6

contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
getting started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Fabric Glossary 12 Thread Glossary 18 Setting up a Sewing Area 20 Good Things for Sewing 22

basic techniques
Sewing 26
appliqu38
embroidery44
quilting and patchwork62
dyeing74
printing84

projects a to z
animals  92

flowers 238

aprons 102

handkerchiefs 244

bags 112

nursery 248

bath linens 128

organizers  256

bed linens 138

pets  268

bibs  152

pincushions 276

blankets 156

pot holders 282

books 164

quilts and patchwork 286

clothing  172

shades 298

coasters 188

slippers  308

cozies 192

TABLE linens  312

curtains 196

UPHOLSTERY  332

decorative pillows  208

WALL DCOR  350

dolls 234

xyz
Tools and Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356

buyers guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380

tips and extra techniques. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368

index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388

CD patterns and templates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374

projects by technique. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399

sources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378

Photography Credits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400

contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
getting started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Fabric Glossary 12 Thread Glossary 18 Setting up a Sewing Area 20 Good Things for Sewing 22

basic techniques
Sewing 26
appliqu38
embroidery44
quilting and patchwork62
dyeing74
printing84

projects a to z
animals  92

flowers 238

aprons 102

handkerchiefs 244

bags 112

nursery 248

bath linens 128

organizers  256

bed linens 138

pets  268

bibs  152

pincushions 276

blankets 156

pot holders 282

books 164

quilts and patchwork 286

clothing  172

shades 298

coasters 188

slippers  308

cozies 192

TABLE linens  312

curtains 196

UPHOLSTERY  332

decorative pillows  208

WALL DCOR  350

dolls 234

xyz
Tools and Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356

buyers guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380

tips and extra techniques. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368

index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388

CD patterns and templates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374

projects by technique. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399

sources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378

Photography Credits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400

introduction
s a child, I was fascinated with sewing. Mother always
sewedher own clothes, the clothes for her three daughters,
Halloween costumes for all six of her children, and random gifts
and objects for family and friends. She had an old Singer
machine in a wooden carrying case given to her by her mother,
but that was put away when bought a new White machine. The
White, in its maple wood cabinet table, occupied one wall of
our large eat-in kitchen. It was always open, with a project or two
neatly folded on the work table or on the ironing board next to it.
It was inevitable that I, my sister Kathy, and the youngest
sibling, Laura, would all become procient seamstresses. Buying
fabrics in specialty stores mother discovered in Passaic, Rutherford,
and Belleville, New Jersey, and later in the myriad fabric shops
on West 38th Street in New York City, was another favorite pastime.
I learned all about weaves, textures, bers, and which fabrics
and threads were best for which projects and for specic patterns.
The pattern books by Vogue and Butterick and Simplicity were
like great art books to all of us, and we pored over them for hours,
dreaming up lavish costumes that of course we could not afford
but desired to wear. We all made small projects like aprons,
scarves, and some decorative household objects, but we were
primarily interested in the creation of clothing for everyday as
well as special occasions. I took sewing courses in the Nutley public
schools and learned to make a blouse with set-in sleeves and
yoke and collar, a circle skirt, a simple jacket, and a pair of cuffed
shorts with zippered-y front. Mother taught me all the rest of
what I knowtailoring, interfacing, bias cutting, bound buttonholes, handmade buttonholesand she instilled in me the basic
good habits that make one a good sewer for life.

+ 0 front matter3.indd Sec1:8-Sec1:9

I can remember so many of the projects we made together:

the white Swiss organdy First Communion dress with wide tucks
and short puffy sleeves, my rst formal of blue silk Shantung
with pale pink tulle overskirt, my graduation dress with pale blue
embroidered owers on imported white cotton, my prom dress
of sophisticated dark brown voile with a sweetheart neckline, and
of course, my wedding dress, of embroidered Swiss organdy, with
a peau de soie lining and cotton voile interfacing.
In college, I continued to sew, and all of my fancy clothes were
made from designer patterns from my friend Ann Boswells aunt,
who owned a couture shop called Chez Ninon. I wore Balenciaga
and Dior and Givenchy to class and fell in love with great couture.
When I married, my rst sewing machine was a Singer, with the
most advanced technology and features of the 1960s models. I
learned a lot on that machine, and I sewed with it for many years,
experimenting with construction and design. Even today, with
construction so much more relaxed, I still examine seams and fabrics and the way things are made, and I still sew all the time.
This book is meant to be both a primer for new sewers and a
refresher for those of us who know how to sew and want to get
some new ideas and projects. Sewing is, of course, not just fashion.
It incorporates appliquing, embroidery, quilting, and fabric crafts,
such as dyeing and printing, as well as many other things. We
at Martha Stewart Living hope this volume lls voids in your knowledge and inspires you to try new things. Enjoy!

10/23/09 10:15:52 AM

introduction
s a child, I was fascinated with sewing. Mother always
sewedher own clothes, the clothes for her three daughters,
Halloween costumes for all six of her children, and random gifts
and objects for family and friends. She had an old Singer
machine in a wooden carrying case given to her by her mother,
but that was put away when bought a new White machine. The
White, in its maple wood cabinet table, occupied one wall of
our large eat-in kitchen. It was always open, with a project or two
neatly folded on the work table or on the ironing board next to it.
It was inevitable that I, my sister Kathy, and the youngest
sibling, Laura, would all become procient seamstresses. Buying
fabrics in specialty stores mother discovered in Passaic, Rutherford,
and Belleville, New Jersey, and later in the myriad fabric shops
on West 38th Street in New York City, was another favorite pastime.
I learned all about weaves, textures, bers, and which fabrics
and threads were best for which projects and for specic patterns.
The pattern books by Vogue and Butterick and Simplicity were
like great art books to all of us, and we pored over them for hours,
dreaming up lavish costumes that of course we could not afford
but desired to wear. We all made small projects like aprons,
scarves, and some decorative household objects, but we were
primarily interested in the creation of clothing for everyday as
well as special occasions. I took sewing courses in the Nutley public
schools and learned to make a blouse with set-in sleeves and
yoke and collar, a circle skirt, a simple jacket, and a pair of cuffed
shorts with zippered-y front. Mother taught me all the rest of
what I knowtailoring, interfacing, bias cutting, bound buttonholes, handmade buttonholesand she instilled in me the basic
good habits that make one a good sewer for life.

+ 0 front matter3.indd Sec1:8-Sec1:9

I can remember so many of the projects we made together:

the white Swiss organdy First Communion dress with wide tucks
and short puffy sleeves, my rst formal of blue silk Shantung
with pale pink tulle overskirt, my graduation dress with pale blue
embroidered owers on imported white cotton, my prom dress
of sophisticated dark brown voile with a sweetheart neckline, and
of course, my wedding dress, of embroidered Swiss organdy, with
a peau de soie lining and cotton voile interfacing.
In college, I continued to sew, and all of my fancy clothes were
made from designer patterns from my friend Ann Boswells aunt,
who owned a couture shop called Chez Ninon. I wore Balenciaga
and Dior and Givenchy to class and fell in love with great couture.
When I married, my rst sewing machine was a Singer, with the
most advanced technology and features of the 1960s models. I
learned a lot on that machine, and I sewed with it for many years,
experimenting with construction and design. Even today, with
construction so much more relaxed, I still examine seams and fabrics and the way things are made, and I still sew all the time.
This book is meant to be both a primer for new sewers and a
refresher for those of us who know how to sew and want to get
some new ideas and projects. Sewing is, of course, not just fashion.
It incorporates appliquing, embroidery, quilting, and fabric crafts,
such as dyeing and printing, as well as many other things. We
at Martha Stewart Living hope this volume lls voids in your knowledge and inspires you to try new things. Enjoy!

10/23/09 10:15:52 AM

heirloom-tomato pincushions
These sewing-box staples are just
as sweet as garden-grown
tomatoes, and you dont have to
wait until summer to enjoy them.
For pincushions with symmetrical
shapes, begin at step 1; start at
step 3 for cushions with the uneven
contours common in heirloom
varieties.
materials basic sewing supplies;
cotton or any other medium-weight
fabric (such as corduroy or velvet);
cotton or polyester fill; large
embroidery needle; perle cotton;
scraps of green felt (for caps);
fabric glue

how-to 1. Cut a rectangle of fabric

on the bias thats twice as long as it

is wide (the yellow tomato31/8-inch
[8cm] diameter when finished
required a 10-by-5-inch [25.5cm x
12.5cm] piece). With the fabric
facing right-side up, fold it in half as
shown, and join the ends with a 1/4inch (6mm) seam allowance. Sew a
running stitch around the top edge;
tightly pull the thread to cinch the
fabric, and secure with a few
backstitches.
2. Turn the pouch right-side out.
Stuff with fill (cotton is firmer than
polyester). Sew a running stitch
around the open end; pull the
thread to cinch the fabric. Tack it
shut with a few stitches, and knot.
To flatten, double-thread the
embroidery needle with the perle
cotton, and pull it through the core
a few times. Mimic a tomatos fluted
details by wrapping the thread
around the cushion and back
through the core several times. Knot
the thread at the top to finish.

also available

3. For an heirloom-style tomato, cut

a circle of fabric (the red one
31/2-inch [9cm] diameter when
finishedrequired a 10-inch
[25.5cm] diameter circle). With the
fabric wrong-side up, hand-sew a
running stitch around the perimeter.
Place batting in the center of the
fabric and gather the fabric into a
pouch around it. Stuff with more
batting, then pull the thread to
cinch; tack with fluted stitches and

knot. Flatten the cushion and apply

details, as described in step 2.
4. For the cap, draw a 6-pointed

star (see photo 4) onto green felt

with a disappearing-ink fabric pen,
and cut it out. Using a needle
threaded with a single length of
perle cotton, sew and knot a loop
onto the cap. Glue the cap to the
top of the pincushion.

Just like the New York Times bestseller Martha Stewarts

Encyclopedia of Crafts, Martha Stewarts Encyclopedia of
Sewing and Fabric Crafts is a comprehensive reference. With
gorgeous color photographs as well as expert instructions,
Martha Stewarts Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts helps
you brush up on the basics and take your skills to a new level.
Martha Stewarts Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts
978-0-307-45058-6 $35.00 hardcover (Can: $43.00)

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