Ida Clutch

In the first in a series of inspiration posts, I looked at some ideas for using leftover pleather, particularly with bag making in mind. I always say I'm not much of a bag maker, but I have made a fair few Retro Rucksacks and I have a box full of hardware from a slightly too enthusiastic leap into leather work - an ambition/dream that I never quite fulfilled - so it makes sense to incorporate these bits into sewing projects where possible.

Minimal fabric requirements for the Ida

Fabric: Deep red textured faux-leather from Samuel Taylors, Leeds (though this in 'wine' from Minerva looks v similar), plus leftover printed cotton for the lining.

Original garment made: Ready to Sew Juliette Skirt

Leftover fabric amount: Not lots, but a decent chunk actually, considering the Juliette Skirt can be made from just 1m (a fine Leftovers project in itself)!

Sewing Leftovers make: A slightly modified Ida Clutch (FREE pattern by Kylie and the Machine)

Leftovers-wise what did I learn? You can get away with some weird and wonderful pattern placement on most pleathers. I could have definitely scaled up the pattern with the amount of fabric I had and might even be able to squeeze another Ida out of my leftovers' leftovers, or failing that, at least a micro version. I'm going to have a play with the printer scaling...

About the make:

I made 4 Ida Clutch bags for gifts at Christmas, but still hadn't got around to making one for myself. The pattern really is a quick and hugely satisfying make. The instructions are all online and heavy with photographs to guide you through each step, which helps the maker to feel super comfortable with bag sewing - even if it's not really their 'bag'.

Strap hack

I made a slightly hacked version so my Ida could be converted to a super wearable cross-body bag, and I'm really pleased with the outcome. I skipped the press stud fastening and basted tabs with small D rings to my outer (positioning shown on the picture above) before sewing the whole clutch together. I had some offcut strips of suede that were the perfect width and weight for a bag strap, so I riveted these to bag clips to make my detachable handle.

Strap/rivet detail

I left a little extra room for seam allowance at the top and bottom of the zip, meaning it was easier for my machine foot to pass along side the zip when stitching the bag together. I'd definitely do this again as this version (and particularly the zip) has turned out to be my best yet!

My finished Ready to Sew Juliette!

Juliette line drawings

Snow/sew day-ing

A new and exciting option for Juliette is that the pattern offers half sizes! The half sizes go up in 2cm increments, making it so much easier to get the right fit. My waist measurement perfectly matched the size 39 (ordinarily I would've just sized up rather than have the confidence to make alterations) so I went with this.

Side shot

Check that pleather/boot match!

The pattern offers two suggested lay plans - one using only one fabric, and the other for a colour blocked version. I found this amazing deep red faux leather (that couldn't be a better match for my new ankle boots) in Samuel Taylors in Leeds. It's medium-heavy weight and has a really interesting texture and mottled finish that's quite hard to capture in anything but the close up photos. Best of all, the plain version of the skirt uses only 1 metre of fabric, making mine a total bargain (this was £9.50 p/m).

Close up of the pocket and topstitched detailing

I chose, and often choose faux leather or suede rather than the real deal for a few reasons:

• Cost and ease: It's a lot cheaper than buying the perfect piece of leather for your project, and often easier to source.
• Limiting consumption: Whilst I'm not veggie/vegan, I do err on the side of caution with when it comes to using real leather. I would feel much guiltier about a sewing fail or unworn garment if it was made using animal products.  
• Best for the tests: Pleather is perfect for giving a pattern a first go to check that you're happy with the fit and style and confident in the pattern if you're up for progressing to the real deal.

Pleather hacks - sellotape seams!

I'm really pleased to report that the Juliette Skirt was a breeze to put together, despite a few difficulties with stubborn, bulky pleather. I used a walking foot and increased my stitch length as recommended for the topstitching. The crossing intersections of the skirt were a the hardest bits to stitch over, so I stuck a bit of tape over the seam allowances, which helped to reduce sticking. The topstitching is great for creating really crisp seams as pleather is so hard to press. I hand stitched the inside of my waistband as the bulk was too much for my machine - I really wanted to topstitch this seam too but unfortunately had to skip it. Overall though, I'm so pleased with the level of detail in the finish.

Back view

More back detail from an earlier snow storm-blighted picture taking attempt

I particularly like how the back has turned out. I'd never inserted a zip using this method before - grateful for the click-through tutorial in the pattern! - so it was cool to learn a new technique. It worked particularly well for creating a neat finish with a tricky fabric. I finished the top of my waistband with a Prym anorak fastening, rather than the recommended button and buttonhole - no way would that buttonhole/bulk be compatible with my machine! Also on the finish: the pattern is fully lined so no risk of sweaty pleather thighs (erghh) - I used a nice quality black crepe from my stash.

Thanks to my boyfriend for his patience in the 3 attempts it took to get these pictures!

The finished fit of the garment is perfect, especially the waistband thanks to those half sizes! I found that the pockets gaped when I tried it on before joining the waistband (I have a narrow waist and quite curvy hips which probably explains this) but they were really easy to adjust and baste back in place. This is something that I fed back to Raphaëlle who has included a point in the instructions to check that the pockets lay flat at this point. Raph has also gone above and beyond to offer an extra option of the Juliette Skirt without pockets too - helpful if you know they might be tricky to fit for you!

:)

I soooo can't wait to make another Juliette Skirt and can fast see it becoming a wardrobe staple (overtaking the much loved New Look 6418). In fact, I love my finished Juliette so much that I'm actually considering committing to a real leather or suede version, probably from any scraps that I can source. A totally patchwork version could look really great, don't you think? I would definitely recommend the pattern, and if you need any more convincing, just check out some of the other fab tester versions at #juliettereadytosew

The new Ready to Sew Collection: Jeanne, Jim, Jamie & Juliette

Thanks again to Ready to Sew for allowing me to test it!
Juliette is available now alongside the new Jeanne T-Shirt, Jamie Cardigan and Jim Dungarees.
See here to pick up a copy!

New Look 6418 in faux suede

The overlooked cover

As well as the standard this-time-of-year-panic to make season-appropriate clothes, my priority has been to make fitted clothes that actually fit - I've been unwell over the summer and changed my diet, which has messed with my measurements. A fitted mini was top of the list - something to wear with thick tights and pair with jumpers/Fall Turtlenecks and looser tops like the Frilled Hem Top. I was quite surprised that my mini pattern research didn't pull up anything new that excited me - woven minis seem few and far in between, but let me know if you know otherwise!

Before: an unworn Inari Tee Dress

...salvaged for fabric

So that's what led me to turning to the New Look 6418 in my stash. View D looked ok to try and if it didn't require too much commitment time wise (it took a couple of hours) and fabric wise (only 0.8m). I managed to squeeze mine out of this old Inari Tee Dress that just wasn't working for me. I loved my first version, but this amazing orange faux suede was just a bit too heavy and the resulting look was a bit 'bubble-like'.

After: a finished and very wearable New Look 6418

The skirt is SO simple to make. It has a bit of topstitching on the fake pockets and an invisible zip in the back so it would be a good one for beginners to practice skills or experienced sewers who want a quick win make (or perhaps a pattern to experiment with). The finished garment is designed to sit 1" below the waist, which feels a bit weird at first, but it's actually a really flattering cut. I made a size 14, which is spot on when worn at the right point on the hip, though I can't help but thinking a 12 might work a bit better depending on the stiffness of fabric used.

Really, I had a score to settle with a faux leather skirt that I recently tried on in Topshop (pictured below). If you read my last post, you'll already know exactly how I feel about the sizing on the high street, and this one was no different. I loved the garment on the hanger, but when it came to trying in on, the hip measurements seemed to barely change between sizes. This was just at the time when I was testing the Nita pattern, and I thought it would work perfectly in faux leather if only I dared to brave working with it...

I bought the thin leatherette from B&M Fabrics when the lovely Jess from All Stitched Up came to visit and we had a mooch around the fabric shops of Leeds. It has a slight stretch, and is backed with a soft, thin jersey. I was wearing my first Nita at the time, and very much sitting on the fence wondering I could tackle a second in a fabric like this. Big thanks go to Jess for encouraging me to go for it - I needed the back up with this one!

The pattern itself is super simple to sew up, but making it in the faux leather proved to be pretty challenging. Although it was fine to sew when right sides were together (with the soft jersey backing on the outside) it was an absolute nightmare any time the right side was exposed during sewing. The tacky leatherette side dragged against my machine, creating some nasty misshaping when I tried to topstitch my front facing in place. Unpicking this left some dodgy marks too (see below), but luckily they're hidden away on the wrap side that sits underneath.

This is so not a forgiving fabric for making mistakes with!

I hadn't planned on doing it, but at this point, I realised I'd have to line the skirt to secure the folded facing edge (and avoid the topstitching). I used some leftover black crepe from my stash, which worked quite nicely. I hand-basted the lining and outer together to avoid any further machine-drag issues. Then followed this up with more hand stitching to finish the waistband. This was much easier than I thought - it just took a sharp needle and a bit of patience.

Hand basting layers together

The inside waistband, hand stitched to finish

Pressing wasn't too bad. Where I could, I used a cool iron on the wrong side of the fabric, and for the front and belt I managed to get some use out of my cooking books - knew they'd come in handy for something!

Resorting to unusual pressing techniques!

I made View A this time (the mini length) but still wanted to stick with the D-ring fastening of View B - I think the hardware and faux leather perfectly complement each other. I added an inch to the length of the skirt so I had a bit more room for manouever when hemming... but when I got to it, I was stumped by how to actually hem it, if at all! I knew I couldn't topstitch it like a normal hem because of the dragging issue, so tried hand stitching, but that just threw the fit of the front panels right off, creating unsightly kinks on the diagonal wrap edges.

Close up detail

So its currently unpicked and hanging loose - not the end of the world. Now I see why a lot of hems are unfinished on high street garments made in similar fabric. I probably should've tried out some of the nifty tricks for sewing with difficult fabrics from the start of this project. I'm really interested to know if anyone's tried the tape on the presser foot trick? Does it really work?! I've since bought a walking foot - a real investment, but if you're in Leeds, buy one from the sewing machine repairs shop in the market for about half the price! I've already tried it out on some hard to handle stretch fabric and it was G R E A T so I'm hoping it will work magic with faux leather too!

Sorry for the creases! I'd been wearing it for half the day by this point