If any of my pattern instructions involves stitching a corner, inevitably one or more of my testers would tell me, “you forgot to say ‘clip seam allowance’ in the step.” That’s what I love about my testers. These ladies are detailed and diligent. I cannot express my appreciation enough for their help. (This post contains […]
Hi Itch to Stitch Readers! Who here has ever added piping to a sewing project? For years I was intimidated to try this sewing technique, thinking it required a special presser foot and advance skills, but once I tried it for the first time, I was shocked by how easy it was to use! Piping […]
If you think that Itch to Stitch’s patterns fit me perfectly out of the file, you would be incorrect. I don’t use my own measurements to draft the pattern. Just like everything else in life, it’s not always all about me. Since I develop the patterns for different women, it makes sense for me to […]
Tacking the lining loosely to the garment is a technique used in several Itch to Stitch’s patterns. These tacks are called as “French Tacks”. (I just looked up how many “French” sewing terms there are. Apparently we have French canvas, French curves, French darts, French seams and French tacks. The French seems to have invented many […]
I am cooking up a new pattern and it has a fitted bodice with waist and bust darts. So I think this is a good time to talk about moving bust darts to fit your figure. Even women of the same height could have busts sitting at different levels. This could be because of age, cup size […]
I made a pair Emily Culottes for myself last week for the Style Maker Fabrics Spring Canvas Blog Tour. I didn’t get to put any pockets in, because I couldn’t decide the type of pockets to add. But I really miss having some pockets to put my hands and my things in. Luckily, it’s not too late to add them […]
In the last post, I mentioned taking advantage of your tried and true pattern, and do some minor modifications to create a different look. Why not? You worked so hard to make a dress or a top that fits you perfectly, then it is only logical to make more of it. But it doesn’t have to […]
I received a special request to do a tutorial on a jetted pocket. I found that the term “jetted pocket” is not used very often in the at-home sewing world. It is more used in the men’s tailoring world, especially in the UK. The more common term in the sewing world is double welt pocket […]
Hi Itch to Stitch readers! Princess seams are classic design lines that are flattering for all body types. The Marbella Dress pattern uses these seams to shape the bust for a feminine fit that’s easy and comfortable to wear; however, sewing the perfect princess seam isn’t always as easy as wearing it. Without the proper […]
Today’s topic is somewhat of an advanced one, but it’s not necessarily hard to understand. It’s about how to measure your hips. Most of the pattern instructions I’ve seen, including American sewing patterns such as the “Big 4″ and European sewing patterns such as Burda and Patrones, tell you to simply measure the widest part of your […]
My mom told me, if I wanted great results, I had to work hard for it, because beautiful things never came easy. Now that I am a grown woman with my own experiences, I have realized that, most of the time, my mom is right. However, I’ve also learned that working smarter sometimes is more […]
In my previous post, I talked about the characteristics of a contour waistband. In summary, a contour waistband is always on the bias, hence it is more flexible and has the ability to nicely and subtly contour to the shape of your waist. Not only it looks more graceful than a straight-grain waistband, it’s also more comfortable […]
