I recently bought an issue of Make it Easy: Mix and Match Pattern Wardrobe & Sewing Guide from an antique shop in Sheffield (though I'm not sure I'd quite class it as an antique yet - it was published in 1984). I first remember being drawn to the attractive, bright, retro designs of the Make it Easy series when I was in my teens, and I came across a bunch of them in a junk shop. I bought a few at the time, just because I liked to collect old catalogues and 'vintage' imagery. These were a bit wasted on the non-sewist teen me, so now I actually sew, it was a pleasure to come across a few issues.

The cardboard sleeve and it's contents

A preview of what's inside issue 7

Make it Easy is a 26 piece series, originally published by Marshall and Cavendish in 1984. Each issue offers instructions to make a number of garments, as well as a pattern hack and 'styling' suggestions. The patterns are all printed and enclosed with the magazine in a cardboard sleeve, and each issue comes with 'technique cards' - though mine were missing unfortunately. I decided to buy issue 7 for the top/trousers/dungarees combination of patterns.

I've really struggled to find out much more about the series. It seems that the magazines are aimed at the beginner sewist, who was trying to build their very own 'mix and match' wardrobe - and as some of you may know, I'm already a big fan of the capsule/mix and match wardrobe (see here)! Marshall and Cavendish also published a similarly beginner-targeted magazine series called 'Get Knitting' the following year - each pack containing a colour knitting and stitch guide, plus patterns for men, women and children. You probably get the idea, but I did come across this wonderful video ad for Make it Easy (via Kristina at Arts, Thoughts, Fashion, Tech) that is well worth a watch:

Make it Easy top worn with Topshop trousers

Mix and match styling tips for the patterns in issue 7

Simple pattern hacks and accessory suggestions for the top

I'd like to try making the trousers from this issue (when you consider the picture below, how can I not?!) and I'd collect more of the Make it Easy series if I ever come across them again! If anyone else spots a copy then I'd recommend snapping it up - even if just for the fun styling :)

I made the detachable bib for the culottes shortly after I finished them a couple of months ago, and really liked wearing them together as overalls. The only problem is, the culottes became pretty unseasonal pretty quickly! So I hunted down some of the same black crepe, and made up a second version of the split side, self-drafted skirt (to be worn with tights!). I sewed buttons on the inside of the waistband so it could be worn with the bib too, as a pinafore dress.

Continuing with the intention of being seasonal, I made up a couple of Papercut Patterns Rise Turtlenecks, that got a brief mention in my last post. I already owned a few high street incarnations of this style, but after seeing some fab versions of this pattern sewn up by Katie from What Katie Sews and Rachel at House of Pinheiro I thought it was time to brave the stretch fabrics and give them a go.

The Rise Turtleneck worn with self-drafted skirt and detachable pinafore bib

A grey Rise Turtleneck worn with Culottes and bib

I liked the pattern so much that I made it twice over a weekend. The Rise Turtleneck was really easy to sew, and the pattern has dispelled any fear or anxiety I had around sewing with stretch fabric. It's also perfect for layering, hence it's inclusion in the mix and match bunch - I really love it worn underneath this Kielo Wrap Dress.

I think my favourite combination is the Rise Turtleneck worn with the Culottes and bib. It feels super comfortable and relaxed, yet sort of cool at the same time. I'm thinking I could get away with this on a night out with some heels - I've practiced dancing and posing for the camera in it at least...

Textile waste is a huge problem, which is worsening with growing levels of consumption. I think we can make more of an effort to minimise the damage done - it's said that approximately 10,000 pieces of clothing go to landfills every 5 minutes in the UK - and sewing your own clothes is a great place to start. My clothing choices are much more considered since I've been making garments for myself - 'can I make this in time for a special occasion? how much wear will I get out of this? will the style/fabric/finish stand the test of time?' I guess these are some of the limitations of sewing your own clothes, but it massively cuts down my consumption (and disposal) of 'fast fashion'.

Installation in London showing how many clothes go to landfill every 5 minutes

I've been making a lot of 'mix and match' style garments recently - culottes, trousers and skirts that can be turned into pinafores or overalls by buttoning in a bib. I really have got more miles out of these garments for having the pinafore option (I posted a tutorial on how to draft and make a bib here). I'm hoping to blog about these mix and match pieces in a bit more detail soon, but for now, here are a couple of Papercut Patterns Rise Turtlenecks that I made to throw in the mix and match pile.

Papercut Patterns Rise Turtleneck

The pattern is a breeze to make, and I made up both versions using cosy jersey (the green one even has a bit of gold sparkle in!). I was a bit nervous sewing something close fitting in stretch fabric, but the instructions are really easy to follow. I've seen lots of tops in this style on the high street - and even bought one from H&M - but the quality and fit is so much better on my hand-mades. I've already worn them on their own, with the overall bib, and under a dress. 

Wearing the Rise Turtleneck out to work

These days my dressmaking and fabric choices are much more considered. I strive to only make garments that will get plenty of wear - like these mix and match ones - but pairing a pattern with the right fabric is a great skill, and something I still get wrong from time to time. I feel a bit sentimental about the few disastrous starched cotton blouses/dodgy synthetic numbers and general unworn garments - all the time and effort I lovingly put in, all the things I learnt while making them - but I can't hang onto them forever.

I don't really consider them worthy of the charity shops - I haven't got an overlocker so no professional finishes, and they generally contain a bunch of mistakes - but I don't want them to contribute to that landfill pile either. I did a bit of research and I'm going to donate them to Marks and Spencers/Oxfam Shwopping initiative. All the clothing either goes to Oxfam for resale, or to be sent to those who need it in the Third World, or (more likely in my case) the fibres are recycled to make new material.

So here's to an early New Year's sewing resolution - I'm going to make every effort to make sure I have no unworn garments in 2016. (But if I do have any disasters at least I know that they can be Shwopped!)

I'd love to know what everyone else does with their unworn me-mades! Do you hang on to them, or recycle them in someway or another? Let me know with a comment :)

My sewing buddy Erin bought the Kielo recently and it specified that the pattern should be made up in stretch fabric - I'm not sure if this is a new instruction, or something I've previously overlooked as I've never made it in stretch fabric before. Anyway, for the sleeved version, you really need something with a bit of stretch to allow for some movement in the arm/shoulder area. I made it using a quite unusual, textured, stretch fabric I picked up for about £3 at October's Hebden Bridge WI Rag Market. It's pretty see-through, so I'm wearing a slip underneath it in the photos.

New dress and fresh undercut!

Cutting required a bit of care - the stretch and texture of the fabric meant that the darts were a little bit trickier to keep on track. After that, the fabric was much easier to work with than I imagined! The dress comes up slightly bigger than my other versions, but that's fine as you can wrap it just a little bit tighter.

The sleeve pattern came to wrist length, and I was aiming for 3/4 length when I cut them down, but somehow they've ended up much shorter - oh well. I also took an extra 2 inches off the hem of this version compared to my others. This means it's 11 inches shorter than the original pattern - which seems to have been designed with very tall ladies in mind! I also took the back vent/split up a little so it's level with the backs of my knees (I had to do an emergency fix on a previous version after splitting the vent on an energetic walk).

Testing that back split!

I feel very chic in the finished garment - the sleeves put a whole new spin on a much loved pattern. I like the Kielo with and without sleeves, but I think for some people, adding sleeves will make quite an unusual silhouette seem much more wearable.

I've been wearing it out (LOTS) with coloured tights to highlight the fabric. And it's already had the wear and play test with my one of my best friends and her beautiful little boy...