the additional cost of adding this type of grown-on facings would be prohibitive.

The black Sack dress I studied also has a hidden back panel totally obscured by the dress’s back drape. The panel holds the dress together, maintaining the close fit of the upper dress and provides modesty coverage (since the back drape swings loosely anchored only at the hip and the shoulders).

Haute couture is like an orchestra whose conductor is Balenciaga.

We other couturiers are the musicians and we follow the direction he gives

The neckline of the black cape I studied has also been folded over, and in order for the inner folded curve to sit inside once folded it has had very small gussets inserted. These are tiny and there are two on each front neckline. The gussets are also different lengths and will have required an extremely light touch to sew without fraying.

GUSSETS

Kimono sleeves often require underarm gussets in order for the wearer to be able to move their arms. This style was extremely popular during the 50s and 60s yet Balenciaga added in some clever cutting to his gussets.

The black Sack dress has a diamond gusset. This is often made in two halves, with a seam running across the centre. Balenciaga instead left the central seam open.

‘La Tulipe’ evening dress, gazar, Balenciaga for EISA, Spain, 1965 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

HIDDEN INTERNAL STRUCTURE The softly draped bodice of the exhibition’s showcase, the Fuchsia balloon dress: the loose flowing line of

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Looking inside the Sack dress I found not only wide seam allowances, and differently sized seam allowances, but curved shaping along the seam. All the seams were hand-overcast to neaten the edge, which is typical of dressmaking of this period both home or in couture salons.

My Evening cape illustration

to sew, and is really only found in haute couture as the labour costs would be prohibitive for ready to wear.

A sheer gusset in a beaded coat adds comfort and freedom of movement

The beaded coat in the collection has an unbeaded sheer gusset, which will have made it both more comfortable to wear and created freedom of movement.

BOUND EDGING AND BUTTONHOLES

Both bound edges and buttonholes are signatures of haute couture rather than being an exclusive Balenciaga feature but the level of polished achieved in the garments we studied was fantastic. The black evening ensemble, the white evening cape and the embroidered dress all have edges neatened with a really exquisite narrow hand-finished binding. This is exceptionally time consuming

The bound buttonholes from the evening ensemble cape were made with silk gazar an extremely rigid silk blend created

by Balenciaga with his favourite textile manufacturer. They will have been extremely fiddly to sew, and the fabric was bouncy. The toile cape I created had much less perfect workmanship!

WIDE AND DIFFERENTLY SIZED SEAM ALLOWANCES

Part of the service customers expect from a couturier is unlimited alterations to their pieces. When investing so much in a piece of clothing, it is an investment expected to last many years not just one season.

The most surprising thing we saw inside all our pieces was the extremely large seam allowances. In modern fashion this has been stripped back to a mere 1cm, which leaves little or no room for alterations to the garment.

I no longer look at exhibitions purely as a garment maker. Having spent so long aside the curators and researchers, I am now interested in the provenance of the pieces too, who wore the clothes, how customers influenced design decisions and the influences that the designers themselves drew upon.

The Balenciaga – Shaping Fashion exhibit runs until 18th February 2018 and is well worth a trip if you want more behind-the-scenes glimpses at the work of a master, and his team!

ABOUT CLAIRE-LOUISE Claire-Louise is an author, pattern designer, teacher and costumier.

We recommend Claire-Louise's latest course www.learntosewwithapro. com/ultimate-beginners Claire-Louise’s book, The Great British Sewing Bee: Fashion With Fabric, accompanied the third series of the show and is priced at £20 from www.quadrille.co.uk

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The essential guide to gorgeous gifts for children!

FREE

BABY SEWING BOOK

Makes for all ages

WORTH

£7.99

Great gift ideas

Loveable kids’ toys

Adorable home makes

To claim your free copy, head to www.craftstash.co.uk/ls48readeroffer LS48.P43.indd 43

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Sewing room

SWOON Quilter, blogger and designer Anorina Morris shares her bright and happy studio full of clever storage solutions

I

have been sewing for approximately five years; I started when my youngest daughter was very little and she’s almost seven now. I think I've finally got my sewing room just how I want it!

I love pre cuts. Love, love, love them! They’re little bundles of loveliness that just make me smile. I try to use them, but I find it difficult to untie the ribbon, separate them and then cut into them. Yes, I can admit it; I am a fabric-aholic!

As soon as I saw the dresser I knew it would fit perfectly in my sewing room.

My ‘baby’, aka my sewing machine, is set up with a wonderful view of the mountain as I sew. I saved and saved to purchase her; I call

her Nina – not just because she’s a Bernina, but also as a namesake for one of the characters in my favourite TV show Offspring.

I like to recycle. I save my old spools of cotton, wind excess binding onto them and pin the ends in place. I’m sure that one day all these little bits of binding will come in handy! Everyone has a bowl of Perle 8 cotton in their home, right? I use this for embroidery and hand quilting and buy them locally, from eBay and from Etsy. I can’t stop buying tins. I don’t necessarily know what I’ll use them for when I buy them, but if they’re cute and capture my attention I will definitely find a use for them in my sewing room.

I can’t stop buying tins.

If they’re cute and capture my attention, I will definitely find a use for them

My quilting frame is so helpful!

My cutting and pressing table is our old dining table. I made one of the extensions into a pressing table by stapling a couple of layers of wadding and some heavy home decor weight fabric on top. And my quilting frame is perfect for larger quilts. I have a standard Janome machine, which I use when quilting on the frame. One day, I’d love a long-arm machine.

A girl can dream!

ABOUT

Anorina Morris Anorina is a self-taught quilter, blogger and all-round crafter. She enjoys livening up traditional designs using bright, modern fabric.

Visit her blog www.sameliasmum.com to find out more or say hello on Twitter and Facebook @sameliasmum

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clothspot.co.uk 01775 640996

New fabrics every Friday!

Book Now For Autumn 15% OFF with LOVE48

www.cottonreelstudio.co.uk

Dressmaking Classes Patchwork & Quilting After School Sewing club Creative Parties Holiday Workshops for Kids and Teens Special Weekend Workshops East Hoathly East Sussex BN8 6QA

01825 841311

www.dottodotstudio.co.uk

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We love

STYLE

CORD have mercy

Have you ever made a corduroy skirt? Try this bolt of sunshine with its flattering panels Project ANN GROSE Designer Stitch

Shopping list Mustard needlecord, ÂŁ7.99 per metre www.remnantkings.co.uk

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Perfect PIPING 1 Cut two bias strips of corduroy 4cm-wide and approximately 10cm long.

2 Wrap the piping cord inside the bias strip and match the raw edges WST. Pin in place.

3 Using a zipper foot, sew a row of basting stitches alongside the cord, taking care not to sew too close.

4 Baste the piping at the upper pocket edge with the cord extending past the seam line.

5 Sandwich the piping between the skirt panels and sew as normal. Trim back any excess.

NOTES: Seam allowance of 1.5cm is included unless otherwise stated

HOW TO MAKE:

SIZING: 6

8

10

12

14

16

WAIST

60cm

65cm

70cm

75cm

80cm

85cm

HIPS

86cm

91cm

96cm

101cm

106cm

111cm

18

20

22

24

26

90cm

95cm

100cm

100cm

110cm

116cm

121cm

126cm

131cm

136cm

CUTTING: 115cm-wide with nap

MATERIALS & TOOLS:

SELVEDGES

6

3 3

1

7

2 FOLDLINE

5 5

• 1.8m 115cm-wide or 1.4m 150cm-wide fabric • 50cm lightweight fusible interfacing • 18cm zipper • co-ordinating thread • templates downloaded from www.lovesewingmag.co.uk

1 With RST press the pocket at the fold line. Unfold and pin the pocket edge to the upper edge of side skirt panel and sew with a 6mm seam allowance. (See Pic A.) If you'd like to add piping to the pocket follow the masterclass above.

2 Under-stitch the pocket seam allowance by 3mm.

3 Fold the pocket on the pressed fold line and position against side front panel. Baste at sides within the seam allowance. (See Pic B.) 4 RST pin the side front to centre front. Sew with 1.5cm seam allowance and finish the seams. Gently press open.

Stay-stitch the upper edge.

5 RST pin a front yoke to the upper edge of the skirt front.

Sew in place with a 6mm seam allowance, easing the

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Top tip

Corduroy will "walk" away as you sew due to its napped surface. Use plenty of pins and consider using a walking foot to feed the layers of fabric evenly

PRESSED FOL

DLINE

A

B

19 cms

C

D

WRONG SIDE OF FRONT FACING

E curved edges. (See Pic C.) Gently press upwards.

6 Repeat for the back skirt and one set of back yoke pieces.

7 RST pin the CB seams, making sure you match the yoke seam junction.

Starting at the hem, sew the CB seam up to 19cm from the upper edge.

8 Continue from this point, with a longer basting stitch for zipper opening. (See Pic D.) Gently press the seam open.

9 Place the zipper face down along the seam with the stopper approximately 1cm from the top. Pin in place through seam allowance only.

Stitch down each side of the zipper tape through the seam allowance. Back-stitch and cut the thread. Do not stitch across the bottom of the zipper.

On the RS of the skirt pin through all layers. Top-stitch 6mm each side of the basted

F seam line and across the bottom of the zip.

Unpick the basted seam to release the zip.

Sew the skirt side seams and press open.

Fuse interfacing to the WS of the remaining yoke pieces and pin together at the side seams with RST. Sew and press open the seams. Press back the CB edges by 1.5cm.

Place the yoke and skirt RST, matching the side seams and upper edge. Sew in place with a 6mm seam allowance.

(See Pic E.) Clip and notch the curved seam allowance. Press the seam towards the facing and under-stitch through all the layers. (See Pic F.) Turn the facing inside and hand-stitch the lower edge and zipper opening in place.

Finish with a 2cm hem sewn on your machine or hand-stitch in place.

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This month 1'm making

Sophie used the Juniper Cardigan from Jennifer Lauren Handmade

Sophie celebrates the art of lovely layering with a sunny mustard cardigan! To see more of Sophie’s fabulous makes, visit her blog www.sopbac.com

Y

ou might notice that it’s getting chilly outside and, reasonably enough, people just don’t go sleeveless anymore. It’s the time of year we tend to put away the light-coloured summer dresses and wear darker colours and trousers. Well, not on my watch! If I can, I’ll wear summer dresses all year long. So I do.

THE MINERVA CRAFTS BLOGGER NETWORK The Minerva Crafts Blogger Network is a collection of amazing sewing and craft bloggers from across the world. Every month each blogger creates a unique kit from the thousands of gorgeous fabrics and notions available at Minerva Crafts. They wow us with their makes every month by blogging a project made with their kit on the network. There are new projects going live daily to inspire and educate sewists of all levels and abilities.

Each blogger's unique kits are available to buy at www.minervacrafts.com

The only thing you need to add to the dress is a good cardigan and some tights. I don’t make my own tights, but I do make my own cardigans!

I’ve chosen to make the Juniper Cardigan from Jennifer Lauren Handmade to add layers to my wardrobe, and I must say it has been lacking layers.

I have two store bought-cardigans, that’s about it.

So there was a gap that I needed to fill.

I made the cropped version of the cardigan because that is what goes best with waisted dresses in my opinion. The amazing thing is that you only need a single metre of the stretchy fabric of your choice to make this cardigan.

My fabric is a thatch-coloured jersey and I added three-quarter length sleeves. It is also the only one that doesn’t have round buttons. I really like the feeling of this fabric; it’s incredibly soft but has texture as well. The colour is a bit darker than

Sophie says If I can, I’ll wear summer dresses all year long. So I do

Dill heart shape mustard buttons, 39p each. Textured knitted stretch jersey dress fabric in Thatch, £8.99 per metre www.minervacrafts.com

I wanted, but then again I’ve never heard of the colour 'Thatch' before! I wore this cardigan with my Butterick 6453 dress by Gertie.

Finding buttons in a similar colour to the fabric was easy because the Minerva Crafts inventory pictures usually match the real thing. I needed five buttons measuring approximately 15mm to match the cardigan.

I love the raglan sleeve. It’s beautiful how such a small detail can get your attention, don’t you think?

What about your wardrobe? Do you wear dresses even though it’s getting colder outside? I definitely recommend cardigan making; I've made two more in Minerva jersey already!

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workshops SEW BUSY

31ST JANUARY

Fleet, Hampshire

Large tote/shopping bag

Sew Busy is an independent fabric shop selling quality designer cotton, jersey, haberdashery, ribbon, wool, sewing kits and gifts. It runs classes suitable for all abilities with a wide range of experienced tutors.

Want to move on from beginners' sewing? Make a sturdy, lined bag with double-strength handles and a pocket – perfect for shopping or a beach/gym bag. Materials are not included.

www.sew-busy.co.uk

Cost: £40

29TH JANUARY How to take in your clothes Learn how to take in your clothes for all of those that are now too big after the new year diet! Bring an item with a specific area that needs taking in.

Cost: £25

Book yourself in to one of this month’s top workshops and expand your sewing horizons

19TH, 26TH FEBRUARY & 5TH MARCH Fitted A-line skirt Using New Look pattern 6106 you will make this skirt over three weeks learning how to use a pattern, facings, zip insertion and pockets. Pattern included in the price. Materials are not included.

Cost: £90 for the three weeks

LITTLE HOUSE OF PATCHWORK

Chichester, West Sussex

Little House of Patchwork is an independent shop specialising in all things patchwork. It stocks a range of thread and accessories as well as a variety of fabric from well-known brands including makower, Timeless Treasures and Ebor. Shop online or visit the shop in Chichester.

www.thelittlehouse ofpatchwork.co.uk

16TH JANUARY Redwork and sashiko embroidery classes Back by popular demand, there are four redwork/sashiko embroidery classes running this term. Join Pauline for a relaxing morning of hand sewing learning redwork or sashiko techniques. Pauline is a talented hand sewist and will have a whole range of projects to inspire you.

Cost: £10

19TH JANUARY Carpenter’s wheel quilt This quick and easy quilt project is for those new to patchwork and quilting.

Using the strip-tubing technique to make half square triangle blocks, you’ll get accurate points and create a quilt you’ll be proud of!

Cost: £30 plus materials

30TH JANUARY Leaf it to me!

We’ve got a fantastic new strip-tubing project for you this term. Using 2½” strips, this busy quilt is the perfect project for using pre-cut 2½” strips!

If you’ve not used the strip-tube ruler before prepare to be amazed!

Cost: £36.50

7TH MARCH Pyramid bag Join Sally for a fun day of bag making!

Using just two kinds of fabric, this class is perfect for using that special fabric you’ve got in your stash that you love but don’t know how to use!

Perfect to turn into a lovely bag!

Cost: £30 plus materials

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GATHER ‘N’ SEW

Bourne, Lincolnshire

An ideal gathering place for friends, fabric and inspiration, Gather ‘N’ Sew runs a wide variety of sewing classes and stocks a great selection of fabric and haberdashery.

www.gathernsew.co.uk

13TH JANUARY Know your overlocker Bring along your overlocker and learn all about its different parts, how to thread it, which stitches and settings to use and how to troubleshoot the most common problems.

Cost: £30

16TH JANUARY How to sew stretch fabric Sewing stretch fabric needn’t be daunting. You will learn how to cut out, stabilise your fabric and tackle seams, facings, hems, which stitch to use and so much more.

Cost: £20

24TH JANUARY Starburst quilt top Create this simple design that has impact in a one-off class. It would look great made from batiks or in a rainbow design.

Cost: £40

27TH JANUARY Crazy for cushions Learn how to create fabulous cushions by sewing either a plain or two-tone cushion using complementary fabric. Complete the look with buttons on the back.

Cost: £30

NEWARK CRAFT HUB

Newark, Nottinghamshire

Newark Craft Hub is the home of Crafty Betty & The Fabric Daisy and offers fabric, haberdashery, handcrafted goods and a variety of sewing classes and craft workshops.

www.newarkcrafthub.co.uk

EVERY SATURDAY AT 1PM (SIX-WEEK ROLLING COURSE) Dressmaking with The Fabric Daisy Make your own clothes with The Fabric Daisy during this six-week course. Join in at any time and choose from a selection of patterns for either adults or children.

Cost: £120

EVERY SATURDAY AT 1PM (FIVE-WEEK ROLLING COURSE) Roman blind making with Crafty Betty

8TH & 9TH APRIL Make a double bed runner using Liberty fabric with Crafty Betty Design and create a beautiful double bed runner using fabric from the range of Liberty fabric in the shop.

Learn how to use patchwork and appliqué to embellish your design.

Includes fabric, all materials and lunch on both days.

Cost £199

27TH JANUARY OR 10TH FEBRUARY Make pyjamas using Liberty fabric with The Fabric Daisy

Learn how to make a fully lined Roman blind with Crafty Betty during this fiveweek course. Join in any time. Includes Roman blind kit up to 120cm wide.

Use Liberty fabric to make pyjama bottoms, appliqué a matching design on a top and make a co-ordinating bag to keep them in.

Includes fabric, materials and lunch, just bring a plain white top.

Cost: £140

Cost: £120

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Rooftop Fabrics are proud to offer an every expanding range of fabrics, including: Plush, Cottons, and other specialist items.

Tel: 01420 260036 Email: website@rooftopfabrics.com

www.rooftopfabrics.com

www.sewcreative.org.uk

ÂŽ

Fabulous fabrics, haberdashery, sewing machines, workshops & sew much more 20-22 Lavant Street, PetersďŹ eld, Hampshire, GU32 3EW

T: 01730 858 020 E: info@sewcreative.org.uk

Temptations Craft Boutique An Aladdin's cave full of fabrics including Cotton Poplins, Linens, Wool Tweeds & Polyesters 100% Cottons for Patchwork and Quilting Knitting yarn and haberdashery Courses and workshops Agents for Brother Sewing Machines Visit our shop or buy safely online 31 Main Street, Bentham, North Yorkshire, LA2 7HQ Tel: 015242 61868 www.temptationsbentham.co.uk For shop opening times please see our website

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BOOK OF THE MONTH

IN THE GOOD

BOOKS Our pick of this month’s new sewing and dressmaking books

A Beginner’s Guide to Sewing with Knitted Fabrics

by Wendy Ward £12.99, CICO Books. On sale January 9th.

Hi Wendy! Tell us, what inspired the book?

When I started to teach dressmaking I was surprised there weren’t many patterns available for knits.

Lots of my students were scared of using knits but enjoyed using my patterns in classes.

So in 2012 I launched MIY Collection sewing patterns – many of which are for knitted fabric. In 2013 I started to put together ideas for a book purely about sewing knitted fabric.

TO DYE FOR Transform your clothes, home and accessories with Clementine Lubin’s new book, A Beginner’s Guide to Dyeing and Sewing, featuring 12 tutorials and 21 projects. Out 1st January, £12.99 from www.searchpress.com

Wendy

Why do you think knit fabric can sometimes intimidate sewists?

It probably started with the reputation knitted fabric was given in older sewing books as ‘difficult’ to work with. Most patterns are designed for wovens Read and a lot of sewists have got used more about to working with fabric like quilting Wendy on cotton that are easy to work with page 34 and don’t move around. Until recently there was also a myth that you needed an overlocker to sew knits.

What’s your favourite project from the book and why?

I genuinely love all the projects in the book and have worn the samples a lot!

I’d pick the Kinder Cardigan. I’d been wanting to create a jacket-like, simple cardigan for a long time and this was exactly what I’d imagined. It’s a great introduction to working with knitted fabric, and there are lots of ways to make it your own by adding contrast panels.

What are your top tips for sewing with knit fabric?

Choosing the right needle is key to avoiding frustration. If you’re getting skipped stitches and tangles with a ballpoint or jersey needle, switch to a stretch needle. The scarf (the groove above the eye of the needle) on a stretch needle

ITCH TO STITCH Lunch-Hour Embroidery by Adrienne Smitke is packed with 130 motifs, covering the whole alphabet from anchors to zebras. Perfect for on-the-go stitching!

Out now for £19.99 from www.roundhousegroup.co.uk/shop

is different to other ballpoint needles and allows it to travel through the fabric smoothly. Make sure you choose the right fabric for your project; knits are a huge category including fine silk jersey and bulky sweater knits and fabric can vary hugely in the amount they stretch (and recover). The book has easy-to-follow checklists for choosing fabric.

What can we look forward to from you over the next few months?

I’m hoping that I’ll soon be able to release a new MIY Collection pattern, based on a pattern I drafted back in 2005! I’m also starting to focus on more sustainable and thoughtful sewing in my writing and hopefully in-person events. Plus, I’m teaching a few limited workshops based around the book in the new year.

SAVVY SEWING Customise your favourite patterns with The Savvy Seamstress by tutor and pattern designer Nicole Mallalieu. Perfect for adult and kids' alterations. Available for £25 from www. searchpress.com

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We love

GIFTS

MATERIALS & TOOLS: 65⠄8x4½� outer fabric fat quarter contrast fabric 15½x14� fusible interfacing 6x3ž� fusible heavyweight stabiliser • 6� 3⠄8�-wide elastic • templates downloaded from www.lovesewingmag.co.uk • • • •

NOTES: One fat quarter will make two wallets in the same outer and lining fabric, or you can use stash fabric for each piece

Hold all the

CARDS

Make a fabric card wallet in a fabulous print and help keep life in order. This is a brilliant stash-busting project!

Project JEMIMA SCHLEE

A

B

C

D

E

F

HOW TO MAKE: Use the templates to cut out the outer fabric, lining, interfacing and stabiliser. Fuse the stabiliser to the centre of the WS of your outer piece, leaving a 3⠄8� seam allowance all the way around. Fuse the interfacing to the centre of the WS of each of the four pocket pieces, again leaving a 3⠄8� seam allowance all the way around.

Turn the outer fabric RS up and lay it horizontally in front of you. Lay the piece of elastic vertically 1� from the right-hand edge. Use your machine to reverse-stitch back and forth several times 3⠄8� from the top and bottom.

Your stitching will be through the outer fabric only, close to the edge but not through the stabiliser. (See Pic A.) Fold one of the short pocket pieces in half, WST as indicated on the template, and press with an iron. Top-stitch along the fold, 1⠄8� from the edge. Repeat with the three remaining pocket pieces.

Lay the lining piece down in front of you RS up. Place one tall pocket piece on top of it so that the raw edges along one edge of it align with the raw edges of the left-hand side of the lining piece. Pin or

tack along this edge. Do the same with the tall pocket on the other side. (See Pic B.) Stitch a ž� seam along both side edges. Trim the seam allowances down to 3⠄16�.

Place a short pocket piece over one of the tall pocket pieces so that its top-stitched edge lies 1� below the top edge of the tall pocket and its long raw edge lies beyond the trimmed seam of the tall pocket behind it. Pin the small pocket in position. Top-stitch 3⠄16� from the raw top and bottom edges to hold the short pocket in position.

Repeat with the other short

pocket piece on the other side. (See Pic C.) Place the lining and pocket pieces RST on top of the outer piece, aligning all the raw edges. The lining piece will be ž� shorter than the short pocket and outer pieces at the

bottom edge. Pin or tack in position. Sew a 3⠄8� seam along both the top and the bottom edges, reverse-stitching at the beginning and end for strength. Trim the seams down to 3⠄16�. Clip the two top corners diagonally.

Jemima says...

As long as your fabric is not too thick you can try out combinations of colours and patterns!

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Stitch SUCCESS Neat topstitching is within your reach! Let us show you how Topstitching is a line of machine stitching worked on the right side of the fabric, parallel to seams and edges. It is used as both a functional and a decorative stitch. Classic topstitching is done with straight stitch, emphasised by the use of thicker weight thread but you can have a little fun if your machine offers decorative stitch patterns.

The perfect way to achieve an even finish with your stitching is to invest in a special sewing machine foot.

Most sewing machines have topstitching feet available but our top tip is the humble blind hem foot which works just as well. Adjust your needle to an off-centre position and run the guide on the foot along the seam edge.

You'll get a perfectly even row of stitching without any heartache!

Slip your hand through one of the open side edges, in between the tall and short pocket layers, and turn the work out gently through this gap. You will end up with the tall pockets on the lining side of your work. (See Pic D.) The short pockets will be on the outer side of your work. The wallet may look a bit wonky, and the pockets will slightly distort the stabiliser shape, but this will be reduced at the next stage.

Pin or tack along the two raw side edges.(See Pic E.) Stitch a 3⁄8” hem along

both raw edges, reversing at each end. Clip the corners again if necessary. Turn the short pockets over to the lining side, encasing the raw seam allowance inside the small pockets.

Prod the corners from the inside of the pockets with a blunt tool such as a knitting needle, and use a pin to pick at the four corners to make them nice and sharp.

(See Pic F.) Press your work with a hot iron – don’t let the iron linger too long over the elastic.

Now you’re all done!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Fat Quarter Gifts by Jemima Schlee, £12.99. Published with permission from GMC Publications

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!

R E F F O R E D A E R E IV S U L C EX

FREE

DRESS PATTERN Introducing McCall's 7313 - an easy-fit, easywear jersey dress pattern featuring six styles to try. This paper pattern covers UK sizes 8-16 and includes helpful beginner tips!

We are offering this gorgeous pattern to Love Sewing readers for free – all you need to do is pay P&P!

Sizes

8-16

Offer available while stocks last and limited to one pattern per order

To claim your free copy, head to www.craftstash.co.uk/ls48readeroffer 58 www.lovesewingmag.co.uk

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Plus special sale offers with discounts up to 40%

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Shows you how to...

Claire-Louise Hardie

READ A PATTERN CIRCLE DOTS

These marks indicate construction details, such as zipper position, pleating, or the endof-stitching line, as set out in the instructions.

Some pattern companies will use triangles or squares in place of circle dots.

PATTERN CUTTING LINE

Each line relates to different size for the garment. There can be up to 10 sizes on a pattern sheet so you can either follow a single cutting line throughout or blend carefully between sizes to achieve a better fit.

GRAINLINE

The arrow on the pattern piece must be ‘on grain’ with the threads of the fabric so that it can hang, move and stretch correctly.

The grainline must always be parallel to the selvedge (the self-finished edges) of the fabric.

BUTTON & BUTTONHOLE PLACEMENT

The placement for a button is marked with an X. The placement for a buttonhole is marked with an edged line.

TUCKS/PLEATS

Transfer any tuck lines marked on the pattern PLACE ON FOLD LINE

This edge of the pattern piece is to be placed on the fold of your fabric, making it easy to cut out a mirror image at the same time. pieces to the RS (right side) of the garment.

Follow directional arrows where given.

ABBREVIATIONS DARTS

SA (SEAM ALLOWANCE)

Parts of the fabric to be folded for shaping, usually located at the bust, waist and neck.

Every project you sew has a set seam allowance.

This is the distance between where you sew and the raw edge of the fabric – essentially an invisible line around each pattern piece. These lines are occasionally included on vintage patterns. You must sew at the seam allowance in order for the pieces to line up correctly.

Most commonly this is 1.5cm, but check your instructions in case smaller allowances are being used. Sewing machines have marks for the seam allowance to the right side of the presser foot.

NOTCHES

Make a tiny snip or chalk mark at each notch location, within the seam allowance. These marks are used to match pieces together before sewing.

RS (RIGHT SIDE AKA FABRIC FRONT)

LAYOUT DIAGRAMS

These explain how to lay each piece onto the fabric to ensure that all of the pieces will fit on the fabric quantity suggested on the envelope. Remember to follow along with the correct view and size. Don’t forget to take care with directional prints; you wouldn’t want a floral print top with all the flowers upside down.

LS41.P68 Pattern Adjustments.indd 68

Instructions for placing right sides of fabric together will be written as RST. LENGTHEN OR SHORTEN LINE

This indicates exactly where to shorten or lengthen the pattern piece or garment to make changes for improved fit.

WS (WRONG SIDE AKA FABRIC BACK)

Instructions for fusing interfacing to the wrong side of fabric will be written as WST.

30/05/2017 15:01

ACHIEVE THE PERFECT FIT Draw a third horizontal line a little above the hem between Line 1 and the centre front of the pattern.

BUST ADJUSTMENTS

First, you need to work out how much additional space you require around the bust or what you’d like to remove. Here is a helpful chart to work out the amount: Small bust example

Full bust example

Full bust measurement

33�

38�

High bust measurement

32�

35�

Difference

1�

3�

Adjustment

1/2� SBA = half the difference

11/2� FBA = half the difference

Cut along Line 1 from the hem to the armhole, making sure not to cut all the way through the armhole. Leave a hinge so you can pivot the paper. The point of the dart has now swung away from its original position.

Cut through the line in the middle of the dart, again leave a little hinge at the tip of the dart so you can pivot.

The lower edge of your hem no longer meets at the bottom, as the side that has been adjusted is now longer. Cut the third line you drew, and spread apart until your hem is level.

Fill in the spaces created with tracing paper, and stick into place.

Using a ruler and pencil, draw a vertical line from the marked point to the hem. Make sure the line is parallel to the grainline on the pattern.

SMALL BUST ADJUSTMENT (FIG E) Draw in the lines as per an FBA adjustment.

This is essentially the same process in reverse.

From this line, draw a second line up towards the armhole, hitting the lower third of the armhole. Together, these lines are called Line 1.

Swing the darted side of the pattern across the other side, by the desired SBA amount.

The lower edge of the hem no longer meets at the bottom, as the side that has been adjusted is now shorter. Cut the third line you drew, and overlap until your hem is level.

Draw a second line horizontally through the middle of the bust dart, meeting Line 1 at the bust point.

1/3

1

B

2

apex

1

C

2

D

E

1

2 lap

3

3

Some patterns will come with an adjustment line for narrow or broad back drawn on. If your pattern doesn’t, you can easily do this yourself.

NARROW BACK (FIGS A – C) B

A

C

Line up the cut edges of Line 1 so they’ve been spread apart by the amount of your FBA. The edges should be parallel. You’ll notice that your dart has now spread apart too and become bigger.

FULL BUST ADJUSTMENT (FIGS A-D) Lay the tissue pattern against yourself to establish where your bust point is. Mark onto the pattern with a cross.

A

BACK ADJUSTMENTS

3

Draw a vertical line down from the shoulder, 3cm from the armhole to just below the bottom of the armhole. Draw a second line at a right angle from this point.

Cut along the two lines, and slide the armhole side overlapping the paper. Stick in place. A small Ÿ� adjustment is often enough. Play around with this amount as you develop your fitting skills.

Use a ruler and pencil to true up and re-draw the side seam and shoulder seam. Because we have only adjusted the upper back, the fit should remain the same around the waist. (See the orange lines on Fig B.) You’ll now need to make the front shoulder width a little shorter. Line up the notches on the shoulder ensuring sure the neckline is lined up. The front width will be a little longer than the newly adjusted back shoulder. Draw a new, narrower line from the back around the front, trimming a little of the front armhole away. Don’t forget to make sure your new curved line is smooth at the shoulder.

BROAD BACK ADJUSTMENT (FIGS D AND E) D

ADJUSTING FOR HEIGHT

E

A

SHORTEN A PATTERN (FIG A) Working at 90Ëš to the grain, make corresponding tucks across the front and back bodice, at bust and below armhole. Make corresponding tucks across the front and back of skirt below the hips. For sleeves, shorten above and below the elbow, avoiding the sleeve head curve.

LENTHEN A PATTERN (FIG B) Working at 90Ëš to the grain, cut across the front and back bodice, at bust and below armhole. Cut across the front and back of skirt below the hips. For sleeves, cut above and below the elbow, avoiding the sleeve head curve. Spread the pattern pieces as required and fill the spaces with scrap paper.

A

BELOW THE HIP ADJUSTMENTS (FIG A) To decrease the width, make a graduated tuck from the waist to the hem, tapering to nothing at the waist, indicated by the dotted line.

To increase the width, cut the pattern piece through the waist to the hem, place over scrap paper and spread to the required size.

LS41.P68 Pattern Adjustments.indd 69

Start in the same way as a narrow back adjustment drawing the two lines and cutting along them.

B

Instead of overlapping the cut pattern pieces, spread them. As before there are no hard and fast rules, but with a broad back a Ÿ-½� adjustment is about right. Fill in the space with some tracing paper and stick together.

Use a ruler and a pencil to true up and re-draw the side seam and shoulder seam. (See the orange lines on Fig D.) This time you’ll need to make the front shoulder a little longer. As with the narrow adjustment, line up the shoulder seams, ensuring the neckline is aligned.

Draw a curved line from the back shoulder down towards the front armhole, adding a sliver to the front shoulder and armhole.

Check that you’ve drawn a smooth line over the shoulder.

30/05/2017 15:01

We love

HOME

Up, up &

AWAY

Give your sewing kit a bit of a lift by turning your tape measure into a hot-air balloon. What fun!

Project LAURA HOWARD

62 www.lovesewingmag.co.uk

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A

B

C

D

E

F

MATERIALS & TOOLS: • round, retractable tape measure (approximately 5cm across) • bright wool felt or sturdy craft felt • small piece of brown felt • co-ordinating sewing thread • hand-sewing needle • templates downloaded from www.lovesewingmag.co.uk

HOW TO MAKE: 1 Trace the hot-air balloon templates but do not cut into sections. Cut out two balloon shapes from scraps of felt.

2 Check that the pieces fit around your tape measure.

3 Resize the templates if necessary so they fit.

4 Cut the templates along the lines to divide the balloon shape into five pieces. Cutting all the templates from one shape like this will help the pieces fit together neatly.

5 Use these paper templates to cut out the felt shapes. You can make a rainbow hot air balloon with each section a

different colour or use alternating colours.

(See Pic A.) 6 Sew the pieces onto a backing piece of felt one by one so they join together to form a multicoloured balloon shape. Use whipstitch and sewing thread to match the backing felt. Make sure that you only sew along the inside edges and don’t sew where the thread could be snipped when you cut out the balloon. (See Pic B.) 7 Carefully cut the backing fabric around the balloon shape. (See Pic C.) Use this shape as a template to cut a plain back for the balloon.

8 Place the front and back pieces of the balloon together, RS out.

9 Start sewing them together using blanket stitch around the outside edges, using the same shade of thread as before and starting from the bottom corner of the balloon.

Sew up along the edge of the

template provided. Cut one of balloon until you’ve sewn a these pieces in half – they will couple of centimetres past be used to pad out the top.

Pull out a the basket shape couple of a little and add inches of tape dimension. then slide Arrange the tape the basket Take care not to press measure pieces to the button on your between form a measuring tape while the front and ‘sandwich’, you’re sewing it into the back layers with the felt balloon of the felt end of the balloon. (See Pic measuring tape in D.) Position the tape the centre as shown. measure so that the button (See Pic E.) Sew the basket using (for retracting the tape) is blanket stitch and matching facing upwards and the hole thread. Start at one side and for the tape is lined up with sew up towards where the the bottom of the balloon. tape meets the felt. Switch to With the tape measure in whip stitch as you sew past place, continue sewing the measuring tape, carefully around the edge of the sewing through the tape to balloon with blanket stitch secure it to the felt. Switch to enclose the tape measure. back to blanket stitch and Leave the bottom edge of continue sewing around the the balloon open. Finish the rest of the basket. (See Pic F.) stitching neatly on the back.

Cut out three basket pieces Finish your stitching neatly at from brown felt using the the back.

Top tip!

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Order your copy today at www.moremags.com/sn17 B6214

Easy-sew pencil skirt

Handy shoulder bag and matching pouch

VERY EA SY/ TRÈS FACILE

TOP: Loose narrow hem.-fitting, pullover top has hem C: Pocke shows. B, band variat t. A, C: D: Lower Shaped ions and tuck. and hemli armho Purch HAUT ne, ased bias les A, B. wrong side : Haut ample tape to finish Combinatio , à passe d’ourlet et necklines r par ourlet Designed ns: Y(XS-S-M), ZZ(Ll’envers visible étroit. C: Poche la tête, à variat ions de bande for lightw . A, C: Ligne XL-XXL) . B, D: Pli FABRICS: finition des eight inférieur. d’ourlet Challis, Cotto woven fabric encolures Unsuitable et des entouRuban de biais acheten forme, n Knits, Linen s and stable Séries: Y(TPfor obvio rnures A, knits. é pour la , Rayon. us *With Nap. B. Créé pour P-M), ZZ(G-TG-TT **Without diagonals. des tricot G) Nap. poids s à léger. peu d’élas SIZES ticité et TISSUS: des tissu Etamine, XS s de Jerse S Grand y es de M diago coton, Toile 4-6 A 45"*/* L 8-10 12-14 *Avec Sens. nales ne convie de lin, Rayon * XL nnent pas.

1∑ 16-18 20-22 XXL **Sans Sens. ne.

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1.10 ∫ 1∫ 1.40 60"*/** 0.60 0.60 1∫ 150cm*/** 1≥ 1 0.60 0.60 CONTRAST 1≥ 0.40 0.40 1∂ CONTRAST 1π 1∂ D 0.60 2∂ 1∂ 0.60 45"*/** D 115cm E 2C - 115, 150cm 0.40 0.40 0.60 1≤ */** 1∞ π 0.60 60"*/** 1.50 1.50 */** - 0.40m π 150cm π */** ∞ 1.60 NOTIONS: π 1.00 1.10 ∞ CONTRAST 1.60 1.80 π ∞ π 1.10 1.10 D FINISHED ∞" Bias Tape: A, ∞ 2.00 π B: 2∞ 115cm GARM 1.20 */** π ENT Width, lower 1.40 MEASUREMyds., C, D: 1 yd.

0.80 0.80 150cm*/** edge ENTS 0.80 0.80 D 0.50 0.50 MERCERIE: 0.80 43 Back lengt 0.80 MESURES Ruban de biais de 0.50 0.50 0.80 h from base 45 48∞ 52∞ 1.3cm: A, DU VÊTE A 0.80 of neck Largeur B: 2.30m MENT FINI 56∞ - à l’ourl , C, D: 1.00m 60∞ 23∞ B et 24 D .

24∞ 25 32∞ 33 C 109 Longueur 25∞ 33∞ 34 26 - dos, votre 115 27 123 D 27∞ A 133 34∞ nuque à 28 143 35 30 l’ourlet 28∞ 29 154 60 30∞ B 61 31 29∞ 62 31∞ 32 83 C 64 84 65 32∞ 85 66 69 D 87 70 88 71 89 76 72 78 74 79 75 80 81 83 A

BUTTERIC

K PATTERN , 120 BRO • PRINTED IN U.S.A. ADW ALL RIGHT S RESER VED. SOLD

Update your sewing room

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SIZE/ TAILL

SIZES/TAIL

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Bust Waist Hip Poitrine Taille Hanches

Butterick

XS/TP 4-6 29∞-30∞ 22-23 31∞-32∞ 75-77 56-58 80-83

S/P 8-10 31∞-32∞ 24-25 33∞-34∞

M/M 12-14 34-36 26∞-28 36-38

80-83 61-64 85-88

87-92 67-71 92-97

L/G 16-18 38-40 30-32 40-42 97-102 76-81 102-107

XL/TG 20-22 42-44 34-37 44-46

XXL/TTG 24-26 46-48 39-41∞ 48-50

107-112 87-94 112-117

4-IN-1 TOP PATTERN

Butterick FAST 117-122 99-105 122-127

B6214

YELLOW

MAGENTA

CK

CYAN BLA

In sizes 4-26

FREE

Lots of easy patterns and projects to sew in 2018!

4TH JANUARY ISSUE 17 ON SALE

Pretty sewing goodies, pattern tools and the chance to win fantastic prizes!

WIN A DRESSMAKER’S BUNDLE FROM VLIESELINE AND HEMLINE Five lucky readers will win this incredible prize courtesy of Vlieseline and Hemline. Among this bundle of goodies you’ll find Perfect Hem and Bondaweb tape from Vlieseline, fabric markers with brush from Hemline – perfect for marking sewing or cutting lines, a tomato pincushion, dressmaking shears and much more! This is the ultimate dressmaker’s survival kit. To be in with a chance of winning, enter the competition via the link detailed below.

For Vlieseline stockist information, go to www.ladysewandsew.co.uk and for Hemline, contact groves@ stockistenquiries.co.uk.

Worth over

£200

Stitching, summed up Ever wondered how different stitches relate to one another, and if there are specific methods we can use to make learning new stitches a bit easier? Well, when Natalie Chanin and her team began examining needlework more closely, they discovered a ground-breaking method based on geometric grid systems that can make learning new stitches much easier. The Geometry of Hand-Sewing by Natalie Chanin, illustrated by Sun Young Park (Abrams, £17.99), is an essential manual for any sewist looking to perfect their technique and features illustrated instructions (for both right- and left-handed stitches) for more than 100 stitches – from the most basic straight and chain to the more fanciful feather and herringbone. We have three copies to give away. Intrigued?

We certainly are! The Geometry of Hand-Sewing is on sale now. Visit www.abramsandchronicle.co.uk to see more of the collection.

3 to win

Open to residents in the UK and Europe only

WIN a rosette-making kit from Clover Six lucky readers will win a collection of rosette-making kits from Clover! The base plate is evenly marked to enable accurate pleating without the need for measuring. Clear, illustrated, step-by-step instructions are included in the pack, along with great ideas for finishing touches. The kit contains everything except fabric and ribbon. Clover products are available nationwide from all good craft, sewing and hobby shops. For stockist information, contact clover@stockist enquiries.co.uk

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Every trick in the book

Let’s take it back to basics. If you’re completely new to sewing and the idea of picking fabric or the ideal sewing machine leaves you baffled, How to Start Sewing (Assembil, £25) is the perfect sewing companion. It’s jam-packed (trust us, it’s heavy) with useful information to help you get started on your projects and guide you through more tricky techniques as you become more advanced. It is the ultimate sewing bible for novice to advanced sewists, including fashion students and professionals, and features practical sewing exercises and invaluable advice that you can refer to throughout your sewing journey. We have two copies to give away and each comes with a handy tote bag! To read more about this fabulous book, visit www.assembil.com.

WIN AN EMBROIDERY KIT BUNDLE FROM THREADERS

Exclusive

DISCOUNTS SAVE 20% on By Hand London PDF patterns using code BHLLOVESSEWING. Valid until 25th January. Visit www.byhand london.com to take advantage of this amazing offer SAVE 20% on Montreux Fabrics with the code LSMONTREUX. Valid until 25th January. Visit www.montreuxfabrics.co.uk to see more of its fantastic range

LS48.P65 v2.indd 66

Four winners will receive a bundle of four embroidery kits from the amazing Threaders range at Crafter’s Companion!

Choose from four beautiful designs including a whimsical dreamcatcher, a vintage bicycle, a pretty kitty and a greeting design. Crafter’s Companion has grown to become one of Europe’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of crafting products. They are a family business and are renowned for bringing customers innovative crafting tools and supplies. Go to www.crafterscompanion.co.uk to see more fantastic products.

4

to win

08/12/2017 15:28

WIN a copy of Patchwork & Quilting and Embroidery Read your way to crafting joy with this fabulous giveaway from Thames & Hudson. Published in association with the Victoria and Albert museum, Patchwork and Quilting: A Maker’s Guide and Embroidery: A Maker’s Guide include beautiful step-by-step guides to help you create stunning pieces by revisiting age-old craft traditions. We have three book bundles to give away! To see more, visit www.thamesandhudson.com

WIN A TILDA LEMON TREE FAT QUARTER

5 to wi

n

If winter has you longing for the brightness of spring, these fat quarters from Tilda are sure to delight. Five readers will receive a FQ bundle from Tilda Lemon Tree. The 20 glorious designs in 100% cotton are an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary patterns with an oriental twist. Birds of paradise, vibrant florals and bold geometrics combine effortlessly and this wonderful fabric is excellent quality and washable to 40°c. Tilda products are sold exclusively by Groves in the UK and are available nationwide from sewing, fabric and craft suppliers. For stockist information, email groves@stockistenquiries.co.uk

Classy collector We’re offering three lucky readers a DMC Collector’s Tin! This gorgeous item, finished in gold matt, contains 35 brand-new DMC stranded cotton colours. For the first time in over a decade, DMC has launched 35 beautiful new colours to add to its DMC Mouline Stranded Cotton range, taking the total to 500. To see more of the DMC range, visit www.sewandso.co.uk.

LS48.P65 v2.indd 67

HOW TO ENTER

For a chance to win any of this issue’s giveaways, enter your details along with the names of the products you would like to win at www.ppjump.com/

lovesewing48 By entering these competitions, you accept that your email address may be passed on to sponsors for marketing activities. Closing date 1st February 2018

08/12/2017 15:28

We love

STYLE

Free as a

BIRD The Poppy pleated top is brilliant throw-onand-go garment with on-trend fluted sleeves Project CLAIRE GARSIDE

Shopping list

Gold hummingbird peach skin, limited stock, find similar at www.fabricsgalore.co.uk

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A

B

C

CUTTING:

60"-wide fabric

SIZING: 6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

FINISHED BUST

341/2"

361/2"

381/2"

401/2"

421/2"

441/2"

461/2"

481/2"

FINISHED WAIST

331/2"

351/2"

371/2"

391/2"

411/2"

431/2"

451/2"

471/2"

FINISHED HIP

39"

41"

43"

45"

47"

49"

51"

53"

Top tip

MATERIALS & TOOLS:

HOW TO MAKE:

• 2.5m of 45-wide or 1.5m of 60-wide crepe or similar fabric • 0.5m fusible interfacing • 1cm button • co-ordinating thread • air-erasable or water-soluble fabric marker • templates downloaded from www.lovesewingmag.co.uk

1 Fuse interfacing to the WS of the front and back facings.

2 With RST match the pleat notches on the front bodice and temporarily secure with vertical pins. Fold towards centre and secure with a row of basting stitches around the neckline a few mm in from the raw edge. (See Pic A.) 3 Make a button loop using a rectangle of fabric roughly 3cm wide and 5cm long. Fold WST and sew together using the edge of your machine foot

NOTES: Finish the raw edges with a machine zigzag stitch or overlocker Use a 1.5cm seam allowance unless otherwise instructed

Make sure to clip and

as a guide.

5 With RST notch the curved seam Turn RS out sew the allowance around your with a loop bodice backs keyhole so it turns turner. (See Pic together B.) Alternatively along the through neatly! if you don't have centre back a loop turner, fold seam, stopping the raw edges to the at the base of the centre, then fold in half keyhole. Press the seam and top-stitch. open. Repeat for the 4 Fold the button loop facing pieces. in half and baste together 6 With RST sew the bodice approximately 1cm in to front to the back at the secure. Check the button will shoulders and press the seams fit through the hole and set to open. Repeat for the facing one side. pieces. (See Pic C.)

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Position the button loop at the upper corner of one side of the keyhole facing inwards.

The loop should sit just over 1cm down from the neckline edge, outside the seam line and the basting line should sit at the keyhole stitching line.

With RST place facing on top of the main bodice.

Sew around the neckline and keyhole with 1cm seam allowance, going through all layers at the pleats and button loop area. (See Pic D.) Clip triangular notches into the seam allowance to ease the curves, taking care to snip close to but not through the stitch line. Also clip the corners of the top of the keyhole before turning through to the RS. Press flat.

To prevent the facing rolling out you can understitch the seam allowance to the facing or top-stitch on the

D

Top tip

RS through If you prefer a crisp finish all the you could stitch the pleats layers.

Baste down and create facings to eye-catching darts the armholes, at the neckline matching the raw edges.

Sew the bodice side seams and press seam open.

You may find it easier to hem the sleeves while they are unsewn. Sew a baby hem at the lower edge. (See Pic E.) With RST match the sleeve side seams and sew. Press the seam open.

With RST set the sleeve into the armhole, matching the notches. Trim the seam allowance to half the width and finish the raw edges, treating the sleeve and armhole allowance as one.

Finish the top with a narrow hem. (See Pic F.) You're all ready to go!

E

F

Claire Garside

Simple Sew patterns offers British-designed sewing patterns in printed and PDF formats. See the full range, take a peek at what the blogger team has been making and find helpful tutorials and tips at www.simplesewpatterns.com

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Love your

OVERLOCKER Follow Wendy’s simple steps to get the most out of your overlocker and banish your fears

S

ergers, more commonly known as overlockers in the UK, are perfect for fast, neat sewing on a wide variety of fabric. They trim the seam allowance, stitch the seam and neaten raw edges all in one go!

McCall's Pattern Company Brand Ambassador Wendy Gardiner provides a beginner's guide to successful serging.

WHAT IS AN OVERLOCKER?

An overlocker, or serger, is a separate machine used to sew and neaten seams in one go. The most common type of overlocking machines have three or four threads whilst the top of the range have eight thread positions and the option to cover-stitch as well as overlock. An overlocked seam is also flexible, making them ideal for stretchy fabric, sportswear and lingerie.

Overlockers don’t have bobbins, instead they have one or two needles plus two loopers that cover the fabric edges. The loopers form the overedge stitching, with the lower looper thread on the underside and the upper looper thread on the top, interlocked at the edge. If there are two

needles, the left needle sews a straight seam and the right needle locks the lower and upper looper stitching together.

Four threads are a stronger combination, useful for complete garment or project construction. Three threads are better for finishing raw edges. This gives your garments longevity through multiple washes and wearing as well as creating a professional finish on the inside of your clothes. You can switch a four-thread overlocker to a three-thread by removing the outer needle. When removing needles, avoid them dropping into the throat plate by placing a piece of fabric under the presser foot.

As with sewing machines, overlockers have stitch options in order to create different finishes such as rolled hems.

Your user manual will advise on any tension alterations, recommended feet and needles. You can get lots of different feet for your overlocker to help with special techniques ranging from zip insertion to attaching beading or piping.

THREAD

Usually you will use cops or cones of thread, which are large spools and usually finer than regular sewing thread because overlocker loopers use a lot of thread. You can of course use regular sewing thread in the needles. The cones sit on thread holders to the back of the machine and there is also a thread guide that can be pulled up to help the thread run smoothly. You can also use speciality thread like woolly nylon through the loopers as thicker thread can be fed through with ease.

See more machines at www.janome.co.uk

Each thread path is usually colour coded so that the correct needle or looper thread trail is easier to follow. Some modern

machines, such as Babylock, have the wonderful air-threading system, so you put the threads into a special tube, press a lever and whoosh, the threads are taken through the correct eye of the looper or needle!

QUICK THREADING GUIDE

If you do need to thread yourself, the easiest way is to cut the existing thread at the top of the cones and tie on the new threads. Raise the presser foot and then pull through the old threads until the new threads appear. You can pull the knots through the loopers, but for the needles you do need to stop before the eyes and cut off the knots and hand thread these. If your thread tangles or falls off the cones too easily, cover them with nets provided in your tool kit.

TENSION

Each thread path has its own tension dial.

Some modern machines have auto thread tensions, but most you have to adjust the tension yourself for each thread.

Your manual will provide an ideal of the tension needed for most fabric types.

You may also need to alter the tension when using special stitch techniques or stitching very fine or very bulky fabric.

For instance, if the looper stitches do not

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interlock on the fabric edge, the upper looper tension may be too tight, or lower looper too loose. Tighten and loosen the tension a little at a time.

Top tip!

DIFFERENTIAL FEED

Modern overlockers also have differential feed, which means that they can be set to evenly feed fabric layers to avoid overstretched or rippling seams. You adjust the differential feed dial to suit your fabric – again the manual will guide you and of course you can try it on fabric scraps.

A jersey top is a great starter project. Practise construction with the seams, then hem on your regular machine with a narrow zigzag

GETTING STARTED

Just as you should on a sewing machine, always test the stitching on a sample of your fashion fabric before working on the main project. Always have the needles at their highest point when starting (by turning the balance wheel). Start by sewing a stitch chain of 8-10cm before feeding the fabric under the foot. At the seam end, continue stitching for a further 8-10cm again to create another chain of stitches. Feed these stitch chains back through the end of the overlocked edges using a bodkin or large-eyed needle to prevent the seam unravelling.

CUTTING BLADE

Overlockers also have a cutting blade, positioned to the right of the needles, so that when the machine is operated, the fabric edge is cut to the perfect width before it continues to feed under the foot to be stitched and overlocked. The blade can be disengaged if needed for special stitch techniques such as flat locking.

A perfect four-thread stitch

PROJECTS

Almost any project or fabric can be sewn with an overlocker. It is a great tool to help with garment construction as well.

Stretch garments can be sewn solely on an overlocker as all the seams will have flexibility and there are rarely darts. For other garments, you can opt to sew some seams with an overlocker, or remove the left needle and simply neaten all seam edges with a narrow overlocked seam.

LS48 pp72 wendy gardiner.indd 73

ABOUT WENDY GARDINER Butterick 6492 is an excellent starter project!

All patterns are available through www.sewdirect.com

As well as being Brand Ambassador for The McCall Pattern Company, Wendy is a published author and sewing teacher. Find her online courses at www.craftsy.com

08/12/2017 15:20

Support your local sewing shop

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Birmingham City Centre Sewing Studio & Tuition 212 The Jubilee Centre, 120 Pershore Street, Birmingham B5 6ND Fabric and Haberdashery Shop specialising in amazing jerseys and luxury cotton lawns. Dashwood Jerseys now in stock Tel 07917 536 220 www.sewcoolandcrafty.co.uk

CLITHEROE

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17 Moor Street, Chepstow, NP16 5DB 01291 627 056

An abundance of haberdashery awaits you. Fabrics, patterns, gutterman threads, DMC embroidery threads, gorgeous ribbons and buttons and more... alterations and curtain making too!

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GLOUCESTERSHIRE

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From Fabrics and Haberdashery, to Wool, Knitting and Crochet Accessories, we have it all here at Friary Stitch.

Fabric, Wools and Haberdashery Buttons, Ribbons and Patterns Weekly Make Space Group 39 Parsonage Street Dursley, Glos, GL11 5RG www.inchesfabrics.co.uk

Come on in and take a look around!

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One stop shop for all your dressmaking needs Patterns, fashion and bridal fabrics, dressmakingand alterations service Husqvarna sewing machine sales and repairs on all models Taking part in the Shop local giveaway campaign 36a Aubrey Street, Hereford HR4 0BU Tel 01432 379137 Email: badderfabric@gmail.com

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A gathering place for friends, fabric and inspiration Fabrics . Haberdashery . Sewing classes Leanne's new sewing shop Lots of exciting plans Pop in to say 'Hi'!

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A friendly quilting and knitting shop, we have a large stock of quilting fabrics and notions.

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2 Market Street, Ulverston, LA12 7AY 07742 247 179 or 07815 691 258 thelittlekraftshed@gmail.com

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Suernsdnaupss! yo

£25

READERS'

TO WIN A

DLE FABRIC BUN VA FROM MINER CRAFTS

Frankie Baldwin

Frankie’s interpretatio n of the Simple Sew Jackie O Jacket is so elegant and chic – great job, Frankie! This versatile jacket was fea tured in issue 11 of Love Sewing and is a great staple piece for spring .

Star make

Jen Cranston

Get in touch letters@lovesewingmag.co.uk

Lorna asked you...

If you had to pick what would you choose...

A – £500 TO SPEND ON SEWING GOODIES? OR B – 50 HOURS OF UNINTERRUPTED SEWING TIME?

Heather Plumptre: Oh, such a tough question! With B I could use up lots of stash but with A I could gain more stash! I think B on balance though, never enough sewing hours in the day for me!

Jen looks lovely in her Simple Sew Annabelle Dre ss from issue 34 and wore it to her graduation in London .

Thanks so much for sendin g this in, and congratulation s!

Paula Goldspink: Tough decision but it would have to be 50 hours of uninterrupted sewing – no sooner do I sit down to sew than I have to get up again.

Hazel Wroe: Definitely the £500, love buying crafting and sewing goodies.

Sam Alexander-Parris: Definitely B – it would be heaven!

Charmaine W

lier Emma Hil this lovely ing! I made

“Hi Love Sew s, the 84 wrap dres 5, in a McCall’s 68 4 su n from is e sy make freebie patter ea an ch e. It’s su ux-wrap spotty pont fa ble with its ra ea w ry ve and to making ng forward front. Looki spiration.” ks for the in more! Than

est What a fabulous job Charmaine has made of this Bu tterick 6318 pa ttern from issue 43.

She said: “This year my other half an d I started to le arn to dance lindy hop and Charle ston. I need to practis e more but it’s great fun and feeds my love of vintage . I think I need to wear petticoats ever y day!”

Anna Lee Wilkinson: Definitely A! Who needs sleep when you can sew?

Willowwears: A – I am like a kid in a sweet shop when shopping for my sewing stash.

I get ever so excited Lauren Sperinck: Both! Life’s too short to have only one option!! www.lovesewingmag.co.uk 77

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We love

BAGS

MATERIALS & TOOLS: • white, black & bright blue six-strand embroidery floss • FQ light coloured linen or quilt-weight cotton for exterior front (with embroidery) • 0.5m linen or quilt-weight cotton in second colour • 12" closed-end zip • 0.5m low-loft wadding • 2 metal D-rings (optional) • 2 metal swivel latches for strap (optional) • templates downloaded from www.lovesewingmag.co.uk

Light as a

FEATHER Take your embroidery out for a walk with this gorgeous bag design with feather decoration Project ALYSSA THOMAS

CUTTING: From exterior fabric cut: • 16x12" From second colour cut: • 12½x4½" exterior front panel • 12½"-square exterior back • 2 4x1½" zipper ends • 2 3" square D-ring tabs (optional) From third colour cut: • 2 12½" squares lining • 3" x width of fabric for strap (optional) From wadding cut: • 2 12½" squares

HOW TO MAKE: CLUTCH FRONT 1 With the exterior front/ embroidery fabric placed horizontally and using a water-soluble marker, draw a horizontal 12½x8½” rectangle in the upper right-hand corner of the fabric.

2 Transfer the feather pattern to the fabric within the bottom-left portion of the rectangle. The feather should be positioned at least 1” away from the edges of the rectangle.

3 Place the fabric in the embroidery hoop and use the floss and needle to embroider the feather motif. For the feather shaft use stem stitch and for the feather down lines

Shopping list Try the glitter solids range from Cloud9 Fabrics, available in Blush, Mist, Rose Gold, silver, Graphite and Mineral Blue See www.hantex.co.uk/mystockist for retailers

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Top tip

use either backstitch or a series of long single stitches.

Cut out along the marked lines. Sew the exterior front panel piece to the top of the embroidered fabric with a Ÿ� seam allowance.

Press the seam up and top-stitch at 1⠄8�.

a 1⠄8� seam allowance.

Repeat to sew the second piece to the opposite end of the zipper overlapping the sewn tack.

D-RING TABS (OPTIONAL) Note that if you choose to add the strap, you will need to add the D-ring tabs. If not, you can skip ahead.

Take one of the 3�-square tabs, fold it in half with WST and press. Unfold then fold the edges to the centre crease and press. Refold the fabric along the original crease and stitch 1⠄8� from the folded edges.

Repeat with the second fabric square.

Fold the tabs around each D-ring and pin the ends together. Pin the D-ring tabs to the front exterior piece, one along each of the sides, directly below the seam where the two front fabrics meet. Place the D-ring tab so it overlaps the front exterior fabric by ž�, letting the raw end hang over the side.

Tack in place using a 1⠄8� seam allowance.

ASSEMBLY Lay the front exterior piece facing up on top of the wadding. With RST, place the edge of the zipper tape at the centre of the top edge.

With RST, lay the lining piece without the pocket on top of the front exterior piece, matching the raw edges.

Pin then using a zipper foot, sew along the edge 1⠄8� away from the teeth. When you reach the zipper pull, stop sewing with your needle in the down position, move the zipper out of your way and continue.

Press the front exterior piece and the lining WST and top-stitch along the zipper 1⠄8� from the seam (still using the zipper foot).

PREPARE THE ZIPPER To shorten the zipper from 12� to 11�, mark the zipper at 11� and tack over the teeth by back-stitching across the tape by hand. Cut off the zipper ½� beyond the stitches.

Take the two zipper end pieces and fold each in half so the short ends meet. Press.

Open the zipper halfway.

Pin together the start of the zipper so the metal stoppers meet. Place the folded edge of one of the fabric pieces so it overlaps the metal stoppers at the start of the zipper by Ÿ�

(6mm). Pin the fabric in place and sew along the folded edge (right through the zipper) with

Why not add an internal pocket to keep your phone and keys safe?

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sew & Stitch Embroidery,

by Alyssa Thomas, ÂŁ5.73 www.sewandso.co.uk

Lay the remaining lining piece in front of you facing up. Place the unsewn zipper tape along the centre of the top edge face up. With RST, place the back exterior piece on matching the raw edges.

As before, sew at the upper edge, press to the WS and top-stitch. Trim back the zipper ends.

Open the zipper all the way (don’t skip this part!).

Flip open the fabric pieces and align them so the two exterior pieces are RST and the two lining pieces are RST. Pin along the entire outside edge. When you get to the middle where your zipper ends are, fold the zipper ends toward the lining pieces. It will be bulky here.

Sew around all the edges

using a Ÿ� seam allowance, leaving a 5� turning gap in the lining. Clip the corners.

Turn it RS out and handsew the opening closed.

Push the lining to the inside of the clutch.

STRAP (OPTIONAL) Press both short ends under by ½� and press the fabric in half lengthwise with WST. Unfold then fold the edges to the centre crease and press. Refold the fabric along the original crease and stitch 1⠄8� from the folded edges.

Loop each end of the strap through a swivel latch and fix at your desired strap length with a crossed square of stitching through all the layers.

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Couture sewing kit ASK THE EXPERTS

In this issue Alison shares her favourite sewing tools and supplies 80 www.lovesewingmag.co.uk

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08/12/2017 14:53

Alison Smith MBE talks us through the key sewing supplies you'll need for a well-stocked couture toolkit

T

his month's column is not about raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens, but about my favourite sewing items. These are bits and pieces that are valuable for couture sewing but you’ll also find they have great value with every kind of project you take on.

PERFECT PINS

I have a bit of a thing about pins and pincushions! I have to have the right pins for the right job and I use two different types of pin. I use a good-quality pearlheaded pin that is long and fine for everyday sewing. Why? Well, you can easily find them when dropped, they stay in place and, on medium to heavier fabric, they hold the layers securely. I also adore the Prym 0.4x35mm glass-headed pins; they have a red glass head and are very fine, but can also bend easily. If you are working with fine cotton or silk they are just wonderful to use.

I keep all my pins in a pincushion as this protects the points and, if dropped, the pins are not scattered all over the floor.

NICE NEEDLES

really quick, useful aid to mark stitching lines. Many tape measures are 1 or 2cm wide so check them before you buy.

PATTERN MASTER

This strange shaped plastic 'ruler' is used primarily for pattern drafting.

However once you get the hang of using it you will be forever reaching for it. It can add on a hem allowance or seam allowance with ease thanks to the grid markings, it can find the bias grain and, if you're altering patterns, it has all the required curves. To use a pattern master to its full advantage takes practice but it is well worth persevering.

Don’t worry, this is not about having different scissors for different jobs. Never cut paper with them – as a sewist you probably know this! I like to have a small pair of scissors handy at all times – storkhandle scissors are ideal. I use them for snipping thread and, when necessary, to flatten fabric as it feeds under the presser foot. They are so tiny they just skim the toe of the presser foot.

SUPER SEAM RIPPERS

HANDY THIMBLE

CLEVER PRESSING CLOTH

TERRIFIC TAPE MEASURE Try and find a tape measure that is 1.5cm wide – as it’s the same width as seam allowance it is a

WANT TO LEARN WITH ALISON? VISIT HER WEBSITE WWW.SCHOOLOF SEWING.CO.UK FOR THE 2018 COURSE GUIDE

SNAZZY SCISSORS

For everyday sewing I use a straw or milliner's size 9 needle. This is a long fine needle with a small eye that glides through fabric when you are hand stitching. For fine hand sewing I use a betweens size 9 needle, which is similar to a straw needle but shorter.

Until recently I admit I have not been a fan of the thimble as I hated the feel of it over my nails.

But I have discovered the Prym ergonomic thimble; this blue and white plastic thimble is comfortable and really aids your hand sewing – do try one.

CHECK OUT

How often do you change your seam ripper? They go blunt really quickly, so buy a new one at least once a year.

Seam rippers also come in different sizes. You need a small fine one for the difficult unpicking and a larger one for heavier fabric.

I just love a silk organza pressing cloth. You will have to make your own from a fat quarter of silk organza, and it is a bit of a luxury, but when pressing you can see through it to what you are pressing and it helps to stop fabric from going shiny! It does need to be 100 per cent silk though, not polyester silk.

Let me know what your favourite sewing items are and why. Find me on Instagram sewalison.

ABOUT ALISON SMITH Awarded an MBE for her services to dressmaking, Alison is an industry expert in classic couture and a published author.

Alison has her own shop and line of patterns, and you can also learn with Alison at one of her exclusive workshops. Find out more on her site www.schoolofsewing.co.uk

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MACHINE

REVIEW

This month we take a look at the lovely new collection from Brother!

BEST FOR BEGINNERS BROTHER L14 If you’re new to sewing this machine is the perfect device to help you get started on your projects.

It has 14 stitch options, a top-load bobbin and features a handy LED sewing light so you can sew whenever creativity strikes. The machine is ideal for making basic alterations and repairs, and is lightweight and easy to carry so you can take it out and about, and store it away with ease.

Lorna R UNDE

£100 BEST FOR HANDSOME HEMS BROTHER CV3440 COVERSTITCH This advanced coverstitch machine is designed to help you hem and top-stitch fabric and garments with ease. Featuring ample space around the needle, easily accessible controls and a free arm, it is user friendly and ideal when handling a variety of fabric. The machine has an extensive selection of stitches including a triple top cover stitch and chain stitch so you can let your creativity run wild, embellishing garments and giving them a professional finish.

The telescopic metal thread stand at the top of the machine will also prevent any troublesome knots.

Bethany

UNDER

£500 BEST FOR SPECIAL TOUCHES BROTHER INNOV-IS M280D Tap into your fun side with this modern embroidery and sewing machine. With 125 embroidery patterns, including 45 Disney designs, the M280D is ideal for those wanting to create fun embellishments for ornaments and garments. The machine features a large LCD touchscreen to help you navigate patterns and builtin fonts, and includes a USB port for any designs you want to import – the M280D is also compatible with a wide variety of third party designs so the creative opportunities are endless!

Amy UND £ ER

900

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PATTERN

London

CALLING Boost your wardrobe by using this exclusive pattern discount from

By Hand London

SAVE

20% on PDF patterns. Use BHLLOVESEWING* at checkout

Pop your collar

Stylish and classic, a blouse can be a real workhorse in your wardrobe. Try Sarah with its Peter Pan collar, cuffed gathered sleeves and a line shape and you'll look polished no matter where your day takes you.

Button it!

Dreaming of warmer weather?

Well bring the sunshine to your sewing room with this sweet dress. Sabrina features easy-fit princess seams and you can choose between a bateau sleeveless style and a button-down version with rouleaux straps.

SAVE 20% on all PDF patterns at WWW.BYHANDLONDON.COM before 25th JANUARY *Discount not applicable on pattern bundles or sewing planners

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Super duper skirts

Short on sewing time and looking for a quick make?

Try the Charlotte skirt and have some fun positioning the frill at the waist or hem. We love the silhouette, and the fabric options are endless!

A dress for all days

FREE

PATTERN

Beautiful and simple, Zeena is the ultimate everyday dress. With a box-pleat skirt and blouson bodice, it's a great number to wear anywhere. There are sleeve and hem length options and who doesn't adore pockets in a dress? There are plenty of ways to make this dress perfect for your life and to show off your sense of style.

Just visit www.byhand london.com to download

Find out more!

By Hand London produces gorgeously illustrated, high-quality patterns that are available as PDF downloads through its site www.byhandlondon.com Stay in touch for all the latest pattern news, top tips and inspirational images through its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts – all handily @ByHandLondon

Polly want a pattern?

OK, so you don't need a discount to claim this design.

We couldn't help but include the fabulous FREE Polly top in our round up. www.lovesewingmag.co.uk 85

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THE SEW NG SHOP Derby

Dumfries

Gloucestershire

Romy's Sewing Rooms

Reads of Winchester

For all your haberdashery needs.

Sewing classes for all ages and abilities.

Suppliers of sewing machines.

Janome, Elna, Bernina, Toyota, Jaguar Both new and reconditioned.

180 Irish Street, Dumfries, DG1 2NJ Sewing Workshops Sewing Parties and Afternoon Teas Sewing Club Sewing Machine Servicing and Repairs Buy and sell second hand machines Children’s Sewing Workshops 1 to 1 Lessons Customised Gifts and Items

romyssewingrooms@gmail.com

See my website for more www.sewnjo.com Phone: 07760 330843 Markeaton Park Craft Village, Derby, DE22 3BG

Hampshire

Many machines on display demonstrations available.

01387250867

www.facebook.com/Romyssewingrooms

Rotherham

Hampshire

Fabric, Wools and Haberdashery Buttons, Ribbons and Patterns Weekly Make Space Group 39 Parsonage Street Dursley, Glos, GL11 5RG www.inchesfabrics.co.uk

Scotland

Sales service repair haberdashery supplies

Tel 01962 850950 1 St Thomas Street, Winchester, hants SO23 9HE Open Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm

Shropshire

JB Crafting Supplies

SEW BUSY

Stockists of Michael Miller, Riley Blake, Makower, Stof, Tilda, Robert Kaufmann, Dashwood and others. Buttons, haberdashery, patterns, unique gifts and craft workshops.

Branksomewood Road, Fleet, Hampshire GU51 4JS Tel: 01252 444220 www.sew-busy.co.uk

Somerset

We stock a good range of fabric, haberdashery & yarn.

We also run weekly classes in sewing & quilting.

Also we create personalised hand-crafted gifts to order.

Wath Plaza, 2 Sandygate, Wath-Upon-Dearne, Rotherham, S63 7LW 07922 049 825 jb-craftingsupplies@hotmail.co.uk

South Yorkshire

01226 805955 Why not visit our lovely fabric emporium in South Yorkshire, just 10 mins from JCT 36 on M1 and open 7 days per week! Fabulous fabrics, and free friendly help and advice and a wide variety of classes//workshops. Our beautiful Craft Cafe has food, coffee cakes whats not to like, come and give us a try!

www.ohsewsweetshop.co.uk

Tewkesbury

A warm welcome and a friendly smile are guaranteed when you shop with us!

We stock fabulous fabrics, yarns, and haberdashery, and offer a variety of workshops for all abilities.

Yorkshire

Sheffield’s newest independent sewing store. We stock a wide range of fabrics, including Michael Miller, Riley Blake and Tula Pink. We also offer classes in a variety of crafts.

1a Arundel Road Sheffield S35 2RB 0114 2455996 handmadehappyhare @yahoo.co.uk

www.handmadehappyhare.com

24 St Mary’s Street, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 7AB 01952 814 962 zigzags@hotmail.co.uk www.zigzagsonline.co.uk

S. Lanarkshire

We’re a little shop with a big quilting heart.

We stock an expanding range of quality branded quilting fabrics on the bolt and pre-cuts, rotary cutters and mats, rulers and templates, waddings and notions.

Shop online or visit our colourful shop at 3 Clydesdale Close, Biggar, South Lanarkshire, ML12 6GH

www.biggarstitches.com 01899 220837 hello@biggarstitches.com

St Austell

1 Biddicks Court, St Austell, PL25 5EW Tel: 01726 75385 Email: sewandfabric@yahoo.co.uk Find us on Facebook

Online only

T H E U K ’ S N O .1 S E W I N G M A G A Z I N E

Molly Felicity Designs original designs made with you in mind Like our fabrics but want to make something yourself? Molly Felicity Designs are now offering vintage inspired fabrics and prints so you can create something wonderful yourself

To advertise please contact Noune on 0161 474 6997 or email noune.sarkissian@ practicalpublishing.co.uk

www.mollyfelicitydesigns.com

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FABRIC

1

2

Press the

BUTTON Add a dose of humour to a classic shirtdress by using crisp Liberty Tana cotton lawn in a cheeky conversational animal print!

3

4

5

6

Bleuet dress pattern, printed â‚Ź14 (ÂŁ12.37) or PDF â‚Ź11 (ÂŁ9.72) shop.deer-and-doe.fr

Fabric shopping Queue for the Zoo in mauve with orange, ÂŁ22.60 per metre www.sewbox.co.uk Strawberry Thief in violet, ÂŁ22.50 per metre www.abakhan.co.uk My Little Pace in pink, ÂŁ14 per metre www.alicecaroline.co.uk Lotta D, ÂŁ22.50 per metre www.remnantkings.co.uk Yoshie Small B, ÂŁ22.50 per metre www.guthrie-ghani.co.uk Theo, ÂŁ22.50 per metre www.libertylondon.com www.lovesewingmag.co.uk 87

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15 MINUTES WITH...

Fabric fanatic KATE MARSDEN This month, we meet Kate Marsden, the designer behind Made by Mrs M, to chat fabric and how to support the the handmade community

I had a rethink about this one following a trip to the Japanese House exhibition at the Barbican Centre back in spring, and actually ended up completely redesigning it three times!

What have been some of the best things you’ve seen made using your fabric?

My Croydon fabric (featuring a series of local buildings) that been made into a dress! One Friday evening I found myself bombarded with tweets from people who had seen someone out for the evening wearing it – that was quite exciting! I’ve also seen some truly beautiful quilts, lampshades, cushions and a stunning quilted shopping bag made

by Dorothy Hill, which I had the opportunity to photograph in a very on-brand launderette last year!

W

e sat down with Kate Marsden to find out more about her new fabric range and her passion for supporting independent, handmade businesses.

Hi Kate! We’re big fans of your fabric collections, what inspires you to come up with new designs?

My style is very much a modern take on mid century, so with that and my love for architecture in mind (to stop me going wildly off tangent), I absorb all the things I see. I like walking around looking at street art, colour combinations in peoples’ outfits, and then the more obvious things like gallery exhibitions, books and magazines.

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest fabric range?

Rather than concentrating on the exterior of buildings I’ve moved inside, and my new collection features mid-century style chairs and houseplants.

My new collection features mid-century style chairs and houseplants What’s on your sewing table right now?

Lots of unfinished projects. I have a half-made Coco Wawa Crafts Marshmallow Dress and an English paper-pieced Liberty print quilt that is ready for quilting – I have everything but just haven’t had a chance to get started! I’m also putting together new samples for workshops, and finally doing some new tutorials for my blog.

Tell us about how you made the move from working for a law firm to being a full-time textile designer, illustrator and blogger I studied Fashion and Textiles after school and sort of fell into law when I moved down to London nearly 20 years ago. After my son was born my desire to go back to what I originally loved grew, and I eventually left and set up on my own at the start of 2014. It’s

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ABOUT

Kate Marsden Dorothy Hill’s bag featuring Made by Mrs M’s Croydon fabric

Kate's unique fabric designs

Kate is a textile designer, illustrator and blogger based in south London. She takes inspiration from the city and travels to design her fabric and collections, which lean towards vintage aesthetics of the 50s and 60s. Kate sews items from her fabric, teaches workshops and writes for the Just a Card campaign at www.justacard.org You can find out more about Kate at www.madebymrsm.co.uk

hard going at times, but the flexibility of working for myself enables me to be around when he needs me. My aim is to ramp things up once he’s no longer reliant upon me to get him places, although I’m not wishing this time away!

You’re also a big advocate of other handmade businesses, why do you think is so important?

I’ve never been one to follow the crowd, and like to own and wear things that are unique. When I started out on my own I really came to appreciate how hard small business owners work, and how tricky it can sometimes be to sell anything. I started volunteering for the Just A Card campaign (launched by artist Sarah Hamilton three years ago) last year, and since then my shopping choices have become even more considered. I won’t pretend I don’t shop in supermarkets, but I certainly never buy greetings cards or gifts there now! Sarah started the campaign after seeing a quote from a gallery that had been forced to close, in which they’d said that if everyone who had visited and said how lovely it was had bought just a card, they’d still be in business. The campaign aims to educate people that they shouldn’t feel embarrassed to only buy a small item (a card is an example) as every sale helps to keep people going.

What have you got in the pipeline for Mrs M in 2018?

More of the same! I have more workshops in the pipeline, another new collection in the spring, illustration commissions and I’ll hopefully be licensing more of my designs. Watch this space!

Kate's latest fabric ranges are inspired by houseplants, chairs and Croydon architecture

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07/12/2017 11:22

We love

STYLE

FRILL seeker

Everyone needs a sophisticated go-to party dress, and this one ticks all the boxes with its on-trend ruffle detail and curvaceous fit Project CLAIRE GARSIDE

Shopping list Emerald superior satin crepe, ÂŁ12 per metre www.croftmill.co.uk

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2 LAYPLAN:

5

4

3 A

1

60"-wide fabric

1

right side of fabric

right side of fabric wrong side of fabric and lining

wrong side of fabric and lining

5

4

3

B

11

10

12

5

C

8

7

6 D

9

8

7

6

9

Facing flipped RS out RS back bodice

E

Zip RS down

11 12

Facing flipped RS out RS back bodice

SIZING: 6

8

10

12

14

16

18

BUST

35”

37”

39”

41”

43”

45”

47”

47

WAIST

27½”

29½”

31½”

33½”

35½”

37½”

39½”

42

HIPS

27½”

29½”

31½”

33½”

35½”

37½”

39½”

42

HOW TO MAKE: 12

MATERIALS & TOOLS: • 2.2m of 60”-wide fabric for sizes 8-14 or 2.5m of 60”-wide fabric for sizes 16-20 crepe or similarweight fabric • 16" concealed zip • co-ordinating thread • templates downloaded from www.lovesewingmag.co.uk

NOTES: Finish the raw edges with a machine zigzag stitch or overlocker Use a 1.5cm seam allowance unless otherwise instructed

20

Zip RS down

Top tip

Take time to pin your fabric well before sewing, slippery fabric will move around a lot as you sew

facing hems.

1 Create the darts on the (See Pic B.) front and back dress panels. 13 5 Join the 2 Press the bust darts down WS of the and the waist darts to the main front dress 13 side seams. panel piece with the 3 Press the three pleats on RS of the back facings at the the RS of the front frill panel by shoulder line. Press seams aligning each pair of notches. open. (See Pic C.) The pleat folds will point to the 6 With RST join the frill panel right-hand side when worn. to the back dress panels at (See Pic A.) shoulder line. Press seams 4 Neaten the frill panel hem open. (See Pic D.) by overlocking or zigzag7 Lay the assembled front RS stitching the edge of the fabric down on the workspace. Lay then sewing a 0.5cm single the assembled frill RS down turn hem. Repeat for the back on top and pin together at

the neckline.

Sew around the neckline and armholes using a 14 1cm seam allowance.

8 Trim the neck and armhole seam allowances14 to 0.5cm and snip into the seam allowance around the curves, stopping short of the stitch line. (See Pic E.) Turn through by pulling each side through the shoulder seam opening.

9 Lay the front of the dress so it is RS out with the frill panel lying on the top. Tack the frill to the front along the sides

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11

within the seam allowance.

Now you will treat the two layers as one. Repeat for back and facing panel.

Place the front and back RST and sew side seams with a 1.5cm seam allowance.

Alternatively, try a French seam using our masterlass.

Flip the facing up out of the way and insert a concealed zip at the centre back seam.

11 Stitch the zip down with zipper foot. Flip the facing over the

neckline so that the back dress and the facing are RST and secure the facing to the zip though the two layers. Clip corner to reduce bulk and turn the facing through back to the inside of the dress. (See Pic D.) Starting from the last stitch of the zip, close the rest of the centre back seam, using your zipper foot. (See Pic E.) Double-turn the dress hem by 1cm.

13

D

E

12 12

14

Facing flipped RS out

Facing flipped RS out

RS back bodice RS back bodice

Zip RS down

Zip RS down

MASTERCLASS

FRENCH SEAMS 1 Place your fabric wrong sides together – this is very important and it can be easy to forget. Sew a 3/8” seam allowance from the raw edge and trim to 1/8”.

2 Press the seam open then press over with right sides together.

3 Sew a second seam at ¼” from the edge. This will trap the seam allowance edges neatly behind the second line of stitching. first seam allowance

the centre fold of the first seam becomes the outside edge

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English Garden

A Quilting Cotton Collection Internationally recognised as a leader in print design and textiles, Liberty Fabrics have been creating original and inspiring designs since 1875.

‘The English Garden’ is a collection of floral designs created specifically for quilting. Some of the printed designs are redrawn artworks from our archive, their roots dating back to the early 1900s.

The base quality ‘Lasenby’ Cotton is 100% cotton quality specifically woven for sewers.

The collection of coordinating accessories include pin cushions, sewing boxes and scissor pouches and make a perfect gift for any quilting enthusiast.

To find your local stockist visit www.eqsuk.com or call 0116 271 0033 Proudly distributed by EQS Ltd.

LS48.P95.indd 95

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Next month in

Sizes

8-24

T H E U K ’ S N O .1 S E W I N G M A G A Z I N E

TWO FREE PATTERNS worth over £17

McCall's 7357 multi-view blouses Butterick 5926

4-in-1 blazer pack Inspiring articles, projects and guides: P Floaty kimono robe P Simple Sew Capri trousers P The secret life of a toymaker P Patchwork sari handbag P 15 mins with Debbie Shore

Plus much more!

LS48 Next Issue.indd 96

07/12/2017 11:32

ISSUE 49 ON SALE 25TH JAN 2018 Four styles of blouse to try

SIZES 6-22

Pretty patchwork

BEE CUSHION

Show some love

GLASSES CASE

See page 26 for our subscriber offer!

Beautiful bow

SATIN CLUTCH

y Gardiner Top tips and techniques from Claire-Louise Hardie P Expert guidance from Wend P In-depth articles from Wendy Ward P Clever tutorials from Elisalex de Castro Peake P Couture masterclass with Alison Smith MBE P Behind the scenes with Jade Earley *All contents subject to change.

LS48 Next Issue.indd 97

07/12/2017 11:32

We love KIDS

WOAH Nellie!

Create a cheeky elephant family using this sweet and easy tutorial for two sizes of elephants!

Project MELANIE MCNEICE

Top tip!

MATERIALS & TOOLS:

HOW TO MAKE:

• 21cm x full width of fabric for body & inner legs • 20x25cm contrast fabric for ear • 20x12.5cm lightweight fusible fleece • 10cm matching cord (tail) • 5x7.5cm white & 2.5x5cm blue 100% wool felt for eyes • 7.5cm square fusible web • small black buttons for pupils • co-ordinating thread • polyester toy filling • templates downloaded from www.lovesewingmag.co.uk

Trace the inner and outer eyes twice each onto the paper side of fusible web and roughly cut out. Fuse the inner eyes to blue felt and the outer eyes to white felt, and cut out.

Peel off the backing paper from the outer eyes and fuse in place. Top-stitch to secure.

Repeat for the inner eye and hand-sew a small black button for a pupil.

Position the cord on one body piece with RST so the raw end meets the tail position marked on the template. Machine-baste the cord tail into place.

Interface two ear pieces with fleece. Pair up one ear with fleece with one without, RST. Sew together, leaving the inner edges open for turning. Clip the curved edges, turn through to the RS and press well.

With RST, place an ear in the bottom corner of the dart matching raw edges. Ease the edge of the ear to match the

CUTTING: • Cut 2 body pieces and 2 inner legs in main fabric • Cut 4 ears in contrast fabric • Cut 2 ears in fusible fleece

NOTES: Finished sizes: Mummy 15cm tall x 20cm long; Baby 12.5cm tall x 16.5cm long A 6mm seam allowance is included and a 1.5 stitch length should be used throughout

If you are making this toy for a small child make the pupil of the elephant’s eye with a large French knot

curved dart edge, machinesew the ear into place.

Create the dart with the ear trapped inside. Repeat these steps for the remaining ear, leaving a 5cm gap for turning in the centre of the dart behind the ear.

Place an inner leg piece on top of a body piece, RST and machine-sew the inner leg to the body. Start stitching at the raw edge of the fabric and gradually turn into a 6mm seam before tapering to the raw edge again at the other end. Repeat to join the remaining pieces.

Sew the dart on the inner leg sections of the joined body/leg pieces. Fold each inner leg in half with RST so the fold goes down the centre of the dart. Sew into place following the marked dart line. Trim any excess.

Place the body pieces RST (inner legs in between) and baste together. When you reach the inner leg section you need to ensure you baste the top edges of the inner legs together. It may be easier to do this by folding the legs up against each side of the body but keeping the ears free. Sew in place.

Turn RS out through the gap behind one ear. Stuff firmly with toy filling (stuff the trunk first), then ladderstitch the opening closed.

Tie a knot in the tail to finish!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Fun of The Fair

by Melanie McNeice, ÂŁ7.99 eBook, www.sewandso.co.uk

98 www.lovesewingmag.co.uk

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Go ahead‌ get creative 230DC Easy to use...

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