You've seen grommets many times: on apparel, bags, athletic gear, etc. They're those metal circles with some type of rope or cording woven through at a closure point. Well...things are beginning to change in the world of grommets (bet you didn't know there was a world of grommets ... did ya?!). Dritz® Home has a great product available for home décor enthusiasts, snap-on Curtain Grommets. Fast, fashionable and functional.

We have several projects coming up that require cutting large panels of fabrics for curtains. When you're short on space, this can be a bit of a challenge. So here's a little folding-and-cutting trick to make it easier, faster, more compact ... and actually, more precise. Remember making paper snowflakes as a kid? You fold, fold, fold, and then cut, cut, cut. Same basic concept, but without the swiss cheese effect. Grab your rotary cutter and mat and let's slice!

Bring up ruching outside of sewing circles, and you may receive a 'gesundheit' or two. But sewing enthusiasts know ruching is a great technique to use when adding decorative effects to your sewing projects. In French, a ruche is a ruffle or a pleat. And that's pretty much what it means in English too. But everything sounds so much fancier in French. Our tutorial shows you a basic way to create strips of ruching by machine.

Sewing is an inherently creative activity. You take thread and fabric and create something new from it. There are times, though, when perfectly hidden seams and sharp corners seem limiting and you have the urge to just throw some color or a cute drawing on top and call it good. Enter Appliqué ! Appliqué is sort of like the construction-paper-craft-zone of the sewing world. This technique allows you to cut out any shape and stitch it on top of another fabric. You want a bumblebee on your pillow? No problem! Can't find a good fabric with a spaceship for that duvet cover (and don't you hate how hard it is to find a good spaceship)? Appliqué one! With appliqué, you're free to incorporate any kind of graphic into your project. There are a variety of different ways to execute this technique; read on to find the one that's right for you.

You were so impressed when your dealer mentioned your new sewing machine could do 60 decorative stitches. Though still impressed, now you're wondering how to put them to use. We were hoping you would ask.

This is a technique we've used in several tutorials, and it's been so popular, we thought it should be its very own project so you can refer to it whenever you need it. It's a great way to finish the edge of a blanket, a table runner, a wall hanging – just about any flat square or rectangle. Admit it ... you rubbed that satin blanket binding on your cheek and sucked your thumb, didn't you? Oh, wait, that was me. The technique takes a little practice, because you have to make sure you are catching both sides of the binding as you stitch. But I have great confidence in you, and I know you'll be binding everything in site in no time.

One night at the dinner table my young nephew told his parents that his friend, we'll call her 'Janie' was "The F Word". Alarmed, his parents pressed him to explain himself and he answered, "You know; Fussy, Fussy, Fussy." Well... we can't blame a girl for knowing what she wants! This same idea is at the heart of Fussy Cutting fabric – you cut away the parts of the fabric you don't want in order to isolate a specific motif. Often you use this motif as an appliqué design, but you can also use a template in conjunction with fussy cutting to create fabric cuts that feature your selected design(s) centered exactly where you want them. When these pieces are sewn into place, the motifs are positioned for the most dramatic results, such as the center of a pillow or placemat.

I had to bring in the big guns for this project as my own 'power tool' experience leans more towards sewing machines than drills. So, I asked my husband Bob (who is always a good sport and really tall) to bring his years of experience as a builder to the table to show you how to install this very cool cable wire system. It's a great option for hanging lightweight, decorative curtains, which add height and drama to our Pretty Prints Teen Room. This type of system would also work well to create a room divider or even to hang a curtain for an especially long run of windows.

Inserting a zipper into a project is a skill that, once learned, will always serve you well. It really opens up design possibilities in your sewing. Plus, most people believe inserting a zipper is super hard, maybe even a little magical, so they'll be incredibly impressed when they see the pillow you made has a zip closure. Truth is, sewing a zipper is pretty basic stuff. And, it's one of those projects that comes with an 'Aha moment' – opening the zipper you've just sewn into a project is like opening a treasure chest. Okay, maybe it's a bit less dramatic, because I have never found gold pirate doubloons inside my pillows. But the sense of accomplishment is still really great!

In college, I once push-pinned a sheet over my apartment's bedroom window and held it open when needed with a binder clip from my economics notebook. At the time, I thought this was quite inventive. Ugly, but inventive. I'm sure my landlord adored all those tiny tack holes in the molding. Now, I prefer beautiful curtains and shades, and I make sure to measure precisely to get just the look I want.

Finishing the corners when you're making a narrow hem can be a challenge. Making a perfect 90˚ fold at each corner is one option, and often will work just fine. However, it can be tough to keep your raw edges tucked in, and bulky or slippery fabrics can cause you fits. Instead, try our Quick Tip: nine, simple steps to a clean finished corner.

There a comes a day in the life of every sewer when he/she realizes a sewing room would probably be a great idea. It might be when your son dribbles strawberry jam across your half done windowshade project, or maybe when your spouse pays the bills on top of a carefully laid out pillow design. However it happens, you realize you need a place to safely keep your machine, store your supplies, and spread out a project without your family eating spaghetti over it. You need a sewing room.

Tassels are are the "jewelry" of home decor, adding an elegant finish to your project. But, like jewelry, they can be quite expensive to buy and the selection of colors is limited. No problem for you! Because tassels are actually very easy to make, and the embroidery floss you use to do it is inexpensive and comes in hundreds of hues and textures.

Covered buttons are cool; there's just no two ways about it. They add the special touch that says, "Stand back ... I'm a home decor professional." Making them with a Cover Button Kit is easy and inexpensive.

Nothing says "cozy" better than the classic patchwork quilt. Quilts are tokens of family tradition, often passed down through the generations, and bestowed as gifts for life's milestones, like graduation, a new baby or a wedding. The level of intricacy possible in quilting is limitless, but the basic steps you need to master to get started are well within even a beginning sewer's grasp. Quilters have their own set of terms and tools for their craft. This short introduction to the basics is the perfect first step.

I had a friend describe gathering as basically wrinkling up one edge of your fabric and then stitching it to something. Fortunately, this friend doesn't teach sewing, but she did get the basic idea right. When you gather, you are creating a series of decorative wrinkles (their real name is: ruffles) along the edge of your fabric. You can then attach this ruffled fabric like you would a trim.

Buttons are one of the greatest, and cheapest ways to add a bit o' bling to a project. However, with the button comes something many sewers find intimidating: the buttonhole. Luckily, the majority of today's sewing machines do most of the work for you. Our tutorial will allow you to confront your fears, and will show you how easy buttonholes really are.

Picking out buttons for decoration is fun! But let's be frank ... sewing on those buttons is not fun. It's kind of the "cleaning toilets" of the sewing world – a dirty job, but one that is very worth it in the end. The up-side of button sewing is that it's relatively quick and easy, and there's no sponge involved. Our button sewing tutorial explains the basics.

One trim you'll use a lot of in home dec sewing is bias tape. But how did it get that name? When I hear the word "bias," I tend to think of Olympic figure skating judges. If you go look it up in dictionary, you'll see that the first definition is "an oblique or diagonal line." (Figure skating is never mentioned.) It makes sense then that bias tape is a strip of fabric that's been cut at a 45˚ angle to the weave or grain. This gives it just a little stretchiness, making it possible for bias tape to go around corners without bunching up. It's easy to make and easy to attach--as you'll soon see.

It’s tempting to skip it, but it’s a lot like the difference between a nicely toned body and one that isn’t. Just like you can skip exercising, you can skip interfacing. But, it won’t be a secret. Which reminds me... I need to go for a jog!

Interfacing is a textile that is either sewn in or fused on using a steam iron, between layers of fabric, to give it structure and body. Interfacing in itself is not very exciting, but it is one of the keys to achieving a professional look to your project. If you are new to sewing, you may never have run across interfacing because it’s not something that shows when your project is done. Most familiar to people is the way a dress shirt has a more substantial collar, placket and cuff. That smooth crispness comes from the interfacing hidden inside. Without interfacing, collars and cuffs would be limp and buttons and buttonholes would rip.

Every athlete knows it all comes down to the finish. It's the same with sewing – just not as sweaty. A smooth, beautiful hem makes everything look better and more professional. The simpliest of hems is the double-turn hem, which you can use on almost any edge where you want an easy, clean finish.

I love fabric. I never seem to come home from the fabric store with just the fabric I need for my project. It eventually became an organizational disaster... couldn't remember what I had, couldn't find it if I did. Something had to change.

Nothing says, "I'm a home decor professional" like a covered button. These personalized accents are easy to make, and take your creation to a new level. Make one using the same fabric as the rest of the project for a subtle effect, or choose a complementary color or pattern to make it pop. You can buy covered button making kits in the notions department, but sizes are limited. Making them yourself is more flexible and more fun.

Of course you can buy piping. It comes in different colors and sizes. But it's still limited, and many times, you just want to stomp your feet like a two-year-old and shout, "Don't like it!" Wouldn't it be much nicer to have exactly what you want instead of "close enough." It takes a little practice, but making your own piping is really kind of fun.