Sewing Tips & Tricks

Keeping your shoes looking fresh is no easy task. Weather, spills and general wear and tear can make your shoes lose their shine after only a few wears. Rust-oleum Never Wet for boots and shoes and Max Pro Heavy Duty Water and Stain Repellent fight that by creating an invisible but powerful protective barrier around your shoes. Here's how to use these products so you can protect your own shoes!

Why don't they make women's clothing with pockets? I will never understand and truthfully will never forgive clothing manufacturers for the lack of storage space in my clothing. My guy friends can hold their phone, wallets, keys, a can of soda, their favorite novel, and snacks galore with ease. But if I don't want to carry a purse with me that day, I am doomed to hold all my valuables in my hands and just hope that I don't put something important down and forget to pick it back up. (Or put it in the pockets of my male friends as a way of fighting back this unfair system.

Everyone has that old pair of sweatpants laying around that are so old the elastic has stretched out to the point where they won't stay up anymore. So, I'm going to show you how to replace that elastic so your favorite and most comfy pants fit like they're supposed to. Exposed elastic and hidden elastic are going to be the most common bands you will see so I am going to be demonstrating on both.

Spice up your bows! Here are 5 easy bow tying tricks for your next craft, gift or DIY accessory. From a classic bow to more sophisticated looks, we have you covered!

Did you grow out of your favorite jeans? Or found a pair at the thrift store that didn't fit great but were to nice to pass up? I recently went through all my clothes and got rid of the things that didn't fit me anymore, but there were a few pairs that I just could not bring myself to parting with. I looked into different ways to make your pants larger, but none of them actually gave me the amount of space I needed to get these super comfy mom jeans on again. So I had an idea.

The running stitch is an easy hand sewing stitch that can be used in many projects, it can also be used to gather fabric. A smaller running stitch can also be used for embroidery and appliques. You can also do a back stitch by hand.

The back stitch can be used as a decorative top stitch or to create a strong seam similar to the straight stitch on a sewing machine. You can leave a bit of space between stitches if you prefer that look for decorative stitching. This stitch is used a lot for embroidery and appliques. You can also do a running stitch by hand.

Dritz Stitch Witchery is a fusible bonding web that's great for no-sew projects. It can also be used for hems and other applications where you don't want stitches showing. The bonding tape is a strip of adhesive that melts when ironed to adhere fabric together, creating a permanent bond. Stitch Witchery comes in various widths from 1/4″ to 2″ and several weights from ultra light weight to super weight. It's machine washable and can be dry cleaned.

Magnetic snaps are a great fastener solution for many types of bags as well as other accessories and clothing. We offer them in two finishes: Dritz Magnetic Snaps (Silver) Dritz Gilt Magnetic Snaps (Gold) Despite the professional look, adding them to your project is easy. Here are a few quick steps for attaching magnetic snaps.

Cord shade locks are used for blinds, Roman shades, and similar window treatments. They're used to easily open and close the shade by gripping and releasing the cords. They come in several sizes depending on how many cords will be strung through.

Learn 6 different ways to hem fabric: Serged hem Double fold hem Invisible hem with bonding tape Hem with hem tape Handsewn blind hem Machine-sewn blind hem Choose a type of hem depending on your project and personal preferences.

Rotary cutters are made to cut fabric, paper, leather, vinyl, mat board, and foam core. They are sometimes preferred over scissors when you need a straight, clean, precise cut, making them a favorite of quilters. We offer Omnigrid rotary cutters in 2 sizes and also carry replacement blades. The smaller 28mm size is best for curves and provides the most precision. You'll also need a cutting mat to protect the surface you're working on.

Ruching is a form of gathering fabric for texture and detail in a garment. Ruching can be seen in bathing suits, wedding gowns, and fitted tops. It can also be seen in some home decor products such as pillows.

Seam rippers are useful to have when correcting sewing mistakes. A seam ripper is made up of a long point, a blade which is a curved part in the middle, and a little ball that helps protect the fabric.

Jean buttons are specifically used in jeans and pants to make fastening the waistband easier. They are much more durable than buttons that are sewn on so they can withstand a lot of wear and tear. They come in antique brass and nickel finishes, and are 11/16″ wide. Here's how to attach jean buttons to your project.

Dritz Fray Check is a seam sealant that prevents fabric from fraying and secures thread ends. It's perfect for use on the raw edges of fabric, ribbon, and trim. It also prevents thread ends on sewing and embroidery projects from coming loose. It can be used to finish raw edges on the inside of garments so they don't fray when washed. It's also great for small holes and tears and can be used in combination with an invisible hand stitch to make repairs to clothing and other items.

Today we are going to answer a question we've been getting asked a lot recently. Can you paint cane webbing? The answer is, yes, of course. But there are a few tips that you are going to want to use to get the best results possible. I am going show you how to paint cane and I am going to go over a couple of other ways you can modify rattan so you are sure to get the look you are going for.

Cane Webbing has made a huge comeback in recent years (like all GREAT trends) And let me tell you, I am here for it. Cane can last for a really long time, with some pieces being found in tact after hundreds of years. Most notably, some beautifully preserved in ancient Egyptian tombs but also many pieces from the 17th century, & the Victorian era. There are a few things that should be done to keep your cane furniture looking shiny, supple, & taught. These care tips are easy enough to follow and they will protect your furniture, helping it last for years to come.

Today I am going to show you how whiten clothes without using bleach. Instead, we are going to brightening these fabrics using two different RIT fabric treatments. The first product I am going to use is Rit white wash. This product is specifically to remove stains from white clothes and make clothes whiter. The second product I will be using is Rit whitener and brightener.

A dart is a method used in sewing to add shape to a garment. Darts are often used on the busts of dresses and blouses, skirts and to minimize gaping at sleeve openings. There are a few parts of a dart that are important to understand before sewing them into your garment.