Sewing & Embroidery Features
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: Make handbags and carryalls from recycled jeans
Do you have an old pair of jeans that you don’t want to throw away but aren’t sure what to do with? Learn how to make a handbag, a pocket purse and a tote bag from recycled jeans in this free fashion video series.
How To: Make a Support Halter Top
To make a support halter top shirt, you will need: Pattern for a basic bodice
How To: Do the Feather Stitch
The feather stitch is an easy stitch for hand embroidery. It's worked vertically, from top to bottom in a kind of back-and-forth, right-and-left motion. You can use the feather stitch in hand embroidery for edges and borders, it's used often in crazy quilting as a seam embellishment, and it also makes a good foundation of foliage or stems in flower designs, in Brazilian embroidery, and more. Watch this video from Needle 'n Thread to see how it's done.
How To: Braid thread or yarn
This quick video tutorial demonstrates how to braid using three strands. Braided chains make great embellishment or decoration on sewing or knitting projects. Learn how to braid thread or yarn by watching this instructional video.
How To: Sew a shirt cut from a pattern
Always wondered how those store bought patterns are used? If so, then this is the how to video for you. In this instructional video learn to sew a shirt from a Vogue pattern. Watch as they demonstrate how to cut out the pieces and then sew them to make a beautiful shirt.
How To: Tie the Celtic tree of life decorative knot
TyingItAllTogether presents this interesting video that shows you how to tie the Celtic tree of life decorative knot. To do this, you make a series of intertwining loops, until they form a circle. This wordless video is very easy to follow along. Watch, and master the art of knot-making with this great video. For more great videos on decorative knot-making, search on WonderHowTo.
How To: Make a sleeveless draped cardigan in 30 seconds with Gianny L
Do you remember how to work a pair of scissors from 5th grade art class? Then you can definitely make this unbelievably easy sleeveless draped cardigan. Taking less than 30 seconds to make, all you have to do is trace two circles the size of your upper arm onto a piece of fabric.
How To: Sew in an invisible zipper
An invisible zipper adds a nice finish to fancier sewing projects, as it just looks like a regular seam. This how-to video demonstrates sewing in an invisible zipper to a garment. The process is much easier if you have a specialty zipper foot for the sewing machine. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to sew in an invisible zipper.
How To: Sew an easy infinity scarf (wraparound scarf)
An infinity scarf is exactly what it sounds like: A scarf that goes on forever, not length-wise but rather in the fact that it's sewn together at the end. This makes for a nice wraparound shape that can be quickly thrown onto the neck without having to make any fancy knots to keep the scarf on.
How To: Sew a blouse to match an Indian sari
The sari is a beautiful dress, traditionally worn by East Indian women, involving a length of fabric draped over an under blouse. This tutorial shows you how to draft your own pattern for a sari blouse and then sew it together yourself. Always iron your fabric before you start working with it!
How To: Sew on a zipper to a pair of pants
This how to video is a good general reference for anyone making their own pants, trousers, or jeans; basically any article of clothing with a fly front. The example uses a Suitability pants pattern, and can also be used to substitute a button fly. Watch and learn how to sew on a zipper to a pair of pants or trousers using a sewing machine.
How To: Make fashionable harem pants with Gianny L
Fashion doesn't have to be restrictive or uncomfortable, we swear. Thanks to the recent high fashion runway trend of harem pants seen at multiple shows in Paris, Milan, and New York, we now have a fashionable clothing item that doesn't (literally) take our breath away or suffocate our baby toe.
How To: Create your own gorgeous no-pattern shift dress
1: Chose a stretchy fabric & fold in half, so that the right side of the patterns are together. 2: Lay dress on top of fabric & trace the dress with dressmakers chalk, allowing for a 1.5 cm seam allowance (except for the bottom. allow 5 cm).
How To: Make kanzashi fabric flowers
Kanzashi are hair ornaments used in traditional Japanese hairstyles. One of the hairstyle's main features is the application of intricate little fabric flowers. With a step-by-step video tutiorial will you how to make your own cute kanzashi flowers. These can go on brooches, bags, hairpins, or serve as fridge magnets... oh, how kawaii! Make kanzashi fabric flowers.
How To: Make your own customizable tank top pattern for beginners
What's the most efficient way to become a fashion designer? By challenging yourself to creating your own clothes from the ground up. And while you probably already know this means cuting, sewing, and embroidering your fabrics, it also means making your own patterns.
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: Make needle-felted flowers
Fans of felting will love these funky accessories, needle-felted flowers, made out of vibrant shades of pure wool. Corinne Bradd shows how to use cookie-cutters for modern shapes, ideal for stitching on a handbag or fastening to the front of a special greeting. You can spice up many things with these needle-felted flowers.
How To: Drape the front and back bodice on a dress
For beginners, sewing can be a confusing a difficult hobby that requires patience and the right tools. Whether you're adding a button on a shirt or creating a dress from scratch, being detailed and precise is important.
How To: Make needle felt animals
In this video Corinne Bradd shows Kristy Clark the technique of felting, by matting together the fibres of unspun of wool with a barbed needle to create a dense form that can be shaped.
How To: Do the Ladder Stitch
Ladder stitch in hand embroidery can be one of two stitches. There's the surface embroidery technique that creates a decorative band that looks a lot like a ladder, with edges that look like a chain stitch. There's also a drawn thread technique called ladder stitch that produces a ladder-like strip of remaining threads in the design area. The ladder stitch in this video tutorial is the former - the decorative band used in surface embroidery. Watch this video from Needle 'n Thread to see how i...
How To: Sew three different zipper applications
Having zippers on your clothes can be much better than having buttons or anything else. They're sturdy and can close up any gap with one swipe. If you plan on making your own clothes from scratch, it's important to know how to sew zippers onto your clothing.
How To: Sew a pocket
Pockets are handy, but not all clothes come with them. Make your own pockets to add them to wherever you need. Learn how to sew pockets by watching this video crafting tutorial.
How To: Sew a feminine ruffled chiffon dress
Chiffon is one of those naturally feminine fabrics. Soft, airy, and breathable, it ruffles easily and sashays with the breeze, giving potential suitors just a peek of your sexay curves.
How To: Create a simple off the shoulder top by cutting off a t-shirt collar
Most people think that you have to be a whiz with the needle and thread as well as proficient on the sewing machine in order to make or tailor your own clothing. But the truth is that for easy modifications, like turning an old t-shirt into a modified, chic top, all you need is a pair of scissors and perhaps a stitch or two.
How To: Sew a dress shirt collar
By using sewing pattern Simplicity 4670, the author of this tutorial video takes you through the steps needed to produce a great shirt collar. First you should attach interfacing to one piece of the shirt collar. Here you will be using fusible interfacing and taking the facing to the shirt collar iron the interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric. Sew a guide line that is 5/8ths of an inch wide along the notched edge of the shirt collar's facing piece. At the dot markings of the collar clip...
How To: Use a Serger sewing machine
In this video clip series full of instructions and advice for sewing and using a Serger, you will learn how to use the controls, the parts of the machine, threading techniques and much more.
How To: Create a black off the shoulder batwing top in less than five minutes
Dressing up like Batman is way not cool. But dressing up in a Batman-inspired batwing sleeve top? Totally hot. Check out this fashion DIY tutorial to learn how to create an easy batwing top that's easy and breezy for fall.
How To: Craft a Pokemon Pikachu beanie hat for Cosplay
Cosplay, or "costume play," is basically dressing up with costumes and accessories to represent a specific character, usually one in anime (like Sailor Moon) or manga. Like most Japanese fashion trends, cosplay emerged from the trendsetting Harajuku district of Japan and continues to thrive today, even in America when people wear costumes to anime conventions.
How To: Make a DIY chic tube dress with Gianny L
Nothing says chic like DIY. With spring and summer just around the corner, this breezy and elegant tube dress is all you need to stay cool. See how to make a DIY chic tube dress in this video from GiannyL.
How To: Do the Rope Stitch
The rope stitch is a nice hand embroidery stitch, perfect for a thick, corded look, and a member (believe it or not) of the chain stitch family. It looks like overcast stitch on a slant, or trailing on a slant. It's a great stitch for curves. Watch this video from Needle 'n Thread to see how it's done.
How To: Make DIY Bohemian/Hippie Headbands
Need a fun getup for Earth Day, or want to make an inexpensive but highly fashionable costume piece for Halloween? Then you've stumbled upon the right video.
How To: Make a "Tron" Legacy glow-in-the-dark costume
You know those cool skintight black bodysuits they wear in "Tron"? They seem like costumes only the best of movie costume designers - and CG artists - can produce, but you can make a pretty good replica at home.
How To: Craft a beautiful empire waist multi-wrap dress with Gianny L
Convertible dresses are the best, especially when you like the color and general form of a dress but you'd like to give it new life by enhancing your waist rather than your bust line, for instance.
How To: Fill a bobbin on a vintage Kenmore sewing machine
Using a sewing machine entails knowing how to fill a bobbin with thread properly. This sewing how to video will show you how to fill a bobbin on a vintage Kenmore sewing machine. Happy sewing!
How To: Create Mortal Kombat's Sub Zero costume for Halloween
Remember Mortal Kombat? If you're in your early twenties then you grew up on the stuff in the early and mid nineties, and the franchise was seriously as big as "Twilight" is now.
How To: Sew a zippered vinyl pouch
This video shows how to make a bus pass holder, coin purse, or belt pouch. Nicole Tirona of Its Your Life demonstrates building this useful pouch. The pouch features a zippered closure, a clear window and no seam in the bottom. You will need vinyl, zipper, clear plastic that you can sew, and a sewing machine. Watch this video sewing tutorial and learn how to make a zippered vinyl pouch.
How To: Sew a blind hem stitch with a Viking hem foot
Watch this how-to video and learn how to sew a blind hem stitch step by step. A blind hem stitch is the perfect stitch to use when hemming your draperies. Blind hem stitches are perfect when you don't want to see the stitches on the front side of your fabric.
How To: Sew a buttonhole in 4 steps on a Singer sewing machine
Making a buttonhole is easy to sew using the buttonhole presser foot and the four step buttonhole function on a Singer sewing machine. This video sewing tutorial guides through the simple step by step process of making a professionally finished buttonhole. Watch and learn how.
How To: Sew a neckline binding for knits
The amount of stretch varies from knit to knit so it's important to learn how the different fabrics behave and then experiment with the various types of neckline finishes you'll be creating. This video takes you through the process of sewing neckline bindings for knits. Click the RealPlayer or Quicktime link to start the actual video.