June 5, 2017June 5, 2017 by Sarah Woodard

Fancy-Up a T-Shirt

DIYs & Tutorials, Embroidery, Featured, Sewing, Tips & Tricks
beads, DIY, fabric strips, lace, patches, piping, repurpose, t-shirts, upcycle
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If you’re anything like me, when you find a t-shirt that fits well and is comfortable, you buy a bunch of them in a bunch of colors. Next time you do this, buy at least one more in a duplicate color. That t-shirt becomes the base for creating a fancy t-shirt that shows of your personal style. Build off it using items like lace, patches, fabric scraps, piping and beads. Or try your hand at embroidery.

Lace

There are a couple of ways to use lace on a t-shirt. You can use full pieces of it to create a collar or edging on the sleeves or bottom. If that’s a little too vintage for you, try cutting apart lace and sewing parts of the design on the shoulder, sleeves, hem or around the neckline.

There are a couple of ways to use lace on a t-shirt.

Patches

I’m a big fan of patches. Browse through your local craft store and find some that you really like. Place them on the sleeves, shoulders or bodice of your t-shirt to create the look you want. Even if they’re iron patches, I advise you to sew them on using either your machine or hand stitching.

I’m a big fan of patches.

Fabric scraps

Use these in a similar fashion as store bought patches. It’s a great way to use up some of your fabric stash while creating a funky, country t-shirt look. I recommend sewing the edges under to prevent fraying, unless you’re going for that look. Using a fabric marker in combination with fabric scraps can add to the country-chic look.

Use these in a similar fashion as store bought patches.

Piping

I love using piping around the bottom of the shirt and sleeves, but there are other options too. You can create a military look using piping on the shoulders or add some funk to the bodice. Get creative and use colors that contrast from the t-shirt color.

Get creative & use colors that contrast from the t-shirt color.

Beads

You can do a lot with beads on your t-shirt.

You can do a lot with beads on your t-shirt. They look great as a faux necklace around the neckline or along the edges of the sleeves or bottom of the shirt. Another option is to create a design on the front of back of your shirt using beads. I suggest using a washable marker or pencil to draw out the design before placing the beads.

Whether you use one or many of these techniques, you’ll wind up with a t-shirt that expresses your sense of style. They’re great in combination or alone. A t-shirt with even one of these creative additions would cost quite a bit in a store. Doing it yourself is both fun and cost effective. Give it a try and see what you come up with.

March 3, 2017 by Charlotte Kaufman

Cross Stitch Panel Pillows with Mitered Fabric Framing

My sister, Sariah, and I are both talented sewists, though we tend to focus on sewing different types of things.

My sister, Sariah, and I are both talented sewists, though we tend to focus on sewing different types of things (however we both are unified in our love of quilting!). While my sister can sew entire outfits in mere hours, I don’t have the handmade clothing gene. Instead, I do pillows, cushions, drapes and other marine and home décor. Because our talents diverge, sometimes we collaborate. I will often send fabric to her and she will sew Halloween costumes for my girls, whereas, she will send me something like these two beautiful cross stitch panels, and I will turn them into decorative pillows.

Because cross stitch fabric is fairly sturdy, I used white canvas duck to match the fabric thickness.

Sariah had purchased 16″ x 16″ pillow forms for these so I needed to add some fabric onto the bottom of each cross stitch panel to make them into large enough fabric squares for the pillows. Because cross stitch fabric is fairly sturdy, I used white canvas duck to match the fabric thickness.

Next up was taking a look at the fabric she had sent.

Next up was taking a look at the fabric she had sent. She told me I could be as creative as I’d like and as soon as I saw her talented cross stitching, I knew I wanted to frame each one and to make sure the corners were mitered.

I assigned green to one of the dolls and blue to the other.

I assigned green to one of the dolls and blue to the other. Both panels got dots for the outer edging. Once I’d sewn the dots and blue and the dots and green into cohesive strips, I meticulously sewed the strips around all four sides of the dolls’ squares.

I only stitched around the actual cross stitching, leaving the rest of the fabric loose on all four sides like this.

Next I hand folded the top and bottom panels back, using my fingers to crease the fabric exactly on the mitered corners, where each fabric strip met the next one.

Once I was sure I’d nailed it, I ironed the panels and then trimmed off the extra fabric from all the strips.

The pieces were pinned until I could topstitch the mitered corners in place.

I love this shot from the wrong side of the fabric.

I love this shot from the wrong side of the fabric. The chaos of the underside of the cross stitching is very beautiful, and you can perfectly see the backside of the top stitching.

Once the panels were top stitched it was time to add piping.

Once the panels were top stitched it was time to add piping. If your machine comes with a piping foot, now is when you would add one. I have two machines and I generally use my industrial one, a Sailrite LSZ-1 for piping and cording. Its standard foot has a built-in arch that makes sewing piping a dream.

https://www.sewingmachinesplus.com/4130971-45.php

This will help it to lay flat as you turn.

When you come to corners, don’t forget to trim your piping right up, but not into, the stitching of the finished piping. This will help it to lay flat as you turn.

When both front panels were piped, I cut out four back panels to create an envelope close on their backs.

Here are the pillows fully sewn, but not yet turned right sides out.

Here are the pillows fully sewn, but not yet turned right sides out. Before you turn your pillows out always double, and triple check your seams.

I like to reinforce each corner with additional stitching and often will sew around twice for added stability.

I like to reinforce each corner with additional stitching and often will sew around twice for added stability. I also zig zag stitch the very edge of the fabric to prevent future unraveling or fraying.

Here is a shot of the back of one of the pillows.

Here is a shot of the back of one of the pillows. Don’t forget to add your handmade tags!

Ta-da! What a gorgeous, collaborative project.

I put these in the mail right away so she could get them on her couch and today while writing this post, I got pictures of the final product!

I put these in the mail right away so she could get them on her couch and today while writing this post, I got pictures of the final product!

I put these in the mail right away so she could get them on her couch!

Do you ever collaborate on sewing projects? Tell us about your work in the comments!

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Charlotte Kaufman is a writer and sewist in Mammoth Lakes, California. She specializes in marine and home interiors and continues to fall more and more in love with quilting. You can follow her at charlottekaufman.com.

February 20, 2017February 20, 2017 by Charlotte Kaufman

DIY Chair Cushions for Kids

DIYs & Tutorials, Featured, Sewing, Tips & Tricks
chair, chair cushion, cover, cushion, cushion covers, cushions, DIY, fabric scraps, foam, furniture, kids room, piping, seat, zipper
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DIY chair cushions for kids.

I’ve been wanting to make cushions for the art table chairs in our girls’ room for a while and I finally made it down to a craft store that sold foam this week to get started on the project.

The first step in making custom cushions is accurate measurements. Notice how the chairs are not true squares? The front measurement was 13” and the back 12”. The distance between the front and back was 11 ¼”.

The first step in making custom cushions is accurate measurements.

Want to know a trick with cushions? Cut your fabric to the exact size of the foam. I know this sounds counter-intuitive. ‘But what about seam allowance?’ you’re thinking. The thing is, foam compresses. If you cut your fabric to the size of the foam, and then sew ¼” seams (or ½” if using heavier duty fabric), the compression of the foam once it is in the cushion cover will more than cover the seam allowance you are used to providing on other sewing projects.

Want to know a trick with cushions? Cut your fabric to the exact size of the foam.

I’m trying to use up my fabric scraps this year, so I pulled out a few larger, odd-shaped scraps I had from this fabric and was able to cut out four top and bottom panels for the two chairs.

I’m trying to use up my fabric scraps this year, so I pulled out a few larger, odd-shaped scraps.

I used this fabric to make custom piping for a bench seat for the girls’ godmother. I like that they’ll have a small piece of the project I made for her in their own room. See the pink trim on the cushion below? That’s the same fabric.

See the pink trim on this cushion? That’s the same fabric.

For the side panels I decided to use corduroy from an old pair of pants I’d been saving for just this kind of project. They’d developed holes along the belt loops so I had held onto them just for the pretty fabric.

For the side panels I decided to use corduroy from an old pair of pants I’d been saving for just this kind of project.

After marking the measurements with a Sharpie, I used an electric bread knife to cut the foam. It cuts through that stuff like butter. Here’s a gif as proof.

My electric bread knife cuts through the foam like butter.

Another make-your-cushions-super-great secret is to use batting!! Wrapping them in batting or putting a layer on the top and bottom will improve how the puff up in your cushion covers. I used an adhesive spray to affix the batting to the top and bottom of each one.

I used an adhesive spray to affix the batting to the top and bottom of each one.

Don’t measure the height of your sides until you’ve added batting. While the foam is 2”, adding the batting made the total measurement just under 2 ¼” (I should know what that measurement is, but I don’t. I just mark to the line under that ¼”).

While the foam is 2”, adding the batting made the total measurement just under 2 ¼”.

Grab your zippers and zipper pulls, or, if you aren’t like me with spares on hand, plan ahead and order them before you begin.

Grab your zippers and zipper pulls!

I like to sew the zipper plaques first. Use whichever technique you like. I generally use the first method shown in this video by Sailrite.

I like to sew the zipper plaques first.

If you need to attach extra fabric to the side panels, consider adding it to the ends in small amounts so the joins don’t show on the front of the cushion.

If you need to attach extra fabric to the side panels, consider adding it to the ends in small amounts.

Attach the zipper plaque to the side fabric and then sew onto the bottom fabric piece.

Before you begin sewing the top piece on, make sure to mark your corners accurately. Fold them to each seam to make sure they match (the yellow mark in the photo below is my matching point.)

Fold the corners to each seam to make sure they match (the yellow mark in the photo below is my matching point).

Next, make sure to slide on the zipper pulls BEFORE you sew the top piece onto the final assembly or you’ll be sad.

And finally, do not forget to sew your tie backs in between the seams as you go.

Do not forget to sew your tie backs in between the seams as you go.

Whoohoo, you’re done! But, before you start celebrating, go over every seam to make sure they are secure.

Whoohoo, you’re done! Now, go over every seam to make sure they are secure.

Then take your scissors and round the corners so they turn prettier. I used pinking shears on the fabrics in this project. Check out my post from January to learn about their benefits, along with other important cutting tools for your sewing room.

Take your scissors and round the corners so they turn prettier.

When you turn the covers right-sides out, use your fingers to pop out each corner.

If you’ve done this right, your finished cover is going to look smaller than your foam; that’s because it is! Now is the time to put the cover on the cushion and here is where you’ll see how foam compresses to fit your new cover.

Now is the time to put the cover on the cushion & here is where you’ll see how foam compresses to fit your new cover.

I’m going to use caps lock here to get across how important this next step is: DO NOT TUG OR PULL ON YOUR FABRIC TO GET IT ONTO YOUR CUSHION. I promise you, if you do that, your seams will pop. Instead, fold the cushion to slide it into the cover, and then slowly work the foam into the fabric, NOT the other way around. Just keep thinking ‘move the foam, not the fabric.’ Don’t be afraid to really get your hands deep into the cover and use them to maneuver the foam in place. Adjust, adjust, and adjust, until the cushion sits perfectly in the cover, with the lines of the foam matching the lines of the cover.

DO NOT TUG OR PULL ON YOUR FABRIC TO GET IT ONTO YOUR CUSHION!!!

Ta-da!!!

Ta-da!

This project turned out just darling. The corduroy almost looks like velvet and I love the effeminate touch it brings to the room.

The corduroy almost looks like velvet and I love the effeminate touch it brings to the room.

These cushions will inevitably get marks on them. That’s okay, they have zippers so they can be washed, AND, they are reversible. I can just flip them over if I need to.

I can just flip them over if I need to.

My daughters loved these and immediately hopped on and got cozy.

What DIY projects have you made for your home lately? Let us know in comments!

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Charlotte Kaufman is a writer and sewist in Mammoth Lakes, California. She specializes in marine and home interiors and continues to fall more and more in love with quilting. You can follow her at charlottekaufman.com.

February 3, 2017 by Charlotte Kaufman

How to Sew a Square Pillow with Piping

While conceptually the idea of sewing a square pillow case sounds easy, there are several things to consider when you undertake this task.

Go smaller

The cardinal rule of making your own pillow cases is to make them approximately an inch smaller than the pillow form you want them to cover. If you have a 22” x 22” pillow, you need to make the case 21” x 21”. Of course, don’t forget your seam allowances. If you use ¼” seam allowances, than you would cut a piece of fabric that is 21.5” x 21.5”.

The cardinal rule of making your own pillow cases is to make them approximately an inch smaller than the pillow form you want them to cover.

Fussy cut

I normally wouldn’t advocate for drawing your lines on the front of your fabric, but this fabric by Hawthorne Threads needs to be cut to the size of the panel you want for your pillow case. When fussy cutting, sometimes drawing on the front of the fabric is necessary to ensure correct sizing. Haven’t heard of the term ‘to fussy cut?” It means to carefully cut out a piece of fabric for a specific purpose.

It means to carefully cut out a piece of fabric for a specific purpose.

See the center pieces of these quilt blocks by Amy Gibson of The Cookbook Quilt Along? These are prime example of taking the time to fussy cut your fabric.

These are prime example of taking the time to fussy cut your fabric.

Choose your pillow back

Once you’ve cut your front panel, you’ll need to cut your back. You can finish pillows many ways. Check out my post from last fall on different options for pillows. I chose to do an envelope close, so I made cut two panels the same height as my pillow, but each was 13.5” wide. That allows for a folded, sewn hem on each of the ‘opening’ portions of the back panel.

That allows for a folded, sewn hem on each of the ‘opening’ portions of the back panel.

Consider interfacing

For added pop, I fuse lightweight interfacing to the front panel fabric. It has such a gorgeous design that I want it to stay crisp and firm while it sits on my bed looking fabulous.

Curve your corners

This step is so important!! I have a small piece of cardstock that I’ve cut to help me round the corners of my square. Why would I do this, you ask? Because pillows are 2-3. They are big and fluffy and when you attempt to sew straight sides of a square you often end up with starfish points instead of nice, square corners.

I have a small piece of cardstock that I’ve cut to help me round the corners of my square.

This is an example of a pillow cover that didn’t have rounded corners before it was sewn. Trust me on this, it makes all the difference!

This is an example of a pillow cover that didn’t have rounded corners before it was sewn.

To pipe or not to pipe?

That is indeed the question. I love the contrast that piping gives pillows. If your machine has a piping foot, now is the time to install it.

If you are new to this step, consider pinning the piping in place. This is not my first rodeo, so I just sew and go.

Consider pinning the piping in place.

Make sure your piping follows those slightly rounded corners. Don’t forget to snip the piping edge just up to the seam so that if folds nicely around each corner.

Don’t forget to snip the piping edge just up to the seam so that if folds nicely around each corner.

Now place your two backing pieces on top of the front panel, right sides together. Pin, and sew.

Now place your two backing pieces on top of the front panel, right sides together.

Not so fast

Once you’re done, YOU ARE NOT ACTUALLY DONE. No. Unpin everything and flip the cover right sides out. Carefully inspect all along the seams and make sure no thread is showing from the piping like you see here. If you find anything that needs to be tightened up, flip the pillowcase inside out again and resew the hem, making sure to sew just to the edge of the piping for a nice clean finish.

Carefully inspect all along the seams and make sure no thread is showing from the piping like you see here.

Flip the pillow right sides out and again carefully inspect it. If all looks good, turn it inside out AGAIN and then then trim the edges, especially around the corners so that the corners will fully turn out when you flip the pillow cover to the front again.

If all looks good, turn it inside out AGAIN and then then trim the edges.

Finishing touches

Once you’ve turned your pillow case right sides out, run your fingers along the inside of the seams and fully push out the piping and corners, then iron to get out any wrinkles from the sewing process. Slip it onto your pillow form and voilà, you’ll have a wonderfully plush and SQUARE pillow case.

See the difference rounding those corners made?

Do you have any secrets for making the perfect pillowcase? If so, share them in comments!

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Charlotte Kaufman is a writer and sewist in Mammoth Lakes, California. She specializes in marine and home interiors and continues to fall more and more in love with quilting. You can follow her at charlottekaufman.com.