I'm even more in love with the finished product than I was with the pattern. This is a Vogue skirt (V8296) made in lovely berry-colored hemp/soy linen. It's cut on the bias to show off the lovely drape of this fabric. My favorite part: the raw edges of the fabric, lapped rather than seamed, which will fray and soften over time.  Read more ...

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At my local funky used bookstore this weekend, I picked up this awesome $2 find: a "modern" sewing manual from 1932. "Sewing Secrets" introduces all the basics of professional sewing for the modern woman. Sigh ... it makes me nostalgic for a time when creative ability was an expected part of life.  Read more ...

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Consider for a moment … when you begin a new craft project, what "mind" do you bring to the making of it? Do you strive for perfection (every stitch in place, every seam straight)? Do you follow the pattern as if you’re trying to get an A?  Read more ...

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Often when I mention to someone that I know how to sew, they look at me with awe and amazement, as if I've mastered the art of hovering in mid-air. Or they'll sigh wistfully and say "I wish I'd learned", as though they'd missed a train that comes by only once in a lifetime.  Read more ...

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If you're a crafty person living in the Bay Area, my friend Khadija over at Barakah Life is conducting her annual Sew Giving baby blanket drive. Blankets will be given to Project Night Night to distribute to children in homeless shelters.  Read more ...

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Eco-conscious readers already know that the garment industry has a lot of issues when it comes to environmental and social concerns. Aside from the question of which fibers are used and how they are dyed, another BIG problem in the industry is waste.  Read more ...

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