Innehållsförteckning för Issue 105 från Simply Sewing

Spring is officially on our doorsteps, and with it comes vibrant prints, colour, florals and, of course, sewing patterns for the warmer weather. Lucky for you, we’ve packed this issue with plenty of inspiring spring makes to get you going! From floaty tees to a self-drafted pinafore, an upcycled headband to an Easter themed doorstop, a family of plushie mushies to a sweet bunny toy, and a six-piece home accessories set, there’s something for everyone. Plus, we’ve got the perfect transitional piece for your wardrobe – The Penny Dress – with plenty of sleeve and hem options to make her entirely yours! WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYSEWING #SIMPLYSEWINGMAG facebook.com/simplysewingmagazine twitter.com/simplysewing_ pinterest.com/simplysewingmag instagram.com/simplysewingmag…

WASTE NOT Want to take your sustainable sewing journey to the next level? The team at Zero Waste Design Collective (@zwdcollective) have launched their first eLearning course – Shifting Mindsets: From Conventional to Zero Waste Design. If you want to reduce your wastage and refocus on sustainable making, this course is for you. Covering key terminology, why ZWD is needed for the future of fashion to be sustainable, myth busting, developing your ZWD voice, and more. zwd-collective-academy.thinkific.com ON THE WILD SIDE Fancy a peaceful night in with a cup of tea and some stitching? Look no further than The Wild Doe – created by our very own Production Editor, Jessie (@thewilddoe.uk) – the home of cosy embroidery kits, patterns and more. Simply magic! thewilddoeuk.etsy.com LOVINGLY MADE Craft your way to…

We've fallen in love with quite a few patterns over the years, but the Penny Dress from Make with Mandi (makewithmandi.com) may have just swooped in and stole the top spot! With two hem lengths, two necklines and three sleeve options to choose from, this is about to become your go-to pattern to sew for all seasons. Search for 'Make with Mandi' on YouTube to find a sewalong video to accompany this pattern and find her on Instagram @makewithmandi. YOU WILL NEED ■ Main fabric Dress A and B (all sizes): 4.5mx120cm or 3.5mx150cm ■ Lightweight iron-on interfacing: 40x40cm ■ Narrow elastic: 1m ■ Basic sewing kit NOTE ■ Seam allowance 1.5cm unless otherwise stated. SUGGESTED FABRICS ■ Light to medium-weight woven fabrics such as cotton, viscose, viscose poplin, linen…

Do you have a kiddo in your life that you're just itching to get sewing for? We have the perfect project to get you behind your machines over a long weekend. Designed by the fabulous Lucy Ward of The Whistling Cowgirl (@thewhistlingcowgirl on Instagram), Willow the bunny rabbit is an adorable plushy looking for her forever home this Easter. Standing at 32cm tall, Willow will make the perfect pal for the little ones this spring! Don't forget to share a pic of your finished make using the #SimplySewingMag hashtag.…

YOU WILL NEED Makes one (1) bag: ■ Fabric A (exterior) – One (1) fat quarter ■ Fabric B (interior) – One (1) fat quarter ■ Fabric C (binding) – One (1) fat quarter ■ Medium weight fusible interfacing (36in wide) ¼yd ■ Heavy weight fusible interfacing: 12x14in ■ Clear vinyl: 4½x9½in ■ Heavy duty zip: At least 10in length ■ Eyelets: Two x 1in plus tool ■ Gold ribbon: 4in (optional) FINISHED SIZE ■ 8½in x 11½in NOTES ■ Seam allowances are ¼in. ■ Press seams to one side, unless otherwise instructed. ■ RS =Right side(s). FABRICS USED Fabrics are from the American Road Trip collection by Jacqueline Colley for FIGO Fabrics. CUTTING OUT Step one From Fabric A, cut: Back: 8½x11½in. Top and Bottom Window Panel: Two 1½x11½in.…

THRIFTY MAKESUPCYCLE YOU WILL NEED ■ Fabric scraps* (see Cutting Out) ■ Elastic: 13cmx25mm wide ■ Matching thread ■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ The seam allowance is 1cm unless otherwise stated. ■ Use a lint roller to clean up the loose threads from the fabric. ■ The headband measures 45-50cm. To ensure a perfect fit, measure your own head and increase/decrease the length of elastic before starting. SUGGESTED FABRICS ■ Lightweight cotton fabric scraps. CUTTING OUT Step one Stitch the scraps together in a random order to form a larger piece. Press seams flat. Step two From your assembled fabric scraps cut:Large Patchwork: Two 46x18cm rectanglesElastic Channel: One 28x8cm rectangle. 01 MAKING THE HEADBAND Step one Fold each of the three pattern pieces in half, right sides together (RS)…

In this workshop, Simply Sewing’s Senior Technical Editor, Roisin, explains how we can successfully trace a pattern using curved pattern rulers. As any sewist will tell you, one of the greatest pleasures in life is a new sewing tool or gadget that makes life easier. So when team Simply Sewing were sent a set of dressmaking rulers by Sew on with English Rule I did a little gleeful dance. A good pattern ruler is hard to come by, and the thickness and durability of these rulers really does make them stand out in the crowd. I was given three rulers – a hip curve, an armhole curve and a curved edge ruler. In this workshop, I’m going to show you how to make the most of these fantastic rulers for…

MUSHROOM FAMILY PAGE 60 ACTUAL SIZE All templates are available to download from our website. Scan the code to go straight to the templates page! Thank you for making these projects from Simply Sewing. The copyright for these templates belongs to the designer of the project. They work hard to create projects for you to enjoy, so please don’t re-sell or distribute their work without permission. Please do not make any part of the templates or instructions available to others through your website or a third party, or copy it multiple times without our permission. Copyright law protects creative work and unauthorised copying is illegal. We appreciate your help.…

This Chinese New Year is the year of the rabbit which, as luck would have it, is my zodiac sign! It's also the theme of a few projects in this issue. It's nice how sometimes the stars align without intention, isn't it? If you've just joined us (welcome) and started sewing, the Tulia Tee is great for beginners. Up for a challenge? The pinafore dress is a transitional wardrobe staple. Aside from the plethora of colourful Easter makes, we've hatched plans for a feel-good spring wardrobe too (see what I did there?). I already know the Penny Dress is going to be a real crowd-pleaser, and not just because it's got pockets. You're welcome...…

DEBORAH BLOUSE, VIKI SEWS Sew a sweet everyday top that you'll want to make in each of your favourite colours and prints. With a semi-fitted bodice, flattering square neck and accentuated waist, the Deborah blouse is perfect for all kinds of occasions. Available in UK sizes 6-24 from vikisewspatterns.etsy.com DARLENE DRESS, TINTOFMINT Fall for the ethereal Darlene – a light, flowing, square neck dress that looks right at home in a field of breezy wildflowers or a summer drive along the coast. Featuring an elasticated waist and a front slit in the skirt, the pattern can be finished to your desired length and looks fab as a maxi dress! Available in UK sizes 4-24 from tintofmintpatterns.etsy.com PUFF SLEEVE TOP, MODELLAGGIO This beautiful and en vogue pattern is a cottagecore lovers…

What’s better than a me-made wardrobe? Exactly, not much. Which is why we are massive fans of The New Craft House, and we feel very lucky to be teaming up with them to give away two of their stellar sewing kits – The Lunar Jacket an everyday staple and an updated take on a classic workwear jacket, and The Everyday Dress that’s comfortable, stylish and perfect for dressing up or down. Don’t they just make the perfect pairing? The kits include everything you need to sew your own versions of these garments! See more at thenewcrafthouse.com. See gathered.how/sew_comps to enter today! (Competition is open to UK residents, aged 18+. Closing date is 23.59 on 15/03/23. Full T&Cs can be found here: gathered.how/competition-terms-and-conditions.)…

ESTELLA DRESS, TOP, AND SKIRT We love the versatility of this gorgeous design from Papercut Patterns, which can be made as a dress in two lengths, or as a separate cropped top and skirt combo. The wraparound top can be tied in the front or the back to suit your mood, and the voluminous puff sleeves and ruffled skirt give the ensemble a whimsical feel. papercutpatterns.com PATTERN INSPIRATION Get your gathers ready with our pick of the best puff sleeve patterns available right now! 1 SAGEBRUSH TOP With generous puff sleeves and decorative front gathers, this easy-to-sew design from Friday Pattern Company creates an elegant blouse that looks great in breezy fabrics like cotton voile, as well as more structured fabrics, such as crisp linen. fridaypatterncompany.com 2 M8199 TOP This…

Name: Nerrisa Pratt (she/her) Instagram handle: @nerrisapratt Pattern: By Hand London Nerrisa Jacket and Coat PDF pattern Fabric: Cedar reversible quilted cotton Fabric stockist: Fabric Godmother I jumped at the chance to make this patten as, other than the fact it’s named after me, I’m a big fan of jackets that can be worn across multiple seasons, and this particular style was a gap in my wardrobe that’s now been happily filled. It’s the perfect ‘throw on’ jacket and looks good layered up in a range of outfits. From a maker’s perspective, I also really like that it’s a nice palette cleanser of a project, no zips, no buttons or other complicated techniques needed! MY STYLE I’m a big lover of separates when it comes to sewing and, much…

YOU WILL NEED ■ Main fabric: 2mx140cm* ■ Buttons: 6-8 (optional) ■ Chunky zip: 60cm** ■ Existing sleeveless top/vest (optional) ■ Existing skirt (optional) ■ Matching thread ■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Seam allowance is 1cm. ■ Overlock, zigzag or bind raw edges. ■ *This guide will make a mini dress in UK sizes 6-18. Fabric quantity will increase if you wish to make a larger size or a longer length. ■ **Zip length will depend on your desired pinafore length FABRICS USED ■ Mouflon Coating from Minerva.com MEASUREMENTS NEEDED ■ Bust ÷ 4 ■ Waist ÷ 4 ■ Hip ÷ 4 ■ Shoulder to bust ■ Shoulder to waist ■ Waist to hip ■ Waist to hem DRAFTING THE TOP Step one Fold your main fabric in half…

YOU WILL NEED ■ Main quilting weight fabric: 30x50cm ■ Detail quilting weight fabric 1: 20x30cm ■ Detail quilting weight fabric 2 (detail fabric, bow tie and ears): 10x30cm ■ Lightweight wadding: 50x50cm ■ Scrap of stiff interfacing: 10x12cm ■ Small amount of toy stuffing (just enough for the rabbit’s head) ■ Dried lentils/rice/sand to stuff the doorstop: Approx. 500g ■ Yarn to make a pom-pom ■ Pom-pom maker: 3.5cm ■ Matching thread ■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Seam allowance is 1cm unless otherwise stated. ■ RS = Right side(s). ■ Download the templates from gathered.how/ss-templates MATERIALS USED ■ No Rain No Flowers fabric collection, Dashwood Studio, dashwoodstudio.com CUTTING OUT Step one From the main fabric, cut: Body: One pair using template A. Step two From the detail fabric,…

YOU WILL NEED ■ Rulers – Specialist curves are ideal (see page 78) ■ Pattern paper – A translucent paper such as tracing paper, thin pattern paper or baking paper works well. Beware that newspaper ink can transfer to your fabric! ■ Tracing wheel – A specialist wheel with spikes for tracing patterns. This leaves little indentations on the paper that you can then join. ■ Pattern weights – These are useful to stop your paper moving while you are tracing. If you don’t have special weights, use tins! ■ Mechanical pencils – Use a mechanical pencil to trace your patterns. The fine lead will create a much sharper line than a regular pencil – if each line is a few mm wide then you can throw the whole pattern…

MY FAVOURITE THING “Sewing has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mom would sew clothes for me as a kid – I walked around in handmade dresses, coats, and knitted jumpers. She also taught me how to sew from a very young age – I started with doll clothes and worked my way up, and I loved making baby clothing as gifts for newborns in our family and neighbourhood. Now that I have my own children, I'm teaching them to sew as well! In my teenage years, I sewed my own clothes, from blouses to jean suits, with my mom's help. When mom and I would get stuck with the instructions, I would just wing it. I have a very can-do…

UNISEX TEE PACK INCLUDES ■ Pattern sheets x2 ■ Instruction sheet YOU WILL NEED ■ Main fabric: Sizes XS-S: 1.2mx140cm Sizes M-XL: 1.3mx140xm Size XXL: 1.4mx140cm ■ Ballpoint sewing machine needle ■ Matching thread ■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Seam allowances are 1cm unless stated. ■ Wash and dry all your fabric before cutting to ensure your final garment will not shrink in the wash. ■ The Tulia Tee has an oversized, relaxed fit. This is a unisex tee. It has the length of a men’s tee. If you make the tee for a woman with a shorter torso, use the shortening line on the pattern. RECOMMENDED FABRIC ■ Light to medium weight knit fabrics are best suited for this pattern such as cotton jersey, viscose jersey, or merino…

MASIN Masin is a Swiss communications specialist, young mother, and independent sewing pattern designer running Sewing Patterns By Masin. Try out her Tulia Tee on page 42 and find more of her beautiful patterns on sewingpatternsbymasin.com. GILL THOMAS Gill Thomas is a public speaker, sewing enthusiast and contenstant of The Great British Sewing Bee 2022. Turn to page 46 to check out her column and hear all about how she swapped high-street shopping for a me-made wardrobe. RACHEL BEARN Cotswold based Rachel is a freelance writer and digital content creator who is working on her first knitting pattern book. Read her feature on sewing with chronic pain on page 52 and check out her makes over on Instagram and Youtube! SCARLETT HAWKES Scarlett brings life to second hand textiles and…

THE COMPLETE MANUAL OF SEWING MANUAL Marie Claire (£17.99, C&T Publishing) From internationally recognized, premium French fashion brand, Marie Claire, comes The Complete Manual of Sewing, hitting shelves next month. It's the perfect gift for the beginner sewist in your life or for you if you're just starting off on your stitching journey! With 120 visual lessons to work through, readers will pick up this unbeatable craft in no time. THE SEWING GUIDE TO CANCER Heather Grant (£22.99, Lucky Spool Media) This unique guide, conceived by friends Susanne Woods and Heather Grant, out at the end of the month, includes a total of 25 projects that are genuinely useful for cancer-fighting patients – from a weighted blanket to a hug pillow, an infusion bag to a robe and much more.…

FLAG BUNTING Deck your home with the colours of spring and ring in the new season with a reel of gorgeous easy-to-sew bunting. Why not line your Easter egg hunt trail with it too! RAINBOW CUSHION You can't go wrong with rainbows – they are the epitome of 'rain or shine'! Add a little sprinkling of joy to your sofa with this sweet novelty cushion and show off those prints. FABRIC BOWL Jess' round fabric bowl is perfect for keeping tiny toys, nick nacks and more safe, displaying hand-painted eggs in style or keeping your post-hunt treats in (if you've got any left over that is!) EGG HUNT DRAWSTRING BAGS You'll be the favourite grown up around with these sweet drawstring bags for little ones to carry their eggs in…

For those days when you need an outfit that's both comfortable and stylish, you can't beat a classic T-shirt, right? The unisex Tulia Tee by Masin (sewingpatternsbymasin.com) is great for beginners as it's constructed very simply from five easy-to-sew panels. Not only does this make it great for scrap-busting, but it means you can easily get creative using different prints for each panel – all without having to hack the pattern. Styled with jeans, this grab-and-go garment is just the thing for effortlessly chic everyday wear. It's a pattern you're guaranteed to want to sew again and again! New to sewing knit fabric? Search for 'sewing jersey' at gathered.how for some beginner tips to working with this versatile fabric. You can see more of Masin's patterns on Instagram @sewing.masin and…

Learning to sew is something I had always wanted to do. It was one of those bucket list skills and, after learning about the evils of the fast fashion industry in my early 20s, I knew that making my own clothes would be a great way to ensure I had an ethical and sustainable wardrobe. But it wasn’t until, at age 24, I became severely ill with a chronic illness called M.E.CFS that I began. M.E.CFS is a chronic pain and fatigue condition that left me housebound 90% of my time and often bedbound. I lost the ability to do all the things I had loved before and felt totally isolated and lost. My body changed significantly and that easy confidence I had been lucky enough to feel all my…

YOU WILL NEED ■ Fabric (see pattern envelope) ■ T-Shirt pattern (see Before You Begin) ■ Pattern paper ■ French curve ruler ■ Matching thread ■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ WS = Wrong side(s). BEFORE YOU BEGIN If you’ve already mastered a few beginners’ dressmaking techniques, then learning how to pattern hack is an easy way to create unique items and make your purchased patterns work even harder. This pretty cross-back tee by April Rhodes is just the thing for date nights, drinks with the girls or summer picnics, and can be easily fashioned from a simple T-shirt, tank top or dress pattern. April used her own Staple Dress pattern, but some other good matches would be the Wiksten Tank (shopwiksten.com) or the Scout Tee (grainlinestudio.com). As for fabrics,…

YOU WILL NEED ■ Wool blend felt in two colours (at least 32cm square) ■ Water-soluble stabiliser ■ Pencil ■ Large embroidery hoop ■ Stranded cotton in white ■ Trouser hanger ■ Fabric (approx. 3x30cm) ■ Decoupage glue ■ Paintbrush ■ Basic sewing kit PREPARATION Step one Trace or print the Embrace Equity pattern onto water-soluble stabiliser and attach it to the centre of the felt square. If you prefer, you can use an iron-transfer pen to mark the pattern. Place the felt in a large embroidery hoop. 01 EMBROIDERING THE DESIGN Step one Using four strands of stranded cotton, embroider the word 'embrace' with back stitch. On all of the downstrokes (where your pen would go top to bottom when writing in cursive), stitch a second line of back…

SEAM RIPPER This sharp blade cuts through and unpicks stitches. PINKING SHEARS These cut a zigzag edge on fabric to neaten. SMALL SCISSORS Use for snipping threads and cutting notches. FABRIC WEIGHTS Use instead of pins to hold your pattern in place. SHEARS Keep a pair of sharp shears just for cutting out your fabric. THIMBLE Wear to protect your fingers when handstitching. TAILOR’S CHALKS Chalk temporarily marks fabric and can be easily brushed away. FABRIC CLIPS Use these instead of pins when sewing thicker fabrics. BOBBINS This forms the underside of the machine stitch. TAPE MEASURE A flexible fabric tape measure will take accurate measurements. MARKING PENCIL Choose a colour that shows up on your fabric. PINS Stainless steel pins with sharp points are best. THREAD This forms the…

DRESS A DRESS B EXCLUSIVE PATTERN FROM PACK INCLUDES ■ Pattern sheets x4 ■ Instruction sheet YOU WILL NEED ■ Main fabric Dress A and B (all sizes): 4.5mx120cm or 3.5mx150cm ■ Lightweight iron-on interfacing: 40x40cm ■ Narrow elastic: 1m ■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Seam allowance is 1.5cm unless otherwise stated. ■ If you fall between sizes, use your bust measurement to determine your size in the chart below. SUGGESTED FABRICS ■ Light to medium-weight woven fabrics such as cotton, viscose, viscose poplin, linen blends, brushed cottons, and cotton poplins Mandi has been showcasing her love of fashion through Make with Mandi since 2020, makewithmandi.com. FINISHED GARMENT MEASUREMENTS © Printed in the UK for Simply Sewing. Design by Make with Mandi. Supplied by Our Media Ltd (an Immediate…

PACK INCLUDES ■ Pattern sheet x1 ■ Instruction sheet FINISHED SIZE ■ Grey cuddle plush fabric: 65x40cm ■ White cuddle plush fabric: 38x30cm ■ Pink cuddle plush fabric: 16x20cm ■ Floral fabric: 18x17cm ■ Green wool felt fabric: 6x6cm ■ Black stranded cotton thread ■ Pink stranded cotton thread ■ Ball of white wool: 20g ■ Polyester toy filling: 200g ■ Extra long pins ■ Long doll needle ■ Basic sewing kit FINISHED SIZE ■ Approximately 32cm tall NOTES ■ Use 6mm seam allowances throughout unless otherwise indicated. ■ Seam allowance is included in the templates. ■ Fabric measurements are WxH. ■ Arrows on the pattern templates indicate the direction of plush pile. Note that on the ears the nap on the plush pile runs upwards. ■ Always tack seams…