Category Archives: SEWING GLOSSARY

Continuing on from Five Useful Pleats and Folding Techniques, Three Useful Hem Techniques, How To Sew Your Most Essential Four Pockets and How To Sew Your Most Essential Four Collars article, here are five useful ways you can fasten your trousers, skirts and dresses with. Simply click on the links below to either go straight to the hem…

Continuing on from How To Sew Your Most Essential Four Pockets and How To Sew Your Most Essential Four Collars article, here are three most useful hem tutorials you might appreciate in one place. Simply click on the links below to either go straight to the hem tutorial or try out any of our free patterns…

The Riva is a beautifully drafted pattern collection that consists of a button-down shirt with either a long sleeve or sleeveless option and high-waist trousers with a shorts option. As the description for the pattern says, it really does combine classic tailoring with casual ease for the perfect balance. One of the most unique details…

Continuing on from How To Sew Your Most Essential Four Collars article, here are your four most relevant pocket tutorials you might need in your sewing practice all in one place. Simply click on the links below to either go straight to the pocket tutorial or try out any of our free patterns below to…

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was one place where I could have all the links to tutorials for all the different collars I love/ am eager/ am always scared to make? It would save me from bookmarking separate pages and possibly procrastinating which, let’s face it, is long. Yes! We think so too, so…

If you like sewing your own clothes, there will be a time where you will come across a pattern that requires knowing how to sew set-in sleeves and attaching them to the bodice. And this is when this tutorial will come in handy. A set-in sleeve is the most basic of sleeves and as its…

Don’t you just love it when your garment looks as good on the inside as the outside? There are many terrific sewing techniques that can provide a neat and clean finish to your projects and the flat-felled seams are one of them. A flat-felled seam finish gives sturdy seams and a clean look. Just like…

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…

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…

Spaghetti straps (also referred to as rouleau straps) are those narrow fabric straps that you often see in lingerie, camisole tops and dresses. They look delicate and feminine, keep the shoulders bare but have a bad reputation for being difficult to sew. Because spaghetti straps are so narrow, they can be hard to turn right…

In today’s tutorial we are going to show you how to make and sew fabric belt loops, sometimes called belt carriers. It’s one of those construction details that you never think about making until you sew a pair of pants or a dress with a detachable belt and realize that it could really do with…

If the devil is in the details, an accurately installed zipper can give a handmade garment a professional finish. And when it comes to sewing zippers, the invisible zipper is the easiest one to insert. As its name suggests, an invisible zipper is a zipper that lies hidden in the seam with no machine stitching…

When you become a more confident sewer, you are always looking for things to hack or add that may not be included in the pattern. Adding a flap to a patch pocket is one such thing. Pocket flaps add some interesting detail to a standard patch pocket and can help to restyle a tired garment…

There are some small sewing tricks that can make a big difference to a project and the bar tack is one of them. For those wondering what exactly a bar tack is, the answer can be found on your favorite pair of jeans. Just look at the pockets or belt loops and you will notice…