Taking a break from sewing

Hello to all of you sewing enthusiasts! I have been away from this blog for a while because I have not been sewing for a time either. Blame the global events of the last year for that... you know what I mean! Some of you have written to me - I thank you all for…

Double-stitched buttonholes

Sometimes regular buttonholes just don't cut it. I'm making a coat from a thick twill that is fairly loosely woven, so the zig-zag edges of the buttonholes must be at least 3mm wide to secure all the threads of the cloth properly. Plus, I want to use thick and glossy nylon thread because I use…

Do you know ZPS?

I didn't, but now I do, and I'm a fan! 😃 ZPS is a manufacturer of precision machinery from Czech Republic, established in 1903 and still going today, see their brief history at the company website. They have always made very diverse machinery, and at some point even sewing machines! 😉 The name ZPS came…

My design process

Designing a new coat is hard work! This is from Der Neue Schnitt, issue 12, 1950. I shall be combining navy twill with sage green herringbone on this to make it a striking coat with both body and soft folds. You'll have to wait and see how that goes! 😁 Here is the detailed drawing…

Pfaff’s unsurpassed buttonholes

My Pfaff Creative makes unsurpassed buttonholes. It's a computerised machine, so of course she's got programs for several types of lovely buttonholes. But this is not unique and not particularly remarkable. The most remarkable bit is a simple mechanical aid that makes all the difference. The first thing you notice is of course the sliding…

Sewing crêpe, satin and peach fabrics, or You vs. the Pucker Demon

Crêpe, satin and peach fabrics come in several types and fibres, but they always remain difficult fabrics to sew. In particular, most machines have trouble sewing a straight seam along the length of the material - it puckers. Yes, it means the tension is too high, but no, it is not actually too high, and…