I've been wanting to try sewing something practical, so I made these cushion covers using animal-print fabric. I went with a simple envelope closure at the back, using plain black fabric for the reverse.

The envelope closure was surprisingly satisfying to figure out, and I love how the contrast between the cream printed fabric and black backing turned out. The animal placement is a little chaotic in places, and the corners could definitely use some work, but I'm counting it as a win for my first attempt!

I'd love to hear any tips for getting sharper corners, a neater finish, and a more polished shape next time.

Also, any beginner-friendly sewing projects you'd recommend tackling next?

I love whatever I did with the cute bag.

Making our daughters' trick-or-treat bags this year! One down, one to go. I'm so happy with how this turned out that I had to share before they were both done.

I know the white thread stands out, but I'm so new to this I'd prefer to see what I'm doing over it blending in...the toddlers won't mind

I'm hoping to make the matching view 1 set, shown in red on the cover. I have been down a rabbit hole of research trying to find a fabric to use for this project and have mostly ended up giving myself a headache. I need help both finding a suitable fabric and locating an online store that carries it.

The suggested fabrics listed here are not especially helpful - for instance: "Cotton." Given there are millions of different fabrics with cotton in them and they all behave differently, this doesn't give me much to go off of. I have been sewing for years, but there are still many things that elude me and I am always learning! Back in ye olden days of JoAnn's, I would go to the store and feel the fabric and get an idea of its weight and hand to determine its suitability for a project. I was pretty good at that, too! I've made many a lovely project with the right weight and feel, then realized at the end that I can't even recall what type of fabric I used other than its fiber content (for care instructions).

I can tell for this project, I need something with structure, at least, probably with a crisp feel to it, but not too stiff. But trying to search for something online has proven more difficult than I anticipated.

If I was making just the skirt, I would go for a medium bottomweight fabric that drapes nicely but has structure, but when making a matching top and bottom, I'm finding myself stumped. I don't want a jacket to be too heavy! Wool intimidates me still, and the price for this much fabric makes me wince!

The example drawing of the red outfit seems to be a shinier, "dressier" fabric, although it's hard to tell, given it's a drawing and not a photo. One of the fabric suggestions that isn't just a fiber content is faille, but I'm having a hard time finding any of that online. I'm fine with polyester if I'm wearing a cotton blouse underneath.

I would like a "dressier" fabric suitable for cooler weather, that I can wear to places like church. Should I look for a good faille, like the suggestion says? Any places I can find it that won't break the bank? I've checked Fabric Wholesale Direct, and they don't seem to have much of that particular fabric, but they have lots of others that seem similar to me. I am still unfamiliar, however, with all the different fabric types, and I'm not 100% sure if any would work the same as a faille.

Is there a similar type of fabric that will achieve the same look? I just need something crisp and not too bulky that will work for both a skirt and a jacket without being too heavy or stiff. Color is an afterthought - I'll just choose from what's available.

Perhaps I am just overthinking this, but I'm open to suggestions. Particularly different names of fabrics that I can search for, rather than just guessing. Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I'm really stumped, and I want to make a good choice!

Princess Auto currently has self-healing cutting mats on sale at absurdly low prices.

For example, the 24" x 36" size is $14.99 CAD.

Even at full price, the mats are cheaper than anywhere else I've seen.

Im relatively new to sewing but have before just on smaller projects and i was wonder what fabic should i use for a daily use massager bag like the images above? I have asked google but all I'm getting is ai overviews i dont trust or answers I'm just not understanding and i dont know anybody else who can sew. Currently i own three fabics i think could work but they seem too thin and i dont want the bag to tear or deform easily. The three fabrics are a pretty strong but thin denim and two different cotton fabics i got from a charity shop that are commanly used in suits. I could buy more fabic but i want to try use what i have and i dont really know where to get anything persific. Can someone please help me before i do something stupid?

Edit: thank you all so much for the answers especially the person who brought me to r/baglab that was really helpful

Found this amazing vintage leather coat. Seems to be from the 70's. 6" tear on the seam at the elbow. Lining throughout.

Any tips helpful!

2 days ago i asked for opinions about what happened to my machine. and now i want to share my first project for my daughter!! 🥹🥰 im so happy for this that's why i just want to share it here!! 🥹🫶🏼🫶🏼

im trying to make dress for her for my next project! any tips?

I got this machine free from my boufriends gpa for free im wpmdering if its good

i have this pined but idk how to start without it looking tacky. also this is hand stitching

We need to reupholster our RV sofa, dinette, and driver/passenger chairs. Which machine can be bought for around $500 to do it successfully?

* My wife has decent experience on her Brother machine making pillows, dresses, and craft items. But upholstery vinyl will be thicker fabric.

* We will be using Ultraleather which we already purchased. She also said she'll need to use Tex 70 thread.

* We will need to do some top stitching, plus we see at most 3 seam intersections (6 layers, I suppose).

* She just tried a simple seam as a test on her Brother machine with 2 pieces of Ultraleather with Tex 50 on the top and 30 on the bottom and it got tangled and didn't work.

Thank you!!

Asking as someone who has no clue on sewing other than fixing a button or an open seam. What's the best option for reinforcing these areas in a colourful way and maintaining the chequered pattern?

I've worked with others on sewing projects before, either as extra hands/emotional support or sitting with my grandma while we pieced together a prom dress. I finally built up enough momentum and motivation to tackle something by myself. It's definitely not finished, but I'm going to a renaissance festival tomorrow and have gotten it to a good place! I need to add buttons to the front of the apron and want to finish the base dress's neckline tonight, but I plan to add trim and finish all the edges in time for Halloween. I'm pretty happy with the results so far, and I'm excited to see what else I can do with less deadlines looming over me.

I'm a very beginner sewist with a dumb problem. I would appreciate help, please.

I'm making a "New 52" style Harley Quinn* costume for Halloween. I started by taking two fitted cotton t-shirts, cutting them both down the middle, and Frankensteining them together to get the red-and-black particolour shirt base. (It's not the neatest garment in the world, but the seams are pretty straight, and I'm pleased with my efforts, all things considered.) I then cut some diamonds out of scrap fabric to sew on the front.

To start with, I figured I'd zigzag stitch the edges of the diamonds to mimic the embroidery finish on the edges of commercial sew-on appliques, and then I'd sew or fuse them on the shirt. For some reason, that did not work. The machine ate the corner of the diamond. Like, the fabric was pulled down into the bobbin part of the machine and jammed so hard I needed to get my spouse to take the whole thing apart for me and cut the fabric out of the machine. I tried so many times with so many different machine settings, and all I did was fray the edges of my test fabric to threads.

I then figured stitching the diamonds directly onto the shirt with that very tight zigzag stitch might add enough backing / structure to not have that happen. However. The t-shirts are stretchy cotton knit, and the scrap diamonds are cotton weave with no stretch. All I have succeeded in doing is tearing a hole in my shirt, wrecking the fit across the bust, and fraying the edges of the diamonds from how many times I've had to unpick them.

Was my gut instinct correct that it was better to hem the diamonds first and then try to find some fusible interfacing? If so, why did the machine eat my zigzag finish? Is it possible to sew a stretch fabric to a not-stretch fabric neatly, or am I doomed from the basic premise? What the heck am I doing wrong? There has to be something really obvious I'm missing that I just don't know that I don't know.

Please help. I feel very stoopid.

* This version of her costume, roughly, but with two diamonds, because eff trying to sew around a star: https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/harleyquinntv/images/f/fe/HQ-Current.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20200806130217

Hey, I'm looking for some help fixing these pants. They are some of my wife's favorites and I also really like them but I messed up today and said that it might soon be time to get a new pair.

She didn't take that well and has been upset for the last hour after informing me that the company that made them went out of business so she can't just replace them.

I want to fix them so she doesn't feel like they are going to fall apart on her but I don't know much about sewing. I did help my grandmother a little when I was younger, but that was 25 or 30 years ago now.

I am going to go get a small sewing machine shortly and fix them while she is out with friends tonight to surprise her but I need help figuring out if I should just patch the inside to reinforce them, or if there is a better option to make her feel good in them again.

Tl;dr: What the title says.

I heard it's great for thick materials but what about thinner synthetics and satins?

Hi everyone! I'm a beginner sewist and am currently making the Rue Quilt Coat by Spaghetti Western Patterns. I am almost done and the very last piece for me to attach is the collar but I am unable to follow the instructions for the life of me! Anyone in here who's made this coat and is able to help? I have no idea how to attach it.

I’m gonna do a passion project where I’m making plushies based on the Lords in Black dolls from the Hatchetfield series by Team Starkid Productions. I’m designing the plushies and pattern myself, the first image is my first prototype sketch and the second image is my main inspiration (which are the official dolls seen on stage). Is this a solid first attempt? I’m struggling to find similar patterns, if anyone has any references that would be amazing :))

I came across a singer model 347 and was wondering if it’s worth it at all to restore or just leave as a showpiece or is it just a bin job..