Sewing Mistakes: What Can Go Wrong & How to Make It Right

Class Preview

Make no mistake, sewing mishaps happen! Ensure every project is a success with simple, creative ways to prevent slipups and fix common errors.

Introduction

Meet your instructor Jennifer Stern-Hasemann as she helps you learn to prevent and fix sewing mistakes! Start with learning the difference between a “character builder” and a “designer detail.” Then review how to choose the right fabric for the pattern you’re using.

Layout, Cutting & Marking

Learn how to find the grain line and layout options for napped fabrics and prints. You’ll also review solutions if you don’t have enough fabric. Then learn how to prevent clipping notches too far and follow Jennifer’s directions for an accurate way to mark darts using tailor’s tacks.

Pressing Matters

Don’t be afraid of pressing as you sew! Just follow Jennifer’s techniques for preventing overpressing and unwanted shine on your fabrics. You’ll learn about ironing tools like the clapper and tailor’s ham for perfectly pressing your seams, sleeves and darts.

Interfacing Solutions

Jennifer demonstrates why you almost always need to preshrink interfacing before fusing it to your fabric. Then learn how to fuse correctly — and remove interfacing if you don’t! Finally, learn how to clean your iron when you accidentally press the wrong side of the interfacing.

Construction & Hems

Learn how to test stitching and pressing methods before you sew to ensure that you won’t scar or make holes in your fashion fabric, and how to survey your pattern pieces to match them correctly. Finally, learn how to remove stitched or serged seams quickly and easily.

Better Buttonholes

Fix your buttonholes! Jennifer will show you how to avoid cutting the buttonhole too far and how to fix it if you do. You’ll also learn how to correctly size buttonholes and how to sew a manual buttonhole in more difficult positions, such as a waistband.

Problem-Free Zippers

Follow Jennifer’s tips for stitching zippers correctly to avoid wear and tear on fabric. Then you’ll learn how to work with invisible zippers and shorten zippers that are too long. Finally, Jennifer will demonstrate how to reattach a zipper pull if it comes off as you sew.

Fixing Seams, Holes & Tears

Problems with seams, holes or tears in the fabric are often solvable. Learn to diagnose and fix thread tension problems and stitch over heavy fabrics and bulky seams. Then learn solutions for holes as Jennifer demonstrates patching with interfacing and repairing holes near seams.