Thick, slightly stretchy cotton corduroy is warm and cosy for winter. You can make it into a two-piece suit or a single garment such as a dress or a jumper, and the same techniques apply.

Use clear elastic on stretchy fabrics

On flexible fabrics, always use clear (silicone) elastic in seams that carry weight or stretch, such as the shoulders and the waist. Otherwise the stitches will break as the fabric stretches during wear and washing.

The design is flexible too: it can be sewn as a suit with a matching top and bottom, or as a single piece. Use a walking foot and a slightly longer stitch for the thick layers, and see our corduroy guide for more.