Sewing

Sewing Tutorial: Quick Make Christmas Large Holly Decoration, Complete With Pom Pom Detail

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This large Christmas holly decoration is a perfect last minute sewing make

I always end up near Christmas in a frantic rush as I have forgotten to make something or something will happen that I need a make for, this year I am ahead and I have made a couple of extra things that I can use if needed. First up is a large Christmas holly decoration – I have had something like this in mind for a while now and am really happy I have finally managed to get one made. This is perfect if your needed a last minute make as it does’t take long to put together and can be made using leftover fabrics.

I made this using some leftover fabrics from the Colourful Christmas fat quarters set gifted to me by The Craft Cotton Company – The rest of the fat quarter set was used to make a Christmas themed tutorial for their blog.

Large Christmas Holly decoration:

Materials:

  • 2 Fabric fat quarters, you could also join smaller fabric pieces together to make a patchwork holly.
  • A4 piece of paper.
  • Pencil.
  • Thread.
  • Needle.
  • Pins.
  • Red wool.
  • 3.5cm pom pom maker, or two pieces of card with a 3.5cm diameter.

Making the Christmas holly decoration:

Step 1: Take the paper and pencil and draw out a large holly shape, cut out to make your template and then use to cut out 4 pieces of fabric leaving a 0.5 cm seam allowance. Make sure when cutting that the front pieces are cut with the fabric facing right side up and for the back pieces that the fabric is paced right side down. This will give you two front and two back pieces.

Step 2: Take a front and back piece and place right sides together, sew around leaving a 6cm gap for turning. Turn out the right way and sew the gap closed. Repeat with the remaining front and back piece.

Step 3: Add detail to the leaves by sewing a line down the middle of the leaf and then add some extra lines starting from the middle line and going out towards the edges.

Step 4: Place the leaves together with one slightly over-lapping the other and sew along the edges to join.

Step5: Make the pom poms using the red wool and the pom pom maker/card circles. Then sew to the holly leaves.

Christmas Sewing Pattern: Christmas Holly Patchwork Block

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I’ve still got a few Halloween themed makes to complete but got slightly distracted by the Christmas make I’ve been wanting to get started on for a while.

I have had an idea in mind to complete a patchwork design of a holly but apart from a few rough sketches haven’t had chance to make one.

I had a bit of time a few days ago and decided it was time to sit down and see if I could put this patchwork holly block together or whether the idea needed to be scrapped for good. After a few mistakes with sewing together (no matter how much I try and make sure I don’t see any pieces the wrong way around I always seem to get at least one mixed up) I got the block completed. I love this block – I have already got some ideas for a few more!.

Christmas holly patchwork block pattern


Materials:

  • Fabric – I used some scraps of fabric I had leftover from previous Christmas makes (by and gifted by The Craft Cotton Company).
  • Paper.
  • Ruler.
  • Pencil.
  • Thread.
  • Scissors.
  • Pins.

How to make the Christmas holly patchwork block:

  • I drew out my holly themed block measuring 18x18cm on paper to give me my templates to cut out my fabrics.
  • I then cut out the templates – numbering/shading the pieces prior to cutting make help to keep them all in the right place.

  • I cut out my fabrics adding a 0.5cm seam allowance.
  • Placing the pieces right sides together I sewed down the edges to join.
    • I started with the right hand side of the block first and began by sewing each individual block together, then I joined each row together. I repeated this with the left hand side of the block then joined the two sides together.
  • Next I added the side pieces.

  • Finally I added the two top pieces to finish.

This project is great for using up leftover fabric scraps – I’ve used some leftovers of fabrics gifted to me by The Craft Cotton Company.

I’m undecided whether to use this block for a Christmas themed cushion cover, quilt or table runner. Once I have made a few more blocks (hopefully I have enough time before Christmas arrives) I will make a choice.

Sewing Tutorial: Fabric Christmas Tree Decorations – Perfect For A Last Minute Make

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These decorations are a perfect quick Christmas sewing make – they also make great gifts.

Its that time of year where it all gets a little manic as I realise theres not long left for me to finish off all my Christmas present makes, no mater how early I start I always seem to end up at this stage with me looking at the calendar wondering if I will actually manage to get them all finished.  Luckily I have always managed to finish just in time – although I have been known to be frantically finishing off an item on Christmas Eve ready for the next day!

I have got most of the Elf gift bags finished, and have now decided to focus on some of my sewing Christmas makes.  First up is a fabric Christmas tree, these are perfect presents – especially if you are needing to post them as they are nice and flat.

I made these using fat quarters from the Christmas Birdhouse and Essential trends (red version) fat quarter sets by The Craft Cotton Company.

Fabric was gifted by The Craft Cotton Company.

There is also another tutorial available for a smaller version of these trees – fabric Christmas trees take 2! As well as one for fabric tree bunting and also a crochet version too!

Christmas Tree Decoration Tutorial

Materials

To make one tree you will need:

  • 2 pieces of fabric for the 5 squares:
    • 5×5 cm, 7×7 cm, 9×9 cm, 11×11 cm, 13×13 cm
  • 2 pieces of fabric for the trunk:
    • 4x5cm.
  • 10 cm ribbon.
  • 5 buttons.

Assembly

  • Take two pieces of the same size and placing right sides together sew around leaving a gap for turning.  Turn out the right way, press and slip stitch the gap closed. Repeat with the remaining pieces, ending up with 5 squares.
  • Lay out the squares on top of each other in size order from largest to smallest.
  • Starting with the smallest square fold up the bottom point and sew to secure, next sew a button onto the folded part of the square. Repeat with the remaining squares.
  • Take the two trunk fabric pieces, and placing right sides together sew down the side, along the bottom and up the other side leaving the top edge unsewn. Turn out the right way, press and slip stitch the gap closed.
  • Sew the trunk onto the back of the largest square 1cm up from the bottom edge.
  • Take the ribbon and fold in half, place on the back of the smallest square 1cm down from the top of the square and sew to secure.

Sewing Tutorial: Quick And Easy Harry Potter Drawstring Bag

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Making bags seems to have taken over at bit here at the moment and following on from my last minute quick make drawstring bag I focussed on making this quick and easy drawstring bag using some amazing Harry Potter fabric which was gifted to me by The Craft Cotton Company.

I wanted to add a little detail to the bag and knew I had to add a little golden snitch to the front of the bag. Luckily I had some golden and white felt in my stash and some matching embroidery threads – isn’t often I manage to have the right shades and normally have to rush out and by some to match!.

I love how this bag has turned out – I will definitely be making some more for gifting this Christmas.

The tutorial to make one is available over on The Craft Cotton Company’s blog.

Quick Sewing Project: Sewing A Fabric Drawstring Gift Bag

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I had a gift ready to be gifted and had it mind to make a fabric drawstring bag to pop it in before gifting, but then the problems started….. I forgot about the making part until the day before I needed to pass the gift over!

Slight panic stations occurred and I rapidly looked through my fabric stash to see if I had anything suitable. I’ve been on a bit of a fabric scraps use up mission lately so wanted to try and keep this going and luckily I had some fabric pieces that were perfect.

This fabric was from the Craft Cotton Company’s London Town fat quarter set which was gifted by The Craft Cotton Company.

Tutorial to make the bag

  • For the front and back of the bag you will need two pieces of fabric that measure 26x30cm. They can be made up from patchwork pieces or be a single piece.
  • For the top drawstring parts of the bag you need two pieces of fabric 28×10. This gives you a front and back piece.
  • Take the two top drawstring parts of the bag and fold in the edges by 1cm and then fold in half (wrong sides together) so you have two pieces 26x5cm.
  • Take one of the top drawstring parts of the bag and the front piece of the bag and place right sides together with the top raw edge of the front piece and the bottom raw edge of the drawstring part aligned. Sew along the top edge to secure. Repeat with the remaining top drawstring part and back piece of the bag.
  • Take the front and back piece and place right sides together, sew down both the sides starting 3cm from the top edge and sewing diagonally inwards for 1cm and then down the rest of the side. Sew along the bottom edge. Turn out the right way.
  • Take a piece of ribbon 50cm long and thread through the top drawstring part of the bag, tie the two ends together to secure.

Sewing Tutorial: Cute And Cosy Whale Shark And Narwhal Teddy Soft Toys

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I received some gorgeous blue themed fabrics from The Craft Cotton Company and the different shades of blues reminded me of the ocean so I decided to make something sea themed!

The first two sea creatures that came to mind where a whale shark and a narwhal, and so that is what I went with! very glad I stuck with them as I love how they have turned out.

The tutorials to make these cute little sea creatures are available over on The Craft Cotton Company blog, along with loads of other amazing tutorials.