A blind hem is exactly what it sounds like: a machine-done hem with stitches you can barely see. It’s perfect anywhere you want a clean finished edge. Good news: the specialty Blind Hem presser foot is standard on most machines.
Double the precision in half the time. A twin needle is basically two needles attached to a single shank. One is slightly shorter than the other so your bobbin can catch the thread from both needles. So clever that bobbin!
Rick rack has been at the top of the trim list for nearly 200 years. From elegant lace gowns to prairie pinafores, itโs a trim thatโs weathered the test of time, and we have the best tips for adding it to todayโs projects.
Start with a simple yet bold fabric, add some distinctive decorative stitching, and you can have a stunning table runner perfect for any holiday gathering or special occasion. Remember, “Life is short; use the good china!”
A straight line seems like the most basic sewing technique. But weโre amazed by the number of comments and questions we get about how to do it better, easier, and more consistently. Using the right foot for the job is the real secret.
For our Featured section, weโve been focusing on projects that can use smaller pieces from your fabric stash. This lumbar pillow uses skinny cuts to create pretty strip patchwork. Wavy line free-motion quilting finishes the front.
Be ready for any small sewing emergency with a travel-size sewing kit that contains just what you need for a quick disaster fix โ even a built-in pincushion kitty. Be prepared AND be adorable.
Whatever the task, a bit of hand stitching usually comes in… well, “handy.” We’ve outlined the tools needed along with seven of the most common stitches. Simple drawings and steps show how to do each one.
When you want a pocket’s motif to precisely blend with the panel on which it sits, all you need is a little extra fabric, some tissue paper, and those tracing skills you learned back in kindergarten. We show you how.
Layer upon layer upon layer?! With the right presser feet and accessories, an understanding of seam grading, and the patience to go slowly and carefully, you can sew like a pro through thick and thin.
Keep a stark white pillow from showing along the end of a pretty pillowcase. This envelope style closure also helps keep the pillow from slipping out of an open end. Make it stay โ and hide it away! The steps are fast and easy.
If you look down at the inside seam of your jeans, you’ll see a trademark flat felled seam. Itโs a technique to make the wrong side of your seam look as good as the right side. Get our tips and tools for several versions of the seam.
We all make mistakes, but many errors can be avoided with proper planning, attention to detail, and the wisdom to slow down. Take the time to consider the best practices that will provide the best results.
That giant display of bias tapes and bindings can be overwhelming. Single fold, double fold, blanket, quilt. Geeze! What’s what and why? The S4H Sizing ID Chart gives the basic facts about the six most common types of bindings.
Donโt know about you, but we find sewing buttons by hand a bit tedious, time-consuming, and it can be hard to get them all to look uniform. Solution: using a Button Sewing foot on your machine. Securely attached and perfectly aligned.
If youโve ever tried to work with fabric cuts are that are not straight and true, you know why itโs so important to square-up your fabric. Find our easy folding, aligning, and cutting tips plus ruler recommendations.
Most projects require at least some hand stitching. Often, itโs the final seam closure after turning a project right side out. A Slip or Ladder Stitch creates an invisible seam between two folded edges, or a folded edge and a flat edge.
Learn contortion pleating, which involves twisting the gauze into a bound bundle then drying it in a conventional dryer or a microwave prior to final air drying. Learn to crinkle, then learn to make this gorgeous tasseled scarf.
We’re here help with the steps you’ve forgotten since high school geometry: parts of a circle, how wide to cut fabric to fit a circle, how to draw a circle without a pattern, and how to convert decimals to inches to work with Pi.
If the idea of sewing a 2D item (a flat circle) into a 3D item (a tube) sounds like something from another dimension altogether, read on. We break it down into a simple step-by-step process and even show you two different methods.
Truly the Art of Thread; this pillow combines dense decorative stitching with machine embroidery accents and cool corner tassels. A dรฉcor or upholstery weight fabric gives the proper stability โ a dark, solid makes the stitching pop.
Magnetic snaps are indispensable to the construction of bags and more. The secrets to success are: having the time and patience to work in the correct order, and using extra precision in marking and measuring.
Remember making paper snowflakes as a kid? You fold, fold, fold, then cut, cut, cut. This fabric cutting technique is the same basic concept, but without the Swiss cheese effect. Grab your rotary cutter and mat, and let’s slice!
We love to gather with friends and family to share good food and conversation. We enjoy gathering with like-minded folks to attend concerts and other events. In these contexts, gathering is fun and easy. By comparison, in sewing... gathering is often known as daunting or simply too time-consuming! We believe all gathering should be fun
English paper piecing is handwork not machine stitching. Most people associate it with beautifully intricate quilt tops, but the precise, perfectly shaped pieces are just as wonderful on our pair of graphic pillows.
We love this unique hand stitching tool. Our step-by-step tutorial shows how it can quickly attach one item to another as well as create an interesting line of stitching as a decorative accent. Great for bag handles!
The square pillow โ it's a decorating staple and a great way to freshen up a room. You pick your favorite fabric, measure carefully, and cut two perfect squares. You sew the seams, pivoting at each corner with precision, and insert the pillow form. You set the finished pillow on the sofa, and... Hey! That
Window coverings are a great DIY project; and simple enough for the beginning sewer. Straight edges. Simple, straight stitches. But even the most basic curtain project starts with knowing how to take proper measurements.
Elastic shirring creates a wonderful stretchy texture. It occupies the space between the simplicity of gathering and the intricacy of hand-smocking. We cover the technique itself as well as several project ideas.
Narrow tucks, called pintucks when they are super narrow, are often used in heirloom sewing, but they can add a lovely detail to many projects. Did you know you can create the look quickly and easily with your Quarter Inch foot?
A โWord Pillowโ makes a bright, bold statement to add to your pillowscape. We include the appliquรฉ template for โAhoy,โ but this time of year, you could build your own to suit the situation. How about: Dad, Grad, Smile or Hug?!
There is one particular type of hem we receive more questions about than any other: the rolled hem. Not to be confused with a narrow hem, a rolled hem is created using a special presser foot. Great for edges on lightweight fabrics.
Large, snap-on plastic grommets are traditionally associated with curtains, but they are a great solution for a variety of projects. Dritz makes the best, and we outline how quick and easy they are to install.
A cover hem is a professional-style "serged" hem that traditionally has two to three lines of parallel stitching on the right side and a looper stitch which covers the raw edge of the fabric on the back side. It's the type of hem commonly found on most ready-to-wear knit garments (and many woven RTW items
We like webbingโฆ not necessarily like the monster from the black lagoonโs hands, but the cool cotton kind for bags and such. However, it can be hard to find in other than the most basic colors of white, natural, navy, and black. Bust out your decorative stitches and some colorful thread! This fast and easy
In between the simplicity of gathering and the intricacy of hand-smocking, lives one of our favorite texturing techniques: elastic shirring. You've probably owned a garment or two with shirring on the bodice or sleeve edge. It was the style on those iconic 1970s peasant dresses, and it remains popular in new fashion trends. Shirring is
Rivets can hold thick layers together at points where it would be impossible to stitch with a machine. Theyโre the tough guys of sewing, but are actually quite easy to apply with the right tools and tips.
We get a lot of questions about zippers. They seem to live at the top of many people's lists of Sewing Phobias (ziphobia!). In an effort to calm these fears, we already have three step-by-step tutorials for inserting standard zippers, tackling invisible zippers, and putting in an inset zipper. We're adding to the zipper toolbox
It’s a sewing technique everyone should have in their arsenal. The boxed corner creates space in something that would otherwise be flat. We show you the two most common methods.
A circle has 360ห โ we all learned that in school, but we didnโt always learn how to use those 30 dozen degrees to create the angles that make up some of our favorite shapes. Our latest Sew4Home Cheat Card is the third installment in our Basics Shapes trio. It focuses on the most common
If youโre a Sew4Home regular, you know we donโt traditionally present a lot of projects in the wearables category. Of course, there are all our super popular aprons and a few other easy items, but in terms of fitted garments, we tend to leave those to other experts. However, that doesnโt mean we donโt love
There are lots of embellishment ideas out there, but for our money, it just doesnโt get much more fun and versatile than pom poms and tassels. If youโre a regular Sew4Home follower, you know weโre fans of both, and have already done our own step-by-step tutorials on making each. But weโre always up for learning