Category: Sewing Tips

1. Let's Get Started! - A basic guide to reading a dressmaking pattern.

   Posted on 5:00pm Thursday 23rd Apr 2020

   So the Great British Sewing Bee is back and you've got a bit of (lockdown) time on your hands! You feel inspired to dust down the sewing machine that has been sitting in the cupboard and get sewing! But where to start?

   Unfortunately, right now the workshop is closed until it is safe to re-open but in the meantime we can share some top tips with you on how to get started. 

   So give that neglected machine a little dust down and first and foremost make sure you have a nice new needle suitable for the type of fabric you are going to be working on. If you machine is working properly you really shouldn't fiddle with the tension but the wrong or blunt needle can cause a whole host of problems. 

   Standard universal needles come in different sizes -  fine needles for delicate fabrics and thicker (higher number) needles for canvases and denim. Jersey fabrics need a ballpoint needle and even stretchier fabrics such as lycra and swimwear need a stretch needle.

       

   So now it's time to start sewing....

   There are hundreds great You tube videos out there on how to thread a machine and get started and a multitude of free projects that you can watch or download. Cushions are  a great place to start and bunting is a fun and simple project that the kids can get involved in too. 

   If you want to jump into the world of dressmaking one of the first hurdles that people have is understanding all the terminology and symbols on the pattern pieces. All of the independent pattern companies that we stock have instructions and glossaries that make them so much easier to follow than old pattern companies that relied upon you having a level of knowledge already.

   It really is worth taking the time to read the guidelines as this will help make the difference between you making a garment that you will be happy to wear or one that you give up on and don't quite understand why the pattern didn't work. Don't worry we have all been there!!

   

    

   Remember Instagram is a great way to get inspiration and feel part of the bigger sewing community, especially whilst we are all in our homes.

   So stay safe and keep sewing!

2. Sewing animal themed pattern weights :)

   Posted on 11:30am Friday 5th Jul 2019

   Things you will need:         

   ~Fabrics

   ~Threads & needle

   ~Rice 

   ~Felt pieces and string (for faces & tails)

   ~buttons for eyes (optional)

   

   1) cut out an equilateral triangle template (on paper) and divivde into 4 triangles  ^as shown above^. Then cut out the fabric to the 

   template.

   2) !DO ANY STICHING NOW AS IT'S EASIER THAN WHEN THE WEIGHT IS SEWN UP! - Apart from buttons

   3) Turn your fabric right side up and hold two corners and fold over so the pattern is on the inisde. pin together and if you're making a bird or somthing that needs a beak place it in the seam before sewing and it should look like this:

   or if your'e making something with ears on the side trap one ear in this seam.

   

   4) If you're using buttons as eyes sew them in now and then fold the neighbouring corners over and sew up (trapping the second ear or the comb of the chicken)

   5) By now you should have 2 of the 3 sides sewnup and the right sideof the fabric should be facing inwards.Next sew up most of the last sidebut leave a gap big enough for you to turn it the right way out.

   6) After turning them the right way out, fill with rice ~make sure no to fill too much~ and then neatly stitch up the hole :)

   ~FINISHED