Basic Training

Q: What are your favorite books for beginning seamstress?

A:

1. Sew U :: Wendy Mullin with Eviana Hartman Easy to understand, great illustrations, patterns included
2. Let’s Sew :: Nancy Zieman Comprehensive, clear, great for all ages and stages
3. The Best of Sewing with Nancy :: Nancy Ziemam Technical, great time saving tips
4. Magazines: ReadyMade and Sewstylish (it folded but you can still get back copies)
   

I await your listing of additional resources.

Present Pizzazz

ReadyMade magazine published a snazzy article with tips on how to rethink your gift wrap this holiday season. I've included a few of my favorites below.

(click me)

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Gifted: The Wrap-Up by Steven James

In 1917, the Kansas City-based Hall brothers (founders of Hallmark) reused French envelope linings to encase customer gifts. In that spirit, we offer a few suggestions for reinventing the wrap every time you’ve got something to give.

Map Wrap
Mailing presents back home? Prepare them for the cross-country journey with wrap made of recycled maps. Use pushpins and geographical postcard cutouts for the card.

Bubble Wrap
Paper’s plastic cousin makes its way outside the box. Cover the gift directly so a hint of it shows through and use double-sided tape for a clean seal.

Scrabble Board & Letter Tiles
Make a color photocopy of the game board and individual tiles onto sheets of 81/2” x 14” paper. Glue on your message using cut-out, copied letter tiles.

Can It
No scissors, no tape. Coffee and tea tins, cookie canisters, and unused paint cans offer no-fuss alternatives.

Tabloids
Nothing turns heads like a three-headed alien baby fathered by Elvis.

Click here to view the entire article

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