Camera strap

I finally made a camera strap cover thanks to this clever tutorial by the lovely Karyn! Here's a link to a post about her new strap, and here's a link to the original tutorial.

As usual I managed to do things my own way, which wasn't really a good thing.  The bit I didn't notice right away is that Karyn used the selvedge to cover the seam which would have been particularly perfect as this fabric has a cute scallop line detail on the selvedge. But I only had a small strip of fabric left from making a tote so I had no choice but to fold the edge over and stitch it together that way. Because I barely had enough fabric I hand stitched the seam so I could make sure it was perfectly snug.

Also I didn't have any Steam a Seam 2 to fuse the fabric to the old strap, but the interfacing kept the fabric from puckering and all the top stitching holds it securely in place.

The end results are wonderful, the strap is just as functional as it was before but sooo much prettier.

p.s. you may notice that the fabric design in my last post has changed! I ended up changing it at the last minute because I thought it was a bit too busy. Anyway scroll down and have a look if you like.

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How to sew a pillow with piping, a zipper and a lining

So I was looking this up online and I could find pillow tutorials with a couple of these features but not all three. I took some time to figure it out and now I'm going to show you how I did it!

Just one note, I did it with 1. a regular zipper and 2. a regular zipper foot. It's also put together with materials I had already. So there are other ways to do it, such as with an invisible zipper, but in the end I was really happy with the results.

First of all, the fabric. I had a beautiful end piece of hand printed chintz that I found at the Textile Museum Sale. It's a gorgeous 1920s Scalamandre pictorial print called China Rose, and there was actually just enough to make two large covers, the same size as the existing cushions I had on the couch.

Here's my trick for cutting out matching cushions with a pictorial print. Arrange the two halves of fabric so that the print is aligned then cut out two matching front pieces and two matching back pieces. The front is different from the back on each pillow but the two pillows match. Just a nice little detail.

To make your piping cut narrow strips of fabric on the bias and use it to cover a length of cord. You can buy cord for piping by the yard at fabric stores. You can use ready-made bias tape to cover your cord, the same fabric as your cushion, or a contrasting solid or print fabric. I used an olive green that matched the leaves in the print.

Despite the fact that this is a very nice fabric, it was a little bit thin for pillows. This means that without a lining the pillow wouldn't have a nice smooth luxurious look that does justice to the fabric. So I cut out two more squares of sturdy white cotton fabric for the linings.

Now that you have all that prepared you're ready to put it together.

STEP 1. Using your zipper foot, attach the piping to the top side of the cushion. 

Snip 3 little cuts in the extra fabric of your piping so that you can bend it neatly at the corners.

When you get to the end, pull the cord from one side out of its fabric casing a little bit, and trim the cord at an angle.

Then open up the empty fabric casing and fold it over the other end of piping. It's hard to describe this but it makes a neat join without two thicknesses of cord overlapping.

Don't do it right at the corner like I did, it's more difficult if you're working your way around the bend at the same time. I wasn't thinking ahead!

STEP 2. Attach the zipper to the bottom of the cushion (with an overall pattern it doesn't matter which side you attach it to). Place the zipper face down and open next to the piping and sew it as closely as you can to the piping.

Close the zipper and sew it to the back of the cushion.

This is what you have at this stage, the cover has the piping and zipper attached:

At this point you can decide you've had enough and finish your cushion without a lining. Just open your zipper up, pin the cushion right sides together, sew the three sides and you're done! You can serge or pink the edges of the fabric so that they don't fray. If you don't have a serger and the fabric is really prone to fraying (such as a loosely woven wool) you can cover the edges with bias tape.

Otherwise if you'd like a lining carry on to STEP 3.

STEP 3. Attach the lining piece to the zipper. The zipper will be sandwiched between the lining and the outer fabric. Pin it in place then open up to see if it's right before you sew. When the lining pieces are attached there should be nicely finished sides on both sides of the zipper - no raw edges showing. Repeat for the second lining piece. At this point I like to finger press the fabric next to the zipper so it doesn't get snagged when the zipper is opening and closing.

This is how it should look:

So far you have only joined the lining on the zipper side.

STEP 4. Align the cushion cover so that the the outside pieces are facing each other, right sides together, and the lining pieces are facing each other as well. Pin all around carefully. Make sure the zipper is open!

STEP 5. Sew all the way around, but leave a 6" gap at the bottom of the lining. Remove the pins as you go.

STEP 6. Trim the corners, then turn the cover right side out. Hand or machine stitch the gap in the lining closed. Insert your pillow form and you're finished!

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Valentine's craft project

 For some reason my camera doesn't photograph red well. It turns into flourescent bright red which I toned down in Photoshop. This is a cherry red sweater.

My idea for a Valentine's craft project is a cosy for your hot water bottle. This project is very easy and you can do it in a couple of hours and have it ready for a gift in no time if you like. Mine was going to be a Valentine's present, but it turned out a bit girly... anyway here's how you make it.

Step 1
Felt a sweater. Mine was a lovely soft cashmere sweater from a thrift shop, but it had frayed a lot at the edges and had developed huge holes in the elbows that made it less than cosy. Felting is fun because you can do the opposite of whatever you usually do to look after your woolens. Throw it in the washing machine. Use lots of soap and hot water. Agitate it as much as you can. Shock it by throwing it into cold water, than back into hot. Run it in the dryer until it's piping hot. Once it's shrunk and thick and felted you're ready to go.

Step 2
Trim your sweater at the seams so you have two nice big panels to work with. This way if you have a medium sweater you can probably make two cosies.

Step 3
Fold the panel in half and cut around the bottom and other side using your hot water bottle as a guide with a little extra seam allowance. I curved the corners at the bottom.

At the top you can curve around the shoulders and make a collar around the neck. This keeps the bottle snugly inside the cosy. To get the bottle in, just roll it lengthwise while it's empty and put it in, then fill the bottle while it's already in its cosy. Sounds simple, but it took me a long time to figure this out!

 Step 4
Sew the seams up, then add some zigzag stitching to finish the seams if you wish. If the sweater is well felted you shouldn't have to worry about it unravelling.

Step 5
Sew a bit of bias tape around the neck, or roll the top down and stitch it for a nice finished look.

Step 6 (optional)
Embroider a picture on the front with yarn. I used a chalk pen to draw a heart, then embroidered it with light blue wool yarn.

You're done! Now stay nice and warm in bed until Winter's over.

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Wool lace wallet tutorial

So this is the new wallet that I mentioned in my last post. I made it from a thick piece of wool fabric and I think that was a nice way to make it sort of soft and cushy without using any interfacing or such. The tricky part was really just figuring out the steps to sew a wallet together.

If you want to make one in this style, just measure the size you would like the wallet to be, ie. the main panel, and decide how many compartments you need to fit the things you need. You'll need to have fairly good sewing skills to follow this, ideally you'll have made similar types of things. Then here are the general steps:

Get started
Create your pattern pieces with paper or cardstock (so you can make another one later!) then cut out the fabric, I recommend linings for the pockets to add structure and give a nice finished look. Embellish the outer panel of the wallet as you wish. I added lace, you could add an inset quilted panel, applique, or anything you like.

Bottom cards section with large slip pocket
1. The card dividers should all be the same height to fit your cards, and the same width as the main panel of the wallet. Attach each to its lining at the top side, turn right side out and press.
2. Attach main slip pocket to its lining, turn right side out and press.
3. Attach card dividers onto main slip pocket. Attach the top divider first, stitching the sides and bottom so that the cards will stay in place with the top of the card showing. Then layer extra dividers on top, each one lower than the last.
4. Stitch a dividing column down the middle.

Top zipper pocket section
1. Create the main slip pocket, sew to its lining, turn right side out and press
2. Sew the zipper to the front of the zipper pocket pieces and its lining
2. Fold in the bottom of the zipper pocket (the outside and lining) and top stitch onto slip pocket.

Closure
1. Sew tab to its lining, at the sides and bottom, turn right side out and press, the tab can be square or rounded
2. Top stitch tab (if you wish) and add a snap
3. Attach the tab to the outer panel of the wallet
4. Add the other half of the snap to the outer panel of the wallet

Finish
1. Attach bottom pocket panel and top zipper pocket panel to the lining
2. Pin the outer panel of the wallet to the lining/pockets with right sides facing in. The tab will be on the inside. Make sure you have it the right way around, ie. the snap is at the top. Stitch all the way around, leaving a gap a few inches wide at the bottom.
3. Trim off the four corners, close to the stitching but careful not to snip too close!
3. Turn right side out and press, slip stitch the gap closed.

I know it sounds like a lot of work but once you work your way through the first one you will know how to do it and can make one to suit you exactly. I love mine so much. I feel much more organized and I've been getting lots of compliments on it. I'm planning to make some to put in my shop soon. So if after reading all those steps you're thinking "there's no way I'm going to sew that", but you still want one like this, you can find one there!

If anyone is interested in a full pattern for this, leave a comment and if there's enough interest I could make one and put it in my shop..

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Happy birthday Bradley!(men's apron tutorial)

I think the first step for sewing for a man is the colour scheme, choosing colours they like that aren't too girly.

I wanted to make an apron for Bradley - now that we have a barbecue. I found the perfect piece in my stash, a sturdy white cotton with blue stripes and a striped ribbon for the neck strap. This was a sample piece of fabric and already serged, so it saved some extra steps. I made it up as I went along but it worked quite well, so here's another tutorial.

Step 1: The rectangle was 26" inches wide and 34" long. I pinned the neck strap in place (20" + hem allowance), and folded over two corners at the top. At this point you can try it on to see if it's roughly the right size. I had to try it on myself then imagine myself a little bit taller.

 Step 2: Once the right amount of fabric at the top corners was folded over I cut off the excess and folded the edges and pinned in place. Then iron and sew! (You could also hem the top and sides next if you wish)

Step 3: The waist straps were just twill tape stitched in place. I recommend making them long enough so you can wrap around the back and bring them around to the front again to tie. 

Step 4: Love is in the details. I hemmed the ends of the straps (by hand) so that they wouldn't fray. 

Step 5: I added a 9" x 17" pocket. The serged edges were just folded once then sewn in place, with a 1" hem at the top. Pin it in place before you sew then try on the apron to see if you like the position. I sewed a couple of extra seams to make divisions in the pocket. That way there's a skinny one to hold tongs. Finally, I embroidered Bradley's name to personalize it. I should have done the embroidery first, then hemmed the top of the pocket to hide the back of the embroidery but I didn't think of it. The easiest way to do it neatly is just pencil in the lines before you stitch.

Done! Bradley loved his new apron... Gosh he's handsome. And such a good sport letting me take pictures.

Sewing books with apron patterns I recommend (hover on the links to see more info):

This is a beautiful book with inspiring sewing projects photographed in front of inspiring decor. It has a French chef's apron, perfect for men! This book also has a garden-artist's apron with pocket.
Simple Sewing with a French Twist: An Illustrated Guide to Sewing Clothes and Home Accessories with Style

This book includes seven apron patterns! And each project just uses one yard of fabric.
One-Yard Wonders: 101 Sewing Fabric Projects; Look How Much You Can Make with Just One Yard of Fabric!

This book has an apron pattern on page 49 - a short pleated apron with pocket. Amy Butler's books always have great instructions and solid sewing techniques.
Amy Butler's In Stitches: More Than 25 Simple and Stylish Sewing Projects

This book has an apron pattern on page 23 called Sunday-dinner hostess apron, very simple, super cute!
Weekend Sewing: More Than 40 Projects and Ideas for Inspired Stitching

This book has two apron patterns, a cafe apron with pocket on page 31 and a reversible apron on page 44. Lotta = cool and beautiful style.
Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing: Patterns and How-To for 24 Fresh and Easy Projects

This book has a handy no-frills apron on page 199, similar to mine (in this post) with a large pocket. This practical book has so many great projects and lots and lots of general sewing info.
Sew Everything Workshop: The Complete Step-by-Step Beginner's Guide with 25 Fabulous Original Designs, Including 10 Patterns

Books all about sewing aprons:

The Apron Book: Making, Wearing, and Sharing a Bit of Cloth and Comfort
Sewing Vintage Aprons: Classic Aprons for Today's Lifestyle
A Is for Apron: 25 Fresh & Flirty Designs
Little Retro Aprons for Kids

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