Wednesday, November 30, 2011
November 11 ~ Passion for Art
There are so many beautiful bags to love out there… We’re sharing one bag tutorial every day this month for you to sew and give.
Related tutorials you might just love: Vintage Smock Sew-Along (Part 1), Summer Camp Utility Apron, Sew Wild Mobile, Art Smock, Sewing Cards & Envelopes, Merry Stitches Ornaments
Plus these technique posts to help you create art with fabric: Raw-Edge Appliqué, Primary Tints: ?Beginning Fabric Dyeing, Tips for Embellishing Knits, Easy Applique: The Starch Method, Be My Bluebird ~ Wool Felt Valentine, Nature-Inspired Easy Embroidery Sampler
Here are just a few fabrics perfect for some of today’s projects. Click on the fabric images to visit the Sew,Mama,Sew! shop:
Tweet #handmadeholidays or tag us on Facebook this week for a chance to win a $20 gift certificate to Sew,Mama,Sew!
Comment on today’s post for a chance to win one of these books!
Author: Sandra Bardwell
Publisher: Abrams Books, STC Craft
Sewing Basics is the ultimate encyclopedia for sewing at home. This thorough guide covers everything from choosing fabrics to operating a sewing machine to hand sewing, fitting, fine-finishing, trouble-shooting, and more. Whether the sewer is trying to decipher the symbols on a printed pattern, line a pocket, work French seams, or fit a muslin, she’ll find what she’s looking for here, all precisely explained and illustrated with hundreds of step-by-step photos. Both for beginners learning how to hem and for more experienced sewers who need help mastering advanced techniques, Sewing Basics is an invaluable reference tool sewers will want to keep within easy reach for many years to come.
Author: Nora Abousteit, Alison Kelly, BurdaStyle
Publisher: Potter Craft
The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook is the most comprehensive, hip and creative guide to learning to sew clothes with style. With more than 430,000 members around the world, BurdaStyle is the largest online community of sewing enthusiasts, fashion designers and DIYers. In their first book, BurdaStyle celebrates this vibrant, global community as they teach readers everything they need to know to design and sew an entire wardrobe of fashion-forward looks using the five fully customizable sewing patterns enclosed with the book. Filled with gorgeous photography, step-by-step instruction and contributions by 78 designers from 22 countries, The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook will be the go-to guide for every fashion sewer.
Author: Amanda Carestio
Publisher: Lark Crafts
Lark’s new Stash Happy series is the cure for the common crafter’s dilemma: what to do with all those scraps and leftover materials!
The 30 fun projects in Stash Happy: Felt feature practical items (a fall-inspired tea cozy), cute accessories (a stylish retro-inspired clutch), unique home décor and holiday crafts (a felt flower bouquet), and adorable kid stuff (a repurposed wool bear cub hat). Everything you need is here, including illustrations, templates, and helpful hints from the designers.
Visit the Deux Petites Souris blog and shop for more from Cinzia!
Author: Joanna Figueroa
Publisher: Martingale & Co.
Bring fresh vintage style to your home with five great quilts and a basketful of unique projects ranging from adorable pin cushions and charming aprons to pillows and journal covers. All feature Fig Tree Quilts’ signature palette of warm, inviting tones. See how easy it is to personalize each project with the creative use of embellishments such as beads, ribbons, and bows. For wedding showers, birthdays, or special sewing buddies, you’ll have the perfect gift every time.
Don’t miss our Handmade Holidays photo pool, and check out our 2010 Handmade Holidays list for more fabulous ideas.
10 ~ Passion for Travel
9 ~ Passion for Cooking + Baking
8 ~ Passion for Exploration + Adventure
7 ~ Passion for Teaching + Learning
6 ~ Passion for Sewing
5 ~ Passion for Organization
4 ~ Passion for Relaxation
3 ~ Passion for Clothes
2 ~ Passion for Play
1 ~ Passion for Accessories
We respect the copyright of all crafters. All photos are used with permission from the artist.
Advertisinginfo@sewmamasew.com
Sewing Machine For Beginners - Five Tips to Consider Before Buying One
Buying a sewing machine especially when you are a beginner is a daunting task; add to that the brands and their different models it becomes much more difficult.
1) Purpose: Like with any other product, before buying a sewing machine you need to ask the purpose of why you need a sewing machine Jotting down the reasons why you need the machine may help you zero down to the one which is best suited for you.
2) Questions: As a beginner you may need to ask the following:
· What is your budget? How much are you ready to pay for a sewing machine now?
· Do you want to go for a simple sewing machine or a computerized one?
· Will you be sewing simple home décor projects or fashionable clothing?
· Will you be quilting?
· What about embroidery? Will you need to embroider often?
· Do you want a lighter and portable sewing machine?
· Do you have enough space in your house or room for a sewing machine and consequently area?
3) Features: The minimum a beginner should look for in their sewing machine is:
· a very good straight stitch
· a very good zigzag
· simple method of making buttonholes
· adjustable presser foot pressure
· Stitch lengths from 0-6
4) Price: A good sewing machine starts as low as $60 for a very basic model, and can go up to thousands of dollars for the technologically advanced models. If you're a beginner stick to basic models rather than machines with loads of features, although if you're ambitious it's worth buying an all in one machine, so that you have the features as you become more experienced and familiar with them. Either way, consider all options and question yourself on what you're planning to use the machine for, and then choose accordingly.
5) The machine: There are a number of home sewing machine brands in the market, Singer, Brother, Juki, SewPro, Consew, Bernina, Simplicity, Viking Husqvarna and more. In the beginning, it is advisable to stick to a simple sewing machine like the Singer 4200 series or the Brother 25-Stitch Sewing Machine or Singer 30-Stitch Function Sewing Machine. If you are looking to buy for a child then the Singer Zigzag Sewing Machine and the Singer Chain Stitch Sewing machine is recommended.
For more information on learning to sew or step by step sewing instructions and guide to sewing a homecoming sash, a tea cozy and other accessories, visit http://www.step-by-step-sewing.com
You will find advice and tips on sewing plus free patterns for learning to sew as a beginner. A great place to start your love for sewing or teach your children to sew. We will guide you on how to sew a sash, how to make a homecoming sash, sew your own tea cozy and much more.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Quilting Sewing Machines
Quilting is an art of incorporating many needlework skills. Quilts are sewn together from hundreds of small pieces of fabric. Quilting sewing machines hold the layers of cloth together by attachments. Many manufacturers produce machines with quilting capacity.
Some of the sewing machines having quilting capabilities are Brother PC 3000 Electronic sewing machine, Brother PC 6000 Electronic sewing machine etc. Their features include: a walking foot for sewing multiple layers of fabric, clear quilting foot for precise team allowances when piecing.
George sewing machine is a quilting sewing machine manufactured by APQS (American Professional Quilting Systems).This machine is powered by a quiet, covered DC motor and utilizes a hopping foot. It produces superior stitches. Its features include the following: weight 37 lbs, voltage 120V, single stitch function, two - stage needle positioner, handcrafted from aircraft grade aluminum, variable needle speed etc.
Juki TL 98Q is a high quality quilting sewing machine. Its features include the following: hand lift raises foot to 9mm, automatic needle stop up/down button, presser foot presser is easily adjustable, knee lever raises foot to 12 mm, a 1500rpm maximum sewing speed.
Pfaff Grand quilter is a quilting sewing machine which has a larger working area. It can make 1600 stitches per minute. This makes it easy for stitching quilts and stitch long pieces of fabric such as draperies and home decorating projects. Its features include the following: pre-tension adjustment keeps the stitches even and exact on fabric, automatic stitch control gives perfect stitches irrespective of thickness of the fabric.
Singer 132Q 32 stitch sewing machines, a quilting sewing machine has the following features: 5 -step buttonhole, quilting extension table, push button reverse, extended work surface, lightweight for convenient portability, and 18 built-in stitch patterns.
Quilting sewing machines can be bought from retailers or through Internet. There are many sites available in the Internet for purchase of sewing machines. Quilting sewing machines are affordable to all customers.
Sewing Machines provides detailed information on Sewing Machines, Industrial Sewing Machines, Embroidery Sewing Machines, Antique Sewing Machines and more. Sewing Machines is affiliated with Portable Steam Cleaners.
A Look at Sewing Machine Parts
Most sewing machines are well-built and will last for many years with only a few parts needing replacement. A great number of antique sewing machines are still in operation, but parts can be hard to find if the company is no longer in business. Typically, the manufacturer is the best location for sewing machine parts, but there are also many companies now specializing in replacement parts for sewing machines.
Sewing machines are made up of many mechanical and electrical parts, the most of which only need regular care while others will need frequent replacement. The parts that wear out more frequently are light bulbs, belts and the needles. These items are usually easily replaced and found at local retailers. Replacement parts can be sold as original manufacturer items or universal parts made to fit a variety of machines.
Some sewing machine parts such as the needle plates, bobbins and feet attachments may have to be purchased from a dealer or a sewing machine repair shop. In order to determine the correct part, the dealer will need to know the manufacturer of the sewing Machine, the specific model name or number and the part number.
In addition to replacement parts, it's possible to purchase after-market sewing machine parts. Typically, a new sewing machine will come with basic accessories such as the pressure foot and a zipper foot. If a sewing job requires a ruffle or quilting attachment, the retailer or parts supplier would have those items as well. Sewing machine parts from a specific supplier may sometimes be limited to a specific brand.
Suppliers of a particular brand of sewing machine will typically offer parts for all models or types of machines made by that manufacturer. Dedicated suppliers or repair shops frequently offer to maintain the sewing machine with recommended tune-ups.
Sewing Machines Info provides detailed information about industrial, embroidery, antique sewing machines, and sewing machines parts, as well as reviews of best sewing machine manufacturers. Sewing Machines Info is the sister site of Vending Machines Web.
Monday, November 28, 2011
November 5 ~ Passion for the Organization
Related tutorials you might just love: Gifts for Organizers, Gifts: Organize, Back-to-School Desk Bag, Easy Knit Book Covers, Happy Hostess Gift Box
There are so many beautiful bags to love out there… We’re sharing one bag tutorial every day this month for you to sew and give.
Here are just a few fabrics perfect for some of today’s projects. Click on the fabric images to visit the Sew,Mama,Sew! shop:
Tweet #handmadeholidays this week for a chance to win a $20 gift certificate to Sew,Mama,Sew!
Comment on today’s post for a chance to win one of these books!
Author: Erin Zamrzla
Publisher: Roost Books
The handmade books presented here offer creative ways for you to explore your personal styles and interests: Create a record of this year’s garden with a book made out of seed packets. Collect your favorite recipes under the protective cover of a plastic cutting mat. Make simple memo pads out of recycle bin scraps. In this collection of twenty-eight Japanese bookbinding projects, traditional techniques meet contemporary style, from easy-to-fold accordion books to the intricate and interesting Japanese stab-stitch bindings.
Author: C&T Publishing’s Design Collective
Publisher: C&T Publishing
Count down creatively – any season, any reason!
* 24 projects to anticipate and celebrate your favorite special events.
* Make one for Christmas, Chanukah, the first day of school, a new baby, and many more occasions.
* Learn innovative sewing and embellishing techniques using Lutradur, felt, and ribbon.
* Includes a few no-sew projects that you can make in just a couple hours.
Author: Gwen Steege
Publisher: Storey Books
Knit a traditional gansey sweater with indigo yarn. Tour a spinning mill. Discover five ways to cast on for socks. Use steeking to make a tube into a cardigan. The Knitter’s Life List is a richly illustrated compilation of more than 1000 experiences and adventures that knitters won’t want to miss. You’ll find unusual yarns to work with, classic techniques to master, time-honored patterns to try, innovative designers to know about, museums around the world to see, books to read, festivals and retreats to visit, and much more. Check off each item as you complete it, and move on to the next; you’ll find more than enough knitting adventures to fill a lifetime!
Author: Leni Levenson Wiener
Publisher: Krause Publications
Selecting fabrics and making great quilts has never been easier! In 3-Fabric Quilts, Leni Levenson Wiener gives you the tools to make twelve fantastic quilts that each require only three fabrics. With each quilt composed of geometric squares, rectangles and strips, cutting and piecing has never been so fast and simple.
Inside you’ll find:
* Advice on choosing the three fabrics, including tips on understanding color, value and print scale, making fabric shopping easier than ever.
* Illustrated instructions for twelve 3-fabric quilts, each with yardage requirements and instructions for a small and large size.
* A unique quilting template for each project, specifically designed for the quilt.
* Basic rotary cutting, piecing and finishing instructions.
* Fun, fresh, contemporary fabrics, layouts and patterns, perfect for gifts or to decorate your own home!
Author: Cheryl Almgren Taylor
Publisher: That Patchwork Place
In this rich collection of Christmas patterns, you’ll find festive quilts to deck the halls— And mantels, tables, floors, and more! These projects include delightful designs for children as well, so you’ll soon have everyone dreaming of Christmas!
* Choose from 10 warm and welcoming projects for decorating or gift giving.
* Prepare for the holidays with wall quilts, table toppers, a tree skirt, a mantel quilt, and stockings.
* Create pieced and appliquéd projects that include floral appliqué motifs such as poinsettias and mistletoe.
Don’t miss our Handmade Holidays photo pool, and check out our 2010 Handmade Holidays list for more fabulous ideas.
4 ~ Passion for Relaxation
3 ~ Passion for Clothes
2 ~ Passion for Play
1 ~ Passion for Accessories
We respect the copyright of all crafters. All photos are used with permission from the artist.
Advertisinginfo@sewmamasew.com
Handmade Holidays Prizes ~ Week #3
Thank you to all of the publishing companies who generously contributed Handmade Holidays prizes this year: STC Craft, Martingale & Company, Wiley, Shambhala Publications, Potter Craft, C&T Publishing, Storey Publishing, F+W Media, Interweave, Lark Crafts and Stash Books.
Thank you, also, to the many shops and artists giving away gift certificates and beautiful, handcrafted items throughout the month: Jennifer Ladd, Candied Fabrics, Peanut Envy, tortagialla, Slightly Biased, That Clever Clementine, KSC Designs, Mister & Mouse, The Silver Diva, Green Bag Lady, QuiltedCupcake, Tenderfeet Stitches, Mrs. Crafty Pants Designs, Dolls And Daydreams, Deux Petites Souris and Gramma’s Linen Closet.
Author: Joan Tapper & Gale Zucker
Publisher: Potter Craft
Join the Handmade Movement! We make to give. We make to share. We make to connect with others. Crafters all over the world are using their hands and hearts to make a statement, change the world, and build community.
Craft Activism is an inspiring celebration of this growing movement. Inside, dozens of superstars of this grassroots phenomenon share their experiences, tips, and advice on living, teaching, and promoting a more meaningful DIY lifestyle. Learn to craft for your cause, connect with other crafters, think green, organize a fair, host an online exchange, create yarn graffiti, and more.
Authors: Karla Eisenach, Lisa Burnett, Susan Kendrick
Publisher: C & T Publishing
Make every room in your house feel more like home
* 35 beginner-friendly projects, including quilts, pillows, table linens, and accessories– Many can be made in a day or less.
* Fresh, modern ideas for making things pretty and practical.
* Bring Sweetwater’s popular signature style to all your sewing and craft projects.
* Learn simple, creative techniques for decorating with appliqué, stenciling, stamping, and embroidery.
Author: Chrissie Grace
Publisher: Krause Publications
Gather a group of quilting friends and start trading fabric, quilt blocks and full projects for the ultimate community sewing activity! From fabric to block to project exchanges, Chrissie Grace and her team of all-star contributors show you the best way to organize and run your very own swap while making 12 beautiful projects. Whether you form your group in person or virtually online, you’ll love the excitement of giving and receiving handmade items.
Share your love of quilting with the sewers in your community. It’s simple-just connect, sew and start swapping!
Publisher: Interweave
This Stitch Magazine Prize Package includes the Winter 2011 issue and a DVD– Sewing Tips and Tricks with Tricia Waddell. It also includes International Quilt Festival Quilt Scene magazine (October 2011)!
Author: Kay Mackenzie
Publisher: Martingale & Co.
Quilters can’t get enough of Kay Mackenzie’s appliqué designs. In this elegant follow-up to Easy Appliqué Blocks, she presents 50 all-new designs with traditional appeal, such as Whig Rose, Pineapple, and Fleur-de-lis. The bonus CD features each block in five sizes, from 6? to 12?. No need to enlarge–just print the size you need.
* See a color photo of each block design stitched in fabric, plus a line drawing for tracing.
* Find all designs on the CD both regular and reversed for hand or fusible appliqué.
* Discover Kay’s tips for enjoyable hand and fusible machine appliqué.
Author: Suzuko Koseki
Publisher: Roost Books
Whether you are at home or out enjoying a walk on a wooded path, you can add a touch of color and comfort to your daily routines with one or more of the twenty-six projects featured here. By using the patchwork placemats to enliven your dining experience or by taking the hexagon patchwork bag on a picnic in a meadow, you never have to stray too far from the comfort of patchwork. The simple and traditional patchwork styles used in this book are paired with retro fabrics and contemporary designs to create everyday items.
Author: Laura Bethmann
Publisher: Storey Publishing
Discover how to use found natural materials – such as leaves, flowers, feathers, vegetables, fruits, shells, weeds, and wood grain – to print on any surface, from paper and fabric to ceramics, wood, and walls. Simple step-by-step instructions coupled with beautiful photos make it easy and fun to learn the basic techniques. In no time at all, crafters of any experience level will be creating original nature prints on everything from headboards to stationery to jewelry.
Author: Susan Breier
Publisher: Martingale & Co.
Wind, wrap, and sew fabric strips into fantastic containers! Start with a plate shape to learn the technique. Then experiment with four basic container styles to create round, oval, square, and other shapes.
* Create purses, baskets, and bowls in an endless variety of sizes, shapes, and colors.
* Simply wrap fabric strips around cotton clothesline, coil into the desired shape, and secure with machine stitching.
* Special sections on lids, handles, and embellishments offer unlimited options for your own variations.
Author: Alison Reid
Publisher: STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book
In Stitch Magic, fashion and textile expert Alison Reid teaches sewers how to manipulate and sculpt fabric by using such techniques as folding, cutting, pleating, tucking, gathering, and stitching, creating entirely new surfaces and textures in the process. The resulting fabrics, which look sophisticated and complex but are actually relatively simple and inexpensive to produce, can be used for entire textiles, such as cushions or blinds, or to create fashion accessories or embellishments.
Authors: Rebecca Yaker, Patricia Hoskins
Publisher: Storey Publishing
The best-selling authors of One-Yard Wonders are back with another all-new amazing collection of 101 sewing projects. Responding to the increasingly diverse range of fabric weights and types now available, Fabricby-Fabric One-Yard Wonders is organized by fabric type. From home dec to knits, wool to flannels, corduroy to cottons, these patterns show how to make the most of each fabric’s unique characteristics.
Author: Sara Diepersloot
Publisher: Martingale & Co.
Show off your fabrics in big-piece quilts! Easy enough for beginners, intriguing enough for seasoned quilters, these designs will put your fabrics on center stage. Find over 15 great patterns for theme prints, Asian prints, batiks, pastels, and more.
Quick and easy, these quilts are perfect for retreats. Most projects are made from squares, strips, or rectangles, and a few feature large triangles just for fun. Piece one (or two) this weekend!
For each quilt, it has a list of materials, a cutting chart, easy strip piecing instructions, layouts, and color illustrated instructions from start to finish. This title also covers all of the quilting basics, such as adding borders, binding, and so on.
Author: Kelly Wilkinson
Publisher: Abrams/STC Craft
In Weekend Handmade, author Kelly Wilkinson encourages readers to celebrate the joy of crafting, both for the satisfaction of making something by hand, and because the finished items serve as reminders of time taken to slow down and create, no matter the day of the week.
The book is organized into three sections: Make offers projects to wear or decorate with; Grow presents projects inspired by gardens, fields, and farmer’s markets; and Gather spotlights projects that enrich casual get-togethers.
Author: Charlene Phillips
Publisher: Krause Publications
Join author Charlene Phillips as you learn all about your new best friend—your sewing machine!
From fabric to feet to finished product, you’ll be guided through techniques for mastering your machine and using it to perform basic to advanced stitching tasks.
Whether you’ve been sewing for years or just gotten the itch, you’ll find invaluable information inside for using your sewing machine to its maximum potential.
The Busy Girl’s Guide to Sewing: Unlock Your Inner Sewing Goddess: Projects, Advice and Inspiration for a Creative Lifestyle (US Winners Only)
Authors: Carrie McLennan , Clare Nicolson , Suzanne Smith
Publisher: F + W Media
This title is designed for crafters who find there is never enough time in the day – which is most of them! The fun, quirkily styled projects can be completed in a day, or spaced over a few weekends, so crafters can have the satisfaction of finishing, as well as starting, projects. This title is written by a truly busy gal with bags of personality and experience, as she learns to sew and discovers how to fit it into her lifestyle. It includes advice on sourcing fabric, upcycling, blogging, joining online communities and more for the ultimate experience for busy girls who sew.
Author: Barbara Warholic
Publisher: Martingale & Co.
Shaped like pottery but supple like fabric, each project is a visual and tactile treat! Learn the simple technique of wrapping fabric strips around cording to make coiled pots. Then take your skills to the next level and make traditional pottery shapes: vases, urns, jugs, and more.
* Join pieces to create pots with necks, rims, handles, and even a teapot spout
* Choose from seven projects and explore a gorgeous gallery for additional ideas
* Put your fabric stash to use and sew something spectacular
Make and Takes for Kids: 50 Crafts Throughout the Year
Author: Marie LeBaron
Publisher: Wiley
Highlighting the best of each month of the year, Make and Takes for Kids offers 50 projects to make with kids, each centered around an upcoming holiday or season. The ideas are unique and simple to produce, and each project is thoughtfully constructed and designed to create an ideal environment and setting for crafting. Each craft requires little preparation, few supplies, and almost everything can be readily found at home or at a local craft supply store.
Authors: Shelley Wicks, Jeanne Large
Publisher: Martingale & Co.
Jeanne Large and Shelley Wicks, authors of the best-selling ‘Tis the Season, won many fans with their chunky, funky appliqué projects. Now you’ll be thrilled to find quilts and other comforts in the same cozy style for decorating all year long!
* Appealing designs with floral themes are a little bit country with a dash of contemporary flair
* Fifteen simple projects include wall hangings, framed appliqués, lap quilts, assorted pillows, a table topper, and a bed quilt
* Easy fusible appliqué makes for quick work on both cotton and wool projects
Authors: Debbie Stoller and Laurie Henzel
Publisher: Abrams, STC Craft
Whether it’s sewing clothes, making cheese, or growing a garden, the modern appeal of “do-it-yourself” projects has a broader reach than ever.
And who better to teach us how to DIY our lives than the über-crafty editors of BUST, the quirky, raw, and real magazine “for women who have something to get off their chests”?
In The BUST DIY Guide to Life, magazine founders Debbie Stoller (of Stitch ’n Bitch fame) and Laurie Henzel have culled more than 250 of the best DIY and craft projects from its 15-year history.
Author: Erin Zamrzla
Publisher: Roost Books
The handmade books presented here offer creative ways for you to explore your personal styles and interests: Create a record of this year’s garden with a book made out of seed packets. Collect your favorite recipes under the protective cover of a plastic cutting mat. Make simple memo pads out of recycle bin scraps. In this collection of twenty-eight Japanese bookbinding projects, traditional techniques meet contemporary style, from easy-to-fold accordion books to the intricate and interesting Japanese stab-stitch bindings.
Publisher: Martingale & Co.
Decorate your living space with warmth and charm! From Sew News–the trusted sewing source–discover 24 inspiring projects that can be easily adapted to suit any decor. Create everything from cozy pillows, place mats, and pot holders to clever curtains and lampshades.
* Techniques include pleating, gathering, boxing corners, adding trims, using decorative built-in machine stitches, and embroidery by machine
* “Home-Sewing Specifications” section provides a sewing glossary plus basic info about French seams, embroidery stitches, and more
* Skill levels range from beginner to advanced, providing something for everyone
Author: Amanda Blake Soule
Publisher: Roost Books
For many of us, our home is the center of our life. It is the place where our families meet and mingle, where we share our meals and share our dreams. So much more than just a space to live, our homes offer us a place of comfort, nourishment, and love for us and for our children.
In Handmade Home, Amanda Blake Soule, author of The Creative Family and the blog SouleMama.com, offers simple sewing and craft projects for the home that reflect the needs, activities, and personalities of today’s families. As Amanda writes in the introduction, “As a crafter, I’m always looking for the next thing I want to make. As a mama, I’m always looking for the next thing we need—to do, to have, to use—as a family. The coming together of these parts is where the heart of Handmade Home lies.”
Authors: Editors of Martha Stewart Living
Publisher: Potter Craft
Join Martha Stewart for a celebration of handcrafted holidays all year-round!
Let Martha inspire your creativity with the most beautiful crafts. The 225 handmade projects include cards and greetings, decorations, gifts and gift wrapping, tabletop accents, party favors, and kids’ crafts, as well as more holiday-specific activities, such as egg-dyeing, pumpkin carving, and tree trimming. Each idea is sure to make the holidays more festive and memorable.
Author: Kathy Brown
Publisher: Martingale & Co.
Discover 16 stunning quilts that are easy enough for anyone to make. Just stitch strip sets and cut them using the Creative Grids 90° Double-Strip Ruler (or another right-angle triangle ruler with appropriate markings) to create each mesmerizing design.
* Presents a super-easy triangle technique from the popular author of Take 5.
* Provides options–quilters can start with precut strips, fat quarters, or yardage.
* Makes it possible to create either scrappy quilts or designs with a more controlled loo.
Vicki writes, “My Loopy Lulu Bags were designed primarily for knitters to use as a work-in-progress bag, but people tell me they use their bags to tote library books, their kids’ gizmos, and all manner of thingamajigs. I hope you will enjoy this figment (I mean ‘product’) of my imagination!… As a lifelong sewist/knitter/crafter/feltmaker, I am deeply immersed in color and texture. My tastes are eclectic– I’ve always been inspired by vintage and ethnic textiles, but am equally smitten with cutting-edge contemporary design. From the whimsical and amusing to the ’sensible and clever,’ I love combining new and repurposed materials in new (and quite possibly eccentric) ways!” Visit Vicki on her blog and the That Clever Clementine shop.
Visit Tamera’s Facebook page, for coupon codes and other deals. You can also find more on her I Dare Say blog.
Candy writes, “I am addicted to color! I dye fabric so I can have just the hue and texture I want, and then I use it to make art quilts and ‘everyday art.’ I’m an avid blogger and I’ve had several publications in art quilting magazines. These publishing opportunities have led to me filming 4 episodes of the PBS show Quilting Arts TV (703, 709, 901 and 903). I also have a DVD workshop just released by Interweave titled Dyeing to Stitch.”