When you need to buy pants, you may be overwhelmed by the measurement terms that get flung around, such as inseam and outseam, rise, and waist. While this can seem confusing, learning to take your own measurements for pants and shorts will help you buy clothes that fit you perfectly! The good news is that …
I have noticed that when it comes to wearing ripped jeans, there needs to be a balance. The right amount of tearing can make your jeans look deliberately edgy and stylish. Too much ripping, however, and your jeans will inevitably look sloppy and on the verge of falling apart. When rips in jeans go too …
Jeans go with so many different styles, from tees to blazers to high heels! The only thing that doesn’t look good with a jeans outfit is saggy, too-loose jeans that don’t fit you. Fortunately, you can learn how to make jeans tighter in just a few simple steps! The best ways to make jeans tighter …
While testing a new sewing pattern the other day, I came across a step requiring interfacing. Interfacing is a sewing product that can easily confuse new sewers, especially since many patterns don’t fully explain how to use it. So what is interfacing in sewing? Interfacing is a permanent lining attached to fabrics, giving them added …
If you enjoy sewing your own clothing, you’ve probably come across a pattern that asks you to use seam binding to finish your edges. What is seam binding? And more importantly, how can you tell you’ve found the right product for your project? Seam binding, or specifically seam binding ribbon, is a flexible rayon strip …
Felt has a unique texture which can make it hard to get it to stick to certain surfaces. That’s not what you want if you have an idea for a project in mind involving felt. Luckily, some types of glue work better than others for gluing felt. But what’s the best glue to use for …
Have you ever gone clothes shopping only to find that half of the garments you select do not flatter your figure? If so, you have experienced the dilemma of one-size-fits-all ready-wear clothing. The best way to bypass that hassle is to learn how to take measurements for clothes! The best way to take measurements for …
A grommet or eyelet can make all the difference when you add the finishing touches to a garment. However, these two products are often confused because of their similar appearance and use. The confusion is so widespread that even some retailers use the two names interchangeably. The main difference between grommet and eyelet is that …
Like the gears inside a clock, the inner workings of a sewing machine may seem mysterious or complicated at first glance. What is a bobbin, and do you need this part of your sewing machine? The answer is yes, but the good news is that you can easily learn how to use a sewing machine …
There’s nothing more frustrating than when you accidentally snag your favorite blouse and tear it. Suddenly, the fabric starts fraying and if you don’t act fast to stop it, your small problem can become a very big. But how exactly do you stop fabric from unraveling in situations like these? You can keep fabric from …
Sewing machines have come a long way since the invention of treadle-powered machines in the late 1800s. But despite all the advances, every sewing machine still uses a set of basic parts. This means that understanding the parts of a sewing machine and their functions will help you sew! The basic parts of a sewing …
Canvas is known for being a durable, heavy-duty fabric, often used for making backpacks and bags, sails, tents, and even shoes – items that require some level of sturdiness. Being a thicker fabric, you may wonder how you might be able to sew canvas at home. There are several methods you can use to sew …
Whether you are on a quest to find a bra that fits or you want to order a tailored dress online, you will need to know how to take an accurate bust measurement! You may not know that you can use several methods to take your own bust measurement. Fortunately, you can learn how to …
You probably have a whole dresser drawer full of old t-shirts collected at concerts, sports games, or vacation gift stores! If this t-shirt collection starts to feel boring or out of date, you may want to consider updating the neckline of the old shirts to give them a new life. If you want to try …
A good outfit can go a long way towards helping you to make a statement by looking your best. Sadly, a baggy and shapeless suit bought off-the-rack won’t help you to do this. Many savvy suit wearers use tailors to fit their clothes to their personal size and style. But how long does it take …
Maybe you started a new diet and it worked better than expected, or you just like to shop the sales rack and bring home the clothes that almost fit you. Either way, you may find yourself stuck with many too-big dresses in your closet! Don’t worry, though, because you can learn how to make a …
While beautiful, luxuriant, and strong, silk is also delicate and easily wrinkled. Can you iron silk without damaging it? Do you have to iron silk, or are there other methods to remove wrinkles? Silk is expensive; is it better to take silk to a professional to have it laundered and pressed? With care and proper …
Finding the perfect wedding dress may feel like an impossible quest after you try on a dozen beautiful gowns that don’t seem quite right for you. But what if you find an almost-perfect dress that would fulfill all of your dreams if the dress just had sleeves? Go ahead and buy the dress because you …
If you have ever ordered pants online in your usual size only to find that the waist does not zip shut or the seat bags out on you, you know how hard it is to find clothing that fits you just right! A size ten in one brand may fit you like a glove, while …
Antique and vintage sewing machines often come built into beautiful sewing tables or cabinets. But the elegant Martha Washington sewing cabinet often came built separately from the sewing machine. If you like antique furniture in the style of the Revolutionary War, you will want to find out all about Martha Washington-style sewing cabinet value! Martha …
Jeans last so long that after a while they start to feel like they have their own personalities, don’t they? You almost certainly have a favorite pair of jeans for yard work, a favorite pair of stretch jeans for wearing to Target, and maybe even a favorite pair of jeans for wearing with heels out …
Whether you want to shop online or sew your own clothes, you need to master your own measurements to end up with clothing that fits you. Sometimes this gets confusing. For example, when you compare waist vs hip measurements, what is the difference? A hip measurement describes the circumference around the widest point of the …
If you look at the seams in store-bought clothes, you will notice that these seams have a thread casing neatly wrapping over the cut edge of the fabric. This extra-sturdy type of sewing comes from a serger instead of a traditional sewing machine! But what exactly is a serger sewing machine? A serger uses looped …
Most antique sewing machines come built into a wooden table that holds a foot-powered treadle. Wooden sewing machine tables often have beautiful, intricate cast-iron legs and decorative carvings. Antique sewing machine table value varies depending on the brand and condition of the piece. The average value for an antique sewing machine table containing a machine …
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all the sizes and measurement charts as you shop for clothes? One of the trickiest sizing issues is getting shirts, underclothes, and jackets that fit right in the chest. The good news is that you can learn how to measure chest size and prepare ahead of time for your …
So you bought a heat press and want to get started using it to decorate t-shirts. But where can you get cool designs to press onto the tees? You can buy custom-made or ready-made transfers, but you can also easily learn how to make your own screenprint transfers! Making a screen print transfer requires printing …
Vinyl cutting has long been used to create signage for businesses, but it has also become a popular craft lately. Some people have even turned that craft into a small business, making t-shirts, tote bags, and other accessories that contain vinyl lettering. Whether you’re new to vinyl cutting or just need easy-to-use software, you may …
If you have ever worn a sweater with too-long sleeves to an important event like a first date, you know the important role sleeve length plays in your personal style! But finding clothing that fits the length of your arms can prove challenging. Fortunately, you can learn how to measure sleeve length using a few …
Originally designed to withstand the rigors of mining and ranch work, jeans can hold up well to all kinds of wear and tear! But over time, even the sturdiest of jeans can have an accident like a lost or broken button. These pants use a special button, but you can learn how to fix a …
Have you ever found yourself staring at the large rack of zippers in a sewing store, wondering if you should get a 7” nylon zipper or a 12” exposed zipper for your next project? You probably use zippers every day on your clothing and bags, but you may never really think about how many varieties …
