Author: Olga Balasa

Hi, I am Olga. I'm passionate about sewing, quilting, and embroidery, and I want to share my knowledge and enthusiasm with others who are interested in learning how to sew. Thank you for making me part of your day - I'm so very excited to have friends like you by my side. Feel free to comment or reach out with any questions - my email is [email protected] If you want more information about me or my site please visit my About page

Sewing projects

How to make a winter coat
ByOlga Balasa November 28, 2018May 9, 2023

There are so many details in sewing a coat and it feels sometimes a little intimidating but once you start it is not as bad as you thought it is going to be. If you know basic sewing techniques and have some sewing skills you will get it right. Sewing a coat is not very different from a jacket but be ready to laboriously work on your masterpiece.
A real fashionista must certainly have several different coats. It makes winter more interesting if you have a few coats to choose from. I don’t want to take outerwear only as something created for the sake of keeping me warm in cold weather. I want to look stylish always.

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Sewing tips and techniques

How to dress well: flattering clothes that hide figure flaws
ByOlga Balasa November 4, 2018May 9, 2023

I’m at Joann Fabric looking at the new pattern catalogs – Vogue, McCalls, Simplicity. So many interesting new patterns! I love them all, really. But I know not all of them will be suitable for my body type, which is far from a model’s. I am petite (so I guess one third of these patterns go right out the window), my top is one size smaller than my bottom (so I need both sizes included in the envelope, which doesn’t always happen), and I really need dresses that hide a belly bulge (how did that happen to me? I didn’t have a tummy when I was younger!).

So, the question is: how to choose a pattern that will fit your body? And not only fit, but also hide your flaws. Do you have the same problems?

Read More How to dress well: flattering clothes that hide figure flaws
Sewing tips and techniques

Unexpected way of using free-standing lace embroidery
ByOlga Balasa October 7, 2018May 9, 2023

I’m sure there are lots of shoe lovers among people who love to sew, right? In this article I want to show you how I transformed my sandals with free standing lace embroidery. I love using my embroidery machine and always look for ways (sometimes unexpected) to add some embroidery to my projects.

Read More Unexpected way of using free-standing lace embroidery
Sewing projects

Halloween sewing projects: DIY off-shoulder top
ByOlga Balasa September 29, 2018May 8, 2023

I like to dress a little special sometimes. And my imagination never ends when it comes to sewing ideas. So I made this spooktacular outfit for Halloween. You can read how to sew a reversible skirt here.
And this is a video tutorial on how to make a matching top. It’s super easy, trust me. I will take you through the entire process from start to finish.

Read More Halloween sewing projects: DIY off-shoulder top
Sewing projects

Easy sewing projects: how to sew a skirt
ByOlga Balasa September 29, 2018May 8, 2023

In this sewing tutorial, I want to show you how to make a reversible flared skirt with an elastic waist from knit fabric. I will try to illustrate how I made the skirt without a commercial pattern – we will draw all the necessary lines right on the fabric.
Halloween is coming soon, so I decided to use interesting Halloween fabric (100% cotton) for one side of the skirt, and for the other side, I will use just some plain knit fabric with a little bit of spark (coming from metallic threads).

Read More Easy sewing projects: how to sew a skirt
Sewing projects

Simple sewing projects: DIY pencil skirt
ByOlga Balasa September 14, 2018May 8, 2023

I love wearing skirts. Better yet, I love wearing skirts that I’ve made myself. Some people might argue that this kind of sewing project is complicated, but it’s actually quite simple. With this article, I hope to convince you to try it yourself. Skirts are the easiest pieces to make for any shape! You can choose a skirt design that flatters your shape and makes it easier to achieve a comfortable and flattering fit. All you need is basic sewing skills, an understanding of fabric characteristics, and the right pattern.

Read More Simple sewing projects: DIY pencil skirt