TUTORIAL: Stuffed Christmas Tree Door Wreath

Burlap Stuffed Door Hanger

Sewing Tutorial

(You can use burlap or duck canvas for this project.)

 

 

This is such a fun project to do with the kids! All it takes is 3/4 yard fabric, some paint or fabric for an applique, some polyfill and your imagination! I wanted to try it out first before the kids made one, so I made this one. I kept it simple by using Christmas fabric for the applique. When the kids make theirs I am going to draw whatever Christmas design they would like and then they can paint it. Make sure all of the paint dries before you continue and stuff your door hanger. You know how little ones are, they might want to start over a few times! :)

TUTORIAL:
Gather materials: 3/4 yard burlap or duck canvas, 18 inches ribbon for hanging, sewing machine, thread, pins, scissors, straight edge, 1 bag polyfill OR plastic grocery bags for filling


1. Cut two pieces of your fabric 27 inches long x 17 inches wide

2. On one piece of your fabric you can paint whatever you would like (Christmas Tree, Ornament, Santa face, Candy Cane, Snowman, Snowflake...etc) OR you can cut out a shape you would like. I cut out a Christmas tree shape and pinned it onto the fabric.

3. Sew around the edges of your shape.

4. Add ric rac trim if desired.

5. Cut around your shape. Lay your fabric pieces wrong sides together. (I am going to sew them together so I can see my stitches on the outside to add some color.)

6. Pin and sew all around your shape using a straight stitch. STOP SEWING 5 inches before your starting point.

7. Fill with polyfill OR fill with plastic grocery shopping bags if your door hanging will get wet in the rain.

 

8. Sew along your opened hole. Zig-zag stitch around the entire border if desired.

9. Sew on an 18 inch piece of ribbon.

10. Hang and enjoy!

TUTORIAL: How to Sew a Christmas Tree Skirt - lace and suede tree skirt

How To Sew a Christmas Tree Skirt

 

Sewing Tutorial - Tree Skirt

This weekend the Christmas decorations went up in our house and the kids had a ball putting the ornaments on the tree. You can tell my children are young because of how high they can hang the ornmanets. All the pink and red ornaments are hung on the lowest branches and all the blue ornaments are slightly higher than them. My husband and I had to spread the ornaments out once they went to sleep that night just the tree wouldn't be too bottom heavy!

 

If you've been looking for a Christmas tree skirt and simply couldn't find the right one that matched your style, or the one that you wanted but was a bit too pricey, try sewing a Christmas tree skirt!

 

This way you can get just the right colors, style and price that you are looking for.

 

Sewing TUTORIAL:

 

How to Sew a Christmas Tree Skirt

 

1. Gather materials:

 

1 and 2/3 yards of your lining fabric  (mine was red microsuede 58 inches wide)

1 and 2/3 yards of your main fabric (mine was lace with bows and was 58 inches wide)

9 yards of ribbon

thread, sewing machine, iron, scissors, measuring tape, fabric marker, pins

 

 

2. Fold your lining fabric in half lengthwise and then widthwise. My corner that is the double fold is at the top left. This is very important to know where your corner is so you get a circle when you cut it out.

 

3. Repeat for your main fabric and place it on top of your lining fabric. Match up the double folded corners.

 

4. Pin at all four corners to hold it in place.

 

5. Lay your measuring tape along the top edge, starting at your double folded corner. Measure out the right 28 inches and make a mark.

 

6. Measure out diagonally from the double folded corner and make a mark at 28 inches.

 

7. Measure straight down from your double folded corner and make a mark at 28 inches.

 

8. You can make as many marks as you like and then connect your marks to form a quarter circle.

 

9. Pin to the inside of your quarter circle so the fabric will stay in place as you cut.

 

10. Cut along the quarter circle markings you drew.

 

 

11. Starting at the double folded corner measure out 2 inches to the right, diagonally and straight down. Make your marks.

 

12. Cut along your marks.

 

 

 

13. Open up your circles and lay them RIGHT SIDES together.

 

 

14. Cut from the outer edge up to the middle circle in one spot only. This will allow your tree skirt to open and spread out around your tree.

15. Cut four pieces of ribbon 21 inches long each. Fold back your main fabric and pin two ribbons evenly spaced along your cut, making the raw edges meet. Place the other two on the opposite side of these ribbons.

 

16. Lay your main fabric back down so the ribbons are inbetween the two layers. Pin all the way around the edge of the circle, up the cut side, around the inner circle and down the cut side again.

 

17. You will sew around the entire edge of your tree skirt using a 5/8 inch seam allowance but you will STOP SEWING 6 inches before your starting point. This will leave room for turning right side out.  ****I started sewing in the back of the circle. I sewed around towards the front, up the slit, around the inner circle, down the slit and back around to where I started, but STOPPED sewing 6 inches before my starting point. Backstitch.

 

See the hole I left...

 

18. Using small scissors, clip up to but not through the sewn line all the way around your tree skirt and especially around the inner circle. This will give the fabric some ease and help it turn and lay better.

 

19. Turn right side out. Press with an iron. Use your fingers and your iron to turn in the hem of the opening you left. Pin it closed.

 

20. Topstitch using a 1/8 inch seam allowance all the way around your tree skirt again, up the slit, around the inner circle, down the slit and all the way to your starting point.

 

21. You DID IT!!!

 

Lay it around your tree and enjoy!!

 

Merry Christmas! I hope you all are enjoying decorating, shopping, baking, sewing and looking forward to some time with your loved ones!!

 

 

 

Happy Sewing!
Jenny Hall

Easy Sewing Pattern - Pleated Peasant Dress sewing pattern

Designing from Scratch

 

(Above) Mock-up of a pleated peasant dress sewing pattern

 

 

Last year I sewed this dress (pictured below) for my niece and I thought about publishing this peasant dress sewing pattern. But my list of pdf sewing patterns to create is constantly growing and evolving and this one slipped right on by for twelve months! Can you believe it?

Here is the orginal version (below):

I'm finally ready to focus on this peasant dress sewing pattern and am enjoying the process of designing it. I think drawing a design, creating the pattern pieces, sewing different versions of the dress until it is just "right" is my favorite part of designing PDF sewing patterns. Sometimes a few tweaks here and there make an entirely different dress and you never know what you might come up with by making small changes.

Funny thing is, I saved these pattern pieces for the longest time so I could recreate this dress. Well, wouldn't you know, I cleaned out my sewing studio last month and somehow they got misplaced in the shuffle of designs and I had to start from scratch. :) Just when I was ready to start, of course! :)

The only difference between the original and the mock-up version is the neckline, which needs some tweaking, since I really like the ruffled neckline look of the original peasant dress. (shown below) 

 

 

 

Original Versions above 

 

Since this sewing pattern was made from scratch based on a design that was just from the pictures above, it was a little tricky at first. It took time figuring out the armhole curves, the length and width of the pleats, the final sleeve lengths, dress lengths...etc. And if you know me, I do not like sewing a muslin version...instead I jump straight to the pretty fabric and dive right in, which obviously has had its drawbacks here and there. (Those mock-ups go to the scrap bins.)

 

But I am very pleased with this version of the pleated peasant dress sewing pattern shown below. My little girl did not want to model it at first, but I bribed her with my camera and then she started smiling and posing! Her little poses always make my day! Afterwards, she told me it was my turn to "be the model" and she took my pictures sitting at my sewing machine. "Look here, Momma, and say cheese!" Too funny!

 

We had a giggle fest in the sewing studio tonight!

 

Pleated trim along the sleeves and dress border

 

 

 

Elastic neckline  - still needs some tweaking because I want the ruffle above the elastic casing - will work on that tomorrow

 

 

Love the topstitching!

 

 

Pleats - my different take on "ruffles" for the moment!

 

 

I will keep you posted on this peasant dress sewing pattern, but I wanted to share with you all some of the steps I take when I create a pattern. It's a process I love and love sharing with all of you! Thank you for being Seamingly Smitten!

 

Let me know which style is your favorite!
Happy Sewing!
Jenny

How to Sew a Kitchen Valance - mini tutorial

 

Mini Tutorial: HOW TO SEW A KITCHEN VALANCE

 

 

If you have ever wanted a quick change for your windwows and did not want to commit to drapes or roman shades, a valance is an easy and quick sewing project. I have had the same valance in my kitchen for about two years and finally got tired of looking at the red toile. My taste changes back and forth from French Country to Transitional - meaning I like traditional decorations with a slight modern touch here and there and with the amount of time I spend in fabric stores, my eye is always on the lookout for a new sewing project!

 

We are having company coming over soon and I wanted to spruce up the house. Someone once told me if you ever want to get things done, invite people over. Thanks, Adria, because this really works! I put this valance on the top of my sewing project to-do list and finally sat down today to do it. I'm so happy with it and I want to teach you how to sew a valance. Here is an easy valance tutorial.

 

It only took 2 yards of fabric and an hour and a half to sew two kitchen valances and you can do it, too!

 

 

 

 

TUTORIAL:

How to sew a valance

 

1. Measure the width of your window (I measured from 3 inches outside the window molding on either side, since my curtain rod was already that long.)

my width: 80 inches

 

2. Multiply your width by 1.5 - This means I took 80 x 1.5 = 120 inches

 

3. Figure out how long you want your valance to be. I wanted mine to be 17 inches long.

 

4. Add 2 inches to the length you want.   17 + 2 = 19 inches long - This will allow me to have a 1 inch hem on top and bottom.

 

5. My valance will be: 19 inches x 120 inches long before I hem it.

 

6. Cut TWO pieces of fabric  19 in x 60 in using home decor fabric. They are usually 60 inches wide.

 

7. Lay these pieces right sides together and pin at one short end. (The 19 inch end.)

 

8. Sew along your pinned edge using a 5/8 inch seam allowance. Trim threads. Press seam open with an iron. Now you have your valance piece that is 19 inches x 120 inches.

 

9. Hem your valance one inch on all sides. (This means turn up a half inch hem and press with an iron, fold up another half inch hem and press with an iron. Pin. Repeat for all four sides.)

 

10. Sew your valance on all four sides using a 3/8 inch seam allowance. Trim threads.

 

You're DONE! Hang it up! (I used clip rings on a rod.)

 

 

 For the window above the kitchen sink I made the valance shorter - only 13 inches long.

I'm so happy with how it turned out! I think the fabric colors are vibrant and fun and I cannot wait to eat dinner tonight so I can look at it again. :)

 

What color would you use if you were going to redo your kitchen drapes or valance?

If you're wondering what is in the crockpot, it is a pot roast with onions, bell peppers, bbq sauce, beef broth and carrots. Yum!

I hope you try sewing a kitchen valance! If you use this tutorial to sew a valance please post a picture on the Seamingly Smitten facebook page!

 

Go sew something beautiful!