Easy Elastic waistband skirt tutorial

Here is a really easy, quick skirt that you can make in less than an hour. All you need is a metre of fabric and a metre of thick elastic. I used some of our lovely Regents Street Lawn, it is not too thick so it drapes beautifully. The lush pink elastic is a new addition to the website and I can already see myself using it in all sorts of projects.

Regents Street Lawn

Wrap the elastic around your waist add 5cm to the length and cut it, sew the two ends together with a 5cm seam allowance, press open and top stitch each seam down.

Lush Pink Elastic

Fold the fabric in half and cut it, place the two pieces together with right sides facing each other sew these seams using a 5cm seam allowance, you should now have a tube.

Using a loose straight stitch do two rows of sewing around the top of the tube leaving long tails of thread. This is to gather the fabric until the skirt is the same size as the elastic

gathering

So pull the tails of thread until the skirt top is the same size as the elastic waistband.

Gatherings

Put your skirt and elastic together with the wrong side of the elastic facing the right side of the fabric,Attaching the Lush pink elasticuse a zig-zag stitch to attach the elastic to the fabric, sewing close to the edge of the elastic will give a neat finish and use a thread to match the elastic.

Sewing lush pink elastic

All you need to do now is the hem!

vintage outfit

I have finally finished my vintage style cardigan which I shall talk about in another post, but it looks so lovely with my new skirt don’t you think? It is such a quick and easy make that will make a great present.

me made may 2015

I was away at the weekend so I have a bit of catching up to do, so here goes;

  
Playing ping pong with Obama, wearing a Grainline Scout Tee in Moda Regent Street Lawn with a denim 6 panel skirt from the Sew Serendipity book.

  
Hanging with Paul Newman in my Sewaholic Oakridge blouse in Moda Regent Lawn, I love this fabric its soft and drapey and hangs beautifully, with a Tilly & the Buttons Miette skirt in Chambray Lawn.

  
Completely star struck by Clint Eastwood! What a hunk! Wearing one of my favourite tops, a Gingham Sewaholic Belcarra blouse with a Colette Beignet skirt in denim, what do you think of the Anchor buttons on my skirt? 

Keep reading to see who else I am going to bump into during #mmmay2015 and what outfits I will be wearing.

Hemmingway Give-away

We are doing a give-away collaboration with the gorgeous Jane at Handmade Jane so get over to her blog pretty sharpish if you would like to win a metre of your choice from the lush, vintage style Hemmingway fabric range.

Hemmingway Design fabric collection

You need to respond by Monday 10th November to be in with a chance of winning.

Good Luck!

Hemmingway Vintage Fabric

We have got the complete range of Vintage by Hemmingway fabric in stock! I am so excited because I used to love Red or Dead and I am an avid follower of Wayne & Gerardine Hemmingways vintage exploits! You can read about them on their website at Hemmingway Design. The fabric range is gorgeous I love the Tulips design & the fantastic range of colours; duckegg blue, pale pink, green, blue, red and a beautiful yellow.

Hemmingway Design fabric collection

The possibilities with this range of fabric is endless! I am thinking clothes, cushions, curtains even lampshades with our new lampshade making kit from NeedCraft.

The first thing I had to make of course was a dress! It’s another Anna dress from ByHand London as it is my absolute favourite dress pattern at the moment.

Hemingway fabric-By Hand Anna dress

The dress is made using the Twigs design fabric in red, it was a difficult decision between red and duck egg blue but I thought this colour would be more Autumnal. It is a lovely soft fabric, perfect for dressmaking, shirt weight.

TrixieLixie Hemmingway fabric

Now to plan what I am going to make next with some more Hemmingway Fabric!

Knicker Swap

Our lovely friends at Fabric & Flowers are organising a Valentines Knicker Swap which we are sponsoring!

Gingham Knicker Kit

Gorgeous Gingham

To get involved take a look at the Fabric & Flowers blog. You will be making a pair of knickers to send to someone who will be making a pair of knickers for you! We are offering a 15% discount on our knicker kits using the code SEWKNICKERS at the checkout, valid from now until the 8th February 2014. There are loads of kits to choose from, just click on the one you like and it will take you straight to the website.

voile-kincker-kits-1474-p

Amy Butler – Sketchbook Roses Voile

spotty-knicker-kits-1473-p[ekm]234x288[ekm]

Plum spotty knickers

the-birds-the-bees-knicker-kits-907-p

The Birds & the Bees

retro-floral-knicker-kits-1104-p

Retro Floral

michael-miller-spots-knicker-kit-1172-p

Michael Miller spotty

michael-miller-spotty-roses-knicker-kit-1173-p

Michael Miller spotty roses

kaffe-fassett-roman-glass-knicker-kits-902-p

Kaffe Fasset Roman Glass

gradi-floral-knicker-kits-910-p

Gradi Floral

We are also offering a prize for all you knicker making enthusiasts, enough fabric and knicker elastic to make 2 more delicious pairs of knickers!

Happy Sewing!

Trixie Sidebar

The Lola Apron & the Retro Apron

This week I have had a go at making some aprons, one is a retro apron pattern that I think is from the fifty’s, the other one is the Sew Liberated Lola Apron pattern that is available from TrixieLixie.

Retro '50's Apron patternSewaholic Lola Apron Pattern from TrixieLixieI made the Lola apron first as the pattern and instructions for the vintage apron didn’t seem to be complete. I used gorgeous red gingham, ric-rac and spotty lace trim bias binding. I think it has a very Cow-girl feel to it. The instructions are very clear and it was very easy to make.

Gingham Lola ApronI love the curves at the bottom and the circular pockets!

Gingham Lola ApronNext I tackled the vintage pattern which only had 2 pieces and very limited instructions,however having made the Lola I managed to bluff my way through this pattern and I even used some trimmed bias binding to finish it off. It was in fact quite easy and is really lovely,. The skirt part is almost a full circle so you can really twirl around the kitchen in this one.

Retro spotty '50's apron

For this apron I used Moda Oh Deer cherry spot fabric and gingham lace trim bias binding.

Retro '50's spotty apronI can’t decide which one I like best, they are both ear-marked for people for Christmas, they are perfect for the 2 people that I have made them for!

Happy sewing!

 

 

 

 

Woman and Home

A friend of mine found this magazine in her attic and gave it to me when I started TrixieLixie

Woman and Home magazineThe date of the publication is November 1926! The ‘new kut-eezi printed pattern’ that is FREE inside is still in it, untouched, a fabulous 1920’s dress.

Woman and home magazine 005

It is full of adverts for cold creams and face powders, germaline, soap and oxo cubes! There are recipes and craft ideas, how to make a raffia biscuit tin,and a leather handbag!

Woman and home magazine 003

I really love the ‘Decoratively Arranged’ page which gives you ideas about how to display your fruit in your fruit bowl and how to display the things on your mantlepiece.

Woman and home magazine 006

There are several pages of fashion idea’s on ‘Gay London’s Dress pages’ ‘Whatever fashion dictates Gay London is ready to explain’.

Woman and home magazine 001

There is also a free knitting pattern for a vest and long knickers!

Woman and home magazine

There is a fab beauty page ‘Beauty aids and notions’ ‘ Miss Beauty looks about her and tells you what London Girls are doing, wearing and discussing’

Woman and home magazine 007

The cookery page is excellent, now I know why my Swiss Roll won’t roll!

Woman and home magazine 002It is a fantastic gift, I am thrilled to be the present owner of such auseful and informative magazine, I might even attempt to make the dress.

sewingpattern, dressmaking fabric

 

 

New ElizaM patterns arriving any day now!

We have got some new sewing patterns arriving any day now from British designer ElizaM. Simple, easy to follow, no nonsense vintage style patterns suitable for the novice or beginner sewer!

If you are new to sewing or haven’t tried your hand at creating a dress, let alone a vintage style dress then ElizaM’s patterns are sure to ease you into the vintage style world beautifully, You’ll be sewing a whole new Mad Men inspired wardrobe before you know it.

My Sewing room

After 2 weeks hol’s in Devon I am excited about getting back to my sewing room! I want to make a fifty’s style dress like one I saw in a fantastic retro shop in Exeter called The Real McCoy.

Trixie Lixies sewing room

Vintage sewing table

I was at the Frome Artisan Market at the weekend and I picked up this lovely 1930’s sewing table. The inside is in immaculate condition, the table top is a bit damaged but my hubby is going to repair it. I will post some more pics of it when he has.

20120809-223200.jpg

20120809-223055.jpg

20120809-223256.jpg