Blogs 1-50
Blogs 51-100
Blogs 101-150
Blog 101 - Sewing a Quick Top for a Hot Christmas
"It is almost Christmas and I have not gotten around to making something for myself yet. The truth is that I do not generally like to sew for myself as my style is very plain and I like to do more intricate sewing. In this case I shall make an exception. I have had this shirt for ages and absolutely love the way it wears and looks on me. The problem is that it has become old and faded. I will therefore copy the style directly from the top onto the fabric and cut myself another one like it. It is a completely different fabric that I use, which will affect the way it wears, but I decide to risk it anyway. Let me show you what to do so you can do the same thing with your own favorite clothing pieces in your wardrobe."
"It is almost Christmas and I have not gotten around to making something for myself yet. The truth is that I do not generally like to sew for myself as my style is very plain and I like to do more intricate sewing. In this case I shall make an exception. I have had this shirt for ages and absolutely love the way it wears and looks on me. The problem is that it has become old and faded. I will therefore copy the style directly from the top onto the fabric and cut myself another one like it. It is a completely different fabric that I use, which will affect the way it wears, but I decide to risk it anyway. Let me show you what to do so you can do the same thing with your own favorite clothing pieces in your wardrobe."
Blog 102 - Sewing Matching Polka Dot Dresses for a Girl and her Doll
"My niece turned four shortly before Christmas and I wanted to give her something special. She asked me a while ago already for a pink dress with white polkadots. I figured this was a great time to present her with just such a dress. But I had a surprise up my sleeve; I would make a matching dress for her favorite doll, a hand-me-down walking doll! Let me show you how easy it is to fill a little girl's heart with delight."
"My niece turned four shortly before Christmas and I wanted to give her something special. She asked me a while ago already for a pink dress with white polkadots. I figured this was a great time to present her with just such a dress. But I had a surprise up my sleeve; I would make a matching dress for her favorite doll, a hand-me-down walking doll! Let me show you how easy it is to fill a little girl's heart with delight."
Blog 103 - Sewing a Frilly Skirt
"I have been wanting to make a skirt with layers for a very long time and needed little prompting to make it when I found myself with just the right fabric for the project. It is one of those patterns that seem very intricate, but really isn't. I will walk you through the process form beginning to end and you'll see that you have the skills required for the job."
"I have been wanting to make a skirt with layers for a very long time and needed little prompting to make it when I found myself with just the right fabric for the project. It is one of those patterns that seem very intricate, but really isn't. I will walk you through the process form beginning to end and you'll see that you have the skills required for the job."
Blog 104 - Making Doll's Clothes - tricks for dealing with those small spaces
"I am being taken advantage of by my nieces ... and loving every moment of it! Yesterday my youngest niece arrived with another of her dolls in tow and informed me that she needed a new dress. Well, I had some fabric left over from my Elsa projects and figured it would not take too long anyway, so I might as well make the doll a dress. Doll's clothing are very similar to clothes made for humans, but the tiny necklines and armholes make them tricky to sew. In today's blog I show you a couple of tricks for dealing with these obstacles."
"I am being taken advantage of by my nieces ... and loving every moment of it! Yesterday my youngest niece arrived with another of her dolls in tow and informed me that she needed a new dress. Well, I had some fabric left over from my Elsa projects and figured it would not take too long anyway, so I might as well make the doll a dress. Doll's clothing are very similar to clothes made for humans, but the tiny necklines and armholes make them tricky to sew. In today's blog I show you a couple of tricks for dealing with these obstacles."
Blog 105 - Sewing a Drawstring Purse
"I overheard my two nieces discussing a need for purses to carry with their Elsa dresses. They rummaged through my offcut fabrics and putting some pieces together, they came up with some shabby looking handbags that was fine for the moment, but soon discarded. I knew it would take me no time at all to make them cute little drawstring purses and set about it as soon as they returned to their own homes. This was the ideal solution for the surprise gift I was looking for to add to their Christmas boxes, as this was still before Christmas. In the end it took me an hour, almost to the minute, to make these cute bags. Let me show you how easy this is."
"I overheard my two nieces discussing a need for purses to carry with their Elsa dresses. They rummaged through my offcut fabrics and putting some pieces together, they came up with some shabby looking handbags that was fine for the moment, but soon discarded. I knew it would take me no time at all to make them cute little drawstring purses and set about it as soon as they returned to their own homes. This was the ideal solution for the surprise gift I was looking for to add to their Christmas boxes, as this was still before Christmas. In the end it took me an hour, almost to the minute, to make these cute bags. Let me show you how easy this is."
Blog 106 - Sewing a Pair of Flowing Holiday Pants
"I will be leaving for a holiday at the coast soon and I've been looking for some loose-fitting, free-flowing pants made from a lightweight material to wear on the beach for our early morning walks there. You see, the friends I am going with have a black Labrador crossbreed who makes sure we do not get to lie in, but insists on waking us in time for sunrises and spectacular beach scenes. Why do we put up with it? The enthusiasm with which this lady greets each day is simply contagious, making the bed seem a lot less fun than being out and about with her. Like, Quinny, I also like to get my feet wet and wade into the shallow surf. Inevitably that leads to me getting soaked by unexpected big waves and that is why I need some pants that will dry fast and wear patiently. Not finding what I like in the shops, I made myself a pair in less than an hour. I'll show you how easy this is to do."
"I will be leaving for a holiday at the coast soon and I've been looking for some loose-fitting, free-flowing pants made from a lightweight material to wear on the beach for our early morning walks there. You see, the friends I am going with have a black Labrador crossbreed who makes sure we do not get to lie in, but insists on waking us in time for sunrises and spectacular beach scenes. Why do we put up with it? The enthusiasm with which this lady greets each day is simply contagious, making the bed seem a lot less fun than being out and about with her. Like, Quinny, I also like to get my feet wet and wade into the shallow surf. Inevitably that leads to me getting soaked by unexpected big waves and that is why I need some pants that will dry fast and wear patiently. Not finding what I like in the shops, I made myself a pair in less than an hour. I'll show you how easy this is to do."
Blog 107 - Sewing a Stationery Bag
"It is time to get organized for the Back to School frenzy. Not finding the perfect pencil bag for all those brand new stationery items? Perhaps I can help. I show you step by step how to sew this stationery bag in today's blog. This is a lazy afternoon's job and should take you between 2-3 hours from start to finish."
"It is time to get organized for the Back to School frenzy. Not finding the perfect pencil bag for all those brand new stationery items? Perhaps I can help. I show you step by step how to sew this stationery bag in today's blog. This is a lazy afternoon's job and should take you between 2-3 hours from start to finish."
Blog 108 - Sewing a Bedside Book Bag
"Do you also have a pile of books resting on your bedside table? I am always reading and more often than not, from a number of books. At one time I have counted that I was busy with 12 books! Fortunately some of those were e-books and easier to accommodate space wise. My frustration over the lack of space on my bedside table have been growing for a while and I finally decided to do something about it. Getting rid of the books will never be an option, but I can shift them ever so slightly and still have them ready at hand. My solution is a crafty bedside book bag. This you can easily make within an hour."
"Do you also have a pile of books resting on your bedside table? I am always reading and more often than not, from a number of books. At one time I have counted that I was busy with 12 books! Fortunately some of those were e-books and easier to accommodate space wise. My frustration over the lack of space on my bedside table have been growing for a while and I finally decided to do something about it. Getting rid of the books will never be an option, but I can shift them ever so slightly and still have them ready at hand. My solution is a crafty bedside book bag. This you can easily make within an hour."
Blog 109 - Redesigning an Existing Dress
"My niece received two identical dresses as gifts from her two grandmothers. To solve this dilemma, she suggested her aunt, that being ME, redesign the dress for her. And she knew exactly what she wanted me to do with it too! She knew I had some fabulous netting in my fabric stash she's had some big ideas for it ever since I bought it. I liked her ideas, but figured I could do even better than she thought possible. I would involve her in the whole process just to be sure it met with her approval. So, in today's blog I show you what I did, all the while giving tips for when you do something similar with one of your garments."
Blog 110 - Sewing Coverings for Your Kitchen Appliances
"I was wondering what to do with those cute pigs that I have painted onto fabric pieces a couple of weeks ago and happened to mention this to my mom. She pointed around her to her kitchen appliances that were all covered with dish towels and jokingly remarked that I should consider making them into covers for her appliances. I thought it was a brilliant idea! Off I went to fetch some measuring equipment and in a jiffy we had those dish towels back in the drawers and the appliances properly covered. I show you how simple this is to do in today's sewing blog."
"I was wondering what to do with those cute pigs that I have painted onto fabric pieces a couple of weeks ago and happened to mention this to my mom. She pointed around her to her kitchen appliances that were all covered with dish towels and jokingly remarked that I should consider making them into covers for her appliances. I thought it was a brilliant idea! Off I went to fetch some measuring equipment and in a jiffy we had those dish towels back in the drawers and the appliances properly covered. I show you how simple this is to do in today's sewing blog."
Blog 111 - Understanding A Sewing Pattern
"In the 'good ole days' just about everyone was able to sew and learning to do so was as easy as asking your next door neighbour. That is no longer the case and knowing how to sew has not been general knowledge in ages. Yet, more and more people are picking this up as a hobby. In today's blog I show you how to pick a sewing pattern, what to look for, and how to make sense of what it is you are looking at. This is a really handy blog for beginners to the world of sewing."
Blog 112 - Laying Out & Cutting Out A Top For Sewing
"In a previous blog I have shown you how to make sense of a pattern if you want to take up sewing as a hobby. In today's blog I continue with the same pattern, showing you how to lay the pattern out on your fabric and then cutting it out. In a following blog I will show you how to read the pattern and how to sew it."
Blog 113 - Sewing a Top Following the Pattern Instructions
"I can not recall how many years have passed since the last time I even looked at the instructions on a pattern, but I can remember how useful these were when I just started sewing. For today's blog, I purposefully forced myself to follow the instructions on the pattern so that I could show you how to make sense of those instructions. Hereafter you should be able to cope well with those papers all by yourself. Happy sewing!"
"We use a very simple pattern for making pants in today's blog. I then show you how to lay the pattern out on your fabric before we cut it out. In a following blog I will show you how easy it is to sew your own pants."
"In yesterday's blog I showed you how to lay out the pattern for a pair of pants. We then cut the pattern out on fabric and I left off promising to show you how to sew the pants. My client changed her mind on the pockets and I could not include those in the blog, but here follows the directions for sewing this very simple pair of pants."
Blog 116 - Laying Out & Cutting Out a Layered Top
"Today we venture one step deeper into the world pf sewing when we make a slightly more adventurous top than in the previous blog. This is still a very easy pattern to sew. It has only a few more things to look out for, but I walk you through them step by step and in no time you will have a lovely layered top to add to your wardrobe. In today's blog we lay the pattern out on the fabric and then we cut it out. In a following blog we will sew it."
Blog 117 - Sewing A Layered Top
"In the previous blog I showed you how to lay out a pattern for a layered top. We then cut the pattern from fabric and I left off promising to show you how to sew the top. I do exactly that in today's blog. This top is slightly challenging and it is very important to pay close attention to certain aspects, but I'll point these out as we proceed."
Blog 118 - Sewing A Top With A Yoke
"Today we continue our sewing lessons when we sew yet another top. This time we tack the fabric a little and add a yoke. I also alter the pattern ever so slightly when I add a sleeve to a sleeveless top. I show you how to plan and execute this step by step."
Blog 119 - Combining 2 Patterns Into 1 Garment
"Have you also found that you liked something specific on one pattern, but you wished it was on another pattern? I find this very often and then I look for ways to combine the two. In today's blog, I use the peplums from one pattern and turn them into a collar for a jacket from another pattern. I show you what to look out for and how to go about in today's blog."
Blog 120 - Sewing a Travel Bag
"I was looking for a travel bag with compartments for easy packing, but could not find one. Another requirement I had, was that it should be able to fold away into a small space when I did not need it. Not finding what I was looking for, I decided to design and make such a bag for myself. I set out to do a couple of drawings and decided on a box shaped bag, extra large, with a sling and lots of pockets. This pattern, along with my other bag designs will be available soon for purchase from Amazon. I'll keep you informed via the blogs. In the meantime, I'll whet your appetite by showing you the steps."
Blog 121 - Sewing A Fringed Scarf
"Who has not discovered the magical power that a scarf has of transforming an ordinary outfit into a smart one? In today's blog I show you how to sew your own scarf from leftover fabric after a big project. I then add some fringe to it for the fun factor."
Blog 122 - Sewing Pajamas Part 1 of 2 - The Pants
"Today I will show you how to sew yourself a comfy pair flannel pajamas.The pants are some of the easiest bottoms you'll ever sew and the top gets slightly more difficult as it requires more detail. We'll kick it off with the pants today and work our way through to the top. Don't fret. The step by step directions will make both items easy as pie to sew yourself."
Blog 123 - Sewing Pajamas Part 2 of 2 - The Top
"We started off sewing ourselves a pair of flannel pajamas in yesterday's blog. We covered the lay out of the pattern, cutting out the fabric and sewing the pants. In today's blog, we sew the shirt. We will be adding pockets, buttons and a collar. Step by step instructions will make these easy to master."
Blog 124 - Sewing A Blouse With A Bias Bow Collar
"My mom had some fabric in the stash that she had purchased ages ago and never turned into anything useful. I decided it was time to do something with it and set about cutting a blouse for her that had a very feminine bow collar, cut on the bias. I show you how to make this top in today's blog, taking photos every step of the way to make it easier to follow."
Blog 125 - Covering A Shoe Box With An Attached Lid In Fabric
"I am an organizer by my very nature. I hate it when things are in disarray and will spend hours sorting through things and getting them neatly organized, labelled and stored. Are you like that at all? If so, you will probably find today's blog useful. I show you how to take an ordinary shoe box with an attached lid, and cover it in fabric, thereby creating cute and affordable storage space for some nick-knacks."
Blog 126 - Sewing An Off-The-Shoulder Dress For A Girl
"I had a whole lot of fun with today's dress. I had less than a half meter of fabric left and it had a bit of an old-fashioned print on it. I decided to turn this into a cute old-fashioned dress for my niece. I would drop the shoulders a little to make it look a little more playful. I also dropped the waistline, to take it straight back to the 50's. Makeshift sleeves and bias binding on the neckline, are all tricks that are discussed in the blog."
Blog 127 - Making Hanging Storage Boards For A Boy's Room
"I have a little boy in my life who enjoys his tools as much he enjoys his art equipment. When my mom gave me some remnants from a pair of old pants that had been cut up for rags, I realized that I could make him lovely storage space for his beloved tools of the craft. This blog combines a range of crafts, including sewing, painting, decoupage, and entry level woodwork. The result is storage space that is decorative, fun, and doesn't require shelf space. This sounds intricate, but it is actually very easy to do."
Blog 128 - Sewing Conversions: Turning A Basque Into A Skirt
"My mom has this habit of passing all sorts of off-cuts and remnants my way. This is how I came to be in possession of a completed basque that was cut from an existing skirt. Rummaging through my sewing room boxes, I came across this forgotten item and decided it was time to do something with it. So, for today's blog, I show you how to turn this off-cut into a cute little skirt for a young lady."
Blog 129 - Sewing Conversions: Turning A Skirt Into A Dress
"Having seen what I did with the sewing conversion in the previous blog, my mom handed me a skirt from her wardrobe that she no longer wore. As my niece was already present to fit and model the skirt I had made, it followed quite naturally that this newly arrived skirt would also be converted into an item of clothing to fit her. We draped it this way and that and finally agreed upon a dress that we both liked. I walk you through the steps of converting an existing skirt into a girl's dress in today's blog."
Blog 130 - Turning Tatty Jeans Into Hanging Storage
"I had this old pair of jeans that was covered in paint and had holes in all the wrong places. It was time to turn this old jean into rags, but not before I recovered all of the distinctive bits that jeans are known for. I show you how to give your beloved jeans a whole new lease on life by turning them into hanging storage space. This time, no sewing is required!"
Blog 131 - Sewing A Girls' Dress With A Double Bodice
"Not too long ago, I had to replace a zipper that had stripped. I kept the old zipper, thinking that I might be able to do something with it. I got my chance today when I used it as decorations on a dress I made for my niece. I also show you how to sew a dress with a double bodice, rather than facings, and a pleated skirt, in today's blog."
Blog 132 - Sewing A Lined Skirt
"There is such beautiful sheer fabric on the market that one sometimes can not resist buying this. I had some of these see-through fabric left over from a project and decided to turn this into a skirt for my older niece. However, that would mean that I would have to line the skirt if she were to have any hope of wearing it. I show you how to line a skirt with an elastic waist in today's blog."
Blog133 - Sewing A Girl's Strap Dress With A Lined Skirt
"In a previous blog I told you about some sheer fabric I used to make a lined skirt from. I now only had tiny pieces of this fabric left over, but it would be enough to make a dress from for a little girl. Today's dress has a lined skirt, strap top and a bow. I show you step by step how to make this."
Blog 134 - Sewing Boy's PJ Pants With A Fringed Scarf
"I find it marvelous to see how one can still make children's clothes from pieces of fabric that is way too small to make anything for an adult from. This is exactly what I did with today's piece of leftover flannel. I cut a pair of pajama bottoms from it for my nephew and then had a long thin piece left over that I could turn into a scarf. He looked like a little boxer! I show you how easy this quick project is to do in today's blog."
Blog 135 - Sewing A Wide Skirt With Side Pockets
"Sewing a wide skirt is possibly one of the easiest patterns to make. However, side pockets can be a little tricky to attach. I show you how to add side pockets to a wide skirt in today's blog. Following step by step, should make it easy for you to make your own skirt with side pockets without any difficulty.
Blog 136 - Sewing A Girl's Dress With A Re-purposed Frill
"I am still hard at work sewing dresses for my niece. As I was planning today's dress, once again working with small pieces of leftover fabric, my eye fell on a bed frill that my mom had taken off a comforter more than a decade ago already. Somehow this had never been thrown out. It occurred to me that this could be a lovely addition to the dress. I show you how to incorporate quirky items like these into your projects in today's blog. I also show you how to cut your pattern from an existing dress."
Blog 137 - Sewing A Basic Top With An Under-stitched Facing
"We make a very basic top in today's blog. I take my time to show you how to use facings and what to do to keep them from popping out and unwanted times. There are a couple of tricks you need to know to sew a proper facing and I discuss these in today's blog."
Blog 138 - Sewing A Jacket With A Draped Lapel
"The Jacket we will be sewing today has a draped lapel that reminds one of a scarf. What makes it completely different from other jackets, is that it has no facings. That means that we have to finish the edges very neatly. It also makes it ideal for use with fabric choices that have two distinct sides. I walk you through the steps for making this jacket in today's blog."
Blog 139 - Sewing A Skirt & Vest The Old-Fashioned Way Part 1
"My mom had saved some very old patterns from when she was still young and I happened upon some of these the other day. Ever since then, I had been wanting to try my hand at sewing a pattern the old-fashioned way. I will be making some adjustments to accommodate new products, and I will try to give the old pattern a more modern twist, but I invite you to venture down memory lane with me in this fun sewing project. In this first blog of a two-part series, I sew a skirt."
Blog 140 - Sewing A Skirt & Vest The Old-Fashioned Way Part 2
"In the previous blog I told you about my mom having saved some very old patterns from when she was still young and me happening upon some of these. Ever since then, I had been wanting to try my hand at sewing a pattern the old-fashioned way. I will be making some adjustments to accommodate new products, and I will try to give the old pattern a more modern twist, but I invite you to venture down memory lane with me in this fun sewing project. In this second blog of a two-part series, I sew a vest, a.k.a. a waistcoat."
Blog 141 - Sewing A Rag Doll Part 1
"Back when I was in standard 7, nowadays called Grade 9, we made a rag doll in our Home Economics class. Rummaging through old patterns, saw me stumbling across the pattern for the rag doll. It had always been at the back of my mind to try this again someday and it would seem that someday had arrived! Over the course of the next two blogs, you can help me make sense of this very badly copied pattern and very poor pattern instructions as we make a rag doll together."
Blog 142 - Sewing A Rag Doll Part 2
"In the previous blog, we started work on a rag doll that I had last made back when I was still at school. We stumbled through the pattern and made the doll. Now it is time to clothe her and put some pretty hair upon her head. I show you how to do this in today's blog."
Blog 143 - Sewing Covers For Your Plastic Hangers To Hang Scarves
"Keeping scarves in a drawer, or on a shelf makes it very difficult to find the right scarf to match your outfit. That is why I prefer hanging mine on a hanger. In today's blog, I show you how to sew a cover for your plain old plastic hangers so you can turn these into hanging space for your scarves. I made the set in the blog as a gift for a friend. Perhaps you would like to do something similar?"
Blog 144 - Transferring Images To Fabric For Painting
"Today I want to show you how to quickly transfer three images to fabric, from paper. Once they are transferred I show you how to paint the designs step by step, before we will turn them into a pretty little item in the next blog."
"Today I want to show you how to quickly transfer three images to fabric, from paper. Once they are transferred I show you how to paint the designs step by step, before we will turn them into a pretty little item in the next blog."
Blog 145 - Sew A Quilted Book Bag
"In the previous blog I showed you how to transfer images to fabric. We then painted these images. In today's blog, I am going to walk you through the steps of quilting those designs on your machine, before we sew them onto a book bag. I love to hang these above the beds in the place of head boards. That way the books are always ready at hand in a child's room. Or in mine, for that matter!"
Blog 146 - Make A Pillowcase For An Oddly-Shaped Pillow
"I have this oddly shaped pillow that I love to sleep on. The problem is that the pillowcase is so unsightly that I don't want to leave it on my bed. It is also not possible to buy pillowcases for these pillows. What is a girl to do?! Well, I simply had to make my own. In today's blog I show you how to take measurements and draw a 'pattern' for an oddly shaped pillowcase. I also show you step by step how to sew it yourself."
Blog 147 - Sewing Square Scatter Cushion Pillow Covers
"I was presented with the opportunity to spend three months in idyllic Hondeklipbaai on the West Coast of South Africa. Of course I jumped at the opportunity. The original idea was to spend my time writing and painting, but it turned out that the stay would have much more to offer. Upon my arrival in Cape Town, I learned that the friend at whose house I'd be staying, needed to refurbish a cottage that she was renting out. We spent a couple of days buying everything that was needed, but I suggested I make her some Scatter Cushion pillowcases, rather than settling for what was available in the market. In today's blog I show you how to make pillowcases for square scatter cushions."
Blog 148 - Sewing Round Scatter Cushion Pillowcases
"In the previous blog I told you about my stay in Hondeklipbaai where I helped a friend to get her cottage ready for rent to tourists and visitors to this idyllic town. When it came to buying scatter cushions, I suggested I rather make pillowcases for the existing cushions. In today's blog I show you how to make pillowcases for round scatter cushions."
Blog 149 - Sewing King Size Scatter Cushions
"After sewing pillowcases for the scatter cushions that would be going into a cottage a friend was refurbishing, I had a good sized piece of fabric left over. As one of the beds was a King size bed with King size pillows, my friend suggested we turned this leftover fabric into scatter cushions to fit this bed. In today's blog I show you how to fit your scatter cushions to an 'odd' sized bed."
Blog 150 - Sewing Shower Curtains
"When you have an elegant cottage to rent, you certainly do not wish to hang shower curtains with crazy designs in the bathrooms. When my friend could not find any shower curtains to hang in the newly refurbished cottage she intended to rent out to tourists, she asked me if I would mind making her two stark white shower curtains. I agreed that this would be best and we set out to buy the fabric. It may not be the prettiest curtains I had ever sewn, but it certainly fitted the cottage much better than the colourful alternatives. In today's blog I show you how to sew shower curtains."
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Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
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