Category: Sewing hacks & Tips
Sew a lettuce hem in jersey fabric
It's super simple to sew a lettuce hem on a sewing machine, and the only things you need are your standard presser foot and a zigzag stitch. In this description, I've used the Halvtimmestop pattern, where I sewed a lettuce hem instead of a regular hem. A lettuce hem is sewn by stretching the fabric, so you need jersey fabric—for example, cotton jersey—to be able to...
Blanket stitch hemming
Store-bought clothes have many nice details that you might not think you can replicate on a domestic machine, but most things can actually be made in a similar way, even if you don't have a plethora of different industrial machines. Cute scalloped edges, for example, can be sewn using a blind hem stitch. In this description, I have...
Simple seam binding
Many people find it difficult to sew binding and think that you need a binding attachment to get a neat result. Here I will show a little trick for how you can apply binding in an alternative way. In this description, I've used the Basic Dress pattern, where I am binding the armhole instead of attaching...
From pants to shorts
Here, pants break before they are outgrown. It's often the knees that have taken a beating from the children crawling around on the floor and playing. I will show a method here for transforming pants into shorts to extend the use of the textile. I have used a pair of broken Joni leggings in this...
Sew a hidden zipper
Zippers were something I avoided for a long time because I could never get them even. But with this method of sewing an invisible zipper, it's hard to fail. In this guide, I've used the Party Perfect Dress pattern where I want a zipper on the back. You need: A zipper, preferably an invisible/concealed variant (the...
Pattern grading
All sewing patterns, especially free patterns, have a limited range of sizes. In this guide, you will get tips on how to grade sizes, which means creating more sizes than those included in the pattern. The prerequisite for you to be able to do this according to this guide is that you have, at least, two consecutive sizes...
Sew briefs elastics
It can be a little tricky to get underwear elastic attached well and neatly, so in this guide, I describe the method that I use. I have used the Damien Underwear pattern in this description. As materials, in addition to the fabric for the underwear, you need: Marking pen Ruler Pins You can click on the images in the description to make the...
Troubleshooting tips
It sometimes happens that the machine misbehaves. For example, it might sound much louder than usual or the seam doesn't look the way it should. In the vast majority of cases, these are operator errors that you can easily fix yourself. You can click on the images to make them larger.
Useful things
There are obvious accessories you need when sewing, like scissors, needle, and measuring tape. But there are also many other clever things that you wonder how you managed without before you acquired them. Here are some tips on sewing accessories you might need. Do you have any accessory you absolutely can't manage without that I...
Quick beginners tips
On this page you will find various short sewing tips that are primarily aimed at beginners. The tips will be added continuously, so feel free to return to the page regularly. If there is something specific you would like tips on, or want to share a tip about yourself, please leave a comment at the bottom of the page. You can click on the images...