Table of contents for Issue 116 in Simply Sewing

The past few months seem to have flown by with all the preparations for the holidays − but it will be over before we know it, so what better way to start the New Year than with some new me-made dresses in your wardrobe! This month’s cover star The Suzanne Dress can be made in various lengths and various fabrics to give many different looks. Plus, don’t miss our stylish Molly top, with mock neck − comfy enough to snuggle on the sofa but dressy enough to pop out to the shops in! And we have the perfect backpack pattern for you to sew up, ready to take on some new adventures in 2024! Add in a home refresh with our special home makes pull-out and you have everything you…

JUMP FOR JOY We are loving this designer collaboration between Simplicity and Rachel Comey, the Vogue 1994 loose-fitting jumpsuit with belt has front waist pleats, exposed front zipper, pointed collar, front pockets, elastic back waist, topstitching and stitched hems. Available in sizes XS-XXL and priced £20 at sewdirect.com and Vogue Patterns stockists. NEW SIZED ADDED! Little ones will look super cool and chilled in the Avery Romper - now available in 0-7 years. Perfect with a tee underneath or bare shouldered for summer holidays. Choose from an elasticated hem or cuff hem. patternpaperscissors.co.uk TAKE TIME TO PUZZLE IT OUT Sewing and doing jigsaw puzzles are both lovely therapeutic activites that play a big part in switching off from everyday worries and concerns − so why not combine them! Piece together…

IRONING BOARD COVER YOU WILL NEED ■ Cotton fabric for the cover: see instructions for sizing■ Curtain interlining for padding: see instructions for sizing■ Bias binding: see instructions for sizing■ String or narrow cord: see instructions for sizing■ Paper■ Basic sewing kit MATERIALS USED ■ The Hare in Orange Crush from Slow & Steady by Tula Pink for Free Spirit. CUTTING OUT Step one Take the old cover off your ironing board and use this as a pattern. Step two Draw around the old cover on to the paper and add 4cm all the way around for a seam and gathering allowance. Step three Pin the pattern onto the wrong side (WS) of the fabric and cut around it. Step four Draw around your ironing board onto the curtain interlining…

Brighten up your desk space for the New Year by transforming bland cardboard document holders into something fabulous − using some scraps of fabric and glue! Simply draw around a cardboard A4 magazine file to create a template for the sides and base, adding a 2cm turning allowance to fold over the edges. Do the same for the lining (minus the turning allowance) and stick them to the box with PVA glue, smoothing out any wrinkles with a ruler as you go. A quick no-sew project to show off your favourite fabrics!…

Sew this top and not only will you feel comfortable lounging around the house watching festive movies, you'll also be confident enought to pop out for any last minute Christmas shopping! The Molly pattern (from sewingpatternsbymasin.com) comes with two views, one with long sleeves and one with short sleeves. The neckline features a beautiful mock neck and the front and back hem are curved, creating that gorgeous point at the bottom of the side seam. The dropped shoulder seam gives the top a relaxed look. YOU WILL NEED Main fabric: ■ OPTION ASizes A-D: 1.3m of 140cm wide fabric. Sizes E-F: 1.4m of 140cm wide fabric. Sizes G-J: 1.9m of 140cm wide fabric.■ OPTION BSizes A-D: 1m of 140cm wide fabric. Sizes E-F: 1.1m of 140cm wide fabric. Sizes G-J:…

In this month’s workshop, Simply Sewing’s Technical Editor, Sarah Taylor, takes us through 6 ways to finish seams in style. Which one is your favourite? In order to prolong the life of your handmade garments and prevent the fabric from fraying, the seam allowances need to be finished on the inside. If a seam frays right up to the stitching line, it would result in holes in the seam and all that hard sewing would be wasted, so we want to do all we can to stop any fraying. There are several different ways of doing this, depending on the equipment you have at hand, the type of fabric you are using and how the garment will be used and laundered. Here are some of the most popular methods to…

WISHING STAR PAGE 68 ACTUAL SIZE WISHING STAR PAGE 68 ACTUAL SIZE WISHING STAR PAGE 68 ACTUAL SIZE BERRY BERET PAGE 53 ACTUAL SIZE All templates are available to download from gathered.how. Scan the code to go straight to thwe 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.…

SIZES A-J TOP A TOP B PACK INCLUDES ■ Pattern sheets x1■ Instruction sheet YOU WILL NEED Main fabric: ■ OPTION A Sizes A-D: 1.3m of 140cm wide fabric. Sizes E-F: 1.4m of 140cm wide fabric. Sizes G-J: 1.9m of 140cm wide fabric.■ OPTION B Sizes A-D: 1m of 140cm wide fabric.Sizes E-F: 1.1m of 140cm wide fabric.Sizes G-J: 1.6m of 140cm wide fabric.■ Matching thread■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Wash and dry all your fabric before cutting to ensure your final garment will not shrink in the wash.■ Seam allowances included in the pattern are 1cm for all seams unless otherwise stated.■ Use a jersey needle for your sewing machine RECOMMENDED FABRIC ■ Medium to heavyweight knit fabrics: Cotton jersey, viscose jersey, merino wool jersey, French terry. This…

How is it almost the end of 2023 already? If you are reading this on the day we go on sale, then tomorrow, December 22 is the Winter Solstice aka the shortest day of the year, when we only have 7 hours, 49mins, 42secs of daylight. That is almost a whole 9 hours shorter than the longest day! The good news is, it means that our days will now start to get brighter for longer and our nights shorter, so you'll be re-energised to complete this issues' sewing projects. Add the stunning Suzanne Dress and The Molly Top to your me-made wardrobe, spruce up a your home with our home makes or sew the Wishing Star for a fab start to 2024!…

CIRCLE CUSHION COVER YOU WILL NEED ■ Cotton fabric: four different fabrics 25x80cm each■ 2 self-covered buttons: 29mm diameter■ Cushion: 40cm diameter■ Basic sewing kit MATERIALS USED ■ The fabrics used are from Anna Elise by Bari J for Art Gallery Fabrics. For stockists visit www.hantex.co.uk/agf■ Tribal Study, Aura. Ref: AGFANE87502 Poetic Saddle, Vibes. Ref: AGFANE87506; Rhythmic Hatch, Vivid Ref: AGFANE87501; Rhythmic Hatch, Dream. Ref: AGFANE77501 NOTES ■ Use a 1cm seam allowance (this is included in the pattern).■ Make sure you sew the seam allowances precisely for a neat finish.■ Download the template from gathered.how/ss-templates CUTTING OUT Step one Trace around the segment template and cut it out. Step two Pin the template to the right side (RS) of one fabric and cut out. Repeat this to cut four…

Imagine a weekend away, exploring somewhere new – this canvas rucksack designed by Anna Alicia (@aalicialondon) is the perfect make to take. Practical and stylish with plenty of room for a laptop, notebook, snacks and your latest portable sewing project of course! What we love about waxed canvas is that it’s water repellent, and it’ll develop a lovely ‘vintage’ look as it’s handled – to speed this up, scrunch up your pieces then flatten them out again before you sew. Find the pattern and instructions included with this issue.…

Fast fashion - and the damage it causes - can feel ubiquitous. From cheap clothing on Shein and underpaid garment factory workers, to mountains of discarded clothing piled up in Chile’s Atacama Desert, the cycle of cheap clothing feels impossible to escape. However, there’s an increasing number of British brands bucking the trend and embracing a new, slower way of dressing. Bouyed by Instagram, these small brands are changing the fashion eco-system, one made to order piece at a time. SMALL BRAND CHAMPIONS One of the champions of slow fashion is Isabel Spearman, founder of Daily Dress Edit (@dailydressedit). Her Instagram account, with more than 59,000 followers, is dedicated to promoting small brands with daily posts of inspiring, wearable dresses. She also maintains a directory of slow fashion brands on…

JENNY RUSHMORE Jenny founded her pattern company Cashmerette, “empowering sewists with big boobs to create a dream wardrobe.” Explore one of the patterns from her brand new book, Sewing The Curve, in the exclusive extract on page 62. AARONICA COLE Aaronica is a plus-sized, projector sewist, teacher and pattern designer. She empowers, inspires, teaches and coaches sewists to take up space through sharing authentically with the sewing community. Read her story on page 26. MASIN Masin is a Swiss communications specialist, mother, and independent sewing pattern designer. She is the creative mind behind Sewing Patterns by Masin. This issue she shares her popular Molly Top pattern, which you can try for yourself on page 56. CAROLINE LERUS-ROULEZ Caroline is a Head Pastry Chef in Manchester UK, originally from the French…

THIS MONTH... SONNY JACKET This gorgeous pattern from Tilly and the Buttons can be used to make two distinct looks – or mix-n-match the elements to create your own bespoke design. Choose from a button-front boxy-fitting utility jacket with a classic collar, or a cute button-up with a frilled prairie collar. An optional extra can be purchased that adds a bold lining to the jacket, making it ready to wear all year round. tillyandthebuttons.com PATTERN INSPIRATION Stay smart with our pick of the best new patterns featuring buttonhole closures. 1 DIAPASON BLOUSE We can’t get enough of the subtle Western style of this blouse from Atelier Scämmit. It’s lightly fitted, with a round neckline and the option of gathered flounces along the neck and diagonally across the chest. It offers…

FLOOR CUSHION YOU WILL NEED ■ Cotton fabric: 1.5m■ Cotton fabric for piping: 1m■ Zip: 53cm long■ Square cushion pad: 53x53x15cm■ Matching sewing thread■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Use a 1.5cm (5/8") seam allowance throughout the project unless otherwise specified.■ Use a sturdy fabric like a cotton canvas or linen.■ Whether you’re having impromptu drinks at yours, welcoming unexpected guests, or just entertaining friends and family, there’s always a call for extra seating over the festive season.■ This comfy floor cushion is so handy to have stashed behind a sofa or in a cupboard under the stairs and gives an informal cosy charm to any gathering. CUTTING OUT Step one From main fabric cut: Two 56x56cm squares for the top and bottom Three 56x17cm side pieces Two 56x10cm zip…

PLANT POT COVER YOU WILL NEED FOR EACH POT ■ Fabric A: 35x15cm – Outer■ Fabric B: 35x15cm– Lining■ Vlieseline H640 iron-on fusible fleece – 35x15cm■ Matching sewing thread■ Erasable fabric marker■ Basic sewing kit MATERIALS USED ■ The fabrics used are from the Comforts of Home collection by Tara Reed for Cloud9 Fabrics. For stockists visit: cloud9fabrics.com■ 227220 House Cat Jungl■ 227224 Urban Gardener■ 227225 Happy Flora■ Off white linen■ Vlieseline products supplied by vlieseline.com CUTTING OUT Step one Press the iron-on fleece onto the wrong side (WS) of Fabric A, then cut: Outer: two 16x13.5cmStep two From Fabric B cut:Lining: two 16x13.5cm SEWING THE POT TOGETHER Step one Cut a 3.5cm square away from the bottom corners for both Outer and Lining pieces. Step two Pin the Outer…

With more tweed currently on display at the V&A’s Gabrielle Chanel Fashion Manifesto exhibition than you can shake your fabric scissors at, it’s the perfect time to shine a light on the iconic British textile. There’s lot to explore in tweed’s fascinating history, its rise in popularity and how to incorporate it into your handmade wardrobe. CUTTING EDGE Whilst Coco Chanel’s longstanding love affair with the wonder wool fabric is legendary and a Chanel tweed jacket remains the ultimate luxury garment, it’s not the only fashion house which has recently been sending tweed clad models down the runway. Giambattista Valli’s Fall 2023 Collection featured stunning oversized sequin-trimmed tweed jackets and exquisitely tailored ankle-length tweed frock coats. Balmain’s tweed jackets are a house signature and its fringed tweed jackets from the…

No 21 RASPERRY BERET YOU WILL NEED ■ Wool felt beret■ DMC Retors Mat soft cotton. We used Magenta (2718), Dark Green (2320), Light Green (2564) and Yellow (2743).■ Artist's tracing paper■ Pencil■ Chenille needle■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Download the template from gathered.how/ss-templates■ Alternatively, you can use six strands of stranded cotton if you prefer. CREATE THE DESIGN Step one Download the berry pattern and trace it onto the tracing paper. 01 Step two Using needle and thread, baste the pattern onto the underside of the beret. Unfold the inner hem so you don't stitch through it. 02 Step three Thread the chenille needle with a length of dark green Retors Mat soft cotton. Stitch the stem and tops of the berries with back stitch. The tracing paper…

EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT YOU WILL NEED ■ Pattern-drafting supplies (e.g. Ruler, French curve, pattern paper)■ Lightweight woven fabric with drape and body, such as viscose challis, crepe, viscose linen blends, soft linen, silk satin, or flannel. Amount to be determined by your self-draft paper pattern.■ 3.8 cm wide elastic: up to 38 cm long■ Bias binding: 2m■ Matching thread■ Basic sewing kit RECOMMENDED FABRIC ■ Mid-weight knit fabric, such as rayon ponte or French terry, with at least 20% stretch.■ Lighter-weight fabric such as bamboo jersey will also work and give a more casual look (like pyjama pants). PATTERN INVENTORY 1 – Front leg2 – Pocket facing (View A)3 – Pocket (View A) 4 – Back leg 5 – Waistband FABRIC CUTTING LAYOUTS ■ For View A, cut along the diagonal…

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…

I’m Caroline and I’m utterly in love with sewing. It’s a passion that found me just 18 months ago when I finally got tired of wasting money on ready-to-wear clothing that never fit me properly. Throughout my sewing journey I overcame many challenges, the biggest being the front-fly zippers. I’ve always struggled to find bottoms that fit me. It’s a classic problem of being between sizes with an athletic body. Sewing is where I discovered the magic of turning a piece of fabric into a wearable masterpiece and express my personality through bright colours. Front-fly zippers always seemed like a mountain too high to climb. Constructing them using many intricate steps was a real challenge. The secret, I found, was patience and practice. The first pattern with a front-fly zipper…

PACK INCLUDES ■ Pattern sheet x1■ Instruction sheet YOU WILL NEED ■ Main fabric: 0.5mx140cm of waxed canvas in main colour■ Contrast fabric: 0.5mx140cm of waxed canvas in contrast colour■ Lining fabric: 0.5mx140cm medium weight cotton canvas■ Webbing: 3mx2.5cm wide■ Magnetic poppers: Four sets 1.5cm wide■ D rings: Two 3cm wide■ Strap adjusters: Two 3cm wide■ Tailor’s chalk■ Matching thread■ Basic sewing kit NOTES ■ Use a sewing machine needle that is suitable for heavier weight fabrics.■ Seam allowances included in the pattern are 1cm for all seams unless otherwise stated.■ Use a press cloth to protect your iron from the oils in the waxed canvas.■ Sewing with waxed canvas can result in a waxy build-up in your machine, so it’s important that you give it a thorough cleaning after…

DRESS A DRESS B DRESS C PACK INCLUDES ■ Pattern sheets x2■ Instruction sheet YOU WILL NEED Main fabric: ■ OPTION A Sizes 6-14: 2.8m of 140cm wide fabric.Sizes 16-24: 3.6m of 140cm wide fabric.Sizes 26-30: 4m of 140cm wide fabric.■ OPTION B Sizes 6-14: 1.9m of 140cm wide fabric.Sizes 16-24: 2.6m of 140cm wide fabric.Sizes 26-30: 3m of 140cm wide fabric.■ OPTION B Sizes 6-14: 2.7m of 140cm wide fabric.Sizes 16-24: 3.4m of 140cm wide fabric.Sizes 26-30: 3.8m of 140cm wide fabric.■ Ten buttons (12-15mm) for Options A and C■ Nine buttons (12-15mm) for Option B■ 1mx15mm elastic for Options A and B■ Matching thread■ Basic sewing kit RECOMMENDED FABRICS ■ Light to medium weight woven fabrics, such as: linen, cotton lawn, viscose, chambray, lightweight denim, cotton poplin. FINISHED…