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Sew a Sunglasses Case with Scraps & Kantha Stitching

July 31, 2018
Posted by Sara
July 28, 2018
3 comments

Summertime means sunglasses! I usually have mine on my head, but sometimes I want to throw them in my bag with a layer of protection. This sunglasses case is a great way to use up scraps and practice some kantha stitching. (Kantha is just a fancy word for Indian style running stitches and they don’t even have to be perfect!)

Here’s a quick tutorial so you can sew a sunglasses case that will use up scraps and help protect your lenses. I made the pattern big enough for oversized sunglasses. If you have a slim pair or want to use it for reading glasses, you can adjust the size by trimming it down when you get partway through.

Remember that kantha stitching is meant to be quick and easy. You can thread the needle through 4-8 stitches before pulling the thread. Don’t worry about perfect spacing or alignment. The imperfections are what give it a beautiful handmade look.

This type of pouch is useful for other little items too, so be creative! If you change the size slightly, it makes a great little protective phone cover. Or you could make it bigger and use it to cover an iPad.

(This post contains affiliate links which means I make a small commission when you make a purchase. Thanks!)

How to Sew a Sunglasses Case with Scraps & Kantha Stitching

Finished size: approximately 4″ x 7″

Materials & Tools:

fabric scraps in coordinating colors (about ten 12″ x 1.5″ strips)
one larger piece of fabric about 10″ square for the lining
fusible fleece (about 10″ square)
coordinating embroidery floss (I like pearl embroidery floss for this project.)
embroidery needle (I like these Sashiko needles. They are long so you can make multiple stitches at a time.)
rotary cutter & mat (You can do without, but measuring and cutting are much faster and easier!)

Sewing Instructions:

1. Cut out several strips of fabric about 12″ long and 1-2″ wide. They can be variable widths and do not need to be perfect! If you like making improv quilt blocks, that’s exactly what you need to do here. In fact, you can be more creative and sew other shapes and designs if you like.

2. Lay out your strips in the order you want to sew them together. Place the first 2 strips right sides together and stitch with a 1/4″ seam allowance along the long edge. Press and continue to add the rest of the strips in the same manner.

3. Trim the sewn-together strips to about 10″ x 9″. Cut a piece of fusible fleece the same size and fuse it to the wrong side of the fabric. (Note: If you think the fusible fleece will be too thick to hand stitch, you can use a lightweight interfacing on this layer and add fusible fleece to the lining layer instead.)

4. Begin stitching across the vertical stripes, slightly off center with close rows of running stitches. Again, these aren’t supposed to be perfect. They are supposed to be quick! Fill in a section with about 1.5″ of stitching. Finish filling in the other sections with close rows of running stitches perpendicular to the first section.

5. Once you finish stitching, your fabric will be slightly smaller and probably not square again. Wrap it around your glasses and figure out if you need to trim the rectangle. To make it the same size as mine, it should be about 9″ x 8″ at this point. Be sure to leave about 1/2″ of seam allowance on all sides. (Below, I had already trimmed the corners…this is in the next step.)

6. Cut a solid piece of fabric to match the size of the quilted rectangle. (If you prefer a more sturdy case, you can add some medium-weight interfacing to this layer as well.)

7. Place the quilted rectangle and the lining right sides together. Fold in half. Trim off one outer corner about 1″ from each edge.

8. Stitch around the outside edge, pivoting at the corners, using a 3/8″ seam allowance, leaving a 2″ opening on one side. Trim the bulk from the corners and turn inside out. Press.

9. Fold the lining sides together. Whipstitch across the bottom and side near the edge, pulling tight as you stitch. Finish just below the angled corner with a small knot. (You can also machine topstitch, but the thickness of the fabric may be too much for some basic sewing machines.)

That’s it! Make beautiful gifts for your friends, use up scraps, and enjoy the sunshine!

Also, linking up with: Sew Can She, Saturday Sharefest, & Craftastic Monday

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Embroidery

Free Mother’s Day Embroidery Pattern

April 23, 2018
Posted by Sara
April 17, 2018
3 comments

Today I have a free Mother’s Day embroidery pattern for you! It says “I’m so thankful you’re my mom,” which really means you can give it to your mom any time of year. It would also make a sweet birthday gift or thank you gift (because you can always thank your mom for being awesome!). But Mother’s Day is next month, so it seemed good to share this embroidery pattern now.

(This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission for recommending products at no cost to you. Thanks!)

I enjoy making patterns that can be given as gifts to encourage other people. And who better to encourage than your mom? Plus, she’ll appreciate the time and love that goes into a handmade gift.

This is a full-length pattern with step-by-step photos and instructions for both a 6″ and 8″ hoop design. I’ve also included photos of each type of stitch and tips for finishing the hoop. I also have suggested floss colors but you are welcome to choose your own. To download the pattern, just enter your email below to get access to my free resource library. You’ll receive a welcome email with a link and password. (There are also some printable planning pages, a sewing glossary, and a couple of other patterns just for my subscribers!)

This pattern uses 3 stitches: a backstitch, a satin stitch, and a colonial knot (similar to a French knot, but easier in my opinion!). If you aren’t familiar with these stitches, Mollie Makes has a good post showing the steps for each stitch and I have photos and instructions included in the pattern. These are my suggestions, but you can always simplify it by stitching all of the lines with a backstitch.

I usually just trace my pattern onto white fabric by holding it up to the window, but if you have darker fabric or fabric that needs stabilizing you might want to try some water-soluble fabric stabilizer. The pattern directions include a few transfer options in more detail.

You’ll also need a good embroidery needle, about 5-6 colors of embroidery floss, a 10″ square of fabric, and an embroidery hoop (there are designs for both a 6″ and 8″ hoop).

I love to have a hand stitching project available for those moments when I’m waiting around for something. It’s so much more satisfying than mindlessly scrolling through Instagram. I finished my stitching in just two days by working on it in smaller chunks of time throughout the day. If only I could make that work for sewing bags and clothes on the sewing machine!

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Crafts, Embroidery

Make an Embroidered Baby Onesie

April 12, 2018
Posted by Sara
November 29, 2017

Here’s a really cute gift idea you can use for the holidays or for baby showers—an embroidered baby onesie! It’s a quick and easy gift to make and it’s super practical.

(This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks!)

This pattern and the instructions come from The Embroidery Project by Mollie Johansen at Wild Olive. I’ve used and recommended Mollie’s patterns before. They are professional, fun, and easy to stitch—great for beginners and kids!

I wanted to make a quick and easy project from this cute collection of embroidery project ideas. With a new baby, the onesie was an obvious choice. I used the little bird pattern to match some store-bought leggings I had. I think it makes a really cute set!

There are several ways to transfer a pattern, but I used this water-soluble stabilizer to make it easy to stitch on the jersey knit scrap I grabbed from my stash. After stitching the bird, I used double-sided fusible web to adhere the embroidered piece to the onesie. (I had some white onesies like these on hand already.) Then I used directions from the book to add a decorative fly stitch around the edges.

That’s it! It took only about 20 minutes and some scraps. There are several cute options for embroidered onesies and tons of other cute embroidered gift ideas in The Embroidery Project.

If you aren’t ready to invest in the whole ebook, you can try some of Mollie’s free patterns at Wild Olive!

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Crafts, Embroidery

Indigo Embroidered Tote Bag

April 12, 2018
Posted by Sara
November 27, 2017

Remember my tote bag upgrade series from a couple of years ago? Today I have a new tote bag tutorial to share with you! This one is an indigo dyed tote with an embroidered butterfly patch.

(This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks!)

A few weeks ago, we spent the day indigo dying several yards of fabric as a family project. I also dyed a couple of plain tote bags at that time. They came out okay for a first try, but I would have greatly benefitted from the Shibori & Natural Dyeing Course that is included in the bundle. It’s basically a whole book about dyeing with indigo and natural dyes and includes 10 DIY dyeing projects. It’s normally $26, but the whole bundle with dozens of other patterns is only a couple dollars more!

I highly recommend finding some type of book, or class, or friend to help you with your first indigo dyeing experience. It isn’t hard, but experienced friends will have some helpful tips. I’ll list some other resources (including links to the plain tote bags and indigo dye kit I used) at the end of this post.

My indigo dyed tote bags ended up being a little bit plain. I decided to add an embroidered patch using the butterfly embroidery pattern from I Heart Stitch Art. I honestly how long it would take to stitch this, but it went much more quickly than I anticipated!

I always find that embroidery is easy to work on if I just get it started. I picked it up while I was nursing the baby, while I kept an eye on dinner, and other moments during the day when I tend to pick up my phone and mindlessly scroll. Stitching during those moments was much more relaxing and productive, and I finished it in only two days.

I used the pearl cotton thread that was recommended in the pattern and I LOVE how it turned out. I’ve always stitched with regular embroidery floss, but I have to say the pearl cotton was much easier to work with and I think the finished piece looks much more polished. The pattern has lots of other great tips for transferring and stitching the details, so I’m happy to recommend it without reservation.

So…this is sort of an open-ended tote bag tutorial. Plain tote bags are cheap and perfect for experimenting with different craft ideas. You can try dyeing your bag with indigo or with some of the fruits and vegetables mentioned in the Shibori & Natural Dyeing Course. You can add traditional shibori patterns, experiment with your own shapes, or dye the bag a solid color. You can add a butterfly or any other embroidery pattern you like. (This grizzly bear would look so cool for a boy’s tote bag!) Or you can use one you already have.

Make an Indigo Embroidered Tote Bag:

Materials:

Tote Bag
Natural Dye and Supplies
8″ square natural canvas or linen fabric
Medium embroidery hoop
1 skein of pearl cotton thread
Embroidery pattern of your choice

1. Plan a few days to finish your project! You can make several at a time more efficiently.

2. Plan one session for dyeing your tote bag. Follow the instructions on your indigo dye box, the online dyeing course, or dyeing book. Let your bag dry overnight. Wash if recommended.

3. Transfer the embroidery pattern on to your fabric square. I prefer to hold my pattern and fabric up to the window and trace it with a pencil. Put the fabric in the embroidery hoop and stitch as directed in your pattern.

4. Trim the edges of your embroidered fabric to the desired size, centering your embroidery design. Use some small strips of fusible tape on the back edges of the embroidered fabric to hold it in place on the tote bag. Hand stitch or machine stitch around the embroidered fabric to finish. Pull the loose threads around the edges to create a frayed border.