How to Apply Heat Transfers to Clothing (with video!)

Are you looking for an easy way to customise your garments and your latest sewing projects to make them even more unique to you? Heat transfers are a fun way to update your clothing with motifs, names, graphics prints, quotes and more! But be warned, they can be seriously addictive once you know how to apply them!

For our recently released Billie sweatshirt sewing kits, we included the cutest heat transfer drawn by award-winning graphic designer and colour queen Liz Harry. Whether you're looking for extra help applying these transfers or are using something different to embellish your garments, keep reading for a step-by-step guide and video...

What is a heat or iron-on transfer?

Iron-on or heat transfers are ink-printed designs that can be applied to clothing and fabric with the application of heat. Think motifs on sweatshirts, quotes on t-shirts and much more! This can take your simple me-made clothing or RTW styles from plain and simple to totally unique. 

Unlike iron-on vinyl, the soft finish of the transfer makes it feel like part of the garment, and it stretches and rebounds without cracking!

How to apply a heat transfer

Heat transfers can easily be applied at home - yay! You don't need any fancy equipment, just an iron, an ironing board and some baking (parchment) paper or release paper.

NEW! - Billie and Jaimie Now in UK 16-34 Size Band

We've been soooo excited to share two new additions to our UK 16-34 (US 12-30 / EUR 44-62) size band, and here they are - it's Billie and Jaimie. 

The Billie sweatshirt and dress will steal your heart with the gorgeous balloon sleeves and cutaway pockets on the dress, while the Jaimie pyjama bottoms and shorts will make bedtime your favourite event of the day. Jaimie is an ideal project for newbie stitchers and Billie is a great introduction to sewing with knit fabrics. They will get you confident with sewing your own handmade wardrobe! 

Billie and Jaimie make a dreamy (and comfy) loungewear set when worn together, don't you think? So, we are giving you 20% off when you buy both the Billie and Jaimie PDF patterns in the UK 16-34 size range* until Sunday 16th May 2021 midnight BST. There is no discount code required, just add both patterns to your cart, checkout and the price will drop - woohoo! 

Seven Tips for Sewing Maternity Clothes

If you're reading this and pregnant, first of all, congratulations! It's an exciting - if nerve-wracking and exhausting - time, and making some of your own maternity clothes is a lovely way to slow down and celebrate the wonder of your changing body.

At the time of writing, I'm in my fourth pregnancy, and hoping to meet our second little one in a few weeks' time. I thought it would be a good opportunity to share some tips I've learnt about sewing for this season of my life in case you're planning to make your own maternity clothes too.

First up - why make your own maternity clothes? Why not just buy them instead? Ready-to-wear maternity clothes are very limited, and personally I've found it difficult to buy maternity clothes that are a) in my size, b) not just black or khaki, and c) to my taste, so have enjoyed making a few colourful pieces that are unique to me. And, if you're a sewing addict like me, you're not going to want to stop making things just because you're pregnant!

Onto the tips...

Maternity Agnes top sewing pattern

1) Comfort is key

From achey hip joints to swollen ankles, pregnancy takes its toll on your body. So it's more important than ever to focus on comfort. Think soft jersey fabrics that feel nice against your skin, stretchy of flowy garments, the kind of thing you could have a quick schluff in if you get the chance! 

How to Make Shoulder Ruffles with Lettuce Edge Hem (Free Pattern!)

Fancy adding some cute, curled edge shoulder ruffles to one of your me-mades?

I added shoulder ruffles to one of my Billie sweatshirt dresses and loved the result so much I decided to make a free pattern so you can make them too! (Take a look at more photos of my Billie dress here.) You can also add these ruffles to the Freya top or dress from my book Stretch, or the Tabitha t-shirt or dress from my book Make it Simple – or basically any garment pattern designed for knit fabrics and which has a shoulder seam.

In this post, I'm going to share a step-by-step tutorial for how to sew the shoulder ruffles, including a video on how to create the curled "lettuce edge" hem on an overlocker (AKA serger). If you don't have this machine, don't worry - keep reading to the end where I share an alternative method of making shoulder ruffles using just a regular sewing machine.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE SHOULDER RUFFLE PATTERN

Tilly's Shoulder Ruffle Billie Hack

I love love love the simplicity of the regular sleeve version of the Billie sweatshirt dress. Having said that, I can't say no to a ruffle, so decided to add experiment with some little shoulder flourishes on one of my Billie creations. And I love the result!

Truth be told I got the inspiration from a similar top Khadija on The Apprentice once wore. Not my usual source of fashion inspiration, admittedly!

I cut out a long crescent shape piece for each ruffle, sewed a lettuce edge hem on my overlocker to give it that rippled effect, then gathered the other edge in place to the bodice shoulders before adding the sleeves. If you fancy adding some shoulder ruffles to your own make, stay tuned as I've got a full tutorial coming next week with a video AND a free pattern download ;)

Tilly's Stay Home Billie Dress (and Some Nice News!)

When the second UK lockdown kicked in last month (thanks, Covid), I decided to make a Billie sweatshirt dress to mark the occasion. A call to arms for us to do our part to stop the spread, as well as lifting our spirits through creativity. A souvenir for a point in time, perhaps, but actually I am a bit of a homebody anyway so this sentiment will still apply to me in years to come!

As my vision for this sweatshirt was multicoloured letters, I went with a simple black fabric to make them pop. I chose a fleece-backed sweatshirt fabric from Minerva, along with a black ribbing I found in my stash for the neckband, cuffs and hem band.

To make the letters, I wrote the text in Montserrat (one of TATB's brand fonts, as it happens) in extra large size in an Adobe Illustrator file and printed them out on paper. After cutting around them with paper scissors, I placed them face down on the back of some Happy Fabric iron-on vinyl, drew around them, then carefully cut out the vinyl (again, with paper scissors). Finally, I pressed them onto the finished sweatshirt and peeled off the backing following Happy Fabric's instructions, with a sheet of baking paper acting as a cover sheet.

Team Buttons’ Secret Santa Christmas Jumpers

Is it just us, or has Christmas started early this year? Here at Tilly Towers, one of our favourite festive events is our annual staff Secret Santa gift swap, but this year (in true 2020 style) we decided to do things a little differently.

To celebrate the launch of our latest sewing pattern, the Billie sweatshirt and sweater dress, we decided to make Christmas sweatshirts for each other using the Billie pattern.

The rules were simple – each of us was randomly allocated another member of the team for whom we made a Billie sweatshirt featuring a personalised, festive design. We also submitted a wish list, which included our size, favourite colours and Christmas styles, to give our Secret Santa some clues to help her out.

Now we all know fabric shopping is one of the best bits of a project, but fabric shopping for someone else can be a whole different ball game! Luckily, Minerva came to our rescue and supplied us with all the fabrics we needed. From snuggly fleece-back sweatshirting to smart French terry and glittery ribbing – Minerva had it all, so a huge thank you to them!

Almost all of us used Happy Fabric’s iron-on vinyls to decorate our Billie sweatshirts too. They come in a huge range of colours and finishes, they’re super easy to use and produce such amazing results!

As most of the team are working from home at the moment, once the sweatshirts were finished Santa’s elves sent them by express delivery to their lucky recipients and we organised a Billie sweatshirt swap over video call. It was so fun to get together (if only virtually) and open our gifts with one another. And of course, we filmed it all so you could join in on the fun too!

Tips for Sewing with Sweatshirt Fabrics

When the weather gets cooler, sweatshirt fabric is one of my favourite materials to sew with. Not only does it make for the comfiest clothes, it’s also pretty easy to sew – woohoo! Sweatshirt fabrics – by which I mean sweatshirt fleece, loopback or French terry – generally have a low stretch percentage so, unlike many other knit fabrics, they are easy to cut, handle and stitch without stretching out of shape or creating rippled seams.

If you’re tempted to dive into the wonderful world of sweatshirt fabrics, I’m going to share my top tips for sewing with them. We also made a video summary of the main tips if you’d like a quickie version ;)

1) Choose an appropriate project and type of fabric

Sweatshirt fabrics are ideal for making casual clothes, loungewear and activewear. They trap warm air, so will keep you toasty in the winter, plus they are moisture-wicking, so perfect for your workout.

They usually have little stretch (although the amount does vary), so match them with a looser-fitting garment pattern that you can get on and off easily – maybe it has a zip opening, or you could make the neckband in a stretchier jersey ribbing.

There are a few different types of sweatshirt fabrics available. When shopping for them, it’s common to find fabric labelled as one of the following:

Fitting the Billie Sweatshirt and Sweater Dress

Making the Billie sweatshirt and sweater dress and want some extra tips on fitting? Then this post is for you! In it, you'll find some shiny pearls of wisdom regarding fitting your sweatshirt or dress :)

Billie is available in printed and PDF formats sizes UK 6-34 / US 2-30 / EUR 34-62 / AUS 6-34.

The great news is Billie is relatively simple to fit - wahoo! The combination of the casual shape and knit fabric means that there's a lot more room to manoeuvre when it comes to fitting than a closer-fit woven garment. This post will cover the most common fitting adjustments you may need when sewing Billie. However, don't think you have to try all of them, or even any at all! We think sharing is caring, so the information is here for you just in case you need it. 

We sometimes recommend that you make a "toile" (or "muslin") before you cut into your main fabric - a practice garment in cheap or spare fabric in a similar weight to the fabric you're going to use for the final garment to test the fit. As it's an easy-fitting top and dress, it's not necessary to do this with Billie. Sure, if you have some jaw-droppingly stunning and unique fabric that you're a bit nervous about using, or want to check if you need a full bust adjutsment, then by all means make a quick practice garment first to see how it fits on you. Otherwise, go for it! 

 In this post we're going to cover:

• Choosing your size
• Lengthening or shortening the bodice or sleeve
• Lengthening or shortening the dress
• How to combine different bust, waist and/or hip sizes
• How to adjust the pocket to match graded side seams

Choosing your size 

Using a flexible tape measure, find the circumference of your: 

• Bust - take the measurement at the fullest point i.e. around your nipples 
• Waist - where you bend at the side 
• Hips - the fullest part - it helps to turn to the side and look in a mirror to see where this is 

Check the tape measure is sitting level with the floor all the way around. It can help to turn to the side and look in a mirror to check.

Circle your measurements on the ‘Body Measurements’ chart in the pattern instructions. If a measurement falls between two sizes (for example, if your bust is 37in rather than 36in or 38in), it’s usually better to choose the larger size as you can take it in more easily than you can let it out. 

If your bust, waist and hip measurements all fall into one size on the body measurements chart, that is your size. Take a look at the size key on the pattern sheets and find the corresponding size line. Each size has its own solid or dashed line to make it easy to spot and help you follow it easily.

If your bust, waist and/or hip measurements fall into different sizes, you can combine pattern sizes to create tailored pattern pieces that will fit your unique measurements - yay! This is super easy to do - see 'How to combine pattern sizes' below for more details. But, before you excitedly jump in and do this, you might want to consider...

Lengthening or shortening the bodice or sleeve

The best thing about sewing (aside from matching the perfect pattern with the dreamiest fabric) is that you can lengthen or shorten your garments so that they're the perfect length for your height, body and limbs. Our patterns are drafted for a height of around 5"5 (165cm), so if you're particularly taller or shorter than this, or if you have particularly long or short arms, legs or torso, then you might want to adjust your pattern pieces.

We have a dedicated blog post dedicated to explaining how to lengthen or shorten pattern pieces. It talks you through the process, step by step, so go check it out.

If you're lengthening or shortening the bodice pattern pieces, remember to adjust both the front and back bodices. 

We have included the following sets of lengthen or shorten lines on the Billie pattern pieces:

1) Bodice

If you often find that tops and dresses  are a bit too long or short for you in the bodice, you can lengthen or shorten the front and back bodice pattern pieces using the lengthen or shorten lines. We've included the nape (nobbly bit at the bottom of your neck) to hem measurements for the top and dress in the finished garment measurements section of the booklet so you can compare them against your own measurements. 

The lengthen or shorten lines on the Billie sweatshirt are located between the bust and waist notch. You can adjust your pattern here if you feel like you need a bit more length, or conversely a bit less length - in the torso. If you'd like to alter the length of the dress (i.e. where it sits on the legs), check out the 'How to adjust the dress length' section below. 

2) Sleeves (both versions)

Whether you're keeping it classic with the regular sleeves or adding some drama with the balloon sleeves, the process for altering the length is exactly the same. Both long sleeves are designed to sit just past the wrist, between the bottom of the hand and base of the thumb, and the three-quarter length sleeve sits midway between the elbow and wrist.  

We've included the arm length (from tip of the shoulder to the wrist) in the body measurements chart in the instructions booklet. You can compare this length to your own shoulder to wrist measurement to see whether you think the sleeve will need adjusting.  

How to adjust the dress length

The dress is designed to sit 10cm (4in) above the knee. As the side seams at the bottom of the dress are straight, if you want to lengthen or shorten the dress to better suit your height or personal style, you can simply remove or add length to/from the bottom - it's as easy as that! We've included the nape the hem measurement for each size in the finished measurements chart in the instructions booklet so you can compare to your own measurements. 

If you want to shorten the dress, work out how much you'd like to remove and draw a horizontal line parallel to the hem, then fold it under or tuck it away. If you'd like to add length, stick the bottom of the bodice pattern pieces to a piece of paper and draw a new hemline. Easy peasy :)

How to combine different bust, waist and/or hip sizes

If your bust, waist and/or hip measurements fall into different pattern sizes, you can draw a new line ("grade") between pattern sizes to get a bespoke fit for your exact body measurements. We have a blog post with step-by-step instructions and diagrams to show you how to do this is more detail, but keep on reading for some info specific to Billie.

As the Billie sweatshirt has a casual shape, there is a bit of leeway when it comes to fitting, especially at the waist. For example, if you're a size 7 at the bust and hips and a size 6 at the waist, it'd be simplest to cut a straight size 7. If you did want to take it in at the waist later, you could do that at the sewing stage.

If you feel like you need to do a full bust adjustment and are a little unsure how to do it, then check out our blog post that's just landed all about how to do a full bust adjustment on knit fabric sewing patterns. 

If you're making the dress with pockets and combine sizes at the side seams, you'll also need to adjust the pocket side seams to match. Scroll down a teensy bit to find out how...

How to adjust the pocket to match adjusted side seams

As the cutaway pockets sit at the side seam, if you're changing the shape of the side seams then the pocket shape will need to change too. 

Let's pick up from where we left off above, after you've drawn a new side seam line. The green line in the above picture shows a grade from a size 7 at the bust and waist to a size 9 at the hips. 

Stick a bit of transparent-ish paper to the bottom left-hand corner of the pocket facing - we're going to draw new side seams on the pocket and need to be able to see the shape of the bodice to do this. 

Lay the pocket facing piece over the front bodice, with the side seams above the waist notch lining up with the size that corresponds to your waist size. Line up the pocket opening on the pocket facing with the red line on the front bodice, matching notches, and pin it in place. 

You'll see that the edge of the pocket bag lines up with original size 7 side seam in this example, and not the new size 9 line in green. 

Draw two new lines to extend the pocket bag side seam to meet the new side seam on your bodice. You'll see in the above example that I didn't quite follow the pocket opening seam and created a new line, as following this line until the side seam would make the pocket quite low. If you make any adjustments to the pocket opening seam on the pocket bag, transfer the new line to the front bodice piece so they'll match up. 

We're on to the last stretch! Stick another bit of paper to the left side of the pocket bag piece. Lay the pocket bag over the bodice and pocket facing, lining up the waist notch and the original outside edge. 

Following the new side seam on the bodice and bottom left outside edge on the pocket bag, draw a new pocket bag shape to match the adjustments you've made.

Trim away the excess from your new pocket pattern pieces, and you're good to go :)

And that's it! I hope you've found this post useful and feel confident about fitting your Billie sweatshirt and sweater dress. We love seeing your finished makes and progress shots. Tag us on Insta @TillyButtons using the hashtag #SewingBillie. 

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Author: Nikki Hoar

Photography: Jane Looker

Makeup: Laura Anne

Model: Marcela Solarte (UK 6-24 range) and Sarah Baillie (UK 16-34 range)

Pink grid See You at Six French terry: Lamazi Fabrics (gifted)

Colourblock sweatshirt dress fleece back sweatshirt fabric (colours melange light blue, rose pink and yellow) and mint ribbing for the cuffs and neckband from Minerva Crafts (gifted) 

Striped balloon sleeve ponte roma fabric from Minerva Crafts (gifted)

Inspiration and Styling Ideas for Billie

It's sweater weather! And luckily for you, we have just released a sewing pattern you can use to fill your wardrobe with snugglies. It's like we planned it (wink, wink)! Billie is the ultimate working from home outfit - stylish enough to look put together and oh-so-comfortable. 

Billie is a sweatshirt or sweater dress that you can whip up in an afternoon, with a relaxed shape, crew neckline and classic trim details. Keep it effortless with cuffed, straight sleeves, or add some drama with on-trend balloon sleeves and deep cuffs. You can dress it up or down, whether you’re wearing Billie for a meeting, dinner date or Sunday on the sofa.

Everybody needs a sweatshirt in their wardrobe. It's modern, cool and comfortable. A classic sweatshirt will go so with so many things in your handmade closet and will definitely be a key player in your weekly wardrobe. And the dress version is your comfy new BFF - chic enough to wear for work, cool enough for brunch with friends, and practical enough for chasing the kiddos around the playground. What's more, it has (deep) cutaway pockets!

As there is sooooo much you can do with this blank canvas, this post is going to focus on ideas for how you could make and style your handmade Billie sweatshirts and dresses. So, let's get onto the fun bit - all the dreamy inspo!

Images clockwise L-R: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9

There are so many colour options for Billie, so the first bit of this inspo post is going to cover some palettes you might want to consider. You can figure out which one reflects your style - candy crush, nicely neutral or rainbow bright!

Candy colours are definitely a favourite at TATB. Sweet hues that make even sweeter me-mades are always one of our top choices. Pastel shades are perfect for Billie, especially for lounging around at home. If you want to make a candy-coloured Billie for daywear, try pairing with a solid colour neutral, such as black, white or denim. If you can't choose your favourite shade, why not make a sweatshirt with a few colours like the centre right image? That's got to be first on my list!

Images clockwise L-R: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12

Making your own clothes means you get to choose the fabrics and trimmings, but occasionally means you can end up with lots of pieces that don't go together - doh! Why not make a Billie that is so nicely neutral, it teams with all the prints in your wardrobe and gets maximum wear?

I have a ready-to-wear black sweatshirt that I wear all the time in spring, autumn and winter, so that might have to move over for a black Billie sweater with balloon sleeves! We cannot talk about neutrals without acknowledging the ultimate sweatshirt colour - grey marl. As a dress or sweatshirt, it will be casual, smart and understated, and allow your accessories to do the talking.

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

Wearing bright clothes really can help lift your mood - something we all need right now. Inject some fun rainbow colours into your handmade wardrobe with a bright Billie. Bold colours go really well with monochrome prints, perfect for boosting your spotty dotty makes, like the bottoms right image!

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

There would be no TATB without stripes, so I can't go without mentioning them, can I? A classic striped Billie sweatshirt or dress would make a lovely addition to any me-made wardrobe. You can find striped sweatshirting in tons of different stripe colour combinations - a particular favourite of mine is anything multicoloured or with rainbow stripes. 

Images clockwise L-R: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

Prints, prints, gotta love those prints! What about a fun pattern or print for your Billie make? Animal print, spots, dots and checks... there are so many options out there you're sure to find one that speaks to you. I love the idea of doing a contrast neckband, cuffs and hem band with a print.

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

Billie can be a blank canvas for you to express yourself however you want to. You could use your Billie make to say what's on your mind and add a slogan. Whether you are announcing it's your 'Day Off' or letting the world know your favourite food is 'French Toast', you can say it your way!

There are lots of different ways you could do this, with iron-on vinyl, ready-to-use iron-on letters, pre-made patches, embroidery, sewing on fabric scraps... it's just such a fun idea :)

Images clockwise L-R: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9

There are lots of other ways you could customise and embellish your Billie to make it your way! Just a few ideas include tie-dyeing, sewing on pearls or beads, fabric painting, sewing on patches of fabric, colour blocking, adding pompoms, using iron-on or sew-on patches, doing some hand embroidery. The list is endless and once you go down a Pinterest hole with your idea, there's no coming back!

So now onto how to style your Billie sweatshirt in five different ways!

Images clockwise L-R: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

First up is my personal favourite way to wear a sweatshirt and currently in heavy rotation as it's perfect for wearing when staying at home - Billie paired with joggers! You could sew a luxurious loungewear suit using the Stella joggers sewing pattern from Tilly's book, Stretch! to team perfectly with the Billie sweatshirt. You could sew the whole suit from the same fabric in a block colour, print or pattern, or make mix and match set! You might find you want to whip up more than one set...

Images clockwise L-R: 1 / 2 / 3

Workwear has shifted for lots of people, to more comfortable options that can be worn when working from home. Whether your desk is currently your kitchen table or you are travelling into an office, workwear can be comfy and chic! The Safiya trousers tick the smart and comfy boxes and, just like the Billie sweatshirt, are easy and speedy to make. Safiya is just one of six main patterns in Tilly's book Make It Simple, which can be made in multiple different ways. 

You can make Safiya from smart drapey woven fabrics, such as Tencel, crêpe and plissé. Team it with a neutral or subtle print Billie sweatshirt with balloon sleeves for a bit of on-trend interest to your outfit, and you've got a work-appropriate outfit!

Images clockwise L-R: 1 / 2

Sweatshirts are a great option for the weekend. If you're heading out to meet pals and want something that looks put together but is also comfortable, you could team Billie with the Bobbi skirt! 

Bobbi is packed full of gorgeous details - adorable patch pockets with optional flaps, pretty topstitching, buttons down the front, and optional belt loops. Billie is a great partner to Bobbi to allow those details to do the talking. Your friends won't believe you made the whole outfit yourself!

Images clockwise L-R: 1 / 2

We have a long-term love affair with 70s style and with the right outfit combo, the humble sweatshirt can give off serious 70s vibes. Pair the simple Billie sweatshirt with the gently flared Jessa trousers and you will make an outfit that gives a modern twist to the era. 

If like me, you need lots of layers when it gets cold, a Freya roll neck top would be an ideal under the Billie sweatshirt. A 70s rainbow stripe Freya would look very at home with this outfit combo. The Freya roll neck or mock neck is just one of six patterns in Tilly's book Stretch! 

Images clockwise L-R: 1 / 2

Are you a member of the dungarees appreciation society? This combo will make potentially practical dungarees a little bit pretty! Team a pair of our Mila dungarees with the Billie balloon sleeve variation - it's got to be one of the dreamiest pairings there could be! It's just the thing for taking the kids or pooch(es) to the park or taking a leisurely stroll or cycle at the weekend. Practical and pretty in one me-made package!

Are you full to the brim with inspiration for making and wearing your Billie sweatshirt and dress yet? We cannot wait to see what you make or how you style it, so please do share it with us by tagging @TillyButtons and using the #SewingBillie tag.

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Author: Louise Carmichael

Meet the Billie Sweatshirt and Dress Sewing Pattern!

Here's a riddle for you - what's ultra-comfy, casual, modern, and your next favourite make? Answer: it's the Billie sweatshirt and sweater dress! Billie is the newest member of the Tilly and the Buttons sewing pattern family and we can't wait to tell you more. 

As we're spending a little (a lot) more time than usual at home at the moment, we decided to create a pattern that you'll feel great in, wherever you are and whatever you're doing - whether that's in Zoom meeting after Zoom meeting, glued to your sewing machine, or lounging on the sofa! 

With multiple sleeve versions, and the choice to make a top or a dress with optional cutaway pockets, the question is: which version will you make first? 

Excited to learn more about Bille? Let's get to it...

*Update!* Billie now comes in a choice of TWO size bands - a UK 6-24 OR a UK 16-34.

THE DESIGN

When designing the Billie sweatshirt and sweater dress, Tilly wanted to create a quintessential sweatshirt pattern with a twist. And what better way to elevate a garment than with on-trend sleeves and super cute pockets?