How To

When you begin dressmaking, and on any course you take you will be shown, one of the most important tasks before you start is measuring your body! Lets face it, no one particularly wants to measure their body for the silly fear of maybe growing an inch or two around the waist, but if you want to make the perfect...

I know what you're thinking after reading the title - bum bags are incredibly unfashionable, and should be left back in the 1990s where they belong. Summer is fast approaching, though, and a lot of us have booked holidays in other countries (and are now excitedly counting down the days until we fly away to foreign lands!), making sure that we have...

When it comes to any sewing project, we all like to take pride in our work and create in such a way so that everything we make is neat and properly finished. A raw edge or seam can be unsightly, and can even reduce the lifespan of a garment or bag if it begins to fray. While there are many...

The weather seems to finally be getting better here where Calico Laine is located in the North West of England, thank goodness! I just can't wait for it to be sunny and warm, and I am counting down the days until the summer vacation that I have booked with my family and best friend later this year. In preparation for...

If you are anything like me you will enjoy reading about how to make anything 'the quick and easy way'. Sometimes if I'm in a crafty mood I want to make something there and then with the end result being in the extremely near future. Living in England, almost all of the time, unless there is an unexpected heat wave...

If you are looking for a way to keep your children entertained for hours on end so that you can enjoy some quiet time catching up on your soaps, I'm here to help. Here is a how to tutorial to make a felt key chain. My tutorial will teach you to make a watermelon slice, but obviously you can adjust...

The under 60 minutes high, square necked camisole New to sewing or not there is always a way to make something without needing to buy patterns and masses of fabric - and also making it look acceptable! As I have briefly mentioned in some of my previous Calico Laine blogs, I have recently started a dressmaking class and as...

Are you sick of the cold weather yet? I know I am! In an effort to take my mind off the chilly winds and even the snow that we have had recently here in the North West of the UK, I have been making a few tote bags out of some floral fabrics that I got here from Calico Laine...

If you are a fan of handmade gifts, then you might find yourself a little disappointed when it comes to presentation – after spending time and effort putting a lot of love into your creations, it seems a bit of a shame to put them in a shop-bought gift bag or cover them up in wrapping paper. Have you ever...

Many of us like to use commercial dress patterns in our Dressmaking, but sometimes it is a struggle to find exactly the right pattern for the garment you have in mind. You might be tempted to try and make your own pattern, but may not be sure where to start – and, if like me, you just don’t have the...