Discover how we can all do more to champion inclusivity in the crafting community and be inspired by fellow makers along the way. Words by Sarah Gane
Author: Zoe Williams
Zoe Williams
Zoe launched the craft website Gathered.how as editor in 2019. A keen crafter, quilter and sewist, she has worked with the UK’s best-selling craft magazines – from Today’s Quilter to Love Patchwork & Quilting, Simply Sewing and The World of Cross Stitching. With over a decade of craft publishing experience under her belt, she loves crafting with her kids and curling up on the sofa with a spot of hand patchwork. Zoe has previously written for radiotimes.com, Simply Knitting and The World of Cross Stitching and was previously Deputy Editor of Papercraft inspirations magazine. She has guest-lectured at Bath Spa University. She’s a keen quilter with 5 projects in progress at any one time and another 12 or so planned. Specialist skills include hand modelling for YouTube craft tutorials and fabric foraging (she has an inbuilt radar for local haberdasheries and community craft gatherings).
Wax fabrics are known for their vibrant colours and bold motifs. We take a closer look at their history and the personal stories behind the prints.
Designer and entrepreneur Dolapo James draws on her heritage to source and sell traditional patterned fabrics from Africa. She tells us how each print is full of stories that can enhance your sewing projects.
Written by Judy Darley.
Join us in a journey back through the decades as we explore the influences that shape the clothes we wear and make today, and fid out how to sew the looks from each decade of the 20th Century.
Darts are a dressmaker’s best friend! They’re little tucks and nips that help to shape the bust of your garments, helping them to fit your curves. While sewing a straight line might sound like an easy feat for a beginner sewist, stitching darts can be a tricky challenge due to the importance of these bust shaping tucks. When you’re learning how to stitch a dart, stitching precisely is important if you want the garment to fit nicely around the bust area. Your stitching line must be straight, and it’s important to make the dart as smooth as possible so that…
Create perfect gathers every time with these top tips and tricks, whether you’re adding ruffles by hand or with the sewing machine.
We all know the frustration of tangled threads, broken needles and noisy stitching. Give your machine some TLC and follow these troubleshooting tips for how to fix a sewing machine that won’t sew and keep it stitching smoothly.
Phew months may have passed but hands up who else can remember last year’s emotional Great British Sewing Bee final? No YOU shed a tear when 34-year-old Juliet Uzor scooped the 2019 crown. We meet up with Juliet to talk about her time on the show…
Discover new embroidery stitches with our Stitch Library series of Beginner Embroidery Stitch Guides. In this post, we’ll show you how to master seed stitch.
Sew your own pinafore dress in UK sizes 22 or 24 with our bonus sewing pattern to download and sew tonight.