Learn unique techniques that will enhance your next quilt! These vintage sewing techniques will raise the surface of your quilt and truly impress. We’ll learn heirloom smocking techniques, t…
CQ details is a series of articles which aims to illustrate hand embroidered seams on my crazy quilt to give you ideas on how to embellish your own projects
Twisted Blossom download pdf here 16 1/2" x 16 1/2" Fabric Requirements for one Twisted Blossom block: -(8) Metro Twist blocks, 4 that face right and 4 that face left. (instructions can be found in our Metro Twist pattern) -(2) 6 3/4" squares background fabric cut in half diagonally to make (4) 6 3/4" triangles -(2) 6 3/4" squares focus fabric cut in half diagonally to make (4) 6 3/4" triangles -(4) 4" squares for inside triangles *Quick Curve Ruler Pair the background and focus fabric triangles. Sew each set together. Press open. Square up each block to a 6" square. Place the 4" squares on focus fabric triangles and mark a reference line from corner to corner as shown above. Stitch on line. Using a ruler and rotary cutter, cut a 1/4" away from stitched line. Keep (small) triangle set. Repeat for all 4 blocks. Press to make (4) 6" blocks. Sew (small) triangle sets together. Press open. Square up each block to a 3" square. Sew together to create one block unit. Layout your blocks as shown above. After you are happy with the layout, sew the Metro Twist blocks together to create two unit blocks. Sew blocks to form rows, then sew rows to make a Twisted Blossom block. 16 1/2" x 16 1/2"
Ruching fabric is so easy and can be used in many ways, from gathering up the sides of a shirt to shortening sleeves. How to sew ruching.
Want to learn to sew? There are so many different options for anyone who wants to Learn to Sew. I've made a of several Learn to Sew Tutorials and Classes.
I'm finally "back in the saddle" again and able to start quilting. Boy does it feel good!!! My first priority was to get back on our boutis challenge and I'm excited to share some great progress this week! Since this fragile linen is so wiggly I wanted to make sure my straight lines stayed straight so I stitched thes
Going to a quilt retreat or class? A good mini iron is a MUST when it comes to traveling with your sewing projects. They’re lightweight and easy to use, so much so you’ll even want to use them at home!
How to Sew Perfect Scallops. A photo tutorial to help you learn how to sew scalloped edges for the Highland Avenue House.
If I could go back in time, this is what I would tell myself before I started sewing. I could have learned more and had more sewing success.
To whoever wanted to know how many birds I was making the answer is: I have no idea, nor do I care. When the design wall gets close to ful...
After hours of cutting, sewing, pressing, and stressing over the layout, your quilt top is finally finished! Your next step is to get it quilted. I’ve seen so many beautiful quilts that have been quilted using a domestic sewing machine, but sometimes you might want that extra special touch or perhap
I wanted to demonstrate how to make stretchy, professional seams on the Pacific Leggings. Use a sewing machine to sew flatlock effect seams, no special machine needed!
Want to learn to sew? There are so many different options for anyone who wants to Learn to Sew. I've made a of several Learn to Sew Tutorials and Classes.
One of the design issues we’ve encountered relates to making a sweetheart neckline. Sometimes the neckline V at center front would not be as sharp as we wanted it to…
How to sew a french seam. See how to french seam pants, how to french seam a pillowcase and more - and see what's the (only!) catch with sewing french seams!
I have a foot fetish apparently. Not the weird kind, the sewing machine foot kind. This is my recent addition: the binding foot! It is amazing. You can use this foot to attach bias tape and
Follow along with this new sewing series if you've always wanted to learn to sew or would like a refresher course.
Patterns aren't cheap. Seriously, I was browsing through through the look books at Hobby Lobby the other day and some of them were as much as $20. Tack that on to the price of fabric and other supplies and suddenly sewing your own clothing becomes very expensive. Thankfully, you can make your own patterns using your own clothing that you know to fit well. I'll show you how to make a simple blouse pattern using a top of my own. I used Scotch Postal Wrapping Paper as my pattern paper. I found it at Target for about $5. It gives you 30 feet of paper, so it will last a long time. I used paper because I like to lay my pattern piece down and trace the shape directly onto my fabric. If you think you'd prefer to pin the pattern to your fabric and then cut it out, paper may not be the way to go for you. Muslin fabric is another great material that would allow you to pin the pattern piece to your fabric. It's also nice because it can be folded up and stored away when not in use. Lay your garment down on the paper and determine the middle of the top. Mark right above the collar and right below the hem. Draw a rough outline of one half of the top. When you get to the sleeve, do your best to fold it back so that you just see the armhole. Sketch the curve as shown below. This first pattern piece I'm working on will serve as the back of the pattern. Sketch the outline of the slightly higher, back collar. Stop once you get to the half marks that you previously made. Now you'll need to sketch an outline outside the dotted line to allow for seam allowances. To determine how far apart the rough sketch line should be from the final outline of the pattern you'll need to take what materials you're working with into consideration. For example: The lace top I am using has a stretch quality to it. If I want to use this pattern to make a top with a non-stretch fabric, I will need to make the final pattern outline a good amount wider than my rough sketch. However, if I was using a non-stretch garment to make my pattern I wouldn't have to allow for as much extra fabric. It's always better to have a too big pattern and therefore a too big top than it is to go too small. Don't be afraid to be generous. Extend the outline by about 1.5 inches along the sides and about 1 inch at the armholes and collar. Extend the bottom of the top by several inches to allow for hemming. Cut on the line and fold the pattern over making sure that the crease is on the middle marks you made previously. Trace so that you have a perfectly symmetrical pattern. Repeat the same process for the front piece of the pattern being sure to trace the front part of the collar this time. Now for the sleeves. Fold a piece of paper and position it underneath the garment and the pattern. The fold should be parallel to the top of the sleeve. Trace the curve of the front pattern piece. Leave plenty of extra room for the sleeve to be hemmed. Remember it's better to go oversized than undersized. You can always take the shirt in if it is a little too big. Cut out all of your pieces and press to get rid of creases and you're done! *Update* I recently used this pattern to make this cute little top. Click on the picture for the full tutorial!
I’m so excited to bring you this pillow tutorial! I can’t get enough of these Good Folks fabrics. And the
In this YouTube sewing tutorial, I want to show you how to sew a shaped facing used to finish raw edges of a garment at necklines, armholes, and other front and back openings.
I love blogs. I can get lost in them. That's the problem... I can also waste a lot of time - but is learning, being inspired, and seeing what everyone else is doing a waste of time? I think not. Facebook? Well, that's another story. I haven't figured out their real value. Yet. I'm not in a hurry to learn, either. So, this month, I am once again behind on all of my projects. Nothing has gotten finished, little has gotten started, and yet the first of the month came rapping on my door. Hello? Anybody home? I was out of town for most of the week (more on that, later), and when I got home, a blog post from a friend of mine popped up on my laptop: Denise Green (an amazing friend and longarm quilter) had just posted photos from her trip over to see the quilt show in Kerrville, Texas. Here's what I found interesting about her post: since she's a longarm quilter, her view of quilts is different than mine. So are her photos and comments. I emailed Denise and asked if I could use her blog for my blog. Answer: "I'd be honored!" I'm actually the one that was honored by her quick and positive response. What I thought I'd do is to show you all of her photos along with her comments... and then add my own comments. It's interesting to see how we both view the same quilts. If you want to catch up on Denise's blog directly, you can find it here: http://hollydeequilts.wordpress.com/2013/05/31/its-a-quilt-show-kerrville-style/. Let's get this conversation started, now. Denise's words are in italics. Mine are plain old straight up and down. D: We arrived at the show and my friend, Susie, met us there. She is a member of the Hill Country Quilt Guild and had a few quilts in the show (with ribbons on them!). One of Susie’s quilts – I quilted this for her – her quilts are a delight to quilt – she is very good piecer and I love her colors and pattern choices! S: I love how Denise quilts Judy Neimeyer quilts -- she honors the pattern but adds her own spin with feathers, spikes, swirls, and unique designs. The color choices on this one are great. D: (This is) Susie’s Prairie Star (a quiltworx.com pattern) – yes there is a ribbon on the right side! S: Well deserved, I'd say! D: I quilted the quilt below for Susie earlier this year – I really enjoyed this one! What I enjoyed almost as much was I sent her my king-size triple 4-patch to quilt and I just got it back. That was a GREAT TRADE! S: I love the soft colors in Susie's "Love is in the Air" quilt. It's from a Lori Smith pattern. I especially love the use of all those golds and blues and browns in the sashing strips. Are those are four-patch sashings? Yes! D: (Susie) added the pieced sashings as well as the applique border. The pattern had plain sashing and border. S: I love those sashing strips. I wish I could think of things like that! This picture needs to go into my folder of "great ideas." Susie machine appliqued the non-pieced blocks/borders. She did a nice job with that. D: This quilt of Susie’s ("Sew Many Colors") was made as a block of the month from Pinwheels and Posies. Each block is the same (except for fabric placement), Susie quilted this one! S: Pinwheels and Posies is a local quilt shop in Dickinson, Texas. They did this block of the month a while back and it clearly turned out nice. If Denise hadn't pointed it out to me, I don't think I would have noticed that the blocks are all identical. There's a lesson in there for all of us about the importance of value (how light or dark a color is), as it can have a dramatic effect on what a block looks like when you are finished making it. D: Another student, Linda B, was also working at the show and had a ribbon (or 2) on her Glacier Star Quilt that was started in a class I taught at Pinwheels and Posies. I love how she added to the main body of the quilt with her “tucked” border and this beautiful Jason Yenter print. S: If you have a chance to take a Judy Niemeyer class from Denise (her workshop schedule is posted on her blog), it's worth the trip. Denise is an excellent teacher with endless patience for anyone and everyone. In general, I'm not a fan of "cheater cloth" pre-printed borders and blocks. The border on this quilt, though, is really wonderful and frames the quilt nicely!! D: Kim’s quilting (her longarm business is called "A Busy Bobbin") was honored with the ribbon for Best Machine Quilting – WELL DESERVED! Our local longarm bee is excited to have Kim as our speaker Monday night at our monthly meeting. She and Linda B. will be joining us and talking about the rulers Kim uses and how she fills all that empty space with all of that gorgeous quilting. S: I am spoiled rotten by living in an area filled with quilters -- Denise started a longarm bee quite a while back, before it seemed that nearly everyone had some sort of quilting machine. She schedules speakers every month for the members -- and I can't wait to go to hear from this speaker. Look at the unique combination of quilting designs in this quilt.... D: (Here is...) Linda's sweet mini! S: Sometimes it's the little things that count, right? I want to point out that the Kerrville guild puts a wooden clothespin on every quilt. Quilt show attendees can then grab the clothespin to see the back of any quilt without having to hunt down a white-glove lady. What a great idea! D: I took several pictures of quilts that I enjoyed the setting of the blocks. I love how (Holly Nelson) set these blocks. S: I love the wonderful quilt edge, too. And setting those blocks inside a scalloped circle... wow. Holly designed these blocks for an applique class she taught in Fredricksburg, Texas. D: Here's another great way to set blocks. S: Love the blocks. I wondered where Holly Nelson planned to put this piece and was able to read the tag on her quilt, which said she designed this quilt for applique classes in Bandera, Texas - and the layout was an "experiment" as she's running of space for wall hangings. D: This is a great setting for those hexie blocks. S: I love the rich reds against those deep gray-greens and yellow-greens. The information on this quilt says that "Perseverence" was made by Merry Ann Rothe and quilted by Donna Scofield. The pattern is from "Quilts from Grandmother's Garden" by Jaynette Huff. This is a delightful quilt and the quilting makes it come alive. D: I love Stephanie Brandeburgs panels – I like how this quiltmaker broke up the panel. S: Carol Pope made "My Summer Garden" by using a 22 by 44" panel because she liked its shape and design. Her quilt was quilted by Donna Scofield (I hope I read that right; the label was pretty blurry...). I am always amazed when people can take something like this big panel and have the confidence to slice it up and add some long pieced and printed strips. It's wonderful! D: Great bargello quilt – I love the addition of the leaves in the border. S: You're right Denise - this is a great combination of a contemporary bargello design and a set of classic pieced blocks. Don't you love the little green piping between the outer border and the binding? Little additions like that make the difference between a good quilt and a great quilt. And the quilting is wonderful, with feathers ruffling their way across the bargello and a great leaf shape on the maple leaves. D: And the quilting ideas I find at shows! S: I have so much to learn! Denise is right - the quilting is phenomenal and offers lots of unique ideas for quilting; it changes from feathers to pumpkin seeds to cross-hatching without missing a beat. "Pottery II" was entered by Linda Humphrey, who says this was a "pass around" project of the Sew Bee It Bee. Linda made the center block and then passed it to each bee member to add a border. Other bee members include Helen Ridgway, Anita Crane, Holly Nelson, Marilyn Lampman, Ro Molder, Isabelle Tolliver, and Marvene Wallace. The finished quilt is 38 by 21 inches. And it won a Judge's Choice ribbon! D: Amazing quilting! S: Absolutely. Great ideas here! D: Gorgeous quilting! S: Ditto! This quilt, called "Walking Home," was made by Julie Schlichting. D: Awesome quilting! S: Tremendous! This 16 by 18 inch quilt, called "Desert Hills," was made by Jane Kutach. It was inspired by a workshop with Karen Eckmeier in 2012. D: More quilting to love! S: I do! D: Quilting! S: This is a great example of how to fill a square without just doing "doodling" in it! D: And these were just fun quilts; the colors are probably what draws me in. Love the colors for the Wild Goose Chase – a pattern by quiltworx.com. S: I was attracted to the design (how did they do those flying geese -- I would assume paper piecing?). And I love that diagonal border! D: Love the color in this one too! Great block! S: Yes - this block is incredible, both in the body of the quilt and in the border. My bucket list has a Lemoyne Star quilt in it.... hand pieced with 3 or 4 inch stars. D: Isn't this little mini pretty? S: I love the rich reds and greens. This quilt is another round robin quilt, with each person (Marvene Wallace - owner - and Anita Crane, Linda Humphrey, Marilyn Lampman, Ro Molder, Holly Nelson, Helen Ridgeway, and Isabella Tolliver) adding a border. The entire process took 8 months to complete. That's dedication! D: Bright and colorful... S: Yes - and a lot of work! D: I love the poppies on this grey scale quilt (that's hubby in the photo). S: This is another beauty! Kerrville has some pretty wonderful quilters in its midst! D: This was a group quilt. They started with a photo, cut it apart. Each member of the group was given a section of the photo to reproduce in cloth - and now you see the quilt put back together. I think this would be really fun to do - what do you think? S: These quilts have always intrigued me. I see them all the time in the Group Quilt category at the Houston quilt show... and they are stunning! This quilt is called "Infinity Interrupted" and was made by Wanna Bee members. D: See the seams? This shows where each member's work was added! D: I am not usually a fan of T-shirt quilts - but this one I love! This was a wonderful t-shirt quilt! S: I agree Denise -- I love the random way the t-shirts were added. D: And of course, I left the BEST for the last - Best of Show went to this beautiful quilt - this pattern is Ladies of the Sea by Sue Garman. Sue is a friend of mine and she was working on this quilt when we travelled to Brigham City, Utah, a few years back. If I remember correctly, the compass corner stones were inspired by some wall art in the facility where she was teaching (I went as her helper because I am originally from Utah). It is a marvel to watch Sue work - she is AMAZING! I hope Sue will enjoy the substitution this quilt maker made to the original quilt. The submarine honors a family member if I remember correctly. D: (Here is a) substitution to the original quilt (which is all tall ships). S: What a gorgeous rendition of this pattern! I love when people personalize quilts and make them speak to themselves or their families or their experiences. It makes the quilt extra special -- and the USS Carbonero is a great substitute for another historic ship! UPDATE! Thanks go to Susan Longacre who Chaired the Quilts in Motion Quilt Show of the Hill Country Quilt Guild in Kerrville, Texas. She sent me some additional information on this quilt. The maker of this quilt is Barbara Woodman, a very accomplished quilter, formerly of Uvalde and now living in Kerrville. She won ribbons for: First Place in Category, Best of Show (large), and Viewer's Choice. The most heartfelt information is that Barbara made this quilt for her husband who served on the USS Carbonero submarine but, unfortunately, he died before she finished the quilt. This quilt is such a beautiful legacy for Barbara and her family - and I thank her for sharing it with other quilters. D: Scrumptious quilting! S: Boy, you've got that right! I'm so sorry I don't know the maker and quilter's name for this quilt -- it is SO well done! D: I hope you enjoy my tour of the Kerrville Quilt Show and if you are in the area for Memorial Day weekend in 2015, you should add this show to your list of activities. S: Absolutely! What a great set of quilts - and definitely a beautiful town to visit! Thanks, Denise, for sharing -- I appreciate your friendship so much. Isn't it great that quilters seem able to make friends with complete strangers in a heartbeat? That's what happened with Mary Clendennen when I met her a few years ago. We bumped into each other at the Houston quilt show and she was so excited that I had gone over to Austin to see their quilt show and her quilt had just won best of show and I featured it in my blog back then. She is just the sweetest person you could ever hope to meet -- and we parted, saying we ought to get together some time. So here we are, a few years later... and we bumped into each other at two more quilt shows... and she again invited me to come visit her for a few days. Below is her quilt, "Ruffled Roses," based on the pattern I wrote for Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims' on "The Quilt Show." I just love the fabrics in it - all from an Elly Sienkiewicz line. But most of what makes this quilt so wonderful is Mary's exquisite piecing. I've never seen such precision! Here is a close-up of her quilt -- take a look at the piecing, but also the quilting (done by Angela McCorkle). Quilting can make or break a quilt, and Mary is certainly fortunate to have found someone who knows the craft well. By the way... Mary doesn't applique (yet), so she had a friend prepare the pieces for her and then appliqued the prepared units in place. She's determined to learn applique in the future. And so..... last week, I headed over to Marble Falls. Mary lives on her ranch along the Colorado River, which, when combined with the sweet blessings of Mary's warmth, hospitality, and friendship, gave me a piece of heaven on earth. I spent several days with Mary and her friend Marcie Wendrock and some others -- sewing, learning, relaxing, and enjoying my first time away from home in several years. It was a sweet breath of fresh air. Watching Mary work was an inspiration, in itself. Check out one of the blocks she had made: Do you want to know why it was such a joy to see her work? Because she is the QUEEN of precision piecing. I learned that I need to pick up my pace if I want my blocks to be as good as Mary's. But wait! Wait! There's more! Check out the back of her block. Look how she works to press the seams open! It was a great "light bulb moment" for me to see her block from the underside. It's perfection, plus! No wonder her quilts look so great. When I arrived, here is the quilt Mary was working on. She finished adding the final two borders while I was there, and was on to other projects. You can probably guess, by seeing the block above, why Mary's quilt lies perfectly flat. Some of the gals were working on Jo Morton quilts.... And Marcie was designing and working on a brand new quilt based on an antique. I fell in love with it and can't wait for the pattern to be done. You'll have to wait to see it... but the wait will be worth it!!!! One of the women there showed some quilts -- here is an antique spools quilt... And a close-up of it... And Zell Cook's quilts were stunning - she does a lot of quilts using tsukineko inks and embroidery - here's one with very detailed embroidery work in it. And a close-up of one of Zell's blocks... Now that I've finished sharing all those photos, one of you might be asking... but what are YOU working on, Sue? I've been working on lots of different things... and have no photos to share this month. Hang in there - they will show up soon enough. And I think you'll be glad I've kept busy, busy, busy, getting my next quilts ready. Several of you asked how they could find out what my lecture/workshop schedule is. Here is an incomplete list; where the location is undisclosed, it is because the group has asked that they be the first to announce me coming: June 15, 2013 - Lakeview Quilters Guild, Nassau Bay, Texas - precision piecing workshop June 29, 2013 - Sugarland Applique Society, Sugarland, Texas - applique workshop July 1, 2013 - Baytown Area Quilt Guild, Baytown, Texas - lecture July 15-16, 2013 - Hill Country Quilt Guild, Kerrville, Texas - lecture and feathered star workshop August 5, 2013 - Piecemaker Quilt Guild, Corsicana, Texas - lecture October 7-12, 2013 - location undisclosed; lecture and several days of applique workshops October 17-20, 2013 - Greenbriar retreat center, Athens, Texas - lecture, feathered star workshop, applique workshop Late October/early November - reserved for the International Quilters Association quilt show, Houston, Texas Winter, 2014 - 4-5 day personal workshop in my home, demonstrating design, process, etc. February 23-27, 2014 - Applique Away on Galveston Bay, Galveston, Texas - two 2-day applique workshops March 5, 2014 - Coastal Prairie Quilt Guild, Missouri City, Texas - lecture and workshop May 20-21, 2014 - Marble Falls Quilt Club, Marble Falls, Texas - lecture and workshop June 4, 2014 - Alvin Quilt Guild, Alvin, Texas - lecture June 24-25, 2014 - Ozark Piecemakers, Springfield, Missouri - lecture and workshop August 21, 2014 - Pride of Prairie Quilters, Naperville, Illinois - lecture and workshop September 17, 20, 2014 - West Houston Quilt Guild, Houston, Texas - lecture and workshop September 9-14, 2014 - location undisclosed; lecture and several days of applique workshops October 25+, 2014 - reserved for the International Quilters Association quilt show, Houston, Texas April or May, 2015 - Northwest Suburban Quilters Guild, northwest Chicago, Illinois - details to be determined June 18-20, 2015 - Trinity Valley Quilt Guild and Denton Quilt Guild, Dallas area, Texas - lectures and workshops Late October/early November - reserved for the International Quilters Association quilt show, Houston, Texas Much of my time over the past two months has been spent preparing for these workshops. I like to have plenty of examples of how to do things, including options for those who want a simpler or more unique option. Perhaps we'll get to meet at one of these events in the future! One more thing before I close. I am struggling with a creativity block. I want to start a new quilt - probably a block of the month - and cannot seem to focus on anything that really grabs me. So... what have you been looking for, what is your favorite type of quilt to make, what would you like to see me design? I'll listen to any ideas you have! Happy stitching - Sue (c)2013 Susan H. Garman
Once I had finished writing Modern Heirloom Quilting , I knew I wanted to get these projects into the hands of some makers in the community! I’m so excited to share these gorgeous projects from some very talented quilters. Read on, and check out their blogs for even more fun projects!
We all know that practice makes perfect and that's especially the case when it comes to hand sewing. Whether you want to get your kids into sewing, are a beginner yourself, or simply want to improve your stitching skills, you're in the right place. Instead of wasting fabric, using paper to practice is the best way to perfect your methods and movements. Our exclusive hand sewing practice sheets pdf pages provide excellent hand stitching practice for beginners. Or, perhaps there are certain types of stitching you have yet to tackle and want to practice that. There are different sewing lines on paper to download and print to appease every skill level. Use regular thread, embroidery floss, or even yarn to practice with. Most hand needle types and sizes can be used as well. No ruining or wasting fabric. These free three sheets have all sorts of lines and designs to help you. Print the full set or choose the individual page you want to work on next. There are beginner-friendly straight lines, curves, and angles along with more advanced lines and shapes for those who want a bit of a challenge. By the way, before getting started, you'll want to check out our guide: How to Start a Hand Stitch.
How To Create An Award Winning Quilt That Judges Notice
Finally, I can show you my new patterns: I wanted to make something different (but at the same time something quick) for the little girl of my friends and this is what I came up with : folded pockets, made with origami technique ! These are the quickest things I have ever sewn ! Initially, I planned something else for my next patterns but after I made these pockets and I saw how cute they were I just had to write patterns for them ! Here are the pockets: I could not help myself and I stitched for her even
You might be making one or more of these Sewing Mistakes. Learn how to fix them quickly and what to do instead.
Yesterday we set out determined to make our own dress forms for the Etsy Labs and thought we'd share the love with you guys if you want to...
Finally, I can show you my new patterns: I wanted to make something different (but at the same time something quick) for the little girl of my friends and this is what I came up with : folded pockets, made with origami technique ! These are the quickest things I have ever sewn ! Initially, I planned something else for my next patterns but after I made these pockets and I saw how cute they were I just had to write patterns for them ! Here are the pockets: I could not help myself and I stitched for her even
Well ladies, I am about to show you a fix for one of the most annoying fitting problems ever. You ready? Pants that feel like they're crotching you to death. You know what I'm talking about. You make a new pair of pants, excitedly try them on, and find that they pull in the front, or you can't sit in them. Grrr!! It's the one thing that can really keep you from getting any fashion mileage out of your newly-sewn creation. I can tell you that there are two possible reasons for this. One: The front crotch area is improperly shaped for the body of the wearer. The rise needs to be reshaped. Two: The pants are shorter waisted than the person wearing them. The rise needs to be lowered. Let's start with the reshaping. I have a favorite pattern I use when I want to make some comfy pants or PJ's. Everything about it is perfect. Except for the part where they pull in the crotch. Not comfy at all. Here's how to fix that. Lay the pants out so that you can get at the center front seam. You will be changing the curve, or Reshaping The Rise. Measure 1 1/4" up from the leg inseam. Mark 1/4" out from the crotch seam at this point. Now draw a new curve down to the inseam, and up along the center front seam. You are making the curve deeper. Sew along the line you made, and trim off the excess fabric. Finish the new edge with your serger or a zigzag stitch. Try your pants on. Do they feel better? If so, your work is done. If they need to be adjusted a bit more, here is the next part. Lowering The Rise Measure 1/4" - 3/8" down from the crotch seam and mark. Draw a new curve, but this time carry it up along the back seam as well as the front. You can make your curve bigger than mine is if you want. I usually take it a bit at a time so that I don't do anything drastic. Not that I've done (much of) that sort of thing when I'm sewing. Stitch along your line, trim, and finish your edge. You should now be able to sit down comfortably in your pants. I marked the original curve on the pants so that you can see the difference. You have cut the rise lower, making room in your garment for movement and comfort. This alteration comes in really handy for pants, shorts, coveralls, jumpsuits, and rompers. I've used it many times. Hope it helps you, too! Till next time, keep on sewing! Val Sharing This Post At These Wonderful Parties! Say G'Day @ Natasha In Oz Worthwhile Wednesdays @ The Craftiest Allie Sew Darn Crafty @ Sew Many Ways Silhouette School @ Two It Yourself Link It Or Lump It @ Two It Yourself Friday Link Party @ The Pin Junkie DIY Sunday Showcase @ The Interior Frugalista
When I joined the 4 x 5 Modern Quilt Bee I wanted to find a new block that had not been used much before. I'm always on the search for fun n...
It’s the last of the two assembly weeks for the Jen Kingwell’s Gypsy Wife Quilt Sew-along. This week you’ll be...
What is a serger and how do I use it? This is a question I hear all the time. Today we are breaking it down and telling you exactly how to use this sewing machine.
For most projects, doing a basic bind off is fine, but some projects require a special bind off. I will never forget a scarf I made many years ago where I did a basic bind off. To my horro…
Eclectic may be my unofficial middle name and what my outfits may lack in pattern mixing a la Susie Bubble or Lucy, are made up for by my appreciation of
*This post may contain affiliate links. We will earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you use...
When it comes to hemming, sometimes topstitching with your machine just doesn’t cut it. A lot of time, you want a hem to be discreet, and not distract from the garment. That’s what is nice about hand sewn hems – they can be nearly invisible from the outside. So, today I am going to cover three basic options for hand sewn hems. note – I’m using a contrasting thread so you can see the stitching better. But, of course, you would be using a matching thread to your fabric. So it will blend in and be even more invisible! one more note – I’m a lefty, so I tend to start most of my stitches from the left side. If you are right handed, you most likely start from the opposite side. Same concept, just […]
The Yarn bag is easy sew project perfect for holding your yarn, crochet projects or sewing projects. The Yarn bag features a inner pocket for crochet hooks or other tools. This bag pattern is an beginner sewing pattern.
