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The Humble Sewing Machine Needle - Getting to the Point on Quality Matters

Posted on November 12 2020

The Humble sewing machine needle - a jaycotts blog

Many brands of needles are available from many different places but they are all the same right?
A needle is just a needle so why pay more when you get them cheaper?

A large proportion of the issues experience with sewing machines are caused by what is put in the machine: bobbins, thread and needles being the main culprits....

My very special Derbyshire Tartan Skirt

Posted on February 20 2020

I would like to show you how to work with difficult fabrics. In this case a Tweed which needs careful pattern matching.The thickness of the fabric also requires a lovely finish to the waistband - a faced waistband, which is a couture technique. The waistband also has an abutted closure...

Tricks for perfect waistbands

Posted on February 09 2020

A Blog by Claire-Louise Hardy Do you hate all the measuring and pressing that’s usually required when you add a waistband? I’ve recently been teaching with a product that makes it super easy! Also I like to avoid all the math involved with working out which is the extension side...

Sustainable sewing-is recycled thread the future?

Posted on January 24 2020

If there was one product you could switch out from your sewing tool box to a more sustainable version, would you do it? This is something I asked myself when I read about the recycled thread range rPet from Guterman. As a professional Costumier, I always use Guterman threads, because I know they perform...

What else can I do with an embroidery machine other than embroider clothes?

Posted on January 10 2020

"An embroidery machine is an investment, so what else can I use an embroidery only machine for" is something I get asked a lot I have to admit that once my embroidery machine comes out, I never want to put it away, I find it addictive and before I know...

All about Sewing Patterns, Fabrics and Cutting out.

Posted on November 28 2019

It is daunting knowing where to start isn't it, so I am going to talk about the basics of cutting out and why you need to follow the guidelines on your sewing pattern. I am making two garments, one in velvet the other in suiting and at the end of...

Designing for Christmas - Brother PE-Design Class with Tricia

Posted on October 28 2019

Following on from previous classes, Brother's authorised PE-Design expert Tricia returns to Jaycotts Chester on Tuesday 5th November with a new class just in time for the Christmas season!In this class you will learn how to: Design a Gingerbread man tree decorationplus an 'In The Hoop' Snowballs and...

Bollywood. Exploring different cultures and fashions.

Posted on October 15 2019

One of my life long hobbies is dance. I learned ballroom and Latin and loved them but more recently I decided to explore something I have always wanted to do and that is Belly Dancing. This has led to Bollywood dancing and of course I need to research and make...

Sewing stretch fabrics the easy way.

Posted on October 15 2019

An easy to sew dress in fabulous Stretch Velour I have had such a lot of good feedback from my previous post for Jaycotts about sewing stretch fabrics that I decided to show you a very easy to make and extremely easy to wear stretch dress. If you think that...

Simplicity Hack-Along

Posted on September 29 2019

Customise! Adapt! Design! Use any of the nine patterns from the Simplicity Pattern Hacking range (see below) and join the WORLD-WIDE SIMPLICITY PATTERN HACK-ALONGChoose your pattern(s), decide which category is right for your finished garment and then share your hack with Simplicity on social media using the category hashtag:Daywear: the...

Sewing with Moderately stretch knits for beginners

Posted on September 13 2019

There are many different fabrics which stretch, some more difficult to sew than others. Some just stretch along the width, others will stretch every way, and it is these we want to avoid .

This fabric is called Ponte Roma and it is a delight to sew. Some knit fabrics can be extremely challenging even for experienced sewers - the edges curl up, it stretches out of shape as you sew it and you need special equipment such as a walking foot and a LOT of patience!

Sewing for total beginners - Part 2

Posted on August 01 2019

This is a continuation of the previous post Sewing for total beginners In this post we will continue to use the same pattern and make the other two garments, the pants and top. I am really delighted with this loungewear collection , I particularly love the way...

for beginners or those returning to sewing after a break.

Posted on July 19 2019

Kwik Sew pattern 4250 Nightwear I thought long and hard over this blog post.The first thing I considered was how much detailed instructions to give, and how much opportunity should I allow for you to follow the actual pattern instructions. It is vital that we are able to read a pattern...

How to sew Jeans

Posted on May 03 2019

This is perhaps the most daunting yet the most satisfying garment you can ever master. Jeans are personal and we all have differing views of what the perfect pair should look like. Get them right and I guarantee that you will love them so much that you will never buy...

middle to late 1940s fashion: Dresses and Trench Coats

Posted on March 13 2019

It wasn't until 10:30 AM on 12 February 1947 that a relatively unheard of Christian Dior unveiled his "New Look" Taking inspiration from flower petals he celebrated femininity with defined narrow waists and full flowing skirts. It was a defiance towards the rationing which had restricted fashion for several years....

1940's Fashion and Sew Over It Tea Dress Pattern Review

Posted on February 06 2019

War time Fashion The second world war started in 1939 and didn't end until 1945. During this time rationing of almost everything was in place and continued even after the war had ended until supplies started to become available again. It was in 1941 that the government introduced rationing which...

Sweet Pea In-the-Hoop Machine embroidery designs.

Posted on December 14 2018

A while ago I was fortunate to meet the Sweet Pea team and see their amazing designs close up. Sweet Pea were invited by Brother UK to do a roadshow in the UK and we were delighted that Jaycotts was chosen as one of the few locations to...

Knit Fabric Dress

Posted on October 17 2018

This post is additional help for sewing with knits. Please look at my previous post where I talked about making Knit tops How to sew knit fabrics This is a trapeze dress, so named because of its triangular shape. It can be unflattering so make sure that you wear it with...

Sewing with stretch fabrics

Posted on September 17 2018

Sewing with stretch fabrics, using the differential feed dial on your overlocker, and using a walking foot. I have not covered how to sew with Knit and stretch fabrics for a while so I want to show you how I work with these sometimes tricky to sew fabrics. There will...

Sew Jumpsuit for all levels of ability

Posted on August 23 2018

Jumpsuits do not show any sign of going out of fashion, and no wonder as they can be smart or casual or somewhere in between. They can take you anywhere and come into their own on holiday for day or evening. They are so comfortable! The pattern I...

Bags of Style!

Posted on June 29 2018

A post all about bags and what you need to make them. It's not difficult to make your own bags, in fact they are one of my favourite things to make. I use them myself and give them as gifts. Quite often I am out with one and I end...

Making an 'Amazing Fit Dress' from Simplicity

Posted on June 11 2018

Simplicity 8543 Amazing Fit Dress This is a Simplicity Amazing Fit Dress if you have not made an Amazing Fit pattern before then you should. This pattern has a choice of sleeves, a shaped midriff and a flattering neckline. More importantly it has many different size variations within the pattern....

Say Hello to the new girl!

Posted on June 07 2018

We are delighted to have Christi join the Jaycotts team! Bringing along her sewing knowledge, skills and experience. Some of you may have already recognised her which is great because you already know what an asset she is. Christi has been teaching sewing since 2012 through her own sewing...

The Great British Sewing Bee is coming back!

Posted on May 04 2018

The long awaited 5th series of our favourite TV show is going in to production and they're looking for a new collection of brilliant amateur sewers right now! So if you're nifty with a needle or know someone who is, they'd love to hear from you, visit www.applyforsewingbee.co.uk or call Love...

Simplicity blouse sewing pattern 8601

Posted on May 04 2018

This is a pretty little blouse which I made with Simplicity 8601. Just in case you do not have an overlocker, or don't want to splash out on four bobbins of overlocker thread in a colour you will not use much I'll talk about the Overedge foot too. This is...

Brother Multi Purpose Screwdriver

Posted on April 30 2018

Introducing the Brother Multi-purpose Screwdriver I love Machine embroidery on my Brother machine, but I have been having problems hooping my fabric and stabiliser . This is a story about how a tiny gadget saved my sanity. I love machine embroidery, who doesn't, but the results I was getting were...

Sweet Pea Event at Jaycotts

Posted on April 23 2018

We recently hosted an exclusive event with Sweet Pea Machine Embroidery Australia, and Brother Sewing Machines. Sweet Pea were invited by Brother UK to do a roadshow in the UK and Germany and it was great that Jaycotts were chosen as one of the few locations to host an event...

An event with Sweet Pea Embroidery Australia

Posted on March 22 2018

You are invited to an event with Sweet Pea Embroidery from Australia who are visiting Jaycotts and a very limited number of other places in the UK. Sweet Pea Embroidery Australia This is a unique event so make a date in your diary and come along to the Chester showroom and...

Starting to explore different machine feet

Posted on March 22 2018

I do have rather a lot of Brother machine feet to get through so I am going to go through them all for you one or two at a time, showing them being used on a garment or other project. As you know I recently started to use the Brother Innov-is 1300 .If you...

Embroidery Design Software - Getting going!

Posted on March 01 2018

Machine Embroidery is such a massive subject that I will be coming back to it frequently.In this post I wanted to talk more about it because I know that some of you are still undecided if an embroidery machine is something you will use.I will be honest and say that...

The Brother Innov-is 1300

Posted on February 18 2018

The Brother Innov-is 1300 An introduction. This is one of the most amazing domestic sewing machines I have ever used, and of course it is by my favourite brand Brother from my favourite store Jaycotts. The Brother Innov-is 1300 ticks all the boxes both for versatility and ease of use. It is...

Why go to the trouble of making a beautiful garment if it does not fit you perfectly?

Posted on February 10 2018

I don't know about you but I read a lot of blogs and I see a lot of people showing themselves wearing lovely hand made clothes which quite frankly just do not fit. What's the point? Why go to all that trouble and expense only to end up with a...

Talking about machine embroidery

Posted on January 23 2018

Machine embroidery is such a massive subject that I will be coming back to it frequently. In this post I wanted to talk more about it because I know that some of you are still undecided if an embroidery machine is something you will use.I will be honest and say...

An easy way to embelish almost anything using The Circular Embroidery Attachment

Posted on December 18 2017

I do love machine embroidery but I appreciate that it is not for everyone for various reasons. I was intrigued therefore when I was browsing Jaycotts web site and came across these special machine feet. These machine attachments are perfect for adding circular embelishing to clothing, table wear and anything...

Angela Interviews! Brother owners at Jaycotts

Posted on November 02 2017

I recently spent a day instore at Jaycotts finding out from owners of this wonderful machine just what it is that excites them so much.What became obvious very quickly was the tremendous amount of enthusiasm and passion for this machine shown by both owners and staff, so I had to...

Review of Vogue Pattern 1426

Posted on September 29 2017

Pattern review for this fabulous designer shirt/ jacket by the American designer Lynn Mizono. The pattern is can be purchased here Vogue 1246. The fabric is quite old and I have been longing to use it for ages but never could decide what to do with it. I thought it perfect...

Simplicity Tunic Pattern review

Posted on September 25 2017

The weather is cooler and Autumn colours are starting to appear so I wanted something in rich Autumnal colours to wear. I chose this pattern by Simplicity. The pattern requires a stretch fabric which has a lot of drape. I chose this beautiful jersey from MinervaCrafts. The fabric is this Damask...

Common sewing machine problems - and how to avoid them!

Posted on September 06 2017

Having sold and serviced sewing machines for over 30 years I can honestly say the biggest headaches for customers are actually caused by mis-threading of the sewing machine! Everyone does it from time to time whether beginner or expert - novice or sewing teacher Particularly with modern sewing machines that...

Sew yourself some Croppped Pants and a matching Top

Posted on August 25 2017

This is a Jaycotts.co.uk post using Simplicity 8391 This is such an easy outfit to make, with or without embroidery. It is suitable for beginners upwards. Skills learned Centred Zip Pintucks Pressing Positioning of embroidery/applique When I first saw this pattern I wasn't sure if it would suit me or...

Applique on my Brother embroidery machine

Posted on August 10 2017

It's so easy to use your embroidery machine to applique garments, bags and household items. My Brother Innov-is 800E not only does beautiful embroidery and makes free standing lace but it also creates applique easily and quickly. In other words this one machine does everything you need to embelish your sewing project....

An Easy Make Summer Dress!

Posted on July 18 2017

I have been longing to get into my summer clothes here at home and now that summer is here I want some quick easy makes that I can wear in a day or two.I know people who cringe at the thought of wearing summer clothes, assuming wrongly that the sun...

Lining a Dress

Posted on July 05 2017

Lining a dress There is nothing quite like a fully lined dress. It feels special and it looks special. Adding a lining to a dress makes it feel wonderful, it hangs better, it lasts longer and when you choose the right type of lining it swishes when you walk. As...

An embroidered tunic top... continued!

Posted on June 17 2017

This is a continuation of my previous blog post, Making free- standing lace.... I have made exactly the same top but this time I have embroidered it instead of putting applique lace on.The pattern is as before by Simplicity - Simplicity 4149 When I find a pattern I like I keep it...

Lace embroidered top

Posted on May 26 2017

My embroidery machine does so much more than just embroidery and I am working through all the different functions and applications. In this blog post I want to show you how easy it is to make free-standing lace and how to add it to a garment. Have you noticed all...

Denim shirt dress - plus embroidery !

Posted on May 19 2017

This dress hits all the right fashion spots at the moment, Embroidery is so very fashionable, as are shirt dresses. Have you seen expensive they are too? Denim is practical and wearable anywhere. The embroidery will withstand frequent washing so please do not worry that not makes your garment hard...

How to sew very Easy Totes and Shopping bags

Posted on April 21 2017

I am often told that many of us are inspired to make our own bags and we go and buy a lovely pattern, but that's as far as we ever get - mostly. The reason seems to be that these patterns require so many different and unfamiliar fabrics,interlinings and...

Pressing Matters!

Posted on April 12 2017

In this post I am going to demonstrate some of the pressing equipment by Prym which you can obtain from Jaycotts and I will show you why they are as necessary as your sewing machine when undertaking any sewing project. What do you imagine the number one rule of sewing...

Angela's Easter Blog

Posted on March 29 2017

Easter is a delightful time of year, Even if you do not celebrate the Religious festival, we all enjoy heralding the joy of spring and the new life which is emerging after a long cold winter.My aim is to give you some ideas to copy, but don't just stop there...

My review of the Brother Innov-is NV800E Embroidery Machine

Posted on March 15 2017

I have been longing to tell you about my fantastic new embroidery machine !The week before last I drove down to Chester to visit Jaycotts and to look at this machine. I have to be honest I have never in my life used an embroidery machine before so I was doubly...

My Cream and Gold wool Boucle suit

Posted on February 28 2017

Everybody needs a suit in their wardrobe, not just to be worn for very special occasions but to be worn whenever you feel like dressing up a little. A suit is smart and elegant and can take you anywhere. Dress it up for a wedding with a beautiful blouse and...

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Recent Posts

The Humble Sewing Machine Needle - Getting to the Point on Quality Matters

My very special Derbyshire Tartan Skirt

Tricks for perfect waistbands

Sustainable sewing-is recycled thread the future?

What else can I do with an embroidery machine other than embroider clothes?