Applying initials to something to identify it as undeniably yours dates back as far as the signet rings of the ancient Romans. Although often pictorial in nature that long ago, featuring crests and coats of arms, engraved initials were also common, and as time wore on, actually became the more typical mark. We’ve all watched
The new AcuFeed™ Flex Professional Grade Foot (HP2) and its matching Professional Grade Needle Plate from Janome have been gaining quite a reputation for their precision stitching. Well alrighty then… it’s time we took the set for a little test drive. Follow along to see how we put this specialty set through its paces, testing
Sergers. For some, the word alone can send them screaming into the darkest corners of their sewing rooms. “The threading… not the threading… make it stop!” Well, perhaps that’s a wee bit dramatic, but the fear of threading the loopers on a serger, “Sergiothreadaphobia” as it is known in medical circles, keeps many a sewer
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
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
Left: Faux Leather Shopper, Right: Trendy Faux Leather Handbag Back in the 1970s, I wanted my mom to buy me a real leather jacket. Unfortunately, she was only prepared to spend for one made of synthetic leather. As much as I wanted to believe it looked genuine, it just looked fake. Today's fake – excuse

When does 1+1 = 1? When you’re basting two layers together! Lear: how to determine if your sewing machine has a basting stitch, when to use the stitch in sewing projects, and why hand basting is sometimes best.

This is one article we like to bring back often because it's so important to be nice to your trusty sewing machine. Do you know the number one thing you can do to keep your sewing machine running smoothly? Clean out the lint! It's an unavoidable by-product of sewing. The more you sew, the more
One of things we are asked about on a regular basis is sergers. For many people, even seasoned sewers, they are equal parts tantalizing and terrifying. They can do so many cool things at once: seam, trim, and finish – all at lightning speed. But to make it happen, there are a lot of threads
The Artistic Edge Digital Cutter makes it easy to get creative with your sewing projects in ways that simply weren't possible before. If you look just at what it does in appliqué – one of its many capabilities – you're going to think of dozens... maybe hundreds of ways to use it. That's not an
Each year, Janome comes out with a special limited edition sewing machine model with your favorite features, tons of great decorative stitches, and in a cool color combo to brighten your sewing space. Last month, at the industry's largest trade show in Las Vegas, Janome America debuted this year's model: the DC2015. A striking red
In the Sew4Home studios, we’re dedicated fans of Janome sewing machines and sergers; in fact, they're our exclusive sewing machine sponsor. So we were delighted when Janome offered us a brand new Skyline S5 to test drive! They call the machine, "Anything but Average," and we could certainly see why. This computerized sewing machine has many
Here at Sew4Home, we've always said a good quality sewing machine is your most important creative tool. No matter what level you're at, you should always buy the best machine you can afford. We recently outlined a list of suggestions about entry-level or mid-range models: Top Top Five Things to Remember About How to Shop
Sewing requires some specialized tools, the biggest one being the sewing machine itself. If you're new to sewing, you might be tempted to get a machine as cheaply as possible. However, this is one of those cases where saving a few bucks now can end up causing you hours of frustration later. Purchasing a machine
We've made it to the finish of our seam finishes! In this final installment of the series, we venture into the world of the Hong Kong Finish and the Bound Seam finish. If you're not a 'finishing aficionado' (don't feel bad... few people claim that title), you may have been under the impression these techniques
We are not yet finished with our series of finishes! If you've been following along, you know we are working through the ways to make the inside of your projects look as great as the outside. Today, we're moving into a couple more unique options: the mock (or false) French seam and the French wrapped
In sewing, there's a difference between stitches you use for construction and ones you use for finishing. When you’re first learning to sew, your immediate focus is getting all those pieces to fit together correctly. From the moment you cut the fabric, you’re concerned with maintaining the shape of the pattern pieces. You tediously concentrate
  FOLLOW US!
Translate »