Headband Tutorial from Georgia of Puking Pastilles
Georgia from Puking Pastilles joined us as a board member in the fall, and she’s back today to share a fun headband tutorial. The tutorial includes a free PDF download of embroidery designs inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe…

From the Archives : Hand Knit Bunny
For this installment of “From the archives” we are joined by Tonya and Mike of Natural Earth Farm who share the pattern and tutorial for knitting a hand knit bunny rabbit. This adorable bunny is not only a sweet little toy, it is also a wonderful addition to an Easter Basket. :::::::::::: This pattern is [...]

Spring Clean & Tidy Week: Yoga Mat Sling
We spent the first day of our Clean & Tidy Week, fixing up the family room. Today it’s time for an exercise break. But it still falls under the spick-and-span umbrella, because our yoga mat bag allows you to tidy all your workout clothes and accessories into one, handy over-the-shoulder sling…

Free Bettsy Kingston (Reversible) Hat ePattern
Today Benita from Bettsy Kingston generously shares a free ePattern for you to download! Benita’s pattern shows you how to make a simple, reversible head warmer in a “Viking helmet”-style. Enjoy the tutorial, and be sure to download your free Reversible Hat ePattern today…

          The armholes on most sleeveless garments are cut to comfortably encircle the arm with the upper edge resting at the shoulder point.  However, there are variations.  Garments sometimes have wider than usual shoulder widths that drop over the shoulders to create a little cap.  Others are styled with narrower shoulder widths that result in a larger and more angled armhole.

           Set in sleeves are the most widely used type.  Variations of the set in sleeve are numerous – the top edge or cap, can be slightly rounded or fully gathered; the length of the sleeve long or short; the bottom tapered, flared or gathered.

            To achieve success with any garment, it is wise to observe several principles -  (1) check the garment and sleeve fit (see diagram and instructions that follow).   (2) carefully and accurately transfer all sleeve and armhole markings to the fabric, (3) use proper pressing techniques during construction, and (4) whenever possible, finish the lower edge of the sleeve before attaching it to the garment. 

          Next week we’ll cover the subject “How To Get a Proper Sleeve Fit”.

          These “how to” tutorials are an excerpt from our book “Basic Clothing Construction”.   This book is a handy addition to have in your sewing room, so you can refer to the various sewing tips and tutorials at any time 

(1)  A straight seam is the one that is used most often.  In a well-made straight seam, the stitching is exactly the same distance from the seam edge the entire length of the seam.  In most cases, a plain straight stitch is used.  For stretchy fabrics, however, a tiny zigzag or special machine stitch may be used.

(2)  A curved seam requires careful guiding as it passes under the needle so that the entire seam line will be the same even distance from the edge.  The separate seam guide will help here, so will running the machine slower than usual.

(3)  A cornered seam needs reinforcement at the angle to strengthen it.  This is done by using small stitches for 1” on either side of the corner.  After completing the “corner” you can switch back to the regular stitch length.  It is also important to pivot with accuracy so the seam line will be correct on both sides of the corner.  When cornered seams are enclosed, as in a collar, (shown below) the corners should be blunted so that a better point results when the collar is turned.

          Blunting the corner is done by taking one stitch diagonally across the corner of a fine fabric (A); two on a medium one (B) and three stitches on a heavy or bulky fabric (C).

          These “how to” tutorials are an excerpt from our book “Basic Clothing Construction”.   This book is a handy addition to have in your sewing room, so you can refer to the various sewing tips and tutorials at any time

          A bias strip should be twice the desired finished width plus two seam allowances (A); each seam allowance would be the same width as the garment seam allowance.  The length will equal the length of the edge being faced (B) plus 2” for ease and finishing. 

          Cut out the strip; fold it in half lengthwise.  Using a steam iron, press the strip flat.  Shape the strip by pressing it again (C), stretching and curving the folded edge to mold the raw edges into a curve that matches the edge being faced.  Keep the raw edges even.

           With all the edges even, pin and baste the facing to the right side of the garment (D).  If the edges of the facing are slightly uneven from the shaping, trim and even them before pinning them to the garment.  Stitch along the seamline.  Remove the basting threads and pins that have been used.

         Trim and grade the seam just made, making sure that the garment seam allowance is the widest (E).  Clip the seam allowance with the “clips” being about an inch apart.  Extend the facing up and away from the garment and press along the seamline.  Fold the ends of the facing to the inside. 

          Turn the facing to the inside of the garment.  Pin in place along the folded edge.  Slipstitch the edge and ends of the facing to the inside of the garment.  Remove the pins and press the facing.  If a zipper closing has been used, attach a hook and eye fastener at the top of the placket.

         These “how to” tutorials are an excerpt from our book “Basic Clothing Construction”.   This book is a handy addition to have in your sewing room, so you can refer to the various sewing tips and tutorials at any time.

             To help maintain the shape of the facing, and not stretch it, it is good to staystitch a line ¼” inside the neck seamline of each facing section, as indicated in the left hand illustration show above.

            With right sides together and the markings matched, stitch the front facing sections to the back facing sections at the shoulders.  Press the seams open.  Trim the seam allowance to half the width if working with a bulky fabric; if working with fabric that will ravel it is best to leave the regular seam width, then finish the seam with a zig zag stitch.

With right sides together (A), match the notches, markings and seamlines and pin the facing to the neck opening.  If a zipper has already been inserted into the garment, open the zipper and wrap the ends of the facing to the inside around each zipper half.  Baste the facing to the garment along the neck seam line.

            Stitch the facing to the garment (B) along the neck seamline.  Secure the stitching at both ends with a short backstitch.  Check to be sure that the neck seamlines will line up with each other when the zipper is closed.  Remove the basting threads and press the seam flat.

With right sides together (A), match the notches, markings and seamlines and pin the facing to the neck opening.  If a zipper has already been inserted into the garment, open the zipper and wrap the ends of the facing to the inside around each zipper half.  Baste the facing to the garment along the neck seam line.

            Stitch the facing to the garment (B) along the neck seamline.  Secure the stitching at both ends with a short backstitch.  Check to be sure that the neck seamlines will line up with each other when the zipper is closed.  Remove the basting threads and press the seam flat.

If the neckline you’re working with is square, the facing is attached the same way as for the round neckline, but you would need to reinforce the corners by using small stitches for about an inch on both sides of the corners.  In order for the collar to lay flat when turning, it is necessary to clip into the corners as indicated above, but make sure you don’t clip too far and cut into the stitching line.

            After stitching the shoulder seams and pressing the seams flat you should finish the outer unnotched edge of the facing.  You can either turn under about ¼” seam (A) to finish, or if you’re working with a fabric that won’t ravel you can either simply pink the edges, or pink them and sew a seam close to the pinked edge to minimize stretching and raveling.

Attaching the shaped facings:

            With right sides together (A), match the notches, markings and seamlines and pin the facing to the neck opening.  If a zipper has already been inserted into the garment, open the zipper and wrap the ends of the facing to the inside around each zipper half.  Baste the facing to the garment along the neck seam line.

            Stitch the facing to the garment (B) along the neck seamline.  Secure the stitching at both ends with a short backstitch.  Check to be sure that the neck seamlines will line up with each other when the zipper is closed.  Remove the basting threads and press the seam flat.

             If the neckline you’re working with is square, the facing is attached the same way as for the round neckline, but you would need to reinforce the corners by using small stitches for about an inch on both sides of the corners.  In order for the collar to lay flat when turning, it is necessary to clip into the corners as indicated above, but make sure you don’t clip too far and cut into the stitching line.

          After stitching the facing, place the seam, wrong side up, over a tailor’s ham (D), and using the tip of the iron, press the seam open.  Press carefully and lightly to prevent the seam edges from making an imprint on the right side of the garment. 

          Next, still from the wrong side of the garment, with the facing extended away from you (E), press all the seam allowances toward the facing.  Press carefully so you don’t crease either the facing or the garment.

           Turn the facing to the inside of the garment, allowing the seamline to roll inside slightly.  Line up the facing and garment seamlines and center markings, then press along the neck edge (F).  Once the facings are lined up and pressed, they will need to be tacked in place at the seam lines.  You can either use several closely spaced whipstitches (left illustration (G)) or use a cross stitch tack (right illustration (G)), catching only the facing edge and the seam allowances of the garment.

            To secure the facing at the zipper it will be necessary to told the facing ends under and pin to the zipper tape. Make sure that the facing will not be caught in the zipper.  Open the zipper and slipstitch the facing to the zipper tape.  Close the zipper and attach a hook and eye fastener at the top of the placket.

          After cutting out the stand up collar piece, you will apply interfacing using the same method as outlined for the flat collar, except that this will be a one piece collar, with a one piece interfacing. 

          Sew the shoulder seams and all neckline darts, then staystitch the neckline of the garment to prevent stretching (A).  Clip into the neckline at one inch intervals which will permit the collar to fit smoothly onto the garment.  Be careful not to cut through the stitching line. 

          With right sides together, pin the edge of the collar to the garment, matching the notches as you pin (B).  Stitch the seam and backstitch at each end to secure the stitching.

            Press the seam open, then press it up, toward the collar (C).

            Bring the facing edge down to line up with the neck seamline (D) and pin in place.  Slipstitch the facing to the garment along the neck seamline, removing the pins as you stitch.  Press the neckline seam. 

         Attach hook and eye fasteners so that the ends of the collar meet when fastened (E).  If you have a plain stand up collar, sew the two sets of hook and eye fasteners to the inside of the collar, placing one set at the neck and the other at the top of the collar.  If you have a “turn down” standing collar (F), you would still need to attach two sets of hook and eye fasteners as indicated previously, but one extra set of fasteners should be placed at the center of the turned-down portion.

        These “how to” tutorials are an excerpt from our book “Basic Clothing Construction”.   This book is a handy addition to have in your sewing room, so you can refer to the various sewing tips and tutorials at any time.

Isn’t that just the prettiest little girl and cutest little shirt!  Thanks Jessica for the great tutorial.

Isn’t that just the cutest thing ever!  The tutorial tells how to cut the necessary pieces, how to sew them together and everything you need to know about making the Boo Boo Buddy.

Thank you Trish!  With 4 year old quadruplet grandbabies and their 5 year old big brother, we will need several of these!!

The tutorial is easy and quick, so if you have babies in your home, you still have time to make one!   Thank you so much Carrie for the super tutorial and picture.  I just wish I’d have thought about this when Denise (my daughter and partner) gave birth to quadruplets!  They were born 8 weeks early, so most of them spent the first 6-8 weeks of their life in NICU – but look at them in their red outfits when they were about 6 months old!  Wouldn’t they have looked soooo cute wrapped up with Carries wrapping and bows!

And here are the “preemies” at 4 years of age — all healthy and growing like weeds!

Phyllis Dobbs has a tutorial ready for you to begin sewing that perfect Christmas apron.  Check out this snazzy apron, then dig into YOUR fabric stash for Christmas fabrics.

Thank you Phyllis for the super cute apron — think I’ll dig into my fabric stash as well.

If you’d like to dress up some of those aprons made from jeans, you can do the same thing by adding Christmasy trims, ties and ruffles.  The jeans aprons are especially easy and quick to make.

I LOVE aprons — there are so many cute styles, and most are easy and quick to make.