The best stitch for blind hem

...is plain zig-zag. Why? Because it resembles manual blind hem most closely, and manual blind hem is, of course, the golden standard. Domestic sewing machines have come up with a variety of special blind hem stitches, from a wiggling attachment for straight stitch only machines, to fixed or programmable combinations of straight stitching or narrow…

Fancy hem finishes

I've been playing with some options for hem finishes on several recent projects, and thought I'd put them together in one post. There are so many ways to make a hem - it's mind-boggling! And after you read this, you'll be thinking up even more! Stitched overlock hem I needed a way to finish several…

What to do with fancy stitches?

Your machine has loads of them but all you use is straight stitch and occasional zig-zag... Sounds familiar? 😉 Obviously, fancy stitches are there for fancy work. Or are they? What is the difference between utility stitches and decorative stitches? Well, utility stitches are there to help with boring work like sewing a blind hem,…

The book that will change you forever

...or at least your sewing. One of my all-time favourite books on sewing technique and embroidery, no sewing machine required: ​ The subtitle reads: "The creative guide for dressmakers and needlecrafters that takes your work to a new level." True! All true. This is a sewing guide where all the sewing is done by hand.…

On darts, hems, ruffles and lace

Singer sewing books are among the best out there, we know that. So when Singer brought out zig-zag machines, they were keen to show what this exciting new piece of kit could do for you. So they included 55 pages of sewing technique into the manual for model 319! Start reading on page 56. I…

Know your snails from your sea shells – the narrow hem feet

​ You've seen them around, the narrow hem feet. They look so similar, so why do I have four of them supplied with my Haid & Neu machine? Time to read the manual! Fortunately, the feet are numbered, otherwise I'd have a hard time figuring out which is which. They look quite different on the…