SQUIRREL PINS SEWING TUTORIAL

When I first started to sew, every piece of fabric seemed important.  After each project I would end up with a pile of scrap fabric that I just couldn’t bring myself to throw out.  I knew that I could use the fabric for something, but I just didn’t know what!  I eventually created these squirrel pins from my leftover felt to give to the little people in my life.  Each pin uses about a 3” x 6” piece of felt.  If you have larger pieces of felt, you could easily enlarge the pattern to create adorable squirrel pillows for your child’s bed.

Supplies:

My free pattern

Grey felt

White felt

Grey, white and red thread

Polyester fiberfill

Safety pin

Super glue or a glue gun

NOTE: this pattern is for domestic use only and cannot be used commercially or sold. 

Method:

1)  Print pattern and cut out templates.

     2)    Cut felt according to template.

     3)    Sew white cheek piece onto face.

      4)    With right sides facing, sew top of head and sides of head – do not sew ears and bottom of head yet.

      5)    Turn felt right side out and sew eyes, nose, mouth, a few running stiches across forehead and little hearts on ears.

     6)    Sew ears together and trim any excess.

      7)    Stuff head with fiberfill and sew the bottom closed.

     8)    Use super glue to adhere pin and pin cover to the back of the squirrel’s head.

And you’re done!  Give these to your little ones on Valentines Day, and, if you have the time, make extras for them to share with their BFF’s. 

HIS AND HERS LAPTOP SLEEVES

These laptop sleeves would make the perfect gift for your techie friend or family member this Christmas. These sleeves can be sewn in under an hour and are easy enough for the beginner sewer.

PLEASE NOTE: these designs are solely for domestic use and cannot be used commercially or sold. 

WOMEN'S LAPTOP SLEEVE

Supplies:

2 pieces of felt in contrasting colours – 18” x 26”

1 piece of white felt 3” x 14”

18” x 26” fusible webbing  

¾” x 6” Velcro

White and grey thread

Method:

1) Measure the width of the laptop.  Cut 2 pieces of felt approximately 2 inches wider than the laptop and 26” long.

2) Cut 1 piece of fusible webbing to the same size.

3) Cut 3 strips of white felt 1” wide at varying lengths. 

4) Cut each strip in half at an angle.

5) Pin white strips to the front of the sleeve and sew in place.

6) Pin Velcro 4” from opposite edge and sew in place.

7) Pin and sew second strip of Velcro approximately 1” from edge of lining felt. (Note: distance will vary depending on laptop. Fold felt over laptop to mark placement of second strip correctly.)

8) Sandwich the fusible webbing between the 2 layers of felt and fuse according to packaging instructions.  The two strips of Velcro should be at opposite ends of rectangle.

9) Sew edges of felt.

10) With wrong sides together, fold felt approximately 1” shorter than the height of laptop.

11) Sew a 3/8” seam along folded edges. 

MEN'S LAPTOP SLEEVE

Supplies:

2 pieces of felt  - 18” x 26”

1 piece fusible webbing - 18” x 26”

¾” x 18” elastic

Grey thread

Method:

1) Measure the width of the laptop.  Cut 2 pieces of felt approximately 2 inches wider than the laptop and 26” long.

2) Cut 1 piece of fusible webbing to the same size.

3) Sandwich the fusible webbing between the 2 layers of felt and fuse according to package instructions.

4) Sew edges of felt.

5) Cut a piece of elastic to the same length as the width of the sleeve + 1” for seam allowance.

6) With wrong sides together, fold felt approximately 1” shorter than the height of laptop.

7) Sandwich edges of elastic between felt.

8) Sew 3/8” seam along folded edges.  

Have fun creating your own Christmas gifts this season. Nicole 

FALL FASHION REPURPOSED: Crop top and high-waisted skirt DIY

With temperatures dropping in San Diego, I started riffling through my closet for some autumn-appropriate clothing.  Finding very little that excited me, and even less that still fit, I was feeling  defeated.  I was resigned to the fact that I’d be raiding my husband’s side of the closet for the next few months.  That was until I stumbled upon a dress I picked up in a thrift store a few years ago: a double-breasted knit dress.  I no longer wore it, and I had long contemplated getting rid of it, but the dress still had potential.  I love to reimagine or reinvent something that I already own, giving it a new life and saving it from the landfill.  This dress seemed the perfect candidate.  I decided to make it into a little cropped top and high-waist skirt, similar to one I saw Solange Knowles wearing.  (Yes, the girl who wears khakis and hiking boots for a living occasionally reads fashion blogs!)  

There was only one problem: I had never sewn anything more than a hem, so this was going to be a steep learning curve.  It turned out it wasn’t so hard after all and I’m thrilled with the end result.  My new (old) outfit is perfect for San Diego’s mild autumn.

Supplies:

Knit dress

8” wide coordinating knit fabric (length approx. = waist measurement + 1” seam allowance)

Thread

Chalk

Scissors

Step 1:

Try the dress on and use chalk to mark your real waist.

Step 2:

Cut the dress in two at real waist marking.

Step 3:

To make the top more fitted I added 2 darts to the front and 2 to the back. 

I used a pattern block to mark the location of my darts.  If you don’t have one available, this handy youtube demonstration will show you how to mark and sew them in the right place. 

Step 4:

Mark and sew two pleats in the front of skirt and two darts in the back. 

Step 5:

Cut two strips of the black knit fabric, one 2” wide (edging for top) and the other 6” wide (waistband).  Calculate the length of strips required by measuring the total length of cut edge of top or skirt and adding 1” for seam allowance. 

Step 6:

Fold strips in half and iron flat.  Fold raw edges in towards center and iron. 

Step 7:

Sandwich the raw edge of your top within the edging.  Pin and sew.

Step 8:

Sandwich the raw edge of the skirt within the waistband.  Pin, sew and you’re done!

I love my new crop top and skirt.  They are so much cuter than my husband’s over-sized sweaters.