Patterns, Techniques, Articles, Blogs, and other resources to learn how to sew
Drafty windows and doors are a major source of heat loss in your house. Sew4Home shows how you can sew a Draft Buster to stop the cool air from seeping in under your door. It’s a quick project you can make in just one sitting. The long pillow is pieced from several coordinating fabrics. They used cozy flannels in earthy tones for their example. Fill it with beans or rice to give it weight so it stays in place. Go to Sew4Home to get the tutorial.
[photo from Sew4Home]
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]
Dog lovers might like this version (for windows or doors): http://www.pandurohobby.co.uk/Inspirations/OldInspirations/2009_1/hund_08h-Keep-the-warmth-in-with-a-decorative-draught-dog
It’s called a “draghund” in swedish, which is a pun. A draghund is actually a dog that pulls a sled or similar, but the word drag also means draft and this is a dog stopping drafts.
If language isn’t a problem, a pattern and instructions (in swedish, danish and norwegian) is available in this pdf: http://www.pandurohobby.se/~/media/Item%20Media/PDF/VL/600726.ashx