Making my sewing look more professional

[snickersnack]

I can use a sewing machine and follow a pattern. I started experimenting a few months ago, and have made a couple of dresses, a skirt and some trousers for dd. And today I finished a blouse for her, with buttonholes and everything .

But they all look a bit home-made if you look closely. They all fit together fine, and do what they are meant to do, but they are definitely a bit scrappy in places and my needlework teacher at school would not have approved.

Is it practice? Am I being too hasty? Or can anyone give me any great tips to make things look a bit more polished? I should say now that I cannot hand-sew - I simply can't do it. Any attempt to use a needle and thread myself results in wonky stitches and much gnashing of teeth.

I used to be a good dressmaker (made my own wedding/bridesmaid dresses). I think that you need to go slowly. Take time making sure that you've laid the pices out correctly, cut carefully using the notches, tack together to adjust fitting and when sewing together, press each seam after stiching. All together this helps produce a good result. Mind you when you know you've made a mistake that is all you ever see in the finished result. No-one else does though, thankfully.

I know what you mean, but if you look closely at shop bought clothes they can be really shoddy. It is only because you know where the mistakes are.

I am no dressmaking expert, I do patchwork more than anything, but part of the knack to making sewing look better is making sure your press flat the seams and iron your work properly. I don't mean every time but opening up the seams once you have sewn them seems to help.

Patchwork works better if you are careful with the size of your seam allowances too. If they are too big, it doesn't look right.

Sorry that should say "....every time you wash it"