Free apron pattern!

I was more than happy to help my dear friend Ingrid from Finesse Cakes with a couple of aprons for her to wear at her market stall recently.
They turned out so super cute that I thought I would post the pattern here so everyone else can look just as stylish when they're baking!

Please note; This pattern is not to be used for resale purposes and if you do make one, I'd LOVE you to post a pic on my Facebook page! (Only one of those statements is legally binding!)

For the main part of the apron:
Cut one piece of fabric on the fold of fabric
42 cms along folded edge
25 cms along the top edge
29 cms along bottom edge
I then cut a curved edge along the bottom of the fabric as I thought it looked cuter

For ruffles/waistband/ties:
Ruffles: Cut three strips of fabric 16cm wide the width of your fabric (115 or 150)
Waistband: Cut one strip of fabric 15cm wide by 49cm long
Ties: Cut two strips 15cm wide by 63cm long

Stitch your three ruffle pieces together at the short edges so you have a really long piece of fabric, fold this in half lengthways and gather the long raw edge (this hides your seam allowances).
I used a rolled hem foot for my aprons, if you have one or have the dedication to do a rolled hem by hand, just half the width of the ruffle.

With right sides facing, adjust the gathers of your ruffle along the sides and bottom of your apron (raw edges matching) and stitch. Edge finish this seam with an overlocker/zig zag stitch or your pinking shears.
Top stitch the seam allowance to the main apron part - this keeps your ruffles turned out as they do have a tendency to fold in.

Gather the top of the apron to fit the waistband - make sure the seams of the waistband and ties are aligned right to the edge of the ruffle edges.

Stitch the waistband to the apron.

This is WITHOUT the ties to show you where to align the edges

Fold your ties in half lengthways and stitch the short edge and the long raw edge until you reach the waistband/ruffle. Be sure to clip the corner of the short edge.

Turn your ties inside out and press. This will have left you with a loose raw edge on the bottom of the waistband - turn this under so it is even with both ties and press. 

Top stitch from the front of the apron to catch the seam allowance and enclose the raw edge.

Voila!! you can now go off and look super adorbs while you bake something delicious.. or you can purchase it elsewhere and pretend to everyone you are superwoman who's hair remains perfect after baking all day.

Pattern giveaway and an interview avec moi!

The winner of the pattern giveaway is RibenaBerry99!!! 

Ribenaberry99 - I will be in touch shortly and I hope to see photos of the finished product :)

AND check out The Makers Journal for a wee interview with me! I'm not terribly interesting but the clever ladies there have made me sound it - check out their gorgeous knicker patterns while you're there :)

Sew Gorgeous & The Makers Journal

Pattern giveaway!

Hello Blog Friends!

With a holiday on the horizon I've been trying to tidy loose ends and have had an amazing time of finishing all my half done projects that have been hanging around for far too long.
I've got three new skirts, two new dresses, two pairs of pants (one long, one short) and a whole lot of space in my sewing room. Some of the projects have been left to idle due to a lack of interest or an unpicking job that I just wasn't keen to tackle but I've bit the bullet and either thrown the project out where unsave-able and just not goddamn worth it (I'm looking at you Burda) or finished it and I feel so satisfied!
In celebration I thought I would do a pattern giveaway so here is the Mccall's 6069 1 hour dress (YES! you read that right!)
This pattern is brand new and uncut and is size 6-14.

To win, simply follow me via bloglovin' and comment below with what you need to finish in your project basket!

Winners will be drawn at random Monday 27th and announced on the blog.

Invisible zip tutorial

I double heart with cherries on top invisible zips, I think they are super easy and very very tidy. I would invisible zip the world if I could!
There are reasons why we don't always use invisible zips as unfortunately they can't go everywhere as they don't have enough strength to withhold a lot of pressure.  Usually they only go in skirts or the side of dresses (as our shoulder blades when we bend forward and stretch can pop them open - remember Sofia Vegara's butt doing that to her oscars dress??)
Lets get started - don't be scared, I'll be right here holding your hand....

With right sides facing, line up the edge of the zipper tape to the edge of the fabric (Yes -  your zip is face down on the outside of your skirt! Crazy I know, but wait, it will all make sense)
Insert the first pin with the zip up but then unzip the zip for the rest of the pinning and sewing.

Make sure your pins heads (the coloured part of your pin) are below the pointy bits as we will be sewing from the top down and you want to be able to pull the little suckers out easily.

When you get to the seam that you’ve stitched earlier, simply push your zip inside. You want to have lined up the zip teeth as close as possible to the seam line – this might mess up your “edge of tape to edge of fabric” but will avoid the dreaded bump at the bottom of your zip.

Place your fabric and zip under the foot - make sure there is ONE layer of fabric and the zip is on top of the fabric.

Rolling the teeth out slightly to fit into the tracks of your zip foot, Start stitching at the plastic stopper all the way down until the seam – don’t do anything crazy here! Just stop, reverse and pull your threads and fabric out. One side done!!

Pull your garment inside out and repeat the above steps – VOILA you have a gorgeous invisible zip!

Told you it would all make sense in the end…..

My tips;

      

• Use an invisible zip foot – a low cost accessory that WILL save you time and hassle – worth every penny – pop over to our shop to pick one up for $12.00 and free shipping! HERE: Sew Gorgeous Shop!
• Always sew from the top down and work one side at a time, starting at the stopper

• Don’t forget to reverse at the beginning and the end
• Always sew with the zip open
• Breathe and take it slow... rome wasn't built in a day, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step etc etc

Mccalls 5523 - the Sew Gorgeous 'learn to sew' skirt

For those of you that have attended or are thinking about attending my Learn to Sew classes this post is all about the pattern we use in class - McCall 5523. 

This 

skirt is a six piece straight front skirt with a flounce (ruffle) panel at the back which not only provides a little interest to your skirt, it makes you look like a highly talented seamstress who can manage technically difficult seams and additions!

I chose this pattern for the learn to sew classes as it has a lot of techniques to teach the beginner seamstress - you will learn not only how to construct a garment but you will also learn how to do a gathering stitch, learn about facing and how to understitch it (which keeps it nicely tucked away on the inside) as well as how to install an invisible zip (lollies on hand to help ease the stress levels) and how to "fit" your garment  amongst lots of other handy techniques!

In terms of the pattern this isn't the most basic of skirts, there are easier patterns but is a pattern that is easily adjusted to be any kind of style if you prefer a different shape. I think its important that beginners learn the techniques that will allow them to challenge their own skills as they get braver and start sewing different projects. 

Unlike a lot of beginner patterns, this particular pattern does use an ease stitch along the top of the skirt before attaching the facing. This technique allows you to have a slim fitting skirt around your hips as well as your waist without having the skirt too tight across your bum. Its an extra step that I believe gives you a much better fitting skirt at the end of it. 

Photos courtesy of http://thelittlegreenhouse.net