Sewing Sunsets

I’ve been watching the weather forecast lately, and snow is being forecast for some regions of the country.  When the weather outside is cold and blustery, I think that is the best time to stay in and sew.  So I’ve decided to have a pajama party “sew storm” and sew some pajama pants, and maybe even a pajama top or two as well.  Most of these items will eventually be donated to the charity of my choice, Mission of Hope (www.missionofhope.org), but while I’m sewing, please join me for a pajama party sew storm.

During the first part of our sew storm, we’re going to make pajama pants.  These make great gifts and older children and teens seem to really like them.  Also, they’re very easy to sew!

I am using McCall’s pattern that is sized for juniors.  This is a quick, easy pattern with options for sewing shorts, pj pants, a long sleeved top, and a spaghetti strap top.  I have sewn both the pants and the spaghetti strap top; they were a lot of fun to make.

Here is the pattern and fabric that I have chosen.

I bought the flannel at JoAnn’s yesterday.  It was on sale for two dollars per yard.  Because I’m making the largest size pattern (I think it’s a junior size 9/10), the pattern suggested about 2-1/4 yards of fabric.  I bought 3 yards just to have a little left over and to give me “goof room” if I needed it. If I have enough of this fabric left over, I’d like to make a matching spaghetti strap top to go with these pj pants.  However, if there is not enough fabric to make the top, I could make a matching pillow to go with the pj pants.  This would be a really cute, easy gift for a teen–pj pants and a matching pillow (www.sewseamless.com/Page22.html , www.sewseamless.com/Page23.html , www.sewseamless.com/Page24.html ).

I’m not sure that you can see this very clearly in the picture, but the thread color that I have chosen is about one shade darker than the main background color of the flannel fabric.  This is the “rule of thumb” when choosing thread color to match fabric.

Since I will be sewing with flannel fabric, I made sure that I washed it and dried it first to allow for any shrinkage that might occur.  Although I didn’t notice any shrinkage, it’s always best to prewash/preshrink flannel fabric.  Also, I’ll be sewing using a size 80/12H (Universal) sewing machine needle.  This is the needle that Sandra Betzina recommends using when sewing flannel, and I find that it works well.

Pajama pants are sewn exactly like shorts or boxer shorts, but they are longer in length.  I tried to get a couple of pictures of one leg of the pj pant pattern, but it was difficult.  I’ll share them with you here, but I’m not sure how well you can see.  However, the main point is that this pattern is just longer than the shorts pattern (www.sewseamless.com/Page33.html), but still sewn with the same techniques.

I had hoped to have these pj pants cut out today so that I could share more with you, but real life got in the way.  Real life does tend to get in the way of my sewing time.  Today, I plan to pin the pants pattern to the flannel fabric, cut them out, and begin to sew.  I hope to make lots of progress to share with you tomorrow. 

If the weather outside is blustery and cold, consider having your own pajama party sew storm and have fun making lots of pj pants for gifts this holiday season.

Happy Sewing!

Yesterday, I shared a very easy method for sewing a reversible flannel blanket.  I like to make these for baby gifts which is why I only use one yard of  fabric for each side of the blanket.  However, as I mentioned yesterday, these blankets can be sewn in any size you wish so you could purchase two yards (or more) of fabric and sew much larger blankets for older children, teens, and adults.  This is especially easy if you are putting wrong sides of fabric together and serging around the outside of the fabric (www.sewseamless.com/Page46.html and www.sewseamless.com/Page47.html).

There is another way to sew reversible flannel blankets that is a little more involved, I suppose, but it’s not any harder.  This method might be better for beginning sewers or for those who don’t have a serger. 

If making baby gifts, I would buy one yard of flannel fabric for one side of the blanket, and buy one yard of fabric for the other side of the blanket–you could choose to use two different solid colors, two different holiday themed fabrics, or just cute prints of any kind.                        

The picture above shows the two flannel prints that I’m using for my project.  (I also made this example in minature.) 

When using this sewing method, pin right sides of the fabric together.  Since you will have to turn this blanket right side out when you’re finished sewing, make sure to leave a space for turning right side out.

When using this sewing method, you will have to consider seam allowance.  For beginners, I would suggest sewing a 1/2 inch seam allowance.  Once the blanket is sewn together, prior to turning right side out, press well, and one thing I like to do is press the seams open.  I also learned this from Sandra Betzina (www.sandrabetzina.com).  Place the blanket flat on the ironing board and run the tip of the iron in the seams, pressing them open, (shown in the picture below).

Also remember to cut the corners diagonally before turning right side out.  After pressing well and cutting the corners diagonally, turn right side out, and use a point turner to push out the corners so that the blanket will have nice, sharp corners.  Press well from the right side, and then choose which sewing method you would like to use to close the opening in the blanket.  This could be done by hand using the slip stitch, or it can easily be sewn by machine.  I like to top stitch or edge stitch the blanket closed if I’m using this sewing method.   It might also be fun to sew some decorative stitches around the outside of the blanket.  I would probably edge stitch or top stitch first, and then sew decorative stitches close to the edge stitching or top stitching.  (There is a more detailed tutorial and pictures at www.sewseamless.com/Page48.html , www.sewseamless.com/Page49.html , and at www.sewseamless.com/Page50.html )  Pictures of my completed blanket project are found at www.sewseamless.com/Page51.html .

I love to sew reversible flannel blankets because they are easy, quick, and fun to sew!   They make great gifts for all age groups, too!

Happy Sewing!

Reversible flannel blankets are easy to sew and lots of fun to make!  They can be used as receiving blankets and make great baby gifts or holiday gifts !

There are two ways to sew reversible flannel blankets.  I’ll share both sewing methods with you.  I’ll share the first method with you today. If you have a serger and are comfortable using it, that is the easiest way to sew a reversible flannel blanket.  Buy one yard each of two different  flannel prints.

The picture above shows the two flannel prints that I used to make this miniature blanket.  (I made this in miniature in order to show you the sewing techniques.)

In order to sew the reversible blanket, place wrong sides of the fabric together and serge around the outside edge of the blanket. 

The picture above shows the wrong sides of the fabric put together prior to sewing/serging.  Because I will be serging around the edges, I don’t pin the fabric at all. I also don’t try to serge a measured seam allowance; I just make sure to trim some of the fabric off as I serge around the blanket, rounding off the corners as I sew/serge.  When I get to the place where I started sewing, I overlap the serging a bit, then serge off of the fabric serging a long thread chain/tail that I then clip off. 

In the picture above, I am serging around the outside edge of the reversible blanket.   A more detailed tutorial and more pictures can be found at www.sewseamless.com/Page46.html and at www.sewseamless.com/Page47.html  This particular sewing project is not my original idea.  I saw Sandra Betzina (www.sandrabetzina.com) sew one of these reversible blankets on her tv show when it was airing on HGTV a few years ago, and really liked the idea.  Sewing a reversible flannel blanket really is an easy, quick sewing project!

I should mention that you should definitely preshrink flannel so be sure to wash it before beginning a sewing project.  In Sandra Betzina’s book, More Fabric Savvy , she suggests using a size 80/12 H (Universal) sewing machine needle when sewing flannel. 

I usually make these flannel blankets as gifts for babies, which is why I only use one yard of fabric.  However, you could choose to make them any size that you wished; I think that two yards would make a nice size reversible blanket for an adult or teen. 

This is an easy quick gift idea that you could sew and give as holiday gifts this year.  It might even be a good way to use up some of your fabric stash.   If you do choose to make blankets for gifts, please consider sewing a few of these reversible blankets and donating them to charity.  I’m sure they would be very much appreciated.

This is the easiest and fastest method for sewing reversible flannel blankets.  Tomorrow, I will share the second method for sewing these reversible blankets.

Happy Sewing!

Are your sewing machines humming along yet?  Unfortunately, I haven’t managed to get my sewing machine “engine” revved up yet, but later in the week and next week, I plan to spend some quality time in my sewing room.  I really need a little sewing therapy  right now. 

Yesterday, I mentioned several gift ideas–pillows (www.sewseamless.com/Page22.html)  pillowcases (www.sewseamless.com/Page41.html),  scarves and hats–that are easy sewing projects.  In previous posts, I also mentioned sewing boxer shorts or pajama pants as gifts.  These can be sewn out of many kinds of fabric, and they’re really very easy to sew.  Sew News magazine has a free downloadable shorts and pajama pants pattern on their website (www.sewnews.com), and in the December issue, there are instructions for sewing these pants, beginning on page 68.  (I also provide basic sewing instructions for shorts beginning at www.sewseamless.com/Page33.html).

If you are sewing flannel pajama pants or boxer shorts for gifts, it might be fun to sew a matching flannel robe.  Robes are not hard to sew, but they are more time consuming than some of the quick gift ideas that have been mentioned in previous posts.  Other than the shawl collars, which are found on many robe patterns, they should be fairly easy for beginners to sew.  The sleeves are designed to be sewn in flat (www.sewseamless.com/Page28.html).  McCall’s(www.mccall.com)  seems to have some pretty good robe patterns, and many of these patterns also have boxer shorts and pajama pants included. The patterns that I liked were  M4724; this pattern is for men and women and includes the robe, belt, top, shorts, pants, and slippers; it’s marked “easy”.  I also liked M4320 because this robe pattern didn’t appear to have any collar; the front seemed to be either top stitched or edge stitched from what I could see in the picture.  This pattern also included the pants and shorts pattern, along with a robe pattern, and was also designed for men or women.  If you’re looking for a robe specifically for a man, I really liked McCall’s pattern M8524.  This pattern has the band around the front, but that isn’t hard to sew at all, although it might require a little bit of hand sewing.  This pattern also included shorts and pj pants pattern.  Another pattern designed for men and boys is one that I have and I really like it; it is McCall’s M9638. ( Make sure to notice whether or not you’re picking up the boy’s size or men’s size patterns if purchasing this one.)  This particular pattern has a band around the front of the robe and it did require a little bit of hand work, but I didn’t mind that at all.  Last year, I made my son in law and grandson matching robes out of a sports print flannel.  Shorts and pj pants are also included in this particular pattern, although I haven’t sewn those.  I looked at Simplicity’s (www.simplicity.com) website to try to find some robe patterns, but could only find one that I kind of liked, and that was Simplicity 5931; this was a robe pattern sized for children, teens, and adults. 

Personally, I really like sewing robes, and I think it could be fun to sew some pajama pants with matching robes as gifts. Robes and either boxer shorts or pajama pants can be good gifts for men as well. 

If you decide to sew boxer shorts, pajama pants, or robes for gifts, remember that pattern sizes and ready to wear sizes are not the same, and patterns should be bought according to body measurements.  (When I’m sewing robes, I always buy 1/2 yard to a yard or sometimes two yards more than the pattern calls for because flannel tends to shrink quite a bit, and I like to have extra fabric in case I run into problems when cutting out the pattern.)

Also, if sewing with flannel, here are a few tips:  flannel should always be preshrunk, so be sure to wash it before sewing.  According to Sandra Betzina (www.sandrabetzina.com) in her book More Fabric Savvy, you should use a size 80/12H (Universal) sewing machine needle when sewing flannel.  She recommends a 2.5 stitch length and using a standard presser foot, when sewing.  She recommends using a fusible tricot interfacing (this is my favorite type of interfacing for most projects.)

Flannel is a fun fabric to sew with, and can be used for many gifts, but the robe, boxer shorts, and pajama pants projects are not quick sewing projects, although they are easy sewing projects.

One quick sewing project that could be a nice gift is a set of coasters.  This could be one way to use up some scrap fabrics.  Coasters could be sewn in any shape, although squares would be the easiest shape to sew. A set of coasters could be made in holiday fabrics, and they could be reversible if you used two different prints.  I have a friend who sews coasters and she uses her embroidery machine to embroider the word “coasters” on the front.  If I were making coasters, I would probably choose to apply fusible interfacing (www.sewseamless.com/Page4.html , www.sewseamless.com/Page15.html ) and I might choose to use a stiffer interfacing for this project.  It could be fun to experiment with different techniques for sewing coasters!

Sewing for the holidays is one of my favorite things to do, and if I start early enough, I’m less stressed than I am if I have to go out shopping.  There are many ideas for sewing gifts, and I am working on a couple of tutorials to share with you here.  Hopefully, I will be able to share a tutorial for sewing reversible flannel blankets later this week, and a little later, I plan to share a tutorial for sewing pajama pants.  Of course, I have to be able to sneak in some quality sewing time first!

Happy Sewing!

I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday and that you are now safely back home, getting ready for the next big holiday, which is just around the corner!   Of course, this is the gift giving season and we’re all looking for ideas for gifts to craft, either by sewing, knitting, crocheting, or quilting.   And because time is valuable right now, we’re looking for some quick gift ideas to craft.

In several of my posts, I mentioned making pillows(www.sewseamless.com/Page22.html, www.sewseamless.com/Page23.html, www.sewseamless.com/Page24.html) which can be round or square.  I mentioned sewing “pillows with a twist” by sewing a patch pocket (www.sewseamless.com/Page26.html, www.sewseamless.com/Page27.html) to the front of the pillow and then filling the pocket with some small gifts.  There are lots of really creative ideas for filling those pockets.

If you make a pillow with a pocket for a sewing friend, fill the pocket with a gift certificate to her favorite fabric store, some hand and machine sewing needles of different sizes, some thread,  buttons, zippers, and maybe even a subscription to a sewing magazine.   Find some really cute sewing themed fabric and you will have a really nice gift for a sewing friend.

If this type of pillow is going to be given to an elderly person who can’t get out of the house much, fill the pocket with some stamps and small notecards or pretty stationary, and maybe some writing utensils. 

A knitting or crocheting friend might get knitting or crochet needles and yarns in the pocket of this type of pillow.  If you’re making this type of pillow for a child, you might want to put a small toy, some crayons or markers,  or small notepads in the pocket.  This type of pillow might make a great teacher gift as well; you could put a gift certificate to the teacher’s favorite store in the pocket. There are just tons of ideas that you can put in these “gift pockets” on the pillows. 

Another quick gift idea is to sew plain pillows in any shape or size that you choose and sew a matching blanket.  If you choose a cute fleece print to make a quick blanket, purchase enough fabric to make a matching pillow.  (If sewing with fleece, I recommend using a 75/11HS needle, and I personally like to use my walking foot when sewing with fleece, but I’ve also lengthened my stitch to about 3 and sewn fleece with  a teflon or a regular presser foot.)

Sewing pillows can be lots of fun, but sewing pillowcases (www.sewseamless.com/Page41.html, www.sewseamless.com/Page42.html, www.sewseamless.com/Page43.html ) is also fun.   These can be made out of some really cute prints that will fit everyone on your list this season.  If, however, you don’t want to sew pillowcases (I can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t want to sew! ), you could purchase some plain pillowcases and sew a decorative stitch around the top of the pillowcase. If I were making this gift, I would ride the edge of my sewing machine presser foot along the edge of the hem in order to sew straight.  To make a really feminine looking pillowcase, lace could also be sewn along the edge of the hem.  If purchasing pillowcases to embellish, you might consider purchasing a flat sheet and sew decorative stitching along the upper edge of the sheet.  This would be an easy quick gift, and lots of fun to sew!

Another gift that is sewn much like a pillowcase, but is much smaller in size,  is a bag that can be used as a gift bag for bottles of wine or sparkling ciders.  These can be purchased at many stores, but it would be easy to make your own.  A really easy way to do this would be to purchase one of these type of gift bags, trace it, add seam allowances, and then sew it together and hem.  Tie it at the top with a pretty ribbon and you have another gift bag that was quick to make.

Scarves make another great gift and these are easy to sew as well.  These can be made out of velvet, faux fur, satin, sheer fabrics, or a pretty polyester. (Remember that some of these fabrics require special sewing techniques and  sewing machine needle size is important.)  Scarves could even be made reversible by sewing two different types of fabrics together, or by sewing two different colors together.  I think you could make a pattern for a scarf easily by either measuring a long scarf that you already own, or just deciding how long and wide you would like a scarf to be, measure it, add seam allowances, and cut out the fabric.  This is sewn much like a pillow, but you don’t have to stuff the scarf with fiberfill.   Leave an opening for turning, and then either hand stitch it closed or top stitch or edge stitch all around the scarf.  You could also add some fringe or other type of trim to the end of the scarf.  For those of you who knit and crochet, knitting and crocheting matching scarves and hats make great gifts.

These are just a few gift ideas.  I hope to post more, along with a couple of tutorials, later in the week. 

The race to finish sewing our gifts before Christmas has begun so ladies, start your engines….your sewing machine “engines” that is!

We are now in the holiday season, which is often portrayed in movies and on tv as a magical, wonderful time of year, but in reality, this time of year is often the most difficult time of year for many of us.  There is a lot of stress involved in getting ready for the holidays–all the rushing around, buying gifts, or sewing gifts, making travel plans, preparing the holiday meal, which  means buying more food than usual, and getting the house ready for company, not to mention all the additional holiday activities. Our words are often sharp and hurtful when they should be encouraging and uplifting. The tone of our voice is often angry and harsh, when it should be pleasant and soothing.  A time that should be peaceful, happy, and calm is often filled with stress, and our homes are often less than peaceful.

I think we all desire peace in our homes and our lives.  During this gift giving season, I think that starting by giving the gifts of time and hope might be the beginnings of a pathway to peace–especially in our homes.  Take the time to spend an afternoon teaching your daughter to sew; you’ll be spending time with her as well as teaching her a valuable skill.  While she may not remember the sewing lesson, if it isn’t her interest, she will definitely remember that special afternoon that you spent together.

Spending time with other people is important, and as I’ve already mentioned, I think we’re all too busy to stop and really invest in other people’s lives and foster true friendships and relationships.  To me, this is a sad commentary on our times–we’re too busy to get to know people, and that very well may include our spouses and children.  We, as a society, seem to be focused on work, making money, getting the promotion at work, climbing the corporate ladder and other things, but we don’t really focus on spending quality time with another human being, and that’s just sad, in my opinion.  To me, this lack of ability to truly get to know another person is especially evident during the holiday time of year because of all the rushing around that I’ve already mentioned.  We know that depression and lonliness is often much worse during the holiday season.  I must admit that I have to fight this myself because the month of December holds a very painful memory for me.  A few years ago, my dad became very ill and died ten days before Christmas.  Each December is a bittersweet time for me because of that very painful memory.

In spite of that painful memory, I always have hope that the holidays can be pleasant and peaceful.   The definition of the word sewing is to “stitch together with needle and thread”, and the definition of the word sowing is to plant, so when you are sewing gifts, you very well my be stitching together the “fabric “of peace and harmony.  This stitching together of the “fabric” of peace and harmony might also be the beginnings of sowing the seeds of peace and harmony in our homes.  And this just might be the very best gift that you will give this year.

Today we’re going to take our college age daughter on some type of outing.  When she’s home from college, she gets bored easily.  That means she wants to get out of the house and “do something”.

I, on the other hand, would prefer to stay home and get some sewing done, or spend some quality time in a fabric store! Especially since it’s so cold outside!  I have quilts to finish and I need to make my youngest grandson a reversible flannel blanket for Christmas.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to share that with you here  soon, as well as possibly adding this tutorial to my main website, www.sewseamless.com  

Sewing reversible flannel blankets is quite easy.  It takes one yard each of two different flannel prints.  Place wrong sides together and serge.  If you don’t have a serger, this can be sewn on a regular sewing machine as well.  I hope to share both sewing methods with you soon.

 If you should choose to make blankets this holiday season, please don’t forget the elderly.  Many elderly people get cold easily so some warm blankets would be welcome gifts.  Fleece is nice and warm and can be also be  a no-sew project.  Buy two yards of fleece and either serge around the edges, or pink the edges.  Fleece doesn’t ravel so there are lots of options for “finishing” a blanket.  Use some perle cotton yarn and do a hand blanket stitch around the edge of the fleece.  For an adult blanket, I use two yards of fleece; for small children, one yard or one and half yards would also be a nice sized blanket.  Fleece makes a great blanket!

I’ve got another gift idea using pillows.  Yesterday, we talked about making a square pillow and sewing a patch pocket on the front, then filling the pocket with gifts.  Another twist on this idea is to sew the round pillow (www.sewseamless.com/Page22.html and www.sewseamless.com/Page23.html) with one difference.  Instead of stuffing it with fiberfill, simply press it flat and topstitch or edgestitch around it to close it.  A pretty decorative stitch would be nice, too.  Use this round “pillow”, which is no longer really a pillow, but a round “pocket” of sorts.  Sew it on to the front of the square pillow (before sewing the back and front of the square pillow together), but leave an opening at the top to make it a “pocket”.  This will require some reinforcement at the “corners” , but I would think  sewing some backstitches or bartacks would help.  If you make a heart shaped pocket (trace around a cookie cutter), the same sewing technique can be used. Of course, you could always sew a large round pillow and sew a square patch pocket (www.sewseamless.com/Page26.html) on the front.  Pillows are fun to sew and they are very versatile because they can be any shape and size.

There are many great sewing gift ideas.  The December issue of Sew News Magazine (www.sewnews.com) has many great ideas.  On page 14, there is a suggestion for hosting a sewing party.  What a great idea!  I especially like their idea about sewing small gift items for a charity.  Also, on page 14, the Sew News  editors have a great gift suggestion for sewing enthusiasts; fill a gift bag with a pattern, fabric, and all sewing notions for one specific project for a sewing friend.

Have fun sewing holiday gifts today!  And think of me while I’m out in the cold–missing my sewing machine!

I hope everyone had a great holiday yesterday, and that now you’re ready for a shopping marathon.   I don’t like to shop so I do most of my shopping online or I make my own gifts, which is a lot more fun and much less stressful.

 If you’re not interested in fighting the crowds to shop the sales, and are a bit more interested in making your own gifts, I have a few more ideas for you here. 

One thing I’ve already mentioned is what great gifts boxer shorts and pajama pants are, and they’re so easy to sew as well.  Even though the tutorial that I provide, beginning at www.sewseamless.com/Page33.html is a tutorial for sewing a regular pair of shorts, the sewing instructions are the same for boxer shorts.  Pajama pants are sewn in the same way; they are just longer.  The December issue of Sew News Magazine has a tutorial on sewing pajama pants, beginning on page 69.  Pajama pants are fun to sew out of flannel, and they seem to be appreciated by the entire family, so they make great gifts for men, women, teens, and younger children as well.  Also, Sew News is providing a free shorts pattern on their website, www.sewnews.com   This December issue has lots of tips and quick gift ideas, so you might want to pick this issue up at your local newstand. 

There are many easy, quick gifts to sew.  We’ve talked about sewing pillows, but here is an idea for a pillow with a pocket on the front.  Sew a square pillow (www.sewseamless.com/Page24.html) in any size that you choose.  (I would probably make a fairly large pillow–12 x 12 or larger for this project.  Add seam allowances of 1/2 inch when making your pattern.)  Sew a patch pocket (www.sewseamless.com/Page26.html) and then sew this pocket to the front of the pillow.  I should clarify that you need to make the square pillow pattern first and before sewing the pillow together, sew the pocket to the front of it, and then sew the pillow together, making sure to leave an opening so that the pillow can be turned right side out.  The instructions that I’ve given are for a square patch pocket, but you could make this pocket in the shape of a heart (a cookie cutter makes a great template for this) or any shape that you choose.  Once this entire pillow is sewn together, put a little gift in the pocket–a small stuffed animal for a child; some stamps, pens, pencils, and notepads for a senior adult; some hard candy; or sewing thread or notions for a sewing enthusiast; yarns and knitting needles or crochet hooks for folks who like to knit or crochet; quilting needles and threads, along with some fat quarters or quilt patterns for quilters–the list goes on and on…..You could even embellish the pocket before you sew it to the pillow.  Get creative!

If you need to gift wrap the pillow gift, sew a fabric gift bag.  This can be sewn in any size and is sewn like a pillowcase (www.sewseamless.com/Page41.html) (although you might want a smaller hem on a gift bag).  Pretty ribbons can be used to tie the top of the bag. 

If you’re looking for an easy gift for men, the boxer shorts and pajama pants mentioned above make great gifts, or you could also make monogrammed handkerchiefs.  These can be made out of cotton, silk, satin or polyester.  If you have an embroidery machine, embroider an initial in the corner.  An even easier way to do this is to get the iron on appliques.  Or hem a small square of polyester or satin and simply make a handkerchief that sticks out of the top of the pocket on a man’s dress suit; it’s meant to be seen and add a splash of color.

Another very easy gift to sew is a Christmas stocking.  These are very easy because you can take an old stocking and trace it, adding seam allowances of course, and then sew the stocking.  Most stockings have linings, but you don’t necessarily have to line them.  (Lining these stockings can be a bit tricky.)  There are quite a few commercial patterns for Christmas stockings and Christmas tree skirts.

Commercial patterns are also available for table runners, placemats, and napkins, although it’s very easy to make your own patterns for these.  These are also easy to sew and make great gifts as well. 

There are tons of easy, quick gift ideas to sew–almost too many to mention! 

This year, I’m choosing sewing over shopping.  What about you?

I hope that everyone is having a good holiday if you’re celebrating Thanksgiving Day today.  This is a time when we can slow down and stop and reflect on our blessings.

I have many blessings.  My two grown daughters are both beautiful young ladies.  The oldest one is a great mom. She has all my grandbabies, which are truly great blessings in my life. Nothing is sweeter than to hear those sweet little voices count for me or sing the A-B-C’s for me, even if they don’t get everything quite right. It brings a smile to my face and makes me chuckle.  This is a simple thing, but as I’ve often said, I think the simple things in life are the best.

My youngest daughter is a junior in college and she is a beautiful young lady and doing well.  We’re very proud of her!

 My mom has a few health issues, but because she exercises regularly, she has also prevented some health problems for herself.  I’m sew thankful.

When I sit down at my sewing machine, I’m sew grateful that I have a great sewing machine and a hobby that gives me so much pleasure and happiness.  I’m sew thankful that I have the skills to sew and make garments and quilts, and perhaps use those talents and skills to help someone else.   I’m sure you feel much the same way, no matter whether you sew, quilt, crochet, or knit. 

Even though I have many blessings, I often focus on what I don’t have instead of what I do have.   Today, I’m going to start focusing on my many blessings and what I have, and continuing this attitude of being sew thankful from now on. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pillowcases are so easy and so much fun to sew!  They make great gifts, too! 

In yesterday’s post,  I shared how I sew the body of a pillowcase with one yard of fabric.   And even though I mentioned finishing the seams, there is one thing that I forgot to mention, so I’ll do that here.  If you are serging the seams, the ends of the seams must be secured.  When sewing a regular seam, the beginning and ends of the seam are backstitched.  Serged seams are different, but just as easy to secure.  I serge a fairly long thread chain, thread a large needle with a large eye (the correct name is escaping me at the moment) –these needles are usually dull, instead of sharp on the end, and they are designed so that large yarns can be threaded through them.  Sorry…lack of sleep just isn’t permitting me to remember the correct name.   I think it’s a darning needle, but I’m not 100% sure.

In the picture on the left above, I’ve started pulling the serged thread chain through the threads on the back of the seam.  The picture on the right shows the thread completely pulled through the stitches.   (www.sewseamless.com/Page42.html)  

Once the bottom and side seams are sewn, all that’s left to do is the hem.  I like to finish the raw edge of the pillowcase by serging, but it’s also acceptable to turn it under about 1/4 inch, or zigzag.   If you are turning under the raw edge 1/4 inch, you will measure the hem at 1-1/4 inches.  If you have serged or zigzagged the raw edges, measure the hem 4 inches.  That little handy dandy seam gauge comes in handy for measuring the hem of a pillowcase.

When I measure the hem of a pillowcase, I like to press it and then put pins near the finished edge.  This keeps everything from shifting when I’m sewing the hem.  This is an easy hem to sew because all you have to do is sew a straight stitch on the sewing machine. My sewing machine has the ability to move the needle to the left, so I place the presser foot on the finished edge of the hem, move my needle to the left and sew.  (Detailed instructions can be found at www.sewseamless.com/Page43.html )

Once the hem is sewn, press well, turn right side out, push out the corners with a point turner, press well again,  and you have a completed pillowcase.   This is a quick, easy gift to sew, and could be a great way to use up a fabric stash as well.

(My finished pillowcase can be seen at www.sewseamless.com/Page44.html )

There are lots of gift ideas that are easy to sew and are great projects for beginning sewers.  You can find a few of them at www.sewseamless.com .  There are instructions for round pillows, at www.sewseamless.com/Page22.html  and www.sewseamless.com/Page23.html ; instructions for square pillows can be found at www.sewseamless.com/Page24.html

Pillows and pillowcases make great gifts for anyone.  And as always, I encourage you to share your sewing talents by donating to charity.  Even a small, simple pillow or pillowcase that takes very little of your time to sew might make a difference in someone else’s life.  Perhaps the fabric choice will be bright and cheerful, or just getting something new that is made especially for them might bring a  smile to someone’s face–and allow them to dare to dream and hope for a brighter future.