Archive: Sewing Machines
January 3, 2012
Tilly and the Buttons Learn to Sew Series
Is learning to sew one of your New Year's resolutions? Then you'll want to check out the Learn to Sew series on Tilly and the Buttons! To get you started, Tilly has already posted tutorials on setting up your sewing machine and threading your sewing machine, and I can't wait to see what's next! If you're new to sewing or your skills need refreshing, the clear photos are straight-forward instructions in this series will be just what you need to get started.
October 19, 2011
MySingerStory.com
Singer is celebrating their 160th anniversary at My Singer Story and is looking for stories - your stories. You can post your favorite memories as well as sign up for a commerorative certificate for your Singer machine. I learned how to sew on my mom and grandma's Singers, so I'm off to add my stories now.
September 22, 2011
How-To: Machine Basting
Basting is a step that shows up regularly enough in sewing instructions, but many makers don't know exactly what it is and why you would want to take the time to learn how to do it. Personally, I think that basting is one of the most helpful tools for accurately constructing a sewing project, which is why I was so excited to see this machine basting tutorial on Freshly Picked. How important is it? Let's just say that my Emmy dress would have been a complete disaster without strong basting skills!
August 23, 2011
How-To: On-the-Go Sewing Machine Cozy
I found myself with a dilemma last weekend as I was getting excited about a quilting workshop I was about to take - my sewing machine didn't have a carrying case and I started to get a bit worried about transferring the machine back and forth without protection. I've seen lots of great patterns for covers to keep your machine dust free when not in use at home, so I decided to turn the idea upside down, literally, and make it tote-able for on-the-road sewing.
Read full story »August 12, 2011
How-To: Pimp Your Sewing Machine
There are many reasons why I'm smitten with this Pimp Yer Patcher tutorial from Dee*Construction, but I'll stick with the first thing that came to mind: OMG, that girl totally used the word "pimp" to describe applying brightly colored hexies to her sewing machine! I tend to be a little bit of a purist when it comes to decorating my appliances—I'll add flair to everything else, but leave my industrial design alone, thank you. But, even I have to admit, this looks cute, classy, and way better than the original plain white!
March 25, 2011
Tips For Buying a Vintage Sewing Machine
Vintage sewing machines always intrigue me, but also kind of scare me. I'm never quite sure what to check for if I find one for sale, and I'm not sure what models might suit my needs. Thankfully, Pete Lappin has a very handy column full of tips and advice for purchasing vintage sewing machines over on Burda Style. If a vintage machine has caught your eye, be sure to read this first!
March 1, 2011
Sewing Machine Cookies
Sweet Sugarbelle may have had a hard time bringing her vision of 3D sewing machine cookies to life, but I'd say her efforts were well worth it. I'm glad she stuck with it and didn't give up when things got tough! [via Crafty Chica on Pinterest]
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January 11, 2011
Sewing Machine Maintenance Tips
Our friends at BurdaStyle have put together some simple maintenance tips to keep your sewing machines running in top condition. Check them out and give your sewing machine a little extra TLC today.
November 10, 2010
Sewing Machine Amigurumi
Knithacker posted a link to an awesome radio amigurumi from flickr user, patribanez, this morning. As I was checking it out, I noticed her "related" link to this fantastic sewing machine amigurumi by the same artist. I love this combination of two awesome crafts in one project!
October 8, 2010
A Window of Singer Sewing Machines

Maker Faire NY crew member Nick Normal spotted this window of Singer sewing machines somewhere in Boston. What a cool idea for a display!
September 20, 2010
How-To: Quilted Rolling iPad Case

Instructables user becarella writes:
When the iPad first came out, the cover options were pretty weak. The official Apple case was nice because it was thin and bent so you could prop up the screen. I usually make zipper cases for devices, but for the iPad it seemed preferable to have a case that could stay on while you're using it. I was inspired by the Gigabyte Roll Pad that I use for my laptop to create this quilted case. It opens like a book to hold in one hand, or rolls open to prop up your iPad so you have a good viewing angle.
September 2, 2010
Amplified Sewing Machine
If you ever wondered which instrument was "S.O.S" on the Breeders' Last Splash album, it was an amplified sewing machine, according to this post from Chris Glass. I'd love to see Kelley Deal in action with it.
Via Austin Kleon