When I first saw the Leese Design Neo Stitch Cross-Stitch iPhone Case, I was absolutely giddy with excitement. The idea of being able to cross-stitch a custom case for my phone was almost too much for my little embroidery-loving heart. But, before I got too excited, I knew that I would need to create a pattern that would put the case through its paces so I would know what I was working with. To test as many normal cross-stitch functions […]
Craft Book Review: Crafting with Cat Hair by Kaori Tsutaya
Reviewing the book Crafting With Cat Hair: Cute Handicrafts to Make with Your Cat resulted in, hands down, two of the most bizarre projects that I’ve ever made. Strangely enough, they also ended up being two of the cutest. Keep on reading and you’ll see what I mean! Crafting With Cat Hair: Cute Handicrafts to Make with Your Cat was written by Kaori Tsutaya, and was translated from the original Japanese by Amy Hirschman. The book is 96 pages long, […]
Craft Product Review: Clover Wonder Clips
From the moment I saw the Clover Wonder Clips in action at CHA, I’ve been dying to get my hands on a set and try them out. And, as luck would have it, they arrived just in time for me to get started on a very large project with slippery fabric, and I’ve been using them for all of my sewing projects since! As my Twitter pals can attest, I have some pretty deep love for these little plastic tools. […]
Cutting Fabric with Spellbinders Grand Calibur
To wrap up National Sewing Month, I was really excited to try out the Spellbinders Grand Calibur and some of the new Edgeabilities and Shapeabilities dies, as well as some of the classic Nestabilities shapes for fabric-specific uses. (Keep in mind, this machine and these dies were designed with paper crafting in mind.) To be honest, after hearing about the difficulties that other people have had using die cutters with fabric, I came in with several expectations: First, I thought […]
Craft Product Review: Overview of Westcott Scissors – Detail Blades
With thanks once again to the generous folks in the Westcott Brand booth at CHA who sent me home with a suitcase full of scissors, here is part two of my Westcott Titanium Bonded Craft Scissors review. As promised in my post on Friday, this time I’ll be covering the scissors with small and detail blades. Check out last week’s review for a look at the Westcott craft scissors with large blades. Just like last time, I tried each pair […]
Craft Product Review: Overview of Westcott Scissors – Large Blades
While Jenny and I were at CHA this year, we stopped into the Westcott Brand booth, and I somehow managed to leave with just about every pair of scissors they had! This is the first of two reviews, and I will be covering only the Westcott Titanium Bonded Craft Scissors with larger blades in this one. (I will be reviewing the smaller detail scissors next week.) For this review, I tried each pair of scissors on a variety of fabrics […]
Craft Product Review: Clover Kanzashi Flower Makers: Pointed Petal
When Jenny handed me these Clover Kanzashi Flower Makers at CHA, I knew that I’d be reviewing them during National Sewing Month, but I had no idea how great the timing would be! As it turns out, a few weeks later, my husband was nominated for an Emmy, and I suddenly found myself making my own evening gown. So, the kanzashi flowers I made during this review are actually the finishing decorative details for my dress and shoes, and I’ll […]
Craft Book Review: Steampunk Softies by Sarah Skeate and Nicola Tedman
There are few things that crafters find quite as irresistible as a beautiful book filled with adorable, quirky plushies, and Steampunk Softies delivers just that! The cover boasts “Scientifically Minded Dolls From a Past That Never Was,†and the projects do not disappoint. Each doll has its own personality, with just the right amount of steampunk charm to bring all of the strange and wonderful details together! Published by Andrews McMeel Publishing, Steampunk Softies is fully illustrated and has […]
Craft Product Review: Brother 1034D 3-4 Lay-in Thread Serger
I had never used a serger (overlock machine) before I got my Brother 1034D, but I knew that I needed one if I wanted to sew knits and stretch fabrics (among a million other things) well. So, after being deterred for months by stories of fashion students taking leave of their senses at the mere mention of threading one, I took the plunge and selected a color-coded 4-thread model. I am happy to report that, not only did I not […]
Craft Product Review: Brother CS-6000i Computerized Sewing Machine
I’ve been using my Brother CS-6000i regularly for about a year and a half, after my fabulous mother gave it to me as a birthday gift to replace the ancient avocado green Sears Kenmore that she inherited from my godmother, and I inherited from her. (Nobody freak out—I kept the old machine too!) Overall, I’ve been extremely pleased with the reliability and ease of use of the CS-6000i, and haven’t had any significant mechanical problems since I began using it. […]
Craft Product Review: Martha Stewart Crafts Embroidery Kits
When I was first given the opportunity to review the Martha Stewart Crafts Embroidery Kits, I was a bit nervous. While I’m certainly not an expert stitcher, I’m not new to embroidery, so I wasn’t sure that I would be able to objectively judge the quality of the directions and the ease of use of the kits. But, as it turned out, my previous knowledge was a good thing—it forced me to really slow down and follow each step just […]
