Sewing Tips

Drafting Circle Skirt
Learn how to draft various styles of circle skirts — from quarter and half circles to full, three-quarter, and asymmetrical designs — with simple formulas, illustrations, and tips for hemming, waist fitting, and fabric layout Read more...
Sewing Tutorial: Making Pleats for Shirts
Step-by-step tutorial on how to draft and sew common pleats for shirts — including centre back box pleats and knife pleats — with clear instructions and illustrations to guide marking, folding, pinning, and stitching. Read more...
PLEATS PLEASE!
This post introduces both the theory and practice of drafting pleats, beginning with definitions of pleats (knife, box, inverted), their components (overlay and underlay), depth, fabric considerations, and how to estimate yardage for pleated skirts. Next, we will walk through drafting a pleated skirt: laying out a rectangle block (commonly 3× the waist), choosing pleat count and width, adjusting for waist curve and hip fit, and optimizing fabric layout while preserving graceful drape. Read more...
Bunka Style Basic Blocks - Missy Block
The post introduces a simplified “Missy” version of the Bunka bodice block, which omits darts for a quicker, easier drafting process while producing a looser-fit blouse. You can learn how to draft your own Missy block with your own measurements in our multi-part video tutorials. The post also shows how to draft a compatible sleeve block. Read more...
Drafting Bunka Bodice Block (Original)
This post explains how to draft a Bunka style basic bodice block using just three body measurements (bust, waist, and center back length), following the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) method. It discusses the use of multiple darts (including back and front, centre back, etc.), highlights the precision and flexibility of the Bunka system, and suggests fitting with a toile to adjust for body variances. Read more...
Drafting Skirt Variations Using Basic Skirt Block
A tutorial on creating skirt variations, drafted based on the basic skirt block. The skirt variations covered are pencil skirt, A-line skirt and flared skirt.  Read more...
Drafting V-Neck Top (With Short Sleeves)
This is a buildup from the first post on Basic Bodice Block. Using the basic block, I’ve drafted a V-neck top with short sleeves in this video. It also demonstrated how to lengthen the shirt length, add more ease to the top and obtain the neckline facings. Read more...
Drafting Basic Bodice Block
A simplified guide to draft a basic bodice block that’s easy for beginners to use, where the waist, bust and hips are equally distributed between the front and back. The waist darts (3cm) are the same for front and back as well.  Read more...
Drafting Basic Skirt Block
This is a tutorial on how to draft a basic skirt block. It’s in centimetres and a fairly simplified block that beginners could use. Read more...