A cover hem is a professional-style "serged" hem that traditionally has two to three lines of parallel stitching on the right side and a looper stitch which covers the raw edge of the fabric on the back side. It's the type of hem commonly found on most ready-to-wear knit garments (and many woven RTW items as well) as it has plenty of stretch and so will not distort the hem. It's also very fast and clean! We have a short lesson showing how easy it is to make a cover hem as well as our thoughts as to why a specialty cover hem machine may just be the coolest machine to add to your sewing space.
Decorative Stitch Webbing: Instant Embellishment for Bag Straps, Belts & More
We like webbing… not necessarily like the monster from the black lagoon’s hands, but the cool cotton kind for bags and such. However, it can be hard to find in other than the most basic colors of white, natural, navy, and black. Bust out your decorative stitches and some colorful thread! This fast and easy embellishment can inject a little WOW into your webbing.
Fitted Crib Sheet in Cozy Fleece
Cotton sheets are crisp and clean and they launder beautifully, but they can also feel cool on baby's cheeks. We suggest switching up to a soft fleece that can help your little one drift off to dreamland in warm and cozy comfort. There are so many lovely fleece options out there today; you're sure to find something that will be a perfect fit for your nursery. One or more of these sheets would make a lovely new baby shower gift.
The S4H Maker’s Club - Exclusively at your Janome Dealer - Birds on a Wire Appliqué Pillow
Spring is in the air and it has sent some fine feathered friends to celebrate. As they alight on a pair of delicate wires, we like to imagine they’re talking about how much they’re enjoying the Sew4Home Maker’s Club. This exciting new Club kicked off last November at participating Janome Dealers across the US and Canada. From bags to baskets to linens and more, Maker’s Club members are creating clever projects and learning pro techniques. Club Project #3 is an adorable appliquéd pillow with a set of very “sweet tweets”!
Peppermint Lane Block of the Month from It’s Sew Emma: Book Review
Holiday DIY planning often starts early, such as the Christmas in July celebrations when new holiday fabric collections traditionally hit in-store and virtual shelves. But we know our Sew4Home visitors are super organized, with many of you having started your 2018 holiday sewing as soon as that last box of 2017 directions was stashed in the attic. For you, and anyone who is ready for a super cute novelty quilt, we’re excited to bring you a review of the Peppermint Lane Block of the Month book from It’s Sew Emma. Read on to find out more, and to enter to win your very own copy.
Banded Trio of Pencil Cups with Inner Lining
Over the years, the constant on my desk has been the pencil cup my oldest daughter made for me in preschool from a soup can and construction paper. I'll never get rid of it, or the My Little Pony® pencil that came with it. But over the years, I have added some more elegant versions by its side, like this banded trio of pencil cups in three sizes. We selected the vintage designs of the Eclectic Elements fabric collection by Tim Holtz – a good choice since pencils and pens themselves seem to have become part of the vintage world in today's iPad® driven environment.
Monogrammed Device Case: The Travel Trio
Handle with care! When you’re on-the-go and need your trusty laptop or tablet by your side, it’s important to keep it protected. The panels and pockets of our device case are layered with foam to create a soft yet study carrier. This folio is part of our Monogrammed Travel Trio (links are included below for all). Make one or make them all. It’s a great way to travel smart and stylish.
Metallic Embrace® Great Giveaway: Shannon Fabrics
What’s soft and sparkly, lightweight and luminous, beautiful and billowy? Metallic Embrace® Double Gauze from Shannon Fabrics! From wearables to home décor, Embrace® Double Gauze is a wonderful fabric with which to work. Did you see yesterday’s Ruffled Metallic Double Gauze Curtain Panel? It’s an easy project to makeover any window in your home. We really enjoyed working with the Metallic Embrace®, and … now it’s your turn. Our friends at Shannon Fabrics sent us FOUR 4-yard cuts of some of their most popular Metallic Embrace® motifs. Four lucky Sew4Home visitors will be “embracing” their creativity.
Double Gauze Curtain Panel with Side Ruffles: Shannon Metallic Embrace® Double Gauze
One very gorgeous fabric makes one very gorgeous curtain! One of the best ways to re-fresh a room is with new curtains. They can instantly transform any space and are the perfect building blocks for other transformations, such as pillows, cushions or linens. This dreamy ruffled panel is a look that could work well in any room. The drape and lightweight movement of the Shannon Fabrics Metallic Embrace® Double Gauze is perfect for a full-length panel – with just a hint of sparkle and shine. The construction is fast and easy, and we give you all the formulas you need to adapt the design for your windows.
How to Create Shirring for Sewing Projects
In between the simplicity of gathering and the intricacy of hand-smocking, lives one of our favorite texturing techniques: elastic shirring. You've probably owned a garment or two with shirring on the bodice or sleeve edge. It was the style on those iconic 1970s peasant dresses, and it remains popular in new fashion trends. Shirring is a great sewing technique to learn, and easy-peasy to create! Plus, just like the little boy with a hammer, for whom everything becomes a nail... once you learn how to do shirring, we guarantee there will be all kinds of projects that need this pretty, rumply, stretchy touch of texture.
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