Sewing

Pillow stuffing doesn't always have to be purchased in the store. Decorative pillows in particular can be stuffed with a variety of recycled materials enabling the crafter to both create a...

If you've ever bought a pair of pants and found the seam kept twisting around your leg, then you know how frustrating it is to have clothes that are cut "off-grain". You may not have...

Most sewing pattern pieces are printed on tissue paper, not the most durable material, especially after several uses. Whether you're an experienced seamstress or a novice with your first...

Cutting fabric using a cutting board system can make creating precise cuts and repetitious shapes fast and easy. Cutting boards are sold as simple mats, typically with measurement grids printed on...

Ribbon pillows are an easy way to decorate and personalize your space. They involve weaving strips of material in a checker pattern. Ribbon pillows allow you to choose any (and as many) colors you...

So your quilt is finally finished and it's time to bind it -- but you can't find binding in the store in colors to match it. A quick and easy solution is to cut your own out of the fabric...

Give your outdoor living space a makeover with furniture cushions you can make yourself. If you can sew a straight seam, you can make your outdoor furniture more comfortable. Select materials...

Although lace is a little more expensive than regular fabrics, it adds a special touch that no other fabric can. Though lace can be a more challenging than other fabrics to work with because of...

Organza is a thin woven fabric, often created with a material such as silk. The light, airy qualities of organza make it an ideal material to create a flowing dress or shirt. Creating with organza...

Ever wanted to make beautiful, lifelike quilts from your drawings? Tired of piecing nothing but squares and triangles? Ready for a challenge? Why not piece a lovely tree or flower, or a picture...

Creating your own personalized T-shirt is easy and fun. Use your own tastes to create designs with your favorite colors and shapes. There are many ways to customize the T-shirt designs, such as...

Buying a purse or handbag from a store can easily set you back $50 on the low end of the scale, and several hundred dollars on the high end. Plus, if you want to be able mix and match purses with...

Cooler weather brings the need to wear an extra layer to keep warm. If a heavy coat is too much, keep out the cold with a fleece poncho. The distinctive design leaves your arms able to freely move...

Booty bags, or handbags made from old blue jeans, have become a hot commodity at craft fairs and have inspired many crafty folks at home to produce their own recreations.

Bibs, like diapers, are an absolute necessity when you have a baby. You need several at home, more packed in your diaper bag and emergency bibs kept at grandma's house. Then, of course, there are...

Sock monkeys are a relatively simple, old-fashioned toy that you can make as a gift for almost any child or baby boomer in your life. For the child, it will be a durable and funny toy. For the...

Bias binding is a popular choice for quilts because it stretches smoothly around corners and protects the quilt's edges from wear and tear. Although pre-made bias binding is widely available in...

When doing machine embroidery, you need to use a stabilizer backing on the underside of the garment to keep the stitches in place while stitching. There are several different types and weights of...

So you got a free shirt at a ball game, but the problem is it's a man's size XXL and you're a 130 lb. woman. It happens all the time. But there is a way to take that oversized man's tee and turn...

You have an over-sized T-shirt and you don't know what to do with it. Never fear. It is easy to turn that jumbo, dress-like monstrosity into a cute halter top in an hour. And the best part is you...

Wool fabric crafts can be warm and decorative. Purchase wool fabric by the yard or dig through your closets and scour local thrift stores for wool sweaters and other clothing for economical,...

To make a child's craft apron or smock you need just a few skills. You need to be able to measure, cut material and sew a little either by hand or by machine. I do machine as it is faster but if...

With a little creativity, you can make your own custom cut tee shirt in about half an hour. Buy a new, blank tee shirt from an arts-and-crafts or clothing store. Look at pictures online for fun...

Sheer fabric needs special attention during cutting to ensure that it doesn't move or snag. Along with practice and patience, having the correct tools is important in ensuring that the cutting...

Concerts are a time to to celebrate music with fellow fans. Making your own shirt is one way to show the crowd just how much you love the band you are going to see.

When you are preparing for a craft bazaar, coming up with quick and easy crafts is a must for filling up your booth. If you have a stash of fabric and a sewing machine, you have most of the...

This is a fun beginning sewing project and the blanket is so warm when it's done.

Denim shorts are a summertime classic that never go out of style, despite ever-evolving trends in jeans. Whether they are made from a longer pair of jeans or sewn from scratch, denim shorts are a...

Kimonos are comfortable easy-to-wear at-home garments that are also one-size-fits-nearly-all. They are simple to fashion from a few straight pieces of fabric. Use light cotton for a cool short...

Creating costumes for a Nativity pageant can be an easy task with a little ingenuity and planning. Ideally, these costumes would be made to fit a range of sizes. You can have the children make...

A collar pattern piece should be placed on the inner lining fabric, traced and cut out before laying it on the outer fabric. Cut out the interfacing in the shape of the collar with information...

When cutting out a dress pattern from the paper, be sure to leave at least a half-inch seam allowance on all sides of each shape. Cut out the paper dress pattern with information from a fashion...

Dogs of all sorts get cold in the winter, from tiny chihuahuas to larger greyhounds. Even dogs with thick coats could use a good sweater if they are outside for prolonged periods of time in cold...

If you love scarves this will be a favorite. This is a very easy technique that does not require a lot of know-how. The best part is these scarves are perfect for any time of the year! For a warm...

For anyone who has a business making handcrafts you know that lots of hours go into producing your goods. Many times it's hard to find a customer base that can appreciate that. Cutting down on...

Pinking shears are special scissors with notched blades instead of standard straight blades. As pinking shears make their cuts, the notches on the blades fit together to create a zigzag or other...

You can personalize a T-shirt dress made with two men's T-shirts. They are fun to make and so simple that you'll want a whole wardrobe of them for the summer. Purchase two of the same color, or...

The half-square triangle is a basic piece used in many quilt blocks. Very simply, it is a square that is cut in half from corner to corner (diagonally) to create two triangles within one...

The half-square triangle is a basic piece used in many quilt blocks. Very simply, it is a square that is cut in half from corner to corner (diagonally) to create two triangles within one...

Pinking shears are scissors with a sawtooth or zigzag edge. Variations are available that are can be used to cut paper into decorative patterns or edges. Good quality pinking shears are an...

Deconstructing a T-shirt can be useful for several reasons. The primary reason would be to create a pattern with it so that you can recreate the T-shirt and make more of the same kind out of...

Whether you're wrapping presents, decorating, participating in grade school art class, or dedicating that new hospital you have built as a charitable tax write off, ribbon cutting is as close to a...

You can make an interesting and inexpensive purse by recycling an old pair of blue jeans. Obviously the size of the purse will be dictated by the size of the jeans. For a larger tote, use an old...

This Gothic doll is the perfect accessory to take to a Halloween party. You can, in fact, make yourself up to look like the doll. The doll is made from simple, inexpensive items. What you don't...

When cutting a rag doll's arms and legs it is important to cut the fabric larger than you want the limbs to be. Learn more about how to cut rag doll arms and legs with tips from a seamstress and...

Most bags can be created using as few as one or two pattern pieces. The principle for making patterns for any shape, size and style of bag is the same: you will need to determine the shape and...

While playing with dolls can be fun for hours, nothing quite warms the heart as to know that you made the doll that is being played with. The basics of making dolls at home are quite simple in...

A robe with a hood is an essential part of any costume wardrobe, depending on the color. A black hooded robe is good for Death, ghoul, Harry Potter dementor or just generic...

Making frayed, raggedy edged purses is a fun and easy way to recycle old jeans and textiles. The seams sewn in a frayed edged purse blend in with the raggedy edge, making it a very forgiving...

Wearing leather clothing while riding a motorcycle can lessen the severity of injuries in the event of an accident. It is also a stylish fashion trend whether or not you are riding a bike. A biker...