Sewing Space Tours...Heidi's stylish hub!

This week, we've been allowed a nosy around another beautiful and inspiring sewing space, as part of our series of Sewing Space Tours. Come and have a look at Heidi's stylish and practical sewing area - it looks like she's as obsessed with Ikea units as we are! Read on, dear reader, to find out more!

Hi everyone! I am beyond thrilled to be here, sharing my space with you all today! My name is Heidi, I blog at Handmade Frenzy. I live in the Charlotte area of North Carolina. I’m a stay-at-home-mom to my two boys and one girl, and wife to my very best friend. They are my life. Sewing is my sanity saver, haha!

Sale! 30% Off Learn to Sew Jersey Tops

Has Me Made May got you itching to sew more comfortable, everyday clothes? Do you fancy getting to grips with sewing stretchy jersey?

Good news! Our online video workshop, Learn to Sew Jersey Tops, is now on a shiny new website - and to celebrate, we're giving you 30% off this week!

A Capeless Watson Jacket

You know what it's like - you search in vain all Autumn and Winter long for the perfect coloured wool to make a coat that doesn't break the bank. Then, come late Spring, you find it!

I couldn't resist grabbing this mint wool when I spotted it on Goldhawk Road a few weeks ago, and promptly sewed it up into a Papercut Patterns Watson jacket before the weather gets too warm (I live in London). Longtime readers may remember I've made the pattern before, back in 2013 (inspired by Moonrise Kingdom but ending up looking like a homage to Father Ted - still love it though).

Five Tips for Sewing on the Bias

Sewing “on the bias” – in other words, when the fabric is cut at a 45 degree angle to the straight grain or selvedges – is a lovely way to create a flowing garment that hangs softly over your body.

Yet it can be a bit fiddly, as merely looking at fabric cut at an angle seems to stretch it out of shape! Never fear though – here are some quick tips for stabilizing, handling and finishing a gorgeous bias-cut creation.

Sewing Martha Instaspam Party Roundup!

Thanks so much to everyone who joined the #SewingMartha Instaspam Party at the weekend - we had such a great time, and hope you did too! We had a right old boogie in our swishy Martha dresses, danced to some epic tunes, and the sun was even shining! Here's a round up from Lexy...

How to Make a Rouleau Button Loops

A rouleau button loop is a really pretty feature to add to your homemade clothes - whether you sew them down the front of a blouse, or just the one on a cuff, collar or at the top of a zip.

In the instructions for the Martha sewing pattern and Stevie sewing pattern, we show you how to make a cheat's button loop - using a hairband. A hairband?! Yes! While you may not want hairbands all the way down the front of a blouse, if you need a single rouleau loop on a back neck closure, trust me on this – a hairband works really well! We know our you don’t all have the gadgets and gizmos you need to make occasional little details like rouleau loops – you can be resourceful and use what you already have!

But if you don’t want to use a hairband, here’s how to make a proper fabric rouleau button loop...