Sep 18

Sep 18 five {relatively} easy techniques to make your sewing more professional

i think of my early sewing projects like i think of high school: sure at the time i thought i had it figured out and was doing a bang up job, but man there were some cringe worthy situations.

however unlike my high school experiences i am better for it and am willing to talk about them. so i thought i would put together a list of my favorite techniques and tips that i've found make my sewing more professional.

5. labels

the first part of making your work look professional is having your name on it. here i have a tutorial for how i make mine.

4. french seams

on tuesday i talked about french seams which are the gold standard for finishing unlined garments. i've used them loads of times including in the lil' man flannel, nora and etta's poppy dresses, the baby pants, nora and etta's back to school skirts, and the farmers market jacket.

3. straight stitch seams

can you fold fabric? can you sew a straight line? then you should be doing straight stitch seams. i talk about all the reasons why here.

2. facings

facings are really the only way to properly finish a-line and circle skirts. i love them because they are an awesome way to sneak in an accent fabric that peaks out. below are examples from the back to school dresses from 2014 and maya's third birthday lorax tunic. i talk about them here.

1. hand stitching

shortly after i started doing hand stitched hems, i realized hand sewing could be very zen. now i do hand finishing in some way on just about everything i sew. i talk about them here.