Whenever ASG members are asked what they love about their organization, high on the list is always the willingness of fellow members to share ideas and help out with solutions. This is true, especially in neighborhood group meetings held in person or on electronic platforms. The Princeton, NJ Chapter’s “Thread Magicians,” is an online machine […]
Pressing Matters: Choosing the Right Iron
Next to your sewing machine, your iron may be the most important item in your sewing room. Look for features that fit your sewing needs. Auto shut-off Some sewers love it, others loathe it—that “feature” that turns your iron off when it’s not used for a certain period of time. Shut-off times vary up to […]
Sloper: Adding Darts to a Skirt (preview)
Secrets of Good Fit Making your own clothing is fun, but making your own pattern makes it much more fun! Why make your own sewing patterns? For the same reason you sew — to get what you want, to be unique, to save or make money, for the fun of fit, and to get a […]
Make-It: Faux-Leather Trimmed Canvas Beach Bag (preview)
Here’s a simple canvas bag to take you into summer, yet is versatile enough to use the rest of the year as well! The basic 16″ x 14″ canvas bag, trimmed with faux leather, can be customized to create a bag that perfectly suits you. Add an embroidered monogram, spell out a child’s name with […]
Sewing Q&A
Welcome to this edition of sewing questions and answers: Lightbox Q. How do I use a light box? A. Light boxes are handy additions to a sewing room and they can be used to trace appliqué patterns onto fusible web, trace pattern pieces for altering, draw embroidery designs onto a garment, check placement of paper […]
Soft, Easy Dressing
Although the fashion industry keeps trying to dictate what we should be wearing, our lifestyle and our style of dressing has changed over the past 2 years. Comfy, flow-y clothing has dominated our stay-at-home and work-from-home wardrobe. Now, as we venture out again, we may enjoy keeping the loose and relaxed look with clothes that […]
Sewing Machines: The Need for Speed
Whether you sew slowly and diligently or you speed on with reckless abandon, your sewing machine can help with speed control. Most every machine has a speed control of some sort, but sometimes it’s overlooked. These handy regulators look different depending on the machine brand, but the function is the same—to act as a governor […]
Sew Cool, Sew Linen
With temperatures already heating up, your summer wardrobe fabric choices can make the difference between being sticky or stylish. Enter linen, a breathable summer fabric that can easily transform from elegant to casual and sporty. Always on-trend, linen continues to be an attractive and comfortable choice and brings with it an air of relaxed sophistication. […]
Cork Crazy: Sewing with Cork
You’re likely familiar with cork as a stopper for wine, but cork is equally at home in your sewing room (with or without the wine)! With an interest in sustainability, sewists have embraced cork fabrics (also called cork leather) with open arms. A cork tree can live for 200 years and when the bark is […]
Cleaning Vintage Textiles (brief)
Antique stores, thrift stores, garage sales, and grandma’s attic often have a treasure trove of old textiles that may include linens, tapestries, handmade quilts, or needlework projects. You may also come across christening gowns, wedding gowns, and other cherished garments from days gone by. These items are wonderful to look at and fun to consider […]
All About Drawstrings
We see them everywhere—from hoodies to waistlines, necklines to sleeves. What are they? The humble drawstrings. A simple, but oh-so-functional, fashion touch that we sometimes take for granted, but there’s a lot to be said about drawstrings. These handy pull-strings can be made from fabric, cord, flat trim, braid, ribbon, twill tape, thin rope, bias […]
The Allure of Beads
What is it about beads that make these shiny objects so alluring? Take one bead by itself and nothing much happens; group several together and you’ve instantly created an eye-popping sensation. Bead embellishment has been around for hundreds of years, appearing in everything from ethnic costumes to haute couture. In fact, beading has become so […]
Zippers as Trim
Sometimes things normally found in our sewing rooms end up with surprise uses. Such is the case for zippers! With the myriad types of zippers available, they can definitely do more than close a garment. Think about them turning into jewelry or becoming piping or a surface trim. When grouped, they can also cover an […]
Preparing Your Fabric
Even though it may seem inconvenient and a waste of time, preparing your fabric before sewing ensures that your finished garment will look, hang, and wear well. Laundering: Many fabrics will shrink or pucker along the seams the first time they’re laundered, so it’s a good idea to wash or dry-clean it before you cut […]
Pick-up Sticks: Creating Artistic Fabric
Perhaps you remember that challenging childhood game of pick-up sticks where you had to carefully remove a stick without disturbing the others around it? Well, that nostalgic game has inspired a fun sewing technique showcasing brightly colored channels inset at various angles onto a base fabric. Whether you use this technique to create artistic fabric […]
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