Sew Better, Faster & More Creatively!
If you’ve been thinking about making a stitch book, I would encourage you to stop thinking and just do it! You will not be sorry. There are so many reasons to create a book that shows all of the stitches on your machine sewn with thread on fabric, but this post is about the three […] Read more…
I had a great time last week in Palm Springs, CA at BERNINA University. This yearly conference is for BERNINA dealers to take training classes and see new products. This year was a very colorful BU. One of the guest speakers was Kaffe Fassett and it was inspiring and fun to see his fabrics and […] Read more…
For many decades sewing machines have been powered by stepping on the foot pedal, also called a foot control. It connects to your machine with a cord and when you depress it with your foot (wearing shoes or not), the motor starts running. If you depress it all the way to the floor (pedal to […] Read more…
Understanding the parts of your machine increases your sewing knowledge and helps you become a better sewer. An essential part of the machine is the bobbin. This little spool holds the lower thread that interlocks with the needle thread to form each stitch. This post explores six common questions sewers have about bobbins. Read more…
One of the things that most new sewers and non-sewers don’t understand is the amount of time you spend getting ready to sew. In fact, there are some projects (usually simple) that the actual stitching part takes the least amount of time. In the early years of my sewing journey, I was often frustrated with […] Read more…
Take care of your sewing machine and it will give you years of creative pleasure. Here’s a list of sewing machine Dos and Don’ts (mostly Don’ts) that can lead to operating problems. These are things you already know but I’m writing this post to remind you how important they can be to the life of […] Read more…
If you are into machine embroidery, here’s a fun website that has free designs. It’s called creativefabrica.com and it has more than embroidery designs. You’ll find free fonts (great for at quilts and mixed media sewing), Cricut and Silhouette files, plus sewing patterns. You can buy these things individually, sign up for a subscription, or […] Read more…
If you’ve tried free-motion stitching and gave up after one or two tries, I have a stitching exercise that may help you get started. I’ve talked to a lot of sewers about this type free-motion stitching, which is where you, and not the machine, move the fabric. Quite a few say something like, “Oh, I […] Read more…
The start of a new year is a great time to think back and start fresh. Whether you are making resolutions, decluttering your home, or developing your spiritual self, it feels good to move forward, working toward a better you. I think it’s a good time to dig deeper into creative pursuits, learn new techniques, […] Read more…
In my ongoing battle of keeping my sewing space organized, I am preparing (read this to mean: thinking about it) to declutter and reduce the amount of “stuff” I have. Before I start, I’ve decided to make a plan so I can do this purposefully and see it through to the end. We all know […] Read more…