Final Projects...

Our last two final projects will be sewing clothes for our bunny rabbits and making them a sleeping bag! Please look through the tutorials- it will make the instructions easier to understand when you hear them in class...

Bunny clothes (shirt or dress)

For the shirt, use the patterns I gave you in class and pin them to the fabric you picked out. The front of the shirt will need to be pinned on the fold of the fabric. If you want to make the dress instead of the shirt, just add 1 1/2" to the bottom and use your chalk to mark.

After they are pinned, cut them out. Make sure the design of your fabric is not upside down, if there is one.

This is how the front will look...

These are the two back pieces. Line them up at the shoulder to your front piece, right sides together and pin. Then stitch across the top of the sleeves as shown.

It should look like this

When done stitching, open up the seams and iron them as shown.

Then fold down the neck seam 1/4" and iron as well. It should look like this

The front side should look like this

Sew around the neck. Then fold over the arm holes 1/4" and iron like you did with the neck

Sew around arm holes the same way you did around the neck

Next, stitch the sides together.

When you are done stitching the neck, the arm holes and the sides, it is time to hem the bottom. Turn up the fabric 1/4" and iron. Then repeat the fold again and iron. Then pin into place.

It should look like this...

Now hem the back opening of the shirt as shown, the same way you did the rest. Then sew it.

It should look like this now.

Last step is to add Velcro pieces. These will be attached by ironing them on. I will show you in class how to do this.

You are done! Your bunny shirt should look something like this. If you want to make a skirt to go with it, you will sew it the same way we sewed the doll skirts. Add the elastic and you are done- an outfit for your bunny!

You can turn the shirt pattern into a simple dress pattern by adding 1 1/2" to the bottom. Both are sewn the same way!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Stuffed Animal Sleeping Bag

I will provide each of you pre-quilted fabric pieces, a pillow piece and pre-made coordinating binding.

Add the correct pattern pieces and pin in place. Make sure pattern is ride side up. Using a marking pen or chalk, trace around the entire pattern.

Sew on top of the line you created with the marking pen and then cut out around it closely to where you stitched. After we cut, we will add our pillow piece to the mattress. Next we will add the binding.

Add the binding and pin as shown below. The curved edges are a little tricky- I will help you with this

Next we will add stuffing to our pillow and then stitch it shut

It should look something like this when its all finished

Add your bunny and kiss them goodnight! zzzzzzzz

18" Doll skirt tutorial...

First, sew your four  7" x 7" squares together to form a tube, then press the seams open.

Then turn up the raw edge of hem 1/4"- using your sewing gage. Iron.

Fold it up an additional 1/4" and press again. Pin in place and stitch.

(Bad example... I rarely use pins. Sorry!)

Here the finished hem is shown. Next turn the waist under 1/4" inch as well and iron.

Next- use your sewing gage to fold waist under an additional 5/8" Iron and pin into place.

Sew as shown. This will create a casing for the elastic waist. Leave a small opening to add elastic in.

Next, measure your dolls waist and subtract an inch.

Cut elastic to that measurement. Add safety pins to each end. This will help you insert and pull the elastic through the casing.

When you have the elastic in, remove the safety pins and stitch the ends of the elastic together using a zig zag stitch. Then pull the casing tight and machine stitch the opening closed.

You are done! Try it on your doll and admire your work!

Pillowcase tutorial

The pillowcases we will be making in class are a lot of fun to sew and come together quickly! They will be done using the "burrito" method- which creates beautiful french seams on the inside. (French seams leave no raw edges.) We'll also be adding a cuff and some trim to make it look polished!

Begin by folding your trim piece in half lengthwise, with “wrong” sides together.  Iron flat.

Next, place your “cuff” piece down in front of you, with the “right” side of the fabric facing up.  Place the raw edges of the folded trim piece along the top edge of the cuff piece and pin them together.

 Next, place the “main” piece of fabric on the top of the first 2 pieces, but the main piece needs to be facing down.  Re-pin along the top, to include all 3 pieces of fabric.

 Continue pinning until the entire main piece is pinned together with the other pieces.

Now, begin rolling up the main fabric, to get it out of the way.  (This is the beginnings of making your “burrito”.)

Then fold up the bottom edge of the “cuff” fabric up and over the rolled up “main” piece of fabric.  Line up the edges and re-pin again.

 

 If you look from the side, you’ll see that the “cuff” fabric completely surrounds the “main” fabric.

Just be sure that you have the first edge of the “cuff” fabric along the bottom, the two edges of the “trim” fabric (since it was folded in half), the edge of the “main” fabric, and then the other edge of the “cuff” fabric on top.

Next- begin to sew all of those edges together, using a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Make sure all the layers are lined up nice and straight. (And for my new sewers- don't forget to remove the pins as you sew! We don't want any broken machine needles!)

Now, from one end, begin pulling out the “main” fabric out, from the inside of the “burrito”. Keep pulling until the cuff begins to turn itself right side out as you pull.

 

 Once it’s completely out, it should look like this:

 Iron the cuff flat. 

It should look something like this when finished....

Next top-stitch the cuff next to the trim. This will help the pillowcase stay nice and flat after its been washed.

 

Now, with the fold still at the top, fold the entire thing in half by folding the left side over onto the right side, with the “wrong” sides of the fabric together.  (Don’t worry, I didn’t lose my marbles and forget to fold “right” sides together….we’re creating the french seam here.)

    (If you are confused where to sew- look closely at the picture above and you will see where my pins are on the bottom and right sides of the pillowcase.) Sew down the right edge and along the bottom edge, using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

  

Now you should have a pillow case shape….but with raw edges along the right side and along the bottom- as pictured above

Next turn the entire thing inside out and press flat, poking out the bottom corners and making the edges as flat and even as possible.  Then sew along the edges (on the wrong side of the fabric)  (making sure that those are the same edges that were sewn in the last steps), using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Now, turn the entire thing right side out and again, poke your corners out, and iron flat. Now you should have beautifully encased seams on the inside, AKA “French Seams”.  Easy Peasy- your pillowcase is finished!

I hope all the instructions made sense- by no means am I great at writing on-line tutorials! if you have questions please don't hesitate to ask me!