Michele says: Have you ever tried to Google something, only to quickly realize that you don’t know which words to enter in the search box? Now, how many of you have taken it a step further and went ahead and searched for, say, “strawberry thing attached to a pincushion”? No judgment. I and many others,…
Choosing Your First Sewing Machine
Michele says: Now that our hand sewing skills are more or less on the same page, it’s time for you to make a very important choice. You can be content with hand sewing and call it a day, or you can take the plunge into the world of sewing machines. For the many who have…
How to Reattach a Button
Michele says: Now that we’ve completed our first sewing project, it’s almost time to move on to the next big step in sewing: the sewing machine. Before we do, though, we’re going to get back to the most basic of basics and learn how to reattach a button in under five minutes. But what do…
How to Hem Jeans Using the Original Hem
Michele says: I have come to the realization that sharing my willingness to toss old socks has made me out to be exactly what I’m not: wasteful. I’ve darned a slew of sweaters and I’ve frozen enough manager’s special groceries to feed the Army and the Navy. I’ve never, ever missed an opportunity to haggle…
Hand Sewing: The Blind Hem Stitch
Michele says: I’m going to be super-mega-honest for a second here: I really, really dislike sewing by hand. My great-grandmother taught me to sew when I was 5, so I spent a large portion of my childhood sewing stuffed animals and costumes for fun and mending clothes for the family for function. Whenever a sewing…
How to Darn Those Darn Socks!
Michele says: The decision to mend vs. replace an item is often surprisingly difficult. While being wasteful is rarely a good thing, there comes a point in every object’s lifetime where you must do a little cost benefit analysis or CBA. (I know this is Home Ec 101 and not Business 101, but bear with…
Meet Frankenseam (AKA The Whip Stitch)
Michele says: How have you been liking Home Ec 101’s recent sewing posts? Have they inspired you to finally tackle that mending pile? Are you rocking oh-so stylishly patched jeans? Or are you the smart kid in class, bored and wondering when we’ll do a project that doesn’t rely on the plain old straight stitch? …
Mending a Hole in Blue Jeans
Michele says: I’m going to be honest: I’m not the most creative person. The first post that I wrote about sewing was inspired by a conveniently timed rip in a pillow. I gulped when I realized that Home Eccers are interested in learning more mending techniques. As a childless housewife whose husband spends his days…
How to Repair an Unraveled Seam
Michelle says: When I first found out that I had been given the opportunity to contribute to Home Ec 101, my mind jumped straight to sewing. You see, being obsessive precise comes fairly naturally to me, and I have always enjoyed working with my hands. The very first time I saw my great grandmother hand…