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Backtack

Stitching in reverse for a short distance at the beginning and ending of a seamline to secure the stitches. Most machines have a button or knob for this function (also called backstitch).

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  • That's Not a Sewing Machine! That's an Iron!
    My older daughter demonstrates today's principle while making a tablecloth. Step 1: Press before sewing. Step 2: Sew. Step 3: Press after sewing. Easy! If you really want to learn how to use a sewing machine, I have an important tip for you. Set up
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  • The New Stitch with Style Is Now Available!
    I am so excited to that share with you that the new special issue Stitch with Style 2013 is now available. The entire Stitch team has done a great job of creating this issue devoted entirely to fashion garments and accessories, and this is definitely
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  • Introducing Craft Daily!
    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
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  • To Save a Chair
    Last winter my friend Kitty and I used to walk every Sunday. We live in a beautiful, tree-lined neighborhood and strolling along, commenting on this house or that, provided us endless entertainment. A seashell pink fabric inscribed in French gave this
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  • Staystitch? But I Want To Get Started!
    Last Saturday morning I ran through my errands efficiently because I had a fun sewing project that I was excited to start--a wrap coat in a bright Trenna Travis print (Michael Miller Fabrics). I'd been doing a lot of sewing for babies recently, so
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  • I Owe It All To Mom
    With Mother's Day coming up, it got me to thinking about my own mother and how grateful I am to her for giving me a love of sewing. My mother is an exceptional seamstress, and I grew up in a home of several sewing machines, ranging from the fancy
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  • What's with All the Sewing Gadgets?
    Walk into any sewing shop and you will see walls of sewing notions and accessories. And every year, more and more gadgets hit the market. Expand this simple metallic gauge to get perfectly spaced buttonholes. It takes up so little room! Buttons right
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  • Pomme Potholder, Spring 2013
    For the Pomme Potholders, please note the following correction: Replace Step 16 with the following: CREATE THE STEM Step 16. Fold and press the Stem lengthwise, wrong sides together. Press ¼" under the edges opposite the fold, then edgestitch
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  • Try This Free eBook: Children's Sewing Patterns
    I am so excited to introduce you to the Sew Daily ebook Children's Sewing Patterns: 4 Free Sewing Patterns for Kids . Bath Time Buddies by Lisa Cox Springtime Bibs by Heidi Boyd Loopy Elephant by Heidi Boyd We have pulled together a collection of
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  • Do I Really Need to Interface? Really?
    Recently, one of my daughter's friends used her Facebook page to put out a request for sewing information. "I'm new to sewing. I'm making a dress for myself, and the pattern says to interface. Do I really need to? It seems like it a lot
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  • Tip for Beginning Sewists: Handsewing is your friend
    When I was a beginning sewist, I avoided handsewing at all costs. If the fabric could be coerced under my machine's foot, that's where it went. Just recently, I began to change my ways. Why? Because sometimes, it is so much easier to handsew.
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  • Tip for Beginning Sewists: Make handsewing your friend
    When I was a beginning sewist, I avoided handsewing at all costs. If the fabric could be coerced under my machine's foot, that's where it went. Just recently, I began to change my ways. Why? Because sometimes, it is so much easier to handsew.
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  • The Fabric Had Me at Hello
    I've had a lifelong love affair with fabric, and I really think that my love of fabric is what got me started sewing. As a beginning sewist, I would l wander the fabric store aisles with lust in my heart and big plans on my mind. I often bit off more
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  • Stitch with Style 2013
    Stitch with Style is packed with 43 sewing project that will rock your wardrobe. An issue devoted entirely to fashion sewing, it brings together the work of some of our best designers--who love giving modern sewing a fashion focus. Their passion shows in their original and fresh creations. Choose from
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  • Sewing Gifts with a Sentimental Twist
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  • How Could One Adorable Pattern Cause So Much Trouble?
    Not long after I started at Stitch , I received a note from a frantic reader. She was in the dead heat of making a baby swaddle for a newly arrived relative and she could not figure out the pattern instructions. I could just picture the situation because
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  • Do You Fill Your Sewing Room with Meaningful Mementos?
    Because I see the sewing space as a very special place where I create, I like to fill that space with items that put me in a creative state. That includes items from my childhood. The richness of memories that certain objects invoke makes me feel nurtured
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  • Tips for Embellishing a Leather Tote
    In a recent project from Stitch Summer 2013, Easy Leather Tote, I talk about using a pronged circle die to stamp the lacing and decorative holes in the leather. I want to go a little more into that technique because I had an amazing teacher who gave me
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  • How a Project Becomes a Project
    For the most part, projects for Stitch are created by the talented community of designers who contribute to the magazine. But every once in a while the editors at Stitch have to step up the plate and develop designs for the magazine. Take the Stitch Spring
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  • How Did You Start Sewing?
    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"
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  • This Pillow Needs a Serious Makeover!
    A pillow in need of a makeover. When I moved into my house almost four years ago, I was going from a one-bedroom city apartment to a full-size suburban home, and while I had collected and inherited some nice items over the years, I didn't have enough
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  • Are You Ready to Learn a New Technique This Spring? I Am!
    My next hand-sewing project: Scrappy English Paper Piecing Pillow by Joanna Wilczynska from Modern Patchwork Spring 2013 Boy, do I have it good! Because Stitch magazine shares offices with Quilting Arts and Cloth Paper Scissors magazines, I am surrounded
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  • How Do You Find Time to Sew?
    To sew or not to sew? This is a conundrum that has dogged me for most of my adult life. How do I fit sewing into my life? The answer, like most decades-long conundrums, is not easy. For many years, my husband and I went away for the weekend to a place
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  • Here's how to match a print
    Nothing looks better than a perfectly matched print. Matching prints can be something of a mystery, but here are some great tips on how to get it straight: Lots of prints to match in the Weekend Travel Ensemble by Carol Zentgraf. With a large floral pattern
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  • What's the strangest embellishment you've ever done? .
    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
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  • If I Were a Quilter
    I have to be perfectly honest: I am no quilter. But I would like to be. I keep a reminder of my grandmother in my sewing room. I come from a long line of quilters. My ancestors were Scotch-Irish stock who settled in the Ozarks in the 19 th century and
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  • I Have an Advance Copy of Best of Stitch: Bags to Sew!
    I can't tell you how exciting it is to get that envelope in the mail with an advance copy of some hot, new sewing book. Even after all these years as a sewing editor, it still gives me a thrill to get a first peek at the latest publications. Hot off
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  • I Really Do Need to Let Go of My Fabric
    My issues with my fabric stash are two-fold: I have too much fabric and too little time! Silks and wools and jerseys, oh my! About a year ago, I was finally able to unpack and organize my sewing room, which was great. It looked perfect for a long time
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  • Check out the New Fabrics from Amy Sedaris!
    "I Like You" by Amy Sedaris for Windham Fabrics Actress, author, comedian, and crafter Amy Sedaris debuts " I Like You, " her first fabric collection...EVER! Amy will sweep you off your feet with the panache that you would only expect
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  • How to Make Your Own Big, Ruched Buttons
    It's the details that make a project, and I just love a big, ruched, self-covered button for adding some vintage-modern punch to an outfit or accessory. I just love a big, ruched button! You need an oval shape for ruching. Stich across oval between
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  • New Zakka Book from Ayumi!
    Designer and author Ayumi Takahashi has created some wonderful and whimsical projects for Stitch magazine and now she has a new book full of them: Patchwork, Please! Colorful Zakka Projects to Stitch and Give! Polka Dot Cafe Apron Bell Pepper Coasters
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  • Stitch Summer 2013
    Stitch celebrates summer with 34 sizzling projects perfect for sun-loving sewists. Learn how to sew sturdy totes and then practice your new-found skills with the 7 great carryall designs. Laura Keith shares her tips for swimsuit construction. And enjoy reading about the history of buttons in America
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  • Try the New Sew Daily eBook: 5 FREE Artistic Pillow Cover and Pillow Patterns
    I am so pleased to introduce the new Sew Daily eBook: 5 FREE Artistic Pillow Cover and Pillow Patterns. Art of Bleach Pillow by Carol Zentgraf Fabulous Floor Pillow by Kay Whitt Chrysanthemum Pillow by Tricia Waddell We know how much you love pillow projects
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  • Pre-Order Your Copy of Stitch Summer 2013
    Even though we just finished shoveling out from the latest snowstorm, here at Stitch we're longing for sunshine. So we're excited that the Summer issue of Stitch will be arriving in our offices in just a few days. The theme of this issue is Details
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  • Hand Smocking Makes a Comeback!
    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
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  • Secrets to Finishing Well
    So often, sewing instructions will add this phrase to the end of a construction step: Pinking is a simple, effective seam finish. Keep both swings of the needle on the fabric so that the fabric doesn't bunch. Pressing before stitching saves time and
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  • One Great Secret Home Décor Sewing Tip
    I love discovering "secret" sewing tips--I could even be called a hoarder of them. When I find one, I savor it adoringly, like a treasured gem. But rather than scurrying off furtively to add to my stash, I want to tell everyone I know. You can
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  • Win a SINGER Sewing Machine on Sew Daily!
    Your February just got sweeter! Win the sleek SINGER ONE TM sewing machine, courtesy of SINGER Sewing Company & Sew Daily . We'll announce the winner on Valentine's Day, so get yourself entered today: http://bit.ly/SewSweetSINGERGiveawayMOBILE
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  • My Favorite Tool for Hand Sewing: Some of that Beeswax
    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
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  • My First Issue's Patterns Go Up in the Sew Daily Shop!
    I am very partial to Stitch Summer 2012 because it was the first issue that I edited from start to finish. So I think of it as something of a milestone that more than a year after I started working on it (yes, we started the Summer 2012 in Fall 2011,
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  • Baskets Make the Best Sewing Storage
    I have a very, very tiny weekend home, which also happens to be the place where I do most of my sewing. So I have had to be very resourceful in determining how to organize my sewing supplies. Limited storage space can quickly become a conundrum for any
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  • Add Love to Your Garments with Accessories
    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
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  • How to Use a Sewing Machine
    Sewing machines come with lots of gadgets. You don't need to learn all of them at once. Manuals can get you started--and keep you going. No need to learn everything at once. In the past six months I've had the fun of helping two 30-somethings
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  • It Takes a Village to Make an Outfit
    I know that by the time the Spring 2013 issue gets into your hands it will all look absolutely, perfectly gorgeous, but there is a lot that goes into it getting there! A project goes from proposal ... i ... to photographeded and ready for you! Take the
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  • I Hate to End My Relationship with a Good Sewing Project
    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
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  • Passing on a Craft
    Like most modern sewists, I dabble in other crafts--mostly knitting and mostly patternless scarves. Sewing can get pretty complicated, and sometimes it's nice to just slip into the soothing, simplified world of knit and purl. Sometimes, all it takes
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  • Easy Sewing Patterns? Or Hard Sewing Patterns? Why Not Both?
    What do you think about easy sewing patterns? Are they for beginners only? This dress took quite a bit of time. I reworked the bodice to make use of some of my limited Kokka fabric. Cute, fun, easy! Some vintage ribbon and an antique button made a charming
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  • Check Out the New Quilting Arts in Stitches, Volume 9!
    If it has anything to do with sewing I want to know about it, and if you feel the same way, the new Quilting Arts in Stitches , Volume 9, is full of interesting ideas and inspiration that will have you reaching for needle and fabric in no time. Create
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  • My Daughter Makes a Tablecloth
    My daughter resumes sewing after a twenty-year hiatus. This is a proud moment in tablecloth history. It's good to have quilting friends come for a visit. Finished quilts are a cause for celebration. Once the holiday decorations are put away, it's
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  • Bag Construction Tips and Tricks
    Here are some great tips from a short article on bag construction by Katrina Loving that originally appeared in Stitch Fall 2011: Always think about how your bag will be used. Organize your bag by adding pockets! Handbag, purse, clutch, tote, or carryall
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  • An Assistant Editor Picks her Favorite
    My favorite book from 2012. H exagons never looked so good-- one of lovely projects to enjoy. Sometimes the books that most catch my eye are not necessarily the ones that have patterns that I immediately want to create. My favorite book of 2012 falls
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  • Get a Sneak Preview of Stitch Spring 2013!
    You are going to absolutely love Stitch Spring 2013! It is chock full with 38 relaxing and refreshing projects for your home and closet. Just take a peek at some of my favorites below! Pomme Potholder by Charise Randell Rain Cloud Crossbody Tote by Sarah
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  • Stitch Gifts 2012 - Festive Table Runner by Marcia Van Oort (pg. 70)
    For the "Festive Table Runner" by Marcia Van Oort in Stitch Gifts 2012, please note the following corrections to the instructions: Step 3: The last entry should be: two 30" x 7 1/2" (not 28" x 7 1/2"). Step 5 should read
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  • Stitch Spring 2013
    Spring is a time of tremendous activity and growth. But it's also a time to regenerate, and that's why this issue's theme is all about relaxing and refreshing. We've included projects, fabrics, and techniques that will bring positive energy to ourselves, our wardrobes, our friends, and
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  • Try the Fishbone Stitch
    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
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  • Hand-stitching vs. Machine-stitching
    As part of a recent moccasin project, I had to gather suede with a basting stitch in order to apply the sole to the top of the slipper. Well, you can laugh at me, but I actually did try to do a machine basting stitch on the sole. It stitched just fine
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  • 4 Free Sewing Gift Ideas and Projects
    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
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  • Check out the 12/12/12 sale!
    You have to admit that there aren't many days like this one. To commemorate 12/12/12 and the last day of 12 Days of Deals,, we are offering 12 great products at $12.12. Now that's a deal that doesn't come along too often, either. Check out
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  • Overcome Your Fears in Sewing
    Much as I love suede, I have always been afraid of sewing it. It's probably because I have edited one too many articles on sewing suede and I've always felt that I had to have a phalanx of expensive tools to get me a satisfactory result. In fact
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  • Taking Stock of All My Unmade Gifts
    It happens every year. I can't resist going into a full-on gift-making frenzy about, oh, two weeks before Christmas. Now you could sensibly suggest that I just start a little earlier. But there's a big problem with that. I'm not inspired.
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  • Embellishment is the Beginning, Not the End
    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
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  • Admission of Ignorance Leads to Enlightenment in Sewing Techniques
    I've always had an admiration for the Japanese sewing market, which started when I fell madly in love with a pair of scissors at a Japanese notions company booth at a sewing expo. I still kick myself for not buying them. The "faux-shiko"
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  • Always Keep a Needle and Thread in Your Handbag
    I learned several valuable lessons over the Thanksgiving holiday. First, never underestimate holiday traffic when you have to get to the airport. I did, and I also learned that if you arrive 30 minutes before your flight, you may make the flight, but
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  • Sewing for the Home: Upcycle Your Hard Furnishings with Slipcovers
    If there is one overriding peril of being a "dog-person," it is the extensive damage that needle-sharp puppy teeth can do to furniture. Indeed, one particularly energetic puppy named Chipper managed to chew through 4 chairs, 4 table legs, and
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  • My Most Precious Sewing Supply
    When did you first discover your creativity? I discovered my creativity when I was 5 years old. My kindergarten class made enameled and kiln-fired clay projects—a pretty complicated undertaking for 5-year-olds, now that I consider it. The elephant
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  • The Real Story of an Embroidery Stitch is Told on the Back
    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
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  • Stitch Gifts 2012 How To Video Extra: How to Make a Chevron
    Check out this video I made on how to make a chevron, from the Stitch Gifts 2012 Chevron Library Tote by Sarah Minshall. You won't believe how easy it is!
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  • Stitch Gifts 2012 How To Video Extra: How to Paper Piece a Pinwheel
    Check out this video I made on how to paper piece a pinwheel from the Pinwheel Sachet project by Charise Randell in Stitch Gifts 2012. A moving picture says a thousand words!
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  • Upcycle a UFO (Utterly Failed Object!)
    I love the concept of upcycling: turning something old and useless into something beautiful and useful. I have taken worn but well-made vintage garments and transformed them, either whole cloth or in bit by lovely bit. How to upcycle a caftan sweater
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  • A Few Unusual Sewing Tools
    I have a thing for unusual sewing accessories. Alright, I have an obsession. There's just something about a unique sewing tool that really makes me want to own it immediately. My unusual sewing tools. Here are a few of my favorites: The pattern notcher
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  • Fabric Booths a Real Feast for the Eyes at International Quilt Market
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  • Stitch Gifts 2012
    Stitch Gifts 2012 is stuffed with great gifts to make for friends and family. This issue includes 39 new projects and 12 favorite projects from Stitch issues past for a total of 50+ projects. From fast gifts and delightfully embellished presents to festive decorations, fabric wrappings, and fabulous
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  • Choose Your Lining Well
    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
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  • Easy Fabric Painting and Resist Technique
    If you're feeling adventurous, and ready to go beyond sewing to explore customizing fabric, you've come to the right place! Surface design is the perfect way to make a sewing project truly unique . . . because what's better than something
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    What makes an easy sewing pattern? A few weeks ago I wrote about using patterns multiple times-the second time is always easier than the first, and the third time puts me on Pattern Easy Street. After pressing the strip in half, unfold and press the top
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  • Tips to Make Your Beading Stand the Test of Time
    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
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  • Twice is Nice: Easy Sewing Patterns
    Thanks to my mom's skill--and patience--the first garment I ever made using the sewing machine was a gathered skirt. It seemed quite mysterious to my eight-year-old mind, but for my mom this was truly an easy sewing pattern. And now that I've
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  • Getting Inspiration for Sewing Gifts
    I love to make gifts, but I have to have the right inspiration. A little inspiration and a lot of confidence can go a long way (and when I say confidence, I want to be 250% certain that the gift I am taking the time to make will be cherished and prized
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  • Sewing Stitches are a Basic Life Skill: How to Make a Leather Handbag
    Having exhausted virtually all of the garment construction classes I can take in my lifetime on a Wednesday night at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City, I have turned my attention to accessories: bags and shoes and belts, oh my
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  • Making New Rules
    In many ways I'm very grateful for my more traditional sewing background. Having inserted hundreds (seems impossible, but is probably true!) of zippers over my lifetime, I can comfortably adjust almost any part of the process and still be confident
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  • The Walking Foot--Optional or Necessary?
    On many of the supply lists for projects in Stitch, you'll find the following: "Optional: Walking foot for your sewing machine." The walking foot helps keep thick, slippery, or sticky fabric layers from shifting as you sew. This raglan knit
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  • Free Upcycling and Refashioning Projects
    I am delighted to introduce our latest free eBook: Upcycling Ideas: 3 Free Sewing Projects for Refashioning and Upcycled Clothes . We know that you adore refashioning well-loved garments into something new and stylish, along with upcycling discarded objects
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  • Stitched Together
    When my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer, her treatment began with a difficult regimen of chemotherapy. Normally a take-charge woman, at a family picnic that spring my sister was too tired to join in any activities and spent the afternoon sitting
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  • Take Time to Take Care
    Not many years ago, my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. We had no family history and as a collective family, we were stunned. My sister had had a mammogram just a month before that had come back clear. Then, she found the lump on her own during
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  • Use These Images to Raise Breast Cancer Awareness
    October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and to honor of all of those affected by the disease, we are offering free cover art for Facebook and Twitter. Use the images below on your Facebook and Twitter pages to raise awareness and spread hope in the
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  • Free Projects + A Chance to Win Free Sewing Supplies
    SpraynBond TM Adhesive makes sewing projects quick and easy! Little girls are made of sugar, spice, some fairy dust and well ... a pinch of butterflies! Learn how Therm O Web's NEW SpraynBond TM makes quick work of this pretty appliqué quilt
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  • Try Surface Design Round-Robin Style
    A Note from Rose: For many of us, the fabric must inspire before we start sewing a single stitch. Today we welcome a guest post on from Vivika Hansen DeNegre, editor of Quilting Arts Magazine on creating incredible fabric using Jane Dávila's
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  • How to Add a Lining to a Skirt
    I can't say enough about the new Jil Cappuccio video, "Sewing Skirts Your Way," that is now available for purchase. You may know Jil's work from her past contributions to Stitch magazine. She creates adorable designs and the skirts that
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  • Learning to Sew Again
    More than a decade ago, I had a sudden itch to stitch. Again. I found myself shopping for patterns to use a bright Hawaiian print I had purchased on a recent trip to Oahu. My father was stationed on Oahu when I was small, and from living there, I had
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  • Sew Slow, or the Joys of Handstitching
    According to a quick Google check, my current sewing machine will stitch over 750 stitches per minute. Some things can only be done by handstitching-- and some designs are worth every stitch. Shown above is a close-up of the Hexagon Bag from Japanese
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  • Get a Handle on Your Totes
    I love sewing bags and totes. And here's why: The leather handles make this bag a workhorse--and they're comfortable, too. With the pre-punched holes, it was easy to handstitched these on. I used six-stranded embroidery floss in the same color
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  • Use Underlining to Make Your Garment Look Instantly Expensive
    Of all the tricks I've learned about couture garment sewing, underlining is probably my favorite. It takes even the cheapest fashion fabric from so-so to fabulous in a matter of minutes. And your garments will wear better and last longer with the
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  • 4 Free Easy Sewing Patterns for Beginners
    In putting together the Sew Daily eBook: 4 Free Sewing Patterns: Easy Sewing Projects for Beginners and All Sewists , w e wanted to create a collection of projects that are simple for beginners to take on and complete, while also being so cute that you
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  • Strong, Versatile, and Trustworthy ... It's the Backstitch!
    Looking for a handsewing stitch that you'll find yourself returning to time and time again? Look no further than the humble backstitch. Thread the needle and knot the end. Bring the needle up from back to front. Take the first stitch 1/4" to
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  • How to Design by Thinking in Layers
    Note from Amber: Stitch Technical Editor Mary Walter is also a very talented quilter. Here, she shares with us her tips on how she approaches the design of an art quilt. Whistler's Street at Saverne by Mary Walter A student design wall. Ideas taking
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  • Unsung Heroes in My Sewing Notions Drawer
    I spent some time this past weekend sewing some props to illustrate an upcoming Stitch issue. The main construction technique involved bonding two colors of wool felt with fusible web, then stitching the two-sided felt into a shape. (The props turned
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  • Learn How to Draft a Custom Skirt Pattern
    The other day Stitch art director Larissa Davis came to me with a skirt that she loves. "I want another one like this," she said. Well, she is in luck, because that's exactly what the new Jil Cappuccio Sewing Skirts Your Way video teaches
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  • Stitch Winter 2012 Extra: Face Your Hem for a Designer Edge
    In the Stitch Winter 2012 issue, I designed the Retro Barrel Coat and promised at the end of the instructions that I would tell you how to make a faced hem if you came to visit me here on the Sew Daily blog. A faced hem is basically a separate piece of
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  • Winter 2012
    Stitch, Winter 2012 is a special issue magazine featuring garments and accessories to home accents and fabulous décor—all inspired by the very best of winter. Find fun and simple sewing patterns you won't want to miss. As the weather turns chilly, start dreaming of projects inspired
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  • How to Use Your Gorgeous Vintage Fabrics in Pillow Projects
    The silky robin's egg blue fabric became an oversized pillow. The vintage bird handkerchief adorns a storebought pillow. Vintage handkerchiefs are sewn to both sides of a smaller pillow. I am a huge lover of vintage fabric. The quality, texture, prints
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  • Win a Sew Steady Table for Better Sewing
    ***Congratulations to Patricia E*** "I started out sewing doll clothes as a child years ago and now I'm 62 and beginning to make quilts for my 10 grandchildren. I love sewing. For me, it's a quiet and relaxing time after working anywhere
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  • Create Your Own Indigo Scarf
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  • An Upcycled Sewing Pattern for Denim Pockets
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  • Summer 2013 Call for Submissions is Now Live!
    Start dreaming up projects for the Summer 2013 "Details, Details" issue of Stitch tonight! Visit the Sew Daily site and download the Summer 2013 Call for Submissions!
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  • Learn a New Sewing Technique--Just for Fun
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  • Online Extra for Stitch Winter 2012 "Pillow Fight:" A Date with Design
    A note from Amber: Here is a little more background on designer Anna Bondoc, who created the fabric designs for our authors' pillow challenge . Their mission: to make three distinct pillows from Anna's custom fabrics: Designer Anna Bondoc Artist
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  • Creating Back-to-School Sewing Memories
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  • Sewing Embellishments: 3 Free Patterns Using Embroidery, Applique, and Other Fabric Embellishment Techniques
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  • First Sewing Steps: How to Make Roman Shade Curtains
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  • Stitch Winter 2012: What's Not to Love About Sewing Accessories?
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  • Learn New Embellishment Techniques from Quilting Arts TV, Series 1000
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  • A Tip to Improve Your Skills--Play!
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  • ATC Card from Vivika
    Summer is the perfect time to take a break from the usual routines of daily life and make time for art. An afternoon at the beach with a sketchbook, a week at an art retreat, and a visit to some local (and not-so-local) museums are all on my short list of goals, but in reality, I only have a few hours
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  • Use Up Your Vintage Button Collection
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  • Free Home Sewing Projects eBook!
    We found our sewing for the home eBook to be so popular that we have updated it, offering some old favorites, along with some new patterns that are sure to get you even more inspired to sew accessories for your home. Make your own fruity, fresh fabric
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  • Sewing Techniques--Two Ways to Make a Gusset
    For quick sewing satisfaction, nothing beats the basic tote. Like having an open tortilla, you can add as much or as little as you like-and come up with a winner every time. Either method will give you a perfect gusset every time! METHOD ONE -- Cut First
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  • Summer 2012- Convertible Beach Towel-Bag by Ali Winston (pg. 133)
    The template for the handle tabs was omitted from the pattern insert used in step 7. The tab template is included in this pdf :
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  • Tips for Sewing Buttons on Handknits
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  • The Best Kept Secret on Your Sewing Machine
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  • Sewing for the Home: Adding Dimensions to Your Quilts
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  • Shopping for Props for Stitch Spring 2013
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  • A Tip to Keep Your Sewing Supplies Under Control
    How many rotary cutters do you own? I have nine. All these rotary cutters. Why? Eight of my fifteen seam rippers. Yikes! And, at last count, I also own fifteen seam rippers. A little silly, isn't it? (In my defense, I do product testing and haven't
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  • Share Your Sewing Story and Enter to Win Sewing Prizes
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  • Top Sewing Tip from the Sew Daily Archives: My Favorite Trick for Cutting Bias Strips
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  • A Lining Trick from the Industry
    One of the last projects I worked on in my patternmaking class at FIT was a women's vest, and I dreaded it because as with everything else, we had to draft the pattern This is the vest we had to make. and make a sample, but we were given very few
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  • Make This the Summer You Learn How to Sew
    Last year I had the honor of teaching a beginner sewing class for adults who had never sewn before in their lives. Learning about bobbins--Day 1 of bootcamp. Finished Tote--with gusset! This was not a refresher course for lapsed Girl Scouts and 4-H members
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  • New Free Projects! Get Your Free Sewing Accessories eBook Today
    Accessories are some of the best projects to make. Consider the pluses: 1) Accessories are QUICK TO MAKE! 2) Great way to update and refresh the wardrobe! 3) Little or NO FITTING required! So really, what's not to love about making accessories? We've
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  • Fast and Fabulous Bags
    Top: Calendar Patchwork Tote, designed by Susan Wasinger. Bottom: Mudcloth Tote, designed by Zelda Grant. I love sewing a pretty tote for the summer. A basic tote pattern is so quick and simple to make, and the embellishment becomes part of the fun. I
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  • My Top 5 Must-Reads from the Hurt Book Sale
    When I was asked to choose five favorite sewing books from the Hurt Book Sale, I knew it was going to be a tough decision. But I have finally winnowed it down to five. Here are my picks: 1) The Dressmaker's Handbook of Couture Sewing Techniques: Essential
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  • Spring 2013 Call for Submissions Now Live!
    The Spring 2013 call forsubmissions is now live! Click here to download. Can't wait to see what you submit!
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  • Loads of School-Themed Goodies in Stitch Fall 2012
    One of my favorite sections from Stitch Fall 2012 is the School Days section. It's filled with school-themed gifts that you can make for and with children, as well as a gift that thou both can make for their teachers. Here are a few of my favorites
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  • Stitch, Fall 2012
    Revel in the cool, crisp days of the fall season with Stitch , Fall 2012. Enjoy stunning projects ranging from garments and accessories to home accents and fabulous décor.
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  • My Favorite Slipcover Sewing Tips from the New Stitch Workshop Video
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  • We're Throwing a Quilting Modern Blog Party!
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  • Try a Little Trapunto Quilting on Your Next Pillow Project
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  • How I Learned to Create a Simple Patchwork Project
    Until I developed a patchwork project for Stitch Summer 2012, I had literally never done any patchwork sewing. But I was lucky to have someone on the Stitch team, (Mary Walter, our technical editor) who is a quilting whiz and could teach me how to do
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  • FREE Children's Pattern + Little Details in Children's Clothing
    By the time I've put in a zipper, carefully sewn some buttonholes, and stitched the hem in place, I'm usually ready to wave the iron over the project and move on to something new. (Or more realistically, move on to another somewhat-started, halfway
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  • Pattern Weights vs. Pins!
    People have all sorts of strong feelings about pins in sewing. Some swear by pin basting, and some don't ever use pins at all--to protect the fabric and save time. I prefer to take a softer stance, and I do whatever fits the project. But if you are
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  • There's So Much to Learn About Sewing Pillows
    I was on the set of a video shoot with Stitch author Kevin Kosbab last week. We were making a Stitch Workshop video that was mostly about pillows, and I was truly amazed at all of the tricks Kevin, on set, has a chopstick among his arsenal of pillow sewing
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  • Sew Faster without Pins!
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  • Make Your Projects Look Perfect Every Time With Basting
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  • My Smiley Mug Still Makes Me Smile!
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  • Roll-Up Seed Saver Pattern Available on Sew Daily site
    Correction: Summer 2012 Roll-Up Seed Saver Pattern Available as Download The Stitch Summer 2012 Roll-Up Seed Saver project was not indicated as a downloadable pattern in the magazine. It is available as a downloadable pattern at the following web address
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  • Stitch a Secret into a Little Girl's Dress
    Children's garments are so much fun to sew-for so many reasons. Add a secret facing to a child's dress. This cotton print makes a charming facing. First, since they are small, almost inevitably they turn out very cute. Second , they don't
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  • Introducing Stitch Assistant Editor Rosemarie DeBoer
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  • Add (Almost) Invisible Support to Your Blouse
    I recently had to make a blouse pattern for my patternmaking class. The blouse had a yoke and the professor said that to provide extra support in the yoke, you could cut 2 pieces. (FYI: The yoke is the separate piece you see often across the back top
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  • The Coolest Trick Ever for Sewing a Pillow
    I just learned the most amazing tip for sewing a pillow from Modern Patchwork 2012 . Hanging Flags by Melissa Lunden in Modern Patchwork 2012 Whenever I make a pillow, I always get extra-pointy, floppy corners that look like dog ears. It completely baffles
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  • Sewing Tricks for Beginners
    Just because you are a beginner sewist doesn't mean that you have to settle for amateurish garments. As a beginner, I found that it's the little touches that make all the difference in how polished and expensive a handmade garment looks I made
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  • Sleeve Plackets Made Simple
    At one time, just the thought of making a sleeve placket made me shudder. I will gladly put 100 hours into a couture tailored suit--just don't ask me to make a sleeve placket for a blouse ... or read instructions on how to do it. But you know how
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  • Add Some '40s Flounce to Your Blouse
    You can take a plain mandarin collar blouse from blah to adorable in just a few minutes with some easy pattern drafting. Here's how: 1) Draw a straight line on the front bodice from the mid-shoulder to a point on the center-front that is about 3 inches
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  • Sneak Peek! Lace—Magical, Often Mysterious
    We have a guest this week! Below, Jeane Hutchins, editor-in-chief of PieceWork magazine gives us a sneak preview of the May/June 2012 PieceWork : Learning about some of the people from the past who encouraged the development of various types of lace or
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  • Extra! Extra! Get Slim Support for Knit Garments
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  • Free Collection of Hand Sewing Stitches, Techniques, and Patterns
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  • Keep Your Waistline from Drooping
    For any dress that has a bodice and a skirt, I like to add a waist stay to keep the waistline from drooping. Recently, I was working on a knit dress that was gorgeous, but droopy at the waist, and needed some support. A stay is basically a grosgrain ribbon
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  • Add a Pretty and Secure Edge with a Pickstitch
    I prefer to put in a zipper by hand. Closures are so critical to the look of a garment, and I just like the result I get when putting the zipper manually. That's how I fell in love with the pickstitch. I'm sure you've seen the pickstitch on
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  • Stitch Summer 2012 Now Available!
    Many of you have been writing to ask me when you can get your copy of Stitch Summer 2012, and I am so excited to let you know that this sunny issue is now available! Now that we are all starting to get a taste of warmer weather, the 34 projects in this
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  • The New Quilting Modern Book Rocks!
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  • Loving Modern Patchwork
    I mentioned a few posts ago that I am fast turning into a "crossover quilter" with all the exposure that I am getting from the quilting editors in my office. Well, I have gotten a look at Modern Patchwork 2012, and I think that I will be definitely
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  • Stitch, Summer 2012
    Usher in sunny days with Stitch , Summer 2012! With 34 fresh projects inspired by the outdoors, from gardening and flowers to the seashore and natural linen, you’ll find projects and accessories for outdoor living, wardrobe, and home décor−plus adorable gifts to make for your kids
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  • How to Keep Your Garments from Sagging
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  • Make Your Space Sew-Inspired
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  • I am a Crossover Quilter
    I have to be truthful here. I have never been much of a quilter, although I come by the art honestly. My great-grandmother created intricate handstitched quilts that are family heirlooms to this day, and my grandmother was just as much of an artist with
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  • Pass On Your Passion for Sewing - And You Could Win
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  • Send us your ideas for the Winter 2012 issue!
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  • Send us your ideas for the Winter 2012 issue!
    The deadline is looming and we are looking for projects for the Winter 2012 issue. Get inspired this weekend and send your project ideas! Project proposals are due on March 12. For more information, see the submissions guidelines ! Looking forward to
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  • Correction: Summer 2012 Flower-Power Reversible Project Pattern Available as Download
    The Stitch Summer 2012 Flower-Power Reversible Purse project was not indicated as a downloadable pattern in the magazine. It is available as a downloadable pattern at the following web address: http://www.sewdaily.com/media/p/6219.aspx . It can also be
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  • Make a Down-and-Dirty Muslin, Really!
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  • So Excited About Stitch Summer 2012!
    I have to take a break from all the how-to posts to let you know how much I love the Stitch Summer 2012 issue, from the cover to everything that's inside. Granted, I am a little biased, but I think you'll agree once you get a gander at what's
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  • Add an Arty Insert to a Flared Skirt Pattern
    Last week, I posted about turning a straight skirt into a flirty skirt for spring . Now I want to take it a step further and add an arty insert to that flared skirt. Yep, you guessed it, more cutting up patterns. Now that's my idea of fun! It's
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  • Take My Advice: Tips for Cutting Slippery Fabrics
    I can be a pretty stubborn person sometimes, and even though I will hear about a great tip for sewing, I will resist trying it until I absolutely have to resort to changing my ways. Place paper beneath charmeuse to cut. Last weekend, I was working on
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  • What to Do with a Gorgeous Piece of Fabric
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  • Draft a Flirty, Flared Skirt for Spring
    Trace your pattern piece and transfer markings. Fit is everything in sewing and if you have a straight skirt pattern that you have altered to fit you perfectly, there is no reason to reinvent the wheel. You can turn that straight skirt into any number
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  • Stitch Winter 2012 Call for Submissions Now Live!
    Calling all Stitch fans! The Winter 2012 Call of Submissions is now live . Check it out and send your great project ideas in!
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  • Create a Clever and Pretty Nametag Pouch
    Being creative is all about the finishing touches and having the very best nametag pouch ever is definitely a great finishing touch, as well as very practical. Create an embellished nametag pouch by Susan Brubaker Knapp from the Quilting Arts TV 900 series
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  • I Love Zakka!
    I just love it when an overarching design principle is expressed within a craft, which is exactly what happens in "I Love Patchwork: 21 Irresistible Zakka Projects to Sew" by Rashida Coleman Hale. "I Love Patchwork" by Rashida Coleman
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  • Great Tips for Sewing with Faux Fur
    People tend to shy away from sewing with faux fur because they assume that it is just too difficult to manage. But faux fur garments usually have simple lines, with no darts and little fitting. So before you avoid sewing with faux fur, read these tips
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  • Create Your own Fabric Designs with Shibori
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  • The Shape of Clothes to Come
    I love garments that can be worn in more ways than one. There's just something so ingenious about about a design that can take several shapes. That's why I'm such a huge fan of S hape Shape: Sewing Clothing Patterns to Wear Multiple Ways
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  • Make a Quick and Pretty Fabric Bracelet
    Getting in touch with your craft everyday can be a challenge, but here is an easy and stylish fabric bracelet from Pat Sloan that also (yeah!) uses up extra fabric scraps and pieces of bias strips.. This is a great way to add some zip to your wardrobe
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  • Take a Peek Behind the Scenes at the Stitch Photo Shoot
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  • Spring Stitch is Here!
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  • Choose Your Restyling Weapon Wisely
    Have you ever wondered how you can take one garment and transform it into another? There you are looking at your closet at, say, a mega-shouldered designer jacket that you inherited and you know it cost a mint, but it will never see the light of day in
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  • Corrections: Stitch, Spring 2012
    For the Baby Layette set by Marcia Van Oort (shown on page 50), please note these updates to the instructions (pages 100-101): Step 12: Change 3/16" to 3/8" Step 21: Change 3/16" to 3/8" Step 23: In the fourth sentence, change the
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  • Take Back Your Sewing Studios!
    How many stay-cations have I sworn to spend cleaning my closet once and for all, exploring those mystery boxes in the attic, or some other noble endeavor. As if. But on a recent winter holiday I vowed that I would finally unpack my sewing supplies and
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  • Top Sewing Pattern Posts of 2011
    Looking back over the past year of blog posts, there have been great articles about sewing patterns. I was scrolling through the selection to see what I could curate for a sewing pattern blog post round-up, and I was very impressed by the offerings. It
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  • Stitch, Spring 2012
    The Spring issue of Stitch will jumpstart you into spring! With 36 fresh projects for outdoor living, wardrobe accessories, and home dec-plus several adorable gifts to make for your favorite babies!-Stitch Spring is bursting with the ideas, techniques, and inspiration that will help you welcome back
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  • My Favorite Trick for Cutting Bias Strips
    I am a huge fan of slipcovers, mostly because I own two massive golden retrievers who think they are lap dogs. Not only can you wash slipcovers--you can also change the look of a room in just a few minutes. As a result, I have become pretty good friends
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  • Sewing Perfect Plaids
    Have you ever walked behind someone who is wearing a really well-made plaid jacket and marveled at the perfect matching of the plaid pattern across the seamlines? If you've ever tried to sew with plaids, you would also know that this isn't so
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  • Make a Quick Lavender Trivet
    Sometimes I just want to make something really simple. No patterns. Nothing complicated. Just fast little thing that I can turn out in a couple of hours. Maximum satisfaction, with minimum fuss. This lavender trivet project from the Stitch Spring 2010
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  • Make Your Own Patterns
    Copy your favorite dress and remake it! I've had two posts recently on patternmaking: Cut Up Your Patterns and Your Clothes and The Seven Patternmaking Tools I Would Take to a Deserted Island . And now maybe you are ready to dive into the deep end
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  • Submit a project to Stitch Fall 2012!
    Just a quick note to remind everyone that the Call for Submissions for Stitch Fall 2012 is now posted. We would love to have you submit a project! Happy Holidays and New Year!
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  • The 7 Pattern Making Tools I Would Take to a Deserted Island
    In my recent blog post, Cut Up Your Patterns and Clothes , I wrote about how to make basic alterations to a blazer pattern to give it a more cropped and feminine silhouette. There are some very important and essential tools, in my opinion, to have in
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  • Create Beautiful Pillows with Unusual Design Techniques
    Note from Amber: Pokey Bolton, host of "Quilting Arts TV", has written a wonderful post about her on-set visit with fiber artist Margaret Applin, stocked with great tips on using surface design for home décor projects. You'll love
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  • Embellish Away!
    Embellish Away! One of my favorite things to do is to hit yard sales (or tag sales, as they call them on the East Coast) in search of vintage sewing supplies. I've found precious caches of patterns, fabrics, and even a dress form or two. But by and
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  • Cut Up Your Patterns and Clothes
    One of the biggest discoveries that I made about commercial sewing patterns was that I didn't have to stick to the pattern. I could change it. I was sewing for years before I learned this valuable lesson. I wanted to sew the fashions that I saw in
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  • Make a Quick Beaded Sweater for a Holiday Gift
    When it comes to making a quick handmade gift for someone, there is nothing easier and more satisfying than beading. Think of it: You take a ready-made object (a sweater, top or fabric clutch) and make it all sparkly and beautiful. I studied beading embroidery
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  • Seeing is Learning in Sewing
    I have always found it to be so much easier to learn by watching when it comes to sewing. Maybe that's the reason that I've spent years studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. Over the years, I've learned draping
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  • My Life in Studios
    You could call me a little obsessed with sewing spaces and studios. And mine have run the gamut, from minimalist to downright lavish. Growing up, I used my grandmother's Singer (you know, the kind that folds away inside a table). It was tucked into
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  • Be Your Own Photographer
    Whenever I go to a magazine photo shoot, I always say to myself, "In my next life, I want to be a photographer." I think it's just incredible all the details that go into making a great photo: the cameras and lenses, the lighting, the editing
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  • My Favorite Sew Daily Shop Things
    I am so happy to be on board as the new editor of Stitch magazine and SewDaily.com . I've been sewing all my life and am a great admirer of Interweave's products. What perfect timing that there's a big sale just as I join Stitch and Sew Daily
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  • Fabric Design Made Easy
    Learn How to Make Your Own Fabric Designs A recent afternoon spent trying to organize my sewing studio confirmed a long-held suspicion I’ve had: my fabric stash is slowly taking over my house. I have fabric stored everywhere—cupboards, shelves
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  • Meet our New Editor + Free Easy Sewing Projects
    Sewing Basics and Easy Sewing Projects for Beginners A Note from Helen Gregory , Managing Editor of Interweave's Quilt, Paper & Sewing Group: I'm thrilled to introduce the new Editor for Stitch magazine and the Sew Daily community, Amber Eden
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  • Simple Modern Sewing Works for Everyone
    Generation Simple Modern We surveyed a whole team of fashion-loving women to see if the pretty styles in Simple Modern Sewing work for everyone. They do! Here in the book department at Interweave, we covet every Japanese sewing book that comes our way
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  • Stress-Free Holiday Sewing
    Tips for Stress-Free Holiday Sewing Monogrammed Fabric Gift Tags by Marlene Blessing Sewing gifts for loved ones is my favorite activity leading up to the holidays. I look forward to selecting the fabric and embellishments, sewing each gift, and imagining
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  • 5 Free eBooks to expand your sewing skills
    Just in time for the holidays! Celebrate the season with the creative possibilities of fabric and thread. Here we have tons of beautiful ideas, inspiring patterns, expert tips and unique techniques from the experts at Sew Daily and Quilting Daily—
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  • Where Did You Learn How To Sew?
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  • Stitch Gifts, 2011
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  • Stitch, Winter 2011
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  • Set the Table with an Easy Patchwork Project
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  • Stitch, Winter/Spring 2011
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  • Ribbon Embellishment—A Strong Fashion Trend
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  • Stitch, Fall 2011
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  • Add Texture with Beading: Tips from a Pro
    If you want to add texture and interest to a cuff, a collar, or an accessory, one of the quickest ways is to add embellishments like beading or embroidery.
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  • Stitch, Spring 2010
    This 148-page super special issue has 37 fantastic sewing projects for Spring! The theme is Sew Original and inside you'll find exclusive patterns, projects for kids, current trends, and much more! This 148-page super special issue has 37 fantastic sewing projects for Spring! The theme is Sew Original
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  • Button Crazy
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  • Sewing Patterns for the New Generation
    My daughter Meredith, 15, has just started taking sewing lessons, and she has caught on quickly. The first week she made two pillow cases. The second week she moved right along to a skirt
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  • Sewing Fabric Guide—Free eBook
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  • Modern Mix Blog Tour
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  • Explore Texture with the Winter Issue of Stitch!
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  • Fresh Contemporary Sewing Patterns
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  • Stitch, Gifts 2011
    ON THE COVER: Drawstring Gift Bags features sew gifty Nicole Smith Our guide to the perfect sewing sewing tools and supplies to give (and get)! a stress-free handsewn holiday Marlene Blessing Great ideas to make gift sewing fun doable projects sew festive
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  • Quick Projects for Easy Gifting
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  • Sewing Zippers Made Easy
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  • The Right Sewing Supplies = Machine Quilting Success
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  • Preview the Winter 2011 issue of Stitch!
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  • Create a Stylish Wardrobe with 8 Easy Sewing Patterns
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  • Stitch It Up with Machine Embroidery
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  • Sew Wild Blog Tour with Alisa Burke
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  • Easy Sewing Techniques for Sheer Fabrics
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  • Sewing Trends in Designs, Techniques, and Supplies + StashBuster Sale
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  • Stitch, Winter 2011
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  • Create Your Fall Sewing To-Do List
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  • Stitch, Fall 2010
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  • Tips for Organizing Fabric and Sewing Supplies
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  • A Private Sewing Lesson with Liesl Gibson!
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  • Learning by Doing: Follow Along with a Free Project!
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  • Gear Up For Fall Sewing with a Free Project!
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  • Freebie Friday: Timeless Treasures fabric!
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  • Sewing the Perfect Summer Dress
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  • Bits of Thread Sewing Studio in Washington, D.C.
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  • Studio Organization Tips from Genevieve Gorder!
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  • Drawing With Your Bobbin!
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  • Stitch, Fall 2009
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  • Crafting Crossovers
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  • Freebie Friday: Amy Butler's Must-Have Pillows!
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  • Spice Up Your Next Project with Creative Machine Stitching!
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  • 3 Easy Ways to Customize a Skirt Pattern!
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  • Tips and Tricks for Easy Darts
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  • Sew Heavy
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  • Freebie Friday: Sewing In a Straight Line by Brett Bara!
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  • Meet Brett Bara, author of Sewing in a Straight Line
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  • Sewing in Color
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  • Make One-of-a-Kind Fabric with Our Newest eMag!
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  • Textile Arts Center Expands to Manhattan
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  • Use Up Scraps with a Quick Selvedge Pincushion!
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  • Freebie Friday: Coats & Clark Thread!
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  • Free Stuff and Sewing Spaces Revealed
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  • Sew Cute Dress Patterns
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  • Play with Patchwork and Get 20% Off ePatterns!
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  • Freebie Friday: Amy Butler Sandlewood Jacket Pattern!
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  • Preview the Fall 2011 Issue of Stitch!
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  • Introducing Our First Stitch Workshop DVD!
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  • Stitch, Fall 2011
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  • Hand Embroidery Made Easy
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  • Exclusive Q&A with Flirt Skirts Authors Patti Gilstrap and Seryn Potter
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  • Sewing Techniques from the Past
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  • Freebie Friday: Dressmaker's Handbook of Couture Sewing Techniques!
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  • Five Free Projects in the New Sewing for the Home eBook
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  • Sew Appliques on Knits in a Snap!
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  • 7 Tips on Combining Machine + Hand Stitching
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  • Freebie Friday: OLFA rotary cutters!
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  • New Summer Sewing ePatterns Have Arrived!
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  • Sew Something for Dad This Father's Day
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  • Growing Up Sew Liberated Blog Tour
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  • Project Submissions Call for Stitch Spring 2012
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  • The Next Generation: Mother-Daughter Sewing Teams
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  • Corrections: Stitch, Summer 2011
    Cat House (project instructions page 135) The Roof Panel measurement should read 14 1/4" x 17 1/2" (not 4 1/4" x 17 1/2").
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  • Indie Pattern Companies
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  • Customizing Bag Sewing Patterns
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  • Freebie Friday: Sew Tina! and Girl's World
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  • Paper Piecing for Perfect Patchwork
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  • Traveling Costumes and 1001 Inventions
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  • Tips on Sewing for Kids Plus a FREE Project!
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  • Freebie Friday: Thermoweb notions!
    Happy Friday stitchy friends and welcome to another entry of Freebie Friday! This week we're giving away a pile of fun notions from Therm-O-Web. This prize package will include: - Heat n Bond Lite iron-on adhesive. This heat-activated adhesive has
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  • Pillows From All Angles
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  • Spring Quilt Market 2011
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  • Design Your Own Fabric That's Good Enough to Eat!
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  • Stripped Down Patchwork Blog Tour: Day 2
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  • Freebie Friday: Charm Clutch pattern by Amy Butler
    Happy Friday stitchy friends and welcome to this week's Freebie Friday! This week we're giving away a sewing pattern: the Charm Clutch by Amy Butler, which includes both clutch, handbag, and shoulder bag styles. This elegantly proportioned charming
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  • Break Out of a Sewing Rut with Artful Stitches
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  • Find Sewing Inspiration at Museums Around the Globe
    Every time my mother comes to visit me, she always asks what exhibits are going on in the city so that she can see a part of sewing and fashion history herself. I then have to go on a quest to find information about museums across the NYC area, combing
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  • Personalized Gift Tags to Make in a Snap!
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  • Freebie Friday: The Printed Pattern by Yvonne and Rebecca Drury
    Happy Friday everyone and welcome to another round of Freebie Friday! This week we're giving away a copy of The Printed Pattern:Techniques and Projects for Inspired Printmaking and Surface Design by Yvonne Drury and Rebecca Drury. The Printed Pattern
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  • Spring Sale on Sewing Inspiration!
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  • Freebie Friday: Modern Log Cabin Quilting by Susan Beal
    Happy Friday everyone, and welcome to this week's Freebie Friday giveaway! This week we're giving away a copy of Modern Log Cabin Quilting by Susan Beal. Susan outlines the entire process from start to finish, including basic quilting how-to as
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  • Customize Your Fabric with DIY Freezer-Paper Stencils
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  • Nicole's Favorite Sewing Inspiration Websites
    In honor of the feature in the summer issue of Stitch on the huge impact of the web on the contemporary sewing world ( Connected! Sewing in a Digital World by Elaine Lipson, Stitch Summer 2011), we are featuring a blog series in which Stitch editors and
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  • 6 Handy Tips for De-Cluttering Your Sewing Space
    Sewing Room Organization My sewing space along the wall in my Denver loft. One of the key things I have realized over the years is that the way my sewing space is set up completely affects how much sewing I accomplish. Based on the space available I've
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  • Sew a Gift for Mom
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  • Asymmetrical Skirt Sew-Along Update
    I whipped up the asymmetrical skirt and here is the result! Overall the skirt is pretty easy to make, but it does have a few tricky elements. Revisiting a sewing pattern from our first issue of Stitch was challenging for me because I know how much we
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  • Freebie Friday: Handmade Nation DVD
    Happy Friday, and welcome to this week's Freebie Friday post! Today is Earth Day, a holiday founded to promote awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. On Earth Day we like to think more than usual about ways we can reduce
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  • Free Sewing Accessories eBook!
    Style a Garment Project with the Right Accessory As soon as I finish sewing a new garment, the first thing I ask is "what do I have to go with it"? The perfect scarf or bag can complete an outfit, and we all know the frustration of looking for
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  • Ayumi’s Favorite Sewing Inspiration Websites
    In honor of the fascinating feature story in our just-released summer issue on the huge impact of the web on the contemporary sewing world ( Connected! Sewing in a Digital World by Elaine Lipson, Stitch Summer 2011), we are creating a series of blog posts
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  • How do you store your fabric?
    A few months ago, I started on the daunting task of purging my fabric stash. I had the dream of creating a fabric library for myself that would be neat in display and showcase my fabrics in a way that would inspire me to create. So, I purchased an extra
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  • Easy Tips for Experimenting with Color
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  • Freebie Friday: Patterns and Fabric from Lisette!
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  • Sewing with Vintage Patterns
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  • Tricia’s Top 5 Sewing Inspiration Websites
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  • Freebie Friday: Sewn by Hand + more!
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  • What could be better than creating your own custom fabric?
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  • Our First Stitch Sew-Along!
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  • Interview with Susan Wasinger, author of Sewn by Hand
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  • Stitch + Knits = Love!
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  • Freebie Friday - Little Girls, Big Style by Mary Abreu
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  • Introducing Freebie Fridays!!!
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  • Simple Tips for Handprinting Your Own Fabric
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  • Spring into Patchwork with a Free Project!
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  • Stitch Summer is here plus FREE online extras!
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  • Sewing Unplugged
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  • Stitch, Summer 2011
    ON THE COVER: Hexagon Beach Bag features sewn by hand Linda Turner Griepentrog Handsewing techniques step by step connected! sewing in a digital world Elaine Lipson How the Internet has revolutionized the sewing world the remix artist Marlene Blessing
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  • What are your sewing notion necessities?
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  • Join the First Stitch Sew-Along!
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  • Q&A and Quilting Tips from Fresh Quilting
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  • Stitch on TV
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  • The Museum at FIT Presents Vivienne Westwood
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  • Have a Great Studio? Send Fiberarts a Photo!
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  • Studio Tips from Ty Pennington
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  • Fashion Week
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  • First Look at the Stitch Summer Issue!
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  • Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts
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  • Sew and Go
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  • Stitch, Spring 2009
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  • Stitching in Cyberspace
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  • Sew Daily Website Launch and Free Sewing Patterns eBook
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  • Coming Attractions
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  • BIG NEWS! Stitch Auto-Ship Program
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  • Birds to Beat the Winter Blues
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  • The Twirl Moment
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  • A New Twist on Eco-Fashion
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  • Stretch Your Sewing Knowledge
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  • Tricia's Top 10
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  • Top Product Picks for 2011
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  • Stitch, Winter 2008
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  • Sewing from Start to Finish
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  • Stitch News and Free Stuff!
    Free project: Feel Good Love Pillow, designed by Malka Dubrawsky. Free project: Improv Scarf, designed by Alissa Haight Carlton . The winter/spring issue of Stitch should be showing up in stores as I write this. While you are waiting to get the latest
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  • Guide to Printing Pattern PDFs
    Download the PDF and save the file where you will find it easily. Once the pattern has downloaded, open the file and check that it has downloaded fully. The first page of the PDF is a layout drawing of the assembled tiles; use this as a guide while putting
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  • Stitch, Winter/Spring 2011
    ON THE COVER: Felt Confetti Pillow features top 10 Linda Turner Griepentrog Ten techniques + tips every sewer should know different by design Elaine Lipson Alison Willoughby transforms the skirt into a work of art projects the art of appliqué Get
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  • Ready, Set, Sew!
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  • Stitch Submissions
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  • Corrections: Stitch, Fall 2008
    Well-Suited Messenger Bag (project instructions page 66) Flap Front (leather) and Flap Front (wool) pieces should both be labeled as 16" wide, not 15" as they are labeled. Asymmetrical Fold Skirt (page 73) Step 6 contains an error, instructing
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  • Welcome!
    Stitch is a quarterly special issue sewing magazine all about creating with fabric and thread. Whether you are new to sewing, have been sewing for years, or are returning to sewing after a long hiatus, Stitch will give you a fresh perspective on sewing
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  • Creating with Fabric
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  • Call for Submissions: Fall 2011
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  • A New Year of Sewing
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  • Winter/Spring Stitch Preview
    Chipmunk Hot Pad from The Art of Applique section. Kimono Wrap Top from the Knit Wit section. Spaghetti Strap Necklace from the Sew Small, Sew Stylish section. The new issue of Stitch hits newsstands January 18, and it's the exciting start of our
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  • A Timeless (And Easy!) Holiday Gift for Kids
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  • Q&A: Erin Gilday
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  • Updated Pattern: Plaid Curves Table Runner
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  • Tips for an Efficient and Organized Sewing Space
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  • I Want Sew Daily!
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  • Living the Handmade Life
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  • Sewing for a Cause: Stitching Up the Spirit of Giving
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  • Tricia's Burdastyle Interview
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  • Stylish Holiday Gift Sewing
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  • Thanksgiving Sewing and a Free Amy Butler Download!
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  • Easy Applique in 4 Simple Steps
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  • Thinking Outside the Bolt
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  • Five Easy Steps for a Fabulous Ribbon Embellishment Project
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  • What is Your Type?
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  • New Car vs. New Sewing Machine
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  • Shopping Project Runway Style At Mood Fabrics
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  • Stitch Flickr Group Update
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  • SeaHope Partners and More: News from The Sewing Machine Project
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  • Fashion and Fabric: Fall Museum Update
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  • Tutorial: Sewing Faux Fur
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  • New York Fashion Week S/S 2011 - Part 2
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  • New York Fashion Week S/S 2011 - Part 1
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  • Q&A: Jil Cappuccio of One of a Kinds, Limited Lines
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  • Sewing with Silk: Free Extras!
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  • Match Perfect Plaids: A Stitch Tutorial
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  • September is National Sewing Month
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  • Big Stitch News!
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  • Get Organized With Free Fabric Stash Book Pages
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  • Behind the Scenes at the Fall Stitch Photo Shoot
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  • Q&A: Ayumi Takahashi of Pink Penguin
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  • Sneak Peek Preview: Stitch Fall 2010!
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  • Stitch, Fall 2010
    ON THE COVER: Patchwork Cube Slipcover features quilting the modern way Alissa Haight Carlton Contemporary quilting goes graphic + bold fabric visionary Marlene Blessing Christina Kim of global inspired design house Dosa projects off the couch Transform
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  • World of Sewing Fabric: Scottish Tartans
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  • Get Inspired: Mad Sewing
    Last week we looked at a few fall fashion trends, and it got me thinking about where sewists look for inspiration and ideas. Inspiration is all around us! It's on the street, in magazines, on style blogs, on the runway, and in the media, especially
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  • Sewing Up Fall Fashion Trends
    If you've spent the summer just trying to beat the heat with your breeziest skirts and tank tops, you might be wondering, as we are--what's in style for fall? We took a quick tour of fashion websites to see which trends stand out for fall and
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  • Adventures of a New Sewist: Kerry's Bag Sewing Story
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  • Dog Days and Doll Days of Sewing Projects
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  • Divine Color!
    I bought this fabulous color-wheel umbrella (at left) from the Museum of Modern Art's online store last week, and it has me thinking about color palettes. When you love every color, as I do, it's easy to respond impulsively to color and end up
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  • Refashioning Clothes Project Diary: Upcycling a Summer Dress
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  • Sewing for Kids: Q&A with Heidi Boyd of Crafty Inspiration
    When we're looking for cute and charming sewing projects for children, there's one person we know we can rely on. Hailing from mid-coastal Maine, Heidi Boyd is the author of twelve craft books and got her start in professional crafting as a contributor
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  • Celebrate Your Sewing Independence
    While the fireworks are going off and the burgers and vegetables are grilling this weekend, are you searching for a little time to sew up a lovely linen pillow or a cool cotton skirt? Make this the week to celebrate your sewing independence. Here at Stitch
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  • World of Sewing Fabric: American Quilts
    With Independence Day coming right up, it's a good time to celebrate some of the great stitching legacies of the United States. Along with denim and blue jeans and Betsy Ross's' flags, patchwork quilts are probably the most iconic American
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  • 6 Ways Technology Can Make You a Sewing Superstar
    In theory, you don't even need electricity to make things with fabric and thread--in fact, humans did it for thousands of years! But today, there are so many fun ways to blend technology and creativity. We have sewing machines that remember our buttonhole
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  • Sewing Gifts for Grads and Newlyweds
    June is a month for celebrations and for honoring happy milestones--graduations and weddings, for example. Both of these transitions often mean that loved ones are furnishing and decorating a new home or apartment without a lot of money, or traveling
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  • Sewing Techniques Tutorial: Joining Opposing Curves
    Joining Two Opposing Curves Joining opposing curves can be daunting, but with the right sewing technique , it really isn't all that difficult. I've chosen to demonstrate by sewing a partial muslin sample of the pattern pieces for Heidi Boyd 's
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  • Stitch + Travel: You Can Take It With You!
    Summertime means travel, right? I love being on the road under the summer sun, whether it's in a car trip on the highways of the West (yes, you can still get your kicks on Route 66), a weekend at the beach, or a transcontinental adventure. Travel
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  • Q&A: Kevin Kosbab of Feed Dog Designs
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  • World of Sewing Fabric: Mudcloth
    Gorgeous fabrics from faraway places -- that was the theme of Stitch Fall 2009 . It's also a favorite theme of mine; I think of myself as a global textile explorer, and I love the incredible diversity and beauty of textile traditions from around the
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  • Promise to Sew
    As the editor of Stitch , I have the incredible pleasure of working on a publication that celebrates my passion for sewing. If there has been any downside at all, it's that I'm often working on the magazine when I want to actually be sewing. And
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  • Back to the Future: Sewing Vintage Modern
    There are so many ways for creative sewers to be inspired by designs, patterns, and notions from decades past, when elegant details and fine construction methods were a part of every seamstress's knowledge base. Fortunately, Marlene Blessing, Interweave's
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  • Stitch Magazine Creations
    We're on Flickr ! We were thrilled to learn this week that an intrepid sewist named Layla has launched the Stitch Magazine Creations group on Flickr.com, a popular free photo-sharing site. Anyone can join and upload photos, as long as they're
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  • Spring into Sewing
    Here in Colorado, spring has been late in coming, but it's not stopping us from thinking about spring and summer sewing. Although the Stitch editors are looking ahead to fall, we're all yearning to sew sundresses, summer tops and skirts, and fabric
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  • Stitch Rules!
    Sewing often seems full of rules--some of them made for breaking, and some of them really useful. I thought I'd share a few of my personal rules for successful sewing. If you're just learning to sew, these suggestions may be helpful. If you're
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  • Welcome!
    Welcome to the brand-new blog for Stitch magazine! We're so excited to bring you more Stitch , more often. The heart of Stitch is helping you to express yourself through sewing by taking patterns and making them your own, and by helping you to improve
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  • Stitch, Spring 2010
    ON THE COVER: Odekakke Tote from Zakka Style features Vintage Modern Marlene Blessing Discover endless sewing inspiration in fashions from the past Sewing Playground Anne Merrow Meet children's wear designer Liesl Gibson of Oliver + S projects Modern
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  • Stitch, Fall 2009
    ON THE COVER: Odekakke Tote from Zakka Style features I Love Japan Elaine Lipson Join the Japanese-inspired sewing craze Fabric First Marlene Blessing Max Osterweis, SUNO, and the Kanga Revolution projects Around the World Get creative with global fabrics
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    ON THE COVER: Tuesday Pillow features Print Me Susan Beal Customize your sewing with DIY screen-printed fabrics The Whir and the Power of Making Linzee Kull McCray Sewing with Diana Rupp, Founder of Make Workshop projects Stitch it Up Get creative with
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  • Stitch, Winter 2008
    Get creative with fabric & thread Download the Digital Addition of Stitch 2008 magazine! A special issue devoted to the creative possibilities of sewing wearables, home decor, accessories, and gifts. Get a fresh perspective on sewing! Quilting Arts Stitch speaks to a new generation of sewing enthusiasts
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