Add a little fall flair to your kitchen with these quick and easy wool potholders. They’re super simple to make — just cut out the leaf shapes, add the decorative stitching and you’re done! You can finish one in an hour or less, and they’re a great beginner project for those of you still afraid…
I’m excited about the Land’s End FeelGood Campaign for several reasons. First, I love the idea of hard-working volunteer knitters turning 5,000 pounds of yarn into blankets for those in need. Second, I’m dying to learn how to crochet and I think a video tutorial might be my golden ticket. And last, I love looking…
It’s back-to-school time, and it’s hard not to have school supplies on the brain even if school days are nowhere in sight for some of us! Inspired by the good old-fashioned pencil case, I thought it would be fun to sew a lined, zippered pouch that you can use for pencils, makeup, electronics or anything…
when I get on a mission to tidy up my apartment, i usually end up becoming promptly frustrated by my woeful lack of storage space. so i’m always looking for ways to lose that feeling of clutter, even when i don’t really have any real space to stash my stuff—and thus, this kitchen cozy was…
Here’s a great way to snazz up simple textiles with an easy embellishment technique – machine appliqué! This technique allows you to apply cut-out shapes of fabric to the surface of another fabric, achieving colorful and interesting effects that would otherwise be complicated to sew. In this post I’m appliquéing a tablecloth, but you can…
Okay, it may not be the sexiest topic in the sewing world, but piping is a darn handy tool to have in your stitchy arsenal. It adds a super-professional touch to pillows and cushions, as well as accessories like pot holders, placemats—just about anything that needs a little trimming action. You can buy piping in…
I love roller blinds for their functionality (privacy and light blockage are there when you want it, gone when you don’t), but they’re not always the most exciting thing to look at. (Plain sheet of white vinyl? Snore.) But here’s a simple way to snazz up the situation — sew your own, using a hacked…
Who says laundry has to be a dull chore? Snazz up your laundry life by sewing a cute custom bag to fit a folding hamper frame. The beauty of making this sack yourself is that you can customize your hamper to almost any size (just open the frame as far as you like to adjust…
Add a burst of color to your room with this crafty pouf! At 17” wide and 10” deep, it’s large enough to serve as floor seating or a foot stool. (And if you have pets, I have a feeling they may want to make this their new favorite spot!) This project is a little challenging…
Looking for a quick and easy hostess gift, or just want to add a bit of craftiness to your kitchen? This little bottle cozy is just the thing. It’s super simple to make, so even complete sewing newbies shouldn’t be afraid to give it a try. (And if you don’t have a sewing machine, this…
[i'm thrilled to welcome brett bara back to d*s as a regular contributor! brett will be joining us every other week with one of her great sewing 101 how-to's. click here to check out her previous posts. so glad to have you as part of the team, brett!] Is it weird that I have a…
I don’t know about you, but I never cease to be shocked at the price of bedding. And nothing sets off my “I could make that myself so much cheaper and better” instincts like duvet covers. It’s just a big flat case of fabric, yet even the simplest options easily soar into the three digits—but…
If you’ve got a boring old ottoman hanging around, or if, like me, if you happen to find one of those plain cubes on sale, it’s easy to recover with a custom slip cover. This is another fantastic way to bring some fun textiles into a room with a project that you can sew in…
Next up in our learn-to-sew series: throw pillows! Throw pillows are another fantastic way to incorporate cute textiles and DIY flair into your home without a great investment of time or money. If you’ve ever gone into a fabric store and wanted to buy everything because it’s just all so gorgeous, then pillows are a…
[today i'm thrilled to welcome brett bara of manhattan craft room to d*s with a special guest column. you've been asking for more sewing how-tos, so brett will be joining us for a sewing 101 primer, covering all the basics for getting started with home sewing. welcome, brett!] Hello there! I’m very happy to be…
