I am back in Paris, one of the places in the world I feel at home, and yes, this was once home when I was so poorly paid and blissfully happy. It is a dichotomy, to be sure, but I am well aware of how blessed I have been to … Continue reading
Lace was once reserved for only the nobility. It was expensive and scarce. Fortunately, we live in an age of affordable lace fabrics with wide availability and tremendous variety. Here is an introduction to lovely lace fabrics. Lace Fabrics Bridal shops and fabric stores use special terms to describe the … Continue reading
Ah, sweater knits! These highly textural, stretch fabrics can be cozy, lacy, casual, or sophisticated. With a good sweater knit and a little practice, you can cut and sew a sweater in a day or less, even if you can’t knit or crochet. Yes, they’re enabling. And they’re beautiful. If … Continue reading
Introduction The flax fields are blooming in a beautiful display of blue-purple flowers. Bees fill the air with their happy flight, children duck and dive through the waist-high stalks. The seasons eventually change and soon the stalks will begin to ripen into a bright blonde, signaling the farmers to begin … Continue reading
Now any seamstress or hobby sewist will undoubtedly have discarded that little white strip along the fabric edge without a second thought, probably a few hundred times or more. You know that “useless” strip where the manufacturer’s branding is printed…along with a few strange colored circles? Well, there’s more to … Continue reading
Fabric stabilizer is usually considered pretty essential for embroidery. However, its uses aren’t just limited to machine embroidery because this great product is also usable in other creative ways, such as pattern templates and applique. There are different types of fabric stabilizers, namely tear-away, cut-away, and wash-away fabric stabilizers. Applying … Continue reading
One of the oldest natural fabrics, linen was first made from the flax plant thousands of years ago. This lustrous, high-quality fabric continues to be popular today. Durable, strong, smooth, and highly breathable, linen is ideal for use in clothing. If cared for properly, linen products can last for longer … Continue reading
Viscose (known in the US as Rayon) often elicits very strong feelings. Some sewists hate this material, while others see its benefits. I remember back in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s when this fabric started to be popular and it was used for numerous garments that you would see … Continue reading
Nowadays, people prefer to buy ready-to-wear clothing for convenience. However, sewing your clothes is a great idea that allows you to create the apparel you want to wear and apply your creativity, especially when certain designs aren’t available in the market or are too expensive for your pocket. You can … Continue reading
I have to admit it right out front. Hunting for Tanzanian fabrics was not my main reason for coming to Africa. Instead, my husband and I were there with some friends to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa at almost 20,000 feet or 6,000 meters. However, being an … Continue reading
(Author’s note 2021: late summer..this time of year always makes me think of Italy. The sun-baked fields, vineyards, and orchards and the clear blue skies of Tuscany. And, of course, of Florence –so I wanted to bring this article from a couple of years ago to the top of your … Continue reading
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