Shibori is a Japanese hand dyeing technique that involves folding, twisting or bunching cloth, binding it, then dyeing using an indigo dye. Different than the multi-colored tie-dyeing psychedelic creations of the anti-establishment youth of the 1960’s, Shibori uses indigo dye on light colored cloth.

Father's Day in the U.S. is celebrated on the third Sunday of June. It became a recognized holiday when in 1972 then President Nixon signed a bill nearly six decades after the U.S. officially recognized a day to celebrate mothers. Consider sewing a special gift for that special dad in your life.

A fabric cover for your sewing machine (or serger) will protect the investment in your machine or preserve the hard-working parts of a cherished hand-me-down so that it may continue to function well. Fabric dust covers are easy to sew or some surprising no-sew options are available.

Mother's Day is approaching and kids (of all ages) want to present a special heart felt gift to their moms. Simple and inexpensive handmade gifts are especially cherished by moms everywhere.

What has reupholstering got to do with sewing? Actually, everything! From choosing fabric type, determining how much fabric yardage to acquire, batting wraps, measuring, cutting, and some stitching there are many commonalities with sewing to consider when attempting a modest reupholstering project.

Using left over fabric pieces designated as scraps, an ignominiously undeserved title for usable fabric pieces, or inexpensive cotton muslin can test if a ready-made paper pattern will yield the desired results before committing to cutting what may be very expensive or one of a kind fashion fabric.

Sewers have often been instructed by pattern layout details to not use the fabric selvage edge, a word combined from self-edge, which was expected to be cut off and discarded. These factory loomed finished edges today no longer fill the waste basket or cutting room floor but have surprising uses.

Needles and pins were once so valuable that women may have had just one fine needle with which to do all their hand sewing. Pincushions, keeping pins and needles secure, were often made of pewter or silver in decorative shapes to display on fireplace mantels - thought to bring good luck to the home.

Fabric yo-yos, or fabric rosettes, are those delightful gathered circles sewn from little more than a round disc of fabric and a running stitch so quick and easy to make and yet a pleasant way to make use of colorful fabric scraps.

The invention and general acceptance of the slide fastener or zipper as we have come to know it allowed garment sewing to become a more efficient endeavor for the home sewer. In addition, the rise of sewing pattern companies greatly enhanced the abilities of home sewers to clothe their families.