Behind the Scenes
I had a lovely studio visit from two super talented photographers, Suech & Beck, who wanted to come in to get a look at what goes into making patterns and clothes. They captured some lovely pics as I worked away, and it was a real treat to have some of these moments captured. So I though I'd share them with you as a little behind the scenes action.
Six Tips for buying a second-hand sewing machine
I teach sewing to people of all levels, and I often get asked where to buy a sewing machine and what brand to buy. I love hunting for hidden gems in second-hand stores and have scored unbelievable sewing machine finds. Here's a list of what to look for and why I'd recommend buying a second-hand sewing machine.
New Pattern Release: Introducing the Ulysses Trench Jacket!
I'm so excited to present the Ulysses pattern today! I've had this style in my sketchbook for a few years now, and it's become an essential in my closet, so I'm thrilled that it's finally here
THE ARIMA CAPSULE COLLECTION
I'm so excited to welcome the newest pattern collection to our line! The Arima capsule collection consists of three PDF patterns, Esther, Frances, and Samara, that are designed to work beautifully together, allowing you to create many stylish, comfortable outfits with ease.
JACKIE SEW ALONG - CONSTRUCTION DAY FOUR VERSION ONE
Today is the final day of the Jackie sewalong!!! I bet you're eager to finish your projects! Since there are two versions of the Jackie dress, we've split up the tutorial into two parts...
JACKIE SEWALONG - CONSTRUCTION DAY FOUR VERSION TWO
Since there are two versions of the Jackie dress, we've split up the tutorial into two parts. The first post will walk you through version one of the dress and will cover the sleeve construction. The second post will be for version two, which will cover how to sew an armhole facing for a sleeveless dress.
JACKIE SEWALONG CONSTRUCTION DAY THREE
In Today's sewalong, we will cover sewing the shoulders and finishing the facing and neckline of the Jackie dress. There are lots of tips to learn in this tutorial as we teach you how to sew stabilizing elastic into a knit seam, tail tuck serger thread, offset seam allowance to reduce bulk, use your machines pushing and pulling action with your feed dog and pressure foot to your advantage, understitch with knit, and finally, how to secure a facing in place.
JACKIE SEWALONG - CONSTRUCTION DAY TWO
Today we will be sewing the dress front and back together. You'll need to pay close attention when sewing the dress back, as multiple layers of fabric meet at one point. The requires precision sewing in order to achieve a neat finish. We'll show you how it's done!
Jackie Sewalong - Construction Day one
Today is day one of construction in the Jackie sewalong! It's time to put all of your sewing practice from last week's post to work. For today we will be applying interfacing and preparing the back facing for construction. We will be creating our button loops, which involved turning out a tiny tube of fabric right side out. You'll learn tips on how this is done, and how to apply beautiful rouleau button loops to your facing.
Sewing with knit fabric
Sewing with knits can be daunting; the fabric moves very differently from woven fabric and the small seam allowances means that you have to be really tuned in when sewing. However, with a little practice, you'll soon find that knits aren't as challenging as you once thought. The serger machine makes projects fast, but if you don't have a serger, don't let that stop you; a sewing machine can also be used to create your knit project.
Jackie Sewalong - How to cut knit fabric
Working with knits is very different from working with woven fabric. From laying it out to notching, there are a few tricks to learn. In this post, we'll teach you how to lay out your fabric, cut, notch and transfer pattern marks. By the end of this post, you'll be ready to cut out your Jackie dress
Jackie Sewalong - Pattern Adjustments
Welcome to day 2 of the Jacke Sewalong. We've got a really juicy post for you! Today we will be selecting our size, determining if adjustments are needed and tracing the pattern. We'll guide you through three basic fit tutorials: full and small bust adjustments, grading between sizes and length adjustments for the Jackie pattern.