Hot Sewing & Embroidery How-Tos
How To: Tie a decorative Door Knocker knot
This video tutorial is in the Arts & Crafts category which will show you how to tie a decorative Door Knocker knot. Take a piece of rope and make a loop at the center with the left hand end of the rope over the right hand end. Now pass the right end above and through the loop to make a half knot. Twist the loop to make a figure of eight, pass the right hand end through the lower loop of the "8" and back through the upper loop. Repeat this once again. Now repeat these steps with the left hand ...
How To: Create a quick & easy fleece blanket
In order to create a fleece blanket, you will need 2 layers of fabric, for a no-sew version. Cut them evenly. Cut the 2 pieces of fabric to equal size. Cut away a 4" square from each of the corners. Then, cut 1" strips around the edges. Then, tie each pair of strips in a knot.
How To: Sew on a missing button
In order to sew on a missing button, you will need the following: a needle, thread, scissors, and a button.
How To: Tie a celtic triangle knot easily
If you are interested in tying knots just for show and are looking for a challenge, this next tutorial might be what you need.
How To: Make stacked hair bows
In this tutorial, we learn how to make stacked hair bows. Start off with three separate bows: red, white, and blue. Make sure there is a string still hanging from the red one, but the strings on the white and blue are cut off. Now, put glue from a hot glue gun and place it on the middle/side of the blue ribbon, the glue the white one where the glue is and hold together. Next, take the red bow and glue it to the center of the blue and white bow. Hold the red bow in place until it's completely ...
How To: Sew a throw pillow
You hunt and you hunt, but you can never find the right pillows to go with you couch. Even your reupholstered chair needs a little pillow love, but it seems impossible to find the right color and design to make a perfect match. That's when you know it's up to you save the day. Why settle for simple decor when you can make your own chic throw pillow to match any room?
How To: Craft adorably chubby bird shaped felted cat toys
It's not easy being a cat. After all, sleeping twelve hours a day really takes its toll on your body after a while. Give your cat a break from her difficult day shift by crafting one of these adorable felted cat chew toys.
How To: Make a manly pair of bike pants for urban cycling
Sure, there's lots of bicycling clothing out there, but most of it doesn't work too well for everyday wear, leaving you a bit out of place when you've reached your destination. You know what we're talking about, guys: those too tight, super contouring bike pants that facilitate biking but majorly decrease our style points.
How To: Create reusable bags from t-shirts and recycled stuff
Storing your groceries or recent purchases from Target in the provided plastic bags may be convenient, but think of how many people use these non-biodegradable plastic bags and then toss them every day and every year. Help clean up the environment by making reusuable tote bags from t-shirts!
How To: Recycle an old t-shirt into baby pants
While some parents like to spoil their little babies with the highest quality (and most expensive) items from Dior, most of us know that babies and toddlers grow out of their clothes faster than weeds overgrow a garden. While their clothes should be appropriately cute, there's no need to shell out thousands of dollars on pricey apparel when you can make your own.
How To: Make half square triangle quilted coasters
In this episode of the Crafty Gemini Show you'll learn some quilting basics and make a small project out of what you learn. You'll be run through some quilting terminology, including what a pieced quilt is, what quilt blocks are, and how to make half-square triangle block units using a super easy method where you can make two blocks at once.
How To: Make and attach binding for sewing and quilting
Are you completely done with your first quilt except for the raw hems on the sides? You could just sew the hems shut with a whipstitch, but if you want to add a little more ornateness and decadence to your quilt then you should watch this video to see how to add binding.
How To: Make a pin cushion for sewing
If you're a habitual sewer, especially one who switches between threads and needles frequently to work on a complex project, then a pin cushion is not only a nice tool to have, but also a necessity for good work flow.
How To: Make an easy Mother's Day lace flower brooch
Your mother puts up with your crap the entire other 364 days a year and constantly toils away making the most scrumptious meals and treats for you, so can you really even justify not making something for her in return on Mother's Day? Luckily, you don't have to be Martha Stewart to create this lovely lace flower brooch craft.
How To: Create a neat ladder stitch in sewing
Thankfully for sewing and embroidery beginners, the ladder stitch is one little animal that is completely guileless and straight to the point. Composed of vertical rows of neat horizontal stripes, the ladder stitch creates - you guessed it - a ladder shape.
How To: Sew an anime inspired rabbit pillow
Want to know how to make the most adorable pillow in the world? Then you've stumbled upon the right tutorial. This video will guide you through how to sew together a blasphemously cute round rabbit pillow with eyes done in the anime style.
How To: Upcycle a pair of blue jeans into a tote bag
Don't want to throw away that raggedy pair of old Levi's with small paint stains and random tears all over because it's stuck with you longer than your trusty 12-year-old jack russell terrier? We totally understand. Continue to use your favorite pair of blue jeans by watching this video.
How To: Sew a cozy quilted laptop/netbook cover
Let's face it: Who DOESN'T use a laptop these days? Whether you carry them around for work or simply like to level up faster than your friends on FrontierVille, laptops are constantly being banged up and beaten up. So cover these babies up when you're not using them!
How To: Start using the sewing machine for beginners
Are you picking up sewing for the first time, or simply looking to brush up on your sewing machine skills? This video covers all the basics of how to sew with a sewing machine.
How To: Make a pin cushion bracelet for sewing
In this tutorial you will be walked step-by-step through how to make a super easy pin cushion bracelet using a bottle cap. This project DOES NOT require a sewing machine. The only stitching involved is a few hand stitches.
How To: Cut fabric using a rotary cutter for sewing beginners
So you've decided that your hobby of blindfolded rock climbing was just a tad too hard and have now taken up sewing. Other than purchasing a few needles and colors of thread, where do you begin?
How To: Upcycle an old t-shirt into a mini messenger bag
Got a few old t-shirts lying around your closet? Unclutter your space while reusing and reducing waste by watching this tutorial, where you'll find out how to breathe new life into an old t-shirt by transforming it into a mini messenger bag.
How To: Craft an herbal eye pillow for sewing beginners
In this video you will learn the basics of starting a beginner sewing project. The project featured in this video is an eye pillow. Eye pillows are filled with flax seed and essential dried herbs like lavender, spearmint, chamomile, etc.They are easy and fun to make and they make great gifts! You will learn how to piece the front of your eye pillow using strips of three different fabrics and how to choose the silky backing of your eye pillow so it goes on smooth and relaxing over your eyelids...
How To: Make an eco-friendly grocery bag from an old t-shirt
There are many ways to reform your old t-shirts, but this is an easy way to use yours. By taking your unused t-shirts and adding a few stiches here and there, you can create a reusable bag that can be carried along with you during shopping trips to the grocery store or bookstore.
How To: Make a Doo. Ri. inspired floral tank top
Doo.Ri. is a young Asian American designer who has made waves in the high fashion world with her minimalistic, modern designs with a touch of feminine delicacy and sass. With a very Japanese-infused style aesthetic, she creates pieces that are coveted and frequently warm by Hollywood starlets.
How To: Make a tattered heart t-shirt from an old t-shirt
You've probably heard of people who say they have "two left feet" when it comes to trying to groove on the dance floor, but you can also have two left hands (if, you know, you're a right hander) when it comes to sewing and crafting.
How To: Sew a drape neck halter top with Whitney Sews
To us, old T-shirts are just space clutterers, with too much history for my of us to throw away but taking up too much space in our closets to want to keep. But for crafters they're the Holy Grail of crafting supplies.
How To: Make a "One Tree Hill" Peyton-inspired tank top
Are you a fan of the CW's "One Tree Hill"? Profess your love for this long-running television hit by creating this character-inspired tank top! Based on a reconstructed tank worn by Peyton during a fight with Lucas in the fourth season, this shirt is really lightweight for summer and you can layer it on top of another tank top if you need the extra warmth.
How To: Make a trendy embroidered t-shirt with Whitney Sews
Back in the olden days, whenever we desired a nicely embroidered hankerchief or gown we'd sit by the fire with a flickering oil lamp, whittling our fingers away until the breaking hours of dawn. But nowadays, thanks to the genius of sewing machines, embroidery, even the most intricate kinds, takes far less time and midnight oil.
How To: Create a flattering A-line bubble skirt
Don't worry, while this episode of "Whitney Sews" does indeed teach you how to create a bubble skirt, we're not talking about the haute couture kinds featured on Alexander McQueen's last runway show (God rest his soul) and on other catwalks, ballooned out like a pure sphere and making even the skinniest size 00 models look like they're packing some in the back.
How To: Create bunting from old fabric scraps
No matter how often you sew or how many projects you complete, you can't possibly find a use for EVERY single scrab of fabric lying around. Your first thought is probably to throw them away, but there is indeed a project you can do that only requires the smallest of fabric scraps.
How To: Recycle old t-shirts into decorative bunting
Ah, bunting. In the crafting/Etsy world, bunting is one of the simplest pieces of decor to make as well as one of the cheapest, yet because of its minimalistic simplicity it's also one of the prettiest crafts ever.
How To: Embellish your clothes and accessories with buttons
Minimalist accessories are quite in right now, with interest being added by textures, cuts, and sleek designs. But sometimes a girl just wants to have fun with her clothing and accessories! In this episode of "Whitney Sews," Whitney will teach you how she embelishes wallets and other goodies with tiny buttons.
How To: Create a fashionable shrug from an old t-shirt
Do you have a t-shirt lying around the house with the most gorgeous sailor stripe pattern but is simply too small to fit you now? Don't despair; in this episode of "Whitney Sews," you'll learn a method for creating a shrug out of an old t-shirt.
How To: Create cute underwear from old t-shirts
You've probably seen old t-shirts being turned into dresses, miniskirts, and if you're a fan of Gianny L, even two-piece bikinis, but you've probably never even thought about it transforming them into underwear. It may seem a bit odd at first, but making these intimate pieces from t-shirts means you can customize the pattern as well as the type of cut (cheeky, granny top, or thong?).
How To: Turn a skirt into a long, breezy summer dress
Like billowy, bohemian tops or billowy dresses that go aflutter in the wind? Then this is the perfect DIY fashion tutorial for you. Using a long old skirt you can probably find by digging through your own closet or your stylish mother's treasure trove, you will learn how to refashion the skirt into a full-body dress by simply adding some spaghetti straps.
How To: Sew a simple floral summer skirt with Whitney Sews
During the summer, we all want to focus more on getting out into the sun and having an adventure than putting on layers of makeup and spending hours figuring out if, indeed, our Calvin Klein riding boots go with our Marc Jacobs sailor shorts.
How To: Sew a flowery, flowy spring top with Whitney Sews
Here at Wonder How To we LOVE spring buecause it allows us to indulge in the girliest of girly prints - flowers, hearts, crunchy granola hippie peace signs and happy faces - without restraint and without looking like a seven-year-old ready for church.
How To: Sew a sleeveless cardigan from an old t-shirt
Cardigans are pieces you can throw on with just about any outfit, from a cute miniskirt and tank top to long skinny jeans paired with a bohemian-style top. And with this episode of "Whitney Sews," you'll learn how to create a brand new hot pink cardigan...from an old t-shirt!
How To: Create a Halloween flapper costume from an old t-shirt
Halloween is such a fun time of year. Whether you're dressed up as a classic hook-nosed witch, slutty Playboy bunny, or Jessica Rabbit, the spooky holiday allows you to indulge in your wildest fantasies and look hot while you're at it.