How to Sew Valentines: 33 Valentine Sewing Project Ideas

I had some fun sewing valentine projects this weekend. I shared what I made, as well as thirty other sweet project ideas that I collected from all over the web on my newest post at Sewing Machines Plus. There are links to several cute quilts, other patchwork projects, a darling softie toy, kitchen gifts, and many more. I think you will find inspiration and ideas to suit everyone you love. Please click over there to read it now. I challenge you all to show your love by sewing all your valentine gifts this year. Thanks for reading!

Last Minute Gifts to Sew

My latest post at Sewing Machines Plus is a list of quick sewing projects that are perfect for last minute gifts. There are quite a few easy, quick, no-stress gift ideas that are fun to make. Good Luck with all your projects, and Happy Holidays!

Gifts To Sew for Everyone on Your List

Are you starting to think about your holiday list yet? Do you plan to sew gifts this year? If you plan to, it's time to get started. I published a list of ideas for gifts to sew for everyone at Sewing Machines Plus. It includes some of my favorite gifts to sew for babies and kids, ladies, and men.

Click on over and read the list now at SMP: Sew Gifts for Everyone on Your List. I hope you find just the right ideas to add to your holiday sewing project list. I appreciate you reading my work and I hope you have a fabulous week.

Easy Craft Project: Dragonfly Clothespin Clips

Hi, how are ya'll doing?  It has been YEARS since I have posted here, but I thought this easy project would fit nicely here and interest ya'll too.  These dragonfly clips are an easy-peasy, quick, and cute project.  My kids were interested in helping make these, and they loved the results.

These dragonflies work as ornaments for a Christmas or other seasonal tree, happy unexpected decor (I clipped mine to the curtain in my sewing room), fridge magnets, or as a whimsical air freshener for your car, if you add essential oil and clip it to your air vent.  I'm sure you can think of even more clever uses for these cuties.

We made these on the spur of the moment with items we had on hand.  The idea came about quickly when we wanted something pretty to dress up small wrapped gifts for our holiday giving.  I wrapped beautiful small blank books and tiny boxes of chocolates in white paper, tied with gold ribbon, and clipped one of these on top of each package.  All the recipients seemed to really like these cute dragonflies as much as the actual gifts, and they really did make pretty packages.

Dragonfly Clothespin Clips

You will need:

• Clothespins
• Enamel paint- I used Folk Art 4019 Enamel 2-Ounce Acrylic Paint, Fresh Foliage
• Dyed craft sticks- like these: Darice 9150-82 Wood Craft Colored Stick, 4-1/2-Inch, 120-Pack (or you could dye or paint plain craft sticks yourself).
• Spray adhesive- I used  Elmer's Craftbond 4-Ounce Adhesives Spray Glue
• Glitter
• Carpenter's Glue- Elmer's E7010 Carpenter's Wood Glue, Interior, 8 Ounces 
• Magnets (optional) 
• Sequins or google eyes

These couldn't be any simpler to make!  Just follow these steps:

1. Paint your clothespins.  Be sure to paint the inside front and backs, too.  Let dry.
2. Lay pairs of turquoise, green, and purple colored craft sticks on newspaper or outside. Spray with adhesive, then gently sprinkle glitter to cover.  Let dry
3. Using a paintbrush, apply wood glue to the center of one of each pair of craft sticks.  Press the other on top of this at perpendicular angles, so that the two wings make an "X" shape.  Let dry.
4. Use another dab of wood glue atop the clothespin, just behind the spring, and gently affix the pair of wings to the top of the clip.
5. Attach sequins or googly eyes to the top front of the clothespin with paintbrush and glue. Let dry.
6. (optional) Glue a small magnet to the underside of the clip.

We have found so many uses for the colored craft sticks that ours are almost all gone!  We used lots of the green ones in various holiday projects, and so I didn't have any green left for illustrating this project here.  I used a pair of yellow, but I don't love the way the yellow looks.  I think the turquoise, purple, and green craft sticks work most nicely for this project.  I gave away all of these that I made with green wings, so I don't have any pictured with green- they were my favorites though!

Be sure to make lots of these because they are perfect on packages and you'll also want some for yourself.  We made a dozen for Christmas and these weren't enough!  My mother-in-law admired the ones we made for my sisters-in-law, and I was sorry that I hadn't made any to adorn her larger package.  So that is why we made these just now, as a gift for her birthday this weekend.  I hope that she will be glad that we did!

Let me know if you make them, and what new uses you find for these happy little friends.  I hope to post more projects here soon.

Sew Easy Laptop Sleeve with Pockets and a Free Camera Case Pattern

Hi! I want to show you a couple of easy projects and point you to another fun website, too.

I recently wanted to make a laptop sleeve, but all the patterns I found were missing a feature I wanted, which was large pockets.  I looked around at a lot of cool free patterns available online, and you can find some great ideas by doing this, too.


But there are very nice instructions in the One-Yard Wonders book for a quilted laptop sleeve, and I decided to use these for the measurements of the sleeve portion.  Their project example is made from a darling patchwork print and has the pattern for an adorable doggie applique.  But I wanted to make this project quickly.  So I did not follow their instructions of quilting this, and instead just basted the bag, padding, and lining pieces together around all four sides.  I did this with the serger.  You could also use spray adhesive to attach the three layers together.

To make the pocket, I simply made another 3 layered piece with the same dimensions around, and just a couple of inches shorter than the bag piece.  I simply hemmed the top edge of this piece and then layered the pocket piece on top of the bag before I sewed it together.  Now there is a roomy pocket on both the front and the back of this laptop sleeve that can easily hold a power cable and a jump drive, even an ipod and cable, or whatever you need.  Here it is, with a power cord and battery stuffed in the back pocket:

There is bias binding at the top (opening) edge, and I also used bias tape strips a couple of inches long, sewed closed and attached as loops to the top corners.  Then I added key ring loops.  I was thinking this would be for a strap, but with these dimensions that is awkward.  What would work better if you wanted to make this bag with straps would be to attach them at the top and bottom corners (when you sew the sleeve together), to make it a backpack.  Anyway, the key loops on the edge are handy, after all, for pulling the sleeve in and out of a larger bag or from beneath the couch or something.

Free Camera Case Pattern

I used the scraps from this project to make a bag for my camera.   I found a great free pattern (along with a lot more, too) at AllPeopleQuilt; here is the link.  I did quilt this one.  I also noticed that their case was going to be a good bit big for my camera, and so I modified the measurements accordingly.

You can see a strip of bias binding along the bottom in the back; that's because I decided to make this with a pocket, too, for holding the usb cable and a spare pair of batteries.

I should have used velcro on this pocket, though, as my batteries fell out in my purse when I carried my camera along!  The USB wire fits snugly in here though, so you could skip the velcro, too, but also make smaller battery pockets on the inside or outside of the side panels.  This doesn't need a strap, as you will use the camera strap for carrying it. 

I would love to know if you try one of these projects.  And I will love to make another post soon.

Happy Sewing!

Grandmother's Quilts

For Mother's Day, today, I gave my mother and Mr. Green's mother baby quilts that I made from blocks left by their mamas.  Both of these dear grandmothers left a small stack of pieced blocks, and last year they were given to me.  So I arranged and sewed together the blocks, and because in both cases there were less than enough blocks for a whole quilt, I added borders. 

My husband's grandmother hand sewed the blocks in the quilt pictured above.  I used the machine to sew them together and quilt it.  I just love the pink, blue, and red color scheme, which is one I never would have thought to use.  I didn't have enough of one binding for the whole quilt, and so I improvised using two blues! 

The blue striped border continues around all four sides on this quilt.  The blocks in the middle of this one were made by my great great grandmother, who was also my mama's "mother," through adoption.  She passed away many years ago.  When my mother gave me her quilting things recently and I saw these blocks, memories came flooding back.  The fabric and color choices in this quilt could have only been chosen by her!  I can remember seeing her hanging out laundry wearing a dress made from one of these fabrics.

I keep calling these grandmother quilts because they were started by grandmothers and I gave them to grandmothers, for holding new grandchildren.  I made a bit of a mess in the quilting of these, as I always do- I love making patchwork, but not quilting as much.  They turned out just fine, though, really.  Both our mothers seemed pleased, and I feel pleased as punch to have finished these projects which were started by others so many years ago.

I hope all of you who are mothers have had an amazing mother's day this year!

A Dress for Every Girl Around the World

Dress A Girl Around The World is an organization that I was glad to learn about, and I wanted to make sure that you all know about it, too.  The flyer above says "Imagine a world where every little girl owned at least one dress."  It is a sad thought that there are little girls who don't own a single dress, and this is something that we CAN do something about!  I am so happy to make pillowcase dresses to send to this organization, and I bet you all would like to do the same.

Pillowcase dresses are SUPER EASY to sew, as I have recently discovered.  You don't have to start with a pillowcase, but if you do they make up in about ten minutes.  You can make them in the traditional way, using bias strips under the arms and casings at the top:

Or you can use elastic across the top, and put casings under the arms, instead:

This didn't work that well for me, and I will never try to put casings under the arms again!  It would be better to use bias here, too; here are easy instructions at Rostitchery for a "safer pillowcase dress."
I will make the next ones this way, for sure.

As I said, you don't have to start with a pillowcase; you could start with a yard (or a bit less) of fabric, or even make one from a skirt:

So, I am sending these off to Dress a Girl Around the World now (after I clip those threads), but I plan to make more and better dresses soon, and send more again later.  I hope some of you will sew some pretty dresses to send for other little girls, too.  Please and thank you.

Happy Sewing!

Sew Soft Toy Blocks and Upcycle Baby Clothes

Please visit Associated Content to read my tutorial for keepsake baby blocks.  I make my soft baby blocks differently by repurposing pieces of sweet baby clothes.  Cute appliques make cute blocks, but using premade appliques from baby's clothes helps this project to make up super quick.

These are great for stacking and safe throwing.  I think this is a cute way to upcycle and repurpose baby clothes that have been outgrown, stained, or ruined.  They make great nursery decorations, too.  These blocks are also a little addictive to make; my baby has a huge set of these because I am always coming across cute appliques and wanting to make just one or two more.  Please read my tutorial and make some for a child you love!  There are instructions included on how to get the jingle bell inside to jingle properly and not be muffled by the stuffing, as well as how to successfully make these using knit fabrics from baby onesies.

Thank you for reading my work at AC!  I hope you enjoy this project as much as I do, and I hope the toys you make are played with and loved as well as our set!  Happy Sewing!

More Ideas for Easy Gifts to Sew

How is your holiday sewing coming along?

Even though I started in July, it looks like I will be finishing things up at the last minute yet again.  I have lots more gifts I still want to make!

Here are links to articles just published with ideas for more last-minute gifts to make:

Handkerchiefs are a great gift for your brother (or anyone else) 

Easy Gift to Make Your Husband (or another special guy)
 Trick out his sofa!

Great Gift to Make for Grandma 
(napkins)


Easy Gift to Sew for Your Kid-  roll-ups

Come back here soon for more ideas and some ideas for holiday wear for you and your kids.
Happy Sewing!

Ideas for Easy Gifts to Sew for Everyone on your list

If you are looking for ideas for gifts to sew, you will find lots of ideas in my sidebar here.

Please also read my article at Yahoo, Easy Gifts to Sew for Everyone.  There are more ideas there, as well as a very important link...if you do not yet know about the handmade holidays series that has been running all November for the past four years at SewMamaSew, then you will absolutely want to visit the link at the bottom of that article for scores of amazing gift ideas.

I am excited that yahoo just sent me an email to let me know that I have been accepted as a featured crafting contributor at Associated Content, so there will soon be many more crafting articles written by me on that site. I will still be sharing lots of ideas here, too, of course.  Here is the link to my contributor page  at Associated Content.  You can subscribe and be emailed whenever my new articles are published, and I would very much appreciate your readership there as well as here!

I am uber busy preparing for my first ever arts and craft booth at a local country Christmas fair this weekend, but I have a new tutorial for a sweet upcycled kid gift that should be posted here very soon, as well as other ideas to share.

In the meantime, Happy Sewing!

Here's Another Easy To Sew (Reversible) Apron

I showed ya'll some fat quarter aprons already, and now want to show you a full version.  I like this free pattern at Michael Miller fabrics, for the Classic Reversible Apron.  I made a couple as gifts last year and I recently sewed another 3 up quickly as a batch.  This pattern is super simple easy to sew.  I made these:

Mr. Green thinks I should have used a different fabric on the reverse of this:

But I had 3 full yards of this plue plaid, and it definitely matches.  I was thinking maybe the Mister could wear it this side out if he was cooking breakfast.  lol  I like the blue plaid!

Mr. Green LOVES this sweet peppers print apron

 
and I love the green on the reverse

I wish I had a lot more of that green fabric!  I made the straps for this one with the green, to save enough fabric from the sweet peppers yard to make a market bag, too.  Mr. Green wants this one, because we grow all these colored bells in our garden (and eat them most every night), and because this one is much better than the hot peppers one I sewed for him last year:

I don't really like the pocket on this one, that is one reason I omitted the pockets on these three I have made so far this year.  I also topstitched this one with white thread, which does not look good.  I was out of black, and it was like Christmas Eve, and I thought it might look okay.  Also, I did not have anything to match for the backing and so I RIT dyed muslin for the back, and I do not love the flourescent lime that resulted.  It's neat to see that my sewing skills have come a long way since last year...with sewing, you have fun making cool things, make mistakes, but effortlessly your skills magically improve!

Here is the other one I just made; this one is appropriate for a man or a lady:

This one has plain, clear red on the reverse.  Apparently, I didn't save that photo to the computer, so you can just imagine that one.  That skirt Dolly is wearing is the wrap skirt from Chic and Simple Sewing.  I messed up the hem and have a date with the seam ripper on that one, lol.  I have one more fabric I want to make this from, too, so I will likely post on this easy to sew, versatile skirt later.

This free apron pattern includes measurements for making adult and also child sizes.  I haven't made the pattern for the child size yet, but I plan to do that maybe today.  I have a yard of this:

I think I will use half to make the classic reversible apron for a child from this, and with the other border quarter I can make a matching fat quarter apron and that could be a matching set.  You can also barely see in this photo that red gingerbread man print from which I made napkins; there is enough left of this for me to make children's christmas aprons, so I plan to do that.

They also have a free tutorial for making a matching chef's hat at Michael Miller.  It, too, is easy to sew (you need patience for gathering the cap, though)!  A matching apron and chef's hat would make a beautiful gift for someone who loves to cook.  I made one of the hats to match Mr. Green's hot peppers apron last year, but he has a humongous head, so I had to alter the pattern a good bit.  Still it would not fit his head if I added the velcro, lol.  I had limited fabric left and had to figure out enlarging it a lot, so the circular cut should have been larger in proportion to the brim, which I made wider than the pattern.  Yours will look nicer than this!

I keep hearing from all directions that aprons are really "hot" right now.  They are super easy to sew and could make great gifts for someone on your list...or just make a cute one for yourself!  Happy Sewing!

i am linking this here:

Napkins are a Quick and Easy Gift to Make and Sew: Here are the Easy, Easier, and Easiest Ways to make them!

Napkins are a favorite gift of mine, because they are incredibly fast and easy to sew;  make up beautifully; and especially because they are a practical gift for the Earth as well as friends or loved ones.  I only use cloth napkins in my house, but am often amazed to see that many people use paper towels every day with their meals and serve them to guests.   I want every household I know to have beautiful matching washable napkins to use instead of paper products.

Cloth napkins are some of the simplest things to sew.  You can cut them to any size, press down all the sides 1/4", then fold and press again, and then sew around the perimeter of each napkin.  I made many napkins this way and this is definitely EASY.

You can make napkins this way without even having to sew them if you use Stitch Witchery no sew hemming tape.   I haven't made them this way myself, but I have seen it written many times by different knowledgeable people that this stuff works just fine and will hold up to myriad washings.  Make them this way and all you have to do is a lot of pressing, saving the sewing step; this is even EASIER.

But by far the quickest easiest way to make cloth napkins is using your serger.  Serging napkins (and handkerchiefs) are most likely the absolute simplest, easiest, and quickest projects possible.  You don't have to turn and press edges at all!  Just cut your napkins and run them under the serger.  You could make multiple sets in half an hour.  I like to use the rolled hem with most fabrics, or a picot edge finish also looks lovely.
Serging napkins is definitely the EASIEST way to make them!

If you make 12" square napkins, which is an oversized cocktail or casual (lunch) size, you can make a set of 8, as well as simple little bag to wrap and present and contain them, from just one yard of fabric.   Here are some made in this size from festive holiday fabric:

I made a set of these as my gift for the holiday bloganza, and sets to give as hostess gifts during the holiday season.

I also just made some from this gorgeous fabric, using metallic thread in the upper looper.  I have found metallic thread to be impossible to sew with using a sewing machine, but it works beautifully in the serger loopers.  Because this fabric made me think of celebrations so much, I used the leftover scrap to make a wine bottle carrier as well, and Mr. Green had the good idea for me to use insulated batting so it can help carry a chilled bottle of wine.  Wouldn't this set make a beautiful hostess gift for New Years Eve?  This set is for sale.

(I haven't sewed the straps on the wine bag yet)

Flannel makes super soft napkins.

I want to get more flannel to make large sets of large sized napkins like these.

I also like to make 16" napkins as my favorite size.  I just cut a stack of poinsettas with gold that I want to keep for my table. ;)

 Sew, No-Sew, and Serger are Easy, Easier, and Easiest ways to make fabric napkins which are quick, useful, and can be gorgeous gifts.  Ya'll make some for your holiday gifts, too!

Happy Sewing!

I am linking this post at these parties:

Easy Gift to Sew: Prudent Baby's Fat Quarter Apron

I have had such fun making these Fat Quarter Aprons (tutorial at Prudent Baby).  This is definitely one of the easiest and most fun tutorials I have come across this year.   This project would make a great gift for domestic types on your list. 

Here is the first one I made:

I did one thing different from the tutorial, which is use the entire fat quarter for the skirt of the apron, and use the contrasting fabric to make the waist band at the top.  Instead of using ready made trim, I used the contrasting fabric to make a ruffle.  I finished the ruffle in contrasting (dark green) wooly nylon thread with a serger rolled hem.  Here is a closer picture of the green rolled hem:

I REALLY love this apron!  It reminds me of bubbles and makes me want to wash dishes!

Then I made another one, too, from fabric I have been saving for just the right project.   I had a lot of fun with the applique on this; I will be doing lots more applique, I think.  I used wonder under and then sewed the edges using a satin stitch, except for the butterfly (fussy cut from a scrap of fabric), which I sewed using invisible nylon thread:

There is a slideshow at Prudent Baby with 100 different photos of aprons made by many talented people; you should check out for some serious inspiration for all kinds of different ways to make these unique.

I can't believe I didn't see any examples made for men.  I have an idea to use masculine fabric (without the ruffle) and applique "DAD" on one side.

You could make one with a pocket and slide in a new wooden spoon.  Or maybe make a matching set for a mother and daughter (or sisters).  Or make one (or more) reversible. There are myriad ways to make this a great gift!  Have fun with it!

Happy Sewing

I am linking this here: