susan-tailors-sew-by-hand

4 Reasons Why You Should Learn How To Sew By Hand

You develop a deeper appreciation for the skill when you learn to sew by hand. No more waiting on your grandparents to come to the rescue when your garment has a minor blemish like a small rip or missing button.  And no, a stapler is not the answer, lol. The great thing is, once you learn a few tricks, learning to sew is just like riding a bike.

 

Convenience

You can take a mini sewing kit anywhere, but you can’t always lug around a machine. Think of yourself as a sewing ninja–ready to whip out a needle at any time.

 

Sometimes, you just can’t avoid it

To my beginner and intermediate readers, we like to think a sewing machine will solve all of our problems, but in cases where the fabric is too delicate, there’s really no point in putting it under the pressure of a machine. Some materials need tender care. And that’s where your skills come in. Prime Example: High-End Clothing (think Michael Kors blouses for women)

You’ll Be LIFESAVER ONE DAY

I’ll never forget (back in my 20s) — I was walking to my car after a night out and bumped into another girl in the parking lot. She was hunched over, mildly intoxicated, and hiding–“Que paso, mamita?” I asked. She was trying to cover herself as she turned around–“My straps broke, and if I move this shirt is going to fall off!” Luckily, my grandma always taught me to keep a small kit in my purse. HELLO, CONVENIENCE! I had her stitched in 2 mins. Boom, lifesaver.

 

THE EARTH WILL THANK YOU

It’s embarrassing to learn what fast fashion has done to our landfills.  Every time you throw away a piece of clothing because of a rip here and there, our planet sheds a tear–and until we’ve figured out how to handle our waste like the Sweeds, there’s a lot of work to be done. I encourage you to think twice before your next purchase.

That said, I wanna know >> Do you know how to sew by hand? If so, what are your reasons for sewing by hand?

Leave a comment below!

How To Taper Pant Legs

taper-pants-tutorial-by-susan-tailorsDo you have a pair of pants laying around that needs to be tapered around the legs? Look no further!  In this tutorial, we’re going to show you how to get those legs looking fabulous in the pants you’ve been dying to wear. If you want to test the waters, we suggest buying a pair from the thrift store to practice on first.

Here are the materials you’ll need:

  • Scissors
  • Seam Ripper
  • Fabric Chalk (or regular chalk)
  • Sewing Pins
  • A basic sewing machine

 

Step One

Find a pair of slim-fit pants that fit you well.

Don’t have a pair that fits? No worries! Slip on the ones you want to alter (wear them inside out) and pin along the inseam, starting from the crotch to the hem, at a comfortable width. You can head to step five if you’ve done this. Note: You may want to get someone to help you pin the pants while you’re wearing them.

Step Two

Turn both pairs inside out and lay them on top of each other as pictured below (make sure your wide-leg pants is on the bottom).

Step Three

Start pinning along the sides. This helps you stay in line when you get to the sewing machine.

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Step Four

Using the pins as a guide, use the fabric chalk to draw a line that acts as an extra guide when you’re sewing.

susan-tailors-taper-pants-tutorial2017-11

 

Step Five

Using your seam ripper (or a small pair of scissors as pictured), remove about 2-3 inches of the bottom hem. No need to undo the entire thing, as only part of the pants will need to sew.

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Step Six

Time to Sew! Place your garment under the machine and run a straight stitch along the lines you created.

susan-tailors-taper-pants-tutorial2017-11 Disclaimer:  You may find yourself going in inch by inch if they’re not slim enough on the first try. Don’t worry, it’s better to take them in slowly than rush and go in too much.

Step Seven

Close up the bottom hem once you’ve tried it on and satisfied with the fit. Cut away the extra fabric, and you’re good to go!

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Here’s what they looked like at the end. We hope yours turned out great as well!

If you made an attempt to do this yourself, let us know how it went! Feel free to ask questions, too. We’re still new to making tutorials, so we’d like to improve as we go along. Thanks for reading!

need more help than you thought? Book an appointment to have us taper them for you! we also offer pickup and delivery within Broward county! view our other services here.