RSS
Archive: Sewing
October 28, 2009
Ask CRAFT: Replacing a Peacoat's Lining
If you have a question for Ask CRAFT, shoot me an email at becky@craftzine.com, or drop us a note on Twitter! We'd love to answer your crafty questions on any topic: technique, projects, crafty culture, or anything else! Each week the answers are here; include your name, where you're from, and your website or blog if you have one!
Lauren Venell writes in:
I have a wool peacoat that has held up perfectly on the outside, but the lining is literally in shreds. How can I replace the lining in time for winter without having to sew the whole thing in by hand? I cannot for the life of me figure out how the lining was sewn in by machine without stitches showing on the outside of the coat.
Coat linings are sewn in with the coat entirely inside-out. Just like a plush toy, a small opening is left somewhere so that it can be turned right side out, then the hole is hand sewn shut. This hole is usually somewhere along the bottom edge of the lining. Open it up with a seam ripper and reverse the entire thing. You'll then see that the lining is sewn by machine to the outer layers of the coat. Use your seam ripper again to free the old lining, and even use it to construct a pattern for the new lining. Best of luck to you! As you can see from these pictures, I'm facing the exact same problem with my vintage peacoat.
Posted by Becky Stern |
Oct 28, 2009 09:00 AM
Mending, Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (2)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
How-To: Reusable Swiffer Cover
Amber of Berlin's Whimsy shares how she created this reusable, reversible Swiffer mop cover from old towels.
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Oct 28, 2009 06:00 AM
Refashion, Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (0)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
October 26, 2009
Favorite Scarf (for now)
This is my favorite scarf. That I bought last year.
I have several other favorite scarves. Probably about 10 or so that are favorites, and another dozen or so that I really, really like.
Favorites include the one I got at a thrift store in Germany this summer; the one I bought in San Francisco with my best friend Jenny on a Mom's Night Away; and the one Marie Kare (love ya!) knit for me a few years ago. So many fabulous scarves!
But back to my favorite scarf (that I bought last year).
I got it at Bazaar Bizarre in San Francisco from Lauren Brady, the woman next to the Craftzine booth where I was working. It's designed with quilted pieces on one side and a rust-colored, very soft corduroy on the other.
 |  |
Besides the pattern and fabric choices, both of which I love, it includes two clever features. The first is the little embroidered bird on one end. So cute! The other is a button sewn onto the corduroy side about a third of the way down the length, and a corresponding hole sewn into the scarf near the other end. You can button your scarf in place! This keeps you super toasty and super fashionable, all at the same time. Such an awesome feature for a favorite scarf!
And I can't wait to find my next favorite scarf among the entries in the Me, My Scarf, and I contest. You're all clever, crafty, and motivated, so maybe I'll end up with 2 or 3 favorites this year!
Posted by Shawn Connally |
Oct 26, 2009 11:00 AM
Contests, Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (3)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
Free Sock Bat Doll Pattern From Heather Bailey
Heather Bailey has created a free pattern for this cute bat doll that's made from a sock, wool felt and scraps of fabric.
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Oct 26, 2009 08:00 AM
Halloween, Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (2)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
October 21, 2009
Easy Mermaid Tail Costume
When I was a little girl, I spent hours dreaming I was a mermaid. Every time I got near a pool or pond, I practiced swimming like one, and Splash was by far my favorite movie.
So imagine how lucky I thought my niece was when my sister-in-law sewed up a dozen mermaid tails for her birthday party this year! Now, Selena is as close to Superwoman as anyone I know (she's a design professor at the University of New South Wales, runs Griffin Kiteboarding with her husband, and has two amazing--and amazingly active--kids), so I wasn't surprised. I was surprised when she showed me how easy it was to make up a pattern and sew the tail (although making a dozen is a different story). It's easy to customize if your little boy doesn't want to be a merman, or your little girl prefers dinosaurs, and would make the perfect last-minute Halloween costume. It uses fabric remnants, and even I was able to sew one up in about an hour. Here's how.
Read full story
Posted by Arwen O'Reilly Griffith |
Oct 21, 2009 11:00 AM
Kids, Patterns, Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (2)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
October 20, 2009
How-To: Vintage Embroidered Ribbon Needlecase
Last month, Melissa of tiny happy shared an adorable needlecase she made after being inspired by a project she saw in a 1970s craft book. She's just posted instructions on how to make your own needlecase using wide vintage embroidered ribbon.
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Oct 20, 2009 08:00 AM
Hand Embroidery, Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (1)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
October 19, 2009
DIY Faux-Fur Vest
With faux-fur looks hitting the stores this fall, why not make your own soft and furry DIY faux-fur vest with this tutorial by ...love Maegan.
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 19, 2009 04:00 PM
Fashion, Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (0)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
October 15, 2009
How-To: Zippy Wallet From Fabric Scraps
I've been loving the Scrap Busters month over at Sew, Mama, Sew! They have been featuring loads of great projects that can be made from handfuls of scraps, and this zippy wallet tutorial really caught my eye. Contributed by Anna from Noodlehead, it's got a great shape and the cutest little snap flap. I love it!
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Oct 15, 2009 06:10 AM
Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (0)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
October 14, 2009
How-To: Rainskirt
How-To: Rainskirt
Take an old raincoat and make it into the perfect garment to slip on over pants or skirts.
By Diane Baker
When I moved to Seattle I spent a considerable amount of time looking for rain wear for my lifestyle. The only gear that covered my legs were rain pants, which were not only hard to get on and off, but ugly, and incompatible with skirts. The solution turned out to be cutting up an old raincoat and making what I call, the Rainskirt.
Read full story
Posted by Goli Mohammadi |
Oct 14, 2009 02:00 PM
Recycle, Refashion, Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (4)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
October 13, 2009
How-To: Dinosaur Play Mat
How-To: Dinosaur Play Mat
By Holly Ramer
My 4-year-old son likes to play a game he calls "Dinosaur Party Truck." It's as adorable as it is involved (apparently Ankylosaurus, and only Anklyosaurus, has the necessary license to drive a backhoe loader).
He also likes to leave the dinosaurs scattered across the floor when he's done, which is not so adorable. And as someone who has stumbled over Stegosaurus and tripped over Triceratops more than once, I can assure you that even tiny herbivores are capable of attack. So in hopes of saving my insteps from further injury, I created this portable Dinosaur Play Mat.
Folded up, it's a lava-spewing volcano. Spread flat, it's a miniature landscape, perfect for a Tyrannosaurus rex tooling around in his tractor or a dump truck-driving Diplodocus.
Read full story
Posted by Goli Mohammadi |
Oct 13, 2009 06:00 PM
Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (3)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
How-To: Sew a Ruffled Scarf
One day I decided to put away all my deadlines and all my unfinished projects, and to instead design something just for fun, to please only the fiber-artist-fashionista within me. I dug around in a bin of wool sweaters and found a truly hideous gray knit poncho. I plugged in my sewing machine and started playing around with a method that I used in Feltique, where the edge of a knit sweater gets a ruffled edge. It's an easy technique that my friend Alix of Treehouse 28 taught me way back in the day. But I tend to be chronically unsatisfied and wanted even more ruffles. So I gathered the whole thing up on a long black ribbon. It was the perfect touch. I had made myself a scarf that really embodies who I am as a crafter right now. It's got pure drama, ruffles and ribbon, and a versatile look that can be altered on a whim. Plus, the whole thing is made from my current favorite material: recycled wool.
Crafting has major roots in self-expression. And contests are all about challenging yourself. I encourage you to listen to your own inner creative voice, and to really trust your personal design process. Submit your scarf, with a description of how it aligns with your personality, to the Singer Contest: Me, My Scarf, and I. The grand prize is an amazing Singer ProFinish Serger, and I know that's just what you've always wanted!
Read full story
Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 13, 2009 12:00 PM
Contests, CRAFT Projects, Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (12)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
October 12, 2009
Singer Contest: Me, My Scarf, and I
CRAFT and SINGER® present the Me, My Scarf, and I Contest. Fall is upon us, and what better accessory than a scarf! We invite all of our crafty readers to participate and create a sewn scarf that best describes your personality! All entries must have some portion created using a sewing machine.
The Me, My Scarf, and I Contest will run for 6 weeks, and the Prize winners will be announced by Monday, November 30th. Deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. PDT November 23, 2009. Each entry will be judged based on the following criteria: creativity of design, description of how the scarf represents the creator, and the use of a sewing machine in the creation process. Please see Official Rules for more information on the Winner selection.
To submit an entry, simply take a picture of yourself wearing your scarf, include a description of how the scarf describes your personality, and submit it to the Me, My Scarf, and I Contest Flickr Group.
If you're joining in on the contest, here's the code for the badge to display on your site or blog.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/1229922@N20/"><img src="http://cdn.makezine.com/make/craft/badge_singer_scarfcontest.gif" width="150" height="144" border="0" alt="CRAFT: Singer Contest - Me, My Scarf, and I" /></a>
Pictured above is our own Brookelynn Morris wearing a Ruffle Scarf she sewed up using recycled wool from an old poncho. Watch for her inspirational project in tomorrow's How-To Tuesday.
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 12, 2009 02:00 PM
Contests, Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (1)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
How-To: Yarn Scrap Embroidery
Fall is in the air, and I'm feeling a need to embroider. If you're like me, you have an enormous pile of yarn left over from other projects. In my case, it sits in my needlework bag and taunts me, daring me to dig into it and make something pretty. So, one early fall afternoon with Vivaldi's Autumn Allegro playing on iTunes, I took the challenge. Using one of the butcher linen placemats from my Felix Populi product line, I set about laying down some fall foliage in yarn.
Read full story
Posted by Shawn Connally |
Oct 12, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Fiber Art, Hand Embroidery, Sewing, Yarn |
Permalink
| Comments (0)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
October 11, 2009
How-To: Felt Mittens With Knit Cuffs
These cozy felt mittens with knit cuffs from Molly at The Purl Bee are perfect for whipping up to get ready for colder weather!
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Oct 11, 2009 03:00 PM
Patterns, Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (0)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
October 9, 2009
How-To: Martingale Dog Collar
Instructables user Doggie Stylish writes:
Martingale collars are a very popular choice for dog trainers. They are not a severe as a regular choke collar since they cannot infinitely tighten and choke the dog. This instructable will show you how to make a martingale collar from scratch.
Posted by Becky Stern |
Oct 9, 2009 09:00 AM
Pets, Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (0)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
How-To: Lunch Box Napkins
I keep meaning to whip up a set of lunch box napkins for my kids to use at school, but can never seem to get around to it. This tutorial from Lisa at Polka Dot Creations reminds me how easy they are and has inspired me to tackle a set this weekend. I also love the little trick she's included to include the child's name on the napkin.
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Oct 9, 2009 08:00 AM
Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (0)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
October 8, 2009
How-To: Vintage Napkin Gadget Stow Away
Pip from Meet Me At Mikes shares a brilliant tutorial for turning vintage napkins into gadget cozies in around ten minutes. Fantastic!
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Oct 8, 2009 08:00 AM
Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (0)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
October 7, 2009
Basketball Jersey Produce Bags
Basketball Jersey Produce Bags
By Future Craft Collective
By now most of us have figured out our reusable bag system for going to the grocery store. I know in the back of our van we've got myriad choices for small, medium, or large shopping outings.
What we hadn't figured out, however, was what to do for our produce selections. We ended up using the plastic bags offered because we hadn't yet thought of a better choice. It would have to be something that breathed, could be easily washed, and didn't weigh too much. It seems these same requirements are in order for any kind of sporting apparel. So we turned once again to the modern day tech fabrics — this time in the form of a basketball jersey. We created these very cool, very utilitarian produce bags to be used over and over again, thereby kissing the plastic bags goodbye.
Read full story
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 7, 2009 05:00 PM
Columns, CRAFT Projects, Refashion, Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (4)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
October 6, 2009
How-To: Quick Lederhosen T-Shirt
You can celebrate Oktoberfest in style, minus the fancy costume rentals by checking out this tutorial from Beth of stitch.rip.repeat for making a lederhosen-style t-shirt.
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Oct 6, 2009 08:00 AM
Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (1)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
October 5, 2009
Baby Tuxedo Onesie
I had a number of formal weddings to go to this summer (and a few more to go!), and at first I wasn't quite sure what to put my then-four-month-old in. A quick search on Etsy brought up some adorable tuxedo onesies. I couldn't resist this one, although it would be fairly simple to whip one up yourself: just applique the bow tie and stitch some quick ruffles down the front with T-shirt material. (On the other hand, if you're a new mom whose crafting time is much more limited these days, check out Corduroy's Closet!)
Posted by Arwen O'Reilly Griffith |
Oct 5, 2009 06:00 PM
Babies, Refashion, Sewing |
Permalink
| Comments (1)
| Email Entry |
Suggest a Site
