Tag: xmas present ideas

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Hand Painted Mercerised Cotton Jersey T-Shirt

BE STRONG ... I whispered to my coffee slogan hand painted T-Shirt

Burda 6602 pattern strikes again! This versatile pattern is sooo good. This latest version is in the finest silkiest cotton jersey (11313) known to (wo)man- and it’s a double jersey so it doesn’t curl when you cut it (Yayy!). Highly Recommended!
Bess fabric painted “BE STRONG I whispered to my coffee” -a quote she saw outside a NYC coffee shop and so whilst she didn’t come home with a sweatshop made “I ❤️ NYC” T-shirt she has (finally!) got her holiday souvenir 💪
Bess altered the neck in this version – if you alter your neck hole and wonder what size the binding should now be it’s fairly safe to go with 2/3 the circumference measurement of the neck. Hems and neck binding were topstitched with the maraflex stretchy thread 👍

Having a good opaque fabric paint in the stash is a great thing to have on hand for impromptu presents – it’s easy to use and will instantly personalise / add meaning to what otherwise could be quite plain or ordinary.

Fun fact: The first time Bess painted the slogan she painted it on the wrong grainline… so the slogan went vertical instead of horizontal, rather than wasting the fabric she also made a vest top:

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Liberty Print Cotton Poplin Men’s Shirt

Liberty print poplin cotton men's shirt

Bess made this superb Liberty print cotton poplin shirt for her husband’s birthday, the pattern is Burda 6874 – whilst Burda’s instructions leave a lot to be desired their cut is superb and Bess finds they fit Rob without any major alterations.

As always with mens shirts the devil is in the details and Bess took her time adding contrast lining the the placket and cuffs, and adding grosgrain braids. The odd buttons are due to Bess wanting to finish the project and not having a full set of anything to hand – but they look fab.

Liberty print poplin cotton men's shirt - collar detail with grosgrain trim
Liberty print poplin cotton men’s shirt – collar detail with grosgrain trim
Liberty print poplin cotton men's shirt - cuff detail with grosgrain trim
Liberty print poplin cotton men’s shirt – cuff detail with grosgrain trim
Liberty print poplin cotton men's shirt - closed collar detail
Liberty print poplin cotton men’s shirt – closed collar detail
Liberty print poplin cotton men's shirt - open cuff detail
Liberty print poplin cotton men’s shirt – open cuff detail
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Blah Blah Blah Tea Towel

blah blah blah tea towel

Bess made a number of these BLAH BLAH BLAH tea towels for Christmas presents following Greta Thunberg climate emergency speech. It’s hard to think of things to make for people that isn’t adding to a mounting pile of unwanted/unnecessary gifts but tea-towels always go down well with Bess’s loved ones, and other than the bondaweb used to glue the letters down before sewing all the fabrics came from her stash.

On another year Bess used linen duck interlining and embroidered reflective robots on the corner.

It’s lovely when you visit the houses years down the line and they are still using the tea-towels (if a little stained/worn!)

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Parrot Digital Print T-Shirt

parrot digital print cotton t-shirt with pocket

Anne and her husband visited the shop in the summer, he was wearing these brilliantly bright and cheerful trousers and they bought the parrot digital print jersey to go with them – such a fun and cheerful outfit!

I am not sure which pattern Anne used but it looks like the Burda pattern I make up frequently -Burda 6602 (highly recommended). Anne used a small piece of turquoise cotton rib for the neck binding and pocket. We stock this pattern.

burda 6602 t-shirt pattern
burda 6602 t-shirt pattern
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Robot Print Jersey Bomber Jacket

robot print french terry Jalie Patterns Charlie Bomber

Bess used up her last precious remnant of her favourite robot print french terry jersey on this Jalie Patterns Charlie Bomber jacket for her niece, it is amazing how little main fabric you need for a bomber jacket as the cuffing, pocket contrasts, sleeves and lining are all other remnants. This pattern may just be the ultimate in stash busting!

robot print french terry Jalie Patterns Charlie Bomber
robot print french terry Jalie Patterns Charlie Bomber
zip detail of Jalie patterns Charlie Bomber
zip detail of Jalie patterns Charlie Bomber
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Printed French Terry Bomber Jacket

printed french terry sweatshirting bomber jacket

Bess used printed french terry sweatshirting jersey and a variety of other sweatshirtings and ribbing to make this Jolie Patterns Charlie Bomber Jacket.. It was a success and Amelie declared she was never going to take it off (YES!)

The pattern has really clear instructions and goes from teeny tiny toddler size all the way up to adults, it’s highly recommended 

Bomber jackets are excellent stash busters as all the pieces are quite small (especially for the kids!) and you can mix and match, bomber jackets are an easy fit so good to make “in secret” without the need to try on.

There was a bit of drama with the making of this one as Bess needed to shorten the zip – usually a simple process of pulling off the teeth at the top and sewing over to stop the puller falling off -except she pulled off the puller before she had it secured and then spent as long trying to get it back on as she did making the entire jacket. 🙄

printed french terry sweatshirting Jalie Patterns Charlie bomber jacket
printed french terry sweatshirting Jalie Patterns Charlie bomber jacket
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Sequinned Jalie Bomber Jacket for Teenager

jalie bomber using sequined tulle, sweatshirting and cotton rib

Kitcat here wearing the sequinned bomber jacket @bessworks made for her (she’s very pleased 😀).

This is the Charlie bomber from Jalie patterns – The pattern has really clear instructions and goes from teeny tiny toddler size all the way up to adults, it’s highly recommended 🥰.
Bomber jackets are also excellent stash busters as all the pieces are quite small (especially for the kids!) and you can mix and match, bomber jackets are an easy fit so good to make “in secret” without the need to try on.
This multicolour sequined version used only 45cm of the sequin fabric- handy because it is £55/m 😭! – it’s a great way of getting a jacket out of a special fabric that you don’t have /want to buy much of.

doing a twirl in multicolour sequined bomber jacket
doing a twirl in multicolour sequined bomber jacket
multicolour sequined jacket -Jalie Patterns Charlie Bomber
multicolour sequined jacket -Jalie Patterns Charlie Bomber
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Black 100% Cotton Jersey ‘Sneetch’ T-Shirt

pure cotton star bellied sneetch t-shirt using burda 6602 t-shirt pattern

Bess made a T-Shirt for her ‘star bellied sneetch’ using black 100% cotton piqué low stretch jersey with pale grey Sneetch star (also 100% cotton jersey), -attached with bondaweb and then stitched, black cuffing on the neck, the pattern is Burda 6602 size 44 with no alterations and it is indeed super easy 👏👏👏

Did you know we sell patterns? We do! We stock Burda, Butterick, McCall’s and Vogue, we also can have Simplicity sent direct to you. Our patterns are not on the website but you can browse them online HERE

close up of the star - bondawebbed on and then top-stitched
close up of the star – bondawebbed on and then top-stitched
burda 6602 t-shirt pattern
burda 6602 t-shirt pattern
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Leaping Leopards Print Kalle Shirt

yellow leaping leopard print Japanese Linen Closet Core Kalle Shirt

This superb leopard print Japanese linen shirt was made by the lovely AND talented Jennifer, she gets lots of compliments when wearing it (of course she does – it’s brilliant!). The Pattern is the Kalle Shirt by Closet Core patterns. She left us to pick the buttons and was pleased with our choice. (we went with bright blue to pick out the accented colour).

yellow leaping leopard print Japanese Linen Closet Core Kalle Shirt
yellow leaping leopard print Japanese Linen Closet Core Kalle Shirt
Mid Blue 10mm 4 hole shirt button with engraved black rim
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Glow in the Dark Fire Breathing Dragons

glow in the dark fire breathing dragons print pj's with black contrasting cuffs, sleeves and yoke

George (aptly named) made these fire breathing dragon print cotton jersey PJ’s for her littlest Godson, so much fun to be had with the glow in the dark flames 😊. All sewn on an ancient Singer 338 which all goes to prove those of us with fancy overlockers and coverstitch machines need to raise our game somewhat 🙄.

Check out that TOP STITCHING!

Beautiful.

Fun.

This is what sewing is all about.

glow in the dark fire breathing dragons print jersey
glow in the dark fire breathing dragon print jersey with perfect topstitching sewn with a Singer 338
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Mushroom Grey Denim Shorts

mushroom grey stretch denim shorts with pointy finger pocket linings

Bess made these stretch denim shorts for her ridiculously fussy husband (she keeps swearing she will never make for him again, but then the morale boost when he likes it and wears it is too much of a temptation). The denim is not that heavy but to keep them light she lined the waistband, pockets and fly with the pointy finger print cotton poplin.

She used odd buttons on the fly because she was using up old stocks, but loves that feature. and will do it again.

The pattern is taken off an old favourite pair.

The shorts passed the temperamental sewing machine test AND the fussy husband test 😊

mushroom grey stretch denim shorts with pointy finger waistband lining
mushroom grey stretch denim shorts with pointy finger waistband lining
mushroom grey stretch denim shorts with darted legs
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Hand Painted Paint Splatter T-Shirt in Cotton Jersey

hand painted paint splatter t-shirt

Getting 100% Cotton Jersey for t-shirts is harder than it should be, then we get too many metres in one colour so Bess painted a load of this cream with flicks of a paint brush with fabric paint, and then made this T-shirt for her sister Lulu. The pattern is an ancient Vogue Elements hoody pattern V9926 (we still have an out-of-print copy if you would like one)

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Printed French Terry Sweatshirt

people print french terry sweatshirting southbank sweater

Silversewer (carol) made this fabulous #southbank sweater 🤗. with this fun people with binoculars printed french terry backed cotton sweatshirting. This was her second make of this patter -time adding the bottom cuff. The collar can be either folded over or left upright. This is such a great pattern😊. Her daughter 💕 loves it !

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Space Rocket Print Cotton Jersey Pyjamas

space print pyjamas made by Miaow (mostly by herself)

Miaow made these space print cotton jersey pyjamas with a little help from Granny (Jane). Hardly any help really, Mia pinned out the pattern onto the fabric, cut them out, overlocked them together and even made ‘Arfur’ the rabbit a matching nightshirt and nightcap. The only thing Jane did was hem them (which she did because they needed to be done TONIGHT and Miaow didn’t have time).

Miaow is 8. When she grows up she wants to be an astronaut.

The pattern is McCall’s M7499 (discontinued but similar things are available).