I always tell new sewers who are driving themselves crazy with detail and trying to make everything painstakingly accurate that they’re in luck — a meticulous (even picky) personality will make you a great seamstress! “But don’t drive yourself crazy,” I add. “It’s just fabric and thread, and it will naturally move and adjust.” But, having a […]
I can’t remember when or where I learned this technique to hem sheer silk fabric and other delicate materials. It could have been 10 or even 20 years ago. But I’ve always felt like it’s one of my best techniques. A secret stitch! One of my super expert tips! It’s just so easy to do […]
Did you make a new year’s resolution to learn how to sew? Can I just be the first person to say, YES, GO FOR IT! I’m encouraging everyone out there to finally learn how to sew (if you don’t know how to sew already) or to finally improve your sewing skills and refine your sewing […]
Guilty pleasure: I watch Kathie Lee and Hoda Kotb on The TODAY Show every chance I can! Their show kicks off my day with a fresh, happy start, and I just love their energy together. (I also love Hoda’s playlist!) It was such an honour when they asked me to come on their show to […]
An original hem is THE way to hem your jeans properly. It keeps the store-bought distressed hem of your jeans in tact, and it doesn’t look like you’ve done a home-sewing hack on your pants. (Hello Grade 6 flashbacks when my mom used to do a topstitch hem on my cords. OUCH!) Some people call this hem […]
Great news: You don’t need a serger to sew stretch fabric. I sewed an easy stretch fabric dress for my daughter (no pattern required!) using only a using a sewing machine. Here are my top four tricks to sew stretch fabric: Use a ballpoint needle on your sewing machine — its rounded tip doesn’t puncture stretch fabric […]
It always blows my mind to see the new things many sewing machines can do these days. Thinking back to my grandma’s vintage sewing machine or even my mom’s 1980s clunker that she still uses today (ugh, I’ve tried to get her to upgrade, but she just won’t!), sewing machines really have come a long way. Brother’s […]
When you’re sewing, having the right tools is always important. But even before you sew, tools play an important role in prepping your fabric and your project. When I’m securing pattern pieces to my fabric (or when I’m securing fabric to fabric for sewing), I use specific tools, and I’ve got some tips for making the most […]
What do these sewing terms mean? I’ve been compiling this list since 2004, and now it’s all in one place for you. Here is your master glossary of sewing terms so you never need to wonder again about a definition. Can’t find the sewing terms you’re looking for? Leave it in the comments below and I […]
It was the manager of Vancouver‘s ultimate fabric store, Fabricana, who showed me this sewing technique. And my life has never been the same! LOL! Seriously. It’s the best. How do you sew a sharp corner? It’s not what you’d guess. And if you think your corners are already pretty good, this simple sewing technique […]
