Patterns, Techniques, Articles, Blogs, and other resources to learn how to sew
So you’ve finally decided to take the plunge and buy yourself a fancy schmancy, whizz bang, make-your-sewing-friends-jealous sewing machine. There are many models to choose from and they’re all loaded with features, features, features. Which features are a must? Which just sound nice on the packaging? Sew4Home shares some advice in their article, Top Ten Advanced Machine Features.
[photo from Sew4Home]
[tags]sewing, machine, advanced, features[/tags]
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’ve often wondered if it is the features or build quality that make a good sewing machine. The build quality, these days, is pretty much a given. They aren’t as heavy and rugged as the older ones, but then we want them to be more portable. The features, combined with the performance and speed are obviously the winning combination that makes a high-end sewing machine. Though, not all people want the same features. What are required features for some, are just extra bells and whistles for another sewer. Good comments. Thanks,
Rob