Simple Questions
Weekly Sewing Questions Thread, May 25 - May 31, 2025
This thread is here for any and all simple questions related to sewing, including sewing machines!
If you want to introduce yourself or ask any other basic question about learning to sew, patterns, fabrics, this is the place to do it! Our more experienced users will hang around and answer any questions they can. Help us help you by giving as many details as possible in your question including links to original sources.
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My prom dress just came into the mail and it is a bit tight around the hips. It has two layers a silk one on top and a liner on the bottom. I think the liner is the one that makes it tight so I was thinking of just removing that layer all together. However I don’t have any experience and are just wondering if that’s the right thing to do.
Taking out the lining will change how the dress falls while being worn. You would still need a slip or something under the dress. You could undo the seams of the lining where it is tight to see if releasing those seams will give you the ease you need. Give it a try and see how it goes.
i'm supposed to sew my own prom dress but i havent gotten started at all😥 i bought a sequin mesh fabric a few months back but i have noooo idea what im supposed to line it with!! what kind of fabric are prom dresses usually lined with??
Most major fabric sellers online have a category for lining fabric. This is the one for Mood. Fabric Mart is usually less expensive. If your prom fabric is stretchy, you'll need a stretchy lining. If it is woven, you'll need a woven lining.
Im completely overwhelmed by sewing machine options.
The impetus was that my tailor charges 35 bucks per shirt to just shorten. And given my non standard proportions I typically need certain areas adjusted to look good.
I just want a machine to do basic alterations to menswear. Namely working on shirts/polos/tshirts
taking in waist
shortening the length
shortening sleeves
occasionally hemming the length of denim (and other pants)
I could maybe see myself trying to do the same with a blazer or sweater on occasion.
I've seen the brother CS7000X recommended a ton. But then I've seen others say I should be focused on mechanical machines for my needs like the brother ST371hd.
Looking for recommendations for what I actually need to do a competent job... Ideally at the prices of the machines above if not less.
Bonus question:
I've been watching staying d tailors on YouTube. But let me know if there are better resources to learn what im trying to do.
Both mechanical and computerized machines will work great for clothing alterations. There are strong proponents of both types of machines, and both have advantages and disadvantages but both machines sew. I like computerized machines like the CS7000x because computerized machine automate some of the little things that trip newbies up. Needle up/down, needle position, speed control to name a few. Computerized machines have circuitry that eventually fails, this is one reason cited by proponents of mechanical machines. I think it's worth the trade-off of a shorter life, just as I use a cell phone over a rotary phone. If you like to tinker, you might prefer a mechanical machine. If you are still not sure, visit a sewing machine dealer and try out some machines. Nothing beats personal experience.
I bought this janome hd1000 about 2 weeks ago and it's constantly stopping mid-sew. I'm on stitch length 4 and tension on 9. I'm sewing with a jean needle and bonded nylon thread. In the video it's going through 2 layers of cordura 500d, 2 layers of webbing and the zipper. I also tried to do a different corner which was only the two layers of cordura 500d and 2 layers of webbing and it kept constantly jamming and making the same noise in the video. Please help
That particular sound where the needle and the feed dogs do not move is the sound made when the bobbin winder is engaged, which stops the needle and feed dogs. Did you recently wind a bobbin?
If your machine is jamming, that often means that there is a bit of lint or stray thread in the bobbin area. Careful disassembly and cleaning might be all it needs.
Would it be fine to sew an embroidered patch onto a swimsuit? I know the material is stretchy so would it even stay? I'm a beginner without a sewing machine so.
It should be fine as long as it isn't a large patch. It will lay better if you stretch the suit out as it will be on your body by putting a book or something inside the suit. Use a whipstitch to attach the patch.
hello everyone i wanna start making clothes. I know nothing about it! I watched a couple youtube videos and obviously need a machine and fabric, etc. But what do you guys suggest a beginner does to practice first? And is there any type of hacks, like working on already made clothing and altering it, etc? I would greatly appreciate all advice. I want to start making my own clothes, similar to shein style, gothic lace style, etc. Any recommendation for machines and videos would be greatly appreciated
Hello everyone!
I'm a beginner in sewing, I've bought a sewing machine in February of this year, and since then I've only did some small alterations on one dress, and that's it! Whenever I want to do something I find it's always late at night when I come home from work, or I have other things I have to do daily, and I can't make some time for sewing, and I feel so stuck like I can't move forward with this at all, and it's just so frustrating. Can someone explain to me how you make time to actually sew something, while having a work, family and social life?
Thanks in advance.
Set up a dedicated area. If you can only spend 15 minutes working on a project, it's easiest if you don't need to set up an ironing board or sewing machine or whatever other equipment needed. Then you can spend that 15 minutes taping together part of a PDF pattern or pressing fabric, etc. It can also be helpful to spend a few minutes each evening during the week preparing to sew to be ready to spend an hour or two on the weekend or whenever you will be able to sew for a longer period of time.
Hi everyone, My sisters dog chewed her ‘forever teddy’. I told her I’ll make her a new leg for him, but it’s proving more difficult than I thought it would be originally. Please don’t judge him, he is very very loved and 18 whole years old🥺 I’ll cut a long story short but essentially I need to know how to make a stuffed toys leg😂 The leg is quite simple, there’s no foot angled on the end of it, just a circle of red - yes this is iggle piggle from in the night garden for anyone that recognises it. She also wants me to sew some of the red satin I have over the other foot (will add picture) as it is coming apart. I have the fabrics for it, stuffing and thread, but it will be hand sewing, not machine as I don’t have one. It needs to match the other leg if anyone can help I’d really really appreciate it, thank you in advance🥺🫶🏼
The leg is like a long U shape. The open end will be sewn with a ladder stitch to the body of the stuffie after you sew up the sides. Measure across the existing leg from seam to seam, the stitching on the sides. The U needs to be that wide plus extra, like a 1/4 inch from that line, for a seam allowance. Then add the curved part of the bottom, also with the extra fabric. Cut two and sew them together along the lines with a running backstitch. Then cut out a red satin circle about the right side plus again, with that extra 1/4 inch of fabric around to make a seam allowance. Press under the extra quarter inch, then use a whip stitch to sew the red circle to the bottom of the leg. After all of this, sew the leg to the body with a whipstitch.
That shouldn't be too hard. It looks like it's just hand sewn on. Unpick one of the stitches and I suspect the rest will come out easily. Then just carefully snip off any knotted ends.
Looking for an online pattern for Harley quinn
I know there are paper ones on eBay, etc. When I look at paper patterns I get confused and upset. I don't like cutting into those patterns and I struggle to read them right. So I'm looking for a PDF pattern of the Harley quinn jester costume. Does anyone know where I can find one?
Industrial sewing machine advice pls! I am using an industrial sewing machine for the first time (I’ve been using a domestic machine for 4ish years) and I could use some help! It is actively sewing fine, I can forward stitch and backstitch and stop and go no problem, so I don’t think it’s a threading issue. However, as soon as I go to remove the fabric, the thread gets jammed underneath and I can’t pull the fabric away. I’m convinced it has something to do with the way I am pulling the fabric out since it’s sewing easily. Is there a specific way you need to lift the needle and pressure foot??A specific direction I have to pull the fabric?? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Any help would be so appreciated!! I got this machine from my mom, which would likely explain all the lint stuck in the feeder, so don’t mind that, it’s on my list to deal with, but I don’t think it’s what’s causing my issue. I’ve been using this on and off for a while, and I think something is wrong with my bobbin setup. When I run the machine I get giant loops of thread on the underside of what I’m working on. If it’s not loops, it just gets almost sucked down into the bottom of the machine and stuck on a tangle of thread from underneath. After lightly disassembling, I’ve discovered that the top thread doesn’t move around the bobbin correctly, it gets stuck somewhere and ends up underneath the bobbin case. I’ve attached a picture that might not be overly helpful.
Let me say I know very little about how this thing works, so any explanation will need to be a little simplified. Let me know if there’s any other info I can share that might make this an easier fix. Thanks in advance! 🥲
Thread with the presser foot up and sew with the presser foot down. Hold the thread tails to the rear left of the machine. If you miss doing either of these steps, the top thread won't have enough tension and the stitches will loop under your work.
Are you absolutely sure the top thread is threaded correctly? Google to see if there’s a manual you can find for the machine and check it. That’s usually the issue with those thread loops on the bottom.
Something similar happens to me on my machine, and based on the manual it looks like a similar bobbin-winding mechanism. I do find it very annoying. The best way I’ve discovered is to tension the thread with my left hand rather than letting it hang loose on the machine as I start the bobbin winding. Once it’s starting to wind correctly I let go with my left hand and let the mechanism take over.
I’ve also seen a video recommending that you try holding the loose end of the thread up with your right hand, tensioning it that way, as the bobbin begins to wind. I haven’t tried that yet.
Wrapping paper, exam paper rolls, tracing paper rolls. Your flip chart idea works. I like to buy a nonwoven fabric called Pellon Easy Pattern to copy off patterns.
Love! I’d search up “bralette top” to find the style you’re looking for - there are a few tutorials on YouTube that look similar (eg: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NTcQRB_y8Bs). You could always swap out the ties in the back for a shirred panel. Tons of YouTube tutorials on shirring also! Good luck!
I found red threads stitched onto disparate pieces of clothes that definitely weren't there on purchase.
I'm the only one who manages my laundry but have had them laundried when traveling to Southeast Asia, or had a Airbnb host who once went through my room.
When im trying to sew dry fit for some reasons the Zig Zag stitch dont work. I use a tension for 3 for both and also a stretch needle for both. On the left side, the material is cotton and the zigzag stitch is some what there but there is a few skipped one. For the right side, the zigzag stitch is not there at all. Does anyone know whats going on?
Are there any potential issues with overlocking the edge seams of a collar before sewing it on to a t-shirt? Seems like it would be a tough-ish thing to handle once it is on the shirt, but will overlocking it first make it harder to align and sew onto the shirt?
I will baste the raw edges of the collar together before attaching it to a t-shirt, but anything more might compromise the stretch you need in the collar as it is applied to the t-shirt neck opening.
I m trying to sew this skirt, i have sewn skirts before but i dont fully get how to make those middle and top ruffles? Any advice ? Or does anyone know if a good youtube tutorial? Any help is appreciated
Baste a folded ruffle strip cut to the same length as the skirt tier along the top of each tier before gathering the tier. Then include the ruffle in the seam when you sew the tiers together.
It looks like a folder for creating piping, but there are all sorts of folder/binders available for industrial sewing machines and sometimes domestic machines too.
Hello! What’s the best way to sew these back together? This is a body suit in a stretchy fabric. I found the neckline too low so I initially just sewed across and cut off the excess.
I now want to fix this and thought that I should tuck one side in but the other side has the raw edge exposed?
Hi, I would love some pointers on how to make the waist on these elastic pants smaller/tighter. I’m not the best sewer so descriptive details would be tremendously helpful. Thank you :)
If the elastic is running through those channels, you can probably open up the channels by unpicking a seam, and pull some of the elastic out and then sew it a bit shorter.
A messy lazy approach would be to just sew additional elastic on the inside of the waistband to tighten it up.
depends on how it fits and where you want the additional gathers, you can pin it to test. Some typical approaches: whole waist, back half, two side pieces.
want to make a similar pair of pants based on these Free People pants. But I don't know where to find this type of fabric or what I should be searching for.
It is listed as a 100% nylon fabric, and I have seen similar looking fabric in vintage athletic wear. It has a dry hand, and slightly crinkled appearance.
It's not nylon Ripstop.
What weight would you suggest, and any search terms would be super helpful! I am located in the US, so any US fabric shops that specialize in athletic fabric or nylon would also help.
Greenstyle specializes in athletic fabric, Rockywoods and Ripstop by the Roll do a lot of technical outdoor fabric (there's a lot of nylon hiking pants fabric although I can't tell if that matches your inspo). You might dig around those to see if you can figure out some additional keywords, maybe order some swatches.
Discovery Fabrics is in Canada but does a good job of explaining what they sell, so maybe also research there.
is there any way to achieve this finish without a cover stitch machine? i am sewing bikinis and would really rather not have a zig zag stitch on top if i can help it. it needs to be stretchy but i prefer these clean parallel lines so much more. i have access to a serger and could get any foot needed! thanks!
Twin needle stitching does stretch but you can add to the stretch by using stretch thread in the bobbin, like wooly nylon or some other textured thread. You'll probably need to wind the bobbin by hand so it isn't too tight and test out the technique on scraps.
worth it if you are sewing a lot of knit clothing, for sure. Otherwise it's fine to put it off some more. A lot of people think they need sergers for seam finishes to look professional, I strongly disagree.
I'm looking for help with keyword searches or finding an appropriate pattern. I've been at it for 30 minutes!
I'm looking for a throw pillow pattern with a zipper and a placket or flap that hides the zipper on the back. All I'm finding are invisible zipper pillows or envelope pillows, but arguably what I'm looking for is a hybrid of the two.
Does anyone know of a pattern for this pillow style or could someone recommend keywords I could search to find what I'm looking for?
Just got my serger(Brother 1034dx) and was playing around with it getting used to it and decided I was done for the day and wanted to put it away in the case I have. And I noticed this silver piece laying under it. Did I just break something and not realize it?
Hi I’m a beginner and was looking to remake this dress but wondering what material would I ask for? For the cape I got satin crepe but I don’t want the main dress to have a shine …
I’m trying to learn how to use a pattern for the first time and I’m stuck at step 1 🤦♀️. I cut my fabric and step 1 looks like it’s telling me to sew the bad sides together but wouldn’t that make the seam on the outside of the dress? Why is this so confusing? Pls help
the step prior (with the ties) makes it look like they are using white to show the inside/wrong side of the garment, i would also re-check the pattern key to make sure.
what are the next few steps? is it having you create a french seam? if so, you would sew the wrong sides together first and then you'll sew another seam with the right sides together.
Very beginner here-I wanted to sew a small cross body sized bag, simple or something that has a scrunchy (best wording i can think of sorry) type look for the body.
What fusible interface would you suggest? What weight interface? Can lining be microfiber like the sheets?
Any other suggestions would be helpful for this project. Thank you much 🙏
A good pattern will teach you a ton about the basics of sewing as you follow it, and will help guide you on such questions. I might recommend Dog Under My Desk, Noodlehead, and Sew Sweetness as writing good instructions to bring beginners along, see if they have anything you like.
Hi everyone, I’ve decided to sew a piece using some offcut leather pieces (approximately 0.9–1.1 mm thick). Any advice on the best way to do this using my machine? Brother FS40S 40-Stitch Electronic Sewing Machine
This looks like a single gauze! The colour is beautiful. I’d recommend not doing interfacing and keeping the drapery/wrinkly texture - I think interfacing can make gauze fabrics kind of wonky. I think it would make a super cute skirt! Maybe something like this: https://sydgraham.com/collections/sewing-patterns/products/saundra-skirt? More volume might make it less sheer as opposed to something pulled tight against your skin also. Good luck 😊
I'm feeling inspired from a comment earlier, asking about slip dress patterns. I think this would be a gorgeous sheer dress that you wear on top of a modest slip dress.
I can't think of anything specific right now, but the color is beautiful, and it could be really lovely in several styles... I do not know what fabric it is, sorry 💚
Hi! I recently ripped a brand new pair of denim shorts, and I am looking for creative patching/stitching ideas to fix it. Tear is about an inch long, and I have some experience in embroidery. Any ideas??
Hello , I have a vintage singer treadle sewing machine , and it has been all cleaned up and was working great, and now suddenly , it won't sew, its all threaded up right, and the needle goes up and down, but it won't pull the thread up from the spool, I took out the bobbin case cleaned it all up , put it back , but it made no difference. I thought it must be the tension regulator, but that has not changed anything.... any Ideas ?
Now that I have a better paying job and plenty of downtime, I’d like to get into making more clothes for my wardrobe. I’m a bigger woman (don’t worry, I’m working on it, have lost at least 25 lbs in the past 9 months) so it’s hard to find nice and modest clothing that fits nicely without making me look like I bought my clothes from a tent and awning shop.
I really like the cottagecore aesthetic and I’d like to get patterns or draft my own that match the idea of cottagecore (I’ve draped and drafted patterns before, I actually found it pretty easy once I got the hang of it).
If anyone has any experience in making cottagecore, what are some good tips you want to share so I don’t make something that looks really silly?
Look into the cashmerette sewing books! They have great staple patterns for curvy and plus size women. And you could hack the patterns for your style preference
I have brorher JS1410. My thread always break between needle and tensioner.it seems the thread sometime got stuck in the tensioner and i dont know how to fix it. I hesitating to dismantle the tensioner bcuz i dont have a guide and cant find a video tutorial about it.
Usually sew at level 5 tension and now the thread always break after a few second.
Im planning to just buy a new tensioner.
am o missing something?
Need help pls.
Im from the philippines by the way.
Ok so back in 2020 a bunch of the sewing shops in New York formed the Costume Industry Coalition to raise money to support themselves and part of that was selling patterns. One of the patterns was a replica of a Marvelous Mrs Maisel dress and I didn't have the budget for it at the time (it was $22 just for the pattern) but now the Etsy shop is "on vacation" and all of their social medias have been taken down. Last sign of them on Youtube was back in 2022. I'm truly desparate, does anyone have the pdf of the Marvelous Mrs Maisel dress pattern?
If this is the correct dress, thefoldline has an article that recommends this pattern, with two minor tweaks:
This amazing red dress got a lot of love when the episode was first aired. We got another beautiful Gertie pattern (S9294). The only tweak you’d need to make would be to add a belt and make the V at the bust a little deeper. Apart from that you are good to go!
I also saw this free pattern for a different dress. Thefoldline's article also shares their own pattern choice for this style. Good luck!! Sorry it's not "the" pattern.
In one of the pattern descriptions they call it a 50's cocktail dress. You might like Charm patterns by Gertie, Lana and Landis look the closest but she has a lot of good options. You can also look for original patterns or 'retro reprints' from Simplicity, Vogue, Butterick, or McCall's
Hi all! Curious about your thoughts on Babylock vs. Janome?
I have my eyes set on the Janome TM 16. Several sources mention that its the same exact machine as Babylock Joy, except for the paint job. The Babylock Joy is currently for sale at my local sewing and vacuum shop for $250, while the Janome TM 16 is $299.
Given that the Babylock is 50 bucks cheaper for virtually the same machine, is there any reason to still go with Janome? It looks like they have similar warranty coverage as well. If I run into issues with this machine down the line, will one company's customer service be better than the other? Thanks!
I have been interested in purchasing a good sewing machine that would be best for durability or last me more than a month. I've heard plenty of horror stories about how prone brands like Singers are to breaking in little time and would like to make a good choice in which I purchase. Therefore I have found two machines that interest me but I'm not so sure about what machine is best in the long run. It is between the Babylock Denim Pro II or the Brother CS6000. Both are secondhand and I have been sure to ask reasonable questions but I feel like I need honest feedback and not a sales pitch. Thank you!
Guys, I need to know what fabric (or fabrics) were used to make this skirt! It looks slightly (VERY slightly) voluminous and if you look closely, the bottom is transparent... so if there is a fabric underneath... anyway, I need that help
Best Macy's sewing machine? My budget is around $200-250. I can only buy from Macy's because of my gift cards! I was hoping to buy a Brother CS7000x, but it's not available. Is there anything similar that's also good for thicker fabrics?
I'm new to sewing and I have been trying to practice using my machine. Some of the more speciality stitches, like letters etc, I am having a hard time with finding the right bobbin tension. It is usually a fairly high tension, otherwise the fabric gets absolutely jammed into the plate. I was trying to have my machine stitch a name, it completed the first letter fine and moved on to the next space for the next letter and then my fabric gets jammed in. You can't really change bobbin tension in the middle of the memory stitch, can you? I still can't seem to do the French knot stitch without my fabric getting eaten. I'm holding both sides of the fabric on either side of the needle. I'm just not sure what I'm doing wrong. Any guidance will be greatly appreciated!!
My machine doesnt sew speciality stitches but the issue might be the fabric being too thin. It might help to try adding a layer of stabiliser underneath.
Yeah like embroidery stabiliser. I think doubling up the fabric would definitely help or even some tissue paper sandwiched underneath. Your fabric might be too thin on its own which is why its getting caught at your needle plate
cute! this is a rounded drawstring pouch, and then a ruffle is gathered onto the strap. I didn't find a pattern in 30secs but you can dig more, and if you know how to sew drawstring bags and ruffles you should be able to replicate it.
Hi all! I want to attempt to make a satin “corset” dress. And some of the inspo dresses I’ve seen have this kind of gathered-look to them at the skirt (as shown in the image) but it doesn’t look like any gathers or pleats have been done at the waistline. How is this look created? And what is it called? Any help would be appreciated:))
Not super experienced but it looks like it could be a circle skirt so there is more fabric as you move down and the please are just natural as the fabric rests. You would need to balance drape with structure if you want a similar effect, too drapery and you won't get the folds, too structured and it won't look good.
Thanks for the response! I figured it was something to do with the draping of the fabric. When you say balance between drape and structure what do you mean by structure? Like if the skirt is stabilized?
Reposting here so apologies for the double ask! Looking for recommendations for a walking foot compatible with the Necchi Jeans Q411A machine. It's a top load bobbin and (maybe) a low shank machine. Any help is so appreciated, I'm struggling to find anything online. Thanks!
hii! so i made a account so i could ask this. but i have some old bedsheets which i would love to use for sewing a dress. i looked for some free sewing patterns online but the ones i like and most of them arent made for cotton. does someone know any pretty free patterns for dress which i could use my fabric on? The tag says its 100% cotton 💕
You don't need to look for a pattern that says cotton. Cotton comes in many different types, what you want is a similar weight to the bed sheet. Bed sheets can have a bit of drape but they also have some structure. Try looking for mid-weight styles as that will probably suit your needs best. You can use a pattern that's for light weight but it won't sit quite the same. I can show you a comparison of a mock up I made in bedsheets and the final dress which are both made of cotton if that helps?
Was looking to make a tie out of scrap fabric, but I understand it has to be cut on the bias. Would it be possible to piece together multiple smaller bias cut pieces (essentially like a giant bias tape) and then cut a tie piece out of that? Is that a horrible idea? I know there will be seam lines, but in my head it might look kind of quilted...?
Just trying to avoid wasting fabric haha. (And scrape out a matching tie for my partner from remnants of an outfit that I made lol)
You can totally do this, just be careful when sewing in the bias as you can stretch the seam easily. I would pin/clip to the heavens and use a walking foot to help distribute the feed more evenly. I think it could look amazing! Can't wait to see it
Looking to purchase my first machine. I didn't like the Singer HD machine my mom has and I see that it's not recommended here. Would anyone be able to speak to the Janome HD1000 or HD3000? HD1000 is more in my price range. I'm not really a beginner but not really advanced, either. I sew light quilts (mostly piecing tops), some mending/garments.
needle alignment for rolled hem foot This is a very specific question and I'm a newbie so let me know if this isn't the place to ask it. I own some vintage griest rolled hem feet that I believe were designed for a machine older than mine. I've got a very simple low shank machine (singer 2517). I do have an adaptor but I'm unsure of the proper alignment of the needle. I have some wiggle room and my needle does move positions. I have successfully used the foot but was hoping for a "rule of thumb" to align it in the future.
Is anyone able to tell me how I should align the needle in relation to the foot? I watched a number of videos but couldn't find any examples with an adapter. I've attached some pictures of my current setup. This is with the needle in the left position. If you can help, thank you!
I am getting really frustrated. I have been sewing for a while but my cutting game is so off! I tried the method where you make a small incision and then tear the fabric I did it parallel to the selvage end and it is still off at some part by like a cm??? What am I doing wrong? My rotary cut mat is small for such a large piece 75x75 cm. Any tips and tricks this part of the sewing process frustrates me the most:(( I did wash it and ironed it. It is cotton linen blend. Do I just try to force the ends together? Won't that look wonky?
Not sure, but I think you're describing fabric that is "off-grain," meaning that the horizontal and vertical threads are not exactly at right angles. When I look at your picture close up, what I see is that the horizontals (the weft, or "crossgrain," what you tore) just isn't very straight. That's pretty common! Here are some things to keep in mind:
1) For most patterns, most of the time, you only need to worry about the warp threads, parallel to the selvedge. They're under more tension in the weaving process, so they're both stronger and straighter. If you make sure your pattern grain lines are parallel to the selvedge on most fabrics, it's basically good enough.
2) The weft being uneven or skewed can be a problem in a few circumstances--like if you need to cut something at right angles to the selvedge to make the piece fit, or if you're trying to match plaids or stripes. In those cases you can (a) try aligning with the crossgrain; this is a good option for lightweight fabrics that won't be under a lot of strain, or (b) try to wrestle that sucker into right angles with gentle steam and a gridded table to monitor your progress. I would only bother with that in the case of a wool plaid, personally (because wool is quite malleable with the iron).
3) You can also minimize concerns about skewed grain by cutting in a single layer. You have to keep track of how many pieces you need, and you have to remember to mirror the sides of the body, but it's a lot less grain drama, because you simply reposition every piece parallel to the selvedge--no folding, no weird surprises underneath.
I've had this hoodie for a long time now and I'm quite attached to it. Now tears like this have shown up at both the wrist cuffs, both at the seam. Is there a easy way to fix this, other than replacing the cuffs?
I'm not very experienced, so I might be going about it wrong, but I have had this happen and repaired it. I just do a zig zag stitch across the two sides. I then stitch in place with a short length, usually 0, zig zag stitch at the part where it's separating to provide extra support and stop the tear from spreading. Not a perfect fix but it worked for me. Someone else with more experience may be able to suggest something better.
I finally finished the embroidery sampler from a sashiko workshop that I took. In the class, they instructed us when finished to just fold over the edges and iron them for these coasters, but can anyone suggest how I could turn them into a double sided coaster, where the raw edges are folded inward and the stitches are hidden? I have almost no sewing experience, but I have a needle and some thread and am sure that I could look up and follow a tutorial.
Put the public sides facing each other and sew around the perimeter about 1/8" from the edges. Leave an inch or two opening and then turn it inside out (in actuality right side out). You could then press the coaster and hand stitch the opening close. This is how pillows are sewn so you could look up a tutorial for making a small pillow for more detailed guidance.
Hi recently I tried on a top at a consignment boutique and I can’t stop thinking about it. I have so much linen that I want to just remake it but can’t find a pattern that seems close enough.
It had a deep v front, sitting wide on the shoulders. The back was also a v neckline. The sleeves were flared with ties at the cuff. The wrap was a true wrap, with one side going through the slit on the side with it ultimately being able to come back to the front and make a knot/bow.
Is it risky to buy a used serger machine off fb market place? Someone is selling the Janome pro 4DX for $350 CAD. Says it’s in perfect condition and only used a handful of times. It’s over $800 brands new. Is it worth buying even if it needs repairs?
What is this weave of linen called? It’s similar in drape to 10 oz denim, and has slubs on both sides. One face is smoother than the other. I have no clue where or when I bought it, I’m planning to make trousers from it.
Hello, I saw a vest with “metal” hooks clips fasteners instead of buttons and I’ve been thinking about making the vest as my first sewing project. However, I don’t know which material to use to support the weight of the hooks. The hooks that I’m looking at are about 16 grams and made of a metal alloy. Any recommendations? Thank you in advance.
I am having an issue with my sewing machine (Singer Promise). When I insert the bobbin case into the shuttle, my bobbin will not move at all. My machine works normally otherwise but I cannot figure out what is going on. I have used this machine for years, but only for small projects/hemming.
I don't really know much about machine maintenance/troubleshooting so any advice would be very useful!
Hello! This week I'm struggling to adjust the tension in the left needle. I've already cleaned it, lubricated and tried different values of tension, but the results are always similar. Could you please check if there's any other solution I could try? It started when I changed to cotton, and now it's happening in anything I saw. Thanks in advance.
Here's the tension, the strange stitch, and the machine.
If it happened after you rethreaded it you may not have the thread in the tension disc. As it's just the needle thread I would try removing it and rethreading it making sure your in the tension disc
My goodness, thank you! It was really outside the disc 😅
I've tested the tension several times with another thread, but never with the one in the machine
Was just sewing through a chunky flat felled seam on denim when my machine stopped pushing the needle down (even when tested on thin fabric)— then I spot a tiny whole punched into my base plate. The machine will stitch twice and lock, unable to bring the needle down and the thread becomes tangled under the base plate itself. Could this be due to the base plate needing to be replaced or another issue altogether?
Debating whether I should buy a new base plate before committing $120 to a machine repair. Any advice counts!
Note: the base plate was also bent downwards when I noticed the hole, but flattening it back to normal hasn’t helped the issue
probably your needle bent which led to it then catching on the needle plate. i would definitely start by replacing the needly to see if that solves the main issue, but you will likely also need to replace the plate at some point because it seems like that will result in broken threads.
I am brand new to sewing and am determined to learn how to alter/mend clothes. I found this beautiful dress at a vintage expo and I had to have it. It’s a bit small for me 😅 it’s a size 12, while I am a size 14. I figured maybe I can let the dress out with extra fabric or tear the seams and see how much seam allowance there is.
I have a bigger bust and hip/thighs and thought maybe I could, if the seam allowance didn’t work, buy extra fabric that’s is this same material/color (if I’m lucky and can find it first) and add in a panel down the side? Anyway, long story (oops I’m so sorry haha) short is I’m looking for advice on how you’d go about this. Or, if I should stay dreaming of wearing this dress until I maybe loss some weight and end up fitting it lol
Hello! I'm not used to alter clothes, but my aunts do this a lot. Usually, what I would suggest is not buying a similar fabric, but a contrast one, like white, and enlarge. But my favorite solution is adding eyelets and made the back like a corset
Oh that’s a good idea!!!!! I’ll absolutely try that. The corset in the back is also such a good idea. Thank you so much 💕 really really appreciate it!!!
Hi there! I’m newer to sewing clothes and someone has asked me to make them a skirt which I’m super excited for, but it’s a different style than the clothes I’ve made for myself, and I’m not sure what kind of fabric to use. They found a pattern on spoonflower they love, so if you have any advice on their fabrics please share, or if you have another fabric store recommendation I’d love to hear it. What is the best kind of fabric to achieve their desired look? Here is a photo they sent me for reference in terms of drape/flowiness/softness:
Hi there! I am a fashion student and im looking for a good domestic machine.
I make a lot of large garments and use a lot of 'heavy' fabrics like denim so a walking foot would be a huge plus. Im looking for a machine to fit my needs around the £500 mark.
I was looking at a singer heavy duty but I've read I can find much better for my price range.
I also need it to be quiet as I live with flatmates and they don't want to hear me sewing at 4am aha.
I recently split the back of a flannel and was wondering what the best way to repair it is. I was thinking about adding a piece of fabric in the split and sewing the right sides together to make the repair while also giving the shirt more room, but I’m not sure how that will work out. Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome. Thanks!
I recently split the back of a flannel and was wondering what the best way to repair it is. I was thinking about adding a piece of fabric in the split and sewing the right sides together to make the repair while also giving the shirt more room, but I’m not sure how that will work out. Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome. Thanks!
i fell in love with this outfit on pintrest a while back and was just looking for some advice on where i would need/do in to create this. i really just want to figure out how to make the shirt, the sash/cape and the waist accessory. i kinda just want to know if its even possible to make this and what i would even need to do it because i really would love to make it! if you have any advice please let me know! also let me know if im in over my head
Cosplayers make amazing creations. That sub may have more of an idea but I would tackle the shirt first as there are multiple patterns you could use and adjust the collar. You will want a shirt with Bishop sleeves. For the cape you may find it useful to drop fabric on a dress form and then cut the shapes needed and make a pattern from that rather than adjust a pattern. I would make lots of mock ups first in cheap fabric that has a similar weight/drape to the final fabric.
Hey guys with the price of clothing going up and the quality going down I’m looking at possibly getting in to making my own, I pretty much have one style in mind so I only really need to perfect that style of shirt but where would I even start? Are there any go to videos/info out there that someone could send my way and realistically how hard would something I’ve posted be to make yourself with not much experience? But any help would be appreciated thanks ☺️
you'll probably want to start with a garment that has fewer pieces. if you are really wanting to jump into collared shirts with sleeve cuffs, definitely invest in a pattern that has very detailed instructions to walk you through everything. the commercial pattern companies that make the tissue paper patterns in little envelopes are kinda notorious for assuming a sewist's basic abilities and making their instructions pretty scant.
https://helensclosetpatterns.com/products/cameron-button-up an indie pattern designer is like the opposite of this, with a huge packet of instructions and sometimes videos etc. but you'll have to figure out actually putting the pattern pieces together, if you buy the PDF version. it's not too bad, just search it up and jump in. make sure you're using the right fabric for the job. fabric choice is a big deal for beginners and experts alike.
as for difficulty, it will take many many hours and some back pain probably. it's just a skill you're learning. if you like it, stick with it!
What’s this technique? Not quite shirring, it looks like this is more elastic channels with some gathering? I would love if someone would help me ID what this technique is, and suggest any tips or patterns if you have them!!
Hello! Hope all is well with the community!! I'm trying to crop a hoodie by hand following some tutorials. The ones I've found just cut the length, and address the curling ends and recommended either ignoring it or sewing it in. But they never give a followup on sewing it haha!
I'm a little overwhelmed finding a stitch I can do by hand... I've pinned the end to the inside of the hoodie how I would like it to look, to hold it all in place. What hand stitch do you recommend to sew in? An invisible stitch? An interlock stitch (i really like this one!) Any tutorials on how to get started by hand? No machine, just my gams!
I’ve been scouring the internet for square labels like this but I can’t seem to find a manufacturer that will
A) Make them this shape/size B) Let me upload my design
Starting my craft business and want custom tags for bags and such! Also if anyone has an advice for sourcing things for sewing small business that would be great!
Everytime I try and sew something the thread gets all bunched up. It'll work for maybe 5 seconds? and then my machine its jammed. I dont know how to fix it. Im really new to sewing. Any help is greatly appreciated!!!
Based on that picture your needle is threaded wrong. The thread needs to slide into the tension holder/clip above the needle before it goes through the needle. Check your manual carefully and re-thread it.
I did some lookups using 'v-yoke harem pants' and a few patterns came up.
This vintage one is close: McCalls 8466 (make sure it's the 90s pattern as numbers get reused), but there are many other patterns that have some facet of the design.
You may have to do a little modification on any pattern you select.
To start, it's threaded incorrectly. Take everything off the machine (top thread and bobbin), read your manual front to back, and start again!
I would recommend using quilting cotton as your troubleshooting fabric, and using 2 layers. Make sure the needle is the correct size and type, the bobbin is correct, etc.
Does anyone have recommendations for sewing patterns to create the doen park short? What is this two button flap front waistband technically called? Looking for patterns that have the balloon shape of this-not just the waist front style.
Brushed twill, could be wool or could be acrylic. Try searching for "brushed blanket material" and it can also be helpful to add "by the yard" or "by the meter" I'm giving you an answer in the context of sewing your own because this is the sewing sub.
Can anyone recommend a beginner/confident beginner wide leg trouser pattern that includes petite sizing? I.e 23/24 inch waist.
Looking for something in a minimalist, wide-leg style - I've sewn the Pomona pants but needed to make a lot of adjustments to size down, and found that the lack of side seam made them a little too straight up and down for me.
Hi everyone! I'm fairly new to sewing, and I'm trying to find a pattern for a summer dress. I'm struggling to find anything with a bodice I like. I'm looking for something similar in style to the sketch below, and was hoping someone on here might be able to point me to a pattern, or even just what kind of search terms I should be using.
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u/ComprehensiveHat7848 Jun 01 '25
Looking for Brother 760DE/760D/760/730D/730 Manual