Craft

Sewing Tutorial: Cute Mini Patchwork Triangle Easter Rabbits

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Happily hopping out of the sewing pile are some rather cute Easter rabbits.

I wasn’t too sure whether I would have enough time to get all the Easter makes I wanted made in time this year, but despite my initial worries I am slowly starting to make some progress on my ‘to do’ list so hopefully I will get most of them completed in time – the rest will have to wait until next year!.

The next completed make out of the sewing pile (which is ridiculously big at the moment!) is some very cute Easter rabbits. I made some triangle chickens a few years ago and have been wanting to do a few variations on these ever since – scarily that was over 4 years ago – I really need to stop adding more projects to my to do list!,

These little rabbits are perfect for using up fabric leftovers – I love a project that can use fabric leftovers as it means they wont go to waste. The great thing with these rabbits is that even really small fabric leftovers can be used since you could make each part in a different colour or even use patchwork pieces for the parts for the really small fabric leftovers. I used fabric leftovers from The Craft Cotton Company fat quarters for these rabbits.

I cant wait to make a few more of these – and hopefully I will have time to make a few more variations – hopefully it wont be as long a wait for the next ones!

Triangle Rabbits Pattern:

Materials:

Fabric – This project is great for using up fabric leftovers from other projects as all the pieces could even be in different colours.

Pins

Needle

Thread

Pencil

Paper

Toy stuffing

Embroidery thread for face details

Scissors

1- Make the templates for the rabbits.  On to paper draw out:

A triangle with 14cm sides.

An outer ear shape 12cm high.

An inner ear piece 8cm high. 

2- Cut out the templates and use them to cut out your fabrics, each rabbit needs 4 triangle pieces (3 body pieces and a base), 4 outer ear pieces and 2 inner ear pieces.

3- Take an inner ear piece and place onto one of the outer ear pieces with both pieces with right sides facing upwards.  Sew around the edge of the inner ear to secure. 

4- Take another outer ear piece and place right side down on top and sew around leaving a 4cm gap for turning on the side of the ear.  Turn out the right way and sew the gap closed. Repeat with the remaining ear pieces to make the second ear.  

5- Take two of the triangles, place right side together and sew down the side to secure leaving a 1cm gap at the bottom.

6 – Take one of the ears and turn in the side edges at the base of the ear so they meet in the middle then place right side down on top of a triangle piece. Pin to secure, then place the joined triangle pieces on top and sew down the side to secure.  Repeat with the other ear on the other side.

7- Take the remaining triangle and pin to the bottom of the joined triangle pieces.  Sew to secure, leaving a 5cm gap for turning. 

8- Turn out the right way and place the stuffing into the rabbit.  Sew the gap closed.

9- Using embroidery thread and a running stitch sew on eyes, nose and mouth details.

10- Make a pom pom with white wool and a 2.5cm pom pom maker (or pieces of card).  Sew to the back of the rabbit.

Mini Sewing Tutorial: Fabric And Button Christmas Tree Ornament

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The last few months have been filled with Halloween makes and now that Halloween is finished for this year its time to move on to probably my most manic time of the year. I always have more ideas for things I want to make for Christmas than I ever get chance to make, and I don’t think this year will be any different – not helped by the fact i’ve got a massive cross stitch project on the go that I need finished in time for Christmas and I think has at least 3-4months of stitching left in it at the rate i’m currently going……..things could get interesting this year!

However, its not all bad as I have managed to get one of my first Christmas finished – only a small one but at least it is a start!.

I wanted to make a little fabric tree and I always like to use buttons in decorations so decided to combine them both in a fabric strip tree ornament with details added in by the buttons! I like this little small version, but think I will also make some larger ones using longer strips of fabric.

This would be a great way to use up scrap fabrics and spare buttons.

I need to make a few more of these to go with gifts so I had better I get a move on!

To make these little trees you will need:

  • Buttons – for the trunk and to go in-between each fabric fold.
  • Fabric – for this smaller tree a strip of 45 cm x 5cm, to make a larger sized tree just increase the length and width of the fabric.
  • Ribbon – piece of ribbon 10cm long.

Making the trees

1- Take the fabric strip and fold in half lengthways with right sides together so you have a strip 45×2.5cm wide, sew along the bottom and up the side edge to secure, leaving the top edge unsewn. Turn out the right way and slipstitch close the gap.

2- Fold the fabric into the tree shape by folding it backwards and forwards.

3- Take two of the buttons which will form the trunk and sew onto the middle of the bottom layer, then take two button for the next section and sew in the middle, fold the fabric back over the buttons and stitch to secure, then sew the next two buttons. Repeat this process with the remaining buttons and fabric layers. Leaving a 1cm strip of fabric loose at the top.

4- Once at the top of the tree fold the 1cm loose strip of fabric over, then take the ribbon, fold in half and place the raw edges under the folded strip. Sew to secure.

Sewing Tutorial: Fabric Halloween Pumpkins….

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Pumpkins are a must have at Halloween and I don’t think you could ever have too many of these cute little fabric ones…

Fabric was gifted by The Craft Cotton Company.

Materials

Orange fabric 50×50 cm (18 cm diameter circle, 28 cm diameter)

Black net fabric 20×20 cm (18cm diameter)

Sewing thread

⁃ Orange

⁃ Black

Pins

Toy stuffing

Scissors

Needle

Buttons – black and green, 5 in varying sizes to make a pumpkin stalk and one small button for the base of the pumpkin.

1- Cutting out the pumpkin

Cut out a circle in Orange for your pumpkin. This can be any size you choose, I opted for two sizes: 28 cm diameter and 18 cm in diameter.

2- Adding detail to the pumpkin

Now to add the net detail (I only added net detail to the larger pumpkin). Cut out a circle of netting fabric 18cm in diameter. Place the net piece onto the pumpkin with half on the pumpkin and half off, pin in place and cut. Take the cut off piece and place it on another part of the pumpkin and cut off the excess and sew around the edge of the net to secure.

3- Sewing the pumpkin

Do a tacking stitch the whole way around 1 cm from the outside edge using 2 strands of sewing thread. Tie a knot in the end to start to hold the thread in place but do not fasten off at the end. Put stuffing into the pumpkin and pull the thread from the tacking stitch tight to close. Add more stuffing as it tightens when required. Complete a few stitches to secure the thread.

4- Sewing pumpkin edges

Take three strands of black sewing thread and cast on at the top of the pumpkin, then sew into the pumpkin in the middle of the base pulling the needle back up through the middle to the top of the pumpkin, pull the thread so it tightens slightly and make a small stitch to secure. Repeat 4 more times.

5- Now stack your 5 buttons from smallest to largest sewing each one as you go to secure. Now sew the stack to the top of the pumpkin to cover the hole in the top. Sew the final button in place at the bottom middle of the pumpkin.

Sewing Tutorial: Drawstring Easter Chick Bags

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With spring approaching it’s time to get making some spring chickens!

With spring sneaking up on me I decided it was time to get making some spring themed makes so I wouldn’t get behind (Like normal) and end up making things in a panic at the last minute.

First up are some drawstring chicken bags. I used a pattern I put together for The Craft Cotton Company last year for these and some Craft Cotton Company Fabric (Chickie fat quarter set) from in my stash that I used to make the original one.

Fabric was gifted by The Craft Cotton Company.

Pattern to make these is over on The Craft Cotton Company blog.

Sewing Fabric Storage Baskets: Perfect For Organising A Fabric Stash

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I’ve been needing to organise my fabric for a while now – every time I open the cupboard it’s in I have to be quick to get what I want and get out again before it all falls out! I decided it was time to get it organised and soon realised I needed some more storage baskets to keep the smaller bits of fabric together in.

Luckily I put together a pattern a few years ago for The Craft Cotton Company to make some fabric storage baskets so I used that to make some more. I found some Lewis and Irene fabric in my stash to use – County Life for the outside and The Glen for the lining.

Now I’ve got it all tidy I can now get in my cupboard without having to avoid any falling bits of fabric – hopefully I can keep it tidy for a bit longer this time!

Pattern is available over on The Craft Cotton Company blog.

Sewing Tutorial: Bright And Flowery iPad Case

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I recently completed an iPad case tutorial for The Craft Cotton Company using their new lovely floral sketches fat quarter set. I added on a pocket for storing a USB cable – no excuse for misplacing them with one of these cases! 

Fabric was gifted by The Craft Cotton Company.


Link to this free tutorial and many more over on their blog.