New and Featured Tutorials
How to Sew a Patchwork Minky Blanket
What’s up dudes and dudettes? Today I’m going to show you how to make a snuggly soft blanket with quilting cotton on one side and minky on the other. It’s Fall here in Michigan. It’s starting to get chilly at night, so who doesn’t need a super soft blanket to curl up in?
How to Make a Crossbody Mini Bag
I like to take walks, but I hate taking my purse with me. So I’m usually trying to cram my wallet, phone, keys, and anything else – like dog poop bags – in various pants or hoodie pockets. It’s annoying. If only there were a way to find the perfect bag… a mini bag, if […]
How to Sew an Armband Pouch for a Cell Phone
Have you ever been listening to something on your headphones, and you’re trying to do something with your hands – sewing, washing dishes, jogging – and you go to put your phone in your pocket only to realize you don’t HAVE a pocket? So then you try to wedge it in your bra or your […]
How to Sew an Infinity Scarf
Happy New Year, sewing mofos! This step-by-step tutorial is perfect for both beginners and seasoned seamsters, and it makes an especially good project for that new serger Santa brought you. (But a regular sewing machine is also perfectly suitable.)
How to Make a Christmas Tree in a Vase
Deck the halls with random evergreen branches from that mystery bush in your yard! This Christmas-tree-in-a-vase is perfect for small spaces. Add some lights and some shiny balls, and you’re in business.
How to Plant an Amaryllis PLUS Faux Aged Terra Cotta Pots
Who doesn’t love pretty flowers? NO ONE, that’s who. That’s why this tutorial for a faux aged pot planted with an amaryllis bulb would make an excellent holiday gift! (Not too spendy, either.)
DID YOU JUST CRAFT YOUR PANTS?
Hi, I'm Lex!
I’m a writer, craft addict, and former professional seamstress/fashion designer.
I started WhatTheCraft in 2006, because I love sharing what I learn. I’m mostly self-taught. And by self-taught I mean there was a lot of time and effort (and lots of trial and error) put into teaching myself how to sew and draft patterns. But there were also a lot of kickass people out there, sharing free tutorials and tips on the internet. So this is also my way of paying it forward.
Through this site I share my projects, tutorials, and DiY tips, and all the other things (cats, food, life) in between.
Patterns
Recent Posts
Once upon a giant pumpkin
When I was six years old, I won a giant pumpkin. The town I grew up in had an annual pumpkin carving contest, and one of the activities this particular year (1989) was to guess the weight of a giant pumpkin. My guess was off by about 4 ounces. Beginner’s luck!
Pattern Review: Simplicity 8084 (Mimi G Style) shirt dress
I was a little nervous to jump into this pattern. I haven’t used a commercial pattern in over ten years, and the fabric I had my heart set on was a rayon challis, which doesn’t have a reputation for being super easy to work with. It’s very fluid and tends to shift all over the […]
Where Have You Been?
Or more accurately, where have I been? It’s been kind of a doozy of a year, honestly. First, I had surgery earlier this year to remove a cantaloupe-sized cyst from my ovary. It was actually — shockingly — not as traumatic as it sounds.
How to Use a Serger – Sewing Tutorial
Learn how to thread a serger the “cheater” way! Discover the secret to hiding your thread tails! Unlock countless mysteries of the sewing universe!
I Knit a Thing!
Remember wayyyy back in March *cough* 2015 *cough* when I mentioned I was making this cowl? No? Yeah, I barely remember either. It only took me a year and a half to finish, but I did it! I knit my first “real” thing! Sirius insisted on modeling with it.
Share and share alike
“Why aren’t we allowed to sell some projects we see on some websites where they post step-by-step… they say it’s only for our personal use, not for selling purposes?” I received this question in a comment today, and it got me thinking.
Freebies
