Long before our world had Martha Stewart, people were making gifts for loved ones. Hand-and-home made gifts are not only priceless – they tend to be far less pricey to give than something purchased from a store. That’s because you do the work! But when “doing the work” involves spending time doing something you love, then the gift making becomes a joy and the gift recipient can’t help but feel honoured by your investment of time and … [Read more...]
Seasoned cross-country skiers know how to prepare their skis for a day out on the snow. Now you may be thinking “just strap them on and go?” The problem is that snow, although cold and slick, at times has more friction than you'd think. The plastic surface of skis traveling across the surface of the snow can actually stick resulting in you having to exert more effort to travel. To combat this it's necessary to apply a layer of water … [Read more...]
Hardwood, laminate, stone, marble, vinyl, cork, rubber, linoleum and tile. When it comes to bare flooring choices – the options are many. What you choose to put in your home – and where – will depend on many factors, from the design of your room to the amount of traffic it receives and from cost to maintenance and care. And let’s face it: while most homeowners today own a variety of tools designed to care for their floors – from … [Read more...]
If you ever watched your mother or grandmother oiling their old mechanical sewing machine, you might be under the impression that there’s a lot to do to maintain a machine. Not so! Many of today’s sewing machines are computerized and should not be oiled. Oiling a computerized machine could very well ruin the machine! Most sewing machines come with their own manuals and any special care instructions will be detailed there. Don’t worry … [Read more...]
Whether you’re just learning to sew or have years of experience, a serger (also known as an overlock machine) can be a great addition to your sewing room. Sergers help create high quality garments with professional finishes. Used to make everything from clothing to home decorating projects, they neaten the edges and seams of your project by trimming fabric seams and enclosing seam allowances inside a thread casing. With a serger, you can … [Read more...]
There’s no doubt that fewer people sew today than in our grandparents’ time. While sewing was once a necessity in order to affordably outfit large families with all their clothing needs, double income families and a wide array of easily accessible and cost-effective clothing choices today mean that most people who sew, do so for pleasure not for necessity. Quilting has enjoyed a remarkable comeback in recent years and sewing for the home … [Read more...]