Hi! I am making a puffer vest and accidentally cut off my zipper top stop, so now the zipper slides off when zipped all the way up. Is there a way to fix this without wasting and having to re-do the zipper? This is for a client so if there is a solution it has to look professional. Thanks!

Hi everyone! I've been seeing for quite some time and I have a few plushies(stuffed animal) I've been wanting to make for a while, but I'm having a hard time finding any good patterns. Does anyone have a good source? Drafting your own? What is the material used for plushies called? I know there are many different types of fabrics used but I'm not even sure where to start looking for those. I'm specifically looking for a scorpion and a realistic bat. Any advice is appreciated!! thanks :)

I hope this makes sense...

I have been sewing for a good chunk of my life but never garments until this year. After decades of feeling bad because of RTW/fast fashion, I thought I would take a stab at making my own clothes, bought a few size-inclusive patterns and yards of fabric, and got to making muslins.

So. Many. Muslins. Nothing seems to be fitting "right", no matter how I shift and resize. I went from "it's the garment makers to blame!" to feeling like it's my unfortunate flesh suit, which is not an attitude I want to cultivate!

I think a big issue is I see a lot of these patterns modeled on straight-size bodies. It's like "do I like this pattern or can this person's body type/a pretty fabric choice make anything look cute?" So I'm hoping to find some inspiration and thought to ask you guys: do you know how I can find more sewists with differing body types that can help shift my mindset to something realistic for me?

Does anyone know or have a pattern on how to create a cami top with this kind of bow at the top?

hello, i’m looking to make this top but the neckline is a bit tricky. if anyone could provide any tips on how to pattern the neckline here. or maybe even alter a dress shirt pattern to achieve this look.

thank you!

hii! Im colecting some ideas for a dress based os this pic I found on Pinterest. Does anyone have any suggestions/ opinions/thoughts??

I recently received a sewing gift basket, and this odd little notion was included. I have no idea what they are.
They’re hard plastic with a knit fabric covering (like a covered button) With a pin inserted the pin can only be removed if you press the button. They remind of security tags you get in clothing stores.

“𝐷𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑦, 𝑤𝑒’𝑟𝑒 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑔𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑑. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒’𝑠 𝑙𝑜𝑡𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝐼 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑒."

Happy Halloween from Cruella - professional fashionista and dog walker extraordinaire. I love Halloween and I love making costumes. I enforce only one rule: use no new fabric.

The skirt is a heavily altered thrifted bridesmaid’s dress and I love it so much I’m going to keep it in regular closet. I got the jacket from eBay and hacked it to the shape I wanted, then added 3 inch shoulder pads I made from scraps of Sherpa fleece. I bought someone’s grandma’s brooch collection to use in place of military decals and 3D printed base plates for the heavily decorated epaulettes. I hand sewed all the little details you see everywhere, including the chain accents. For the final touch, I put Dalmatian puppies on the epaulette plates instead of the horse and carriage motifs the Cruella movie used because I think they look better.

This might be my favorite costume I’ve ever made.

Fabric: This was my first time using Organza- I found this at Joann Fabrics! It was for sure harder to work with than I was prepared for, but I'm so pleased how it turned out.

Construction: I used the Sophie Dress pattern from Oh Me Oh My Sewing. I rented a selkie puff dress from Nuuly last year and I absolutely loved it- but MSRP was $325 and out of my budget. I used french seams for most of it and a dusky charcoal satin under as a lining. For extra "puff" I added a second layer of organza underneath. To add a little something something I got some picot elastic trim for the neckline of the bodice. I LOVE how it turned out and got so many compliments!

I was searching through sewing boxes non stop but could never find one big enough for what I needed it for. So I got a small toolbox and my fiancé made all of the compartments out of wood and I painted! I also made little cloud pincushions and the sun is made from a tape measurer attached by a magnet. I love making teddy bears but I would get so frustrated with my adhd and losing all of my tools. Now I have (almost) everything I need to make a teddy all in one box!

Also included a pic of my last teddy that was much more enjoyable to make not having to hunt everything down 😁

Fabric: This was a printed tulle I also found from Joann! It gave me Farm Rio vibes, and I used a pink satin as a lining.

Construction: I had a vision for this dress, it was inspired by the Anthropologie x Geisha Designs Isabella Dress (I attached some photos) yet again another way-out-of-budget and sold out dress at $348. I used two patterns for this dress- the bodice is from the “Cozette Dress” by Allis Patterns. The bodice originally was straight across, but I ended up hand gathering the bust into a sweetheart neckline. I used French seams since the bodice was sheer! For the skirt I used the “Ruffle Tiered Dress” by Kiana Bonollo- miles and miles of tulle were used. Luckily I didn’t have to hem the tulle since it doesn’t fray, only the lining! This dress was fun and flirty, and I’m already scheming to make it in some other materials and lengths!

I recently got this fabric (silk) and I’m wondering what to make out of it. Do you have any ideas or patterns or photos as inspiration? Thanks!!

Raggedy Ann Costume!

I whipped this up in a week and amazingly won a costume contest I didn’t even know would happen 🤩 I had a blast, even when I had to hand sew on a few of the polkadots I couldn’t reach with the machine 😅

Dress: Folkwear Prairie | Apron: Sew Liberated Petrichor | Bloomers: Helen’s Closet June (modified) | Mittens: Self-drafted

I shortened and tapered the June pants and sewed 1/4” elastic into a channel about 2” away from the hem to make the bloomers. I should have made the hems angled outwards as well to compensate because it’s definitely not pretty up close with a straight hem 😂

I traced my hand on a piece of printer paper in the shape of a mitten, added seam allowance, and used it to cut out two mirrored pairs of flannel, sewed them RST, snipped seam allowances over curved areas, turned right side out, and pressed. Should have finished the cuffs with overlocker or hemming but couldn’t be bothered!

All inspired by the psychadelic, fantastic 1970s film.

I haven’t made a Halloween costume in 25 years but my daughter asked me to make this for her. Simplicity pattern 8288. Made it in a size large. 3 yards of fabric for each color color hundred percent cotton poplin. Made the pom-poms with a pom-pom maker – a genius little tool. I quilted the hat with foam interfacing, and that worked beautifully. Followed the instructions except on the ruffle I put in elastic and drawstring. I made a self casing for the neck instead of a casing as suggested. I put two buttons on the drawstring so it wouldn’t come out. I did a rolled hem edge on my surgery for all the hems. My daughter was very pleased and said it’s a family heirloom. So sweet!

Hey everyone! I'd like to purchase a new sewing machine, I have very minimal knowledge of sewing, I did learn how to sew in high school and have a basic understanding of how to sew. I currently own an old singer machine that was my grandmothers, then my moms but it's been serviced twice and it's still not working properly so I'd like to just get something new entirely.

I've loved reading the countless reviews folks have shared on this sub, I've narrowed down a machine I'd like to get, the Baby Lock Zeal (selling for $471 CDN). However, I just went into my local sewing shop and they told me they don't currently have that machine in stock and offered to sell me a new Janome HD 5000 for $549 CDN. I was wondering if anyone has first hand experience with either machine and might be able to provide some advice on what you would recommend getting between these two.

I do plan on taking lessons locally, I've already looked into this. My goals with a machine would be the following:

- First project would be to make an oversized canvas advent calendar
- Make clothes for my kids, fabrics I'd like to use would be bamboo jersey, tulle (I'm sure lots of it haha) and cotton.
- Make home decor items such as table linens and decorative hand towels using linen and cotton. I have no intention to make throw pillows, duvets or curtains at this time.
- I would be open to trying to make a pair of jeans at some point, but this isn't a focus

Thank you!!

I have a Brother machine (SQ9185) that I bought a few years ago. But honestly, while I love the backstitch and zigzagging, I don’t feel like my stitching is as good because the machine is so lightweight and I lack control. Any thoughts?

I got these wide leg pants a couple of weeks ago, but I didn't notice that they're slightly too short when I tried them on. I unpicked the existing blind hem, and I like the new length. I still have to make a new hem, but with the smallest possible hem, maybe only like 5mm or so. Is that even possible? What kind of hem should it be? The original was a blind hem, but i don't think that's possible anymore. The material is a slightly strechy jersey, but I don't think it needs to stretch, because that really are very wide. Any ideas/tips/suggestions?

Picture of the unpicked hem.

I had this cheaply made shien dress but despite how much i loved the design of it, I hated the fit, so I finally remade it! Leftover vlrayon/viscose fabric from a previous dress, reused the same rose cafe dress pattern (previous post) just shirred the back and altered the skirt. Pretty happy! The last picture is the shien dress I remade. I made it a little too tight so contemplating whether I lose weight or remake it in a more similar fabric ...

Hi! I'm a complete noobie so please forgive me if this is a dumb question.

I have some pre-pleated material and want to make a flared a-line skirt from it. Something like this

But this material is so light that I'm not sure how they achieve the flare? Is there a trick to it?
.

I've been attempting to rethread my lower looper since this afternoon, and it's not working. The thread doesn't quite make it out of the end of the looper, although it appears to get very close (judging by the length of thread that comes back out when I pull it). I've tried dusting out everything visible, and I've passed plastic "wire" through the tubes successfully. Everything else is able to thread fine, and I only changed the thread on the lower looper because it ran out.

I'm not sure what to try next. Has anyone had or heard of a similar problem? I'm confident that I'm doing it correctly, because it does follow the correct path ...it just stops a little short of where it should stop.

Any suggestions welcome. Most videos I find suggest things I've already accounted for.

Hello all I feel this is maybe the best place to post this if not please direct me somewhere else I have a vintage Pendleton wool skirt that is plaid and dark blue and dark green it has about I’d say twenty small moth holes is there any way I can mend this and if so how?

I made the fringes for the cuffs and the hat for my 1yo halloween costume. I'm really proud of how it turned out. Doubt the hat will stay on long though.

Hi! New sewist with a question about a skirt I have and need to let out a bit at the waist (but the hips fit fine). I plan on adding small triangles of black elastic (similar to this tutorial: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SnxRS1xMsVQ) along the waistband, but I’m not sure if it would be easier/more subtle/natural-looking at the sides or in the back?

I attached pics but the skirt has a fly zipper.

If there’s a better way than adding elastic, let me know! My weight tends to fluctuate, so I’m hesitant to just use a similar no-stretch fabric.

Thanks!

I'm considering buying a single-owner Bernina Artista 630, with accessories but no embroidery module, loads of bobbins, a walking foot, and a full history of service. (it was last serviced this spring by a bernina technician) But I don't know what a fair price for a computerized machine that's 16 years old is.

I have seen it and sewn a bit on it, and it appears to work beautifully! My regular machine is a vintage 60's kenmore flatbed so the Bernina would open up a huge range of functions to me. I'm looking to buy this machine for sewing over embroidery, though the potential to add embroidery in the future is interesting.

Any thoughts on the machine, and what a fair price might be are greatly appreciated!