by GillyMac | Mar 24, 2021 | Beginners, blog, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple
I am frequently asked ‘how much does it cost to start sewing?’. The amount of equipment and tools on the market is vast and can be confusing. In this post, I have boiled down what you need to just the bare essentials. There is always more to add, but let us start with...
by GillyMac | Mar 17, 2021 | Beginners, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple
Breaking thread is super annoying. It happens for many reasons, none of which are any less irritating. Here are my top tips. Start from number one and work through them until it is solved. Get a cup of tea and settle down to fix the problem. When I am stressed, I can...
by GillyMac | Mar 10, 2021 | Beginners, blog, Sewing Made Simple
Sew a line of straight stitches and a line of zig-zag stitches to determine if your sewing machine tension is correct. The straight stitches should be even, and in alignment on both sides of the fabric. The zig-zag stitches should be perfect zig-zags and not look like...
by GillyMac | Mar 3, 2021 | Beginners, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple
Years ago I was once in a class with a teacher who pointed at my thread and said ‘throw it in the bin’. It seemed pretty extreme when looking back, it was insulting, but did the teacher have a point? I think not. Where possible, I will always try and use up old...
by GillyMac | Feb 24, 2021 | Classes, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple, Virtual Retreat, Zoom
I’ve now been running online sewing classes for three years and pre-recorded, video-on-demand courses, for 15 months. As well as this, I have attended classes as a participant. I’ve drawn up this short list of question you should expect from an online sewing teaching...
by GillyMac | Feb 17, 2021 | Beginners, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple
The best way to cut fabric is the way you find easiest to achieve accurate results. Cutting fabric can seem simple, but can be the first problem that many of us encounter with any project. For all projects, other than dressmaking, I cut fabric in strips using a rotary...
by GillyMac | Feb 10, 2021 | Beginners, blog, Dressmaking, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple
What To Buy for Learning to Sew Be prepared for this to be a journey. Moreover, learning to sew is like any skill, it improves with practice, and there aren’t any shortcuts. Equip yourself correctly. A good machine does not need to be an expensive machine....
by GillyMac | Feb 3, 2021 | Beginners, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple
How Long Will It Take Me to Make My First Patchwork Quilt? Beginners ask this question frequently. The answer is ‘not long’ provided you choose a pattern that will help you learn and achieve results without too much fiddly stuff. Furthermore, simple...
by GillyMac | Jan 27, 2021 | Beginners, blog, GillyMac Community, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple
“Which sewing machine needle should I use?” There are two factors to consider when choosing a needle. What type of fabric you are sewing and the thickness of the thread to be sewn with. Type of Sewing Machine Needle You should match the ideal type of sewing machine...
