Practical Sewing Tips & Techniques

Advance your basic sewing skills with a collection of the most useful intermediate skills and techniques. Even if you’re a seasoned sewist, you’ll benefit from the tips and tricks designed to make your sewing easier. Nicki explains troubleshooting techniques for most common sewing problem: tension. What is correct and incorrect tension? How to get perfect tension and make the correct adjustments, how to alleviate those nasty thread nests and other common tension problems.

Learn about the vast array of elastics available, the differences between them and how to know what type to choose for what purpose. Get step-by-step instructions on how to create three different waistband types using elastic.

Hems are a vital part of every project, whether it’s a garment or not, it’s how you finish it off and make it look crisp and professional. Learn different hemming techniques for different projects, such as slinky knits like nightgowns and circle skirts. Nicki will also demonstrate how to shorten a garment while preserving the original factory hem.

Zippers are another problem area for many sewists. Zippers can seem intimidating, as there’s many different types of zippers, coil, invisible, separating. Nicki explains the differences and demonstrates how to insert a coil zipper and an invisible zipper.

Knowing how to attach binding is a useful skill, as it’s not just used for quilts. Binding is a great way to finish garment and home-dec project edges with a professional look or a pop of color. Nicki explains the formula to calculate the needed length, how to make your own and how to apply it in two different ways. Nicki also demonstrates how to join the binding ends and how to miter corners when binding to get a perfect crisp miter every time.

Pattern alterating is one of the most useful techniques a sewist can learn if you intend to sew garments. Nicki demonstrates how to slash and spread, how to move darts from patterns, neckline, sleeve, and some skirt alterations.

Then, Nicki will explain some common sewing tips, and answer some frequently asked questions, such as how to prevent wavy edges on knits, how to read commercial patterns and how to blend pattern sizes.