In the world of ready-made clothing, I sometimes have a hard time buying shirts and pants that fit my body type without expensive tailoring. The good news is, I have learned how to stretch clothes to ease them into the right shape for me! These tips also come in handy if I shrink a favorite …
Vintage sewing machines offer you impressive durability and the allure of historical charm. But you may find it challenging to pick the perfect vintage machine out of the wide range of options. What do you know about the Montgomery Ward sewing machine? Montgomery Ward sewing machines sold from 1872-2001 and featured a variety of manufacturers. …
Green tea is a popular choice for energizing beverages, especially first thing in the morning. But, accidents happen, and the last thing you want is to spill green tea on your clothes. If you spill it on your clothes, you may wonder if green tea will leave a stain. The answer is yes, green tea …
Whether you are an antique enthusiast or a home sewer, you are undoubtedly familiar with the sterling reputation of vintage Singer sewing machines. Singer has made hundreds of different models over the years, though, so you may not have heard of every model! For example, many sewing experts consider the Singer 401A sewing machine to …
If you’re in your laundry room and a bit of bleach splashes onto your black jeans, don’t panic! No matter how hopeless it seems, you can fix those colorless whitened splotches most of the time. You just have to learn how to get bleach out of clothing. The easiest way to get bleach out of …
There are many kinds of pre-cut fabric that are sold in fabric shops. Some are sold individually, while others are sold in bundles. One popular pre-cut fabric piece is called a fat quarter. Fat quarters have a variety of uses. But before deciding if it’s something that you could use for your sewing project, you …
If you love sewing baby clothes for all of your children, grandchildren, and friends, or if you spend every summer designing all the costumes for the local musical, it might be time to consider making a profit off your hobby! It takes specialized skill to sew, whether you like to sew something as simple as …
If you stumbled upon an old cast-iron sewing machine at a yard sale, you may have dismissed it as a relic of a bygone era. Vintage sewing machines almost always outlast modern machines. Which leads to the question, what are the best antique and vintage sewing machines? Singer models like the 201, the 66, and …
People use baby oil for many reasons. But whatever the reason, it can sometimes be hard to control how much comes out. It can also be messy. Both of these can lead to baby oil getting on your clothes. This leads people to wonder if baby oil can stain clothes when it gets on them. …
The first time you walk into a store to buy a sewing machine almost always causes a severe case of sticker shock. New sewing machines can cost thousands of dollars, and not every home sewer can afford to shell out these big bucks. If this describes you, you may want to consider buying a used …
Maybe you moved into a new place and it just doesn’t feel comfortable with bare windows, or maybe you’re in a mad redecorating phase and want to change up the look of your whole house. Either way, you’re trying to find the perfect curtains that fit your budget, match your furniture, and speak to your …
Singer and Brother are two of the most popular brands of sewing machines on the market today. Both brands are reliable and packed with features, making it hard to pick one. When it comes to a choice between Singer vs Brother sewing machines, which is better? Brother and Singer both make sewing machines to cover …
People who sew professionally and home sewers looking for a long-term investment often turn to Bernina for the ultimate high-quality, long-lasting sewing machine. If you want a machine that runs like a Swiss clock and features all the latest innovations and software, Bernina has exactly what you need! You may want to do some serious …
If you want to purchase a sewing machine but are unsure which brand is best, you’re not alone. When it comes to deciding between two of the most popular and well-known brands, Singer and Janome, many people have trouble choosing between them. We’re here to help make your decision easier. Both Singer and Janome offer …
If you’re new to the sewing world, the sheer volume of sewing machines on the market may seem overwhelming. Even experienced sewers often hesitate to try out specialized machines because they find the wide range of models confusing. For example, if you’re considering purchasing a serger vs a sewing machine, you probably want to know …
Brother sewing machines are great for beginning sewers, so if you just bought one as your first sewing machine, welcome! Possibly you already visited the local sewing store and bought an armful of pretty fabric for all the projects you plan to sew as well! All of this is exciting, but you’re probably just now …
Have you ever tried to squeeze into a too-small shirt and found yourself wondering if you gained a few pounds because your shirt somehow shrunk in the wash? If you have experienced a similar accident, you’re probably wondering how to care for your favorite clothes. For example, does cotton shrink in the dryer or when …
A sewing machine is a big investment. Whether you’re a beginner at sewing or have more experience, you may not want nor have the budget to pay full price for a sewing machine. If purchasing a sewing machine is something you’re looking into, you may be wondering when the best time of year is to …
At face value, polyester and rayon seem to be similar fabrics. Both create lightweight clothing. So how do you know which one to use for your project? When it comes to Polyester vs Rayon: what’s the difference? Polyester and rayon are different fabrics. Rayon is a plant material processed with chemicals to make a semi-synthetic …
Have you ever experienced the discomfort of sitting through a work meeting without bending over because you’re worried the buttons on your blouse will gap open? Or maybe you can’t quite squeeze into the tee you bought at an amazing concert years ago. Either way, you probably find yourself wondering how to make your shirt …
For many home sewers, the name Singer is synonymous with sewing machines. You may remember your mom or grandma using an old Singer machine while you were young, or you might own a modern Singer model yourself today! If you want to find out more about this familiar brand, there is a lot to learn …
Have you ever experienced the frustration of cutting out, sewing, and finishing a garment, only to find out that it doesn’t fit quite right? The good news is that you can avoid this problem by designing your own patterns, specially created to fit personal measurements. If you’re just starting in the world of pattern design, …
If you do a lot of sewing, you may find yourself scratching your head over the confusing directions in most ready-made patterns. Even worse, you may have completed a sewing project, only to realize that the finished garment doesn’t fit your measurements! One of the best ways to avoid this confusion is to track down …
Beginner and experienced sewists have one major challenge in common. Getting a commercial sewing pattern that fits. When a pattern is too big or small, knowing how to fix it is the key to successful sewing. That’s where pattern drafting becomes a useful and essential skill. But what is pattern drafting and where do you …
Are you looking for a fabric that is versatile, long-lasting, and can withstand the elements? It can be easily cleaned, used both indoors and outdoors, and is inexpensive. Spun polyester may be exactly what you’re looking for. But what is spun polyester and what makes it have those qualities? Spun polyester is a synthetic fabric …
Painting fabric is fun for everyone, from textile artists to preschool teachers! Before diving into this creative project, though, you probably want to do a bit of research to make sure you use the right kind of paint for each type of fabric. Whether you plan to freshen up a thrift store armchair, elaborately stencil …
Screen printing is one of the most popular methods of transferring a design onto fabric for t-shirts, bags, and hoodies, but what happens when you need to remove that printed design? Maybe you have a side business screen printing t-shirts to sell on Etsy, or maybe you found a comfy hoodie at a thrift store …
Polyester is one of the most common fabrics in use today because it is durable, long-lasting, inexpensive, and versatile. But because it is so widely used, polyester gets exposed to many different elements, some of which can stain the fabric. Stains on any fabric make some people discontinue using the item. In this article, we’ll …
Pigment and garment dyes create the vintage look of a washed and faded t-shirt. With two dye types to choose from, how do you know which one is best? When it comes to pigment dyed and garment dyed t-shirts, what is the difference? The main difference between pigment and garment dyes is how they change …
Whether you are interested in textile arts or simply trying to select a unique fabric for a summer dress, you may find yourself wondering why some kinds of cloth look so different from others. You may not know that different dyeing methods create dramatically varied kinds of cloth. For example, what is the yarn-dyed fabric? …
