Sewing

12 Gift Ideas for the Sewing Beginner

Looking for gift ideas for someone who has said “I want to learn how to sew”? Here are suggestions for 12 perfect gifts for the sewing beginner – or anyone you know who sews.

How to Make Pattern Weights

by DoItYourselfSkills

How to make your own pattern weights with yarn and hex nuts

When using commercial sewing patterns, you will find that the tissue easily rips when it is pinned to the fabric. Pattern weights are a great alternative to pins, and are very easy to make!

A Quick Guide to Buying Your First Sewing Machine

by DoItYourselfSkills

A guide to buying your first sewing machine

Buying your first sewing machine can be a confusing and frustrating experience, but this guide will help you in selecting a machine that will do all the things you need it to do – and without making a huge investment.

How to Finish Seams

by DoItYourselfSkills

Black & white image of a serger machine which is the best method for finishing seams.

Whether you are just learning how to sew or you have been making clothes for years, there is one dilemma that we all run into – how to finish seams. In this post, I am going to go into the different methods of seam finishing and tell you about what I believe to be the best and easiest way to finish seams on the clothes and accessories that you make.

How to Create Wearable Art

by DoItYourselfSkills

Handmade, original sleeveless khaki woman's top, hand stamped in original design stamps in colors of olive drab and navy blue. Top is hung on a natural branch against the side of a weathered grey wood outbuilding.

In this post, I’ll show you how to create your own wearable art by hand stamping plain fabric. With just a few simple tools and techniques, you can turn plain fabric into a one-of-a-kind piece. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced crafter, these step-by-step instructions will guide you through the process of creating your own unique fabric designs. So, get ready to unleash your creativity and start making your own hand-stamped fabric designs today!

15 Essential Sewing Supplies

by DoItYourselfSkills

Colorful sewing supplies consisting of scissors, pins, needles, thread and thimble laid out on pink, orange and purple felt squares

If you’re new to sewing, or just looking to update your sewing supplies, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. I’ve put together a list of 15 essential sewing supplies that you will be sure to use for all your sewing projects – from a simple square pillow to a complicated, couture garment.

How to Read the Label on a Bolt of Fabric (and the 4 most important things to look for)

by DoItYourselfSkills

A pile of colorful fabric bolts arranged on a shelf. Click to learn how to read the label on a bolt of fabric

It’s important to know how to read the label on a bolt of fabric, which contains information such as the fiber content, the care instructions, the width of the fabric, and any special features or finishes. What does all that stuff mean? Here are the 4 things you need to know and my secret on how to remember it all once you get home.

Restoring a Vintage Sewing Machine

by DoItYourselfSkills

Vintage sewing machine on a wooden table. The machine has been restored and is now in perfect working condition, ready for use in sewing projects.

Look at this vintage sewing machine I just restored! It was quite a process, but I’m so happy with how it turned out. Check out my blog post to see some before-and-after pics and learn more about how I brought this vintage beauty back to life. Now it’s one of the machines I frequently use for sewing and it looks gorgeous in my home studio!