Category Archives: TUTORIALS

Who doesn’t need a good looking, sturdy pencil case? Or maybe two or three, make it four and call it a makeup bag. Intricate detailing and geometry challenge teenagers to elevate their sewing beyond simple straight lines. This is also a great introduction to sewing zippers, and the non-traditional and simple method for inserting it…

This is a great project to try out with younger kids, and a handy way to use up your scraps of left over fabric. You can encourage your child to come up with their very own character and help them make it into a DIY pattern, by simply drawing it out on a piece of…

Teaching your kids and teenagers to sew is an admirable achievement, yet instilling the confidence to use the skills they’ve learned to go off on their own and make something independently is a gift for life. Having taught children and teenagers to sew for almost a decade, I would love to share how to encourage…

Natural dyes have been with us since the dawn of civilisation & before the creation of synthetic dyes they were the sole source of colour for the fabrics, fibres and textiles of our lives. They have a rich and fascinating history, valued, traded and transported throughout the ancient world. It always fascinates me to learn…

Adaptive layering is something we feel can be practiced all year round. If you are looking for something light to throw on, or feel you need to add a little flair and colour to your warmer layers but still look effortlessly chic, then you probably need a duster! What exactly is a duster you might…

Do you need some additional help putting together our LILY Pattern? This sewalong will take you through the pattern construction with step-by-step photographs and in-depth instructions. You’ll find loads of helpful tips and extra details beyond the instructions provided in the booklet. We hope that with this little extra guidance the sewing process will be…

Today I am practicing a basic heirloom technique known as “Drawn” or “Pulled” thread work embroidery. This type of embroidery is achieved by gently pulling out individual thread along the grain line to create a small gap in the fabric. A combination of hand stitches is then used to create simple to elaborate designs within…

Knowing how to care for your clothing is a big component of creating a well-loved wardrobe that will last. The same is true for textiles in your home.  Linen is an incredible fabric for many reasons. It is natural, strong, and high quality. Its durability, breathability, and resistance to bacteria sets linen apart from other…

I know what you are thinking…do we really need another mask tutorial? The short answer is no. But for those facing similar struggles as I have with the fit of most masks, I am here to share a possible solution.  At the start of this pandemic, I found the available mask patterns out there leaving…

In the last article, I spoke about expanding your colour palette by using modifiers to change the colours of natural dyes. One modifier that I am particularly fond of is Iron. Often described as saddening or dulling colours, it can be used to darker tones, changing yellow to green, beige to grey and pinks or…

Once you start to build your practice and confidence with natural dyeing, it can be incredibly exciting to expand the palette of colours available to you. When I first discovered modifiers, it was as if a whole new world of colour possibilities opened up to me. This can be done in many ways, using what…

Another week, another home sewing project. With a majority of my summer plans being cancelled, I decided this was the year to tackle my long list of personal sewing projects. So out came my antique trunk full of found textiles. My mission? To make a custom tablecloth for my grandma’s mid-century modern kitchen table that…

Sewing a zipper fly when making pants or trousers can be quite an intimidating task for a lot of people. There are many different methods and techniques for installing zippers, some more confusing than the others but none are truly difficult. Once you learn all the right steps and practice a couple of times, you’ll…

There are so many similarities between natural dyeing and cooking. Just like every chef has their way of cooking, whether it’s by exact measurements or eyeballing, natural dyers have their own way of following recipes and creating colours with many ways to get to the same result. In the same way that some of us…

In this final part of the CAMERON sewalong we will show you how to sew and attach the sleeves to the bodice. CAMERON top/blouse/dress pattern comes with two choices of sleeve (short or 3/4 length) or a sleeveless option. The short sleeve is finished with a pleated cuff and the 3/4 sleeve has a tailored…