Innehållsförteckning för Issue 120 från Simply Sewing

We are so excited to be launching our first ever Capsule Wardrobe in this issue! Over the coming months our 6-piece collection will be revealed, pattern-by-pattern! Plus, this issue we look at Tilly Walnes’ brand new pattern book Mini Makes and have an exclusive interview with the former Great British Sewing Bee star herself (we’ve even got one of her new patterns for you to try!) This month’s cover star, the Martha Dress, is very likely going to be your new favourite go-to dress in your summer wardrobe. Find out what TV sewing star John Scott is up in his new career venture, repurpose shirts with Portia Lawrie’s refashion tutorial and turn denim into a halter top with Matthew Dummigan’s self-draft project. Plus, don’t miss the chance to download your…

CRAFTY PIE FABRICS Brogan aka 'The Crafty Pie' is a young sewer, first-time mum, fashion-lover and recently featured as a finalist on series 8 (2022) of The Great British Sewing Bee. It has always been Brogan's dream to launch her own fabric line and now she has! Launching under the 'Visage Luxe' dress label, Brogan has carefully selected a range of fabrics and designs that best reflect her sewing style; modern, bright, and fun with a touch of vintage. Turn to page 13 to find out more. FINDING A BALANCE Welcome in flexible thoughts and quiet the patterns of rigidity with the new Roo-tid fabric collection − Fluidity. This breezy collection is a celebration of a fluid mind encouraging you to find a balance between comfort and change possibilities. Shop…

CAPSULE WARDROBE Give your wardrobe a boost with an everyday tee that you can style all year-round. You just can't beat a classic and let's face it, t-shirts are one of the most worn garments these days! Make yours in a striking stripe print as a nod towards the French Navy based in Brittany in 1858 who inspired the Breton top. Stripes are still very much in fashion today and remain the pinnacle of casual stylish dressing − and come into their own when you are besides the seaside! See more of our Capsule Wardrobe @SimplySewingMag. YOU WILL NEED ■ Knit fabric: 1.8mx140cm■ Lightweight ribbing (optional): 50x75cm, for the cuffs and neckband■ Ballpoint sewing machine needle■ Twin ballpoint sewing machine needle (optional)■ Matching thread■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Use…

When I first started sewing, around the age of 12, I was hooked straight away and soon jumped at the chance to attend a weekly afterschool sewing club, run by Mrs Smith. She was the best Textile teacher anyone with an interest and passion for sewing could ask for. With my grandad also being interested in sewing, painting, crafting, it was soon apparent this was also ‘my thing.' Afterschool sewing club mainly consisted of trying to tackle patterns and projects that were way above my skill level at the time, but being a determined learner, I always found a way of learning new techniques and created things from fully-jointed teddy bears to Dalmatian-printed dressing gowns. REPRESENTATION COUNTS Being a male sewist/quilter has, over the past few years, made me very…

We have teamed up with Tilly and the Buttons to offer you the Indigo Dress from Tilly Walnes' latest book Mini Makes. The book includes six full sewing patterns for kids aged 0 to 12 years, plus multiple variations totaling 24 projects. Cute, comfortable, and practical, these are the kinds of clothes children will want to wear every day – and have crucially passed the playground test. You can sew the Indigo Dress pattern using your bonus gift* and pre-order a signed copy of Tilly's book from shop.tillyandthebuttons.com…

YOU WILL NEED ■ Main fabric: 1m■ Lining fabric: 1m■ Wadding: 1m■ Metal zip: 40cm■ Webbing for strap: 2.5m■ Matching thread■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Seam allowance is 1cm RECOMMENDED FABRICS ■ Main fabric: Medium to heavy weight fabrics such as canvas, cotton or denim■ Lining fabric: Medium weight fabrics such as cotton or calico FABRICS USED ■ Outer: Rifle Paper Co. Vintage garden blue metallic Blossom■ Lining: Natural cotton calico CUTTING OUT Step one From main fabric, cut: Bag Panel Main: one 42x76cm Side Panel Main: two 22x22cm (4 rounded corners of 5 cm radius) Pocket Main: two 22x14.5cm (2 rounded corners of 5 cm radius on one edge) Step two From lining fabric, cut: Bag Panel Lining: one 42x76cm Side Panel Lining: two 22x22cm (4 rounded corners…

YOU WILL NEED ■ Baseball Cap■ Small piece of felt■ Stranded cotton■ Water-soluble stabiliser■ Chenille needle■ Craft glue■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Download the template from gathered.how/ss-templates TRANSFER THE DESIGN Step one Trace the Yay! pennant pattern onto the water-soluble stabilizer. You only need to trace the outside line and the word. The extra line is a guide for step six. Peel off the backing and stick it onto the felt. 01 Step two Using all six strands of stranded cotton, embroider the word Yay! using back stitch. Secure the beginning and end of your stitching with a knot on the reverse. 02 PREPARE THE FELT Step one Cut out the embroidered pennant on the outside line. 03 Step two Soak the felt in cool water to remove…

All templates are available to download from gathered.how. Scan the code to go straight to the templates page! TOY TURTLE PAGE 69 ACTUAL SIZE TOY TURTLE PAGE 69 ACTUAL SIZE TOY TURTLE PAGE 69 ACTUAL SIZE TOY TURTLE PAGE 69 ACTUAL SIZE BASEBALL CAP PAGE 67 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…

TEE PACK INCLUDES ■ Pattern sheets x1 (Tracing required)■ Instruction sheet YOU WILL NEED ■ Knit fabric: 1.8mx140cm■ Lightweight ribbing (optional): 50x75cm, for the cuffs and neckband■ Ballpoint sewing machine needle■ Twin ballpoint sewing machine needle (optional)■ Matching thread■ Basic sewing kit FABRIC SUGGESTIONS ■ Light to medium-weight knit fabrics such as cotton jersey, ponte roma and viscose jersey. NOTES ■ Use a 1.5cm seam allowance, unless otherwise stated.■ Test various lengths and widths of zig zag or stretch stitches on scraps of your fabric to make sure they work and the stitches won’t pop under stress. Shop more of our Simply Sewing patterns in our online shop at simplysewingpatterns.etsy.com BODY MEASUREMENTS WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYSEWING © Printed in the UK for Simply Sewing. Supplied by Our Media Ltd, Bristol, BS1 4ST. For…

As we are now officially into British Summer Time (yes, finally) we can look forward to warmer weather and longer summer days − and what better way to celebrate than to start making your very own bespoke capsule wardrobe! The team been working behind the scenes for months on this very special sustainable collection and we are so excited now that we can start to share the patterns with you. See page 16 for a peek! There are six to collect, starting with this issue's Brittany Tee (page 22). If you are looking for even more practical solutions for sustainable fashion, you're not going to want to miss our feature on page 18, too. Enjoy!…

COMPETITIONS The Janome DKS30 SE is described as ‘probably the easiest-to-use machine we’ve ever made!’ This attractive machine has all the features to make sewing simple and enjoyable. Fully computerised with a host a great features, including Janome’s new easy-set bobbin system, this machine ticks all the buttons. With each stitch having its own illuminated selection key and stitch width and length adjustment keys located just under the screen it just couldn’t be easier. There’s even a special key which enables some stitches to be elongated up to 5 times normal without losing stitch density! There’s also plenty of accessory storage and a hardcover for protection. Find out more about this machine and others at janome.co.uk and to be in with a chance of winning the DKS30 SE enter this…

BRITT DUNGAREES This casual design from Melilot is available in both English and Norwegian, and creates a pair of comfortable and cute dungarees with bow-ties on the shoulders, deep pockets hidden in the side seams, and two leg width options. They’re easy to make and suitable for beginners, and can be created in a wide variety of fabrics and prints to suit the seasons. melilot.no PATTERN INSPIRATION Get all tied up with our pick of the best patterns featuring straps, bows, and more. 1 TIE BOW BLOUSE With a chic pussy-bow neckline and a classic cut, this versatile blouse from The Assembly Line is the perfect piece to dress up or down to suit your mood. This sample sewn from mulberry silk makes for a super luxurious garment. It features…

Welcome to your new favourite dress! The Martha Wrap Dress combines lots of gorgeous styling details to make it your new favourite go-to garment! Pefect for smart work days, and comfortable enough to go through to the evening. Pretty gathered tops to the elbow-length sleeves create a comfortable full sleeve. The V-neck shape and very nature of the wrap tie makes it an easy fit − and and we love the petal-shaping at the front of the skirt. Time to get your tracing paper and fabric out! And don't forget to share your Martha Dresses with us at #SimplySewingMag on social media. YOU WILL NEED ■ Main fabric: 3.5m x 150cm wide■ Lightweight iron-on interfacing: 60cm■ Two press stud (popper) fasteners■ Matching thread■ Basic sewing kit FABRIC SUGGESTIONS ■ Viscose,…

DRAFT YOUR OWN! YOU WILL NEED ■ T-shirt with your favourite fit■ 2 pairs of trousers/jeans■ 0.5m lining fabric■ 0.5m interfacing■ Pattern paper■ Poppers■ Matching or contrasting thread■ Basic Sewing Kit NOTES ■ Suggested seam allowance 1cm■ You could use 1.5m of fabric and lining, instead of the trousers. DRAFTING THE PATTERN Step one With your t-shirt inside out, fold it in half so the back meets back and the front neck is visible and place on your paper making sure you have space around your t-shirt. 01 Step two Now your t-shirt is flat, mark on your paper the top of the neck, the shoulder, under the arm and both corners of the bottom. Remove the t-shirt and join the marks to create the outline. 02 Step three Using…

Most of us can relate to that teenager who dreams of being on the television or perhaps working in the bright lights of Hollywood, but John Scott, a face you’ll recognise from your TV screens for the past 24 years, was all set to be a teacher before his career took a different trajectory altogether. At 18 he began studying English and Drama at Bretton Hall College in Wakefield. “I trained to be a teacher primarily because I didn’t know what else to do and the careers advisors at school said it was a good idea,” explains John. Known among his peers for his kind and compassionate qualities, he relished the challenge of working with kids, especially those that otherwise might have been overlooked. “There were some kids that, at…

PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT SCREW This is used to adjust the presser foot tension. If your fabric is stretching this may be the reason why. It is usually best to save this adjustment until after you have tried everything else. Consult your manual for guidance and only adjust the screw a small amount before testing the stitch again. TENSION DIALS Used to change the tension of the loopers and needles. TENSION DISCS It is important that the thread is securely placed inside each tension disc as these control the tension of the thread. PRESSER FOOT LEVER As with a sewing machine, this is used to raise and lower the presser foot. UPPER BLADE This cuts through the fabric and works best when it is sharp. It is important not to put pins…

YOU WILL NEED ■ Green cuddle plush fabric: 65x40cm■ Ivory cuddle plush fabric: 55x37cm■ Brown cuddle plush: 30x26cm■ Light brown cuddle plush: 30x26cm■ Brown wool felt: 4x4cm■ Black wool felt: 3x3cm■ Quilt wadding: 30x26cm■ Length of elastic: 26cm■ Black stranded cotton■ Cream stranded cotton■ Extra strong thread■ Long doll making needle■ Polyester toy filling: 200g■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Download the template from gathered.how/ss-templates■ Size: Approximately 12cm tall■ Fabric measurements are W x H.■ Templates include 6mm seam allowances.■ Arrows on the templates indicate direction of plush fabric pile.■ Fasten off at the beginning and end of stitching, unless otherwise indicated.■ Remove tacking stitches after sewing. FABRICS USED ■ Cuddle Plush in Olive, Ivory, Cappuccino and Camel, all by Shannon Fabrics CUTTING OUT Step one Download and print the…

Sign up to our newsletter to download your bonus digital copy of Beginner's Guide to Dressmaking – worth £9.99 – for free! Inside this bumper 132-page special you'll find step-by-step guides to fitting, fabrics, using a sewing machine, inserting zips and pockets, following pattern sheets and much more! We also introduce you to working on your own patternless creations, using your own clothes as templates, with 15 stunning designs to follow, from dresses and tops and skirts and joggers. Download today at try.simplysewingmag.com/bonus-gift.…

EXCLUSIVE FROM DRESS PACK INCLUDES ■ Pattern sheet x1 (Tracing required)■ Instruction sheet YOU WILL NEED ■ Fabric (see fabric requirements chart for amount)■ 0.4m iron on interfacing – similar weight to your fabric■ 10mm wide elastic (see elastic chart for amount)■ 8–10mm wide buttons: 3 buttons for sizes 0–3 months to 3–4 years, 4 buttons for all other sizes■ Matching thread■ Basic sewing kit FABRIC SUGGESTIONS ■ Light- to medium-weight woven fabrics with drape, such as cotton lawn, chambray, seersucker, double gauze, Swiss dot, broderie anglaise or viscose. NOTES ■ Mark the notches on the interfacing pieces.■ Cut short snips (max. 5mm) for the notches on the other pieces.■ Mark the Back Skirt with a safety pin or similar to help you differentiate it from the Front Skirt.■ Seam…

TILLY WALNES After rising to fame on the first series of The Great British Sewing Bee, Tilly set up her own sewing company Tilly and the Buttons designing jargon-free, easy-to-follow sewing patterns. Find out about her latest book Mini Makes on page 40. MAYA PEREDA Originally from Peru, Maya is a London-based designer who runs her own 100% handmade accessories brand created L’Atelier de Maya. Stand out from the crowd on your next trip with Maya’s floral quilted holdall bag project on page 51. ADAM BURCH For almost as long as Adam can remember, he has sewn. It was a hobby that he got hooked on as a child and will never put down, he hopes, in the future. Turn to page 34 to find out all about who and…

The importance of conversations around extending the life-span of our garments cannot be overstated. The growth in popularity of disciplines such as visible mending and refashioning within our sewing community, is testament to our growing collective awareness of this need, and our willingness to engage with solutions that address it. But while disciplines such as these offer solutions post garment construction, there are also steps we can take as garment makers (before and during the construction process itself) to increase the potential life-span of our garments; keeping them in use and on our bodies long after we've tied off and buried that last thread tail. The choices we make about things like materials, construction, fit and style; can impact a garment's life-span as much as what we do to maintain…

THRIFTY MAKES YOU WILL NEED ■ 3 long-sleeved cotton shirts■ Strips of lightweight interfacing for plackets■ Basic relaxed fit block/bodice pattern■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Use the seam allowance as directed on your block/pattern.■ The shirts should fit you loosely and should be of a similar fabric weight. Use plain or patterned shirts in contrasting or complementary colours or patterns. For the purposes of this tutorial Shirt 1 = blue/white stripe, Shirt 2 = pink/white pinstripe and Shirt 3 = Pale lilac stripe shirt. The pieces of this project are cut from the shirt backs, shirt fronts and sleeves.■ Use a basic block or existing pattern that has a relaxed boxy fit and a simple round neckline. You'll need a front, back and sleeve. The block here is used…

A GOOD READ Since launching onto the UK sewing scene over a decade ago with an appearance on series 1 of The Great British Sewing Bee TV series, Tilly Walnes’ mission has been to make dressmaking accessible to a new generation of sewists. Tired of confusing diagrams and patterns printed on thin tissue with a tendency to rip, Tilly completely rethought what sewing patterns could offer. Since then, Tilly and the Buttons has pioneered clear step-by-step photography, jargon-free instructions and, most importantly, fresh, trend-led designs that women want to make and wear. With three successful books behind her and countless women’s patterns, Tilly is now turning her attention to children’s clothing with the launch of her latest title, Mini Makes. Featuring six core patterns designed for children aged between 0-12…

DRAFT YOUR OWN! YOU WILL NEED ■ 0.5m fabric (ideally a light drapey fabric such as silk, satin or rayon)■ A small hair crocodile clip■ Hot glue gun■ Matching thread■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Use a 1cm seam allowance CUTTING OUT Step one From main fabric, cut: Bow: 35x20cm Tails: 36x36cm Centre: 15x8cm MAKING THE BOW Step one With right sides (RS) together, pin and sew the long edges of the Bow to create a tube. Step two Turn the Bow through to the RS and press with the seam centred on the reverse. Step three On the back of the Bow, bring the two short edges to the middle and pin in place. Step four Using a wide zig zag stitch, sew the two short edges in place.…

YOU WILL NEED ■ Main fabric for the front: 43x63cm (choose a heavyweight cotton such as denim, cotton twill, linen, or velvet)■ Contrast fabric for the back: 43x63cm■ Fusible fleece for the back: 43x63cm■ 40 x 60cm pillow form■ 50cm regular nylon zipper■ Quilting guide bar■ Matching thread■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Download the template from gathered.how/ss-templates FINISHED MEASUREMENTS ■ 38x58cm QUILTING THE BACK Step one Iron the fusible fleece onto the wrong side (WS) of the fabric for the back of the pillow. Using a chalk marker and a ruler, draw two lines on the right side (RS) of the fabric from corner to corner to make a cross. Topstitch along both of these lines. 01 Step two To start quilting, follow the manufacturer’s instruction to insert the…

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…

MY FAVOURITE THING "I’ve been sewing since I was 11, I was lucky enough to learn in school. I was an occasional maker whilst at uni making the odd ballgown or fancy dress outfit. After moving to Bristol in 2019 I found a sewing community and started making most of my clothes. So, when I got engaged in 2020, I knew I wanted to make my own wedding dress. I had a few requirements when I picked a pattern, the most important to me was being able to walk up and down stairs without having to lift my hem. I picked Vogue 9327 because I loved the sleeves and the vintage feel of the high neckline. I wanted to get the fit perfect so after a few toiles, I attended…

DRESS PACK INCLUDES ■ Pattern sheets x2 (Tracing required)■ Instruction sheet YOU WILL NEED ■ Main fabric: 3.5m x 150cm wide■ Lightweight iron-on interfacing: 60cm■ Two press stud (popper) fasteners■ Matching thread■ Basic sewing kit FABRIC SUGGESTIONS ■ Viscose, silk, linen, rayon, soft fine cottons such as cotton lawn. FINISHED BACK LENGTH ■ Approx. 116cm NOTES ■ Pin or tack the main pieces together first to check the fit. Mark any alterations needed before starting to sew.■ Stitch all seams with right sides together.■ All seam allowances are 1.5cm unless otherwise stated.■ Sleeve hems are 2cm.■ Dress hem is 1.5cm. Shop more of our Simply Sewing patterns in our online shop at simplysewingpatterns.etsy.com BODY MEASUREMENTS WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYSEWING © Printed in the UK for Simply Sewing. Pattern by Becky Perry (Pattern Paper…