The Great British Sewing Bee Sustainable Style

The BBC primetime series, The Great British Sewing Bee, is back. The companion book to the sixth series of this flagship BBC show, The Great British Sewing Bee: Sustainable Style accompanies sewers at all levels on their creative journey to reduce, reuse and recycle – ultimately creating their own considered closet. Starting with the essentials, sewers will learn how to maintain and care for their sewing machine, find out the secrets to using an overlocker (and what to do if you don’t have one) and the key to pattern matching. With a guide that demystifies the fitting process, and with expert sewing tips on making alterations, you’ll be able to choose from 27 projects, for both women and men, that will ease you into the world of sustainable sewing. For burgeoning dressmakers, this book showcases a vast array of sustainable and natural fabrics, reveals how to breathe life into old garments and entices the would-be sewer to dress handmade. Interspersed with sustainable tips, from advice on keeping an eco-friendly sewing space and how to better care for your garments, to guidance on recycling old clothes, using up fabric scraps and making repairs, this book is an indispensable reference to a more considered approach to sewing, that will encourage you to create long-lasting projects to cherish. With womenswear sizes ranging from 8 to 22 and menswear sizes ranging from XS to XL, along with five downloadable pattern sheets, expert sewers Caroline Akselson and Alexandra Bruce cover everything you need to build your sewing repertoire and grow in confidence as you sew yourself sustainable.

Sew your own capsule wardrobe to see you through the week to the weekend! Revitalise your wardrobe with this capsule collection from sewing expert Rachel from the House of Pinheiro. The collection includes the perfect separates to take you through the working week to the weekend including a jumpsuit, day dress, trench two piece, kimono dress and versatile shirt dress. Rachel includes a main pattern for every day of week and then offers variations for how to dress it up for a meeting or down for the weekend. There is advice on how to change the look of the pieces through fabric choices and styling tips, as well as a techniques section featuring Rachel's tips on how to get the best fit for your body type and how to measure yourself correctly to ensure you get the perfect fit every time. Garments include on trend staples and reinvented basics to create an exciting collection of 7 patterns, which can be used to create numerous different outfits.

Minimise waste and maximise creativity with 14 stylish freehand dressmaking projects from Chinelo Bally. Making your own clothes is a sustainable, ethical and fun craft that is brought alive by bestselling author and designer Chinelo Bally. Using the freehand cutting method for which she has become so well known, Chinelo shows how to upcycle and make stunning new items from old garments as well as making clothes using interesting new fabrics, without the need for sewing patterns. The book features eleven projects for stylish women’s clothes and three projects for children’s clothes. Learn to turn a man’s shirt into a fashionable dress and old pair of jeans into a sassy tutu skirt. Other projects include a one-shoulder jumpsuit and Chinelo’s signature collared top. Throughout the book, Chinelo encourages the reader to make clothes to suit their own style and achieve results that are beautifully distinctive – and a far cry from throwaway fast-fashion. Projects include: • Women’s Clothes: 2nd Date Night Dress, Angled-overlay Pencil Skirt, Asymmetric Peplum Top, One-shoulder Jumpsuit, Shirt to Button-back Dress, Jeans to Sassy Tutu Skirt, Pencil Dress Refit, Signature Collared Top, Versatile Maxi Dress, Showstopping Maxi and Strapless Wrap Dress. • Children’s Clothes: Child’s Peekaboo-back Dress, Shirt to Child’s Dress, Jeans to Child’s Dress Packed with tips, techniques and inspiration, Sew Chinelo reveals the secrets to producing sustainable and wearable clothes with style, feminine glamour and a professional finish that fit perfectly every time.

This comprehensive guide provides instruction in a wide range of dressmaking techniques, from how to use and adapt patterns, to sewing hems, zippers, and adding embellishments.

Draping—the art of using cotton muslin to create womenswear directly on a dress form—is an essential skill for fashion designers. Through a series of step-by-step projects, designed to develop skills from the most basic to more advanced techniques, this book will guide you in creating both classic and contemporary garments, as well as historical styles and costumes. Draping projects include dresses, bustiers, and jackets, and highlight key fashion garments such as Audrey Hepburn's dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s and the Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo jacket. Starting with the basics of choosing and preparing the dress form for draping, the book advances through pinning, trimming, and clipping, and creating shape using darts and tucks, to adding volume using pleats and gathers, and handling complex curves. Advanced skills include how to use support elements such as shoulder pads, under layers, and petticoats, and how to handle bias draping. The book culminates with a chapter on improvisational skills. Each skill and technique throughout the book is explained with step-by-step photographs and line drawings that bring the art of creating womenswear in three dimensions to life.

The benefits of sewing are well known - nothing feeds the soul like the act of creativity and sewing garments and projects gives you a huge sense of satisfaction. Not to mention the enjoyment of wearing the finished garment! Sewing is good for the soul and this collection of relaxed garments, accessories and loungewear sewing patterns is designed to soothe the soul and lift the spirits. But this book isn't just about the clothes, it's about the power of sewing to help you relax and unwind: there are smaller projects for hand sewing, the ultimate mindful craft, and quick dressmaking patterns for times when you want a sewing 'fix' but are a bit pushed for time. As well as the sewing projects there is also a smattering of delicious recipes to feed more than just the soul! Sewing and baking have always been natural bed fellows and this collection features garments, cakes and drinks to celebrate every season whether it's 'Mullered Wine' in the winter or a delicious Lemon Drizzle Cake for the summer. There are full-size, graded patterns (up to a UK size 26/US size 22) for 10 easy-to-wear garments including pyjama pants, a linen T shirt, a summer dress and palazzo pants. This means that you can find your perfect size and get sewing straight away without having to print out the patterns. The designs are for relaxed-fit clothes and 'loungewear', which are suitable for both work and home and all the garment instructions have written step-by-steps and diagrams making them suitable for all abilities. Unlike other sewing collections Sewing for the Soul takes you on a journey throughout the year with sewing patterns, projects, recipes and drinks to take you from season to season. Each season has a slow sewing project for when you have more time, a quick sewing project so that even the time-poor can get a therapeutic sewing 'fix' and either a hand sewing project, such as embroidering a decorative detail onto one of the garments, or a reinvention project. This means that, by the end of the year, you will have a whole new wardrobe to be proud of and will have spent many relaxing hours mindfully making.

The BBC primetime series The Great British Sewing Bee, is back. Starting with the basics, from how to use a sewing machine and understand paper patterns, to knowing your fabrics and how to achieve that perfect finish – this is a go-to guide that you will keep referring back to. With a section that demystifies the fitting process, and with expert sewing tips on making alterations, you'll be able to choose from a variety of projects that will ease you into the world of sewing. For burgeoning sewers, this technique-focused book reveals the joys of sewing and the tools and skills required to progress. Interspersed with essential tips, from advice on finishing – tacking, hand stitching, hemming and more – to guidance on adding decorative finishes including piping, exposed zips, appliqué and more, this book is an indispensable reference that will encourage you to take the leap and start creating long-lasting projects to cherish.