Sewing is one of the oldest and most versatile crafts, combining creativity with practical skills to create, repair, alter, and decorate clothing, quilts, home décor, toys, accessories, and countless other projects. Whether sewing by hand or with a sewing machine, learning the proper tools, materials, techniques, and terminology helps produce stronger seams, neater finishes, and more professional-looking results. From simple repairs to heirloom-quality creations, sewing offers endless opportunities for creativity and self-expression.
Modern sewing includes a wide variety of fabrics, threads, needles, notions, patterns, and specialized techniques. Understanding how different materials behave, selecting the proper needle and thread, reading sewing patterns, preparing fabric, and mastering basic construction techniques are valuable skills that benefit beginners and experienced sewists alike. With a solid foundation, nearly any sewing project becomes more enjoyable and successful.
This collection of sewing helps and reference information is continually growing. Future topics may include sewing machine and hand sewing needles, thread types and sizes, fabrics and fabric grain, seam allowances, reading sewing patterns, common sewing abbreviations, measuring techniques, sewing machine basics, presser feet and their uses, cutting tools, pins and clips, interfacing, stabilizers, hems, zippers, buttons, closures, troubleshooting common sewing problems, beginner tutorials, helpful comparison charts, and many other useful reference guides. Be sure to check back often as new information and resources are added.
Learn about ball head pins, including uses for sewing, quilting, alterations, fabric crafts, and the difference between plastic and glass head pins.
Learn about curved safety pins and how they are used for quilting, sewing, basting quilt layers, upholstery, fabric crafts, and temporary fabric fastening.
