When I used to look at buying a new sewing machine, the number of stitches per minute was always important to me – well, the quicker the machine stitched, the faster I could make stuff. Or so I thought. I have upgraded my sewing machine twice in the last 3 years and have only just […]
I hate ironing. No, I really hate ironing. The iron spends more time in the cupboard than in use but my OLD iron, the one my husband used for years during his art degree, sits permanently on the side ready for use. Not for ironing use, for pressing use. They’re the same aren’t they? Thankfully not! Everyone […]
Your fabric is cut, your sewing machine is threaded…Now to actually sew with it! But wait – you MUST do a test of your sewing settings before letting yourself loose onto your lovely fabrics, or whatever it is you are sewing may be ruined at step one. Did you save your off-cuts when you cut out […]
There are a vast array of ways to fasten clothes & bags. Fastenings range from simple press studs to hand sewn, bound buttonholes. When I was first teaching myself to sew, I had a sewing machine that did straight stitching and nothing else. It was great. But it meant I avoided buttonholes! I made a lovely […]
With words of warnings from my husband and teens ringing in my ears, I bought a rotary cutter last year. They all cringed and warned me not to – I am clumsy, sometimes don’t concentrate wholly on what I’m doing, and the fear was having to rush me to Casualty needing stitches to stop fingers […]
You’ve bought some fabric, you’ve got your pattern pieces ready but you ask yourself what ‘straight grain’ means. Your pattern pieces have it all over them, with a big long arrow. When you buy your fabric, it is usually unrolled from what is often called a bolt of fabric. There are 2 edges that are […]
I have recently returned from a fab holiday in Florida, a wonderful place with wonderful memories. But something puzzled me – there is very little visible recycling and the thing that struck me most was how many plastic carrier bags we acquired each time we went to the supermarket. The person on the till packs […]
This basic pin cushion pattern needs scraps of fabric but, if you’re starting from new, buy no more than a metre of cotton fabric in a colour or pattern you like. Using these instructions as a basis, you can then make a basic cushion cover in addition to your pin cushion. Materials: – Scissors – […]
I have owned a sewing machine of various kinds since buying a hand-cranked Singer at the age of 16. Recently, I twisted my husband’s arm (well, bank account really) to buy an all-singing, all-dancing new one. And I LOVE it! This beauty is computerised and I am starting to learn how to use some of […]
My Grandma used to say to me “measure twice, cut once” and of course I would smile at her, nod, and carry on hastily with my cutting out and sewing. Everyone makes mistakes sewing, no matter how long you’ve been at it. Only last week I sewed a bag together, muttering to myself that it seemed […]
A pattern is a tool to enable you to create something, whether it is a bag or a blouse, and contains all the information you need for a successful sewing project. Other tools include your scissor, pins, needles, thread, sewing machines and marking tools. The key to successful sewing is accurately transferring all the marks […]
Trying to get your sewing basket up to scratch can hit problems when you have to be specific: “Excuse me, do you have any sewing needles?” – “Yes, we have these” “Erm, do you have any for darning & mending” – “Yes, we have these” “No, I, erm, meant some fine needles” – “Yes, we […]
Whether it was a Sunday workshop or a sewing class your friend dragged you along to, everyone had to start somewhere. But once you were in, there was no going back. We have all had a sewing box or sewing basket at some stage as a sewer – some of us may still have one. […]
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