How to: make a sweater cushion

Now, I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but as much as I appreciate Mr Loulabelle's laundry enthusiasm, he does have a knack of shrinking and felting my wooly friends. My cosy charity shop shetland survived two washes before giving in to the Mr L treatment. What to do? Stick on the cupboard-under-the-stairs pile, leave for a few months, then make a cushion cover on a random whim. Of course! Here's how.

What you need:
1 jumper (slightly felted is good, but not essential!)
1 cushion, slightly smaller than the width of your jumper

What to do:

Step 1: Dissect your jumper! Enjoy this moment. Remove the sleeves and collar, then cut along side and shoulder seams. I've kept the sleeves for potential leg warmer tinkeridge (back on the under-stair-cupboard pile).
 

Step 2: Square off the neck edge of the back and front peices to create two approximate square shapes.

Step 3: Place right sides of the front and back peices together, lining up the top (neck end) edges. Sew together - I used my overlocker for this, but handsewing or machine sewing would be fine.

You should now have one long rectangular peice with a central seam - like so:

Front view:

 Back view:

 

Step 4: Wrap this rectangle around your cushion pad, positioning the seam where you prefer and making sure that the ribbed edges overlap to create a nice deep envelope effect. 

Step 5:  Place pins at each side edge marking the top and bottom edge of the cushion pad (4 pins in total).

Step 6: Unwrap your cushion pad, then with right sides together, fold up the bottom edge of the rectangle, using the pin markers as a guide for where to position the fold.

Step 7: Using  tapestry needle and matching yarn, hand sew along one side edge of the folded section. I used back stitch (instructions here). Next, sew along the second side edge, making sure that the central space inbetween your side seams is a little smaller than the width of your cushion pad (this will create a nice, snug fitting cushion cover).

 Step 8: Now fold down the top edge of your soon-to-be-fabulous cushion cover - again, using your remaining pins as guide - and stitch the side seams as in step 7.

Step 9: Turn your cushion cover right side out. Insert your cushion pad and give your snuggly cushion a big hug. Hurrah, your favourite shrunked jumper lives on.

Step 10: If you fancy adding a little extra embellishment try stitching pom pom tape along the seam line. Or, make a giant tassle and attach to one top edge.

How to: Make a Lunch Bag

Here's a quick and easy project to make your summer lunch hour feel sunny - even when it's raining. A lunch bag that will be the envy of your work colleagues!

I went for an understated-&-cool-outside/fun-&-flirty-inside approach – but choose the fabric to match your style. The point is to remind yourself that it's not all about work work work!

What you need:

• 1 fat quarter of outer fabric (needle weight corduroy, lightweight denim or canvas)
• 1 fat quarter of inner fabric (quilting weight cotton)
• 1 fat quarter of firm sew –in interfacing
• 1 kilt strap (or you could also use an old belt)
• Small strip of bias binding (optional)
• Matching thread

What to do:

Step 1: Cut 2 rectangles 26cm wide x 42cm tall out of the outer fabric, inner fabric and interfacing. 

Step 2: Pin the sew-in interfacing pieces on to the wrong sides of each outer fabric piece.  Sew around the edges of each piece with a tacking/basting stitch, to secure the interfacing in place.

Step 3: Place the lining pieces on top of the outer fabric pieces, right sides together, and pin along the top edge. Sew in place with a 5mm seam allowance.

Step 4: Fold the lining pieces back over to the wrong side of the outer fabric sections. Press the seam along the top edge, and then top-stitch close to the finished edge.

Step 5: Secure the lining in position by pinning in place around the remaining 3 sides of each bag section.

Step 6: Mark 6cm in from both sides and the bottom, of each bag section. Then, sew along these lines, sewing through all thicknesses of fabric.

Step 7: Using the stitching lines as a guide, trim off the bottom corners of each bag section, about 2.5mm below the stitching.

Step 8: On the outer fabric side of one bag section, position the buckle part of the kilt strap, about 16cm down from the top edge, and carefully stitch in place.

Step 9: Place the bag sections on top of each other, with insides together. Sew together down each side, and across the bottom section with a 5mm seam allowance, leaving the cut-out corners unstitched.

Step 10: Trim the seam allowances to approx 3mm.

Step 11: Turn the bag inside out. Fold the bag flat and then press along each folded seam.

Step 12: Still with lining side out, sew down each side, and across the bottom folded seams with a 5mm seam allowance.

Step 13: To create the flat bottom of the bag, take one of the bottom corners and fold the cut edges together so that the side seam meets the bottom seam. Pin and stitch together using a 5mm seam allowance.

Step 14: Neaten the raw edge of this gusset seam with a zig zag or overlocking stitch, or for a smarter finish, encase it in bias binding.

Step 15: Turn the bag right side out. Bringing the side seams into the middle, fold the bag along the stitching lines and press down each side to create the side creases.

Step 16: Sew down each folded edge, stitching close to the crease.

Step 17: Nearly there! Roll over the top of the bag to work out where to place the last half of the kilt strap. Position and then stitch the strap in place – and voila! You now have a lovely bag ready to fill with your fella’s favourite lunchtime snack!

And another thing.... If you're making this for your fella or a little person - and have time on your side - embroider a secret message on the inside of the bag lining so that Mr Right or Little Miss Perfect will read your love-note every time they eat lunch.

How to: Make a Terrarium

I love plants, I really do, but they just don't seem to know it. The plants in our house are a tough crew - the survivors.  So, I've decided to play to my strengths, putting something pretty in a pot and then forgetting about it for a while. Cactus and succulents - they're the plants for me. And I get to say the word 'terrarium' a lot. Which is good.

So here's my quick guide to making a terrarium. It's all very obvious really!

 You will need:

• Catcus & succulent compost
• Gravel - finding this was the tricky bit! I took the girls to our local aquarium one rainy afternoon and bought aqua gravel for fish tanks. 
• selection of succulents and cacti (none of those I bought cost more than £1.99)
• An open or closed glass container - large kilner jars work well
• Spoon
• Small handed helpers (optional)

Step 1: Spoon the compost into the jar - you can also put a layer of gravel and charcoal at the bottom first for extra drainage if you are using plants that need more water than cacti

Step 2: Position your plants, starting with the largest. Settle them in nicely with a little more compost.

Step 3: Spoon a little gravel over the potting soil. You can stop here, or if your helpers have happened to gather moss for you...

 

 Step 4: Add a little moss, spritz with a little water, and your gorgeous terrarium is now complete!

I seem to be acquiring bargain vintage dresses at quite a rate this year. I fell in love with the print of this dress and decided it was worth the £4 asking price, but the odd polo shirt collar thingy was definitely pushing the granny look to it's limits (see... just look at that sad face!).

Twenty short minutes of pinning, snipping and stitching later... bye bye weird collar, hello happy scoop neck!

So, in the interests of spreading a bit of self-pride and happiness around, I thought I'd share my technique, using a dress that I love as my neckline template and applying a bias binding facing.

You will need:

• Double fold bias binding tape - enough to go round your new neckline plus around 5 cm extra.
• Pins, tape measure, scissors, thread and sewing machine.
• A dress or top with a neckline you like.

Step 1:  Unpick the collar seam so that you are able to work out your new neckline without weird Mr Bad Collar getting in the way. I didn't need to unpick the whole collar, just the section where my revised neckline would be coinciding with the original.   (Of course, if your garment is collarless you can skip this bit - lucky you!)

Step 2:  Take a dress or top with a neckline that you love and place the garment you are altering inside it, aligning shoulder seams and centre fronts.

Step 3: Using your favourite dress/top as a template, mark out the new neckline with pins.

Step 4: Remove your dress/top template and check that the pin markers are aligned nicely. Make sure that your revised neckline is symmetrical and even. My dress had a centred zip in the back so I tried not to alter the back neckline too much in order to avoid the need to lower the zip.  I  needed to adjust my pins around the shoulder slightly so that the curve of the new neckline at the front faded in nicely to the original back neckline.

Step 5: This is the scary bit! As the fabric of my dress had a slight stretch, I ummed and ah-ed about whether to cut the new neckline or stitch the bias on first. In the end I took the plunge and very carefully cut the new neckline shape before applying my bias binding.
   
Important: Be aware that the pins are marking your finished neckline, so you need to add a seam allowance to create your cutting line. Your seam allowance should be half the width of your bias binding tape. I took the slightly risky approach of doing this by eye as I was cutting, but if you have a very special dress or if it cost more than a posh sandwich, I would suggest you draw or mark your cutting line- including the seam allowance - first.  Remember to add the seam allowance to the neck side of your sewing line, not the body side  (otherwise you may end up with a very plunging neckline!).

Step 6: Open up one side of your bias binding, place the right side of your bias tape onto the right side of the dress and pin in place along the fold of the tape, making sure that the edge of your bias tape and the edge of the neckline are aligned. If you have a fastener at some point along the neckline, as I did, extend the ends of the bias tape about 2.5cm on either side of the opening.  If your neckline is solid, without an opening, then fold one of the ends of the bias tape to the inside and overlap your tape to create a neat finish.

Step 7: Carefully stitch all the way around your neckline along the fold of the bias tape, making sure you reinforce the beginning and end of your stitching.

Step 8: Clip into your seam allowance as necessary, then fold the bias tape over to the wrong side of the dress and press.

Step 9: If you have a fastening to contend with, fold the ends of your bias tape under and slip stitch in position. Now, top-stitch all around the neckline, close to the edge, in order to keep the tape folded under. For extra security, you could also add a couple of whip stitches to attached the bias facing to the shoulder seams.

Step 10: Give your wonderful new neckline a final press, then try on your dress and strike a pose!

A troup of baby trousers!

When a good friend of mine showed me some amazing baby trousers she'd made using this Made by Rae download, I was inspired to make my own - in a BIG way! As the intro to Rae's tutorial states, there is little more rewarding than a quick easy sew that is not boring. So, four pairs later.... and I'm still tempted to make more!

Rae's tutorial is for a unlined pair, but my friend had lined hers and I shamelessly copied her idea. It's probably a bit tragic to be so enthusiastic, but the lining means that these little beauties are not only cute, they are also reversible - see, they really are amazing trousers! I've used soft cotton jersey for my linings so that they will be super cosy against baby's skin. I added an extra inch to the length of the leg on the original pattern to allow room for the turn up - after all, what's the point in a funky lining if you can't see it!

Here is the method I used to make them reversible...

1. Using Rae's tutorial, cut out one pair from cotton, and one pair from jersey -don't forget to add an extra inch to the bottom of each leg. Follow the tutorial instructions up to the end of step 6, but leave a 1/4" gap in the back seam of the jersey pair, 1/4" down from the waist edge.

2. Once you have made up both pairs of trousers, turn the outer cotton pair right side out. Now, place the outer cotton pair inside the jersey pair so that the right sides are together. Align the raw edges of the waist, making sure that your seams are matching, and sew around the top using a 1/4" seam allowance.

Turn the trousers right side out by pulling through one of the legs. Press the seam around the waist and then sew a line of stitching just over 1/4" from the top edge to create a channel for the waist elastic.

3. Turn in the raw edges on both the outer and inner peices by 1/4" at the bottom of one leg . Line up the inner leg seams, and then carefully pin the folded edges of the inner and outer peices together so that they match exactly. Stitch all around the bottom of the leg as close as you can to the edge. Alternatively, you could slip stitch the lining to the outer fabric by hand. Repeat with the other leg.

4. To finish, thread your elastic through the waistband as per the tutorial instructions, using the gap you left in the back seam of the the jersey lining.

Turn up your leg cuffs, and Bob's your trouser-wearing uncle - you have just completed pair #1 - I dare you to stop there!!

Summer issue of UKHandmade

The summer issue of UK Handmade Magazine went live earlier this week. This issue is all about cultivating creativity - which definitely floats my boat! There's some really great articles in there, so check it out.

And while you're there, take a look at my interview with the lovely Jo from Darn it and Stitch...


...and my tutorial for creating a fabric covered noticeboard which now resides in pride of place in Freya's room (she's a very organized 18month old!)

Spring issue of UK Handmade

I totally forgot to mention earlier that the Spring issue of UK Handmade is now live - check it out. It's a fab issue - all hinged around the theme of 'inspiration'. And, yours truly is in it twice!

I was really excited to be asked to write a feature article on pop-up shops. Finding out about the great pop-up projects we featured was totally inspiring. Setting up a pop-up shop is now in big underlined writing at the top of my things to do in the next 2 years list. Think I need to get myself a big top-up dose of perseverance and resourcefulness first.


And check out my tutorial for notebook covers - designed to make it even more tempting to note down all those wondefully inspirational thoughts and ideas we have. Or at least our shopping lists.