Patternmaking for most beginners seems mysterious and intimidating. It is a subject a lot of sewists try to avoid. As a professional working in the fashion industry for more than a decade, I had the same fear as many of you. It took lots of trial and perseverance to overcome challenges, and carve out a successful career. The First Step is to Make Mistakes! Many of my students are worried about making mistakes. They want to be sure every step they take is correct. Multiple attempts and fai

These past couple of years have manifested such a resiliency within all of us. Somewhere among the unexpected turns, delays, and adaptations, it seems we’ve proven to ourselves that our limits and potential can far exceed any expectation we used to set upon ourselves. Of course, we are far more competent than we think. With this newfound vigor inside of us – and amid an omnipresent desire to invest more deeply in ourselves these days – it makes sense this holiday season to invest

Just as with learning any new skill or hobby, when it comes to sewing, you’re going to be faced with a ton of sewing terms. Before threading your needle and diving right into your sewing projects, it’s a good idea to learn some of the most popular sewing words and phrases. Whether you’re focusing on certain sewing tools or discovering different techniques, understanding sewing terminology can give you a strong foundation, making it easier for you to progress. Maybe you’ve heard th

Interested in trying your hand at jewelry design? Before you begin, consider the following 5 questions, as outlined by Nashville jewelry designer and teacher Warren F... No matter what stage you're at in your jewelry design career, it's always helpful to have a good understanding of the basics. There are certain questions that every jewelry designer should be able to answer, and today we're going to go over five of them. Whether you're just starting out or you've been designing for years, mak

Want to save money and create a unique style for yourself? Learning how to sew is both practical and a way to explore your creative side. Read on as LA and online teacher Iris B. explains why everyone should learn this valuable skill… People learn to sew for all sorts of reasons, from a desire to express their creativity, to save money, to even just the need to learn a new skill. I’ve had a life-long love affair with sewing and it’s a skill I think everyone should have. It’s never too l

The energy that my first time sewing students bring to the very first class is wonderful. They are so excited about the creative possibilities that learning to sew will bring them. Often this excitement is tempered by the fear of using a sewing machine. I start by encouraging them to do some easy sewing projects for children, so they can get comfortable with using a sewing machine. It is also a great way to learn some very basic sewing skills. The following projects are quite simple, quick and u

Nearly 15 years ago, TakeLessons began as a platform for musicians to teach their craft. But it has since welcomed such an impressive menagerie of talent that students can now also meet an astrologist, dancer, painter or nutritionist on any given Tuesday afternoon.   Every day, thousands of specialized instructors log on for one-on-one mentorships or lively group discussions around infinite passions that bring like-minded people together. Within TakeLessons is such a surprising marketp

You may have rolled your eyes as soon as you saw this title of this post because it is 2021 and sewing a patchwork quilt is not even on your radar. You may also have immediately relegated this project to your retirement years, when you imagine that you will have endless amounts of time to learn to make a quilt. I bet if there was a fun video on a certain app about a patchwork quilt making challenge, you would have watched it and maybe even attempted it. I will do my best to make this project as

Want to improve your sewing skills? In this guest post, Yesterday's Thimble blogger Lisha Vidler shares 15 sewing tips to help you take your seamstress skills to the next level... Are you looking to improve your sewing skills? If so, you're in luck! Today, we'll be learning about some sewing tips from a sewing expert. These tips can help beginners and experienced sewers alike.  So, whether you're just starting out or you've been sewing for years, read on for some helpful advice. What

I will admit to you, the reader, that most of the articles I have written thus far assume that the reader is already a fairly avid chess player, who is aware of the basic chess game rules and thus is interested in learning more advanced strategies, traps, and tricks with the goal of decisively defeating the opponent. But, of course, not everybody is born knowing all the rules of chess---there are, in fact, many out there who are unfamiliar with the game, and need an introduction to learn