As I write this, my thoughts are filled with the just-finished festival season and a new collection of holiday memories: a chilly Rosh Hoshanah Tashlich ceremony at Manhattan’s East River, a quiet Yom Kippur, and Sukkot’s scents of etrog and myrtle. Even as I hold on to fresh memories of these autumn festivals, my mind … Continue reading
Aleph, bet, gimmel. This fabric design features the 22 letters of the Hebrew aleph-bet and three Jewish symbols: a dove, a Star of David, and a hamsa for good fortune. When I started offering pre-printed fabric panels of this design in the SewJewish Etsy shop I announced it in the newsletter, but only when those … Continue reading
Guest sewist Susan Yaskin explains how to make a rag quilt, like these Jewish-theme quilts she made for her granddaughters as Hanukkah gifts. Making a rag quilt is faster and easier than making a classic quilt, and if the idea of quilting a whole blanket at once seems intimidating, then making a rag quilt may … Continue reading
Have you ever finished an embroidery project and wanted to hang it up using the hoop as the frame? Use these instructions to add a back to a hooped embroidery project and give it a finished look. Add a ribbon, and it’s ready for hanging on a wall or window. For the hoopla in the … Continue reading
It’s Hanukkah season and here’s your dreidel game refresher in fabric and thread. There are lots of variations, but this is the classic version as I learned it. Good luck! Start the Game At the start of each round all players put a chocolate coin into the center pot. The first player spins the dreidel, … Continue reading
Did Hanukkah sneak up on you, too? Heck, even Thanksgiving snuck up on me. Only yesterday I realized I needed to check in with my kids on which foods they’d like for Thanksgiving. Then I realized Hanukkah starts only 10 days later. That doesn’t leave a lot of time for Hanukkah sewing. For folks who … Continue reading
Personalize your cell phone sleeping bag, the cut-and-sew project available at Spoonflower (Cell Phone Sleeping Bag Cut-and-Sew Project), by adding your name with embroidery. You can use an electronic embroidery machine, of course, and you can also embroider a name by hand. If you’re giving the bag as a gift, a hand-embroidered name gives your … Continue reading
Even the little ones can get in on the holiday fun with their own soft toy dreidel. An you can get the PDF pattern in the shop! This dreidel sports the traditional Hebrew letters and a pointed bottom just like a classic dreidel, but in soft toy form. The letters are machine appliqued, and I’ll … Continue reading
With a little holiday ribbon and some simple hand sewing, you can create this little spice pouch. Use it to hold spices for havdalah, the ceremony to end Shabbat. And, as Creative Jewish Mom Sara Rivka points out, it makes a great holiday party favor. The project is my latest guest post for Sara Rivka, … Continue reading
Hanukkah is almost here! We’ll soon be lighting menorahs, eating latkes, and spinning dreidels. The Sew Jewish book includes instructions for making dreidel game party favors, little pouches to fill with a dreidel and pieces of sweet chocolate gelt. The book even includes printable dreidel game instructions to tuck into the pouches (versions for both … Continue reading
Switch up your latkes with this sweet and savory combination of beets and goat cheese. A layer of melted goat cheese in the middle makes the texture rich and decadent. My daughter describes them: “Sweet, salty, creamy, crunchy.” Serve them with a crisp green salad to complement the the latke’s sweet, creamy richness. I was … Continue reading
One of the cool things about the new school year is that my daughters are bringing home some really interesting books, like my oldest daughter’s art history book. It includes a photograph of a frieze from the Arch of Titus in Rome, pictured above. My youngest daughter said that when one of her day school … Continue reading
Planning a special celebration? You don’t have to settle for those ubiquitous plain organza favor bags. We’ll show you how to sew a set of unique favor bags using fabric ribbon. The ribbon’s pre-finished edges mean you can sew up a set of bags fast with just a few simple seams. For Hanukkah, fill them … Continue reading
Doll versions of pretty much anything win over a lot of young hearts. So for Hanukkah gift giving, think made-for-play versions of something you sewed during the year, like a quilt, challah cover, or dress. Bonus: You might have enough fabric left over from the original project that you won’t need to buy any new … Continue reading
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