Category: introduction to sewing (original)

pinstriped napkins

Cloth napkins are sophisticated, Eco-friendly, durable, and simple to make. This pattern adds a slight twist to the traditional napkins, adding pinstripes to match your style, be it bold or subtle. This pattern makes a set of 8 napkins. MATERIALS NEEDED 2 yds. comfortable cotton Contrasting thread for pinstripes Matching thread for hem INSTRUCTIONS 1. […]

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8: corners and pivoting

Sewing a straight line is one thing… sewing around a corner is another thing completely.  But it really is simple, once you know how. SEWING AND CLIPPING A CORNER Take two sample rectangles and line them with right-sides-together. Sew down one side of the fabric, and stop near the edge, leaving the same distance between […]

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7: ironing

Ironing is a very basic technique.  Remember the advise given in lesson 2, to know your fabric.  The temperature setting on your iron and whether or not you use steam should depend on the material you are ironing.  Some fabric can take high heat and steam, others need to be pressed with delicate settings.  If […]

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placed mats

The idea behind the Placed Mats is that they have a template stitched onto them, showing where each element of the table setting goes.  It’s great for teaching kids to set the table, but I’d even be excited about them if I didn’t have kids. ***NOTE: This pattern is for a set of 4 placemats*** […]

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6: sewing a straight line

Believe it or not… we’re ready to SEW.    Thread your machine, turn it on (feels good, doesn’t it?!), and make sure it’s set to a straight stitch. Use one sample square for practice during this lesson. SEAM ALLOWANCE & A STRAIGHT STITCH First, what is a seam allowance?  The seam allowance is the space between […]

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