Sewing: Expert Guides and Resources

When I was new to my career, there was information I wished I could get my hands on as I was learning more about the craft. (I’m talking about inside-the-industry information — way past what I learned in college). The information in this Cheat Sheet is what I was thrilled to learn (and have often forgotten until I was ready to put it in to practice).

This video "short" clearly illustrates exactly how to sew a button onto fabric, from threading the needle to snipping off the excess thread. You also learn how to create a "shank" to keep the thread in place.

When shopping, you may find the fabric you’re looking for...and a whole lot more to inspire you. When you don’t have a particular pattern in mind but find fabric that would, for example, make a great pair of dress pants, you can use this guide to help you buy enough fabric when the creative mood strikes.Because fabric also comes in several widths, and your pattern envelope may only give you yardage requirements for two widths, you can refer to this guide to buy the correct amount for the width of the fabric.

Many people have an idea what their measurements are, but rather than assume you know, it's best to get an accurate measurement. Going to a tailor will give you more accurate measurements, but you can certainly get a close approximation handling the measuring tape yourself.The measurements you definitely need are your chest, waist, hips, and inseam.

A duvet is a fluffy comforter that's slipped into a duvet cover. You can make this quick duvet cover out of bedsheets, so your duvet will be as easy to care for as the sheets on your bed.To make this duvet cover, you need the duvet you intend to cover at hand so that you can measure it. You also need the following materials, in addition to your arsenal of basic sewing equipment: Flat sheets to cover the front and the back of the duvet.

By using grafting (also known as the Kitchener stitch), you can join two knitted pieces. Grafting stitches is a way to mock knitting by using a tapestry needle, and it creates a very stretchy and almost invisible join.Leave a yarn tail for grafting about four times the width of the piece and, with a tapestry needle, run a piece of scrap yarn through the stitches.

Replacing the fabric gives your dining room chairs a whole new look at a fraction of the cost (and environmental impact) of buying new ones — and minimizing environmental impact is what green living is all about. Before you get started, make sure that the chair frames are sound and repair them as necessary. Then follow these steps for re-upholstering each seat:Remove the seat pad from the chair by removing the screws that hold it to the frame.

Even though a sewing pattern might be labeled "easy" or "quick," the pattern instruction writers sometimes assume that you have a certain amount of general sewing knowledge. Nothing can be more intimidating than trying to figure out what all the hieroglyphics are on the various parts of a pattern. Don't have a pattern panic attack!