Tips, tricks, tutorials and other life lines!

I've written in the past how I consider my iPad to be an indispensable part of my sewing equipment. It's portable, easy to use and over the last 12 months I have built up a formidable list of links, tips, tutorials and other useful bookmarks that I have found down the internet rabbit hole. It's probable very old school to use bookmarks these days - I've avoided Pinterest deliberately because as it is I already spend hours of my life on the internet reading other blogs, and getting inspiration - I think I'd be lost forever down the Pinterest whirlpool if I dipped my toe in!

So you can imagine my slight panic yesterday when for some reason all of my bookmarks on my Pad disappeared. Gone. At first I was in denial, and ignored it, but later in the evening when they were still AWOL my panic increased a little more. Fortunately the internet saved me yet again, and I was able to do a little trick that restored them all (go Tragic Computer Genius!) but it has spurred me into posting a massive list of all of my saved tutorial and tip links. I have been meaning to do it for a while - I truly think I use at least one of these every single time I make something - I can't tell you how much I have learned from the generosity of other sewists and bloggers.

So this is probably not a very exciting post but I hope it will be of some use to you - and it will prevent me from freaking out in the future if my iPad has a little conniption of its own. I do intend to come back to this post and add new links in as I find them. I will credit the website that I found the link on, and categorise them as best I can! Do let me know if any of the links are dodgy.

Don't forget this is the last day of my giveaway! And happy voting today fellow Australians - exercise your right to democracy with joy and enthusiasm and passion!


Zip Tips
- Invisible zip tutorial from Colette Patterns
- Invisible zip tutorial from Tessuti via Burdastyle (many more on Burdastyle
- Jeans fly tutorial from Stitches and Seams (also apparently a good fly tutorial on Grainline, and on Thread Theory great video tutorial).
- French fly or waist stay tutorial from Handmade by Carolyn - amazingly talented seamstress!
- Invisible zipper insertion into side seam from J Stern Designs

Finishing techniques
- Side splits in trousers (or sleeve cuffs) from Pattern Scissors Cloth
- Single welt pockets from Poppykettle - I'm yet to make welt pockets, but this is a very popular tutorial.
- Adding a vent to a skirt from A Fashionable Stitch - she has a million other MARVELLOUS tutorials. There are links off this one for drafting a lining that also has a vent.
- Bound button holes from Julia Bobbin - I am yet to make bound buttonholes and there are many tutorials out there but this looks great.
- Adding a vent or kick pleat to a skirt at Tuppence Ha'Penny Vintage - this is a fantastic tutorial and I have used it several times with pencil or slimline skirts.
- sewing slash pockets using french seams from Sewaholic
- neat facings from the Sew Convert - I LOVE this idea and have written about it before. It's at the end of the posting, really good photos.
- scallop hem from Colette Patterns
- Underlining and seam finishing in one posted by JulieB on Pattern Review
- general list of tutorials off Fashion Incubator - welt pockets, zips etc
- nice button hole finishing from Threads (as mentioned in my last post)
- Making thread belt loops from Colette Patterns

Drafting and fitting tutorials
- Drafting a collar for a t-shirt from So Zo
- adding a waistband to Meringue skirt from Colette Patterns
- Drafting and sewing your own leggings from One Little Minute
- Removing excess fabric from neckline of dress to help with gaping from Bernie and I.
- Altering bodice width/length from Texas University - in search function type 'Pattern Alteration' and a heap of fitting and alteration PDF links come up - fantastic resource.
- Removing neck gape from Phat Chick Designs
- Sway back alterations from Pattern Scissors Cloth
- Sway back alterations from Miss P
- Front and back neck width relationship from Madalynne (many other awesome fitting tutorials too)
- Gaping neckline from The Naked Seamstress
- Dart tips from Gertie - specifically how to make a pointed dart curved to be more flattering.
- Setting sleeves from Gorgeous Fabrics
- Setting sleeves - extract on Google Books from The Complete Book of Sewing Shortcuts - this is great and helped me do my best sleeves ever on my Liberty Laurel.
- Setting sleeves from Diana's Sewing Lessons
- Bust increase pattern alteration video from Professor Pincushion - an FBA tutorial without slashing and spreading the pattern - I am yet to try but looks great.
- Drafting a peter pan collar from Gertie - great video tutorial.

Sewing with Knits
- Hemming Knits from the Snug Bug
- Tips for working with knits from Sew Mama Sew
- Sewing with knits from Luvinthemommyhood - this is a link with other tips and tricks too.
- Sewing with Jersey and Knits from Bygone Glamour
- Stretch fabric waistband tutorial from CJ Patterns - how to self draft a skirt waistband from a knit fabric (plus a heap of other PDF tutorials).
- Sewing a t-shirt neckband from Craft Stylish - excellent tutorial. 
- Neckine binding video tutorial from Threads

Non-garment sewing tips
- Boxed cushion tips from Design Sponge
- Paper tape dress form from Making it Well