As long as our mechanical or electronic gadgets work well, they tend to mesh beautifully with the fabric of our busy lives. The very moment they cease to perform the function for which they were intended, or perform that function poorly, our tensions rise!

The contemporary form of today’s commercialized bandana is thought to have originated in India in the 1800’s, woven of silk or cotton with designs of white on colored backgrounds of red or blue. Today this cheery square of fabric is produced in every color of the rainbow with many design elements.

Whether participating in equestrian, western pleasure or trail riding events, rodeo events, wagon train rides, or pioneer day events recreated from the old American West, sewing your own western apparel to wear can be a real cost-saver.

Sewers have often been instructed by pattern layout details to not use the fabric selvage edge, a word combined from self-edge, which was expected to be cut off and discarded. These factory loomed finished edges today no longer fill the waste basket or cutting room floor but have surprising uses.

Applique designs, those smaller pieces of fabric overlaid onto a larger fabric background, are often seen on quilts however they can be used as whimsical decorations on clothing, elegant patterns on curtains or artistic expressions on throw pillows, totes and fabric purses.

Fabric yo-yos, or fabric rosettes, are those delightful gathered circles sewn from little more than a round disc of fabric and a running stitch so quick and easy to make and yet a pleasant way to make use of colorful fabric scraps.

There are a few ways to square up or true up a piece of woven fabric, an often necessary part of sewing. This means that the warp and the weft threads are running as expected, perpendicular to each other.

Pantone® Color Institute gives us 10 trendy colors for spring 2017 after having surveyed talented designers and found a preference for bright colors and those that surround us naturally in springtime. The colors provide us the fashion equivalent of a riot of spring blossoms.

It can be a daunting task trying to find ready-to-wear modest clothing in catalog or department stores. Home sewing modest apparel that is simple, classic, and elegant can be rewarding as well as affordable.

Pillowcase dresses are a quick and easy way to sew a charming sleeveless summer dress for a little girl. Delightfully nostalgic a pillowcase dress especially if embroidered with a simple design or with a scalloped edge can be a charming way to use a lovingly saved heirloom.