Sleeves seem to be that *thing * that bothers a lot of dressmakers, costumers and sew-ers. The term “sleev-evils” has been tossed around for a while now. But I don’t want you to think of sleeves in that way. It only hinders you in getting that sleeve sewn and set into the bodice as quickly Read More...
Category: Sewing Tips
How to Grade Seam Allowances
Do you make the grade? It’s super important to get into the habit of grading your seams, and I highly recommend it! The process of grading your seam allowances (aka trimming to various widths) is fairly easy to understand. However, this sewing technique can be time consuming. But don’t let that stop you! Making the Read More...
Easy Machine Gathers
I’ll admit I [HEART] gathers, and I love doing them with the machine… the classic, two-thread method. Some people freak out about this. Maybe they’ve never been taught good tips to make machine gathers go quickly and come out looking fantastic. This makes me sad, so I’m sharing those tips with you so you can Read More...
Organdy: The Costumer’s Dream Fabric
It was a distinct turning point in my historical costuming. I thought I was doing pretty good – my costumes were fairly accurate in style, my undergarments were all present, and my fabric selections did not include polyester or nylon. I soaked up all I could on how to make my Victorian clothing better. What I Read More...
Demystifying Victorian Bodice Construction
That moment when you are ready to jump into your first Victorian dress and hold out hope that it’s not as complicated as it “seams.” Because I’d been sewing clothes for about a dozen years before I got into historical costuming I wasn’t afraid. But so many I talked to in that early part of Read More...
How NOT To Set Your Sleeves In Backwards
Have you done it? We’ve all been there – it’s pushing 1am and you just want to get the dang sleeves sewn in then you can go to bed. You pick up one sleeve, look at the seams and the gathered cap, and then start pinning it into the armhole. Good. Now run it Read More...
A Look at a 1860s (or 1870s) Original Girl’s Dress
Late in summer 2017 I had a follower (Ruthann Gray) send me a girl’s dress that is in wonderful condition aside from the few random holes in the skirt and spots on the bodice front. I shared it recently in a Facebook Live video (posted below) going over each detail in the construction. For a closer Read More...
A Pin Pleating Tutorial
When I first started making pleated ruffles for my historical ensembles I used straight pins and a ruler. I didn’t know any different. You’ll find a variety of ways to make pleats, but this one worked well for me. And I’ll still use it when it’s the look I’m going for. So when you don’t Read More...