Category: introduction to sewing (original)

fabric applique

Have you ever seen a fabric that has a great pattern, but is either too expensive to buy yardage of, or too bold to use in masses?  The same might go for a stellar lace?  Sometimes just hinting at these materials with an applique is enough to transform something from, ehh to aah.  I’ve had […]

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10: adjust the stitch

Sewing becomes so much more fun when you know how to change the stitch.  Whether it’s a zig zag or a decorative stitch, the possibilities become truly endless.  There  are several ways to adjust the stitch you’d like to use.  Locate the stitch width and length adjusters on your machine (they could be buttons, dials, […]

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sleeve roll

Sleeves can be tricky to iron, especially if you’re hoping to avoid having a crease down the length of the arm.  With a sleeve roll, you can iron one layer of the sleeve at a time. PREPARING THE PATTERN FOR THE SLEEVE ROLL 1. Trace a bowl onto the tracing paper. 2. Trace the cup […]

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ironing ham

I’m pretty sure in Hell everyone is doomed to iron men’s dress shirts for eternity.  It is just that miserable, right?  But, ironing shapely items is practically painless with a ham and roll.  Not the dinner kind, the ironing kind.  Although, ironing with food in hand would probably lift some stress as well. If you’ve […]

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9: sewing a curve

When sewing on a curve, your hands should be steering your fabric left or right (not pushing it through, just steering).  It can be confusing where to line up the edge of your fabric on the needle plate to get the right seam allowance.  All that matters is the point right across from your needle.  […]

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