do you love design sponge? I bet your answer to this question is Y-E-S. that’s why I’m totally thrilled to be featured on the site today, teaching the color theory coasters from my new book, embroider everything workshop. if you have any interest in or love of embroidery or needlepoint, it’s worth checking out. in the video … continue reading »]]> hey, makers!

do you love design sponge? I bet your answer to this question is Y-E-S. that’s why I’m totally thrilled to be featured on the site today, teaching the color theory coasters from my new book, embroider everything workshop. if you have any interest in or love of embroidery or needlepoint, it’s worth checking out. in the video I show a number of techniques like threading the needle (surprisingly tricky to do with thick tapestry wool!), working the basic continental stitch, how to follow a charted design and finishing steps. of course I teach all of these things plus much more in the make studio, too! the next intro to needlepoint workshop is happening on sun mar 4 at 2pm.

in sewing-related news I’ve added a last-minute zip-o-riffic pillow on sat 1/28 at noon. if you’re interested in making home decor items and want to take your skills to the next level this is the class for you! btw, if you’ve only taken the intro to sewing machine workshop don’t be intimidated by the zipper. I will teach you everything you need to know!

while I’m at it, I should also mention that there are only 2 slots left in the next fashion lab: session 102 (starts tues 2/7 at 630pm). both of our january labs sold out (!), so I’ve added march dates to keep up with the demand (weds 3/14 at 630pm). please let me know if you’re interested in april dates or anything else! I’m happy to add new things to the calendar.

speaking of new things, I’m working on a make kids: intro to sewing machine (ages 7-13) series starting next month, as well as a spring break and summer fashion camp for kids and teens. (wish I wasn’t too old to go!) I’ll send out a newsletter as soon as the curriculum is set and the dates are booked. if you’d like to be contacted I can also add you to a waiting list. just send an email to info@makeworkshop.com and I will be in touch with the dates and times. please also spread the word to any parents or kids that you think might be interested! I really appreciate any help with getting the word out.

last, but not least, we still have room in the mon 1/30 earrings workshop as well as tues 1/31 one-day crochet, along with many other offerings moving forward into february. seriously, where does the time go? as always, we hope to see you in the make studio soon!

I am beyond excited to be teaching the color theory coasters from the embroidery everything workshop on designsponge. (thank you, grace!) if you’ve ever been interested in learning how to needlepoint take a peek at the video. it teaches a number of useful techniques as well as the ins and outs of the continental stitch, which will get and keep … continue reading »]]>

I am beyond excited to be teaching the color theory coasters from the embroidery everything workshop on designsponge. (thank you, grace!) if you’ve ever been interested in learning how to needlepoint take a peek at the video. it teaches a number of useful techniques as well as the ins and outs of the continental stitch, which will get and keep you stitching. let me know if you are interested in picking up the supplies for this project. I’ve been thinking of offering kits and it would be helpful to know if there’s any interest. and if you live in or near nyc and/or planning a trip to the big apple and want me to show you some of these moves in person, I’d love to see you in class! I offer both embroidery and needlepoint workshops in the make studio at least once a month in the form of 2-hour one day workshops.

let’s start by pretending you’re making a 20 inch pillow and it requires … continue reading »]]> calculating yardage is basic arithmetic, but if you’re new to sewing and/or have never had to estimate how much material to buy, it can seem really difficult. (like barbie says, math is hard!) seriously, this is a very easy task once you understand how fabric “works”.

let’s start by pretending you’re making a 20 inch pillow and it requires three pattern pieces: a 20 inch square front, i.e. 20 inches long x 20 inches wide, and two overlapping backs that are 20 inches long x 15 inches wide.

(note: pillow covers are made to the same size of the form. the finished cover will be an inch smaller in width and height to give the pillow a “full” look. feel free to swap out 20 inches for whatever size form you want to work with. the backs are always the same length as the front but the width(s) are equal to 75% of the front. if you want to make a 16 inch pillow for instance you’d multiply 16 x .75 which is 12 inches. just to be clear, you would need a 16 inch square front and two 16 inch long  x 12 inch wide backs.)

I find it works best for students to draw out the pattern pieces just like any pattern designer would; this helps you visualize the math stuff. btw, there’s also no shame in using a calculator or consulting a yardstick; both of these tools are super helpful!

let’s create our cutting diagram(s). grab a pencil and paper and draw a square and a rectangle. label the square “front” and the rectangle “back(s)”. write “cut 1” on the front and “cut 2” on the back(s). draw a long rectangle to represent your fabric and label the length as 36 inches and the height as 54-60 inches. next, add the width(s) of all three pattern pieces together, i.e. 20 + 15 + 15 = 50 inches. jot this measurement down. your fabric needs to be at least 50 inches wide to accommodate all 3 pieces.

we already know the length we need; all three pieces are 20 inches long, so write this down as well. a yard is equal to 36 inches in length and is most often sold in increments  of a 1/8th yard. what’s 1/8th of a yard? if you divide 36 by 8 it equals 4.5 inches. therefore 1/8th of a yard is 4.5 inches, 2/8ths (1/4) is 9 inches, 3/8ths is 13.5 inches, 4/8ths (1/2) is 18 inches, 5/8ths is 22.5 inches, 6/8ths (3/4) is 27 inches, 7/8ths is 31.5 inches and 8/8ths (a.k.a. 1 yard) is 36 inches. come to think of it, this would make an excellent tattoo! so the answer is, you need at least 5/8ths of a yard, since we need 20 inches and 5/8ths of a yard (22.5 inches) is the closest to this measurement.

whew! it’s a good idea, however, to buy more than this bare minimum, as it will make cutting much easier and guarantee that you have enough to work with. to be safe, I’d buy at least 3/4 of a yard if you are working with a 54-60 inch wide material (and if you’re in nyc like me, there’s a pretty good chance that you have a one-yard minimum anyway, which is even better! you can always use the leftovers for other things.)

now, you may be asking yourself, what if I want to use a 45 inch wide fabric instead? well, you’ll still need 50 inches in width, but because the fabric isn’t wide enough (45-50 = -5 inches), you’ll have to lay the pattern pieces side by side instead. now you’ll need at least 40 inches in length (20 inches in length times 2), and the closest you can get to that amount is 1 1/8 yards (36 + 4.5 = 40.5.) again, this is cutting it a bit close (pun intended) so get at least 1 ½ yards.

want to make a pillow like I’ve described here but don’t have a pattern? follow the sewing instructions for “the envelope, please” in sew everything workshop or take a 2-hour pillow making workshop at make. (either way you’ll need to just swap out the size of the pillow!)