Although summer lingers and many school kids remain on seasonal break the coming cooling days of autumn are near. Our sewing projects can often take on a compelling urgency at this time. Like squirrels busily foraging we search favored fabric stores and our fabric stash for just the right project.

Whether you are sewing a garment to fit a toddler, teen, mature figure, hard-to-fit body contours or challenging physical circumstances, strive for the best fit that pattern and fabric will allow.

Fabric continues to serve humankind in so many ways. Where once fabric clothed, decorated and sheltered people in ways utilitarian to high art, fabric now entertains and delights in new ways.

Facings are those fabric pieces, usually the same as the fashion fabric, at times of a contrasting fabric, generally seen on the inside of a garment. They finish off an opening, usually a neckline or sleeveless armhole, but also for a shaped hem, slim skirt vents, shirt front or jacket opening.

High school graduations are underway during the month of June, scorching summer heat is evident in many northern areas and so too preparations begin for first time college students moving into a dorm room or campus apartment. Consider some easy to sew DIY projects for that college bound student.

In comparison to ancient times, where the use of natural materials was the only practical choice to use for fabric, today’s textiles are near engineering marvels. Just consider the process of incorporating fabrics into contemporary structures that change our sheltered environments in unique ways.

Free motion sewing is a machine stitching technique that replicates hand embroidery and monogramming, useful for darning, quilting, embellishing and thread art. It is surprisingly easy to do by following just a few techniques.

A serger - versatile companion to a sewing machine, is all about its loopers, tension discs, knife blades, feed dogs, multiple thread cones and specialty presser feet. The resulting neatly trimmed and overcast seam produced by a serger is a time saver. Its a type of machine that sews, with attitude!

In an almost perfect marriage of practical function and elegant efficiency the sewing machine and its machine sewing companion - the serger, combine to give the home sewer the best of all possible sewing worlds.

A small compact travel sewing kit with a variety of sewing notions can come to the rescue for most fashion mishaps. Commonplace sewing kits are prosaic reminders of the nuts and bolts of sewing. Antique sewing kits are a treasured find.