Simply Sewing issue 48

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NTH OF FAB I W WOR

PLUS 17 CHRISTMAS ISSUE 48

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ISSUE FORTY EIGHT

EXCLUSIVE PATTERN

The Meghan

qui c k-sew 9 christmas

PARTY DRESS IN SIZES 6-20

decorations

6 WARDROBE UPDATES!

SEW IT! ✓ Easy circle skirt ✓ Party top hack ✓ Jersey poncho

om Chose flres!

2 st y

Get party ready with 20 projects to sew for the season!

HOW TO: Jumper refashion

Sew with jersey

Make a patchwork quilt

Pattern hack

NEW FROM OLD Grab your scissors ▼

– The Refashioners annual upcycling challenge is back!

Run by Simply Sewing IDEAS INSPIRATION ACCESSORIES WEBSITES EVENTS STUFF regular Portia Lawrie, this is the 6th year stitchers have been breathing new life into old clothes, from men’s suits to denim jeans – for 2018, though, there’s no specific garment to hunt down in the second-hand shops.

Instead, you just need to find a photo of a look you love, and then recreate it using existing clothing.

That’s it! There’s an amazing sewing prize up for grabs, and it Deck the halls with wreaths of pom closes 31st October. poms, fa la la la! We'll be switching Visit www.makery. classic foliage, berries and pine cones co.uk for details. for pom poms this Christmas with this fun pudding wreath craft kit from the Wool Couture Company. It comes with all you need to make a 36cm pom pom than braving the cold running errands, we reach for the next wreath, including four yarn shades and a wooden wreath frame, and you can have it ready to hang up in no time.

Perfect for an impromptu Christmas crafternoon with the kids! Kit £19.99 from www.woolcouturecompany.com

PUDDING POMS

WORK AND PLAY

There are two things that can improve even the earliest of starts: coffee by the mugful, and a killer work outfit.

And Sew Over It have got the latter covered with Lisa Comfort’s new My Capsule Wardrobe: Work to Weekend eBook. It has five patterns with 12 variations to take you seamlessly through the week, from smart office attire to laid-back brunch looks. Just add fabric, your sewing machine, and a latte (or two). £25, www.sewoverit.co.uk Subscribe at www.simplysewingmag.com

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Pinboard Jumper joy

Cosy up in me-made style with these snuggly sweater patterns to add to your winter sewing list.

FASHION FORWARD

Style stars of the future have been given the chance to design a pattern for The Maker’s Atelier’s new Design Studio project – and the future of fashion looks very bright indeed!

The latest style by Madeline Robertson is a jumpsuit and dress we can totally see ourselves dancing the night away in at the office party. Visit www.themakersatelier.com

Forest feast

Add a touch of country charm to your dining table with Sophie Allport's new Woodland homewares. Designed in collaboration with the National Trust in celebration of Britain’s forest creatures, sweet illustrations of red squirrels, deer, pheasants, hedgehogs and owls adorn napkins, placemats, chair pads, mugs and more – and best of all, the print is also available as a fabric for us to get creative with ourselves! See the full range at www.sophieallport.com

STRIPES AHOY It doesn't get better than bows and stripes – and six styles to make! Chestnut Sweater PDF £10, www.cocowawacrafts.com SECRET PYJAMAS This is a cult sewing blogger favourite for a reason – Coco is simple to sew, and as comfy as PJs! Pattern £12.50, shop.tillyandthe buttons.com

out & about

SKILLS, SHOWS & EVENTS 1-4 NOVEMBER The Creative Craft Show. NEC Birmingham.

A show for stitchers, knitters and hobbyists with workshops, demonstrations and new product launches. www.ichfevents.co.uk

NICE AND TOASTY Best stock up on knits: the aptly named Toaster Sweater is all we want to snuggle up in this winter.

Approx £15, www. sewhouse7.com

8-11 NOVEMBER The Knitting & Stitching Show. RDS, Dublin.

Find inspiration, learn new skills and shop for all your essential craft supplies. www. theknittingandstitchingshow.com Linden Sweatshirt

10 NOVEMBER Make your own advent calendar. The Makery, Bath. Get into the festive spirit and make an advent calendar in time for the Christmas countdown. www.themakery.co.uk

UNTIL 20 JANUARY 2019

We don't know what's more delicious – the food, or the fabric!

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Cecil Beaton: Thirty from the 30s. Fashion & Textile Museum, London. A display of Cecil Beaton’s most iconic photograph portraits, featuring subjects including Salvador Dali and Katharine Hepburn. www.ftmlondon.org

S t y l e N u m b e r 11 0 0 5 | S i ze s 0 – 1 8 | B e g i n n e r

With its graceful scooped neckline and relaxed ft, the Linden is an update on a classic style. View A features long sleeves with cufs and falls to mid-hip. View B hits at the high hip and has short sleeves. Mix and match the sleeve and body lengths to create your perfect sweatshirt!

grainlinestudio.com

COSY CUTE Don't forget the kids! They'll love running around in the Briar sweater, which can be made as a T-shirt, too.

Approx £13, www. megannielsen.com

NO SWEAT Grainline's classic sweatshirt style, with design details to mix and match, is great for weekend lounging. Approx £13, www.grainline studio.com

modern christmas

fresh & festive

Give your home a stylish Christmas makeover with decorations in sophisticated monochrome prints.

Designers: MICHELLE GRADY & REBECCA REID Styling: LISA JONES Photography: PHILIP SOWELS

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STAR BUNTING

Newbie sewists will love making bunting stars – they're quick to sew and are great for using up scraps of fabric from your stash. Sew onto string to make a garland for your fireplace, or onto individual ribbons to hang in a window, or on your tree. You could even add lavender and gift them as scented drawer sachets. What's the best thing about fabric decorations? It doesn't matter if the cat gets them.

POM POM CUSHION

Every living room has its fair share of cushions (we can't get enough of them), but are any of them triangle-shaped?

Display your favourite festive prints in an unique way with an eye-catching cushion, complete with handmade pom poms. It's guaranteed to be a talking point when the family comes to visit. And if you're short on present ideas, make some for the kid's bedrooms – they're too fun not to try!

PSST: fabric and

rleaf for piration, e v o n r u T ns tyling i re your s y t r a p e to sha ess r u s e b and an Dr h g e M d fnishe plysewingmag #sim tagged

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COVER STAR

the meghan DRESS

Sew a slinky new frock for party season with The Meghan Dress in UK sizes 6-20, with cross-over and of-the-shoulder straps and two length options.

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NO PATTERN NEEDED!

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mistletoe & wine Make Portia Lawrie's swishy circle skirt from buttery-soft faux leather in a rich berry shade for a luxe party look.

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MY SEWING WORLD

By The Fold Line

Sew the winter trends with The Fold Line's pattern picks, from classic tweed to statement headwear.

A

t the start of this year, we chose nine patterns each to make as part of #2018makenine, organised by Rochelle of Home Row Fibre Co (www.homerow fiber.co). We also took part in #MeMadeMay, a sewing challenge started by Zoe Edwards (sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com). Both have helped us to think about what we want to make for this season and where the gaps are in our wardrobes. We also like to be inspired by trends and how we might be able to recreate them, so here are a few of our favourite catwalkinspired patterns to get you ready for a winter of making.

High necklines: More is definitely more this winter, with high necklines and low hemlines seen on the catwalks from designers such as Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen. There are a few great patterns to nail this look, including the Nikko Dress by True Bias (www.truebias. com), perfect when worn with an oversized coat. You could also try the 70s dress by Trend Patterns (www. trendpatterns.co.uk), and both the Stella Dress and Gemma Maxi Dress by Named Clothing (www. namedclothing.com) fit the bill, too.

Take a look a t th and blog pos e latest patterns, reviews ts at www.th efoldline.com

"For tailored checks, look to the Amsterdam Blazer from Orageuse."

Statement hats: Your outfit isn’t complete without headwear this winter. The styles on the catwalk are quite extreme and definitely have a balaclava feel to them, but they will keep you warm and cosy! If you haven’t made a knit hat before, try the simple Named Delia Beanie.

Tweed: A classic fabric and another key trend this season.

You can experiment with tradition by combining different textures to create a statement piece. Tweeds work really well when used to make oversized coats and skirts. How about mixing and matching your tweed fabrics to make a statement Juliette Skirt by Ready To Sew (www.ready tosew.fr)? The silhouette of the Margo Skirt by Seamwork (www.seamwork.com) would also look great in tweed.

Checks: A key item for your handmade wardrobe is a garment made up in a check print. From classic hues to bright 1990s Americana, it’s time to embrace your Clueless teen self. Featuring everything from tailored garments to

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line trend with k ec n h ig h e th Sew Gemma styles. d n a t) ef (l o k ik the N

ll "Animal-look prints wi be hitting the high street in a big way this season." large prints on oversized dresses, you won’t be able to resist this trend. For some tailored check-print inspiration, look to the Rome Shirt and Amsterdam Blazer, both from Orageuse (www.orageuse.com). For beginners, the Hestia Skirt by I Am Patterns (www.iampatterns. fr) would be a great choice. Also have a look at the McCall’s 7485 coat, Kwik Sew 6891 dress (both www. sewdirect.com), and New Look 6313 skirt (www. simplicitynewlook.com) for more ideas.

Try the prairie look with Deer & Doe's Myosotis Dress (left), cosy up in a big hood with the Vogue® Patterns 8930 (top right), and sew staple skirts with the Hestia (right) and Ultimate Pencil Skirt (below).

Cowboy/girl: Following on from the check prints, cowboy/girl style is big this season. It’s all about putting a modern twist on prairie dresses and pairing them with cowboy/girl boots. There will also be plenty of plaid shirts about as well. We would recommend taking a look at the Myosotis Dress by Deer & Doe (www.deer-and-doe. com) and the Alix Dress from By Hand London (www. byhandlondon.com), which both work in drapey fabric.

Hoods: Not only is there balaclava-style headwear, but large, oversized hoods also featured on the catwalk from designers such as Valentino. The perfect pattern for this is the Vogue® Patterns 8930 (www.sewdirect.com) jacket.

FABRIC TRENDS Animal prints: Animal-look prints will be hitting the high street in a big way this season – it’s all about using them in a sophisticated way, with simple accessories.

Metallics: Everything from vinyl or latex to plastic – the shinier the better! Take a look at The Ultimate Pencil Skirt

by The Maker’s Atelier (www.themakersatelier.com) to see how this trend could jazz up a simple pencil skirt.

Keeping us inspired...

Whip up Named's quick-s ew Delia Beanie ready for wint er.

We get so much inspiratio from what everyoe makes in the sewng community. A great way t keep up t date wth the latest makes and meet sewsts is to follow sewng challenges oganised by bloggers and makers. We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of these, including #makeyorstash, #soiselfessewng and #makeitsewcial, in or sewng resorces sectio – check them all ot here: www.thefoldline. com/sewng-challenges-andhashtags-t-follow

Get social (or should that be sewcial!) with our list of sewing hashtags.

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PATTERN HACK

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day to night Update your fave jeans-and -a-nice-top combo and try Roisin McKenna's cowl top hack to dress up or down.

USE YOUR MEGHA PATTERN WITH TEHSSN DRESS THE MEGHAN DR IS ISSUE! SIZES 6-20 US 4 -18 EUR 34-48

CROSS-OVER DETAIL

elegant Features an neckline with cross-over wear. two ways to

SB DRESS A + DRES DRESS A FRONT

DRESS A BACK

BLE FIT ics, COMFORTAknit fabr

Designed for te. k silhouet with a slee

DRESS B FRONT

2 STYLES

ths dress leng Includes two sew. options to and strap

DRESS B BACK

UPCYCLE xxxxxxxxxx QUICK PROJECT

hat trick

Whip up a winter warmer from an unloved knit with Jennifer Taylor’s jumperto-hat revamp, fnished with a jumbo pom pom.

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Fast fat quarter

rose tinted

Give a simple-sew wash bag a luxe look with an on-trend terrazzo print and rose-gold hardware, perfect for last-minute gifting. By Anna Alicia.

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soft serve

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Ice-cream hues and sprinkle prints make for a sweet bed set we can’t wait to dive into! Sew your own with Lucy Brennan’s simple geometric patchwork design.

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my favourite thing

linen love Mel Thorley, aka Ditsy Tulip, shares why she'll be treasuring her classic linen dress for years to come.

"I just love how sewing your own clothes can allow you to change your style with ease – no searching the busy high street or limitations on what is 'in fashion right now'.

This year I turned 40 – the perfect excuse to play about with my style, I thought. I found I was inspired by different styles than I had been before, and I was gravitating towards solid colours (rather than busy prints as I had previously), clean lines and quality fabrics.

It's so difficult to choose just one garment as a favourite as I love all my makes. They all have a story to tell, they all have memories of learning new skills, and they all have a great sense of achievement once complete, flaws and all, but this is definitely my favourite thing. It's By Hand London's Zeena Dress

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(www.byhandlondon.com), a simple style that suits every shape. It has such lovely lines with the box pleats through the bodice and skirt.

What makes my Zeena dress really special is the fabric I used. It’s made from the most beautiful linen from Merchant and Mills (www.merchantandmills.com). The colour is soft and subtle and it drapes wonderfully.

I love how the sleeves crinkle through the natural lines of the grain and the box pleats melt away through the weight of the linen.

I love wearing this dress. It feels special every time that I wear it and I’m told that linen just gets better with age, so I look forward to wearing it for many years to come."

See more of Mel's projects at www. handmadebyditsy-tulip.co.uk

S PLUS: B COAT O ONUS WITH SL PTION E E V E S!

Coat dress set Named blouse Kitchen accessories Pleated skirt dress Christmas jumper Miniature satchel Swan cushion Snowman toy And more...

2 gifts +for you!

exclusive-to-us patterns!

BRAND NEW FROM NAMED PATTERNS

ON SALE THURSDAY 1 NOVEMBER WWW.SIMPLYSEWINGMAG.COM

* CONTENTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. PAPER AND FABRIC GIFTS NOT AVAILABLE WITH DIGITAL EDITIONS.