SEW THE TRENDS: AUTUMN (PART 1)

It’s that time of year when the seasons are well and truly turning and I don’t know about you but I haven’t started my autumnal sewing yet. Anyone else who’s in the same boat as me worry not because I’m about to ignite your sewing flame. Each season I trawl the high street finding the season’s must-have items and pair the perfect pattern to recreate the look.

There was so much to say this time that I’ve popped it in two videos and you can read the second half here.

Below is the video where I talk you through everything, and below are all the images and pattern picks so go forth and immerse yourself in some serious sewing inspiration.

The colour palette felt really muted this year.  The great thing about this is that I’m sure you can pull a lot of stuff from last year and slot it in. Hurrah! Blacks, greys, camels, creams, and the two pops of colour are this beautiful deep burgundy and a jewel green.

If you are thinking about what fabrics you going to use, worry not we are here to help. The first fabric out of the bat this season is leather.. yes leather. From skirts to shirts to coats, it really spanned all areas.

If leather isn’t your thang,  what about embracing the sheer trend? Perfect for being covered up but showing a little skin.. you can see from the image above what a broad range of clothing this fabric was featured on. We love the simple M&S version if you want to have a nod to this trend but not fully invest.

If you are starting to wonder where all the prints are you’d be right. Prints really don’t feature very much this season, apart from these moody florals. A dark background with deep colours these prints felt very rich and romantic. I’m sorry team.. not a graphic print or a ditsy floral in sight.

The only place that felt like there was any playfulness was the coat department. These big checks feature a lot on coats and are a fun way to inject some colour into the muted palette.

So let’s start with some outerwear shall we? The bomber jacket is back and I for one am DELIGHTED about it. Quite a few of these were made to be worn as a jumper as well as a jacket. Think oversized and boxy.

There are two patterns I thought would work well. First up is the Makers Atelier Bomber, this would be to be sized up to make it boxy and it comes with an option to add a button front as well as a zip. The other is the TPC4 from Trend Patterns. This is cut on the roomy size and I love the zip detail at the chest.

The oversized pea coat is such a useful coat to have. Big enough that you have as many layers as you like underneath and smart enough to wear on a night out. A double win in my book.

These two patterns are great contenders. The Grainline Cortland is a short trench coat, it’s cut on the relaxed side but you may well want to size up to get that boxy look. The McCalls 7876 is closer in style but as you can see will definitely need to be altered to get the proportions right.

Next up we have the big cosy tie front coat. You’ll be wearing this for a long time, a timeless classic and looks great with or without the tie.

So I’ve got two great patterns, first up is the Terry Coat from Bara Studios. This is slightly more relaxed in the is cut and construction so better if you are a beginner. The Ormand coat has more tailoring involved you can see from the collar and the big statement tie is perfection.

Carrying on the theme with another paired back look, this simple dress shape. Mainly made out of knit and jersey these were everywhere. Make them in a plain tonal fabric or maybe it’s time to crack out those moody florals?

 

I’ve gone for three options for this look as I know that some people, myself included find a long tight dress a bit intimidating. If you do want to stay true to the image above the Alison dress is your best bet.  Check out the amazing thumb opening on the sleeves. For something with a bit of detail and tie at the waist we thought the Estelle dress was perfect. If you want something that is a little looser then the Ruby dress is great, slits at the side and great details on the sleeve.

Let me tell you I’m as surprised as you are to see a shirt dress. I think because it falls into the timeless classic it made the cut this season.

I’ve got three fantastic options for you. If you are looking for something that’s a slightly more relaxed fit and a drawstring waist then the Lou shirt from Bara Studio is the one. If you love a classic, then the Nicole dress is absolutely perfect and has all the details you’d expect and will be a more involved make. For something in the middle of these two the Celia dress. With a more relaxed collar construction and simple sleeves, any of these dresses of great.

So that is it for the first installment of Sew the Trends so make sure you pop back next week for part two.