sutton087

A simple piranha softie kids can make Tutorial at Coloured Buttons Blog "Some weeks ago Spotlight asked me to create a simple piranha softie kids can sew for Aaron Blabey’s book Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas .  I loved the personality of the piranha and designed a simple softie of his character. This softie really is easy to sew…it’s made from only two pieces of felt…and it makes a great activity for mums to sew with or for their kids".... Read more

Choose a sturdy fabric in a delightful pattern Tutorial at Libby's Lifestyle Blog "My director chairs were looking sad, very sad. What is it about Spring that makes me look at things in a different way, with a different eye? Well, whatever it is, "it" was making me want to do something drastic to my sad and neglected director chairs. I didn't want to throw them out. Realistically, they can easily give me another 20 years of service. Yes, I've had them THAT long. I like director chairs. Always have. They're comfortable and convenient".... Read more

Marbling is exciting and so much fun Tutorial at Wesens Art Blog "My granddaughter and I made this unique faux leather paper pencil case.  (I know that the photos are not the best, but we had fun!  What you need: faux leather paper, roasting pan, shaving cream, acrylic paint, plastic fork, zipper, sewing machine, scissors".... Read more

Join the anti-plastic-bags revolution Tutorial at Libby's Lifestyle Blog "Plastic bags are not my favourite thing. I hate seeing them lying around amongst the trees and grass and I hate seeing what they do to wildlife and sea creatures.  So, it's time to join the anti-plastic-bags revolution.  Make a tote bag. In less than 45 minutes. And use it, always, when you go shopping".... Read more

Tote hot dishes to potluck dinners and picnics Tutorial at Nina Makes Blog "The Hot Dish Caddy is just the thing for taking hot dishes out to pot luck dinners or BBQ’s.  In New Zealand we would say ‘bring a plate’ which means a dish/plate of food to share, and has confused many visitors over the years who actually turn up with a plate to eat off.  I believe we even did that once when we first moved to NZ from The Netherlands!  With this tutorial and free printable pdf pattern you can make your own Hot Dish Caddy to easily carry your hot dish from the oven to wherever you are going.  Not to mention it will help keep it nice and warm in the process too".... Read more

Get an early start on Xmas gifts with these hotpads Tutorial at XOXO Grandma Blog "Whenever Christmas time rolls around, I am always stumped over what to give my neighbors. If you have a similar problem, then I have a simple solution for you. Ever heard of "A Handcrafted Christmas?" It's a group of creative bloggers who have joined together for a monthly Christmas Blog Hop where one of us will be making a fabulous handcrafted Christmas gift to inspire and re-create each month.  Our goal is to make a gift a month so that by the time Christmas rolls around we'll have at least 12 gifts ready for the holiday season".... Read more

Triple stitch the seams for strength Tutorial at Libby's Lifestyle Blog "Bean bags seem to be popping up on all the "in" sites lately. Bean bags with very expensive price tags, but, realistically, these very expensive bean bags are very easy and not very expensive to make. If you have around an hour to spare, you can have one made.  My tween-age neighbour has been hankering after a bean bag for sometime, so with her birthday on the horizon, it seemed like the obvious present".... Read more

You'll be surprised at how easy it really is to sew Tutorial at Coloured Buttons Blog "This watermelon softie has just been published in the new summer edition of Casa Creativa and Sew A Softie day seemed the perfect opportunity for me to post it here also. It’s not quite as easy as my little felt zenkis like Millie but it’s still a very simple and straightforward softie to sew and really fun to make by yourself or with your kids…although I’m not sure if my little kitty’s terribly impressed".... Read more

T-shirt dress tutorial and printable pattern for size large Tutorial at Mary Martha Mama Blog "I went about my morning, doing this and that, and I descended the stairs to the basement to do laundry.  And somehow, I have no idea how, I accidentally got bleach on my dress.  My t-shirt dress.  Again, not fancy, but the perfect-fitting, comfy, wonderful t-shirt dress of my dreams.  Ruined. Yes, I could go out and buy a new one.  But I looked and they didn’t have them any more.  So I decided that I needed to make a clone.  And that’s just what I did.  So today I’m sharing my tutorial for how I made it".... Read more

Tutorial includes photos and downloadable PDF Tutorial at Easy Sewing for Beginners Blog "I have a love of all things monsters. Mainly cute squishy ones. I have a great collection of monster stuff over on my Monster Inspiration Pinterest board (there’s over 1200 pins on it now ). This led me to develop a monster softie pattern. May I introduce the Mini Monster Mate! He’s super simple to sew, which makes it great for beginning sewers".... Read more

Use up colorful scraps in this fun project Tutorial at Nina Makes Blog   "These Stuffed Fabric Balls are an excellent scrap busting project!  Not only can you use the littlest pieces of scrap fabric you can stuff them with scraps too.  And also a great little gift to sew for boys or girls and I think a baby would love one too!  You could even add a few folded pieces of ribbon as in my Baby Taggie Blanket/Comforter Tutorial for that texture little ones love exploring".... Read More

Made-to-measure skirt with pockets and a zipper Tutorial at Sewing Bee Fabrics Blog "When this gorgeous Michael Miller fabric (garden bouquet) arrived, I wanted it! The thing I miss most when I wear skirts is having a good pocket, so what better than to make an A line skirt with big pockets out of it. I usually make skirts with an elastic waistband for speed, but if you do that then fill your pockets, it will likely start sliding down, which is why I made a zipper back and a button up top. This is how I made it".... Read more

These are so comfy and easy, you’ll want to make one for each member of your family Tutorial at Creative Homemaking Blog "Today’s project could not be easier! This bean bag sewing tutorial is not only an awesome beginners project but a great addition to your home decor. Very handy, particularly if you have kids that love to hang around on the floor or a very large family.  With the help of this easy bean bag sewing tutorial you’ll be able to finish one pretty large bag in about 30 minutes. They’re so comfortable and much cheaper to make yourself".... Read more

Stylish and comfortable harem pants for a child Tutorial at Nina Makes Blog "I was given these leggings to upcycle and then I had a brain wave for a quick and easy upcycle idea!  Since these leggings are quite small and a nice floaty knit fabric (viscose elastane) I thought they would make great Harem pants for Hannah.  The only things I need to alter is the waistband and the length".... Read more

Utilizing existing seams in pre-loved pillowcases saves sewing time Tutorial at Threading My Way Blog "For my last holiday, I made myself some travel storage bags to help keep my belongings organized for the week. I wanted a low cost solution and came up with a set of six bags made from just two pillowcases - shoe bags, laundry bag, socks bag, lingerie bag and t-shirt bag. Today I'll show you how I made my travel storage bags for absolutely no cost whatsoever".... Read more

Video tutorial for dolls of all sizes Tutorial at Strawberry Butterscotch Blog "I made cute little drawstring tank tops for my doll (you can see her reaction here).  I say drawstring, but will always think of them as pillowcase tops.  The first time I learned how to make tops like this was from a tutorial for a top using a pillow case I saw in a magazine.  Since then I have made several (see Dolly Dressing and Give Me a Doll With Hair)".... Read more

Add strappy sandals, lip gloss, and be ready for anything Tutorial at So Sew Easy Blog "A couple of days ago, I went to a local store to buy a floor runner for a hallway.  After looking for a while, I finally decided on one and proceeded to bargain the price –a common practice here in Singapore before you agree on a price.  After much arguing, I actually decided not to buy the rug.  It wasn’t anything special and the price was indeed inflated.  When the salesman perceived I was backing away, he proceeded to use the old flattery tactic, but having grown up in Latin America I was immune to it".... Read more

Tips for sewing large prints, fixing problems with a pattern, making a muslin Tutorial at From My Carolina Home Blog "What is it with fashion designers these days?  Go into the stores looking for a pretty spring print and all you find are ugly prints and the ever present solid colors.  Is the concept of florals for spring so clichéd that no one will do them?  But, but… that is what I want now, planting flowers in pots and pretty floral prints to wear.  Even Macy’s let me down, and that doesn’t often happen.  I am sick of solid, color blocking and I need something else to wear to work.  So, back to the fabric stash to finally sew up at least one of the rayon challis prints I have been hoarding for no good reason".... Read more

Stack flat to fit in a drawer Tutorial at Joy's Jots, Shots & Whatnots Blog "I came up with this idea last Christmas when making gifts.  As usual I took a lot longer trying to find a quicker way to make some bowl holders.  It may be just a tad quicker, but definitely these holders don't take up as much space when you store them flat unlike the bowl holders you see all over the internet. They also have a multi-use since they can be used as a hot pad to set a dish on".... Read more

Keep your tea or soft drink cold longer Tutorial at Mary Martha Mama Blog "To enhance enjoyment of our teas we took them outside to enjoy on our back deck.  After a busy day I love to sit down and have a relaxing chat with my husband while savoring a sweet treat.  To help keep our teas cool I made some insulated drink cozies and I’m sharing the step by step tutorial so that you can make your own".... Read more