Stitcher of the Year Competition

Stitcher of the year

It’s with great pleasure we can announce the winners of our first Stitcher of the Year competition. We’d like to thank everyone who entered – we were completely amazed by the skill and talent of our readers. Let’s take a look at our winner’s fabulous makes.

Our incredible prize bundle was donated by the kind people of Janome. All of our lucky winners have now been contacted about what they have won.

And more happy news, the Stitcher of the Year competition will return next year!

Stitcher of the Year Category

Penelope Barton has gone above and beyond to create historically accurate garments for a recent Tudor festival. We are in awe of the hundreds of hours of construction and embellishment in these pieces.

We loved Rebecca Derbyshire’s Moana top by Papercut Patterns which she made in a horse print cotton lawn and hot pink lace zipper to the back.

Alex Howard is looking like she’s walked right out of the tv show Mad Men in her wool Joan Dress by Sew Over it and we think she finished the fully lined dress wonderfully.

Sue Morley’s pieced Linton Tweed jacket blew us away with it’s technical features and level panel placement. We’re sure she’s proud, every time she wears it.

Sue Grover has two things to celebrate – her Ruby wedding anniversary and completing this fabulous three piece outfit! What clever use of tartan for her Scottish celebration.

Aimee Hilton is a relative newcomer to sewing but her take on a modern dungaree dress is finished wonderfully and with a good dollop of patience and perseverance she created her dream garment.

It seems Patricia Torrie may have mastered toy making with an intricate and detailed unicorn toy for her granddaughter.

Linda Claxton couldn’t find the shirt she wanted in the shops so she merged two together to create a colour blocked garment; that’s the kind of creative spirit we love to see here at Love Sewing HQ.

Ann Gill wowed us with the bridesmaid dress she made for her daughter to wear to her son’s wedding! It’s clear a lot of time, effort, love and pride went into this project.

The level of detail Lorna Richardson has achieved in her embroidered dog portrait was simply spectacular.

Simple Sew Category

Jenny’s Chelsea collection is absolutely fantastic and we know she’ll get lots of wear out of these garments.

Brenda Salmon has created a stylish outfit using two Simple Sew patterns by partnering her English Tea Dress with the Notch Collar Jacket.

Angela Holland’s graphic black and white skater dress definitely caught our attention. Not to mention the dramatic backdrop behind her.

Alison Bunn is race day ready in her fabulous Loretta dress! Finished off perfectly with a bright pink hat.

The off the shoulder trend is set to carry through to next year so we’re sure Luisa Andreou-Jones will get lots of wear from her gorgeous Bardot dress.

Elizabeth Corcoran’s botanical print Amelia dress sure did inspire us, even if her cheeky pooch doesn’t seem as impressed.

Sarah Wilson has nailed vintage glamour with her Audrey Hepburn inspired version of the ever-popular Ruby dress.

Home and Accessories Category

Karen Rowe can’t stop making these bags as gifts for her friends and family! We love that she used a Love Sewing tutorial to make them all.

Quick off the mark, Carol Clancy made her memories into a cushion using the Hands-on Cushion tutorial from issue 30.

Kim Newton created a striking and colourful tuffet using 64 strips of Kaffe Fasset fabrics over a foam cushion before attaching four little feet.

Lindsay Evans fun fox curtains entertained us and what an ingenious idea using bunting for the curtain tie!

Faye Dearnley couldn’t bare the small scraps of her stag fabric being thrown away (it’s so cute) so she salvaged them and made a clever clutch bag

Helen Craggs put her creative juices into action to create a dressmaking themed peg bag as a gift for her friend! Who knew a washing line could look so fashionable.

Lorna Abrahams has made the perfect messenger bag for the anglophiles among us using London print canvas creatively.

Lorraine Sturdy dressed up her mum’s caravan with this charming bunny bunting using a tutorial from an early issue of Love Sewing!

Despite never making a quilt before or attempting applique, Kathryn Bryce made a stunning quilt as a wedding present for her son and daughter-in-law with a Turkish and Scottish theme in a tile design.

Elaine Martin certainly knows how to create perfectly paired presents; she created a string of bunting and coordinating triangle pieced cushion in matching fabric as a flat-warming gift!

Children’s Makes Category

Rebecca Woodward made her daughters matching playsuits for their trip to Florida. We love her clever use of sparkly mini mouse buttons and Disney print fabric panels.

Fiona Pullen sewed these great cargo shorts for her son, which he’s certainly been putting to the test!

Jeanette’s fabulously scary pyjama cases were made using a Love Sewing tutorial and upcycling a pair of curtains.

Jolene Jacobson transformed a shop bought skirt into an adorable printed top for her niece. Isn’t her print placement fantastic?

Maria Burns and her sister Esther Keown entered this impressive lion quilt into the competition. Esther designed the pattern and Maria brought it to life so now the lion is living very happily in Maria’s grandsons bedroom.

Pat St Ledger has made scrap busting stylish with this version of Simplicity 1470 using different shades of pink cotton.

Jane Parker made this charming bag using two of her husband’s old shirts and a printed panel for her unicorn-mad daughter.

Janet Bowden didn’t just make one doll; she made a whole army! We love that each one is customised for its owner.

Shana Roche is one clever cookie. She worked out how to make an Elpheba witch doll inspired by the musical Wicked for her daughter and spent a lot of time creating the perfectly embroidered face.