The Thread Set

Stretch it: springs back = knit, barely moves = woven. Ten seconds that explain most sewing frustrations — and tell you which needle, stitch and pattern your fabric wants.

The quick answer: good all-purpose polyester (like Gütermann Sew-All) works for nearly everything. Here's when cotton thread makes sense, when it definitely doesn't, and the colour trick we use behind the counter.

Skipped stitches? Holes in your jersey? It's almost never you — it's the needle. Here's the simple guide to which needle for which fabric, and the one habit that prevents most sewing tears.

The quick answer: half a metre for a cushion, 1.5m for a skirt, 2–3m for a dress. Here's how to know exactly what to buy — in plain English, no maths degree required.