Shift To Fit Sewing Workshop

This month we helped some beautiful shift dresses take shape, using the Laurel dress pattern. The next beginners dressmaking class starts Tuesday the 6th of September. Get more information about the class on our website or call in to the shop if you are interested.

The dress includes learning how to put a sleeve in, sewing details such as darts and pockets, a choice of two different ways to sew a neckline as well sewing a concealed zipper.

Such a pretty pocket! This dragonfly print from Inprint can be found in store at Flo-Jo Boutique.

 A lovely maxi dress version of the Laurel dress by Colette patterns.

And a summery batik version with pockets!

There are so many ways to alter a simple shift dress to make it just your style! What is your favourite kind of shift dress?

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 dressmaking class starting 12th of april

Just before Easter our most recent beginners dressmaking class finished their dresses using the Laurel dress pattern by Colette! We will have a new beginners class using the same sewing pattern starting from Tuesday the 12th of April if you are interested in giving it a go yourself!

Below are three very different versions of the Laurel dress which is a great first dressmaking project for those who haven't followed a sewing pattern before or attempted sewing sleeves and zips.

 You could add a contrast bias binding around the sleeves and neckline.

 Andrea made her Laurel dress fit her growing baby bump by adding pleat centre front.

Or you could make the Laurel dress in a plain denim and make the pockets a bit bigger as seen above. You will get help and advice along the way as well as get to know some brand new sewists and friends!

Read more and book online here!

Love Sewing Magazine's Shop of the Month!

Keep an eye out for Love Sewing's issue no.24, Flo-Jo Boutique is Shop of the Month and we talk about our new sewing kits and why we love sewing!

Spring colors on the cover!

And a bit of the shop inside! What sewing and craft magazines do you like to read?

Flo-Jo Children's Sewing Club

Next week we have a break for half term so there are no classes on for our children and teen sewers but I thought it could be fun to share what they have been up to this term.

They've made wraps for their sewing tools, practicing different techniques in our Tuesday afternoon classes.

Making pockets, sewing on ribbons for pencils and pinking felt pieces for our pins to go on.

They've also practiced some stitching by hand, adding their initials to the kits and sewing a double fold bias-binding all around the edge.

If you've been inspired and would like to do some sewing yourself, have a look at our different workshops here!

General sewing class starting in October!

On Wednesday the 7th of October our "General Sewing class" starts. Between 6 pm - 8 pm you can bring along that sewing pattern you are having trouble getting on with at home or those alterations you mean to do but need a hand pinning. A great opportunity for those with some sewing experience. It is £120 for 6 weeks and each session will be a mixture of teacher lead and student lead learning. So that you can also pick up some new skills, learning different details and techniques.

If you haven't got a pattern we stock a large range of sewing patterns as well as fabric and when you book on to a course with us you get 10% off your purchase in the shop.

Here is a photo of some sewers in our workshop in action.

We've still got places left so go on! Book online, give us a ring 0117 9041498 or pop in to the shop to secure a space. We can't wait to see what you will make!

New in! Wool!

We've got some new fantastic wool in bright and happy colors, both contain a mix of 80% wool and 20% Polyester. At 150 cm wide you can easily fit a jacket pattern in over a couple of meters.

Lovely and soft, perfect for the new season!

 Depending on your personal style; we've got this stylish Sewaholic pattern for a fitted jacket with a peplum detail for £12. Merchant & Mills Baby bow scissors £7 and glass headed pins £5.50 would make a lovely gift for any home sewer!

We also stock Colette patterns from £14. You could make a short wrap coat or a classic double breasted jacket. I think the blue wool would look really nice made up into an Ansie jacket. What do you think?

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

SUMMER SALE

Our new shelves have been fitted and are looking fabulously full with all our fabrics. What's even better is that 2 of these shelves are full of SALE FABRIC, now available for £9 per metre. Selected fabrics are marked with an orange star. 

Can you spot something you like below? There's lots to choose from, so come down while it lasts and see what might take your fancy and get sewing on this sunny afternoon!

Top # 64 by Merchant and Mills

Yesterday I decided to actually make what I said I was going to make weeks ago, which is this modern take on the fisherman's top by Merchant and Mills. We stock a range of their patterns and this one caught my eye, as it's perfect for the temperamental British summertime weather and will look great made from a variety of fabrics. 

I've chosen to use up some of my fabrics and am going to use a crisp white cotton (£4.50pm) for the top part and a contrasting band on the bottom using our monochrome cotton floral print (£7.50pm) (I used this originally for a gathered, high waisted skirt). Hopefully this will add a feminine touch to this versatile smock. 

First cut out all your pattern pieces to the size you need them, then lay them onto your fabric.

Top tip: trace out your size onto dot and cross paper (£1pm) so that you can use all the sizes on your patterns at another time.

Pin your pieces down and cut them out. Don't forget to transfer all the markings and notches.

Pin your top front pieces, right sides together at the centre seam and sew 1.5cm seam allowance.

Zigzag stitch or overlock to finish the edges and press open.

Top stitch on the right side of front top, if desired. I did it in white so it was subtle but it would look lovely in a contrasting colour (if your confident that you can sew in a straight line!)

Pin your front top, to your front bottom, right sides facing, making sure you match up the corners of the pockets and notches carefully.

Once pinned, sew carefully making sure your lines are straight, as this will be where your fabric joins at the front and you want your pockets to be level.

Zigzag stitch or overlock to finish the edges.

On the wrong side, press your pockets downwards and pin the pockets in position at each corner and re-sew over the pocket lines, these lines will be seen on the front so make sure you choose a suitable colour and sew carefully.

This is the pocket from the front now held in place with your second stitch line. They can hardly be seen which I like with this fabric, but would like to try a bright colour thread too, to emphasise them.

Onto the back, pin the back top pieces with right sides together at the centre seam and sew.

Zigzag stitch or overlock to finish the edges and press open.

Top stitch on the right side of back top, if desired.

Pin your back top and back bottom right sides together and sew.

Zigzag stitch or overlock to finish the edges and press open.

On the front, with right sides together pin your front sleeves to your front arm holes. Making sure you match up the notches carefully and pin with the curve of the sleeve.

Sew using straight stitch and then zigzag stitch or overlock to finish the edges.

Repeat with the back sleeves. Taking care to match up the notches.

Next, with right sides together match up the front and back sleeves along the top edge.

Sew using straight stitch and then zigzag stitch or overlock to finish the edges.

Then, with right sides together match up the front and back sleeves under arm and side seams. Make sure you match the notches carefully as the point under the arm can end being a bit bumpy if not done well.

Sew using straight stitch and then zigzag stitch or overlock to finish the edges.

Iron on your interfacing to the wrong side of your neck facing. Zigzag or overlock the outer edge.

With right sides together match up the facing into your neckline and pin.

Sew in place and then clip to allow the facing to sit flat against your skin.

Edge stitch just above your seam so that it helps to keep the facing flat. Try and get this stitch line as close as possible.

Press facing into place.

Turn up your sleeves. I doubled mine up with quite large chunky cuffs, as I wanted them to be a 3/4 length turn up, all the time. Press, pin and sew in place.

I found the sewing quite hard as my machine was too wide for the sleeve to fit on so in the end I did them by hand. I'm not sure if this is because my seams were inaccurate or I hadn't turned the sleeve up enough to the wider part of the sleeve, or if my machine is just fat. So let me know how you get on?!

Turn up, pin  and sew bottom edge hem. Then finally press everything!!!

Voila...one fisherman's top ready to wear whilst I sit on a deck chair in my living room, sipping cider and pretending I'm at Glastonbury like all the rest of the Flo Jo team!!!

What have you been making this weekend?

Have a good evening.

Fran xx