Sewing, knitting, embroidery, easy and fashion blog

A new sewing kit arrived! Ultra simple, this kit is accessible to beginners. It allows you to sew a skirt for girl with a pretty ethnic elastic.

The warbler skirt is available in fuschia pink or denim blue. The elastics are assorted: pink and black for the fuschia skirt, black and white for the denim skirt.

The explanations allow you to sew a 2 to 10 year old skirt. We are thinking of making the sewing kit for the same frou frou skirt in adult size.

The kit includes:

- 1 piece of fabric to make the skirt

- 1 piece of matching elastic band.

To sew the skirt, nothing simpler, it is by putting the elastic at the sewing machine that you realize at the same time the gathers. The step by step explanations included in the kit, will allow you to sew the skirt in 1h to 2h top time!

Sewing kits for beginners arrived! To offer sewn or in kit, it is the perfect couture gift for Christmas.

Find our 2 sewing pouches :

- lace pouch

- glitter pouch

They are easy to sew, without the need to reproduce a pattern. You just have to follow our detailed explanations in pictures.

Pouch sewing kits are for beginner level. You just need to know how to use your sewing machine.
You will learn with these kits, to master the zipper sewing. You will also apply some iron-on wadding that will give more resistance to the pouch.

This pouch will shine in all your evenings: ceremony, new year, Christmas, chic party... The lace lurex and the glitter of the sequins give a very classy look.

And to offer, what better way to suggest you a small suitcase ?

Translations of the words in the above illustration:

Tissus et ouatine: Fabrics and wadding
Valisette: mini-case
Dentelle: Lace
Lannière: Thong
Zip Lurex: Lurex Zip
Pampille: Tassel

You have the choice between the pouch with the small gold glitter strips on the velvet fabric or the pouch made of jean with silver lurex lace.

The silver pouch has a small imitation leather strap and a pretty lurex tassel.

We have chosen for the pouches inside, a pretty cloth printed cream with small white cotton feathers. The fabrics provided will allow you to make several pouches by choosing yourself zippers, pompom braid, lace, bias, piping, etc..

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You start sewing and looking for help to learn to sew online? We offer today a small blogs and websites overview  for beginners and more savvy dressmakers to help you answer all your sewing questions:

• Thread & Needles :

Thread&Needles Thread & Needles is the reference community website for sewing and knitting. The site was created in 2010 by passionate about sewing, now the site has been widely enriched. Very interactive, volunteers regularly publish articles on the blog:

♦ Keeping you informed of the latest patterns and sewing books releases,

♦ Introducing a seamstress or a tailor with interview,

♦ Giving desire with projects that inspire,

♦ Showing a technique, sewing or knitting tools,

♦ Presenting an artist, an exhibition related to sewing or knitting.

As a community site, the big advantage of T&N is to offer an account where you can post your sewing & knitting projects. You add a title, an image, a link to your blog and other people in the community can interact with you via comments and private messages.

Your project is then referenced in the gallery. Each member may vote and may become the "popular of the week" project.

The website also contains very active sewing and knitting groups. Notably by region, allowing you to organize or to meet other real dressmakers or knitters in your corner.

These groups can also allow you to answer your questions about sewing or knitting technical problems.

The + : Thread&Needles is a very complete website as you will understand. It allows to virtually or actually meet bloggers through project presentations.

• Artesane :

Artesane is a new website created by the talented blogger Annie Coton . The principle is to offer sewing and knitting online classes and it will increase with arts and crafts.

Several recognized teachers therefore propose a course related to their field of choice.

The platform Artesane is beautiful and well done. Most courses are paid (and that's normal considering the work) but you will also find free lessons. Many videos workshops will emerge during 2016 have to watch closely!

The +: Artesane also contains a nice "newspaper" including clear tips on cloth or special sewing techniques, in particular. The illustrations are very well done and the approach discusses in depth techniques.

• Couture Débutant :

This blog was created in 2015 by a young sewing instructor Margaux.

Couture Débutant, is first to overcome the issues and redundant problems of its sewing beginners students. It notes that the problems of sewing beginners are always the same and there are very few site dedicated to the first steps.

Since then, the blog growed and Margaux offers:

♦ Super simple sewing DIY to not be afraid to begin it,

♦ Its patterns and magazine testing,

♦ Its best addresses both on the web than real,

♦ A Youtube channel offering basis support for amateur fashion designers.

The +: The universe of its blog is cool and pleasant. It makes you want to put it right away now even if you were born with two left hands, with these step by step tutorials, you are sure to get there!

• Crafty Bitches :

This vintage and quirky look blog is full of good sewing ideas with supporting tutorials.

There are as well many basic sewing lessons as customization DIY.

There you will find a wealth of information to choose your sewing machine, sewing a particular fabric, but also make everything simple accessories like a headband, a collar, etc.

The +: the blogger's humor. The articles, both for sewing in mood editorial or general web articles are really funny!

• Petit Citron :

Petit Citron is a small community sewing site. It was created by Perrine Colignon in 2007. She wanted to set up as a virtual sewing club.

The site offers in image sewing techniques, but also free simple patterns.

To participate, send your projects, technical ideas, etc. Just create an account on the site.

The +: the Petit Citron blog is full of tips and inspirations for sewing. It is a mine of information interesting when you start!

The baby knitting kit of the pretty striped sailor sweater Augustin is out!

This small model has to be knit simply from the bottom up, starting with a few rows of ribs 1/1 then some jersey. The body is knitted in one piece, alternating stripes is easy! The sleeves require some reductions, but this model remains accessible to beginners.

The Breton sweater has to be knitted in this beautiful Ambiance de Fonty wool, an ultra-soft wool (it's normal, it's Merino) and that can be washed without problem by machine.

The sailor strip sweater model sizes go from 3 months to 2 years. You only need 2 balls to the bottom and 1 ball for scratches to the 1 year size.

The kit comes in a cute recycled bag with:

Plus: you choose yourself your colors! If you want an ecru background with yellow mustard or blue background with gray stripes, it's time!

Winter begins to be felt timidly in this early 2016 ... the perfect time to get back to knitting!

Since I give knitting lessons (it's been 6 years!), I had a lot of people completely beginners, ie which start from zero. This allows me to make you a basic tips small summary if you feel the urge to begin knitting.

1/ The basis

What do you need to start knitting?

- A pair of knitting needles

- A ball

- A very easy pattern

2/ The pattern choice for beginners

Very important ! It's the first thing you need to find. It is important to start knitting small as this can be very frustrating to quickly begin a long scarf and realize in the middle we lost the motivation to finish it.

I suggest you start with adult accessories or ultra-easy baby clothing. The easiest beginners stitch is the garter stitch. You can also test the jersey stitch but for the ribs, you'll see it later!

The snood (or neckband) and mittens are ideal to start. See eg  Sorlin Snood with needles 15 and Triad mittens with needles 6. It's straight on and all in garter stitch. No reduction or increase but a quick super nice finish!

For a baby clothing, I recommend the Paul vest, slightly more complicated than the accessories (you will have to increase by several stitches) and needles are a little finer but clear explanations will guide you easily to the final sewing and you will be proud to offer this little jacket to a baby. It is also available in kit.

3/ Select the ball

Choose what is commonly called  the "wool" is not so obvious. You will find balls in many haberdasheries with very pretty colors but unfortunately not containing 1 gram of wool!

- The material:

I made the choice to offer you on the website, only knitting threads with a majority of natural material.

The material may be: from the sheep wool  (mostly merinos, very soft), recycled yarn from different materials, alpaca (slightly hairy and warmer), mohair (cloudier), cotton (lighter for summer) or even cashmere and silk.

For beginners I suggest you buy a ball of 100% wool, 100% recycled or 100% cotton (if it is for the summer or for a baby). Other wools are more expensive and sometimes it is less clear to observe our meshes or unravel without nodes (alpaca and mohair particular).

Our special beginners knitting balls:

- The thread size:

It is very important to well choose the thread thickness to begin knitting! It is even essential.

The wool ideal thickness that I recommend to begin knitting is for needles 5 mm up to 15 mm.

The needle number is always shown on the ball label (see below):

4/ Choose the pair of knitting needles

The pair of knitting needles number depends on the yarn you've chosen (and if you were paying attention, so printed on the ball label). The knitting needles numbers match their diameter in millimeters. They range from 2 mm to 25 mm or even 30!

There are also  différent needles shapes: straight, circular, double-pointed ...

The circular and double-pointed needles have been developed for seamless circular knitting: hats, gloves, mittens, socks, etc. But interchangeable circular knitting needles new lines (Knitpro line for example) can be very practical to knit straight works (in two-way) and circular, no need to buy both straight needles and circular needles! They need a small starting supplementary budget but they be used all your life.

For beginners, if you do not yet know if you and knitting that's for life, I suggest you opt for straight knitting needles 25 to 35 cm long. 25 cm is a minimum and for small works for babies and children.

You will also have the choice in the knitting needles material! Increasingly type of needles exist and that's good.

There are metal needles, used since time immemorial, they have the advantage not to break but can be heavy (in addition to knit), too slippery to begin, noisy and cause allergies.

You can choose also in wooden needles: bamboo or birch.

Wooden needles are much lighter than metal and do not let slip the stitches. Bamboo remains fragile for small sizes needles (2 to 3.5mm) but the birch is one of the toughest! See our range of 100% birch Basix Birch Knitpro needles. In addition, the wooden needles are very pretty!

It remains plastic needles that I prefer not to propose, they cling too much wool, stitches do not slide well and the feel always appeared to me unpleasant. By cons they do not break and are also very slight.

You start sewing or you sew already for a while and now, you can find the patterns with or without seam allowances. When you are a novice, you get lost and you do not understand the "why and how" and when we used to sew, we are adept of "with seam allowances" or "without seam allowances."

As a professional, I will try to explain the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Patterns without seam allowances (or seam allowances not included)

First, working without seam allowances allows you to check all assembly lengths coherence: for example, does the collar fit the neckline where it will be mounted? What is the value of the ease (*) of a sleeve? etc ...

Within our design office all patterns are developed initially without seam allowances, we also digitalize without seam allowances and then we check with one of the tools of our software all coherence lengths (see above, but also the side seams etc ..).

So if you buy a pattern without seam allowances, you will have to add them on the fabric and make a mark

Advantages: assembly accuracy for fine finishes and facilitates all delicate assemblies, easy to modify because you know where is the original outline of the pattern. For a model which you are not sure, you can take the precaution to add larger seam allowances for a fitting.

Cons: this method is long because you have to add the seam allowances accurately and you have to do the pattern outline marking, so you need good marking tools, accurate and lasting the time of your assembly.

Going back to our design office, when we have checked all our pattern, we add the seam allowances because they are patterns for industry and all of the adjusment fittings were made, then we adapt the seam allowances to the assembly type and to the manufacturer's(**) hardware. 0.5 or 0.7 or 1 cm etc ... following sewing types.

Patterns with seam allowances (or seam allowances included)

So if you buy a pattern seam allowances included, you don't have any additional work to do on the fabric, you can set up, pin and straight cut along the pattern edge, you just need to know the value of the reserve.

Advantages: much faster to cut and assemble, no sewing lines to match.

Cons: if the assembly is very technical, you don't have the pattern outline mark to guide you, it requires great sewing techniques mastery. The seam allowances have been set, you do not have much room to maneuver in case of fitting.

Our conclusion: prefer patterns seam allowances included for all simple clothing that you don't want spend too much time.

But if you get into the "beautiful" for which you want the hang perfect which implies some fittings, if you are precise and meticulous take a pattern without seam allowances.

Lexicon:

*ease: the sleeve head is always slightly larger than the armhole, on which it is mounted, this difference in length is placed, assembling, at the top of the sleeve over a small distance from both sides of the shoulder line. These are not gathers, it's a mounting ease, ie we play on the ability of the fabric to absorb a small difference in length when sewing. This ease allows to garnish the round part of the shoulder without the sleeve pulls.ease: the sleeve head is always slightly larger than the armhole, on which it is mounted, this difference in length is placed, assembling, at the top of the sleeve over a small distance from both sides of the shoulder line. These are not gathers, it's a mounting ease, ie we play on the ability of the fabric to absorb a small difference in length when sewing. This ease allows to garnish the round part of the shoulder without the sleeve pulls.

**manufacturer: outsourcing company dealing only with sewing clothing collections

In the series of sewing books "Seamstresses Secrets ", here one dedicated to romantic clothes.

these sewing books of this set are translations from japanese books.

You will find 21 sewing models awith their explanations with pictures accompanied, of course, with full size patterns.

Many of today models are presented: tunics, shorts, dresses, skirts, blouses and pants.

This sewing book has many models in eyelet lace (broderie anglaise) which provides a very romantic feel.

The patterns are available in S, M, L and XL sizes, but be careful to properly compare your measurements with those of the book.

Details:

What we liked:

The models presented in this book are relatively simple, and therefore ideal for beginners for sewing. The presentation is original bringing a nice vintage look to the work. There are the basic sewing: Bermuda shorts, blouses, simple dress, a little buttoned blouse, trousers with elasticated waist ... The explanations are in the form of diagrams, step by step, very clearly at the end of the book as we usually find them in Japanese sewing books.

If you want a simple book to start sewing clothes for you, this book will not disappoint.

Another plus:

A community blog dedicated to Japanese fashion presentes all these seamstresses works made from this book:The Japan Couture Addicts. To see all the achievements from the Romantic Clothing book, it's here.

Whether you are a beginner or not knitting, the choice of knitting needles is paramount! And there is choice, from straight needles to circular needles through double pointed needles and all materials, we will try to guide you with all these needles variants and their uses.

Take stock on materials. Knitting needles, all kinds they can be can look as:

- Metal : It's the knitting needles matter that is most often found , especially in the grandmother knitting box ;). They are unbreakable but can writhe, heavier by diameter, emit a clicking knitting. Your work in progress can easily slide on metal knitting needles (not easy for beginners). The cheapest on the market! (find our metal needles here)

- Plastic (or acrylic) : Plastic or acrylic knitting needles are quite common in large numbers because lighter than metal. They tend to hang knit very well which can also be troublesome for beginners. By cons, they are silent.

- Bamboo and wood in general (rosewood, birch, etc.): Our favorite knitting needles! In bamboo, they are extremely lightweight, the knit slips a bit without hanging. Wooden needles are completely silent. We also provide birch wood needles (basix birch from KnitPro) and rosewood (Symphony from KnitPro), which are more resistant than bamboo needles and much more sweet!

Then we need to talk about the needles numbers, all needles have a number, it is engraved on the cap or the needle itself, this number indicates the needle diameter and matching (must match) to what is indicated on the ball of wool. The lower the number, the smaller the needle and the thread will be small and thus thin your knitting (and vice versa).

We now turn to the type of needle, there are several:

- Straight needles (1 tip): these are the most common knitting needles, which come in pairs. They may be 25 cm (see our KnitPro Basix instead of children) to 40 cm for longer, depending on the width of your knitting (but the stitches can be compressed).

- Double tip knitting needles: These knitting needles, straight too, are dedicated to knitting in the round. The double-pointed needles usually come in batches (4 or 5) for thin seamless tubes knitting, such as hats, socks, leggings, gloves and mittens.

- Circular knitting needles: Unfortunately unknown from beginners these needles are very convenient. Circular needles are designed, too, knitting in the round, but can very well be used for the "classic" flat knitting! So instead of buying one pair of straight needles + 1 circular needle from the same number, you can take only the circular needle. There has been a lot of development for this kind of needles in recent years. There are now two types of circular needles:

- Fixed circular needles: As their name implies, fixed circular needles are composed of two tips connected by a cable of a given length. The cable is more or less flexible (which can be annoying). They are less expensive than interchangeable, but you can not interchange the number of needles and the cable length.

- Interchangeable circular needles: it is essential to bring in when you start knitting seriously ;) ! Interchangeable knitting needles are used to create "a la carte" your needles, you buy the diameter tips you want and a cable to length, then you have just to make the connection with the small tool provided with (small wrench to tighten the needle or it may be unscrewed by knitting).

We offer the interchangeable Symphonie needles from KnitPro, they have a flexible cable and resistant rosewood ends, pretty and very pleasant to the touch.

As you can see, all these needles types have their utility. Each needle has its job in the knitting world, but if you start to practice seriously this rather addictive activity , a tip:
- invest in interchangeable circular needles, you can all knit with!

The only knit that can possibly resist to interchangeable circular needles, is the small round knit as the caps end, gloves and mittens, socks and gaiters. Fortunately, there is a technique to bypass, It's the method of Magic Loop which may require some dexterity at first but which is very useful!

Our A&A's designing works allows us to test all fabric tracing patterns methods.

But what are the tools used and what are they for? We will attempt to answer these questions in detail.

In sewing, drawing on fabric is a must for
1/ Report outline of your pattern and mark the seam lines
2/ Draw seam allowances which also correspond to the cut lines of your fabric
3/ Transpose the seam lines on the other fabric layers

What are the tools to draw on fabric?The fabric tracing is very important to mark the values seams and your pattern outline on your fabric and the sleeve marks, etc... There are many tools which can have a different use depending on the medium and the desired accuracy.

- The chalk: The most widespread drawing tool, the tailor chalk, available in several colors allows to produce moderately coarse lines on different colors fabrics at lower cost, available on a-et-a.com in 3 colors set: white, red and yellow. The chalk must be trimmed regularly to stay quite fine and accurate, it requires so a chalk sharpener (here blue).
- The chalk roulette: is generally used for wool but requests that the seam is carried out in the aftermath because the powder disappears quickly. Its layout is thinner than traditional chalk.
- The pencil: more accurate than chalk, pencil needs to be purchased in several colors to match different fabric colors. It too must be trimmed regularly with a pencil sharpener to gain accuracy.
- The mechanical pencil: may exist with more or less thick leads, the more accurate is the 0.9 mm mechanical pencil allowing, unlike chalk or pencil, a thin and precise line. It is ideal for drawing, there are some with thick chalk (here in red), white (here in purple, from Prym)or with pink, white and blue chalk refill (here in red and metal). The eraser can erase the lines directly, if not, as for chalk and pencil, the line goes in the wash.
- The fineliner: the fabric fineliner can have different thicknesses, those presented come from Clover, they have the advantage of a clear blue light marking but well visible which readily disappears with water.
- Lines marker : allows you to draw with a fabric that clearly marks the fold as wild silk. Is used for instance when you can not make pencil line because the fabric is clear or transparent (see our Clover model here).

Once the drawing done, it is important to copy the seam lines on the other fabric layers. You then use the famous roulette, carbon paper and a cutting board to avoid damaging your table.

To transpose your sewing lines, you only need a cutting board, some carbon paper contrasting over your fabric and place over your fabric cut pieces to be transposed. You then draw your pattern layout with the roulette which will transpose the corresponding dots on the other fabric sheet through carbon paper.

We have several tools choices for this:

- Classic roulette : Vintage wooden fabric roulette. Handy roulette with a nice beech handle.
- The ergonomic roulette: Very nice because this roulette fits snugly to the hand. This is the roulette that we normally use in our design department.
- The double roulette: it is used with another method which consists in tracing first time the pattern outline along the seam allowance and then trace by hand, on the other side, the pattern outline.
- The carbon paper: essential to copy your pattern outline, the carbon paper is available in several large sheets of different colors (here 3 sheets 54 x 42 cm in red, white and blue). This copying paper allow to copy many outlines and can be used very long.
- The cutting board: thick media to protect your table, the cutting board allows all types of work: copying lines with roulette, cutting with rotary cutter, etc... Available in 2 sizes in a-et-a.com here.

- The 50 cm sewing Japanese rule: essential element for all designers who respect themselves;). This 50 cm Japanese rule can easily transpose seam allowances on your fabric thanks to its in cm horizontal and vertical scales. Our Clover rule has even a 1.5 cm green contrast part corresponding to the seam allowance commonly used. Japanese rule is also essential for all pattern designings.
- The rectangular rule: very convenient for drawing parallel lines on the fabric because it maintains the fabric due to its large area, it also prevents the fabric from moving when drawing. It can also be very useful for rectangles paths and throught the fabric bias, it is ideal for patchwork work.

And you, what tracing tools do you use in sewing?

To wish you a nice and good come back, we offer you a new free download model: The bow necklace.

A very simple bow to knit for beginners. The bow necklace is easy and quick to make and allows to easily learn the garter st.

Just add two smaller rings at the ends and put a chain to make it a nice jewelry to accent your outfit.

To download freely the bow model, click on the image and add it to your cart then signup, it's free.