FabSugar

Do You Have a Sewing Machine?

GeekSugar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:30:21 PDT

Watching Project Runway every week gives me the itch to pull out my own sewing machine, no matter how dusty it is! I'm getting inspiration from the show and from the geeky crafts I'm constantly seeing.

I've also noticed an influx lately of new sewing machines that are simpler, with big graphic buttons (dare I say more Apple-like?) - my own is a Singer, and I truly believe that I was as willing to tackle learning how to use my sewing machine because of my tech-savviness. I'm no stranger to manuals and complicated inputs, and when something breaks, I don't fear opening up my machine and going to town.

My hope is that the predicted home sewing revolution (prediction: Mine) comes about partly because of Project Runway, and partly because a generation of geeky girls is not afraid to buy and learn a foreign piece of machinery.

So tell me, do you have your own sewing machine?

Photo courtesy of Bravo

On Our Radar: Project Runway Sewing Machine by Brother

FabSugar — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 09:00:22 PDT

If you entertain dreams of sewing like a fashion designer, you're in luck! On November 1, the sewing machines used by all of the Project Runway contestants are going to be available at Amazon.com, with prices starting at $500. The computerized machines by Brother allow beginners and experienced seamstress alike to easily piece together one-of-a-kind clothes. Before you know it, you could be competing on Project Runway!

Weekend DIY: Camera Bag

Kelly Schwarze — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 08:49:02 PST

Heavy-duty camera bags are great for the bumps and bruises of traveling, but for everyday life we'd like something a little, well, softer. The latest DIY, a camera cozy from crafty blog A Beautiful Mess, takes care of our camera case need and what to do with the fabric from a tired vintage dress sitting in the closet. Made of upcycled material from old clothing, we love a DIY that saves money too.

Choose the fabric, get a sewing machine ready, and head over to A Beautiful Mess for the full how-to on toting your camera in style.

Source: A Beautiful Mess

25 Things to Do With Old Jeans

Wise Bread — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:00:46 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Wise Bread story here on Savvy!

Recycling fabric is a powerful green living and cost saving strategy. Denim is one of the coolest fabrics to do it with. It's sturdy, gains character with age and can be acquired very inexpensively at yard sales or in your own "old clothes" closet. Some of the coolest ideas I've found?

Pot holders. In my opinion, these look far better out of used denim than the new stuff. And you can incorporate your own style via choice of trim or a patch stitched to the outside. Here's a link to some tips for making your own.
Cool quilts. You can do this in many forms. Different shades of denim patchwork options abound and are certainly sturdy and fun. Unfortunately, one of the coolest ideas I've ever seen I've been unable to find pictures of. It was done with pieced denim, but they had left on all the details like pockets, buttons, belt loops, etc. It made for a really fabulous unique quilt with a lot of attitude. If anyone has a link to a picture of one of these, please post below in the comments section.

For more ideas, read on.

DIY: Cloth Napkins With a Binding Edge

Elka Karl — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 08:00:48 PDT

Feeling crafty this weekend? Interested in adding some DIY elegance to your Thanksgiving table? Then you're in luck! I wanted to share this napkin tutorial I created a few years ago. These napkins are pretty easy to sew, even for beginner seamstresses. Impress your guests this holiday season with handmade napkins.
Over the weekend, I made a slightly more complicated version of our DIY napkins, riffing on a pattern I adapted from The Purl Bee. My sewing style is a little more fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants when it comes to more straight-forward sewing projects. For instance, I didn't pin anything on the project. While this is fine if you're used to working with fabric, I would recommend pinning for this project if you're not comfortable with more "free form" sewing. This is definitely a pretty project though, and one that will get lots of oohs and ahs at your next dinner party. These directions make 12 napkins.

Keep reading for the DIY directions and a photo tutorial for this cloth napkin DIY.

10 DIY Costume Tips From Etsy's Handmade Pros

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:31:55 PDT

Dust off the sewing machine! For many mamas, Halloween memories include standing still as their own mothers draped and measured them for their homemade costume each year. With so many beautifully handmade items available on sites like Etsy, it's no wonder many moms are opting to buy their lil ones' costumes these days - but there's still a contingent that takes pride in crafting their own. Before pulling out the needle and thread, get some tips from the pros. Some of Etsy's most popular costume makers are sharing their best tips for DIYers hoping to whip up a masterpiece of their own. Check them out and then get to work!

The 5 Best Books For a Crafty, DIY Life

Kelly Schwarze — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 06:12:22 PDT

Sometimes we need to step back from the wonders of prepackaged goods and tech overload to get back to our handcrafted, DIY roots, but finding the proper inspiration is daunting. Whether it's sitting down at a sewing machine, knitting a sci-fi hat, or creating hacks to make your computer easier to get along with, these books guide the reader to a life they can confidently make all on their own.

What's your favorite DIY or craft book?

Entrepreneurship 101: Q&A With Wendy Downs of Moop Handmade Bags

LearnVest — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:15:12 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Wendy Downs is the owner and founder of Moop, an online shop that sells stylish, utilitarian handmade bags for men, women and children. Is it successful? Just ask her devoted fans, who rave about the quality of both the bags and the customer service.

Wendy’s success seems almost too easy. The four-year-old business turned a profit in its second year, and it has grown from one old sewing machine and an Etsy shop to a storefront workshop in Pittsburgh and its own e-commerce site.

Find out how Wendy turned an idea into a success story, with no previous business experience - plus a giveaway below!

How did you get the business started?

After I graduated in 2006 I was basically unemployable with a useless graduate degree in art. I was using this old sewing machine to sew together a bag for myself. It wasn’t a very nice bag, just a rectangle with two handles, but people started asking where I got it, and if I could make them one.

Then my sister-in-law came to visit and she asked if I had ever heard of Etsy. A few months later, I set up shop, and within three days somebody had bought a bag.

Do you regret getting your art degree?

It wasn’t totally useless. My degree was in photography, and I do take all my own product photographs. If I’d only had an “Accounting 101″ class, though . . .

Were you scared about running your own business?

There was a short time where I was working another job, and the moment when I decided to quit was scary. But so far it’s been only good. My dad ran his business and both his parents ran their own business, so there was this entrepreneurial thing within me that I hadn’t tapped into.

I tend to operate on the philosophy of just doing things. Sometimes that works for me, and sometimes it doesn’t. But if I don’t try, I tend to wonder what the outcome will be.

Read about what Wendy has to say about the advantage of being on Etsy.

Want to Smell Like Needles? Well, You Can

Miriam Lacey — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 06:00:00 PDT

I love Penhaligon's fragrances, but its new scent, Sartorial ($135), is enough to put a person in stitches. It's supposed to smell just like the interior of famed Savile Row tailor's shop Norton & Sons. Lest you think the notes must be something suitably Old Boys Club like tobacco smoke, leather, and cedar, though, the fragrance is said to "evoke the masculine scent of sewing machines, needles, wool, and cloth." I don't know how, exactly, sewing machines are distinctively "male," but I'm even more curious about how the presumably metallic notes and textile odors blend into something wearable. Are you intrigued by this one, too, or will you leave it to the well-dressed (and well-heeled) gentlemen of London?

Link Time!

CasaSugar — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 10:55:00 PDT

Abandoned houses become art in the Heidelberg project in Detroit. - Hooked on Houses
Take a peek at a haute new hotel in New York City. - The Nest
Learn how to keep tile surfaces spick-and-span daily. - ShelterPop
Chalkboard contact paper labels will be your new BFF. - Shelterrific
I love the quaint, nostalgic interior design by Solange van Dorssen. - Desire to Inspire
Learn how to pimp out your sewing machine! - Craftzine