Sewing Tips and Techniques

Velvet has had a serious comeback in recent years and is the perfect fabric for your autumn winter wardrobe. It is soft and warm against the skin making it perfect for everyday wear, but also packs some serious punch in the glamour stakes - hello knock out evening dress! In this article we'll give you our top tips for sewing with velvet, share our sexy new velvet fabrics and give you some serious inspo and and ideas for projects using this delicious fabric. Continue reading →

Personally I love a V neck and find them very flattering. They seem to accentuate the bust whilst also revealing the collar bone for a nice slimming effect. I'd never sewn one in jersey until I made my tropical maxi dress and was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to draft and sew a knit V neck. Continue reading →

A coverstitch binding attachment will help you to achieve perfect and professional knit and jersey neckbands every time. No more stress, no more holding of breath, just straight forward, easy knit neckbands in one simple step. In this video I'll demonstrate exactly how it works and where you can find the attachment for your coverstitch/coverlock machine to make your perfect jersey neckband dreams a reality! Continue reading →

This double cuff tutorial is a great way to change the sleeve design of a garment. I always think a rolled up cuff looks modern and casual. A kind of 'I just threw this on, but my look is totally put together' vibe. Learn how to do it in just a few easy steps. Continue reading →

Hi and welcome to the Sew Essential vlog. Today I wanted to share some of the fantastic new products we've recently added to the website. There are so many fun and inventive products to make your life easier and help you to get great results with your sewing projects. These are just a few of my favourites - I would be here all day if I tried to talk about all of them! As always the links to our website where you can find the products are below. Continue reading →

Buttonholes are a crucial part of many sewing projects, but can be a scary prospect. Adding buttonholes is often one of the final steps in a project making it even more nerve wracking. Get them wrong and it could spoil all of your hard work - gulp! In this article we share our top tips and techniques to keep you cool as a cucumber when completing this vital step. You never know, you might even grow to like them! Continue reading →

Love it or hate it, finishing seams is a crucial step in producing a well made garment. Using an overlocker or overcasting stitch on your machine are the most common techniques, but there are plenty of other fun alternatives to try. In this article we share a few of the most common seam finishing techniques that might just crank up the excitement levels when it comes to this step in your dressmaking! Continue reading →

We recently started hosting Q&A vlogs, which have been hugely popular and a great way to interact with our lovely customers and followers. It has also increased our awareness of what you would like to learn more about hence today's blog article on sewing with a twin needle. In this article we'll take you through twin needle basics and look at trouble shooting when you don't quite get the results you're looking for. Continue reading →

Have you ever fancied sewing with leather or faux leather? If so you are in luck. This week we are sharing a beautiful bag made from faux leather and her top tips for getting great results with these fabrics. For an extra little twist we machine embroidered a design onto the faux leather so there are tips for that too! Continue reading →

This week's vlog is all about you! Just before Christmas we invited you to ask us any burning questions and we promised to answer them in the New Year. So here are the answers and thank you for some really interesting questions. Also please do join in the fun with what will become a regular feature on the vlog and leave any questions you have in the comments below. Continue reading →

Often in sewing the most basic techniques, such as how to trim and grade seams, are the most important. The first time I ever sat down at a sewing machine I looked to achieve a professional finish. In other words to create a garment where the construction and finish is as good as a well made shop bought item. If you can achieve it the chances are you will feel even happier with your latest make and will want to wear it even more. To create the sought after 'professional finish' you will need to use a number of the basic techniques I refer to, including trimming and grading seams. In this article we share our top tips for how to trim and grade like a pro. Continue reading →

Now the winter chill is setting in we are reaching for our cosy knit and jersey fabrics. Although you can create knit garments on a sewing machine, you can also make them using an overlocker. However, I've often heard people say they only use their overlocker for finishing seams. In this article we'll share some tips and techniques to help you gain confidence in this area and get the most out of your machine. Even if you are confident on your overlocker there are some handy little tips you may find useful. Continue reading →