Here are instructions for adding elastic into the back of a T-Shirt to make a better fit blogged last week, (check back for pictures of the finished project). This is a great fit-technique to use for a T that is a little too roomy, and really helps when turning a regular T into a materni-T! This is another oversized shirt I used this technique on, and yes, it says "Rub my belly for good luck" because let's face it, everybody wants to touch the baby-belly.

STEP 1: While wearing the T, have someone help you to mark the center back with a straight pin where the gather will go; it works best right below the bust line.

STEP 2: Take off the T, and turn it inside out - be carefull not to knock out that pin! Transfer the pin marking to the inside back of the shirt. Now, fold the shirt in half lengthwise, matching shoulders, sleeves, and bottom edges. Double check that the pin is on the center fold, and move it over if you need to. Using a ruler, measure over about 4" from that center pin, and mark with another pin.

Carefully flip the T over to the other side, and repeat.

STEP 3: Open up the shirt, and you will have three pin marks - one in the center, and one 4" on each side. Cut a piece of 1" wide soft, stretchy elastic to 4".

STEP 4: Remove that middle pin marking the center, and pin each end of the elastic to each of the remaining pins. Tack stitch each side of the elastic to the shirt using a narrow zig zag stitch on the sewing machine.

STEP 5: Now comes the fun part! To stitch the elastic down to the shirt, s-t-r-e-t-c-h out the shirt with both hands until the elastic is about even with the shirt.

Practice how it feels to hold the shirt stretched out with both hands a few times BEFORE you put it in the machine to sew. Use a standard zig-zag stitch (lenght about 1.5-2mm, width about 3-3.5mm), and sew right down the middle of the elastic strip, stretching as you sew. Here's what the finished stitching will look like:

STEP 6: Now, just sew two more rows of stitching the same way, one at each edge of the elastic, stretching the fabric out as you go. When you're done, turn the shirt back the right way and check out your stitching!

Now there's no excuse for wearing baggy T's!

And, here's a few extra tips to help you get started:

Don't forget to use a ballpoint needle for stitching with knits - a sharp needle will cut through the knit fibers making holes while a ballpoint needle will go in between the fibers to keep the fabric intact.

Use a really soft and stretchy elastic, it is easier to stretch when sewing and feels much better next to your back than the super stiff stuff made for waistbands.

The amount of fabric gathered in the back of the shirt depends on how much you measure and mark from the center. I used a very big shirt and gathered a total of 8", measuring 4" over from each side of the center back. For a shirt that is not as roomy, try gathering just 6" total, or 3" over from each side of the center back.

Hello, Everyone!

I am so pleased to have the opportunity to talk to you about the excitement the 8 Series launch has created here at our BERNINA consumer event. It was such a proud moment when after six years of development, we were finally able to reveal this incredible machine and share its features with the world.  The engineers and developers in the BERNINA factory in Steckborn Switzerland have worked countess hours to create a big, beautiful BERNINA - spacious and comfortable, speedy and full of benefits that will make the creative sewers world more enjoyable and more efficient… that nothing compares to the feeling of its debut.

And now, you too can experience all the precision and exclusive features the 830 has to offer here on bernina8series.com. This enlightening and interactive website provides everything you will want to know about the 8 Series, including videos that illustrate its outstanding space, unsurpassed speed and ergonomic genius.

So go ahead and check out the machine that has changed the history of sewing. We hope it inspires you as much as it has everyone here at BERNINA.

Talk to you soon! And remember to keep checking back for more entries and details on the magnificent 8 Series.

Okay, I have to admit that I am one of those people who LOVE to buy those super-cute coordinating fat quarter bundles! But, there are times when my fat quarter storage reaches maximum capacity, and I need fat quarter help, STAT! Here are a few of my favorite projects that can easily be constructed from fat quarters.

These are two of my favorite Amy Butler patterns, the Swing Bag and the Drawstring Purse from the In Town Bags.

This is the Drawstring purse, and was made from four coordinating fat quarters of Benartex Woodstock fabrics plus a scrap of repurposed ribbon for trim. You can actually get enough fabric for TWO of these bags if you add another fat quarter for the lining of the second project! Super cute, and very suitable for summer.

I just love this project, the Swing Bag. I used different coordinating Benartex City Girl fat quarters for each side of the exterior, the interior, and the ouside and lining of the handles for a total of 6 fat quarters. This is actually a fun way to construct the bag, because you can make two coordinating but different sides to the bag, and just flip it over for a different look.

The Swing Bag is the perfect size for holding all your goodies at the farmer's market, the craft store, a day trip to the beach, or any other summer outing that requires a few extra props.

 I hope this gives you a few ideas of other quick and easy things to do with those fat quarters. I have a few other fav's for using up those stocks of fat quarters that I'll post about soon!

Who knew that the scrapbooking business had it's own holiday?! Today is International Scrapbooking Industry Day. (It's also National Grammar Day, so I'll be sure to proof this blog twice.) In honor of the day I've pulled something from one of my moving boxes, a stitched scrapbook page using photos from the days when I was a singer in a band. (Bet ya didn't know that, either!) In keeping with our girl group theme, and with a nod to the textile industry, we were The Fabulous Acrylix ;)

I created with page with scraps of fabric, buttons, and clear vinyl, couched metallic cords, and a rotary cutter with a wavy blade. Stitched on my faithful BERNINA sewing machine, of course. Click here for instructions for the techniques I used to create this page.

No, I'm not making a silly apron for my dog to wear; I'm sewing an apron because of her. After I moved I started looking for a rescue dog to adopt, preferably a large dog over 5 years old. And I found one - this mostly-Plott (yeah, I didn't know what a Plott was, either), 8-year-old-ish sweetie moved in with me in October. (Many thanks to Brother Wolf Canine Rescue for taking such excellent care of her for so many months while she waited for me to find her.) She has beautiful indoors manners, but...take her outside on a leash and she turns into Marmaduke from the comic strips, pulling and dragging me whenever something grabs her attention. So...we're starting obedience lessons next month, and one of the requirements is a carpenter's apron to hold the 50 mini-treats we'll be using in each class. I have 6 tons of fabric in my house, so I wasn't about to spend money on a plain canvas apron from the hardware store. After digging through several bins (and finding several UFOs) I came across this remnant I've been carrying around for years and years - dogs feasting from the trash cans behind a Chinese restaurant - perfect for this project and just the right size.

This would be a handy apron for all sorts of crafts - painting, drawing, cooking, scrapbooking, and, of course, carpentry. Just be sure your fabric is sturdy enough to support whatever will be in the pockets. This fabric is a bit heavier than most quilting cottons; otherwise I'd have backed it with a contrasting fabric for added strength.

Basically, it's just a rectangle of fabric folded in half, plus a long strip of fabric for the binding & straps (cut on the cross grain). I turned under 1/2" at the short sides of the rectangle, then bound the long top edge with Bias Binder #84, leaving long straps at each side. I made a double hem in the other long edge, stitching it in place with Edgestitch Foot #10. Then I folded the long edges together, aligning the top edge of the hem with the outer edge of the binding. Remember the 1/2" folds at the sides? I lined up the folds at the sides of the apron, then edgestitched them together, again using Edgestitch Foot #10, reinforcing the stitching at the upper corners by stitching back and forth a few times. One final line of stitch up the middle to create the pockets and it's done! Now I just have to find some soft treats that won't wreak havoc on my senior pup's digestion...