Wardrobe Fillers to Sew

Now that the weather is going to get warmer, it's a perfect time to try new things. Sewing with stretch fabrics can be such fun, as Tilly Walnes proves, in her book 'Stretch! Make yourself comfortable sewing with knit fabrics.'. 

The range of knit fabrics available just keeps growing, from fine stretchy fabric for shirts and blouses to thick chunky knits for cardigans and knitted coats, the choice is enormous.

Personally, I love warm cosy tracksuits and hoodies for snuggling up on the sofa or for getting out in the garden on a sunny winter's day to tidy up at the end of the growing season.

If you are a relative beginner, I suggest starting off with something easy. If you have never sewn with stretch fabric, then Tilly's book is a really good place to start. Her Stella Hoody pattern which I made twice is a comfortable fit with a dropped shoulder and is a good pattern for an easy fit. The tracksuit trousers are really well put together, too.

As a relative beginner, I am loathed to take on a big project that takes too long to finish, as I am a weekend sewer and it takes too long to get a 'result'.

I did for a time, for whatever reason, stopped buying clothes in the shops - almost completely. I want to try to sew as many of my wardrobe items as I can, but I don't yet have the confidence to sew the usual styles I like to wear to the office.

My list of sewing plans - as well as my collection of sewing patterns. I have got to the point where I buy a pattern because it has a feature that I like. My favourite thing to do, if I don't have time to sew, is to look at the pattern and the instructions to try and understand the way it goes together. I often make changes to patterns - sometimes it doesn't work, but when it does work I feel as though I have accomplished something and I love wearing it.

I love my tracksuit. It's a staple WFH outfit now that the days are getting colder. The cuffs are offcuts from a shirt I made for my husband. I managed to make another shirt with the dark blue fabric and the pansy prints leftover fabric from another shirt I made. 

I discovered quite by chance that you can cut pattern pieces out at 90 degrees to the grain if the fabric has a decent four way stretch. You can get quite a lot out of a run of fabric.

Why don't you show us your comfortable favourites? You might not wear them out to the shops, but you certainly get a LOT of wear out of your sews made for personal comfort.

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