Happiness Through Sewing
There are many, many times when you will need to fold over and press up a certain width of fabric. You may be pressing up a hem, pressing over fabric for a casing or pressing in the raw edges of a patch pocket. Your directions will simply state to fold over X inch(s) and press. (or […] Read more…
Where your dress or skirt falls on your legs impacts your overall look. Even just a couple inches longer or shorter can change the entire an outfit from off to great. Since most of us benefit from a longer looking leg it’s handy to know how to shorten your skirt or dress. There are two ways. You can stick to […] Read more…
There are times when you need to sew quite a ways in from the edge of the fabric. Further in than any seam guide marked on your machine. How do you know where to line your fabric edge at to sew 1.5 or 2 or more inches in? And if you measure over from the needle and […] Read more…
We’ve all heard you should take your clothes to a tailor for alterations; have them fit to you. But you got sewing skills. You don’t need no stinkin’ tailor – well, not for every alteration and besides, you always want a good smelling and talented tailor when you do need one. Shortening a dress, skirt, […] Read more…
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…