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Felixstowe Sewing School https://www.felixstowesewingschool.co.uk Mrs Bowden’s top tip; interfacing intelligence. We had an interesting chat in one of my Dressmaking classes this week about interfacing and why/how it is used; also the variety of interfacings can sometimes be baffling.  Hence this weeks’ top tip – aimed to help you skip through purchasing interfacing – next…
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Felixstowe Sewing School https://www.felixstowesewingschool.co.uk A few zippy facts…. I would like to introduce this chap to you.  He is Mr Gideon Sundback, a Swedish-American electrical engineer who is commonly associated with his work on inventing the modern day zipper.  Funnily enough the basic principal of the zipper hasn’t really changed since he patented his invention on…
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Strappy summer frocks Can we safely say that summer has arrived?  Certainly for the past few days I have dug out some of my most favourite summer frocks to wear and many of them feature straps in some form;  either as part of the bodice or to help with closing a wrap dress. If you…
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Tailor Tacks demystified! This is a stitch used to transfer information from a paper pattern to the fabric.  On a commercial pattern you will see little circles within the pattern piece.  These mark where a tailor tack should be made.  You can use tailor tacks as a temporary way of marking  fabric to show dart…
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Felixstowe Sewing School https://www.felixstowesewingschool.co.uk Mrs Bowden’s top tip – using border prints I find border prints most alluring.  There is something about them that makes you feel that you are getting something extra with the fabric purchase almost for free!  Over the years I have been seduced by various border prints and here is one…
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Felixstowe Sewing School https://www.felixstowesewingschool.co.uk Mrs Bowden’s top tip – how to avoid a Knicker Elastic fail Well – this would cause a bit of comment – failed elastic.  This week’s top tip is about inserting and stabilising elastic in a casing.   Let us first deal with what a casing is.  This is a finished…
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Felixstowe Sewing School https://www.felixstowesewingschool.co.uk Mrs Bowden’s 50th Birthday Greetings to one and all! Without meaning to be overly sentimental I thought I would share my ‘Stitched Story’ with you.  I orignally prepared this as a feature for a Sewing magazine and thought you might enjoy it?   Here is MY COPY of the Golden Hands…
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Felixstowe Sewing School https://www.felixstowesewingschool.co.uk Mrs Bowden’s top tip – ruffles and how to apply them! There is no need to get your feathers ruffled when adding ruffles.  I do like the look of this little chap….. Following are a few tips that can really help when adding ruffles to a piece of fabric.  The way…
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Felixstowe Sewing School https://www.felixstowesewingschool.co.uk Mrs Bowden’s top tip – playing about with ricrac Some of you may know how much I like ricrac and there is sew (!) much one can do with it.  This week’s top tip guides you through some decorative techniques which can be utilised to elevate this humble braid.  As you…
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Mrs Bowden’s top tip – the origin and application of ric rac I do love a bit of ricrac and find it immensely cheerful.  It’s very easy to use and actually far more versatile than you may initially imagine.  I’ve had a bit of a pootle around the ‘tinternet to find out a bit more…
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