How to Embellish with a Lace Insert

I love seeing how different seamstresses take the same pattern and create totally unique looks by embellishing. The sky really is the limit when it comes to our creativity! I am so excited about our tutorial today. Madeleine Trefry from Alabama Divas is here to show us how she embellishes her creations using a lace insert. Here's Madeleine!

Free Pattern! Gigi's Tube Top for Women

It’s time to do a little selfish sewing! We have a fun new pattern for you today...and it’s for women’s 

sizes! Gigi’s Tube Top is now available for download! And did we mention it’s FREE?? 

Start summer off right with this all-knit design, perfect for upcycling and using those scraps of fabric! 

Super quick and easy, you will have a comfy new wardrobe in no time! 

Gigi’s comes in sizes XS – XL! And bonus instructions for a built-in shelf bra are included in the tutorial! 

Six seams...SIX SEAMS! That’s all it takes! If you have been putting off making something fabulous for yourself, Gigi’s is the perfect way to try it out! 

You will be so happy you did! 

Printable for Serger Settings

Have you been enjoying our Serging 101 series?  If you're like me when I first started out, you might have a bunch of numbers and settings floating around in your head now!  I ended up with a bunch of sticky notes by my machine with setting reminders.  I admit that I still use those sticky notes as a quick reference! (Very helpful in the middle of the night when I'm sleep-deprived and in a hurry.)  But I must say that the sticky notes aren't very attractive and I occasionally lose them. There's probably a whole pile behind my sewing desk.  Anyway... today we have a fun printable for you that is super cute and it will free us all from the craziness of memory games and sticky notes!  

Here is an all-in-one chart of serger settings, and it can be used for most (if not all) brands and models of sergers!  All you need to do is print it out, fill in your settings, and then keep it near your machine. Of course these are only starting points for the settings. You may need to adjust based on the fabric type and thickness, etc.  As you can see, the chart has blanks for the four needle tensions, as well as the differential feed, stitch length, and stitch width when applicable.  I included some of the most commonly used functions and then also left room for you to add more if you'd like. Pretty handy!

Sewing 101: Turning a Sash

A pretty sash adds both function and style to many of our patterns. And while we do include the sash instructions right in the patterns, we thought it would be helpful to have a tutorial and video here on the blog for our Sewing 101 friends! First, we will use photos to show two ways to turn a sash, and then if you stick around there's a video to show just how quick and easy it can be to turn a sash using a dowel! There is a slow way to do it and a fast way to do it -- we much prefer the fast way so we can get on with our creativity!

Sewing 101: Clipping Corners and Curves

When we do something with repetitive skills such as sewing, I think we all tend to have our favorite parts and least favorite parts of a project. You might love picking out fabric but despise having to cut out the pieces. Another person might like sewing on buttons but grumbles when it's time to gather ruffles. Well, one of *my* favorite parts of sewing is clipping the curves!  I know that may sound funny, but when I make those tiny cuts I feel like I'm doing a little magic trick that will make everything lay perfectly. And that's what we're going to talk about today: clipping corners and curves! Whether you're new to sewing or just want to learn a little more about the proper way to clip curves, this post is for you! (And for me too, just because it's so much fun.)  Here we go!