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Helen: We are recording today on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish and Kwakwaka’wakw peoples, including Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, Musqueam, and K’ómoks first nations.

Hello and welcome to Love to Sew. I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co.

Caroline: And I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.

Helen: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew and it’s essentially all we want to talk about.

Caroline: Today we’re talking about rising fashion trends for this fall and winter. We’ll say how we really feel about them and then share some ideas for how to incorporate them into your me-mades. Let’s get trendy!

Helen: If you love to sew, this is your show.

Caroline: Ooh! New episode format. How are we feeling about it, Helen?

Helen: I’m so excited. I think this is really fun. It may not be the most evergreen. Like, if it’s 2028 and you’re listening to this…

Caroline: We’ll have a good laugh.

Helen: You’d be like, “Wow, that was trending.”

Caroline: People are gonna be like, “Wow, red. Groundbreaking.”

Helen: Groundbreaking.

Helen: Caroline, I wore red for the occasion.

Caroline: my gosh, you did! I should have put on something on this list. I’m sorry, I’ve totally failed.

Helen: You’re wearing a striped shirt and I think we are going to be talking about nautical inspiration.

Caroline: Okay, I’ll take it. I’ll take it.

Helen: It counts. This is about how you can incorporate this into your everyday wardrobe.

Caroline: So true, so true, and I can’t wait to have a laugh about some of these trends. It’s going to be really fun. But first, we want to remind everybody about the best way to support Love to Sew, and that is joining us on Patreon or Apple Podcast subscriptions. If you do this, you’re going to get access to bonus content every month, and we have so much fun catching up with you all on those more casual bonus episodes. They’re really, really fun.

Helen: Yeah, it really means so much to us if you’re able to support us, even if it’s just for a month or two. And if that’s not in the cards for you right now, that’s totally fine. Thank you so much for listening and cheering us on and just spending time with us over here on the podcast. We love you.

Caroline: Yeah. We love you! Okay. Should we talk about trends?

Helen: Ooh! I’m so excited. I’m going to be honest. I love a trend.

Caroline: I love a trend too.

Helen: I don’t love every trend, but when a good one pops up, it’s really fun to see what people are making and wearing and join in, especially as sewists. I think we have a unique opportunity to play around in the trend arena and customize things for our own personal tastes.

Caroline: A hundred percent. I am all for the, like, timeless classics, but I feel like part of the fun of fashion is injecting something new and fresh into your wardrobe once in a while and experimenting and trying new things. And letting trends inform that is a really fail-safe way to go because you’re just going to be jumping on board with what everyone else is doing, which is kind of fun.

Helen: It’s always good to do exactly what everyone else is doing.

Caroline: Yeah, 100%. You can be buddies.

Helen: I’m gonna tell you, I’ve mentioned before on the podcast, my town…not the most fashion forward place. So it is really fun to wear some of these trends out in the wild and get some looks here and there. I do enjoy being a little bit more, um, dressed up than the majority of people around town and having a unique sense of style. And participating in trends is a really fun way to, I don’t know, inject a little flavour into my local community.

Caroline: Yeah, have you ever had some interesting interactions with people in your town? Being like, “Wow, nice, I don’t know…jorts, Helen.”

Helen: You know what? People are always so nice and if they do comment, it’s always complimentary. Saying, you know, that they love my outfit, which is always nice to hear, especially when you put so much work into making it.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Okay, today we’re going to go over a list of trends courtesy of French Vogue’s article “18 Fall/Winter 2024-2025 Fashion Trends to Know.” Catchy. These trends are showing up again and again in fashion media and by the trend forecasting agencies out there. So we’re going to go through the list and react to each trend, talk about if we would try them or if we’ve already tried them, and share some ideas and patterns for incorporating them into your me-mades.

Caroline: Yes, and as always, we want to encourage you to pick and choose what works for you. Trends are not all mandatory at all. They’re just a fun thing you can take or leave. And we have some tips for figuring out whether a trend is for you, to kick it off.

Helen: First, you want to think about what will work well with your personal style. Will incorporating this trend mean that you’re going to have to change up a lot of your wardrobe? It might not be a practical choice in that case. But on the other hand, maybe you find a trend that resonates with you and what you already wear. So for example, nautical goes really well with classic style. You might be able to participate with only one or two new garments. Just a striped top!

Caroline: And you also want to think about what’s gonna fit into your lifestyle. if you live in a warm area, faux fur might not be a great idea. But a floaty boho dress could be the perfect fall trend for you.

Helen: And finally, and most importantly, in my opinion, does the trend light you up? I think it’s only worth it if you think it would be really fun and fulfilling to wear for you. A trend should make you feel more like yourself. If you’re participating in a trend only because you think other people are going to like it, but you’re personally kind of hesitant or uncomfortable, just forget it. Life’s too short.

Caroline: I have to tell you a funny story. Laura often tracks the trends for us at Blackbird and she subscribes to some newsletters and she recently told me about a newsletter that she got that was like, “Alert!” Like, “Rush trend: lime green, brat summer.” Like, “Invest in lime ASAP.”

Helen: You gotta get on the lime bandwagon now! It’s now or never!

Caroline: Yeah, it was like very, like, urgent, which I thought was hilarious. People are like, “Urgent! Urgent! Everybody’s in on the lime!” And it’s kind of true. Lime is everywhere right now, so. Good thing we did that mojito washed linen this summer. I think it’s perfect for the lime trend.

Helen: Oh my gosh, I have a whole outfit, top, matching skirt, in the mojito linen and I love it.

Caroline: I know you do. It looks so good. Oh my gosh, I love that outfit.

Helen: You know what’s better than being on-trend?

Caroline: What?

Helen: Being accidentally on-trend.

Caroline: Yes!

Helen: Like, I didn’t even plan this, so I guess I’m, like, super fashion forward?

Caroline: Be careful. If you wear that out, people are going to be calling you brat.

Helen: I’ll keep an ear out for that.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Okay. We’re going to have so much fun today. Keep in mind that if we don’t like a trend, that doesn’t mean we’re putting down anyone who does like it. We’re just sharing our personal opinions based on our personal style. So I think we should just get into it, Helen.

Helen: Yes, okay. Our first trend is boho. This is kind of a classic trend. It kicks around every now and again and it’s defined as: “Nomadic and free, next winter’s style has been tinted with a 1970s filter. The boho look is making a welcome comeback and comes complete with floaty dresses and psychedelic prints. This winter, boho style will be as romantic as ever, if a little more rebellious.”

Caroline: Okay, I love boho. I think it goes without saying. I think we both love boho, right? This is totally for us.

Helen: Any chance I get to wear so much fabric, more fabric than is necessary, and have it draped all over my body, floating around, I am so there.

Caroline: Yeah, the gathers, the drapes, the flounces, the long length, the like, just wrapping yourself in fabric. It’s, it’s everything. And lots of like, warm tones, floral prints. I don’t know. It’s just right up our alley.

Helen: And the seventies inspiration too. I love a 1970s flavour in my wardrobe. So boho is really the place to do it. And I do think I have quite a few boho pieces already in my wardrobe, but I could add some more for sure. There’s always room for more.

Caroline: There’s always room for more. And I feel like I probably add a boho-inspired piece almost every season. So it’s kind of perfect.

Helen: Yeah. Okay. So, fabrics for these kind of garments, typically light and drapey. The ones in pictures are, like, satins and chiffons. If you want to incorporate this trend into more casual outfits, you can look for crinkle rayons and cotton lawns, solids and prints in earthy colours like gold, rust, and Brown are definitely the vibe. And here are some print types to look out for: paisley, large scale floral, retro, and of course, psychedelic.

Caroline: Those are some great search keywords if you’re shopping online.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: One of the dresses in the article is by Chloe. It’s a golden brown chiffon dress with a high neck. It has long sleeves, tons of floaty ruffles. It probably looks absolutely stunning when it’s in motion. If you really want to go all the way for this look, I think you could use the Wilder Gown pattern by Friday Pattern Co. and add layers of circular flounces.

Helen: Ooh, that would be amazing. And if you want to incorporate the boho look in a less intense way, you can try the Zero Waste Tier Dress by Birgitta Helmersson. It’s a maxi dress with a very 70s yoke. In a drapey print fabric, it would be perfect for this trend.

Caroline: Okay, let’s move on because we have 18 to get through. The next one is Ahoy, Captain: “Fashion sets….”

Helen: Wait. That’s not how you say it.

Caroline: Okay…

Helen: Ahoy, Captain?

Caroline: Sorry Helen, can you please say it for me?

Helen: Ahoy, captain!

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Maybe I want to put my own spin.

Helen: Okay, sorry, sorry, sorry. I shouldn’t judge.

Caroline: No, that’s fine. That’s fine. I’m going to describe it. “Fashion sets sail with a nautical wardrobe. For a cozy winter by the sea, the sailor’s jacket gets a couture makeover, while the sailor’s cap becomes a wardrobe essential.” Cannot wait to see you in a sailor’s cap, Helen.

Helen: I do not do hats well at all. I have a giant head and as a result I’ve never been much of a hat wearer and definitely sailor’s caps are not for me. I’m sorry, can’t do it.

Caroline: Yeah. It is kind of hilarious. I don’t know if you have the article open in front of you, Helen, but I do. And some of these trends are almost, like, so exaggerated because they’re from the runway, right? So it’s like, this one, to me, reads very costumey, but I can see how it would trickle down and I could see how it would work for, like, a sewist in everyday wear. Not to say that you can’t go all in on this trend, but I would probably water it down a little bit, personally.

Helen: Yeah. And it’s easy to do with the sailor-inspired looks. We’ve talked about, like, a striped t-shirt, nautical flair, like that, in these pictures. One of them is wearing, like, a very lovely kind of peacoat-looking garment that I think would be really easy to incorporate into any wardrobe, especially if you’re wanting to get into coat making this winter.

Caroline: Yeah, and truly just the colours…if you want to lean into, like, a navy blue or a cream colour, I think you can capture that essence. So in terms of pattern and fabric suggestions, a captain’s hat sounds like a silly thing to wear, but it actually could look really nice in a solid wool. Elsewhen Millinery has a pattern for one called the Hyatt that you could try, if you want to try this trend.

Helen: And as I was saying, a pea coat would be a less theatrical way of incorporating this trend. The Beatrice Pea Coat by Style Arc looks like a really good one. Use a gorgeous smooth suiting in cream or navy blue to really capture the essence of that nautical inspiration. Okay, our third trend is Back to the Future. “Experimentation with volumes and materials resulted in resolutely desirable, high-fashion aliens. Whether it’s an astronaut, an alien, or an astronomer doesn’t matter, as long as the look evokes dreams and travel.”

Caroline: Yeah, I think high fashion alien is, like, my style alter ego for next season, Helen.

Helen: Oh really? I love that for you. I definitely don’t have a lot of experience with sewing metallic fabrics or incorporating metallics into my wardrobe. This is like a whole new world to me.

Caroline: Yeah, and going back to watering down this trend for something that I feel like I would wear, I’ve been seeing a lot of metallics in shoes, like metallic ballet flats, or metallic accessories, a little bag, but I feel like you could also make a really cool metallic jacket or a pair of jeans, something that’s, like, simple style but you’re really letting that fabric shine. I’ve seen some really cool metallic denims. We just ordered some metallic linen blends that we’re gonna release for our holiday collection at Blackbird. And they’re just really cool and they have, like, a kind of an earthy vibe because they’re linen, but they still have that really cool silvery sheen to them that I think would work really well for this trend.

Helen: Ooh, I love that as a way to incorporate it. ‘Cause you know I love linen, so that sounds right up my alley.

Caroline: Mmhmm.

Helen: WithWendy made an amazing top out of chrome vinyl inspired by the Thierry Mugler Gynoid Suit that Zendaya wore to the Dune 2 premiere. It’s so futuristic. We’ll link the video in the show notes. Totally worth watching. I loved watching Wendy work through the process of making this look. It looks almost like a mirror and I’ve never seen anything like it. I was so impressed that she pulled it off.

Caroline: Yes! And you could totally incorporate metallics in a lower key way by making a bag out of faux leather. I feel like a shiny blue Bestie Bag would be so cool. I don’t know.

Helen: Ooh! Oh my gosh, it would. Yes. I do love that metallic royal blue that’s featured in the Vogue article. It’s really, really cool.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, yes, yes. Alright, next up, this one is one of my favourites. It is Leopard Couture. “What better than a roaring print to conquer the chilly season? Leopard print adds warmth and just the right amount of sensuality and confidence to any look.”

Helen: Ooh, I like that description. It does add a sensuality to the look for sure. It evokes some, you know, nods to lingerie and just something about big cats in general. They’re kind of sexy.

Caroline: Sassy. Yeah. It’s like totally, I don’t know. It’s cute, but it’s cool. I love it.

Helen: I’ve always really liked leopard print and I’ve made many leopard print things over the years. I feel like, to me, leopard is a neutral and it’s timeless.

Caroline: Yeah. I feel like it’s one of those thing that never goes out but I do notice that it comes in more, like it’s like always kind of around in the background, but once in a while it’ll really have a moment and you’ll see it in stores and you’ll see it in fabric stores and it is definitely having a moment right now.

Helen:Yeah. Do you think when leopard is having a moment that extends to like zebra, cheetah, giraffe, like other adjacent prints, or is leopard its own thing?

Caroline: I think leopard’s its own thing. I think like each individual animal print has its own moment.

Helen: Okay, what’s your favourite one?

Caroline: Well, I really like leopard. I also really like zebra, but I like a not super classic zebra. Like I don’t really want, like, a black and white zebra. I want like a more neutral, tonal, like brown and black or light brown/dark brown zebra. But to be honest, zebra print doesn’t really sell, in my experience.

Helen: Oh, interesting! It is definitely my favourite and I love the classic black and white, high contrast zebra, but leopard’s a close second. And then, you know, I love a snake print. We can’t forget about snake prints.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, snakes. What about cows? Cow prints? Love them.

Helen: Oh, I love a Cow print.

Caroline: Cow prints are so fun.

Helen: So fun.

Caroline: But yes, I would 100 % make something with leopard this season. I actually have good news for anyone who’s excited about this trend because we designed our very own leopard print denim at Blackbird that is coming out before this episode comes out. So it should be online now. I think it would look so great as a jacket. The Amelia Jacket by Sew Over It has a cool bomber look to it, but it would work well with a denim. And personally, I definitely want to make a pair of leopard print pants. I’ve seen some really cool leopard print jeans out there that are totally on my pinterest boards and I just have to pick a pattern. But I can’t wait. They’re so cute.

Helen: 100%. 100% I’m going to be making those jeans.

Caroline: We did it in two tones. We did like a darker one and a slightly lighter one, both in, like, the brown family. But one is like a bit more of a cool brown, one’s a bit more of a warm brown and ooh, I’m just so excited about this one. I feel like it’s really spot on. People are gonna love it.

Helen: Okay, if you really want to turn up the volume on this trend, you can try a leopard faux fur. The Fibre Mood Penny Jacket is designed for faux fur, and we have a few tips for working with it. Firstly, you want to cut it in one layer. Draw your cutting lines on the wrong side of the fabric, and then just use your scissors to part the fur and cut along the lines in small snips. And you want to finish your seams. Even though the fur won’t fray, it definitely will shed, so seam finishing is key. And if the pile of the fur gets caught in your stitches, you can use a pin to ease it out so it looks fluffy again. Keep your vacuum handy. This is going to be a messy one.

Caroline: I was gonna say, just mentally prepare yourself for the fur that’s going to be all over your sewing room.

Helen: But what a statement, though. You go out rocking that? I mean, come on. Next level.

Caroline: Yeah, I…there’s so many ways that I would love to use this trend. Like, I’d love to do some kind of, like, a leopard print mesh top or like a leopard print jersey T-shirt I feel like could be a fun casual look. Even like leopard print tights or like wide leg little like stretchy pants or something could be really cool.

Helen: Very fun. Yeah, I have a leopard print Slocan Tank that I made and I wear it all the time. It’s great. It’s just a simple basic. You tuck that into a high waisted jean. It looks very chic even though it’s, like, just a camisole. It’s really comfortable. It’s great. Alright, our next trend is coquette. Coquette is: “Marrying baby doll and ballet core influences, the coquette aesthetic lends a touch of naivety to women’s wardrobes. The trend channels pure femininity, punctuated by an invasion of bows and pastel pink.”

Caroline: Oh my gosh, bows! Bows on bows on bows on bows. I love bows. Bows are here to stay for another season. I am thrilled about it. I love this trend.

Helen: Yeah. I’m really into bows, too. It’s not for everybody. I know some people are a little sick of the bows, but that’s okay because you know what? They’re easy to add or take away at your leisure.

Caroline: Yeah. And this is another one that can be, like, kinda sexy. Like if you mix a bow with, like, black, or like in this particular trend on the website that we’re looking at, they have, like, light pink mixed with black and it’s like, I don’t know. It’s just kind of sexy. I like it.

Helen: Yeah, it adds a little bit of…the black, it adds a hardcore kind of edge to this really soft pink and I like that juxtaposition a lot if you’re not into going, like, the full baby doll route. Yeah, I am for this trend, but to a certain extent, because for me, that, like, hyper pink frilly feminine look has never been my style comfort zone. But I do like taking elements of it and incorporating it into my own fashion.

Caroline: Yeah. And even just a simple bow as a closure or adding a bow to a waistband or something could really incorporate this trend in a more accessible way that feels maybe a little bit more timeless.

Helen: Mmhmm. And in that vein, there are a bunch of sewing patterns that include bows right now. The Ballet Bow Skirt by Matchy Matchy Sewing Club is a midi length gathered skirt with high slits up both of the side seams. And then those slits are closed with three kind of oversized bows and it’s so cute. And it’s free when you sign up for their newsletter. So get on this and get it before it’s gone. It’s so cute. I’ve seen so many versions of this and I’m obsessed.

Caroline: Yes, and they also just came out with a pair of elastic waist shorts that have a bow on the side seam. There are so many cool bow patterns out there. The other one I think of automatically is the Syd Tie Top by Syd Graham Patterns, who is absolutely having a moment this year. Her patterns have been so popular. I’ve been seeing them everywhere. This one is an A-line top that closes with bows down the front, very Ganni coded, plus you have your choice of sleeveless and elbow length puffy sleeves and there’s a dress version too, so you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck with this one.

Helen: If you really want to dial up this trend, you can make the Bow Patchwork Dress by Roberts Wood. If you have not seen this pattern, you gotta check it out. It’s absolutely mind-blowing. It’s a dress with ties at the shoulders and a full skirt and the patchwork that you make to create the dress looks like a pattern of bows and it kind of gives this, like, swoopy psychedelic feeling. It almost looks like an optical illusion. It’s just so, so cool. Extra credit if you make it from those pastel pink fabrics or maybe mix those pink and that black together. That would be really cool.

Caroline: Okay. Next up we have The Bubble Skirt. “In May 1987 in Cannes, Princess Diana shook up the codes of fashion in a striped puffball dress. Decades later, the puffball skirt is injected with extra volume in exquisitely pop versions.”

Helen: Caroline, this is my least favourite one on this whole list.

Caroline: Okay, honestly, I agree, but I have to tell you, I went on a hardcore Love Island binge recently, the new season of Love Island US, and those girlies were all over the bubble skirt. At their, like, party, eveningwear parties when they would get all dolled up, there were bubble skirts left, right, and center. And they were cute, but I just, I don’t think I could do it. I couldn’t do it.

Helen: Well, you know what? I haven’t tried it on. And sometimes when you try something on, it totally changes your whole perspective on a trend. But just, generally, this, like, ultra fitted bodice that goes all the way down to the hip. So it’s like you’re wearing this, like, tube and then this giant puffball. I just think it’s so funny. It looks so funny, but I believe you that the people on Love Island look hot because they always look hot. So I’m sure they were hot.

Caroline: Honestly, like, impractical, too. I’m like, how do you sit in this without, like, crushing it? It seems to be so short that you’ll just be, like, flashing the whole world.

Helen: Yeah, you’re not sitting on it. You’re just sitting on nothing, I think.

Caroline: Yeah! Unsanitary, to be honest. There needs to be some kind of, like, a bodysuit situation underneath, for sure.

Helen: I don’t think it has to be micro though. It can be incorporated in a more wearable way for sure. And if you do want to incorporate it, you want to use fabric with some body to it so it can hold that bubble shape. Fabrics like taffeta would be a great choice. You could also insert some gathered tulle or netting into the upper seam of the skirt so that it puffs out even more. You definitely don’t want a floppy bubble skirt.

Caroline: No, I don’t think that would really land. We also found a couple of tutorials for bubble skirts that we’ll link in the show notes. We didn’t find any indie patterns that were already onto this trend, but you could probably find something if you look for vintage patterns from the 80s or early aughties. Yeah, I think it’s safe to say we’re not gonna be jumping on this trend. Right, Helen?

Helen: Might be eating my words in, like, spring 2025. I’ll be like, “the Helen’s Closet Bubble Dress.”

Caroline: Oh my gosh.

Helen: Okay. Our next trend is: Lady. “Elegance in a few chic pieces. A leather midi skirt, a fringed top, a skirt suit and opera gloves will all guarantee the look of a chic, Lady 2.0, with a touch of sass.”

Caroline: I’m sensing a theme. It’s like: sass, sensual.

Helen: Yeah, it’s very fun and playful, a lot of these trends for fall/winter, which I really appreciate, because fashion should be fun. And this was one that stood out to me because I hadn’t really thought of this as a whole trend. It seems like a lot of like disparate ideas kind of crammed together, but it actually does create this very cool aesthetic. And I’m into the leather midi skirt. I want that.

Caroline: I was going to say, it’s like, when you think of leather, I don’t necessarily think of, like, ladylike necessarily. Same thing with, like, suit jackets, but somehow, when you, like, put it all together, leather, midi skirt, like fringe, collars…

Helen: Opera gloves, yeah.

Caroline: There’s something about it that’s, like, sexy and cool and ladylike. And I’m loving it. I’m really into this one.

Helen: And powerful, too. Like, there’s just a confidence that’s radiating from these models. Of course, they’re models, so, of course they’re confident, but you know what I mean? Like. there’s a don’t-mess-with-me vibe in this one, which I like. So are you going to try this one out?

Helen: I mean, maybe. I do have some faux leather in my stash that has been lingering for a while because I don’t know what to do with it. So this might be my chance. Maybe. I don’t like the idea of leather pants. Too hot. Too hot for me. But a leather skirt I could get behind because there’s a lot more air circulating.

Caroline: Yeah, I feel like a skirt might be the ticket for this one, for getting this fabric out from your stash.

Helen: And we do have a few tips for if you’re sewing with faux leather. You want to use clips instead of pins because pins will leave permanent holes in most faux leathers. So if you really need to, try to pin inside the seam allowance. But clips are really going to be your friend here.

Caroline: If you don’t have a rotary cutter and weights, mark around your pattern pieces on the back of the fabric and then cut them out with your scissors. And you also want to use sharp microtex needles in your machine so that it will pierce clean holes while it sews. A dull needle might tear the vinyl layer.

Helen: You can also increase your stitch length. It looks neater and it prevents tearing as well. And if the leather sticks to your foot or machine as you’re sewing, you can layer tissue paper over the vinyl part. It will help it glide through much easier. And then afterward you can just tear it away.

Caroline: I think a good pattern option for this faux leather skirt would be the Evelyn by Chalk and Notch. It’s a midi skirt with a subtle A-line shape and a high side slit. And there’s a view with buttons and a view with an elastic band back waist, but I would choose the view without the buttons and with a fitted waistband for faux leather.

Helen: Yeah, that would go over really well. I like that idea.

Caroline: Okay, next up: The New Cape. “Far from its first-degree interpretation, the cape shakes off its bourgeois reputation for more experimental variations. With its sophisticated shoulders, this wonder-piece dresses up the simplest of our everyday looks.”

Helen: I love a cape.

Caroline: You love a cape? Have you ever made a cape?

Helen: No, I haven’t, and I don’t think I’ve had one in my wardrobe in years, but when I saw this, I was like, oh, capes. Capes are so great. They’re so delightfully impractical and fun. And I’m really into it. I want to try one.

Caroline: Yeah, I really like this interpretation, too, because it’s not super dramatic, like, cloak-y cape. It’s more of, like, a shoulder moment, like, it could almost be done with, like, a big scarf. You can get that look if you don’t want to actually, like, make a whole cape. You’re just, like, covering your shoulders with, like, a drapey piece of fabric, you know?

Helen: Yeah, totally. They almost look like they’ve just been tossed over the shoulder in these pictures and it looks effortless, but very elegant. I think you could really hack this look out of a sweater pattern. Like, we have the Elliot pattern at Helen’s Closet. And if you took the long funnel neck view and, like, cropped it in the back and made it extra long in the front, you could take that long part and just throw it over your shoulder for this kind of cape look. Definitely want to choose a bit of a drapier sweater knit and make sure it looks nice on both sides, since, you know, the underside is going to be exposed, but this would be a really fun way to play with this look.

Caroline: Yes, or like, if you wanted to recycle or upcycle, like, an old blanket from the thrift store that needs a little bit of love, I feel like you could totally do that with this trend and, like, use some of the details from that piece. And I mentioned the scarf interpretation and kind of having it artfully draped over your shoulders. You could make one out of, like, a nice flannel and fringe the ends. And, once again, make sure your fabric looks nice on both sides. You want to look for yarn-dyed flannels rather than printed ones. And we’ll link up a tutorial for making this type of scarf in the show notes.

Helen: Yeah, this is a great use for some leftover fabric. If you have some, too, you could even patchwork together a few different kinds of flannel. That would be really neat.

Caroline: That would be cool.

Helen: Okay, this next trend, we already touched on a little bit when we were talking about leopard print, is: Faux Fur. “As kind to the wardrobe, as they are to animal rights, these faux furs will keep us warm in a conscious, respectful way.”

Caroline: I like faux fur. I’m a little afraid of sewing with it, to be honest, because of the previously mentioned mess that it will make in my sewing room.

Helen: I have only sewn with faux fur once. I added a little faux fur collar to a coat that I made. And that was a really fun, small way to incorporate faux fur into my wardrobe without trying to tackle an entire jacket. I think, also, Caroline and I, we both live in a very wet climate. And so the idea of wearing faux fur, while cozy, it just doesn’t really work when you think about the weather here. It kind of gets a little bit gross.

Caroline: Yeah, there would be a very short window where you could actually wear this faux fur outside.

Helen: Yeah! but it’s such a fun piece to have in your wardrobe for those moments when, like, you maybe want to have a statement jacket to wear over a dress to an event or something. I think that’s when this kind of faux fur look can really shine.

Caroline: Okay, so yeah, I don’t think I’ll be trying, like, a full faux fur outfit or jacket or coat this season but I would love to incorporate some, like, sherpa into a collar, maybe, or maybe a lining in a jacket. I think that could be a cool way to try it out but not go too crazy.

Helen: Mmhmm. Yeah, the example photos for this trend are really puffy furs, like, you’re in a puffball. And all we’re seeing is just the model’s face surrounded by this mass of faux fur. Tabitha Sewer, past guest, has made a couple of these kinds of coats with faux fur and they look absolutely amazing, so we’ll have pictures of that in the show notes. And she recommends trimming down the pile of the fur within the seam allowances to make sewing easier. And that makes so much sense. You’re basically giving it a bit of a haircut along the edges where you’re going to sew it together.

Caroline: Yeah, and if you want to try this out, I would choose a super simple pattern. Details like patch pockets, cuffs, and collars are not going to work with a really puffy faux fur fabric. The Jessie Coatigan by Sew Over It is a great option. It has a subtle swing shape and a full lining. And the shawl collar would actually work with faux fur because it’s not a traditional collar. It’s grown onto the jacket.

Helen: And another more sustainable way to try out this trend would be to shop for vintage faux fur. It can be really tricky to sew, so it’s probably best to search for already finished garments in this case.

Caroline: Also vintage regular fur. Real fur, I guess. Okay, next up is: Still Life. “Make sure you get your five a day!” This is cracking me up. This daily sum applies to both food and fashion. “Grapes, radishes, bananas and apples can be tailored to suit all tastes and styles.” Okay, I have to say, Helen, calling it back to that trend newsletter, Laura also forwarded me one that was all about this trend and they were saying that in the next season we have to be thinking about garlic and onions on clothes.

Helen: No way. That’s really funny.

Caroline: I’m not even joking. They’re like, “Leeks, garlic, onions. That’s what’s next.”

Helen: That’s what’s next. I think this trend is so fun. I mean, it’s as simple as wearing a more novelty print that has these kind of food themes on it, or you could incorporate this in accessories as well. I have a friend, Melinda, who loves food-themed earrings. She has a whole suite, a collection of food themed earrings and she loves wearing them. So she’s super on-trend right now, which is great. But I do think that this is really as easy as just finding a fabric that has a fruit or vegetable on it that you love and you can sew it up however you like.

Caroline: Yeah, I love this trend. I feel like it has been around for a few seasons now. It’s very Lisa Says Gah. I feel like they’ve been doing this kind of print for a long time. I have been seeing a lot of tomatoes recently. I think tomatoes are really having a moment. but yeah, I love it. Would wear, would try, 100%. I think it’s all about the print. You want to make sure, if you’re trying this out, that you use a pattern that’s right for your fabric. So for a button-up, choose, like, a shirting weight cotton. For a drapey dress, you want to look for rayon challis. I would avoid quilting cotton unless you’re making something like a quilted jacket or maybe, like, patch pockets where the body of the fabric would work well. Search for fruit or vegetable print fabrics and you’ll find some amazing stuff. There are a lot out there. And I know I’ve been talking for a while, but I will also mention that we are just about to release a linen viscose print that is from The Fabric Godmother. I don’t know if we’ll still have stock of this by the time this episode comes out, but it has a really pretty, like, painted tomato, lemon, grape, wine bottle kind of moment. It’s, like, very picnic-y. It’s very cool. the scale is huge. It’s really, really fun. So I am all in on this one.

Helen: I do like this one and I think it’s really fun. I’m just, like, I have trouble thinking about it in my wardrobe. But maybe I just haven’t found the right fabric yet. You know?

Caroline: Yeah, I think, like, maybe incorporating it into, like, some more home decor things. I know we’re talking more about fashion But, like, an apron would be really cool, if we can stretch it to that kind of clothing, like an apron or even, like, a tablecloth would be really cool for a fabric like this.

Helen: Yeah, you could use a more novelty print in a lining on, like, a quilted jacket, just to have it on the inside of something. I think it would be really fun. You’re like, “I’m participating in the trend, but secretly.”

Caroline: And I do think the prints like this, that have, like, a darker background tend to feel, at least to me, a little bit more wearable. So in the pictures of this trend on the Vogue France website, we’re seeing, like, a couple of examples with, like, a navy or black background and to me those feel a little bit more, I don’t know, like I could incorporate that into my wardrobe versus, like, a big white background, maybe slightly less wearable.

Helen: Yeah, that’s true. I don’t do a lot of white background prints, so maybe that’s part of my hesitation. I just haven’t found the darker background print of my dreams yet.

Caroline: Yeah, but honestly, Helen, like, garlic on a dress? Come on.

Helen: Come on!

Caroline: I’m a garlic girl.

Helen: What more do you need? I look forward to seeing the garlic and onions.

Caroline: Perfect. Summer 2025. Hold your breath for that one.

Helen: An onion printed bubble skirt dress. It’s perfect!

Caroline: Yep. Coming soon.

Helen: Coming soon. Okay, our next trend is a really simple one. It’s The Slip Dress. “Far from the metallic slip dress that Kate Moss wore in the 1990s, the slipdress has made its way back to the catwalk as a must-have basic that is dethroning the LBD. This season, make sure your slip dress is lacy or sheer!”

Caroline: Ooh, va-va-voom!

Helen: I feel like the sewing community is obsessed with slip dresses, so we don’t need to tell you twice.

Caroline: And it feels, this does feel like the next iteration because we’ve been doing a lot of lace at Blackbird. It’s been really popular. I think people are wanting more lace in their wardrobe. I love playing with that, like, sort of see-through vibe, layers. Even if you don’t want to, like, show your underwear, you can layer something over a pair of jeans and it could still be really cool. I think there’s so many ways to incorporate this look and I’m super into it. I love it.

Helen: Yeah, I love it too. And there’s a lot of ways to sew slip dresses. Like, it seems like a singular style, but there is a lot of subtlety in the variation of patterns out there that are available for slip dresses. Some of them are cut straight. Some of them are cut on the bias. Some of them have, like, more cowl neckline. Some of them have more straight necklines. There’s a lot of differences. And, of course, it’s all about the length of slip dress that you want, too.

Caroline: You made a Sicily Slip Dress last year that you ended up turning into a top, right? Am I remembering this correctly?

Helen: Yeah, I made one for Vegas and I just chopped it off and made it a tank top in the end because it didn’t work as a dress, because I used a knit fabric, so it’s a whole other story.

Caroline: But honestly, it was super cute and I think it incorporated a few of these trends because it had a metallic sheen to it and it was really cute and I think that’s, like, we could take a lesson from that because if a full-on slip dress doesn’t work for you, a little bias-cut cami, maybe in a lace, could be a cool way to try this out without going, like, full-body slip.

Helen: That’s true, and sometimes it feels a little bit easier to get away with showing a, like, fancy special bra under a see-through fabric than showing fancy special underpants.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Like, I’m more comfortable with the top than I am with the bottom, personally, but I do love the full look, and I think it looks incredible.

Caroline: Yeah. So, in terms of pattern suggestions, the Simone Slip Dress by Closet Core is a good pattern option for non-sheer fabrics like satin or charmeuse. You could applique lace across the top of the neckline for a really lingerie-inspired look.

Helen: And if you’re sewing with sheer or lace fabric, I would not recommend choosing a bias-cut like the Simone or the Sicily, because the openness of the fabric will stretch too weirdly across the bias. Instead, you probably want a straight-cut pattern like the Ogden Cami by True Bias. There’s a dress hack on the True Bias blog. So, you can use strips of organza that match your fabric or your skin tone to reinforce the seams and the hems on the sheer fabric to keep it from stretching out. But yeah, there’s lots of different options out there. And if you’re going with that sheer or lacy fabric, you might need to sew a test version or give it a try a couple of times and take some little time to figure it out.

Caroline: Are you gonna try this one out, Helen?

Helen: I mean, I do love the lace-inspired. I don’t have any lace in my stash right now, but I’m sure that you will have me covered in the next few months.

Caroline: Absolutely.

Helen: After my debacle with my…well, it wasn’t a debacle because the top turned out amazing. I do love it so much. It’s such a fun party top. But I really want to go back to the Sicily Slip Dress and make it proper, in the right fabric, and, like, make the full dress version. Cause I think there’s something about the drape of a bias-cut slip dress that just takes it to a whole other realm.

Caroline: Yeah. I love my Sicily Slip Dress and I’ve actually been able to wear it a few times, even though I made it for a wedding and I was like, I don’t know if I’m ever going to wear this again, but I managed to do it. I love it.

Helen: So wearable. And that’s by, uh, Sewing Patterns by Masin. We forgot to mention that, but, great pattern.

Caroline: Okay, the next one feels a little bit like a continuation of this. It’s called Beautiful Undergarments. “Why hide them? Undergarments are in the lime-light for another season. A special shout-out goes to garter belts, which can be worn paired with a suit jacket or a soft sweater.”

Helen: Ah, I mean, I understand this trend, or I thought I did, and then I saw the pictures that they were using to represent this trend and I was like, “Oh, this is a different version of this than I’ve seen before.” The garter belt coming down off the sweaters and the suits. It’s like an extension. One of them is wearing a waistcoat that has a garter belt extending off of it. And one of them’s wearing a turtleneck sweater with a garter belt, like, fully attached to it. So it’s a very interesting look. Again, this is very fashion-forward. Of course, it’s a little bit easier to incorporate it into your everyday wardrobe if you make it as separates, not a whole piece.

Caroline: Yeah, it feels like just a continuation of the garment. Like they’re incorporating those details into just something that’s a little bit more wearable. I kind of like it. I like it more than wearing just, like, a regular garter belt out in public, like, fully exposed. It feels maybe, like, a little bit too risque for me personally. But yeah, I don’t know if i’m gonna try this one. It’s, it’s a lot for me. It’s a lot for me.

Helen: Yeah. Garter. Oh, again, it’s like, it depends on where it is on your body and your own personal comfort level. I could see wearing, like, a bustier as a top. I think that’s a really beautiful way to incorporate undergarments into your everyday wardrobe. But the garter belt thing is something I hadn’t considered. So, you know, maybe I need to broaden my horizons.

Caroline: Yeah, and I think this detail that we’re talking about where the garter is kind of, like. coming down from the bottom of the garment. By the way, this is a vest by Moschino. We’ll probably link up a photo in the show notes. But you could totally hack this by just redrawing the hem of a garment that you’re already into. And just don’t forget to redraw the lining as well. But I think you could totally try this out. And if you want to make an actual garter belt, Pin-up Girls has a pattern for that. Bra-Makers Supply will have all the fabrics and supplies that you need. And for tips on sewing lingerie, check out our interview with Emerald Erin. That one’s episode 53 and there’s lots of great stuff in there.

Helen: Okay, Caroline, I think this last one is maybe the hardest-to-describe trend that we’ve had so far. They’re calling it Dressed? Undressed? “As if to keep up with the ever more hurried pace of everyday life, the sweater is captured like a moment in time. Worn in a new way, as if thrown on in a hurry, it becomes a fashion statement in its own right, epitomizing spontaneous femininity.”

Caroline: Oh my gosh, Helen. I died when I saw this. I was like, this cannot be real. This is like a parody of a trend. It’s literally, the pictures are, the models are wearing full outfits and then it looks like they have sweaters just, like, pinned to the front of their bodies. Like, they are not wearing the sweaters. The sweaters are just…

Helen: On them.

Caroline: On them. They’re not in them. They’re just put on top of their clothes. It’s so weird.

Helen: It’s really hard to describe. And you know what? I’m not saying it doesn’t look good. Like, they actually look very chic. But it is just confusing. Okay. The one, the one on the left with the tan and the grey, I think is actually pretty cute. The center one…there’s, like, a back neckline that’s, like, visible. Anyway…

Caroline: You can see the tag. You can see the tag!

Helen: You just have to go and look at it. It’s so funny. But this is a great, like, you could play around with this trend really easily with sewing. And so that’s why we definitely wanted to incorporate it into our conversation today because it’s such a great candidate for upcycling. You could take apart a sweater and basically applique it over top of another sweater. The best thrifted sweater candidates have seams that have not been cut into. So what I mean is, like, some sweaters are made of pieces of knit cloth that are serged together at the side seams and some are knit into shaped pieces and then sewn together. So the second type is the one that you want to look for. And you’ll be able to tell, ‘cause there’s no serging over any of the seams on the inside. And these are best because you’re going to unpick the seams and then basically applique the sweater on without having to finish and hide any of the edges. But depending on the look you want, finishing the edges yourself might not be a bad thing. Obviously, it will depend on your knit, too. If it’s going to, like, fray and unravel, you might have to do some treatment there to prevent that from happening. But it would be a really fun thing to experiment with. Just go and get a couple of sweaters and basically try to meld them together to achieve this look. “A moment…captured like a moment in time.”

Caroline: It’s like you’re colour blocking with a sweater in the shape of a sweater on top of a sweater. I could see that. I could see that. And I, I kind of like the idea of being able to thrift a sweater that maybe wouldn’t normally fit me, because often I can’t find, like, cute sweaters in my size at thrift stores. And so, I could get, like, a smaller size, and you’re just appliqueing it on top of something that does fit. Like, I can get behind that. I just, I don’t know.

Helen: I already find sweaters too hot. I’m having trouble imagining wearing double layer sweater.

Caroline: Like, one of these looks literally, like, this person, like, did laundry and the, like, sweater had, like, a lot of static on it and just, like, stuck to her and she, like, didn’t notice. She went out the door. She’s walking on the street and, like, she has a sweater stuck to her and someone’s gonna be like, “Excuse me, Miss, you have something stuck to you. I don’t know if you know.”

Helen: It’s like, you’re walking a runway, you’re, like, stomping, and you’re living your best life, and you like encounter a clothesline covered in clothes, and they just like, they all stick to you as you pass through.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh, yeah.

Helen: Oh, it’s great. It’s great. You gotta go check it out. I don’t know if I’m gonna get around to this one this year, but you know, we’ll see if it, we’ll see if it stays.

Caroline: Yeah, maybe it’ll trickle down to next season and be slightly more wearable.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Okay, next up is: Rebellious Tartan. “This checked wool fabric retains its protest aspect, serving as a throwback to the golden age of punk. Tartan, cut in wraparound fabrics, creates a comforting aesthetic in a timeless color palette designed for everyday wear.”

Helen: Oh, I love a tartan. I mean, come on. It’s so cool. It’s so rock and roll. It’s so punk. It’s so, I don’t know. It does have that rebellious streak, even though it also feels prim and proper because it’s the kind of fabric you might see in, like, a school uniform or something like that. But when you kind of deconstruct it or add a little bit of leather or something, it takes on this hard edge. And I really like that.

Caroline: Yeah, I was gonna say, it mixes well with leather and denim and neutrals. I think this could easily be incorporated into a more wearable wardrobe. Yeah, I love it.

Helen: Very cute. And there’s so many great plaid fabrics out there right now. It’s totally the season for it. Here’s some search items to help you find what you’re looking for: plaid, tartan, check, wool, flannel, suiting, and coating. I mean, any of those will get you where you want to go.

Caroline: Yes, and for a spot-on punk-inspired look, try Folkwear 152: Scottish Kilts. You can crop it short or lengthen it for a modern look. I also think the Taylor Trousers by BF Patterns, our pattern company, would look amazing in a bold tartan. Especially the pleat front view. This might be a good option if you don’t want to walk around wearing a full-on kilt, which would be understandable.

Helen: Yeah, it could be quite warm. I have never worn a kilt, but I gather that they’re quite comfortable once you’ve got them on and they keep you warm while also, you know, letting you breathe. So it’s kind of a winner of a garment.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I don’t know why I said that. It’s kind of a winner of a garment, you know.

Caroline: Kind of a winner.

Helen: It’s kind of a winner. Okay, speaking of winners. Not the clothing brand store. Double Denim. “From the 1970s to the 1990s and the 2000s, jeans are truly the fashion piece that never gets old. Jeans are a must when creating a timeless look.” And in this case, they’re featuring denim on denim on denim on denim. Now I’m thinking of the Beyonce song, “denim on denim on denim on denim.” It’s so good. I mean, it’s true that it doesn’t get old. I, personally, as a 36-year-old, vividly remember the double denim looks from Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears. And it’s iconic and always will be.

Caroline: I think double denim has never gone out. It’s another one of the trends that I feel like, maybe it’s having a moment, but, like, it’s always been having a moment in my mind. I think double denim…

Helen: Yeah, and you don’t have to double down on your denim. Even just wearing a singular denim piece, it truly never goes out of style. But it is a fun way to incorporate it into your sewing because you can use the same fabric and create pants and a jacket or maybe, like, a skirt and a bustier top. I mean, there’s lots of options of things that you can make with denim. And if you make it in the same denim, then you’re really creating a head-to-toe ensemble.

Caroline: Yeah, I mean this trend is double denim, so I feel like it does have to be at least two items of denim.

Helen: That’s fair. That’s fair. I was trying to let them off the hook, but okay, fine.

Caroline: I’m really serious about denim. No, if you want to, if you want to try this out and go matchy matchy with your double denim, I think this would look really cute if you sew up a pair of jeans and a jacket out of the same fabric. I am imagining the Brooks Jeans by Helen’s Closet and maybe the Audrey Jacket by Seamwork. Put those two together. Amazing. I love it.

Helen: Amazing. Yeah, that would be so cute. And for, like, a less intense version of that, you could try mixing denim weights and washes, like maybe a light wash jean in heavier, light wash denim, and then pair it with a dark wash kind of chambray button-up. Like, the Closet Core Jenna Shirt would be a nice oversized button-up choice. That way you’re going double denim, but it doesn’t look like you’re wearing an entire matching outfit.

Caroline: Mmhmm. Yeah. Red Alert! Red Alert! I love red! This one, I actually do love this trend. This one is described as: “Red alert! Fashion will paint the town red next winter. Whether festive or conservative, red will color both everyday and eveningwear silhouettes. From leather to fringing and knitwear, anything goes – as long as it’s red!”

Helen: Ooh! On board. I love red. I think red looks really great on my skin tone. I have lots of red things in my wardrobe. And let’s be honest, this one’s easy to incorporate into your sewing. Alls you gotta do is pick some red fabric.

Caroline: It’s so true. There, you probably already have a red item in your closet. And if you don’t, you should. ‘Cause red is such a happy colour. I feel like it just, when I wear my red jumpsuit, I’m just instantly in a better mood.

Helen: Yeah, It’s true. It’s a power colour too. I feel like it’s a good one to put on if you have something, you know, scary that you need to do that day or something you need to accomplish. You’re on a mission. Red is definitely a good colour for that kind of day.

Caroline: Yeah. And keep in mind, red dye can run in the wash, so make sure that you’re pre-washing your fabric separately, or at least with very dark colours. You can test the colour fastness of your fabric with fabric scraps. Take a scrap of your red fabric and a scrap of white fabric, and wet them both thoroughly, and then set the red fabric on top of the white fabric and let it sit for a few minutes. If there’s any red on the white fabric after that, you know you’ll need to wash it separately. And you can repeat the test after washing until it’s not bleeding anymore. I feel like, haven’t we all been in a situation where we’ve washed a red garment and turned all of our white things pink? Or is it just me?

Helen: Oh yes. No, I think we’ve all been there and it can be a little bit devastating, although sometimes pink is good, you know,

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Just like, Oh, it’s pink now. Great. No, it is something to watch out for. And on that note on dye, you can also dye other fabrics red or dye garments red that you already have in your wardrobe. So if you want to try this trend, but you don’t have time to sew something new, perhaps there’s, like, a white, you know, button-up or something in your closet that’s run its course. Maybe it’s not as white as it used to be. Dye it red.

Caroline: Dye it red. And if you’re making a head-to-toe red outfit, make sure the reds look good together. So if you’re doing, like, separates that you want to wear together, it might not look great if you pair, like, a bright blue-toned red with a more orangey red. Or it might, but you’ll need to hold the fabrics up to one another to find out. Another thing we’ll add is that red can really, like, run a spectrum from, like, cool to warm tone. So if you have something red that you’re like, “I don’t like how this looks on me,” try the opposite tone, because I think it really makes a difference for, like, what really shines on a person, if you’re wearing, like, a cool or a warm tone and what looks best for you.

Helen: Yeah, I like that they mentioned all the different kinds of fabric that you could incorporate into this trend. Like, they’re talking about fringe and leather and knit and there’s truly just so many options. Like, if you want to go simple, just making, like, a bright red turtleneck for fall would be so easy to incorporate into your wardrobe.

Caroline: But what about the full fringe red dress that we see here, Helen?

Helen: I mean, I live. It’s so beautiful. Like, how much fun would that be to wear? It just looks like it’s shiny and it would probably make a really fun sound when you’re swishing around in it. I don’t know where I’d wear that, but do I want it? Yes. Okay, our next one is Transparency. “The delicate interplay of sheer fabrics sublimates any look. In natural shades such as nude or black, transparency gives free rein to the body, and comes to life as it moves.”

Caroline: Mmhmm. Into it. We’ve already talked about liking the sort of, like, sheer trend. And I think this is a continuation of that. I don’t know. I’m into it. I don’t know if I would, you know, try it, like, as intensely as they have it pictured here. Like, you’re literally seeing everything in these pictures. Not safe for work, in my humble opinion. But I think, I don’t know, like, a sheer top layered over a cute bra I think would work really well here. We’ve talked about, like, lace pants on the show before, so I think Incorporating like a sheer pant could be cool if you’re wearing, like, little shorts underneath or something. I don’t know. I think it could work.

Helen: I would love, like, a full-length organza skirt, you know, some real volume to it, like a full princess moment, but in like one of these more neutral colours, like a black or a chocolate brown. I could see that working really well with, like, even just styling it with like a T-shirt or a cute vest or something, you know, like, playing around with that, like, fancy and casual at the same time. I don’t know if I’ll get around to making that, but it’d be cute.

Caroline: I love the way that, like, gathers and pleats and folds look in a sheer fabric. I think that you can really like play around with opacity and layering and have some really cool effects, especially if you’re putting together, like, a more evening look. I think this trend could be a cool thing to try out.

Helen: It’s an interesting fabric to sew with, too, if you’ve never sewn with it before, so that’s a fun challenge for leveling up your sewing. You do want to think about how you’re going to finish your seams if you’re working with a sheer fabric. So, French seams are usually a good choice, since most sheer fabrics are lightweight. You can serge the edges or zigzag over them, but just make sure your thread really matches your fabric. Another option that both covers your seams and prevents too much stretching is to sew strips of tulle over the seam allowance. Choose either a colour that matches your skin tone or a colour that matches the fabric.

Caroline: One of the sample skirts in the By Hand London Draft-It-Yourself Skirt Bundle is made in a sheer mint-coloured fabric. It’s a wrap skirt with a hem ruffle that curves up the front. It’s so cute and the layers of sheerness give it a lot of dimension. You can always wear contrasting slip shorts or a half slip underneath. This one would be so cute for this trend.

Helen: Yeah, it really would. And it’s just a testament to how you can incorporate this trend into any kind of pattern that you’re working on, if you have the right style lines and everything. It’d be a really fun one to play around with. Okay, our last one is Comforting Cardigans. “Although it seems to have never really left our wardrobes, the cardigan is regaining its fashion credentials in fluffy, body-hugging versions, sometimes even getting doubled up!” I mean, I’m all over coze. Cozy trends.

Caroline: Yes, me too. I love that cardigans are back again. I don’t think they ever really went out, but I’m seeing a lot of cute cardigans in ready-to-wear right now. I’m seeing them styled really cute. I don’t know if you’ve seen, like, a cardigan just buttoned at the top and open?

Helen: Oh, cute. Yeah. That’s a good look. Or, like, buttoned at the bottom and kind of, like, off the shoulder on one side for, like, a more deconstructed look, a little bit, uh, rebellious.

Caroline: It’s really cute just worn as a top. Like, you can fully button your cardigan and it’s just, it’s a sweater. You don’t need to wear anything under it.

Helen: Oh yeah, I saw on the Bachelorette, Jenn Tran was wearing some really cute cardigans as tops and she looked amazing.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Jenn Tran’s style this season. On point.

Helen: Oh, all the shawls. Where is “shawls” on this list? I know that’s a good way to incorporate, like, a faux fur or another fun fabric and, like, in just an accessory way. Yeah, she’s a shawl girly.

Caroline: It’s interesting because I think cardigans are a more tricky thing to sew because it’s knitwear, you’re not necessarily always getting that, like, I don’t know, finished look that you would get from like a knitted piece. But if you want to try it out, there are some patterns out there. I think the Marlo sweater by True Bias is a great cardigan pattern. I’ve seen some really cool versions in the long version made with a sweater knit fabric. It would look a lot like some of these inspo pictures. Just don’t expect to get that, like, I don’t know, ready-to-wear, knitted-on-a-machine cardigan look. It’s a little bit of a different look when you sew it yourself.

Helen: Yeah, or even hand knitted, for that matter. I mean, if you want to take up knitting, now’s the time. You can make your own cable knit sweater one stitch at a time. It doesn’t take long at all. It’s super easy and you should try it.

Caroline: I was going to say, Helen, I feel like if I started a cable knit sweater, it would take me five years to finish.

Helen: Cables are so fun, though. It feels like you’re literally wielding magic when you make them. It’s amazing.

Caroline: Yeah. It’s okay. By the time I’m finished, it’ll be on-trend again.

Helen: Yeah, that’s true. It’ll come back around. Okay, when you’re working with these really chunky sweater knits, one thing you want to think about is reinforcing the shoulder seams of your sweater. We have a tutorial on the Helen’s Closet blog for this. You can use clear elastic, twill tape, a strip of woven fabric cut on the bias, or strips of knit interfacing, lots of different things you can put in there. And you just lay your stabilizer on top of the shoulder seam line before you sew your seams, and then you can sew it with a narrow zigzag, and it just adds a little extra stability because this fabric has a lot of heft.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, I can’t believe we got through them all. I’m exhausted. I’m losing my voice. That was a lot of trend talk.

Helen: Your poor voice. Okay, which ones are you most excited about trying, though? Hit me with your top.

Caroline: Okay, definitely leopard. Like, I will be making a leopard print pair of pants this fall. Watch this space. It is happening. I cannot wait. Also, a leopard bag I think would be really fun. Love the bows trend forever. So I think coquette is also on my list of favourites. Still life. I think it’s no secret that I love the still life. I’m still looking for the perfect tomato print. I’m having a tomato girl summer. Every summer is a tomato girl summer, like, give me all the still life prints. I love them so much. And red. Red forever. Also. I just I love red and I love that red is back. I love that red is everywhere and I’m gonna be hopping on some more red things, I think, this fall. What about you, Helen?

Helen: You know what’s red?

Caroline: What?

Helen: Tomatoes.

Caroline: Perfect.

Helen: Perfect.

Caroline: Two in one!

Helen: Okay, I think my top are: boho. Always and forever want to wear swaths of fabric. I was really interested in the lady trend. I think I want a leather skirt now. And when I was a kid, I was really into wearing gloves. And I had this, like, collection of gloves that was gifted to me by, like, my mom’s friend or something when I was a kid. And it was in our, like, costume box and I would wear them to school. And I was really into wearing gloves. So I’m like, maybe I should bring that back. And then the new cape, I think this is perfect for working at home in the fall and winter. If you need to be cozy in your home office space, wearing something that can kind of be worn fully covering you or be worn draped over your shoulder, just a little element that you can pull on and still feel chic, but very cozy. I’m into it.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, we didn’t even talk about a work-from-home cape. That sounds amazing.

Helen: Okay, let us know which trends you’re excited about and how you plan to incorporate them into your me-mades. You can let us know on social media or via email, and we’re really excited to hear what you think of these fall and winter trends.

Caroline: Yes, let us know.

And that’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me, Caroline, at Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns and Helen at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co. And we’re recording today in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Helen: You can support Love to Sew and get access to bonus content by subscribing on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. You even get access to the back catalogue of bonus episodes. That’s over 75 hours of Love to Sew. Go to patreon.com/lovetosew or check out our podcast page on Apple Podcasts for more info.

Caroline: You can head to lovetosewpodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, leave us a message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or send us an email at hello@lovetosewpodcast.com.

Helen: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant and Jordan Moore of the Pod Cabin is our editor. And thank you for listening. We will talk to you next week!

Caroline: Bye-bye!

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