The Heart of Huddersfield 2024 ‘Eco Herringbone Yorkshire Tweeds’ were recently released, and our amazing Mill Shop team couldn’t wait to get their hands on the fabrics. As soon as the fabric arrived, the team were excited to create something that truly reflects their unique style and sewing expertise.
Throughout this blog, we’ll be showing the inspiring garments from each team member, along with their thoughts on working with the wool. You’ll hear about the patterns they’ve used, their making process, and what they think of the final garment, plus some will also share their top tips for working with wool.
Each week starting January, we will spotlight a maker and show their wonderful garments. We are eager to show you what they have created using Fabworks exclusive Heart of Huddersfield - Eco Herringbone Yorkshire Tweeds.
Eco Herringbone Yorkshire Wool Tweed - Blackthorn Blue
I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Heart of Huddersfield- Eco Herringbone collection as soon as it was released at Fabworks and I knew it would be a wonderful fabric to get inspired and creative with!
The colour I chose, Blackthorn Blue, spoke to me for its variation in colour and sophistication, the wonderful blues and purple lent itself perfectly to a more evening orientated garment. For the lining I used Viscose & Acetate Satin Lining - Damson Jam. The deep purple plum colour from the lining really compliments the combination of dark blues and purples throughout the wool.
Looking for inspiration in a more classical direction but with a twist, I found this American Duchess Pattern (free to download) for a 1910’s cape, which was a good starting point to help inform my own pattern drafting. It was detailed enough to create a wonderful shape, yet had large enough pattern pieces to allow the fabric to speak for itself and show off all the different tones within the herringbone fabric.
The Yorkshire Tweed fabric is a delight to work with: stable, lovely to press and sew, and has an amazing hand feel that is softer than typical woollen fabrics. The boldness of the herringbone enabled me to pattern match the weave across the curved darts easily, whilst the fabric was stiff enough to hold its shape and create a structured feel.
My advice to get the best out of this wool is to really take your time with the matching of the herringbone weave, it adds a professional and luxury finish to a garment when all the weave is matched accurately.
I’m so pleased with the finished result; the colour combination of the wool and lining is gorgeous and works so well with the drama of the cape. I have worked with a fair few woollen fabrics, but this has been by far the most delightful to work with. It’s not as fuzzy as the typical woollen which means it is less irritating when directly next to the skin, a great thing for versatility, and I can’t wait to plan my next creation with the Eco- Herringbone collection.
Additional Supplies- Viscose & Acetate Satin Lining - Damson Jam
Pattern- Self Drafted Pattern (Not available at Fabworks)
Eco Herringbone Yorkshire Wool Tweed - Teal Tale
For my Heart of Huddersfield creation, I used the Eco Herringbone Yorkshire Wool Tweed in Teal Tale. I love the rich teal and lilac tones, and the herringbone gives wonderful detail throughout the fabric. I used a hack of the Sew Different Artist’s Smock pattern, which I have used before, and I know I can make a few adjustments to make the finished result more suited to my style. I felt this pattern was good to use with the wool as the structure from the fabric compliments the silhouette.
The biggest change I made was to the sleeves; I self-drafted a bishop sleeve, making it as a toile first, and the pattern turned out great! The sleeves were the most challenging part of the make, because I hadn't made a bishop sleeve in wool before. I'd done them for a blouse, but with a completely different fabric, so I was concerned about how the shape would hold. I'm so pleased I made the changes, as it turned out even better than I expected, and the stable handle of the wool ensured the sleeves held the shape perfectly.
I also chose not to add the pockets from the original pattern and shortened the length. For the back hem, I left it slightly longer and curved the shape. I really enjoy making small adjustments to patterns to make them perfect for me!
For the lining, I added an alternative colour by using Pompadour Damask (Rose Quartz) - Jewel Jacquard. The rose tones in the lining contrast beautifully with the rich teal hues of the wool. To create the cuff, I chose Silken Viscose Stretch Rib - Turquoise Jade, which was the perfect match for the wool's colour.
The fabric selvedge is so pretty that I decided to make it a feature by incorporating it into the neckband for a little added detail. Since I hadn’t done this before I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but I found the selvedge rests beautifully against the wool in the neckband! I love experimenting when I create new things, and I’m so pleased with the final outcome. The wool is such a pleasure to work with—its quality and texture make this garment extra special; the wool fabric is beautiful!
Additional Supplies- Pompadour Damask (Rose Quartz) - Jewel Jacquard, Silken Viscose Stretch Rib - Turquoise Jade
Pattern- 'Artist’s Smock' by Sew Different (Not available at Fabworks)
Eco Herringbone Yorkshire Wool Tweed - Frosted Valley
My Heart of Huddersfield make was created using the Frosted Valley Eco Herringbone Yorkshire Wool Tweed. I really wanted something that would let the wool shine, as the herringbone is so beautiful, and I decided to use the I AM Julie sewing pattern, by I AM Patterns. I chose this garment for its elegant simplicity, with the pleats adding a subtle detail to the classic silhouette.
The pattern didn’t include a lining, but I decided to add one, for extra comfort and that added touch of luxury! I went for the Viscose & Acetate Shot Lining – Sunset for the lining, which creates a stunning contrast to the mixture of light aqua and cool lilac tones throughout the wool, alongside the 8 buttons I got from the Mill shop that are required to complete the look. I could have chosen a simple wrap skirt, but I decided to challenge myself, and I’m so pleased with the overall outcome.
It was definitely worth the extra time that I spent on it, and made up into a really nicely finished piece that I can wear on a variety of occasions. I can picture myself styling my skirt with so many things in my wardrobe: for a more formal occasion I’d wear it with a white button-down shirt, and for day to day wear a lovely chunky knitted jumper. I just love how timeless the design is!
The simplicity of the pattern lets the fabric do the talking. As this is not my usual style of sewing, adding the lining and buttons were a challenge for me, but I loved working with the wool and can’t wait to plan my next project using fabrics in this collection.
My biggest tip for sewists new to wool is to add extra seam allowance to your patterns. Adding a little extra allowance to what’s originally recommended gives more flexibility for adjustments, and wiggle room in case of any small mistake. I made this adaptation to the pattern and I’m so glad I did- especially because there were some intricate parts to sew to ensure the lining and wool fitted together perfectly.
Additional Supplies- Viscose & Acetate Shot Lining –Sunset, Buttons (Available at Mill Shop)
Pattern- 'I AM Julie' by I AM Patterns (Not available at Fabworks)
FREE Heart of Huddersfield sew-in label with all cut length orders of HoH fabrics!
Perfect for adding a professional finishing touch to your creations!
Colour variations may appear in images due to lighting. For the most accurate reference, please refer to the product images. A detailed colour description is also added within the fabric descriptions.