Plan ahead
One of the pitfalls of sewing your own party
outfit however, is that you can potentially run
out of time, particularly if making several festive
projects at once. “As this can be a particularly
stressful time of the year, I would suggest
starting on your outfit about a month before
the event, or maybe even earlier!” Katie advises.
“It means your sewing won’t feel too under
pressure, plus you can splash out on some
fancy fabric without worrying that it will eat
into your gift budget too much.”
While clothes maketh the woman, the right
fabric can make the garment – and Christmas isthe perfect excuse to treat yourself to
something luxurious, preferably in bright or
jewel shades, or with a metallic shimmer to
really ring the changes in your wardrobe.
“I’m currently mad for sequins, which
obviously provide glitz in abundance, as well
as brocade – which comes in a wonderful array
of colours and textures, and has even more
pizazz when made with metallic thread,” Katie
continues. “Brocade is much more forgiving
than sequinned fabric to sew, but it can fray
like nobody’s business, so I would suggest
overlocking the edges or using fray check.”Perfect pattern
If you’re not sure which fabric to choose, try
selecting your pattern first, as this will suggest
various material types that will work well
for your completed garment. This is another
fun part of sewing your own outfit of course,
as there are so many pattern houses offering
elegant designs that only need the right
material to come to life!
“The two dress patterns that I’ll be
considering for my next party outfit are
the Etta and Zadie designs from the range
available at Tilly and the Buttons,” Katie
reveals. “They are both quite different, but
perfect for festive events in their own way!
Zadie would make a wonderful dress for
Christmas as it’s stylish and chic, but also
comfortable, being made from stretch knit
fabric – so you get the best of both worlds.”
“If you’re looking for a more elegant outfit,
Etta is your pattern of choice. This fitted
wiggle dress is a total knockout and when
made in a gorgeous luxury fabric, will help
you start the festive season – or the new year- with a bang!”
katie's
party outfit
planner
1
When picking a pattern, think about
the type of event you're going to
from every angle. Will you be sitting,
standing, dancing, eating? You
want an outfit that will make you
feel great but also work for the
whole event.2
When sewing your outfit,
remember that old favourite:
measure twice and cut once! It's a
rule I live by with all my projects, but
especially so when sewing with an
expensive fabric.3
If you want to be really kitsch, why
not sew a coordinating tie for your
partner from your leftover fabric, to
wear at the event? These also make
great stocking fillers!New Look 6824 allows you to mix and match the pattern pieces, to create a variety of elegant party dressesSanta Clara
floral sequin tulle,
£20.99 per metre,
minervacrafts.comFloral woven
metallic brocade,
£8.99 per metre,
minerva
crafts.com37(^) sewmag.co.uk
36
(^) sewmag.co.uk
sew DRESSMAKING
Pick up a pattern
Simplicity and New Look patterns, simplicitynewlook.com, Tilly and the Buttons patterns, tillyandthebuttons.com
If you're not
keen on dresses,
New Look 6558
includes a smart
pair of trousers