EP 12: Achieve a Polished (Not Homemade) Sewn Garment With These 5 Tips

Rayon, Viscose, Cupro, Modal, Lyocell & Tencel - are you confused yet? I certainly am! This one fiber is known by many names and each one tells you a little something different about the resulting fiber and how it was produced. So in today’s episode, I am going to help you decipher the different fiber terms so you know what you are purchasing and next week we are going to continue this conversation and discuss the different fabric substrates that these fibers are turned in to such as challis, crepe, and poplin. I will also provide some tips on purchasing and sewing with those different fabrics next week Today I want to talk about a group of fibers that you are probably familiar with but maybe don’t know the various distinctions. I'm talking about rayon, viscose, modal, and lyocell, cupro and tencel. Now, if you have ever been shopping for fabric online and wondered why one fabric is described as rayon, another as viscose, and another as Tencel, even though they all seem to have that lovely, soft drape, you are not alone. It can be a little confusing. Are these all different fibers? Are some of them just different names for the same thing? Well, that is what we are going to talk about today. We are going to cover all that as well as the environmental impact. Knowing what these names mean can help you make wiser choices when sourcing your fabric. Resources: Join the Free Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sewwithconfidencepodcast Grab the Free Sewing Essentials Toolkit at https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/toolkit Sign up for the weekly newsletter at https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/newsletter Ways to Connect: Join the Free Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sewwithconfidencepodcast Website - > https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/ YouTube - > https://www.youtube.com/@PinkHollybushDesigns Instagram -＞ https://www.instagram.com/pinkhollybush/

Are you one of those people who hate PDF patterns or do you love them? I have to admit that I started out as one of those people who hated PDF patterns but I have changed my mind and now I am one of those who love them. Well, love them or hate them, PDF patterns are here to stay, unless of course they get replaced by projector files, but that is a topic for another day. Today if you are one of the haters, I am hoping to change your mind and if you love PDF patterns I have a simple assembly hack and some storage ideas. So let’s delve in I remember the time I first tried a PDF sewing pattern. I had purchased the book Twinkle Sews by Wenlan Chia. The book came with a series of patterns on a CD in an envelope in the back. I know that I am dating myself now. I made a dress for my daughter from the book and I remember printing out what I think was 70 pages for the dress. I can’t double check because even though I still have the book, I don’t have any way to print from a CD. But I remember thinking, PDF patterns will never take off. Well, I was wrong. PDF patterns have indeed taken off. I won’t go so far to say that they are here to stay because I could certainly see projector sewing files replacing them, but for today so many wonderful patterns are only available if you are comfortable working with PDF patterns. So in this episode, I am going to try and get you there! And if you are entirely comfortable putting PDF patterns together, stick around because I have a hack for you on how to assemble them quickly as well as some storage recommendations. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Grab the Free Sewing Essentials Toolkit at: https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/sewing-essentials-toolkit Check out the Sewing Circle at: Seamwork patterns: https://colettemedia.pxf.io/Gb5Bak Ikatee Free patterns: https://ikatee.fr/en/pages/rh-ikatee-is-hiring Tilda Blouse: https://www.maison-fauve.com/en/products/patron-couture-gratuit-blouse-tilda-pdf-a-telecharger?_pos=1&_sid=a6307e136&_s Other Resources: Join the Free Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sewwithconfidencepodcast Grab the Free Sewing Essentials Toolkit at: https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/sewing-essentials-toolkit Sign up for the weekly newsletter at https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/newsletter Ways to Connect: Join the Free Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sewwithconfidencepodcast Website - > https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/ YouTube - > https://www.youtube.com/@PinkHollybushDesigns Instagram -＞ https://www.instagram.com/pinkhollybush/

I know that cooler temperatures are on the way even if the weather hasn’t gotten the message. We want to be prepared when that cooler weather arrives. I also hear from many of you that you are afraid to sew with knit fabrics. Cozy knit fabrics are some of the easiest knits to sew, so into today’s episode I am ranking 3 cozy knit fabrics for you to try from easiest to one that is more of a challenge. If you are a beginner to sewing with knits, the first two are definitely beginner friendly and the last one is for those of you who have a little more experience sewing with knits. So with that, let’s delve in and Get Cozy! Resources Mentioned in This Episode: EP 18: Successfully Purchase Fabric Online Using This Key Metric: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sew-with-confidence-sewing-fabric-sewing-patterns/id6786780019?i=1000791067992 Grab the Free Sewing Essentials Toolkit at: https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/sewing-essentials-toolkit

Do you struggle to find time for your sewing practice or the focus to finish your sewing projects? Have you ever wished that you could finish that project for a beloved child or even yourself? I can’t give you more hours in your day, but in today’s podcast, I have a story about a sewing legacy and a possible solution to help you get the support you need. Enrollment is currently open for the Sewing Circle, our online sewing membership community. If you would like to be part of a supportive sewing community to enable you to expand your sewing skills, confidently sew clothes that you and others would love to wear, and be encouraged in your sewing practice, I invite you to check out the Sewing Circle. You can find all the details at: https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/sewingcircle Other Resources: Join the Free Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sewwithconfidencepodcast Grab the Free Sewing Essentials Toolkit at: https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/sewing-essentials-toolkit Sign up for the weekly newsletter at https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/newsletter Interested in Smocking? Get the Free Get Started Smocking Email Series: https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/post/new-to-smocking-start-here Ways to Connect: Join the Free Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sewwithconfidencepodcast Website - > https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/ YouTube - > https://www.youtube.com/@PinkHollybushDesigns Instagram -＞ https://www.instagram.com/pinkhollybush/

Help - I want to purchase fabric online but how do I know I will receive something that I love? I understand - we have all been there. We want to feel the fabric, see how it drapes, feel the weight in our hands. But the reality for many of us is that we don’t have a local fabric store, or if we are lucky enough to have one, this time around it doesn’t have what we are looking for. Online may be our only option so how do we make an informed decision so we end up with a fabric that we love? I have many tips to offer when it comes to purchasing fabric online, but today I am going to explain the key thing that I look for that consistently helps me to successfully purchase fabric online. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Enrollment for the Sewing Circle, our online sewing membership community will open in a few days. If you would like to be part of a supportive sewing community to enable you to expand your sewing skills, confidently sew clothes that you and others would love to wear, and be encouraged in your sewing practice, I invite you to check out the Sewing Circle. You can sign up for the waiting list and can find all the details at: https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/sewingcircle The Fabric Swatch Template: https://pinkhollybush.myflodesk.com/fabricswatch EP 17 Four Go-To Woven Fabrics for Fall that You Will Love to Sew: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sew-with-confidence-sewing-fabric-sewing-patterns/id6786780019?i=1000789734641 Grab the Free Sewing Essentials Toolkit at https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/sewing-essentials-toolkit Other Resources: Join the Free Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sewwithconfidencepodcast Grab the Free Sewing Essentials Toolkit at https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/sewing-essentials-toolkit Sign up for the weekly newsletter at https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/newsletter Interested in Smocking? Get the Free Get Started Smocking Email Series: https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/post/new-to-smocking-start-here Ways to Connect: Join the Free Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sewwithconfidencepodcast Website - > https://www.pinkhollybushdesigns.com/ YouTube - > https://www.youtube.com/@PinkHollybushDesigns Instagram -＞ https://www.instagram.com/pinkhollybush/