As the warmest days of summer are replaced with the cooler days of autumn, thoughts turn to back to school days, upcoming harvest fairs and fall festivities. A great time to bring out the woolen garments of prior cold seasons that may no longer fit well but may still have a useful recycled life.

Prims are a form of folk art - handmade decorative crafts assembled from fabrics of muted gingham, plaids, natural linens, tea-colored muslin, and burlap. Often accented with weathered boards, punched tins, and tied with twine of jute or raffia - prim crafts suggest a nostalgia for times past.

With the last of summer lingering, and the approaching cooler weather signaling the coming autumn, our sewing projects take on a compelling urgency. Like squirrels foraging for winter, we search the fabric stores and our own fabric stash for just the right complementary autumn colors.

A fabric with "nap" has gone through a manufacturing finishing process that raises the fiber ends to the surface where they are then shorn, brushed or simply left upright. This creates a sculpted surface texture as the raised fibers all lie in one direction.

Ideal for seasonal decorating, functional and practical as a fabric scrap recycle undertaking, softly gather fabric and batting to pouf out and around a reusable storage container to provide a quick and easy cheery home decor or gift giving project.

A brief introduction to the various smocking techniques.

Free pattern for a vintage style quilted bread warmer with assembly instructions. Makes a wonderful hostess or holiday gift.

Facings are those fabric pieces, usually the same as the fashion fabric, at times of a contrasting fabric, generally seen on the inside of a garment. They finish off an opening, usually a neckline or sleeveless armhole, but also for a shaped hem, slim skirt vents, shirt front or jacket opening.

This article contains many links to free patterns for sewing teddy bears.

It happens to all machine sewers - you're sewing your fabric and all of a sudden your machine seems to stop advancing and jam just at the machine's throat plate. You find your needle and bobbin threads in a knotted bunch at the fabric seam just under the presser foot. Probable cause and solutions!