Lynne Holyoake
is an internationally recognized heirloom sewing and embroidery teacher,
designer and author.  Although I have never had the privilege of learning under
her, I have heard from those who have, that the wonder of her talents is exceeded
only by her magnetic personality.  

These are her tips for heirloom sewing.  
  • Always use the best fabric you can afford. You will put a lot of work
    into your project, so it's worth using great material.
  • Natural fibres such as cotton, fine wool, linen & silk are by far the
    most beautiful fabrics to wear & to work with.
  • Cotton laces which now have a 10% polyester content for strength in
    the heading are more expensive but will last longer & not yellow with
    age & laundering. They are much more beautiful than nylon lace to
    stitch & wear. Nylon lace can melt if it comes into contact with a hot
    iron.
  • While sewing, to spare the iron is to spoil the garment, always have
    the iron close to where you are working & use it after every seam.
  • Use fine cotton thread eg Metler™ 60  or polyester thread covered with
    cotton eg Rasant™ 120.
  • A Universal 60 or 70 needle to fit your sewing machine is the best for
    heirloom sewing. Change the needle every 4-6 hours & if it should
    ladder the fabric it has a burr, so change it straight away. Machine
    needles are graded, so that the smaller the number the finer the
    needle.
  • A twin needle for pintucks should be a 1.6/70 or 2.0/70 or 2.0/80 for
    heirloom sewing. Always use a stitch length of 2.0 or less. The 1.6 or
    2.0 represents the gap between the 2 needles in mm. The 70 & 80
    refers to the size needle.  
  • Only watch the needle as you begin sewing because if you watch the
    needle you will sew crookedly. Always watch the edge of the foot or
    some place on the foot. Run the foot down the edge of the fabric
    pintuck or lace & you will sew straight.
  • I always keep a wooden skewer close to my sewing machine because it
    allows me to get close to the needle to manipulate the lace or stitching
    on the fabric without any risk of the needle going through my finger.
  • Always stitch with a good light & if you need it, use a magnifier.


©
10 Plateau Drive Razorback 2571 NSW Australia.
Phone/Fax: +61 2 4636 6214
E-mail: holyoake@zip.com.au
Web: www.lynneholyoake.com
Updated 18th June 2005