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Two things are vital for my ongoing love affair with sewing--technical instruction and visual inspiration. Now both of these are available with one click of my mouse. The new Craft Daily site is up and running--with streaming videos for sewists who want to improve their skills and be inspired to expand...
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One of the best things about being handy with a sewing machine is being able to sew gifts for family and friends. And if you can throw in a little sentimentality with it, so much the better. Here's a little idea from something I made a few years ago for my mom and my sisters. Our piano bench cover...
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Believe it or not, "embellishment" is one of the most searched sewing terms online. So I guess that means that it's a sewing technique that is near and dear to our hearts. I would say that embellishment was among my first "successful" stabs at sewing. I had done a bit of sewing...
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Passementerie looks difficult, but it's not. The cord and braid are poked through the underlined muslin. Embellishment is not a sewing technique I naturally gravitate toward. I like my garments sleek and clean-lined. But in the process of getting a couture certificate, I had to take a summer course...
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I predicted a resurgence of hand smocking about a year ago---mostly to other members of the S titch team. I said, " You know smocking isn't just for little girls' dresses any more!" Smocked pillows by Tanya Mauler A twist on smocking by Tanya Mauler Figure 1 Figures 2 and 3 And I was...
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I was sewing for many years before I discovered beeswax. I knew about it and I scoffed at it. What was the use of adding one more step to the sewing process? I wanted to have my project finished already! From all the notches in my beeswax, you can see I have waxed many a thread. It wasn't until I...
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My sister recently suffered a tremendous loss, and I visited her to support her in a difficult time. I was sitting in her apartment one evening, and she pulled out a dress that I had made for her many years ago. So long ago, in fact, that I had completely forgotten I had made it. A small dragonfly is...
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I love to add an extra touch to a garment, after it's technically "DONE." Whether it's my own design or a store-bought pattern that I want to make more distinctive, I usually can't stop myself from taking that last step to make it really mine. The Arty Insert Skirt from Stitch Spring...
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I am always looking for a new hand-embroidery stitch and recently the Fishbone Stitch has entranced me. I learned it as a child and then rediscovered it recently. It's a very simple stitch resembles a fish spine and creates beautiful leaves. Make several to make a foliage design. The trick to this...
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I am really excited to share our newest eBook: Sewing Gifts for Every Season: 4 Free Sewing Gift Ideas and Projects . It's just in time for the holiday season! Coming from a big family, I am always looking for great baby gifts and handmade gift wraps to make, especially during the holiday season...
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By the time I finish a garment, I want to wear it, not embellish it. But the fact is that embellishment is often what can take an outfit from nice to wow. A handmade touch can make a garment shine as the one of a kind that it truly is. What lies beneath: This is the vintage lace that inspired it all...
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There was a recent question from a member on the Sew Daily community about how to make the back of her work look as good as the front. She is really on to something, because the fact is that embroidery that is well done should look as good on the back as it does on the front. The elegant, skeletal feather...
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One Pleat Skirt by Beki Wilson The Big Blue by Amber Eden Tie Front Tie Back dress by Jil Cappuccio I am excited to introduce you to the newest Sew Daily eBook: Stylish Skirt and Dress Patterns: 3 Free Sewing Patterns for Women . We have gathered together a collection of skirt and dress patterns that...
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I am writing this post from my powerless home in Long Island, New York. (I finally got a flight back from International Quilt Market in Houston.) All I can say is: Thank goodness for smart phones! This bodice is made from a stiff cotton and needs a lining with body. I chose a medium-weight cotton muslin...
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More than any other sort of embellishing, I love beading. But beading is so much more than merely stitching beads to a garment or accessory. If you really want your beading to last, you want to take some precautionary steps: This beading sample tries out a variety of beads and designs. Always make a...