Using thread and lines of decorative stitching as a design element is a cheap thrill. Since you most likely already have a machine that’s capable of sewing a variety of straight and zigzag stitches, all you need to do is decide which thread colors to use. After that, you simply play with the stitch length and width. Before you know it, you’ve added your own improv design element to any project.
What to know: Your machine is cleverly designed to sew in straight lines. Just don’t pull on the fabric; guide it gently, using the edge of the presser foot or markings on the throat plate to help. If your line of stitching seems to be going off course, take your foot off the pedal. Your machine will stop stitching instantly. Simply readjust and begin again. Sew slowly and when you feel comfortable with your machine, you can speed up.
How to do it: Check your machine settings, including the tension, presser foot pressure, and stitch length and width before stitching (refer to your sewing machine manual for help). It helps to make a practice line of stitching on scrap fabric to make sure the stitch looks good. Check to see that the feed dogs are fully engaged before beginning. Most of the time, you’ll want to backtack at the start and end of each stitching line (see page 18). Use your hands to guide the fabric. Typically it is easy to stitch parallel lines with exact intervals of 
″ or ¼″ between them by using the edges of the foot, the toes, or the marks on the machine as a guide.
What to know: Meandering or wavy lines might look random, but creating them takes a bit of thought and a bit of practice. Try stitching on scrap fabric until you get the hang of it. You determine how much to bend and shape the lines and whether or not you want them to cross. There are no real rules. Playing around with the stitching will be totally fun as well as a great warm-up for some free-motion techniques explained in the next chapter.
How to do it: Set a stitch length between 2 and 2.5, depending on the weight and texture of the fabric and the amount of contrast you want (make a scrap fabric test first). Gently guide your fabric, stitching gradual, rhythmic curved lines.
Once you’ve whipped up your first pillowcase, you’ll quickly realize that certain items aren’t worth buying when they can be made at home with very little time and effort. Create a set from a favorite fabric, or repurpose an old white top sheet, which will be silky soft after many washings, providing the perfect blank canvas for stitching decorative lines.
Fold the fabric in half with the right sides together and selvages aligned. Mark and measure the following piece, then cut along the lines through both thicknesses of fabric (do not cut along the fold):
—pillowcase: 19″ × 34″
Unfold the fabric. Along one 38″ edge, press under ½″, and then press under another 3½″. Stitch the hem close to the inside folded edge with contrasting thread, then add meandering lines and decorative utility stitches.
Fold the fabric in half with the right sides facing, bringing the short edges together. Using a straight stitch, sew a ½″ seam along the raw edges to close the case. Finish the seam allowances with an overcast stitch such as a zigzag. Turn the pillowcase right side out.
what you’ll need
• 1 yard of cotton fabric (woven or jersey)
• 1 spool of contrasting thread
Stitching tip: Keep your decorative stitching along the short, open edges of the pillowcase and away from the center where your head will rest while sleeping; otherwise, the texture of the stitches might be annoying.
As a layer to toss on over a dress or t-shirt, this piece is as easy to wear as it is to make. Use a short- or long-sleeve tee that you’ve never really loved, or even one that has become a tiny bit too small. Either way, you’ll find it deserves renewed respect once it’s dressed up with a sophisticated stitched edge.
Fold the t-shirt in half at the center of the front panel with the back panel pulled out of the way and the neck and side seams aligned as shown. Use sharp scissors to cut along the fold, right through the center front.
what you’ll need
• Tissue or regular weight t-shirt
• 1 spool of contrasting thread
• 30″ length of silky ribbon or tape (we used rayon seam tape)
Cut the ribbon into two 15″ lengths. Knot one end of each piece of ribbon and fold the opposite ends ½″ to the wrong side. Pin the folded ribbon ends to the t-shirt at the inside top corners of the opening so the ribbons extend toward each other. Trim any excess ribbon beneath the knots.
Using a straight stitch, topstitch a meandering line from a bottom corner of the front opening, up the front, over the ribbon’s folded end, around the back neckline, over the second ribbon, and back down the opposite side to the bottom. Repeat, to sew five or six closely spaced lines (see page 106 for sewing wavy lines).
Sew your own office supplies? Why not? Whether you use this folder for business, school, or pleasure (we use it to stow inspirational pictures for future sewing projects), it makes getting organized a lot more fun. Plus, with its cardboard-stiffened covers, it’s a great place to experiment with different types of stitched lines. Spin the dial on your machine for a little sewing roulette—there’s no wrong way to decorate this one.
Measure and mark the folder cover, 18″ × 36″, directly on the wrong side of the fabric. Cut it out.
what you’ll need
• ½ yard of canvas or other heavyweight cotton fabric
• 2 or 3 spools of contrasting color thread
• 2 pieces of cardboard, 8½″ × 11½″ each (cereal box cardboard works well)
Mark foldlines on the wrong side of the fabric as follows:
—9″ in from both sides
—18″ in from both sides (center)
—½″ down from top edge
—6″ up from bottom edge
Fold along the lines and press well to set the folds.
Unfold the bottom edge. Slide the cardboard pieces under the top pressed edge and position them next to each other at each side of the center crease. Fold the sides of the fabric over so they meet, and overlap slightly, at the center crease and cover the cardboard. Pin the top edge in place to secure the layers together, and pin the bottom layers of fabric together. The cardboard does not extend below the bottom pressed foldline.
With the right side of the folder facing up and the cardboard in place, topstitch decorative lines across the fabric, sewing through all the layers and the cardboard. Vary the thread colors and types of stitches as you like. The sample shows thread sewn in straight stitch lines and livened up with random zigzags. Be sure to sew one of the decorative lines close to the upper edge to secure the folded top hem.
Zigzag close to the bottom edge through both layers of fabric to create the top edge of the pocket. Fold the pocket up along the pressed foldine and sew both sides of the pocket closed with an overcast zigzag stitch.
Scouts and sailors wear neckerchiefs to give their uniforms jaunty flair. You should wear them for the same reason. As an alternative to a necklace, this quick-to-sew project looks beautiful with a scooped neckline top, and it can also be used in your hair as a band or tie.
Align the fabric pieces with the wrong sides together. Stitch parallel lines in a variety of stitches, ¼″ apart along the length of the fabric.
With scissors or a rotary cutter, gently taper the fabric at each end.
what you’ll need
• Two 6″ × 32″ pieces of wool or cotton jersey (or a mix, including silk), cut on cross grain
• 1 spool of contrasting thread
Stitching tip: This is a great project for playing with different stitches. Experiment with your machine to make an interesting mix of lines.
Tame your tresses with an accessory that’s all your own. We used sturdy store-bought ribbon, but you can take the improv impulse a step further and create your own ribbon from a print or solid fabric (see chapter 4, page 60 for more on making ribbon).
Fold the fabric in half with the right sides together and trace the template onto it. Cut along the lines through both thicknesses of fabric.
Pin a length of ribbon along the center of the headband from one end to the other end. Pin two more lengths of ribbon on either side of the center one, spacing them about ¼″ apart. Trim the ends at an angle to align with the edges of the headband.
Straight stitch along both edges of all five ribbons to secure them to the headband. Finish the cut edges of the headband fabric by zigzag stitching all around.
Zigzag one end of the elastic to the narrow end of the headband. Have the wearer try the headband on, then mark and trim the elastic so it will fit comfortably, adding ½″ for overlap. Secure the opposite end with a zigzag stitch.
what you’ll need
• Headband template (see page 302)
• 12″ × 2½″ piece of cotton velvet
• 60″ of 
″-wide plush or velvet ribbon
• 1 spool of coordinating thread
• 7″ of fold over elastic
Linen is a classic fabric choice for table place mats and is easy to find in a gorgeous range of colors. Here we give natural linen a casual spin with a little fringe around the edges.
Fold the washed and pressed linen in half with the right sides together so the selvages meet. Mark two 12″ × 18″ rectangles on the wrong side of the fabric, then cut along the marked lines through both fabric layers (you’ll end up with four place mat pieces).
Straight stitch a line ¼″ from each edge. Starting ½″ in from one of the stitched corners, straight stitch a second set of lines inside the first set. With a contrast thread color, straight stitch a third set of lines between the first two sets.
With contrast thread, straight stitch a small (approximately ¾″) square at each corner. Pull a few threads along the edges to create the fringe.
what you’ll need
• ½ yard of 52″-wide linen (makes 4 place mats)
• 2 spools of contrasting thread colors
Design tip: Have some extra linen? Make a set of border-stitched napkins to match.
Give your favorite baby a plush tummy-time spot with this quick blanket, whipped up from a soft bedsheet. We like to make it playful by mixing up the sheet and thread colors, and by sewing the sheets before they’ve been washed to create a puckered texture.
One at a time, lay out the sheet and batting with the wrong side facing up, and then measure, mark, and cut the following:
—quilt front: 68″ × 90″
—quilt back: 63″ × 85″
—batting: 63″ × 85″
On the floor, lay out the quilt front, with the wrong side facing up. Center the batting over it. Then lay the quilt back, with the right side facing up, on top of the batting. There should be a 2½″ margin of the wrong side of the quilt front showing all around.
Starting in the center, pin the layers together, using rows of safety pins spaced about 10″ apart. Continue pinning toward the edges, smoothing the layers as you go.
what you’ll need
• 1 new twin-size flat sheet*
• 64″ × 85″ piece of cotton batting
• 2 or 3 spools of contrasting thread (we used 3 colors)
• Large safety pins
*Do not wash the sheet (washing after stitching will create a nice puckered look), but do press it. A few minutes in the dryer may help remove any deep creases caused by the packaging.
Stitching tip: If you’re using more than one thread color, it’s definitely easiest to stitch all the lines in the first color before switching to the next. You will have to shift around the quilt more, but the end effect is worth it.
On the quilt back, use a vanishing ink pen to draw vertical lines (parallel to the long edges) at 6″ intervals.
Starting at the center of the quilt and using a straight stitch (our stitch length was 3), sew a grouping of 2 to 4 straight or meandering lines along each marked guideline.
With the wrong side of the quilt up, press and pin the front edges ½″ to the wrong side and then another 2″ to enclose the quilt’s raw edges. Miter the corners as shown below, and pin them. Fold the adjoining edges to align with the corner point and pin.
Using a straight stitch, topstitch ″ and again ¼″ from the hem edges all around, securing the hem in place. To secure the corner folds, hand-sew the mitered edges in place.
Wash and gently dry the quilt.
Design tip: After you’ve made this baby quilt, try a grown-up version using two full-size sheets.
In this project, you create a cushy new fabric by stitching the front and back panels of an old t-shirt together. The process is fun; the end result is substantial enough for travel, and beautiful too.
Lay the t-shirt right side up. Measure and mark a 13″ × 17″ rectangle on the front. Cut along the lines, through both the front and back of the shirt.
With the fabric pieces still layered, straight stitch slightly wavy lines at narrow intervals across the width. Leave the top edge unstitched, as it rolls nicely.
Other pieces of fabric can be topstitched directly on the super-jersey for texture and color. We topstitched two narrow strips parallel to and ½″ below the top edge.
With the right side up, measure and mark 7″ from the bottom edge of the fabric. Fold the bottom edge up to this mark to create the pouch, leaving 3″ extending beyond the double layers to form the flap. Using a knit stitch, sew the side seams with a ½″ seam allowance.
Turn the pouch right side out. Press the top and side edges of the flap ½″ to the wrong side and zigzag them in place.
Measure and mark the center of the flap and make a buttonhole at the marking to fit the button. With embroidery thread hand-sew the button onto the top layer of the pocket so it aligns with the buttonhole.
what you’ll need
• T-shirt
• 1 spool of thread*
• Button
• Embroidery thread and needle
*We like to use a thread and fabric in the same color family for this project; it adds a subtle texture without too much contrast. On the other hand, white thread against a bold color looks fabulous too.
Experiment with different stitched lines and create a lovely frame to show off your loved ones. If you like, adjust the measurements to fit a piece of glass recycled from a thrifted (but less than attractive) frame.
Lay out both fabrics with the wrong sides facing up. Measure, mark, and cut out the following pieces:
Cut from the linen: |
Cut from the canvas: |
—exterior: 5″ square |
—backing (cut 2): 5″ square |
—hanging loop: ½″ × 2″ |
|
Pin the exterior square on top of one backing square with the wrong sides together. Measure and mark a 3″ square window in the center, then cut through both thicknesses of fabric.
Using a stretch zigzag, edgestitch around the perimeter of the window, securing the canvas to the linen. Make more stitched lines to create concentric squares around the window in a mix of decorative stitches, changing thread colors as desired. It is fine to come back and stitch between lines of the other colors, and even to stitch over previous stitches. This will add texture, heft, and brightness to the fabric.
Fold the hanging-loop strip in half, aligning the short edges. Using a zigzag stitch, secure the loop’s edges to the wrong side of the remaining backing piece at the top center edge.
what you’ll need
• ¼ yard of canvas
• ¼ yard of linen
• 2 or 3 spools of contrasting colors of thread
• 4½″ square piece of glass (optional)
Align the frame and the backing pieces with the wrong sides together. Using a stretch zigzag, overcast the sides and bottom edges to join the frame and backing (do not stitch the top edge). Slide in the piece of glass if desired and add a nice little photo.
Cutting tip: The canvas will act as a stabilizer and give some weight to the thin linen.
Light up your life by adding a little custom stitchery to a plain lamp shade cover. We use a loose-weave fabric for this project; linen is especially nice. Or try a subtle white-on-white striped fabric, which would look fun livened up with colorful stitched lines.
what you’ll need
• Approximately ½ yard of woven cotton fabric (depends on lamp shade circumference)
• Lamp shade to cover
• 1 spool of contrasting thread
• Embroidery thread
• Darning needle (thick gauge)
• Fabric Mod Podge
• Foam brush
For a cylindrical lamp shade:
Measure the shade’s circumference and its height from bottom to top rim. Add ½″ to the circumference. Lay the fabric right side up, then mark and cut it to match these measurements.
For a tapered lamp shade:
Lay the fabric right side up. Place the lamp shade on it near one end. Make a mark on the shade where it meets the fabric (this is the starting and ending point). Hold your pencil or chalk’s point to the fabric, firmly resting it against the shade’s lower rim, then roll the lamp shade across the fabric, marking where the shade hits the fabric as you go (you will be drawing an arc). Stop when you get to the starting point marked on the shade. Return the shade back to the original end of the fabric and repeat, resting the pencil against the shade’s top rim. You will have created two parallel arcs. Using a ruler, mark lines at each end to connect the two parallel arc lines. Cut along your marked lines.
Mark Xs randomly around the fabric. Using a straight stretch stitch and contrasting thread, sew over the marked lines.
Press one short edge of the lampshade fabric ½″ to the wrong side.
Brush Mod Podge over a 3″-wide swath on the wrong side of the lamp shade fabric, starting near the unfolded edge. Position the fabric over the old lamp shade, aligning the top and bottom edges of the fabric with the rims.
Press the unfolded short end of the fabric onto the sticky area, then brush more Mod Podge over it. Repeat, turning the shade and working on 3″ at a time, smoothing any bubbles or creases as you go. When you reach the fabric’s folded edge, secure it by brushing it with more Mod Podge and pressing it flat against the shade.
With the embroidery floss and darning needle, hand-sew a running stitch through the fabric and shade, just beneath the top rim and just above the bottom rim. Hand-sew a line of small Xs over the seam.
Corral and contain jewelry, notions, coins, or collections with these nifty catchalls. A heavyweight canvas is the ideal material for this project, since it helps the boxes become stand-up citizens. We like the geometric look of webbed lines for this set, but this project is ideal for any kind of sewn embellishment.
With the fabric right side up, measure, mark, and cut the following pieces:
—small box: 6″ square
—medium box: 8″ square
—large box: 10″ square
Mark four guidelines on the right side of the fabric squares for folding and pressing the box creases as follows:
—small box: 1½″ from edges
—medium box: 2″ from edges
—large box: 2½″ from edges
Cut a straight line from each corner to the point where the guidelines intersect.
Working on one box at a time and using a straight stretch stitch, stitch along the marked guidelines to form an inner square. This square marks the bottom edges of the box. Straight stretch stitch additional lines for embellishment and added structure.
what you’ll need
• 1¼ yards of heavyweight canvas
• 1 spool of contrasting thread
• Sharp pencil
Stitching tip: The more stitched lines you add, the more structure your box will have. The amount shown here adds up to a fine, sturdy little container.
Fold and press the corner flaps in at the marked guidelines. Fold and press the sides in at the stitched-over guidelines. Pull up the corners, pinning one flap toward the inside of the box and one toward the outside.
Using a stretch zigzag, stitch a line around the top edges of the box. This will secure all of the corner flaps into place.
With a straight stitch, sew diagonal lines to create a V shape at each corner, aligned with the flap edges.
Finally, stitch a vertical line along each corner crease.
Finishing tip: For symmetry’s sake, fold the box so that on two opposite sides the flaps lie against the exterior, while on the other two sides, the flaps lie against the interior.
A swishy lightweight jersey makes up into a cool summer gown. The stitched lines at the empire waist are both graphic and functional, adding interesting detail and shape at the same time. The amount of yardage required depends on the desired length of your finished frock; consider a maxi length for a stylish variation.
what you’ll need
• Torso pattern piece to trace (see chapter 2, page 29)
• 1½ to 2 yards of lightweight jersey fabric (we recommend a bamboo/Lycra blend)
• 1 spool of contrasting thread
Follow the instructions for the Two-Panel Garment (chapter 3, page 34), adjusting the length to make a dress instead of a tunic.
Using an overcast stitch, edgestitch along the raw edges of the neckline, armholes, and bottom.
Have the wearer put on the dress. Mark the desired location for the top center of the empire waistline shirring (it’s usually right at the bottom edge of the breastbone, where the ribs come together). Have the wearer remove the dress and lay it out with the right side facing up.
Using your mark as a guide, draw a line from side seam to side seam at the marked level.
Using a straight stretch stitch, sew along the guideline. With the edge of the presser foot as a guide, stitch six more parallel lines at ¼″ intervals below the first line (our waist stitching is 1½″ from top to bottom stitching line).
Linen always looks elegant, and thanks to our breezy stretch panel design, it needn’t be complicated to sew up a quick linen skirt. Set against the fabric’s sumptuous texture, a mix of stitched lines really stands out as a finishing touch.
Follow the instructions for the Stretch-Panel Skirt (chapter 3, page 54). Add 1″ to the skirt length for a double-fold hem.
Press a 1″ double-fold hem (see chapter 1, page 19) at the bottom edge of the skirt. Using a straight stitch and contrasting thread, topstitch the hem in place with four or five wavy lines.
what you’ll need
• 1 yard of solid color linen
• 1 yard of coordinating solid color cotton jersey
• 1 spool of coordinating thread
• Fold over elastic (a length equal to waist measurement)
• 1 or 2 spools of contrasting thread
