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Embroidered and Embellished Cotton Piqué Coat

daisies and sequined grass embellished cotton piqué coat

Bess made this turquoise cotton piqué coat for a wedding, wanting something very plain that would go with all her dresses. All the best laid plans and all that – Bess HATED it plain (felt like a doctor’s coat), so cut up some daisy trim and sewed them all over, and couched some yellow vintage strung sequins and green jute string as grass. Bess is not ruling out the possibility that there won’t be more flowers and insects added at a later date.

daisy trim embellished piqué cotton with sequins and jute string
daisy trim embellished piqué cotton with sequins and jute string

The Peter Pan collar is accented with red satin (ready made) piping and the same piping is used between the printed cotton lawn lining and the front facings. The sleeves are lined in red Venezia as they are fairly slim and need to slip.

The pattern is a Vintage burda pattern no. 7041, it makes up beautifully with hardly any alterations.

floral cotton lawn used as lining
floral cotton lawn used as lining

 

Peter Pan collar on turquoise piqué embellished coat
Peter Pan collar on turquoise piqué embellished coat

Finally the buttons were added, these buttons were the originals intended for the plain jacket but Bess was determined to use them, whether they go or not. (I think she gets away with it – just).

Turquoise diamanté and oxidised metal asian inspired button
Turquoise diamanté and oxidised metal asian inspired button

She loves them. Every girl needs a bit of bling.

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Floral Digital Print Shift Dress

Floral digital printed cotton canvas shift dress

Jane wearing her floral digitally printed cotton dress. This cotton is a light canvas type with a soft brushed finish. The pattern is Jane’s block which just has bust and waist darts so the pattern is minimally cut. The dress is unlined and has an invisible zip.

 

 

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Possibly the Poshest Embroidered Linen Dress in the World

embroidered and hand painted Italian linen dress

Jane’s amazing embroidered Italian Linen dress. This fabric is hand painted on top of the embroidery and doesn’t come cheap –it’s enlightening to discover what things cost when they are made properly and the artisans are paid a fair wage.

With such an amazing fabric you only need a very simple shift pattern, Jane used her block which just has bust darts, front darts and back darts so there was minimal chopping up of the pattern.

The fabric truly is stunning.

embroidered and hand painted Italian Linen
embroidered and hand painted Italian Linen

 

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Digital Printed Floral Cotton Trousers

digital printed cotton drill trousers

These fabulous floral cotton trousers were made by Claire who came to the shop with her friend and spent 2 hours poking about in all the corners (We welcome anyone who is brave enough to do that). They came armed with lists of things they wanted to see and seemed to leave with a whole lot else besides. (C’est la Vie).

The pattern (Burda 7062) is a tapered trouser for mid – heavy cottons.

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Lilac Printed Viscose Cowl Neck Top

viscose cowl neck top

Elaine wearing her printed viscose cowl neck top (Butterick 4132). She put a brooch on the cowl to weigh it down nicely but for the next one she will put a curtain penny weight in the facing. These tops drape beautifully in a fluid fabric like viscose and to add to the drape the fabric is cut on the cross.

 

 

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Lion Print Cotton Jersey T-Shirt

lion print cotton t-shirt and panelled cord skirt

Elwen wearing her lion print cotton jersey T-Shirt using the Burda 6820 pattern. I’m pretty certain this print is more effective at cheering oneself up than any prescribed drugs, she was definitely very pleased with herself the day she came into work wearing that.

Worn with a panelled mini skirt made using remnants of cotton needlecord. The pattern is Burda 6928 and is a great user upper of remnants!

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Hand Painted Spots on Irish Linen Skirt

hand painted spotty Irish linen skirt

Not content with the £33mt fabulous blue Irish shirting weight Linen, Bess (with clearly too much time on her hands) hand painted spots all over it before making up this much loved A-line skirt.

hand painted Irish Linen
hand painted Irish Linen
hand painting spots onto Irish Linen
hand painting spots onto Irish Linen (Wine is obligatory for this task)

There are belt loops sewn around the top and a length of picot edge petersham ribbon added as a belt.

picot edge petersham ribbon belt on Irish Linen skirt
picot edge petersham ribbon belt on Irish Linen skirt

The skirt is lined (Hong Kong style) with Cotton lawn and fastened with an invisible zip on the side.

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Sea Green Stretch Pique Pleated Dress

sea green stretch cotton piqué pleated dress

Helen made this fabulous pleated dress for an afternoon tea get-together in London. She’d had a bit of a slump before this with a couple of disastrous projects and this put a proper smile back on her face (yay!). She used sea green stretch cotton pique with daisy trim decorating the hem. The pattern is McCall’s 6953 which we’ve seen made up in a variety of fabrics and on a variety of body shapes and always looks good. The Bodice is lined in Venezia lining.

 

sea green stretch cotton piqué pleated dress
sea green stretch cotton piqué pleated dress


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Black and White spotty 60’s Mini Dress

black and white spot print cotton 60's mini dress

Elwen sporting her unlined LG black and white spot print cotton 1960’s mini dress, made for a party in which she was supposed to dress in the decade she was born. Either Elwen has aged incredibly well or she cherry picked the decade because she fancied this print.

The cotton is a lovely poplin weight cotton with a fair amount of body, it works very well in this kind of a-line shift dress.

The pattern is a discontinued Burda pinafore dress, they said she needed a concealed zip but when she made up the toile she found it would chuck over her head so she didn’t bother (she’s ever so agile for her age)

She totally didn’t do the pockets on the cross just so she didn’t have to match those spots.

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Yellow Brocade Tom and Linda Platt Dress

Yellow Brocade Tom and Linda Platt Dress

Lulu wearing her Tom and Linda Platt (Vogue 1348) yellow and turquoise poly/lurex brocade dress, made by Jane. The pattern has box pleats with bizarre instructions (Jane followed them once then did the rest her way). It has a concealed zip, silk underlining and velvet ready made piping around the armholes and neck. There is a petticoat in turquoise cotton poplin which is trimmed in lace. There are a million pieces to this pattern and so whilst it was not particularly difficult make (especially when ignoring the box pleat construction) it took a long time to cut out all the pieces.

This dress needs a fabric with a certain amount of bounce to it and this brocade worked a treat. The petticoat has ruffles and lace trim galore but the skirt hoops out all by itself.

 

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Blue Digital Print Cotton Drill Fluted Hem Skirt

cotton drill fluted hem bellville sassoon skirt

Rachel wearing her blue digital print skirt with a fluted lowered hem at the back, this skirt works in both soft drapey fabrics as well as this stiffer cotton drill. The pattern is a Bellville Sassoon for Vogue, now discontinued but you might find it on the world wide interweb, V1296.

Use the heavy cotton or stretch cotton tag to find more fabrics like this

 

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Triple Crepe Coat and Dress

triple crepe coat and dress

Margaret is wearing a polyester triple crepe shift dress with matching lined coat. Triple crepe has a fantastic weight and drape to it, it’s not the easiest thing to work with but hangs beautifully (you need to make sure you have it absolutely square before you start as it is easy to pull it off grain). 

The coat is lined in satin lining and has a big feature button closure.

triple crepe panelled dress
triple crepe panelled dress
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Brocade Desigual Inspired Coat

Desigual inspired brocade embellished coat

Lulu wearing her Desigual inspired coat made by Jane using an assortment of brocade suitings, odd buttons and various trims. She used an old Vogue pattern (V2005) which has been made up a number of times for Lulu in various fabrics and always works. It is lined in vivid chartreuse green satin lining with a fine line of turquoise satin piping.

I suppose if you were a hoarder you could make this coat out of your stash, but we were playing with all the fabulous brocades that had just arrived at the shop (If you can’t pick one pick them all). She did manage to use up an assortment of trims that were appliquéd in various designs over the coat. Jane used a mismatch of various Vintage buttons, doubling them up when we couldn’t get exactly the right thing.

 

 

 

 

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Graffiti Printed Wrap T-Shirt

graffiti digital print wrap jersey top

Rachel wearing her fabulous digitally printed graffiti cotton and elastane jersey wrap t-shirt. Rachel had made up this t-shirt before in a Liberty pure cotton jersey but there’s a lot of elastane in this jersey (6% -double what you usually get), which makes it super stretchy and caused a few alterations to be made, she got there in the end! Jersey used to be Rachel’s nemesis but she’s learning how to kick it into shape.

Jerseys, just like wovens are not all made from the same mould, the weight, the fibres, the density of knit and percentage of elastane all effect the way it behaves, so even when you think you’ve got the perfect pattern along comes a new fabric that needs alterations. Such is the joy of dressmaking!

Anyway, it’s fab, and you learn much more from our trials than the easy projects (just keep telling yourself that).

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Green Jumbo Cord Mini Skirt

Green jumbo cord mini skirt

Elwen wearing her jumbo cord mini skirt using Burda pattern 8237. Elwen has the sewing bug quite seriously at the moment, to the point where she was binding her seams on Christmas Day. That’s dedication!
She lined the skirt in a peacock Venezia lining and asked us politely to not look at the invisible zip (it’s really not that bad).
You can find lots of cords HERE

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Peacock Lace Shift Dress

peacock lace shift dress

Elwen in her peacock leaf design cotton mix lace shift dress with lime green Venezia lining.

Using Burda pattern 8213, she lengthened it a bit (Elwen says it’s quite short but it’s more that she’s quite tall). The lace is overlocked (by Bess because Elwen was being a proper wuss), the lining was cut 2 sizes bigger to accommodate the stretch of the lace, but it was a bit too big so 1 size would have been sufficient. Made on the 30th for New Years’ Eve so no time for alterations!

 

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Technicolour Chevron Jacket

missoni chevron wool mix fabric

This is Jacoba wearing her woven Italian Designer jacket, she said, “I am very pleased with it even if it is a little wide on the shoulders. I used Vogue 8933 but changed how the collar fastened at the end. It was too high for me in the original style despite my long neck so I just let the fabric go where it wanted to fold over- it seems to work and I have had huge compliments from all :-). I love the huge wooden poppers. It does lend itself to being worn solely with black – bright even by my standards!!”

This Italian Designer is a woven fabric with more stability than the knitted, it lends itself well to this type of jacket where you have no fiddly pockets, or such like.

Find more Italian Designer fabrics HERE

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Green Bamboo Jersey Tunic

green bamboo jersey

Anastasia made these fabulous tunics, here’s what she had to say about them:

I would like to thank you for your great service and share with you the pictures of tunics that I have made for my mum in the beginning of the summer. The fabrics are lovely – brown printed viscose Jersey from John Kaldor (sold out) and chartreuse green bamboo Jersey ( 2910 ). It was a pleasure to work with them and the result is so nice 😉 I am very happy that I found your online store with such amazing range of beautiful fabrics!

You can find other suitable jerseys HERE

brown Kohn Kaldor printed Viscose and Elastane Jersey tunic
brown Kohn Kaldor printed Viscose and Elastane Jersey tunic
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Chinelo witchcraftery Dress

reversible denim and printed viscose dress

Bess went on a course down the road at Social Fabric with Chinelo from the Sewing Bee. Despite being utterly star struck she made this dress using Chinelo’s amazing free cutting method. It’s witchcraft, I tell you. No patterns, no dummy… not much table space, not even that much measuring, and hey presto, a few hours later we have a dress! Bess being Bess made it less fitted than it is supposed to be and reversible.

Fabrics used: Black and white printed viscose twill.

Reverse: Lightweight washed denim.

Other notions: Bias tape.

 

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Red Linton Tweed Cardigan Jacket

Red Linton Tweed

Ann-Marie here modelling her fabulous red Linton Tweed jacket, in keeping with the traditionally made cardigan jacket she quilted the fabric onto some silk lining, this not only stabilises the tweed but also strengthens the whole jacket. A cardigan jacket should be soft and cardigan like, with no heavy interfacing, there is a fair amount of hand stitching (a swear word in some circles) that needs to be done, but the results of the hard effort is amazing.

You can find lots more cardigan jacket type tweeds HERE

 

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Moonstone Beaded Silk Dress with Tail

moonstone embroidered silk moroccain dress

Jane made this silver grey Silk Moroccain crepe cowl neck wedding dress for her eldest daughter, Jessie. It is beaded with thousands of moonstone chips (Jane has the patience of a saint).

To ensure the fabric had enough strength the silk was blocked onto Venezia lining (those chips are very heavy). All in all the dress took about 3 months; a lot of evenings and weekends, and never more than a few hours on the trot due to a broken elbow- and concern for her own sanity. Jessie helped with the beading and Bess was responsible for constructing the tail (Jessie insisted on a tail, Jane was appalled at the idea but the Bride gets what the Bride wants).

Silk Moroccain is a double crepe that drapes well and has a subtle lustre to it. We try, but don’t always have it in stock,  but can order it (next day delivery) in around 40 colours.

The tail hooks on to the back with corset hooks and was stuffed with Polyfil.

Well you wouldn’t have a normal dress for getting married in Vegas by Johnny Cash, would you?

Jessie swinging the tail of her moonstone embellished wedding dress
Jessie swinging the tail of her moonstone embellished wedding dress
Johnny Cash and guests
Johnny Cash and guests
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Yellow Giraffe Circular Skirt

Tina Givens printed Cotton circular skirt

Gracie wearing her pink giraffe print circular skirt made by Lizzy, with yellow lining and fuchsia pink netting.

This was the first (clothing) sewing project Lizzy had done for years, she was really happy with the results (and Gracie loves it too). She overlocked both the skirt hem and the raggedy hem of the lining.

All you need for this skirt is:

Giraffe print cotton by Tina Givens (or any other quilting weight cotton)
Lining; a soft one such as Venezia,
Dress net; we have these in lots of colours but most are not online yet. Just ask us for what you would like,
Elastic,
Thread.

You can buy circular skirt patterns but it is just as easy to make your own, There’s a great calculator to do the Maths for you on By Hand

 

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White Cotton Dobby Flower Girl Dresses

cotton dobby lawn dresses

Kitcat and Miaow wearing their white cotton dobby flower girl dresses. (They were so excited about being flower girls I thought they might pop).

The necks were too wide (the joy of making clothes for girls who live 200 miles away) so Jane made little tucks sewn down with french knots (so not a mistake, a happy accident!), she also used the same french knots to hold up the hems.

Pattern: Simplicity 5226 (but without the buttons down the front)
Cotton dobby lawn, like these HERE

They were lined in Riviera cotton lawn

Miaow in cotton dobby lawn flower girl dress
Miaow in cotton dobby lawn flower girl dress
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Red Ribbon Embroidered Jersey Shift Dress

Red ribbon embroidered jersey dress

Red ribbon embroidered jersey shift dress made by Jane for Jessie.

The embroidery stabilises the jersey so it is not that stretchy, and although the base jersey is quite fine the embroidery adds a lot of bulk so it is only necessary to face the neck rather than fully line the dress. This dress was sewn on an overlocker (for speed) but would be fine sewn on a sewing machine too. Just remember to use ballpoint needles when sewing jersey.

Find embroidered jerseys HERE
The pattern was Jessie’s block.

 

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Linen T-Shirt with Wide Leg Trousers

White linen jersey and black heavy viscose

Bess wearing a white linen jersey raglan sleeved t-shirt with ‘modesty’ panel, and black viscose pique wide leg trousers.

Bess has a bit of a linen jersey obsession, this is the fourth (at least) she made of these tops in as many weeks. This was lined in a bandeau panel with a very stable white cotton jersey, the same jersey was used to bind the neck.

The trousers were made from a stash of Viscose, a slightly piqué weave cloth that drapes beautifully but has a lot of ‘substance’. There’s a fly and button closure and then ribbons that tie to the side.

Both patterns are fairly unrecognisable from their origins, but the trousers were Burda 8087 and the top is Burda 6990

You can find other linen jerseys HERE, the viscose trousering is kind of unique, we will buy more if we ever see it, but you will get a similar drape with Worsted Wool suitings

 

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Giraffe Print Quilting Weight Cotton Circular Skirt

Tina Givens printed cotton circular skirt

Mia-moo wearing the giraffe printed circular skirt using #5102 -a quilting weight cotton– made by Jane (making the pattern AND making it took less than an hour). She has a frou frou net skirt to go under here when she’s feeling more frou-frou.

You need to remember your school geometry lessons to make a circular skirt without a pattern. It’s that moment you realise your grotty teenage self was wrong when they said they’d never need to know this pi-R-squared rubbish.

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Pink Denim Jacket

Pink denim jacket with odd buttons

Pink Denim #4993 jacket with odd buttons and superhero printed quilting weight cotton lining made by Bess.

Bess was a bit concerned about the level of ‘pink’ in this denim so chose to tone it down (her words) with a non-girly lining and a mixture of buttons in the hope that it makes it more versatile (she works on the basis that ONE of those buttons will match a colour in her outfit.

The pattern is an ancient Burda fur coat pattern -somewhat altered !

pink denim jacket with super hero printed lining
pink denim jacket with super hero printed lining
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Car print three quarter sleeve T-shirt

car printed jersey T-Shirt

Car print raglan sleeve T-shirt made by Bess for Lulu.

Fabric: 4983 Cotton jersey with 8% Elastane

Adjusted from Burda pattern 6990

Because the fabric is soooooo wide Bess managed to not only get this top but also a knee length a-line skirt for Lulu, and a little tiny skirt for her daughter, Mia-moo, all out of 1.4mts.

Altogether now, Awwwwwwwwwww!

Mia-moo wearing car-print jersey mini skirt made out of a remnant
Mia-moo wearing car-print jersey mini skirt made out of a remnant
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Pussycat sweatshirt with glow in the dark pussycat eyes

red sweatshirt with pussy cat eyes

Bess wearing her pussycat sweatshirt made using red brushed back cotton sweatshirting and appliqued glow in the dark cotton eyes with remnants of jersey for the whiskers and nose.

Bess might have a bit of a pussycat (particularly with glowey eyes) obsession at the moment. (Inspired by a sleeveless top bought from Uniqlo earlier in the year designed by Lulu Guiness).

Get your glow in the dark fabric HERE

 

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Leather shopper bag. Modelled as hat.

leather shopper bag

Rob (Bess’s worse half) modelling the shopper bag she made for a Christmas present. She thinks he looks better this way.

The tan brown leather was from a stash from possibly 15 years ago (See! I told you it would be useful one day!), the chartreuse green straps are a new acrylic webbing we have that’s only 90p/mt (looks much more expensive). It made up in no time. This is what Christmas presents are all about 🙂