Author: stonefabrics

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Red Reversible Jersey Dress

reversible jersey dress with scoop neck and cap sleeves

Bess made this reversible jersey dress as a dummy run for her final collection. The plain side in a linen viscose jersey, and the spotty side is viscose elastane. The pattern was designed on the stand.

Fabrics and Notions:
Linen Viscose jersey
Viscose elastane polka dot print jersey
Lightweight knitted iron-on interfacing
Stay tape

 

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Green Spotty Dress and Raincoat

spotty cotton dress and raincoat

Clair wearing Off-white raincoat with Kaffe Fassett Green spotty panelled dress.
Fabrics and Notions (raincoat):
Proofed cotton
Kaffe Fassett spotty printed cotton (lining)
Double cover buttons
Piping cord with self-made bias binding
Viscose iron-on interfacing.
Pattern: McCall’s 5525

Fabrics and Notions (dress)
Green Kaffe Fassett spotty printed cotton
Green Venezia lining
Invisible zip
Piping cord and bias binding
Knitted medium weight iron- on interfacing

Clair, being the queen of matchy-matchy fashion excelled herself here with this summer-weight all-weather ensemble. Proofed fabrics will need a sharp, fine needle, such as ‘super-stitch’ or those intended for use on microfibre

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Issey Miyake Coat

aubergine wool coating issey miyake coat

Poppy returning to the shop in her wonderful Issey Miyake designed alpaca wool tweed coat.

Fabrics and Notions:
Alpaca wool tweed
Pattern: Vogue (Issey Miyake)

This pattern has been going for years, it is cut in classic Issey fashion in that you don’t know what on earth is going on until it is all put together. It’s like witchcraft. Remember when choosing a coat like this that takes so much fabric (about four and a half metres, with hardly any wastage) to pick something light- unless you want to build up muscles!

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Orange Boiled wool Unlined Jacket

orange boiled wool unlined jacket

Carole from our Cloth Club wearing her orange boiled wool unlined and unstructured jacket

Fabrics and Notions:
Burnt orange 100% boiled wool
Pattern: Butterick 4707 (modified)

Boiled wools vary in thickness and quality and thus vary in care instructions too – despite what the name suggests, a boiled wool with a high wool content is unlikely to be washable (they shrink to Tiny Tears Dolly size in one wash).

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Abstract Print Jersey Dress

abstract print viscose and elastane sun dress

Kit relaxing in her poly spandex slinky jersey dress

Fabric and Notions:
Printed Polyester Spandex printed single jersey
Stay tape
Pattern: Vogue 8358

This was the first time Kit had sewn jersey, and the first outing for the Vogue pattern, she was pleasantly surprised at how simple it was. (I keep telling people this but they never believe me)

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Purple Embroidered Linen Shift Dress

embroidered linen shift dress

Dee wears this elegant purple embroidered linen mix shift dress
Fabrics and Notions:
String embroidered linen mix
Purple Venezia lining
Medium weight knitted iron-on interfacing
Invisible zip

It is a good idea to make a toile (a roughly made up dress in inexpensive fabric) when making a shift dress with this flattering wide neck style so that it doesn’t gape. A toile is ALWAYS a good idea when making up a pattern you haven’t tried before, but it is especially important for this neckline which has a tendency to gape. Dee made this up beautifully.

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Green Linen Skirt Embellished with Shell Buttons

shell embroidered linin skirt with spotty frill

Clair wearing her green linen skirt embellished with lots of shell buttons and a spotty frill

Fabrics and Notions:
Green heavy linen
Kaffe Fassett Green Spot print cotton
Approx 45 shell buttons
Fine piping cord and self made bias binding

Embellishing a plain cloth with buttons or beads can be a really effective way of dressing up a fabric, which would otherwise cost (if bought ready embellished) a small fortune. Pay attention to aesthetics and practicality when choosing the placement, you may wish to concentrate the beads in one area, thinning out elsewhere, or only embellish the front.

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Red Robot Print A-Line Dress

red robot print cotton dress

Cheryl stood outside our shop wearing a red robot printed cotton dress

Fabrics and Notions:
Red robot print cotton
Invisible zip
Medium weight iron-on interfacing

This style dress is easy to make and will often not even need a zip, a great choice for beginners, or those who want to knock something up quickly. For best results choose an interesting print and let the fabric do the talking, or trim a plain fabric with ribbons, bindings or braids around the hem and neckline. This style also works really well in jersey.

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Pink and Yellow Cupcake Outfit

tina givens cupcake dress in pink and yellow spotty bubble cotton

KitCat with her Tina Givens cupcake ensemble in pink and yellow bubble cotton

Fabrics and Notions:
Pink and yellow spotty bubble cotton
Lightweight knitted iron-on interfacing
Button
Elastic
Pattern: Tina Givens Cupcakes

Bubble cotton, like the rest of the seersucker cotton family, is a great choice of fabric for children as there is minimal ironing required whilst still retaining the natural fibre content.

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Strawberry Marimekko Raincoat

plasticised cotton strawberry print marimekko raincoat

Bess testing the waterproofness of her strawberry print Marimekko proofed cotton, lined in Kaffe Fassett spotty print cotton and fastened with oversize green plastic buttons

Fabrics and Notions:
Proofed Cotton from Marimekko
Kaffe Fassett spotty cotton lining
50mm green textured plastic buttons
Viscose iron-on interfacing

By lining a proofed fabric with cotton you regulate the often ‘sticky’ feeling you get from a laminate. Depending on how skinny you want the sleeves, and whether you are likely to wear a jumper underneath, it’s sometimes a good idea to line them in a more slippery lining, whilst keeping the main body in a funky cotton.

Bess standing in strawberry print Marimekko raincoat
Bess standing in strawberry print Marimekko raincoat
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Kaffe Fassett Printed Cotton Dress and Skirt

Brandon Mabley printed cotton dress and ruffle hem skirt

Jane and Clair in matching ‘corporate colours’ dress and skirt using Kaffe Fassett printed Cotton

Fabrics and Notions: (Jane)
Kaffe Fassett printed cotton
Piping and self made bias binding
Cotton lawn (lining)
Invisible zip
Pattern: Simplicity 3881

Fabrics and Notions: (Clair)
Kaffe Fassett printed cotton
Venezia lining
Invisible zip
Lightweight knitted iron-on interfacing
Pattern: Vintage Vogue

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Black and White Cardigan Jacket

Black and White Chanel type tweed suit from Mahlia Kent

Clair wears black and white traditionally made cardigan jacket with matching straight skirt
Fabrics and Notions:
Mahlia black and white mixed fibres tweed
Purple silk habotai lining
Silk thread (for quilting)
Beaded fur trim
Decorative chain (for hem)
Silk organza (stabilising)
Salvaged Chanel ribbon

The trick to making a cardigan jacket look authentic (amongst other tricks) is to cut the sleeves skinny, and tight, up into the arm hole. It may feel like you are going to restrict movement doing this, but in fact the opposite is true. Try it, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Close up of cardigan jacket detailing trims and quilting
Close up of cardigan jacket detailing trims and quilting
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Navy Blue Wedding Dress

navy embroidered silk dupion wedding dress

Gemma wears Navy silk dupion wedding dress with embroidered and beaded silk dupion waist panel. (made by Lulu)
Four-month-pregnant-Lulu wears printed viscose jersey wrap dress (Made by Jane)

Fabrics and Notions (Gemma):
Navy silk dupion
Embroidered and beaded navy silk dupion
Medium weight knitted iron-on interfacing
Silk habotai lining
Invisible zip
Fine piping cord and self made bias binding

Fabrics and Notions (Lulu):
Viscose Elastane printed single jersey
Stay tape

By adding a matching plain dupion silk to a much more expensive embellished silk can achieve fantastic results and keep the costs low.
Stretch jersey is the perfect maternity wear and can be worn for a large duration of the pregnancy, as well as after the birth.

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Cotton Round-Neck Dress

Tina Givens printed cotton flared dress

Kit in her Tina Givens designed birdy print cotton dress with belt

Fabrics and Notions:
Tina Givens printed cotton
Invisible zip
Silk habotai (lining)
Pattern: Very Easy Vogue 8469

Putting a lining under a cotton dress such as this immediately makes the dress feel more special, it adds weight which aids the drape, and helps cut down on creasing (even if the lining creases). It also (often) stabilises enough to negate facings.