Learn to Sew with these Simple Straight Lines Sewing Projects!

Being able to sew is such a fun and useful skill to have. But what if you’re new to sewing and not sure where to start? I can help you with that!

In this blog post I’ve bundled up my simplest sewing projects for you to peruse and try creating with your sewing machine.

Yes! Even if you’re a beginner with the sewing machine still in the box! 😉

But these sewing tutorials aren’t only for those people brand new to sewing. Even if you have been sewing a while, dive in and choose a fresh, new, quickly-done sewing project you can make today!

There’s one big reason why I have hand-picked these sewing projects to share with you today. They all have one thing in common with each other. And not just because they are uncomplicated, fun and stress-free to make!

Ready to find out more about these simple sewing projects? Keep reading!

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How to Sew Your Own Bean Bags in Less Than 15 Minutes!

Who doesn’t enjoy a good old fashioned bean bag toss? And in America a few rounds of cornhole is a popular must-do game too.

But did you know that there is a SUPER easy way to make your own bean bags?

You can whip up a few bean bags with your sewing machine and be outside playing already in less than half an hour!

Even sewing beginners can make these easily because there is so little stitching and just straight lines! Sounds good, right?

You don’t even need to go to the fabric store to buy new fabric like I have seen elsewhere online. Just dig through that lonely, left-in-the-corner collection of fabric scraps. You’re sure to find enough for this quick sewing project! I can tell you, I’ve got loads of leftover pieces, many of them from the latest DIY sewing kits in my Etsy shop!

So, are you ready to play? Then read on and follow along with this short sewing tutorial now!

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7 Super Sewing Ideas to Make with Old Jeans

I read a quote about denim jeans once. It went something like “Jeans are like French fries. You can’t just have one”.

But have you got some old jeans around the house? And you like French fries sewing too? Then you are in EXACTLY the right place my friend!

Because in this post I am going to share a bunch of super sewing projects you can make with denim!

Best of course, is recycling those old jeans and upcycling them into something new and cool vs going out and purchasing yards of new denim fabric. 😉

Some of the best sewing advice I was given a few years back was to never, ever throw out any old jeans.

So now, thanks to that piece of wisdom, I have a sack of old jeans laying around in our roof waiting to be reused somehow.

Which is what inspired me to go searching for sewing projects using old denim and to share what I found with you!

In this post you’ll find 7 really cool ideas of what you can use that old denim to make. I’ve found a fun mix of projects, ranging from home décor to clothes to cute accessories. And all of them have loads of photos and easy to follow instructions to make your sewing time as productive as possible!

Get comfy and let yourself be inspired with these eco-friendly denim projects now!

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Beginners Sewing Dictionary Part 3: Sewing Machine Terms Easily Explained!

In case you missed it, the last few blog posts here have been all about getting back to the basics of sewing and learning (or maybe just jogging the memory) some of the most useful and important sewing terms.

Because, let’s be honest, the more sewing vocabulary you know, the more confident you will be when it comes time to sit down with your fabrics (see HERE for fabric terms) and sewing patterns (check out THIS post for sewing pattern definitions) and your sewing machine.

And don’t you just LOVE the feeling of knowing what you’re doing?!?

Oh wait! We haven’t talked about all those fancy sewing machine terms yet, have we?

There’s no better time that the present to start! Let’s jump in!

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Sewing Dictionary for Beginners Part 2: Basic Sewing Pattern Terms You Need to Know Now

Sewing is such a fun hobby that allows you to create a huge variety of projects yourself. Whether you are new to sewing or just need to refresh your skills, it’s always useful to understand all the sewing jargon you read in patterns, tutorials and online.

Although some of the sewing vocab that gets thrown around sounds complicated and at times like a foreign language, it’s actually not as intimidating as it seems! Just give yourself the chance to read and understand them! Then your relationship with your sewing machine and sewing patterns will become much happier and your sewing projects are much more likely to turn out exactly how you’d envisioned.

This post is part 2 of my “Sewing Dictionary for Beginners” series. The last blog post contained a stack of sewing terminology specifically related to fabrics (like how to tell the difference between the front and the back of fabrics). In case you missed it, you can read the 15 fabric terms you need to know HERE .

Today’s sewing vocabulary post contains loads of technical sewing words and phrases to help you in understanding and working with sewing patterns. Once you understand what a pattern is talking about, you will be able to prepare, cut, and sew your fabric pieces together to successfully create your wonderful project!

Ready to dive into some knowledge?

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Beginners Sewing Dictionary Part 1: Essential Sewing Terms about Fabric You Need to Know

As a beginner, the world of sewing may appear to hold many dark and mysterious secrets. I am here to show you that by learning a few basic sewing keywords, going fabric shopping and sitting down at a sewing machine will become much less intimidating and way more fun!

Words like “tension” and “bias” and “allowance” almost sound like they come out of a how to get along with people in business text book! But these sewing terms are really used in sewing speak and actually extremely important for preparing to sew and actually putting your foot to the pedal

Recently I shared a post about how you can avoid 5 common mistakes that sewing beginners make. Have a read of that article in conjunction with this post to help you start your sewing journey.

In today’s post I will be focusing on the most common words you’ll come across in fabric terminology. These can help you understand different fabrics and what fabric your sewing pattern recommends for your project. Be sure to stay tuned for more upcoming parts in this sewing dictionary series 😉.

Let’s dive in to learn these important fabric terms!

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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 30th October to start, this is your 200th 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…

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5 Common Mistakes that Sewing Beginners Make & the Easy Ways You Can Avoid Them

Sewing is such a fun and creative hobby to learn. The variety of projects you can make are practically endless and can be as small or as grandiose as you are willing to put your time, effort and imagination into.

Like any new skill, learning to sew will be full of small wins, proud smiles and a more than a few moans of frustration. Remember this though: Nobody nails anything the first time they try it. Learning to sew is no exception.

BUT how do you get better at anything if not through practice, experimentation and learning from mistakes?!? The best way to get better at sewing is to keep trying. Like that old saying “If you fall off the horse, get back on”. Don’t let the mistakes dishearten you and stop you from improving. If you’re still unsure whether it’s worth learning to sew, take a look HERE at why sewing is so good for you.

There are plenty of websites out there listing gazillions of mistakes that sewing newbies make. You may even have come across some of those sites already. You might recognise that you have made some of those mistakes too.

I have seen so many mistakes made be sewing beginners that don’t even make it onto these other lists. And I want to help you avoid the frustration of making those mistakes too.

How do I even know that these things are “mistakes”? Well, just between you and I, *wink wink* perhaps, just maybe, I might have made some of them too.

Most sewing mistakes- we won’t call them a “sewing fail”- can be all too easy to make. BUT they are also avoidable with a bit of know-how and paying careful attention (i.e., not being too tired when try to nail that outfit at the last minute!).

Are you ready to learn how to avoid making 5 big sewing mistakes, stop feeling so exasperated, and improve your sewing experience? I’m here to help you! Read on…

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8 Essential Tools You Need in Your Sewing Kit

Happy New Year! I’m not sure whether you dared make any plans for this year. (Last year put the brakes on a lot of people’s plans.) My goal for this year is to create create create! One thing I love doing is sewing unique clothes for my kids. But another thing I love creating is super helpful tips and fun ideas for my busy readers!

I have been asked before about what types of machines and tools I can’t live without for my sewing projects. There certainly are a few that I love! So how about I share my list of essential sewing tools with you, right here, right now?!?

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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!

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