Sewing a Simple Shawl Oct 30, 2008
It can be sewn in a variety of fabrics and machine or hand sewn ... Fabric for your Shawl ... Chiffon fabric that has self-embroidery or pattern can be very striking. (Suite101.com)
Fan laments uncertainty of 'Runway' Oct 30, 2008
They just need the good nature and the guts to defend the piles of fabric, buttons and pins that they called their vision. It's brought us some good times. (MSNBC -- News)
Jazz up the Holidays with Luxurious Handmade Touches Oct 29, 2008
Rich, luxurious fabrics really stand out during the holiday season ... Think sewing on these types of fabric is hard ... Tell the BERNINA 830 what type of fabric you are using and its thickness and the machine will tell you what needle, thread, presser foot and stitches to use to get the best results. (Canton Daily Ledger, IL)
Halloween costuming becomes all consuming Oct 29, 2008
You give me two objects that need to be stuck together say felt fabric spots to glitter poster board and I ll give you some Velcro that can do the job. Who needs to sew when there is such a handy attachment system with just the peel of a sticky backing. (Beverly Citizen, MA)
More of this story Oct 28, 2008
The love of fabrics, the fondness for feeling fine threads between her fingers runs in her blood. It goes back at least three generations to Greece, where her great-grandparents owned a general store and sold lace, fabric, ribbon and other items at the counter ... The fabric vendor would provide my grandmother with remnants and samples of materials that were completely different from what was sold in the store, Lewis said. (Newport Daily News, RI)
1+1= Math in style Oct 28, 2008
Taking a mad scientist approach, Eng threads a fabric such as chiffon with battery packs and LED wires to create glowing patterns. She incorporates the mathematical sequence found in a beech tree leaf into a scarf. (Florida Times-Union)
Recycled disguise Oct 26, 2008
Debski made her finds at Twin Falls thrift stores: 25-cent pants at Mustard Seed; a big 50-cent stuffed spider at St. Vincent de Paul (you can't see the spider in this photo, but it's sewn to the top of Chantel's hat); and a shirt, wings, a red hat and black fabric to cover the hat, 50 cents each, at Deseret Industries. Then back to Mustard Seed for batting with tiny plastic spiders, 25 cents. (Burley South Idaho Press, ID)
Mom turns free time into business opportunity Oct 25, 2008
I was always too impatient to thread a needle, but with the birth of my daughter (Tenzin), my mother bought me a sewing machine and I was determined to sew up a square blanket with these amazing fabrics I found online ... I had been ordering the same fabric over and over because it was a great seller, but I am moving away from that now and just buying enough to make possibly three or four items with my favorite fabrics. (Scripps Howard News Wire)
Halloween food can be frightfully good Oct 22, 2008
I fashioned the phantom out of a Dollar Store mask, a hairpiece and leftover fabric from a previous sewing project, then strung her from a mesquite tree in the front yard. Her scraggly hair and tattered wedding dress flowed in the breeze as her bony, shriveled face menaced arriving guests, who had to enter in the dark through the "fog-covered cemetery.". (Yuma Daily Sun, AZ)
Trendy, tailored choli Oct 19, 2008
A large part of the tailors job, said Saraswathy, was to realise a customers vision in transforming a piece of fabric into something that would make her look like a princess. Nowadays, saree blouses are no longer as simple as the ones our grandmas wore. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Christmas Decor for the Home Oct 18, 2008
1/2 yard of muslin fabric ... If you started with 36" fabric it will be 18" in length and width ... If you started with 45" fabric it will be 22 1/2" in length by 18" width. Either is fine. You will be working along the 18" width. (Suite101.com)
Four Easy Strip-Pieced Quilt Blocks Oct 18, 2008
Start by first rotary-cutting strips of fabric ... This block consists of three or four fabric strips cut into rectangles ... The blocks shown in the illustrations offer strong contrasts between light and dark fabrics to make it easier for you to see how to lay them out, but you can create dramatically different looks by using fabrics that are closer together in value and blend together with each other as a result. (Suite101.com)
'Project Runway' winner Leanne dishes on Kenley and her first big ... Oct 17, 2008
Maybe I'll go and buy some crazy expensive fabrics that normally I can't go near ... It will be fun to feel like I can buy whatever I want in a fabric store. (Los Angeles Times)
Allergic People Take Care on Hallow... Oct 16, 2008
Consider making a home made costume out of non-toxic materials, such as cotton fabric, from the sewing and craft store. Creating a costume can be a great deal of fun for children and adults. (Suite101.com)
Quilters Day Quilt Show to be held in Frederick Oct 16, 2008
The event is being sponsored by ThayerRags Fabric Center of Frederick. Volunteers wishing to assist with the event are invited to contact CD or Marlene Thayer at ThayerRags Fabric Center, 580-335-3380. (Altus Times, OK)
Real Trunk Show Oct 16, 2008
"They're not muumuus, they're gorgeous."Each designer was given five yards of eco-friendly fabric with the original elephants' work (no silk-screening) to design as they so pleased. Avant-garde fashion designer Tunji Dada worked with Sela, the youngest elephant, whose haphazard and free-spirited brush strokes remind many of abstract American artist Franz Kline. (New York Post -- Entertainment)
Do-it-yourself cape is like 4 costumes in one Oct 15, 2008
The instructions below will make a cape about 18 inches long that fits a 4-year-old, but they can be easily altered for a bigger child by using more fabric ... Do the same with the black fabric, stack them on top of each other and lay them in front of you with the fold running vertically and on the left ... Draw a line from the top edge of the fabric to point B. Parallel to the line you just drew, draw another line from the top edge of the fabric to point C. Draw a third line, perpendicular to... (Honolulu Advertiser)
Islamic and other artefacts to be auctioned off Oct 15, 2008
There will also be a 400-year-old Ottoman era manuscript, Eastern ornaments and woven fabrics, diamond and ruby brooches from Malacca, and a floral silk fabric from Johor called cindai, which is claimed to have medicinal properties. Legend has it that the Malay warrior Hang Jebat was able to hold out for seven days after being stabbed by Hang Tuah because he used cindai to dress his wound. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Cheap Haunted House Ideas - Floatin... Oct 13, 2008
One wall, or part of the wall, will need to be covered by black fabric. Make sure to have enough fabric to cover whatever section of wall that needs to be covered as well as 13 or so extra feet to make a large costume (don't worry, no major sewing is needed) ... Once all outside light is completely cut off and the far wall has the fabric on it, set up the blacklight. (Suite101.com)
How to Acquire New Clothes on a Bud... Oct 12, 2008
A common contemporary complaint is that sometimes fabric at fabric stores ends up costing more than buying clothing at a shop. But sewing doesn t always mean making a piece of clothing from absolute scratch. (Suite101.com)
History of the Sewing Machine Oct 12, 2008
Different kinds of fabrics were tried, but it merely became a "fix-it" machine than a reliable sewing machine ... Another improvement was the needle's up-and-down movement, entering the fabric being sewed from the bottom and the top. (Suite101.com)
Buying better lives Oct 11, 2008
One will weave the fabric, another apply the embroidery, encouraging cooperation between crafters ... Fabric caterpillar, Bangladesh, 28. (Burley South Idaho Press, ID)
Christmas Gift for the Man in Your ... Oct 10, 2008
One half yard of canvas fabric ... The tallest item will determine the length of the fabric ... Our fabric was purchased 18" x 45" so we need to cut the length to 27". Cut three pieces of seam binding 18" each and two pieces 27" each. The remaining piece is 36". (Suite101.com)
New robes aimed at cancer patients Oct 8, 2008
Made in five sizes, from fabric ranging from vibrant florals to colorful plaids, and sometimes embroidered for an additional personal touch, Dignity Robes replace the traditional one-size-doesn't-fit-anybody hospital gowns that supposedly are held closed by ties but in actuality expose a lot of skin ... Sometimes people have donated fabric, and, through a friend, she has been able to get a fabric manufacturer to send overruns and seconds for the cost of shipment. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Local woman sews her way from Danvers High to high fashion Oct 8, 2008
I ve taken over the house with fabric ... I have to cut out fabric, sew the fabric, iron, put on labels, design labels. (Danvers Herald, MA)
Broadway costumer's work is on display at Charles City Arts Center Oct 7, 2008
She looks at the theatrical costume designs brought to the shop and then goes to the Garment District in Manhattan to get swatches of fabric from wholesale suppliers and other places. The staff at the shop chooses fabric for the costumes from the swatches. (Mason City Globe-Gazette, IO)
'Tis the Season for Easy and Affordable Handcrafted Gifts Oct 6, 2008
Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores suggests, "Let's make Christmas!" Handmade gifts are a trend across the country due to their highly personal nature and the fact that they often cost less than store bought items. "This holiday, forget about that boring or expensive store-bought present. Handmade gifts are more popular than ever, and for good reason," says Susan Atchison, manager of trend development for Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores ... Add that famous family recipe in fabric marker to the front,... (Canton Daily Ledger, IL)
What's ahead Oct 5, 2008
The club will make a Potato Baker/Tortilla Warmer, so participants are asked to bring one yard of focus fabric, or a half of a yard of two complimentary fabrics, coordinating thread, a sewing machine and basic supplies. Insulating batting will be available for purchase, or sewers may bring their own. (Coos Bay-North Bend The World, OR)
Three sheets to the wind is OK when they're covering a window Oct 5, 2008
Now, let's address those bare windows by adding a new pair of stationary fabric panels that will give you a big decorative effect without much expense ... Usually fabric comes in 54-inch widths, but if you use a flat king-size sheet you have fabric that's more than 108 inches wide in one seamless piece ... Fabric stores sell a wide variety of rods and brackets, but if you want to save money and favor the natural look, a branch from a tree can be a perfect piece of wood over which to hang the... (San Francisco Chronicle)
A stitch in time can save you a fortune Sep 23, 2008
It's the drug-of-fashion stash regularly fed by Sydney's biggest dealer - Tessuti's fabrics - when you just have to have that Lisa Ho end of line fabric ... These days my stash only runs down when I refuse to pay $400 plus for a silk dress to wear to a friend's wedding, when I can run it up for under $100 in superior fabric, and about five hours' work ... These women could run up a tailored suit with nothing more than a homemade brown paper pattern, sharp scissors and woollen fabric imported... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
As changes unfold, it's nice to reflect on the good memories Sep 22, 2008
I won t soon forget the green stamp store tucked away in a corner in Torrido Village, next to Meaux s Fabric Store, a place filled with helpful ladies who knew everything about sewing (I can still remember the strong smell of the fabric. . (New Iberia, LA)
Basket Case: Local quilt shop offers peaceful escape from sometimes harsh realities of the workday world Sep 19, 2008
We said, We ll have a quilt class, but we won t carry fabric, Larson said as she surveyed row upon row of brightly colored bolts on the barn s second floor. We d get these little old ladies off the farm who would say, You don t want me to have to drive all the way to Rockford or Naperville (to a quilt store), do you. (DeKalb Daily Chronicle, IL)
Fabric Place to close after 60 years in business Sep 18, 2008
The final yard for Fabric Place ... The lessons they learned helped them create Fabric Place, which became a beloved institution in downtown Framingham before spreading across the region ... A Fabric Place design center in Newton shut down earlier this month. (Boston Globe)
Group builds Christmas socks for troops Sep 18, 2008
Volunteers are asked to bring scissors and/or sewing machine, extra fabric and thread to the east wing of the Pony Village Mall, across of Ross Dress for Less, from 1 to 4 p.m., Sundays. Parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, friends and community members are invited to join as the group creates this special Christmas message from everyone in Coos County. (Coos Bay-North Bend The World, OR)
Vcommerce Corporation Announces Launch of Hancock Fabrics New End-to-End eCommerce Web Site Sep 15, 2008
Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Vcommerce Corporation ( ), the leader in SaaS end-to-end eCommerce services announced today that the new eCommerce site of Hancock Fabrics, Inc (OTC symbol: HKFI), has gone live. In response to increasing need to find a broad and deep enterprise class eCommerce platform that would improve their order capture, order management and order fulfillment solutions, Hancock Fabrics conducted an extensive search for a partner with true end-to- end platform capabilities able to... (PR Newswire)
Fabric Place closing doors Sep 13, 2008
Fabric Place the family-operated shop that wove itself into the town's consciousness over six decades is closing its stores in Framingham and Woburn ... He said Fabric Place saw a drop in sales of about 3-5 percent two years ago ... "We encountered soft sales in a very difficult economy. I think furniture stores ... and fabric stores are failing," said Vezina. (Woburn Advocate, MA)
How to Make a Center Gathered Veil Sep 11, 2008
Veils can be made out of any fabric, but wedding veils are typically made out of are more premium options and are luxurious, but more expensive and harder to find ... If a blusher layer is desired, the best fabric options are bridal illusion and silk tulle, as those are the most sheer fabrics ... To determine the length of fabric needed for the entire veil, add the length of the bottom layer to the length of the top layer. (Suite101.com)
What's Happening Sep 11, 2008
- 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Lyndon House Arts Center, 293 Hoyt St.; designed to restore reading to the center of American culture using innovative reading programs; musical performance by Incatepec, games and a pottery making demonstration by Hispanic women's group, Casa de la Cultura; in children's studio, families will use fabric, paper and feathers to create owl collages based on the owl from the community's chosen book "Bless Me, Ultima;" cut shapes out of tissue paper to create beautiful Papel... (Athens Banner-Herald)
A Blinking Fashion Statement Sep 10, 2008
With the advent of newly available "crossover" materials, such as conductive thread that acts like electrical wiring and a microcontroller that Buechly invented to be embroidered onto fabric, it has become easier to do both ... They include crafting materials that can transmit electrical currents, like conductive threads, fabric and epoxies; so-called smart materials that sense and react to their environments, like thermochromic inks, magnetic paint and heat-shrinking tubing; and now-cheap solar... (Forbes -- Technology)
Learn to waltz, sew and belly-dance at MAC (10) Sep 10, 2008
Students will learn how to operate their portable sewing machine, including basic sewing machine operation, sewing curved and straight lines, reading and using a pattern, measuring and laying out fabric, making a simple pillow, installing a zipper, and other common types of closures. Mineral Area College Continuing Education will offer a six-week class on Belly Dancing on Fridays, Sept. 26 to Nov. 7, from 4:30-6 p.m. in the Community Education building, located at the entrance to MAC's Park... (Park Hills Daily Journal, MO)
Extend your knitwear with a few classic fashion tricks Sep 9, 2008
Pin small fabric bows at the collar or at the neckline ... Try Michelle Obama's trick of pinning several fabric flowers along a neckline. (Anchorage Daily News)
Bisbee artist hand-crafts critters that are out of this world Sep 9, 2008
The fabrics he uses often come from donations people give to him as they are cleaning out their closets ... He uses a lighted magnifying glass to make the teeny tiny stitches that transform the stuffed shapes into one of his creations adding layer upon layer of fabric for eyes, other facial characteristics or clothing. (Sierra Vista Herald, AZ)
Organizing Your Quilting Fabric Sep 8, 2008
Fabric is probably a quilter's greatest storage challenge. Arrange your fabric by size and color to make it easier to find what you need when you start a new project ... The typical quilter s fabric stash includes everything from tiny scraps trimmed from the corners and edges of blocks, to fat quarters, strips in various sizes, individual patches in a variety of shapes and sizes, and multi-yard cuts intended for borders and quilt backs. (Suite101.com)
29 Secrets to a Simpler Life Sep 7, 2008
Invest in a bench with an upholstered seat in a durable, patterned fabric (to hide dirt) ... Organize off -season items in brightly colored fabric bins. (Boston Globe)
Life patterns Sep 7, 2008
Beyond that, however, is a flair for bright colors -- she never buys white or beige fabrics unless they're needed for special projects, she says -- and flashes of whimsy. Her fabric stash is a catalog of primary colors and quirky images, including 200 cat designs ... "You never know when you are going to need a piece of fabric with a flying pig on it or a picture of Elvis," she says. (Anchorage Daily News)
Obituaries for Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008 Sep 7, 2008
Nancy was the nucleus, the foundation, the heart and the fabric binding the lives of many and memories of her love and lessons will live on forever. Nancy, Grandma, Mom, Nance. (La Crosse Tribune, WI)
Fabric Place to close final two stores Sep 6, 2008
Fabric Place in Framingham will be closing its doors ... Fabric Place the family-operated shop that wove itself into the town's consciousness over six decades is closing ... He said Fabric Place saw a drop in sales of about 3-5 percent two years ago. (Framingham TAB, MA)
Setting Up Your Quilting Space Sep 5, 2008
Even the smallest quilting space needs to include separate work stations for sewing, cutting, and pressing, plus storage space for fabric, tools, and other supplies ... Every quilter also needs space to store fabric, thread, tools such as rulers and rotary cutters, supplies like batting and fusible web, patterns, quilts in progress, books, magazines, CDs, and DVDs, and perhaps finished quilts that are waiting to find a permanent home ... A cutting mat of at least 24 by 36 lets you lay out a... (Suite101.com)
Weekend Calendar Sep 4, 2008
Featured every week will be local vegetables and fruit, plants, and cut flowers as well as creations by local artisans, including hand-made soaps, jewelry, knitted and fabric goods, and bakery items. Coffee and muffins will be available. (Middletown Press, CT)
Writers' Workshop grad returns for Prairie Lights reading Sep 4, 2008
"There are pictures of them sewing in their house in rural Brazil. They still have the Singer the sewing machine the sisters use in *The Seamstress* . Luzia embroiders every day. We have to bring her thread and fabric when we come, or she'll take the good napkins and sew on them.". Born in Brazil to a Brazilian father and American mother, Peeble's tale of two lives seems appropriate for her first work. (Daily Iowan, IA)
How and Why to Sew French Seams Sep 3, 2008
Sew French seams to get a neatly finished edge with no raw edges on either side of the fabric. When making bags, totes, pillow cases, sheer curtains, and in some cases garments, a clean, finished edge on both sides of the fabric is highly desirable ... Fabric and matching thread. (Suite101.com)
Norris inducted into fashion guild Aug 31, 2008
But anything 40s on up, is pretty easy to tell by construction, fabric, the label. She also gets to display the VFG logo at her store. (Columbus Commercial Dispatch, MS)
Bali Fashion Week looks to brighter future Aug 31, 2008
"It is hard for the industry to support this kind of movement because, for example, recycled fabrics cost twice as much," Ika said ... "I know I won't see recycled fabrics or garments in the fashion industry any time soon, but I feel this show has at least put that idea into the minds of those who were here. And I have to say, I'm very happy and again very proud," Ika added ... A relatively new designer to Bali Fashion Week, Fabio Renaldo from Bandung, West Java, took a different approach and... (Jakarta Post, Indonesia -- Features)
A company grows out of infancy Aug 30, 2008
You see, a SaraBear diaper caddy is a wicker basket complemented by fabric with built-in pockets and a faux-leather handle. It sells for $30 to $40, with fancier models sold in boutiques and simplified versions in big-box stores. (Albany Times Union)
Turn shirt into a bag for laptop Aug 29, 2008
Supplies 1 men's dress shirt yard of contrasting fabric for lining Sewing machine 1 yard of cording Chopstick and clear tape. Directions 1. (AZCentral -- Home)
3 apartment designs Aug 28, 2008
One wall is wrapped in the curtain fabric and then the return wall is the same chocolate color ... She found a striped fabric she loved, then combined it with coordinating solids to create the curtains, pillows, bed coverings and shower curtain ... You can work with a little bit of a fabulous fabric and then fill in with a solid that is less expensive. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
C is for Couture Aug 27, 2008
Bias cut: Fabric cut on approximately a 45-degree angle to create a clingy, draped effect ... Epaulet: Fabric tab that sits on the top of the shoulder; sometimes it's functional and can hold a rolled-up sleeve ... Flannel: Soft, brushed-finish fabric, typically made of cotton or wool. (North County Times)
Costume History Lessons Aug 26, 2008
Early humans, like cave men and neanderthals can be identified by their animal skin clothing, and on each continent throughout history, clothing styles have evolved and brought with them materials, patterns, fabrics, textures and technological sewing processes unique to their generation ... Modern fabric stores have quite a bit of options, pay close attention to the availability of synthetic fabrics ... Swatches of fabric and pictures of the final product help turn your history notebook into a... (Suite101.com)
Hospice volunteers make special bears to comfort families Aug 26, 2008
The bears were made from fabric owned by their mother so they could remember her after her death ... Greene made the bears out of fabric that belonged to their mother. (Athens Banner-Herald)
A is for A-line: Defining the basics of fashion Aug 26, 2008
Bias cut: Fabric cut on approximately a 45-degree angle to create a clingy, draped effect ... Epaulet: Fabric tab that sits on the top of the shoulder; sometimes it s functional and can hold a rolled-up sleeve ... Flannel: Soft, brushed-finish fabric, typically made of cotton or wool. (Racine Journal Times, WI)
Maximize dorm room space and style Aug 23, 2008
Burlap comes in a variety of colors and is a durable, affordable fabric ... If you don't know the height, leave on excess fabric and use iron-on hem tape when you move in. (CNN -- US)
South Africa: Crafts That Steal Hearts All Over the World Aug 22, 2008
Woermann also employs a full-time team of 35 embroiderers who create teddy bears and hearts made from fabric. At the one shop, 22-year-old Papama Mnyakama tells IPS, "I love embroidery because every figure I embroider tells a story. I create people carrying things, flowers and animals and they each say something to those who take the time to look at them.". (allAfrica.com)
Bar XX quilter keeps customers in stiches Aug 21, 2008
The tedious joining of pieces is healing balm, which brings calming waves to some of us who must work through life's presentations and difficulties, Reeves wrote in a Christmas newsletter to the customers of her quilting business, Bar XX Quilting. As this process moves along, lo and behold, we have completed a thing of beauty and comfort. (San Andreas Calaveras Enterprise, CA)
Local guild quilting for those in need Aug 20, 2008
According to Patchworks Pals member Colette Schmidtke, the quilts were made entirely with donated fabric and time ... The guild, which uses donated fabric for the Quilts of Valor and disaster quilts, works with a Osage guild to send their completed work ... It s fabric art, and we have a lot of talented people in our community and helping others is one way we can use those talents, said Schmidtke. (Charles City Press, IO)
Stuffed socks support soldiers Aug 20, 2008
People who don t sew can help by donating money for postage to mail the socks, fabric and stocking stuffers ... Donations of money, fabric and stocking stuffers can be brought to Neal s Vacuum and Sewing Center, 309 E. Second St., Muscatine. (Muscatine Journal, IO)
