Erik is a curtain designer who loves textiles and texture. In this project, he played with a fine tissue linen fabric by stripping 2 dozen weft threads, cross-hatching the warp, and re-weaving a single warp thread. We love how this pattern is reminiscent of old-fashioned faggoting, with a dose of helix keeping it moderne. This technique would be beautiful as a bodice accent, or edging of a full skirt.

Jennifer from the blog TheChroniclesOfHome nests with ease and style! Here, she has written a tutorial on building an upholstered bench with nailhead trim. She says, “My great-grandfather was an upholsterer and I’m beginning to think this fondness for building things with my hands (and some awesome power tools) might be in my blood…It may look like a lot of work, and while not quite a leisurely afternoon project, I promise you the whole thing took me no more than 5-6 hours total.” This would be a great autumnal home sprucing up project – make it with our spiffy black and white tweed fabric, trim it with luxurious black braiding, and finish it off with decorative silver nailheads…and then cozy up with a cup of hot cider, plate of salted walnut shortbread cookies, and a mesmerizing mystery.

Shannon of the crafting blog ShannonMakesStuff made these amazing and spectacular epaulets for her nephew’s 8th birthday party, and then posted a tutorial on how to make them for the rest of us. He asked his mom if he could have a “fancy dance where they play tango music and dress up.” He has a tux, and as we all know, a tuxes and tangos are incomplete without a little fringe! And who could resist this dapper accessory – it incorporates fringe, monogramming, glitter, and lots of love.

Expert seamstress, educator, and blogger Nancy Zieman shares some tips for working with double needles. She points out that double needles are great for decorative stitching, hemming, and heirloom sewing. We’re particularly enamored with using this stitch to accentuate hemlines, cuffs, and other edges with a contrasting thread color. Of course, you can buy luscious silk top-stitching thread and double needles at Britex Fabrics.

Angela, from CrossStitcher # 253 designed this free PDF chart of tiny Corgis sporting dapper handkerchiefs….including one with a verrrry British Union Jack! And Amanda from AmandaKennedyBlogs made a free chart based on the Keep Calm and Carry On poster produced by the UK government during the beginning of the Second World War, and intended to raise the morale of the British public in the event of invasion. Either of these designs would be super fantabulous adorning refrigerator magnets, iPhone cases, or bookmarks…hint: it isn’t too early to start stitching holiday gifts for special pals!

Today, Friday the 10th only, BurdaStyle is offering this easy, but sleek shift pattern for free! This pattern comes with two neckline versions – either a mandarin collar, or collarless and with a gentle rounded neckline. It only takes 2 3/4 yards of fabric, and is a breeze to whip up…make it in Italian imported slate grey stretch wool for a flattering and sophisticated frock.

Isis, Canadian blogger and seamstress extraordinaire, found a tattered vintage kimono-sleeved shrug in the dress-up box at her Grandma’s house, and set about duplicating it; here is the pattern (in three sizes) and instructions for making this snazzy little number. It requires only one yard of a sweater knit fabric….we think a luxurious bit of this Missoni fabric in Urban Smoke would the perfect splurge for this wrap.

It’s always time to sew for growing children! Destri from the blog TheMotherHuddle created this free Central Park swing coat PDF pattern and tutorial for a charming child’s short-sleeved, reversible jacket. It is sized in 3t-5t, but she provides instructions for resizing the pattern. This would be enchanting made up in cheery carmine red Guatemalan cotton…add buttons up the front and your sprouting youngster can wear it through autumn and winter as a jumper!

Just in time to take advantage of our current online midweight wool sale, Carolyn, the talented seamstress from the sewing blog Diary of a Sewing Fanatic wrote a wonderful series of tips on pretreating wool crepe fabric. She mentions four methods, and writes in detail on the forth; the London shrink method, dry-cleaning, washing and drying, and her practically patented steam the heck out of it method. Although dry cleaning is the easiest method, it is expensive. If you choose to take your wool into your own hands, we recommend trying it out on a small price of test wool first.

We can’t resist writing more about the collaboration between Britex Fabrics, BurdaStyle and Amy; Amy’s meticulous work on her skirt’s waistband is what tipped us over the top! Her tailoring makes our heart beat quickly, and we sigh. Jenny is modest, and talks about her technique with scientific precision, “A structured waistband is not an essential part of the pattern, but I think it adds a lot of elegance to this high-waisted skirt. Marina von Koenig, BurdaStyle’s expert in all things couture, recently wrote about her experiences making a structured waistband for a high-waisted skirt. What I’ve done here is very similar. My waistband is essentially a sandwich of Rigilene, a plastic boning found in many sewing shops. The bottom layer of the sandwich, the facing, is made up of a layer of the fashion fabric, a layer of silk organza, and a layer of horsehair canvas – all quilted together. On top of this layer are silk organza channels into which the Rigilene strips are threaded. The top layer of the sandwich, which becomes the outside of the waistband, is made up of a layer of the fashion fabric and a layer of cotton flannel interfacing. The flannel helps give the waistband a smooth look from the exterior. The two halves are stitched together along the top and then the seams are graded and understitched so that everything looks lovely and stays put.”