Category Archives: sewing

Just imagine! You can print on fabric just about anything you want — family photos, vacation pictures, specific patterns, colors or textures for a quilt. Totally personalize your project with borders just the color you need, photos of a loved one for a memorial quilt, backgrounds or...

In the world of sewing, the right machine can make all the difference. That’s exactly what I discovered when my trusty old sewing machine decided to take an untimely vacation. Thanks to Rob Richards, the owner of Rocky Mountain Sewing and Vacuum, I had the opportunity to borrow one of...

We were so excited to see you in the stores this month! For the month of February, we were so happy to see everyone’s smiling faces in the store for Sew Fun! Tracy had lots of fun projects to show us and it was great to see what projects you were working on! If you […]

The right thread choice is so important to the quality and enjoyment of your sewing, quilting, and embroidery! Yet, with so many types out there, which one is best for your current project? I have used 40wt thread, usually polyester for much of my sewing needs. However, with my latest project, a...

“ette” is often used to form nouns meaning a smaller form of something. For this blog, the something is Bernina Sewing Machines, and the “ette” is the line of bernette machines that we are proud to carry at Rocky Mountain Sewing and Vacuum. These small, but...

Jon Caulkin is one of our customers at Arvada, and he stitches out the most amazing embroidery designs on balsa wood. If you haven’t seen his work, click here to be amazed. I am so impressed with his work, and I want to embroider on balsa wood, too! So I thought that the Zen Bookmarks...

Sometimes it’s hard to imagine how something that seems perfect can be improved! Well, the engineers at Brother have succeeded making perfect better with the new Brother Luminaire XP2. Sewing technology has just gone from light years ahead to light years beyond. Brilliant new quilting...

Imagine a sewing machine compact enough to whisk away to a sewing class, or fit in your bookshelf. Now, imagine this same machine is chock-full of features designed to meet the high demands of the PFAFF® sewer. The PFAFF® passport™ 3.0 is specially designed for small spaces, as well as going...

Are you busy cleaning out drawers, organizing your house, doing your Spring cleaning in April in the midst of all this madness? Are you organizing your sewing spaces? Ready for April’s challenge, Stabilizer Organization? My gracious, there are so many kinds of stabilizers, one for every...

Although cotton face masks do not stop the SARS-COVID-19 virus as the N95 masks do, they do offer some protection, particularly in helping people not touch their face, a major source of transmission. In addition, with the current shortage of face masks, they can be used in other areas of the...

We are kicking off the new year with something we have never done before. For our January Sew Fun sessions, join us for a special spotlight on four different designers. Not only will we have many samples from the designers, we’ll also have some samples stitched out by our presenter as...

Happy New Year! How about learning a new skill for the New Year? one of our January events can help you with that! Let’s Get Organized! January will kick off our monthly “Let’s Get Organized” challenge. Stay tuned for the details in a blog I’ll post on January 7....

How about a cute embroidered Holiday Wreath for your Christmas decor? One of the designs released by OESD in November was Free Standing Holiday Wreaths. (Check out a special offer on OESD designs at the end of this blog.) This freestanding collection puts a fun twist on a holiday decorating...

The holiday season is upon us, but it’s not too late to work on projects that make our homes a place of welcome for family and friends. So, our presenter is putting the final touches on her November Sew Fun projects for our Sew Fun sessions next week that will help you do that with...

Brrr! I don’t think I’m ready for winter, but I guess winter has its own ideas. Well, at least with this cold weather, I’m ready to stay home and do some sewing. Even more fun than that, though, will be to drop down into town, and help out with the Embellish Makers lecture/demo...

Holy Cow, it’s September Sew Fun already! I really wish time would slow down a little! I am sewing like crazy to get ready for October Sew Fun. In the meantime, our September Sew Fun presenter has completed her projects and has a lot to show you! Half Yard Bags and Purses This fantastic...

I am working on my Sew Fun projects for October including one from Annie’s Quilting called Oh Christmas Tree. This beautiful pattern calls for turned edge appliqué to make the tree. Well, I’ve never done appliqué that way, so I thought I would share my experience with you. Of course,...

Make a tea towel apron with this quick and easy pattern and instructions from Missouri Star Quilt Company. With the adjustable neck strap this apron is ideal for people of all sizes. Read on to see how cute you can make this simple apron by adding embroidery and a contrasting pocket. Tea Towel...

“Summertime, and the living is easy”. Not sure if the “fish are jumping” but there’s lots “jumping” at Rocky Mountain Sewing and Vacuum August events. Anniversary Sale we’re kicking off August events with an Anniversary Sale! All of us at Rocky...

When we had the PFAFF event with Karen Charles back in May, she directed us in the making of three wonderful projects, one of which was a folded accessory holder. This holder is perfect for keeping your sewing area neat and tidy. It will help keep the important stuff at your finger tips while...

Unicorns do exist! Meet the BERNINA 770 QE & 570 QE Tula Pink special editions sewing/embroidery machines. These beauties are one-of-a-kind delights. They are customized with features like rainbow, oil slick finishes and the exclusive Tula Pink designed faceplate. Of course, they come with...

A couple of months ago at the Brother All Star event, we had the great pleasure of a class and trunk show by Angela Wolf. What a delight! In the class, we made a cute sewing tote, and Angela has graciously allowed me to share the directions for the tote on this blog. In the […]

I’m waiting on the May flowers that the April showers are supposed to bring. But first, it has to quit snowing! Despite the recent snows, a sure sign spring is in the air, is the beautiful spring colors our Sew Fun presenter has incorporated into some of her projects for May Sew Fun....

Golly, our event center was really hopping in April! Check out a couple short video montages from the All Stars with Angela Wolf and the OESD Spree Party. I just love the event center, and I think the folks who have attended one or more of our events there will agree. The layout and facilities...

Hola from Costa Rico! I have been on a “birding” tour in Costa Rico, and, believe it or not, did not bring my sewing machine. I did, though, bring my computer — there’s only so much “off the grid” I can take. So I thought I’d provide some links to a few...

April showers are supposed to bring May flowers. Not sure if that will happen, but April will bring some really wonderful April events coming your way at our new event center. In addition, as always, we’re offering some great in-store classes. Check them out below and see our full April...

 What better way to spend a chilly day in February than Sew Fun? Our Sew Fun Presenter has quite the collection of fun projects to show us at our February Sew Fun sessions. Here’s a sneak peek at just a couple. 50 Little Gifts Make the most of even your smallest stash of fabrics. In...

February is a great month for those who love to sew. It’s cold and snowy out, so what better way to spend the day at one or more of our February events at RMSV . Super Sale Kicks Off February Events Ok, I’m from Louisiana and a New Orleans Saints fan, so you can probably...

Ladies and Gentlemen, we’re once again challenging you! It’s time to start the 2019 UFO Challenge! We had so many requests to do the UFO challenge again, we are going to do it. We’ll try to make it a little simpler, but of course, you have to do the real work. How many will you...

I have messy grandkids! So when I dress my Christmas table with the good linens,  I like to have some “wipeable” placemats, that are easy to clean, for the kiddos. I ran across an idea to use oilcloth to make placemats and thought that was a fine idea to make sturdy, but wipeable,...

I am so inspired after being at the International Quilt Festival in Houston. However, I get even more inspired, and humbled, when I see all the wonderful projects our customers “show and tell” at our monthly Sew Fun sessions. Now, I can’t wait until next week to attend the...

Wow, you have to really admire and appreciate the good folks at the Aurora store. They are in the midst of the Anita Goodesign event this weekend, and will turn around and get ready for October Sew Fun on Tuesday! Hardly time to catch their breath in between. Come welcome our new presenter,...

In my previous blog, The mySewNet Blog on the PFAFF Icons, I showed some of the cool things available on the mySewNet Blog on the PFAFF Performance and Creative Icons. One of the projects that really caught my eye was the headband embellished with triple ribbon stitches. The braided look of the...

So, I have some blogging competition! Ha! I know I have a lot of blogging “competition”, but the one I want to talk about is the blog that is on the PFAFF Performance and Creative Icons. Of course, it’s not really competition at all. I love that right there, at my fingertips,...

Back at the July Sew Fun, Lisa demonstrated paper piecing using the “Add a Quarter” ruler. There is a block in the Alaska quilt I am making that suggests using paper piecing. So, I thought I’d try that technique, use the ruler, and write about it. The idea behind paper piecing...

In my previous blog, The Brother Luminaire. Part 1: Light Years Ahead, I showed you some of the new features of the Brother Luminaire XP1. These included the new StitchVision technology and Innoveye improvements. Now, I want to take you on a tour of the My Design Center and embroidery...

How many hours do you spend cutting fabric for quilts? How much time do you spend picking out and buying fabrics that go together? If the answer is “a lot”, then consider pre-cut fabric! So what are pre-cuts? If you are relatively new to the world of quilting, then you are in for a...

New for 2019 We don’t know it’s name or what it looks like. We’ll have to wait, but we know it’s going to be spectacular! On August 6, Brother will introduce it’s “New for 2019” lineup of embroidery and sewing machines. The “New for 2019”...

Summer seems to be finally here! How can we fit in all our UFO projects, classes and June special events when the hiking trails, lakes, and parks are calling? Well, I recommend we do a little of everything! Take a hike, then stop by the Colorado Springs Store and sew a jelly roll! Go boating...

It’s almost summer, and I love making totes for summer activities. A while back, I showed you how to make a large beach tote out of laminated cotton and nylon flag fabric. Since I use totes for many purposes, I make a bunch. I especially use them at the grocery store because I don’t like...

First it was the Creative Icon, and now PFAFF has introduced the Performance Icon for the sewing enthusiast. The PFAFF Performance Icon sewing machine represents everything you’ve come to value from PFAFF. This machine provides a comprehensive and innovative sewing experience that truly...

Two May special events are coming to our Rocky Mountain Sewing and Vacuum stores.   We continue to bring you the best in sewing and embroidery instructions with a visit from Melanie Coakley Starting Your Own Embroidery Business,  and another BERNINA event,  Fear No Fabric. Start Your Own...

If we’re lucky, April will bring some showers, but it most certainly will bring  fabulous Sew Fun sessions to your local Rocky Mountain Sewing and Vacuum store. We hope you can join us for April Sew Fun, and that you’re bringing an OFU (Object Finished Up) for Show and Tell. Here’s a...

I am making a set of draw curtains for my granddaughter’s bedroom. She picked out some sheer fabric and a taffeta lining. Since the outside fabric is sheer, and the lining ravels, I decided to join the panels together with French seams. These seams are perfect for lightweight and sheer...

My very first blog back last June was about the Cosplay Workshop at the Colorado Springs store. As an avid Halloween lover, I was intrigued by some of the techniques and materials used to make such fun costumes. Now I am really excited to tell you about some of the wonderful materials now...

With the Sewing and Quilting Expo March 22 to March 24, we’ve moved up our Sew Fun sessions to March 13 – 16. We hope you can join us for March Sew Fun, and that you’re bringing an OFU (Object Finished Up) for Show and Tell. Here’s a preview of a couple of projects our […]

A mitered corner is one in which the corners meet in a 45-degree angle. What does that mean? Take a look at a picture frame or window frame and you will see a mitered corner.  I like the look of a mitered quilt border around the edge of some of my quilts.  The miter is formed […]

I can’t wait to see how many people are meeting the UFO challenge, and are going to “show and tell” their OFUs (Object Finished Up) at February Sew Fun! Before we get to the Show and Tell part of the Sew Fun program, though, we get to see what our Sew Fun presenter has cooked...

We are proud to announce that we have added another brand of sewing and embroidery machines to our line-up. Introducing, Janome sewing machines! These machines are available at our Aurora and Colorado Springs stores. Janome’s origins started in the United States as “New Home”...

Laminated cotton is slippery stuff!  I love it, though, and have used it many times to make items that I need to be water and stain resistant.  I recently made a beach bag for a little girl, and I want to share with you some of the techniques I found useful in working with laminated...

It’s the New Year, and we are full of surprises! We hope you’ll come to the January Sew Fun sessions to see them. Here’s a couple of the great projects our Sew Fun presenter has in store for you. You’ll have to come to one of the sessions to see the rest. Tooth Fairy...

If you are like me, you probably have a stack of unfinished projects, “fondly” known as Unfinished Objects or UFOs.  Whether you ran out of time, didn’t have the right materials, or just got sick of the thing, unfinished projects pile up easily. They also take up a lot of...

I always try to make something for my grandchildren for Christmas. This year I decided to make tuffets for them. I saw the tuffets at the Sew Expo, and I really liked the square tuffet with a focal fabric in the center of each side. The pattern is from Quilters Cocoon based on a design...

Frame your quilt with a little extra pop of color with flange binding. Use two different fabrics for your binding, and create binding with a little peek of another fabric for your quilting project. This technique uses two fabric strips sewn together to make the binding strip. Look at some of the...

November Sew Fun is coming up this week. The third Wednesday is the 15th, so the sessions start on Tuesday, the 14th. Please join us for a look at some great projects that our Sew Fun presenter has in store for us.  Here’s a glimpse at a couple of the books that will be featured...

If you think you missed your chance at great financing for the Pfaff Creative Icon, think again! This is no trick, just a treat! Now until October 31, 2017, you can still get 72 month interest-free financing with your purchase of the Creative Icon.™  Use your Sewing and More credit...

Whew! We just are getting done with the Anita’s University event and it’s time to host October Sew Fun! Rob sure does keep us hopping! As usual, our Sew Fun presenter is ready with a variety of interesting projects this month. I’ve included descriptions of a couple of the projects on...

The top-of-the-line PFAFF Creative Icon sewing and embroidery machine is here! It is the most advanced machine PFAFF has ever designed and engineered, and is now available for sale at Rocky Mountain Sewing and Vacuum. Following the most-successful presale in PFAFF’s more than 150-year...

September Sew Fun We had some really great Sew Fun projects demonstrated last month. To see the projects made and shown by Tracey, and the beautiful creations shown by our customers in “show and tell”, check out our Facebook photos. Now, another month has come and gone, Fall is in...

In my previous blog, In a Bind About Binding: Three Ways to Cut Fabric Binding Strips, I described three ways to cut fabric to create binding. Bias binding came out as the “binding champion” in terms of functionality (can be sewn on a curve) and durability (more threads on the fold...

In Forrest Gump, Bubba Blue told us all about shrimp (there’s pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp….). Along those lines, you know, there’s quilt binding, hot pad binding, baby bib binding,  sleeve binding,  neckline binding, wide binding, narrow...

You are dressed to go out. You are handing off the baby to the sitter, but want one last snuggle. Then, burp! Spit up all over your blouse! (The baby’s spit up, not yours!) Make a flannel burp cloth to keep handy, place it on your shoulder, and protect your clothes from baby’s little...

In a previous blog, Specialty Sewing Machine Feet for Gathering Fabric, I took some pictures and linked to a couple of videos of using special sewing machine feet to create gathers and ruffles.  In this blog, I will show you how to gather fabric using a serger. You’ve probably noticed that...

In my last blog, Pillow Talk: Cording and Invisible Zippers, I used a piece of linen that had been embroidered with reverse cutwork. I usually use cutwork to make linen tea towels, so I thought I’d show you how I make those. With the holidays coming up, you can decorate your kitchen or...

The holidays are coming, and I love to decorate for Christmas. Combine that with the fact that I enjoy making pillows, and you can guess Christmas pillows decorate my sofa.  Whether for your bed or sofa or to toss on the floor, pillow covers are really easy to make. So for today’s blog, I...

In my earlier blog, I described how to Gather Fabric and Create Ruffles using thread or elastic. These are tried and true methods of gathering fabric for creating fullness or making ruffles. However, there are special sewing machine feet for gathering fabric that can make that job even easier....

Isn’t that dress gorgeous? How would you like to gather all that fabric to make the skirt of the dress and then add a beautiful ruffle to the neckline. I hope, with this blog to give you some details on gathering fabric in such as way as to make beautiful gathers and ruffles. Gathers can...

In my last blog,“Ready, Set, Sew! A Jelly Roll Race Colorado Springs”, I explained how to create a Jelly Roll Race quilt from a 40-strip jelly roll. Using the standard 40-strip jelly roll,  you will get a quilt that is 50″ x 64″ without any additional border. If, however,...

July 1 at the Colorado Springs Rocky Mountain Sewing and Vacuum store was the scene of a sewing frenzy! Participants competed against each other and the clock in a Jelly Roll Race. What is a Jelly Roll Race? A standard Jelly Roll Race produces a quilt top that is approximately 50″ x 64″. It uses...

The PFAFF® Creative Icon is  the most high-precision, high-performance sewing and embroidery machine the German-born brand has ever designed and engineered. It was unveiled on July 7, 2017 and will be released for sale October 2, 2017. The newest, most advanced, PFAFF Creative Icon combines the...

I don’t know about you, but it seems like we JUST had our June Sew Fun sessions!  (Check out some of the great pictures posted on June 30 from the sessions on our Facebook Page). Time does fly when you are having “sew” much fun! Our Christmas in July Sew Fun events kick off...

Ah, summer! As a person who lived for over 40 years in the deep south, I can tell you that summers in Colorado are glorious! However, even in summer, I love to be in my sewing room thinking about, or working on, the next project. Rocky Mountain Sewing and Vacuum loves the summer, too. We cram...

Get ready for the Rocky Mountain Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival, July 6-8, 2017.  At the Rocky Mountain Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival, you will find a wide variety of sewing, quilting, needle-art and craft supply exhibits from many quality companies.  Please join us at the festival at...

Our June Sew Fun events kick off at our Aurora store on Tuesday, June 20.  As always, our Sew Fun presenters have whipped up a variety of projects to share with you. This month’s projects include using precuts to stitch beautiful quilts, and a cute pattern that uses leather to accent a...

Do you have grandchildren who love to dress up as their favorite superhero or princess? Do you dream of being Superman, Wonder Woman or Bat Girl? Do you enjoy cosplay (the practice of dressing up as a character from a movie, book, or video game) “just for fun?” Well, we all know that...

Denver Quilt Craft and Sewing Expo Denver Quilt Craft and Sewing Expo and Festival is NEXT weekend!!!!  Set the date – March 30th thru April 1st.   3 whole days focused on quilting, crafting, sewing and needle arts. A retreat for some, an adventure to others –  this expo is a must...

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!! Irish Quilting and Needlework – What better to feature in a Sewing Blog on St. Patrick’s day than a little trivia on Irish quilting and other needle arts.  Make sure to look for this week’s Blog Readers only coupon, too. Also see the section on...

Quilt Batting – the often overlooked, very important, hidden section of a quilt. (Don’t forget to look for this week’s Blog Readers only coupon on quilting supplies!)  As both a sewing enthusiast and instructor, I am frequently bombarded with questions about quilt...

Sewing Tips and Hints Sewing tips are the topic this week – PLUS look for the special Blog Reader’s only coupon on notions!  This week we present some sewing tips, tricks, and hints to limit stress as you create!!! Furthermore, we invite you to share your sewing tips, tricks, and...

Sewing Thread This week we will take a look at sewing thread.  Remember-Look for the Blog Reader’s only coupon for a special discount on all thread at Rocky Mountain Sewing. Thread is the most important piece of any sewing project.  It’s the “glue” that holds your project...

Sew Many Machine Feet Sewing machine feet – Even if you are a beginner, you surely noticed there is an extensive selection of sewing machine feet available!! And you probably thought, “why?”. All sewing enthusiasts have been sewing challenged at some point in their sewing journey. Rarely...

Fabric Stabilizers…Another topic I get a lot of questions on. I found many of you aren’t aware just how useful stabilizers can be. So today I decided to cover tips, tricks, and ideas on using fabric stabilizers in all areas of your sewing projects. Keep reading to learn what you can do...

I have received so many questions on sergers recently, I thought it would be a good topic to post.  So you bought a serger and have no idea what to do with it.  Maybe you’re afraid to take it out of the box. Or maybe you’ve seen one and can’t figure out what all those threads...

Hand Sewing Needles Part 2 –  Hand Sewing Needles………. If you sew with a machine, then why bother learning about hand sewing needles?  Well, on any project, there may be areas that need hand finishing. Every project, however, is more attractive and professional looking with hand finishing....

Sewing Needles…….Do you just replace your sewing needles by grabbing the first package you see?  Maybe you just buy the lowest priced ones?  Or do you actually know what size and type to get?  Sewing needles may not appear all that important but an incorrect needle can wreak havoc on...

ReSEWlutions Welcome to 2017!  It’s time to make your ReSEWlutions!  Most of us make New Year’s resolutions, but did you ever think about making a New Year’s ReSEWlution?  If you Like to sew, you should take the time to choose 2017 the year you make a ReSEWlution! Like a...

Upcoming events in 2017 at Rocky Mountain Sewing and Vacuum As you begin your journey into 2017, reflect on things you wanted to learn or accomplish in 2016 but didn’t.  Perhaps you had hoped to learn a new sewing technique.  Maybe you missed out on a quilting class.  Or you had every...