There are three different ways to finish a quilt: machine quilting (either through free-motion, longarm or a walking foot), traditional hand quilting and hand tying.

Zippers can feel super intimidating to beginner sewers, but they’re actually pretty easy to pull off, and some are easier to insert than others. Like the invisible zipper. When you add one, there’s no machine stitching visible from the right side of the project. Everything is done behind the scenes, totally concealed within the seam allowances.

When you’re working with lightweight, sheer fabrics, there’s a sense of airiness and elegance to them. Which means they deserve an equally-as-elegant finished seam that hides all your raw fabric edges. Enter the French seam.

Aprons are a lifesaver for any cook or baker, and it's easy to sew one yourself. The best thing about this project? With just a few simple measurements, you can get started — no pattern necessary.

Monogramming adds a personal detail to any project: piped icing on cake designs, embroidered stitches on home decor, stamped initials on stationary, even custom details on quilt or sewing projects. And these days, you can pretty much design your monograms however you want. But if you want to keep things more traditional, there are a few monogram etiquette rules to consider following.

There's nothing worse than picking a dreamy fabric to work with, only to have it turn into a total nightmare when the edges start to fray. By the time you get to the hemming stage, it can feel like over ¼" of your seam allowance has — poof!— vanished into thin air.

Fitted sheets can be pricier than flat ones and, depending on the material you want and the place you're shopping, they can even cost more than double. What's worse: sometimes fitted sheets aren't even included in bedding sets, and they can be hard to find in luxury natural fibers like durable cotton wovens or linen and hemp blends.

Learning your way around a sewing machine can take time, and even experienced sewers can have a few technical blunders. Here are some of the most common issues sewers can run into on their Janome machine, and how to fix them so you can get back to your project ASAP.

Whether you're flying a red eye or simply trying to block out the light from your TV, there are many reasons to use a sleep mask and get some quality shuteye. The good news is that it's super easy to DIY, and only calls for a little bit of fabric. (Stash-buster project, anyone?) Whip up one for yourself, or go to town and make 'em for the whole fam so you can all get some beauty rest, stat.

Artists have taken inspiration from mountains since ... forever. Whether up close or far away, covered in snow or in trees, rounded or jagged, they tend to symbolize something vast and vital. And when you draw them, you want that feeling to come to life on the page. Here's how.

Properly prepping and cutting your fabric is the very first challenge you face when sewing a garment that wears well. Case in point: Have you ever worn a shirt with one side seam that kept twisting toward the front? It did that because the fabric wasn't cut on the grain. Or, have you ever sewn a dress and ended up with different lengths when trying to match a seam? That can happen when your cutting isn't as accurate as it could be.

Looking to dive deeper into your sewing obsession? These blogs are some of our all-time faves, and many of the faces behind 'em teach classes on Bluprint — meaning you can gain extra knowledge and get those creative juices flowing for your next project.

Adding a collar can make your dress or top look extra fabulous — but it can also be a nightmare if not sewn on correctly. So if you're planning to sew your own collar, follow these tips to help you nail that polished look.

Pockets make life easier — it's just a fact. After all, haven't you ever thought about how much better your favorite party dress would be if it had pockets you could stick your hands (or lip gloss) into?

Interfacing can be your best friend ... or your worst enemy. It has a job to do — adding stiffness to fabric — and it does that job well. But, like any frenemy, it can drive you a little crazy from time to time. But with these tips, you can get the upper hand and make interfacing work for you.

There's one little detail that can make all the difference between a homemade throw pillow that looks pro and one that looks, well, homemade: piping.

Christmas season is here and our crochet hooks are abuzz. And while gifting handmade presents is a no-brainer, it's also dangerously easy to fall behind on holiday prep. So if you're in need of some last-minute gifts to whip up, here are some one-skein, no-hassle crochet projects to give this year.

We may be a bit biased, but that homemade pumpkin spice latte seems to taste so much better — and is way more photogenic — when it's resting on top of a festive mug rug. This stacked presents pattern is perfect for Christmas, but you could easily swap out the red and green fabric for colors better suited to Hanukkah, a birthday, or any other occasion worth celebrating. Talk about versatility!

A massive ball of cheese on the table makes a big, "welcome to our party! " statement. How could it not? It's lovably retro, easy to make in advance and a cinch to customize. So go on and choose your own cheese ball adventure below — just don't forget the crackers.

Whether you're stitching an inspirational quote in big, colorful font or adding subtle detail to a larger project, it's easy to add a personal touch by stitching your own handwriting. And while the technique you use totally depends on your personal style, some stitches are a better fit for lettering than others. Choose your favorite stitches from the ones below, write your phrase legibly and you'll be on your way to perfectly handwritten embroidered letters.

There are so many reasons to have a neck warmer in your mix of cold-weather accessories. Like a winter scarf, you can wear it over a coat or jacket to keep you feeling cozy. But if you lighten up the fabric, you can also use it to give a new look to a round-neck sweater, dress or top. Plus, the simple pattern and minimal fabric requirements make this the perfect stash-buster.

Your basic elastic waistband is nobody's idea of a good time. The elastic always twists and turns inside its casing, forming gathers that bunch up unevenly around the waist. Why? Because most waistbands have an elastic that's just floating inside a tube of fabric.

Want to know an instant way to level up any garment and look like a sewing superstar? Add a double welt pocket (or two)! Whether you’re going for a dressy or more casual vibe, the double welt adds polish, not to mention a cool factor you simply can’t get from any other pocket.

Sometimes that new pair of skinny jeans fits fabulously, but the ankles aren't quite tight enough for your taste. Instead of taking them to a tailor to get altered, here's how you can adjust the fit yourself and save some serious money.

In less time than it takes to go to the store, try on a gazillion bras and find one or two you don’t hate, you can DIY your own comfy, supportive and custom-fit bra.

If you're looking for stitches that make your crochet pop, post stitches should be your go-to. They're the secret trick found in crochet cables, ribbing, basketweave stitching and so much more.

We're all about getting the most out of your sewing machine, but once you start working away from it, you're likely to fall in love with the precision and pace of couture hand sewing. So go on and thread a small needle (a size 9 or 10) and start practicing these basic couture stitches. Then try them out on your next handmade garment!

If you want to sew a dimensional design onto a quilt, pillow or any other sewing project — and you don't want anyone to see those stitches — hand appliqué is the technique for you. Once you nail the basic stitching, you'll be able to add any creation, be it a simple shape or a more complex pieced block like a Dresden plate.

It’s gift-giving season, and for all the fellow makers and artists in your life, that means you need to find the perfect present to keep their creative juices flowing. Whether they use it to actually practice their craft or just enjoy a dose of inspiration, these are the gifts they'd love to unwrap this holiday.

Bound buttonholes are one of those details that make a handmade garment look polished, professional and oh-so-gorgeous. You mostly find this type of closure on couture jackets and coats, along with hand pad-stitching, back-stays and hand stitching.

Snowflakes are a classic part of any winter decor — and they're even better when you've made 'em yourself. Each of these cuties is quick to stitch, uses scrap yarn and, because they're not holiday-specific, can be left up through February. Hang 'em on your tree, display on your fireplace mantel or use as fun gift wrap embellishments!

Whether you're quilting yourself or sending your quilt sandwich to a quilter for finishing, longarm quilting gives your project a beautiful, polished look. But before the stitching can take place, you need to do some prep work. Here's how to get your quilt ready for longarm quilting, so you end up with the best-looking results.

'Tis the season for gingerbread houses! But after you bake your cookies, don't reach for the candy canes just yet — you've gotta know which icing to use, or risk sub-par houses. Because in the realm of royal icing, fondant and buttercream, one stands out from the rest as the best icing for gingerbread houses — and there's one you should most definitely avoid.

Buttons come in all shapes and sizes, and you're likely familiar with a flat button — the one with a classic shape and either two or four holes. But do you know about a shank button? Instead of having holes, there's a loop on the underside that's typically made of plastic or metal, and you use it to attach the button to the garment.

Foundation paper piecing is like the paint-by-numbers of quilting. You use a paper template to outline which fabric goes where, then stitch both the paper and the fabric together along dotted lines. Remove the paper, and voilà — you have a perfectly pieced block!

For anyone watching season 17 of Bravo’s Project Runway, it was no surprise to see Colombian-born Jhoan Sebastian Grey crowned the champion. With his breathtaking designs, humble attitude and ability to design for any body size, the designer wowed the judges weekly. Now, he’s here to share the secrets behind his skills in Fashion Sewing With Jhoan Sebastian Grey.

Beginner sewers might be baffled by one tool that's often found in a stitcher's toolbox. It's a tiny wheel with sharp edges and, no, it's not a mini pizza cutter. It's a tracing wheel, and a total game changer for transferring patterns onto fabric. Once you learn how to use this handy tool, it may become your best friend as it makes sewing easier — not to mention more accurate.

If you love bread as much as we do, you could eat it with (OK, for) every meal. But even the most die-hard bread lovers can get bored of the same old recipe. Instead, put your baking skills to the test with these recipes that'll add a little excitement back to your bread basket.

Christmas is fast approaching, which means Christmas quilt season is in full swing. If you haven't picked your holiday project yet, we have holiday quilts of all sizes and styles to help you feel the festive spirit.

Longarm rulers are a quilter's BFF, but as you may have guessed from the name, they're traditionally used by those who sew on longarm machines. These acrylic rulers are usually thicker than rotary cutting rulers, and they're designed for ruler work — a technique where you guide the foot along the edge of the ruler to produce a perfectly straight line, curved angle or circular shape.

Swimsuits, dance costumes and activewear have one thing in common: the stretch factor. If you ever thought about sewing one of these garments, you know you need a material that moves with your body.

Is your stash of fabric looking a little ... plain? If you have more yards of white fabric than you know what to do with, give 'em some life with a DIY dye job! Dyeing your own fabric saves money, gives you a totally customized look and — let's be honest — it's a heck of a lot of fun. And while you can always dye your cloth to be a solid shade, you could also experiment with different techniques to create one-of-a-kind patterns. Below are a few fun ways to get started.

We get it: sometimes it can be tough to figure out the *just right* gift for every single person on your holiday shopping list. But if they love picking up a hook — or you simply can't gift enough crocheted presents — these ideas are pretty much a guaranteed hit this holiday season.

Decorating gingerbread houses is a fun tradition the whole fam can take part in. And you only need a few basic things: a delicious recipe, frosting and candy! That last one is particularly important, because whether your preferred style is simple and sweet or ornate and highly detailed, you need the best candies to help your gingerbread house shine. Here are our favorites.

Decorating for the holidays is fun, but it's even better when you get to hang up your handmade knits! Grab your needles and kickstart the season with these projects you can display each year.

You might associate quiches with chic bistros or fancy French restaurants, but you can easily make one at home. This tart's savory filling is made with only five ingredients, and it happens to be the perfect breakfast for December 26 — use up that leftover holiday ham!

Sewing machines are great, but sometimes there's nothing better than that hand-sewn touch. Take seams, for instance — you can choose from approximately a million and one ways to finish the raw edge of one, but for elegance and finesse, a hand-sewn overcast stitch wins every time.

You've just finished knitting a top-down sweater, only to realize the hem is way tighter than the rest of the sweater. Ugh! Thankfully, there's an easy solution: it's called JSSBO, aka Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off.

When it comes to holiday decor, there's nothing better than going homemade. These ornaments are proof— they're made quickly with paper quilling, look totally trendy and you can guarantee no one else will have 'em on their tree. Plus, you can make one in under an hour!

So you've finished piecing your quilt top — woohoo! Before you build your quilt sandwich and start quilting, you have one step to complete: you need to make a quilt back.