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We really love easysewingforbeginners.com. The owner Domenica is such a talented sewer and her videos are clear, concise, and always receive fabulous feedback.
Claire Knox Bentham, Origin 2011 www.originuk.org/exhibitor/clare-knox-bentham
Susan Lenz’ needle art is consistent in personality and style but ever growing in content and theme. I am crazy for this new art quilt, Lift and Tuck, which incorporates recycled, vintage und…
Learning more about the different parts of your sewing machine is more important than you might think! Let’s look at the most crucial piece—the needle.
John Hopper has posted a fascinating article on The Textile Blog about Ann Macbeth’s early 20th century efforts to use embroidery education to empower women. He says in part, During her teach…
Sometimes the hardest part about learning something new is figuring out how to take those first steps. When I spoke...
I’m making a northern stars constellation quilt to match my southern stars one! This one has started quite a bit differently from the last one - so I’ve shared my process in case it helps you with a similar project!
Meredith Woolnough: Two Ginko Leaves (2012) embroidery thread, pins, glass rods on fabriano paper
LITTLE HOUSE®* NEEDLE BOOK AND PINCUSHION PDF pattern for hand piecing Needle Book sized 3 x 3 inch (7,5 x 7,5 cm) Pincushion sized LxBxH 1 3/8 x 1 5/8 x 2 1/2 inch (3,5 x 4 x 6,3 cm) MATERIALS: - 5 x 5 inch (12,5 x 12,5 cm) fabric scraps for making the ‘houses’ - template plastic (or use the Building Houses from Scraps® quilt stamp set) For the Needle book: - small piece of thin batting - small piece of wool or wool felt For the Pincushion: - small piece of Fast to Fuse, or any other ‘stiff’ quiltable interfacing - soft filling - ground walnut shell or plastic granulate filling INSTRUCTIONS: - these items are made by hand using templates or you can use the Building Houses from Scraps template stamp set (for templates 1-9) - All parts have a seam allowance of a quarter (0.25) inch (= 6,25 mm). Please be sure to print this pattern at true size, 100%, non scaling. Important message: Before ordering a PDF pattern, check that the email address linked to your Etsy account is still current and working. The PDF pattern will be sent by Etsy to this email address immediately after purchase. As a seller, I do not send a new, extra file to a different email address after purchase. A purchase of a PDF is not refundable, so please check this in advance. Please respect copyright, this PDF pattern may not be used in any commercial way or copied/multiplied.
Exploring scale on crochet making: how about those tiny pin cushion? cute, no?
Bunching thread? Breaking needles? Skipping stitches? It happens to the best of us. We consulted Becky Hanson of Singer Sewing Company to keep your sewing experience positively seamless.
When I started quilting, I had no idea how to do this. My knots would look so ghetto, lol. This may be a no-brainer to a lot of you seasoned sewers out there, but for all of you that’d like a…
Summer is just about here and yep, I am a slacker! I can't believe it has been 2-1/2 weeks since I have written in my sewing journal! Summer...
Requirements: Foolproof Crazy-Quilt Projects 1 piece of felted wool 7 1/2" x 7 1/2" 1 piece of lining fabric 7 1/2" x 7 1/2" 1 piece of non-woven stabilizer 7 1/2" x 7 1/2" 2" piece of 7mm ribbon Assorted 4mm and 7mm silk ribbons Assorted Perle #8 and # 12 threads Assorted stranded cottons Chenille #22 needle Milliner’s #9 needle Small button Construction; Note: Pattern includes ¼" seam allowance. 1. Fuse the stabilizer to the wrong side of the wool felt. 2. Fold the felt into the shape of an envelope and press well. Folded envelope 3. These pressed lines form the perimeter for the embroidery. It is important to remember the ¼" seam allowance. Perimeter lines 4. Follow the stitch maps from Foolproof Crazy-Quilt Projects to complete the embroidery. Stitch map 4.1 Top Left-Hand Corner - Seam Treatment X - page 38 4.2 Top Right-Hand Corner - Seam Treatment J - page 34 4.3 Bottom Left-Hand Corner - Lid Piece 5 - page 69 4.4 Bottom Right-Hand Corner - Seam Treatment B - page 14 4.5 Center - Seam Treatment A - page 68 5. Baste the 2" ribbon to the top corner of the embroidered square to form the button loop. Button loop 6. Put the outer panel on the lining piece with right sides together. 7. Pin and sew the panels together, leaving a small opening for turning. 8. Turn the panels right side out. Gently push out the seams and press. 9. Fold the completed panels into an envelope shape and press well. 10. Slip stitch the two front seams closed. 11. Feather stitch along the stitched seams and the top edge. 12. Attach the button to the front in line with the button loop. Attached button Completed Project; Enjoy! Follow my blog with Bloglovin
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Sewing Machine Pin Cushion {Pins and Needles}This post features a cute and functional way to store your pins during a sewing project. With this tutorial you'll create a sewing machine pin cushion. All you need is a scrap of fabric, elastic and batting! View This Tutorial
I had several people e-mail me and ask about pin stitching after reading my last journal entry , so I decided to create a tutorial and show...
Basic Stitches Britannica Online Encyclopedia Dressmaking is a craft of making dresses. It is the basis and the start of the fashion world. When you make dresses, you will be called a dressmaker or historically, modiste. Learning the basics of...
Five hand stitches that should be in every sewist’s repertoire, by Tasha Miller Griffith.
While it looks quite complex, working with thread and water soluble stabilizer is really quite easy and a lot of fun, and is one of my favorite methods of making thread art. This tutorial shows you…
Ro Bruhn’s handmade journals are incredibly beautiful inside and out. Touchable. Inviting. Desirable. This particular journal already is sold; but you can watch her develop new journals on he…
Once you get beyond the beginner stage of knitting, you'll need new knitting tools to help you reach the next level.
Do you loop a tape measure around your neck while sewing? This design capitalizes on the habit, turning a measuring tape into a mini caddy. Scissors on one end and a pincushion on the other - or customize the tools to you!
Stars 'n Stripes 'n Scraps Quilt (queen size--just finished Sun 3/13/16) Answering the question--what to do with all those lovely fabric scraps? I'm still pecking away at my fabric scrap piles, building as many scrappy queen size quilts as I can by May, then I'll switch to building purses, baby quilts, table runners, and pot holders. I am full speed in my commitment to reduce 3 big bins of scraps, mostly 2.5" strips. I have a fourth bin full of 1.5" strips - and here's what those 1.5" strips made in the past: a decorative pocket for a soft luggage, this travel bag is 22 x 22. and I make other soft luggage out of upholstery material--oh yeah, got a big bin full of upholstery material scraps. Here are a couple pics of the soft luggage the small cotton fabric scraps I build these . . . little padded pouches with metal swivel clasp to carry cell phone or eye glasses. and rope baskets that are cool seriously, it takes a full day to make one of these. I wrap fabric strips around 1/4" cotton clothesline rope to create a disc (bottom of the basket), then I start nudging the disc upwards with my left hand to build the wall while I stitch. A zig zag stitch holds firmly. Ok, ok back to photos of current quilt Stars 'n Stripes 'n Scraps . . . my signature free hand edge to edge quilting "Feather Bouquet" I confess, even after doing the last three quilts--I made only a dent in the scrap piles. Ah, oh well. I'll keep sewing 'n sewing. I'm sure I mentioned one more scrap pile of 1" wide or less strips and short lengths?? I give them to my friend Jerry who uses all the colorful bits in beautiful rag rugs he looms. They are gorgeous! Here's the half way point of long arm quilting process. Lots of color loading quilt (floating quilt) After removing the quilt from the frame, I cut away excess batting and backing, square the quilt, sew 400+ inches of fabric binding, install the binding, then sit for 5-6 hours turning the binding and hand stitch. It's not complicated work. Its time consuming, but relaxing. I'll drop in more photos later. Right now, I'm going to take a nap. Talk to you later.
No Knots! I have a few pet peeves about sewing but my biggest one is tying knots. I have that little bitty sense of dread everytime I have to do it - partly because I can't see up close as well as I used to and partly that I like to make several knots and I hate the angst I have over trying to match them up so they're on top of each other. Anyway, here's a nice little technique for handsewing to do away with knots :) #1 double your length of thread/floss and thread the *tails* through the eye of the needle; this leaves a loop at the other end of your thread #2 starting from the back of your fabric, bring the needle up through the fabric to the front side but do not pull all the way through - leave the loop of your thread on the backside #3 push the needle through to the backside, leaving a small space between your original stitch and this new one #4 *this is a picture of the backside* after pulling the thread through from the front put your needle through the loop on the back #5 *this is a picture of the backside* now pull your thread firmly and you are ready to begin stitching! No Tails! One of my other pet peeves? Little thread tails poking up through your work ;) I use this technique on my softies/stuffies/stuffed toys. #1 okay, you've finished sewing up your seams and you've created a knot on the outside of your work #2 with the tail still attached, reinsert your needle as close as possible to your last stitch and then bring your needle up as far as possible from that stitch (basically the length of the needle but you can scrunch your fabric up on the needle so it will go further) #3 it should look something like this #4 now pulling the thread taut, scrunch the fabric up against your last stitch, then snip the thread close to the fabric and let go #5 voila! no peek-a-boo tails! I hope this helps some of you and my directions are clear enough. I'll permalink it in a side column for future reference.
Want to make a woolie pentagon box for your sewing notions? This is a Dodecahedron. (don't say that with a mouthful of popcorn!) 12 pentagons, 30 edges, and 20 vertices (points)! You will need: Lightweight cardboard, cut 12 cardboard pentagon shapes. Cotton quilt batt scraps cut to the same size as cardboard, please cut 13 pentagons, the extra will be for the inside of the lid. Lightweight mismatched felted wools for the faces, cut 12 pentagons, 1/4 to 1/2 inch larger than the cardboard. Lightweight wool or flannel of one colour to use as lining, cut 12 pentagons, 1/4 to 1/2 inch larger than the cardboard. (Check my Etsy Shop...from time to time I will have templates and kits listed) This is my favourite quick method for fusing the layers, Cut pieces of fusible hem tape to the length of a side. Now trim that piece in half lengthwise. Layer the batting between the cardboard and wool fabric. Carefully place trimmed fusing tape on cardboard, fold over the wool fabric and iron. Repeat on all 5 sides. Trim the corners Press again Now press a hem on the lining pieces. Use the cardboard as a template, work around all sides Here are 12 covered and batted pieces with 12 liners ready to stitch. To reduce bulk, trim away the corners on the lining. Be careful not to trim past the ironed hem. Leave just a smidge for stitching. Pin lining to the cardboard side of the wool and batt pieces. Use a neutral coloured thread and make small whip stitches to join the sides. I used Coates and Clark polyester, brown #8360. ***Stop here and decide which shape will be the lid, use the extra, or 13th piece of batting for the lining side of the cardboard*** Lay out the finished pieces I chose the red piece to be my lid. It has batting on both sides of the cardboard. Join each side with small whip stitches. Stitch on the right side of the pentagons. Six pieces joined, place right sides down. Now bring up the sides and stitch one side at a time. (Stop now if you want a bowl!) Add a row around the bowl Keep going all the way around the bowl, using 5 more shapes. The last shape is your lid. This is the piece that has batting on both sides. The perfect spot to hold needles and pins! Not finished yet. Time to personalize and pretty it up a bit. Work a feather stitch, which is an adaption of a blanket stitch, along all the edges. Embroider with one colour, or a combination of thread colours. Add a fob to hold the lid down. I used a bobbin, a woolie strawberry, and a button! You could use one, or all, or any weighty dangle thing of your choice. What will you keep in your Dodecahedron? I will be making wool pieced kits for this project, no thread. I'm playing with the shapes to get just the right sized opening. Let me know if you are interested. Happy New Year! Check my Etsy Shop. From time to time I will have templates and kits available.
This week on the blog we take a look at the new to me old craft of hand sewing as I create a needle case using beautiful vintage fabrics
