Have you ever bought something that, made you feel a little bit guilty to throw out when you were finished with it? Perhaps you're just the kind of

The sewing machine is a great example of an innovation that didn’t need to be beautiful, but manufacturers made sure they were. Why?

One of the first sewing machinesJune 13, is /was National Sewing Machine Day. It seemed to slip by us, dear readers. But, we’re in luck! There also seems to be another National Sewing Day in August.

Before I start showing photos for today's quilt inspiration, I have a special photo to share. My mother-in-law is raising three baby goats in her living room. Three mother goats have had two kids apiece, but a few of the kids are not strong enough to stand up for nursing, so the in-laws are milking the mothers and bottle feeding the babies. As the babies get stronger, they go back to the mothers. I guess raising two sons and helping with four grandsons and 11 great grandchildren may have given her some insights on how to handle this. Either way, she's been wildly successful with these babies. Aren't they just too cute? Okay, so on to our inspiration for the day (or actually, night) which is vintage sewing because I happen to find a few great photos. Aren't these beautiful? I had no idea that Pfaff made sewing machines so early. I always thought that they were a more recent company. The center pole on this dressmaker's form can be removed so that everything collapses down into the bottom of the box. Add the top and you're ready to travel! Brilliant! Happy Quilting, Mary

Identifier: smockingfancysti00butt Title: Smocking, fancy stitches, and cross stitch and darned net designs Year: 1895 (1890s) Authors: Butterick Publishing Co., Limited Subjects: Publisher: London, New York, The Butterick Pub. Co. Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries View Book Page: Book Viewer About This Book: Catalog Entry View All Images: All Images From Book Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book. Text Appearing Before Image: A • • • e • A) • • • • • A • • • • • J^ ••••••••••••••••••< M FlGUKE NO. 8. • • • « • ♦ • • • • » •■ ft • • ** * * « » • • a • • • • • • * • • • • 0 • . • • • • ■ Figure No. 9. Figures Nos. 8 and 9.—English Method of Smocking. (For Descriptions of Figures Nob. 8 and 9 see English Method of Smocking.1^ DARNED-NET DESIGNS, ETC. paper will have to befully examine figure No.the arrows are to beinstance, and those con-lines are to be similarlymost space; catch togetherarrows, beginning at the right; insertsecurely, two or three over-and-overneath and out through theas illustrated at figure No.uer described to the endNow begin at the sec-gether the dots connecteding the needle underneathdot just below, as shownthe needle through as il-and make the tacking se-row is done in the sameed the work will not bethread should lie betweenside is illustrated at figure Text Appearing After Image: used as in tucking. Care-1; the dots indicated bycaught together in everyFigure No. 10. nected by the dotted caught. Begin at the top-the dots indicated by thethe needle as shown at figure No. 2, and make the fasteningstitches being usually sufficient; then pass the needle under-next arrow dot below,3. Continue in the man-of the line. ond space and catch to-by the broken lines, pass-and out through the linedat figure No. 4; then passlustrated at figure No. 5cure. Each succeedingway. Once properly start-tedious. The way thethe folds on the wrongNo. 7. Note About Images Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original work.

Watch this video demonstration for how to set up your sewing machine for fagoting, a sewing method that features fancy stitches in open seams.

Dresden Plate Tutorial - Quilting Made Easy!

Explore Emeline & Annabelle's 1175 photos on Flickr!

Socks are the one thing in every home that always goes missing. There’s always one sock present in a pair and we have no idea what happened to the other

This charity shop fancy dress book is certainly… something. Lots of 80s actors modelling the costumes.

Looking for the best sewing machine for leather and heavy duty materials? Click for reviews of the top machines for every budget

Sharon Holland debuts the first line of Designer Essentials with Fanciful, a collection that brings a fluttery energy into your fabric blenders.

Linda Friesen "Twilight" collection

Explore Laurent.Rappa's 152 photos on Flickr!

Fabric:Thisballoon sleeve top is made of Polyester and Elastane. Polyester a man-made fiber that is soft, lustrous, and dries fast. It's also durable, with its good resistance to wrinkles, stains, and sunlight. Elastane features incredible elasticity and the ability to withstand high temperatures.Description:Crafted from satin for a fluid drape, this crop blouse is a must-have for day-to-night dressing. It's adorned with balloon sleeves to add a modern touch, a v-neck for a feminine finish and a cropped hem to show off your figure. This blouse is gonna steal all of the stares when you hit the street. Details:- Ballon sleeves with elasticized cuffs- Cropped hem- Half smocked waist back- Front button closure- Satin fabric- Smocked- Retro Blouse- Slim Fitting- Semiformal

Late Victorian golden thimble with mine cut diamonds.

An easy and genius way to turn handkerchiefs into an airy lace top - the Edwardian handkerchief camisole is perfect for hot summer days!

[2], vi, 253, [2] p., [32] leaves of plates : 21 cm

For this week's sewing 101, let's talk about facing. Facings are so easy to make and give your garment a professional finish, without a full lining. Of course you can face and line a garment,

I love to wear skirts! They are so versatile. You can mix and match them with blouses, sweaters, or pair them with jackets. They can be wor...

This big selvage quilt was featured on the KnitOneQuiltToo blog. This blogger was showing some quilts from her recent guild quilt show. She didn't name the maker of this quilt. If you know who made it, please let me know. Note the prairie points around the edge. Nice!

"Hearts and flowers, ribbons and lace, the look of love upon her face." ~Unknown Life has been so busy lately that I just haven't had time to do a proper post - the kind where I devote an entire afternoon to setting up and taking photographs. I miss it! So yesterday I MADE time so that I could take some pictures for you that I have been wanting to take for ages! I love ribbons, lace, trims, embroidery, fabric flowers, etc, etc (you probably already knew that!). I have amassed quite a collection now and have been so excited to share it with you. My Mum and I use some of these things to make the GILLYFLOWERS and others are being saved for that future special project. I dip into this supply and replace things all the time. Many of these trims come from France and Japan where some of the most beautiful ribbons I have found are made. My guilty pleasure now is to visit the little ribbon store in town and find something new for my collection. I have tried to display everything well and I hope that you enjoy this little perusal. I have also added a few new things to the Etsy SHOP so stop by and have a peek! Wherever you are I hope you are enjoying this beautiful Summer week! I am sharing with: What's It Wednesday NEW ETSY STORE ITEMS

Een knuffelpopje haken als cadeautje voor een kind van 1 jaar. Leuk om te doen, ook voor beginners. Met 4 bolletjes katoen haak je dit leuke knuffelpopje.

Unique Dresses by a French Designer Are you looking for unique dresses for an event? Don’t choose your next evening gown without looking at these dresses.

63 p. 24 cm

Aleksandre Akhalkatsishvili

How to Make a Fabulous Card With Fancy Folds in a Few Simple Steps - Want to learn how to make a fabulous looking card in a few simple steps? ...

So I have spoken about my new 16th century German chemise/shirt, and I have also documented the whole process of making it so that I can show you how it is made. This hemd goes under the name of …

For my birthday I received a sewing kit from my dear friend Erika. The sewing kit was for a sewing kit, which is kind of a funny thing to say. And in actually it was labelled as an 18th Century Housewife. The kit was a collaboration between Sewstine , one of my favorite 18th Century Costumers and m

Feel fancy in your DIY kimono aka the perfect light fall layer.

Lately I’ve been on a 90’s kick. Am I the only one? I didn’t really love the fashion back then, but for some reason I’m sort of drawn to it now. Nostalgia maybe? Anyway, you’ve already had a sneak peek of my reversible long sleeved maxi Uptown/Downtown Dress, but as part of Sew Straight and Gather‘s …

Buy the Women's Everyday Waistcoat sewing pattern from The New Craft House. The Everyday Waistcoat is the perfect addition to all your me-made outfits. Slip it on over a shirt or use it to accessorise a dress. It looks amazing paired with a puff sleeve! Experiment with patchwork and quilting, or dress it up with a fancy fabric - the possibilities really are endless. A matching men’s pattern is available here. This sewing pattern is available to buy in the following formats: – PDF (available to download immediately after purchase). What is a PDF? – PDF pattern + Printed A0 copy shop (We print out the A0 pattern sheets, but you’ll need to download the digital instructions, as we don’t print these. The PDF files will be emailed immediately after purchase, and the A0 pattern sheets will be dispatched next working day). Choose sizes 6 – 18 or sizes 20 – 34. What is Copy Shop? Suggested fabrics: Suitable for any midweight fabric with no stretch. Try a relaxed linen, cotton or double gauze. This pattern also lends itself really well to patchwork. Why not try creating your own fabric using scraps sewn together, or experiment with quilt block style designs? The final waistcoat is reversible. The waistcoat also has a layer of wadding sandwiched between the outer and inner fabric. The designer recommends natural cotton or bamboo wadding for this. Fabric requirements: The main fabric quantities have been calculated to include bias binding in self. If you would prefer to use pre-made binding, you can reduce the main fabric requirements a little. Main (sizes 6 - 18): 115 cm (45″) wide fabric: 1.3 m (1.5 yd) // 150 cm (60″) wide fabric: 1.2 m (1.4 yd). Main (sizes 20 - 34): 115 cm (45″) wide fabric: 1.6 m (1.8 yd) // 150 cm (60″) wide fabric: 1.4 m (1.6 yd). Lining (all sizes): 115 cm (45″) wide fabric: 0.9 m (1 yd) // 150 cm (60″) wide fabric: 0.7 m (0.8 yd). Wadding (all sizes): 115 cm (45″) wide: 0.9 m (1 yd) // 150 cm (60″) wide: 0.7 m (0.8 yd). Sizing: UK 6 – 34. Please check the designer’s size chart and finished garment measurements. This pattern has been drafted for a 5'7" (170 cm) tall woman. Notions: Matching thread; 4.9 m bias binding (if you would prefer to use pre-made rather than make it using your fabric). PDF pattern includes: Step-by-step instructions; A4/US letter print-at-home pattern (25 pages for sizes 6-18, 26 pages for sizes 20-34); A0 copy shop pattern (1 sheet for sizes 6-18, 2 sheets for sizes 20-34). If you’re looking for more maker inspiration, check out the latest sewing pattern reviews from the sewing community. We also have a sewing blog to keep you up to date with all the news from the world of sewing.

Bloomers- where did that name ever come from? Well, see the answer below, if you're interested! This pair is of lightweight cotton, with beautiful hand drawnwork and lace insets as well as horizontal pleats on each leg. Theres are closed crotch style. Waistband closes with a tiny river pearl button, popular at the time of creation- around 1890. Marked Size: none Waist: 26” Hips: 44” Total Length: 24” Inseam: 13.25”    CONDITION: Excellent except for a light yellow stain across the top of the waistband.It is very light.       The original bloomers were an article of women's clothing invented by Elizabeth Smith Miller of Peterboro, New Yorkan early pioneer of the vulcanized rubber girdle, but popularized by Amelia Bloomer in the early 1850s (hence the name, a shortening of "Bloomer suit"). They were long baggy pants narrowing to a cuff at the ankles (worn below a skirt), intended to preserve Victorian decency while being less of a hindrance to women's activities than the long full skirts of the period (see Victorian dress reform). They were worn by a few women in the 1850s, but were widely ridiculed in the press, and failed to become commonly accepted

For my birthday I received a sewing kit from my dear friend Erika. The sewing kit was for a sewing kit, which is kind of a funny thing to say. And in actually it was labelled as an 18th Century Housewife. The kit was a collaboration between Sewstine , one of my favorite 18th Century Costumers and m