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, 6 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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New project, new sewing project record. For all m New project, new sewing project record.

For all my projects, I print out a template to keep track of all the details - pattern, size, measurements, fabrics, machine settings, notes, and the most important part: the review and photo.

For years I've been pasting them into a spiral A5 notebook, and it's become one of my most useful sewing resources, whether I'm using the same pattern again or just looking back on my sewing journey. I really wish I'd started capturing these details sooner.

If you'd like to keep your makes organised too, grab your free copy of the template at https://carmengrantham.com/project-record/.
Made a start on my sneakers using the kit from @sn Made a start on my sneakers using the kit from @sneakerstitchau using a Liberty drill and denim. I have a wallet in the same Liberty print and it has got a bit grubby from use so prepared for the flowers not staying white for like ng.
A gentle reminder to stop and notice the world aro A gentle reminder to stop and notice the world around you. 

For me, it was spotting a butterfly on a walk with the dog. Such a rare and joyful pleasure to pause and watch its delicate wings go from flower to flower. 🦋
This weekend, let's sew together. Grab your proje This weekend, let's sew together.

Grab your project.

And a beverage.

All without having to leave home.

Join us this Sunday, 13th of September, 10 am - 12 pm South Australian time, inside the Sewing Days community.

🔗 https://www.skool.com/sewing-days-2315
It's our 20th Wedding Anniversary today 💞💞💞 I met It's our 20th Wedding Anniversary today 💞💞💞

I met my husband, Michael, at work, and for many years, when he introduced me to others, it was - she works in software (I was a computer programmer), and I work in hardware (he fixed computer monitors back in the day when they bothered). Always got a laugh, but I cringed.

We really got to know each other at ballroom dancing classes, something we both wanted to try and loved. I like to be in control, and I found the idea of the man having to lead a stupid idea. Many disagreements on the dance floor, and pleasant to each other off.

To all those who make their own wedding dress, I applaud you. I didn't. I made my bridesmaid dress a year or two earlier for my cousin's wedding, and it took so much time and stress that I chose to remove that pressure and picked one off the rack. I did make my own veil, that was enough sewing for me.

We had a lovely day, although a bit chilly, and were so happy we hired a dance floor to show off our moves at the restaurant in North Adelaide where we had our first date.
I’m giving a talk tonight on pattern matching and I’m giving a talk tonight on pattern matching and I’ve got quite a few garments as examples. 

They demonstrate matching prints or stripes but plenty where no matching is done.

Sometimes you can’t match due to the shape of the pattern pieces, or design details. Other times it’s just not worth the effort.
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