Patterns, Techniques, Articles, Blogs, and other resources to learn how to sew
I have a handful of sheer shirts in my closet that I never wear. I love the cut and design of the shirts, but I can’t stand wearing tops that show my bra lines. I feel so… exposed. And frankly, my bras are just not that cute. Nicole from Cola Cola Island shows how you can add a quick lining to an existing shirt so you can wear it without showing off your under layers. Brilliant!! Get the tute at Cola Cola Island.
[photo from Cola Cola Island]
It doesn’t matter whether you sew by hand or by machine, you need a pincushion. You need a spot to parks pins and needles and keep them within easy reach for when you need them again. There are a lot of styles of pincushion to choose from. Some magnetic, some fabric. Some cute, some purely functional. This “little bit extra” pincushion has a spot to store all the different types of pins and needles you might need while sewing. Polka Dot Chair has a free sewing pattern you can use to make one for yourself.
This handy little pincushion has a circular shape and is divided into sections to store different types of pins. The bottom section is for your regular straight pins. Just poke them in and they’re ready for when you need them. The top has one section with a felt flap perfect for holding your sewing needles. I don’t know about you but I don’t like mixing my hand sewing needles in with my pins on a pincushion. It makes it hard to find the needle when I want it. So having a separate section for the needles is a great idea.
This “little bit extra” pincushion also has a spot to hold a few fabric clips. Fabric clips have become popular alternatives to a traditional straight pin. They hold fabric pieces together without piercing the fabric, which is important when sewing leather, vinyl, or other materials that will show permanent holes from pins.
You can sew the “little bit extra” pincushion from large fabric scraps or small fabric cuts (fat eighth). You probably already have all the supplies you need to sew one in your sewing supplies already.
Get the free pattern for this “little bit extra” pincushion over at Polka Dot Chair.
[photo credit: Polka Dot Chair]
I love the idea of making them most of what one has. Ingenuity is the best form of creativity. Empowering the curious with skills to recycle and reuse is perhaps the best thing we can do for our planet. Even something as seemingly small as adding a lining to a plain old shirt. But we know, women want something cute to wear, and if they can’t make it, they’d throw those old shirts in the trash and buy another one, without learning a thing!