Teaching Sewing and Alterations for Fun or Profit
Ok, I know this isn’t an alteration, but I just have to tell you about these blankets that I make for every baby shower that I go to! I love to add a homemade touch to the registry items that are asked for. I know the new thinking surrounding baby blankets. Many new moms don’t…
Read MoreAre the sleeves on your shirts too long? Shortening sleeves is a quick alteration. This technique will work for men’s or ladies shirts that have cuffs on them. Let me show you what I did on this purple shirt: There are two rows of stitching on the top edge of the cuff It’s a little hard to see…
Read MoreMy husband had a job for many years where he had to wear dress shirts to work. Invariably, the collars would be the first thing on the shirts to wear out. It’s hard to see in this photo, below, but the collar is beyond help. It is worn out. Because my husband has his favorite…
Read MoreWe’ve covered so many ways to hem pants so far. If you’ve missed those, click on “Alterations” right here, or above, and it will lead you to all the posts I’ve written on hemming. But, for now, lets look at how to hem lining on pants or skirts. It’s very simple. Don’t be intimidated. First,…
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Do you have a tank top or sleeveless dress that doesn’t fit well on top? Is there extra fabric hanging loose between the shoulder and armpit? Alot of loose fitting tops and dresses are made without alot of tight fit to them in that area. And they just feel baggy that way, don’t they? A…
Read MoreHave you heard of a tailor tack? If you’re 50 years old or older, you probably have. If you’re a young whipper snapper or you’re new to sewing in the last 25 years, you may not have any idea what I’m talking about. So, let me first tell you what one is and what it…
Read MoreI just love my rotary cutter. Do you have one? They are so sweet. They make your sewing life a breeze. Also your quilting life. They are like a pizza cutter, except that they cut fabric. They are easy to operate. This model is made by a company called Olfa. Dritz and Omnigrid also make…
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One thing I’ve noticed is that many of my customers could do simple repairs on their own machines, but they just lack the confidence that they can do it! Do you have some webbing that is loose or chewed up by the dog? Maybe the dog leash? Maybe a backpack? Duffle bag? Repairing webbing is…
Read MoreA dear friend of mine had a bone marrow transplant for cancer and is in remission. She lost all her hair from chemo and it’s growing back. In the meantime, she is wearing scarves over her wigs and wants the scarves altered. Here is the collection of scarves that I need to alter: Maybe you…
Read MoreRecently, a reader inquired about how to hand sew a hem. So, let’s walk that through together. There are many techniques and stitches that can be used, so I just want to say up front that this is not the final word in hemming, but I hope it will help. First, if you would like to look at…
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The Sewing Garden 