got craft :: DIY table

Make sure to check out the Spool of Thread DIY area on stage at the Got Craft holiday show! This year, Spool of Thread will be on hand to teach you how to hand sew flower pins, using felt, fabric and their famous button bowl! Depending on the materials selected, the pins can be festive for the holidays, like the Poinsettia in the image, or less seasonal and great for year round!

On Sunday, December 5th, attendees to the event we'll have 6 shades of felt and at least 10 cotton fabrics to select from, making each pin unique to the maker! There will also be complete instructions and Spool of Thread will be there to help, in case you get stuck in the middle of their making!

buy handmade :: laura amiss

I stumbled upon the works of Laura Amiss the other day while spending a bored afternoon eating popcorn and trolling the internet. I thought her illustrations were absolutely gorgeous, but when I checked out her blog, I was even more blown away when I realized she stitches components on to each design using new and reclaimed fabrics. Each piece of work is produced through layering, piecing and sewing fabrics together.


You can check out more of her work at her etsy shop, on flickr or her personal site.

pdx shop tour :: modern domestic

We were in Portland two weeks ago with Miranda for the Summit of Awesome (more on that later) and kept driving past this studio space. With some afternoon free time, we pulled over and went to discover what this place was all about! Modern Domestic is a new sewing / crafting studio and retail space in Portland by the lovely people from Bolt Boutique. They offer classes in sewing, felting, silk-screening and surface design classes for all skill levels including kids and teens.


Modern Domestic is a loft style, open studio equipped with sewing machines for teaching on both floors. If you have some unfinished projects, but don't have your own sewing machine, machines and tools are available for $8/hr US or pre-pay rate of $50/10 hours. They are also an authorized sales location for Bernina and Janome sewing machines and a service drop off point for all other major machine brands for when your machine needs a good clean or tune up.


Here are a few tips and tricks for maintaining a happy machine from Modern Domestic!

• Never sew over pins! They can damage your machine, causing costly repairs and hurt you too
• Change your needle every other sewing project or ever 8 hours of sewing. Do not use dull or damaged needles. This is the easiest and most inexpensive way to keep your machine running smoothly for years to come
• Do not blow into or use canned air to clean out your machine. Lint flies up and may damage the computer boards. Also, the air can cause condensation in the machine and create problems with rust.
• If you have a computerized machine, be sure to not set a magnetic pincushion ON your machine. Setting one next to your machine is safe.
• Oil your machine ever 12 hours of sewing. To oil, squeeze 2-3 drops of machine oil onto a Q-tip and gently rub the hook race. Run the machine first to prevent oil from soiling your work.