Active Sewing & Embroidery Posts
How To: Make the Nutcracker's hat from "The Nutcracker"
If you've ever watched "The Nutcracker" before, then you know that one of the most whimsical and (physically) memorable characters of the ballet production is the King himself, the Nutcracker.
How To: Sew a simple fashionable purple infinity scarf
Infinity scarves are ridiculously easy to make at home. All you need is a long strip of thick fabric in a print you enjoy and some basis sewing utensils.
HowTo: Lady Gaga Telephone Bra
Damn, I wanted to learn how to make those cigarette smoking glasses in Lady Gaga's Telephone music video, but the sparkly silver and black bra is fun, too (and perhaps a bit more practical). Previously, HowTo: Lady Gaga Video Glasses.
How To: Upcycle an oversized t-shirt into a feminine halter top
Doesn't this feminine and romantic halter top look like something you'd see at a high end retailor like Ann Taylor? Silky and soft, this halter top is actually made from an old oversized t-shirt.
How To: Sew a simple floral strapless dress for spring with Gianny L
This spring dress will be a staple in your chic closet well through summertime. So devote a few minutes of your time now to check out this DIY fashion video by Gianny L to learn how to sew this very pretty floral strapless mini dress.
How To: Identify the basic parts of a sewing machine and thread it correctly
The first part of this tutorial shows you the various parts of your sewing machine, which will be the same regardless of the model. Then, you're shown how to thread both the top and bobbin of the machine, and start stitching.
How To: Fix the thread tension on your home sewing machine
Whether you use a Singer, Brother, Janome or other model of sewing machine, you'll still be able to use this tutorial. If you find that your stitches are too tight, too loose or bunching up on one side, the problem is likely with your thread tension. Here are a few ways to adjust or fix the tension on your sewing machine.
How To: Maintain the feed dog area on your own sewing machine
Save money by performing your own sewing machine maintenance! While there are differences between a Singer sewing machine, a Brother model or a Janome machine, there are many similarities. This video shows you how to maintain and clean the feed dog area on your sewing machine.
How To: Maintain your sewing machine after it's been in storage or unused for awhile
Whether you have a Singer sewing machine, a Janome or a Brother, this video is good advice. If your sewing machine has been sitting in storage or has been unused for a long time, you'll need to do a little bit of maintenance before you start it up again.
How To: Upcycle a glass jar by redecorating the top
Take one plain Mason jar or glass jar. Add your favorite scraps of fabric, ribbon and other embellishments. Decoraate with lace, beads, sequins and applique. You now have a lovely upcycled glass jar, perfect to give as a gift or favor.
How To: Sew a cute and chic layered skirt without a pattern
A layered skirt can add either elegance or a bit of funkiness to your wardrobe, depending on your choice of fabric. This video shows you a quick and easy way to sew your own, perfectly fitted layered skirt out of whatever fabric you want.
How To: Transfer an image onto fabric using cross hatching or straight stitching
Want to tranfer a pretty image, logo or design onto some fabric, but can't find the right applique? You can use some wash away foundation paper and a few basic hand stitching techniques instead! Sew any sort of image you want!
How To: Sew your own stylish and elegant pillbox style hat
This is very easy to follow project you can use to sew a cute, stylish pillbox style hat. All you need is some stiff fabric, a few sewing notions and then whatever embellishments (like ribbons, flowers or applique) you want to attach to the sides.
How To: Make cute little handmade dolls out of funky socks
You will need one pair of cute, funky socks for this tutorial, as well as some stuffing for the doll. This is an easy craft to do - turn some socks into something cute and clever! A fun little gift for anyone.
How To: Sew your own pouch for a mobile phone or mp3 player
You can use this tutorial to make a basic drawstring bag, which you can use to carry around your mobile phone, mp3 player or any other small accessories you don't want to lose. Decorate the outside with sequins, gems or appliques!
How To: Make a flapper style feather brooch or hairpin
This hair accessory looks like it comes straight out of the 1920s! Take a few elegant feathers and turn them into a brooch, a hairpin or an embellishment you can add on to any garment or other accessory you want!
How To: Make a stretchable bracelet out of old buttons
This is an adorable accessory, and a great way to use some old buttons. Make sure that your buttons are very basic, and have at least two holes in each one. You'll also want some elastic thread to string them on.
How To: Make a crocheted and felted ruffle for the collar of a cardigan
Dress up a tired old cardigan by adding a ruffle to the collar! A combination of crochet and felting will create this ruffle for you, and this tutorial shows you a quick and easy way to create the emebellishment you want.
How To: Sew a Victorian style pillow out of felt
This is a fun project that doesn't take much in terms of time or resources. You can even make it out of your scrap fabric! Use whatever notions or embellishments you want to create a lovely, Victorian inspired pillow at home.
How To: Repurpose an old wool sweater into wool mittens
Got an old fugly wool reindeer sweater that's collecting dust in your closet? Don't just toss the warm coat because it's not very stylish. Instead, check out this crafting tutorial to learn how to repurpose an old wool sweater into cute wool mittens.
How To: Craft a whimsical patchwork pincushion owl
Got a friend or family member who's glued to her sewing machine? Then she'll delight over this cute as a button owl pincushion. It can be made to use as a mini stuffed animal, or it can be used to hold all your pins and needles when you're not using them.
How To: Draft a pattern for a bodice at home for free
Instead of paying for expensive patterns that might not even fit you perfectly, create your own! This tutorial shows you how to take your own measurements and then draft a bodice pattern. It's very easy, and a great way to get lots of free patterns!
How To: Draft a free pattern for an A-line skirt easily and by hand
What's better than free pattern? A free pattern that fits you perfectly! This tutorial shows you how to draft the pattern for a basic A-line skirt completely by hand, and custom fit to your own measurements. All you need is some pattern paper, a pencil and a ruler.
How To: Sew a basic skirt and pencil skirt without a pattern
This tutorial starts off by showing you how to sew a basic skirt by using just your measurements - no pattern needed. Then, once you've mastered that, turn your basic skirt into a classy pencil skirt with just a few modifications.
How To: Figure out how many buttons you need for a hand drafted pattern
So you've drafted a jacket pattern by hand, but now how do you figure out how many buttons you need, and where to put them? This tutorial shows you a few tricks and rules to use when adding your buttons.
How To: Undo the hem on a pre-made skirt
This tutorial focuses on skirts, but you can use this process to undo the hem on any garment. You can sometimes cut off the hem, but if you want to make a much smaller alteration, here's how you can undo the hem entirely.
How To: Alter the hemlines on your skirts
This tutorial shows you how to determine what kind of skirt you have - straight or tapered . Then, depending on the type of skirt you have, you're shown how to alter the hem or shorten the length of your skirt.
How To: Cut up an old t-shirt and turn it into a corset halter top
Repurpose your old T-shirts! Create a fun summer look by creating a halter top/corset style look out of an old T-shirt. All you need is a sharp pair of scissors and a few embellishements or accessories. You won't even need a sewing machine.
How To: Make a cheap and easy headband holder at home
Tired of losing track of all your favorite headbands? This tutorial shows you how to make a headband holder! This project could also be used to organize your necklaces, or make a smaller version to use as a bracelet holder.
How To: Recycle your old clothes into a cute teddy bear
This tutorial works best with soft fabrics, like jersey or terry cloth. You can even cut up old flannel to make the stuffing! This is a simple project that won't take longer than an hour or two to put together.
How To: Make an easy tutu without needing a sewing machine
You can make a stylish and fun tutu without needing a sewing machine! All you need is several yards of tulle or a similar fabric. Perfect for ballet lessons, or wear it as a petticoat for your full, bouncy skirts.
How To: Decorate and personalize the cover for your cell phone
This tutorial shows you a few cute ideas to decorate a cell phone cover. iPhones all look the same, but you can take a basic cover and then add beads, faux gems, rhinestones and other embellishments to personalize your cell phone case.
How To: Draft your own darts when making a skirt without a pattern
Darts add shape and a more fitted line to garments that use them. While many patterns come with the darts pre-printed, how do you add darts when you're sewing without a pattern? This tutorial shows you how to add your own darts by hand.
How To: Craft cometa flower wedding favors
These cometa flowers are made from Italian cometa ribbon. Velvety and smooth, they are easy to craft with and can be quickly turned into beautiful blooms that can adorn your wedding favors.
How To: Sew a zipper into your clothes and other projects
A zipper may look intimidating, but it's really not. This tutorial shows you an easy and quick way to sew a zipper. You will need a zipper, straight pins, matching thread, scissors, your sewing project and a special zipper foot for your sewing machine.
How To: Sew with LEDs and connections in your sewing projects
Want to incorporate LEDs into your costumes and sewing? This video is here! Using a basic glove, this tutorial shows you how you can work with LEDs when you want to sew them into a project. Make sure you don't accidentally sew a short circuit.
How To: Hand sew using connective thread, a buzzer and an arduino
You have to be careful not to accidentally sew in a short circuit when you are working with connective thread. This tutorial shows you how to sew in a connection to an arduino, a buzzer and a battery on a glove.
How To: Sew a connection to an arduino on your clothing
Make your clothing really light up! This tutorial shows you how to properly and carefully sew a connection to an arduino to some fabric, so you can incorporate some lightweight electronics into your next fashion project or battery operated costume piece.
How To: Upcycle and embellish an old or out of date cardigan sweater
Get a plain cardigan at a thrift store or vintage store and then use these few tips to jazz it up a bit! Switch out the buttons and add a few floral embellishemtns you can make out of felted wool.
How To: Make a pocket organizer for your coupons and receipts
Increase the storage capabilities of your home! This tutorial shows you how you can create a wall hanging out of fabric that will let you store your coupons, reciepts and other important papers. All you need are some basic sewing tools and a sewing machine.