What are your favorite hand sewing resources?
What are your favorite hand sewing resources? Do you have a book that you couldn’t live without? A favorite tutorial on a blog? A commercial site with a killer reference guide? A well-made video on YouTube? Tell us about it in the comments. We’ll compile them at the end of the month, and also present you with a perfectly printable stitch guide. Until then, check your bookmarks and your bookshelves for places to turn when you need to do any of the following by hand:
- Embroidery
- Cross Stitch
- Darning
- Smocking
- Crewel
- Chicken Scratch
- Hemming
- Binding
- Needlepoint
- Applique
- Hand Piecing/Paper Piecing
- Quilting
- Yo yos
Plus
- Threading a needle
- Tying knots
- Changing colors
- Tying off
- (Anything else we forgot?)
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115 Responses to “What are your favorite hand sewing resources?”
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I learned how to darn a sock using this: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer08/FEATsum08TT.html
I love Futuregirl’s tutorials: http://www.futuregirl.com/craft_blog/labels/tutorials.aspx
Several are on crochet techniques, but a quick scroll down the page will get you to some hand sewing tutorials, including the best blanket stitch tutorial I’ve found.
I am a very new sewer. Our public library has a bunch of excellent resources, especially helpful have been Martha Pullen & Kitty Benton’s books, with details on heirloom sewing.
I love to slow my day down with Lori Holts applique. She has great instructions in her kits, and I live close enough to go to a few of her classes. She has a great technique.
This, for embroidery: http://inaminuteago.com/stitchindex.html
I love making Lori Holt’s quilts, they are applique and embroidery and she has the best method. She has begun sharing tutorials on her blog of her applique method. http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com
I love this how to tie a knot tutorial from Heather Bailey. It’s so simple but so perfect too.
http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/photos/my_favorite_knot/index.html
I just adore the book Doodle Stitching. There’s also a related Flickr group to check out for great inspiration!
I have two favorite tutorials:
One for binding (enter her gallery to get instructions:
http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/photos/continuous_quiltbinding/index.html
Another for CIRCLES:
http://annamariahorner.blogspot.com/2007/02/super-circles.html
~Nana
heather bailey’s knot tying tutorial has saved me a lot of time. so simple, but it was new to me.
I like Heather Bailey’s instructures for “My Favorite Knot”: http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/photos/my_favorite_knot/index.html And for embroidery stitches, I refer to the book, “The Complete Illustrated Stitch Encyclopedia”.
Heather Bailey’s perfect knot tutorial has changed my life! Check it out at her blog. Then there’s the flickr vintage embroidery group for awesome ideas.
I’ve decided that I’m ready to try applique. I did some searching for tutorials and found this blog. Her tutorials are easy to follow. I just need to choose an easy first project to try out her techniques.
http://appliquetoday.blogspot.com/
My hand stitching usually revolves around embroidery, so my go-to sites when looking for stitches are: Sharon B’s Stitch dictionary (http://inaminuteago.com/stitchindex.html) and the Embroiderer’s guild (http://www.embroiderersguild.com/). Of course, one needs fantastic threads to embroider with. My mom sends me great stuff from Mindy’s in Eugene, OR, and when I con I buy Valdani and Tentakulum (European yarns and threads with gorgeous colors and textures).
Here’s a few smocking links:
http://www.creativekeepsake.com/pdfs/guide.pdf
http://www.savvyseams.com/techniques/canadian.php
And I love historical costuming and all the handsewing it entails. I’ve particularly found Katherine’s Dress Site to be helpful with 18th dresses and Jane Austen period dresses:
http://www.koshka-the-cat.com/index.html
A knot from Heather Bailey
http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/photos/my_favorite_knot/index.html
Fabric Yo-yo’s also from Heather Bailey
http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/photos/how_to_make_a_yoyo/hbyoyotutorial1.html
I read blogs and I have a couple of books to read. I like when I can see clear instructions with pictures.
Needlecrafter.com has embroidery stitch diagrams and many free patterns. It hasn’t been updated in a while, but the pages that are currently there are nice.
This would be awesome for someone so new like me! I look forward for the info gathered!
I LOVE sitting with a little hand piecing in the evening. Perfect way to wind down.
Flickr is fantastic. You can find so many things…and they are all in pictures! I love this simple paper piecing tutorial: http://www.flickr.com/photos/frenchtoastcake/3422368884/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/frenchtoastcake/3421563735
Oh, and can I count my mom as a resource? Let’s call this, “an experienced sewer”. There’s nothing better than knowing someone you can ask all your stupid questions!
Hands down, it’s Jinny Beyer’s “Quiltmaking by Hand.” I have yet to make one of her quilts, but I learned more about why threading a needle a certain why is helpful, how fabrics are printed and why dyes bleed, how to mix and match any color with any other color in pleasing ways, that anything is possible, that some techniques are preferable and why, the possibilities are endless, and that the joys innumerable when working with fabric, good sewing tools, and each individual’s unique creativity. It’s one book I’d recommend to anyone – not only for wise counsel but indescribable eye candy.
I have The Idiot’s Guide to Quilting. It’s amazing, with detailed pictures of how to do everything. It’s my go-to manual.
My hands down favourite for embroidery is Japanese embroidery books. I picked up a few while in Japan but have acquired more through Etsy and Kinokuniya.
For cross stitch patterns, I love the Antique Pattern Library (www.antiquepatternlibrary.org)! They have a wealth of vintage patterns, and borders that go great with subversive cross stitching. For almost everything else, I subscribe to craft blogs on my Google Reader.
Reader’s digest book of emboidery is a good start for any hand embroidery .
For now is surely Mary Corbet’s blog : http://www.needlenthread.com/default.html
I find “Crazy Quilting the complete guide” by J Marsha Michler to be a book I refer back to time and time again and not just for crazy quilting but for many of my hand sewing projects
I also really like “The Embroiderer’s Handbook” by Margie Bauer really clear instructions on many types of embroidery and its full of _really_ useful tips and tricks.
Japanese handicraft magazines are good for ideas, even if you can’t read them.
I have had the Vogue Sewing book for about 25 years.
NeedlenThread’s video tutorials for embroidery stitches are awesome. I wouldn’t know where to begin without her! http://www.needlenthread.com
There are quite a few ladies (coworkers) that have taught me how to sew (and use my sewing machine properly), knit and crochet. I don’t know what I would have done without their guidance and experience. I also like http://www.threadbanger.com. They have some cool DIY projects.
Honestly, the best sources I have are friends who are more advanced than I am and developing a good relationship with your local needlework and quilting store!
Wool & Hoop: http://www.woolandhoop.com/
Although I learned to embroider at a young age, it wasn’t until I was in college that I ordered one of their crewel kits and fell in love! I also have their book “The New Crewel,” and it is a great inspiration and resource for all types of hand sewing.
I love Sew Mama Sew for your tutorials, inspiration and pattern reviews. Thx.
There’s a wonderful section on handstitching at the beginning of the book “Zakka Sewing” by Therese Laskey and Chika Mori.
I like YLI thread for hand quilting and when my local quilt shops stopped carrying it I began purchasing it from Red Rock Threads – http://www.redrockthreads.com/
“That Perfect Stitch” by Roxanne McElroy and “Quilting by Hand” by Jinny Beyer are my two favorite books concerning hand piecing and quilting.
My favorite hand quilting supplies are YLI thread, Richard Hemming & Son needles, and the clover quilt dome,
Oops, sorry! That was “Quiltmaking by Hand” by Jinny Beyer. I should never go just by my memory!
Favorite book would be Doodle Stitching, by Aimee Ray. Great reference, projects, and inspiration. Thanks for the compilation that will be coming!
I used to use a Better Home & Gardens Stitch Encyclopedia all of the time as my go to source for various stitches. It didn’t make it with me on the move from WA to CA and I miss it.
The “Complete Encyclopedia of Stitchery” has been indispensable to me. It’s not pretty, only b&w drawings, but very clear in its instructions from knitting, macrame, embroidery, sewing, tatting, etc. I also love the Readers Digest encyclopedia of Embroidery Stitches. It’s quite complete and has great photos of all the stitches.
I don’t have any sites for stuff like hand stitching. I will be watching for your list I need to do some hand stitching on a plushie I made for my littlest.
I like all of Jinny Beyers books, but her Quiltmaking by Hand is an excellent book for learning how to hand piece and hand quilt.
I love Amy Karol’s first book for lots of tips, I love Sublime Stitching for embroidery (esp her technique for french knots) and last but certainly not least, everything Hillary Lang does with hand sewing–she really rocks!
I love Hilary Lang of Wee Wonderful’s hand sewing projects and embroidery patterns!
There is a really great Flickr roup called Hoop Love that has lots of vintage embroidery patterns.
This blog, http://primrosedesign.blogspot.com/ , has some really clear embroidery stitch tutorials.
More recent books like “Doodle Stitching” and “The New Crewel” have a fresh and modern approach to embroidery that I love.
I’ve loved hand sewing since I was a little girl sitting at my Grandmother’s side. She taught me embroidery sitches, hand quilting and piecing quilts. I also dol cross stitch. I pretty much taught myselt on most of my stitches.
I learned to make ribbon flowers from Ellie Sienkiewicz http://www.ellysienkiewicz.com/index.html (wish I could say it was at the applique academy!!) and I like her applique books.
For inspiration I look at flickr groups like Vintage Embroidery Pool http://www.flickr.com/groups/341081@N20/pool/ , Free Patterns Pool http://www.flickr.com/groups/freepatternlinks/pool/ .
For hexies I like Hexagon Quilt Along Too http://hexagonquilt-along2.blogspot.com/ and The Great Hexagon Quilt Along http://hexagonquilt-along.blogspot.com/
Judith Monano has great crazy quilting books- http://www.judithbakermontano.com/
And lastly my biggest applique inspirations come from books about antique/vintage quilts or books with reprints of vintage patterns.
My favorite source of embroidery patterns (both hand and machine sewn) is http://www.urbanthreads.com
I am using this website for some red work embroidery advice: http://www.rocksea.org/hand-embroidery/redwork/redwork-lessons. Very easy to understand.
My favorite resource is our public library, I live in a small town and we have an amazing selection of stichery books there. I also use to get alot of tips and advise from my grandmother, the things she taught me are invaluable and I am teaching her techniques to my youngest daughter who also loves to sew.
My favorite for all things embroidery:
http://www.needlenthread.com/
The video library of stitches is fantastic!
My favorite book and authority on hand piecing quilts is Jinny Beyer and her book “Quiltmaking by Hand”.
I have a lot of patterns from Sublime Stitching http://www.sublimestitching.com and I love the book Doodle Stitching by Aimee Ray. I also look at the flickr embroidery group and craftzine.com. Of course I check this site out all the time! You had some cool embroidery on just the other day ….
The embroidery video tutorials on Mary Corbet’s Needle’nThread are fantastic. She’s a great teacher.
It looks like I’m not the only one who used Heather Bailey! Her site is great for all sorts of stuff.
This site I found several months ago has been very hepful in sewing felt there are several wonderful tutorials for sewing felt and crocheting. . http://www.futuregirl.com/craft_blog/2007/9/tutorial-hand-sew-felt.aspx
http://www.futuregirl.com/craft_blog/labels/tutorials.aspx
For great vintage embroidery patterns: http://www.flickr.com/groups/hooplove/ and for great contemporary embroidery patterns, I visit Andrea Zuill’s Bad Bird for her monthly free pattern: http://zuill.us/andreablog
http://www.needlenthread.com/2006/10/video-library-of-hand-embroidery.html
No list would be complete without Needle’nthread’s video library of stitches. Great quality, great teaching. Her site generally is superb and has lovely, thorough embroidery book reviews. Love her!
The first kind of sewing I ever did was embroidery and
it has a special place in my heart !
I still love my old Simplicity Sewing book I got back in
the 70′s!!!
Also I have an old Butterick Sewing Book from 1911!
Yes, it’s 98 years old and in perfect shape!
It’s called, “The Dressmaker”, and it was recommended by
a very accomplished seamstress for teaching you how to
make your own patterns and do all the sewing and hand
sewing .
I found it on line at Albris.com .
I LOVE the old resources.
They preserve our history, and the new ones like this site
are also so very valuable!!!
Thanks for all the great resources !
Happy sewing y’all!
I usually just google it. I’m really looking forward to looking through all the comments to see what other readers have found out there.
My favorite needle arts book is the Better Homes and Gardens Complete Guide to Quilting. It covers every technique from hand piecing and quilting to machine quilting and crazy quilting It is a HUGE book full of awesome tips and explains everything you could need to know about quilting and how to do it. I got it from my mother in law for a mother’s day present and I am in love with it.
I also love the Country Keepsakes plastic canvas book, it is packed full of adorable projects for kids and grownups, and it got me into doing plastic canvas in the first place, there are over 50 patterns in there, including a whole section of farm animals!
I just recently rediscovered http://weefolkart.com/ Love it!! They have the cutest patterns, and the talent….just beautiful!
i will second futuregirl’s blanketstitch tutorial…..easy to understand
Ha! I’ve only just blogged about my favourite book the other day – the Readers Digest Complete Guide to Needlework. I can’t live without it.
I often refer to a book that I was given in childhood – ‘Mary Thomas’s Dictionary of embroidery stitches’ – old but very thorough (the book, rather than me!)
http://www.needlenthread.com/
Here is a great resource. There are videos to watch and help you learn new stitches. This has helped me sew much!
Sublime stitching http://www.sublimestitching.com/ was what got me started on embriordry. Her iron on patterns are easy to use and her instructions are clear and concise and entertaining. Her how to page is great. http://www.sublimestitching.com/howto.html
Two books that may be out-of-print by now are extremely well read resources 1.) Elsa Williams Heritage Embroidery covers every aspect of crewel embroidery and never fails me 2.) Claire Shaeffer’s Fabric Sewing Guide focuses primarily on types of fabrics, their structure and goes on to explain how best to sew them. Have found this invaluable for both hand and machine stitching.
Yay! I’ve been in search of a good resource. You’re it!
I’ve been learning to hand quilt/hand piece from Jinny Beyer’s “Quiltmaking by Hand”, and it’s been an excellent, well-written, very nicely illustrated resource. I also have her “Color Confidence for Quilters”, which has been a great reference for experimenting with colors for any project, although I believe it is now out of print (I found a used copy through Amazon). I learned to tie a tailor’s knot from Heather Bailey’s “my favorite knot” tutorial: http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/photos/my_favorite_knot/index.html (I now use this knot constantly!)
I have a list of online embroidery resources @ http://www.siblingcraftery.com/2009/04/online-embroidery-resources/ that you could get more links from.
Anyway that you could compile a list for all the free pattern sites out there for hand sewing? That would be awesome!
Vintage Transfer Finds http://mytransfers.blogspot.com/
is a wonderful site that lists a lot of unusual and rarer vintage embroidery patterns. There are some excellent free patterns and lots of embroidery inspiration.
I haven’t seen anybody mention the magazine “Inspirations” yet, it is chock full of a variety of gorgeous hand stitching. Something for everyone!
I’ve gotten a lot of use out of Betty Barnden’s Embroidery Stitch Bible, especially while working on my first crazy quilt. The photos make the stitches very easy to understand and complete.
I learned all my embroidery stitching from Jenny Hart’s embroidery kit. I am a hands on kind of person so I still cannot master a french knot! Some things I need an actual person to show me!
I love Sublime Stitching! http://www.sublimestitching.com I was amazed at how quickly I learned to stitch. The patterns are hip, fun and simple. My step daughter also loves it and has been stitching for 3 years now, since she was 7. I’m also still a big fan of Aunt Martha’s transfers. They’re a bit more time consuming but still have a lot of great retro and new transfers to choose from.
I have never really sewn by hand but am looking forward to learning!
I loved Aimee Ray’s Doodle Stitching . . . The instructions are really easy!
My favorite resource for embroidering and smocking is sold by http://www.countrybumpkin.com.au/ called Australian Smocking & Embroidery. There is so much information in each issue and they are sent to me by a distributor in this country. I also treasure their other books called: A-Z of Embroidery and A-Z of Smocking, but they have so many A-Z books, even one for quilters.
I am so anxious to teach one of my daughters or granddaughters the art of hand stitching so my love of it can be passed on.
I learned to knit from http://www.knittinghelp.com. The one site I probably couldnt live with out would be http://www.oneprettything.com. She helps me change up my crafts so Im never stuck with 10 unfinished knitting projects or 5 unfinished quilts. Now I have 2 kids crafts, 2 wedding crafts, 2 dads day crafts, 2 embroidery crafts and so on…all unfinished!!!!!
I love Heather Bailey’s favorite knot tutorial. It makes my stitching so much easier. I also enjoy browsing the Hoop Love flickr group.
http://www.thatperfectstitch.com/
Website and great book on hand quiltling. The Roxanne Thimble (on the above website) is the best.
I am so happy to see you doing a month on hand sewing!
Kari Mecca’s “Sewing with Whimsey” is A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!
I like Martha Pullen’s TV program on PBS, especially when she has Wendy Schoen and Beverly Sheldrick on to demonstrate handwork.
Any of the japanese stitch books. Most of the ideas are very simple, but so cute. I also love love love Sublime Stitching. She has great patterens that are all iron on. Love that. She also has tutorials, a blog and lots of other inspiration. http://www.sublimestitching.com
Wow this guide will definitely come in handy… I just started getting into the world of hand sewing and this will be my new favorite list of goodies I’m sure of it!
Thanks so much for the upcoming list, I can’t wait to check it out!
For embroidery I love http://www.sublimestitching.com/ and the videos on http://www.needlenthread.com/2006/10/video-library-of-hand-embroidery.html. For quilt binding, I recently found Crazy Mom Quilts (http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2008/10/binding-tutorial.html). All of the photos make so much sense to this visual learner.
I wish I knew how to hand-sew other than hemming and mending! I’d LOVE to take a class or read a book! What a great month!
I will add another shout out for heather bailey’s knot tying technique. I so look forward to knot-tying now! I also checked out Doodle Stitching from the library and found it to have really good photos showing basic embroidery stitches. For quilting techniques, I love Harriet Hargrave’s book, the art of quiltmaking. It is packed with information!
Gosh, its a rainy summer day here in Portland and I plan on getting cozy with some embroidery. Thanks for the inspiration.
My mom once embroidered an Irish Dancing dress for me – it took weeks and weeks. I have never embroidered anything significant – a stitch guide will be just the thing to get me started on something my mom would love! Thanks Thanks Thanks
I am a collector of old stitching books, the good house keeping encyclopedia of needlework are my favorite. I like the breath of the book and the amount of instruction on each topic. Depending on the age of the book it is either nicely illustrated or with photographs in sufficient quantity for the beginner. happy stitching!
Sublime Stitching has THE best iron-on transfer patterns
http://www.sublimestitching.com/transferpreview.html
Here’s another gal whose [Grand]Mama and Gramdma P taught her to embroider and sew by hand. I had to get good before i was allowed near the machine to sew!
I like to refer to my small collection of vintage sewing books for help – Butterick’s “The Art of Dressmaking” (1927), McCall’s “New Complete Book of Sewing and Dressmaking” (1957) and a reprint of Mary Brooks Picken’s 1957 “A Dictionary of costume and Fashion” are a few of my favs.
But nothing beats the human touch when learning a new skill.
I have not ventured into the world of embroidery yet…. A stitch guide would really help out!
Sounds like the list you’re compiling will be a great resource!
My best sewing teacher is my mother, she has been sewing ever since I can remember. Now that I live far away from her, there are times when I refer to tutorials on Sewing blogs, the internet is a great source, and I have found one of the best blogs, it has great tutorials and step by step pictures. The blog is http://www.ayumills.blogspot.com/
I am loving the book Doodle Stitching by Aimee Ray. I am new to embroidery and it is very easy to follow, plus the projects are adorable!
I do alot of cross-stitch and embroidery, but anything I’ve ever sewn has always been done by hand – never had a sewing machine. I prefer it that way. I’ll go check out the rest of your site now ……
I love visiting http://www.patternbee.com for vintage embroidery transfers.
I always stitch by hand, i am not comfortable using hoops/frames for stitching (I cross stitch). I will be doing my first applique soon – and hope i will do at least one quilt in my lifetime, LOL
To the tips you can also add, how to start a stitch. I use the loop method. Also having guidelines for a neat back:) I go to a lot of internet sites for tutorials, on need-basis. I have always been able to get what i need, thanks to the internet. Sometimes it is slow, sometimes it is fast. The stitch guide will surely be helpful, thanks!
This is just great !! For someone who has never done anything by machine before, I can’t wait for the printable stitch guide ! Thanks !
Thanks to “Stitch n’ Bitch” I learnt the coolest way to cast a slipnot
Otherwise, I am mostly self taught … That might explain the un-perfection of my creations
x x x
___mathyld___
I have a vintage magazine that is so helpful. It’s beat, but full of basics.
My favorite resource for embroidery is the Sublime Stitching patterns and Aimee Ray’s Doodle-Stitching book. Elsie @ http://www.redvelverart.com has some cute embroidery patterns also. I love hand stitching on my scrapbook pages also.
A great resource for Hardanger embroidery is http://www.nordicneedle.com. The site contains tutorials and is also a great place to buy fabric and thread for all types of embroidery.
I use a couple of different books. Basic Embroidery copyright 1986 published by Hihon Vogue. This book is illustrated with colorful pictures and numbered instructions, which makes it a great beginner book.
I also use a little book that I found in my grandmothers stash of stuff that was published by Coats & Clark in 1965 called 100 Embroidery Stitches. She bought it for 35 cents!
I am really quite new to embriodery…but I second? third? eighth? what people have said about the Video Library of Stitches at http://www.needlenthread.com/. I’m a visual learner, so it really helps me to see the stitch in action! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched one of those videos and had that “Aha, so that’s how you do it” light bulb moment. Past that, my infinitely patient and craftier-than-I friends are my most valuable resource.
Great links – so excited to peruse them all!
I found what looks to be a very comprehensive stitchery guide that has everything from basic embroidery stitches to how to make an animal nose and the turkey stitch-which I find perfect for the felt Llama I made. The FREE Stitching Guide is from Windflower Embroidery and comes in a 25 page pdf format with clear instructions and diagrams. The link:http://www.windflowerembroidery.com/catalog/articles.php?tPath=10
I took a sewing class from a community college a few years ago. They started with hand sewing. We had to create a binder of all the techniques we learned. That binder is so precious!
My mom taught me the basic, but I love: http://www.stitchstitch.info/, also; http://appareldesigns.blogspot.com/ and http://www.knitting-and.com/embroidery/index.html, I can’t live without it: http://www.needlenthread.com/ and http://deepashome.blogspot.com/, check them out, beautiful!!!!!, love everybody.
I like Lucinda Ganderton’s Stitch Sampler for embroidery and cross-stich (ISBN 0789446286) and the Reader’s Digest sewing book as a good all around resource. Some illustrations in Japanese craft books assume you’ll be sewing by hand and have very brief summaries of stitches. Books like Kumiko Sudo’s Omiyage (ISBN 0809229099), which is in English, provide inspiration — especially when you realize that sewing by hand is often quicker, neater, and infinitely more portable — and thus more likely to get done — than that involving a machine.
I’ve recently come across some fantastic instructional books on Google Books, aimed at teachers of needlecraft. Examples are “Elementary Needlework: A Suggestive Manual for Sewing in Kindergarten and Primary Schools” (http://books.google.com/books?id=iIAWAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover) by Kate Foster, which has some amazing ideas about illustrating geometric patterns from numerous world cultures, and “When Mother Lets Us Sew” by Virginia Ralston (http://books.google.com/books?id=mJ8EAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover), whose name and book dedication truly are incomparable, but also neatly presents nine common hand stitches and a host of little projects to make with them. Poking around for others on Google Books was quite fun, and I do recommend it.
But really the most inspiring resource has been my own grandmother and now deceased great-aunt (sisters) who had their own very different styles of sewing and crafting. I wish I had the patience to work as hard as have they.
This is a fairly specific one, but there’s a great tutorial for cathedral window quilts here that I just found yesterday:
http://hyena-in-petticoats.blogspot.com/2007/08/cathedral-window-quilt-tutorial.html
I have really appreciated the hand sewing month posts. It is inspiring me to pick up the cross-stitch stocking I started for my daughter last fall… hopefully I can finish it by Christmas this year!
My greatest resources are my Mom and Grandma. When ever I get stuck I just give one of them a call and if they don’t know they call the other one to find out.
Well I grew up with sewing (my mother was a seamstress and we had a little sweatshop in our basement) but I never learned a lick. My parents were adamant that I never learn daily living skills and had me studying textbooks all the time. I think their plans were to have me be some kind of doctor, business person and never do any kind of housework and/ or marry a rich man and be able to afford to have hired help. Ok everything backfired. I am a chosen stay at home mom with 7 kids whose husband is a carpenter. I rent a house on a horse ranch and both of my parents are keeling over wondering what went wrong. Ok so I am having to learn everything by scratch. So far the resources I have used to learn things about crafts or home ec. is Training Our Daughters to be Keepers At Home by Mrs. Craig (Ann) Ward and Lessons in Responsiblity for Girls from Pearables. I have learned to cross-stitch, hand embroider, latchhook and knit so far. I hand sew mostly. I do have a sewing machine but don;t know how to thread it. I will eventually. Just been busy raising kids for awhile now.