Simply Stitchy

Hi there, I wanted to make sure that the fabric choice for this 1960 pattern would work. I decided to do a toile. Also known as a muslin or a mock up.  Toile is a funny word. Way back when I was learning to sew, I used to think it was pronounced toil as in work. Because doing mock ups can add to the work load, turning sewing into a toil rather than a pleasure. But it’s actually pronounced Twal. It’s French and means linen. Toile fabric is a bit pricey so another option is Muslin. A cheaper cotton ideal for making test garments.  Muslin also gets used in cooking for steaming puddings or for straining ingredients. Only not at the same time obviously.  That could get messy. Traditionally, muslin or toile (twal) would have been the go to fabric for all sewing mock ups of cotton and linen garments. However, in today’s modern world of synthetic stretch materials, neither muslin nor toile behave the same way as man made fibers.  It’s more com...

Hi all   Little sewing projects like scrunchies are a great way to welcome in the Spring. Full of colour, they can really brighten up a dull pre-spring day! They are also brilliant for reducing the size of my cabbage patch.  That’s my fabric cabbage rather than the green stuff eaten with a Sunday roast. And it’s not really a patch. It’s more of a plastic bag full of various sized scraps from previous sewing projects. Now I like making scrunchies but, I’m not a fan of faffing about turning fabric tubes the right way out. Especially this time of year when everything is a bit hectic. So I came up with a slightly less patience draining method. Why not join me and stitch up a few of your own scrunchies with this easy tutorial. What you need: Fabric strip measuring 16 inches (41cm) long by 4 inches (10cm) wide Elastic strip measuring – ½ inch (1.2cm) wide by 7 inches (18cm) long Thread Plastic Clips or Pins Safety Pin Iron Ironing board ...

  Hi all, I recently found this vintage sewing pattern, McCalls 5495, on eBay.  Printed in 1960, this pattern is older than I am! It's in pretty good condition considering it's nearly 60 years old. Just look at the waistline on that skirt! Anyway, I got it because of the hem line on the shirt. I love that pointed look. So I'm going to have a go at sewing this up. The pattern has been cut, which is a shame. But - it hasn't been altered, so the pieces are intact and all are present. Which is rare. Most older cut patterns I've picked up, even from the 2000s have something missing. Pattern instructions usually. Or the pieces for the garments the original owner constructed. Talking about pieces. Just look at the detail on these. The markings tell you which direction to sew the seams. There are even instructions telling you how to sew the darts. This is amazing. New patterns don't have this kind of detail on the pieces. The pattern instruction she...