Seam Allowance Guide Review and Giveaway

A couple of weeks ago I was contact by Hollie, who has made a new tool called a Seam Allowance Guide, which is a nifty tool you attach to your scissors when cutting out a pattern that requires a seam allowance. Hollie was interested in knowing if I would be eager to try it out. My answer? Boy, would I!

It arrived in the post yesterday, and today I tested it out. The theory behind it is that instead of laboriously measuring out the seam allowances on a traced out pattern (i.e. Burda Magazine, Ottobre Design Magazine, Japanese pattern books) you attach the tool to your scissors, and use the guide to cut around your pattern, creating the seam allowance as you go.

I am here to tell you that it worked a treat! My first attempt was ever so slightly wonky, but my second was perfect, so it's not at all tricky to get the hang of. And let me tell you, I'm not the most coordinated seamstress on the planet! You can move the black ring on the guide along to create different sized seam allowances, which means that you could use it to make a seam allowance, a hem allowance etc.

Now, I'm not the sort of sewer who has every sewing gadget under the sun. In fact, I like to keep my tool box pretty spare, and only use the essentials. But this has definitely earned its place in the kit. As somebody who does trace out a lot of patterns, I can see that this tool will be indispensable. Not only will it save me time, but it will also make it much easier to make pattern alterations, which I always seem to do (ahem!).

The kit contains two guides - one to use on scissors with straight blades, and another to use on blades that slope. Seriously, the girl has thought of everything. There's also an instructions card, and if you need extra help Hollie has put a tutorial up on her website.

But the best news is that I have 5 Seam Allowance Guide packs to give away. Yes! So leave a comment in the box - I'll draw the winners randomly on Wednesday 29th June. Please leave your contact email address so I can contact you if you win.

Update: Happy to post both Australia wide and overseas. So don't be shy - enter! Oh, and if you wanted to be a follower of my blog, that would be nice too ;)

Best of luck!