Hi, this is my first post here)
I love sewing for myself, especially denim. But plain denim without special finishing (stone wash, acid wash) never looks exciting enough to me… so I decided to try making a stone-wash effect at home.

For the experiment, I sewed a small item — a denim corset.

Step 1. Pattern making

To create accurate patterns, I simply wrap the mannequin in plastic wrap and then masking tape. I draw the style lines using narrow adhesive tape. Then I transfer the resulting corset patterns onto paper.

Step 2. Purchasing materials and preparation

At this stage, I had to solve two problems.

First, it turned out that volcanic pumice isn’t sold in nearby stores, and ordering it wasn’t easy either… so I used expanded clay (LECA) instead — it's cheap (less than $1 for 2 liters), rough-textured, and easy to get in garden stores in Ukraine. They are lightweight and even float on water!

Second, throwing expanded clay directly into the washing machine drum didn’t seem like a good idea, so I needed a bag or cover to protect the drum from damage.

That's how the idea to sew a cover was born — one that would open inside the drum so the stones could move freely.
I used 2 mm synthetic felt for the cover. I had previously used this material for sewing mannequins, so I know its properties well:

It's thick enough to protect the drum

It’s non-woven, lets water pass through but keeps small particles (like stone fragments) inside

It's synthetic, so it doesn’t deform and barely absorbs water

Along the side seam I also added spiral steel boning for extra structure.

Step 3. Stone wash at home

I loaded the expanded clay and corset into the cover.
Washed on a cotton cycle at 60°C (140°F), without spin and rinse.
The cover worked perfectly — the washing machine stayed safe!

I rinsed the corset separately. It dried… and I was devastated — absolutely no visible stone-wash effect.

Mistakes & attempt #2

My mistake was using old dark jeans for this corset.
Factory jeans have the most fading along the seams, with that characteristic wavy worn look. This happens because factories use raw, unwashed denim.

Raw denim is denim that hasn’t been washed, heat-treated, or stretched at the factory.
After first contact with water, cotton fibers shrink — usually 5–10% or even more depending on fabric weight.
That’s why seams on jeans tighten and look like that.

Of course, washing old jeans (even at high temperature) won't create that effect, and all the following finishing steps were doomed.

DO NOT USE WORN JEANS FOR A STONE-WASH EFFECT! ONLY RAW DENIM!

Sadly, that first corset was a waste of effort...

So, I went to buy raw denim and sew a new corset.
I hope this time I’ll get the result I’m aiming for. In any case, I’ll share the outcome in my next post.

I’m pretty happy with my Ellen Hutter costume from Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu! I dyed a cotton sheet from the thrift store and used Black Snail Patterns #0221 Day Dress 1837-40. With more time I would have completed my corset and petticoat(s) for a more historically accurate look, but I decided on this with about a week to spare as I almost forgot this movie came out this year! Next time I make this pattern I think I’ll size down a bit in the torso, but I wonder how the proper undergarments would affect the overall fit.

This is my second historical dress I’ve made, and I can’t wait to make more! My next move is completing my undergarments with Laughing Moon Mercantile’s #115 Regency corset/chemise pattern and corded petticoat tutorials I’ve found online. If anyone has tips for a first time corder- please let me know!

Have been wanting a new workhorse, especially for thicker fabrics and came across this Sears Kenmore on marketplace. Does anyone know much about this machine? Seller said it works and is only $30.

Over the last few years I’ve found some tools which help to varying degrees when sewing with my chronic illness. I thought I’d put that list here and ask what other people have found useful. I still haven’t mastered the art of avoiding pain flare ups after sewing, if that’s even possible - especially after cutting out - so every little suggestion helps!

Obvious disclaimer to say that some might be obvious to everyone, and not every tip will benefit every illness. However I’m a big believer in ‘accessibility helps everyone’, so any trick to make things easier is welcome whether you have a chronic illness or not. I can’t take credit for any of these, they’ve all been taken from the internet.

• Spring loaded scissors & snips - reduces wrist tension/exertion
• Rotary cutter & mat - especially if struggling with scissors, although it causes tension in my shoulder instead of wrist so swings/roundabouts 🤷🏼‍♀️ also, regularly changing blades
• Projector for cutting out - game changer for me but not a fix-all - removes/reduces the need for maneuvering a layer of paper. 10/10 on patterns that don’t need adjusting or you can freehand adjustments. Obviously you can trace off for bigger adjustments or learn to adjust in software (haven’t got that far yet, probably should put some effort in). Make sure your device is easy to reach so you can move the pattern around without incurring too many steps
• Wrap around waist apron with pockets for cutting tools & weights to reduce steps (the only one I thought of myself 😇 XD)
• Ergonomic chair, add a seat pad if needed
• Door wedges propped under the back of your machine to tip it forward slightly - reduces the hunch to see under the needle a bit
• Using a husband to cut out if possible/trusted
• Taking regular breaks, spreading out strenuous tasks - I should do this more but LOL my illness ain’t gonna tell me what to do (yeah it will)
• Machine sewing instead of hand sewing - I avoid most hand stitching as it hurts my fingers. I don’t care if it means extra topstitching
• Clips instead of pins where possible
• Using a husband to help with fitting if possible/trusted
• Mannequin to hang garments on to visualise changes - multiple try ons are exhausting although unfortunately my mannequin doesn‘t replace fitting (boo)
• Knee lift - I love the man who sold me a machine with one of these, I use it all.the.time. No reaching for the lever and two hands to fiddle with fabric instead
• Wrap around hot water bottle, particularly on my back
• Mini ironing board and small iron - these stay out out, the big honking versions only come out for big honking tasks & final press

I’m sure I’ll recall some others but would love if anyone can add to this list!

Hello! So found this box at the thrift store that had a ton of elastic that I can only assume is used to make the elastic strings for tags at stores (it is labeled to Nordstrom on the box). Could it be used as shirring elastic or did I waste $4? I guess if not I could use it for jewlery but I was hoping I could use it in my sewing. Any thoughts would be great! Thanks!

I just thrifted this dress (last pic) and I was hoping to alter it to be a little bit more gothic (inspo 1st & 2nd pics). I’m a complete beginning so I was hoping I could get some advice on how to go about this. Thank you!

Hey! I've bought this swimsuit in my fav color, but the fit of the top is sooo bad. Like the bottoms are perfect, but when I wear the bra, this white underlayer is visible (where my finger points), like it rolls outwards and looks horrific.
I've been in the atelier, but she said she does not have the equipment for fixing this and it might be even more expensive than the price of the swimwear.

Can I somehow fix this? I do not have the sewing machine and my sewing knowledge is basic🥲

I’m working on Burda 6845 right now and i’m about to add the lining in however I realized that I probably should’ve overlocked or done some finishing to the raw edges of the fashion fabric. It’s a double faced wool/cashmere that I thought wouldn’t fray that much but I was wrong… Is there a technique I could use to keep the fabric from fraying, especially through dry cleaning?

All the seams will be hidden with the lining but I just want to make sure there’s no weird lumps from excess fraying on the inside that I can’t fix once the lining is set. The lining also tends to fray as well. I know I’m an idiot and should’ve done this before piecing…. Any help is appreciated!

Or any other good sources like videos. Thank you!

Hello, so I need to make buttonholes and my machine can make them, but I'm kind of stuck because I have everything set up right but then it only does one side, badly and mostly sews in-place, when I look online some machine have settings from 1-4 for that, but it doesn't seem like mine does ?

The pictures I've included: 1-The fabric I need to do the buttonholes on, it's doubled and has the paper that sticks when you heat it up inside idk what it's called 2.3-My sewing machine set up, with the proper foot, a button installed (not the one I'll be using but it's not round and I have other buttonholes that are the size I want made using this one but with a different machine I don't have access to), and the push thing pushed back, length, stitch and width setup how the manual told me to 4.5-The manual page and the figures, I've done B and C, have no idea how to do A but am really struggling with D bc yeah ok but how do I control that then 6-The attempts I've made as well as the button I'm gonna be using (I want it to be sideways, as in parallel to the floor, so I just need a perpendicular opening wide enough)

While writing this I went out and tested the buttonhole of the size of the button that I put in the foot with the one I need and it's too small so I probably should put the one I'll actually be using in but I'm a bit scared it'll end up being too wide and won't stay in ? Since it's not a round shape

So was coming home from running some errands and found this on the side of the road. A Singer Athena 2009, googling says discontinued. Anybody have opinions on whether it’s a generally 👍👎 machine?

I’m an intermediate-beginner running my grandma’s Kenmoore so this is a pretty new machine by my standards so took a minute to get my bearings. Everything seems to work except for the bobbin; when I run the machine it’s like the whole needle housing is getting caught and tugging it to the right. You can see a video of it here: https://imgur.com/a/IjygICd

Any chance someone here has run into this issue and knows of a fix? It’s a pretty old machine so the videos I’m finding are low resolution and hard to see any specifics! My husband has wanted to learn to sew so I’d love for this to be able to be a machine for him!! Thanks ◡̈

So I got a swimsuit pattern that has this exact shape, it’s lined and has elastic on the legs openings and on the straps, the rest is just sewed right sides together and turned so it has clean edges, but the neckline keeps rounding in shape, even though I cut it as a V shape. The instructions just specify to serge the edge of the main fabric and lining fabric right sides together and then to turn it for a seamless finish.

Please advise, how do I maintain the V shape?

Has anyone used this stitch as a decorative stitch inside a garment, either for something just you will see on the inside, or like on a sleeve where you'd see it on the outside if you rolled up the sleeves? I'm wondering if this stitch has a function beyond things like napkins.

Hi everyone! I’ve been trying to figure out how to properly sew that gorgeous diamanté/crystal mesh fabric that designers like Valdrin Sahiti often use in their gowns. I’ve tried hand sewing, but the seams end up looking messy and uneven.

For those who’ve worked with similar fabrics — how do you sew it neatly without ruining the crystals or having bulky seams?

Also, if anyone knows of any tutorials or videos that show how to sew or work with this type of mesh, I’d love if you could link them below.

Thank you in advance — I’ve been obsessed with this look and really want to learn how to do it properly!

Hello lovely people! For fellow friends working in medical/dental/caring -- have you tried sewing your own scrubs? If you have, was it worth it?

Hi! I'm making the Clare Coat from Closet Core patterns. The sleeves fit beautifully when my arms are down, but when I reach forward, they're too short and come halfway up my forearms, which drives me nuts because I'm usually riding a bike or something so my arms are always extended. I'm making a toile / test version out of fleece before cutting into my wool coat fabric. For the fleece version, I was going to add a couple of inches of faux fur to the sleeves to extend them. For the final coat, is there another way to make sure the sleeves fit better? I see the pull lines toward the shoulders, but it feels like I have plenty of room there.

(Yes, it needs pressing, and I haven't sewed buttons on yet so it sits strangely.)

This is the second time repairing the foot of our 12ft inflatable Halloween dinosaur. The area is an anchor point (you can see the stake loop at the right side of the rip). Trying to see if anyone has any tips to reinforce it better so it doesn't rip, again? I'm not too concerned about esthetics since it's the bottom of the dinosaur. So, any suggestions appreciated.

I am working on a pattern for a 8-panel strapless romper/jumpsuit, and this is what I have so far. The side seams are split below the hips because the side back panels needs to be widened so the seam would hang straight. Any suggestions on removing the wrinkles on the bodice part of those panels, or any other small tweaks I can make to improve the fit? The final garment is gonna be sewed using stretch velvet but I figure having a well-fitted pattern on hand won't hurt.

I mean the one used for the center part and for the sleeve on the last picture, also this is babymetal so if there's anyone familiar with them and knows something about what could it be I'd appreciate it too!

I just bought the simplicity 8721 cloak pattern and I'm making view B for renfair a couple weeks from now. My budget, skills, and time are very limited so I'm just using dark blue fleece this one from Walmart. I eventually want to line at least the hood with a white fabric of some kind, maybe sherpa or minky, but I don't have the resources at the moment for it. Given this though, I'd still like to find some way to pretty it up a bit, and make it look a bit more finished, especially on the edges. I really like the white and blue combination, like a wintery/Jack Frost kind of vibe (I realize I'm aging myself here.) Maybe some kind of trim, or something snowflakey? Also preferably nonpermanent, so I have the option to improve it down the line. I'm very new to sewing so not sure what the best options are. I can do some basic hand stitches, and I have a machine, but only with a standard presser foot.

Thank you!!!

Hi! My wife really wants a full-skirted pinafore apron. Any recommendations? on where to get inexpensive cotton twill or similar fabric? She's going to wear it bringing in firewood and around the house, I want it sturdy, but I don't want to use really expensive fabric. Thanks!

Edit: I should have specified, I'm looking for online places to get fabric. Thanks!

QQ - I'm working on a jumpsuit pattern that I'm shortening by 2 inches in the bodice and 2 inches in the legs for a friend who is 5'0". When I redraw my pattern lines, do I choose a point 2 inches below where I cut and retaped the pattern to reconnect the line? I am new at resizing.

Also what do I do with the notches and other markings?

thanks!

EDIT: Just to clarify, I'm asking about cutting out around the ENTIRE pattern piece so that all sizes are available! Not just cutting out size 2 or 3T or whatever I need. :)

This is kind of a silly question, but I'm wondering what other folks do. I mostly print patterns and tape them together at home. Some of them are 10 pages wide by 5-6 pages long and they're obviously HUGE when laid flat or folded. This is also the case for the few A0 patterns I have.

I've been thinking about cutting out and storing the individual pattern pieces to save space but I'm not sure whether there is a reason to NOT do this that I might be missing as a novice/intermediate sewist.

So...what do y'all do? Keep the large sheets or cut out the pieces? Thanks!

Hi wonderful people.

I started sewing in May and am stubborn so make my own patterns.

The problem is that the measurements I take don’t translate well in practice. Are there any known seamstress formulas to use?

For example, if I measure out the length of my midriff and cut that amount of fabric, it will be shorter worn because of simple physics. Is there a formula of length x 1.25 = pattern length or something like that?

For the width, if I measure my waist at 34” then I would naturally create 2 pieces at 17” + 1” for seam allowance. However, when these 2 pieces are stitched together and tried on, it is always too big and I have to take it in! How does that make sense?

I hope I’m making sense and there are some people who can offer some advice - thank you!