Sewing For The Troops - Cool Ties And Helmet Kisses

Sewing Project - Cool Ties - Helmet Kisses

Sewing Friends:

We have been sew very busy this month!

Our chapter of the American Sewing Guild and A Stitch Connection (Viking-Husqvarna dealer) where I teach classes partnered together to sew "Cool Ties" and "Helmet Kisses" to send to the US Military in Iraq. This is known as "The Hugs Project".

Our goal was to sew 1000 of the ties and kisses to send for Christmas. We believe we have met that goal at last count. . ties and kisses are still coming in.

We also asked volunteers who helped us sew to write a personal note to tuck in with each tie or kiss. We put the instructions on how to use the tie on a label on one side of a 3x5 card. On the reverse side, we ask folks to write a personal note and sign it.

The response has been overwhelming. Kids and Grandpas have written the most moving notes to our soldiers. Even the local police and mall shoppers of all ages are writing notes and helping us to sew.

All the fabrics, moisture pellets that go inside the ties, sewing machines, supplies, time and effort have been donated.

This has definitely been a worthwhile and fun project. We will all have a better Christmas because of it.

We plan to continue the project even after we meet our goal because so many people want to help. Florida Gulf Coast University students and many home school students have taken this on as a community service project where they not only get credit for their service, but learn how to sew at the same time.

It's a win win situation for all.

Click here to learn more about the Hugs Project.

Go here for instructions on how to sew a cool tie.

Cool ties are great gifts for loved ones at home, too. Remember that they can be warm or cool.

Granma might like one for her stiff neck. I plan to sew them for my husband's golfing buddies this Christmas. This might be a great stocking stuffer gift for most anyone.

Have fun sewing cool ties. It just makes sense!

To Your Sewing Success,

Marian

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How to Sew Obi Belts, Sashes and Scarves

Sewing Projects - Obi Belts, Sashes and Scarves

Sewing Friends:

If you are looking for quick and easy gifts to sew, this is it. Choose some pretty fabric and make wide fabric obi belts, sashes or scarves. They are very popular this year and can be quite pricey in high fashion boutiques.

Tie them around your waist or drape them around your neck or over your shoulder. Add some beads or fringe to the ends for even more pizazz.

Here is a review on the instructions on how to sew a four inch wide obi belt:

Fabric required: 1-1/4 yards

• Cut 2 strips of bias fabric 9 inches wide x 50 inches long
  
• Stitch together to create one long piece 100 inches long.
  Note: See How To Sew Bias Strips Together
  
• Interface if desired
  
• Fold strip in half lengthwise with right sides together.
  
• Stitch 1/2 inch seam leaving about a 3 inch opening.
  
• Press seam and turn right side out through the opening.
  
• Fuse or handstitch the opening closed.
  
• Press well
  
• Follow the directions on the video, How To Tie A Wide Belt to learn how to tie it around your waist.

For more ideas, see the Home Sewing Association's instructions for a Beaded and Silk Fringed Scarf

See How to Sew A Magic Sash for a really fun spiral sash.

Enjoy this sewing project. Sew some odd and ends of fabrics together for an interesting scarf. Check out the remnant table for special deals on unique fabrics. Look at catalogs and in boutiques for ideas. With just a little fabric and very little time, you can sew a whole wardrobe of wide obi belts, sashes and scarves and save a ton of money, too.

It just makes sense!

To Your Sewing Success,

Marian

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Sew Pillows for Breast Cancer and Other Surgical Patients

Sewing Project - Ouch Pillows For Surgical Patients

Sewing Friends:

Our chapter of the American Sewing Guild is sewing Anti-Ouch Pouches for cancer patients who have had breast surgery.

Per the American Sewing Guild National Headquarters Caring and Sharing section of their website:

"This underarm hanging pillow is intended to add a little comfort to people’s lives during a stressful, painful time. The pillow hangs from the shoulder, fitting snugly under the arm to cushion the underarm and breast area after breast surgery or during radiation treatment. Its wedge shape holds the arm slightly away from the body when the person is standing. The shoulder strap is adjustable. The fiberfill can be adjusted via an overlapped opening. The design is meant to look like a tote bag, and may be used on the right or left side of the body."

What a gift of love for a friend or family member or even someone you don't even know.

Being a lung cancer survivor, I wish I had an anti-ouch pouch when I had my surgery. I'm sure there are other patients who would love an anti-ouch pouch, too. Much like the "heart pillows", it really helps to have something to hold against your body when you are really hurting. Think about sewing some ouch pillows for gifts this year.

Here are the instructions to sew an anti-ouch pouch pillow.

Whether you sew a "Smiley Face" Pillow or a "Heart" Pillow or an "Anti-Ouch Pouch" all patients young and old alike really appreciate them. Consider sewing pillows for:

• Open-Heart Surgery Patients
• General Surgery Patients
• Mastectomy Patients
• Pediatric Patients

Smiley Face pillows are really easy. Here is how to sew a Smiley Pillow.

• Make a circle template by drawing a circle that is about 15 inches in diameter.
• Using fabric markers, draw a smiley face on the right side of a piece of fabric about 16 inches square. You can also applique or embroidery a smiley face.
• Lay a second piece of fabric right sides together over the first.
• Trace around the circle template on the wrong side of the fabric.
• Use short stitches to stitch around the drawn line leaving about a 4 inch opening.
• Trim the excess fabric away leaving about 1/4 inch seam allowance.
• Press and turn right side out.
• Press again setting the seam on the edge.
• Stuff the pillow
• Stitch the opening closed.

It is easier to sew along the drawn line and then trim than it is to cut a circle and stitch around it.

Heart pillows for cardiac patients are similar size (about 15 inches) but they are heart shaped. Trace a heart and sew it just like the Smilely Face pillow. Be sure to use short stitches (1.5) and clip right to the stitching at the center of the heart to get it to turn out nice and smooth. A short stitch or two across the V in the center of the heart helps a lot.

Put your sewing skills to good use to help alleviate a little pain in someone's life. Use up some of your fabric stash. You don't have to be an expert to sew these pillows. Get the kids involved. If they can't sew, they can help stuff the pillows. This is a great home school sewing project.

There is nothing more rewarding than to give these gifts of love to folks who really appreciate them. It is so nice to know that someone cares! Make some ouch pillows to aid the healing process! It just makes sense!

To Your Sewing Success,

Marian

Sewing Project - Ouch Pillows For Surgical Patients

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How To Turn Tee Shirts Into Hoodies - New Sewing Course - Tee Hoodies

Sewing Course - Tee Hoodies - How to Makeover Tee Shirts Into Hoodies

Sewing Friends:

"Tee Hoodies" is available to download right now! Yes, you asked for a sewing course ebook on how to deconstruct and makeover your favorite tee shirts into hoodies and now you have it! I deliver what I promise. I hope you enjoy it!

So many of you have a favorite tee shirt that you just can't live without. And, you also love hoodies. Sew, now you can combine your favorite things into one garment and make a tee hoodie. It is easy and fun to do.

Hoodies don't have to be just shirts. Turn the shirts into vests, jackets, dresses, beach cover-ups, tunics, robes, etc. The ideas are endless.

Tee hoodies are the perfect weight to wear under or over another garment.

Pick a contrasting fabric to highlight your favorite activity, sport, event, animal, holiday, whatever you want. Add trims, decorative stitching, appliques, embroidery, couching, paints, glitz, etc. You are the designer! Have fun with it! Make a unique tee hoodie.

Tee Hoodies are great gifts. Recycle and restyle a favorite tee shirt for your family members and friends of all ages. They will love it.

Get this sewing course with easy to follow instructions and create your own one-of-a-kind Tee Hoodie. It just makes sense!

To Your Sewing Success,

Marian

PS: Please share your tee hoodies with us. We would love to see them.

PPS: Discover how to recycle or makeover old jeans into a ruffled skirt or a pants leg purse. Check out my post on Sewing Project Tips Sewing Blog

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Sewing Technique - How To Do Couching for A Decorative Look

Sewing Technique - Couching

Sewing Friends:

One of my students asked, "What is couching?"

Couching, according to Wikepedia is defined this way:

"In embroidery, couching and laid work are techniques in which yarn or other materials are laid across the surface of the ground fabric and fastened in place with small stitches of the same or a different yarn."

This technique is well known in the hand sewing world. But, it is also very popular in the sewing machine world as well. You will see it on a lot of sewing projects.

Couching is one of my favorite sewing techniques. It is fast and easy and it can make a garment truly unique and special.

All you really need to know is how to do the zigzag stitch on your sewing machine. You are just zigzagging on top of some loose threads or yarns to hold them down on the fabric. It is that simple.

I like to use a clear monofilament thread on the top of my sewing machine to couch over decorative yarns or threads. Slightly loosen the tension so the bobbin thread doesn't show either.

Whether you are sewing a garment from a sewing pattern or deconstructing and sewing a makeover sweatshirt or jeans, or even doing home dec, try couching some decorative threads, yarns, trims, braids, ribbons, etc. to really jazz it up and give it a whole new look.

The Home Sewing Association has a great article on couching. Click on the link to get some good tips on how to do couching.

Check out ready-to-wear and home dec items for couching ideas. Now that you know what it is and how easy it is to do, have fun with it. Try couching on your next sewing project.

It just makes sense!

To Your Sewing Success,

Marian

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Sewing Tips - How To Match Plaids and Designs

Sewing Tip - Matching Plaids and Designs

Sewing Friends:

Plaids are popular once again. Whether you are sewing a plaid or any other design, you want to match everything to create a quality garment or home dec project. You can do it! It takes a little more time and a little more fabric, but it is definitely worth it.

Sewing Books

There are several sewing books and articles available on how to match plaids and designs, etc. Almost all general sewing books cover this subject. Most of them say about the same thing concerning matching fabric designs and generally, they are good instructions. Check your sewing books in your library or browse my sewing book store.

In addition, here are a few sewing tips that I use in my garment and home dec sewing to match designs.

Cutting Tips - Single Layer

Personally, I prefer to cut out single layer when I really want something to match perfectly. I lay out the fabric double layer initially matching the 2 layers the best I can. But, when I cut, I actually only cut through the top layer. Then I check the bottom layer to see if I need to adjust it slightly to get a perfect match to the top layer and then cut the bottom layer. This works pretty well most of the time.

Depending on the fabric and design, there are times when I lay everything out single layer and put post-it notes on my pattern to help me remember to flip the pattern over to cut the other layer.

Stitching Tips - Fusible Thread Technique

• Put fusible thread on the bobbin of your sewing machine.


• Place one layer of the garment with the wrong side up at the machine.


• Stitch with a long basting stitch 1/2 inch from the edge. This puts fusible thread on the right side on the fabric close to the seam line.


• Then, lay the piece you want to match right side up on the press table.


• Fold under the seam allowance on the piece that you stitched.


• Now, lay it over the other piece and match it up exactly where you want it.


• Stab pin it in place and then press to fuse the thread to the underneath piece.


• Flip over the top piece so the two right sides of both pieces are together.


• Now, with regular thread on your sewing machine, stitch the seam at 5/8".

The fusible thread holds the fabric in place so there should be no slippage.

You may want to use a walking foot, too.

I always use the fusible thread technique when I am trying to match up flowers or other designs in a garment or home dec project, too.

Steam-A-Seam fusible tape is another product that I use a lot to help me keep things from shifting and to line things up for a perfect match. Steam-A-Seam holds something permanently and you don't even have to stitch it. This is really great for home dec items.

Hope these sewing tips help you achieve sewing success.

It just makes sense!

To Your Sewing Success,
Marian

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How To Sew A T-Shirt Top

Sewing Techniques - T-Shirts

Sewing Friends:

T-shirts are a fashion staple in most of our wardrobes. Prices on ready-to-wear t-shirts vary widely. I can't imagine paying $200 for a t-shirt, but I have seen them for that price.

T-shirts are quick and easy garments to sew. With a few pattern fitting tips and some nice knit fabric, you can sew a whole wardrobe of gorgeous high fashion tee shirts that will take you anywhere anytime.

I consider Marcy Tilton the Queen of T-shirt making. Marcy's sewing tips and techniques are priceless. I encourage all of you to follow her easy to read instructions and learn how to sew a tee shirt that you will love.

Be sure to get Marcy's book, "Easy Guide To Sewing Tops and T-Shirts". It is a must-have sewing book to include in your sewing library.

Check out her article, "Not Your Ordinary T-Shirt" in Threads Magazine.

Also, go to my Sewing Project Tips Sewing Blog and see my post on a Classic Sewing Pattern for a Misses T-Shirt Top that I recommend you add to your classic basic wardrobe.

Make your own designer quality t-shirts that fit you. It's quick, easy and fun and you'll save a lot of money!

It just makes sense!

To Your Sewing Success,

Marian

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