Bobbin Dramas?
Are you getting a bird’s nest of threads underneath your sewing work? Or perhaps experiencing skipped stitches? Is the thread really loopy and messy on the underside of the stitch?
Here are some tips to troubleshoot problems that may occurring when threading the bobbin:
- Firstly, have you got a nicely wound bobbin? If your thread looks messy or gives when you squeeze it on the bobbin, it is most likely that you haven’t wound it correctly. A well wound bobbin will have neat, even and firmly wrapped thread around it.
- Is your bobbin inserted correctly? Double check with your manual to ensure your thread is flowing clockwise or anti-clockwise as per your machine’s requirement.
- Is your bobbin thread pulled through it’s tension guide? You need to pull the bobbin thread through the notch/guide to ensure there is a small amount of tension on the thread.
- Did you snip of the thread tail? If you have a thread tail of a centremetre or more from the other end (not the end you are threading) your needle thread is going to try to pick-up both ends of the thread each time it rotates around the bobbin.
- Is the needle thread correctly threaded? One of the most common problems we see is that the thread is not on the silver up-take hook/guide.
- Don’t forget to lower the presser foot.
- You can also double check that you have not got your stitch length on zero.
- Lastly, try holding onto both of your threads for the first couple of stitches.





A local friend’s goal to buy nothing new this year.
Make Mend Swap is a Melbournite trying to dress in style while not buying any new clothes for a year. The blog is an inspiration for the rest of us to do what we can and maybe give it a go ourselves.
I am scared of doing this for a whole year though. No new clothes for a whole year. I did make some concessions though. I can buy second hand, within reason, but mostly swap, sew, mend or modify what I already have.
Check out the challenge and how it is succeeding – click here.
Choosing the right fabric for leggings
The right choice of fabric for leggings will make or break their success. So we put together this guide to looking for the right fabrics.
Sewing Course for Young Adults
Seams Legit
Learn to sew from scratch in six weeks.
In the lead up to Melbourne Fashion Week learn about sewing machines, jargon, fabrics, tools and a lot more with us! at the Melbourne City Library. In this focused course, learn to sew on a domestic sewing machine, meet people working in the fashion industry and running their own small businesses and make three items to take home.
- Saturdays, 12pm to 1:30pm; 4 August, 11 August, 18 August, 25 August, 1 September & 8 September.
- Cost: $20, participants will need to supply some materials.
- The course runs for six weeks and participants must commit to all six sessions.
- For 15 to 30 years, bookings essential.
Activity Space, City Library – 253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
03 9658 9500
Queries: youngadults@melbourne.vic.gov.au
melbourne.vic.gov.au/libraries
The Difference Between Knits & Wovens
Fabrics fall generally in two categories: Knits and Wovens. In a nutshell your t shirts are made from knits and your button up shirts are made from wovens.
Woven fabric is produced through weaving two sets of yarn. Examples include button up shirts, trousers, jeans, denim jackets.
Knit fabric is produced by interloping (or knitting) one set of yarn. Examples include leggings, t shirts, sweaters, underwear.
Does it matter?
In The Bag
In a 4 hour workshop, students created stunning tote bags from leather. They learnt how to work with light leathers on a domestic sewing machine. What a fab’ way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Workshop Description.
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Amazing A Line Skirts
Over 5 hours these gorgeous students made their own A Line skirts. The skirt waist is finished with a facing, they learnt to insert a lapped zip, use the overlockers, sew back waist darts and hem. This is the workshop that they did – The Simple A Line Skirt.
A trio of Sigma Dresses
Types of Pattern Making Paper
- Card
– popular for the durability of the pattern pieces you can draft and the ease of tracing around. If you have a favourite paper pattern that you use a lot, trace it onto pattern card and it will last you much longer.
- Dash cross guided paper – has a gloss finish to allow magic tape to come off without tearing, dash cross markings make grading and general drafting a dream, light enough to see commercial patterns placed underneath.