Did you ever consider that stretch lace could be used to sew up a simple tee shirt? It just takes the right pattern and a few small sewing modifications! Here, I've used this lovely stretch lace in "Naughty Navy".When choosing a pattern for a stretch lace tee, here are a few guidelines:Keep the number… Continue reading Stretch lace tee tutorial
Who says you can't wear linen in the winter? Using some amazing linen knit fabric from Britex, I sewed up a beautiful and warm color-blocked infinity scarf, perfect for the colder months. For my version, I chose two different colors--turquoise and navy--but this tutorial would work equally well if you wanted to go with a… Continue reading Tutorial: Super-easy two-tone infinity scarf
I'm making a jacket which calls for non-functional buttons over snaps and since the garment will be worn such that the male side of the snaps may show, I really wanted to cover them. I couldn't use the standard method for applying the self fabric (gathering the fabric behind the snap with a running stitch)… Continue reading Tutorial: Covering snaps with thick fabric
Okay, now for how I sewed insertion lace around the bottom (check out my previous Tutorial, for how to sew lace on a curved seam, such as those princess seams above). The hem band of the Hayden top is a folded, bias cut piece. To insert the lace within that seam, I first sewed the… Continue reading Tutorial: Insertion lace along the hem band
If you're arriving here from Britex, welcome!I'm so excited to share my method for inserting lace into a curved seam (such as a princess seam)! I used this dusty peach handkerchief-weight linen and floral ivory insertion lace, though there are many, many options for both linens and laces both online and in-store!After seeing one of… Continue reading Tutorial: Insertion lace on a curved seam
A few months ago, I learned how to make corn tortillas from scratch....just in time to teach a class of 4th graders and then a class of 4 year olds 🙂 After making (and eating) that many tortillas with the kids, I was completely hooked! And after purchasing a press, the obvious next thought was… Continue reading Tutorial: Tortilla warmer
A slim fit wool skirt such as the Charlotte really begs to be lined. Adding a layer of smooth and slippery fabric makes a wool skirt more comfortable to wear (especially with tights) and extends the life of the garment. Sewing a lining is fairly simple, however, there's another technique that serves the same purpose:… Continue reading Tutorial: Hong Kong finish + underlining in one step
The Charlotte from By Hand London is a lovely high waisted, slim fitting pencil skirt, with a below-knee length. It's a great shape for work, but with all the walking and stairs I have to do around campus, it's a tad narrow around the legs. In this tutorial, I'll show you how to draft a… Continue reading Tutorial: drafting a kick pleat for a pencil skirt
After exposing my bra to my friend (and most likely many others) while wearing my original Myrtle top out for drinks the other night, I decided to reduce the depth of the cowl for my second Myrtle. If you are less well-endowed than the C cup Colette designs for, this might be a good adjustment… Continue reading Tutorial: reducing the cowl neckline on the Myrtle dress
If you are here from the Britex blog, welcome!I've been sewing a lot of silk underwear lately; I'm positively addicted. There is something thoroughly satisfying about making something that is beautiful, useful and a quick sew. And it might even be cost effective, considering how little fabric is needed. In this post, I'll show… Continue reading Tutorial: sewing picot elastic on underwear and camisoles
Bea & Lucille 