Learn more about the supplies, accessories, and books for beginners to sewing, embroidery, and serging.
I finally hit the point where my embroidery design files were so haphazardly organized on my computer that I couldn’t find anything. Some files had been sitting for years in my downloads folder, while thousands of others were all in a big folder titled “Embroidery Designs.” To make matters worse, many of the files were…
I finally cracked and bought a cordless iron. There was nothing that wrong with my everyday Shark iron or my small Steamfast Mini, but having cords everywhere drove me crazy! I really wanted more flexibility in my sewing space, and I wanted to stop fumbling with cords. So I searched, searched some more, and finally…
Sewing machine needles are not all the same size, and using the wrong one when quilting can wreak havoc on your blocks and quilt tops. While a room full of quilters probably won’t ever unanimously agree on needle selection due to strong opinions, general rules do exist for picking the best size sewing needle for cotton…
Embroidery and sublimation can both customize products. The common end goal of producing personalized goods is one of the very few similarities between these two methods, though. Sublimation and embroidery differ in everything from the equipment and supplies used, the time they take, the expertise required, and even the projects you can create. I’ve been…
One great thing about living in my metroplex is there are two IKEA stores within an hour from my house. While neither store right around the corner, I had a doctor’s appointment near one and an hour to spare before needing to pick my daughter up from preschool. So, I popped into IKEA, survived the…
Even though Dollar Tree raised the prices of items to $1.25 (and added the $3 and $5 sections to most of our local stores), I’ve been pleased that the craft supplies section has expanded to include some great deals. So, just like I did with my Dollar Tree embroidery blanks post, I headed to my…
Whether marking paper patterns for cutting or marking fabric for sewing, it’s important to have different fabric marking tools in your sewing kit. Most tools are interchangeable, but sometimes the fabric type or marking needed (like marking multiple fabric layers) requires a specific marking tool. Want to learn the ins and outs of fabric marking?…
If you’re looking for embroidery inspiration delivered to you regularly, a subscription to an embroidery magazine might be a perfect fit. While physical magazines (and even digital magazines, for that matter) aren’t as popular now as they were years ago, there are still many exciting embroidery magazines that you can check out. Check out this…
When I started embroidering, I owned three rolls of stabilizer and two packages of pre-cut stabilizer sheets. It was easy to remember which stabilizer was which, and it didn’t take any organizing abilities to figure out how to store them. Now, three embroidery machines and over 20 rolls of stabilizers later, organizing my embroidery stabilizers…
Embroidery designs, especially machine embroidered ones, can be hard and itchy on the back. For instance, embroidered infant items. No baby wants to sport a onesie with a scratchy embroidery design! Thank goodness for iron-on embroidery backing. In addition to this benefit for machine embroiders, embroidery backings are also helpful for hand embroiderers. Backings can…
Before purchasing my Brother Luminaire XP2, I had no idea embroidery apps even existed! However, once I discovered my machine worked with two of the Brother embroidery apps, I was excited to search for more. So, I downloaded everything I could and compiled this list of the best free machine embroidery apps for iPad, iPhone,…
Like planning new quilt designs or chatting with fellow quilters while using your phone or tablet? What about calculating backing fabric sizes without having to pick up a pencil? If so, you’re in for a treat when you see all the quilt design and quilting calculator apps that assist with calculations and fulfill crafty desires. …
While most of my quilt designs start with colored pencil doodling on graph paper, I now use quilt software as well to render finished designs. Quilt software makes it easy to arrange block designs together and audition fabrics for a completed quilt before cutting. Not to mention, most quilt software can calculate required fabric yardages…
I love my Cricut and its versatility as a sewing and quilting companion and a vinyl, iron-on, and so-many-other-things cutter. Besides my sewing and embroidery machine, my Cricut may be my favorite item in my crafting room, and it’s survived hundreds of hours of craft use. But for those new to the Cricut universe, how…
Deciding between an AccuQuilt or Sizzix cutting machine and not sure which to purchase? I was there at one point, and, well, I now own both. My AccuQuilt Go! is my fabric cutter workhorse, and my Sizzix Big Shot Plus cuts the occasional fabric but mostly embosses and rocks at cardmaking. If you’d asked five…
If you don’t have a fabric cutting machine, you’re missing out! I LOVE using my fabric cutters to create perfect applique shapes and quilt pieces. And I don’t know about you, but less time spent cutting fabric means more time sewing, which is a win in my books! Interested in purchasing a fabric cutter to…
I’ve had my Cricut Maker for years and finally added an AccuQuilt Go! to my craft room to up my quilting game this last year. My primary use for my Cricut is cutting vinyl, heat transfer vinyl, and other soft materials like the occasional applique or quilt fabric, my AccuQuilt is 100% dedicated to cutting…
As someone who can’t make a straight 1 1/2″ fabric strip over 2 feet long to save her life, I rely heavily on (and very much love) my AccuQuilt Go! Ever since I purchased it, I’ve been quilting MUCH more. I love how much time it “cuts” off of fabric cutting, and it’s so fun…
While big-box stores like Walmart, Hobby Lobby, and JOANN carry standard embroidery blanks like towels, t-shirts, and blankets, purchasing from an actual embroidery blanks supplier has its benefits! Not only is there a wider variety of items to embroider, but embroidery blank suppliers also provide blanks that are more embroidery friendly. For instance, infant bodysuits…
I love machine embroidery books. And yes, the irony is not lost on me that I say this as someone who writes about embroidery online. However, as my home library will attest, I collect print books like nobody’s business. And, thanks to my library’s interlibrary loan program, I could read all the circulating embroidery books…
Sewing boxes are perfect Christmas gifts or birthday gifts. They’re also a fun splurge to bring joy when your own box arrives in the mail each month. With companies everywhere jumping into (and out of) the subscription box service, many options exist. Thus, I’ve rounded up some of the best sewing subscription boxes with descriptions…
If you want your projects to have a handmade, not homemade, look, using the right pressing tools when sewing is a crucial first step. My mom always said, “If you don’t have time to press, you don’t have time to sew.” As a rebel beginner sewist, I didn’t always press my projects when instructed. However,…
I debated forever before deciding to finally purchase a mini-iron. Were they any good? Did I really need one? How often was I really planning to sew or quilt things I couldn’t use my normal iron for? After I finally splurged on two of the coolest mini-irons out there (in my opinion), I have ZERO…
I’m a shameless bargain hunter. I thrift, shop sales, and love my local Dollar Tree. I walk in to buy one thing and walk out twenty dollars poorer but feeling like I won the lottery. The point of this? Dollar Tree is an EXCELLENT place to find cheap embroidery blanks. If you’re new to embroidery,…
If you’ve just opened your new Singer sewing machine and don’t know where to start with threads, this article will show you how to pick the best thread for a Singer sewing machine. The good news is, there are LOTS of good thread options that will work with your machine. However, not all threads that…
I’m constantly reorganizing my sewing and embroidery threads to accommodate my hoarding. There’s just something reassuring about being surrounded by threads of every color imaginable in the rare event my project requires a very specific shade of salmon, for instance. I have around 400-500 spools of sewing, embroidery, and serger thread right now. Keeping those…
As a sewing beginner, there are so many choices to make. What’s the best sewing thread for a Brother machine? Do you need a different thread for the bobbin and upper thread? What about needles? Presser feet? It can seem so overwhelming! Luckily, choosing the best thread for a Brother sewing machine is very easy…
When I first bought my serger, I made so many mistakes and used a ton of fabric trying to figure out the different functions and settings. As the costs kept mounting, I started looking for where to buy cheap fabric online to replenish my fabric stash. I then came up with a list of my…
These days, fabric is NOT cheap. My mom used to sew all her clothes because it was less expensive to sew than purchase, but now DIY sewing projects can cost more than buying premade. When I was a beginner, I was too afraid to even start sewing because I was worried I would ruin an…
As a mom of two girls who love dolls, I’ve dedicated more of my sewing time to sewing doll clothes. When I first bought my girls their dolls, I decided I’d probably buy a few store-bought outfits and call it a day. I soon discovered that doll clothes were SO expensive, though! While I had…