January « 2010 « Warehouse Fabrics Inc Blog

Jan 31
2010

Reversible scalloped apron tutorial

Fancy, flirty aprons are all the rage, and they sell for good money at a lot of stores. But if you can sew, you can make your own, and I’ll show you how. Seem a little too frilly? Use it any old time, but especially when you have guests. People get a kick out of them! And don’t be afraid to use it; it’s just fabric, and you can wash it.
This pattern is for a fully reversible, gathered, scalloped apron with pockets. Have fun with the fabrics and mix them up to make it more interesting. This apron uses the same fabrics on both sides, but in opposite placement.

EDITED TO ADD brief description on making this a full apron. See below.
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Categorized: Accessories

Tagged: Accessories, apron, reversible apron, scalloped apron, sewing, sewing tutorial

Jan 24
2010

Rolled edge on a serger

rolled hem

Lately, I’ve been into using cloth napkins. Not only do reusable napkins save paper, but they just make you feel good. I’ll use them when I’m on my lunch break at work, eating something nuked in the microwave and completely not fancy. I’ll use them with my oatmeal in the morning or my cheese and crackers at night. You can make your own napkins using a rolled hem. One nice way to do this is on your serger. In a future post, we’ll do a rolled edge on a regular sewing machine. Read the rest of this entry »

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Categorized: Techniques & Tips

Tagged: sewing, sewing tutorial, tutorial

Jan 16
2010

Pleated, lined handbag

Roomy, pleated bag

Making your own fabric bags means you’ll always have unique accessories. I have lots of them, and I get compliments all the time. They really stand out. This bag is pleated and nice and roomy as a purse. I have made this style in both a smaller and larger size, but neither ever seemed just right. This one I made somewhere in between. It holds all of my day-to-day purse stuff, with room to throw in a book or bottle of water, to boot.

I took this out today and somebody complimented me on it and wanted one. See? That’s what I’m talking about. So worth making! Read the rest of this entry »

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Categorized: Accessories

Tagged: Accessories, bag, purse, sewing, sewing tutorial, tutorial

Jan 16
2010

How to insert a magnetic snap into a bag

Magnetic snap

Magnetic snaps make great closures for handbags and totes. They’re clean-looking and offer quick and easy opening and closing of your bag. They’re easy to install, but if you don’t take a few precautions, you could end up with strained, torn fabric. Let me show you how I do it. Read the rest of this entry »

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Categorized: Uncategorized

Tagged: bag, magnetic snap, sewing tutorial, tutorial

Jan 16
2010

How to make a non-turn strap

Look Ma, no turning!

What’s worse than making a thin tube and then having to turn it right-side out? Uh … nothing. Here is a painless, turn-free way to make a nice, neat strap for a handbag or tote. Read the rest of this entry »

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Categorized: Techniques & Tips

Tagged: bag, sewing, sewing tutorial, strap, tutorial

Jan 10
2010

Sewing a curved edge

Ever have two pattern pieces that are supposed to be sewn together but are actually curved in opposite directions? You wonder how they are possibly supposed to fit together. Sometimes you’ll see this in shaped seams, like a princess seam on a woman’s top that must make room for the bust. Sometimes, in the case of this tutorial, it’s a flat seam (meaning, not convex) that is rounded for visual effect. It’s really not hard to do, and I’ll show you how. Read the rest of this entry »

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Categorized: Techniques & Tips

Tagged: potholder, sewing, sewing tutorial, tutorial

Jan 10
2010

Chicken or the egg quilted potholder tutorial

Mitt/potholder combo

You can make your own oven mitts and potholders for practically nothing. And why do we love sewing, people? Because we can choose our own fun fabrics, that’s why. We aren’t limited to the options at Target. We are limited only by our imaginations! Who knew handling hot pots could be so inspiring and exciting? Let’s go try it out. Read the rest of this entry »

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Categorized: For the Home

Tagged: pot holder, potholder, quilting, sewing, sewing tutorial, tutorial

Jan 3
2010

Pretty pieced pillows

The more fabrics the merrier

Fancy throw pillows can cost an arm and a leg, but you can grab a few beautiful fabrics and make your own for a fraction of the cost. You choose the fabric combos and shapes and sizes. Piece together fabrics for variety and visual interest. You can make several pillows in just a day, and change the look of your whole room. Read the rest of this entry »

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