Sewing Resources

M6696 update: Worshipping at the altar of Nancy Zieman

July 6, 2017

After my last post on working with McCall’s M6696 shirtdress, I checked out some books on pattern fitting. One of my library books is “Pattern Fitting with Confidence” by longtime public television sewing educator, Nancy Zieman. I just happened to start with her book first, and I haven’t looked back. Her fitting technique made a world of sense to me, and I don’t understand why I haven’t seen it in other places. […]

The agony and the ecstasy of fitting McCall’s M6696

June 15, 2017

I wanted to post a blow-by-blow pattern review and tips for sewing McCall’s M6696 shirtdress, sewing friends. Alas, my fitting skills came up short. […]

How I sew a muslin + Sew Caroline Larchmont T

June 1, 2017

Instead of a straight-ahead sewing pattern review, I thought I’d walk through my process for making a muslin. I stitched the Sew Caroline Larchmont T that appears in the new “Weekend Style” sewing book. It’s a simple woven T-shirt pattern that was a freebie in the spring issue 2017 of Sew News magazine. Because it’s only three […]

Cali Faye Collection Pocket skirt + How to use basting tape like a pro

May 25, 2017

The sewing pattern for May’s installment of Project #SewMyStyle is the Cali Faye Collection Pocket skirt. For me, it’s been the most difficult pattern so far (keep reading for details on why!). […]

Buying an iron for sewing: 5 irons less than $100 from Amazon

May 18, 2017

Sewists have good reason to sweat over buying an iron. A good iron for sewing is as important as a good sewing machine for professional results. If you’re on the market for an iron for sewing, keep reading to discover which features matter most to sewists and my top five iron picks that won’t break the bank! […]

Sewing knits with a sewing machine: Testing foot-tension-needle combos

May 11, 2017

I am sergerless. At Van Handel Headquarters, I’m sewing knits with a sewing machine. And, for the most part, sewing knits without a serger works just swell for me. I’ve sewn scuba knit, sweatshirt fleece, ponte, heavy sweater knit, cotton spandex, and more on my Babylock Elizabeth machine and been happy with the results. And then I sewed my Bridgetown backless dress. And I scowled a lot. That experience inspired an epic sewing experiment. […]

Sie Macht

M6696 update: Worshipping at the altar of Nancy Zieman

The agony and the ecstasy of fitting McCall’s M6696

How I sew a muslin + Sew Caroline Larchmont T

Cali Faye Collection Pocket skirt + How to use basting tape like a pro

Buying an iron for sewing: 5 irons less than $100 from Amazon

Sewing knits with a sewing machine: Testing foot-tension-needle combos

sie.macht.sewing