As we enter week three of isolation, I have found sewing and making things to be a great comfort. Creating something with the things I have at home has not only been a great way to pass the time, it has also given me a sense of achievement when I’ve produced something useful or wearable at the end of it. I’ll be sharing some hints, tips and resources over the next few weeks to inspire your own sewing. Feel free to send any questions my way regarding your own projects. I’d love to see what you’re working on!

Free Patterns

This week, I’ve been looking at free underwear patterns. As someone who sews regularly, I’ve often got lots of scraps which I’d like to put to good use. Sewing underwear is a great way to use up small amounts of fabric. It’s also one project which you can afford to splurge on your fabric choice as you need so little of it!

First up is the Stevie Knickers from Paper Theory, which are a classic jersey knicker. These would be a really quick project and you would need hardly any fabric to make them. It would also be really easy to adapt the pattern to suit you, for example you could raise the waist really easily if you preferred something with a higher waist. These are on my cutting table this week!

Download the pattern here:

https://papertheorypatterns.com/collections/pdf-patterns/products/stevie-knickers

Check out the other Paper Theory patterns as they have some really modern styles. The Zadie jumpsuit is on my list!

Next up is the Hyacinth Bralet from Ohhh Lulu. It’s a simple jersey bralet with plenty of scope to make it your own. It could be made from something like a bamboo or organic cotton knit for an everyday look or you could make it in lace if you wanted something fancier. With only two pattern pieces, the Hyacinth would be a really quick and satisfying make. It’s another one which is on my make list. I’d like a jersey one to wear as loungewear.

Download the pattern for free here:

https://www.ohhhlululingerie.com/tag/free-pattern/

The last free underwear pattern is the Barrett Bralette from Madalynne intimates. Madalynne produces some amazing lingerie patterns and has a YouTube channel with hints and tips to help you along the way. She has quite a few free patterns on her website so is definitely worth checking out. I love the shape of the Barrett as it has a bit more shape and structure than many jersey bralets I’ve seen.

You can download the pattern here:

https://madalynne.com/product/barrett-bralette-sewing-pattern/

If you’re interested in learning to sew your own lingerie, then check out Emerald Erin Sews.

https://www.instagram.com/emeralderinsews/

Erin has a ‘bra a week challenge’ where she sews some form of lingerie every single week and documents the whole process on her instagram page. She also sells underwear patterns and complete kits too!

Seam Finishing

Since starting to run my sewing workshops, the most common question I get asked is how to finish your seams if you don’t have an overlocker. There are loads of ways to make the inside of your handmade garments look just as good as the outside. An overlocker is a great piece of kit but it is by no means essential.

One of the most straight forward way to finish your raw edges is to use pinking shears to give you a zig zag edge which is far less likely to fray. You often see vintage garments with pinked seam allowances and they have been hardy enough to stand t… — One of the most straight forward way to finish your raw edges is to use pinking shears to give you a zig zag edge which is far less likely to fray. You often see vintage garments with pinked seam allowances and they have been hardy enough to stand the test of time. You can pick up pinking sheers for around £20.

A zig zag stitch around the edges is another great way to finish the edges. It’s not quite as robust as an overlocked edge but it will do the trick. There are sometimes various zig zag stitches on your sewing machine so have a play around and see wh… — A zig zag stitch around the edges is another great way to finish the edges. It’s not quite as robust as an overlocked edge but it will do the trick. There are sometimes various zig zag stitches on your sewing machine so have a play around and see what works for you.

Another way to finish the seam is to do what is known as a clean finish. It’s where you fold under half of your seam allowance and sew it down before joining your seams.

You then sew your seam as normal with a smaller seam allowance. The result is really neat although it can be quite time consuming and it does add bulk to the seam.

One of my favourite ways to finish my seams, particularly on coats and jackets is with bias binding. This is called a Hong Kong finish and it encloses all the raw edges prior to sewing your garment together. I use a bias binding foot to do this as i… — One of my favourite ways to finish my seams, particularly on coats and jackets is with bias binding. This is called a Hong Kong finish and it encloses all the raw edges prior to sewing your garment together. I use a bias binding foot to do this as it makes the process really quick and easy but you can do it without.

You can buy bias binding by the metre or you can make your own using scrap fabric. It’s a great way to make the inside of your garments look really professional. You can also add a pop of colour if you choose a contrasting coloured binding.

French Seams are a fantastic way to make any garment feel really luxurious. They create a really hard wearing finish too and are perfect for delicate fabrics. Firstly, sew your seam with wrong sides of the fabric together and the right sides facing … — French Seams are a fantastic way to make any garment feel really luxurious. They create a really hard wearing finish too and are perfect for delicate fabrics. Firstly, sew your seam with wrong sides of the fabric together and the right sides facing out. Sew your seam with a small seam allowance and then trim away any rough edges or excess and press.

Turn the piece to the wrong side and sew the seam again, this time with a slightly larger seam allowance. This will enclose all the raw edges inside the seam and create a really neat finish on the inside.

Flat Fell Seams are another of my favourites. They start in similar way to a French Seam where you sew the seam with the right sides of your fabric facing out. This time though you sew it with the full size seam allowance, usually 15mm. You then tri… — Flat Fell Seams are another of my favourites. They start in similar way to a French Seam where you sew the seam with the right sides of your fabric facing out. This time though you sew it with the full size seam allowance, usually 15mm. You then trim just one side down to around 5-6 mm.

You then fold one seam allowance over the other, tucking the raw edges under to create a neat edge. Topstitch close to the folded edge.

This finish is incredibly tough and is often used on jeans or workwear. It adds an industrial touch to a garment and is ideal for fabrics like denim or canvas.

Resources

Rosery Apparel has been a recent discovery for me. Rosery is an Australian brand where each garment is handmade using deadstock or vintage fabric. Rosery’s owner, Janelle, also has a YouTube channel and blog wear she provides sewing and styling videos. She has just launched her very first sewing pattern too so is definitely one to watch!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbPC0wmKa51g4JdIRC9Td2Q

Work In Progress

My longest running project is a quilt which I started about 7 years ago! It’s been a project I have dipped in and out of, using scraps and offcuts from costumes I made during my theatre days, pieces of old items of clothing and remnants that I’ve found and loved. It’s made using a traditional method called English Paper Piecing where every single stitch is done by hand. Each hexagon is first sewn on to paper to create a crisp edge and then it’s sewn in to a flower shape. Once all the hexagons are sewn together then the paper can be removed and the whole piece can be quilted by hand. I’ve got no idea when that day will come but it’s been a lovely thing to add to over the years. I’ve made a fair dent in it recently- it’s the kind of project that seems to lend itself quite well to our current situation. Plus it can be done in front of the telly!

The project is taken from ‘The Liberty Book of Home Sewing’. It’s intended as a cot quilt but I’m scaling mine up to fit a double bed.

I hope sewing is providing a bit of a welcome distraction for a few of you out there! Stay safe and look after one another!

Rebecca