Sew Better, Faster & More Creatively!
A variation of Sashiko quilting, Boro stitching is a Japanese textile technique that is both an art form and a practical, decorative way to mend fabrics and garments. The word, Boro, means “ragged”, or “tattered”, and usually has a patchwork look. Traditionally, it is sewn by layering fabrics and hand-stitching using a running stitch. I […] Read more…
The other day I was “surfing the net” (does anyone still say that?) and I came across a question asking, “What are the most difficult fabrics to sew?” The answer did not surprise me, but I also did not agree with it. The blogger gave a few tips to minimize the challenges of sewing these […] Read more…
It’s no secret that I love using specialty presser feet to help me stitch more precisely, sew unique and fun techniques, and be more creative with my sewing. Most sewing machines come with a few presser feet and many have optional presser feet that lets you expand the capabilities of your machine. I sew on […] Read more…
Pintucks are a great way to add texture to a fabric. This post is about a variation of pintucks that results in creating beautiful wavy pintucks on your fabric. To start, you need to thread the machine with two spools of thread, a double needle, Pintuck Foot #30, Pintuck Cording Attachment, and s 30 wt. […] Read more…
One of the first challenges for new sewers is learning to sew a straight line. Even some sewers with more experience sometimes struggle with this simple sewing task. It is important to be able to sew straight because crooked or wavy seams can affect the look of your finished project. If you are sewing clothing, […] Read more…
Stitching perfect circles using the Circular Embroidery Attachment is fun to do and can create beautiful designs on your fabric. One of the great things about the Circular Embroidery Attachment is that it can be used for stitching circles using any technique. From decorative stitching to pintucks to couching and more, This post is focused […] Read more…
Lucky you if your sewing machine has lettering. You can easily create labels and tags for your quilt, garments, and almost all of your projects! I like to stitch on twill tape, and I have a great tip for easily stitching down the center of the tape. I’m sewing on my BERNINA 790 PLUS but […] Read more…
Many brands of sewing machines have snap-on presser feet that are easy to attach and detach from the machine. Changing the presser foot takes only a few seconds. This makes it easy to expand what your sewing machine can do. Along with the feet that are included with your machine, most machine manufacturers have additional […] Read more…
One of the more practical ways to use your sewing machine is hemming. Whether you are making the garment shorter or extending the hem to make it longer, it is a simple process to finish a garment or customize the fit of ready-to-wear and hand sewn clothing. Hemming is a word that describes a variety […] Read more…
I sometimes use a non-traditional piecing technique and when I’m finished, I have a beautifully embellished quilt block, pillow front, or background for a mini art quilt. This one is made of 2 ½” squares, which can be tedious when stitching square to square to make rows, and then stitching the rows together, all the […] Read more…