A Capeless Watson Jacket

You know what it's like - you search in vain all Autumn and Winter long for the perfect coloured wool to make a coat that doesn't break the bank. Then, come late Spring, you find it!

I couldn't resist grabbing this mint wool when I spotted it on Goldhawk Road a few weeks ago, and promptly sewed it up into a Papercut Patterns Watson jacket before the weather gets too warm (I live in London). Longtime readers may remember I've made the pattern before, back in 2013 (inspired by Moonrise Kingdom but ending up looking like a homage to Father Ted - still love it though).

Five Tips for Sewing on the Bias

Sewing “on the bias” – in other words, when the fabric is cut at a 45 degree angle to the straight grain or selvedges – is a lovely way to create a flowing garment that hangs softly over your body.

Yet it can be a bit fiddly, as merely looking at fabric cut at an angle seems to stretch it out of shape! Never fear though – here are some quick tips for stabilizing, handling and finishing a gorgeous bias-cut creation.

How to Make a Rouleau Button Loops

A rouleau button loop is a really pretty feature to add to your homemade clothes - whether you sew them down the front of a blouse, or just the one on a cuff, collar or at the top of a zip.

In the instructions for the Martha sewing pattern and Stevie sewing pattern, we show you how to make a cheat's button loop - using a hairband. A hairband?! Yes! While you may not want hairbands all the way down the front of a blouse, if you need a single rouleau loop on a back neck closure, trust me on this – a hairband works really well! We know our you don’t all have the gadgets and gizmos you need to make occasional little details like rouleau loops – you can be resourceful and use what you already have!

But if you don’t want to use a hairband, here’s how to make a proper fabric rouleau button loop...