News — Sewing Notions

You have your pattern picked out and you are on the way to the fabric store. Depending on what you're planning to sew, your pattern should tell you whether you need a woven fabric, a knit fabric or a stretch fabric. Each of these has its own set of qualities and properties. Understanding these differences and matching them to the kind of garment you want to make is important for sewing a successful project. Woven Fabrics                    Straight of Grain                                                   Bias A woven fabric has fibres running parallel to the selvedge (the finished sides of the fabric). These are called the...

PDF patterns are a modern convenience. I've also heard them called a modern nuisance. A lot has happened in the world of PDF patterns since those early days and I think PDF patterns have a lot to offer. PDF patterns are fast. Almost as soon as you pay for them they are sitting in your inbox ready to go. There are no shipping costs or shipping delays to deal with. PDF patterns can also be printed multiple times. If you cut the wrong size or your pet chews the living daylights out of the centre back panel you can just...

I like to imagine the intricate robots with their delicate fingers, that must work on the principles of static electricity, folding tissue paper patterns with absolute precision. This origami magic is clearly not the work of human beings. I have to imagine it that way so that my self-esteem doesn't plummet and take my sewing mojo with it. Tissue paper patterns are a pain. A sort of necessary evil. I haven't met anyone who admits to liking them. There are a few people that I've met who actually refuse to sew based solely on their hatred for the stuff. Sewing...

I sometimes think about how wonderful it would be to have the pattern designer sitting next to me when I open up a pattern and start to sew. We would chat about the inspiration for the design and I would get all of the dirt on design changes. There would be a lot of sewing talk as pattern pieces were nudged into place on the fabric. And when I started to sew she would gently stop me and explain that she much prefers 1/2" seam allowance. She proceeds to tell me the story of how she once had an instructor...

There are times throughout most sewing projects when things can feel overwhelming. None more so than at the very beginning. The choices seem endless: style, fabric, buttons, snaps, sleeve lengths, skirt lengths, welt pockets, patch pockets, bold patterns, plain colours, to have contrasting fabric, to not have contrasting fabric. But being able to sort through all of these things and pick exactly what we want is also where the fun lies. Striking a balance between the two is the key. Picking out a pattern is usually the first step when starting a project. Once it's picked, I like to take...