It’s time for our second annual Holiday Giveaway Calendar! Everyday in the month of December we are giving away an amazing prize! It’s super easy to enter, just leave your comment answering the bolded questions below by noon EST 12/14 and a lucky winner will be chosen at random from all eligible entries!
Today, enter to win Sandra Betzina’s Fabric Savvy Book + 1 year subscription to Power Sewing WebTV Show!
More Fabric Savvy by Sandra Betzina
Use this as a quick reference for information on preshrinking, layout, cutting, machine needle use, presser foot, thread, stitch length, interfacing, special handling at the machine, seam finishes, pressing, closures and hems. This indispensable, easy-to-use reference now includes over 100 tips, over 400 new color photos, information on the latest new fabrics, a stain removal guide and lining chart, and even a “burn test” chart to determine a fabric’s content.
Power Sewing WebTV Show
Finally a show about garment sewing! Let Sandra Betzina, and her co-host Ron Collins, show you tricks on how to make every project a success and look professional!
Sandra Betzina
Sandra Betzina, the “power” behind Power Sewing, is the author of More Fabric Savvy, Fast Fit, Power Sewing Step-by-Step and Fear of Sewing. She also designs a full line of patterns for Vogue under the tab of Today’s Fit. Sandra hosted her own show, Sew Perfect, on HGTV for six years and now has a new, Web-TV show called Power Sewing, which is co-hosted by Canadian sewing expert, Ron Collins. Sandra has also recently produced a new “Learn to Sew” series which teaches those that are new to garment sewing the basic skills they need to start creating their own wardrobes!
To enter, just leave your comment answering this questions by noon EST 12/14:
What is the biggest challenge you encounter during your garment sewing projects?
We want to congratulate ludosti and xnickerxje on winning yesterday’s 3 Paterns from Oliver + S! Their comments were chosen at random from all eligible entries. Thanks to everyone who entered and good luck in today’s giveaway!
Dec 13, 2009, 05.38 PMby bethvollmom
The biggest challenge is that my size seems to change on a daily basis! Anytime I try to make something fitted, by the time I finish it, it is either too big or too small!
Dec 13, 2009, 05.40 PMby plaidlinoleum
My biggest challenge is that I can’t sew nice smooth darts. They always seem to stick out.
Dec 13, 2009, 05.55 PMby hands of gold
fit – sewing skills are pretty good - been sewing a long time! i want a good fit! and. . . i’d love to win this giveaway!
Dec 13, 2009, 06.01 PMby csuazo
affording everything
Dec 13, 2009, 06.02 PMby kittynsmokey
My biggest challenge is those fiddly little finishing bits… like zippers and button holes. They never seem to look quite right/lay just so. They’re the one thing that always seems just that bit out of place to me no matter what they look like
Dec 13, 2009, 06.12 PMby Sarah Jacques
I sew clothing for my children just fine—except for making buttonholes. But when it comes to making garments for myself, I just can’t seem to get the sizing of the garment right and they turn out at least one size larger than I need.
Dec 13, 2009, 06.21 PMby SewBissy
I often run into trouble with hems. Speeding through the side seams is always fun, but then I stall when I get to finishing the bottom. Sometimes it’s only a matter of getting past the stall, but other times I just have a genuinely difficult time getting the hem to come out even and flat, especially in fabrics such as knits and silks.
Dec 13, 2009, 06.23 PMby gaylee1949
I actually haven’t sewn for a while, and I’m anxious to get my studio set up (I moved in June) and start in again! I am going to concentrate on fitting as I’ve always just gone with however a garment works out, without making any alterations other than the petite adjustments. I would just love to have this!
Dec 13, 2009, 06.29 PMby xnickerxje
I think I am like many other people… my size is the biggest challenge. I have never EVER come across a pattern that didn’t need drastic revision to make it fit.
Dec 13, 2009, 06.31 PMby eelkje
Sewing curved hems (arms, neck) without getting ripples.
Dec 13, 2009, 06.32 PMby themadbalmer
One of my biggest challenges is just finding enough space to do everything properly. Living in a small house sometimes it can be hard to spread out and cut fabric.
Dec 13, 2009, 06.34 PMby sidewalkshoes
Fit and making my zippers look good!
Dec 13, 2009, 06.35 PMby norah
My biggest challenge has always been setting in sleeves correctly. I can never get the ease right -it always ends up lumpy so I have to rip them out and start again
Dec 13, 2009, 06.37 PMby hstorm799
Fitting myself. I don’t have a helper or a dressform, so it can be a bit iffy when trying to fit darts in the back or hemming.
Dec 13, 2009, 06.38 PMby fraiche
The biggest challenge is learning to tailor to my proportions - no hips and a short waist with long legs :\
Dec 13, 2009, 06.40 PMby azurejoy
Challenges I have are perfect hems on satins and silks, and zippers. I generally have to sew the zippers in 4 times before I am really happy with them.
Dec 13, 2009, 06.40 PMby elzeen
What is the biggest challenge you encounter during your garment sewing projects? Knowing how to professionally finish inside seams in complicated construction.
Dec 13, 2009, 06.42 PMby Katie Croteau
sleeves – up at the shoulder. I can never get them to lay the way I want them to.
Dec 13, 2009, 06.44 PMby Balduffington
everything seems a challenge at this point! But mostly it is fitting and zippers and buttonholes. But also I am getting the hang of patterns and directions…The book and web tv show would definitely help…
Dec 13, 2009, 06.56 PMby Ainoa
my biggest challenge is sewing trousers. specially the part where the zipper needs to be
Dec 13, 2009, 06.58 PMby Magnolia729
fitting at shoulders, and sometimes lack of patience for finishing…
Dec 13, 2009, 07.00 PMby happycontagious
My biggest challenge is working with a non-existent budget. No funds to have a budget!
Dec 13, 2009, 07.05 PMby knjižni_molj
My biggest challenge is lack of time and sewing expertise.
Dec 13, 2009, 07.07 PMby Marliesbs
The biggest challenge for me is fit. I have a hard time adjusting a pattern for my curvy figure.
1 Reply
Dec 13, 2009, 07.15 PMby festin
I have tried adjusting my figure to .. khkm .. uhmm .. my interpretation … of the pattern. Be sure: It’s not an altenative
;)
Dec 13, 2009, 07.09 PMby festin
Time! Fabric is so f…g strechy, (WON’T you the f.. start f..g me about some f..g f… of a f…g fabric that you f..g believe would not the f.. stretch? Any f..g cloth f…g stretches to some f..g degree. F…!) So it takes me far more time to carefully fix layers together so rigidly that even my stubby fingers couldn’t ever manage to dislocate them than to choose, measure, copy, draw, cut, sew, correct, iron, finish, … (start socio-cricital)That’s why most clothes are made in China. The little girls there have so light skinny little fingers …(end socio-critical)
Dec 13, 2009, 07.10 PMby wjsmth
I am built like a pear so adjusting patterns to be more fruit like is a challenge.
Dec 13, 2009, 07.12 PMby LadySophie
Zips seem to be quite hard for me and it takes me ages to get it right, but then stil it isnt perfect. I also have trouble getting a straight hem, perfect shoulder seams, the right fit, and my button holes are never right. I really need help, or maybe I will learn these in time.
Dec 13, 2009, 07.12 PMby nehmah
My biggest problem is a lack of reliable measurements. I am in the plus-size range and have a 42DD bustline. this makes a FBA difficult to accomplish when you are working with “almost correct” numbers. Cordially, Nehmah
Dec 13, 2009, 07.16 PMby Ribbqah
My biggest challenge that I encounter during garment sewing projects is completion. I have the fabric cut out, project almost done and then life gets in the way and I come back to the project two weeks later and I have lost the momentum. Or the need for the garment has come and gone. So.. I now start Christmas projects in the summer and summer projects in February, Halloween stuff in June … :)
Dec 13, 2009, 07.19 PMby ELAINE
My big problem is button holes, they never seem quite right, I am going to have to practice them more.