Mark Francis’ Top Tips: Shirts 101
In our second instalment of Mark Francis' top tips we'll be focussing on Shirts. Mark, of Great British Sewing Bee fame, will guide you to understand what a shirt block is, how you can create your own and recommend his favourite resources to help you along the way.
Already have too many shirts? Or perhaps you're looking to do something different with your next pattern? Mark will discuss how you can take a regular 'off the shelf' shirt pattern and turn it into a Shacket (shirt-jacket). He'll explore pocket options, darts, fabric types and all the extra details & finishes to make the design your own.
What you'll learn:
- Resources: which books and tools will help you draft your own pattern.
- How to measure yourself.
- How to start drafting a pattern onto paper.
- Once you have a basic block, what can you do with it?
- Making a Toile.
- Turning it into a Shacket.
This session was recorded live on Thursday 21st July.
From a young age, Mark Francis recalls being mesmerised by sewing. It was his grandparents’ ancient treadle powered Singer sewing machine that first caught his attention and he and his sister would play with it endlessly, despite not knowing how to use it! It was at the same time that Mark’s childhood passion for Doctor Who lead him to dream about making his own costumes and clothes.
Needlework was not something that little boys were encouraged to do in the 1980’s, so over the years Mark indulged his creative side by playing various instruments, painting and drawing, singing and acting and learning to tap dance, but the desire to learn how to sew never left him. Many years passed until he had the confidence to finally learn how to use a sewing machine and even though he now has that skill, the learning never stops. The treadle Singer has long since left the Francis family, but Mark’s passion and love for making clothes & costumes, taking inspiration from Doctor Who has only grown stronger.
In 2019, Mark’s husband Clive applied for him to enter the Great British Sewing Bee and life hasn’t been the same since. Reflecting on the series, Mark reflects “The time I had in the sewing room, working alongside such an incredible bunch of creative, enthusiastic and hardworking individuals, both in front of and behind the camera, gave me the push I needed to be able to change my life and refocus on the things I love the most.”.
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