The Good Grab Bin Buying Guide ft. the True Bias Nikko

fabric buying
Can you make a bad fabric good? When I'm not sewing leftovers, I'm a keen rescuer of the questionable fabrics that I'm sometimes drawn to - mainly the grab bin variety. This textured black velour is a prime example of one of those weird need to haves. It's sort of ugly and full of imperfections, but something about it just begged to be liberated from the bottom of the pile in Manchester Abakhan. A luxe True Bias Nikko Dress sprung to mind, working with the vertical stripe texture of the velour.

Luxe True Bias Nikko Dress in bargain garb bin velour
When I pulled the length of fabric from the grab bin, I realised that the stripe (and with it, the main stretch) ran horizontally rather than vertically as I'd hoped. It had a few faults too, where the texture looked squashed out of shape. Whilst I'm not one to promote over buying, in some cases it's good to have spare fabric, particularly if you're buying 'seconds' or worried about quality. In this case, I took home just over 3m for £8 - enough to 'work around' the dodgy bits and to try something else if my plans for a vertical stripe Nikko were scuppered by the stretch. 


I used the fabric stretch guide on the Nikko, and although it didn't quite reach the recommended 75% (it was probably closer to 50%), I thought it was worth the risk of cutting on the cross grain. As with my previous Nikko, I cut a size 6, grading to a 2 at the waist and out to a 4 again at the hips. Knowing there would be tears if I couldn't fit it over my head (this has definitely happened before with some of my Nikko Tops made from stretchier fabric!) I cut the neckband on the less-risky straight grain, meaning the stripes run horizontally. 

Side shot
Back view
In the end, I found that the fabric had enough stretch to fit (I was a bit worried it would turn out tiny!). It was actually the lack of bounce back/recovery that presented more of an issue in getting the right fit. I had to take the dress in a couple of times to get the perfect comfortable-yet-close fit around the waist and hips. 


This is a pattern is so made for tall makers - something I already knew about from last time. The weight of the velour seemed to make this version look even longer. I took 3" from the length and took the side split up by 3" too, though I'd be tempted to take the split up a little further next time.

Spot the fabric faults!
In all I'm really pleased with how this Nikko turned out - definitely my best version yet! I didn't totally manage to miss the imperfections of the fabric - something the eagle-eyed amongst you may have spotted - but I think this sort of adds to the charm of it. It fits well, it's made to a higher standard than most high street garments, so who cares if there are a few dodgy creases here and there? After making it, I realised that Anthropologie are stocking loads of RTW clothes in similar fabrics at the minute - 'on trend' at a cost of about a twentieth of the price of the average Anthro dress can only be a winner.

I've always been quite restrained in my fabric buying, but even more so recently. Despite the low price of this length of fabric, I asked myself a lot of questions before committing to buying it. Here's a little guide for good grab bin buying for anyone else who feels like they need to check themselves before sticking the bargains in their basket:


I'm really interested to hear people's thoughts on this. Do you find it easy to be restrained when bargains present themselves, or are you the first to put them in your basket?

Feeling luxe and fancy in my <£5 dress
I always knew I would have some leftovers, but cutting this project on the cross grain meant that I used much less fabric than anticipated. It gives quite a basic dress a real luxurious feel to it - I even wore this dress to my friend's wedding last week! Party season is almost upon us, so this is definitely something I'm hoping to replicate with the leftovers, in either a pair of wide leg trousers or even a jumpsuit at a push! Bring on the #sewingleftovers!

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Body confidence and 'braving' the Nikko Dress

body confidence
As someone who's barely worn a t-shirt since being a teenager, I've been finding it difficult to judge what knits will sit well on the body and which ones are the best to work with for each project. I remember the horrors of clinging high street knits all too well, so I want to get it right as I amp up my sewing with stretch. After making the True Bias Nikko Top (in a slightly too stretchy rib knit - see here) and seeing the amazing fit Kate from The Fold Line achieved with hers in grey, I decided imitation (*cough* outright copying) was a sure fire way to get it right.

True Bias Nikko Dress
I used the exact grey marl viscose jersey from Fabrics Galore that Kate used for hers. If it hadn't been for the recommendation, I would have probably let it pass me by, thinking it was too lightweight for a project like this. When it arrived, I was still worried that the fabric was too light and also slightly see through when held up, but I went with it in the effort of honing my not-quite-there-yet jersey-judgement, and it worked!

In sunny Hebden Bridge-post Rag Market
The Nikko dress has a slightly more relaxed fit from the waist down, which I didn't think would be the most flattering fit for me, so I made some slight adjustments to get a closer fit at the waist. I cut a size 6 at the neckline and bust, grading down to a 2 at the waist and out to a 4 at the hips. I also took the split seams and hem up by 3" (I'm 5ft 6" for reference, so this is a long dress). Just like the top, it's a very quick and easy make and the instructions are easy to follow.


Whilst my Nikko Dress has turned out close fitting in the way I intended it to be, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't just a little self conscious when wearing it. The fabric is spot on, if not a little clingy, and using plain grey has made for an unintentionally bold finish. From some angles I feel totally statuesque, and from others... more like the fifth (grey) teletubby. I definitely like the finished dress more than not though and really want to get wear out of it, so I guess I've got no option other than to try and own it.

Less into this angle...
Wearing it with a slip does reduce some of the cling and skims the underwear lines a bit. I also think I might feel a bit more comfortable by breaking the block colour up. I had a black leather jacket on before taking these pictures and felt great, so I think I might just need to wear something over the top, like a loose button up shirt (actually that's a good excuse to make one - I'm thinking khaki will fit in nicely with the rest of my wardrobe)!

Thanks Mum for patiently waiting for the walkers and cyclists to pass to take these
I'm not an un-body confident sort of person, but it is a dress that I feel like I need to 'brave' to an extent. It's quite difficult putting yourself/body out there in a silhouette you're not quite used to - even if the only person who really knows it or cares is you. It is a lovely pattern, so I am determined to integrate the Nikko into my wardrobe, to the point where I don't have to feel brave to put it on. Points if you spot me, head held high looking positively statuesque in my big grey Nikko!


Has anyone else had similar feelings about 'braving' wearing certain garments?

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New outfit ft. Nikko

capsule wardrobe
I'm feeling bombarded with articles, books and methods on how to achieve the capsule wardrobe holy-grail. There's Colette's Wardrobe Architect and the Design Your Wardrobe series for Seamwork subscribers, the 10x10 Challenge and I'm currently reading The Curated Closet, which I must say, as enjoyable a read as it is, I'm finding totally overwhelming to actually put into practice (I only got as far as making the Pinterest board). Whilst these methods or elements of them might work for some of us, deep down, I think we can only work out our own way to achieve a 'dream wardrobe' (if it even exists!) - Katie did a great post on her personal approach recently which is worth checking out!

Nikko Top, New Look 6418 and Retro Rucksack
I guess partly in response to this, my recent sewing has been focused around creating new basics with a considered colour palette in mind. In making proper use of leftovers and excessive fabric lengths to do so, I've found that I'm actually starting to build a small but cohesive, more coordinated wardrobe. So here is a new outfit - accessories included - in matchy fabrics and simple silhouettes, made up of the New Look 6418 Skirt, a Radiant Home Studio Retro Rucksack and the new True Bias Nikko Top!

New coordinated outfit!
I've made both the New Look 6418 Skirt and Retro Rucksack before (blog posts here and here), so lets talk Nikko first of all. True Bias are making huge waves in sewing world with their latest releases (I'm still working on that Lander fit but it's getting there!) and Nikko is no exception to this. Perhaps one of the draws of the Nikko are the options to make it as a either a top or dress/sleeveless or with long sleeves.


There are a lot of turtleneck patterns out there, the Papercut Patterns Rise/Fall Turtleneck being the dominant one in my pattern collection and home sewn wardrobe, so I wasn't really sold by the Nikko top alone. I fell for the styling and dress version completely, but must admit, a part of me was thinking, 'could I hack that'? I decided to buy it so I could properly see how the patterns compared and I thought some of you might be interested in seeing this too!

I cut the size 6 Nikko Top, grading to a 4 at the waist and hips. The pictures below show the front and back pattern pieces laid on top of the Rise Turtleneck pattern cut at a Medium.

Rise Turtleneck/Nikko front comparison
Rise Turtleneck/Nikko back comparison
This isn't intended to discredit either pattern, but show that they really do differ in their drafting - I was quite surprised at how different they actually are! It's definite proof to never judge or compare patterns on first look, even if they appear quite similar in style. Nikko is drafted with negative ease and is noticeably longer in the body and sleeves. Also, interestingly, the neckband of the Nikko (not pictured) is drafted with a slight curve, meaning it sits closer to the neck than the Rise Turtleneck.

Oops, that wasn't the best zip colour choice...
Nikko is drafted for a C cup - arguably quite generous as far as sewing patterns go - and I'm a not so modest FF-G cup... So when it turned out way too big, even on the bust, I knew that it was a case of too-stretchy-fabric strikes again. I'd squeezed it out of the leftovers from my Nettie Dress - ribbed jersey from Stoff & Stil - which had to be taken in a fair amount, so maybe I should've known better. The Nikko pattern however, specifically lists ribbed jersey in it's recommended fabrics, but I still had to take it in from mid-arm and all the way down the side seams. Is it just me who can't seem to get the fabric stretch thing quite right?!


I bought 2m of the khaki faux suede to make another Retro Rucksack, inspired by the more minimal Whistles suede backpack below that was well out of my price range. I should have stabilised the body of the bag more as the fabric is a bit too flimsy and lacks in structure where the bag folds and clips shut. I added a couple of magnetic press stud fastenings inside the bag and under the flap, which helps, but doesn't entirely solve the problem. Still, I think it's quite cute, particularly when worn with the skirt to match, and it has the handy option of being worn as both a shoulder bag and backpack.

Whistles Verity Suede Backpack (£279)

And continuing on the theme of using leftovers, the skirt was squeezed out of the excess from the bag. It's another quick win New Look 6418 in view D. This is the fourth time I've made this pattern, with 2 other faux suede ones and a snakeskin pleather version already in my wardrobe. It's a good one for playing around with different fabrics and textures, fitting into the basics category whilst not looking too plain or boring. I downsized to a 12 for this one as my previous versions have had to be taken in, and the fit is perfect - I know I'll make more!

Thank you Chris going out in the cold with me to get these pictures
I'm really pleased with how well all of these pieces work together and will hopefully slot in with my other handmades! This was also a great trial run of the Nikko Top and I'm looking forward to trying both the top and dress in a fabric with hopefully more suitable stretch soon. (Another benefit of using leftovers is getting a garment made from lovely fabric that you don't feel quite as precious over)!

More scrap busting plans coming up - the New Look 6459
Continuing down the colour-coordinated, scrap-busting track, I'm going to give the New Look 6459 trousers a try in the remaining corduroy I have from making the Simplicity 8459 buckle skirt. I've seen some amazing versions of this pattern - check Sophie's (@adapragg), Kylie's (@kylieandthemachine) and Michelle's (@michelleofatime) for major inspiration - so I can't wait to try it!

Now to go back inside and warm up!
I'm interested to hear about other people's personal approaches to wardrobe planning. Do you have a method or are you more of an 'anything goes' kind of sewer?


Stay in touch!


3 imperfect Landers, but what have I learnt?

finished project
I'm obsessed with the True Bias Lander Pants, partly because I love the silhouette and partly through sheer determination to nail the fit. I've made them 3 times now, with sizing tweaks each time: pair 1 in khaki cotton drill (blogged here), the second in black denim, and the latest in blue denim, but have I actually made them work? I think I'm starting to understand that size isn't everything *ahem* when it comes to trouser fitting...

Lander Pants pair 3!
I've downsized each time when making the Landers. By no means were my first two pairs unwearable, but the fit is looser than I would like around the waist and hips. The differences between the sizing brackets are pretty subtle and having a 1" side seam allowance to play around with gave me a little more confidence to downsize again, this time cutting a 4.

From top: Size 8, Size 6 and Size 4
With this pair, I've finally achieved the snug hip/waist fit I was going for, but what I wasn't fully prepared for was the knock on affect that this would have on the fit in other areas. It turns out that when wearing them, they aren't particularly comfortable in the crotch area - like sitting down in them all day at work is just not fun. Thinking about yourself as having a 'long crotch' is quite weird isn't it? So thanks go to the Closet Case Patterns pants fitting adjustments guide which made me feel a bit more confident in diagnosing and accepting this area of mis-fit.

Pictures by my friend Alex

I wish I'd found this trouser fitting bible sooner in my naive quest for proper-fitting Landers. Here are the things from it that I'll be addressing in Lander Pants pair four (and I'm determined they'll be my perfect pair):

1) A low seat adjustment for my flat bum (yes I noticed this with previous pairs, but one thing at a time).
2) Lengthening the crotch!
3) Using a curved waistband to avoid the slight gaping at the back.
4) And... using the pocket piece/positioning of the smaller sizes as I think they look just too big on the bum of the size 4.

My slightly baggy pair two worn for a weekend in London
In good news, I've found that a heavier denim works really well for jean Landers and I'd definitely use it again in future. I know I need to add a good few inches to the cropped view to make them that perfect 'Insta-fashionista' ankle boot-skimming length - though I'm tempted to just go full length next time - and I've got better at inserting the jean buttons each time. Interfacing the right hand fly piece helped (the pattern doesn't specifically instruct to do this) and using proper quality Prym buttons with Prym pliers made the task much easier.

Buttons on pair 2
One thing I still don't get is how do people do neat button holes for jeans? I used the automatic buttonhole function on my machine which was fine, but once opened, they seem to just look messy and frayed. I ended up going over the machine stitching by hand just to make sure it was secured in place. If anyone has any tips or could point me in the right direction that would be fab!

So I'm clearly not done with this pattern just yet. And I hate to admit it, but I definitely should've done a muslin at the start. I'm convinced by looking at the Instagram hashtag that the Landers suit/look cool on just about anyone, I just need to finish finding that balance between fit and comfort with mine, but I think I'm getting there... 

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True Bias Lander Pant

finished project
I don't sew trousers very often, but when I do, I'm always SO amazed that it's even humanly possible - I should make them more often, even if only to boost my sewing pride/confidence! Tackling the True Bias Lander Pants was no exception, and the new-to-me technique of a button down fly made it feel like I 'level up-ed' my trouser making game with this sew too. The creases in them say it all - hot off the machine, I wore my Landers nearly all weekend and I really love them!

True Bias Lander Pant, creases and all, in Edinburgh
I used the PDF pattern to make up View B, the cropped pant version, in a greeny/brown mid-weight cotton drill. The pattern is drafted for an average height of 5ft 5". I'm 5ft 6", so I added 1" to the length with the aim of the hem just skimming the top of my new and seriously bold pair of Docs. I veered from the suggested lay plan and squeezed the pattern pieces out of a bit under 2m of the suggested 2.5m, so would probably buy a little less fabric for future versions.

Wrapped up by Arthur's Seat
The make was pretty smooth for the most part and I can't fault the instructions. I'd consider double topstitching some of the pocket details next time - it felt weird only doing one row after the mammoth amount of detail that went into my Isla Trench! The button fly was surprisingly easy to construct and my only stumbling block came when trying to attach the buttons...

It took a lot to get it looking like this...!
A series of total fails on my part led me to nearly ruining my almost finished Landers with the WORST button insertion of all time. I started off by making the holes in my fabric too big, giving the buttons too much room to potentially ping out. I used jean buttons from Green Grizzly and fitted them with my Prym pliers, but I didn't have the right size plier attachments, so used slightly bigger ones that came with some old snaps. This meant wobbly insertion and at least 2 buttons that weren't going to withstand a wear, so I pulled them out.

See below for the absolute HORROR and perhaps the dodgiest salvage that ever made it off the sewing table: 

Too big holes :(
Semi-fixed fly from the front
And from the back once the buttons were reinserted
In the end, I made an interfaced patch for the back for the fly, stitched some serious zigzag over the previous holes, and reinserted new buttons closer to the inside-edge of the fly. I used the smallest fitting on my leather punch to make a tiny hole for the button-back this time and stuck a sellotape loop in my plier attachment to stop the buttons wobbling when I inserted them (though in hindsight, I probably should've just used the hammer). A bit shambolic in all, but I have a fully functioning button fly, so who cares!

Just checking they're still fastened!
In future, I would strengthen the right side fly with either a heavier interfacing or some sort of interlining to make it a more habitable environment for those heavy-duty buttons. I'll also make sure to put the buttons as close to the inside-edge of the fly as possible - there's a natural bit of pulling with wear and the underneath can poke out a little. And of course, I'll do a bit more research on jean button insertion before braving it again! Perhaps I should've read this Lander Sewalong post to start with...
Any other tips or links to tutorials would be very welcome in the comments below!

A fully functioning fly, it doesn't matter how we got there!
I love the shape and style of the Lander, though mine turned out a bit more 'relaxed' in fit than I had anticipated - again it's entirely my fault! I'm finding it quite difficult to adjust to my new measurements and I've already had to take in my New Look 6418 skirt, which suggests more than anything that I'm probably just a bit rubbish with the tape measure. 

Flashing my new shoes!
I made up a size 8, only realising afterwards how close together the sizing brackets fall. I probably could've sized down to a 6 all along, particularly given that the pattern offers a generous 1" seam allowance on the side seams to help you get a perfect, flexible fit through the hip. I've already cut my next pair in the smaller size and I'm hoping to get that perfect, snug waist/hip fit like Helen (Helen's Closet) managed with her pair. 


The straight/loose leg isn't a trouser style I'd usually go for (I'm more of a voluminous culotte kind of girl), but the leg lengthening properties of the Lander are unreal. Maybe it's the high waist contributing to the illusion, because my legs definitely aren't that long! There's also something incredibly feminine about the silhouette, despite me styling them with the least feminine boots!

Checking out the back pockets!
Back view
The pockets looked huge at first cut, so I hadn't expected to be a massive fan, but I think they look great! The fit across the bum is actually pretty flattering (and will hopefully be even more so for my next pair).

In the rest of my handmade outfit in Edinburgh
In all, making the Lander Pant was a hugely fun challenge and real test in 'making it work'. In the past, I would've been put off by an element like a button fly, but I feel much more confident at jumping in and giving things a go - even if it did go a bit wrong! I wore my new Landers with a Fall Turtleneck, handmade hat and scarf and my Isla Trench in chilly Edinburgh for most of a weekend away there.

Thank you Chris for taking these snaps on our lovely weekend away
It was a learning curve, but I'm totally made up with my Landers and ready to try out pair two, this time in a heavier black denim and a slightly smaller size. Fingers crossed I get the buttons right this time!

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