Sewing Projects Archives - Page 4 of 6

September 16, 2021October 6, 2021

13 DIY Halloween Costumes to Make Right Now and WOW Your Kids

As Halloween ticks ever closer, many of us are on the hunt for the perfect Halloween costume for our little ones. Ok, and for ourselves too, perhaps. And aren’t there just a million gazillion to choose from?!?

If you are anything like me, time gets away and you are left scrambling for ideas, fabric, needles and the glue gun. And never mind that the children change their minds every 37 seconds. Or they come up with a vague idea of wanting to dress up as “lots of colours”. Umm…

To take some of the stress off, I have done a stack of research for you and found 13 fun-to-make, colourful and creative costumes that you can put together for your trick or treaters!

There is something here for everyone. Whether you have left it until 30^th October to start, this is your 200^th Halloween costume, or you can’t manage a sewing machine to save your life, there’s bound to be something in this list of 13 DIY Halloween costumes that takes your fancy! See for yourself…

August 19, 2021September 24, 2021

The Simple Way to Sew a T-Shirt Neckline

Whether you are new to sewing or not, getting creative with your sewing projects is one of the awesome things about sewing. YOU get to decide the colour of the fabrics you use. YOU get to decide what embellishments you can make. And sometimes, YOU get to decide which technique you want to use for a particular step.

For instance, T-shirt necklines. There are a number of fabric options you could choose, a variety of different stitches you could use, and even a number of ways to sew the neckline together.

I am going to make it really easy for you and show you the simplest, cheapest way to sew a T-shirt neckline using supplies you almost surely already have in your fabric stash.

This sewing tutorial will walk you step-by-step through the whole “How do I sew a professional looking T-shirt neckline?” process- accompanied by loads of photos!

Let’s do this!

November 26, 2020July 2, 2024

How to Sew: The Ultimate Handmade Relaxing Neck Pillow

Just the other week I shared with you a list of great gift ideas for book lovers, when you want to avoid giving them yet another book. (Didn’t catch it? Read the list here.)

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There was one suggestion in there in particular that I know caught a lot of attention: that funky-looking neck support pillow. Remember? The one that was shaped a little like a dog’s bone?!?

They are so practical AND cute. You can use it as

> a neck rest (lean back and relax!)

> a book stand

> or just a comfy pillow to snuggle up with.

“What else is so good about a neck support pillow?” I hear you asking. Well, they’re ideal for a personalised, unique gift for any occasion (Hello, Christmas gift! Hello, birthday present!) for friends and family of all ages. And who doesn’t like comfort when reading?!?

What’s also super cool about these relaxing reading pillows is that they are SO easy to sew! Yes, even for beginners! (Trust me 😉)

And I’m here to share the details with you, how YOU too can DIY one of these super comfy, relaxing neck support pillows!

November 12, 2020January 18, 2023

Guide to the Greatest Gifts Book Lovers will Adore!

I love my kids. I love how they constantly have an abundance of creative ideas! And I love how they are always asking about Everything’s Famtastic and offering me ideas of what I could write about here. This post is the result of exactly this type of enthusiasm and brain-storming. Well, sort of… in a roundabout way… 😉

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All 3 of my kids are MASSIVE bookworms. My 2 daughters have been so for a loooong time. And my son, who just started school this year and always had an affinity for books, can now proudly read for himself. Suffice to say, that this bilingual household is overflowing with German and English children’s books!

A while back my eldest daughter wrote a (now very popular!) post about super books series for girls aged 9-12. And then my younger daughter published her list of must-read book series for girls 6 – 9 years. So naturally, they keep prodding me to write even more blog posts here about kids’ books.

But this article isn’t about books per se, rather about creative gifts for the book lover in your life. These gift ideas are perfect for bookworms of any age, especially if you are trying to avoid adding to the already sagging bookshelf!

So, what present do you give a book lover, if not books?!? Well, in this list we have thought of all the things an avid reader needs to stay comfortable, undisturbed and busy in their reading “happy place”! There’s also printables to keep an eye out for.

Be careful though! These gift ideas are SO GOOD that your bookworm may get so settled, you might never see them again! Take a look for yourself…

October 29, 2020June 26, 2021

5 Easy Steps to Sewing a Reversible Loop Scarf

So Easy, You can Sew it in Less Than 30 Minutes!

Well, hello! Great to see you here checking out this latest sewing project. Today I am going to show you the exact steps you need to sew your very own, simple yet stylish, reversible loop scarf!

A while back I published a tutorial on how to sew a patchwork infinity loop scarf which is great fun to put together. But if you’re looking for something even simpler, then this reversible scarf is it!

The cold weather is coming, there’s no stopping it! Which means more sewing, yes, of course! (D’Uh!) But not those pretty dresses and light and breezy blouses of summer. No! We are into creating those warm and cosy clothes that you can look great in AND snuggle into. Mmm, can you just imagine it, a beautiful soft and warm, handmade scarf?

Oh! And did I mention it’s also reversible? 2 looks for the price of one! Aaaaand there are 3 sizes of this scarf for you to choose from, so you’ve got the whole family covered! 😉

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But wait! What?

Think you’re too busy to start a new sewing project? Think again! Trust me, this one will take you less than 30 minutes to complete!

Or perhaps you think you’re too much of a beginner and don’t feel confident to try any *tricky* sewing projects? Number 1: everybody else who you see conjuring amazing sewing creations had to start somewhere and so do you! Don’t be scared 😊. Number 2: this is one of the easiest sewing projects you will EVER find! Truly!

Or maybe you’re gonna tell me you don’t want to go out shopping for more fabric when you have so many leftover pieces hiding in those cartons? I hear you! This project is perfect for using up those smaller pieces, especially when you can coordinate them with an item of clothing you already sewed for yourself!

So, are there any more ifs and buts? Or shall we get started sewing?!?

October 15, 2020May 22, 2024

Sewing Project: How to Sew Your Own Layered-Look Shirt

Otherwise known as:

SOS! Help! I don’t have enough fabric to finish my sewing project! What can I make with my leftover fabric?!?

Have you ever made plans to sit yourself down and finally take care of a sewing project you’ve been pushing back for a while?

You grab the fabric. Maybe you bought it a long time ago. Maybe you were given it from a friend. Perhaps it was some leftover pieces from another project or even another item of clothing you wished to upcycle.

*Gasp!* The fabric pieces are not large enough to complete the sewing project as you imagined it. Oh no! What to do?!?

This is EXACTLY what happened to me the other week! A lovely acquaintance of mine gifted me some pieces of fabric and immediately Miss 12 claimed 2 of them as her own, implying that I should conjure up a long-sleeve shirt for her. At the last minute though, we realised that the fabric she wanted me to use for the long sleeves wasn’t quite long enough!

Have no fear! Not all was lost. Us creative types often need to modify our project plans, right? My daughter did get her long sleeve shirt, but in a new and funky, layered-look.

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Are you intrigued how I did it? This post is going to walk you through the steps to turn a feared fabric shortage into a perfectly cool, one-of-a-kind shirt.

May 21, 2020May 17, 2024

How to Sew Easy-Breezy Bean Bags

If you thought last week’s headband sewing project was super simple, then have I got another treat for you today!

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Many children are unexpectedly at home lately. Parents and teachers alike are doing their best to ensure our kids are being entertained, educated and well-cared for.

What do your kids enjoy doing in their spare time lately? Mine? Reading, reading and more reading. I had published 2 posts a while back with book recommendations for girls (co-written by my daughters 😉) which you can check out here and here if you need some new children’s book recommendations.

My children don’t need any more book recommendations for now, say I. Some days my kids just need pretty strong encouragement to get outside and moving in the fresh air. Which is why I was so happy when the high school sports teacher started sharing basic sports activities online and delivered a pair of bean bags to my eldest daughter to get her equipped.

Looking at those bean bags, I thought to myself “I can make them too!”. Voila! New sewing project undertaken and several other children made happy.

And now I am sharing with you this easy sewing project. No, not easy. Easier than easy. Beginners can make these. Experienced sewers can make these. Kids can make these.

Ready to get your fun on? Let’s get sewing! And sporty 😉!

May 7, 2020June 26, 2021

Tutorial: How to Sew a Stunningly Simple Headband

Yay! It’s May! The sunshine is warming up. We are grateful for lots of clear blue sky. The flowers are blooming one after the other. Our fruit trees and bushes are showing signs of fruit yet to grow.

Do you want to know what else I love about May??? On the second Sunday in May, it’s Mother’s Day! My Hubby would try and convince me that “every day is Mother’s Day around here”. But we Mamas can see past such flippant comments. We love having a least one day where we are practically guaranteed to get a little spoiled 😉. For all that we do, we Mothers are amazing and deserve it.

Would you like to know the biggest reason why I love May? My younger daughter would try to convince you it’s because it’s her birthday. And while that is lovely, the reason is that in May it’s also MY birthday!!!

Chance of birthday celebrations with friends at the moment due to a certain virus? Zero. ☹

What I can do, however, is celebrate online with you! And because I know that it is not only me busting to get back to the hairdresser to have my roots coloured (I know, #firstworldproblems) in honour of my birthday I am giving YOU a present!

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I am going to show you how to create a super easy headband to cover up those greys for when you can’t get to the hairdresser. Or for when you just want to look cool and carefree anyway! 😉

AND this sewing project will only take you less than 20 minutes! Don’t believe me? See for yourself…

April 23, 2020June 26, 2021

Simple Sewing Tutorial: How to Make a Fabric Face Mask

***This post was updated on 10.06.2020***

There’s no avoiding it these days. Coronavirus.

It’s in the news. It’s all over social media. It’s all anybody seems to be talking about. Perhaps you have been home-schooling the kids and juggling to work from home yourself. And when you do go outside, there are a couple of things that grab your attention.

One: the social distancing thing. You notice that people are trying their best to give every other person around them extra space. That shopping queue looks so verrrry long, but actually it’s just the space between each human.

Two: the face covering thing. Here and there and in ever increasing numbers, you see people wearing face masks. Some wear a simple scarf or bandanna, wrapped around their face and nose. Some wear what looks like professional, fancy blue, medical one. While others cover their face with a mask that would almost make Darth Vader jealous.

Whatever it is that you have noticed around you and in the media, it’s new, it’s strange, and perhaps even a little disconcerting.

For the first few weeks of Coronavirus spreading here in Germany, I held off from sewing a face mask. Would I need it? Would I have to wear it? Would it even help?

But I noticed more and more popping up on people’s faces everywhere I went. And the World Health Organisation altered their original recommendations about wearing face masks. And then there was talk in the media of making face masks compulsory as people gradually return to “real life” after lockdown.

***Updated*** From 27th April, 2020 face masks DID become compulsory on public transport across Germany. As businesses have begun opening up again, in many states it is also compulsory in shops, restaurants, hairdressers, health providers, post offices etc.

Decision? Time to make myself and my family face masks!!!

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I have had SO many people ask me how I made them, I can’t NOT share this sewing project with you. I will walk you though step by step with plenty of easy-to-follow photos so you can sew a fantastic, fabric, face mask yourself.

You’ll also learn some simple tips and tricks to help get you through sewing a face mask (or 2… or 5… or 10…).

April 2, 2020June 26, 2021

11 Simple Steps to Sewing Your Own Easter Egg Basket

With Easter just around the corner and a lot of people having some unexpected time on their hands at the moment, what better way to cheer up your mood and your living space than with a couple of super sewing projects?!?

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This week I was lucky enough to be invited to create an easy, (child-friendly) sewing project as a guest post on the Skelly Hodgepodge blog. You can check out my “Easiest Easter Bunny Sewing Project” HERE. I bet you and your kids will have as much fun sewing these as we did! You know what happens when you start off with just a pair of bunnies, don’t you? Pretty soon there are more popping up everywhere 😉. Kind of like the felt bunnies around our place!

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The project that I will be sharing with you in this post though, is something I promised a couple of weeks back: an Egg Basket with space for 5 eggs!

Did you see my tutorial How to Sew an Egg Warmer Basket already? That version had space for 4 boiled eggs to snuggle in all nicely together. This updated version has place for 5 eggs!! Which comes in handy for those of us with larger households. 😉

Don’t just think of this as an Egg Warmer. It’s also the perfect sewing project for Easter. You can hide some coloured eggs inside and use it as a simple table centrepiece. Or for the chocolate fans fill it with Easter Eggs and you’ve got yourself a sweet Easter gift! Mmm, chocolate…

All my detailed instructions and photos are ready to guide you through this easy sewing project. Read on to find out how!