MacKenzie Childs Inspired DIY Home Decor

 

Inspired by the whimsical and quirky stylings of MacKenzie Childs, the mixing and matching of complimentary palates with contrasting prints offers a baseline theme to build creatively on in this inspiring layout featuring stripes, plaids, and polka dots in a pastel color wave.

Vibrantly hued accents are like candy for the eyes! Orange and pink polka dots provide a playful contrast to both the granny apple green /white swirls and the black/white stripes. An accent table goes from so-so to so-fun when embellished with rickrack-bordered fabric on top and coordinating print on the drawer facing. A no-sew striped pillow cover offers an added comfort to a seating staple. Accented with black beaded trim, the flirty lampshade in pink/white offers is share of feminine charm. For eye-catching artwork that can be hung on a wall or placed on a tabletop, fuse your choice of fabric onto an artist canvas and applique a flower in the center.

 

Sewing Superstitions From Around the World

 

 

superstition {noun}

su·​per·​sti·​tion | \ ˌsü-pər-ˈsti-shən \

Definition of superstition:
1: a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation
2: a notion maintained despite evidence to the contrary

 

Top 10 Lifesaving Sewing Tips & Hacks For Beginners

top 10 sewing tools for beginners

 

My mom got me my first sewing machine when I was 16. It was a portable Singer and eventually, a perfect fit for me. But without any YouTube videos at the time to offer quick sewing tips and life hacks for my journey ahead,  I was left to discover the best routes to successful completion of my projects on my own. Though I felt a level of excitement in the exploration and welcomed the challenge, it would take several mistakes and a whole lot of blood, sweat and tears (literally!) before I discovered the joy of sewing. From my initially intimidating machine to the additional tools i discovered to assist along the way,  i slowly but surely made the designs in my head a tangible reality.

5 Affordably Cool Gifts For Your #1 Seamstress

affordable gift for seamstress

A self-threading serger that finishes in less than a minute…

A sewing machine with self-correcting tension…

A completed garment of your imagination at the press of a button that fits us magnificently….

Until such gift wishes big or small become a reality, a seamstress can always dream. As for those that cherish the magic her hands manifest, why not show your appreciation this holiday season with affordably cool rescue remedies that will make her jump for joy or if nothing less, make her labors of love less arduous.

J&O Fabrics Top 20 Tried & True Sewing Tips

J&O fabrics sewing tips

Compiled over the years from our on and off-line customers, casual conversations, expert advise columnists, sewing forums, designers, quilters, and treasured seamstresses both present and past, our list of sewing tips n tricks offers some of the best tips tried and true for both the novice and seasoned seamstress. Though the well is endless and we might miss a few, we are sure you’ll find our list helpful wherever you are on your journey.

 

Top 20 Tried & True Sewing Tips

  1.  MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE. For those who know the dangers of not heeding, this is the golden rule.

Preserve Your Precious Pattern Pieces with Old Interfacing

Looking for a really great way to preserve your precious pattern pieces? Have a roll of old, lightweight, fusible interfacing just waiting to be put to use? Whether woven or non-woven, here’s a cool way to turn your less than impressive interfacing into pattern piece additions that strengthen and preserve at the same time!

Step 1:

To start, pull out a piece of non woven fusible interfacing and a piece of tissue pattern paper to test. Cut  your interfacing so that it is only slightly larger than your tissue paper piece, then iron together. Keep your iron on the STEAM OFF setting only.

Heat N’ Bond Tips and Tricks

j&o fabrics

Heat N’ Bond adhesive is a strong, paper-backed, iron-on adhesive designed for non sew apparel, craft and home decor projects. It’s solid layer of glue provides plenty of bonding strength, and requires less heat and shorter pressing time than many other fusible web products. With its advanced formula, Heat N’ Bond puts an end to fusible web limitations to provide the craft maker with superior results in a wide range of applications. It is quick, convenient and leaves professional looking results. This being said, we’d like to take a moment to share some additional tips, tricks and uses that are sure to make your Heat N’ Bond experience a successful one!

Understanding Fabric Grain 101

Fabric grain is a term that refers to the direction in which the threads are arranged in a particular fabric. It will determine how a fabric will react, drape or hang. Understanding fabric grain will help you to ensure your fabric projects are a success!

understanding fabric grain

The types and terms for fabric grains are fairly easy to commit to memory

 

There are 3 basic types of fabric grain:

  • Crosswise: These threads run perpendicular to the edge of the fabric. This means that as the fabric is being unrolled from a bolt, it is the edge running up and down. These are also known as ‘weft’ threads.

Tips For Working With Fleece Fabric

Fleece fabric is wonderfully versatile, it can be used for anything from mittens and scarves to cozy NFL fleece blankets. While it is soft and enticing, it is also a bit strong. The following tips will help you while working with fleece fabric.

working with fleece fabric

Does working with fleece give you the warm fuzzies? Before risking frustration or ruining perfectly good fleece–follow these tips!

Tips for sewing fleece fabric:

Selecting the Right Sewing Needle Sizes

Choosing the proper sewing needle for the task is as important as having the right chef’s knives in the kitchen. Not only is it important that it is sharp, the type can make or break a project! Sewing needle sizes can be a bit confusing, use the chart and tips below for help!

Sewing Needle Sizes

Needle sizes are shown in both American and European. You will see the size indicated on the package. Use the chart above to understand conversions.