There are so many ways to finish a seam, from good old overlocking to French seams and binding. I recently stumbled across another method that’s pretty nifty, and honestly, I kind of wish I had known about it sooner. It is a bit like binding, but topstitched in place so it doesn’t move or flap…
Category Archives: TUTORIALS
Elastic is a really common notion used in sewing. You’ll find it on everything from waistbands to cuffs and necklines. It plays a crucial role in giving garments both support and shape. Have you ever had the waistband of your pants twist and never sit quite right? Or maybe you’ve noticed the leg opening of…
A romantic sensibility runs through the patterned textiles of British designer Molly Mahon, whose vibrant, whimsical patterns are produced using traditional block print techniques. Her fabrics feature motifs inspired by the natural world, which she reimagines using bold, contemporary colours, and busy, intricate motifs that enliven the spaces they inhabit. She also places a strong…
There are so many different presser feet available for sewing machines, each designed with a specific purpose, whether that be creating particular stitches or working with certain fabrics. Even after almost 20 years of sewing, I still haven’t used them all. In this article, my goal is to give you a helpful introduction to what…
Just like you’d use a bread knife for bread or a pizza cutter for pizza, sewing scissors are designed for different materials and tasks. From dressmaking shears and embroidery scissors to snips, pinking shears, and thread clippers, each one has its place in your sewing toolkit. There are plenty of brands to choose from too—Prym,…
Recently, I drafted a pattern and made a toile of a pair of drop-crotch pants. When I tried them on, I straight away noticed (and felt) they weren’t quite right. The most obvious issue was that the back crotch felt tight and pulled uncomfortably, especially when bending over. Walking also felt a little restricted, with…
Now that we’ve covered the basics of threading a sewing machine in Part 1, let’s move on to some additional functions. In Part 2, I’ll show you how to change both the needle and the presser foot. I’ll also introduce the twin needle, and share some helpful troubleshooting tips for common issues that can happen when…
This project was an absolute blast! As a costume designer, I usually work with a lot of colorful materials. But this one was different. I wanted to showcase the beauty of a plain white fabric, which was a bit of a challenge. I rarely get to make a Halloween costume for myself, even though I…
One of Britain’s most exciting and adventurous textile and wallpaper designers working today, Ellen Merchant places traditional print processes and high-quality materials at the heart of her creative practice. Inspired by the Arts and Crafts emphasis on hand-made design over mass-produced goods, her work embraces traditional, hand-block printing techniques and features intricate, ornate, botanical designs…
Threading a sewing machine can feel a bit daunting at first, but it quickly becomes second nature after you’ve done it a couple of times. These days, I don’t even think about it—muscle memory just takes over. That said, writing this tutorial made me slow down and walk through each step more deliberately. It reminded…
I’m a small-bust lady, so this tutorial is near and dear to me. One of my daughters is also in the small-bust group, while the other has a fuller bust, so our household has experienced the challenges—and blessings—of both! We’ve often talked about shopping for clothes and customizing sewing for each body type. The friend…
If you want to conceal a zipper, or you’re looking for an alternative to an invisible zipper in pants, shorts, dresses, or skirts, consider using a lapped zipper technique. A lapped zipper can give an even more tailored look to your project. Installing a zipper this way might sound intimidating, but I want to share…
Put simply, drape refers to how a fabric falls and behaves when worn. It can range from stiff and structured to soft and flowing. Drape plays a really important role in shaping the look and feel of a garment. You could sew the same pattern twice using two different fabrics, and depending on the level…
Ease is the difference between your body measurements and the finished garment measurements. It’s calculated using a simple formula: Finished garment measurement — Body measurement = Ease Ease plays a crucial role in how clothes fit, feel, and function. It determines whether a garment feels comfortable and moves naturally with the body, or feels too…
Grading is the process of creating different sizes from a single base pattern or block. It doesn’t alter the design itself but instead scales the base pattern up or down to accommodate a range of body sizes, such as going from a size XXS to a size 4XL. This allows a single design to fit…
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