Author Archives: Lisha Vidler

About Lisha Vidler

I am a sewing instructor living near Memphis, Tennessee.

Switching to a Computerized Sewing Machine

Posted on January 21, 2013 by

Monday’s Mish-Mash: Switching to a Computerized Sewing Machine For years, I had a regular sewing machine. You know, the kind with knobs and dials to adjust the tension and stitches. It was very basic, but quite a workhorse. I used … Continue reading →

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Hockey Socks

Posted on January 16, 2013 by

Wednesday’s Project: Hockey Socks My husband and I recently took up ice skating—figure skating for me and hockey for him. Part of his gear includes “hockey socks” which are actually not socks at all, but long tubes that go over … Continue reading →

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Ironing Board Covers

Posted on December 30, 2012 by

Sunday’s Someday Project: Ironing Board Covers I have two ironing boards in my sewing room: a full size (52″) and a tabletop (30″). Both were cheap. They’ve lasted me ten years without complaint, but their pads are thin enough that … Continue reading →

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Famous Couples: Fashion Doll Patterns

Posted on December 20, 2012 by

Thursday’s Book Review: Famous Couples: Fashion Doll Patterns by Hazel McMahon Rating 3 = Mediocre

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1876 Princess-Cut Day Dresses

Posted on December 14, 2012 by

Friday’s Fashion Plate: 1876 Day Dresses Today we have two dresses from La Mode Illustrée, 1876. In 1876, the Natural Form style was just beginning. Styles were beginning to simplify. The bustle had dropped and the back of the dress … Continue reading →

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Croquis: Fashion Sketches

Posted on December 9, 2012 by

Have you ever thought about making your own fashion sketches? Being able to draw a basic fashion sketch comes in useful when you’re designing your own garments, whether they’re modern or historical. In this new two-part tutorial, we’ll demonstrate the … Continue reading →

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Aqua Plisse Blouse

Posted on November 28, 2012 by

Wednesday’s Project: Aqua Plisse Blouse When I walked into Hobby Lobby a few years ago, I immediately fell in love with a cotton plisse they had on display. It had so many things going for it. The color, for aqua … Continue reading →

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Cotton Sateen

Posted on November 17, 2012 by

Saturday’s Stash: Cotton Sateen Sateen is a fabric that’s been made with a satin weave, where more of the cross threads are on the surface of the fabric, producing a slight sheen. Sateen is usually made of cotton, or sometimes … Continue reading →

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Ruffler Attachment Foot Revisions

Posted on November 11, 2012 by

Today I realized I’d made a pretty big mistake when writing the article on how to use a ruffler attachment foot. I confused the two control adjusters, mixing up which one does what. This is now fixed, and as a … Continue reading →

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Faux French Seams

Posted on November 6, 2012 by

Tuesday’s Tutorial: Faux French Seams I discovered this technique by accident, when I was in a pickle and couldn’t figure out how to finish a seam so the raw edges wouldn’t show. Up until that point, I’d used French seams … Continue reading →

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