Get to work Upgrade your tech storage and keep your laptop safely stowed away in this cushioned, quilted laptop case from Mister Domestic
GIFT 03 01 02 07 08 09 YOU WILL NEED CUTTING OUT remaining Lining rectangles with the zip. Clip or Step one From the wadding cut: pin in place. 05 Q Main fabric: ydx45in (50x108cm) Wadding: four 17x13in Step three Sew along the raw edge with the zip. Q Lining/backing fabric: ydx45in Step two From the main fabric cut: Because of the thickness of the wadding, it Outer: two 17x13in might not be necessary to change to a zip foot (70x128cm) Step three From lining/backing fabric cut: but make this decision based on the weight of Q Wadding: 80/20 cotton/polyester Lining: two 17x13in your fabric/wadding. 06 Q Black polyester zip: 18in Outer Backing: two 16.5x12.5in 01 Step four Repeat steps one and two with the Q Matching thread other side of the zip and the remaining Outer Q Basic sewing kit QUILTING THE EXTERIOR and Lining. Step one Place two of the Wadding rectangles NOTES on top of one Lining panel on the wrong side CONSTRUCTING THE POUCH Q Seam allowance is in (6mm) (WS), if your fabric has one. Place a main fabric Step one With the zip installed and the pouch Outer on top of the wadding, right side (RS) up. inside out, press the seam allowances flat with unless otherwise stated. Line up all raw edges. a steam iron. 07 Step two Using a 3mm stitch length and sewing Step two Backstitching at the beginning and MATERIALS USED in one direction, quilt straight lines at 45- end of the seam, stitch the first side edge of the Q Outer: floral print cotton lawn in degrees from the bottom raw edge every in pouch. Unzip the zip halfway. Stitch the second (2cm). Quilt 45-degree straight lines going in side seam of the pouch, leaving a 4in (10cm) Pine/Ecru, blackbirdfabrics.com. the other direction, creating a in (2cm) gap in the stitching along the Lining. 08 Q Lining: sandwashed cotton in grid-on-point. 02 Step three Stitch along the raw edge of the Step three Repeat steps one and two with the bottom of both the Lining and the Outer. Deep Sage, blackbirdfabrics.com. second set of Wadding rectangles. Step four Not including the side seam Q Wadding: Heirloom 80/20 Cotton Step four Trim both panels to 16.5x12.5in allowance, mark a x in (2x2cm) square from (42x32cm). 03 both bottom corners of the Lining and Outer. Poly Blend, Hobbs Batting. At the centre seam with the zip, mark a 1 x in Q Zip: patternsbyannie.com INSERTING THE ZIP (3.8x2cm) rectangle, (this will create Q Thread: Wonderfil DecoBob in Step one Making sure the zip teeth/pull are a x in/2x2cm square from both sides of facing down, align the zip along one of the the seam). 09 Dove Gray. 16.5in raw edges on the RS of the exterior. 04 Step five Cut out the marked squares/ Step two Align the raw edges of one of the rectangles. 10 52 WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYSEWING
GIFT 04 05 06 10 11 12 Step six Open and flatten the opening of one cut corner, centring the side seam and the pressed bottom fold. Backstitch and sew across the opening. Repeat this step with the remaining three bottom cut corners. 11 Step seven Folding both the Lining and Outer on top of one another, follow steps one to four with the top cut corners. Step eight Using the gap in the Lining side seam, pull the Outer and Lining RS out. Step nine Edge stitch along the turning gap in the Lining to close. 12 Step ten Insert the Lining into the Outer. Press well and enjoy! TIP: Addaahdateancsodsryealtzitivpoetpfihuenllizsaihpn!dfor Mathew Boudreaux (he/him) – aka Mister Domestic – is a designer maker with his own sewing school, Sew U. Follow @misterdomestic for all kinds of crafty goodness! WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYSEWING 53
MY SEWING WORLD By Martha Moore Porter Martha is a Scotland-based textile S a @ Mar ’ ibran designer who loves hiking in the make rie iam . Highlands, flea markets and bubble tea I revelled in having unique Although I don’t remember learning to sew, I do clothes, and the power to make have vivid memories of childhood projects and shopping trips: selecting remnants from the something special out of scraps. local fabric shop; dipping my hand into a tub of sequins and stitching them onto felt ornaments; the sensation of ‘grown up’ scissors easily cutting through salmon-coloured faux fur. These recollections guide my material choices to this day. I’ve always been drawn to bright colours, rich textures and embellishment, and through sewing I can incorporate these into my everyday life. My earliest sewing projects were stuffed animals and patchwork throw pillows to decorate my bedroom, but before long I wanted to create clothing for myself and use a sewing machine. When I was 12, an aunt sent me a sturdy White brand machine for my birthday, and that was it, I was obsessed. With the help of my teenage babysitter, I learned to read commercial patterns and discovered the joys of altering and enhancing existing garments. One of my favourite projects was splitting the side seams of jeans from the knee down and inserting a triangle of brightly printed fabric to create bell- bottoms. I revelled in having unique clothes, and having the power to make something special out of scraps. CHOOSING A CREATIVE PATH Close C ’ Caroly PJ As sewing has always been important to me, I thought l in g rin. I’d go to school for fashion design. But once I got to the Rhode Island School of Design, I decided to pursue a major in textiles instead. This still allowed me to work in the fashion industry but also gave me the opportunity to explore my love of drawing and painting. I’ve spent the last 15 years working as a textile designer for fashion brands, and this has exposed me to the ins and outs of how garments are designed, patterns drafted and samples fitted. A big part of my work is pairing fabrics with prints and printed fabrics with garment silhouettes. When working with clients, there are so many factors to consider, but when I sew for myself, there are no limits! This is 54 WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYSEWING
I love unusual trims and special bits and bobs you won’t find on ready-to-wear clothes. Mhearreci de ermsinebrice. probably why I love unusual trims and vintage notions – special bits and bobs you won’t find on ready-to-wear clothes. Read about Martha’s M8046 alterations on her REDISCOVERIES AND RESOLUTIONS My sewing output has waxed and waned over the years, Buried Diamond blog. and not having a designated sewing space kept me from sewing frequently. In 2017, I moved in with my now fiancé. He built me a desk for my sewing machine and encouraged me to keep my supplies out, as opposed to stashing them away. Having everything ready to be used at any moment reignited my love of sewing. I once again felt the thrill I’d had at age 12, when I got to sew at the dining room table after school, pedal to the metal, pins and threads everywhere. In 2018, I harnessed that (occasionally chaotic) energy. My New Year’s resolution was to sew one garment per month, which I exceeded. For 2019, I resolved to do a ready-to-wear ‘fast’, meaning I vowed to purchase no clothing and instead sew anything I needed. This was challenging and changed my relationship to sewing, clothing and consumption in general. When the year was complete, I kept sewing! These days, I purchase clothes occasionally, but prefer to sew my own. I love having a mostly handmade wardrobe! I haven’t set a goal this year, but I am focusing on sewing well-fitting basics. I’m not always excited about these, but they are the foundation of any wardrobe, so as long as I know I can pair them with more playful pieces, they are welcome on my cutting table. Keeping me inspired... I alway ge nspire e l wa hin . S e l amazin , an I especia l l ein ha e l ea i di feren ci e. I e f o NYC Glasgo 2021 an I’ b e er awar s l di ference. Ever lac ha niqu ib an, af e l kd n especia l , pe l eiz an nit t dres . I ! Deadst LibeertaTrn u an ilk Law . WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYSEWING 55
Custom Design Self-draft a chic wrap skirt that will see you through all seasons with Portia Lawrie’s step-by-step guide
Dr F Y r o!
S f-draft 02 03 01 07 08 09 YOU WILL NEED DRAFTING THE PATTERN edge and the front opening. Then turn under a in hem to the wrong side (WS) and sew in Q Medium-weight knit fabric: Step one Cut three identical rectangles where one pass, pivoting at the corners. approximately 2m the width is half of H + a little for seam allowance, and the length is the same as L + ADDING THE WAISTBAND Q Press stud (optional) a little for hemming allowance. If you’d like Q Matching thread a looser fitting skirt you can add 1–2in to the Step one Cut a strip from across the width of Q Basic sewing kit width of your rectangles. your fabric for the Waistband and Tie (ours is 3in MEASUREMENTS NEEDED Step two Mark a point at the sides of the wide + seam allowance to create a 1.5in Q Waist = W rectangles equivalent to HL. Then mark points waistband once it’s folded. It will need to be Q Hip = H along the top edge that mark out half of W + longer than the waist edge by approximately Q Vertical distance between waist 1.5in. Cut a curved line through all three layers 12in to incorporate a Tie extension on one side from HL to W. 01 and seam allowance. line and hip = HL (hip line) Step three Ensuring the top two layers are right Step two On the top edge of one of the skirt Q Desired Length = L sides (RS) together, remove strips from one side Fronts, measure the distance from the side FABRICS USED that are approximately 3in wide at the hip. seam to front edge. Place a seam/join into the Q We used a ponte from Craft and These two pieces will form your wrap for the waistband strip at a point equal to this Left and Right Fronts of the skirt. The remaining measurement (see step image)|. 05 Thrift, craftandthrift.co.uk. fabric piece will form the Back of the skirt. 02 Step three RS together, pin the edge of your Waistband to your skirt, lining up raw edges and 58 WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYSEWING ASSEMBLING THE SKIRT positioning the seam in the Waistband on the Left Front of the skirt roughly 1.5in away from Step one With RS together, sew the Left and the side seam. The short end of the Waistband Right Front wrap sections of the skirt to the will extend past the front edge by Back piece at the curved side seams. 03 approximately the same amount. 06 Step two True the waistline if needed, then sew Step four On the Right Front of the skirt, the front and back darts approximately 4in either Waistband will extend past the front edge by side of the side seams. You can pin fit the skirt about 12in. 07 to establish the exact location and size of the Step five Sew the Waistband with your chosen darts you need. As a guide, our darts were all seam allowance, then grade the seam allowance 1in wide with the back darts being 5in long and and press away from the garment. the front darts (always shorter) at 3.5in long. 04 Step six At the Left Front, fold the Waistband Step three Finish the raw edges of the bottom
S f-draft 04 05 06 10 11 12 back on itself, RS together as pictured. Sew the MORE IDEAS TO TRY short end closed in line with (but being careful not to catch) the edge of the skirt opening. Create an A-line version by swinging out Step seven Cut away the excess. Grade seam the side seams when you are drafting the allowance and clip corners. 08 initial pattern. Step eight Turn through to the RS, poke out the Play with different lengths, this skirt corner of the Waistband, then turn under the would look great as a mini, midi or maxi waistband seam allowance, pinning so the length design. folded edge extends just past the stitching line Bind the edges in a contrasting colour sewn in step five. instead of hemming. Consider alternative fasteners like kilt ADDING THE TIES buckles, D-rings or buttons. Omit the tie element and use buttons to Step one Repeat the Waistband process for the fasten the skirt. Tie extension on the opposite side (the Right Make a ‘faux wrap’ version out of a Front), turning both seam allowances to the stretchy jersey and gather into a simple inside and pinning as pictured. Hand tack the folded jersey waistband. seam allowances together through all layers Add in-seam pockets for a handy place to and remove pins. 09 store your essentials. Step two Edgestitch the Waistband and the Tie Make your skirt in a medium-weight from the RS (catching the WS seam allowance as denim or corduroy for cooler months. you sew) through all fabric layers and along all edges (the top, bottom and short edges). Sew in Portia Lawrie (she/her) is an one continuous pass, pivoting when you reach Essex-based creative maker. the corners. 10 Her easy-to-follow projects Step three Unpick the stitching of the vertical and refashions are a favourite seam in the waistband at the left front. 11 here at Simply Sewing. Follow Step four Create and insert a second tie in the her at @portialawrie. same style as your Waistband into this opening then stitch down to secure. 12 Step five Add a press stud or tie to the corner of the waistband that wraps to the inside. WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYSEWING 59
anita camisole Simplicity meets style with the Anita Camisole from Tammy Handmade. Sew an effortlessly chic top with this pattern
TH anita camiso This simple cami from Tammy Handmade Cheetah pecan brown (tammyhandmade.com) looks anything but viscose twill, basic when sewn up in a vibrant print! The floaty bodice and thin straps make this lamazifabrics.com comfortable and easy to slip on and wear too, even on the warmest days! Ecovero animal print viscose, selfmade.com Sew a couple of these in different fabrics to wear with skinny jeans, a maxi skirt, high-waisted Tiny Cheetah in Olive, shorts or even over a plain T-shirt – whatever you croftmill.co.uk pair it with the Anita Camisole will suit, giving you an effortlessly stylish summer outfit. Zebra Navy viscose crepe, lamazifabrics.com This is an easy-sew project, but with the addition of French seams you’ll also have FABRIC INSPIRATION a chance to boost your sewing skills. If you need a little help, you can follow the sewalong on go for bold YouTube – search for ‘Anita Camisole Pattern Sew-along Tutorial’. This delicate design is perfectly suited for summer, so go for a bright and busy print Be sure to share your finished cami on Instagram with @tammy.handmade and tag for a statement, sun-ready cami! #TammyHandmadeAnita and #AnitaCamisole so other sewists can admire your make! Once you’ve Animal print blush, mastered the Anita pattern, try out Tammy’s lamazifabrics.com Emmy Camisole which has a gorgeous scalloped neckline. Tammy’s designs are all about hassle-free clothing that feels free, so if you love this cami you’ll love her other patterns. YOU WILL NEED Fabric: Q 1.5mx115cm or 1.5mx140cm Q Matching thread Q Basic sewing kit NOTES Q Seam allowance is 1cm throughout. RECOMMENDED FABRICS Q Light- to medium-weight woven, non-stretch fabric such as cotton, viscose, satin and chiffon. V si ga ere .o /f enc seam f guid se n and eam . - ea enc Wave and flower print, selfmade.com Zebra Mother of Pearl, Black with small lamazifabrics.com rose viscose, selfmade.com WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYSEWING 61
Tooty fruity Whip up this easy-sew tote bag from Maya Pereda for a practical way of displaying your favourite fabric
BAG 03 01 02 04 05 06 YOU WILL NEED CUTTING OUT the bottom edge, leaving the cut away squares Step one From the main fabric cut: unsewn at this stage. Q Main fabric: 40x40cm Outer: two 40x40cm Step six Repeat the above to assemble the Q Lining fabric: 40x40 cm Step two From the lining fabric cut: Lining pieces, without the Straps, leave Q Strap fabric: 76x8cm Lining: two 40x40cm a turning gap in the base of the Lining. Q Snap fastener Step three From the strap fabric cut: Step seven Pull the corners out so that the Q Matching thread Strap: two 76x8cm bottom and side seams are together, and pin Q Basic sewing kit Step four Cut a 6cm square away from each across each corner. 03 NOTES bottom edge of the Outer and Lining pieces. Step eight Sew across the pinned section to box Q Seam allowance is 1cm. the corners. Use the step image to guide you. Q Measure the strap before cutting MAKING THE STRAP Repeat with the Lining corners. 04 Step one Press the long edges of the Strap to in order to adjust the size. the wrong side (WS) by 1.5cm. Fold the entire ASSEMBLING THE BAG RECOMMENDED FABRICS strip in half WS together and press. Step one Place the Outer inside the Lining, with Q Main fabric: canvas or cotton Step two Topstitch along on both long edges of RS facing. Pin, then sew around the top of the Q Lining fabric: cotton or satin the Strap for a neat finish. bag, joining the Outer and Lining together. 05 FABRIC USED Step two Turn the bag RS out and press. Q Sun Candy from Under One Sky MAKING THE OUTER Topstitch around the top edge to reinforce. 06 Step one Lay out one of the Outer pieces and by Pip & Lo, clothkits.co.uk. fold in half to allow you to measure and fit the FINISHING THE BAG Straps. Measure approximately 7cm from the Step one Insert a snap fastener inside the 64 WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYSEWING centre of the fabric to the right and then to the Lining, reinforcing it with a thick piece of fabric. left and mark the placement of Straps. Step two Sew the gap in the Lining closed. Step two Repeat step one with the other Outer fabric piece. Pin the Straps in their marked Maya Pereda (she/her) is the positions on the Outers. 01 founder and designer at Step three Zigzag stitch the Straps in place close L’Atelier de Maya, a unique to the raw edge to hold. label selling gorgeous Step four Place the two Outers right sides (RS) handmade gifts. See more at together with the Straps in between. 02 latelierdemaya.co.uk. Step five Sew along the sides of the Outers and
Free TRIAL FOR YOU! DowNload Your IssUe of SIMPLY SEWING NOW! You can buy a digital edition of UK'S NUMBER 1 Simply Sewing, ready to read whenever you want. Single issues SEWING MAG! BegInner and subscriptions are available and every issue you purchase is bag-MakIng stored in your magazine library permanently. Once your magazine ISSUE NINETY FOUR FRESH DE FA RIC has downloaded, an internet connection is not required so you IN SIZES 10-30 can take your magazine with you, SHTIRhTe Lulu MarIe LawLor wherever you go. on RepReSenTaTion DRESS and IncLuSivIty tap here for your with 4 options to sew! free trial today!* g-making ISSUE N NETY FOUR FRESH IDE UK'S NUMBER 1 organic textiles SEWING MAG! BegInner MarIe LawLor 6 dreamy gifts to sew for on RepReSenTaTion bag-MakIng and IncLuSivIty d vibes arelaxinggetaway FA RIC oks to sew for your wardrobe IN SIZES 10-30 crown 10 tips for sewing shirts PJ bottoms and robe SHTIRhTe DLRuESluS with 4 options to sew! PLUS HOWTO: Bag-making Simple quilting Belt embroidery organic textiles 6 dreamy gifts to sew for good vibes arelaxinggetaway ever day 8 playful new looks to sew for your wardrobe PLUS: Felt flower crown 10 tips for sewing PJ bottoms and robe To buy your digital copy of Simply Sewing, visit www.simplysewingmag.com/digital On Android or PC/Mac? Find us on www.zinio.com/simplysewing iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. NOOK is a registered trademark of Barnes & Noble, Inc. NOOK Tablet is a trademark of Barnes & Noble, Inc *Free trial not available on Zinio
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