This easy technique for hand quilting requires limited skills and mimics the precision of machine quilting. 1. Load the machine, both top and in the bobbin, with water soluble thread. 2. Set the machine stitch length for the desired hand-stitch length. For the stitches to show up in this demonstration, the stitch length will be […]
ASG Conference 2018 Keynote Speech
View the Keynote speech from Deepika Prakash from Pattern Review at the 2018 American Sewing Guild annual conference in Las Vegas.
Flat Slider Zipper with Tab Locks
I Can’t Wait for this Zipper! I’ve been working on the next series for ASG, including showing different zippers and techniques for inserting them in pants and skirts. While it’s easy to be intimidated by sewing zippers, stay tuned to learn a couple of tips and tricks that will prevent it from being a difficult sewing […]
Sew Fun Tour: Go to Hong Kong? Are you kidding me?
I’d never been to more than four states and I was thinking about going to the other side of the world, all by myself. Was I crazy? The caveat was that I ‘d be with other sewers and two experienced guides. What was the worst that could happen? Maybe I’d get lost in a foreign […]
Around the Country and Around the World with Sew Fun Tours
ASG’s popular Sew Fun Tours are a great opportunity for both members and non-members to celebrate their love of sewing, adventure and FUN through one of the many Sew Much Fun tours that ASG offers. Sew Much Fun Hong Kong Sew Much Fun Los Angeles Sew Much Fun New York (Spring and Fall) Sew Much […]
Make Your Own “Sampler” Pack of Sewing Favorites
Like most sewing enthusiasts, I have sewing and embroidery supplies that I use over and over because they work well for many different applications. This is especially true for interfacings and embroidery stabilizers. To keep track of my supplies, I normally take the label off the outside of the roll and insert it inside the […]
ASG Fabric Design Contest, part 2 Q&A
Wow! Part 2 of the Fabric Design contest has generated so much excitement and interest that it has exceeded our expectations. We have received multiple questions, and I love the way we as sewers think… out of the box. So this update will serve as a reminder of the contest and address some of those […]
Learn to Sew: Intersecting Seams
When reading sewing pattern instructions, it will say to “intersect” or “cross” seams. This short video shows you how to intersect seams.
Sewing a Collar Band/Stand and Cuff
Last week I told you I’d share my final blog of the year with another new sewing technique I’ll be sharing with members. I have been frustrated all my sewing life with the way cuffs are done. The intersection between the placket and cuff are not smooth and even. This, and the collar stand, had […]
The Plight of (sewing) Intersections
Do you read pattern sewing instructions and wonder why someone hasn’t come up with a better system of sewing some areas of garments? I often do that. Specifically right now I’m talking about the intersection of the collar stand and cuff on a sleeve. Example 1 Here the front of the shirt front is folded […]
Permission to Fit!
Garment Fitting Home sewers and most educators approach fitting so differently it is no wonder it is so confusing. I like a combo of flat pattern alteration with the tweaking done in draping on the body. There is so much that plays into fitting from body structure, weight distribution, physical attributions and limitations, fabric type, […]
Create a Smooth Quilt Binding Join
I consider myself a very novice quilter although others have said I’m more intermediate to beginner-advanced. I’ve been sewing for years, I can read a pattern, sew an accurate seam allowance, and love using software and a long-arm to do my quilting. My goal has been to “perfect” (for my little quilting world) a quilt […]
Mystery of the Shrinking Embroidery Stabilizer
I love to do embroidery and when I work with cotton fabrics, I always starch them well before hooping. The starch makes the fabric crisp and the embroidery clean. After stitching, I then press again—without starch. After pressing a couple of the quilt blocks, I noticed some wrinkles along the stitching lines that I hadn’t […]
Radial Grading
Radial Grading, also known as Radial Projection, was a method used by pattern companies many years ago and I’ve often wondered why it’s not used any longer — it certainly would save a lot of paper and printing butt does require a little more effort on the part of the user. During the first part […]
RN Numbers
Clothing and Textile Manufacturer Registration Numbers Mom needed a new pair of jeans. She gave me a pair that has a hole worn in the knee and asked that I just put a patch on them because they are good enough to wear around her apartment. As a dutiful daughter, I brought them home to […]
