I have to admit, I used to seriously dislike working with upholstery foam when I worked in a fabric store.  It can be messy to cut, smells really bad when you first open the bag and is awkward to handle.
But it doesn’t have to be all that bad – there are a few things you can do to make handling foam a whole lot easier!

So if foam is challenging, why even use it?
First of all, it’s a must if you’re re-upholstering almost anything.  Foam will give you cushioning and support that batting just can’t match.  And let’s face it – …read more

Christine posted a gorgeous fleece wreath project earlier today, using a polyester fleece fabric, accented with paper flowers.
Fleece is such a popular fabric at this time of year – it’s warm, cozy and light to wear.  I do get quite a few questions on how to handle it though. It dulls scissors and needles like crazy, and is even prone to breaking thread if it’s not handled quite right.

In Christine’s post, a pinking rotary cutter or scissors were used to make a decorate edge on the fleece.  I personally recommend never using your “good” fabric shears on fleece – it …read more

I’m working on sewing a new winter jacket for my husband – and seeing as we got a good snow fall this morning, it needs to get finished ASAP!
I’ve shared a couple of different tips and tricks for altering patterns before you sew, but there’s one I haven’t mentioned yet…
It’s important to try garments on as you sew them!

Patterns are rarely shaped to fit you.  They usually need some tweaking to get them just right.  And let’s face it – if you’re going to go to all that effort of sewing something, why not make sure it’s done correctly?
For instance …read more

It’s the time of the year when people start thinking about sewing with fleece again.
It’s lightweight, stretchy and makes a great extra layer of insulation.
But there are a few little things that it can help to know when you’re sewing fleece…
Like what?

I think the number one question I get asked is “how do you tell which side is the right one?”.  When you gently stretch the fabric, across the width (meaning, not the selvage edge) fleece normally rolls towards the wrong side.
Fleece has a grain, so it’s very important to pay attention to the grain markings on your pattern pieces.  …read more

Sheer fabrics are still a hot trend for fall 2009, but they have a reputation for being tricky to work with.
You really don’t need to be intimidated by sheer fabrics, but there are few tips and tricks that will make your life so much easier!

First of all, some sheers are easier than others to work with, so if this is your first time sewing with them, I’d recommend sticking with a crisper sheer.  Sheers with a “crisper” hand like organza are easier to work with over something very fluid like chiffon because they aren’t as prone to slithering all over …read more

It’s funny how crafters find the best way to use tools…
I normally pop my self-healing fabric cutting mat onto my sewing table, or for small stuff, set up a folding table (like a stable wooden tv tray).  It’s worked well for years – but my fabric is now stored on a different floor of my house.  I happened to be working in my basement and was just too lazy to haul all my fabric upstairs – so I plopped my mat down onto the dishwasher in the kitchenette….

And it worked!
Now that probably wouldn’t work for everyone, but the height of …read more

Because there’s always room for one more project, one more inspiring article or one more new piece of fiber artwork…

Do want to do something with all those leftover plastic bags?  Craft has a great list of different projects to crochet, stitch and more.
Create an enchanting Japanese “Sarubobo” softy with Mairuru’s step-by-step instructions.

Are you going to be in Chicago in July?  “Chic Chicago” is a fabulous exhibition of dozens of couture garments, dating from the mid 1860s through to the current day.
Sew Take A Hike has a great tip for transforming the standard slipper Omnigrid ruler into an “Omnigrip” ruler – without …read more