Segment 1
Knit Tank with Tube Trim
Angela Wolf

Next, you'll see her create tubes to trim the back with a lattice style accent. I love the look of this on casual tops, athletic wear, and even swimwear. Watch how easy it is to make tubes using the serger!

In a future episode you'll see Angela take these pieces and create a sleek tank top.

Segment 2
Lined Lace Top - Serger Style
Joanne Banko

Would you believe the top shown below was sewn almost entirely on the serger? I started with ordinary lace yardage and selected a lightweight blouse fabric for the lining.

You'll want to pay close attention to the video and then follow along with the detailed steps and photographs in my instructions when you CLICK HERE.

The serger is idea for stitching the lace seams. Simple color match your serger thread to the lace and the seam will virtually disappear. The method I developed for putting this together leave only the neckline and hem to be finished with regular machine stitching.

Now, if your pattern has darts, you'll also want to sew the darts with a standard sewing machine. You'll find tips for stitching lace darts when you watch the video.

I hope you enjoy this show! I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch show 2003. It currently airs for Free until Noon EST
April 3rd.

​The right finish makes your custom crafted garments look more professional.

​In this segment you'll see my blouse decked out with perfect pintucks, plus a topstitch technique I call channel stitching. 

Simplicity 8297 proved to be the perfect pattern! View D has a flirty peplum with just enough flair to be figure flattering, with just enough fullness to be pretty without adding "fluff" where you may not want it. The cool coral fabric is rayon challis purchased from Fabric.com.

After explaining the pattern hack for pintuck yokes, you'll see me demonstrating corded pintucks with the seven groove pintuck foot.

The next technique I used for my blouse embellishment was what I call channel stitching, accomplished by stitching multiple rows of straight stitches close together.

For this technique, I featured a snap-on Brother foot called the Stitch Guide or Stitch Alignment foot. You may find generic versions of this foot on the market but if you have the opportunity to purchase the one with red lines, I would highly recommend it. This handy foot has prominent guidelines that come in handy for spacing one or multiple rows of stitching. It's great for many other stitching situations and works as a built-in seam guide. CLICK HERE and you'll find out more about this foot. 

Take a close look at the finished cuff you see in the photo above. It's stitched with thread that is a couple shades darker than the blouse fabric. Using the special foot means you can achieve exact spacing with the finished result giving your garment a very high-end look!

The cheerful coral color of this blouse makes me smile! I enjoyed adding accents that compliment both the pattern style and the fabric. I hope you'll try one or both of these techniques on a future garment yourself! CLICK HERE for complete instructions for each of the techniques from this show.

Once again, Emily shows how take a simple style and not only streamline the sewing process, but add a few extra, easy to sew details.
 
Her idea for pattern hacking to make the V easy is cute and clever! It looks a little messy mid-way but watch it come together into a nice finish at the end.

Emily's V-neck top technique can be applied to commercial patterns or one of her free pattern downloads from her site. CLICK HERE for a link to the instructions.
 
Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch show 2002. It currently airs for Free until Noon EST on March 26th.

Watch as Angela pattern hacks a T-shirt pattern and turns it into an exercise top with mesh color-blocked inserts.

She'll show you how easy it is to draw new lines on a plain pattern and create a whole new look. This is a very basic color block technique.  Don't be afraid to give it a try, it's a fun way to expand your pattern collection.

I found a wide variety of stretch mesh colors at FWD, the Fabric Wholesale Direct website, HERE.

​Stretch lace will work too. They have that fabric in many different colors HERE.

In this segment, Emily Thompson has the perfect pattern for a kid-sized skirt with shorts underneath. Modest, comfy, and cute! what a great combination. Emily offers an adult size version as well. Use her child sized or adult sized FREE leggings pattern as a start.

She'll show you some options for the waist, as well as how to connect the circle skirt to the leggings. CLICK HERE to download Emily's instructions for the leggings and her circle skirt tutorial. Add the two together and top it off with a waistband for a comfortable skirt that blends two beauties together for a great look!

By the way, Emily suggests using double brushed poly spandex for the leggings. I recently ordered some from califabrics.com. My order came a few days ago and the piece I selected looks like a winner! This fabric is soft, stretchy, and comes in some pretty prints as well as solids. No affiliation, but you may want to check out what they have HERE.

CLICK HERE to visit the It's Sew Easy TV website and watch the show. It currently airs until March 19th at noon EST.

​ 
Watch Reen cut cork and stitch it into an In-the-Hoop note pad. You’ll even see her craft a pen that matches the fabric for the note pad. So clever!!!

Many of you may already be fans of Reen’s designs from her Embroidery Garden site. However, if you have never done any embroidery -in-the hoop, this show gives you a clear idea of how and why this style of embroidery stitching gets its name. Quite literally, you layer everything in the hoop piece by piece and in most cases end up with a perfectly executed piece of art. Things like zippers, stipple quilting, and perfect shapes and corners are a no fail proposition when stitched in the hoop. In some cases, a few finishing touches are added after removal from the hoop, but those stiches are minimal. Note that unlike traditional embroidery design, when you see the design displayed on the machine of the screen, they look rather plain. The magic is in the layering of fabrics that form beautiful finished pieces.

You’ll find Reen and her myriad of design collections at www.embroiderygarden.com.

It's time for the last wrap dress in this exciting series! Who knew there were so many different wrap styles? Each one in Angela's collection has been beautiful and special! This final wrap, actually it's a faux wrap, may well be my favorite.

Her faux wrap knit dress has flattering gathering at the waistline, making this dress really wearable! This dress is Angela’s Shirley Pattern, ​a versatile collection that includes a tank top tunic length top and of course the dress. In this segment you’ll see how to finish the neck and create the side gathers.

For this segment I was asked to give a short and sweet story, telling It’s Sew Easy TV viewers how sewing became my “life’s work.” Perhaps you’ll relate to the tale I tell about starting to sew in junior-high, with my Mom being my biggest supporter and the one I credit with giving me the encouragement and the all-important “tool” I needed to sew to my heart’s content. CLICK HERE if you'd like read more about my sewing story.

Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch show 1913. It currently airs for Free until Noon EST on December 18th.

We all have a sewing story to share! So, how did you start to sew?!? Please feel free to share your own personal sewing story in the comments section below! I'd love to hear about your path to sewing whether you sew a little or a lot :-)

There are SEW many unique projects on this episode!

​The perfect way to get your feet wet with piecing and quilting is to create something small. Emily’s project is fun, fast, and easy. Watch her built a simple log cabin style block and turn it into a tablet cover. What a perfect idea for gift giving too!

I couldn't locate her super cute porcupine pincushion fabric but this Henry Glass collection on Fabric.com would make a great substitute.

Segment 2
Costume Creations for Shoes
with Cheryl Sleboda 

Have you ever thought of wearing winged feet?!? This segment may give you pause for thought. This is a fun costume idea and surely would be a "just for fun" way to be remembered if you wear these for a non-costume event.  See how to sew satin and specialty foam together, along with finishing steps for making "winged feet."

​We are all the way up to lesson eight in Angela’s wrap dress series. This segment covers ideas for covering up and keeping the wrap closed. Angela has some easy ways to keep the warp closed. She also features a couple different modestly panels to add a fashion accent and a functional cover-up on the wrap. 

​Check out the “Shirley” Wrap Dress here: Angela Wolf Shirley Wrap Dress.

By the way, I do love wrap dresses, featuring one in show 1905. CLICK HERE to watch the video, download instructions, and take advantage of three machine embroidery designs to trim your own wrap dress.

Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch show 1912. It currently airs for Free until Noon EST on December 11th.

Adding extra details to garments is part of the "custom" in customizing your creations. Let's see what the designers in show 1911 have to share with you this week!

Emily Thompson from Life Sew Savory uses machine embroidery and trim from the built-in menu of the Brother ScanNCut digital cutting machine to decorate plain cuffs on pajama pants. The embroidered version is a nice feminine touch, while the ScanNCut iron-on trim version is ideal for more masculine plaid pants. 

With her free pattern and instructions you could whip these up for the entire family in no time at all!

Click on the above image for the free pattern and directions. I'd love to hear how you plan to decorate your own custom cuffs!

Sarah Gunn, co-author of A Stylish Guide to Classic Sewing designed a unique, yet still classic skirt with ribbons forming an ombre effect. This subtle mix of color places this skirt in a "fancy" category without being too fussy.

In the show, you'll see a pink, blue, and tan version. Each one is beautiful in its own right and oh so stylish! CLICK HERE to download step by step instructions that will work with any standard straight skirt style.

Angela Wolf Shares her story this week!

Enjoy listening as Angela shares details about her sewing background and how it let to where she is today.

​Perfecting patterns is the theme of this show. Not just patterns in the tradtional sense, but patterned fabric is featured in this show as well. You'll also get a great tip for building "fit insurance" into a wrap dress pattern that you can apply to other garments as well., can have a few different connotations. Angela Wolf is first with lesson six of the wrap dress.  

Then, Michelle Paganini has a lesson on matching patterns on fabric.

​Finally, Angela Wolf shares a viewer question on fit which is lesson seven of the wrap dress and altering your pattern.

Starting with her basic pattern, Angela creates a new wrap in Ponte knit and adds a waistline, belt closure and buttonhole closure to secure the wrap. You'll enjoy all the tips she presents in this segment. If you've been watching this 10th anniversary series, you may already be convinced that a wrap dress should be on our list of need to add to my closet creations! I think this flattering style is ideal for all figure types.
 
This Ponte knit style is especially nice because the fabric itself tends to skim over your shape without clinging in the wrong places. Let's talk about Ponte knit for a bit. Ponte knit is generally a medium weight fabric with only a small amount of stretch. This knit stretches just enough to be comfortable. Good quality yardage will hold it shape well and launder like a dream. Fabric Wholesale Direct describes theirs as "a high-quality stretch knit jersey fabric that is extremely soft and has a slight sheen when draped." I've been eyeing the coral yardage HERE on their site for some time now. You'll notice that their version is called Ponte De Roma and has a blend of rayon, nylon, and spandex. I love Ponte knit blended with rayon. While you can find this fabric in an all-polyester version, I would not recommend it. The poly type simply does not have the luxurious look you find in a rayon blend.

Angela put a lot of details into the Liz Wrap pattern. I think I'd like it in a classic navy, fitted with three quarter length sleeves, worn with an interesting pin on the prominent lapel. Call me old fashioned! I have a soft spot for pretty lapel pins :-)

In this segment ​Michelle Paganini teaches her methods for matching patterned fabric. Repeat patterns are common in home décor and large-scale prints. 

Here are a few snippets from the fitting tips for this extra wrap dress segment:
 
Add a waistline seam and don’t forget to add seam allowance to each cut edge. Use a belt to cover up the added seam and no one will know you added it as a fitting technique. Now you can adjust for the bust on the upper section and adjust for your lower half on the section you split for the bottom. Adding this   waistline seam gives you a double bonus, fit opportunities and the opportunity for style changes aka pattern hacks.

Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch show 1910. It currently airs for Free until Noon EST on November 27th.

Embellishments make the difference on this episode! 

If you don't know it already, I love designing wraps, making wraps, and wearing wraps! In this show you'll see three draped on the mannequins. The one in the middle is  the embroidered version from my book titled Wrapped in Embroidery. The black and white wraps are essentially the same style minus the embroidery and sewn from lightweight sweater knit.

When I initially designed the soft blue suede wrap, I got the basic idea from a knitted version found in a discount store. With added embroidery and covered buttons this wrap is unique and stylish. If you'd like, you can watch a short video HERE, and see the blue suede wrap worn  another way.

I got to thinking that I could certainly make another version in sweater knit and thus the black and white ones were created for the show. To wear this at least three different ways you only need to slip the buttonhole into a different button. I suggest standing in form of a mirror and playing around with the different looks you can achieve. 

​I shared a few of my time-honored tips for sewing with sweater knit in this segment. You'll find instructions for this wrap when you CLICK HERE.

P.S. ​My knit came from Fabric.com A search for lightweight sweater knit will yield a variety of choices. Just be sure you select lightweight sweater knit for this project.

​Gretchen is back on It's Sew Easy TV with more vintage inspired garments! 

Watch her construct a modified sailor style collar step by step. You’ll find collar instructions to go with her Day and Night Charm Pattern dress, the dress she is wearing in the show.

Continuing with the 10th anniversary designer spotlight feature, this time you’ll find out more about Emily Thompson. ​

​Her story will warm your heart and inspire you to visit her site.

​Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch show 1909. It currently airs until Noon EST on November 20th.

Take your sewing to a whole new audience with gifts that fit everyone! ​

I make a real effort to find something to sew that has masculine appeal. This tool pouch was crafted to help my dear Hubby organize his wrench collection.

​If you follow along with me on the show, you'll hear how this practical tool pouch serves to store and protect all sorts of different tools.

CLICK HERE and you'll find a PDF of directions from the show where I describe the process for making your own customized pattern. You can use this same idea to store sewing tools, art supplies, make up brushes, and more. Simply lay out the tools by height like the wenches and then adjust the pocket sizes to fit each item.

Watch the show and you'll also see how to center a monogram using built-in lettering on the sewing side of the machine.

​Nicole Neales is an expert when it comes to working with cork. This show features cork from fabricfunhouse.com.​ It's ideal for so many accessory projects and cuts easily with the Brother ScanNCut digital cutting machine.

Fabric Funhouse has an enticing collection of cork yardage. I've played around a little with this unique fiber. Have you sewn anything with cork? If you have, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section.

Last is lesson five with Angela Wolf and hem techniques for the wrap dress.

a​Sewing a curved hem on a woven fabric can be tricky, especially when you need to doulb ethe fabric to enclose raw edges. Angela has severl tricks and tips to share with you. I guarantee you'll use these techniques on other garments as well!

Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch show 1906. It currently airs until Noon EST on November 13th.

​Details make your garments more interesting and unique!

Lindsay features this technique on her Seoul Blossom Blouse pattern from her sewtogrow.com.au website.

​It was interesting to see Lindsay use the Brother edge joining foot for topstitching her cuff. I'm a big fan of using accessory feet to make your sewing faster, easier, and more fun. You can watch my video showing more with this foot HERE.

Emily is known for fun fashion. Her simple pattern hacks create fashion a statement with casual clothes. This tutorial for adding snaps and zippers will give you the skills you need to create details on two cute tops.

You'll find Emily's instructions for the zippered top HERE. Instructions for the snap shoulder top are HERE.

​​In keeping with the It's Sew Easy TV 10th anniversary designer spotlight, this time Gretchen takes a few minutes to talk about how her love of vintage clothing became her career. She is well known for her vintage glamour style in both fabric and patterns. 

You'll hear a few more of these stories as series 1900 continues to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the show.

Show notes: This year's hottest accessory for traveling is the carry all drawstring bag. In show 1906 Emily Thompson from Life Sew Savory shows how to create a makeup bag in a circular drawstring style. Then, in lesson four of the wrap dress, Angela Wolf creates a faux wrap variation in knit, demonstrating techniques for the belt and neckline.

Select your size, choose your fabric, assemble a few notions, and you are ready to sew a circular carryall. You'll be amazed at how easy this project is to sew!

It all starts with two fabric circles. Perhaps you already have a tool for marking and cutting circles. Scrounging around, I found that I have at least three that are similar or identical to the ones I've linked below. Each one has their own advantage. Check with your sewing supply store to see if they have something to offer as well. Here are a few possible tools to  consider:
​
​Olfa Circle Cutter - Easy to use. Circle size is limited to about 8-inches for this tool.

Roll-N-Ruler at Menards - Another gadget that would have earned the seal of approval from my 10th grade geometry teacher, you may find this in more than one size.

Do a search for a Circle Beam Compass and you'll find multiple sources. I even found one at Home Depot. This type of tool attaches to a rod or a yardstick, allowing you to make super sized circles.

​You’ll find Emily’s caryall instructions when you  ​CLICK HERE.

Note: We're not talking about a circular sewing attachment here. That is a horse of a different color. However, I do have a post dedicated to information about using a circular sewing attachment. CLICK HERE to read my blog post on the topic and you'll find a video there as well.

Angela is back with wrap dress #4. Made from a knit, you can just pop it over your head to wear it and still look like you’re wearing a wrap.

She shows how to finish both of the bodice pieces with a self-fabric binding on the sewing machine and on the Brother Cover Hem machine. You can do this with a matching or contrasting fabric. Her nifty trick for finishing the cover hem thread tails at the end of the seam is one you’ll use again and again. 
​
Speaking of nifty tricks, sewing with knits can be daunting for some. If you'd like more info, I’ve got a couple tips sheets that you may enjoy. CLICK HERE for tips for Slinky Type Knits. CLICK HERE for my Knit Know How tip sheet.

Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch show 1906. It currently airs until Noon EST on October 30th.

​Stitching designs or patterns on the surface of your fabric can be the perfect embellishment! 

If you’ve been watching It’s Sew Easy TV for a while you have seen me add a dash, splash or a whole batch of embroidery to many different garments. In this segment I created a design from scratch and added it to a simple kimono style dress. I LOVE making and wearing dresses, especially classic styles fashion from comfortable and easy to care knit fabrics. Finding designs that are suited for this type of fabric can be a little tricky. You don’t want to destroy the drape of the knit and turn your dress embellishment into something stiff and strange looking. 
 
To keep the style of the design simple and the fabric soft and drapey, I opted for a line design with low density and a soft finish. Since I don’t possess the ability to draw, I searched for line art in my sewing space and came across a delightful motif living inside my Brother ScanNCut machine. It turned out to be perfect for the look and feel I wanted to achieve. You may find alternative ideas for line designs in other places. Consider an internet search for copyright free graphics or possibly even continuous line quilt designs.

​You’ll see the process I used to create the design when you watch show 1905-1. 

I created three free designs for you to dwonload and stitch on your own machine. these designs are similar to the one I used for the dress and feature the pretty "chain style" stitch. CLICK HERE to download.

Rebecca Kemp Brent explores options for decorative mending with different threads and embroidery designs. ​

Watch as she preps and then sews over unwanted holes. Prepare to repair and add some fun to your mending tasks!

Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch show 1905. It currently airs until Noon EST on October 23rd.

Spruce up your home with a quick change of accessories to add color, interest or reflect the season. ​

Embroidery with yarn?!? Yes!!! Texture is such a hot trend in home décor. In this part of the show you'll see Reen stitch a small accent pillow, entirely in the hoop! When your embroidery is done it’s only a matter of popping in the pillow form and you are finished! It does take a big hoop and a special yarn couching kit to accomplish this. However, if you don’t have the capability to stitch this exact design, this pillow style should give you some ideas for making one in an alternative manner. The idea is simple, frame a solid piece of fabric with a complimentary print on the top, bottom, and sides, to create your own unique pillow project. You'll find a PDF with steps for this project HERE.

Contact Reen for more information on her embroidery designs, including special In-the Hoop projects.

Watch as Emily mixes together some interesting materials for her holiday pillow. If you have a Brother ScanNCut you'll find lots of shapes suited for this technique. 

The ideas for wrap dresses and techinques for ways to sew them just keep coming! Watch as Angela shows you how to make a neat seam when joining the ruffle pieces, then uses a serger rolled hem for the hem finish, and finally sews the ruffle to the dress front.

Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch show 1904. It currently airs until Noon EST on October 16th.

Every outfit needs the perfect accessory! This episode focuses on scarves and purses. 

I had a lot of fun preparing for this show! Scarves are an accessory I love to make and I love to wear! Watch as I show you how to sew, serge, gather, and couch your way to beautiful scarves suited for every season.

I started with a large soft scarf couched with a variegated yarn using the Brother MuVit foot. Then, I moved over to the serger and showed a sample of hemming for a chiffon scarf, followed by a three-thread finish for a lacy infinity scarf. Moving back to the machine, I added couching with a braiding foot, hemmed chiffon with a straight stitch and my favorite technique for a narrow hem, and gathered a strip for a ruffle on the chiffon scarf. This is the perfect way to extend the length of a scarf and add a fancy finish at the same time.

The show wrapped up with a re-cap of the techniques and ten tips for adding wardrobe pizazz with scarves and wraps. You'll find a download with all ten tips, plus links to instructions for several scarves HERE on the It's Sew Easy TV website.

If you're a scarf and wrap fan like me, you may want to take a peek at the projects included in my book titled Wrapped in Embroidery.

Angela Wolf put together a simple handbag sewn from waxed canvas. This unique fabric is quite trendy. It's unlikely you'll find it in a big box fabric store but FabricFunhouse.com has a nice selection and some pretty colors to choose from.

You can consider making this from many different fabrics, adding a variety of embellishment techniques. 

Angela shows some ideas for the buttonhole closure stitched on the embroidery side of the machine. The menu shown above is from the Brother Stellarie she used on the show. In fact, these buttonhole patterns and the complimentary buttonhole embellishments are included with a variety of machine models.

Her completed purse is something you can whip up in an afternoon. What a great gift  this would make for a friend or family member!

I hope show 1903 inspired you to make some accessories! Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch this show. It currently airs until Noon EST on October 9th.

In this show you'll see me create a versatile garden apron featuring decorative stitching. In the second half Angela Wolf shows two different wrap style closures and shares a question from one of her fans.

This pretty pink apron is crafted from ripstop nylon.  Commonly used for outdoorsy items and camping related projects due to its ability to be strong, tear resistant and water-resistant, or even waterproof in some cases.

The ripstop nylon I use most often is light weight, water repellant, and is found in the utility fabric section of my local big box fabric store. It's generally available in big cheerful colors and some "camp style" colors.

So where did I get the idea to make a garden apron form this stuff?!? Let me start by saying that I consider myself somewhat of a mad scientist in the sewing room. I like to veer off the beaten path and try combining different elements for projects that would ordinarily be well, more ordinary! Such is the case of this apron.

I had a canvas garden apron laying around and thought it was nice basic style to use for gardening outdoors. However, it was totally lacking in style and had poorly made pockets. It was also prone to collecting dirt and did not wash well. Besides that, I'm famous for soaking myself whenever I switch the hose settings and it's no fun to be dirty and wet at the same time! Thus, the idea for a brightly colored apron made from water and dirt resistant fabric was born. 

In this close-up of the apron you can see the secure zippered pocket embellished with decorative stitches and grosgrain ribbon. Of course you can make this apron from other "ordinary" fabric if you like and I'm sure it will be just beautiful! CLICK HERE for complete instructions. Feel free to leave your comments and let me hear your thoughts on this project.

P.S. If you're looking for a mail order source for ripstop nylon check out FWD HERE.

Angela continues the series on her wrap dress. I am a big fan of the look of a wrap dress and wrap tops too. Some of my all time favorite garments are either a real wrap or a faux wrap style. I'm loving this series and enjoying all the different variations. Who knew there we so many ways to change up this style?  

In lesson two you'll learn about ways to cinch the waist and keep the wrap closed at the waistline. 

Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch this show. It currently airs until Noon EST on October 2nd.

It’s Sew Easy Series 1900
10 Years of Sewing with It’s Sew Easy

Theme for the series is When in Doubt Embellish and Accessorize!
 
Celebrating the 10-year anniversary of Its Sew Easy with series 1900!

​1901 Wrap It Up
Angela Wolf begins this season’s sew-along with a wrap dress and all of its variations. Gretchen Hirsch updates a circle skirt by adding buttonholes and a wraparound sash. Reen Wilcoxson is in the spotlight talking about how she made sewing and in particular embroidery her career.  ​

1912 Novel Ideas
Emily Thompson creates a quilted tablet cover. Cheryl Sleboda makes winged feet for a fun additions to your shoes.  Angela Wolf shares an optional addition to the wrap dress and a built-in tank top. ​

1913 Keep Track
Keep track of your notes, appts and dates with a handy note holder from Reen Wilcoxson. Angela Wolf creates a wrap style dress featuring a gathered waistline in a stretch knit. Joanne Banko in the designer spotlight with a glimpse into her sewing life.   

Now, here's a preview of the first show in this series, show 1901.

Angela begins the wrap dress sew along. In this segment the dress starts with darts, bias trim is next, and then the belt is prepped.  

Sewing an accurate dart is essential for a garment that looks good. It's an important part of shaping the wrap dress and giving a good fit. Darts are best when pressed over a ham. However, if you don’t have a ham, the next best thing is a balled-up towel. Try to make it as smooth and rounded as possible. I’ve used this method in hotel rooms with satisfactory results.

I love the look of Angela's wrap dress. What’s nice about a real wrap dress as opposed to a faux wrap is the adjustability. The ties on this one wrap around the waist and alow for cinching or loosening as necessary. This is going to be a great sew along series and we've only just begun!

Next, Gretchen Hirsch updates a circle skirt by adding buttonholes and a wraparound sash. Be sure to check out her instructions HERE.

She uses buttonholes to hold the sash. Such a clever technique! These are basic buttonholes but they are indeed big ones! If you have a buttonholer that measures your button and makes the buttonhole accordingly, you'll need to make a manual style buttonhole to repeat this technique. ​​

Would you believe 10 years ago Gretchen was the first guest instructor on the very first episode of It's Sew Easy TV? That is quite an honor. Ten years later she is still sewing vintage fashions for sewing enthusiasts who follow her style. Way to go Gretchen!!!

CLICK HERE to see project instructions from that show and you'll find a link to watch show 101-1 on the KS Productions YouTube channel.

Throughout this series you'll have the chance to hear many of the instructors tell their own personal "sew biz" story. My friend Reen Wilcoxson from Embroidery Garden is the first one to delight you with her tale of how she went from sewing for leisure to running her own embroidery design business. These days she teaches online and travels the country teaching others how to enjoy the big wide world of machine embroidery!

Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch this show. It currently airs until Noon EST on September 25th.

To be eligible to win, just leave a comment below, telling us if watching It's Sew Easy TV has helped you learn how to use a specific machine feature or machine accessory.

Please name the accessory or feature your learned about, even if you want to call it the thingamajig that helps you sew in circles. I'll fill in the blanks in my reply with proper names and part numbers when I can.

On October 17th I'll draw a random winner who will win a combo collection of six It's Sew Easy TV DVDs.

NOTICE! Deadline extended until November 2nd, 2020.

​I can't wait to read your comments and pick a winner!

Show 1813 has a travel theme. This week you'll learn how to make a wallet from cork. Perfect for every time you travel with your cash and cards. Then, you'll see a great gift tag idea that could double as a luggage tag. At the end you'll see the Angela's completed trench coat, probably one of the best coats you could ever own for traveling near or far. Join me as I give you preview of each of the three segments in show 1813.

Cork, cork, and more cork! Have you stitched anything with this fabulous material? Here are some of the fine features of cork: 

• It's a renewable resource.
• A great alternative to leather.
• Comes in many colors and is just plain beautiful!

​Cork featured on this show is from Fabric Funhouse. 

​Watch as Nicole Neales creates a high-quality wallet. You’d swear it had to come from a chic accessory shop! Her bi-fold wallet only requires a fat quarter sized piece of cork to complete. You'll find Nicole’s’ instructions when you CLICK HERE.

Next up is Emily Thompson with hand crafted fabric tags. ​

She mentions several ways to add the lettering and then demonstrates an embroidery option on the machine. Emily provided a gift tag template that you can download when you CLICK HERE. 

Customizing projects with crisp, clear, and durable embroidered lettering is one of my all-time, favorite embroidery options. Be it labels, greeting cards, or simple gift tags, the ability to "say it with stitches" is fun, fast, and easy. If you’d like some additional tips for stitching tiny lettering fonts, I invite you CLICK HERE and take a look at this recent post I contributed to the Brother Stitching Sewcial blog.

Last but not least, if you want to try your hand at an in-the-hoop machine embroidered gift tag, CLICK HERE for to yet another post. While I designed this one as a holiday tag, you can certainly customize it for any occasion

​Angela finishes up the show with with buttons and buttonholes during the last segment for her Chloe trench coat.

Anyone here have a fear of buttonholes? I admit, I avoided them for quite a few years when I didn’t own a machine with stellar quality buttonhole stitches. It was a long time ago but I sewed mostly on industrial machines at that time and only had a low-end zigzag machine. When I was really young, I made buttonholes on an old straight stitch machine that had a gizmo for making many sizes of buttonholes. It did a good job, but took a ridiculous amount of time to set up and test before you could even think about making buttonholes. But ahhh, today's one-step buttonhole attachments make stitching buttonholes a breeze! And yes, I do have a link to a tip sheet for buttonholes as well. CLICK HERE for some tips for stitching beautiful buttonholes.

That wraps up series 1800! Next week series 1900 will unfold one week at a time. I promise you, there’s a lot to love in this next series! Stay tuned for a week by week preview with extra information and tips to keep you happily sewing in your own sewing space. 
 
Show 1813 is airing currently at www.itsseweasytv.com and will continue until noon Eastern Standard time on September 18, 2020. If you'd like to own the entire 1800 series titled Whatever the Weather, you can purchase the complete set HERE.

​This show is all about creating your own upcycled wardrobe. Angela Wolf begins by adding finishing details to the trench coat. Then, Londa Rohlfing takes ties that have deep memories and turns them into T-shirt embellishments.

​In the first half of the show Angela is winding down her trench tutorial. In this segment she talks about topstitching and finishing details on the hem. Pay attention to her tips for topstitching lapels. They are golden!

Topstitching can reallytake a garment from home-made to hand-crafted status.  I’m compiling a list to write a post full of topstitch tricks and techniques so stay tuned for that. I can almost guarantee that some of the items you’ll see on my list of ideas are not common and ordinary.

Hem techniques and more finishing details round out the segment and guide you through the steps to finish up the Chloe trench coat.

In part two, Londa combines neckties with T-shirts for unique tops. You'll find her detailed instructions HERE on the It's Sew Easy TV website. This is certainly one way to wear your memories close to your heart, with tie trim that represents someone close to you. Have you ever made something new with old ties? I admit I currenlty have a collection that stares back at me, seemingly asking when they will get their chance to become something new. If you have any ideas for me I'd love to hear them in the comments.

This show is airing currently at www.itsseweasytv.com and will continue until noon Eastern Standard time on September 11, 2020. If you'd like to own the entire 1800 series titled Whatever the Weather, you can purchase the complete set HERE.

Here is the official description of show 1811:

​Every spring, feel that sense of rebirth that often results in spring cleaning and in our case, spring spruce up in our closet. Take that basic jean jacket and add some pizzazz with Joanne Banko and three techniques for embroidery. Then meet Ellen Miller as she provides the formula for adding flounces to the front of your favorite tank or top for a fashion look.

​Yes, the theme of this show is spring spruce up, but it could easily be titles fashion for fall! A change of fabric and a color swap could make any of the ideas work for other seasons.

I had the opportunity to share some of my favorite embroidery techniques in this show. It was a ton of fun decorating this ordinary white jean jacket and turning it into a work of art. While preparing for this segment, my ultimate goal was not just to produce a good-looking garment that would inspire you, but also to teach methods for placement that suit a wide variety of machine owners with various skill levels. No matter what capabilities your current machine has, you can learn and benefit from the techniques presented in show 1811. Three specific learning lessons are presented in this segment.

#1: Learn to make lace appliqués you can stitch or fuse in place.

#2: Learn to hoop awkward areas like this jean jacket back yoke.

#3: See how a special application and a sticker work together to target a design in a precise spot.

Ellen takes over the second half of the show explaining the anatomy of a circular flounce with accuracy and great detail. Not surprising! Ellen is the master of detail, evidenced by all the intricate trims and techniques outlined in her Creating Couture Embellishment book.

I hope you enjoyed this preview! Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch this show for free until noon EST September 4th.

This show features versatile and fashionable garments, plus some exquisite appliques made with wool fabrics.

Lindsey Marsh starts the show with a chic jacket. Her blazer is a great twist on a classic garment. I love the way it can be dressed up or down. As you'll see, you can give this jacket a variety of looks just with a change of fabric. Seeing the blank lapels on one of her sample jackets my thoughts immediately drifted to visions of machine embroidery in neat connected rows. I think this jacket has lots of potential for embellishments of all sorts, both on the embroidery and sewing side of the machine. 

You’re going to love her “burrito” method for finishing the jacket with a partial lining. Easy, neat, and oh so clever, I’ve never heard this called burrito style sewing but if the term fits, stitch it! Her step by step instructions will have you mastering this technique in no time flat. CLICK HERE and you’ll find a PDF of her instructions, which include graphics to help you along the way. You can purchase the featured Bespoke Blazer as a digital download on Lindsey's website.

​Mary Roediger from sewtruedesigns is up next with a really interesting project featuring wool appliqués. 

Mary provided a free pattern for the pincushion project she demonstrated in the show. When you see it I think you’ll agree that this block could be enlarged and used for a standard size pillow or even a patchwork quilt block. Since Mary is an expert in working with wool, she chose all wool for her fabric, but you could easily substitute any other ravel-proof fabric. She shows two ways to stitch appliques in place, by hand or by machine. Her blanket stitch tips for hand sewing are really practical and the results are beautiful. The pattern and instructions are HERE on the It's Sew Easy TV website.

Angela makes an appearance at the end of the show to demonstrate her methods for belts and belt loops on her Chloe Trench coat. Her ideas for each of these are golden! You’ll find yourself using these ideas for other garments as well.

I must say that watching her press with my favorite steam iron, the Reliable Velocity Vapor Generator iron, made me think I need to get some Dritz Thermal thimbles. That steam came awful close to her fingers! Has anyone reading this used these, or do you have another product for keeping fingers from contact with hot steam from an iron? I can’t believe I’ve gone all these years without some sort of protection while pressing intricate items during construction. Guess I’ve been fortunate. If you have any other ideas for keeping fingers protected while steaming and pressing small items, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

There's a slight chill in the air and it's time to cuddle up with cozy fabrics! 

​Let's start with a cozy baby blanket made form Minky like fabric. I'm sure many of you will agree, babies are a big reason so many people either start to sew or renew their interest in sewing so they can make something special for a much-loved baby. I’ve never had a baby of my own, but I’ve spent many hours happily sewing baby items for others. One of my favorite things to make is a simple blanket trimmed with satin binding. With a vision for a neatly finished “blankie with all four corners neatly mitered, I set out to find a way to make it easy, with four perfectly mitered corners. What you see on this show is a result of my quest for the perfect satin trimmed baby blanket.

Note: As an option, you can consider using fleece or even a pre-quilted blanket, adding an embroidered name before you finish the edges with the satin trim.

This segment of the show will give you the basic method for sewing the binding, but I encourage you to view the downloadable instructions HERE, where you’ll see still shots of each and every step from start to finish. I hope you’ll give this method a try! If you do, please leave your comments in the comment box at the end of this blog.

You can CLICK HERE to watch this video again and again while you review the instructions. If you have friends that would like to see this, you could also send them HERE to watch the video on my YouTube channel.

​In the next segment Emily Thompson of Life Sew Savory shows how make a hooded cape, complete with many fashion options depending on the fabric you choose. From terry cloth to heavy flannel shirting or even wool and washable wool, this is an item suitable for adults and children alike. Sewing it on the serger keeps the ravels at bay and means you can complete this project with a small investment in time. You'll find a link to Emily's instructions HERE.

Last but not least, Angela Wolf sews the sleeves on her Chloe trench coat. ​

From stabilizing the sleeve pieces to stitching the hem, her steps for the two-piece sleeve can be applied to many other jacket patterns. The techniques she shows will lead to successfully sewing sleeves in garments with more detailed style lines.

​By the way, two-piece sleeves are not only a sign of a quality garment, they afford a much better fit than a standard sleeve. The slight curve in the seam is actually the spot where a dart would normally be at the elbow. Why would you need a dart at the elbow? Well, think about your normal posture. You would rarely stand or sit for that matter, with your arms perfectly straight at your sides. The curve at the elbow not only provides comfort, this type of sleeve will hang in such a way that designates a sure sign of a quality fit.

You'll find this show airing for free online at www.itsseweasytv.com until noon EST August 21. Enjoy!

In this show you'll see something for summer fun, bags fit for any season, and another installment in the Angela Wolf trench coat series.

​First up, Emily Thompson shows you how to create a fabulous family sized towel tote. You’ll see that it's actually a towel and a tote, all wrapped up into one clever item. You'll find it handy for trips to the beach, the pool, or even the backyard!

If any of my long-time local students are reading this, you may remember a similar project I demonstrated eons ago. I still have "my own towel in a tote" sample where I embroidered the words Splish Splash, time for a swim on the outer pocket.

Emily is using terry cloth yardage for this project. If you’ve never made something with this fabric, I will tell you that it ravels like crazy. You may be inclined to use your serger for edge finishing and that is fine. If you are hemming the edge after serging it will be quite secure. However, for standard serger seams on terry cloth, consider going over the serged stitch with a triple zigzag on your sewing machine for extra security. I’ve made several baby and toddler bathrobes with terry cloth and found that my serged seams needed reinforcement.

As always, Emily provides good instructions for her show projects. CLICK HERE to find her file for this segment.

​Rebecca kemp Brent is up next with zippered accessory bags, perfect for summer or any other season. Can you ever get enough bags, pouches, and totes?!? I think not!

You’ll see cork and batik fabric featured in her boxed bag samples. In this show Rebecca shows three ways to box the bag bottoms.  I love her third version. It is nifty and different from what you might expect. provided full instructions and a free pattern for her rounded zippered pouch. You'll find the pattern and instructions HERE.

If you own one of the Brother ScanNCut digital cutting machines you could print the pattern halves, tape them together, scan, and then cut them all out on the ScanNCut mat. You’ll see how easy it is on the show. Rebecca always has lots of tips. I love her trick for fusing two pieces of fabric together to give it more body. I’ve done that multiple times myself.

Speaking of pouches, if you missed my August Brother Free design blog post, you can CLICK HERE and view or download instructions for yet another type of zippered pouch. This one sports a golf theme but you could easily change out the design and fabric to make something else that suits your style.

For me personally, that’s my favorite style element on the coat. Having extra fabric over the shoulder is a great design element. In practical terms, it helps shelter the shoulder area from the weather, providing extra warmth and protection from rain soaking through to the inside. 

I don't know about you, but when I experience cold shoulders the rest of me gets throughly chilled. That's why I'm such a fan of wraps. I often wear a Polar Fleece wrap over my coat for an extra layer of cozy comfort. When cooler weather arrives, I promise to take a photo to show you. My favorite (easy to make) fleece wrap was featured on a previous It's Sew Easy TV show. You can watch this fleece wrap segment HERE on my YouTube channel.

If you've been following Angela on the trench coat journey you are well on your way to finishing the coat. If you're in the process of making one for yourself or already have done so, I’d love to hear about it in the comments. Send me some photos via joannebanko@letsgosew.com and I’ll post it in the grand finale blog post for the ISE1800 series!
 
Ready to go an watch the show? You'll find this show airing for free online at www.itsseweasytv.com until noon EST August 14th. Enjoy!

This show features garments and accessories that will round out any packing list as you plan for a future trip. No intentions for traveling? No problem! You'll find each and every project on this show well suited for far away trips and trips that keep you close to home.

This show starts with my mini capsule wardrobe made from dress weight knit fabric. I made four simple pieces, top with short sleeves, sleeveless top, skirt, and loose-fitting wide leg pants, all from a rayon, poly, spandex knit. Add a few additional staple pieces and some accessories and you're good to go for a short trip or some quick grab and go clothes for your regular activities close to home.

Quick to sew patterns are the key to getting this capsule stitched in a jiffy. I used (tank top) New Look 6608 for the tank top, (pants) Simplicity 8378 for the pants, and New Look 6735 for the short sleeve top and skirt. Note: You can use your own favorites if you like but if you opt for the same type of knit be sure to choose patterns with some fullness for the bottoms. For the tops, you’ll want to choose a pattern with a gently curved neckline so you can take advantage of the neckline technique demonstrated in the show and outline in my instructions HERE.

I packed a lot of knit tips into this segment, including ideas for sewing seams and finishing hems. Speaking of techniques, CLICK HERE and you'll see a similar neckline idea you can use to transform a ready made crew neck T-shirt into a feminine top with a polished neckline.

My friend Reen Wilcoxson from Embroidery Garden.com is up next with one of her fabulous zippered bags. 

Reen is known for her ingenious embroidery design collections. A well known In-The-Hoop embroidery artist, her designs are crafted with care and her instructions are geared for successful stitching. CLICK HERE and you'll see Reen's written instructions for the zipper bag featured on show 1807, along with a link for purchasing information. 

If you'd like to hurry up and grab the design she used on the show you you''l find it HERE.

Here is an example of more zipper bags she has for sale on her site. By the way, she sells cork and cork panels too!

I hope you enjoyed my preview of this show. ​You'll find this show airing for free online at www.itsseweasytv.com until noon EST August 7th. Enjoy!

Show 1806 features unique embroidery, instructions for sewing the Chloe trench coat collar,  and hoop hints to make your embroidery more successful.

In part one Sarah Gunn sews tunic top cover-ups, putting a unique spin on them with pretty pom pom trim and subtle monograms for a personal touch. You're going to love her striking samples and helpful tips for adding interest to a tunic. CLICK HERE for Sarah's coordinating instructions for this segment.

Indeed, the tunic is worn around the world and has been around for eons! While it has many variations in different cultures, the simple style shown here is timeless. Women are drawn to this classic look and it never seems to loose it's appeal. I truly believe this is one of the most flattering styles in the whole wide world! The loose fit skims the body and necklines can be trimmed to flatter the face and add excitement to the garment.

In this segment Sarah features her own tunic pattern but you’re likely find multiple choices for a substitute. One of my favorites is New Look 6292. I made this pattern once and loved it! In fact, this pattern is on my “sew it again soon list” so watch for a future blog post dedicated to embellishing this tunic with a neat neckline design.

Next up, it's time to see Angela add the collar to her Chloe trench coat. 

​Ellen March closes out the show with a mini course on different stabilizers, combined with handy hooping tips for machine embroidery. You can download her notes for this segment when you CLICK HERE.

As someone who has been stitching, teaching, writing, and demonstrating machine embroidery for well over 25 years it seems that each and every educator has their own tried and true practices and favorite methods for choosing stabilizers and getting things hooped up properly. This is a BIG topic and one that I've talked about alot. If you haven't already, I'd love to have you take my Machine Embroidery Survey HERE. Your answers and comments help me as I put together new classes, videos, and blogs, posts, and tips sheets. I'm currently working on a machine embroidery A to Z series of tips and techniques. I'll let you know more when it's ready for prime time.

Now, I hope you'll make some time to go and watch this show and enjoy the many ideas presented by these sewing experts. You'll find this show airing for free online at www.itsseweasytv.com until noon EST July 31st.

​In the first segment of this show you’ll see Emily Thompson from Life Sew Savory whip up a soft and cozy sweater knit top. 

Go ahead and grab a favorite loose fitting knit top from your closet, you won’t need a pattern for this project. How is this possible you ask? Well, constructed from a knit, this cut and serge top has a very forgiving fit. As a person who relies heavily on paper patterns, I admire Emily's bravery as she “wings it” and cuts and sews a new top from an old one. Step by step, she'll show you how  to make one yourself  in this segment.

If you're interested in reading a few more tips for knits, I invite you to take a look at my Let's Go Sew Knit Know How tip sheet HERE.

Next up, Cheryl Sleboda shows more pieces from her cosplay collection. ​

This time she uses a basic hooded sweatshirt transformed into a variety of animals, including a chicken theme!

Her method is not only ideal for her Chloe Trench Coat, it’s the perfect patch pocket for many other projects as well. Part of the way it finishes so well is to line the pocket for a flat edge finish, and then make the lining about 1/8-inch smaller than the fashion fabric so it doesn’t peek out to the front side. 

It's been fun watching Angela construct this classic coat. Stay tuned! There's more to come in the rest of this series.

You'll find this show airing for free online at www.itsseweasytv.com until noon EST July 24th. Enjoy!