Sewing « Crown Publishing

Travel Checkers from Sew What You Love by Tanya Whelan

The holidays are all about spending time with family and friends. We at CrafterNews have a good old-fashioned solution to passing those long, lazy vacation days: checkers!

Read full article | Comments (4)

Exclusive Free Project from Tanya Whelan of Grand Revival Designs

Grand Revival designer Tanya Whelan’s new book Sew What You Love hits bookstore shelves (and online retailers, of course) December 27, 2011, but Tanya is offering an exclusive free project not featured in the book on her website. Check out the details here!

Read full article | Comment

Update Your Winter Coat with Tips from Built by Wendy

No cold weather ensemble is complete without the perfect coat. With these four simple tips from Wendy Mullin, author of Built by Wendy Dresses and Built by Wendy Coats and Jackets, you can transform an old garment into a totally new piece that you’ll wear season after season. After all, as Wendy says, “Since outerwear is the kind of piece you may end up wearing every day, it’s a great billboard for expressing your personality.”

Read full article | Comment

Choosing Fabric: Tips and Tricks from The Sewing Bible

Fabric shopping is often the most fun part of starting a new sewing project–but it can also make or break your finished garment. In this excerpt adapted from The Sewing Bible, Ruth Singer lends her advice on how to select fabric with a critical and intelligent eye. The next time you’re in a fabric store or browsing online, ask yourself these essential questions before you buy!

Read full article | Comment

Never Too Late for a Tutu

Halloween has come and gone, but given its crafty nature, we would like to dedicate one more post to one of our favorite days of the year. On Monday, we showcased the gorgeous and spec-friendly Black Swan mask from Karrie Witkin. Today we will share the basic steps to creating a sweet tutu, from [...]

Read full article | Comments (6)

Clear the Clutter with help from The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook

From BurdaStyle.com, the largest DIY fashion and sewing community, comes The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook, the most comprehensive, hip, and creative guide to sewing clothes with style. But before you begin a new project, you must clear the clutter! In the below excerpt, our authors offer helpful tips and tricks for making the most of your sewing space.

Read full article | Comment

Ask the Experts: Sewing Disasters and How to Avoid Them

Have you ever sewed something that ended up in the scrap pile? A skirt that was too short, wonky seams that wouldn’t lie flat, or a fabric that looked great on the bolt but didn’t suit the pattern you picked? Not to worry, you’re in good company. Some of our favorite sewing authors share a few disaster stories lurking in their past and offer tips to salvage projects gone bad–or at least prevent future catastrophes.

Read full article | Comment

Embroidery Gift Ideas from Sweet Stitches from the Heart

One of the biggest perks of working at Potter Craft is that we often have the opportunity to test patterns that appear in our books months before the books hit bookstore shelves.

Read full article | Comment

Amy Sedaris on The Party Dress Book by Mary Adams

Comedian and entertainer Amy Sedaris is no stranger to crafting. In addition to writing her own craft book, Simpler Times, in November 2010, she is also a fan and friend of our own Mary Adams, author of The Party Dress Book. In fact, Amy owns at least nine of Mary’s gorgeous dresses. Check out Amy’s fabulous introduction to The Party Dress Book.

Read full article | Comment

Brett Bara + Etsy.com = Awesome Craft Night

We love Etsy’s Monday Night Craft Labs which take place in Brooklyn almost every week. We especially loved the event on Monday, August 29, because it was hosted by the lovely and talented Brett Bara! Not only did Brett lead a fantastic sewing workshop, she also hosted a rockin’ release party in support of her new book, Sewing In A Straight Line. Here are all the details!

Read full article | Comments (9)

To learn more about our books visit: