I was lucky enough to recently host a Sew Along that was sponsored by Clover & Co. Fabrics. I sewed up the free Patterns for Pirates Peg Legs.
It was such a great pattern and everyone had fun taking the time to sew something just for them. If you missed the videos, have a look below at the step by step guide on how to sew them up.
Make sure you share your makes and tag me in your social media so I can share them and see how great they look!
Pattern: Declan Pullover Designer: Peek A Boo Pattern Shop Fabrics: Print from Frankie Bear Fabric, Solid from Sew Unique Fabric Measurements: Chest: 22″; Waist 21.5″; Hips 22″ Size made: 3T Adjustments: None Pros: Very cute Summer or winter style, love the collar Cons: Plackets are a little tricky and I wouldn’t interface the collar next time
This top was very much inspired by the fabric. I saw this on the Frankie Bear Fabrics website and I instantly could see Ted in a little collared shirt. It turned out exactly how I hoped!
I’ve had the Declan pullover in my pattern stash for a while but had’t got around to making it, so this was the first time. I’m not afraid of plackets, but I am definitely intimidated. I took my time with each step, which is very well written, but I still need a lot of practice. I think part of the trick is to get your initial stitching of the box right and making sure when you attach the placket pieces you stitch along the same lines, being very precise. The next important part is making sure you clip right into the corners without going too far or too short.
Like I said, I am not afraid of plackets but mine can definitely do with some practice. Being a knit garment there is the added challenge of it being stretchy and moving around a little. Baste where you can or use a double sided wash away tape to help keep things in place.
The second part I had a bit of trouble with was the collar. I put an interfacing on as directed but to be honest I wouldn’t bother next time. Having the interface made it difficult to stretch across the neckline and I ended up having it be a bit wonky. My next one I think would be fine without it. I would still interface the placket though, especially if you are going to do button holes.
All in all, very happy with this one and I can see myself making a couple more for Ted’s summer & Winter wardrobe.
Have you ever wondered what to use interfacing for? Or you’ve read that a pattern needs it but have no idea what it is or what type to use? Well, read on and let’s get to know about all things interfacing.
I get all my interfacing from Ebony Craft Australia in Ringwood, Vic. Tear Away, Cut Away, Fusible, Water Soluble, Sew in, Trace & Toile and Specialty are all available with Ebony Craft Australia with plans underway to expand the range even more. To begin with however, let’s cover a couple of basics about interfacing.
What is Interfacing?
Interfacing is used to give your fabric additional stability and structure. It is always applied to the wrong side of your fabric and in most cases won’t be visible in the final product. Bag Making or Crafting, Garment Sewing and Embroidery very commonly use interfacing with some examples being:
– Bag making, to give them body stability and some stiffness
– Collars, to help give them structure and stand up
– Button plackets, to reinforce the fabric where you make your button holes
– Facing pieces on a garment such as a neck facing. The interfacing will help the facing stay laying flat to the body and not wrinkle or fold under the body fabric
– Embroidery, to place behind your project while you are stitching the design giving it stability
As mentioned above Ebony Craft Australia carry quite an extensive range of interfacing, which fall into 3 main categories. Woven, Non Woven and Knit.
Woven interfacing is very durable. Woven interfacing also has a grain line to it which means it needs to be taken into account when cutting. Woven interfacings weave means it supports the movement and drape of the fabric it is being used with. It does need to be handled carefully as it can fray.
Non woven interfacing is made of fibres that are bonded together without being woven. Non woven interfacing is multidirectional, meaning it does not need to be cut on the grain and does not fray. Non woven interfacing also has a larger range of weights and products available than woven interfacing. From paper thin to cardboard thick as well as fleecy, it is easy to find one to suit almost any project.
Knit interfacing has a slight stretch and is ideal for any knit/jersey projects you are working on.
You may have also come across the term ‘Sew in interfacing’ or ‘Iron on Interfacing’. This refers to how each interfacing can be applied to the fabric.
Sew in interfacing is basically as it implies, an additional layer in your garment or project that is sewn in conjunction with your project fabric. The sew in interfacing and project fabric are cut to the same shape and generally then treated as one piece, being sewn together and are not joined anywhere apart from the seams. You may choose a sew in interfacing if your project fabric is not suitable for ironing or when working with fabrics such as lace or sheer fabrics.
Iron on interfacing or heat bonded interfacing has small glue dots on one side of it. When heated up with an iron these dots melt and fuse the interfacing onto your fabric. Once you have ironed the interfacing to your fabric however it is almost impossible to remove, so it is important you are happy with how it looks and feels before you apply it. It is always a good idea to test a swatch before to make sure you are happy with the result.
There are a couple of specialty interfacing products that you may also consider using in your projects. For example:
Tear away interfacing is great when working on general machine embroidery projects. Suitable with most fabrics, it is designed to assist the machine in giving a crisp and clean embroider. It is ideal for use with light weight cottons, sheer fabrics, silks and canvases. Once you have finished your embroidery, it simply ‘tears away’ leaving your design on the front.
Wash away interfacing or Solvy, is a non-toxic, water soluble interfacing. It is essentially the same as tear away interfacing except it stays on/in your project until you wash it. It can also be used in creative projects to create some really funky looks and designs. Lots of fun to have a play with!
Trace & toile (sew) is a very light weight interfacing that is commonly used in pattern fitting. As the name suggests, you can trace off your pattern in the size required and then use those pieces to ‘toile’ or fit the garment, ironing out at sizing or fit issues before you cut into your fashion fabric.
Have a look on the Ebony Craft Australia website to see all the different types of interfacing we offer, we have competitive prices and great quality. You can also give our friendly sales consultants a call who can organise a sample swatch of any of the interfacings we offer, if you’d like to have a look before you buy. Alternatively you can also pop into our Ringwood show room Monday to Friday.
If you haven’t tried Clover & Co. Fabrics printed lounge rib, I am here to tell you, you are missing out! It is absolutely one of my favourite printed bases and the quality is second to none.
Clovers printed lounge rib is 95.4% cotton, making it incredibly soft to touch and 4.6% spandex giving it that very handy stretch to make it perfect for tees, body suits, Pjs, pants. You name it!
I thought I would recap a few of my favourite lounge rib makes here to show how gorgeous it is.
I made this Waves & Wild Pick n Mix Body Suit and lighting leggings (free pattern!) for a gift and it was so well received. It has fast become one of my go to’s when making new born gifts. Being a cotton rich base, its so soft and snuggly, perfect for those new born squishes skin, while also incredibly breathable, reducing the risk of over heating.
Pick n Mix Body Suit & Lightning Leggings
Tadah Baby Basics Tee
I love it for making tee’s for the kids. I think being a textured fabric it also gives garments that extra little something and can be good when pairing with either plain or printed base garments. The print in addition to the rib can really help it pop.
This Stripes Of Soliel print is so effective in the lounge rib. It’s one of my fave long sleeve tees of Teds, it has been in high rotation. I think I may need to make a summer version as well!
Paired with Waves & Wild Over it Alls
I also love that there is a very generous and usable 170cm width of fabric. Meaning I get a lot out of a metre which always helps when you can get more bang for your buck! It has a weight of 210gsm which I think is the prefect weight for year round wear, helping make it more economical. You can wear a tee on its on in the warmer months or layer in the winter. I made a Cardigan for me and I love that I can put long sleeve tee on in winter and it can keep me warm on top, or can throw it over lighter clothes in the summer in the evenings to keep me warm. Honestly, I just love it!
Ellie & Mac Be Mine
I think a very close favourite make of mine in lounge rib would have to be these pj/lounge pants. Honestly, I wear them ALL THE TIME. I have been known to do a school or childcare pick up in them and just hope people think I’m wearing super trendy lounge pants haha.
I wrote a more detailed blog about these lounge pants, definitely some of the comfiest I’ve ever made. Have a read here.
This was a pair of classic Zipper Pjs I made in printed lounge rib and I had a hard time giving these away, even though I don’t have a baby and won’t be having anymore again! haha. My ovaries exploded a little on this one. And again, such positive feedback from the mumma on how lovely a soft it was on bubbas skin 😍
So if you haven’t tried it before, I highly recommend giving it a go. It’s softer than cotton lycra in my opinion and just so luscious. I have been using the dryer a lot over winter and the prints are still so bright. Not something I have experienced with every supplier I have bought fabric from.
A very happy longe rib customer here, and I am sure you would be too, go check it out!
