How to Sew Knit & Stretch Fabrics with a Standard Sewing Machine

This tutorial will show you how to sew stretch and knit fabrics with a regular sewing machine.

People often make the mistake of thinking they can’t work with knits if they don’t have an overlock machine, but knit fabrics existed a long time before sergers were commonly available as home machines, so don’t be afraid to try it out. With a little practice, it’s no harder than sewing with woven fabrics.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!  There are lots more tutorials on the way.

sewingknits

This tutorial was filmed using a Creative Labs Vado HD Digital Video Camera, a Canon Rebel (for still shots), and edited in Sony Vegas Movie Studio.

How to Resize a T-shirt

Do you have a closet full of rad shirts, but you never wear them because they’re 10 sizes too big? Never again!

Here’s my new video tutorial that shows you how to take a gargantuan shirt and make it fit like a glove.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!  There are lots more tutorials on the way- and if you have any tutorial requests, leave me a comment!

resizeshirt

This tutorial was filmed using a Creative Labs Vado HD Digital Video Camera, a Canon Rebel (for still shots), and edited in Sony Vegas Movie Studio.

How to Sew Fabric Appliques

Here’s my video tutorial for fabric appliques / patches. Appliques are a great way to embellish or customize a project. You can add them to bags, clothes, Xmas stockings, and more. Appliqued handmade goods make great gifts because you can tailor each one for the recipient!

If you scroll down, there’s also a photo tutorial version so you can go at your own pace, or go to a specific step.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!  There are lots more tutorials on the way!

And if you have any tutorial requests, leave me a comment!

appliquetut

This tutorial was filmed using a Creative Labs Vado HD Digital Video Camera, a Canon Rebel (for still shots), and edited in Sony Vegas Movie Studio.

 

Here’s the photo + text version of the tutorial:

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How to Turn a Regular T-shirt into a Henley Tee

This is a quick way to give a plain tee or tank a little upgrade! The best part is, you don’t have to screw around with buttonholes because that part has been done for you already!

If you’re looking at me funny and wondering WTF a henley shirt is, it’s a shirt with a partial button placket down the front. Like our finished project here:

Difficulty:

 

Things you’ll need for this tutorial:

  • scissors
  • sewing machine (or needle and thread, if you’re old school and mega patient like that)
  • a t-shirt or tank (you can make your own, if you like)
  • the button placket from another shirt


Step 1

Gather your materials. Here I’ve got my henley and my fabric, with which I will make a basic tee.

I happened to have a a henley shirt that I cut up a while ago to make a pattern. This is why I can never throw things away… I knew it would come in handy!

If you don’t have a henley style shirt, you can use a button placket from any shirt, really. A full buttondown will work just fine for this, you just need to trim it to the length you want. I think a plaid button placket would look super cute on a plain tee!

If you’ve searched your closets high and low and don’t have a button placket handy, there’s a really great tutorial for making a henley tee here.

Step 1


The cute button print fabric I used in this tutorial is from Purple Seamstress Fabrics.

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