Corset Month!! This was one of the biggest Sewing Pattern and Kit releases I had managed to date, it took me months of prep and sampling to be happy with. The Corset Kit has a re-usable graded Pattern for a Victorian inspired Over Bust Corset, with an Instruction Booklet which covers every aspect of making up the Corset including tracing …
Notions: Hemming by Hand
I am afraid I am one of those dreadful bores of a teacher who insists that Hemming is done by hand! It just looks simply beautiful, & gives a truly professional finish to a garment that has been carefully stitched together, by hand. I have taken this Tutorial from my Simple A-Line Skirt Tutorial because this subject has come up …
Notions: Lapped Zip
Lapped Zips were a hot topic on this weeks episode of The Great British Sewing Bee. I know them mainly as a Vintage technique, and my Vintage Sewing Books are stuffed full of ways to work them! The following Tutorial is taken from McCall’s Complete Book of Dressmaking (which is delightful!). The important thing to remember when inserting Lapped Zips …
Notions: Clipping Corners
Inside corners, as seen in yesterdays Scallop Hem Tutorial, are important to clip. It can be a little scary to clip right up to the stitching- and many a time I have snipped straight through!- but it is essential if you would like the corner to turn out beautifully. Snipping, or clipping, the inside corner relaxes the fabric so it …
Notions: Top Stitching
Top Stitching- sometimes know as Edge Stitching- is as simple as it sounds however; there are a couple things you can do to make it a little easier and more professional looking. The first is to attach your Zipper Foot. This will allow you to see a lot more of what you are stitching and, as you can see from …
Notions: Interfacing Guide (from Amy Butler!)
Having just stumbled across this, I thought I would resume my occasional series of sharing Notions’ from other Blogs and this was just too good to not share!I am currently teaching a Men’s Shirt Course (click here to read more on that), so Interfacing is a hot topic for me at the moment! Below I have included the most common …
Notions: Troubleshooting Tips
I have just stumbled across this amazing Sewing Machine Troubleshooting Poster on Pinterest, so today’s Notions will concentrate on some of the many tiny issues you can have when Machine Sewing whether you are a new Sewer or experienced. Once you know how to deal with the little issues, you will find it becomes a part of the way you …
Best Tips, Notions and Tutorials of 2013
Roll up!, Roll up! The first Laura After Midnight retrospective is upon us! 2013 has been quite the whirlwind! Here are my favourite Blog posts from each month… so without further ado, and not a whiff of preamble take my hand and follow me down the yellow stitched road! January Book Review: The Handmade Marketplace by Cari Chapin As …
Make Christmas Stockings
For a last minute gift idea, these cannot be beaten! If you are stuck what to get someone, a hand made stocking stuffed with a few choccies is absolutely the answer, and will be brought out each year to decorate their tree for ever more. Because they use such a small amount of fabric these are a wonderful quick, cost …
How to Make a Mans Tie inc. Pattern
So, I have been fighting with technology to bring you a wonderful Vintage Tie, Cravat and Bow Tie Pattern I inherited a while ago. Alas, it was not to be, and creating Patterns with PDF downloadables’ has now made it on to the 2014 list… which is exciting as I have a whole heap of ideas about new Patterns …