Sewing, embroidery, tambour beadwork, and other handmade adventures by Kat Klebenow.https://katmakes.comhttps://katmakes.com/blog/tutorial-sewing-a-custom-cat-carrier-cover-for-your-cats-travel-boxhttps://katmakes.com/blog/tutorial-sewing-a-custom-cat-carrier-cover-for-your-cats-travel-boxToday's project is a cover, custom made to fit over my cats' travel carrier. This project has everything - custom drafting, magnets, hardware installation, problem solving: All in the name of keeping my kitties happy in transit! It's a long one - you've been warned.Tue, 08 Oct 2024 20:40:51 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/weaving-your-first-project-on-a-rigid-heddle-loomhttps://katmakes.com/blog/weaving-your-first-project-on-a-rigid-heddle-loomMy very first project on my new rigid heddle loom! I so enjoyed learning this new skill - here are a collection of tips as well as links to tutorials I found helpful as I made my first project!Wed, 26 Apr 2023 04:32:23 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/diy-sewing-and-craft-supply-shops-in-new-zealandhttps://katmakes.com/blog/diy-sewing-and-craft-supply-shops-in-new-zealandEver wondered where to get a weirdly specific hardware? supplies for making shoes, bags, or embroidered tea towels? Dye supplies or fancy zips? I've compiled a list of my favourite sources!Thu, 13 Apr 2023 00:33:11 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/sewing-the-haptic-lab-constellation-quilt-againhttps://katmakes.com/blog/sewing-the-haptic-lab-constellation-quilt-againI’m making a northern stars constellation quilt to match my southern stars one! This one has started quite a bit differently from the last one - so I’ve shared my process in case it helps you with a similar project!Wed, 29 Mar 2023 21:11:40 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/tambour-embroidery-hoop-holder-diyhttps://katmakes.com/blog/tambour-embroidery-hoop-holder-diyIn which our intrepid tambour embroidery fanatic once again attempts woodworking in the name of beads. (Also, in which fortunately the attempt is once again successful!)Wed, 22 Mar 2023 21:33:50 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/the-home-sewists-guide-to-baby-snapshttps://katmakes.com/blog/the-home-sewists-guide-to-baby-snapsA deep dive into the world of snap fasteners! Did you know there were so many options to choose from? We go through five popular options for fasteners and discuss the pros and cons, as well as applications, of eachTue, 14 Mar 2023 19:26:01 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/lillians-embroidered-wedding-veilhttps://katmakes.com/blog/lillians-embroidered-wedding-veilMaking Lill’s cathedral length floral embroidered wedding dress - all in one monster post!Tue, 28 Feb 2023 22:38:01 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/art-deco-capsule-wardrobe-collectionhttps://katmakes.com/blog/art-deco-capsule-wardrobe-collectionThis was going to be the year I finally attended the Art Deco festival in Napier - here’s everything I made to wear for the weekend, all in one place!Sun, 19 Feb 2023 04:03:53 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/tutorial-pullover-hoodie-with-cat-pockethttps://katmakes.com/blog/tutorial-pullover-hoodie-with-cat-pocketDo you have a velcro kitty like me? I made my very own cat-pocket hoodie so I can carry my little guy around wherever he wants to go, and it’s a tutorial now so you can make one yourself!Tue, 08 Nov 2022 20:23:23 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/the-prick-and-pounce-method-for-tambour-embroideryhttps://katmakes.com/blog/the-prick-and-pounce-method-for-tambour-embroideryToday we’re exploring one of the oldest methods of embroidery design transfer - the prick and pounce method!Tue, 08 Nov 2022 19:52:10 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/tambour-embroidery-and-sewing-with-silicone-sheetshttps://katmakes.com/blog/tambour-embroidery-and-sewing-with-silicone-sheetsMy first experience embroidering and sewing silicone sheeting. What started as an experiment to see if this technique was possible turned into a small project with a tambour embroidered clutch!Mon, 28 Mar 2022 20:58:08 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/home-shoemaking-pink-patent-leather-bootshttps://katmakes.com/blog/home-shoemaking-pink-patent-leather-bootsWe’re back, shoe friends! The latest, greatest, and long-awaited hot pink, very punk, patent leather boots are finally finished! Read all about how I made these, and check out those fantastic laces too!Wed, 05 Jan 2022 08:36:52 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/machine-embroidery-construction-hoodies-for-small-humanshttps://katmakes.com/blog/machine-embroidery-construction-hoodies-for-small-humansBack again! This week with one of my first embroidery projects with the Bernette B79! This project actually happened twice - two awesome little toddler hoodies with diggers embroidered on them.Sun, 21 Nov 2021 07:23:47 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/sup-and-swim-rashguard-tophttps://katmakes.com/blog/sup-and-swim-rashguard-topLong time no post! This week, I have a super exciting announcement, and also a post from the 2018 drafts, when we were still allowed to travel freely - what a time to be alive! Check out my stand-up paddleboard outfit, see some vacation pics, and learn all about flatlock seams and wooly nylon.Tue, 09 Nov 2021 06:42:19 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/embroidered-pocket-skirt-a-machine-embroidery-crash-coursehttps://katmakes.com/blog/embroidered-pocket-skirt-a-machine-embroidery-crash-courseMy first project with the Bernette 78 sewing machine with embroidery module! This week’s project is a fun little gathered skirt with the deepest of pockets (to hold all my secrets) plus an embroidered detail that I digitised myself!Tue, 31 Aug 2021 20:04:43 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/bernette-b79-sewing-and-embroidery-machine-hi-new-friendhttps://katmakes.com/blog/bernette-b79-sewing-and-embroidery-machine-hi-new-friendNot only has it been a million years since my last post - this week’s news is very big, as there’s a new member of my sewing machine family! Here are some thoughts, intros, and first impressions on the Bernette b79 combination embroidery and sewing machine.Wed, 28 Jul 2021 22:59:22 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/how-the-ruffle-dress-brought-my-sewjo-back-return-of-the-bloghttps://katmakes.com/blog/how-the-ruffle-dress-brought-my-sewjo-back-return-of-the-blogHi! It’s been a while! Welcome to 2021, where the Sewjo is hotter, the projects are weirder, and almost everything is hot, hot pink! Today’s episode is all about ruffles, and where the heck I’ve been since April.Mon, 25 Jan 2021 09:20:22 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/bernette-b48-overlockercoverstitch-welcome-to-the-familyhttps://katmakes.com/blog/bernette-b48-overlockercoverstitch-welcome-to-the-familyI have some very exciting news today! I’d like to introduce you to my brand new Bernette b48 - and also to announce that I’m the newest member of the Bernina Ambassador team!Sat, 18 Apr 2020 20:50:24 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/tutorial-tailors-boob-hamhttps://katmakes.com/blog/tutorial-tailors-boob-hamIt’s finally here! (I know! Two blog posts in two days! Who am I? Today, I’m walking you through how to draft a ‘boob ham’ of your very own - and also providing a LOT of thoughts on why having one is so important!Wed, 11 Mar 2020 17:20:00 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/tutorial-tailors-pressing-tools-part-1https://katmakes.com/blog/tutorial-tailors-pressing-tools-part-1We’re back! This week, learn how to make your own set of pressing tools, and check out the free downloadable pattern for a tailor’s ham, seam rolls in two sizes, and the ever-useful boob ham!Tue, 10 Mar 2020 02:40:18 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/shoemaking-part-4-if-the-shoe-fitshttps://katmakes.com/blog/shoemaking-part-4-if-the-shoe-fitsThe final post in the first time shoemaking series! My shoes are finished, and they fit! This post is all about the finished shoes, what I love, and what I'll do differently next time.Tue, 13 Aug 2019 21:51:20 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/shoemaking-lasting-the-shoeshttps://katmakes.com/blog/shoemaking-lasting-the-shoesAt LAST! This week, I’m lasting the shoes - giving them their foot-shape and shoe structure, and effectively finishing them up!Mon, 05 Aug 2019 00:50:57 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/shoemaking-cutting-and-constructing-the-shoe-uppershttps://katmakes.com/blog/shoemaking-cutting-and-constructing-the-shoe-uppersProgress is happening over here! This week, I’ve sewn the uppers of my shoes together - plus their linings. Read on for tips, tricks, and things I tried to make the whole process go more smoothly!Sat, 27 Jul 2019 20:32:17 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/my-first-handmade-shoeshttps://katmakes.com/blog/my-first-handmade-shoesPart Two of the First Shoe series! This time, I’m explaining the process of making my first mockup shoe - and look - it actually looks like a shoe!Mon, 22 Jul 2019 05:04:12 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/shoemaking-and-breadcrumbs-my-first-attempt-at-making-shoeshttps://katmakes.com/blog/shoemaking-and-breadcrumbs-my-first-attempt-at-making-shoesIn which our intrepid (and probably actually crazy) maker decides to make shoes, and documents the materials- and information-gathering stages of the learning process.Mon, 08 Jul 2019 04:43:02 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/my-first-jasika-blazerhttps://katmakes.com/blog/my-first-jasika-blazerCheck it out! This week’s post is all about my first (that’s right, there’s already a second… and a third!) Jasika Blazer! I loved it so much, I finished it in a weekend! I’ve got this, and some other big news (!) so read on to find out what I’ve been up to lately!Mon, 10 Jun 2019 04:14:10 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/finishing-the-wedding-dress-bramakinghttps://katmakes.com/blog/finishing-the-wedding-dress-bramakingI’m back! This week, it’s a short one with a few thoughts on what it’s like to not be working on the wedding dress anymore, along with a few projects I worked on when I got my mojo back. Don’t worry, the mojo’s back in full swing now!Tue, 04 Jun 2019 01:34:27 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/handmade-wedding-dress-chapter-14-the-photos-and-the-endhttps://katmakes.com/blog/handmade-wedding-dress-chapter-14-the-photos-and-the-endIt’s the end of the wedding dress posts! This week is mostly just a little wrap-up - all the links to the dress posts in chronological order, and a bunch of new photos of the dress!Tue, 30 Apr 2019 22:27:28 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/handmade-wedding-dress-chapter-13-the-hem-party-and-finishing-toucheshttps://katmakes.com/blog/handmade-wedding-dress-chapter-13-the-hem-party-and-finishing-touchesThe big day! This week’s post is the last of the dressmaking (though not the last of the wedding dress posts!) - I’m showing you how my friend Jay helped me level off the hem, how a group of eight fabulous sewing ladies got together to help me hand hem the dress, and a few other finishing touches.Mon, 22 Apr 2019 08:41:26 GMThttps://katmakes.com/blog/handmade-wedding-dress-chapter-12-the-dress-meets-the-embroideryhttps://katmakes.com/blog/handmade-wedding-dress-chapter-12-the-dress-meets-the-embroideryThis week, yet another in a string of ‘moments of truth’ - the embroidery comes off the frame, is cut into pieces, and finds itself sewn to the bodice of the wedding dress!Sun, 07 Apr 2019 22:01:03 GMT