National Sewing Month 2013 Archives

Install Pillow Piping from The Sewing Loft: National Sewing Month 2013

September 29, 2013 by AllFreeSewing 38 Comments

It’s Day Twenty-Nine of National Sewing Month! Too see the daily blog posts, projects of the day, and more National Sewing Month details, click here.

Hello, Hello FaveCraft Readers! Heather here from The Sewing Loft and I’m so excited to join the party during National Sewing Month with you.

Today, I want to show just how easy it is to install custom piping on decorative pillows. This simple trim can really create that WOW factor on a limited budget.

Install Pillow Piping

This project is for all levels.

Skill Level- 1 Button

Supplies:

custom piping
pillow pattern

Tools:

sewing machine
zipper foot
basic sewing supplies

Basic Instructions:

Attach your zipper foot to your machine and check the needle position.
Determine the starting point of piping on your pillow. I suggest in the middle of the bottom of the pillow to hide.
Position piping; pin in place all around pillow matching seam allowance.
Straight stitch as close to the cording as possible, clipping corners as needed to turn the seam.
To join piping, unpick a few stitches on piping and fold back fabric to expose cording. Clip cording to match evenly; fold under the fabric edge and overlap to cover the seam; continue stitching piping in place.

Custom piping is an easy way to add that decorative touch on a shoestring budget. The key is to take your time and not to be caught short with the trim. With a few minutes of prep work and some simple calculations, you can transform even the simplest pillow insert into a decorator pillow.

Here is what I created with my piping.

PS- If this easy project inspires you to get your needle moving, be sure to visit me for more inspiration and sewing tips.

What project in your home would you use piping on?

Sew an Eiffel Tower Heat Bag from A Spoonful of Sugar: National Sewing Month 2013

September 28, 2013 by AllFreeSewing 41 Comments

It’s Day Twenty-Eight of National Sewing Month! Too see the daily blog posts, projects of the day, and more National Sewing Month details, click here.

Hi, we are Lisa and Sarah, a mother and daughter team who blog over at A Spoonful of Sugar where we share lots of free sewing tutorials, recipes, and crafty projects.

One of our most popular tutorials is our Winter Warmers Lavender Heat Bags. We love to add a French twist to our projects, so we designed an Eiffel Tower Heat Bag Cover. Featuring an appliqued Eiffel Tower, it is a pillowcase style cover with an internal flap that hides the heat pack from view. Simply heat the pack in the microwave and then carefully place it in the cover for use. The cover can be laundered which extends the life of the heat pack.

An Eiffel Tower Lavender Heat Bag would make a great gift.

Materials:

• Fat Quarter of small floral print

• Fat Quarter of green hounds tooth check

• Small piece of blue gingham

• Small scrap of red print

• Applique film such as Steam a Seam

• Black thread

• White thread

• Small pieces of ribbon (optional)

• Fat quarter of white homespun

• Rice or wheat

• Dried lavender (optional)

Eiffel-Tower-Template

1. Cut fabrics:

Floral print – 11 ½ x 6 ½ inches (front cover)

Green hounds tooth print – 2 ½ x 6 ½ inch (cuff); 6 ½ x 15 ½ inch (back cover)

White homespun – cut 2 rectangles measuring 6 x 12 inches

2. Trace the Eiffel Tower and flag from the template onto paper backing of applique film. Cut out leaving a ½ inch clearance around the design. Iron the Eiffel Tower onto the back of the blue gingham, following manufacturer’s instructions. Cut out outline. Iron the flag shape onto the back of the red print and cut out outline. Position the Eiffel Tower and flag on the blue floral print. Fuse in place following manufacturer’s directions. Top stitch around the shapes three times using black thread. Try not to stitch along the same line to give a sketched appearance.

3. Fold the cuff in half lengthwise. Press. Position the raw edges of the cuff along the top edge of the floral front. Stitch in place using ¼ inch seam allowance. Overlock/serge raw edge. Press. Topstitch 1/8 inch from seam.

4. Optional: decorate the Eiffel tower with a piece of ribbon stitched in place. Cut a 2 ½ inch piece of ribbon/tape folded in half, and stitched to the right long edge to create a tag.

5. With the backing fabric, fold under ¼ inch along one short edge. Press. Fold under another ¼ inch. Press. Stitch folded edge in place. Position the backing fabric and the Eiffel Tower front with right sides facing and bottom edges aligned. Fold the top of the backing fabric over to front (as shown). Stitch along bottom and sides. Clip corners. Turn out the right way and press.

6. Position the white homespun rectangles together. Stitch around all four sides, leaving a 3 inch gap in one short side. Turn out the right way. Fill with rice or wheat, and lavender. Stitch opening closed.

Be sure to check out A Spoonful of Sugar right here for tons of lovely tutorials.

How do you stay warm in the winter?

National Sewing Month 2013: Watermelon Pencil Case Tutorial from Creating My Way To Success

September 27, 2013 by AllFreeSewing 19 Comments

It’s Day Twenty-Seven of National Sewing Month! Too see the daily blog posts, projects of the day, and more National Sewing Month details, click here.

Hi – I’m Jill from Creating my way to Success and I’m thrilled to be here for National Sewing Month.

Today I want to show you how to make this very cute watermelon pencil case. My girls love pencil cases and it seems you can never have too many!

So here goes. You’ll need scraps of red, white and green fabric, a zip, some black buttons and some paper and pencil.

To make your pattern – simply draw a slice of watermelon. Don’t worry about getting it perfect – fruits are not all exactly the same size and shape! Here’s mine on an A4 sheet of paper:

You cut out this whole slice you have drawn and use it as the pattern to cut your inside fabric – two pieces. Remember for each piece you cut – cut a little wider than your pattern to allow for the seams:

To cut the pieces for the outside of the pencil case, cut along the lines of your pattern for the red, white and green parts to be separate. Then use these 3 pattern pieces to cut your colored pieces of fabric for the outside of your pencil case – again remembering to cut wider than your pattern piece to allow for seams. Cut two of each color.

Now you need to pin then sew each colored piece together in turn. Remember to pin the right sides of the fabric together – and use plenty of pins to keep the curves in line!

To add the seeds to your watermelon slice – simply stitch on some black buttons in random spaces. Remember to do this for both sides of the pencil case!

The Zip

My zip was about 24cm (9″) long. You can use a longer or shorter one, and use scrap fabric to cover both ends to make it the same width as your watermelon slice. Here’s how:

Take rectangular scraps of whichever fabric you like – I chose my inner red fabric. Place 2 pieces right sides together on either side of the zip, pinning where you want the zip to end. Stitch these pieces in place, and trim the very end of the zip off.

Repeat this with the other end of the zip – then trim the edges of the fabric in line with the zip.

Putting it all together

Lay one side of your watermelon slice face up. Place your zip face down on top, then one of your inner fabric pieces right sides down on top of that. Pin them using your zipper foot stitch close to the zip teeth.

To prevent the fabric from catching in the zip, open out the fabrics and pull back from the zip. Top-stitch along the edge of the zip.

Now the other half of the watermelon slice. Place your other inner fabric piece face up. Then the part with the attached zip face up on top. Finally your other watermelon slice face down on the very top – face down. Pin and stitch with your zipper foot, and once again pull the fabric back from the zip and top-stitch the other side.

Now open out your pencil case with the zip in the middle. Make sure the zip is open. Then flip over fabrics so you have both inner fabrics on one side and both outer fabrics on the other side. Pin these pieces together around the curved edges. Leave a gap of a few inches on the inner fabric side. You’ll need this to turn the pencil case out.

Stitch all the way around the edges – just leaving the gap for turning out. Turn the pencil case right sides out, pin, and stitch the opening closed.

Done! Congratulations, you’ve made a cute watermelon pencil case!

I hope you liked this tutorial. There are heaps more on my blog so please do come and visit me at

Creating my way to Success.

Happy National Sewing month to all!

Do you still use a pencil case – even if you aren’t in school?

Flirty Fall Skirt with Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom: National Sewing Month 2013

September 26, 2013 by AllFreeSewing 26 Comments

It’s Day Twenty-Six of National Sewing Month! Too see the daily blog posts, projects of the day, and more National Sewing Month details, click here.

Hello Favecrafts blog readers! I’m so happy to be guest posting here today!

My name is Jamie and I blog over at Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom. If you’ve never visited my blog before, I share all sorts of fun crafts, recipes, sewing projects, tutorials and free patterns. These are just a few of my fave projects:

You’ll find all these projects and more over at Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom, so be sure to stop by! (I have more than 60 tutorials on my just my Clothing and Accessories Tutorials page alone.)

I’ve always loved skirts. To me, they are a perfect spring/summer/fall transition clothing item. When temperatures are warm, you can pair a skirt with t-shirts and sandals. Then as the weather starts to cool down, you can add a sweater, boots and even tights.

The project I am sharing today is a super simple, single tiered skirt. What I love about this skirt is: 1. the construction is based on just a few measurements and the “pattern pieces” are straight cuts, so it really only takes a few minutes to cut them out. 2. The skirt has a comfy elastic waistband, but since the 1st tier is attached below the belly, there is hardly any extra bulk around the waist line. (And who needs extra bulk there?)

Materials needed to make the Flirty Fall Skirt:

1 to 1.25 yards of fabric (depending on the size you make and width of fabric.) I used a cotton jersey fabric so the skirt would drape closer to my body, but you could use almost any fabric.
3/4 inch elastic
tape measure, ruler, fabric marker
basic sewing supplies

*Seam allowances are 1/4 inch unless otherwise specified

Step 1: Get measurements.

Measure around hip. Add 2.5 inches to this measurement. Refer to this as measurement A.

Measure from belly button to lower hip (Where you would like the gathered tier to start.) Add 3/4 inch to this measurement. (This will be measurement B. I am 5’4” and my measurement B was 9 inches.)

Measure from lower hip area (where measurement B ended) to where you want the skirt length to end. Add 3/4 inch for seam allowance and hem. This is measurement C. (I went with 14 inches for a right at he knee length – though the true measurement might only have needed to be 13, it doesn’t hurt to add an extra inch to be safe. You can always trim it off later, but you can’t add it back…)

Step 2: Cut fabric.

For the waistband/upper skirt, cut the fabric: width = measurement A by height = measurement B. Make sure any stretch is running side to side.

For the lower tier cut two pieces of fabric: Height = measurement C by width = Measurement A *(times) 1.5. (If your fabric is wide enough, you might be able to make this cut with just one piece of fabric.

Step 3. Assemble skirt

Line up the sides of the skirt pieces, right sides together and sew along the side seam. (If you are working with a fabric that will fray, finish this seam with your preferred method; zig-zag on your sewing machine, pinking shears or serger.)

To gather the bottom tier, set your sewing machine to the widest stitch length and sew a basting stitch around the top of the tier 1/4 inch from the edge. (Many people like to sew 2 basting stitches about 1/8 inch apart. I’ve tried it, and I agree that it helps keep the gathers even during the sewing process, though I tend to skip the 2nd row just for time-saving.)

Pull on the bobbin thread while sliding the fabric down the top thread. Take care to spread the gathers evenly and keep gathering the bottom tier of the skirt until it is the same width of the waistband/top of skirt.

Line up the gathered edge with the bottom edge of the waistband/upper skirt, right sides together and pin together.

Sew along the gathered edge. (If you are working with a fabric that will fray, finish this seam with your preferred method; zig-zag on your sewing machine, pinking shears or serger.)

Step 4. Adding the elastic.

Measure around waist at belly button (or where you started your measurement in step 1.) Cut a piece of elastic to the measurement minus 1.5 inches. The elastic will stretch out while sewing.

Joint the edges of elastic with a wide tight zig-zag stitch (Don’t overlap the edges, just join them- this will reduce bulkiness.)

Finish the top edge of the skirt with a zig-zag or serged edge.

Divide the elastic in to 8 even sections and mark on the elastic with your fabric marker.

Divide the top of the skirt the same way.

Pin the elastic and the skirt together at the marks. The elastic should be about 1/4 inch down from the edge.

Attach the elastic using a wide zig-zag set at the default stitch length.

Lower the needle into the elastic and sew one stitch, then stretch the elastic until the fabric is taut (but don’t stretch the fabric). Keep sewing from pin to pin, keeping the elastic evenly stretched.

Fold the elastic over and pin in place.

Stitch right along the edge of the elastic (but not on the elastic).

Try on the skirt for a final length check and hem. (The original measurement allowed 1/2 for bottom hem.)

You are done!

Thanks for having me today and I hope you will have full making a flirty fall skirt!

Remember to check out Jamie’s blog, Scattered Thoughts of a Craft Mom for more great ideas and tutorials!

What is the first quilting project you remember making?

Applique with Becky from Patchwork Posse: National Sewing Month 2013

September 25, 2013 by AllFreeSewing 44 Comments

It’s Day Twenty-Five of National Sewing Month! Too see the daily blog posts, projects of the day, and more National Sewing Month details, click here.

Today we’re thrilled to welcome Becky from Patchwork Posse! Read on to see what she has to say about appliques!

I thought it would be fun to chat a little bit about applique. Not necessarily the process of sewing it, but where to get your fabric from to use on it.

Applique is a great quick and easy way to add a little something special and extra to a quilt, shirt, pants, bags…or whatever you can sew it to!

Typically we approach applique with this fabric for the stem, this for the flower…. or this for the head, this for the body….but today we are going to do something a little bit different.

We are going to chop up orphan quilt blocks to use for applique!

This is a great method for using those random quilt blocks that have no home, or maybe those that aren’t pieced the best.

Goodbye following the matching game, We are going to grab some blocks, cut them up and be totally OK with how they turn out.

When it comes to the quilt block, there are a couple of choices. You can pre-quilt it (or use one that is already pre-quilted like a cutter quilt), or you can go with what you have.

If you’d like to pre-quilt it:

1) Pin the quilt block wrong sides on top of batting

2) Quilt by machine, a meandor stitch, or stitch in the ditch.

Your block is ready to go!

Take a look at what you are going to be cutting out. Dig around and find a quilt block that will “work” with the subject. For example, I cut a pumpkin out of a fall-ish kind of block. I cut a ghost out of light and airy kind of quilt block.

Audition the template on the quilt block. Move it around to find the right combination of colors and design. Watch the seams that you don’t land one right on the edge – that will make sewing it to your final project a bit more difficult.

Another option would be to place applique in a strategic place on your quilt or project. Cover up those bad seams, points, or whatever else you don’t want others to see.

After you have cut everything out and placed it where you want it you can sew the edges down using a zig-zag or satin stitch for a raw edge applique.

This past year I have focused on orphaned quilt blocks and how to get them finished in a project. It has been a lot of fun finding a new purpose for something. You can find more tutorials and projects I have done here on my site: Sewing Projects for Quilt Blocks. You can also receive a free snail and butterfly applique template when you sign up for my newsletter!

What is the first quilting project you remember making?

National Sewing Month 2013: How to Organize Your Sewing Room

September 24, 2013 by AllFreeSewing 50 Comments

It’s Day Twenty-Four of National Sewing Month! Too see the daily blog posts, projects of the day, and more National Sewing Month details, click here.

Why is it that one of the most important rooms in the house almost always ends up overwhelmingly cluttered? At least for me, top-ranking rooms in terms of mess always are the bedroom, the kitchen, and inevitably, the sewing room. Today we’re exploring how to organize your sewing room to maximize space, enforce functionality, and reduce stress!

Sewn Containers for All of Your Goods

At AllFreeSewing, we sew. We understand the importance of accumulated odds-and-ends around the sewing room. The sewn containers below are the perfect solution to reducing the family’s inexplicable uproar over your 500+ button collection or 2-inch wide strips of fabric. Learn how to make a basket or box to stash your stash. After all, what they can’t see can’t hurt them, right? These DIY containers allow you to hold onto your absolutely necessary 25 spools of blue thread (different shades, of course), without hearing a single complaint from your loved one.

Hanging Wall Organizers

Learn how to sew a hanging wall organizer so that your sewing supplies are right where you can see them. These elevated, easy-to-make designs can hold clothespins, tiny tools, and more. Follow the instructions in these sewing tutorials to and apply them to fit your personal needs in your sewing room. You’ll absolutely love the finished product the each set of instructions yields.

Other DIY Organizers

Sometimes our needs in our sewing rooms are so specific, it seems like no single tutorial exists to properly address these needs. For example, many of us suffer from (or rejoice over) overflowing collections of fabric. In numerous cases, there aren’t enough boxes or bins to stash that fabric, or even put those containers that do carry your precious prints. We absolutely loved this innovative approach to filing fabric from The Thinking Closet. It uses up that desk space you might never use! Find more creative ways to organize bits and pieces below.

Helpful Hints to Clean the Clutter

When all of the sewing is said and done and you have all of the packages, boxes, bags and more that you could ever want, chances are you still have some stray threads around the room. For that finished look, try these helpful tutorials to keeping your sewing room looking squeaky clean.

What item in your sewing room would others say you have “too much” of?

4 Ways to Refashion Your Wardrobe from Fleece Fun: National Sewing Month 2013

September 23, 2013 by AllFreeSewing 42 Comments

It’s Day Twenty-Three of National Sewing Month! Too see the daily blog posts, projects of the day, and more National Sewing Month details, click here.

Hello fellow sewists! I’m Angel from Fleecefun.com – a blog that features free PDF sewing patterns with video tutorials! I have several patterns and tutorials that I know you’ll love.

Trying to stay on top of trends can be difficult (and expensive!). Here are some simple tricks and tips on how you can keep your wardrobe up to date and keep cash in your wallet.

1. Have a Good Foundation.

Having some good key pieces that are in style no matter what are a worthy investment. You can wear them year after year and dress them up with on trend accessories. A simple white button up top, a couple of nicely
cut but simple blouses in neutral colors, a black skirt and/or pant, blue jeans (a couple of good pairs), a good over coat. These core items need to be in good condition and look good on you. If they don’t meet those criteria – they aren’t helping your wardrobe. It’s time to upcycle them.

Some great patterns for core wardrobe elements that you can find on AllFreeSewing are:

2. T-shirts are a Girl’s Best Friend.

It seems like with every event there’s a t-shirt that goes with it! They can stack up pretty quickly in the closet. Fortunately because fabric doesn’t unravel there are a million fun and fast refashions you can make with t-shirts. T-shirts can become scarves, shrugs and number of other accessories with minimal sewing!Some fabulous t-shirt refashion projects on AllFreeSewing are:

3. Think Outside the Gender Box.

Just because a shirt was once designed for a man doesn’t mean it can’t have a second life as a feminine addition to your closet. Be willing to look at your fella’s rarely worn items to see if a fashion gem can be made.

An amazing tutorial on AllFreeSewing is:

The Men’s Shirt Apron

4. Know When to Call It.

Sometimes no matter what you do you can’t save a piece. If it has too many holes, a huge stain, or the fabric doesn’t lend itself to an easy refashion, give it an honorable retirement to the rag drawer and call it a day.Be sure to check out my free PDF patterns with video tutorials on FleeceFun.com!

Tell us truthfully, do you think your wardrobe could use a refashion?

National Sewing Month 2013: Easy Sewing Projects to Make for Kids

September 22, 2013 by AllFreeSewing 19 Comments

It’s Day Twenty-Two of National Sewing Month! Too see the daily blog posts, projects of the day, and more National Sewing Month details, click here.

When it comes to raising a family, one of the biggest changes a parent can expect is an increased cost of living. Kids are cute and wonderful, and raising them is a very rewarding experience, but it is also extremely costly. Fortunately for the sewists of the world, it’s easy to take some of the expense out of expanding your family and bringing children into the world.

There are plenty of projects you can sew for kids. From toys to clothes to school supplies and more, you can find a sewing pattern to fill just about any need you or your kids might have. By sewing the essentials (and non-essentials) for your children, you can provide for them without sacrificing quality to save money.

Bargain brands can be risky, and the cheap versions of some products quickly wear out and need to be replaced. Rather than deal with those headaches, you can sew high quality products for your kids at a fraction of the retail cost. Check out all the sewing projects below to find ideas, inspiration, and free tutorials so you can sew anything and everything your kids will need.

Alphabetical Guide of Easy Sewing Projects to Make for Kids

10 Minute Toy Sling

4th of July Shirts

Adorable Dragon Shoes

Adorable Owl Fleece Hat Sewing Pattern

Aladdin Pants

Baby Name Embroidery Pattern

Bag and Play Mat in One

Beanie Sock Giraffe

Bear Necessities Hoodie

Bee Quilt Pattern

Buzzing Buddies

Checkered Maxwell Top

Child’s Tool Belt

Comfy Car Seat Shoulder Straps

Crayon Storage Roll-Up

Dinosaur Tail for Dress-Up

DIY Sleeping Bag Pack

Embroidered Family Portrait Pillow

Embroidered Reusable Snack Bag

Fabric Beach Balls

Fabric Tea Party

Felt Christmas Cookies

Green-Eyed Monster Pillow

Hanging Crib Toy Bag

How to Decorate a Fort — Pirate Theme

How to Make a Superhero Cape

How to Sew a Memory Cards Game

Little Birdie Costume

No Name Picture Pal Project

Patchwork Skirt with Pleated Pockets

Quite Clever Quilted Travel Game

Recycled Denim Initial Keychain

Sewn Hamburger

Skateboard Sling Tutorial

Teach Kids How to Sew

Whether sewing is your full time job or just a hobby, you love what you do and you’d love to see your kids share that passion. You can pass on your love for sewing to your kids by showing them how it’s done.

While it’s great to bond with kids over a mutual interest, teaching kids a skill can become very difficult and can quickly make sparks fly. In order to cut down on any arguing or frustration in the teaching process, you can use these free tutorials to help everything along. Because all of these sewing tutorials are accessible online, you and your kids can revisit them for a refresher whenever you’d like.

What is the most valuable sewing lesson you’ve ever learned?

Scrappy Fabric Baskets from Threading My Way: National Sewing Month 2013

September 21, 2013 by AllFreeSewing 82 Comments

It’s Day Twenty-One of National Sewing Month! Too see the daily blog posts, projects of the day, and more National Sewing Month details, click here.

Hi, Pam here from Threading My Way. I’m thrilled to be joining in with National Sewing Month.

Today I’m going to show you how to make your own Scrappy Fabric Basket, using small pieces of fabric from your stash. Measuring 6.5″ x 4.5″ x 4″ (16.5 cm x 11.5 cm x 10 cm), this handy sized basket is sturdy enough to stand up by itself. Let’s get started with the tutorial.

Materials:

20 pieces – 11 inches x 2 inches (28 cm x 5 cm) – fabric strips for the exterior of the basket.
2 pieces – 9 inches x 9 inches (23 cm x 23 cm) – contrast color for the lining
2 pieces – 9 inches x 9 inches (23 cm x 23 cm) – light weight iron-on interfacing
2 pieces – 9 inches x 9 inches (23 cm x 23 cm) – medium to heavy weight, woven, sew-in interfacing

The fabric strips can be any combination of prints. I used quilting cotton. You may not use all the strips.

I like the combination of the light weight iron-on interfacing and the medium to heavy weight, woven, sew-in interfacing. This produces a basket that will stand up by itself, without being bulky to sew. You could substitute this with different weight interfacing, fleece or batting. It all depends on the look you are after and what you are used to sewing with.

Instructions:

All seams are 3/8″ (1 cm), unless otherwise indicated.

Use a NON steam setting for pressing.

Back-stitch at the beginning and ending of seams. Arrange fabric strips:

Lay 10 fabric strips side by side for the front and the same for the back.
Play with the strips until you are happy with the arrangement.

Sew fabric strips together:

Sew the fabric strips together, at random angles, making sure the seams are straight as you sew. The long edges of the fabric will not be level.

Lay the 2nd strip on the 1st strip, right sides together and at an angle, beginning in the left corner. Line up your presser foot with the top fabric and sew.

Step 1: place top fabric at an angle
Trim excess fabric, before sewing the next seam.

Step 2: trim excess fabric from seam
Lay the 3rd strip on the 2nd strip, right sides together and at an angle, beginning in the right corner.

Step 3: place next fabric at a different angle
Continue sewing the strips, alternating the direction of the angles and varying the degree, until all the strips are sewn. You may find you only need 9 strips per side. It all depends on how you have placed the fabrics.

Press seams open:

When all strips are sewn for both front and back, press the seams open.
Trim the sewn strips into a square, 9 inches x 9 inches (23 cm x 23 cm)

Step 2: trim into a square
Sew down each side of both squares, 1/8 inch (3 mm) from the edge of the fabric. This will secure the seams you have just cut.

Step 3: secure seams by sewing along the sides

Top-stitch:

Set stitch length to slightly longer than normal. I set mine to 2.8.
Top-stitch on either side of each seam, sewing 1/8 inch (3 mm) from the seam.

Attach interfacing:

Follow manufacturer’s directions to fuse the iron-on interfacing to the wrong side of each square. I always cut iron-on interfacing a fraction smaller than the fabric and I place a cloth under the iron. This prevents any glue getting on the iron.

Step 1: iron-on interfacing
Attach the woven, sew-in interfacing, to the wrong side of each square, by sewing around all 4 edges, 1/8 inch (3 mm) from the edges. Sew with the interfacing uppermost.

Step 2: sew-in interfacing

Exterior of basket – sew front to back:

With right sides together, sew down one side, stopping with the needle in the down position 3/8″ (1 cm) from the bottom edge.
Lift the presser foot and turn the fabric 90º.
Lower the presser foot and sew across the bottom, stopping with the needle in the down position 3/8″ (1 cm) from the side edge.
Lift the presser foot and turn the fabric 90º.
Lower the presser foot and sew the 2nd side.
Neaten the edges by zig-zagging. Do NOT zig-zag the seams together. Sew them separately.
Press seams open.

Making the box corner:

Measure 2 inches (5 cm) from the bottom corner seam in both directions. (Measure from the seam. Don’t measure from the edge of the fabric.)
Put a mark to show where 2 inches (5 cm) is. You will have four marks, all 2 inches (5 cm) from the bottom corners.

Steps 1 & 2: measure 2″ from corner
Pull out the sides of your basket.
Place one seam on top of the other seam.
Put a pin through the top mark. If the pin comes out through the mark on the other side, your boxed corner will line up.

Step 5: check that the marks are lined up
If the pin is not coming out through the mark on the other side, reposition the fabric until it does.
Make sure the seams are open.
Holding the fabric in place, take the pin out and re-pin away from the marks.
With a ruler, draw a line across the fabric, at right angles to the seam and through the mark you made.

Steps 8 & 9: rule a line to sew along
Remove the pin. If you would like, hand sew to hold in place.

Steps 10 & 11: remove pin and sew
Sew across the line. I sew a couple of times for reinforcement.
Cut the fabric and neaten.

Step 12: cut fabric and neaten
Repeat for the other side.
Turn the exterior right side out and press.

Sewing the lining:

The two lining pieces are joined in the same way as the exterior fabric, except that a 3 inch (8 cm) gap is left in the bottom seam, to allow turning later on.

With right sides together, sew down one side, stopping with the needle in the down position 3/8″ (1cm) from the bottom edge.
Lift the presser foot and turn the fabric 90º.
Lower the presser foot and sew 2.5 inches (7 cm) across the bottom. Stop and back-stitch.
Leave a gap and begin sewing 2.5 inches (7 cm) from the 2nd corner. Back-stitch as you start sewing. Stop with the needle in the down position 3/8 inch (1 cm) from the side edge.
Lift the presser foot and turn the fabric 90º.
Lower the presser foot and sew the 2nd side.
Neaten the edges by zig-zagging. Do NOT zig-zag the seams together. Sew them separately.
Press seams open.
Make boxed corners as per the exterior of the basket.
Leave the lining wrong side out.

Attach the lining to the outside of the basket:

Place the exterior inside the lining. IE: the right side of the exterior is next to the right side of the lining.

Step 1: place exterior inside lining and line up top edges
Line up the top edges of the lining and the exterior.
Match the seams on either side, making sure the seams are open.
Baste (hand sew) the top edges of the lining and the exterior to hold in place.
Sew a 3/8 inch (1cm) seam to join the top edges of the lining and the exterior.
Neaten the seam.

Steps 5 & 6: sew seam and neaten

Turn the exterior right side out:

Put your fingers through the hole in the bottom of the lining.
Gently pull the exterior out through the lining.
Close the gap in the lining by sewing a row of stitching near to the edge.

Finishing off:

Push the lining back into the basket.
Press the top edge of the basket.
Top-stitch 1/8inch (3 mm) from the edge, around the top of the basket.

You have finished your fabric basket. These little baskets don’t take long to whip up. You could easily make one in an evening. The most time consuming part is top-stitching the strips.

I made four baskets, each with a particular person in mind, although I’m tempted to keep just one. I think my favorite is the red… love the combination of checks and polka dots, teamed with Alexander Henry’s Willow Berries.

Then again, the yellow/blue combo of stripes and geometric shapes, Oh Boy! by David Walker, is rather striking.

Although the lining on the floral, blue basket appears to be pieced, it’s actually not. However, I deliberately chose it because it looked like patchwork. In fact, the lining could be two coordinating prints as I’ve done in the pink/maroon basket, although, it’s a little hard to see. I just didn’t have enough of any one fabric, which doesn’t matter, as it works well.

Now all you have to do is decide what to put into your basket.

Enjoy the rest of National Sewing Month. See you over at Threading My Way.

… Pam

What would you put in this Scrappy Fabric Basket?

National Sewing Month 2013: Sewing a New Wardrobe on a Budget

September 20, 2013 by AllFreeSewing 32 Comments

It’s Day Twenty of National Sewing Month! Too see the daily blog posts, projects of the day, and more National Sewing Month details, click here.

An updated wardrobe is always on the mind, but it might not always be in the budget. New clothes and accessories can be quite pricey, and no matter how stylish they are, the cost might not be worth it. As a sewist, though, you don’t have to find yourself subject to retail sticker prices when you can simply make your own clothes. Rather than spending inordinate amounts of money on designer clothes, you can use any number of free sewing patterns to find ideas for refashioning clothes.

Check out the free tutorials below for several fashionable sewing projects. Whether you’re looking for instructions on how to refashion tops, bottoms, dresses, or clothes for kids, there’s a free sewing pattern for you. Explore all of these ideas to find the clothing refashion project that’s just right for your needs.

How to Refashion Tops

You don’t have to set foot in the department store to find your next fabulous top. Learn how to refashion tops with these free sewing tutorials. You’ll love how much you can create, and you’ll love how low-budget all of these projects are to sew. With so many free patterns, there’s no need for you to ever sacrifice style to save money.

15 Minute Lacy Blazer

DIY Basketweave Hoodie Tutorial

Draped Color Block Tee

Easy Applique Star Tee

Easy Sequined Pocket

Sewn with Love Appliqued Tee

Trendy Sweatshirt Refashion

How to Refashion Bottoms

You can sew eye-catching bottoms on a budget using any of these free sewing tutorials. Low-budget, easy sewing projects are just what you need to give your wardrobe a boost on a dime. When money is no longer a factor, the only big question you really have to answer is “What will I sew first?!”

20 Minute Shirt to Skirt

Making a Skirt from a Dress

Ready for Summer Denim Refashion

Ruffled Pant Cuffs

Very Easy Overalls Refashion

How to Make Refashioned Dresses

Walking away from fabulous dresses because they cost too much can be a heart-wrenching experience. Say goodbye to those traumatic moments by getting out your sewing machine and your favorite clothes that need a new life. Check out these sewing tutorials to learn how to refashion clothes you already have into fashionable dresses.

Skirt to Classic Halter Dress

Skirt to Dress Refashion

Upcycling Clothes for Kids

With the rate at which kids grow, keeping them clothed can get quite costly. Save some dough on your kids’ clothes by learning how to refashion garments you already have. Check out any of these free sewing tutorials for ideas on how to make refashioned clothes for your kids. With these easy projects, keeping your little ones high fashion will be a breeze.

Clean Cut-Off-Shorts for Boys

Hoodie Into Child’s Cowl Neck Pullover

Man’s Shirt to Child’s Dress Refashion

Refashion Sweater for Boys

Sweet and Simple Bow Top

Wonderful Tee Shirt Onesie

Install Pillow Piping

What project in your home would you use piping on?

Materials:

How do you stay warm in the winter?

Do you still use a pencil case – even if you aren’t in school?

Materials needed to make the Flirty Fall Skirt:

What is the first quilting project you remember making?

What is the first quilting project you remember making?

Sewn Containers for All of Your Goods

Hanging Wall Organizers

Other DIY Organizers

Helpful Hints to Clean the Clutter

What item in your sewing room would others say you have “too much” of?

1. Have a Good Foundation.

2. T-shirts are a Girl’s Best Friend.

3. Think Outside the Gender Box.

4. Know When to Call It.

Tell us truthfully, do you think your wardrobe could use a refashion?

Alphabetical Guide of Easy Sewing Projects to Make for Kids

Teach Kids How to Sew

What is the most valuable sewing lesson you’ve ever learned?

What would you put in this Scrappy Fabric Basket?

How to Refashion Tops

How to Refashion Bottoms

How to Make Refashioned Dresses

Upcycling Clothes for Kids

Why do you think refashioning is so popular with younger sewers?

Crochet

Jewelry

Knitting

Paper

Sewing

Thrifty