Merry Christmas! Did you find a new sewing machine under the tree? Well just in case you did, I put together a little presser foot guide for you. You sewing machine's presser foot holds the fabric dow

It's been a while since we've had a 'Sewing 201' post! I've been sewing with my rolled hem foot quite a bit lately, so I snapped a few photos. In this blog post I'm going to share some tips and tricks

Morris Hexathon 23: North End Crescent by Becky Brown Let's hear it for Becky! I draw 'em; she sews 'em. (Actually EQ7 and Bloc...

Does fabric really have an anatomy? It's just a flat piece of cloth right? There are actual part to fabric - and it's important to understand what they are to help you sew pieces properly.

PDF Book ~ Instant Digital Download - Download direct to your iPad, tablet or computer for instant reading or printing Teach Yourself Dressmaking BY MADAM EDITH MARIE CARENS If you have any interest in Learning Dress Designing, then this is a great old book to have in your collection. The original edition of this Rare Book was printed in 1911 20 Complete Lessons 127 Pages ****====================================================**** My Personal 100% Guarantee To You If you Buy this Book and after reading it, You feel that You did not get Your Money's worth from it, Message me and I will cancel your purchase and Refund Your Money. And You Can Keep The Book as My Personal Gift To You. ****====================================================**** CONTENTS Lesson I. Hand Sewing. Basting Stitch. Running Stitch. Back Stitch. Overcasting. Hemming. French Hem. Rolled Hem. Narrow Basted Hem. Faced Hem. Slip Stitch Hem. Catstitching. Feather Stitching. Fagot Stitching. Blanket Stitch. Hem-Stitching. French Seam. Fell Seam. Welt Seam. Binding Seams. Gathering. Cording. Ruffling. Ruching. Shirring. French Knots. Buttonholes, Eyelets. Loops. Sewing on Buttons. Covering Button Molds. Making Trimmings and Ornaments for the Finishing Touches. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions. ... 13 Lesson 2. Taking Measures for a Five Gore Walking Skirt. Buying and Sponging Material for the Skirt. Drafting of Pattern. Laying of Pattern on Goods. Cutting out Material. Marking Gores. Basting. Fitting. Pressing. Stitching. Finishing Seams. Arranging Belt and Placket. Hanging of Skirt. Finishing of Bottom. Putting on Braid. Finishing Touches. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions. 20 Lesson 3. Taking Measures and Arranging Pattern for Plain Shirt Waist. Buying and Shrinking of Material. Cutting out the Waist and Sleeves. Basting. Fitting. Stitching. Pressing. Cutting and Adjusting Collar. Cuffs. Plait down front of Waist. Giving the Waist the Professional Finish. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions 29 Lesson 4. Taking Measures and Arranging Pattern for: Plain Sleeve. Shirt Waist Sleeve. Shirt Sleeve. Plain One-Seam Dress Sleeve. Plain Two-Seam Dress Sleeve. Short Sleeve. Six Styles of Fancy Sleeves. Six Styles of Cuffs. Different kinds of Ornaments and Trimming for Sleeves. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions 38 Lesson 5. Drafting of Two-Gore Skirt. Drafting of Three- Gore Skirt. Drafting of Four-Gore Skirt. Drafting of Nine-Gore Skirt. Drafting of Fifteen- Gore Skirt. Drafting of Five-Gore Skirt. Drafting of Eight-Gore Skirt. Testing Measurements. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions 46 Lesson 6. How to Make Waists with Different Size Tucks and Plaits, Frills, Insertions, Shaped Designs, Fancy Waists, Tailor and Fancy Finish. How to Copy Styles of Waists from Fashion Books. How to Design Fancy Waists from Your Own Ideas. How to Give the Waist the Professional Look. Testing Measurements in Cutting these Waists. To Cut Collars, Cuffs, and Jabots. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions 52 Lesson 7. Drafting Plaited Skirts: Side Plaited, Plaits Turned Toward the Front, Plaits Turned Toward the Back. Tucks or Plaits to Knee Depth. Tucks or Plaits between Gores. Laying Gores on Material. Skirt Yokes. Skirt Flounces. Flounces Shirred, Accordion Plaited, Box Plaited, Side Plaited and Tucked. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions 57 Lesson 8. Tight Fitted Linings for Waists. Arranging Patterns for Same. Boning of Lining. Draping of Fancy Waist on Fitted Lining. Basting Lining to Waist. Fitting. Sewing on Hooks. Finishing of Seams. Finishing of Bottom of Waists. Arranging Trimming. How to Get a Professional Look. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions. . . 61 Lesson 9. The One-Piece Frock. How to Join Waist to Skirt with a Girdle. Girdles and Belts, both Plain and Fancy. Sashes. To Join Waists to Skirts with or without Belts. The Two-Piece Dress. The Separate Skirt. The Separate Waist. The Evening Waist— How to Make, Drape and Trim. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions 67 Lesson 10. The Princess Dress, Plain and Fancy, Tight Fitting and Semi-Fitting. Boning. Panel Front and Back. Plaited Skirt Portion. Braiding. Finishing Seams. Lining. Who Should Wear the Princess? Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions. ... 73 Lesson 11. The Airy Summer Frocks. The Linen Dress. The Gingham Dress. The Lingerie Frock. The Silk Afternoon Dress. The Evening Gown. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions, ... 76 Lesson 12. The Making of Muslin Underwear. Tucking. Finishing Seams. Trimming. Fitting. Finishing Touches. Making Wrappers. Dressing Sacks. Kimonos. Children's Clothes. Aprons. Infant's Outfit. Fancy Neckwear. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions 82 Lesson 13. The Tailor Made Suit. The Buying of the Material and Sponging of Same. Arranging Pattern on Material. Single and Double Breasted Coat. Preparing of Canvas. Tailor Collar. Shawl Collar. Sailor Collar. Cuffs. Pockets. Lapels. Padding. Fitting. Pressing. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions. ... 89 Lesson 14. The Unlined, Semi-Fitting Long Coat. The Buying of the Material. The Finishing of the Seams. The Pressing. Buttons. Button Holes. The Collar. Cuffs. Sleeves. The Lined Semi-Fitting Coat. The Lined Tight Fitting Coat. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions. ... ... 94 Lesson 15. Advanced Coat Lessons. Finishing Seams. Stitching on One Side. Welt Seam. Double Stitched Seam. Slot Seam. Lap Seam. Strap Seam. Piped Seam. Fancy Collars. How to Finish Linings. How to Make and Trim Evening Coats. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions. ... 97 Lesson 16. Buying Materials. Designing. Quality and Quantity. Blending Shades and Colors. Shades best adapted to Different Types. Style of Garment Best Suited to Different Forms. Why Should Women Wish to Dress Well? What Designs Best Suit Your Customers? How to Study Your Customers. How to Copy Any and Every Kind of Design. What Blondes Should Wear. What Brunettes Should Wear. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions 101 Lesson 17. To Cut Bias Bands and Folds. Straps. Ties. All Kinds of Yokes for Waists and Skirts. Making of Fancy Trimmings for Gowns. Knots. Herringbone Work. Pipings. The Finishing Touch for Any Garment. Review Work on All Fancy Stitches. Trimmings, etc 106 Lesson 18. General Review of the Foregoing Lessons. Advice to the Learner. Questions 111 Lesson 19. How to Design, Make and Trim Two Different Styles of Waists, Two Different Styles of Skirts, Two Different Styles of Dresses, Two Different Styles of Coats, Two Different Styles of Tailored Suits. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions 114 Lesson 20. How to Make Money by Sewing. How to Fit Up a Dressmaking Establishment. How to Conduct a Shop. Location. Space. Sewing Room. Fitting Room. Reception Room. How to Obtain and Hold Customers. Prices to Charge. How to Organize and Conduct a Dressmaking School. Big Money Made in Teaching Others How to Sew. The Keeping of Supplies. How to Make Money by Keeping a Number of Girls employed. More Money Made in Sewing than Other Professions for Women. Madam Carens’ Experience with the Dressmaking World. Advice to the Learner. Five Rules to Remember. Questions 120 ====================================== This Book is intended for education and informational purposes only. Our modification and restoration process of this book, has resulted in our creating a new work (restored or annotated or improved work), that gives us a clear and novated copyright to this modified version. ====================================== Please note. This ebook is in PDF. file format. You can read it on your iPad or Tablet with iBooks. You can read it on your computer with Adobe Acrobat Reader If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed in your computer, you can download it from Adobe. It's completely FREE. ====================================== Shipping is FREE via Instant Digital Delivery: This is a digital item. Once Payment is received, your book will be available in your etsy purchases to download directly to your iPad, Tablet or computer.

The idea of sewing brings to mind images of such beautiful, dainty and resourceful women sitting in their parlors wisely using quiet hours ...

Get organized with home storage that features the best of both fun style and fabulous functionality! Join expert and designer Annie Unrein as she shows you how to sew organizers for a beautiful, handmade way to keep track of knickknacks, notions and anything else that might fit. Take the fuss out of working with multiple layers using Annie’s tricks for sewing through layered fabric and stabilizer. Then, quilt fabric pieces and combine them with zippers and pockets for sturdy, standing organizers. You’ll also get insider tricks for working with bias binding and learn how to seamlessly join binding for a polished look. Plus, customize your organizers to meet your needs with labels, handles, lids and more!

I got this from a friend the other day. Its a vintage kenmore sewing machine model c877.15 Just in time before my first sewing class ever.

Sewing with knits can be a daunting experience for someone who is new to them, but it doesn't have to be. As someone who took the plunge as a seamstress awhile ago, I recently acquired a new appreciation for working with knits as a designer. Knowledge is key, so before my first knit pattern is released this week, I wanted to share a little bit about my experience of designing a knit pattern. There is a lot to consider when sewing with knits: types of knits, sergers vs. sewing machines, types of needles, stretch percentage, stretch recovery, cutting knit fabric, etc. I'm going to be focusing mostly on stretch percentage and recovery and will provide links to some great resources that cover the other topics. To be honest, when I've sewn with knits in the past, I never paid too much attention to stretch percentage and recovery, I just sewed with fabrics that I liked. The results were overall quite satisfying, although there were a few patterns that caused me to think "Oooo, the size is a bit off on this one.". Never before did I have the eye opening experience that I had last week when I sewed two samples of the same pattern. A very wonderful group of testers had been sewing up my Stellar's Vest pattern, and sending me their results. Through no fault of their own, the results came back ranging from perfect sizing, to very large. How was this happening, when they were using the same pattern and even the same size? I adjusted the sizes in the pattern, and had another set of testers do a second round of testing. The results were better, but still inconsistent. I figured I had better sew up a couple more samples of my own. I sewed Anja a size three Stellar's Vest in the A-line version with some adorable fabric from L'Oiseau called Deerly Beloved. (Side note - I highly recommend everything at L'Oiseau. The quality and service is absolutely impeccable.) Ok, back to my experience. The vest turned out great…the fit was perfect in the chest, armholes were good, everything about it was comfortable and cute. She wore it immediately and wouldn't take it off until bedtime. The next day, we did a little mother-daughter local fabric shopping (something that is getting more and more fun now that she enjoys selecting her own fabric!). She chose some pretty Michael Miller Blossoms 100% cotton knit. It was a great choice as I wanted something that would match nicely with Tobias' vest. I took the fabric home, pre-washed it (a must with knits), and sewed up another Stellar's Vest during nap time using exactly the SAME pattern pieces I used the day before. Nothing changed other than the fabric. Here was the result: What changed? Did my daughter mysteriously shrink from one day to the next? HA, of course, not! :) But the second garment is a full two sizes too big! This is when I realized the importance of not 'winging' the use of my knit fabric. I should've known better, I admit it. But here's the positive that comes out of this experience: I'm hoping to prevent you from making my mistake! The first fabric had a stretch percentage of over 50% and excellent recovery, while the second, around 25% with good recovery. How can you tell with your fabrics? Cut a 4"X4"(10cmX10cm) piece of fabric, fold it perpendicular with the grain line. Download and print this stretch percentage guide with tips for sewing with knits, hold the fabric firmly at zero, and stretch it as far as you can. Alternatively, you can use a ruler using the same principle. Either way, just make sure you do this. It makes a world of difference! DOWNLOAD HERE So now that you know how to determine the stretch percentage, how do you use this valuable information? Well, always read your patterns carefully and only use the fabric type and stretch percentage recommended by the designer. If the pattern does not specify, contact the designer and ask, if possible. Or, don't use your best fabric the first time around. You can size up or down depending on the result of your first garment. Stretch recovery is also very important to consider when sewing with knits. When you stretch your fabric, does it return to its original size and shape? Or is it now a little wider than it was before? You definitely want to use fabric that has a very good recovery. This recovery corresponds with the quality of the fabric, after all, who wants to wear a garment that becomes wider each time it's worn? I also prefer my knit fabrics to have some weight and/or a bit of lycra to give them that extra bit of recovery and avoid flimsy, lightweight or sheer knits. Of course, this all depends on the pattern you are using, so keep that in mind as well. In the photos below, it's clear to see which fabric has better recovery. The top one basically stayed the same width after it was stretched, while the second one returned to its original size. You can also feel a big difference between the two; the top one has a slightly, rough texture, and the bottom is soft and smooth. What I failed to do for my testers, was specify the stretch percentage and recovery needed to achieve the best results with my pattern. Incidentally, the fabrics of all my samples had a stretch percentage 50% or more and very good to excellent recovery until the final floral one. So, I think a logical explanation is that stretch percentage and recovery played a pretty major part in the varied results (especially after the first round of testing). Lesson learned! Here are some other tips I find useful to keep in mind when sewing with knits: Use a stretch or ballpoint needle. The rounded tip passes easily between the knit threads by separating them. Press often. When you sew a seam, and it looks wavy, giving it a good press will more than likely fix the problem. Do not pull or stretch the fabric as you sew. This can create those very wavy seams. There is a time and place for stretching, such as when attaching bindings. Follow the directions in your pattern carefully. Want to read more about using knits? Here are some great resources to help you have a positive experience when sewing with knits: Sewing With Knits (Kitschy Coo) Sewing With Knit Fabrics (sew mccool) Sewing With Jersey 101 (Prudent Baby) Tips for Sewing With Knit Fabrics (Oliver + S) Knits 101 (Shwin & Shwin) Working With Stretch and Knit Fabric (My Pattern Designer) Cutting Knit Fabric (Mad Mim) Ask Dana - No Fear. How to Sew with KNIT Fabrics (Made) I'm so glad to have had this experience so I can pass on what I've learned. Knits can be so fun to work with and great for children's clothing because they can be so comfortable and versatile, but it really helps to know how to use them properly. I can't stress enough how important it is to read through your patterns so you can achieve the results the designer intends for you to have. Never again will I blindly use knit fabric simply on account of the colour or pattern. It's worth the time to test out the fabric first so that you can be happier with the results. If you have any tips or tricks that help you have success with knits, please leave a comment and let us know. Thanks!

Noreen Crone-Findlay has been interested in fiber arts her entire life and is releasing her first book on crocheting stars.

Liesl tells you almost everything you’ll need to know about fabric grain as she covers lengthwise grain, crosswise grain, and bias grain.

Nothing is more important for achieving a quality stitch than keeping the bobbin and feed-dog area cleaned and oiled. Below, you will find instructions on how to do that, for 4 different types of sewing machines. How to Clean and Oil the Bobbin and Feed Dog Area on an Oscillating Hook System: 1. You will need the brush that came with your machine, or a stiff paint brush or toothbrush. You will also need clear “sewing machine” oil. 2. Remove the bobbin case, take the bobbin out and clean the inside of the bobbin case with your brush. Inspect the tension spring and make sure there isn't any lint underneath it. 3. Remove, or release the retention ring and brush it off. 4. Remove the hook and brush it off, inside and out. Inspect for burrs on the point. These may be removed by sanding very gently, with a very fine sandpaper (500 grit). 5. Remove the needle plate. Inspect for burrs. These burrs may also be sanded off. 6. Then sweep all the lint out of the feed dog and bobbin area, from top to bottom. Brush it towards the front of the machine, to keep it out of the gears. 7. Inspect the race (the ledge that the hook sits on) for lint or embedded needle fragments. Use a big pin or small screw driver to remove any particles. 8. Put only 1 drop of oil on the race. 9. Put it back together. When you look into your bobbin area, you will see the “driver,” which creates a half-circle. The hook completes the other half of the circle, and just sits on the ledge; it doesn’t snap in. Replace the retention ring and needle plate. 10. Before you sew on your project, sew on a scrap of flannel to remove any excess oil. How to Clean and Oil the Bobbin and Feed Dog Area on a Drop-in Bobbin System: 1. You will need the brush that came with your machine, or a stiff paint brush or toothbrush. You will also need clear “sewing machine” oil. 2. Remove the bobbin. 3. Remove the needle plate. Some needle plates have a metal bobbin cover that slides forward, but doesn’t come all the way out. Inspect for burrs. These burrs may be sanded off with a very fine sandpaper — about 500 grit. 4. Remove the bobbin case. Singers have a retention finger that twists out of the way with a screwdriver. Others have screws that shouldn’t need to be unscrewed. The bobbin case needs to have a little side-to-side “play” to let the thread through at the spring. Brush off the inside and outside of the bobbin case. 5. Inspect the bobbin case for cuts, plastic fuzz or needle holes. A plastic bobbin case can be gently sanded with very fine sandpaper — about 500 grit. However, sometimes sanding will just make things worse. You may try to remove a burr with a razor blade, which may only be marginally effective. Replace the bobbin case if it is too badly damaged. 6. Inspect the hook for burrs. The hook is the pointed part of the ring that rotates around the bobbin case. It’s important to sand any burrs off of the hook—only with a very fine sand paper. 7. Sweep all the lint out of the feed dog and bobbin area. 8. Put a drop of oil in the center hole. Some will have a “wick,” in the center hole, that looks like a tiny stick of felt. It will keep the oil going where it’s needed. If there is a moving ring around the center hole, put a drop of oil between the stationary part and the rotating part. 9. Check the spring. When this spring is bent out of shape, the machine will make a loud thumping sound. You may try to gently bend it back into shape, if it needs it. Or it may be necessary to replace it. 10. Put it back together. The bobbin case sits on a ledge in the hole, with the tension screw to the front. Singer bobbin cases sit on a ledge, then put the retention finger back into place. Remember that there should be a little “play” to let the thread go through at the spring. Replace the needle plate. 11. Before you sew on your project, sew on a scrap of flannel to remove any excess oil. How to Clean and Oil the Bobbin and Feed Dog Area of a Stationary Rotary Hook System: 1. You will need the brush that came with your machine, or a stiff paint brush or toothbrush. You will also need clear “sewing machine” oil. 2. Remove the bobbin case, take the bobbin out and clean the inside of the bobbin case with your brush. 3. Remove the needle plate. Inspect for burrs on the needle plate and also on the point of the hook. These burrs may be gently sanded off with a very fine sandpaper — about 500 grit. 4. Sweep all the lint out of the feed dog and bobbin area, from top to bottom. There may be threads tangled behind the hook assembly, which should be removed. You may need to remove the throat plate to get to that area. However, not all machines have a throat plate that is removable. Please don’t remove the front or back of your machine. Use tweezers and a hooked seam ripper to remove these threads, only if that area is accessible. This is something you may want your sewing machine mechanic to do. 5. Put a drop of oil in between the part of the hook that rotates, and the part that is stationary. Then put another drop on the center post. 6. Put it back together. Replace the throat plate and/or needle plate. 7. Before you sew on your project, sew on a scrap of flannel to remove any excess oil. How to Clean and Oil the Bobbin and Feed Dog Area of a Floating Rotary Hook System: 1. You will need the brush that came with your machine, or a stiff paint brush or toothbrush. You will also need clear “sewing machine” oil. 2. Remove the bobbin case, take the bobbin out and clean the inside of the bobbin case with your brush. 3. Remove the screws that hold the retention piece in place. Remove the retention piece and brush it clean. 4. Remove the hook and brush it clean, inside and out. Inspect for burrs or a broken point. The rough spot may be gently sanded off with a very fine sandpaper -- about 500 gritt. 5. Remove the needle plate, or throat plate if it is removable. Inspect for burrs on the needle plate. These burrs may also be gently sanded off with a very fine sandpaper. 6. Sweep all the lint out of the feed dog and bobbin area, from top to bottom. There may be threads tangled behind the hook assembly, which should be removed. You may need to remove the throat plate to get to that area. However, not all machines have a throat plate that is removable. Please don’t remove the front or back of your machine. Use tweezers and a hooked seam ripper to remove these threads, only if that area is accessible. This is something you may want your sewing machine mechanic to do. 7. Put a drop of oil on the center post only. Do not put oil on the plastic driver. 8. Put it back together. You’ll need to tilt the machine back so you’ll have gravity on your side. Replace the hook. The back of the hook has a nub that fits into a dent in the driver. Replace the retention piece, throat plate and/or needle plate. 9. Before you sew on your project, sew on a scrap of flannel to remove any excess oil.

Explore Laurent.Rappa's 152 photos on Flickr!

I’d like to introduce you to Tilly the Turtle. She’s super friendly and is a great scrappy project that combines some handwork and some machine sewing. Tilly the Turtle is awesome as a pincushion, but she’s also fun as a softie. I made a pattern so you can make a Tilly, too! Ready to sew?... Read More »

Learn how to adjust the armscye to remove excess fabric and create a garment that fits you perfectly, including under and around your arms.

Mabey She Made It shares 7 great tips for a professional finish and how to a avoidsimple mistakes that can ruin a project. -Sewtorial

Noreen Crone-Findlay has been interested in fiber arts her entire life and is releasing her first book on crocheting stars.

This is the first in a series I am going to have on the blog for the next month. We will be exploring hacking the Winslow Culottes pattern to get all ... Read More

With the launch of Make and Mend 2011 I thought it would be a good time to introduce a new segment to my blog. I often get asked how I alter patterns for my figure. A lot of it is trail and error. It's sometimes costly time wise, but I have a habit of being a glutton for punishment. As a template I'm using the slacks that are from my repro pattern.I can't tell you how many pairs of pants I've made that fit almost. By 'almost' I tend to mean that the seat is good, the legs are straight, but the crotch is just a bit too...what's the word...ouch? I've added to the sides, changed the darts and done all that I thought I needed to do in order to make them sit straight. Then I decided to deepen the front seat. That worked sometimes and I attempted to deduce why. Then I realized it was all in the angles. Meet my illustration body. I'll be using these as reference the entire month. I'm a visual person and I'll use any excuse to draw. When I was thinking about why my slacks always had an inconsistent fit, I decided to look at the body I was fitting them to. Us gals with a extra weigh need to know that we have to often adjust our angles. We have become used to adding more for the bust, arms and waist, but more nuanced adjustments are often overlooked. Take the front of the slacks for instance. Most slacks are not cut to adjust the extra weight we stout women often have in front. That seam presses against our abdomen and we often get a tight fit at the lower crotch. The key to this area is to give the ponch enough room so that area drapes straight down from the center a bit outward instead of from only from the center thigh. For me, I have remedied this by making a rather dramatic angle at the lower crotch. This way, when I fit the slacks to me, my belly is not pressing so dramatically against the curve at the crotch. To compensate for the inch or so that will be lost to the dramatic curve, you will have to add some to the lower hip to prevent more pulling. Of course these adjustments will vary depending on your own body. The best way I've found to check is a french curve. Simple, right? Here is a curve I made on a pair of slacks I've just cut out. Its a bit more dramatic than what I normally do, but Im experimenting and the clamdiggers that I made recently (see above) turned out so well that I thought I'd try it. Once you have that area of the body altered, you are going to want to check the front center darts and make sure that area, which is your straight of grain, actually is placed down the center of your leg. Here you can see the original dart placement (the black circles) and my alteration in magenta. This is really important if you are widening slacks. After than it's smooth sailing. Simple, huh? I can't believe that it's that simple. Use the french curve to see how best your body fits with the alteration. Play with this with some muslin and soon you can have a master pattern for yourself. Welp that's about it for today. Thanks!

Learn five different methods to sew enclosed seams in this easy to follow instructional video from National Sewing Circle.

Ooooh, okay, so many more of you told me that you received a new sewing machine for Christmas. Or a serger. Or some new sewing supplies. Yay!! Now, it’s time to practice. Many of you are very new to this crazy sewing thing so let me give you a really quick pep talk. Okay. You …

Find out how Beth Donaldson's quilting career led to her being a super model. Plus she's giving away two copies of: F is for Friendship, A Quilt Alphabet.

I love when things are free, but these free printables also can save you money on expensive rulers and sewing tools. While the real thing is usually best, tight budgets mean you can't afford to go buy and new ruler or tool for every project. I've found 10 awesome printable sewing tools, from rulers to french curves, bia tapes makers, hem guides, and even some practice sewing sheets. Get your printer and cardstock ready! Printable Pattern Making Tools from The Sewing Notebook: Includes a right triangle (also usable as a compass), french curves, and hip curves in metric and imperial. Printable French Curves from Grow Your Own Clothes: Pattern making and altering will be a breeze with these free french curves available in several sizes. Printable Hem Ruler from Waffle Patterns: Hemming couldn't be easier with these printable hem gauges. It includes one straight and 2 curved versions and it's available in both metric and imperial. 5 1/2" Square Quilting Ruler from Sweetbriar Sisters: Quilting rulers can be expensive, and this 5 1/2" one is free! Plus, it can easily be size down into a smaller square. Printable Circle Templates for Yo-Yo's from Positively Splendid: Cutting circles can be a chore, but there much easier with a template. Also includes a tutorial for making your own fabric yo-yo's. Circle Skirt Template from What the Craft: Cut perfect circles for all of your circle projects. 1/2" Bias Tape Maker from The Scientific Seamstress: Make perfect 1/2" single fold bias tape strips with this free printable. 1" Bias Tape Maker from The Scientific Seamstress: From the same site as above, but this time for an 1" single-fold bias tape (or one fold away from 1/2" double fold!). Printable Fabric Stretch Guide from EyMM: Don't know the stretch percentage of that stash fabric? Print out this handy stretch guide to keep in your sewing room. Also available is a travel sized guide to keep in your wallet for those trips to the fabric store. Practice Machine Sewing Sheet for Beginners from The Sewing Notebook: Teaching someone how to sew? Try out these free printable sheet to practice straight lines, curves, and seam lines. Happy Sewing!

The Amigurumi Food blog has lots of cute free crochet patterns including a lemon, burger and sweet pancake

Today we welcome Anna, from Noodlehead fame. She is sharing her must have supplies to keep on hand. Hi creative people! It's me, Anna,...

Australian thimble aficionado Sue Gowan talks about her passion for sewing thimbles, from hand-painted Royal Worcesters to plastic ones. She discusses the...

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For the last post in this series on dealing with large FBAs (for now), let’s talk about a subject that any sewist can use, regardless of whether she needs a large FBA or even any FBA: dart ro…

Oh,... have I ever been having fun with new fabrics and new pincushion designs. I just had to share this Thread Catcher that I completed moments ago. I just posted it for sale at my Etsy Shop . Isn't this pincushion the just the cutest! That's a five inch Dresden Plate quilt block applied to the top of the pincushion! I know, I know, I'm crazy, aren't I? Fast Forward! This pattern, as well as two other Thread Catcher Patterns is now available at my Etsy shop, Curry Bungalow. https://www.etsy.com/shop/CurryBungalow

Learn how to hem a circle skirt (or any other curved edge like necklines). Hemming a circle skirt is easy with this secret to help you avoid frustration.

This video presents ten expert sewing tips that you may not already know. Watch and learn as some helpful tips and tricks are demonstrated!

It's on its last legs and would cost more to fix than we paid for it in the first place (second hand about eight years ago) so I've just treated myself a shiny new electric machine. This one's so much prettier though.

Just a minute ago I submitted my final exam for my very last class for my Master's Degree! YAAAAY!!! (to be exclaimed with flailing arms all Kermit-the-Frog-style). I'm...

Lazies, If you're looking for a way to free up your hands and get out the door faster, then these doorknob pockets are for you! Would an extra place near