While I admire the talent that Joyce has and the undoubtedly countless hours of hard work spent aquiring that "talent", I have to agree that the price she needs to be able to put on her workshop is too much. But, in saying that I think that I would be remiss if I did not point out that she has plenty of company in the high-priced sewing/fitting/designing workshops that abound in the world of fashion. Peggy Sagers of Silhouettes Patterns charges $595 for a 4 day workshop plus she gives them in resort settings around the US which, including airfare/transportation and accomodations at the resorts will run quite a bit more. Palmer/Pletsch run about $795 for a 5-day workshop.Martha Pullen runs about $100/day. You can go on and on. So for her part Joyce is situated at about the middle on the Workshop Scale-o-Meter. Those people who take her classes probably feel that they are lucky to have had the opportunity. Boy what a profitable business sewing has become!

I am beginning to have an ah-ha moment as I notice how carefully and carefully the professionals work. Previously I thought that the experts stiched their "wares" swiftly and deftly. I am now noticing that speed is not their tool, care and method are their secret. I now try to slow myself down, measure carefully, and stitch cautiously. Flash and dazzle does not equal beautifully constructed clothing and sewing projects! I'm 65 and still learning!

Super article! There are so many complicated tutorials for adjusting a pattern, it is refreshing and inspiring to see that 7 steps are not better than 2 or 3. And from a person such as Louise Cutting makes the tutorial that much more valuable! I hope to take a class from Louise soon...soon...soon!

As for my favorite embroidery I lean towards Asian designs. I like Asian designs for their simplicity, grace, and color. I also am heavily into anything Tinkerbelle, as I have a grandaughter (my only granddaughter) who will be 11 years old in 14 days!

As of late I am into heirloom sewing and am seeing new funcionality of using any light, airy designs in white for white on white work with white batiste. Also in ecru on a white garment that has ecru topstitching and ecru lace insertion. Once you get started with embroidery, you see it's usefullness everywhere!

My favorite sewing tip that I adapted from a tip I learned from my Grandmother is to keep a "file" when a garment is sewn. I now use gallon zip lock bags and fold the pattern up neatly, place the front of the pattern so it shows on the inside of the bag. Now here is the best part: I keep some of the fabric I used for the garment along with any findings such as special thread, buttons, closures, etc. and a 3x5 card listing any interesting things I discovered while making this garment; maybe about fabric used, how the fabric was treated prior to sewing, etc. That way if I need to make an adjustment to the garment after sewing it, I have everything I need in one zip lock bag, including extra fabric in case I need to redo a bias binding or add extra length or width.

I love designing embroideries using nature as a backdrop. You can gain so many designs from a photograph that you have taken, or even a part of a photograph. I cut a template that has the basic finished shape of the embellishment and shift it around the photo or picture I am using until an interesting design starting point has taken hold of my imagination. From there I make sketches of the design elements and begin looking for materials that mirror my design. Free-form embroidery binds the design elements into one whole design.

I love this technique and can't wait to try it! Wow! Whether drafting patterns or handing down sewing tips Louise Cutting is the best!

Thank you so much for the zipper tutorial! It reflects the Threads committment to excellence and can be listened too over and over. Now I'm waiting for the next part which will be how to inset a zipper. I think that no matter how long you've been sewing, zippers are intimidating!

I have had good luck with Smart Flix although I question their method of immediately charging your credit card even though their is a 30 day wait for the video. Loved the Islander series!

Along with buttonholes, I have avoided patterns that I liked because they had zippers! This video was great, a definate I Can Do It!

I never knew that I should have the pressure foot down when I adjust the tension. I have an old Bernina "Sport" which I bought new as an extra machine "long, long ago". I do have the machine regularly serviced, and haven't ever had a repair, but the machanic always tells me to "not touch the tension" when I pick it up. It just has a + - dial that is really impossible to read in increments. This will be a useful way for me to test the tension should anything go awry, without getting any comment from the machine tech!

I never knew that there was an option to the catch stitch, but I can see its usefulness; a lot less thread in half the time!

Such beautiful work, and very useful tutorial!