Happiness Through Sewing
If you’ve sewn more than a dozen patterns I bet this has happened to you. It’s completely frustrating and this time it’s not your sewing skills or lack of attention that caused it. It’s your commercial pattern. It wasn’t trued. A true pattern is a pattern that all seams fit perfectly together as you would […] Read more…
1. It’s a Needle, Not a Harpoon Use the smallest needle for the weight of your fabric. Smaller needles give you better control over your stitches. Heavier weight and tighter weave fabrics need a strong needle but still choose the smallest strong needle you have. 2. Darker Thread Blends in Better When choosing which color […] Read more…
You know how pattern directions always tell you to clip the seam allowance of a corner off? Well their method of one snip across the corner works okay but this is what I learned in my first semester in Fashion Design classes. It’s that basic. You need to know this and it’s so simple you […] Read more…
Wool is one of my favorite fabrics to sew. It’s so easy and pliable, and as a finished garment, holds up well. Wool comes in all different weights and weaves and blends. My coat fabric is wool and alpaca. It has a pile and is heavy and thick enough for a coat. (This is why […] Read more…
I was reminded of an important step when cutting out your garment pieces and the more expensive your fabric is the more important the step. Before you cut any piece out of your fabric, lay out the pattern pieces on your fabric according to the pattern’s plan to be sure they fit. You don’t have […] Read more…
Geez Louise! I’m so happy that I did not skip making this coat in muslin first. I did it to make sure the fit was right but it’s the opportunity to figure out the collar construction that makes me glad I’m sewing a muslin. Let me share my confusion; Read more…
Sewing my daughter’s Halloween costume, Simplicity #2757. I didn’t have the camera when I was sewing this part so I drew the steps out. Because the front and back pieces form a right angle with the side pieces at the neckline I couldn’t just sew one seam starting at the left side center front, around […] Read more…
That’s odd. They don’t look like they go together. (next time I’ll smile) You’re not flat and fabric is so unless you’re going for an ancient Greek look the fabric has to be manipulated to go over your curves. This is why we use darts and seams like the princess seam. However, sewing convex curves […] Read more…
This video shows you how to begin any garment project. Prepping your fabric correctly, dealing with a nap, and lining up the selvedges. My favorite type of nap is the siesta kind, of course, but if you don’t know what a nap in the fabric is it means a one way design. The fabric I […] Read more…
Alright, I just started the project and already I have a tip, two actually, to share. This little video shows you how to keep your pieces on grain when the directions request that you not line up your selvedges. The other tip just happens to be one of the best secrets ever; iron those wrinkly, […] Read more…