Pattern making is not something that is explained in a couple of pages. MANY books and full classes are offered to learn how to make your own patterns. The trick is getting your hands on a book that is easy to understand and takes things one step at a time... one that is even worthy of using your paper and ink cartridges to print it out as a valuable resource. Vintage Sewing Information is a wonderful resource worthy of using ink cartridges!

• 1942--Modern Pattern Design by Harriet Pepin
• VintageSewing.Info

They are heading north and my yard is still covered with snow, which makes it tricky for the birds to find nesting materials. I have oodles of feeders and I know the birds are true scavengers to build their nests because of the number of nest I have found with tarp strings and other "trash" the birds made use of to build their nests. I am making an addition this spring.... from my serger and cutting table... see more and make even your tiny scraps useful.

• Fiber Scraps for the birds

• Think Green Sewing Projects
  

When I wrote about Easter bonnets last week, I received emails asking about making real hats that men wear. It's not something I've ever tried so I started looking in to how difficult it would be. What I found was a whole new fascinating project idea. Maybe I can gather all the materials to create a Fedora hat for father's day... If I didn't have so many things on my plate right now I would attempt it for Easter. Many of the hat ideas are just an extension of felting skills but it's a different handling process to mold the fabric into a hat shape verses shaping the fibers with barbed needles.

Thanks to the email questions, I also got into the history of hats and hat making... very fascinating information.

• How to Make Hats and Hat Making Information

• Needle Felting Examples and Information

Sewing Your Own Hat - Patterns and Tips

How often do you change your sewing machine needle? If you're like me I bet it's not often enough. I never keep track and just keep sewing... and then when I have machine problems, remembering to change the needle is the last thing I get around to doing.... not the way it should be done...

• Everything You Need to Know About Sewing Machine Needles

• Preventing Sewing Machine Damage - Let the Feed Dog do the Work