Hello hello! Today I’m sharing my newest sewing project with you – an elevated pair of Calantha pants in the most beautiful Chocolate brown midweight linen! As a lover of trousers and “hard pants” with non-elasticated waists, I’ve been trying to make peace with the idea of elastic waist pants for a looong time. As…
Pattern Review: Calantha Pants in Chocolate Linen + Tips for Elevating Simple Pants Patterns!
Elastic is a really common notion used in sewing. You’ll find it on everything from waistbands to cuffs and necklines. It plays a crucial role in giving garments both support and shape. Have you ever had the waistband of your pants twist and never sit quite right? Or maybe you’ve noticed the leg opening of…
A romantic sensibility runs through the patterned textiles of British designer Molly Mahon, whose vibrant, whimsical patterns are produced using traditional block print techniques. Her fabrics feature motifs inspired by the natural world, which she reimagines using bold, contemporary colours, and busy, intricate motifs that enliven the spaces they inhabit. She also places a strong…
Could you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into sewing? My name is Gabriela, and I live in Chicago. I’m a mother of two and married with the love of my life. I am originally from Romania, although I grew up in Spain, Barcelona for over 12 years. I started a…
Tell us a little about yourself and what Indigo Indigo means to you. I’m a 35 year old fabric shop owner and designer living on the west coast of Norway, in a tiny town with mountains and fjords surrounding us. I’m a toddler mum, dog mum and wife of a fellow creative type designer. When…
There are so many different presser feet available for sewing machines, each designed with a specific purpose, whether that be creating particular stitches or working with certain fabrics. Even after almost 20 years of sewing, I still haven’t used them all. In this article, my goal is to give you a helpful introduction to what…
French Fauvist painter André Derain was a true pioneer in early 20th century painting, paving the way for abstraction with his dazzling, experimental use of colour. Vibrant, electrifying shades of crimson like Cherry appeared in many of his most celebrated, early career paintings, transforming the French landscape into fiery fields of electrifying light. He said,…
Just like you’d use a bread knife for bread or a pizza cutter for pizza, sewing scissors are designed for different materials and tasks. From dressmaking shears and embroidery scissors to snips, pinking shears, and thread clippers, each one has its place in your sewing toolkit. There are plenty of brands to choose from too—Prym,…
Recently, I drafted a pattern and made a toile of a pair of drop-crotch pants. When I tried them on, I straight away noticed (and felt) they weren’t quite right. The most obvious issue was that the back crotch felt tight and pulled uncomfortably, especially when bending over. Walking also felt a little restricted, with…
If you’ve been following me for even a short amount of time you’ll know that I’m a shirt making fanatic! I’ve made so, so many button ups over the years, and I’m always on the hunt for classic shirts with unique twists and details. View C of the Malena pattern fits the bill so perfectly…
There is a striking, instantly appealing quality to London based designer Kangan Arora’s hand-printed textiles, which explore the eye-popping attraction of electrifyingly vivid colours. Her joyful and exuberant pattern designs blend the many cultural influences that have shaped her life, from her childhood in India to her life as a city dweller in London today,…
I tend to sew whatever I want, regardless of the season. Granted, extreme seasons will force me to sew warmer garments more than sheer or cropped. However this year, I have focused more on using seasonal mood boards to guide projects and styling. If you have not tried this exercise, I encourage you to do…
Now that we’ve covered the basics of threading a sewing machine in Part 1, let’s move on to some additional functions. In Part 2, I’ll show you how to change both the needle and the presser foot. I’ll also introduce the twin needle, and share some helpful troubleshooting tips for common issues that can happen when…
This project was an absolute blast! As a costume designer, I usually work with a lot of colorful materials. But this one was different. I wanted to showcase the beauty of a plain white fabric, which was a bit of a challenge. I rarely get to make a Halloween costume for myself, even though I…
One of Britain’s most exciting and adventurous textile and wallpaper designers working today, Ellen Merchant places traditional print processes and high-quality materials at the heart of her creative practice. Inspired by the Arts and Crafts emphasis on hand-made design over mass-produced goods, her work embraces traditional, hand-block printing techniques and features intricate, ornate, botanical designs…
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