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Human Interest

Sew It Yourself For One-Of-A-Kind Looks

Posted: 8/5/2010

Choose a quilting/sewing machine that has a height adjuster, so it can quilt over varying fabric types.

(NAPSI) - The popularity of sewing and do-it-yourself home décor is on the rise, prompted by the economy and the buzz surrounding design shows such as "Project Runway."

Many are discovering that from slipcovers and sundresses to quilts and quirky new looks, it's easier--and less costly--to get a unique, customized creation if you sew it yourself.

Do-it-yourself fashion trends have come a long way since 1953, when Laura Ashley, one of the world's best-loved fashion and home furnishing companies, started its humble beginnings by incorporating DIY projects into its business plan.

Laura Ashley, like many women, was driven by the desire to make unique furnishings and accessories. She was inspired to make her own patchwork quilts but couldn't find any suitable fabrics in the shops, so she decided to try producing her own. Today, her fabrics and creations are known throughout the world. In November of 2009, Laura Ashley was ranked 29th among all consumer brands, third among fellow lifestyle brands Ralph Lauren and Liz Claiborne, from a survey conducted by Home Furnishings News (HFN).

Thanks to the latest sewing machine technology, the idea of creating personalized, professional-grade home décor, apparel and accessories is much more attainable. With the introduction of the new Laura Ashley Limited Edition Innov-is NX-2000 Sewing Machine, a multifunction sewing and quilting machine from Brother International Corporation, designers can create their own DIY home décor projects.

DIY devotees enjoy using the powerful features to freshen their home décor by upcycling existing furnishings with new embellishments, or cozying up a room with a new quilt, pillow or other custom-made decorative projects.

The machine includes 460 sewing stitches (430 built-in, 30 on CD) and has the exclusive Brother® My Custom Stitch™ Feature that can be used to create a virtually unlimited number of personalized stitches and save them to the machine's expansive memory.

Developed for those who want to achieve professional-grade home décor, the sewing and quilting machine has embellishment capabilities that include circular sewing and bobbin work. In addition, users can express their creativity with free-motion stitching, which is like painting with thread.

The machine can also accommodate varying fabric types, appliqués and embellishments when its height adjustor feature is turned on. The feature continuously detects fabric thickness and automatically adjusts presser foot pressure to ensure beautiful, precise, even stitching.

For more information, visit the home sewing pages of www.brother.com.

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