If you've been following along here for a while, you'll remember the launch of our sewing forum. So far there are 316 members – that's pretty good! But even with all those members its a little quiet there. Not as much sharing and activity as I had hoped for.
Just over the last few weeks quite a few people have written and asked if we could have a Facebook group as well. The forum is cool, but it's a little bit ‘out of sight, out of mind' for many who are used to spending chat time on Facebook instead. It can be easier to check in with a group if you are already there updating your status or watching cat videos 😉
Ever happy to please you, I'm delighted to introduce the newest, and hopefully the best, new sewing group on Facebook. The So Sew Easy Sewing Chat group.
Before you worry it's just another place for me to talk about myself, and bore you at every turn with So Sew Easy chat, I really want to make this different. People are looking for a fun and easy place to chat about sewing, share projects, reviews, pattern links etc and I want it to be a real neutral ground. A place you can find all the best sewing chat without it having to be centered around this site.
So, I had to add a group description. It's hard starting out to think what we'll chat about there, but this is what I started out with:
“A group for everyone interested in sewing to come and chat, ask and answer questions, and share projects.
Feel free to chat about whatever takes your fancy. It doesn't have to be solely about So Sew Easy patterns – there is a whole big sewing world out there for you to explore.
Share pattern reviews, give and receive sewing advice or just complain about your husband using your good scissors again!
But please be nice, give encouragement rather than criticism. No drama here please!”
So it's open-ended pretty much. So long as it's about sewing, quilting, embroidery, patterns, classes, learning, fabric etc then it's welcomed. If you want to join so you can spam the group with your links to buy knock-off Ray Bans, then it's not welcome and you'll be banned. Naturally.
And I want all of you to join and run it for me, creating your own sewing community talking about the things that YOU find interesting. I can't always be there to answer all of your questions and chat, but with lots of members all interested in sewing and people all over the world online, you should always find someone there to chat too, maybe to help you out or sympathize when sewing disasters happen, and you simply MUST have it finished by morning.
People have already shared some great projects and although we've just started out a few days ago, it already feels like a fun and friendly community. Here are a few pics so far:
Lucy has already started us with an introductory thread, so when you join up, pop HERE to say hello, where you are from and give us a little info about you and your sewing.
So that's a little bit about the newest sewing community on Facebook. I'd LOVE for you to join us. It's a closed group so you have to click on the JOIN button, then I'll approve you as soon as I can and you can chat away, comment on a thread or start a new topic.
JOIN THE SEWING COMMUNITY HERE
Once you've joined, make sure you get notified about what's going on in the group. ***To make sure you get notified of new articles posted, see where it says Notifications on the bottom right of the header picture – click there and select ALL Posts. ***
What about those of you that don't use Facebook or prefer the old forum. No worries – it will still be there. No immediate plans to remove this for now and I hope it will continue to work alongside this new group.
See you there and chat soon !
p.s – we really need a cool header image for the new group. I've put in the site logo for now, but would love to change it out to something a bit more eye-catching. Anyone out there good at design who would like to create a logo or banner for us?
Informative news! provide you the best solutions as it is more trustful and reliable. It helps to offer convenience to the customers and promises to deliver the timely order.
hi, i’m a little unclear regarding purchasing your CONFERENCE TOTE BAG pattern. does the purchase price include the pattern, or just the tutorial? please explain. i love your site! thank you.
Hi Barbara, the purchase price includes both the pattern and tutorial which will guide you through the project step-by-step over 10 days. The tutorial remains available to you forever in case you want to go slower or come back again at a later date. Hope that helps. Thanks for your kind words.
hi mayra, that’s fantastic. i especially love the fact that there are no time restraints where the video tutorials are concerned. thank you so much for your response.
I like to know how do you about patterns I have downloaded a couple but they don ‘have my size and I would like to know how does one make it there size? if you could do a tutorial on this that would be great. Second question how did you start making your own patterns?
Hi Angela, you’re really asking about the concept of “grading”. Yes, it does sound like a good topic for a future tutorial. That may take me some time but if you want to learn about this topic now, I can highly recommend this book: Metric Pattern Cutting for Women’s Wear. This is really the “reference” book on the subject.
I have been receiving emails from you for a few months now (all very informative and some lovely patterns). I came across the sew along for the conference tote bag which I would really like to join. Unfortunately the site is asking for a login and password. To my knowledge I have never provided a password just a request to join the email list and I can find nowhere on your site where to join. Can you offer some assistance please as I would really like to do this project.
Hi Christine, it looks like you’ve already been able to join the sew-along at https://so-sew-easy.com/conference-tote-bag-pattern/. I can see you in the course list and you should be getting the emails guiding you through the course. Please let me know if something isn’t working for you. We welcome you to the group! Please enjoy.
Thank you for your reply and letting me join the group. Do I feel like a numpty, if I had read the whole info first I wouldn’t have sent the email in the first place. Teach me to read to the end! Thank you once again for letting me join the group, everyone is so friendly and helpful.
Love your site and you free patterns – on a very very strict budget and the small things I like to do for babies and grand children makes it really nice to come here for ideas and relief.thank you
Made the burp clothes and they are awesome. You pattern is really nice to follow as well. –
Hello, I have really enjoyed your site and get a lot of good ideas here! I was wondering if it is ok to make and sell an item using one of your free patterns? I can’t find any info either way. Thank you!
Hi Sheila is perfectly fine to use the patterns, but we love to see your final products, will you share them with us?
I will post a picture if I can figure out how!! ☺️
I was interested in your classes…I tried to find where you are located and can’t. I also found no way of emailing you. Why hide these things I wonder? Maybe I have you confused with another shop. I’m very new at quilting.
Hi Dolores, you can find our email on the About Us page here: https://so-sew-easy.com/about-me/ Hope that helps and kind regards.
Hi Dolores. There is an email link right at the top of the site in the header image. See top right where those little icons are for Facebook, Pinterest etc. The last one is a little envelope and if you click there it brings up your default email program to send a message. Also if you hover over the About in the menu bar, up comes a box which says contact and if you click there, you’ll also find all the various ways to get in touch including the email address. We don’t offer any sewing classes through, that’s something you’ll ideally need to take locally to you or online via a site like Craftsy.
I just wanted to let you know that your site and tutorials are very well presented, and so easy to follow along. I have been sewing for a long time and I still have learned quite a lot from you. Thank you for all you do for us.
Pat in Rescue, California
Thank you so mutch for all wonderful work that you share with us, I want more free patterns skirts.
I have made 100s burp bibs and usually give half a dozen as newborn gift with blankets, gowns and all kinds of stuff. I always put the terry cloth on the bottom (which is laying next to mom’s shoulder) then the top is flannel or some soft fabric and the middle is prefolded cloth diapers (with the thin wings folded to the center)(I usually get these by the dozen at Walmart although I have seen them onlilne too). And I always make a curved indention at the neck for mom to get it really close to her. I use to make these for my kids when they were little and they last for years with good washings. I use to make all the receiving blankets into pillowcases because the kids thought they were so soft and well washed. I love making a layette for babies but a few times the moms thought it was too old fashion and did not appreciate them so I have backed off a little. Gave a whole layette to one mom at my church and never saw anything used. I was so disappointed but kept it to myself. Anyway. burp bibs and bibs are great.
I wanted to know when making perfect baby Burp cloths does the toweling go on the out side
Hello Donna, it all depends what you want it to look like and what kind of fabric you get, there is no right or wrong answer. One side terry cloth and one side cotton is hoe I would do it. Whatever fabric is more absorbent will do because after all you want it to do the job properly. If you get a fantastic absorbent terry cloth in a nice color why not show it.
Let me know how you do it.
I’m a novice at sewing, trying to learn more and have been trying to join the So Sew Easy group on facebook but keep getting declined. There’s no way to message anyone on there about it to find out why. I just get declined. Guess I’ll find another group.
You might have your profile set to private Lara so we can’t see if you are a real person or not. There are spammers who try to enter the group every day to cause mayhem so all profiles are checked first. If you apply to join and then send me a note from your FB profile to let me know who you are, I’ll approve you. This is me on FB – https://www.facebook.com/deby.at.so.sew.easy
Deby, Check out the comments at http://www.sewnews.com/articles/Made_to_Order_Organizer.
You could do it so much better!
prt
Oh good gracious! What a shame, because it looks like such a great idea but the pictures really are minute.
I am looking for printed vest material sold by the yard to cut out and sew…can anyone help me? Looking for womens vests.
Hi Janice, thanks for your comment. Can you give us a better idea what you plan to do with the vest so perhaps we can point you in the right direct? Is this casual or formal? For warm or cold weather? Kind regards, Mayra
The vest pattern prints are sold by the yard, most of the time. The material is made of polycotton with the pattern printed on the material…all that needs to be done is cut the pattern out of the material and sew it. Easy does it. They come in many prints. I am preferably looking for Holidays, Vocational, Sewing, Knitting, crocheting, reading
sewing, etc. prints. Does anyone out there know where I can purchase this printed vest pattern material? Thank You
Hi Deby, Your facebook sounds great. I am in a slump and I need somewhere I can go to and chat and ask questions about my sewing projects. I went to the facebook but have been put on pending (don’t know what that means). But I need encouragement and I want to see what others are sewing. Sounds like fun.
Suzanne
You are first set to pending so that we can check you are a real person and not a spammer. That keeps our group just about sewing and no one gets in trying to sell fake ray bans! I just checked now and see you are approved so I look forward to seeing you in there chatting soon.
Hola, soy española y por casualidad entre en tu pagina, me gusto lo que vi, pero no entiendo nada de ingles, como podria ver tus tutoriales y videos en español? gracias desde Mallorca
Hola Lali Bienvenida, tengo exactamente 3 dias de haber tomado las riendas en esta pagina, causalmente estamos trabajando en poner subtitulos a todos los tutoriales. Por favor ten un pocoquito de paciencia mientras lo logramos. Me puedes decir cual es el que te urge?
Hello Deby.
I just found your site and its quite interesting and educative on sewing. I like the patterns and your tutorials, particularly the undies one. I am infact looking for a step-by-step tutorial on how to make a basic undies pattern from measurements. Is it possible to ask you for this? or is there a link I can go to. I found a few but not any from measurements. I found one tutorial made from cutting old undies but not exactly form the body measurements, which I am looking for.
Thanks for your help on this.
Hi Moji, I don’t know of any free tutorials where you can learn how to draft underwear from measurements. There is a book you can buy, which I have which tells you everything you need to know for drafting patterns from measurements, for all sorts of garments in both woven and knit fabrics. If you are looking to learn about pattern drafting, then I highly recommend this book
Good luck!
Thank you so much Deby. I have an alternative book on pattern drafting just too detailed that I am looking for something easy and straightforward. But I eventually got it, I made several drafts already and my last one seems perfect. I am getting ready to start sewing now, hopefully it will come out right.
Hi Deby I love the ruffled and ready bag but I have some bamboo handles that are 7 1/2 inches across so I am wondering what size I should cut my fabric to get the same ruffled look. I love your website and you have inspired me to make lots of different bags. Thank you Jill
Deby …Help! Did something happen to the facebook chat group? I can’t find it 🙁 I am so sad!
It’s still there in the same place Jo at https://www.facebook.com/groups/soseweasychat/
Sometimes people have reported it missing temporarily while FB run updates and things but it all seems to be working OK at this end.
Thanks Deby, must be a facebook thing, I can’t get it now, I just get this message
This content is currently unavailable
The page you requested cannot be displayed right now. It may be temporarily unavailable, the link you clicked on may have expired, or you may not have permission to view this page.
I hope it straightens out soon, I’m having withdrawals 🙂
That is so strange I hope you can get back in soon. Drop me an email with your FB name and I will take a look to see if I can see you there still as a member.
Hi,
I have just finished watching your video of you opening your serger. Not just giggles but real laughing tears emitted. Since I teach a Learn your serger series at my LQS I have to say “courage to even take it out of the Box!” I know from recent posts you have learned to use this . I applaud you for being so willing to start sewing and to invite us along for the ride. I delight every Sunday Am with my morning tea to sit and read your adventures.
Thank you Deby for making Sunday AM a highlight of my crazy life.
Merry Merry Christmas and a Happy Sewing New Year
Pegeth
Up here in New England
Oh I know, I felt like such a fool, but decided to post the video anyway. I don’t care, it’s real and honest and shows that its OK to have no idea and be prepared to have things go wrong. We all start from knowing nothing and being absolutely bewildered (in my case anyway), but its only onwards and upwards from there. You must have a lot of fun teaching that class. Great to have you following along Peg.
Hi Deby,
I signed up immediately when you started your first sewing website and have been delighted with the information and patterns you share. It’s obvious how hard you work to create and maintain so many websites, creating patterns, reviewing sewing items, and bringing a myriad of sewing related information to our attention. Just wondering if you are taking some well deserved time off, are ill, or perhaps I’ve been eliminated from your e-mail list as I haven’t received any weekly e-mails for several weeks? Congratulations on your success…..and the weight loss! Merry Christmas and please help me get connected again, I miss you!
Hi Barbara, I just checked the stats on the emails and see that the last one is shown as received but not read on 29th Nov, but that you had read most of the earlier ones. It could be that your email supplier is directing the newsletter to your spam or junk folder, so if you don’t get it on Sunday morning, do look in there. It can also help to ‘whitelist’ the email address to show it is safe, so add deby@so-sew-easy.com to your contacts and that can also help. I’m still adding new content, so even if the newsletter doesn’t arrive for some reason, please do drop by and visit the site.
Hi Deby,
Love, love, love your site. Always chock full of all kinds of sewing goodies! Thank you for sharing all that you do! I can’t seem to download the free Color Block Skirt pattern, or any one of the other free patterns. It could be at my end. Anyway could you please send me a link? Maybe I can get it that way! Thanks!
I’ll be happy to help Frances. Can you drop me an email and tell me why you can’t download any of the patterns? Take me through the steps you are following and what is going wrong and I’ll try to track down the problem for you and have you downloading everything as soon as possible.
Im looking for the Non Slip sewing machine foot petal pad it was a free pattern .
Here is the link Marilyn. You can also use the search function on the site, which is in the top right of the side bar. If you put in there what you are searching for then it should hopefully help you track things down. https://so-sew-easy.com/non-slip-sewing-machine-foot-pedal-pad/
I watch your post every Sunday , usually at 6 am UK time, with my first cup of tea! Please please tell me where you are living. The first post I watched was your sewing machine maintenance. When you said you have a problem with rust that was when my curiosity was awakened. I am sure I can hear chickens? A generator? Too many to list but I can if you wish. Curiosity is now on red alert. I have watched all of your projects, some not my cup of tea but the expertise is educational. Please let me know.
Margo
Mapperley, Nottingham UK
Hi Margo. I live in the Cayman Islands, a British Protectorate in the Caribbean. Yes you will probably hear chickens as they roam wild here along with the sound of the sea which is just outside my sewing room window, hence the rust everywhere! I used to live near Bristol but left the UK over 9 years ago now in search of sunshine and a relaxed lifestyle.
Hi Deby! I joined the sew along conference tote and I’m a little confused at measuring the fabric for the fabric pieces because I’m not sure where on the pattern are the grain lines so I can parallel that to the selvage or does it not matter which way you cut the pieces? I just looked at the cutting instructions and saw only the width and height dimensions. Thank you!!!!
The width of the piece goes according to the width of the fabric and the height of the piece goes according to the length of the fabric. Just imagine that you had a design on the fabric that goes one way up, that would run top to bottom along the fabric piece and so this would be the height of your piece. The width is the width of the fabric between the selvedge edges, so this is the width referred to in the cutting directions. Does that make sense?
I’m still a little confused… The first sentence makes sense to me and then as you explained I got lost:(. I think what you are saying is the height of the pattern piece is parallel to the selvage edges of the fabric and the widths is the cross grains of the fabric?
Yes you’ve explained it beautifully. The width of the piece goes on the cross grain and the height of the piece runs parallel to the selvage.
Thank you so much!!!! I’m so excited to get started on my tote! Hugs!!!!
Hello Deby,
I purchased the Trinity Bag pattern awhile back and I’m ready to give it a try. Is there a video tutorial to go along with the instructions? Your step by step videos make the sewing project so much easier. It’s like sewing with a friend.
Thanks for the lovely comments Colleen. No this one doesn’t come with a video because its basically a plain zipper pouch and there are already so many tutorials for that. The only difference is that you have to fold the other one out of the way to sew the one you are on. Remember the over-riding rule that right sides go together when you sew and it should all come together easily.
I want to buy the ruler you used when you made your 9 inch pot holder.Can you give me details of ruler.
I have this 12.5 inch square quilting ruler that I got here