Archive | Tips RSS feed for this section
How To Underline A Dress Bodice

How To Underline A Dress Bodice

I knew underlining existed, but never understood the need for it unless you’re working with sheer fabrics. After reading Couture Sewing Techniques, I learned that most couture garments are underlined, but most aren’t lined! I was surprised – wouldn’t you rather line something and hide all of the construction details? It was an interesting and [...]

Read full story Comments { 44 }
Altering the Dress Bodice: Lengthen or Shorten Here!

Altering the Dress Bodice: Lengthen or Shorten Here!

Yesterday I made the bodice muslin, today I’m going to correct the pattern! I’ll spare you photos of me wearing the skirtless-dress muslin, because I only need to make minor fitting changes that are easy to explain. Here’s what I need to fix: 1. Add 1″ to the bodice length. When I had on the [...]

Read full story Comments { 15 }
How to make a muslin for a dress bodice

How to make a muslin for a dress bodice

I talked about some reasons why to make a muslin, and showed you the fabric and pattern – now I’m going to show you how! This is my method, there are many variations on muslin-making but here’s what I did. (You wanted to see the process – you got it!) Depending on the style of [...]

Read full story Comments { 22 }
How to mark buttons and buttonholes

How to mark buttons and buttonholes

So, I FINALLY added the buttons to my unfinished Beignet skirt. Yay! While I was marking the buttonhole placement, it took me a while to get started. It had been so long since I’d made buttonholes! As I was marking I thought ‘This is a pretty quick way to mark buttonholes – does everyone do [...]

Read full story Comments { 22 }
Looking for suggestions: Easy Beginner Sewing Projects

Looking for suggestions: Easy Beginner Sewing Projects

Ever feel like you’re just behind on life, in general? That’s me this week! I should be walking around with a giant SORRY sign stapled to my head, just to get it out of the way. Sorry, world! I will get it all done! So I’m calling on you guys to help me answer a [...]

Read full story Comments { 31 }
Tips for Productive Sewing

Tips for Productive Sewing

Dear readers, I just wanted to let you know, I’m not a perfect seamstress. No, really. And I get very easily distracted. Not because I’m slow or unfocused, I just usually have a few things on the go at once, and float from task to task. Computer’s on, laundry’s on, and there are at least [...]

Read full story Comments { 22 }