Corset Month!! On the 29th March (fingers still crossed!!), I shall be releasing my Corset Kit!! This is the biggest Sewing Pattern and Kit release to date, and has taken me months of prep and sampling to be happy with. The Corset Kit will have a re-usable graded Pattern for a Victorian inspired Over Bust Corset, with an Instruction Zine which will …
Handy Hand Stitched Closures Guide
I’ve just happened upon this brilliant Hand Stitched Closures Guide from Burda and thought I’d share as this weeks Sewing Bee mentioned Snap/Popper Fastenings amongst others. Many of these should be sewn on using the same stitch used for making the Button Loop. With a little practice they look very neat, don’t they? I am sorely tempted to make up a …
A-Line Skirt hack: Make a Pleated Skirt!
Hello lovelies! Having been very inspired by The Great British Sewing Bee a couple weeks ago, here is my A-Line Skirt Hack based on my super duper popular Patternless A-Line Skirt Tutorial to make an Inverted Box Pleated Skirt as they did. The original Tutorial is amazingly simple, and I highly recommend it if you are learning to sew or want …
Sew Your Own Wardrobe!!
With much trepidation, I purchased the new Great British Sewing Bee book a couple weeks ago. Finally, it popped through my door. We’ve had a little trouble with the Royal Mail this neck of the woods, and much apologies to all of my customers who have been affected. A little heavier than expected, I unwrapped it and was immensely surprised …
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: Make a Liberty Needle Case
I have become rather addicted to the Liberty Craft Blog of late, amongst all the Beauty product placements there are some lovely crafty makes, made even lovelier by the use of all that gorgeous Liberty Tana Lawn. I have just come across this Tutorial to make a pretty gorgeous Needle Case by Happy Zombie. Fully lined, with pages and some …
Sewing Bee Snippets Week 1
As previously discussed, here are my insights in to construction details, tips and tricks, and practices used on The Great British Sewing Bee this week. The contestants were really put through their paces this week sewing each basic staple fabric- Cotton, Wool and Silk. Their Cotton Tunic Tops displayed a very wide range in construction details- and finishing techniques!- and …
The Great British Sewing Bee: Week 1
Well… what did we all think?! Click the above link to watch (it will be available to watch until the 25th of February, if you are in foreign parts you may have to search the underbelly of the Internet!) the first episode, which was a tour de force of sewing techniques! Those poor contestants, they were well and truly worked …
Notions: Basic Patch Pockets
Recently I seem to have been teaching students how to do various forms of Patch Pockets so I thought I’d add this little Tutorial and follow it up with some variants upon the theme including a Pleated Patch Pocket. Patch Pockets are super duper easy but care us needed when Top Stitching the Pocket to the Main Fabric. The more …
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 …