Patterns, Techniques, Articles, Blogs, and other resources to learn how to sew
Free pattern: Simply Shift Dress
Kathleen from Grosgrain shares a free pattern for her Simply Shift Dress. The simple A-line dress has an easy elegance, perfect for holiday party season. Her free pattern makes a womens size 6-8. It can be made with just one yard of 60″ wide fabric (plus another yard of lining fabric if you choose to line it).
Click below to get her pattern and tutorial:
Simple Shift Free Dress Pattern, by Grosgrain
[photo from Grosgrain]
I’m always tempted by the pretty velvets at the fabric store. So much texture! And the way the fibers catch the light! But sewing on velvet is trickier than you’d think. That nap that lends beautiful texture also likes to slip and crawl. That nap can also spell disaster if you cut a piece the wrong direction. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t use buy that velvet and sew it into something gorgeous, you just need to go into your velvet sewing project prepared. And Melissa at Melly Sews has a post that takes you step by step through sewing on velvet.
Velvet is such a luscious fabric, especially for winter sewing projects. Of course there are velvet Christmas sewing projects – stockings, tree skirts, santa hats – but velvet is beautiful for all winter. Think of all the gorgeous velvet dresses, evening bags, hair accessories, even pillows and other home décor that you see all winter long.
Melly Sews’ post gives you the tips and tricks you need to know in order for your velvet sewing project to end up a success. There are types of projects better suited for velvets, and kinds of projects to avoid. She describes the different types of velvet available. And she also tells the best way to lay out and cut your pattern pieces from velvet fabric. Her tutorial also covers marking, pressing, and of course sewing that beautiful fabric. There’s also a video included in case that’s your preferred method for learning.
Head over to Melly Sews to learn how to sew on velvet fabric.
And if you want to learn more about that lovely blue velvet dress shown, she has a post that tells more about it including 2 ways to style it depending on if you want to be more dressy or more casual.
[photo credit: Melly Sews]
were you able to easily assemble the pattern? I get that it’s a puzzle, and I was trying to assemble it by looking at the large sheet image…but the puzzle is just totally stumping me. I was wondering if you have a quick cheat sheet with the numbers on the pattern pieces. I’ll also email her from her original post of the pattern. Thanks in advance.
Alana