Zen and the Art of Sewing - Because it is.

Zen and sewing. They truly go together. You can read a little something in which I try to explain what it's all about. If you are interested in Zen every day, then I'd suggest reading Zen 24/7, a wonderful little book relating everyday activities to the concept of Zen.

WELCOME to the rebirth of ZenSewing.com. There is much to do, but the time has come. As noted above, sewing and Zen seem to go hand in hand; for me, it's a thing I do because it is right and possible.

My sewing dictionary - Increase your sewing words, your sewing vocabulary, or learn what this notion or that item is for. Submissions, corrections, and suggestions welcome.

Some of the projects presented on site were created when I worked with/on/for other sewing sites. I was the content manager for Sewing.com and the fabric no-sew table cover was created during that time. I established SewingWeb.com and you'll see projects from that time as well. That site has changed hands. For a time, my passion was tee shirt quilts and the site TeeShirtMemories.com was born. The quilts are shown here as a jumpoff point for you to give it a go. I prefer sewing with smaller pieces of fabrics, often remnants or scraps, and they lend themselves to doll clothes, small home items, Christmas stockings, and more. You'll see examples of those and instructions for many on ZenSewing too. I've done some costume work for the Williamsburg Players, our local community theater, and Palomino Productions. Lastly, I work for an online community/social networking group. And yes, I have a life too.

Careful - this is almost a commercial! My favorite cosmetics and skin products are created by Burt's Bees. Zen or not, they're the best. I buy them online at either The Vitamin Shoppe or House of Nutrition . I use the tinted moisturizer, blending both the light and medium for my skin. It's the only group of products I've found that don't interfere with allergies, don't make my eyes water, and in general, work well while using natural ingredients.

Coming soon - Scrap stitching projects, how to sewing projects, sewing in general, focusing on using what you have to make what you need.

Some sewing projects:.

A no sew patchwork tabletop, again, created for Sewing.com using very primitive decopage techniques (water and glue), and Covering a lampshade using fabric and decopage medium. Bringing some beauty to a maybe blah item.
A decopage ornament using fabric, glue, and a styrofoam ball. I used ties, but you can use whatever you like.
Christmas cards using fabric, Wonder Under, and a warm iron. You can do this with any fabric, any card, any occasion. Use what you have.
Simple mending of a pair of jeans and rescuing the prom dress that just didn't fit quite right. Fix what you have. Adapt what you can.
Simple applique using Wonder Under, fabric designs, inexpensive towels, and a bit of creative zig-zag stitching. Try this with a small project and then go applique nuts. Sweatshirts, tablecloths, jeans will never be the same.
Christmas stockings and how to make them. Who doesn't love a custom made item? Make your kids, family, and friends stockings using denim, ties, or any fabric you have on hand. Don't have batting? We use recycled receiving blankets. Don't have Christmas fabrics? It doesn't matter. It is what it is regardless of the fabric used.
Camper curtains using simple fabric, measuring, and creative thinking.
Making a pattern and/or clothing out of ready to wear, part 1, and part 2.
A Valentine sachet that can be adapted for any occasion.
How to use a rotary cutter. Simple!