Tangled Thread - Tips, Trick and Tutorials in Sewing & Stitching

October 13th, 2007

how to: decorative ribbon handles

I used a ribbon handle with a little decorative end on it in yesterday’s tutorial.
This is an easy technique - but it looks more complicated when it’s sewn onto something :-)

This project works best with a grosgrain ribbon, or a ribbon that’s not too soft.  Basically all you’re doing is tying a knot in the […]

By Chloe -- 3 comments

October 7th, 2007

tutorial: mini Hallowe’en bag

To get started you’ll need an 7″ X 13″  rectangle of fabric (I’m using a mid-weight cotton, but feel free to use something different) and a selection of opaque fabric paints.  I’m using two shades of copper, gold, green & pearl white to demo this project.

I’ve fused a heavy weight interfacing to the wrong side […]

By Chloe -- 4 comments

July 23rd, 2007

tip of the day - making muslins to fit clothing

I’m just starting on sewing my wedding dress (which is good - because I only have a month left to sew it :-) ) and want to make sure everything fits perfectly!
To help me fit it, I’m creating two sets of dresses.  The first one is called a muslin, (but it doesn’t have to be […]

By Chloe -- 2 comments

July 20th, 2007

tutorial - make a cooling bandanna

I thought that this would be a perfect project for the dog days of summer :-)
To make your own cooling bandanna (I’ve seen them in stores for as much as $20!) you’ll need:

a piece of tightly-woven cotton fabric (quilting cotton is perfect for this)
a couple of teaspoons of silica gel crystals (it’s sold in gardening […]

By Chloe -- 13 comments

March 13th, 2007

machine fusion fabric part 4

It’s time to fill in the little gaps on the fabric and add another layer of color:

I’ve used a cherry red & a darker green to fill in the background.  Using different colored sewing machine thread will add depth & richness to the finished piece.
Here’s a close-up of the surface:

You can now dissolve the top […]

By Chloe -- 0 comments

March 12th, 2007

machine fusion fabric part 3

Before you start sewing, make sure you have a fresh, brand-new needle in your sewing machine.  Drop the feeddogs & switch to a free-motion foot.
We’re going to begin by using a neutral colored thread and making an even covering all over the fabric.  Don’t worry about making a meticulous pattern, all you’re doing is anchoring […]

By Chloe -- 1 comment

March 12th, 2007

machine fusion fabric part 2

In my last post, we had started to build the background layers of the fabric.  Now it’s time to build some decorative foreground layers:

I’ve cut out several printed flowers (yes, my stash does tend to look like an enthusiastic moth was in it :-) )  And placed them on the wool/silk layers from before.

I’ve gently […]

By Chloe -- 3 comments