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Blog Hop: Pretty Birds Owl Pattern

March 4, 2015 by FaveCraftsBlog

Today my fellow editor and I embarked on a lovely sewing adventure! We made this little owl from the new Pretty Birds book. Be sure to check out the Blog Hop for a chance to win our copy of this book!

These owls are SEW cute. Learn how to make your own on the blog!

A photo posted by FaveCrafts (@favecrafts) on Mar 4, 2015 at 2:59pm PST

Reprinted with permission from Pretty Birds © 2015 Virginia Lindsay, Running Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group.

Owl

Photo Credit: Ivan Jones

Owls have long represented wisdom and scholarship. There is something about their unique shape and big round eyes that is just so appealing. Just one warning note—making fabric owls is addictive. I have been doing it for years and I still love it.

These fun little friends are a quick and easy sew, and you can use a variety of fabric combinations. Feel free to use bright and funky colors; the Owl’s shape and features are so distinctive that it’s always obvious what you are making. You can search for all your favorite fabric scraps and use them up for this project. The Owl pattern can be used to make toys, door stops, cable caddies, and fun pillows. Be sure to use good-quality wool felt so the eyes and base do not become spoiled after a few big owl hugs!

Get stitching!

Materials Needed

  • Cotton fabric scraps in 3 colors
  • Wool felt in 2 colors, 1 for eyes and 1 for coordinating with cotton fabrics for base
  • Sewing machine (optional), thread, scissors
  • Polyester fiberfill
  • Needle and thread
  • Separated coordinated embroidery floss
  • 2 ½-in. (1.3-cm) buttons

To download a printable version of this pattern, go to bit.ly/1nw2xgs

 

Pattern measures

Height: 5 ½ in. (14 cm)

Width: 5 in. (13 cm)

Step 1

Cut out all the pattern pieces according to the guidelines

Step 2

Zigzag stitch the belly piece onto the front body. Switch back to straight stitch and sew on the felt eyes. To handsew, use blanket or overcast stitch then running stitch. The pattern piece has a placement guide to help you.

Step 3

Pin the front and back pieces right sides together. Leave the base open but sew up the side to the point and then back down the other side. Trim the seams down and then clip the fabric at the tip.

Step 4

Turn right side out and press flat. The pattern piece has a guide for sewing the ears. Do this with the sewing machine by marking with pins where you want to begin and end and then just sew a curve above the eyes.

Step 5

Stuff the Owl with polyester fiberfill. Knot the end of a piece of thread and then sew a running stitch around the base of the Owl. Gently pull the thread to gather the fabric together. Secure the gathered fabric with a strong knot.

Step 6

Handsew on the base felt piece to cover up the gathered fabric. Use matching embroidery  floss and a simple running stitch to secure the felt onto the base.

Step 7

To finish, sew the button eyes in place and sew the beak down with a couple of stitches. You can really make the eyes stand out by doing a simple decorative stitch around the circumference of the eyes.

Other Ideas to Try

Small hot-water bottle cover

Because of its shape the Owl is perfect to transform into a small hot-water bottle cover for chilly nights. Consider using heat-insulated batting to give your hot water bottle longer-lasting warmth. You could use flannel and minky fabric for the exterior pieces to create an extra cozy bottle cover. Turn to page 121 for additional templates, QR codes, and full instructions.

Headphone or cable caddy

pretty-birds-owl-illustration

Illustration: Jess Herbert

Add a simple pocket to the back of the Owl. Use a scrap of fabric 6 ¼ x 9 in. (16 x 23 cm) to make a piece that is 6 ¼ x 4 ½ in. (16 x 11.5 cm). Fold the fabric in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, to make a pocket. Line it up with the base of the back piece and tack it to the sides. In Step 3, sew through the pocket layer when you sew the front and back sides together. Finish the Owl as usual but now you will have a nice little pocket in the back. Keep it on your desk next to your computer!

We love this little owl! Who would you make one for?

Filed Under: Full Project Tutorials Tagged With: bird crafts, Blog Hop, hand sewing, Sewing

How to Embroider: Learning About Embroidery Stitches

January 25, 2014 by AllFreeSewing

AllFreeSewingThe art of embroidery is an intricate and delicate one. Using a needle and a string of yarn or thread to slowly hand-stitch a design can be daunting to grasp. Some designs can be fairly simple, so a beginner can easily fumble around and slowly practice. Once you’re comfortable in the more basic areas of embroidery, you can move on and try more advance patterns, which can be more intricate and time-intensive. The more elaborate the design, the more careful you have to be. AllFreeSewing is a great resource for all types of embroidery projects, so you can sharpen your hand-stitching skills no matter your current level.

You can embroider pretty much anything out there that’s fabric! You can personalize pillowcases, washcloths, and even clothes with a single needle and thread. Whether you hand-stitch directly into the fabric or you create an applique to attach later, embroidery is a great way to learn the finer points of sewing. Check out some of our favorite embroidery projects and make a few today!

 

Needle Organization

Once you get the hang of embroidery, you’ll probably want to own a few needles of different sizes, and then store them in a way so you don’t lose them. These needle cases are just that!Storybook Needle Case

Matryoshka Needle Case Tutorial

Embroidered Needle Book

Storybook Needle Case

 

Around the House

Many people take very simple items around the house, like dish towels or pillowcases, and add some embroidery to them. That way, you have a unique and decorated fabric piece that you crafted to your specifications.

Patriotic Summer Ruffles Set Dishtowel

Patriotic Summer Ruffles Set Dishtowel

Embroidered Recipe Card Holder

Ribbon Embroidery Pillow Cases

Embroidered Apple Tree Pillow

Bird Lover Embroidered Coaster

Grandmother’s China Embroidered Pillow

Embroidered Box Curtains

Embroidered Envelope Pillow

 

 

Clothing and Accessories

Just like with items around the house, you can take any accessory or piece of clothing and add your own stitched embellishments to it. Take a bag or purse and use your needlepoint skills to add a fun design, or add some flair to a fuzzy pair of tights. The possibilities are endless!

Dotty Embroidered ToteDotty Embroidered Tote

Don’t Shoot the Messenger Bag

Embroidered Dog Tee

Bunting Inspired Winter Gloves

Embroidered Fabric Wristlet

DIY Embellished Tights Tutorial

Hand Embroidered Baby Bib

 

 

Hoop Stitching/Wall Art

You can easily create a hangable work of art using embroidery, so let these great projects show you how! All you need is a piece of fabric to stitch your design into and a way to hang it; you can frame these projects with a typical photo frame or with a circular hoop.

Embroidery Hoop ArtLabor of Love Freezer Paper Embroidery

Baby Name Embroidery Pattern

Delicate Flowers Embroidery Pattern

Labor of Love Freezer Paper Embroidery

 

 

 

Bonus giveaway!

Learn to Embroider with the Best of Leisure Arts

Let Leisure Arts help you learn to embroider with their Learn to Embroider with the Best of Leisure Arts! Full of full color photographs and easy-to-access templates, this book will show you how to hand-embroider fantastical designs onto your everyday items. Enter to win a free book that’s full of embroidery patterns and inspiration. The contest runs from 1/20/14 – 2/3/14. Enter today!

 

 

 

What are you going to embroider?

 

Filed Under: Sewing Tagged With: hand sewing, julia wiatr, Sewing, sewing ideas

Super Cute Pin Cushion Patterns To Sew

December 22, 2012 by AllFreeSewing

If you are a sewist then you know that having an awesome pincushion is a staple. We all have lost a needle or two (or ten) so finding the perfect pin cushion is a must. The best solution to finding the perfect pin cushion is to just sew one yourself! We have assembled a collection of not only the most practical pincushions to sew but also some of the cutest. We have super cute and simple pin cushions for those just starting to sew (or those who have never sewn before and are looking for a project to start) to pincushions with crazy and fun designs like animals or cupcakes. No matter what you are into or what you like, we have the perfect pincushion for you.

Zombies, Cupcakes, and Turtles Pin Cushions

Zombies, Cupcakes, and Turtles Pin Cushions

What does the living dead, a delicious dessert, and a cute sea creature have in common? The answer is that you can find a pincushion pattern to sew them all in one place. Art Threads has compiled a list of some of her favorite pin cushion patterns to sew and you can find the perfect one that fits your personality. Since I am a huge fan of the TV show The Walking Dead, the zombie pincushion is perfect for me. But if scary creatures are not up your alley, then I’m sure the turtle or cupcake pattern is perfect for you (I know I would hate the cupcake pincushion because every time I sew I would get hungry!)

Animal Pin Cushions

Porcupine Pin CushionBitty Bug Pincushion

These pin cushion patterns are very simple to make and are some of the most darling things. Prudent Baby has created probably the single cutest pin cushion I have ever seen with their porcupine design. I love the fact that the needles are the porcupine’s quills. If the porcupine design is the best thing ever, then this Bitty Bug pattern is a very close second.

Wrist Watch and Ring Pin Cushions

Wrist Watch PincushionRing Pincushion

These free pin cushion patterns are perfect for every sewist. These pincushions act like a piece of jewelry so they stay with you no matter where or when you sew. Lucykate Crafts came up with the amazing wrist watch pincushion idea. This precious design allows you move from place to place without losing all of your pins. My Little Nook came up with the clever design for the ring pincushion. It is extremely easy to make and will work wonders for your future sewing projects.

 Egg Pin Cushions

Egg Cup PincushionOver(ly) Easy Pincushion

The Sometimes Crafter came up with this Egg Cup Pincushion which not only requires sewing but also requires flexing your crafting muscles as well. Lastly, we have the Over(ly) Easy Pincushion from Speckless. The name of this project matches the project itself: super cute and fun!

 

If you could pick one thing to turn in to a pin cushion pattern, what would that one thing be?

Filed Under: Sewing Tagged With: free sewing patterns, hand sewing, pincushion, pincushions, sewing crafts

National Sewing Month: Watch and Learn on YouTube

September 14, 2011 by AllFreeSewing

Dear Readers,

It’s National Sewing Month! To celebrate, AllFreeSewing.com is hosting a special blog series throughout the entire month. Check back daily for posts featuring our favorite projects, new sewing videos and tutorials, guest blogs from talented designers and more. We’re also giving away a HUGE sewing prize at the end of the month. You won’t believe how EASY it is to WIN!

Leave a comment on any of the blog posts with the headline “National Sewing Month”. Your comment will count as an entry into the giveaway. You are free to comment as often as once per blog post (for a total of 30 chances to win!). At the end of the month, we’ll pool all of the comments together and pick one lucky winner to win the mystery grand prize. And trust us; you want to win this one!

Whether you’re already a sewing enthusiast or new to the craft, our hope is that this September will encourage you to create wonderful sewn projects.

Happy National Sewing Month!

Here’s today’s post:

I’m a visual learner. I like to look at pictures and watch videos, especially when it comes to developing a new skill. Sewing isn’t always the easiest craft to master and it’s always nice to hear someone’s voice and watch them complete a project instead of merely reading instructions. That’s why I love AllFreeSewing’s YouTube channel!

With over 40 videos available to view, this channel is so informative and exciting. There are basic tutorials (Sewing 101: Hand Sewing Basics) as well as more complicated projects (How to Make a Baby Quilt). There are even helpful videos on topics like cleaning your vintage sewing machine.

My favorite video on the AllFreeSewing YouTube channel is How to Make a Fabric Box. I just moved in to my first apartment and I’m always looking for fun, unique home decor ideas.

Maureen Wilson‘s step-by-step tutorial is so easy to follow. These boxes are great for bedrooms, living rooms or even a college dorm rooms. Store magazines, books and even blankets in your own , homemade storage bins.

Do you find video tutorials helpful for your projects? Why or why not?

 

Filed Under: National Sewing Month Tagged With: craft tutorials, fabric box, hand sewing, maureen wilson, National Sewing Month, sewing machine, sewing tutorials, sewing videos, videos

How to: Sew on a Button

September 15, 2010 by FaveCrafts

Learning to sew on a button is useful for novice sewers and non-sewers alike. Really, anyone who wears clothing should know how to sew on a button, unless you avoid clothing with buttons or can afford to replace clothing when the buttons fall off instead of just sewing them back on.

If you don’t fall into those two categories, then read on to discover just how easy it is to mend your own clothes.

  1. Grab a needle and some thread. The thread should be about a foot and a half long, but there is no standard length to follow. Thread the needle by pulling one end of the thread through the needle’s eye.
  2. Knot the end of your thread. You can do this however you want. Try this technique for hand sewing without knots. My favorite technique is to wrap the end of the thread around the needle a few times and slide it down, as shown in this video:
  3. Hold the button against your fabric wherever you want it to be sewn. Usually when a button falls off of an article of clothing, it leaves behind some thread in the spot where it was originally sewn. If it does this, you know exactly where it needs to be reattached. If not, just estimate based on where the button hole is.
  4. Bring the needle through the back of the fabric and the first hole in the button. Pull the thread until the knot is secure on the back side of the fabric (where no one will see it).
  5. Bring the needle back down through the other hole in the button and the fabric underneath that.
  6. If your button has only two holes in it, repeat steps 4 and 5 until you feel you have secured your button adequately. If it has four holes, you’ll want to make x’s with your thread, going up through the top right hole, down through the bottom left, up through the top left, and down through the bottom right, repeating until the button is secure.
  7. To finish, knot the thread on the back side of the fabric and trim the extra. I always weave my needle under the stitches a few times to make sure it’s secure before cutting it.

Now that you know how to sew on a button, you can stop throwing away clothing with missing buttons. Now you just have to learn how to do laundry…

Filed Under: Sewing Tagged With: buttons, hand sewing, Needlecraft, Sewing, thread

Ask Maria “Sewing Stretchy Materials”

September 3, 2010 by Maria

Question

I want to make Barbie and Ken clothes. I would like to use old sweaters or other streachy material. Please help.

Marge R via FaveCrafts Fan Page Wall on Facebook

Using old sweaters is a great way to repurpose and recycle for green crafting. Wash the materials before you start. Open up the seams of the clothing so you are working with one layer of material. You can trace your patterns onto the sweater or other stretchy material and machine sew using a stitch for stretchy materials (select on the sewing machine, these stitches has a little give to them so they will not break). You could also cut out the patterns and pin the patterns onto the material, but make sure you give yourself a healthy seam allowance.  If your material begins to unravel, use a fray stopping liquid, there are many to choose from including Fray-Chek. You’ll find this medium where fabric, sewing, or quilting supplies are sold. Working with stretchy materials does take some patience. Sew slow and make sure you are bonding all the weave.

Maria Nerius is our Resident Craft Expert here at FaveCrafts.com and she loves to answer your questions, just drop her an e-mail at Maria@FaveCrafts.com or post to her Facebook Wall: Maria Given Nerius.

Filed Under: Advice, Tips, & Tricks Tagged With: crafting, crafts, doll clothing, hand sewing, Kids Crafts, machine sewing, Maria Nerius, Sewing, Tips

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