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Part 1: Tools of the Trade | Part 2: Pattern Hacking | Part 3: Interfacing | Part 4: Fastenings Unless your garment is super stretchy you are going to need some kind of fastening to be able to get into it and keep it closed. Keep it Zipped! The most obvious thing to use is a zip. […]
Next up in the series, the shift dress. The shift dress has a long history. Depending on who you ask, the history will either start in the 1920s as a flipper dress or in the 1960s as Audrey Hepburn’s signature Breakfast at Tiffany’s dress designed by none other than Hubert de Givenchy. I love shift […]
My dear friends Anna and Andy got married this summer, and I knew they were planning a vintage theme for the day, so I had the perfect excuse for making myself a new dress! I bought Butterick pattern B6094 by Gertie some time ago, drawn to the gorgoeus back detail, but had not found the […]
Next on the list, the Maxi dress. When I think 70’s fashion I instantly think of two things: jumpsuits and maxi dresses. As the swinging 60’s drew to a close and a new subculture began it’s rise, the hems of dresses went from mini to maxi! However, it potentially wasn’t the right time for the […]
It’s officially under 4 weeks to the big day, Black Friday madness has been and gone, the weather is getting colder and the Coca Cola advert has been spotted. Yes that’s right it’s the end of November. Where has this month gone? If you want to take shelter from the hustle and bustle on the high street […]
Hi everyone, I’m Andrea and in the run up to the festive season I’m going to show you some quick win dresses that you can make to wear to any social event you have planned in the coming weeks. The dresses will get progressively harder, either the fabric or pattern or both. But I hope […]
British fashion has been an unlimited source of style and inspiration for more than 300 years. Many strides within menswear today is influenced by the British men who have pushed fashion forward for generations; from the upper-class gentlemen to the aspiring youth, the British have shaped the sartorial world. British business wear experts have navigated the […]
A couple of years ago, I made an unlined dress to wear to a summer wedding – just as a guest, so think cocktail length and fairly formal. I had fallen in love with a dress on Pinterest and was determined to make something similar, which meant scouring every pattern binder and fabric roll in […]
William Gee set up this haberdashery shop in 1906. At that time, there were hundreds of clothing factories in the area, and someone had to supply them with the goods they needed- such as sewing threads and fastenings. This was at a time when the UK was a thriving textiles workshop. People forget that companies […]
I haven’t used bias binding on my cushion projects for a while, so I thought it was time to give it a go when I started working on a set of autumn cushions. You can use it as the stand-out feature of your craft project or as a subtle finishing touch. That little strip of […]
As we know, a zip is not just a zip… SLIDER The slider joins or separates the elements when the zipper is opened or closed. Various types of sliders are available depending on use. ELEMENTS The teeth, also known as elements, are the parts on each side of a zipper that mesh, or engage, with […]
After finishing a run of batik projects, I had packed away my salt and Dylon sachets in favour of other makes. But then fresh inspiration popped up on my Pinterest feed in the form of galaxy prints, cute vintage textile revamps and vibrant ombres. I’m back on the Dylon trail and I can’t wait to […]
Certain projects call for a nice, big square of cotton or polyester wadding. Others, like cuddly dolls or comfy cushions, will see you adding polyester toy filling to your shopping basket without a second thought. If you’re charting your own course with a home-designed make, though, you might find the decision isn’t so clear cut. […]
When my cousin Emma called to say she was getting married, asking my two lovely daughters to be her flower girls, I was absolutely thrilled! The wedding was to be held in the beautiful Doxford Hall, Northumberland, and being a special wedding, it called for a special outfit. I usually struggle to find something I’m […]
Rouleau Loops are the perfect way to add an elegant finishing touch to special occasion and everyday dressmaking projects, something a bit more special than standard machined buttonholes! I love these versatile little loops and use them all the time as a closure for fabric covered buttons and also when creating dramatic corset backed ballgowns. […]
To celebrate the series finale of the Great British Sewing Bee, we are having a FLASH SALE! From the moment the Sewing Bee winner is announced, we’ll be reducing our online prices by a further 10%! But hurry, our flash sale is only on for 48 hours! Get ready to save on sewing tools, fashion design […]
Sewing bloggers are a great source of inspiration and if you’re a newbie seamstress, you can pick up some fab ideas from them. Here’s my pick of the best sewing bloggers that you should follow – if you don’t already. If you have any other suggestions, add them in the comments below! Why not read about our […]
On reading an earlier post Best Independent Sewing Pattern Companies, I was drawn to the indie company By Hand London – particularly the Kim dress – which had a vintage look with its fitted bodice and gathered skirt. So I decided to make myself a summer dress using this pattern- see below for how I get on! When […]
It’s competition time! To celebrate the start of the 2016 Sewing Bee tonight, we’re giving you the chance to win a William Gee Goodie Bag full of crafty treats and sewing goodies! The Great British Sewing Bee is back on our screens Monday 16th May at 9pm on BBC2 – and we can’t wait to see what’s in store this year! […]
This week we celebrate our 110th birthday, and to mark the occasion, we’re offering 10% OFF to the first 110 customers who shop with us, using code 110YEARS. Start saving in our online shop here. In 1906, William Goldstein (right)- an East European immigrant- changed his name to William Gee and opened a small trimmings shop at 495 Kingsland Road […]
When I used to look at buying a new sewing machine, the number of stitches per minute was always important to me – well, the quicker the machine stitched, the faster I could make stuff. Or so I thought. I have upgraded my sewing machine twice in the last 3 years and have only just […]
HAVE A think, how many scarves do you own? How often do you wear a scarf? And how much would you pay for a designer scarf that makes you feel different, special and becomes a treasured possession? The scarf as a fashion accessory is bigger than ever (the skinny scarf is set to be big for […]
I hate ironing. No, I really hate ironing. The iron spends more time in the cupboard than in use but my OLD iron, the one my husband used for years during his art degree, sits permanently on the side ready for use. Not for ironing use, for pressing use. They’re the same aren’t they? Thankfully not! Everyone […]
For anyone who has thought about starting to sew, making your own clothes and accessories can seem overwhelming. There’s plenty of help out there – craft bloggers, social media, and even Youtube videos – but if you just don’t know where to start, or you want to learn from a sewing teacher, why not look for a […]
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