Measure the tartan from waist to knees on the model, leaving enough room for a 1.5 inch hem. Cut the tartan to measure.

This part is a bit tricky, as it takes a bit of adjusting at times. What you need to do is to fit the front of the tartan around the front of the model and then pin it together. I found it best to pin it to some of the undergarments of my boyfriend to help hold it in place. The back of the material needs to be baggy to allow room for pleats to be made. Start pleating 1 inch pleats with pins and slowly do them around the back of the evolving kilt. You will need pin near the top and also about 7 inches down.  The picture below shows how the pins should be in place for these pleats.

Take the tartan material carefully off the model and then sew along the top of pleats, carefully taking the pins off as you go.

Then sew down the pleats to the next pin.

Use an over-locking machine to sew sides and bottom of the kilt to stop the material fraying. Sew half inch hems on the sides and 1.5 inch hems on the bottom.

Cut a 4 inch thick piece of material from the spare tartan (2 metre length). This will become the waistband.

Sew top of material of the waistband along the outer (part that you will see when wearing it) top side of the kilt as shown in the photo below.  Fold the waistband in half, so that you have a 1.5 inch waistband. Sew it along the inner side (part of kilt that will not be seen while wearing it) of the kilt material to seal the waistband. Tuck in ends of waistband neatly and then neatly sew them down.

Cut the velcro into 2 lots of 3 inch strips. Put kilt on model and put pins or chalk marks where the velcro will go on each side. Pin velcro pieces in place and then carefully sew them on.

Pleat bottom of kilt in place with pins, similar to what you did at the top. Pleat middle of the kilt too. This will hold the pleat in place while you press down on it quite firmly with an iron and a damp handkerchief. Take handkerchief off and press pleat again, taking out pins. This will keep you permanent pleat.

There you go. It is now all finished. You can now get the kilt owner to try it on. You will deserve that glass of wine too. Well done.

Note that you may wish to add a buckle to the front of the kilt and a large pin near the bottom to make it look more authentic.

Wide assortments of sewing machines with features that range from basic to the state-of-the-art are available that can perform complicated tasks at the push of a button. As there are a number of machines, finding the best sewing machine can be a tiresome task. To purchase a quality sewing machine from the market, referring to reviews will help.

Sewing machine reviews are one of the best ways to share your thoughts with other consumers. They are simple guidelines organized in a format that can be used by anyone interested in sewing machines. These reviews provide friendly advice which help readers to find, compare the quality and price, buy, and use top brand sewing machines.

Sewing machine reviews are regarded as forums where people talk about their experience in working with sewing machines. Through sewing machine reviews, people discuss about the problems they have encountered while using the product, sewing tips, and patterns. These tips help consumers in choosing the best sewing machine.

Today, there are many websites that publish reviews on sewing machines. But, certain websites do not provide information based on tests. So, for a reliable sewing machine review, one must refer to reviews that test machines in a systematic way and provide in-depth information.

Sewing machine reviews available on the websites are categorized on the basis of price, brand, and type. These reviews are furnished by users as well as by the manufacturers. But, the best sewing machine reviews are often obtained from the person who owns a sewing machine.

Consumerreports.org, Which.net, and Choice.com are some of the online source for the best sewing machine reviews. They test sewing machines with a wide range of fabrics from silk to denim so as to provide a reliable sewing machine review.

We now have 2 videos about sewing hems available for sewing enthusiasts to download.  They are “The different types of Hems” and “how to measure hems”.  The second video was filmed by Duncan, who is only 9 years of age.  He did a very good job, so thanks Duncan for helping us. More videos of sewing hems should be available soon. We shall let you know when they are ready.

To get access to these videos, click here

So the demand is there to start a business in clothing alterations from home. It has the potential to work very well if you have the required space, equipment (such as a sewing machine, needles and thread), the time and sewing skills. So learn how to sew and go make some money. 

Pasadena, CA (PRWEB) June 26, 2007 — eBooks About Crafts (www.ebooksaboutcrafts.com) announces the opening of a new store designed to offer the best books about crafts available anywhere. Traditional crafters like knitters, quilters and pottery makers will find a treasure trove of pattern and instruction. It’s easy. Just click to find out how to weave a basket, and even more important, how to have fun doing it.

eBooks About Crafts offers the best selection of books with information about crafts available anywhere in the world. Sewing and Fashion are covered along with projects for children. No matter where in the world anyone might be, with just a click of the mouse or a poke of the stylus they can enter this store. Information about how to use crafts for fun and profit anywhere in the world will be revealed to the person entering this store.

As an eBooks About Everything store (www.ebooksabouteverything.com), eBooks About Crafts offers customers reward points for registering, writing an online review or telling a friend. These points can add up to huge savings anywhere in the large and growing list of eBooks About Everything bookstores.

B. Case, book critic says, “The eBooks about Crafts store has as wide a range of eBooks that teach you how to do things as any bookstore on earth. Find the books that will address the way to fill your day. Browsing away the hours while waiting to discover the skill of your dreams is a treat in this bookstore. Just click once, books that offer the best advice about how crafts can improve your life will be revealed. (www.ebooksaboutcrafts.com) is a most interesting bookstore.”

It’s extremely easy to find the perfect book. Craft Masters will never give up their secrets so easily as in this store.

   Think It –   eBooksaboutcrafts.com
   Click It –   From Basket Weaving to Sewing
   Read It –   Find the book you need and buy it.

eBooks About Crafts (www.eBooksAboutCrafts.com) is one of the eBooks About Everything family of stores. eBooks about Everything (www.ebooksabouteverything.com) has books for everybody, everywhere — everytime (24/7/365). eBooks About Everything: Think it; Click it; Read it.

“These are fine sewing machines at a great price,” a young woman told Fréttabladid, who had two machines in her shopping cart.

The sale was advertised on pamphlets that were distributed to homes in the capital region. Judging from the crowd that showed up; sewing machines are the latest hit in Iceland.

According to Fréttabladid, people pushed their way forward to the magazines on display, tried a few seams and then ran to the end of the line to secure themselves a machine.

The Jerry Fried delivery boy was sweaty stacking boxes and trying to keep up with demand. People of all ages could be spotted in Kringlan holding a sewing machine.

Source Iceland Review

The Belize Rural Development sponsored programme, administered by the Y.W.C.A. introduced the ladies to four areas of training: Food Preparation and Hospitality, Cosmetology and Sewing.

Most of the women chose areas in which they had some prior knowledge but not Edelene Smith, who has five children.

She knew absolutely nothing about the parts of a machine, let alone sewing 101, but after six weeks, who knew.

“I chose sewing and today I can make a dress for my daughter who is graduating. I feel I can now open a business and make my own money,” Smith asserts.

On Friday last, June 15, members of the European Union, providers of the funding, along with Belize Rural Development Programme B.R.D.P., the executing agency, toured the project onsite and presented utensils and tools the women will use in their new found professions.

While on tour, the group found ladies peeling mangoes for preserves, icing cakes, styling hair and sewing.

The ladies were busy putting their newly acquired skills to the test. Felice Zaccheo, Head of the B.R.D.P./E.U. delegation sure was impressed adding that the European Union’s aim is to alleviate poverty in Belize, especially in the rural communities.

“Since 1999 the EU has contributed banana support programmes and spent some $62 million in Belize alone and has more to spend,” he says.

President of the Y.W.C.A. Dame Elaine Middleton, in welcoming the ladies and guests gave an overview of the project. Participant of the cake decorating class Brenda Herrera, gave the vote of thanks but took the opportunity to say the project has already had tremendous impact on her life as she feel empowered.

Following the brief ceremony it was time to distribute the tools and kits, all $10,000 worth to the 41 women.

In the area of cosmetology, 11 ladies received stove holder kits and three manicurists receive nail care kits.

Five are enrolled in the sewing class and they received brand new sewing machines, a motor and notions.

All the donated tools carry impressive brand names and are new. And that’s not all, the ladies received that day; they were assisted by representatives of B.R.D.P. to apply for seed money in the form of small grants as start up capital.

However, they decide to hone their craft they will be monitored to ensure they train one other woman to start up her own little business too.

The Y.W.C.A., the non-profit organisation through which the project is being realised originally planned for 24 women but the demand forced the Y, the 51-year-old organisation to accept 41 ladies.

The project supervisor is Gordon Holder, Ph.D., while Technical Director of B.R.D.P. Marcelino Avila deserves much needed praises to see the project through.

On Saturday, June 23, closing exercises will be held at 10:00A.M. at the Y.W.C.A. for all 41 ladies who are now ready to make a mark in their own lives, their children’s and by extension their communities.

Guest Speaker for the occasion is scheduled to be Women’s Department Director, Carol Fonseca.

Source The Reporter

The charity brings together the people of Waterloo, Merseyside, with the people of Waterloo, Sierra Leone, after civil war plunged much of the country into poverty.

Many people there do not have access to clean water, electricity or free health care and the life expectancy is just 40 years.

In May 2005, charity members journeyed to the country and visited the Rural Education Community (REC) Home Economics Centre in Waterloo.

While there they saw first hand how, due to the inadequate resources, progress was severely hindered at the centre, which had two bundles of yellow and blue wool, two dozen needles and six spools of cotton for 1,000 pupils for the whole year.

On returning to Merseyside, the charity launched the Thousand Hearts Appeal, asking for donations of £1 a month, to go directly towards education and health projects in the town.

And now, thanks to the generosity of people responding to the appeal, the partnership has been able to send over a range of resources, including fabric, weighing scales, sewing machines, ironing boards, an electric cooker, a refrigerator and kitchen utensils, and the centre has been transformed.

In an open letter to the partnership, Fannyaun Doherty, who works at the REC, said: “We extend our sincere thanks to whoever or whatever group or institutions have made this wonderful gesture to us.

“We hope that the partnership will continue to grow from strength to strength.”

David Moorhead, vice chairman of the charity, visited the centre in February, and he said: “It was a joy to see the children busy sewing and weaving.

“The teachers were very grateful and sent a thank you letter back with me.

“The whole atmosphere was really positive – indeed, it reminded me of a classroom in England.

“We also sent over some mattresses and this allowed sick children to be looked after during the school day.

“The contribution has truly made a big difference to the loves of the people of Waterloo, Sierra Leone.”

Source Nick Moreton, Crosby Herald