We all love that little thrill we get from finding an amazing dress on the cheap — but sometimes a fashionista’s wants are bigger than her wallet. What’s a girl to do?
Here’s the answer. Sew that dream dress yourself! All you need are some supplies and imagination. Oh, and links to the best sewing blogs on the interwebs.
True story: I am not a crafty person, but I taught myself to sew and made bridesmaids dresses for my twin girls when they were nine. That same year, I made another set of dresses they could wear to my sister’s wedding. Granted, that was the height of my dressmaking career, but if I can do it — you can too.
Even if you don’t end up sewing a dress every weekend, imagine what you could do with some needle-and-thread skills:
- Tailor your thrift shop finds to a perfect fit
- Make your own Halloween costumes
- Make custom drapes (because drapes off the rack are seriously boring)
- Fix broken zippers and missing buttons without the use of safety pins
- Reshape old garments for a low-cost wardrobe upgrade
Seriously, sewing is a useful skill. Learn how with these 12 amazing, inspiring, and educational sewing blogs.
12 best sewing blogs
1. Fabric Wholesale Direct
Fabric Wholesale Direct is an online fabric store, but the site also has a blog. The blog covers essential sewing basics, so it’s a good place to start your dressmaking journey. Learn about different fabric types, sewing terms, and browse DIY projects.
There’s even a post that walks you through what could be your first dressmaking project — a cute sleeveless A-line number. Simply download and print the pattern, then follow the instructions.
2. Tilly and the Buttons
Tilly has been blogging about sewing at least since 2010. Her blog features practical articles, such as “How to Do a Fully Tummy Adjustment on Trousers” and “Shorts and How to Do Bust Adjustments for a Bust Darted Bodice.”
Tilly also has a shop that sells patterns and her books. And, she hosts online sewing workshops. It’s everything you need but the fabric and the sewing machine. Find her at Tillyandthebuttons.com.
3. Lladybird
Visit Lladybird and get to know Lauren Taylor, quirky sewing expert whose personality shines through every post she writes. Taylor reeled me in with a post about altering a tote bag. Among other things, she added a slip-through panel on the bag to attach it to the handle of a rolling suitcase. Genius!
Spend some time on her blog and you’ll get a good dose of fun and inspiration. And, if you’re so inclined, you might sign up for one of her sewing workshops. Her latest will teach you how to make your own jeans.
4. Guthrie & Ghani
If the name Guthrie sounds familiar, there’s a reason. Lauren Guthrie of Guthrie & Ghani was a finalist on BBC’s The Great British Sewing Bee. So, she knows her way around a sewing machine.
Visit Guthrie & Ghani for free tips and tutorials. You can also browse the shop to buy fabrics, patterns, and tools to fill your sewing box.
5. Be Brave and Bloom
Cindy Munson’s Be Brave and Bloom will do more than help you learn how to sew. It’ll also inspire you to live a more creative life generally. She’ll get you started creating with a bunch of beginner sewing projects, including an easy drawstring skirt plus a dog bandana (because your dog should be fashionable too).
All her projects include measurements, templates, or free downloadable PDF patterns.
6. A Rose Tinted World
Jo is the brains behind A Rose Tinted World, a blog that covers sewing plus parenting, lifestyle, and travel-related topics. Her sewing content focuses on practical projects, like reusable Swiffer pads. But she also covers essential information for beginners, like the tools you need to started sewing and how to stretch fabric.
7. Made by Rae
Rae designs sewing patterns and she’s mom to three kids. Her blog is warm and personal, a nice change of pace from the growing library of robotic, AI-generated articles that seem to be clogging up the internet. She shares her personal knitting and sewing projects, which are both inspirational and impressive.
You can also browse Rae’s shop for fun patterns, organized into skill level (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and format (PDF vs. print).
8. Laura Mae Designs — Lilacs & Lace
Laura Mae shares her journey as a dressmaker and creator at Lauramaedesigns.com. See what she’s making now and browse her tutorials to broaden your skills. She covers topics like how to apply seam binding, how to add a waist stay, and how to transfer a beading pattern to fabric.
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9. Diary of a Sewing Fanatic
Carolyn’s diary details her latest projects and more. You can get a closer look inside her sewing cave, get your mind blown by the size of her fabric collection, and see the books she’s reading.
Her garment creations are colorful and fun. Even better, she walks through the steps of making each one. She’ll share the pattern she used, discuss the fabric and supplies, and talk through any challenges she had. She also models each and every piece.
10. Curvy Sewing Collective
Curvy Sewing Collective is a community of plus-size sewing bloggers on a mission to promote size inclusivity among pattern makers. The blog section of the site doesn’t get updated very often, but you can find a nice selection of resources for the plus-sized dressmaker — including curvy patterns and beginning sewing guides. You might also want to see our list of best plus-size bloggers.
11. Dress A Day
Dress A Day, from Erin McKean, is less how-to and more observational. She shares her favorite dresses, pictures of ones she’s made herself, cute fabrics, and more. Her sewing blog dates back to 2005, so she deserves her mention here for longevity alone!
12. Sew Mama Sew
This is another longtime player in the sewing blog space. Sew Mama Sew features free sewing patterns and sewing tutorials. Check out the patterns for women’s tops, skirts, bikinis, dresses, and shorts.
