Create & Celebrate
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- Sarah recently made these fun bibs. She writes, “I just posted about these bibs (from angry chicken’s book) on my blog today! They were very simple, but very fun to make!”
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- Candy shared her latest addition to her sewing room. She says, “My husband recently made me a sewing table that holds my 2 sewing machines. It’s very sturdy, exactly what I need and cost under $100. Although it’s not a tutorial, I’ve got a blog post that walks you through each step, in hopes of encouraging other folks to make their own sewing machine tables!!”
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- Fern recently created a blog dedicated to featuring her tutorials and craft. Some of her latest tutorials include a Notebook Cover (she notes this is a good project for beginners) and a Knitting Needle Holder Tutorial which uses foundation piecing techniques. She also has a new Needlework Pattern, available as a PDF download.
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- Liz writes, “Here’s something I made for my son– finally, something for the boy! (image left)… I got the free tutorial pattern for the top off of the habitual blog. I just used a PJ patten for the pants and added the big cuff. I also embroidered the rocket from the Sublime Stitching book by Jenny Hart. The pattern goes up to size 8, so I thought i’d make matching PJs for the kids for christmas. The pattern was very fun to make!”
- Do you feel like your tape measure needs some oompf?! Learn how to make Fabric Covered Tape Measures with Lisa’s tutorial.
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- Heidi writes, “I have been documenting the construction of the Pinnacle Machine Quilting frame on my blog. I should be able to post the rest of the construction photos this weekend. I have three segments posted already… I also have a tool trick to share. I had the experience of cutting out a large number of 2.5 inch strips lately for a quilt I am making for a friend. I had to cut the strips from the larger strip block. I was worried that I would eventually mess up the cutting due to mental fatigue, so I temporarily marked my table with scotch tape marks. The clamps are helping keep the cutting surface in place in case I bump the table. The clamps also help keep the two cutting surfaces correctly aligned so I can use them as one big one.”
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- Lily recently designed a new apron. She writes, “This week, I wanted to make a quick but special and pretty apron. I had been mulling over how I should draft the pattern for weeks but it wasn’t until the night before that I dreamt up the detail! It’s a cafe style apron, fully reversible, with lovely big quilted pockets, a bit of cupcake applique and putting on the binding/ties with my new Husqvarna Mega Quilter sewing machine was bliss! I used some of the new Farmer’s Market range, some vintage pink linen and scraps of Anna Griffin.” See more on Lily’s block-a-day blog.
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- Stacey has been sewing and crocheting quite a bit lately; her latest projects include Bitty Booties from Heather Bailey’s free pattern and this baby tube sling pattern courtesy of Jan Andrea. Stacey writes, “I feel so blessed to have access to these free patterns. The baby afghan is a double quick and I will finish that within a couple of weeks.” Stacey has The Wandering Sack from our Tutorial Contest Winners bookmarked for her next project!
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- Carrie writes, “I just made a couple blankets for my nieces from old quilt tops their great-grandmother made and never finished into quilts. I hate seeing vintage fabric (especially pieced quilt tops) sit in musty closets collecting dust. I blogged about it.” Find more from Carrie via her blogs, album and shop.
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- Kate just made a sundress for herself, and she loves it! She writes, ” It’s faux-smocked using elastic thread on the bobbin. After a couple of summer dresses for my daughter, I decided to reward myself with a dress of my own. I was nervous, not having made anything for myself that I’d actually wear out and about. But, since I finished this last Saturday, I’ve worn it almost everyday. Unloading hay, as a beach cover up, to the grocery store… You name it. It’s ridiculously comfortable and modest and I love it…
Details and Process: I found the fabric at a local shop for $3 a yard and bought 2 yards. This fabric already had an ‘apron trim’ which I used for the bottom of the dress. I measured around my chest and doubled that number, cutting the fabric and reserving the scraps for straps. The fabric is lightweight, though not see-through…
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…I sewed french seam up the back to avoid any fraying. I hemmed the top and bottom of the tube. I switched my regular bobbin with a bobbin wound loosely with elastic thread. I started at the top and spiraled down until I had 7 inches of smocking… tied a knot in the elastic on the inside… and slipped it on. Then, some simple straps, strategically placed to hide *ahem* foundations… and viola! A perfect little summer number. I’m shocked and very pleased. It will be on my blog August 7.”
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- Lisa helped her girls prepare for a sewing camp. She writes, “I taught my girls how to use the sewing machine while making quilts and pillows for their dolls. Not only did they stick with it, but they LOVED it! I’m so proud!”
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- Lisa writes, “The Radical Cross Stitch Posse are proud to announce the arrival of their new baby. Out of the clicks of the needles and the desire to celebrate our wonderful creative communities and internet archive of the herstory of radical craft has been born.
The Fabric of Resistance is a non-heirarchical community created archive and celebration of radical craft action and organisation, past and present. The wiki style archive has been established as a resource for radical craft practitioners, historians, students. Fabric of Resistance is a tribute to the creative resistance which is often marginalised by both crafters and activists, yet has provided the visionary spark for great uprisings, revolutions and major social change… So we have started this wiki as a public archive of profiles of activists who use(d) craft as a way of communicating their ideas, resistance and vision. And at some point in the future, all these stories will be collated into a book.
This wiki is a constant work in progress. So this is a call out is for the stories of women and men you know in your community who use craft as a form of resistance. Please add your stories, preferably with images. We want to know names, dates and issues. But we’re especially interested in the stories behind the work. Tell us about the design processes as well as the creation process. If you want help with questions to ask people let us know. And please don’t hold back because you think some information you have is not significant enough. Even if you just remember someone’s name from some protest back in the day, add it in because it might be a good lead for some else to follow up on.”
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- Hallie from dear little designs made this (image left) for a little two your old who loves subway trains!
- Carrie from The Kate Effect sent us her latest stool cover project and a duct tape dress form of her child. Fun!
- Heather thought you’d enjoy this blog with a variety of tutorials. She writes, “On the right is a menu bar that lists tutorials, from different blogs, under categories. They have been quite helpful and I thought I might pass it on.”
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- Marnie from girl number twenty writes, “I’m so proud of the two dresses that I refashioned for my daughter that I had to show-and-tell!: Two new dresses for Safiya.”
- April posted a quilt on her blog and in Flickr that she made for Doll Quilt Swap 4. She writes, “A lot of people asked for a tutorial, so I pulled one together and thought I would share it with Sew Mama Sew.” Here it is!: Cathedral Window Tutorial.
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- Keri writes, “A relative asked me to create an organic baby shower gift for her. I did some research, brainstormed some ideas, and found some lovely Michael Miller organic fabric to use. Although I need some terrycloth stitching lessons, I was pretty pleased with the finished product! The result is on my blog, Quaint and Quirky.”
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- Leah from Sew Spoiled has a free Doodle Bag pattern available on her blog. She writes, “It is a fun pattern to make with kids!… You simply print out your favorite coloring sheet and create a fun bag with it. After you are done the kids can decorate it anyway they want!! We used fabric markers because they are non toxic… These bags make great party gifts for all occasions!”
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- Aimee from Daisyeyes writes, “This is my latest project. The pattern is Lucy from Children’s Corner patterns and the first time I made this dress I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to flip it. Well, this time I took it back to our local shop where I bought the pattern and got a little instruction….I’m so glad I did because I’m so happy with how it turned out. She wore it this past Sunday and every time I looked at her in it I was just grinning!”
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- Cova writes, “I’m absolutely new to sewing, I bought my sewing machine in March and I’ve self taught myself using the exclusive, inexpensive trial/error method. One of my latest projects of which I’m very happy with is the pear shape bag (I like calling it like that). It’s based on a bag I saw on the internet and decided I could try that pattern by myself. It actually came out great and I’ve been using the bag all the time since. I love the fabric, a repurposed cushion cover from Ikea, and although I didn’t make any inside pockets because it’s reversible, everything fit perfectly.”
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Those are all fabulous. It is so inspiring seeing what everyone else is doing.
Wow! So many great ideas and tutorials! I love all of them and wish I had the time to start 10 new projects today! Super cute bibs, love the sewing table and want one for myself, fun aprons, and I really, really, really want to make one of those cathedral window quilts! Amazing! I love all of these creative ideas! Great job.
So many wonderful and creative ideas! Thank you for sharing them with us.
I love the cafe apron — where’s the tutorial? I wonder if my husband will understand why i want to quit my day job and “sew mama sew” ??
Wow, there’s lots of great stuff here!!
So many good ideas!
Love the kimono!
Wow! Those bibs are too cute! I just checked out ‘Bending the Rules’ from the library and can’t wait to make a few for a friend’s new baby!
I love the sewing table. I’ll have to ask my husband if he could build me one.
There is so much here that I’ll be looking at it for days! Thank you so much!!!
Wow! What awesome projects!!
Great stuff! Can’t wait to get started.:)
So many awesome ideas…. man, I love this stuff. Keep up the good ideas, everyone! And thanks for sharing.
Everything is so lovely!
What a great sewing table!…I’m jealous
What great inspiration!
It’s so inspiring to see what y’all are doing. thanks for giving me the push to get sewing. it doesn’t matter what it is…I just need to get started!
I came up with the idea to make fabric covered journals today at work. Though, I probably should have been working. I got home, checked out sewmamasew like I do almost every day, and there it was, complete with directions. Thanks so much for reading my mind. You have all of the information I need before I even need it. Your blog is one of my favorites…and so much pretty fabric!
So many great things here! I’ve bookmarked this to come back to later. Thanks for putting this together.
There is so much in this post that jumps out at me! The Cathedral Window quilt brings back memories from childhood, poking my finger into crevises of a pillow styled much the same. And the kimono jammies are too cute and deffinately on the list of things to make for the kids for Christmas.
Lots of wonderful projects!
I can’t wait to get started on some of them…thanks!!
There are so many fabulous tutorials here. Thanks so much for putting them together.
Here’s a tip for crafters like me; instead of browser bookmarks, use del.icio.us. to categorize and save millions of links. http://delicious.com/
Cant wait to try some of these out. I really appreciate those who contributed
WOW!! This create and celebrate got me soo excited about sewing!! Keep posting!! Look forward to future posts!!
These ideas are just fantastic. You know, according to my job at Elliott Berman Textiles (by the way, I invite everyone to visit us) I am surrounded with fabrics, and cannot resist to make something, usually these are bags, i love to create those, but the idea of notebook covers is so fabulous that I will try that myself.
Thanks for the review!
I love all your sewing projects. Looking forward to a revisit to Sew,Mama,Sew!
TBerry’s Garden http://tberrys.wordpress.com/
Interessantes Posting! Gruss aus Berlin