A Moment of Feeling Craft Store Famous

I'll be the first to admit there hasn't been a whole lotta crafting going on chez Sew Can Do recently.  Business & family needs have made crafting a lower priority since my fabric shop and dueling toddlers burst onto the scene, but many moons ago I was crafting like crazy.  I used to do a good bit of professional pattern designing for brands and publications back in the day too, like this April Showers Quilt Pattern I created as a freelance designer for Pellon about a decade ago.  I did a number of projects for them and this one was for National Quilting Month (which is March):

I was at my local Hobby Lobby last weekend with my entire entourage of 5 kids & husband, finally getting supplies for some new crafts I'm aiming to tackle soon.  And when I went to grab a package of Wonder-Under I and discovered this very project front & center on it:

 It was a huge surprise to see my creation (and the photo of it I took in my foyer) right there in the notions department at a huge chain store!  This project has been a PDF download on their website for a long time and made the rounds on their social media when I first designed it, but having it on the front of an actual product package felt a little surreal.  

Seeing my little quilt has stood the test of time (being 10yrs+ after it was designed) was really amazing too. 

You can get the free pdf pattern HERE.  If I were making this again I'd probably try doing a pastel version or use some small prints with rain-themed designs like clouds, rain coats, boots, umbrellas...maybe even frogs to really bring out the "April Showers" theme!  If anyone wants to try it, I'd LOVE to see how it turns out:)  

  

Crafty Gear 411: How To Make Your Own Appliqués

Appliqués are a great way to turn something drab into fab and make coordinating looks.  Give a basic tote new style or a plain shirt some extra flair.  It's easy and inexpensive too - especially when using scraps.  Earlier this week I shared my how-to for making lined pants with fold-over detailing (aka Ants In My Pants) using some darling Timeless Treasures Itsy Bitsy Ant print fabric.  

Today's Crafty Gear 411 gives a quick run-down of making appliqués from scratch and shows how adding an appliqué to a plain tee makes a totally custom ensemble:

Here's how to make your own custom appliqués:

You'll Need

• Item to appliqué
• Paper & pencil
• Cotton fabric
• Paper-backed Fusible Web and Sew-In Stabilizer 
• Sewing Notions: shears/rotary cutter, disappearing marker/tailor's chalk, iron & ironing board, press cloth, pins, coordinating threads)
• Optional: hand sewing needle for detailing

To start, create an appliqué design on paper and decide what will be the basic outline shape(s) for the applique (fine detailing will come later in the stitching).  I wanted to make an ant on a picnic blanket, so I drew a three-segment body for my little ant on paper and used that as the pattern to pin onto some Soho Solid Black fabric and cut out:

I also cut a curved triangle shape from some coordinating Itsy Bitsy watermelon fabric for the picnic blanket and cut matching pieces for each from my fusible web:

Paper backed fusible allows you to fuse to materials together in a two-step process.  First, fuse the rough side of the fusible to the backs of the pieces with a dry, hot iron and let cool. Then peel off the paper backing and fuse them onto the front of the shirt/bag/whatever using a damp press cloth between applique and iron set to the wool setting.

To make a nice finish, and avoid fraying, edging around the entire design with satin stitching is ideal.  This is how most store-made appliquéd items look.  Satin stitch is really just a fancy name for using a wide zig-zag set to a very small stitch length (close to zero).  The trick is to line things up so the right side of stitches go just past the raw edge of the fabric to enclose it under the stitching and go slow around corners and curves for a uniform look.

This stitch is nice for adding design details too.  I used it to make the legs, mouth, eye and antennae by drawing them on with disappearing marker & chalk and then stitch over the markings.  If there's any part where there's a gap between stitches, just stitch over that spot again.  Easy fix!!

It's also best to use a good stabilizer on the back if you're appliquéing on a thin or stretchy fabric.  The stitches tend to pull a bit and get puckery on these materials - especially when there's a lot of stitching close together.  My stabilizer of choice for these sorts of projects is the kind you can tear away because it gives a good, solid backing and just rips away when done.  

For the really fine details hand stitching is the way to go.  I added a couple of hand stitches in blue for some the tiny eye detail - little accents like that can really add personality.

Now the appliqué is all set and a custom-created-by-you look is complete.  Enjoy!

A New FREE Pattern: Plenty of Pockets Duffel Bag

With school starting up, now is a great time for making a new bag.  My latest creation was designed with that in mind: the Plenty of Pockets Duffel Bag.  A fun and practical bag that is amazing for organizing on the go!

Two tall rows of pockets on the outside, a drawstring closure and adjustable straps make this bag versatile for all occasions and great for carrying everything.

The roomy interior has another full row of pockets on the inside for even more organizing:

I used fabric from the adorable Woodland Picnic collection by Timeless Treasures to make it. I'm a hedgehog fanatic (which explains the name of my Etsy shop, The Green Hedgehog), so I was wild about these prints as soon as I saw them.  These are perfect prints for fall, but the bright colors work well for the rest of the year too.  I designed the bag to have a layered look so all the prints could get equal attention - there was no way I could choose just one as the main feature! 

The handy size makes it great for the beach, traveling, sleep overs, or as a backpack for school.  Keep small stuff in the lower pockets, tall things in the higher ones and big stuff inside - all nice and neat.  The entire bag and its straps are padded for added support and comfort too.

Want to make one of your own?

  

Click HERE 
to get my FREE downloadable pattern for making the

Plenty of Pockets Duffel Bag!

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Start Decorating With The Pellon Home Goods Giveaway!

Isn't it great how crafting and decorating go hand in hand?  With a little basic skill and the right materials you can make custom creations for a fraction of the fanciest stores.  That's why today's giveaway is such a fab one - it gives the chance to do a little decorating AND get to try some of Pellon's newest and most fabulous products.  Are you ready for the Pellon Home Goods Giveaway?!?  

Here's the 411 on the fabulous items one lucky person will win:

Pellon® HomeGoods Decorative Pillow Forms - the perfect base for budget-friendly pillow projects and have a smooth, brushed microfiber cover.  Sized perfectly for accenting couches, beds and chairs.   

Pellon® 300 Thread Count Fabric - made with deluxe 100% natural long staple Indian Cotton, this soft and supple fabric comes in a range of colors to coordinate with home décor.  It's ideal for making luxurious bedding, curtains or even some dreamy nightwear:

Together those products are perfect for making projects like my new Getting Gathered Pillow (you can find the full tutorial to make one HERE):

And then there's Fabric Magic™- this unique product adds texture & dimension to projects and is super quick and easy to use.  By stitching this to the back of fabric and then adding steam it shrinks fabric up to 30% and gives a really cool look to anything:

Perfect Loft™ Cluster Fiber is a luxurious fill - it's soft and smooth, plus hypoallergenic.  It maintains structure and will never clump or bunch.  It's also got 30% more fill power than standard fill.

Pellon® Cheesecloth is another cool new Pellon product.   Made with food-grade 100% Cotton, it's super durable for crafts, decorations and home usage.   It's reusable too!

And Easy Knit® Tape is a fusible that stabilizes seams and softens edges and is great for joining scraps.

Ready for the chance to win them all?

The giveaway winner will receive:

• 1 package of Perfect Loft™ Cluster Fiber (16oz)
• 1 package of Pellon® Cheesecloth (3yds)
• 1 package of Fabric Magic™(1yd)
• 1 yard of Pellon® 300 Thread Count Fabric in White
• 2 Pellon® HomeGoods Decorative Pillows (16"x 16")
• 1 package of Easy Knit® Tape (10yds)

This home decor prize pack is worth over $65!

To Enter:

Tell me what product you're most excited to try.  Be sure to include an email address if it's not on your profile.

For Additional Entries (leave a separate comment for each one):

- Stop by PellonProjects.com, then come back and leave a comment saying your favorite project

- Like Pellon on Facebook
- Follow Pellon's new blog
- Follow Pellon on Pinterest

- Follow Sew Can Do

- Like Sew Can Do on Facebook

- Follow Sew Can Do on Twitter

- Follow Sew Can Do on Pinterest

- Link to this giveaway on your blog, Facebook or Twitter

Giveaway IS CLOSED will be open until 11:59PM EST September 4th, 2012. Giveaway is open to residents of contiguous U.S. only.  Void where prohibited.  The winner will be chosen at random and announced later that week.  Good Luck Everyone!  

Pellon Fashion Sewing Products Giveaway!

Summer is officially here and that means two big things: Summer Clothes & Wedding Season.  With my little sister getting married and wanting to make pretty things I can wear for summer, both are at the top of my mind. And today's giveaway prize is just what is needed!

Thanks to the lovely people at Pellon, I have the fantastic Apparel Sewing Product Prize Package shown above to give to one lucky winner.

The items in this prize pack are ideal for all sorts of fashion sewing: shirts, skirts, dresses and for all sorts of other projects that use fabric like headbands, padded boxes and decorative accents.  Here's what it includes:

Fashion Fuse Natural, a fusible interfacing that adds structure to leather, fur and other delicate fabrics.  It's unique because it supports and shapes without affecting the hand or hardening and prevents thick or slippery materials from shifting during construction.  Plus, being made of acid-free nylon/polyester, it's ideal for things like wedding gowns or heirloom projects, which will be stored over time.

Shape-Flex®, a fusible, all-cotton interfacing, adds support to lightweight fabrics, so it's ideal for collars, cuffs, yokes, pockets, facings and other detail areas of a garment.  And is both washable and dry-clean friendly!

This product has become my new best friend when sewing clothing - it really makes all the difference in making handmade clothing look amazing:

Wonder-Under is a handy multi-purpose paper-backed fusible web that bonds fabric to other fabrics ~ or ~ to any porous surface including wood, cardboard, etc.  It's fully washable and great for things like appliques, mixed-media projects or adding fabric flair just about anywhere.  It also comes in a handy tape format for detail work or small spaces:

Shir-Tailor® is a fusible, non-woven interfacing for shirt collars and cuffs that gives a crisp, smooth, neat, and professional look. It's great for light to midweight woven and knit shirtings, including oxford cloth, chambray, gingham, madras, flannel & more.


And there's also Easy-Knit Tape, a fusible tape you can use for stabilizing seams and softening the rough edges of scratchy fabrics. It's also great for joining leftover and scrap pieces of interior materials like batting:

Ready for the chance to win them all?

The giveaway winner will receive the following products:

• 2yd package of SF101 Shape-Flex®
• 1 yard of 950F Shir-Tailor®
• 2yd package of 805R Wonder-Under®
• 1/2yd of 420N Fashion Fuse Natural
• 20yd package of ST-805 Wonder-Under Tape®
• 10yd package of Easy Knit® Tape (to stabilize seams or use to join scrap batting)

To Enter:

Tell me what product you're most excited to try.  Be sure to include an email address if it's not on your profile.

For Additional Entries (leave a separate comment for each one):

- Stop by PellonProjects.com, then come back and leave a comment saying your favorite project

- Like Pellon on Facebook
- Follow Pellon's new blog
- Follow Pellon on Pinterest

- Follow Sew Can Do

- Like Sew Can Do on Facebook

- Follow Sew Can Do on Twitter

- Follow Sew Can Do on Pinterest

- Link to this giveaway on your blog, Facebook or Twitter

Giveaway IS CLOSED will be open until 11:59PM EST July 3rd, 2012. Giveaway is open to residents of U.S. and Canada only.  Void where prohibited.  The winner will be chosen at random and announced later that week.  Good Luck Everyone!  

Basic T-Shirt to Athletic Shirt in 5 Minutes!

Got a t-shirt that's a bit too small or getting snug?  Want some sporty clothing, but don't want to pay the hefty athletic wear price tag?  Sew in your own sporty side panels to add room, stretch and high-end sport fabric features to ordinary t-shirts!

You'll Need:

- 1/8yd of Athletic/Performance knit fabric* (this will make enough for several shirts)

-  T-shirt 

- Sewing Machine & Notions (pins, ruler, marking pen/chalk, twin needle, thread, scissors/rotary cutter)

* I used Athletic/Performance fabric for my panels.  It wicks away perspiration, inhibits odor, often has UV sun protection and a 4-way stretch, so it really adds the endurance of athletic wear in all the right places.  It's not always easy to find, so good alternatives are spandex, swimsuit fabric or jersey.

**Sewing Knits Tip: Refer to my post on Sewing Knits Without A Serger for more info on the stitches used here.

The length on this t-shirt was still ok, but after 2 years of wear it was too snug under the arms for my 6yr old to wear comfortably.  Here's how I made it fit like new again:

Turn t-shirt inside out and trim off 1/8inch off the seam to open the sides and measure the length from sleeve cuff to bottom hem:

Cut two side panels from the Pellon Sport fabric that are 1 inch longer than the shirt to hem measurement and at least 3 and 1/2 inches wide (wider if desired - it's up to you!).  Trim one end on an angle inward on either side so that it narrows to 3 inches wide as shown:

 Make a 1/2 inch hem on the narrowed end and sew in place with a twin needle:

With right sides of the fabrics facing, pin the panel to the raw edges of one of the shirt sides, lining up the hemmed end with the shirt sleeve.  Stitch each length side using a knit stitch and a 3/8 inch seam allowance.  Turn shirt right side out and fold under the bottom edge and sew the hem with twin needle.  Repeat with the remaining side of shirt.

 Easy!  Now the shirt has some extra color and a sporting edge in the places that need it most.

 And it's got that all important extra room to wiggle again!

 As my active little guy likes to say: Ta-Da!

Sharing this with my FAVE LINK PARTIES too-

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