Every girl wants an inviting bedroom where she can dream (a lot), study (a little) and hang out with her friends (most of all). S4H Editor, Liz Johnson had a project in mind: her fourteen-year-old daughter, Lydia's room. After the jump, we'll show you the BEFORE photo that caused us to take this project on. Whoa! Get set for eight easy projects your teen can help with, and a finished result that reaped 'oohs and aahs' from Lydia's friends at her inaugural sleepover.

The greatest thing about having a home embroidery machine is you can monogram anything! The worst thing about having a home embroidery machine is never having enough time to monogram everything! A couple quick tips: 1) don't try to monogram anything on someone; I know this sounds silly, but I do have a sad story about a time I tried to iron a pair of slacks I was wearing; and 2) KISS ... Keep It Simple and Stylish. A monogram is beautiful on its own and rarely needs much in the way of elaborate surrounding embellishment. We've put together a little collection of monogrammed samples to get you inspired and suggest some ideas for home decor, gifts, and more.

A monogram turns an ordinary household item into a treasured heirloom. There is simply nothing more personal and elegant than a monogrammed towel, napkin, handkerchief, or anything else for that matter. The monogram is the symbol of success and privilege in our collective imagination. Think of the Wall Street exec with his monogrammed cuffs, the jet-setting movie star with her matching monogrammed luggage, or the luxurious bath towel and robes in a five-star hotel. Bringing this kind of stylish luxury into our own homes – and making it affordable – is what DIY is all about. And so, we bring Monogram Week to Sew4Home to celebrate the art of this most tasteful of embroidery accent for the home.

 

When you're sewing your first projects, just joining two pieces of fabric together is a great achievement. However, as your skills increase and your projects grow in complexity, using more professional sewing techniques will give your finished items greater durability, and you a higher level of satisfaction – a job done right and all that. Our seam finishing tutorial takes you through the various ways to finish seams with your regular sewing machine – from pinking shears to an overcast stitch.