Even though it is currently the middle of summer, our Fleece Fabric remains one of our most popular choices with customers all year round. Available in a multitude of colours and patterns here at Calico Laine, there is bound to be at least one to suit you. In today’s blog post, you'll learn how to make a simple gilet out of fleece that would be suitable for some extra warmth outdoors during cool evenings, or even during sports such as jogging. What you’ll need: -          1 metre of our 60” fleece fabric -          1 reel of cotton -          1 open end zip in your desired length -          4 metres of bias binding (optional) -          A shirt that fits you loosely Step 1 Fold your metre of fleece in half, and lay your shirt down flat on top of it. Mark the edges of your shirt on your fleece and add an inch to all sides for seams and hems. Gilets are generally loose-fitting, so add a couple of extra inches to each side edge. Step 2 Cut your fleece pieces using the markings you just made as a guide. You should now have two pieces; take one of these pieces and fold it in half (match your shoulder edges together for easy folding). Cut down the middle, and you now should have two pieces that each make up half the front of your gilet, making three pattern pieces in total. Step 3 Pin the side edges of your two front pieces to the side edges of your back piece, and then sew them together. Do the same with your shoulder edges. Try it on and make any needed adjustments to the fit and neckline. Step 4 Next comes adding the zip – the zip should be as long as the middle edges of your gilet (for example, I am 5’6” and the zips that I use for gilets are usually about 24” long). Take your two zip halves apart. Pin one half to one middle edge of your gilet’s front and then sew. Do the same with the other side. Try it on and make any more needed adjustments. Step 5 This step is entirely optional, but it will present you with two different methods to give your gilet a finished look:
  • The first method is to hem all edges, which will make your gilet look neat and tidy. This way is quicker and easier than the second method.
  •  The second method is to use bias binding as a trim – I like to use a contrasting colour as I feel it makes the gilet look more interesting. Pin your bias binding around all of your edges and sew into place.
Don’t forget to share photographs of your creations on our Facebook and Twitter pages, Until next time, Calico Laine