Carmen Grantham
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sewing tools

Sewing

My Favourite Sewing Tools

Sewing tools are designed to help sewing feel easier, give more professional results and make sewing more enjoyable. Here are a few of mine.

By Carmen Grantham, 5 monthsMarch 31, 2026 ago
Carmen Grantham - grey haired lady wearing floral jacket with green bushes in the background.

Hi, I'm Carmen

I help sewists make time for sewing, enjoy the creative process, build confidence, and make space for a creative life.

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Stay Inspired

Receive sewing inspiration, practical resources, and encouragement to help you make more time for your sewing.

STAY INSPIRED

Receive sewing inspiration, practical resources, and encouragement to help you make more time for your sewing.

We acknowledge the Kaurna people, the traditional and ongoing custodians of the Adelaide Plains. We would like to pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

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INSTAGRAM FEED
I’ve made my son a quilted space jacket with @hele I’ve made my son a quilted space jacket with @helens__closet #wildwoodjacket 🚀🪐🛸☄️

(He doesn’t want to have his photo shared so you get me.)

He is smaller than me but after trying on my quilted jacket he liked the roominess.

He is currently 5’6” and that’s what the pattern is designed for but he has a few more years of growing and with males on both sides around 6’ added some extra length to the front, back and sleeves.

It was promised to be done by end of Winter 🤣🤣 but it was a day late.

I’m sure they’ll be cold days for a little longer 😊
One jacket, four pockets. Makes a reversible jacke One jacket, four pockets.
Makes a reversible jacket with pockets on both sides.

Welt pocket pockets on the space fabric side.

Patch pockets on the plain black side.

#lovepockets #wildwoodjacket #patternhacks
Getting these gloves to fit by shortening the thum Getting these gloves to fit by shortening the thumb so the pad at the end of the glove that allows me to use the touchscreen on my phone actually sits on my thumb.

1. Tuck in end of thumb just above where it joins palm with wrong sides together 
2. Thread your needle and tie ends together to make a double thread
3. Sew a running stitch about 5mm from from the fold (or half the width you want to shorten them by) but not too tight
4. Do a few back stitches, knot the end of the thread and snip the threads

Done. 

Now I can use my phone properly when out on a walk 😀

#gloves #fitting
My lighting setup at present so I can sew anytime My lighting setup at present so I can sew anytime of day, if I want. Usually not too late as I tend to make more mistakes when sewing 😀

1. Ceiling - Philips 13W LED, Cool daylight 

2. Illuminated Desktop magnifier from Jaycar that I “borrowed” from my husband a few years ago. Work as a light and the magnifier is great for threading needles and unpicking.

3. Upgraded to LED bulbs in both my Janome sewing machines and it made a huge difference.

What lights work for you?
Unpicker is never too faraway when trying to match Unpicker is never too faraway when trying to match seams.
Just finished another 2 hour online co-sewing sess Just finished another 2 hour online co-sewing session where I made progress on my son's reversible space quilted jacket - @helens__closet #wildwoodjacket 

- Basted all the cut out pieces
- Sew and prepare sleeve and hood seams for a faux flat felled seam (using 4cm bias strips to cover the seam). Now needs to be handstitched.
- Sew bias strips together for back piece

Would you also like to make some progress with your projects? Join me in Sewing Days membership to access co-sewing sessions and recordings on past sessions - a great way to sew alongside others and feel connected to other's who love to sew.

See link in bio or visit https://carmengrantham.com/events/
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