Learn the essential sewing skills every beginner needs to get started with confidence. This category covers sewing fundamentals such as fabric types, tools and equipment, sewing terminology, cutting and pressing techniques, machine setup, and simple stitches. You’ll find step-by-step tutorials, practical tips, and troubleshooting advice designed to build strong foundations for garment sewing, pattern drafting, and DIY projects. Perfect for beginners and a helpful refresher for experienced sewists looking to master the basics and improve sewing accuracy and results.
To complete a classic shirt or shirt dress with long sleeves, you will need to draft a shirt sleeve cuff pattern. A shirt cuff finishes the sleeve opening, controls the wrist fit, and together with a sleeve placket allows the hand to pass through the sleeve comfortably. In this tutorial I show how to draft […]
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Knowing how to draft a shirt collar pattern allows you to expand your handmade wardrobe to include well-fitting shirts and shirt dresses. In this step-by-step tutorial I show how to draft a shirt collar pattern that fits any collar stand, using a collar stand drafted from a basic bodice block. You can read more about the collar stand
How to Draft a Shirt Collar Pattern (Step-by-Step Tutorial) Read More »
Knowing how to draft a collar stand sewing pattern is a fundamental skill in shirt pattern drafting. In this step-by-step collar stand drafting tutorial, I will show you exactly how to draft a collar stand pattern from your bodice neckline measurement, so it fits accurately and sits comfortably around the neck. You can use this
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In this beginner-friendly tutorial, you will learn how to draft a button stand step by step using a bodice block, explaining exactly how to calculate the correct width for any button size so your finished garment sits flat and professional. I draft all of my shirt and shirt dress patterns from a basic bodice block,
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In this step-by-step sewing tutorial, I will show you exactly how to sew a buttonhole on a sewing machine using three methods: one-step automatic, four-step, and manual zigzag. You will also learn how to prevent puckering, uneven stitching, and thread jams so your buttonholes look clean and professional. I have sewn buttonholes on shirts, shirt
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If you want to start drafting your own sewing patterns, you do not need a studio full of specialist equipment. In this guide, I will show you the essential sewing pattern drafting tools I personally use, explain why they matter, and help you avoid buying tools you do not actually need. I have been drafting
Sewing Pattern Drafting Tools You Actually Need Read More »
In this step-by-step bias binding tutorial for beginners, you will learn exactly how to make bias binding (also called bias tape) using three practical methods: individual strips, continuous bias binding (no-waste method), and semi-continuous bias strips. Whether you need single fold bias tape, double fold bias tape, or a simple raw-edge bias finish, this guide
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In this blog post I will show you how to add seam allowance to your drafted or traced sewing pattern at the drafting and cutting stage. I draft my own garment patterns for personal wear and blog tutorials, working primarily with natural fibres such as cotton, linen, hemp, rayon, and wool. The seam allowance recommendations
How to Add Seam Allowances to Sewing Patterns (Drafting & Fabric Cutting Guide) Read More »
In this tutorial I will show you how I apply a reverse appliqué to a T-shirt for my child’s School’s Number Day using a standard sewing machine. It is a fantastic upcycling technique and an easy way to add visual interest to a plain or worn T-shirt. I have been sewing garments and drafting patterns
Easy Reverse Appliqué T-Shirt Tutorial for Beginners (No Embroidery Machine) Read More »
In this beginner-friendly wrap skirt sewing tutorial, I’ll show you how to sew a simple wrap skirt using an A-line skirt block—no zips, no buttons, and no complicated construction. This tutorial follows directly from my wrap skirt pattern drafting guide, where I show how to draft the pattern from a basic A-line skirt block. I’m sewing
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