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Sewing Ideas and Inspiration
I don't know about you, but I am so over winter! I keep finding myself day dreaming of sunshine and summer dresses willing the grey skies and Baltic temperatures to kindly push off! To help lift my mood I've spent some time picking out the key trends for Spring/Summer 2018 and the patterns and fabrics you can use to get your handmade wardrobe bang up to date. As always the focus is on the truly wearable rather than wacky catwalk.
Everywhere I looked I saw pretty, feminine pastel shades. The sumptuous, silky soft fabrics upping the prettiness stakes even further.
The good news is we can tick both of these boxes with our gorgeous range of John Kaldor plain and printed satins. We also have some plain crepes and lace fabrics that will work well for this trend.
On the plain front our Mystique satin backed crepe is perfect for tops and blouses. I used it to make a much loved cami top last year and it was a pleasure to work with. The ivory, javan or silver colour options are the perfect way to nail this trend and you can choose the matt crepe or silky satin side. I loved this ruffled blouse by Hugo Boss and thought this sleeveless Burda pattern would make a nice alternative.
Our Duchesse satin is a luxurious medium weight satin. I used it to make the skirt of my cocktail hour dress and it was an absolute delight to work with. It pressed beautifully and would easily hold it's own on the rails in the highest of high end stores. The silver, blossom, ivory, mint, peppermint and gold options are perfect for this trend. Paired with a drapey pastel or neutral blouse this outfit would scream pretty femininity. I used McCalls 3830 to make my pencil skirt and can highly recommend it as a simple sew that needed little fitting adjustments in my case.
This trend also reminded me of a beautiful dress my friend Laura made using our New Look pattern, Prestige crepe and Tocca lace. The Duchesse satin range can also be matched to the tocca and we are happy to advise on colour matching if you need any help.
Whatever your style preference denim is always a super wearable addition to any wardrobe. The spring/summer denim look is smart and polished AKA my favourite kind. Mid to dark shades dominated as tailored jackets, jeans, dresses and even bustier tops. As luck would have it we have a great range of options in all the right shades.
This Simplicity shirt dress won a 'Best Pattern of 2017' award on Pattern Review, in other words, highly commended by the sewing community themselves. I think it would be perfect made up in our dark blue lightweight denim for a smart casual look.
For a smart take on the traditional button down denim jacket I would love to make this New Look jacket in our dark blue lightweight denim.
If pastel colours really aren't your thing 'Crayola brights' are a fun alternative. If you're feeling brave go for head to toe vivid colours or play it safe pairing bold shades with neutrals or denim.
Our Prestige crepe in royal or red is ideal for head to toe colour as a dress or separates. I would opt for a simple top pattern such as McCalls 7483 which would be easy to wear with jeans or a neutral pair of trousers. Alternatively you could match your trousers and fully embrace the trend. For a more casual alternative you could use our Cadiz cotton jersey fabric to make a comfy knit top such as this Simplicity pattern from their hacking range.
Our Marmaris stretch cotton sateen also comes in bold royal and red options and is perfect for skirts and trousers. I would be tempted to go for the Sasha trousers by Closet Case patterns to rock this trend.
A good pencil skirt has always been a firm wardrobe favourite for me and that was the case in the Spring/Summer fashion shows too. The really good news is that fabric wise anything goes. I spotted bold prints, plain and understated skirts and even fringing.
In other words you have every excuse to make a statement. In my world this tropical print crepe is the number one contender. I love the vibrant Hibiscus flowers against the grey background. It is also a nice weight for a skirt. I've already mentioned my favourite pencil skirt pattern above, but there are plenty of others to choose from here.
If you didn't get around to trying the fun sleeve trend yet, fear not, its here to stay. Dramatic and quirky sleeves were ever present at the Spring/Summer shows and there are oodles of sewing patterns you can use to try out this trend.
Firstly McCalls 7542 was a winner of a 'Best Pattern of 2017' award on Pattern Review. Tried and tested by die hard sewing enthusiasts plus four different sleeve options this is an excellent pattern for working this trend. There are so many fabrics to choose from in the patterned woven section of our site. Our abstract print cotton lawn, gingham or Liberty prints would be strong contenders for me. You can find them all here.
This new Vogue pattern from their new season range is just delightful I'm sure you'll agree. This lightweight satin would make a dramatic evening top or any of our John Kaldor Cassandra, Peaseblossom or Rosaline fabrics would drape in all the right paces.
Prince of Wales check was one of the most dominant trends I spotted on the High Street recently. Although a timeless classic the current trends prove its versatility. It looks great worn in a traditional sense as part of a trouser or skirt suit. However, my favourite trend of the moment is a twist on tradition and is perfect for the weekend. Pair a longline Prince of Wales blazer with jeans and a basic white T shirt for ultimate cool girl chic.
We have two Prince of Wales check suiting fabrics to choose from here and either of them would work well with Burda 6463 for the longline option. There are also some great jacket making and tailoring tips in one of our blog posts here. Alternatively you could opt for this fantastic Simplicity pattern from their 1960s vintage range. With options for a straight shift dress, pencil skirt and jacket there's something for every ability level and taste.
Great news folks - florals and tropical prints are still firmly in favour. Whatever your preference small, large and retro prints are a go go!
I am in love with our new floral print fabric in misty blue ticking the pastel shades trend box nicely too! My pattern of choice for this beauty is Vogue 9267. There are a range of styles to choose from and I love the V slit neckline.
This John Kaldor Portia polyester jersey is just screaming out to become a wrap dress. This New Look pattern won a 'Best Pattern of 2017' award in Pattern Review and has some great options at the sleeves and waist. I also love this new Burda design, which only wraps on the bodice, not at the skirt.
Also a great tip when making a wrap dress is to consider sewing a strip of clear elastic in at the neckline, gently stretching as you sew to prevent any gaping.
I don't know about you, but I'm itching to get started on that Spring wardrobe now. Not nearly as much as I'm longing for the Spring like weather mind!
Have fun sewing!
Lucy
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