Creativity can often feel elusive, but there are practical steps you can take to nurture and revive it. Whether you’re a professional artist or someone looking to inject a little more innovation into your daily life, refreshing your creative energy is within reach. It’s about making space for the mind to explore and play. Today, let’s explore various strategies designed to help you recharge your creativity and reignite your imagination.
Read moreA Hobbit Themed Christmas window & A Dirndl Dress
Sometimes two things in my life serendipitously collide. In this case it was a generous gift of holiday fauna from King of Christmas and my need for a Hobbit Costume. Such a funny combination but it just worked out so well.
Read moreTop 5 Gift Ideas for Stylish & Crafty Homebodies
Finding the perfect gift for a trend-forward loved one who likes being at home (ahem…like many of us quiet craft and sewing enthusiasts) requires a bit of creativity. While these individuals may love spending most of their time indoors, their sense of fashion and comfort is anything but ordinary. For them, what they wear at home tend to be an extension of their personal style. As such, your gift must strike a balance between functional and fashionable to ensure it resonates with the recipient’s taste.
Read moreHistoric Millinery Patterns with Lynn McMasters - Out of a Portrait Patterns
In this interview we explore the work of Lynn McMasters who is a historic milliner who has been making patterns for hats since 2000. Lynn has over 65 patterns and many “how-to” posts on her website - www.OutOfaPortrait.com . In the US and Europe you can find her patterns at several other websites and from in-person resellers that sell historical patterns and supplies. Her other passions besides hats are fans, purses and feathers.
Read moreMaking a Cottagecore Dress with Wild Linens Fabric
Like many others out there, I’ve been kind of obsessed with #cottagecore of late. And admittedly, I’m a little late to the game. That being said, pastoral life has always held my interest, at least in the last couple of decades. While I dream of my country home and peruse the Son de Flor & French General websites, I found a very practical way to show my love for this aesthetic and lifestyle.
Read moreHow to Avoid Eye Strain While Doing Detail Work
image: https://images.pexels.com/photos/982657/pexels-photo-982657.jpeg
When it comes to sewing quality pieces, the devil is in the detail. Embroidering skirt hems with flowers, adding sequins to sweetheart necklines, and finely stitching a hat can all enhance the appearance of your final product. However, detail work does require you to be exceptionally thorough, and all that near work can strain your eyes.
Read moreDinner at Avalon - A Black and White Art Deco Delight!
My lucky life brings me so many wonderful experiences & last night I was privy to something very very special. My dear friend Laurie Gordon, whom I know through the Art Deco Society of California, invited me to a special dinner at Avalon. Avalon isn’t something known to the public, it is the residence of two very talented individuals - Barrett and AC. I was told the attire was to be “Deco Deluxe in a Black and B & W movie palette that includes Grays and Metallics”. Thankfully I had just the right thing to wear.
Read moreBehind the Scenes in SF Opera's Costume Shop - Get ready for The Magic Flute!
Last week I was invited to attend a special behind the scenes event inside the SF Opera’s Costume Shop. Who wouldn’t want to see the inner workings of a costume paradise? It was definitely an invitation I could not refuse. So, so exciting!!
Read moreTransform Your Garage into a Versatile Sewing and Flex Space
image by Freepik
Transforming a garage into a sewing/flex room not only maximizes unused space but also breathes new life into your home, tailoring it to fit your creative and practical needs. This conversion process offers a unique opportunity to design a versatile area that serves as a dedicated sewing zone while also accommodating various other activities, from crafting to yoga. In this article, courtesy of The Sewing Room, we’ll guide you through the essential steps to convert your garage into a functional and inspiring sewing/flex room you’ll be excited to use.
Read more5 Ways to Help Your Senior Friends and Neighbors
Maybe you’ve gotten to know a senior neighbor who doesn’t seem to have any family living nearby, or perhaps your senior acquaintances from church have mentioned feeling lonely and isolated because they live far away from their loved ones. Today, The Sewing Room shares a few ways to lend a hand to seniors who are isolated, from assisting them with decluttering and stress management to helping with financial decisions.
Read moreThe Evolution of Eyewear: From Vintage Shades to High-Tech Specs
Image credit: Pexels
These days, your sunglasses can do more than shield your eyes from the sun. They can be a personal statement that expresses your unique fashion sense. They can signal your ethical beliefs towards sustainability, especially if you follow the advice from our article ‘5 Simple Ways to Make Your Wardrobe More Sustainable’ and choose sunglasses made of organic material and manufactured by eco-friendly brands.
Read moreCivil War Chic: How Virginia Women Adapted Their Clothing During the War
Wartime has always been difficult on Fashion and the American Civil War was no exception. Basic survival during a time of both economic and personal insecurity, created an atmosphere where women were forced to change their views on dress and fashion in general. The silhouettes changed drastically during this time.
Read moreSewing a 1950's Day Dress from Printed Cotton Lawn
This dress started with the fabric. I bought the fabric for the shop and when it came in, fell deeply and completely in love with it. It was so nostalgic for me, in part because of the vintage novelty print, but also because the print is actually of landmarks around Great Britain such as Buckingham Palace and Edinburgh Castle to name a few. I’ve been a huge Anglophile for eons now and love everything British, from High Tea to Bag Pipers in full dress. The varied and historic cultures within the British Isles holds a deep romance in my heart. It could be because of my respect & awe of the recently late Queen Elizabeth , my honeymoon in England & Scotland or because my first serious boyfriend was in a bag pipe band, but that story is for another time.
Read moreSimple Sewing - Sewing a 1940's Dress Using Vintage Silk and a Vintage Pattern
For me, the seasons are measured by the school year. It’s been that way since I started teaching children how to sew about 15 years ago and when my daughter started preschool. So this season, while technically (and temperature wise) Summer, is really the beginning of Autumn. It’s back-to-school for all the kiddos and back to normalcy for my schedule.
That being said, you might imagine that my time for sewing has been a little bit too little lately, so my next couple of blog posts will be a little brief. I’ve been enjoying sewing for the sake of sewing and for getting to wear something new.
Read moreHow to Gatsby - Tips for Sewing your own Art Deco Era Garden Party Dress
For myself, one of the most fun parts of getting ready for The ADSC Gatsby Summer Afternoon is making my outfit. It truly brings me so much joy to plan what I’m wearing from my hat and hair down to my stockings and shoes. Sometimes I have more time than other times to figure it out, so depending on my schedule I can make the experience as simple or as complex as I can handle at the time.
Read moreTransforming a 1980's Pink Lace Gown into a late 1920's style Garden Party Dress
This 1980’s pink lace dress has been hanging in my closet for a couple of years. It was donated by the lovely Art Deco Society Member Cheryl Stanton, who thought I might be interested in turning it into something more Art Deco. I’ve been quite busy, but had a vision of how it might turn out, just this weekend. Sometimes a dress just needs time to simmer for a while.
Read moreSewing Overall's for a Victory Garden Picnic
Hello readers! Thanks for hanging in there with me. It’s our busiest time of year at The Sewing Room and I have very little time to write and post blogs. I DO want to share with you, this wonderful picnic I had with friends over Memorial Day weekend. Our theme was Victory Garden with a Farm-to-Table menu. We all tried to bring something that came from either our own garden or freshly made using natural ingredients that were locally sourced. We are wonderfully blessed to live in an area with local organic produce and many of us have back yard gardens.
Read moreSewing 18th Century Italian Gowns with my 13 Year old Student Dalia
When My corset obsessed 13 year old student, Dalia, wanted to move onto a new bigger project, she chose the Italian Gown featured in the American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking. What a pretty gown it is! In order to give proper instruction and guidance in the process, I decided to make one myself.
Read moreRe-Covering a Uniquely You Dress form with a linen Curtain
Apparently I’m a magnet for dress forms. The universe must want me to keep doing what I’m doing because I seem to attract them out of thin air. My first dress form was the adjustable kind. I got it as a gift when I was in high school. That one got rickety pretty fast and then I believe I somehow acquired a display form that I could use for photo shoots maybe 15 years later. My next dress form acquisition was an investment purchase of a model from. I’m not sure that company even exists anymore, but I had started a bridal gown business and needed one for pattern making. Then I found a vintage french couture form at a Paris Flea Market. It was not cheap, but one of my tour companions offered to pack it as luggage on the airplane. I still have her. She is beautiful! Then a few years ago, PGM sent me a dress form because I operated a school and they had a special program for fashion schools at the time. And then last year, a friend texted me that there was a dress form on the corner, so I nabbed that one fast. And most recently…
Read moreBook Review: Make, Sew and Mend - Traditional Techniques to Sustainably Maintain and Refashion Your Clothes
I wasn’t sure what to expect but have been eagerly awaiting my own copy of Make, Sew and Mend and it arrived in my hands a couple of weeks ago. Having been a fan of Ms. Banner’s now for a few years, I knew that she had a book in the works. I also knew it would be a sewing guide of some kind.
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