Abi's Chic and Simple Lyra Shirt Hack

If we haven't met yet, I'm Abi - Tilly and the Button's Content Producer. I've never been much of a separates kinda gal. But sometimes your wardrobe calls for a chic and stylish shirt you can throw on and go, that makes you feel instantly put together. Recently I've been wearing the same smart-ish blousy tops on rotation. So it's time to add more to my weekly roster!  

One morning at Buttons HQ I spied our fabulous office manager Kate wearing a dreamy spotty shirt with a peplum, which turned out to be our Lyra shirt dress sewing pattern - simply chopped at the hip. So, feeling inspired by Kate's Lyra shirt (which I need to take a picture of!), I had to make my own. But I'm skipping the peplum to make a more classic shirt shape - perfect for all the layering I have planned for it.

Here's how I made it if you fancy having a go too...

What you'll need to make your simple Lyra shirt:

• Lyra shirt dress sewing pattern
• Some extra paper (I have some spot and cross pattern paper, but you can use any large paper)
• The usual tools; ruler, pencil, scissors, tape measure
• (Optional) Piping - ready-made or make your own 

Six Steps to Starting Sewing

Fancy sewing your own clothes but don't know where to start?

If you've stumbled upon this site while researching how to get into sewing - in which case, welcome! - you may have spotted that we offer lots of resources aimed at stitchers, including complete novices, from step-by-step patterns and award-winning books through online video workshops and free tutorials.

It can all still be a bit of a maze of information though when you're just starting out and don't know what you don't know. So I thought I'd break it down into six simple steps to get started sewing. You're welcome!

1) Get a sewing machine

Whether you buy, thrift, rent or borrow it, you'll obviously need to get your hands on a sewing machine. Shopping for a machine can feel a bit overwhelming, but all you really need is a machine that has a straight stitch (for most stitching) and an adjustable zigzag stitch (for finishing edges and sewing knits). Full-size machines (rather than those cute half-size models) are best for garment sewing. If you want to try before you buy, go to a specialist sewing machine shop or large department store such as John Lewis if you're in the UK. Or keep it easy by buying online. 

I always say that the best machine is the one you have, so don't sweat the decision too much!

Read more about choosing a sewing machine

Tilly's Embroidered Puff Sleeve Indigo Dress

Do you ever have ideas for DIY dresses come to you in your dreams?

That was the origin of this dress, and it’s lovely to see it now it’s come to life!

I’m not the most skilled embroiderer in the world, but I do enjoy the process of drawing with thread, as well as the beautiful results. It was nice to have a slow, meditative project to work on over a few summer evenings sitting in the garden once the kids were in bed, enjoying some peace as the sun began to set.

This is, of course, the Indigo dress sewing pattern, with the midi tier from the add-on pattern. The sleeves started life as the puff sleeve pattern, also included in the Indigo add on, but I hacked them to create extra volume. 

To be more specific, I “slashed and spread” the pattern – which basically means slicing it up vertically and widening it at various intervals, patching up the spaces with more paper – and added some extra height to the sleeve head.

Ten Tips for Cutting Fabric Accurately (with video!)

Ready to start your next sewing project? Sure you are! Before you dive into the sewing part, you first need to cut out your fabric. 

This is an important step to ensure the pieces go together perfectly and the shape and fit of your final project turn out fabulously.

So what's the best way to cut your fabric? Here are ten tips to keep in mind so you can make sure you're cutting out your next project as accurately as possible...

1) Prepare your fabric

Pre-washing your fabric is an important step that you shouldn't skip. If you're itching to get sewing, you may be tempted to start cutting out as soon as you have your fabric in your hands, but the risk is that your gorgeous finished garment will shrink the first time you wash it. So get any shrinkage out of the way first by laundering it on the settings you're planning to use for the finished garment.

Once it's dry, give it a good press (if the fabric can take it) to smooth out any creases. Ironing your fabric to get it nice and smooth will result in more accurately shapes.