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…

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…

Hemming jersey

How do you hem your fine jersey? Why, with a twin needle on a sewing machine or a coverlock machine, of course - I hear you say. This is indeed a common technique and is essentially the same - and it requires you to fold your fabric beneath the surface and to stitch exactly on…

Felled rolled hem that lies flat

Summer dresses often have wide skirts, so the hems are curved. Yet they also often have rolled hems that don't roll nicely on curves, they get all wrinkled up. I found that a two-step hem works better and lies flat, and I'm using the felling foot again to make it. See my previous post on…

False French seams for fine fabrics

Ah, summer! Hot weather means ice cream, lightweight fabrics and frequent washes. In sewing terms it means that the seams must be strong enough not to unravel in all those washes, which is easier said than done because lightweight fabrics are often loosely woven too, so they fray and disintegrate easily. But we don't want…