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sewing — insatiable need

sewing

DIY portable ironing pad

sewing

A solid 50% of my private sewing students do not own an iron or ironing board…true story! (I was shocked at first, until I realized that the only time I use MY iron is when I’m sewing…not to iron my actual clothes!) So I found myself toting an iron and mini ironing board to my […]

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new year’s resolution sewing

sale

This is the year you finally learn to sew! Don’t worry, I’m going to help you. Maybe learning to sew is your new year’s resolution, or maybe it’s finishing that one project, or learning to sew better. You’re going to be able to do all of the above with my expert guidance, so this is […]

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DIY domino-style mask

sewing

Are you one of those people who has already finished their Halloween costume (handmade, obviously), have already posted multiple Instagram pics, and have already RSVP’d to all the events and parties that will be graced with your presence (and your awesome costume)? Then this post is not for you! I made this tutorial and pattern […]

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bad sewing habits that are making your life harder

sewing

So much of successful sewing is muscle memory…experience and practice makes all the difference! So you can imagine how repeating bad habits can make your sewing more frustrating than it needs to be. No matter how long you’ve been sewing, you can improve your work by breaking some bad habits. If you’re still new to […]

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5 sewing tools to upgrade ASAP

sewing

Like so many other hobbies, there’s lots of stuff associated with sewing. How do you know you have the right stuff? Is having the wrong stuff making your sewing life harder? There are so many different tools and notions out there, and anyone who’s been sewing for a while will have plenty of opinions on […]

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it’s not the tension: troubleshooting steps to get your sewing back on track

sewing

In the last several years, I have taught hundreds (thousands?) of people the basics of sewing, and helped many of them improve their skills beyond the beginner level. I’ve seen a lot of frustration with bent needles, dull scissors, stubborn fabric, and the myriad other woes that sewers of all experience levels regularly must deal […]

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private sewing lessons in the DC area

sale

Although I’ve been teaching sewing since 2010 (and designing sewing patterns since 2011), this is the first time I’m having a sale on sewing lessons! Instead of a big Black Friday hullabaloo, I want to offer my (local) sewing people a pre-holiday deal now:   Purchase any package of private sewing lessons before November 24, […]

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the de-stash shop is open!

crafting

In the process of redesigning Holland Cox products, I’ve found that some of my stash is no longer what it needs to be. So I’m getting rid of some of it! My Etsy shop is eventually going to be 100% sewing supplies, but for now it’s a mix of clearance and de-stash items. Click here […]

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perfect zippers 4: making a welt zipper pocket

sewing

The zippered welt pocket is the kind of feature that elevates the style of any handmade bag! You can install one on the outside of a bag, or in the handbag lining. They can be oriented horizontally, vertically, or even on the diagonal. I’ve included a 12″ welt zipper pocket on the inside of all […]

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perfect zippers part 3: making fabric tabs

sewing

I usually don’t make fabric tabs for the ends of my zippers, but sometimes it’s a nice way to add detail or a bit of color. In this part of the “perfect zippers” series, I’ll show you 2 ways to make those little tabs to cover your zipper stops. Part 1 was all about installation, […]

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