New Improved Seam Roll

A seam roll that WONT flatten over time. Check out the complete tutorial at Threads.

DIY Bias Tape

Turn your own strips of fabric into double-fold bias tape. All you need is an ironing board, a hot iron, a measuring tape or ruler and a long needle. Check out the complete tutoral at Creative Little Daisy. or more on using bias tape at Pickup Some Creativity.

GREAT post on continuous bias, and how much yardage for your desired length and width.

Interfacing

Some really great tips, geared towards making handbags, but applies to interfacing in general. Check out You Sew, Girl! for the complete tutorial.

Beginning Sewing Basics

Patterns Demystified!

Tips for Working With Patterns

How to Take Measurements

How to Alter Pants Patterns

Modifying Pants Patterns for Babies and Kids

Interfacing Guide

How to Set in a Sleeve -- alothough personally I don't sew the side seams and the underarm seams first ... I set the sleeve, then sew the underarm and side seam in one long seam!

Buttonholes - basic and corded

Centered Zipper - using GLUE .... what an interesting idea!

Sewing on Oilcloth (and Vinyl)


How to Spring Clean your Sewing Machine


Spring Clean Your Sewing Room -- which is full of tips and organization ideas

Favorite Sewing Tips, Part One, Two and Three.

How to Make Your Own Spray Starch
why would you want to use spray starch?! i was wondering the same thing ... p.s. the lavender is in the recipe is an antiseptic and acts as a preservative (plus it smells super great while you are pressing). and p.s. starching clothing makes them last longer as the perspiration and dirt sticks to the starch instead of the fibers.
here are some tips on using starch and quilting ... but the same priciples apply to sewing ...
Use spray starch to stabilize slinky fabrics as you cut and sew. Most of the starch will be removed as you handle and sew the fabric, the remainder can be washed out before you wear the garment.
Generation Quilt Patterns
Tips Page 1 and Tips Page 2

Fabric Folding

Fabric folding method that is awesome and will keep your organized. Check out the complete tutorial at Happy Zombie.

Presser Feet

Information on Essential Presser Feet. Check out My Measuring Tape and ikatbag, or Sew, Mama, Sew which is loaded with information.

Make Your Own Ham (or Seam Roll)

Check out the complete tutorial at My Measuring Tape. Generally they are made with one side flannel and one side canvas (or twill).

How to Mark Points From Patterns

How to transfer important points on the pattern to your fabric. Check out the complete tutorial at ikatbag. Instead of using a marker, pencil or chalk on the mark, I generally just stick a pin in that spot ... that's the lazy method.

Sewing Tip: Trash Bowl

The Cozy Apartment shares the idea of using Rachel Ray's trash bowl idea in the sewing room. I totally do this too, so I figured I should share. I bought a cheap slender trash bin at the dollar store. I used to keep those loose threads on the end of the sewing table and inevitably they would get all over EVERYTHING. Now when I'm sewing I throw loose threads, serger chains, and small fabric scraps in the bowl. When I'm done (or when it gets full) the whole thing gets dumped into the trash can.

Jeans Fly - Zipper

How to sew a jeans zipper fly. Check out the complete tutorial at Stitches and Seams.

Perfect Curved Patch Pocket

Easy method for PERFECT curves. Check out the complete tutorial at Stitches and Seams.

Divide Serger Thread

Save yourself some money by only buying ONE spool of serger thread, especially when it's a weird color that you won't use often. Check out the complete tutorial at My Measuring Tape. Be sure to read the comments, there are some other ideas there as well.

Resource: Where to buy knit and other fabrics

Sew Liberated has some great some great links ... and some that are really expensive. Be sure to read the comments as there as some great resources there as well.



Made by Rae shares her sources in her tutorial for making baby tights.



MADE tells us where to get some in downtown LA, with some online links at the end.



**My** favorites are Spandex World and Fabric.com.



jersey, interlock, etc ....

Tips for Sewing with Knits

For some reason knits are scary to most home sewers. You don't need a serger, here are some of my favorite tips and techniques for sewing with knits on your regular sewing machine.

Sew, Mama, Sew has some tips, plus how to do a mock-coverstitch.

Sew, Mama, Sew has even more tips on embellishing and appliques using knits ... including adding woven ruffles to knits fabric. Just remember to remove your gathering stitches after sewing on with a zig-zag or it wont stretch!!

MADE has some tips on her tutorial for the 90-Minute shirt, inlcuding binding with rib knits.

Fishsticks and Fries has tips including hemming.

Hemming Techniques for knits ... VIDEOS!!!

Including: Coverstitch, Rolled-Hem, Lettuce Edge, Faux-Coverstitch, ZigZag

Sew, Mama, Sew has an all about sergers, (that serger is a GREAT beginning serger and reasonably priced!)

Threads primer on sewing knits.

My favorite book, Sew U: Home Stretch by Wendy Mullin. She discusses sewing with a traditional sewing machine as well as a serger and even touches on coverstitch machines (lightly).

Some recommend using spray starch to help stabilize knits while sewing ... I've never tried it since I use my serger and not my sewing machine ... but here is a recipe on how to make your own spray starch (scroll to the bottom).

Sewing Tool - Bamboo Skewer

Check out the complete tutorial at Southern Matriarch.

Sewing in Zippers

Sooner or later you're going to have to get over your fear of zippers. Check out the complete tutorial at Threads, it includes instructions for a centered zipper, a lapped zipper and an invisible zipper. Or check out this video for an easy flat front fly-zipper.

Picking the Right Sewing Machine Needle

Have you ever wondered how to pick the right sewing machine needle, check out this article at Threads. Here is another article on sewing machine needles at Threads.

How to Replace a Broken Zipper

Ever wonder how to replace a broken zipper? Check out the complete tutorial at Threads.

Knits vs. Wovens, What's the Difference?

Are you unsure of what the difference is between knits and wovens? Check out this great article at Threads. Here is a great article on knowing your knits at Threads, or this one at Threads also discusses which types of knits are best for different projects.

Pattern Layouts

Laying out your pattern on your fabric before cutting is an important step that must be done carefully and accurately for good looking results. Check out the complete tutorial and tips at Threads.