Tilly's Lockdown Makes (Video!)

How has the Covid-19 lockdown affected your creativity? Have you had more time or less time on your hands to sew? Have you felt inspired to make all the things or too anxious to thread a needle?

At the time of writing, I've been extremely lucky enough not to have friends or family severely affected healthwise by the pandemic, so that hasn't been a factor for me. I acknowledge that this is a privilege, and I am aware that some of you reading this may be going through a harder time right now - if this is the case, I'm sending you lots of love. I hope that craft - or at least dreaming about creativity - has provided you with some release, relief or rest during this difficult time.

My experience of lockdown has been up and down, feeling grateful for my fortunate position (our health, a happy home, an online business that is weathering the storm, a garden...!) while also struggling most days with juggling an ever-changing small business with looking after my two year old while we haven't had childcare for four months.

I've had verrrry little time to myself. Some weeks I've been too frazzled to even go to the loo, let alone think about sewing anything... while at other times I have felt incredibly inspired and energised to make stuff, and have harnessed this urge to power on through and cut out a new project even if my body is screaming, "Go to bed!". It just goes to show that one's energy level (fuelled by inspiration and motivation) can be more important than the amount of "free time" you have when it comes to getting things done.

I've also found that my style has swung quite significantly with my feelings about lockdown. In the first few weeks, I was gravitating towards solid muted colours such as navy and black - perhaps to match my mood of anxiety, fear and the newness of being cooped up indoors. Later I had the urge to make things in ALL the colours and bold prints - mirroring the wave of rainbows popping up in windows, reflecting my need for optimism and a desire to brighten the day of anyone I happened to see. Plus I've realised I've been experimenting more with styles and silhouettes, perhaps because there's no one looking to judge if they didn't work out!



I made a video sharing some of the things I've made during this weird, unprecedented time, from April to July 2020. I say "some" of the things I made during lockdown as I also made lots of face coverings, samples for forthcoming patterns for work, as well as birthday gifts for family. Phew!

Tilly's Daisy Pocket Jessa Jeans

Spring has sprung... on my bum... for I embroidered some daisies on the back pocket of my new Jessa jeans!

I'd been itching to make a classic seventies style blue denim version of our Jessa flares pattern ever since Nikki made a similar pair during our pattern development phase. I wanted to add some kind of embellishment to them to make them unique. At first I was thinking of doing some topstitching with rainbow thread, but once the blossom started coming out I decided to hand-embroider some sweet daisies onto the back pocket to signal the start of spring.

Jessa: Fastenings, cuffs and hem

We've reached the final instalment in the Jessa sewalong! It's Nikki here, and today I'm going to talk you through the fastenings, sewing the cuffs (if you're making the shorts) and hemming the legs (if you're making the trousers).

Well done to everybody that's been following the sewalong for getting this far. Whether you've been sewing in tandem with these posts or reading on the sidelines, I hope you've found this series helpful and that you now feel like an unstoppable sewing superhero when it comes to sewing the Jessa trousers or shorts.

All of the previous Jessa sewalong posts are saved on our dedicated sewalong page - if you need to catch up you'll find everything you need there :)

Ready? OK, let's dive into...

Fastenings 

Jessa: Constructing and attaching the waistband

Welcome back to the Jessa sewalong. Can you believe we are only two posts from the end? Well done for sticking with me this far - you are so close to having a finished pair of Jessa trousers or shorts!

This post is going to cover constructing the waistband. Before we crack on with sewing, if you made any adjustments to the leg side seams (covered during the previous post) you'll have to make these same adjustments to the side seams of the front and back waistband pieces to make sure it fits the waistline of the legs. So ,if this applies to you, keep this in mind when you are sewing the waistband pieces together at the side seams.

Catching up? Check out the dedicated sewalong page to find all of the posts published so far. 

All set? Amazing, let's get our sew on...

You will have cut out two sets of waistband pieces earlier (four front waistbands and two back waistbands) and interfaced one set. The interfaced pieces will form the outer waistband and the un-interfaced ones will be the facing, which sits on the inside of the trousers or shorts.

The first thing we need to do is mark the centre of the interfaced back waistband pieces. Fold the interfaced waistband in half widthways to find the centre back, and snip a small notch (around 5mm / 1/4in long) into the upper and lower edges.

Jessa: Sewing the legs

I hope you're ready for the next installment of the Jessa sewalong because it's happening right now :) It's Nikki here, Product Manager at Team Buttons, and today I'm going to cover the process of sewing the legs on your Jessa trousers or shorts.

Catching up? Check out the dedicated sewalong page to find all of the posts published so far. 

I would recommend at this stage tacking (AKA basting, AKA sewing with a 4-5mm stitch length) the inside leg and side seams so you can try them on and check the fit. Tack the interfaced waistband (not the un-interfaced facing) to the waistline to check the fit around the waist. It's much easier to do this before you have properly attached the waistband and will save you a lot of unpicking! Take in or let out the side and inside leg seams until you are happy with the fit, then sew with a normal stitch length.

It's a short and sweet post today, so let's get right to it.

The previous post in the sewalong covered sewing the zip fly, so the next step is to sew the legs together. Pin both back legs together along the centre back seam, matching notches. Before you stitch this seam, it's a good idea to check that you have enough thread on the bobbin - those legs are verrrry long and Sod’s Law would have it that you run out of bobbin thread a few stitches in and don’t notice until you’ve got to the end of the legs and removed all the pins!

Jessa: Sewing the zip fly

Hello sewing gang, are you ready for your next installment of the Jessa sewalong? Yeah you are! It's Nikki here, Product Manager at Tilly and the Buttons, and today I'm going to cover something very exciting - how to sew the zip fly on your Jessa trousers or shorts.

OK, here comes a pep talk. If you've never sewn a zip fly before, the process can seem a bit intimidating. There are a few different steps involved in constructing a zip fly and I can totally relate to the feeling of flicking through a pattern booklet and looking at all the instructions thinking it looks a bit scary.

The good news, however, is that it really isn't as fiddly as it seems! Constructing a zip fly is like sewing anything - completing a series of small steps until you end up with something amazing, that looks different from the pieces and notions you started with. You can do this!

The Jessa zip fly construction is very similar to the steps in Ness skirt instructions, so you can mostly follow along using the brilliant 'How to sew a zip fly' video Tilly and Jenny made last year. Yay! There are a couple of differences between the video and the Jessa construction which I'll talk you through below, but the middle section follows the same steps.

To make the Jessa trousers and shorts you will need an 18cm (7in) jeans zip. If your zip is on the long side we have a great blog post which talks through how to shorten a metal zip.

Need to get up to speed on the previous Jessa sewalong posts? Check out the dedciated sewalong page to catch up on all posts. 

Ready to sew a zip fly? Let's do this!

Jessa: Making the pockets and faux pocket flap

Hello lovely stitchers! It's Nikki here, Product Manager at Tilly HQ, and I'm back today with your recommended dose of the Jessa sewalong.

Catching up? Check out the dedicated sewalong page to find all of the posts published so far. 

Today is a very special day because I am going to be covering all things pockets. Who doesn't love pockets? Nobody, that's who. Luckily for you the pockets on the Jessa trousers and shorts are very roomy. Keep your phone in there, your snacks, a small sudoku book... these pockets are here to serve you.

You have a few different options when it comes to choosing your pockets for Jessa. You can choose to attach the patch pockets to the front or the back, or both! You also have the option of adding a faux pocket flap to the front leg, or both legs if you are feeling fancy. I think the faux pocket flap looks best on its own with no patch pockets on the front but hey, who am I to tell you what to do. If you want all the pockets then go right ahead :)

The patch pockets

Before we stitch the pockets to the legs, we have to finish the edges and turn them under so the edges are hidden on the inside. Using an overlocker, or a zigzag stitch on your sewing machine, finish all edges except the top edge on all of the patch pockets you are using.

To help get lovely even pockets, staystitch all the edges you have finished 14mm (just under 5/8in) from the edge. Don't worry about backtacking at either end of the stitching. We'll come back to this in a minute.

Fold the top, unfinished edge of the patch pockets down, wrong sides together, by 10mm (3/8in) and press down. Fold the same top edge under again by 20mm (3/4in) and press. Topstitch this top edge 15mm (5/8in) away from the edge.

Jessa: Prepping the pieces and sewing the darts

Welcome back to another Jessa sewalong post. It's Nikki here, Product Manager for Team Tilly, and today I'm going to cover the next few steps in the adventure that is sewing the Jessa trousers and shorts - prepping the pieces, AKA interfacing the waistband, zip facing and optional faux pocket flap, staystitching the relevant pieces, and sewing the darts.

Need to catch up on the previous sewalong posts? Check out our dedicated sewalong page to make sure you're up to date! 

I always find there's something so satisfying in the prepping steps and doing those first few stitches on a new project. These steps make sure your cut pieces will behave properly when you sew and wear your finished garment. It might be tempting to skip the interfacing and staystitching and actually get on with the sewing (I know I did this in my early sewing days!) but I promise the next few steps will help support your pieces and will stop them from stretching out when are sewing or when you actually wear your finished trousers or shorts. Your future self will thank you.

 Ready? Ok let's jump straight into...

Interfacing

There are loads of different types of interfacing out there, which can make it overwhelming when it comes to choosing one for a project. I usually opt for an iron-on woven interfacing as it's easy to apply and I find it gives the best results for most projects I sew. It's important when choosing your interfacing that you pick something that is a similar weight to the fabric you are sewing with. For this pink denim pair of Jessas which are featured in the sewalong, I used a medium weight woven interfacing as it was a good match to the weight of the fabric.

Tilly has written a blog post which covers the different types of interfacing if you want to do some further reading :)

You will need to interface the back wasitaband, both front waistband pieces, zip facing, and faux pocket flap if you are sewing one. You need to apply the interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric - the purpose of interfacing is to secretly add structure and support to the garment and isn't intended to be a fashion statement!

Use the same pattern pieces you used to cut your fabric to cut your interfacing. The back waistband needs to be cut on the fold to get the correct shape. You only need to cut one fly facing and it needs to be cut with the glue side - the rough-feeling side - facing down.

Lay the interfacing pieces over the wrong side of the cut fabric pieces, glue side is facing down. If you run your fingers over the interfacing, the glue side will be rough and bumpy whereas the non glue side will be smooth. Make sure the glue side is against the fabric and not facing up towards your iron otherwise you'll have to press pause on your project and clean melted glue blobs off your iron (fun rating: 0/10).

Hold a hot iron, steam turned off, over the interfacing pieces to fuse them to the fabric. I picked up a great tip on this year's Great British Sewing Bee where Patrick said that you should place the iron on the interfacing and count to five, before you carefully pick it up and move it to another section. Try to avoid moving the iron as if you are ironing a shirt as the glue can get all squidged up.

To protect the interfacing from too much heat or moisture, you can place a pressing cloth (a piece of muslin or a tea towel will work) between the surface of the iron and the interfacing if you like, or just make sure there's no steam and the iron isn't too hot. If you are sewing with corduroy or velvet (mmm...), you can use the same fabric as a pressing cloth, right sides together, to avoid squashing the pile.

Staystitching

The next step on our list is to staystitch the waistlines on the front legs, back legs and waistband facings (uninterfaced back and front waistbands). As these pieces are curved, staystitching helps to stabilise these pieces and keep them from stretching out of shape as you handle the fabric and sew it.

Despite having a slightly technical name, staystitching is actually really easy to do. For each piece that needs to be staystitched, sew a line of regular stitching (2.2-2.4mm long stitches) 10mm (3/8in) away from the edge. You don't have to backtack at either end - hooray!

Sewing the darts

Now we're ready to sew out darts on the back legs. These darts will help create a nice shape over your booty.

Fold the fabric, right sides together, so the dart lines you have marked on the wrong side of the fabric are visible. Manoeuvre the fabric so the dart lines are on directly on top of each other. I like to do a couple of things to make extra sure the darts are totally in line with each other.

Firstly, I snip into the fabric a couple of millimeters at both ends of the dart legs, so I can easily line up the snipped fabric and therefore the dart at the edge. Once I line up these snipped edges I then
put a pin horizontally across the dart point - this really helps to anchor the shape of the dart. After this I pin vertically through one dart leg, and make sure that the pins are also exactly going through the dart leg on the other side. If they're not, I carefully move the fabric until it is all lined up and the pins are running exactly through the lines on both sides of the fabric.

We'll be sewing from the raw edge to the tip, so point the pins towards the raw edge, most of the fabric to the left of the pins as shown, so you can easily pull the pins out as they're approaching the needle.

Jessa: Cutting, marking and prepping the fabric

Are you taking part in the Jessa shorts and trousers sewalong? If so, hello there! It's Nikki here and I am bringing you the next post in the Jessa sewalong series to help you on your way to a gorgeous pair of trousers or shorts.

Louise has written an excellent (as always) fabric and style inspiration post to help you decide which gorgeous fabric you want to use to make your Jessas. Our previous post in the sewalong covered fitting and adjusting the pattern pieces to make a nicely fitting pair of shorts or trousers, so make sure you've caught up with both these posts if you've missed them.

Ready? On to the matter at hand which is...

Preparing the fabric

It's a universal truth that the most exciting part of sewing is when you find the perfect fabric for a new project, whether that's in a fabric shop or from your stash. Once you find this magical fabric and pattern combo it can feel like the stars have aligned and all you want to do is bust out your sewing machine and get started right away.

However, I'm going to ask you to pump the brakes a little, because new fabric needs to be washed and dried before you start sewing. Fabric can often shrink the first time you wash it, so make sure you pre-wash your fabric in the machine before you start cutting to make sure your Jessa trousers or shorts stay the same size later on.

Once your fabric is dry, iron out any creases, making sure to test the iron temperature on a scrap piece of fabric beforehand. If you're sewing with corduroy, go light with the iron and try not to squish the ribs in the fabric. Tilly has written a great post with tips on how to handle corduroy fabric if you want more help.

Fold the fabric in half lengthways, with the right side (the nicer side) on the inside of the fold, bringing together the selvedges, which are the finished edges of the fabric. It's important to make sure the fold is hanging straight and the fabric isn't twisted. If you need to adjust the fabric, hold it by the fold and adjust until it's straight.

Keeping the fabric folded like this, lay it out on the largest table you have, or even the floor, preferably with a cutting mat underneath so you don't scratch what's underneath! Folding the fabric in half allows us to cut two symmetrical pieces at once, or one symmetrical double-sized piece where a piece is cut on the fold.

Fitting the Jessa trousers and shorts

If you're making the Jessa trousers and shorts and want some guidance with fitting, then today is your lucky day. It's Nikki here, Product Manager at Tilly Towers, and I'm here to help with some handy tips on sizing and fitting.

Jessa is one of our two latest sewing patterns - the other being the gorgeous Romy top and dress. We covered fitting Romy a few weeks back, so check that post out if you missed it :)

Trousers have a bit of a bad rep when it comes to fitting. There are a few different adjustments - especially in the crotch - which can be done to get a good fit, and this can put sewists off from taking the plunge and having a go. But fear not, I'm going to go over a few of the most common adjustments for trousers or shorts fitting. You'll have a beautiful pair of Jessas in no time!

In this post we're going to cover:

• Making a toile
• Choosing your size 
• Lengthening the legs or rise 
• Shortening the legs or rise
• Combining pattern sizes 
• Lengthening or shortening the crotch seams 
• Full booty adjustment 
• Small booty adjustment 
• Saggy back leg adjustment

Announcing the Jessa Sewalong!

Are you thinking about sewing the Jessa shorts or trousers but want a bit of extra guidance and support? Want to make some shorts for the hot weather, or get ahead by making trousers or jeans for your autumn wardrobe? We're delighted to announce that we are going to be running a Jessa sewalong!

What is a sewalong, I hear you ask? We pride ourselves on creating clear, comprehensive and inspiring instructions - but we have a limited word and picture count in our instruction booklets. In a sewalong we can take you through each step in more depth, offering extra tips and tricks, and showing more photos - and a video! - of each step to help you on your way. And of course, we'll provide you with a big dose of sewing cheerleading :)

The idea of sewing a pair of shorts or trousers can seem a little intimidating if you haven't done it before, but we're here to show you how, every step of the way.

Tilly's Pink Jessa Jeans of Dreams

I don't make a habit of posting pictures of my bum on the Internet, but I'm making an exception today because omigawd I made a pair of pink jeans and I LOVE them!

You're welcome.

Nikki's 70s-tastic Jessa trousers

On 1st January of this year, I scribbled in my notepad that I wanted to make a pair of trousers that fit me really well, and I'm happy to report I can tick that sewing resolution (sewlution?) off my list with my mid-blue denim Jessas jeans. Yay!

As soon as Tilly showed me her sketch of Jessa in the early stages of production, I was in complete love. I am a sucker for anything high-waisted with a 70s vibe. I also love big pockets. And asymmetric waistbands... I mean it's probably quicker to say what I don't love about Jessa (spoiler: nothing). I've been after a pair of gently flared trousers for ages and I'm thrilled that I now have the perfect pair.

Inspiration for making Jessa

Have you seen our latest pattern addition? Say hiya to the Jessa trousers and shorts - a gorgeous pair of flares that you just won't wanna take off!

It's Louise here from team Buttons, a style obsessed sewer who is always on the look out for inspo to bring into my stitching. I wanna share some ideas and fabric suggestions with you for making this super cute pattern.

If you haven't read Nikki's introduction post, then pop on over because she shares all the details you need to know about this design.

When it comes to fabric shopping for you perfect pair of Jessas, what do you need to know? Jessa is designed for medium- to heavy-weight woven fabrics such as denim, corduroy, cotton drill, linen, or triple crepe if you're after a more flowy and romantic silhouette. Stretch isn't required but a small amount of elastane will make them extra comfy.

I have scoured our favourite fabric shops for some good options and have broken them down into a few look ideas. If you are off on holiday, you might want to consider a natural fibre like linen that will breathe and keep you cool. Denim is hard-wearing, so a good choice for your every day pair and the triple crepe and stretch cotton fabrics I found would make the perfect showstopping pair of Jessas.

Whatever you go for, have fun with this make because life is too short to be wearing boring trousers!

Clockwise L-R: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

French Riviera style was a big influence on the design of the Romy and Jessa patterns - cool, understated, but definitely screaming 'look at me'! I love the idea of a pair of striped shorts worn with an easy-breezy white shirt and wide-brimmed sun hat to top off the look.

A lovely pair of red linen shorts (fabric no.6), or azure blue twill trousers (fabric no.1) worn with a Breton striped Romy - et Voila! Super chic vibes, even if you are just popping to the supermarket : )

L-R: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

This selection of fabrics would be perfect for your Riviera chic Jessa trousers or shorts - with twill, linen, stretch denim or cotton and jumbo cord, we've got you covered!

Meet the Jessa trousers and shorts pattern

Today is a very exciting day. We are delighted to announce the release of not one but two gorgeous new sewing patterns. Happy days!

First things first, let us introduce you to our newest sewing crush, the Jessa trousers and shorts. Our lovely customers have been asking us to release a jeans pattern for a while now, and we think we've created something even better. Jessa is a super flattering pair of high waisted shorts and flares that you can make as jeans, trousers or shorts.

And the best news? Jessa is a true all-round hero and can be worn in any season. Make the shorts version in summer and team with a loose, cropped Nora tee or our new fave Romy (more on her later!), or wear with a tucked-in Freya from our book Stretch! or a Rosa shirt in the cooler months.

We're sure you're going to love her as much as we do. Read on to find out more :)

THE DESIGN