Knowing good basic sewing skills always comes in handy. But sometimes, challenging fabrics can still be too much to handle. Indeed, what may seem like simple tasks of folding and cutting fabric can become frustrating –not to mention the difficulties that will be encountered when we start running our sewing … 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
History Of Cotton Today we’ll take a quick dive into the very interesting history of cotton. Humanity’s history with cotton is extremely old, some of the oldest estimates go back as far as 7,000 years ago! But to the European civilizations, the widespread use of cotton is relatively new. The … Continue reading
There are a lot of practical reasons to make your own natural DIY dye from natural ingredients. It’s cost-effective, non-toxic, and eco-friendly. It’s derived from renewable resources and is biodegradable; it can be disposed of safely in your kitchen sink. These are all things to feel good about, but beyond … 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
We do not know exactly when and where quilting originated but there is no doubt that it was used as a garment, decoration, and furnishing in many parts of the world many ages ago. From the carved ivory figure of a Pharaoh of the Egyptian First Dynasty to a quilted … 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,ooo meters. However, being an … Continue reading
Hello Fabrics for Summer! It is the time of year once again when sewists like us have pull out our fabrics for summer and think about sewing projects that are not only fashionable, but also functional. Indeed, the summer season means sun, sand and sea, and after the long autumn … Continue reading
Think Mary Antoinette, Queen Elizabeth or the recently revived 1950’s Rockabilly movement, think Swan Lake and the fairy tale wedding gown. What do they all have in common? You’ve got it, serious petticoat action, brought to you by none other than the trusty, centuries-old crinoline… Let’s take a closer look … Continue reading
This simple but important knit fabric stretch test will help you decide what size to choose for a pattern and what to do with the fabric you already have on hand. Why should you know this? The best reason I can give you is that it will really let you leverage … Continue reading
In my last project, the burlap bag I gave you the challenge to guess the name of the technique I used to create the print on the bag. I read your comments and there were many of you who got the right answer, but as you know we can only … Continue reading
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