ABOUT ME

I am Angela and I love to sew. I started sewing as a child and by the time I was a teenager I was wearing the very latest fashions to go out in. All me-made. I am passionate about reducing the amount of textiles sent to landfill, and encourage you to repurpose fabrics and clothes I started this blog in order to have a way in which to pass on my gained knowledge, and my professional knowledge to you, Sewing is empowering, you can save money by making items, make money by selling then, You can pass your knowledge on to others. What is there not to love? Interestingly I am a direct descendant of the Flemish weavers who came over to England in the 1300's. I find that fascinating especially as most of my family from as far back as I can trace are somehow involved in the manufacturing of fabric . . I have a degree in tailoring with a special interest in WW2 fashion.
Showing posts with label pyjamas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pyjamas. Show all posts

Wednesday 8 March 2023

Simplicity 9270 loungewear set in a reversible squares and stripe fabric from Pound Fabrics

 Loungewear Set by Simplicity patterns,  fabric from Pound Fabrics 


I love nice loungewear and this is just perfect for evenings relaxing with a book or watching TV





The fabric is totally amazing and is very affordable 





This wonderful reversible fabric is from Pound Fabrics , it is 70% Cotton and available in three  colourways 

It is a double layered fabric , substantial but the high Cotton content makes it easy to wear.It is airy and soft next to the skin and needs minimal pressing .


I made size 12 and it took 3m of fabric 



It is reversible with small squares on one side and stripes on the other 
It is a stretch fabric and therfore you will need a brand new stretch needle in your sewing machine   
I  recommend using a stretch thread , this means that you  can use an ordinary straight stitch without risk of it snapping during wear 
The thread I use is 
mettler-seraflock-stretch-thread from Jaycotts.co.uk,  or there is 


 I also like to use my walking foot which feeds fabric through easily without stretching or distorting it. I find that once I have this foot on my machine it is a while before I remove it it makes sewing any fabric a total breeze 


In order to make best use of this wonderful fabric I wanted to incorporate both sides, the top is made using the squares as the right side with the collar and facing cut out with the stripes showing 

 

You will need stretch iron on interfacing to support the collar and front facings.  Please never  buy  cheap interfacing, it is horrid and will cheapen your garment.  These little touches make the difference between Home Made and Hand-Made . The latter is what we are aiming for 

I  chose I neutral coloured button and added an extra one as the pattern has just three. 


The trousers are stripe side out. 

Do you struggle with sorting the front from the back? I do, so I just stitch a bow or a flower or anything else I like onto the centre front . Easy! Of course you  could put a label inside at the back but I find them irritating 




The sewing pattern is suitable for  beginners upwards. There is a  choice between shorts and trousers and a long and short sleeve top. This versatile pattern will inspire you to make lots of garments. If you are a beginner I recommend starting with nightwear and loungewear as they tend to require very little fitting.  I believe that it is far more satisfying to make a simple garment well rather than to make a mess of a more complicated pattern. Learning to sew should  be a pleasurable experience so take your time.






Another tip. Sometimes jersey Fabrics can  be tricky when it comes to sewing buttonholes. I use small pieces of a machine embroidery stabiliser under each  buttonhole and it prevents the fabric  from misbehaving. Save scraps of tissue paper from  when you were cutting out for the same purpose 




Side vents in the top add to its comfort 






Lovely to wear when spending time in the sewing room too






Do you like this pattern and fabric combination?  Will you make it too?


I hope you have enjoyed this post

Angela

Sewangelicthreads 



#Sewangelicthreads 

#sewingblogger

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#loungewear

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#stretchfabric

Sunday 11 September 2022

Re-use, recycle. Will you take the challenge?

 Re-use, recycle.  Make Do and mend. What is this all about?  Why should it affect me?


I am alarmed after doing some research  just how much clothing, some of it unworn, goes to landfill. We purchase a lot of cheaper clothes which soon lose their appeal and out they go. Our wardrobes are crammed with things we hardly ever. Or never wear.

Not just clothes, I have been rescuing furniture too







Did you know that Dunelm take back textiles? I shall be doing this 

The website is Dunelm Take Back Scheme

Tuesday 28 June 2022

Easy to sew and fabulous to wear nightwear

 

Very easy to sew nightwear 



What is nicer than cool cotton pj's?  These are fabulous to make and even a total newbie can make them 

Do read on and discover how you can make some too 


Tuesday 20 October 2020

Pyjamas and lounge wear

All about our favourite clothes to relax in - pyjamas and lounge wear 



I love pyjamas don't you? They are so wonderful for relaxing in after a hard day working at the sewing machine. They are something which, at least in my case, are the garments I spend least on yet I love them so much.
I decided to address this immediately and kit myself out in PJs made only in premium cotton.



The pattern is straightforward and you can choose design features which appeal to you. The tops have optional pockets but I left them off. You have a choice of sleeve length and there are shorts as well as trousers.



These three  fabrics were actually from Seasalt but they are no longer in stock. You will want to choose your own colours anyway so may I suggest either a. Cotton lawn or a cotton Voile.
Cotton Lawn
Cotton Voile
Both of these come in a wide range of colours, designs and prices


Monday 19 October 2020

Cosying up in cuddle fleece

 Cold evenings just lend themselves to this snuggly cuddly fleece. Just picture yourself all toasty snuggled up with your book or favourite  TV programme 

Nothing could be easier to make, and with so much  fabric choice you can not go wrong .

How fabulous it will be to make these for children You could add an applique design to the front- a Christmas design maybe, or whatever you fancy. Just a simple heart or a star in sequin  fabric will be fabulous



Tuesday 1 September 2020

Vogue Nightwear in fabulous Art Gallery fabrics

A #MCBN post

Vogue Nightwear in fabulous Art Gallery fabrics






I saw a  pattern when I was browsing and although it is nothing like I have ever worn I wanted to make it.
One of my favourite fabric Brands is Art Gallery Fabrics and it took me no time at all to decide to use this combination of print and plain to make the garments

I was not disappointed!
This is an absolutely gorgeous outfit and I love it so much.  It is extremely comfortable to wear, it is fun and so different to what is available ready made.



There is also a camisole which I made with the leftovers.

To read this post and find out more about the fabric and pattern please click on this link
Vogue Nightwear in fabulous Art Gallery fabric


I do hope that you follow this link and read my post.
Thank you MinervaCrafts for the beautiful fabric

Angela





Saturday 23 May 2020

Sew a Beautiful Lingerie Bag

A pretty lingerie bag to give or keep 

I have made a lot of lingerie recently and I thought that it would be really nice to have a lingerie bag to keep them in. It is nice to put your night slip in during the day and they are useful to take on holiday too, they look really pretty sat on your bed.

They are not difficult to make and take very little fabric. They can be made any size you want and you could even make a small one for handkerchiefs. They make wonderful gifts too.


This is my lingerie case sat on my bed. I only ever buy or make Egyptian cotton bedding and always in white. I add lace trimmings to sheets and pillowcases and always add my initial. I therefore get the quality I enjoy at a good price  and can personalise it to suit my own taste.



Monday 6 April 2020

Sewing for total beginners - a Simple jacket, top and pants

This is a Jaycotts.co.uk blog post.


Kwik Sew 4250 Jacket, top and pants. A blog post for total beginners or those returning to sewing after a break.



This is the three piece loungewear outfit and isn't it fabulous!






I thought long and hard over this blog post.
The first thing I considered was how much detailed instructions to give, and how much opportunity should I allow for you to follow the actual pattern instructions. It is vital that we are able to read a pattern but I appreciate that they don't always make sense. I hope that I achieved a balance which is right for you.

The pattern I used is this one Kwik Sew pattern K4250
I love Kwik Sew patterns - view the range here Kwik Sew Patterns at Jaycotts
They are good for all levels, have a good design range and are printed on better quality tissue paper than most.



This is the range of fabrics which I used to make each garment featured in the pattern. These fabrics are a very good quality quilting weight cotton from - believe it or not - Jaycotts! They are only available in store at the moment. You cannot buy them online.
You will however easily find good quality pure cotton in most fabric shops. Do choose a medium weight or quilting weight cotton as it will make sewing your garments so much easier.
Mix and match colours however you like, sewing is all about making something which you enjoy wearing.
By the way these particular fabrics are quite narrow, Dress fabrics tend to be wider.

If I could make another suggestion as to fabric comfortable for lounge wear, I would choose a Cotton Lawn it is easy to work with and comes in at all sorts of prices .do take a look.

Fashion is very personal. I showed the pattern we will be using to some friends and asked them where they would wear it, some said lounge wear, some said beach, some said everyday wear, all depending on the fabric chosen.
I have worn my garments in different ways and matched them with other garments and I wanted to leave it to you to decide where and when you are going to wear your lovely new garments without influencing you.


 We are going to start by making the jacket. The pants and top will follow in another blog post. I didn't want to put you off by doing too much all in one go!
In the next post I will show you how I styled all of my garments and there will be photographs.
These are the fabrics I chose to use for  the jacket. We are always told never to mix prints but never be afraid to bend the rules , these two prints actually sit very well together.