9 must know Quilt piecing tips. Quilt techniques to know especially if want to learn how to quilt or want to improve your piecing accuracy.
Make your own hanging storage pods with our Free Hanging Storage Pod Pattern. Sew your own hanging baskets to organize everything.
Straight lines are always difficult. Drawing a straight line, cutting a straight line, and especially sewing in a straight line. With How to Sew a Straight Line by Hand, we will go over some tips, tricks, and techniques for learning how to sew straight. We are also providing a tutorial for how to sew a straight line that will help you to practice. When starting a hand stitch, it can be difficult to remain even in your stitching but that can be corrected with practice. Whether you are sewing seams or adding a border to a fabric piece, learning to sew a straight line is something that will come up frequently in sewing patterns and projects. Sewing by hand involves more patience and skill, which we will help you master with our tips. This skill is also essential when working on embroidery or hemming a garment. It is also an important skill to teach children who are learning how to sew by hand. Even if you don't think you need to know how to sew straight just yet, learning it now will save you time later. Of course, you can bookmark or pin this for when you need to learn at a later date. Either way, if you sew, learning the patience of a straight line is invaluable. Looking for more? Sign up for one (or more) of our awesome free newsletters!
This is the ultimate guide to sewing with piping. Learn how to sew with piping, and how to make it yourself. Sewing with piping is easy - if you know the right tips and tricks.
I've owned a serger (or overlocker) from when I started sewing, so I've mostly been able to use a serger instead of a sewing machine. That being said, I have used a sewing machine on knits (hemming, attaching elastic, sewing underwear, topstitching, etc.) So below are a few tips and tricks from my experiences working with knits.
Learn 5 different ways to sew a knit hem in this tutorial with video and written instructions
There is no anxiety sewists dread more than the anxiety that comes when you are snipping away at your precious fabric. The saying "measure twice, cut once" is there for a reason. If you cut your fabric incorrectly, it can ruin a project and it can cost you a ton of money. That's why we have this quick guide on How to Cut Fabric. This resource is going to provide you with the basics of cutting fabric for sewing and more. Fabric is not cheap and if you do not know how to cut fabric properly, it can do some serious damage. It is even harder to learn how to pin and cut a pattern on the fabric. You have to cut your fabric to match your piece, ensure that your print is going the right way, and make sure that you cut the right side facing out. Stressed out yet? Don’t worry, sewists. That’s why we are here yet again to help you out. This sewing guide is going to give you the top 5 things you can do to cut fabric perfectly every single time. For more sewing inspiration, sign up for our e-newsletter!
Gathering on a Serger To speed up gathering on a sewing project, I simply change the settings on my Janome 1100D Professional Serg...
In this collection of sewing tutorials, tips, and techniques, you'll learn The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew. My tips are also featured in the best-selling book
Today it’s all about fit techniques. Here are seven tutorials on fit techniques from our archives that are filled with lots of helpful information for you.
This is a question that gets asked a lot in the crochet community: "How do I keep my tail weaved in, so my project doesn't fall apart?"
As with life, along your sewing journey there are moments that change you. Things you learn that blow your mind, and change the way you do things. When things like this happen, it can totally alter the way you think about sewing. Stop you from cringing over sewing an armhole, from shying away from certain […]
Sewing tips and tricks you need to know
Summer's over and it's back to school time, which means it's also back to sewing school time! (Did you know that I have a FREE beginner's sewing course?) Last week I mentioned that I have a new free pattern for a pencil-shaped pencil case to share with you (update: here's the info on the pencil
My husband surprised me with a sewing machine a few years ago and I've loved it. It's been so handy having it to hem the kids' pants and take in a waist or two. And then there are the crafts I've made with it. I'm still a beginner but oh boy do I love to sew! But of course, it's only fun if you know what you're doing. Here are 20+ fabulous sewing tips that will help anyone wanting to learn a few new sewing tips and tricks! 20+ Incredibly Helpful Sewing Tips and Tricks 1. Let's start with the
13 Quilting Tips, tricks and ideas to make quilting easier
How to tie a knot in thread using a quilters knot video tutorial and photo tutorial! (Hi! Want more sewing how to tutorials just like this? Then don’t forget to check out my other sewing how to tutorials or my free easy sewing projects!) This tutorial will be showing you how to tie a knot […]
If you have ever looked at a sewing pattern, you probably know how much information is packed into those small packages. From the type of pattern, materials needed, instructions, the pattern, and so on, it's not easy to know how to read a sewing pattern. The good news is that you get a lot of information to work with, from written and illustrated instructions, tips, alteration guidelines, and more. The not so good news is that reading a sewing pattern can be overwhelming for even the most experienced sewists. Fortunately, vintage and modern print sewing patterns, along with digital patterns all have similar information. When it comes to sewing basics, you will want to learn how to read a sewing pattern as one of the first things you figure out. It's important to learn how to understand a sewing pattern because sewing a dress, a pair of pants, shirt, or other items is a process that takes time, energy, and money that you don't want to lose. Even though every pattern has a particular set of instructions, sewing symbols, and notes, these sewing tips and tricks for patterns will help you gain knowledge to be prepared for your next project. Sign Up For More Free Patterns >>> Below, you will find one of our popular videos on how to read a sewing pattern as well as written instructions and pictures. Then, learn all about pattern symbols you will find on your sewing projects. From the grain line to the zipper markings and everything in between, you'll know exactly what all of the details on a pattern mean.
Next up in the Tips + Tricks series is the easy roll hem. I usually get at least one request for a tutorial every time I post a photo of a rolled hem so I thought I should get on this one. I learned this technique from one of our seamstresses at work, Jurata, when she couldn’t believe that I didn’t learn how to do the regular roll hem technique in school. This is the slightly cheater method that she taught me in order to get me used to making them for the non-cheater technique she later showed me. I’ll do another Tips + Tricks for the regular roll hem later, don’t worry. STEP 1. Take the fabric you are roll hemming and stitch around the hem 1/8” shy of the seam allowance. If you have a 1/2” seam allowance you are going to stitch at 3/8”, if you have a 5/8” seam allowance you are going to stitch at 1/2”. STEP 2. Head over to your iron and press the seam allowance up along the stitching line, making sure that the line of stitching rolls to the top with the seam allowance. This will ensure that the line of stitching won’t show on the underside of your garments. Let me also explain why we have stitched and pressed along that stitching line rather than just measuring up 3/8” and pressing. Generally speaking you are going to get a much more even seam allowance with this stitched line than pressing the seam allowance up with a ruler and it will also be at least twice as fast. The other advantage is that if you are doing curves, the fabric will naturally want to turn up along the stitching line creating a smooth curve whereas without it you will generally have small points where the fabric wanted to press straight because of the grain and excess fabric. Also after you get the hang of it you can eliminate this step and just roll the fabric over at your machine while you sew. STEP 3. Stitch the turned edge down getting as close to the edge of the hem as possible. Here I am stitching it at 1/16” which also happens to be right on top of the stitching you turned under. STEP 4. Trim the excess seam allowance off as close to the stitching as you can. I like to cut across the back of my hand while I am holding the piece. Unfortunately I couldn’t do that while taking a photo, not enough arms. STEP 5. Head back over to the ironing board, fold the seam allowance over and press. Again you can eliminate this step when you are feeling more comfortable and just turn while stitching. STEP 6. Again stitch the turned edge down stitching along the center of the folded edge. Usually you can just follow along the stitching line that already exists and should be about 1/16” from the edge. And that’s it, you’re done! Now you’ve got a super awesome roll hem and it’s really very easy despite my over explaining in so many steps. Hope this comes in handy, and once you’re a pro at this you’ll be ready for the next step, regular roll hems. As usual if you have any questions let me know!
In this video sewing tutorial, I will show you how to sew mitered corners. If you are looking for easy quilt binding corners check out my ideas on how to sew a mitered corner binding and mitered quilt borders.
Instructions and How-To’s to Guide you through the most common sewing techniques including how to sew a zipper & insert piping into a seam.
Explore kitschycoo's 2832 photos on Flickr!
Serger tension can be tricky for the beginner sewist. But with a little bit of clarity, you’ll know exactly how to turn those dials or knobs to achieve the perfect tension for all of your sewing projects.
Whether you're an experienced sewist or a beginner just starting out, here are 15 sewing tips and tricks you need to have in your arsenal.
This tutorial will show you how to make buttonholes using the zigzag stitch method without a buttonhole presser foot. With just a few simple steps, you'll be able to create professional-looking buttonholes in no time.
Yesterday, me and the girls ( Christina , Sarah , & Liz ) went to the sewing festival over at our local fairgrounds. Although quite a sm...
Gathering fabric is beautiful, but it is also time-consuming. In this article, you will learn the easiest and fastest way to gather fabric. Any kind of it!
A reference guide on how to sew with knit fabrics. Tips for sewing with knits, along with resources and books about knit fabrics.
Shortening Metal Zippers from the Top Tutorial For when you can't get a short enough zipper for a project that you're working on, don't despair, you can shorten it. I needed to reduce the length of a couple of zippers (from 7 inches down to 3.5 inches) for exposed zipper pockets for a pair of pants I was sewing for my son, here's how I achieved that. Supplies needed: :: metal zipper :: 2 top stops (I got mine from a clothing zipper repair kit that I bought at the local fabric store) :: diagonal cutter pliers :: long nose pliers :: ruler :: disappearing ink marker :: scissors :: liquid seam sealant Starting from the bottom stop, measure the desired length of the zipper, then using a disappearing marker, make a mark on the tape. Using a disappearing ink marker, make a 2nd mark 1 inch above the 1st mark. Remove the zipper teeth between those 2 marks, using a diagonal cutter pliers cut and or pull each tooth. (Note: these metal zipper teeth can be difficult to cut, at least they were for me & watch out, they can go flying... I'm still finding little cut up metal zipper teeth all over my sewing room) Place a top stop above the highest zipper tooth, using the long nose pliers, pinch the top stop together so that it is secure. Repeat this for the other side of the zipper. With a scissors cut off the excess zipper at the 2nd mark that you made. Apply a small amount of liquid seam sealant to the cut edges, this will prevent the fabric from fraying. All done. Now you can use your new shortened metal zippers.
Today I’ll be showing you how to use a twin needle or double needle on your sewing machine all in a video tutorial. There’s a photo tutorial as well along with some great close up examples to help you be as successful as possible with sewing with a twin needle. There’s something about sewing two […]
So I know what you’re thinking…this blog is called “Kustom Kwilts”…what gives with the oilcloth? There are so many skills in sewing and quilting that can be transferred to other things-garments, bags, household and decor items. If you can sew a straight line, there are so many other amazing things you could be creating if […]
The best and easiest way to sew bias tape with mitered corners. I even made a little video for you to explain it super clearly.
Learn what is a grainline in sewing and how to align your fabric to the grain. Because it really matters which way you cut your fabric!
Recently I shared what in my opinion is the easiest way to finish the neckline and armholes of a sleeveless garment. However it only works for styles with a middle back seam.
Amigurumi refers to the crocheting of stuffed animals, toys, dolls, objects... the list goes on and on. Here are my TOP amigurumi tips and tricks!
How to do a ladder stitch (also know as an invisible stitch or hidden stitch) step by step video tutorial. This tutorial is perfect for beginners!
Recently I have needed to make lots of narrow straps: for a girl's dress (4 straps ), for a swimsuit (2 straps ) & for a chiffon dress (4 st...
Take your sewing projects to the next level using these sewing tips and tricks.
Way back when I was making my first muslins of my new running gear, I realised that the methods I’d previously used to finish knit necklines (elastic, FOE, serged bindings, etc) were just NOT…
If you are newbie to sewing, you might feel overwhelmed. We want to help you feel a little more confident by sharing these 15 sewing hacks for beginners. You might just feel like a pro once you know these few tricks.
I always love to squeeze a few sewing supplies into my Amazon orders. I actually buy quite a few of my sewing supplies online, but when I can squeeze them in to get faster shipping,
Cheat Sheets for the Knitter - tons of tips and tricks in one simple place!
