Sue (from French France) made this fabulous linen and Sorona mix shirt using the Closet Case Patterns ‘Kalle Shirt’, Sorona is a new fibre made from corn starch that we hope will take off because added to linen it adds a fabulous softness and suppleness (less creases! Yayy!!). Sue used a bias maker to make […]
Bess made this fab linen jersey cardigan using her tried-and-tested t-shirt pattern that has been cut up the front. The trim is a sequinned rick rack. It is possible Bess’s life is complete now there is sequinned rickrack in the world. (more…)
Pamela sent us this photo after a season of wearing this self proclaimed favourite dress made up from her stash of heavy linen. Aside from the generally pleasing aesthetics of a colour block dress you get to do some quality stash busting. Win/Win! For the best results use like fabrics (weight/drape) and make sure they […]
Bess made this heavy washed green linen coat on a weekend retreat by staying up practically all night for two nights and not skiving at all. She had even come prepared with her two grosgrain trims sewn to each other already and the pattern fully adjusted to fit and toile tweaked. The linen had been pre-washed […]
Here is Andy (the Mother of the Groom) wearing a fabulous raspberry heavy washed linen dress made for her by Anna Ash of I ❤️ Sewing . The pattern is Vogue V1410 which has a wrap front rather than a front opening. The whole point of dressmaking is making exactly what you want* so of course these details are […]
Pauline made this fabulous denim jumpsuit using a 1970’s jumpsuit pattern from Simplicity (3322), she used a soft medium weight linen mix denim with floral painted buttons and hand embroidered pocket details.
Jacoba on the amazing Wahiba Sands in Oman wearing her printed linen and viscose tunic dress – the perfect fabric to cover up yet remain cool in the blistering heat. Look at that blue sky ~looks out of window at drizzle ~ look! And here, just because the sand is amazing, a photo sans Jacoba.
Shirley made this floral print linen and cotton shirt after a long hiatus in sewing (I’m wondering if this is Shirley’s sewing after a break how good was it before?!). Cut with a v-neck band and 3/4 sleeves, this shirt is a great Summer wardrobe staple.
Marilyn off travelling to somewhere tropical and looking super cool in her floral stencil print linen and viscose shirt made with a Style Arc pattern “Elsie”.
Celia showing off her floral print linen and cotton flared dress made using New Look pattern 6390 (lengthened a bit). It is fully lined in cotton lawn and has an invisible zip in the back.
Bess made this super fine linen dress with black bird print for her holiday in Tobago, it’s made using her basic block with just the shaping from bust darts and a centre back seam. Nicknamed the frigate bird dress as the print is similar to the ubiquitous birds of the Caribbean. It is unlined and the neck is […]
Daiga wearing her beautifully fitted short sleeved denim blue wool silk and linen mix shift dress with lovely seam detailing and hem flounce. She made it using Burda 6640 and lined it in Venezia.
Elwen ready for her travels in her blue Irish Linen shirting weight smock dress. The yoke is a batik printed cotton. Armholes and neck are bound with bias and there is no zip.
Clair is Sunny Cadiz wearing her crewel embroidered Italian linen shift dress (her tried and tested pattern which Jane helped to fit many moons ago). We can’t emphasise too much how useful a good basic dress pattern is! Whilst linen is notoriously creasy these heavy embroidered linens really don’t crease badly at all.
Sarah made up Vogue 9035 jacket pattern in this funky plasticised lightweight linen. She has used the reverse of the fabric for the cuffs and the hem panel on the back. Very clever!
Clair in Sunny Cadiz (okay, not sunny right now but it usually is!) wearing turquoise blue linen wrap skirt. The brown legs help. Fabulous.
Christie wearing her classic shift dress in this fabulous soft printed linen print. A well fitted shift dress is hard to beat, eh?
Lesley painted this brown linen dress using iridescent Markal Paintsticks and an Amy Butler stencil. I need to get myself some of those!
Elwen wearing her green Irish shirting linen dress to her brother’s graduation ceremony. She used Burda 6758 which she altered only in the bust (to make bigger), took in on the nape of her neck (it was gaping) and shortened it a bit (which was surprising as Elwen is tall). The bodice is lined in […]
Chandra wearing her beautifully made reversible cotton skirt using a Liberty archive printed lawn on one side and plain blue linen on the other. The pattern is by Sew me Something and is called “Viola”.
Ruscha sporting her hand sewn silk chiffon shirt, which we at the Stone Fabrics headquarters are in awe of. She insists that it didn’t take that long to make and is a more enjoyable way to sew (she can sit in the garden and tinker away without noise). However it was made it is amazing. We love […]
Jane’s shirt made up once again in an embroidered and hand painted Linen from Italy. Jane was pleased with how economical this shirt was, getting all of it out of a metre (the facings were cut from the unpainted selvedges) -handy when the fabric is £85.00mt!
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 […]
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. There are belt loops sewn around the top and a length of picot edge petersham ribbon added as a belt. The skirt is […]
Ann from classes wearing her floral printed ramie and viscose mix shift dress with frill hem. Ramie is a natural fibre similar to Linen, like linen it breathes well so is excellent to wear in the heat.
What’s the collective noun for linen shirts? For bullfinches it is a bellowing, I rather like that. A bellowing of linen shirts. These are all made by Lesley using a discontinued Vogue pattern No 1476. All the linens are light to medium weight, you can find more linens HERE
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 […]
Ditsy floral printed heavy linen dress worn (and made) by Valentine at her sewing class (in France).
Raspberry pink embroidered linen shift dress made by Pamela. You can’t really beat a shift dress, eh? Timeless. Embroidering linen might not make it crease less, but it will look like it is not so creased. Find more embroidered linen here
Lightweight red linen jersey made with double layer body (for modesty and flattery), made by Bess.
Bess on top of the world wearing linen jersey camisole and red and white spotty linen skirt. The camisole pattern was made by drawing round an existing vest. The front and the back are the same which makes it super easy to construct (no markings!), Soft elastic binding was used for the straps, Bess made […]
Angie’s magenta linen skirt suit modelled by her daughter Fabrics and Notions: Magenta mid-heavy weight linen Purple Venezia lining Two-fabric covered buttons (you can get these done at Harlequin) Invisible zip (skirt) Medium weight iron-on knitted interfacing Pattern :Vogue V1127
Lesley wearing her fabulous box pleated hooded linen shirt with placket. Fabrics and Notions: Coral medium weight linen Lightweight iron-on interfacing Buttons
Jane (the boss lady) wearing her laminated cotton pink spotty raincoat with stripe yoke and contrasting spotty lining with detachable hood, and pink linen fly-front trousers. Fabrics and Notions: Jacket: Pink and turquoise spotty laminated cotton #3021 Pink and turquoise stripe laminated cotton #3022 Anbo spotty American printed cotton. Separating turquoise chunky zip. Dyed turquoise […]
Lulu wearing vintage Vogue dress made with swimmers printed cotton and pink linen bolero, all made by Jane. Fabrics and Notions: Dress: Swimmers print cotton Riviera cotton lawn lining Cover buttons Covered belt Bias binding Pattern: Vintage Vogue V2960 Bolero: Pink Heavy Linen Swimmers print cotton Button Piping
Lulu wearing Italian Designer knit dress, and Miaow wearing her heirloom embroidered linen dress. Fabrics and Notions: Lulu: Italian Designer knit cotton and mixed fibres Stay tape Bias binding Miaow: Off-white linen Riviera cotton lawn Zip Button Lace inserts Ribbons
Pam wearing her printed linen and ramie a-line skirt Fabrics and Notions: John Kaldor Printed Linen/Ramie Invisible zip Venezia lining Piping and bias binding
Maddison modeling Bess’s proofed linen coat (quilted with wool wadding) with wiggly eye epaulettes. Zipping in the panels and sleeves undo to reveal white proofed linen pleats. Fabric and Notions: Chartreuse proofed linen White proofed linen Wool wadding Black continuous zipping wiggly eye buttons Black cotton grosgrain Spot printed viscose acetate lining Cover buttons Pocket […]
Kitcat wearing smocked linen dress with cross over back. Fabrics and Notions: Spotty printed linen. Smocking Buttons Lawn iron-on interfacing
Jacoba wearing floral printed linen skirt with frill detailing.
Dee wears this elegant purple embroidered linen mix shift dress Fabrics and Notions: String embroidered linen mix Purple Venezia lining Medium weight knitted iron-on interfacing Invisible zip It is a good idea to make a toile (a roughly made up dress in inexpensive fabric) when making a shift dress with this flattering wide neck style […]
Bess dancing at her cousin, Gemma’s wedding, in her super-comfortable red linen cap sleeve jersey dress. Fabrics and Notions: Red linen single jersey Stay tape (shoulder seams) Pattern: Custom made
Bess wearing Navy Linen and Cotton Herringbone suiting jacket and skirt. Fabric and Notions: Linen/Cotton Herringbone Doublecloth Suiting Venezia Lining Large anorak snap fasteners Invisible zip Viscose iron-on interfacing Pattern: Custom made (variation on a bought NafNaf suit)
Lulu wearing her lovely silk and linen shift wedding dress, holding her daughter, Kitcat, in her printed cotton seersucker ruffled dress and matching headband. Gemma to her right wears an embroidered cotton bridesmaid dress. Fabrics and Notions (Lulu): Turquoise silk and linen Silk habotai lining Silk organza feather trim Invisible zip Iron-on lightweight interfacing Fabrics […]
Rebecca wearing her princess line floral print linen dress Fabric and Notions: Printed Linen Medium weight knitted iron-on interfacing Invisible zip Pattern: McCall’s 8107
Jane wearing a linen jacket to Bess’s wedding, made with pink and green panels, embellished with machine embroidery. Fabrics and Notions: Fuchsia Pink & Lime green heavy washed linen Small self-cover buttons Satin bias binding and piping cord Venezia lining Viscose iron-on interfacing Pattern: Custom made
Kitcat modelling smocked white linen dress with lined sunhat (Made by Jane) Fabrics and Notions: White medium weight linen Pink and green embroidery threads White cotton Riviera lawn (lining) Self-cover buttons Traditional smocking is time consuming and quite tricky to do well. It is important you pick a fabric that has an even and straight […]
Bess’s amazing quartz-crystal covered white linen cap-sleeve a-line dress. (made by Jane) Fabrics and Notions: White heavy washed linen. 4kg quartz crystal bead chips Stretch silk satin (bodice lining) Covered boning Fine white Riviera cotton lawn (skirt lining) Red satin bias and fine piping cord Invisible zip Lightweight knitted iron-on interfacing Pattern: Custom made The […]
Bess in her proofed linen mac (originally white, but had a little accident in the washing machine. It’s fine! She likes pink too) Fabrics and Notions: Ivory proofed linen Red proofed cotton Anorak snap fasteners Viscose iron-on interfacing
