How-To

There’s no doubt about it: couture clothing is the most exquisite clothing in the world. It’s made from the finest material, features the most intricate designs, and is perfectly sized and stitched to create a simply stunning finished product. It’s almost impossible to think of all of the hard work that goes into creating couture […]

Whether you’re making a denim and chambray jacket, burlap shoulder bag, a suede skirt, or a cover for a pillow out of upholstery fabric, a backstay for your drapery, or any other hand-stitch garment that’s going to feature buttons, a bound buttonhole is definitely something that you should consider including. Bound buttonholes instantly transform any […]

Pressing clothing is a task that you either love or hate. If you fall into the latter group of people, the sight of a wrinkled shirt or pants covered with creases might send you into a tizzy. Despite your best efforts to avoid pulling out the old ironing and ironing board, however (like tossing your […]

Sewing truly is a labor of love. There are so many incredible creations that you can make, and the best thing about it is that each item you make is completely unique – and each item is made by YOU! If you love using your sewing machine to create handmade quilts, then there’s no doubt […]

Being a seamstress is so rewarding! There’s nothing better than turning a beautiful piece of sewing fabric – whether it’s denim and chambray, suede, linen, lace, chenille, or any other material – and using a sewing pattern to make your very own garment. While hand-stitching your own clothing is most certainly incredible, there’s just one […]

Have you found a sewing pattern that you want to bring to life? If so, there’s no doubt that you are excited to get into your sewing room and rev up that sewing machine so you can get to work. There’s just one problem: when you start gathering the sewing essentials, you realize that you […]

As an amateur seamstress, you’re pretty happy with the things that you’ve been able to make. You’ve hand-stitched some beautiful, sturdy garments, accessories, home décor, and other items from your sewing room, using nothing more than your sewing machine and piece of sewing fabric. It’s pretty incredible, isn’t it? – Being able to create something […]

Tapered pants are making a big comeback! You can see them on the runways, at department stores, on the pages of magazines, and pretty much everywhere you look nowadays. While this trend may have been out of style for a few years, it’s definitely come back in a very big way. There’s a good reason, […]

If you’re like most sewers, when you sewing grain comes to mind, you envision lining pieces of a sewing pattern up along the lengthwise grain (with those little arrows that imprinted on the pattern as your guide, of course). It makes sense that’s how you would think about sewing grain because after all, that’s what […]

You’ve made a beautiful gown using a dress form, a jacket from a sewing pattern, or a handbag from a pattern that you’ve made yourself. The finished product came out great, but there’s something missing… You want to add a little something extra to the garment; something to make it pop. Fabric ribbons are an […]

Of all the different types of sewing fabric out there, velvet is definitely one of the most luxurious. It’s a pile fabric, which means it has a soft-hand (like chenille, suede, minky, faux fur, and other fabrics that have a fuzzy surface). The pile can vary from short to deep, but all velvet materials are […]

You have the perfect sewing pattern for a jacket or shirt, or you’re planning on making a lovely gown with a dress form. You’ve picked out the perfect sewing fabric (whether it’s suede, linen, denim and chambray, lace, faux leather, or knit), and you have all of the sewing essentials you need to make your […]

Whether you’re using a dress form or a sewing pattern to make a garment or you’re planning on making drapery, a quilt, covers for your furnishing, or any other type of hand-stitched item, choosing the right type of sewing fabric, quilting fabric, or upholstery fabric is essential. It makes all the difference in the feel, […]

All sewers will agree: there’s nothing better than taking a piece of sewing fabric and a sewing pattern and turning it into a piece of clothing that you can actually wear, using nothing some thread, hand sewing needles, and a sewing machine. There’s just something so rewarding about retreating to your sewing room and making […]

You have selected a handsome sewing pattern for a tailored, button down shirt. You’ve picked out the perfect sewing fabric – a knit material – and you can’t wait to get into your sewing room, rev up your sewing machine, and get to work. There’s just one problem, though; as you’re sewing, you come to […]

Of all the trials and tribulations that sewers face, it seems that achieving a properly set-in sleeve is the most troublesome. They end up being too tight, too narrow, and too small, which makes for a pretty uncomfortable garment. While you may not be aiming to making a couture garment, you certainly want to create […]

You’re pretty confident in your sewing abilities. You’ve spent a lot of time in your sewing room working with your sewing machine and perfecting your craft. You’ve managed to turn sewing fabric into some pretty impressive (if you do say so yourself) garments. Now that you’re confident in your abilities, you’ve decided to try something […]

Have you made a lovely dress on your own using a dress form or a sewing pattern and beautiful sewing fabric but you’ve lost weight since you made it or it just looks a bit too boxy? Did you purchase an off-the-rack dress from a department store, but it isn’t as flattering as you’d like […]

You’ve found the perfect sewing pattern for a dress and you can’t wait to make it! You’ve collected all of the necessary sewing essentials, including a dress form, sewing fabric, thread, sewing piping trim, and any other sewing tools that you need. You’re ready to take in your sewing chair at your sewing desk and […]

Every sewing room needs to be stocked with a few basic supplies: sewing fabric, hand sewing needles, embroidery thread and floss, sewing patterns, shears, rulers, and of course, a sewing machine. Those are just some of the basic sewing tools that every seamstress should have on-hand. Of course, you probably have more than that, too, […]

If you’ve just taking up sewing, you’re going to quickly learn that there are a lot of stitches that you’ll want to learn. Each stitch serves a specific purpose, but some are more essential than others. Of all the different stitches, the topstitch is one of the most basic sewing essentials. A topstitch, as the […]

Whether it’s a jacket or a shirt made of denim and chambray, a drapery that you’ve made using your sewing machine, a quilt that that you’ve made out of beautiful quilting fabric, or a even a linen backdrop for a photo shoot, writing on a sewing fabric can make your garment even more unique. Sure, […]

Pintucks are series of little tucks or folds in a fabric. They are usually placed at regular intervals, which creates a uniform look; however, the can be placed in any pattern you wish. Pintucks are a great way to add a decorative element to any garment, such as drapery, the hem of a dress, the […]

There’s nothing better than making your own, one-of-a-kind garments. Transforming a beautiful piece of sewing fabric into something that you can actually wear is just so rewarding; right? With a few sewing essentials, such as a sewing machine, thread, and a few tips and tricks, you can craft your own incredible attire right in your […]

You’ve found the perfect sewing pattern and sewing fabric for a jacket. You can’t wait to get into your sewing room and rev up your sewing machine to create some magic. But you’ve decided to forego the lining on the jacket because trying to figure out how to add it was just too difficult; however, […]

There’s nothing better than cozying up underneath a comfortable quilt; except for cozying up underneath a quilt that you made yourself! People have been quilting by hand for centuries, and it truly is an art form. If you’ve never quilted before, though, the task might seem a little bit daunting. Fear not! It’s actually a […]

Whether you’re making homemade drapery, you’ve designed your own gown with a dress form, or you are using a sewing pattern to sew a skirt, shirt, or jacket, there are a few sewing essentials that you’re going to need to know; a hemstitch is one of them. Without a hemstitch, it doesn’t matter how beautifully […]

You’ve found a beautiful sewing pattern for a shirt or you are using a dress form to make a one-of-a-kind gown. You have the most perfect sewing fabric, too, and you can’t wait to head to your sewing room and start up your sewing machine. But as you pull out all of your sewing essentials […]

Whether you have a dress, a shirt, a jacket, or a handbag that you’ve purchased from the store; or, if you’re planning on making your own garment or accessory with a sewing pattern and your sewing machine, you might want to add something extra to make it pop. Adding an embellishment to a sewing fabric […]

If you’re new to sewing, the term pattern grading probably sounds like something that’s complicated and requires tons of measurements and various sewing tools, but once you have an understanding of the concept, it’s actually pretty easy; even if you’re just learning the ropes of your sewing machine. In fact, when you understand what pattern […]

Sewing is pretty exciting (not that we need to tell you that!). The idea of revving up your sewing machine and turning a plain piece of material into a drapery, dress, shirt, a pair of pants, a jacket, a blanket – or anything else you can think of – is pretty awesome. Of course, in […]

From loops for buttons to decorative elements; from sewing a seam to finishing the edges of quilting fabric  – and so much more – there are dozens of things that you can do with bias tape; hence the reason it’s often referred to as the duct tape of sewing. Bias tape is piece of material […]

You’ve found a beautiful sewing pattern and you’re just dying to get behind the sewing machine to create a stunning garment. You have all of the necessary sewing essentials in your sewing room to make it happen, too; the only problem is that you don’t have a sewing fabric in the color that you’re envisioning […]

You’ve selected a sewing pattern and you can’t wait to get your sewing machine ready so you can create your masterpiece; but first, you need to choose a sewing fabric. As you look over the instructions on the patter, you notice that it says “only suitable with knit fabrics”, you might be left scratching your […]

Of all the various sewing techniques, embroidery is certainly one of the most beautiful. For those who are just starting out, the process can be as basic as selecting a piece of sewing fabric, threading a hand sewing needle with embroidery thread and floss, and stitching. However, if you really want to make masterful creations […]

If you’re new to sewing and you’re just learning the ropes, you might find that you’re a little overwhelmed; the very sight of your sewing machine may even make you feel a little bit panicked. Your feelings are totally understandable, as there are so many different stitches to learn; however, take a deep breath, because […]

You love to sew. You have all of the sewing essentials that you need to make beautiful creations whenever inspiration strikes: A sewing machine (or maybe a few), a collection of sewing fabric, sewing help guides for those times when you are stumped, and tons of different sewing patterns; heck, you even have a dedicated […]

Of all the sewing essentials that you have in your sewing room, a sewing machine is one of the most important. You use it to transform all types of sewing fabric, like chenille, denim and chambray, fleece, jacquard  – or any other fabric you are working with – into beautiful works of art. While you […]

A serger is a wonderful addition to any sewing room; in fact, many sewers (or sewists; whichever term you prefer), say that a serger is one of the most important sewing essentials. But if you’ve just purchased this type of specialized sewing machine and are exploring all of the different types of stitches that it […]

Smocking refers to a specific type of embroidery stitch. It involves making pleats or gather in the sewing fabric, which are held in place by making long stitches along the back of the material and small stitches along the front. Often, embroidery thread and floss is used to make details in the smocking, such as […]

Just like pretty much all the other sewing tools, there are quite some options when it comes to the marking tools as well. But again, just like the other sewing tools, they are all not created equal. And while choosing the right marking tool may not seem like a big deal, ending up with a […]

Let’s face it. Even some of the sewers that are otherwise experienced at sewing find it challenging to work on an embroidery project. But let me tell you that it’s actually all in the tools. Once you have all the right tools at your disposal, then sky is the limit of what you can achieve […]

Choosing the right fabric for your embroidery projects is something that can make or break it when it comes to the look and feel of your finished product. While an experienced sewer can embroider on pretty much every type of fabric, perhaps even paper, but that doesn’t mean they will get the same results with […]

If you have been into sewing from a while now, I’m sure you have come across those amazing Vera Bradley bags that make you want to part with your money irrespective of their price tag. And one of the most important reasons you find them so appealing is their feather-weight structure, and the ability to […]

Faux leather is actually a much better alternative to real leather. It looks and feels very similar to real leather, so much so that it would be hard to tell it’s not the real thing unless you observe it very closely. In addition to that, it also boasts many advantages over the latter, which means […]

First things first, the reason you’re here is probably the fact that you really like vintage fabrics. After all, when it comes to vintage fabrics, there are not many options better than the Barkcloth fabric. However, it’s still one of the lesser-known fabrics you may have come across, and hence you can certainly do with […]

Adjusting the sewing machine tension is an important sewing skill to learn. This is because whenever your sewing machine’s tension isn’t right, it’s going to lead to uneven sewing as well as result in problems like a loose stitch here and there. Anything that you sew on a sewing machine that doesn’t have a proper […]

Choosing an upholstery fabric can be a daunting task, given that some of the important factors you need to consider can be pretty technical as well as the fact that you have to choose from a wide range of fabrics you may not know much about. However, as upholstery fabric is the most visible and […]