Happiness Through Sewing
Pressing as you sew is the key to a good-looking final project. How many times did our professors tell us this? Any time they could. After sewing any seam go to your iron and press that seam in the opposite direction from which it was sewn and then press the seam allowances open if possible. […] Read more…
Bias bound edges are popping up on all sort of designs lately; necklines of dresses, hems of sleeves, the tops of pockets. On some designs they add a cute factor, on others they give a nice polished look to the garment. I’m getting over my past prejudices that bias binding made garments look homemade, in […] Read more…
Bias binding is used to bind or cover the raw edge of fabric. Bias binding can be made in self or contrasting fabric as a decorative edge of a neckline, sleeve, collar or other feature. It can replace a full facing as with sheer or bulky fabrics or it can bind and finish seam allowances inside […] Read more…
Gathers are small soft folds made by drawing fabric up on a line of hand or machine stitching. Gathers give a softness and fullness to garments and is a way to release a lot of fabric from a tighter area to a fuller area; for example a full skirt on a fitted waistband or yoke, a […] Read more…
It’s easy to love an A-line skirt: It flatters almost every body It’s easy to sew It takes a mere two yards of fabric It’s simple silhouette can be made up in wilder prints and will still look classy. It’s a work horse; errands, date nights, work, gatherings. It always looks like you made an effort even when worn with a […] Read more…
We don’t have to sew our clothes by hand anymore but there are are times and construction details that call for hand stitching. Here are five hand stitches that will prove useful to know. Watch the video for detailed instructions and a couple hand sewing tips. I have posted pictures below for those just needing […] Read more…
A reader asked “On a commercial pattern I have decreased the size of my armhole on a blouse pattern. I took 1 inch out of the front armhole. How do I adjust the sleeve pattern?” I assumed the problem was a gaping armhole – too much fabric above the bust area. This usually occurs when […] Read more…
Cut right angled corners (or strips which can then be taped together at a right angle) from solid tag board or paper wide enough to visually block out the fabric extending beyond the area of focus (the area inside your frame). Mine are two inches wide (5 cm) and that’s probably the minimum width you can have […] Read more…
Novelty is a powerful attraction to me. I like trying new things; new Ritter chocolate bar flavors, new music, new hair cuts and so forth. Of course life is a contradiction and there are some things I am fiercely loyal to; flannel sheets, Breyers Vanilla, Dr Hauschka soap for example. However most things in my […] Read more…
Love can tear us apart and wear us thin and leak out our stuffing. This is what happened to my son’s girlfriend and Dotty, her knitted, stuffed cat from her childhood. However, love can fix us too and with the desire to make Dotty’s owner happy, my son suggested to her to let me fix Dotty’s six […] Read more…