Sewing

Sewing Tutorial: Sewing Pattern Weights – Perfect Scrap Busting Project

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A huge help for pattern cutting and made only with fabric scraps, these pattern weights are a must have that I wish I had made sooner!

I’ve been meaning to make some pattern weights for a while now and just haven’t got around to doing them. Now that I have got them made I wish I had got them made sooner – they are absolutely brilliant for holding patterns in place while cutting out without having to mess around with pins which also often leave marks in the fabric. In fact I was so pleased with how well these worked I went on a bit of a making spree and at current count have about 30 of these little gems! 


What’s even better about these weights is I made them all with just scraps of fabric out of my stash and anything that can help use up some scraps is a winner with me!

Fabric Pattern weights pattern:

I made two different sizes of these weights, so had had some longer ones for long pattern sections. The method to make both sizes is the same, the only difference being the size of paper template used.

Materials:

  • Fabric scraps.
  • Ribbon scraps.
  • Thread.
  • Pins.
  • Scissors.
  • Paper.
  • Pencil.
  • Ruler.
  • Aquarium gravel.

  1. Make your paper templates: 7×7 cm for the smaller weights and 10×7 cm for the larger rectangular ones and cut out your fabrics.
  1. Cut 7cm lengths of ribbon.

  1. Fold a piece of ribbon in half and place with its raw edges just over the raw edges of a piece of fabric placed right side up. Place a second piece of fabric right side down on top of this and sew down the side, along the bottom and up the other side.
  1. Cut Diagonally across at the bottom 2 corners to help with getting a nice sharp corner after turning.

  1. Turn the right way out, and fill with gravel.

  1. Fold in the top edge by 0.5m and match the two side seams together, slip stitch to close.
  • Now make as many as you need, and maybe just a couple more incase you run out while cutting out a pattern…think I definitely got carried away, don’t think I will be running out any time soon! 

Embroidery Hoop Sewing Tutorial: Hot Air Balloon Design Using Fabric Yo Yos – Perfect Nursery Decoration/Baby Gift

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I love using fabric yo yos on a project, they are great fun to make, add texture to a design and are perfect for using up scrap fabrics.

I have put together a little how to make fabric yo yo tutorial so you can see how to make lots of yo yos for this and future projects.

I received some amazing Peter Rabbit fabric from The Craft Cotton Company which I knew would be perfect for a nursery make/baby gift. I have been wanting to make a nursery themed embroidery hoop for a while now so decided to combine the fabric and some fabric yo yos to make a hot air balloon themed embroidery hoop.

This would also make a great cushion, or wall hanging if you don’t want to use an embroidery hoop. You could always use buttons for the balloon top instead of yo yos, or do a mix of both.

You can find this tutorial along with lots of others over on The Craft Cotton Company blog.

Fabric gifted by The Craft Cotton Company.

Hot Air Ballon Embroidery Hoop Nursery Decoration

Materials:

  • Peter Rabbit fat quarter set by The Craft Cotton Company.
  • Paper.
  • Pencil.
  • Scissors.
  • Compass/some thing round with a 5cm and 7cm diameter to make the fabric yo yo template.
  • Needle.
  • Thread.
  • Embroidery thread in 2 shades of brown.
  • Embroidery hoop (25cm).
  • Felt to cover the back of the hoop.

Making the hot air balloon

  • Choose one of the fat quarters the form the background fabric. Place into the embroidery hoop.
  • Using the lighter brown thread sew a basket shape onto the fabric using long running stitches.
  • Fill in the basket shape using long stitches.
  • Using the darker thread, weave in and out of the long stitches to create the basket effect.
  • Make a paper template for the fabric yo yos using the compass/something circular to create two sizes of yo yo 5cm and 7cm in diameter.
  • Using the template cut out the fabric yo yos, with 9 large (7cm) and 5 small (5cm).
  • Fold in the edge of the yo yo by 0.5cm and sew around, pull together and sew to secure (more details on how to make a fabric yo yo can be found on this fabric yo yo how to).
  • Sew 4 long lines to create the balloon ropes.
  • Sew on the yo yos to make the balloon shape.
  • Cut away the excess fabric from around the hoop leaving 10cm remaining.
  • Sew around the edge and pull to close, sew to secure.
  • Cut a piece of felt big enough to cover the gap. Place over the gap and sew to secure.
  • Create a hanging loop using the embroidery thread.

Sewing Tutorial: Solar System Embroidery Hoop Decoration

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This Solar System themed embroidery hoop makes the perfect decoration for a space themed room and would be a great gift for any space fans out there.

I received the Outer Space fat quarters set by The Craft Cotton Company and soon as I saw it I knew it would be perfect for some sort of wall decoration, I have already made a space themed wall hanging previously so decided to do something a little bit different and make an embroidery hoop decoration with a solar system pattern.

I opted to use the star pattern fat quarter from the fat quarter pack but it was a tough choice as the quarters with planet details one would also look good – might have to make another one using that at some point!

Fabrics gifted by The Craft Cotton Company.

This would also make a great cushion, you could make a round one or a square. If making a square one – instead of sewing the planet names around in a circle you could sew them around the square edge.

Solar System Embroidery Hoop:

Materials:

  • Felt – in various colours for the planets/sun.
  • Felt – to form a backing piece for the hoop.
  • Embroidery hoop.
  • Scissors.
  • Fabric for the background – I used the star detailed fat quarter from the Outer Space fat quarter set by The Craft Cotton Company.
  • Needle.
  • Thread.
  • Ribbon to create loop at top of the hoop.

Assembly:

  • Cut out 8 planets from the different felt colours, and one large semi circle for the sun.
  • Choose a fat quarter from the set and place into the embroidery hoop.
  • Sew on the sun and planets.
  • Sew on details to the planets.
  • Using French Knots add in an asteroid belt.
  • Sew the names of each of the planets around the edge of the hoop.
  • Leaving a 5cm gap cut around the edge of the hoop.
  • Sew around the edge then pull to close the fabric around the back of the hoop.
  • Cut a circle of felt to cover the back of the hoop, then sew to secure.
  • Create a loop at the top of the hoop using thread/ribbon.

Sewing How To: Fabric Yo Yo

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I love using fabric yo yo’s in projects, they are really versatile and they are great in projects on their own as well as being ideal for adding in extra detail and texture.

For some yo yo makes check out my yo yo rabbit tutorial.

Making a fabric yo yo:

Materials:

  • Paper.
  • Scissors.
  • Thread.
  • Needle.
  • Fabric.
  • Pencil.

Making the yo yo:

  • Draw out a circle on paper (an 8cm Size template will produce a 4cm size yo yo).
  • Cut out the circle.
  • Use the circle template to cut out a circle from the fabric – leaving a 0.5cm seam allowance.

  • Fold in the edge of the circle by 0.5 cm and sew around to secure.

  • Pull tight to form the yo yo.
  • Sew a few stitches to hold together.

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.