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Garment Construction
For even more sewing techniques, see General Techniques
A collection of sewing articles from all over the web to help you master specific sewing
techniques and improve your craft!
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Machine Buttonholes, part 2: Style Savvy (pdf)

Free Step by Step Directions to Sew Bound Buttonholes

Bungled Buttonholes

How to Hand Sew a Blanket Stitch or Buttonhole Stitch


Casings

Fold-Down Casings (pdf)

Applied Casings (pdf)

Easy Waistband Casings -- Elastic and Drawstrings (pdf)

Sewing a Skirt or Pants with a Drawstring Waist
















Coats

Design a Kimono Coat

Making Outerwear with Down or Polyester Fiberfill (pdf)

Making Outerwear with Down or Polyester Fiberfill (html)


Collars

Collars (pdf)

Tips and Tricks to Sew Corners

Understanding the Basic Shawl-Collar Pattern

Draft a Two-Piece Collar with a Stand


Darts

Sewing Savvy: Darts

Sewing Darts

Darts in Clothing - What is a Dart & How to Sew Darts

Accurate Darts without Permanent Marks (video)

Hit Your Mark with Darts (make a custom skirt)


Facings

Facings Made Easy (pdf version)

Facings Made Easy (html version)

All-in-One Piping and Facing (video)


Hems

Hems (pdf)

Simple Hems (pdf)

Machine Hems

Mastering the Narrow Hemmer

How to Use a Sewing Machine Blind Hem Stitch

How to Mark an Even Pants Hem

How To Hem Pants

Hemming Jeans (pdf)

The Scalloped Hem


Jackets

Line and Underline in One Step

Bag Your Jacket Lining

Understand Turn-of-Cloth

Understanding the Basic Shawl-Collar Pattern

Armani Jackets: The Inside Story


Jeans

Denim is labeled in Denim Weights

Denim…More Than Just a Pair of Jeans (pdf)

Everyone Can Have Jeans That Fit

Hemming Jeans (pdf)

How to Replace a Broken Jeans Zipper

Dressing Up Denim with Embellishment and Trims


Lingerie

Sewing Lingerie that Fits: Fitting and Creating Patterns (pdf)

The Bra Dilemma -- Solved!

Adapt a Bra to Accommodate a Prosthesis

Create Couture Lingerie


Linings

Selecting Interfacings, Underlinings, and Linings (pdf)

The Scoop on Linings

A Shortcut to Great Linings

Line and Underline in One Step

Bag Your Jacket Lining

Understanding Underlining

Add a Lining to Your Custom-Pleated Skirt


Necklines

A Turtleneck Finish for Knits (video)


Outerwear

Making Outerwear with Down or Polyester Fiberfill (pdf)

Making Outerwear with Down or Polyester Fiberfill (html)


Pants

Measurements for Fitting Pants (pdf)

Making Perfect Pants (pdf version)

Making Perfect Pants (html version)

Get the Perfect Fit on Pants

Tapering or Widening Pants

How to Mark an Even Pants Hem

How To Hem Pants

Easy-Fit, Easy-to-Make Suede Pants


Pleats

Sewing Pleats

Easy Pleated Skirts

A New Way to Pleat Drama into Your Garments


Pockets

Patch Pockets (pdf version)

Patch Pockets (html version)

Patch Pockets, Part 1 (pdf)

Patch Pockets, Part 2 (pdf)

Manuel's Piped Pockets (video)


Princess Seams

Princess Seams (pdf)


Skirts

Drape a Skirt Sloper

Easy Pleated Skirts

Hit Your Mark with Darts (make a skirt)


Sleeves

Sewing Sleeves (pdf version)

Sewing Sleeves (html version)

On Fitting Sleeves

Tips for Sewing a Set in Sleeve

Sleeve Plackets and Bands (pdf version)

Sleeve Plackets and Bands (html version)


T-shirts

T is for T-Shirt (pdf)

Not Your Ordinary T-Shirt

A Figure-Flattering Tee


Waistbands

Waistbands Made Easy (pdf version)

Waistbands Made Easy (html version)

Easy Waistband Casings – Elastic and Drawstrings (pdf)

The Great Elastic Waistband

Sewing a Skirt or Pants with a Drawstring Waist


Zippers

Zippers Made Easy (pdf)

Sewing In a Zipper

Zipper Basics

An Easy, Flat Fly-Front Zipper (video)

Lapped Zippers Rule!

A Hand-Picked Zipper is Worth the Effort

How To Shorten a Zipper

How to Replace a Broken Jeans Zipper
Popular Sewing Books!

More Sewing Resources!

You might also find the following resources helpful:

Learn to Sew
a series of lessons to teach you to sew

Garment Construction
a collection of articles for sewing garments

Fitting How-to
a collection of garment-fitting articles

Working with Fabric
a collection of fabric articles

Working with Patterns
a collection of pattern how-to articles
Get FREE Sewing Patterns! Click here.
More Popular Sewing
Books!
Sewing Quick Tips:

Sewing tip #1:

When choosing a pattern, always read the description on the back of the envelope and
examine the illustrations carefully to make sure the item has the design details you think it
does. What you see on a model can look very different from the actual item. And it can be
disappointing to choose, say, a skirt pattern you thought had a waistband and it turns out it's
actually a no-waist skirt. Or to choose a pants pattern you thought had the zipper in the
back and it turns out the zipper is on the side.

Sewing tip #2:

Purchase an extra button or two for your project and sew it to the inside of your finished
garment (you may have seen this in better ready-to-wear garments). This way, if you lose a
button, you’ll have an exact replacement handy. And sew the button someplace
inconspicuous, like inside the front band of a shirt near the bottom, inside the hem of a skirt,
or to the seam allowance.

For more great sewing tips click here.
Sewing How-To:
General Sources:
Buying Sources:
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Sewing Quick Tip:

When sewing your
next garment,
consider choosing
different kinds of
interfacing for the
different parts of
your garment. For
example, if you're
sewing a shirt,
consider using a
stiffer interfacing
for the collar and a
softer interfacing
for the front band
and cuffs.
Sewing Quick Tip:

Make sure the care
requirements for
your lining fabric
are the same as
your fashion fabric.
In other words,
you wouldn’t want
to buy a fabric
that’s washable
and a lining that
must be dry-
cleaned – unless of
course you plan to
have your finished
item dry-cleaned.