Back in 2012, the dusty, disused shell of 14a Tower Street was discovered by Carolyn and Roderick as they scoured the home counties, desperately seeking a new home for Merchant & Mills. The business was born in Herefordshire, but Sussex beckoned. Little did they know, the struggle to find the right place was about to end.

The former toy factory was now a leaky, cold and unloved warehouse. Replete with pigeons, mice and old school desks, its crowning glory was an Airstream caravan, plonked in the middle. From first sight, its potential was obvious. After some investigation and a lot of hard graft the site was transformed into our studio, warehouse and shop. We sourced antique cabinets and snooker table lights, made tables from old Singer treadle bases and even constructed a rail made from some rather aged crutches. It was a magical time and the reception we got really made Rye feel like home.

As the years progressed, so did our business. We started to stock more cloth, the tables got bigger and bigger as the space got smaller and smaller. We reached the decision to renovate the space in 2017. We moved out and the work began. We operated from our temporary shop around the corner, using market stalls and improvisation, and you still all came.

In early 2019 we launched the crisp and airy studio that is now the Rye Store. We added a mezzanine and the whole of the ground floor was all shop. Upstairs was the brand new sewing school. It felt like a re-birth with space for staff, customers and even all the cloth. We got to work doing what we love best, and filled it in no time!

Ten years on, we look back with so much warmth. We’ve met so many customers over the years, shared stories and most of all been inspired by you. The journey we’ve been on has been travelled together. We look forward to the next ten years, when we hope to welcome you to the little piece of the world that you have helped us create.

Thank you from all of us at Merchant & Mills

Crutches and Singer treadle bases in action.

Our temporary shop, market stall phase and the original shop dog, Flower.

The new bright and airy space when we launched back in 2019

Our shop today.

Adding snaps to your project can sometimes be confusing so we have put together some detailed instructions for you. These metal snaps are ideal for our Barka Dog Coat pattern, or the Landgate pattern.

You can find all 3 colours of the metal snaps here. 

2. For the top part of the snap (the side you will see from the right side of your garment) you will need the doughnut and spinning top, use the bowl side of the base and the pointy end of the pillar.

3. Push the stem of the spinning top through the hole in your fabric from the right side. Place the doughnut on top of the spinning top stem sandwiching the cloth.

4. Using the pointy end of the pillar, place it in the middle of the doughnut and hammer closed using short, sharp whacks.

Top tip – do this on a surface that is solid to reduce the bounce back. Floors and areas of table above the leg are ideal.

5. For the second part of the snap you need the T-bar & baby button. Make a hole with the hole punch, push the T-bar through the fabric from wrong side to right side and place the baby button on top sandwiching the cloth. The baby button will be on the right side of your garment

6. Using the flat end of the pillar and the side of the base with a raised cone, place the snap on top of the base. Hold in place and hammer with short sharp whacks.

Ta-dah! You should have a fully working snap.

If you are still struggling to get your snaps to work please don’t hesitate to email [email protected]

We’re sure many of you will already follow Ellie @the.weekend.sewist on Instagram – she has enviable style and exquisite taste! But what you probably don’t know is she can put together a mighty impressive pre season stock strategy spreadsheet! We never knew what we were missing until she came aboard! We sat down and asked her 10 questions…

From left to right –

Vintage McCall’s pattern in Dew Block | September coat in Flax Dry Oilskin | Ottoline and Jack Tar bag | Hattie dress in Indigo Snow | Harlene dungarees in Utility Black | Vest (taken from the Foreman pattern) in Soft Stitch Black.

1. Can you tell us about your role at Merchant & Mills and what a typical day looks like? 

My role at Merchant & Mills is a hybrid buying and merchandising role – from sourcing and developing ranges to planning and forward strategy of stock. My week usually consists of analysing trade on a Monday, then presenting this back to the team at HQ and the Tower Street shop, where we talk about what’s selling well, what’s new and what we are all working on. Then the rest of the week can be a varied mix of fabric swatches, spreadsheet analysis and sharing of inspiration via whatsapp!

2. What is your working background? 

I’m a retail fashion buyer by trade, having previously worked for two of the giants of the fast fashion world. It was such a refreshing and much needed change to come to a company like Merchant & Mills.

3. All M&M employees get a pattern and cloth each month to make something. What’s next on your list? 

Well I’ve always got at least 2 projects on the go at once and about another 4 in planning at any one time…Currently working on a couple of things I know will become my autumn uniform – an Etta dress in Everyday Chambray, and a vest taken from the Foreman jacket in Dew/Cara quilted block print.  I’m also currently testing an upcoming secret menswear pattern in one of my favourite fabrics to sew with – 8oz Organic Sanded Twill in the colour Canopy.

4. Do you have any other creative pursuits?

Knitting, baking, silversmithing… I think creating something tangible with your hands is fundamentally what it means to be human. This extends to creating a living space that reflects your life and personality.

5. How do you plan your projects? Does it start with the pattern or the fabric? 

It really depends! The Etta was all about the shape and proportions of the pattern, but sometimes you see a beautiful check linen and you just know you need it in your life in some way or another.

6. Where do you find inspiration for your projects?

The slow fashion movement has been a huge source of inspiration for myself and a lot of sewists (and a lot of those brands that align aesthetically are also wholesale customers of M&M!) Instagram, despite its flaws, has been an amazing shared collective space for the sewing community, made up of an incredibly inspirational bunch of people.

7. Favourite and least favourite sewing task? 

My favourite sewing task is that very final stage, probably a hem, when all the seams are finished and pressed and the fabric is transformed from floppy and fraying to something that feels robust and neat. Magic.

My least favourite is assembling PDF patterns – so dull. My colleague Daisy introduced me to the pritstick method of assembling A4 PDF’s which makes it ever so slightly less painful.

8. How does sustainability play a part in your sewing practice? 

I definitely have a instinctive preference towards natural fibres, and knowing the mill where your fabric was woven and the conditions under which the fibre was grown gives an additional layer of reassurance. I try to use my scraps, and recycle those that are too small to keep. I also adhere to Margaret Howells’ mantra of fewer, better things. Starting with better quality cloth makes an elevated hand-made garment that you’ll take your time making and cherish and wear forever.

9. What is your favourite me made?

This is like asking me to choose my favourite child! I love them all equally, but if the gauge is my most worn item then it has to be my Wiksten Unfolding Jacket in Rushes Jacquard and lined with a simple calico. It’s so cosy and warm, and looks good with everything.

10. Tell us about your fabric stash!

Well its 90% Merchant & Mills – what can I say, I’m a  fangirl. It’s also predictably sludgy and rusty in tone.

Ellie’s beautifully curated fabric stash! You can follow Ellie on Instagram here. 

We recently introduced our new Hemp Blend Jersey range. The cloth is a fine lightweight knitted jersey that’s 55% hemp, 45% organic cotton, and the perfect weight for a summer tee, like The Tee Shirt.

Elwen is wearing The Tee Shirt in Lake House Hemp Blend Jersey in a size 44, paired with The Eve trousers in a UK size 10 (which were lengthened by 5cm).

Our Tee Shirt pattern is a versatile wardrobe staple that features a breast pocket, optional rolled up sleeves and a stretch rib neck. It can be sewn in a wide range of fabrics, from linen and cotton to fine wool and needlecord. As we’ve historically sewn The Tee Shirt in woven cloth, we thought we’d include a few tips on how to sew this pattern in our Hemp Blend Jersey.

Sewing The Tee Shirt in Jersey – a helping hand!

• Use a ballpoint needle
• For all the construction seams, use a very shallow, short zigzag stitch, instead of a straight stitch so that when the garment is worn, the thread won’t snap.
• For the neck rib – when edge stitching from the right side, ensure its sitting flat and then edge stitch as per pattern.
• Use a short shallow zigzag stitch for the hem.
• Use a pressing cloth throughout and don’t over press or use too much heat.
• Note: We didn’t edgestitch the sleeve head or the shoulder.

Elwen is wearing The Tee Shirt in Lake House Hemp Blend Jersey, paired with The Eve trousers.

Katie recently sewed up a Saltmarsh skirt in Jelly Mix, one of our newest Indian cottons. The cloth is a soft, mid-weight organic cotton that features a colourful check of green, pink and blue on a pale peach background.

The Saltmarsh skirt can be found in our Workbook, available in sizes UK 8-18. The pattern is a simple long-line skirt gently gathered into the waist with a drawstring tie. The skirt is both practical and extremely comfortable. A versatile piece that is destined to become a wardrobe staple! Katie shortened her Saltmarsh skirt by 12cm.

Katie is wearing The Saltmarsh skirt in Jelly Mix Indian cotton.

We have given two of our patterns a little summer refresh. Introducing the short version of our classic Harlene dungarees and our long-brimmed Bucket Hat.

The Harlene is an intermediate pattern with classic detailing and optional top stitching. It can be made in a range of fabrics – from cotton twill and denim, to corduroy and medium to heavy weight linen. For our summer Harlenes, we opted for Toast 260 linen. Available in UK sizes 6-28 in paper and PDF format, The Harlene’s offer an oversized fit. Here, Elwen has sewn up a UK size 12, using 2 metres of fabric.

The Bucket Hat is our free pattern, available here. For this new version, we’ve updated the pattern to include a long-brimmed option for optimal summer protection. Elwen’s Bucket Hat is made in Rose Soft Poplin with a Calico lining.

Below you’ll find our instructions on how you can hack your Harlenes into shorts.

HARLENE PATTERN HACK INSTRUCTIONS:

From left to right | Dew Block | Hemp/Organic Cotton Structure | Ava Check

The perfect summer dress is here! The Etta is an intermediate wrap dress pattern, featuring two inseam pockets and three options for sleeves (three-quarter length, short sleeve, or sleeveless). The bodice can be either double layered or faced.

The pattern can be made up in light to medium weight wovens, including  linen, brushed cotton, cotton poplin, Tencel, Indian handlooms, and more. The cloth you ultimately choose will dictate the overall look & feel of the dress – for instance a lightweight linen will have a casual drape, while our Hemp/Organic Cotton cloth will give the garment more structure.

The Etta wrap dress pattern can be found here in sizes UK 6-28.

You can always count on The Edie to deliver some serious sleeve drama! While the pattern offers the option of making a top or dress, Louisa came up with this hacked version by adding a gathered skirt. We’ve written up the instructions on how to sew your own Edie gathered dress below.

To make this hack, you’ll need The Edie pattern available as a PDF and paper pattern in sizes 6 – 28. You can order The Edie as a PDF in sizes 6 – 18 here, and sizes 18 – 28 here. Louisa made a UK size 8 and used the fabric requirements listed for the dress version of The Edie when making her hacked version.

INSTRUCTIONS:

The Winnie pattern is a traditional pair of pyjamas available in size UK 6-28. The top can be made with long or short sleeves, and the option to make full-length trousers, shorts, or short shorts. While they are ‘technically’ pyjamas, there’s nothing stopping you from wearing them as outerwear!

We wanted to go for an oversized fit for the Winnie top here, so when tucked in you get that nice pooling of fabric, this especially suits the Tencel/Linen as it has a lot of drape. Louisa is typically a size UK 8 in Merchant & Mills patterns, but we made her a size 14, to achieve the oversized look. This was a styling decision on our part, you can of course go with your normal size if you like. As always, we recommend considering your fabric closely when choosing a cloth for your project.

Louisa wears The Winnie long-sleeve top in Tencel/Linen Josephine, paired with The Eve trousers.

You can order the Winnie as a PDF in sizes 6 – 18 here, and sizes 18 – 28 here.

If you’re new to working with denim, we’ve put together everything you need to know: from how to wash the cloth to our top sewing tips.

MACHINE SETUP

Needle: Jeans needle 90(14), strong and thick – made for the job.
Thread for construction seams: You can use a standard Sew All Thread in a matching colour.
Thread for top stitching: We recommend a heavy duty thread rather than a topstitching thread. We find the topstitching thread very thick and actually much thicker than a standard jeans topstitching. A heavy duty thread will give you that definition, contrast and strength that you want.
Bobbin thread: We generally use a standard Sew All Thread in the bobbin for best results but all machines are different so you will need to experiment to find the best results.

USEFUL TOOLS

Thick strong pins: Such as toilet pins.

Edge stitcher: This can be a useful tool, you may find this foot with a guide makes top stitching easier for you, but it won’t work for everyone.

Walking foot: You may find this the perfect project for a walking foot, it will keep the top layer of fabric moving at the same rate as the bottom layer is moved is by the feed dogs. It will help the prevent the denim stretching as you sew. It can also help sewing over bulk seams.

Buttonhole scissors: Large handles with short blades are typically made for short cuts in thick fabric. These are more powerful for trimming away bulk than ordinary scissors.

SEWING DENIM

The attention to detail of the sewer will affect the quality, wear and fade of your denim garments. Jeans designers consider and study all aspects of sewing to see how they affect the look of the jeans.

For example, a tighter the thread tension the more the seams will pucker with a distinctive fade after washing. A looser the thread tension the more tailored the jeans will look. These are design choices that can be made by you.

Construction seams
Jeans are made with a flat fell seam, which is very strong and hardwearing, however it is quite difficult to achieve with denim and a domestic sewing machine. So we recommend to make your jeans with a regular seam that it is pressed to one side and finished with a double row of top stitching.

For a smooth start, fold a small piece of denim into a little rectangle and wedge this under the presser foot at the beginning and end of seams. This will keep the presser foot level. Gently walk the needle over very thick seams by turning the wheel by hand.

You may need to use a tailor’s clapper or a hammer (covered in some cloth padding) to flatten some really bulky seams before stitching.

Topstitching
Adjust the machine tension to accommodate top stitching thread. You can use a regular thread in the bobbin.

Practice to get the top stitching neat and even, we did many back pockets before it was mastered.

The top stitch will distort slightly when going against the direction of the twill. This is particularly noticeable on the back pocket detail.

Increase the stitch length for top stitching. A typical jeans top stitch length is between 3.5 and 4 setting on a domestic machine.

You may find it easier to chalk out the back pocket design and front fly. Always test first, but chalk will easily brush off most denims.

Do not back stitch any top stitching. It will look unsightly and leave both ends and pull them through to the back and fix them off with a hand sewing needle.

Look at high street jeans, the top stitching isn’t that great generally, so go easy on yourself. We are aiming for authentic rather than perfect.

If your machine just won’t make a bar tack through thick denim especially on areas such as belt loops don’t fret, just run a straight stitch back and forth, it will look slightly more tailored and do the same job.

WASHING DENIM

We recommend pre-washing your denim before you sew with the cloth. Denim should be washed on its own for the first wash, at 30 degrees with non-bio detergent, on a low spin. Do not tumble dry.

Avoid putting one large piece of medium-heavy weight denim in the washing machine, as it can sometimes leave white creases in the denim (as the cloth does not have room to move around in the machine drum). If you can, cut your denim fabric in half before washing. As well, prior to the first wash, we recommend submerging your denim in water first and letting it fully absorb so that you are putting wet denim in the washing machine. If white creases do develop, ironing whilst the denim is still damp will help. For best results, use a medium-hot setting with steam.

Do not dry or store denim in direct sunlight as it can bleach your fabric. Once your garment is sewn up, we recommend washing it inside out to reduce fading.

SOURCING DENIM

We’ve found that the best places to source denim are Turkey, Japan and Italy. We choose to mainly buy deadstock denim as the environmental cost of producing new denim is so high due to the huge amount of water it needs.

Deadstock is cloth that is left over from a designer production run. It already exists in the world, rather than commissioning a mill to make more for us. With the cost of cotton soaring (up to 60% at the moment!) deadstock denim also means we are still able to offer denim to you at a fair price.

The great part about denim is that it’s built to last and withstand everything – it will truly last a lifetime (and looks great as it ages).