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Potato Printing The Other Zippy Bag

Published on November 18, 2019 by Sew Me Something1 Comment

We have these rather lovely washable paper zippy bag kits in stock and we thought we’d show you how to customise your bag kit. The grey and brown ones are just perfect for printing on. We have used the most simplest of printing with potatoes but you could use a stamp and an ink pad.

We used textile printing ink so you can set the image permanently by ironing it and its washable too, even though its paper.

Firstly select your potato and cut it in half, we used a sharp knife to create a simple design but if you have a Lino cutter you could try using this. Dab off the excess moisture with some kitchen roll and have a play with repeating designs.

Once you have a design that you are satisfied with draw around the template of your zippy bag onto the paper, ensuring you have a front, a back and a tag pattern piece too.

Remember the cut out corners of your bag pattern forms the bottom of the bag so work out where you would like to place your design. You will also have a seam allowance all the way round so bear that in mind too. We started printing from the middle out so the design was central.

You can print the tag with a smaller piece of potato, just remember the tag will be folded in half and have seam allowance along the long edges too

When the ink is dry, iron your design for a few minutes to heat set it (see your inks instructions) then make up your zippy bag as per the instructions. You can find our tutorial on how to make it here and you can purchase the plain grey and brown zippy bag kits here

Bianca Hack

Published on October 15, 2019 by Sew Me SomethingLeave a comment

If you find our Bianca a bit too on the slouchy side here are two hacks to help

Our Bianca Coat is a much loved wardrobe staple and is generally an oversized garment. It has a dropped shoulder to make it a generous fit over the shoulders.

However, we fully appreciate that some people are not overly comfortable with such an amount of ease in their clothes, so this is a really easy way to make your Bianca smaller across the shoulders so you don’t feel swamped.

Bianca Hack 1

Just a heads (or rather hands up) – you will need an extra pair of hands to help you with this as the alterations are taken out through the back, and unless you have octopus arms you may struggle on your own!

First try on your Bianca and have a friend lift it onto the shoulders where you’d feel comfortable with the shoulder seams sitting. This will create a fold of extra fabric through the centre back.

Have your friend pinch out the fold across the shoulder blades and and up into the collar. Pin it either with normal dressmaking pins or a safety pins.

Take off the Bianca and measure how much has been pleated out across the back and up into the collar and make a note of this. Take out the pins.

Turn your Bianca inside out and fold along the centre back. Measure in from the fold how much had been pleated out of the back and mark with chalk or a fabric marker. Take this all the way up into the collar too. This will be your stitching line.

Add on a 1.5cm seam allowance to the new stitching line all the way up the centre back and into the collar. Cut off the excess fabric. Cut all the way up the centre back and into the collar.

Unpick about 1”/3cm of overlocking on the neck seam each side of the new centre back.

With the wrong sides together overlock or machine sew down the collar section only.

With the right sides together overlock or machine sew down the coat section only.

Re- sew or overlock across the opening in the back neck seam. This will give you a centre back seam, but a much better fitting coat!

Bianca Hack 2

If you find the front waterfall too much for you, it’s easy to trim down the collar and front edge.

Try on your Bianca coat and decide how much you want to trim off the front waterfall. It may be that you don’t want the collar so high or not so much in the double breasted crossover, or even a combination of both. Fold under or mark how much you want to take off.

Turn the Bianca inside out and put one sleeve into the other. This will allow the coat to sit flatter folded in half.

Lay out the front of the Bianca so you can see the whole of the collar and front edge. Make sure both edges are level and matched up at the top and bottom corners.

Mark on where you would like the new edge to be with chalk or a marker pen. Use a ruler to get the lines straight as the collar and front edge are supposed to be at right angles.

Trim off the excess fabric. You can leave the edge raw or finish with overlocking or any other method you choose.

This will give a more pared down waterfall at the centre front.

I hope these hacks will help you to make the most of our wonderful Bianca coat for the cooler months to come.

Happy Sewing!

A patch pocket with a difference!

Published on July 22, 2019 by Sew Me Something3 Comments

Sewing the Desdemona pocket

We have used this pocket on our Desdemona Skirt pattern- its an unusual style patch pocket with has an opening at the top – the button & buttonhole is just a design feature. Its simple to do but looks quite impressive (or so we think!)

You will need two pattern pieces- one pocket and one pocket facing. Our pocket piece is 21.5cm (width) x 23cm at the sides and 34cm at the centre. Draw a fold line 4cm down from the sides and pop your grain line on. The pocket facing is the same shape but the sides are 13cm in length. I chose to add further interest to this pocket by using the stripes vertically on the pocket and horizontally on the pocket facing.

Interface the pocket facing piece by attaching a light weight interfacing to the back. This will support the fabric later when you make a a buttonhole. Neaten the bottom edge of the pocket facing, then place it on top of the pocket piece with right sides together. Sew around the facing, pivoting at the corners. Trim the corners and turn through the right way around.

Press under the remaining seam allowance and mitre the corners. To do this press the seam allowances along the side and the bottom, open out and then fold the corner in so the point of the crease is on the edge. Then fold back in the side and the bottom and press again. Top stitch across the bottom edge of the facing to hold in place.

Mark and sew the buttonhole. Fold the point over along the fold line (marked on your pattern) and mark and sew the button in place. You could cheat and just sew a button on here as its a decorative feature and not a usable button/ button hole.

Place and pin the pocket onto your skirt, making sure its in the right place for your length of arms! Lift the edges of the point of the pocket to be able to start and finish sewing along the edge of the pocket to hold it in place. You can reinforce the pocket at the corners by sewing a triangle or rectangle at the start and finish points.

Happy Sewing!

How to Sew a Circular Patch Pocket

Published on May 23, 2019July 8, 2019 by Sew Me SomethingLeave a comment

Patch pockets are traditionally square-ish or rectangular in shape, but that doesn’t have to be so!

You can make a real feature of a pocket by making it circular.

Where you want to place your pocket will determine the size you want to make it. It could look very sweet as a small top pocket on a blouse or larger as a proper hand-sized pocket if you wanted to add your own twist to the Viola Skirt.

This is how we made ours:

We wanted a hand sized pocket so used a side plate as a template. You could use anything circular as your own template or even a pair of compasses (from your old school geometry set).

Draw around the template on some paper to create your pattern. To find the grain line just fold the circle in half, and the crease will be your grain line. You can then decide the angle you would like for the faux flap and draw that in too.

Make sure the interfacing extend over the fold line for the faux flap.

Cut out a pair of circles using the template and also a small piece of interfacing the size of the faux flap but just extended past the fold line slightly. This will help to support the folded over flap when you sew on the button later.

Attach the interfacing to the wrong side of one of the circles over the flap area. And then pin the two circles with the right sides together.

Sew around the circles starting and finishing at the bottom, but remember to leave a gap so you can turn the pocket through to the right side.

The closer the V shapes the better curve you’ll get

Snip out small V shapes all around the seam allowance. Leave the seam allowance un-snipped across the gap to make sure the snips don’t go too far.

You’ll sew the gap closed when you sew around the pocket on the garment.

Turn the pocket through to the right side and carefully press out the circle shape. Tucking in the seam allowance across the gap.

Fold over the faux flap and attach a button as decoration.

Edge stitch the pocket in place onto your garment making sure to secure the top corners.

This would look great as a hack on the Viola Skirt or Kate Dress.

Have a look at our Pinterest Board for some more Patch Pocket Inspiration.

Making More of Your Patterns : A Frill for Kate

Published on March 20, 2019March 20, 2019 by Sew Me Something2 Comments

If you’ve ever seen us at a show then you will definitely have seen our mannequin dressed in the brightest Kate Dress imaginable (with coordinating Infinity Scarf). Now before we get to the matter at hand, if you’d like the fabric that this Kate is made up in then you can. It’s Laundered Linen Sulphur. Now onto the frill…

Take 2 x rectangular pieces of fabric. Depth approx 12cm (or however deep you want your hem plus seam allowance) and width approx twice the width of your hem. Measure your hem at front and double it, then measure the width of the back hem and double it.

Pin the short ends together. Hem one long edge by either overlocking and turning up by 1.5cm or turning up 1cm twice. This will be the bottom of the frill.

Sew two rows of gathering stitches around the top of the frill with your longest stitch length on the machine. Sew one just inside the seam allowance and one just outside.

Find the Centre Front and Centre Back and mark with a pin/notch. You can then pull the gathering stitches to fit around the hem of the dress. Pin the side seams and the Centre Front and Centre Back, then gather in between, pin and sew. Finish the seam and press.

Making More of Your Patterns: Iris Button-up Back

Published on December 6, 2018April 16, 2019 by Sew Me Something1 Comment

This is a wonderfully retro adaptation to both versions of the Iris Pattern, and is very easy to do.

You will need to extend the centre back of the back pattern piece so it can overlap to do up the buttons. This is called the button extension. And how much you need to add on depends on how big the buttons are that you want to use. A rough guide is to go for an extension of about 1.5 – 2cm. In this example I’ve used a 2cm extension as the buttons I want to use are about 2cm in diameter.

Altering your pattern

Draw in the centre back line on the back pattern piece. Add a piece of paper wider than your button extension and stick that to the centre back seam allowance. I use proper pattern cutting paper with the dots and crosses on. It makes it so much easier to get nice straight lines and right angles. You can order yours by the metre online.

Personally I prefer to use Prittstick instead of tape, as it won’t melt onto your iron, but feel free to use whatever method of attachment you desire.

When the buttons are sewn onto the back of your top and done up, you need to have the buttons sitting down the centre back line. So place your button on the centre back line of the pattern piece to see how much of an extension you are going to need. Roughly an extra 0.5cm – 1cm past the button should be fine.

Mark this onto your pattern piece and draw in the new centre back edge.

Now add your seam allowance onto this. I’ve used 1.5cm, but you can use 1cm if you prefer.

That is the extension done but now we need to draw in the facing to neaten off the centre back opening and support the buttonholes.

The back neck facing already does the job of finishing the neckline, so all we need to do is curve that out and extend it so it continues all the way down the centre back.

Lay the back neck facing on top of the back pattern pieces and match everything up. Trace around the back neck facing so you have the shape on the back pattern piece.

Draw in the new back facing line parallel to the centre back, about 6cm from the original centre back line. Take it all the way down the centre back.

Curve the new line in to meet the original back neck facing line. Make sure to blend it in so the new line is a smooth curved shape.

When you have marked the new back facing shape onto your back pattern piece you can trace off the new back facing pattern piece.

Cut out the new back facing and mark on the grain line parallel to the centre back line.

Because you have taken the new pattern piece directly from the bodice pattern everything should match up beautifully.

Sewing the Button-up Back adaptation.

When you make up the Button-up Back Iris, just make up the facing in exactly the same way as before and neaten the whole of the outside edge, from the centre back hem all the way around to the other side of the centre back hem.

And when you attach the facing again just sew it together in exactly the same way as normal, pivot at the corners and continue to sew down the centre back edges. Trim the corners, snip into the curved neckline seam allowance and understitch as you would do normally.

Marking the Buttonholes

Evenly space the buttons to mark out the buttonholes. Make sure the top buttonhole is not too close to the edge of the neckline.

If you want to create horizontal buttonholes make sure to start the end of the buttonhole on the centre back line. Buttons will always pull to the furthest end of the buttonhole. So rather than marking the button hole equidistant over the centre back line so the button sits in the middle, make sure you mark it on the centre back line. That way when the button pulls to the end of the buttonhole it doesn’t gape and pull open.

Measure the end of the button hole so it sits on the centre back line.

Sew the buttonholes in the correct places then mark and sew your buttons on the centre back line.

And now you have a brand new version of the Iris Top.

Happy Sewing!

Sew a Metallic Zippy Bag

Published on December 3, 2018 by Sew Me Something2 Comments

For this version of our Zippy Bag we have used some gorgeous new fabric paper in a metallic finish and have increased the size and shape of the pattern to create a larger opening. Perfect for your small toiletries, make up, pens or whatever!

We have used this fabric paper straight off the roll. It resembles card before washing but the paper becomes softer the more you wash it. Hand wash or machine wash (max 40 degrees). But DO NOT IRON the metallic surface.

You will need:

New Zippy Bag template: cut 2 in outer, cut 2 in lining. NB: The cut out corners are the bottom of the bag and will create the flat bottom of the bag.

Tag template: cut 1 in outer

12 inch metal zip

Washable Paper (outer)

Calico Fabric (inner/ lining)

Seam allowances are 1cm unless otherwise stated. Use a longer stitch length (3mm minimum) to sew the paper. Small stitches would perforate it too much and weaken the paper strength. Be careful too when sewing forwards and backwards at the start and end of your stitching as again, too many holes weaken the paper.

Use 80 -90 machine needle.

If the paper is curling you can roll it in the opposite direction so it lies flatter. Please do not iron the metallic surface.

Let’s Get Sewing!

Draw around the Zippy Bag template on the back of the paper. Cut out 2 x bag pieces in both the washable paper and the lining fabric. Cut out 1 x tag in the washable paper.

Tag/ handle: With the wrong sides together fold the tag in half lengthwise and fold the edges in towards the fold. You should have a narrow length of card with the raw edges enclosed. Edge stitch along the length of the open side. This forms the tag/ handle that you can insert into the side seam of the bag later.

Open the zip by half. With the right side of the paper facing you put your zip facing down along the top edge of the bag, centre the zip so there are equal amounts of overhang at either end. Do not use pins as they will make pin holes in the paper. If you have small clips or paper clips these would be useful to hold in place whilst you take it to the sewing machine. Photo 21-11-2018, 12 42 38.jpg

Using a zipper foot, sew the zip in place with a 0.5cm seam allowance using a slightly larger stitch on your sewing machine. You will need to move the zip head out of the way when you get to. Do this by ensuring your needle is down in the paper, then raise the presser foot and wiggle the zip head past the presser foot, lower the presser foot and carry on to the end.

Place the lining right side down on top of the bag and zip, lining up the raw edges. You should have a zip sandwich between the bag outer and the lining. Now flip the whole thing over so you can see the first line of stitching you did to secure the zip. The lining is now the bottom layer.

Sew another line of stitching straight on top of the first line, this time you will go through all the layers of the bag outer, zip and lining. Again, as you did before, when you get close to the zip head you will need to slide your hand between the layers to move the zipper head past the presser foot.

Fold back the bag outer and lining away from the zip leaving the zip exposed. You can finger press the layers back away from the zip. Do not use the iron on the metallic side if using the metallic washable paper.

Now repeat this process but with the other side of the zip. Just ignore the first side of the bag as you line up the zip.

Open the zip three quarters of the way along. This is really important later on when you are turning through. Change the zip foot to a standard machine foot.

Take hold of the 2 outer layers (the washable paper) and put them together so that the right sides are together, lining up the raw edges. Fold the tag in half widthwise and insert it between these two layers aprox. 4cm away from the zip. Use paperclips to help hold it in place. Make sure the short raw edges of the tag are lined up with the raw edges of the outer layers. I forgot to add the tag in the picture below but the arrow shows where it goes. Make sure the tag is tucked in-between the layers and the raw ends are just poking out. Photo 21-11-2018, 13 14 00

Photo 21-11-2018, 13 13 43 Take hold of the linings and do the same as above except you wont need to insert the tab. Make sure the zip ends are pushed towards the lining.

You can pin the side seams of the lining. Stitch down the side seams making sure you use the hand wheel at the zip as the layers will be too thick at this point.

Stitch across the bottom of the outer bag. Stitch across the bottom of the lining but leave a very large gap to turn the bag through later. You will only need to stitch aprox. 4cm at either side of the bottom to leave a large enough gap.

Photo 21-11-2018, 14 56 28.jpg

Now for the bottom corners of the bag. Open the corners and separate the seam allowances out flat. Squash the seam allowances together with your fingers and match up the side seam with the bottom seam. Stitch straight across the corners.

Now you can pull everything through the gap in the lining, you will see why it needed to be a large gap and the zip needed to be open. It will be tricky and it will look a mess but keep going. The paper will crease but this will give it that vintage leather look. Use your fingers to poke out corners and finger press all the seams. Pull the lining out and tuck in the seam allowance and pin in place. Edge stitch the gap closed.

Tuck the lining back in and finger press along all the seams.

Photo 22-11-2018, 09 53 02.jpg

We have these New Zippy Bag Kits in stock online now. Choose between Grey, Silver, Brown or Rose Gold. They make great gifts! Or you can buy the paper on the roll here.

Happy Sewing!

Making More From Your Patterns – How to alter a woven pattern to make up in knit fabrics

Published on July 27, 2018 by Sew Me Something4 Comments

My Celia Top in Striped Apart Pink Jersey.

One of the ‘frequently asked questions’ that often comes my way is whether you can use the same pattern for wovens and for knits.

In effect is it possible to make Kate or Celia and some of our other patterns in a jersey knit fabric too.

The Kate Dress and Celia Tops were both designed to be made out of woven fabrics such as linen or cotton lawn. Nice sensible, stable woven fabrics. But they do make up beautifully in jersey knits too.

So the answer to this question is – ‘Yes, BUT…”

Here are a few things you might want to consider before taking the plunge:

The best patterns to use as a crossover from woven to knits are pretty simple shapes that have no darting through the waist, so both Kate and Celia tick those boxes.
Choose your knit fabrics carefully. Anything with too much stretch will probably not work. A more stable jersey or something that will hold its shape and have a good return will give you a better result. The Art Gallery fabrics we have in store are the perfect cross-over fabrics.
Jersey or knit fabric clothing tend not to have darts, even at the bust. It is a very simple alteration to remove, or partly remove, the bust dart. All you need to do is fold out the dart all the way across the front. (There is more information below so read on).
Woven patterns require a lot more ease than knit ones do. So you may find that you need to drop down a size or even two.
Knit garments are made up slightly differently in that the sleeves are sewn in flat, like a shirt sleeve, and then the sides seams sewn. This means you have a chance to judge how much ease to allow and you can take it in through the side seams if need be.
You may need to finish the neck slightly differently too. I tend to go for a very simple neck band and you can see how to work out how big to make the band in the Woven Peaseblossom Tutorial.

This is how I pleated out the bust dart.

Mark on the seam allowance at the side and then draw parallel lines across the front level with the ends of the darts. Then fold the pleat out so the lines match up removing the dart.

Showing how to pleat out a dart in a woven pattern for knit fabric

Tidy up the side seam to remove the point at the edge of the dart.

How to pleat out the dart on a woven pattern for knit fabrics

But… and this is one of those big buts, if you have a fuller bust you may wish to keep part of the bust dart in place to give you a bit more shaping over the bust.

I have a fuller bust and frequently have to do an FBA, so I felt I needed to retain some of the dart to give a better fit. All I did was pleat out half the dart and then redraw in the dart.

I made this one a teeny bit longer and left off the frill at the hem. But you can change and adapt your pattern to suit you. That is the beauty of making your own clothes.

I hope you give the adaptation a go and I’d love to see the results so do tag us on social media.

Jules x

Forgotten stitches

Published on July 21, 2016September 7, 2018 by Sew Me Something4 Comments

red-side-of-viola I have had my beady eye on some of the gorgeous red linen for a while and as it goes so beautifully with the red gingham seersucker we have in store, I felt a new Viola coming on.

There are not many skirts in my wardrobe, I have to confess, being more of a tunics and trousers kinda gal, but the Viola is such an easy shape to wear.

Checked Side of Viola .jpg

The red linen piping through the gingham really lifted it, but the plain red linen needed something to brighten it up a bit on the totally red side.

That is why I used the contrasting white stitching.

Red Viola buttons.jpg

viola-red-buttons-and-stitching

I used stitch number 49 in my Janome DXL 603, although many other machines have similar stitches.

Red Viola hem stitching.jpg

This is one of those stitches you have on your machine but never use, there are quite a few. But it’s a really good idea every once in a while to just have a go with them and leave the samples on your pin board or next to your sewing projects.

That way they will be upper most in your mind when you come to sew your next project and are looking for that bit of extra something to add.

Happy sewing

Jules x