Sewing & Embroidery Features
How To: Properly attach grommets and eyelets to your handmade corset
Grommets and eyelets are the metal rings that reinforce the holes in your corset, through which you thread the cording. This tutorial gives you some good advice on choosing, placing and attaching grommets and eyelets to your own hand sewn corsets.
How To: Customize your jeans six different ways with DIY tips
Just because when you bought your jeans it said that it was just one type of jean - bootcut or skinny - doesn't mean you can't wear it in different ways by either rolling them up or by slashing in holes to make them look worn.
How To: Make a bolero shrug wrap
Learn how to make a bolero shrug wrap, inspired by Bad Unkl Sista.
How To: Upcycle a tired old sofa, loveseat or overstuffed chair
Rescue a piece of roadside furniture, or give your own loveseat or couch a new look. This tutorial shows you how you can upcycle and add some new upholstery. Make sure you are careful to clean any furniture you find on the side of the road.
How To: Make triple pinch pleated drapes with deep pleat tape
Add decorative touches to your home with customized window treatments. In this sewing how-to video Jennifer Thoden demonstrates how to use Deep Pleat Tape and 4 prong hooks to easily make professional pinch pleated drapes... without sewing the pleats. Don't leave your windows looking bare again, watch and learn how to make custom triple pinch pleated drapes.
How To: Do the Woven Picot Stitch
There are many dimensional embroidery stitches , but one of the most fun is the woven picot. You can do a lot with it! It's an easy embroidery stitch - it looks more advanced than it actually is! It's a great stitch for adding texture to your embroidery project, and it doesn't necessarily have to be free standing. See how it's done in this video from Needle 'n Thread.
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: Create a sexy Poison Ivy costume for Halloween
Before Christian Bale and Christopher Nolan there was the original "Batman" with with George Clooney as the masked hero and Uma Thurman as the villainous Poison Ivy. While the movie is ranked as one of the worst superhero flicks of all time, Uma Thurman's getup was probably one of the most fascinating and beautiful superhero costumes we've ever seen.
How To: Make an iron-on applique
Learn how to make an iron-on applique in this free video series on making and using appliques. Part 1 of 15 - How to Make an iron-on applique.
How To: Make tie blankets
Tie yourself a tie blanket from two fabric squares; learn how to make a tie blanket in this free video on no-sew and making blankets.
How To: Master the art of trapunto embroidery
Trapunto embroidery features running stitches sewn through fabric, batting, and stabilizer. The trapunto "puffed" negative spaces form a high relief design that makes a big visual impact. This instructional embroidery videos will take you through the steps to mastering the trapunto technique. Fun technique for your next embroidery project!
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: Transform an old scarf into a tube scarf or infinity scarf
With winter in full swing, it's time to bring the scarves out of the closet. The trend this year is the tube scarf or infinity scarf, and here is how you can take a scarf you already have and update it to this style.
How To: Embroider on velvet without any snags
One of the most popular fabrics to embroider on during the winter holidays is velvet. Learn about stabilizer choice, needle choice, and how to get great results when embroidering on this kind of fabric. This instructional video will demonstrate everything necessary for embroidering on velvet fabric.
How To: Make a recycled beach bag,puzzle & hat
Craft projects are a great way to recycle household items and clothes. Learn how to make three recycled crafts, a beach bag, a puzzle and a hat, in this free arts video series.
How To: Make a rhinesone stencil template
Like a rhinestone cowboy! Yahoo! Alright, time to get your arts and crafts on and create your very own rhinestone stencil template so you can dazzle and bedazzle your friends and family or whatever craft project you're currently working on. Follow the steps of this nice how-to and learn to make your very own rhinestone stencil template! You're going to need a program like MS Paint, Photoshop or some other image creation or design software to make your stencil.
How To: Combine sewing pattern pieces for beginners
Sewing patterns are a godsend if you're a beginner at sewing who's trying to get into making clothes and accessories like scarves and bags. A pre-drawn pattern helps you learn proportions, measurements, and drafting techniques you'll need later on when you design your own clothing.
How To: Turn an old pair of denim shorts into a fun messenger bag
Repurpose a pair of denim shorts into a fun and cute messenger bag! You'll need a pair of denim shorts (or jeans), scissors, needle and thread, straight pins, pliers, chains, your favorite vintage brooches or buttons, and a length of Velcro.
How To: Make a rag blanket
Sew yourself a rag blanket from fabric scraps; learn how to make a rag blanket in this free video on sewing and making blankets.
How To: Make a jean skirt out of jeans
Got a pair of old jeans lying around? Why not turn them into a new stylish skirt? It's really simple, just follow the directions in the video.
How To: Turn winter's turtleneck into spring's cute tube top with Gianny L
This tube top is the literal way to transform your winter wardrobe into your spring/summer wardrobe. Using a bland turtleneck which you are sure to have in stock from all those Christmas presents from older relatives, you can create a breezy tube top that's perfect for going to the beach.
How To: Sew with bar-tack stitching
Embellish sewing projects using various bar-tack stitching techniques on your sewing machine.
How To: Hem pants easily
Pants too long or too short? Skip the cost of a tailor – hemming your own pants is "sew" easy. You Will Need
How To: Make a coin purse
How to make your own coin purse; get expert tips on sewing methods and techniques in this free instructional video series.
How To: Use thread snip scissors
Thread banger, Kenneth King shows you how to save your good fabric scissors by using thread snips, a simple but important tool you must always have in your sewing workshop. Thread snips are small pairs of scissors that are specifically used for trimming off any excess thread in your material. Kenneth explains that using fabric scissors to trim these excess threads eventually causes them to wear dull spots. Always keep your thread snips handy and do all your thread trimming at the machine.
How To: Hand sew stitches
Hand sewing is an important skill for fashion designers to have when tailoring and customizing a garment. Learn to hand sew various stitches from a fashion designer in this free sewing video.
How To: Make the Guitar Bar decorative knot
In this video, we learn how to make the guitar bar decorative knot. First, set up the bard then cow hitch two strips of rope side by side. Next, measure each bar to 12 inches long and make sure you have 12 feet of rope. After this, build the frets of the bar, and while you are doing this you will flip the bar over and start to half hitch. Continue to do this, tying all of the ropes together into the knot. Next, turn the knot over and continue on the other side. When you are near the end of yo...
How To: Upcycle old clothes into chic wine gift bags
We all have a bag of old clothes somewhere, or old clothes lying randomly around the closet. You know, the t-shirt that's too ratty or that dress you got from Ann Taylor that looked perfectly in season a few years ago but now you can't bring yourself to wear anywhere.
How To: Embroider crochet projects with French knot stitches
Add even more personal touches to your handmade crochet items. This how to video is a tutorial on how to embroider crochet projects using French knot stitches. You can embroider just about anything with the French knot stitch. Watch and learn.
How To: Make a no sew tied fleece blanket
Want to get started in the world of blanket making but don't know how to sew? No sweat. There are ways to get around sewing to make a very cool no-sew fleece blanket through just knots and ties alone. Learn how to create an awesome gift for your loved ones this winter with help from this free tutorial.
How To: Turn an old towel into shorts
To recycle an old towel into shorts, fold the towel and cut it into a short leg's length worth of fabric. Cut another piece into a short leg's length worth of fabric. Draw a curved seam on one edge. Stack the towels and pin them to hold the fabric in place. Cut out the seam on both of the towels. Separate the towels and sew up the seams on both of the fabric pieces. Do not sew the top seam and front side seam of the shorts. Instead, sew the front and back side seams together. Thread and sew a...
How To: Embroider a handmade bracelet
Fun and colorful, these embroidered bracelets come in a variety of heart-warming subjects and fashionable styles. They make fast, easy gifts, and are great for party favors! And the best part? They're made almost entirely in the embroidery hoop! Learn how to embroider your own beautiful bracelet to give as a gift with this instructional embroidery video.
How To: Thread a bobbin on a side threading sewing machine
This video shows how to thread your bobbin on a side threading sewing machine. We start off by making sure that the needle is in the most upright position. The upper thread guide when moved to the most top of its travel, the needle is in the most upright position.Then you take the bobbin case and your bobbin. Make sure the thread is coming up over the top towards you and not underneath and over the back. Slip in the bobbin into its case, put the thread through the groove under the potential s...
How To: Sew an owl softie out of acrylic felt
This Arts & Crafts how to video shows you how to put together a soft owl figure out of felt. Learn to make this felt owl or get creative and sew your own felt animals. Cut out the felt pieces, polyester fiber felt, and craft thread to create fun art and craft figures.
How To: Make a sewing optional Greek goddess costume for Halloween
Would you believe us if we said you could put together a last minute Halloween costume in less than two minutes? The very idea sounds preposterous, but we're not bluffing.
How To: Sew a simple high-waisted retro skirt with Gianny L
A high waisted skirt is one of the most flattering skirts you can wear. Because it's cinched in directly at the smallest part of your midsection - your waist - you automatically get an hourglass figure silhouette.
How To: Make a hair scrunchie
Recycle any cloth, or use up scraps of a fabric you like by making a hair scrunchie like the one shown in this how-to video. No need for a pattern, the design is made from simple rectangles with size measurements provided in the video. Follow along with the steps and learn how to make a hair scrunchie by watching this video sewing tutorial.
How To: Sew a cape
In this how-to video, you will learn how to sew a cape. The pattern is made of three pieces. The main part is made of a circle with a hole in the center. There is a cut made from the center to the edge of the circle. The diameter is about 145 centimeters. The hood is two half circle pieces, with a diameter of about 62 centimeters. The two parts will be sewn together along the green marks shown. Fold the rest fabric above the seam and sew it to the fabric next to the seam. Next, sew at where t...
How To: Make an apron out of an old pair of blue jeans
The kitchen is the heart of a home, so this week we are making an apron out of an old pair of jeans. We also accessorize our tabletop with an array of centerpieces and give you a refreshing quick tip to serve your guests.
How To: Do embroidery stitches on knitted fabric
Learn the chain stitch and wrap stitch, two embroidery techniques. Use this technique to embellish knitted fabric.