Shift Dress- Beginners Dressmaking Class

On Tuesday the 7th of June, at 6.30-8.30pm we start another Beginners Dressmaking Class at Flo-Jo Boutique, making Colette Patterns Laurel dress as it has proved to be a favourite amongst our makers!

With the Laurel dress pattern you will learn how to follow a sewing pattern, sew sleeves, bias binding, a facing around a neckline as well as inserting a concealed zip. Below are some pictures from the latest class finished dresses!

Ollie made a dress for his girlfriend in this lovely blue cherries cotton print from our shop with shortened sleeves and a neckline with facing.

This is Kate's first ever garment and she finished it beautifully with a red and white polkadot binding and matching pocket!

Kelly's retro inspired shift dress was also finished off with binding as well as done with two pockets and an altered neckline.

If you want to learn how to make your own shift dress you can sign on to the next class online here! Or pop in to the shop or give us a ring 0117 9041498!

Flo-Jo Boutique - Skirt in a Day Class

Today we had the "Sew a Skirt in a Day Class" in the Flo-Jo work shop. We had two lovely makers booked in, despite the very tempting sunshine!

Ready to make their very first garment, they both chose a cotton print each to work with. If you are looking for spring summed up in a skirt they'll look something like this!

Two very concentrated sewers. They both chose to make a pleated skirt with a 5 cm wide waistband and concealed zip down the centre back seam.

 

Look at the work on this concealed zip, it's perfectly sewn. For a first zip ever, that is very impressive!

Waistband in place, time for a button and buttonhole.

After a couple of fittings, adjustments and a hem; Two beautiful handmade skirts, in one day!

Beginners Dressmakers results!

How gorgeous are these dresses made by our beginners dressmakers? I love the fact that even though they all made their dresses using the same sewing pattern (Colette's Laurel) they've ended up so differently!

They've learned new skills such as sewing in sleeves, bias-binding around the neckline, pockets and an invisible zip in material bought in the shop. 

If you would like to learn how to make this dress we've got a class lined up in the new year! We begin the 5 week course on Tuesday the 5th of January. You can book on to the course on our website, over the phone or come in to the shop. If you would like to give away a workshop or a class as a Christmas gift you can buy a Flo-Jo voucher!

New arrivals...

This week in the shop we've been able to add a few new floral brights to our fantastic new shelves.

 Their summery tones, ditsy prints or bold patterns, are making this very rainy Friday seem a little brighter! My favourite is the Kaffe Fasset print.

You can shop in store or online here.

What are you doing on this very soggy Friday?

What are you getting up to this weekend? We'd love to hear from you.

Glow by Amy Butler for Rowan- Peace flower £!4 per metre

Rustique by Emily Herrick for Michael Miller- Shark Tooth £14 per metre

Kaffe Fasset for Rowan- Lotus Leaf £14 per metre

Diary of a Geisha by Pippa Moon for Studio E Fabrics £14 per metre

Olivia by Emily Hayes for Penny Rose Fabric £14 per metre

Floriography

We are happy to have supplied this pretty floral Riley Blake fabric- Floriography to Love Sewing Magazine. They've turned it into a classic English Tea dress. 

You get the free dress pattern with the magazine. So why not pop in, choose some fabric, pick up the magazine and get making.

Sewing is even better this summer with an extra 20% off Riley Blake prints  on our website until the end of July. 

What will you make?

Cloud 9 fabric and a new lining

The other day I relined a bag with this wonderful Cloud 9 fabric called "across the pond". We have a whole shelf full of Cloud 9 and Echino fabrics which are great for making bags as some of them are a slightly heavier weight. Or you could use any of our wonderful cotton fabrics to make pretty much anything!

This bag has still got some wear left in it so it would be a shame to stop using it just because lining looks like below...

 To make the new lining fit the bag, unpick the side seams and the bottom piece to use it as a pattern.

Trace off your pieces and cut them out in your new fabric.

 I copied the mobile phone pocket and ironed on some interfacing to make it a bit steadier in between two pieces of fabric.

 Fold the seams in and stitch into place.

 On the other piece of the bags side I measured and marked out a space for a pocket with a zip.

 It was a really tricky to pattern match this print but I'm quite happy with how it turned out.

The last three seams to put the lining together is to sew the sides seams and then pin them to the bottom piece of the lining.

All that is left to do is to attach the lining to the bag and it looks almost better than it did as new. I love how well the blue and green in the print fits so nicely with the brown leather. Now all you need to do is find a bag to reline!

New in this week...

We've got 3 new lovely medium weight/canvas cottons in bright, bold prints. Ready and waiting to be used to adorn your garden furniture, sofas, yourselves or whatever you fancy.

I'd been thinking about re-doing my deck chairs ready for the sunshine, which one do you think would work the best? I think the bicycles is quite fitting for Bristol!

Kokka Echino Organic medium weight cotton £22 per metre

100% cotton canvas, 155cm wide £14 per metre

100% cotton canvas, 155cm wide £14 per metre

You can purchase most of the fabrics from our shop, online too. So why not visit our website and get shopping! :)