I have been having a hard time organizing my jewelry. it is mostly costume jewelry. It doesn’t all fit in my jewelry box and then it ends up on my dresser and the kids get at it and it gets all tangled… Anyhow, I am looking for something that isn’t too big and isn’t too expensive. Can you think of anything?

~Trina from WI

I have a couple of ideas. The easiest is to get a bunch of cute wall hooks and hang your necklaces from that.You can also add hooks to the inside of a shadow box or cutlery box, like this one from DIY-ideas.  Not a ton of storage, though you could stack a few together.

Also I’ve seen people get a large picture frame and put a screen in it then, hook earrings and add hooks to it for necklaces. My favorite is this one from Lost Button Studio.

Also think of a way to add it to the inside of a cabinet in the bathroom or somewhere if you’re really short on space – you can get small square corkboard pieces and attach them directly to the inside of the door.  Or use a cork board in a frame like this one from Saucy Dwellings (a lot of photos of other ideas here, too)

Overlay it with lace and you have an instant way to hang earrings as well (via the Examiner )

And as always Martha has some ideas, like this drawer full of cups.

If you have a great jewelry organizing tip, leave it in the comments below!

How did you get started in your sewing? Always had the knack? Or trial and error?

~Andrea from Yepoon, Australia

This is a question I get asked a lot!  You could take some classes – which are a great way to start or you could jump right in. I find a lot of people are intimidated when they start something new – me, I’m a jump in feet first-er. While this does occasionally mean I land on rocks, but most of the time this philosophy serves me well. And while I do make mistakes, I learn from every one of them. I’m not saying you should start off sewing up a suit; start small and learn as you go.

What Do I Need?

The bare minimum of tools needed to get started.

1. First off you’re going to need a few things to get started. Your biggest purchase would be a sewing machine. You can sew by hand, but I don’t have the patience for that. Some places will rent machines which would be a great way to start out. Also there are places like our local Crafty Planet that have classes complete with machines to use. This is a great way to learn what your needs for a machine are.

If you’re going to buy a machine think about what you mainly want to sew. There are a lot of machines with varying features and attachments available. Make sure you’re getting a machine that will meet your needs (quilting accessories for quilting – apparel accessories for clothing). See my guide to buying a sewing machine.

2. The next must have tool on my list is a good pair of scissors. I’ve used enough crappy dull scissors to know you’ll have a lot of trouble without them. It’s nearly impossible to cut a straight line which makes sewing in a straight line more difficult. Mine are a pair of Ginghers that I LOVE! There are many different kinds of scissors for many applications, but I’ve found a pair of knife-edge dressmaker shears to work well as a multipurpose tool. I particularly like that the handle is bent up a little making it easier to cut at a table. If you’ve gotten a nice pair of scissors handed down to you, be sure to take them in to be sharpened. Most fabric stores offer this service – believe me it will make all of the difference!

3. The next tool is one I find a bit bittersweet – the seam ripper. On one hand it represents removing a lot of the hard work you put into your project but on the other hand it represents hope that you can fix your mistakes. When you’re just beginning, the most used tool is probably the seam ripper. I’ve often seen these at thrift stores and garage sales, so think about picking up a used one.

4. Lastly, pins. I have a love hate relationship with pins. They drive me crazy because they can take so long to put in, but they’re invaluable for making sure you sew what you want to, where you want to.

Now of course there are tons of additional accessories that you can get to make life easier, but these are what I use on a daily basis in all types of projects.

Choosing a Project

Okay, now you have everything you need to get started. Now what? Now you need to pick something to make. For your first project you want to pick something simple. If your ultimate goal is to sew clothing – I’d start with a simple purse pattern. Many patterns use the same techniques as clothing but are more instant gratification. If your ultimate goal is quilting – think about starting with a home decor item like a pillow or runner. Here are a few guidelines to follow when choosing your first project.

1. Stick to relatively straight lines. Pillows are great for this, bags and totes can be too. Simple skirts also work well, just stick to ones that are A-line with little embellishment.
2. Choose a pattern that doesn’t use interfacing. Interfacing doesn’t have to be difficult to use, but it can be and it will add some complexity and time to your project.
3. For garments, choose one that doesn’t have a zipper or buttonholes, stick with snaps, eye hooks and loops for closures.

There are so many patterns and tutorials available to you – you can buy a pattern from the fabric store or follow a tutorial online. See my gift guide tutorial roundup for ideas of online tutorials – Style Tutorials, Home Gift Tutorialsand Kids Gift Tutorials editions – (choose one rated Easy-Peasy). You’ll have a lot of questions at first but luckily you have a great reference at your fingertips. There are tons of websites dedicated to sewing and each is loaded with great tips, tricks and help with questions. If you can’t find answers email me or leave me a comment and I’d be happy to help!

Fabric Choices

When you’re first starting out, choosing a fabric that is simple to work with is crucial. Some fabrics require some special tools to work with and not having the correct tools will lead to frustration and possible abandonment; I’d hate for you to give up before you started!

I think the easiest fabric to start with is a woven cotton, such as a quilting cotton. These are not very likely to fray, are easy to cut, and sew up easily. With so many fantastic prints to choose from (I love the ones by Amy Butler, Heather Bailey and Anna Marie Horner) they’re really fun to work with. Also, designer quilting cottons make design easy as they usually have a line of matching prints to choose from. You can choose the main fabric in a larger print and accent with a smaller corresponding print.

Another great way to start is to use fabrics from a thrift store – vintage bed sheets are a great to use and are very inexpensive which means if you make a mistake it won’t cost you much, plus since there’s a lot of fabric, you have more in case you cut wrong or something.

One more note about materials. Make sure you use good thread. I cannot emphasize this enough! For me the number one frustration in sewing with a machine is when the thread bunches all up underneath into a giant bird’s nest and jams up the machine. Not only can this damage your fabric it can be really tough or even break your machine. Not to mention how terrible it is to be almost done with a project only to render a hole the size of Rhode Island on your final seam! Can you tell that this problem makes me want to curse a tornado? Bob Sagat! That’s so frustrating! So, don’t let this happen to you. Even though those spools from great gran look so lovely on their wooden spools – just lay them down and walk away. Walk away, I tell you!

So go forth and make! Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and start over, you’ll learn something valuable in the process. I’m happy to answer any questions, and as always, I’d love to see what you make!