Ever get frustrated when your handmade clothes look great at first, but then your facing or lining is really hard to press back into submission after the wash? There's a simple secret weapon you might be missing: understitching! Understitching is a sewing technique that may sound intimidating if you've heard about it but never known what it was. Fear not, it's actually really easy to master! And let me tell you, it ... Read more »
Tutorials
How to insert a lapped zipper for skirts & pants
I've got a great sewing tutorial for you today! The first of several in a series, in fact. I know! Watch the video to learn my favorite method to insert a lapped zipper, for skirts and pants with a waistband. I've often been asked to do a tutorial for lapped zippers. They feature prominently in many of my handmade garments. In fact, I haven't done an invisible zipper in over a decade! Around the time I learned how ... Read more »
How to knit wrap & turn short rows (and pickup the wraps)
Today I have a knitting tutorial for you! What's a W&T? If you've ever wondered about short rows, specifically how to knit wrap and turn short rows, then my latest YouTube video is for you. Short rows can be used to create shaping in a piece of knitting, particularly (but not limited to) garments. They create a slope or a wedge shape of some sort. In the below two examples, the contrast color shows the short ... Read more »
How to match prints at a seam for perfect pattern matching
You know me, I love sewing with prints! It's a huge part of what I sew. And one of my favorite sewing skills is print matching, or pattern matching: matching the fabric print across a seam. Often for me, I'm doing this on a center back seam (and usually with a zipper). In my latest YouTube video, I'm showing you how easy it is to do. This bit of sewing magic is closer to your fingertips than you may think! You ... Read more »
Quick felt sewing machine ornament: FREE template & tutorial
I've got such a fun tutorial for you today! I adore making vintage-inspired felt ornaments, and this year I designed a sewing machine ornament. I made the template free to download, and on YouTube you can watch my full tutorial on how to make this cute ornament! Get the corresponding template for this Christmas craft here. And hey, does the dress look familiar? It should! It's my flannel snowglobes dress that I ... Read more »
DIY rope belt & shaped belt loops tutorials
Summer may officially be coming to an end soon up here in the northern hemisphere, but it's still quite hot out! So a bit more time for some fun summery projects! And I recently did a couple of YouTube videos you might like on that topic! I teach you how to make a super simple DIY 2-color rope belt in today's video. Which I made to go with the pedal pushers I sewed in last week's video, where I also showed step-by-step ... Read more »