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Piece in the Hoop – Machine Embroidery and Quilting

August 29, 2010 – 3:57 pm


Machine embroidery and quilting enthusiasts listen up–you can now piece in the hoop. Written by designer Larisa Bland, Piece in the Hoop shows you how, and she’s not alone in that adventure. This book is part of the Create with Nancy series, so there’s a DVD included so you can see the techniques in action. Nancy Zieman also has tips sprinkled throughout the book. Look for 20 quilt projects in the book and, on the enclosed DVD, 40 multi-format machine embroidery designs used to make the projects.

By LindaG | Posted in Sewing and Crafting Book Reviews, Sewing, Quilting & Embroidery Tips & Techniques

The Wrapping Scarf Revolution – Asian Styled Scarf Wrapping Techniques

August 25, 2010 – 10:16 am


A long standing Asian tradition, wrapping gifts and making other creations from scarves is now easy to follow with Patricia Lee’s book The Wrapping Scarf Revolution. Using scarves and fabric lengths for wrapping is environmentally friendly, and it’s fun! In addition to wrapping gifts, there’s also instruction on creating totes and bags, wrapping pillows, and covering baskets and bowls. The phrase “It’s a wrap!” takes on new meaning with this photo rich book.

By LindaG | Posted in Sewing and Crafting Book Reviews, Sewing, Quilting & Embroidery Tips & Techniques

Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts

August 22, 2010 – 10:53 am


Nobody does it like Martha–and you’ll relish this 400-page comprehensive sewing encyclopedia resource. From basic sewing techniques to setting up the perfect workspace, Martha addresses it all.

There are 800 full-color photos of projects and techniques to inspire you and teach sewing, applique, embroidery, quilting, dyeing and printing lessons. In addition is an extensive reference section on tools and basic techniques–all great, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced sewer.

The book abounds with 150 projects to try the various techniques–from home decor to clothing, pets to nursery. Along with this compendium of printed information, comes a CD with more than 50 templates for motifs and patterns featured in the projects.

In addition to the standard indexing, there’s also a listing of projects by technique for a quick-find if you want something specific. If you’re a subscriber the Martha Stewart Living magazine, you may recognize several of the projects from articles in back issues, but now they’re all in one place for easy finding.

By LindaG | Posted in Sewing and Crafting Book Reviews, Sewing, Quilting, Embroidery & Craft Products

Punchello: Craft & Embellish with Sequin Waste

August 16, 2010 – 2:43 pm

I’ve heard the term “punchello” and also seen it spelled punchellu. What is it?

Punchello is one of the funny sounding words associated with sewing, but very simply it’s just sequin waste. Also referred to as Punchinello, Punchinella, Punchella or Punchelli, it’s the thin metal sheets left after sequins or pailettes (larger embellishments than a sequin) are punched out by a die press. Punchello comes in all colors, as well as the metallic shades, and is used for a number of crafty things. It’s often threaded with yarns, ribbons or fibers and then used as an embellishment for scrapbooking and other mixed media projects, or for jewelry. When cut into strips, it can be used like gift-wrapping ribbon, as it’s soft and flexible. Sewers often use it for embellishments on soft sculptures and also on garments, for just a bit of metallic sheen. You can trim it with ordinary craft scissors (not the good dressmaker ones!) and stitch through it with a small size machine needle or by hand, either in the holes or in the areas between.

By LindaG | Posted in General Information

Short on Sewing Time? – Sewing Projects Under 30 Minutes

August 11, 2010 – 11:25 am


It seems that we all wish for more time to sew, but if you don’t have any way to add more than 24 hours to the day, think about another option. If you break down your sewing tasks into small “bits,” it’s amazing how much you can accomplish.

For example, if you only have a few minutes, take advice from Nancy Zieman in her 10-20-30 Minutes to Sew book, or the 10-20-30 Minutes to Quilt title. Her advice is instead of looking at the big picture of all the tasks needing to be done, break them up into smaller ones. It’s akin to putting short bits of information on your to-do list, just so you can cross them off and see your progress.

If you want to make a quilt, but fear you’ll never get it done, check out Meryl Ann Butler’s 90-Minute Quilts book….you can actually do these clever quilts in the time allotted. I tried some! There are 15 projects you can sew up in an afternoon, even if you’ve never quilted before. So if you need a quick baby gift or throw for TV watching, you’ll find the perfect inspiration, and you can probably use fabrics from your stash. This book is also great if you’re teaching a child, as the quilts are simple and pieces are good sized, to eliminate frustration. In addition to quilts, there are pillow covers, tote, game boards, wall hanging and a shawl.

So, rather than wishing for more time to sew, think about what you can do with the time you have and use it to the max!

By LindaG | Posted in Sewing and Crafting Book Reviews, Sewing, Quilting & Embroidery Tips & Techniques, Sewing, Quilting, Embroidery & Craft Products