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.
Whether you’re sewing or just binge-watching a bit too much TV, you need to get up and move around. These ten simple exercises don’t require any special tools; use your own body to stretch and strengthen.
From cooking to organizing to looking good, these five favorites are sure to please. The supplies needed are minimal; you may already have the perfect options in your stash. To make your gift extra special, we have a set of free printable “Mom Said!” gift tags.
Three zippered pouch styles to hold life’s little necessities. Each option has matching panel pairs front and back: one diagonal, one horizontal, and one vertical. We also vary the zipper pulls, even adding one with a wrist strap.
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 webbing… not necessarily like the monster from the black lagoon’s 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. They’re the tough guys of sewing, but are actually quite easy to apply with the right tools and tips.
Our free gingham fruit embroidery + appliqué designs were custom-digitized for extra-fine 80wt thread. The stitch work is so delicate + precise, you’ll do a double-take when you realize it’s thread, not actual gingham fabric.
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
Left: Faux Leather Shopper, Right: Trendy Faux Leather Handbag Back in the 1970s, I wanted my mom to buy me a real leather jacket. Unfortunately, she was only prepared to spend for one made of synthetic leather. As much as I wanted to believe it looked genuine, it just looked fake. Today's fake – excuse
Simple panel window coverings are often one of the first DIY home décor projects people attempt. Figuring out how best to hang those pretty panels can be more of a challenge. Dritz offers three drapery tape solutions.
Reading with the children in your life is one of the best experiences you can give them. We wrote this special book as a free download and hope you enjoy the adventures of Benny, who loses his blanket but finds some special friends.
If you’re a Sew4Home regular, you know we don’t 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 doesn’t mean we don’t love
There are lots of embellishment ideas out there, but for our money, it just doesn’t get much more fun and versatile than pom poms and tassels. If you’re a regular Sew4Home follower, you know we’re fans of both, and have already done our own step-by-step tutorials on making each. But we’re always up for learning
When does 1+1 = 1? When you’re basting two layers together! Lear: how to determine if your sewing machine has a basting stitch, when to use the stitch in sewing projects, and why hand basting is sometimes best.
This earns our Sewing Survival emblem because learning the ins and outs of all types of hardware options is key to adding a more professional finish to your next bag project (and more!). The secret is precise measuring.
Download free embroidery designs to add delicate autumn leaves to table linens (and more). Learn two hemming techniques: narrow double-fold hem with diagonal point corners plus a wider hem with full mitered corners.
This clever Janome foot helps you attach tape evenly and smoothly to the edge of your fabric. Adjust it to handle widths from 5mm to 20mm. Use both single fold and double fold binding styles, either tape you’ve made or packaged.
Pom poms are fun for so many projects. Whether you need one great pom or dozens, a Clover Pom Maker simplifies the task, and each one will be as perfectly puffy as the next. Find some yarn and get ready to get fluffy.
We scaled down a traditional laundry duffle to kid size, making it easy to fill and carry to the laundry room. Plus, the super-cute appliqué on the front leaves no doubt about what needs to be done with the bag’s contents!
Prom and wedding season is upon us, which is always a great time to pull out the specialty fabrics for garments as well as home décor items. However, working with these fabrics does require a little special handling; they aren't always as user-friendly as good ol' cotton. We picked four of the most common categories:
Broken zipper = broken heart! It’s a major frustration because it means something either won’t close or won’t open. The most common element to fail is the zipper slider; this can also be the easier part to replace.
For more basic Janome sewing machines (5mm and 7mm), this a fun, easy way to add little decorative stitch touches in pretty thread colors! Be the flower girl of the sewing accessory world, sprinkling pretty posies over any project.
Today’s machines can zip along at up to 1000 stitches per minute; you can see how a little length goes a long way. The shorter the stitches, the tighter the seam. The longer the stitches, the looser the seam.
We are very proud to once again be featured in the Handmade for the Home Kitchen column of Where Women Cook! We designed a brand new apron expressly for their readers. Tough canvas on the front with pretty cotton accents on the back, this classic cook’s apron has the style and substance to be at
Natural fabrics are amazing and beautiful. But sometimes… you need an option that has a few more “super powers” to help it perform in non-traditional situations. This is the first of a series of projects we’ve developed using Oly*Fun™ from Fairfield World. The fibers of this woven synthetic have been fused to create a flexible,
What’s the one thing you should do to keep your sewing machine running smoothly? Clean out the lint! It’s an unavoidable by-product of sewing but shouldn’t be ignored. Regular cleaning helps maintain smooth stitching.
Generous in size and style thanks to a perfect combination of bold fabric and striking embroidery. Use our free machine embroidery design download or the free printable template for hand embroidery.
Want to make the beautiful bag above? Then you’ll need some yo-yos: a small, ruched rosette. The easiest way to make them is with a yo-yo maker. We love these Clover options that come in a variety of sizes.
Here's a fast and fabulous Valentine's gift idea everyone will love, because it includes both adorable fabric and yummy candy. We created a cellophane bag topper from small fabric squares, stitched on a personalized message of love, and sealed it with a secret quick-release basting stitch. When it's finished its job as a bag topper,
Snaps are one of our favorite closures. They're small yet sturdy, like a cute little Corgi dog. But there's not always a lot of variety from which to choose. You can usually find nickel or brass, and the Western favorite: pretty pearl head snaps, every once in awhile, maybe a rhinestone alternative. But that's where
Buttons are among the most basic methods of fastening one thing to another. They also make a pretty embellishment all on their own. We love them lots… until they come off. And, they almost always come off, especially from store-bought items, which often seem to be sewn with some kind of “quick release thread.” If
We’ve pulled together our top ten articles that show a variety of ways you can keep things closed. Locks, snaps, zips, buttons, and more. If you need closure, we have some great ideas. Let us know which are your favorites.
Cute accessories that finish in a flash. Stretchy elastic and rhinestone sliders add instant sparkle and color to wrists and hairstyles. Or, combine gorgeous ribbon and webbing with a slide buckle to blast out a colorful belt.
Your project instructions call for two yards of 60" wide fabric, but the fabric you want to use is 45" wide. Hmmm... attempting to dredge up that old math lesson in proportions is probably not going to happen on the fly. Instead, print out our handy conversion chart for those times you don't have a
Learn this simple yet elegant napkin fold. Fill the cornucopia with fresh flowers or greens; a small gift; candy, nuts, and fruits; or whatever strikes your fancy. It’s a lovely way to finish your holiday table setting.
Neutral tones of canvas and a simple mini-tote style combine into the perfect backdrop for our stunning Lion’s Head machine embroidery design. We offer a free download in six popular file formats.
Accurate pressing is one of the most important parts of the construction process. Having a tool that holds precise, narrow folds and clean angles is critical. And, if that tool allows you to do that without your fingers getting dangerously close to the iron, it’s a must-have in our book! One of our favorite pressing
If you’re brand new to sewing, you’re probably also brand new to figuring out all the parts of a sewing machine. We review the basics, from unpacking, to setting up, to the names of the most common parts, to threading and testing.
This Janome accessory allows you to stitch directly on ribbon up to 1″ wide, so you can personalize the color and design of ribbon accents to create a super unique look. Decorative stitching on grosgrain ribbon is especially cute.
In our quest to continue bringing you the information you’re searching for, we’ve been partnering with some of our pals in the sewing community to provide guest features on garment sewing. This is an area we don’t currently focus on at Sew4Home but for which we get a lot of inquiries. It’s not that we