Textiles are among the world's most fragile artifacts. Throughout the centuries fabrics have been treated with chemical solutions meant to enhance their appearances. Silks, for example, were often weighted with metallic salts, mostly consisting of tin or iron. Preservation becomes a challenge.

Memories of cherished traditions, many from not so long ago, allow us to not only reminiscence but endeavor to carry on those beloved customs as well. Knowing how to sew using basic hand stitches is one of those customs worth knowing and teaching to a willing learner.

When autumn seems chillier than expected, sewing projects made with fleece fabric seems a great compromise to using heaver woolen materials for outdoor wear. Today's fleece fabric can be anti-pill, ultra soft and perfect for a variety of sewing projects.

As a national U.S. holiday, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. It is a day to remember that first gathering of English settlers and Native Americans for a harvest feast in 1621. At that time sewing quilts, clothing, spinning and rug making were vital daily endeavors.

With the slow advance of cold weather and anticipating fall/winter holidays ahead sewers may be considering what gifts to sew or new ornaments for the holiday tree. There are easy scrap fabric projects to sew for sure however why not make them memorable with the added aromatic scents of the season?

Discerning, urbane, refined are words that seem more related to our contemporary understanding of what vintage encompasses rather than labeling an item as old or outdated. Our subjective judgement of what appeals at the moment to our sense of beauty and desire is surely a function of many elements.

Dressing up in costume for Halloween remains an enduring childhood tradition. Something quick and easy to sew or no-sew is often a must for busy households. Costumes for children should be easy to make and comfortable to wear with safety concerns and face mask wearing utmost.

Halloween or Hallowe’en is a day to remember the departed and scare away evil spirits. The day is a fun fall activity for much of the Western world and all about carving Jack-O-Lanterns, Trick or Treating, ghostly superstitions, flickering candles, black bats and steely-eyed cats. Quick, let's sew!

With little time to sew and busy holidays approaching, searching for just the right gift to give to a sewing enthusiast, traveling friend, college student, charitable outreach or work colleague, among others, may be a challenge. Crafting a compact sewing kit may be just the right thoughtful gift.

Prims are a form of folk art - handmade decorative crafts assembled from fabrics of muted gingham, plaids, natural linens, tea-colored muslin, and burlap. Often accented with weathered boards, punched tins, and tied with twine or jute or raffia - prim crafts suggest a nostalgia for times past.