Innehållsförteckning för Issue 111 från Simply Sewing

We’re bringing you all the feel-good summer vibes with this 5-in-1 gift pack, so take a seat and get ready for a summer of sewing! Take some time for yourself with our 14 page Mindful Makes pull-out, a specially curated selection of gorgeous projects to encourage slow and relaxing stitching. Update denim shorts with neon festival-inspired embroidery, refashion a pair of oversized jeans into a maxi skirt, and sew matching PJ shorts for you and the kids. Plus, there’s an easy-sew tutorial showing you how to make a stretch jumpsuit that’s so comfortable, you won’t want to take it off. Trust us. Enjoy! WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYSEWING #SIMPLYSEWINGMAG facebook.com/simplysewingmagazine twitter.com/simplysewing_ pinterest.com/simplysewingmag instagram.com/simplysewingmag…

ANIMAL PRINT FOREVER In the height of summer, our wardrobes go wild. Carefree holiday vibes have us reaching for the floatiest fabrics, and Atelier Brunette's 'Leony' Kelsey Viscose crepes hit the (leopard) spot while being, of course, incredibly chic. Available in two scales of print, this waffled and textured viscose is Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified and woven from Lenzing™️ EcoVero™️ certified fibers. So, you can create your perfect city break separates knowing you're protecting the natural world, too. atelierbrunette.com. SEWING BEE MEMORIES Now it's all over for another year, we're reminiscing about The Great British Sewing Bee 2023, recreating our favourite looks. Revisit Week 3's West African celebration in Folkwear's flattering 158 Unisex Ghanaian Smock, from £12, thefoldline.com. ROYAL SEAL OF APPROVAL Heritage brand, Hand & Lock have 250 years'…

PSST: Turn the page for fabric and styling inspiration. Share your Solana Dress with us using #SimplySewingMag. Our cover project this issue is one of those dreamy dresses you can throw on and just look, well, effortlessly put together. It's got a loose fit bodice and a breathable gathered skirt, so it's perfect for packing for your holidays! YOU WILL NEED Main fabric: ■ Option A&C Sizes 6-18: 2.7mx140cm Sizes 20-30: 4.1mx140cm ■ Option B Sizes 6-18: 2.4mx140cm Sizes 20-30: 2.8mx140cm ■ Matching thread ■ Lightweight iron-on interfacing: 60x150cm ■ 4 buttons (plus a couple of spares) FABRIC SUGGESTIONS ■ Linen or linen mix, cotton lawn, double gauze, broderie anglaise and lightweight denim. FABRIC USED ■ Core Range 3/8 Check Gingham, minerva.com■ Linen Cotton Blend Fabric Blue, minerva.com FINISHED BACK…

YOU WILL NEED ■ Denim jacket with pockets ■ Stranded cotton (see notes) ■ Heat-erasable pen ■ 15cm (6in) embroidery hoop ■ Water-soluble stabilizer ■ Sulky® Tender Touch Cover-a-Stitch Stabilizer ■ Basic embroidery kit NOTES ■ Download the template from gathered.how/ss-templates. ■ Jenny used DMC stranded cotton in the shades: 370, 407, 415, 452, 647, 712, 928, 3771, 3779, 3813, and 3859, but you can choose your own colours if you prefer. ■ Visit gathered.how for more information on how to work these embroidery stitches. ABOUT THE AUTHORS ■ This project is from Creative Embroidery & Beyond by Jenny Billingham (@flynn_and_mabel), Sophie Timms (@mindfulmantra_embroidery) and Theresa Wensing (@get.stitch.done). Follow them on Instagram to see more. TRACING THE DESIGN Step one Download and print the template, then trace onto the water-soluble…

PSST: Share your makes with us using #SimplySewingMag and #EmporiaPatterns We're all about a handmade wardrobe that offers us comfort and style in equal measures, and that's where The Astrid Set comes into its own. This 2-in-1 design from Emporia Patterns (emporia-fabric.co.uk) can be used to make a classic tee, perfect for tucking into floaty skirts or wide leg trousers, or why not go for a laid-back dress with pockets? We know how much you all love a dress with pockets! It's an easy-to-master pattern for those new to sewing with stretch fabrics. While the style may be simple, the fabric need not be. Be brave and choose something bold and striking, then team it up with some of our casual accessories over the page. See more Emporia Pattern designs…

YOU WILL NEED ■ Denim shorts with pockets■ Stranded cotton (see notes)■ Tracing paper or layout paper■ Light coloured dressmaker's carbon paper■ Embossing stylus or biro■ Piece of thick card slightly larger than the template■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Download the template from gathered.how/ss-templates.■ Rosee used DMC stranded cotton in shades: E980, B5200, 3833, 3814, 597, 956, and 3834. Prewash your shorts to prevent any pigment transferring from the fabric to the thread in future washes. Allow to dry fully before stitching. TRANSFERRING THE PATTERN Step one Download and print the template, then flip and trace it to create a second template for the opposite pocket. You may need to adjust the template to fit your pockets exactly by spacing the feathers out or adding more. Step two Place…

HOW TO MEASURE YOURSELF ACCURATELY ALWAYS MEASURE YOURSELF BEFORE you choose a pattern size to cut out. The sizes do vary greatly from pattern to pattern, so it’s always best to measure yourself accurately and then refer to the pattern’s size chart to find your size. The chart will usually be printed on the pattern envelope or on the instructions inside. Measure yourself in your underwear and preferably in the bra you’ll be wearing underneath your garment as this can alter the measurements slightly. Use a fabric tape measure as it’ll curve around your body well for accuracy. You can measure on your own if you stand in front of a mirror, but, for best results, ask a friend to help so they can check the tape measure is sitting…

SIZES 6-24 (US 4-22/EUR 34-52) DRESS T-SHIRT PACK INCLUDES ■ Pattern sheets x2■ Instruction sheet YOU WILL NEED ■ OPTION A: T-shirt Dress Sizes 6-18: 1.7mx150cm Sizes 20-24: 3mx150cm■ OPTION B: T-shirt Sizes 6-18: 80cmx140cm Sizes 20-24: 2.1mx150cm■ Matching thread – use either a Maraflex- style stretch thread, which enables you to use a normal straight stitch, or a standard thread in a lightning or zigzag stitch■ Cuffing (optional)■ Basic sewing kit RECOMMENDED FABRICS ■ Cotton elastane jersey, cotton rib jersey, viscose jersey, polycotton jersey, lightweight or loopback French terry. FINISHED BACK LENGTHS ■ Option A: 95cm■ Option B & C: 58cm Clair Heal’s the designer behind Emporia Patterns. See more designs on instagram @emporia_patterns. BODY MEASUREMENTS © Printed in the UK for Simply Sewing. Design by Clair Heal, Emporia…

As I type this letter, it's almost the start of the summer holidays. Like most working parents, I'll be juggling childcare with work and looking to my smart, yet comfy, wardrobe faves to see me through from park dates to office meetings. So, it's no surprise this month's cover star, Solana, ticks all the boxes. She's my absolute favourite already. Comfy loose-fit bodice, tick! Midi skirt, tick! Pockets, tick! I'll be sewing mine in a bold print, of course (you all know I can't resist the florals!). I'll let the kids choose their own fabric for their PJ shorts and maybe treat my partner to a new gym bag. It's going to be a busy one! See you on the other side...…

HEIDI PLAYSUIT This stylish above-knee playsuit from Vikisews can be dressed up or down to suit the occasion and features a button-front closure alongside a cinched elastic waist and a sew-on belt. It makes use of front and back yokes and bust darts, as well as adding all-important patch pockets with more button closures to the front and hidden in-seam pockets on the legs. We love it! thefoldline.com PATTERN INSPIRATION Pick up your thread and fastenings and get sewing with our pick of the best patterns featuring buttons. 1 SHAY DRESS This gorgeous tiered maxi dress from Chalk and Notch features a wide scoop neck and fitted bodice, with the option to add a line of buttons to the front that stretch from neckline to hem. Makers can also choose…

Corsetry. Bridal gowns. Costumes for television. Rebecca Cole has sewn it all. In a fascinating career putting her sewing talents to great use both in front of and behind the camera, Becky found the team and atmosphere she needed to let her autistic strengths shine in her role as Sewing Producer on Channel 4’s groundbreaking series, Unique Boutique. Anyone with a love of sewing will be excited by this newly-commissioned show set to be a powerful programme demonstrating how sewing skills can create clothing which empowers people and enables them to live more comfortably. At the Unique Boutique, a highly skilled team of expert designers and tailors hear from 12 individuals whose clothing needs have not been met by mainstream fashion for either physical, psychological, or financial reasons. After hearing…

THRIFTY MAKES REFASHION YOU WILL NEED ■ Oversized pair of jeans■ Pliers and side cutters (optional – for removing rivets)■ Overlocker (optional)■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Follow Portia on Instagram @portialawrie for a handy reel on removing rivets.■ Use a 1cm seam allowance throughout. BEFORE YOU START Instructions given are for making a larger pair of jeans, smaller. If you are using a pair of jeans that already fit you well, then it may be necessary to insert a modesty panel at the front, as the fabric available to overlap will be less and the split will sit higher as a result. Conversely, you won’t need to do as much alteration at the side seams (if at all). If you're starting with a pair of jeans that are too…

No16 TEA TOWEL STITCH YOU WILL NEED ■ Tea towel■ Stranded cotton (see notes)■ Pen and paper■ Erasable fabric marker■ Embroidery hoop■ Embroidery needle■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ We used dark teal and turquoise stranded cotton for this design, but you can swap this out for any colour that suits your kitchen décor.■ Find more tips on embroidery at gathered.how Unleash your inner artist and stitch your own abstract wavy design onto a brightly coloured tea towel for a quick and easy kitchen update. You're not limited to kitchen accessories though – transform T-shirts, hoops or cushion covers too! CREATING YOUR DESIGN Step one Plan out your design using a pen and paper. Draw a series of looping lines, covering a large area of the space. You may want…

TROLL PAGE 77 ACTUAL SIZE 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.…

CAROL BENTLEY Carol’s an analytical chemist by day – having graduated as a mature student in her forties – and uses her blog and social media to document her sewing creations. Carol tested out the True Bias Lora Dress Pattern – read her thoughts on page 58. LINDA MAFUBA As well as being a Simply Sewing regular, Linda’s porbably best known for being the brains behind the @the.rectangle.dress, made entirely using your own measurements. This issue, she’s got an equally icornic patternless jumpsuit for you on page 28. JAIME GREENLY Passionate about sharing her sewing knowledge with crafters, Jaime founded Make Mee studio with fellow sewist Tracey Mee. Turn to page 48 to find out what drives her to inspire people to reconnect with their clothing and avoid buying new.…

Just like a new pair of kicks or some jazzy yoga leggings, our stylish sports bag upgrade will give you fresh motivation to get down to that gym. Whatever your sport of choice, the spacious design is roomy enough for all heaps of kit. And, if you're new to sewing, designer Anna Alicia (@aalicialondon) has come with a great beginner-friendly tutorial. The pattern guides you through putting in a zip and attaching handles, so it's a great project to add skills to your repertiore. Share all your gym bag selfies with us using the #SimplySewingMag…

DRAFT YOUR OWN!SELF-DRAFT YOU WILL NEED ■ Cotton fabric: 150x150cm ■ Fabric marker ■ Elastic ■ Matching thread ■ Basic sewing kit MEASUREMENTS ■ Over bust ■ Crotch length – from over bust ■ Hip ÷ 4 + ease ■ Length – from over bust to hem + top and bottom hem allowances NOTES ■ Seam allowance is 1cm unless stated otherwise. ■ To neaten seams, overlock or zigzag stitch. FABRIC USED ■ Minerva Core Range Cotton Lycra Jersey Stretch Knit in Camo Green from minerva.com. FABRICS RECOMMENDED ■ Light/medium-weight with stretch and a good drape. MARKING ON FABRIC Step one Fold fabric in half selvedge to selvedge with right sides facing. Step two From the top edge of the fabric, measure and mark the full length of the jumpsuit…

No two weeks or even days are the same for me as a sewing teacher and the Director of Make Mee Studio in Lewisham, southeast London. One day I might be teaching sewing at a homeless charity, the next I'm running a mending workshop at The Gherkin and then rushing across the city in time for our after school club. When an opportunity to get people sewing comes my way, I rarely say no. Make Mee Studio started life in my business partner Tracey Mee’s back garden studio. We ran a couple of workshops a month and added more classes when people asked for them. Now, we are celebrating our sixth birthday and we have over 100 children and adults come through our doors each week, guided by a talented…

Name: Carol Bentley Instagram handle: @chatterstitch  Pattern: Lora Dress by True Bias Fabric: Meet Milk Smooth Drape Tencel Twill Fabric Fabric stockist: minerva.com The Lora Dress is a brand-new pattern and, when I first saw it, I loved the feminine fit. The pattern has two very different versions, while the main bodice and skirt are the same for both, the sleeve options are quite different, giving either fabulously dramatic statement sleeves or delicate spaghetti straps. There are also directions to make a short or midi length dress. I chose to make view D which is the midi length dress with huge statement sleeves. MY STYLE This is quite a deviation from my usual style. I’m quite a tomboy to be honest. As an industrial chemist by day, I work in a…

You may not be familiar with the term 'historybounding’. It’s coined from the more well-known ‘Disneybounding’ – a trend that began at Walt Disney World by fans who wanted to dress up in costume but were prohibited in case of being mistaken for a cast member. Instead, people chose to take aspects of a Disney character’s clothing and create an outfit inspired by them. For historybounding, people take aspects of historical clothing and incorporate it into everyday wear; from just a corset or a blouse right through to full outfits. Thanks to Instagram and YouTube, dressing in this way is becoming more and more popular. People with similar interests can link up on these platforms and find inspiration in each other’s impressive historical outfits. Home sewing has emerged as a…

TOY YOU WILL NEED ■ Green plush fabric: 60x50cm■ Light blue plush fabric: 36x25cm■ Blue plush fabric: 50x30cm■ Orange long pile fur fabric: 18x19cm■ Cotton fabric scrap■ Small orange buttons: x2■ Black stranded cotton■ Polyester toy filling: 200g■ Basic sewing kit FINISHED SIZE: ■ Approximately 38cm tall FABRICS USED: ■ Solid Cuddle plush in Jade, Aqua and French Blue from shannonfabrics.com. NOTES ■ Find the templates on page 86 or download and print from gathered.how/ss-templates.■ Arrows on the templates indicate direction of plush fabric pile.■ Use 6mm seam allowances throughout (reducing seam allowance slightly around the fingers and toes).■ Fasten off at the beginning and end of stitching, unless indicated.■ Remove tacking after sewing. CUTTING OUT Step one Trace or download and print the templates.Step two Pin the pattern pieces…

MY FAVOURITE THING "My mum is an incredible dressmaker and taught me how to sew when I was much younger, but apart from making a couple of dresses when I was at university, I didn’t really do much with it. In 2019, newly freelance and with more time on my hands than I expected, I borrowed her backup Janome sewing machine and whizzed-up a few freebie dressmaking patterns. "Last summer, I spotted a Ganni dress all over Instagram. It was oversized and bubblegum pink with a big frilly collar, and I decided to have a go at recreating it, mostly just to see if I could. I thought the much-loved (and extremely hackable) Misses M7969 pattern from McCalls would be a good start, so I spent the time I waited…

PACK INCLUDES ■ Pattern sheet x1■ Instruction sheet YOU WILL NEED ■ Quilting cotton: 75cm (Fabric A)■ Waterproof coated polyester: 50cm (Fabric B)■ Lightweight quilt wadding: 80x50cm■ Stiff interfacing: 30x60cm■ Closed end zip: 40cm■ 2.5cm wide cotton webbing tape: 2.5m■ Matching sewing thread NOTES ■ Seam allowance is 1cm. unless otherwise stated.■ Make sure to interface.■ Practice makes perfect, making a sample before making your final one is always advised. FABRIC SUGGESTIONS ■ Use closely woven cotton, canvas, or polyester, with coated fabric for waterproofing. Anna Alicia is a freelance craft writer, designer-maker and mother based in East London. Follow her @aalicialondon. © Printed in the UK for Simply Sewing. Design by Anna Alicia. Supplied by Our Media Ltd (an Immediate Group Company), Bristol BS1 4ST. For individual, private use…

SIZES 6-30 (US 4-28/EUR 34-58) DRESS A DRESS B DRESS C PACK INCLUDES ■ Pattern sheets x2■ Instruction sheet YOU WILL NEED Main fabric: ■ Option A&C Sizes 6-18: 2.7mx140cm Sizes 20-30: 4.1mx140cm■ Option B Sizes 6-18: 2.4mx140cm Sizes 20-30: 2.8mx140cm■ Matching thread■ Lightweight iron-on interfacing: 60x150cm■ 4 buttons (plus a couple of spares) FABRIC SUGGESTIONS ■ Linen or linen mix. Would also look great in cotton lawn, double gauze, broderie anglaise and lightweight denim. FINISHED BACK LENGTHS ■ Option A: Approx. 114.5cm■ Option B & C: Approx. 94cm BODY MEASUREMENTS WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYSEWING © Printed in the UK for Simply Sewing. Pattern by Becky Perry (Pattern Paper Scissors) for Prima UK, 2022. Supplied by Our Media Ltd (an Immediate Group Company), Bristol BS1 4ST. For individual, private use only and not…