Good things are coming. (But what kind of fabric store doesn’t sell zippers?)

Good things are coming. (But what kind of fabric store doesn’t sell zippers?)

Today I made a set of reversible placemats. This would be a great first project for anyone new to using a sewing machine, and would make a quick and easy housewarming gift. Here’s how I did it. I marked the dimensions of a placemat I already had on a piece of newspaper. Then I measured an extra 1/2” all around the edges for a seam allowance, and cut on that line. I pinned my newspaper pattern to my (prewashed, pressed) fabric and cut it out. For four placemats, I needed a bit less than a yard of each fabric (my fabrics were 45” wide). I took one cutout of each fabric and pinned them together with their right sides facing, then sewed around the edges with a 1/2” seam, leaving a gap of a few inches along one side. I clipped a little triangle out of each corner so that the fabric wouldn’t bunch, then used the gap I’d left to turn the placemat right-side-out. I sewed around the entire edge of the placemat with a contrasting thread (totally just accidentally typed “yarn”!) to make it look neater and seal the gap. The only thing I would do differently in the future is to make sure to choose two fabrics that are the same weight. My blue-and-white fabric is a bit lighter than the other and I think these would feel more structured and lie more perfectly flat if it were heavier. Still, I’m really pleased with these and making four of the same thing in a row was good practice — I was so much more confident by the last one.

Today I made a set of reversible placemats. This would be a great first project for anyone new to using a sewing machine, and would make a quick and easy housewarming gift. Here’s how I did it.

  1. I marked the dimensions of a placemat I already had on a piece of newspaper. Then I measured an extra 1/2” all around the edges for a seam allowance, and cut on that line.
  2. I pinned my newspaper pattern to my (prewashed, pressed) fabric and cut it out. For four placemats, I needed a bit less than a yard of each fabric (my fabrics were 45” wide).
  3. I took one cutout of each fabric and pinned them together with their right sides facing, then sewed around the edges with a 1/2” seam, leaving a gap of a few inches along one side.
  4. I clipped a little triangle out of each corner so that the fabric wouldn’t bunch, then used the gap I’d left to turn the placemat right-side-out.
  5. I sewed around the entire edge of the placemat with a contrasting thread (totally just accidentally typed “yarn”!) to make it look neater and seal the gap.

The only thing I would do differently in the future is to make sure to choose two fabrics that are the same weight. My blue-and-white fabric is a bit lighter than the other and I think these would feel more structured and lie more perfectly flat if it were heavier. Still, I’m really pleased with these and making four of the same thing in a row was good practice — I was so much more confident by the last one.

Naturally, as soon as I managed to wind a bobbin and thread my sewing machine the other day, I had to find some scrap fabric and try it out. Trying to line this bag was apparently a little ambitious and it’s far from perfect, but it’s a first try I’m happy with, and more importantly I’m getting a feel for my machine. (I’m even more happy about the knitting project inside, which is aaaalmost finished!)

Naturally, as soon as I managed to wind a bobbin and thread my sewing machine the other day, I had to find some scrap fabric and try it out. Trying to line this bag was apparently a little ambitious and it’s far from perfect, but it’s a first try I’m happy with, and more importantly I’m getting a feel for my machine.

(I’m even more happy about the knitting project inside, which is aaaalmost finished!)

So this is on the scene now, and I hope I’ll be posting sewing projects here soon along with knitting ones. I’ve been looking forward to having a sewing machine for a long time, and I’m full of ideas but probably not of the skills to execute them yet. I sewed a lot in high school, but it’s been long enough that I’m pretty much starting from scratch. Some early project ideas: Drawstring bags to hold knitting works-in-progress One of these little zippy bags* Fleece pockets to hand-sew into a coat with ripped pockets** An apron And with practice, eventually I’d like to make things like the Pinwheel Skirt* and the Coffee Date Dress! * Thanks to stitchesandpurls for posting these links! **Admittedly a sewing machine is not really necessary for these at all.

So this is on the scene now, and I hope I’ll be posting sewing projects here soon along with knitting ones. I’ve been looking forward to having a sewing machine for a long time, and I’m full of ideas but probably not of the skills to execute them yet. I sewed a lot in high school, but it’s been long enough that I’m pretty much starting from scratch.

Some early project ideas:

  • Drawstring bags to hold knitting works-in-progress
  • One of these little zippy bags*
  • Fleece pockets to hand-sew into a coat with ripped pockets**
  • An apron

And with practice, eventually I’d like to make things like the Pinwheel Skirt* and the Coffee Date Dress!

* Thanks to stitchesandpurls for posting these links!
**Admittedly a sewing machine is not really necessary for these at all.

I am aware that a pillowcase is just about the world’s simplest project, but it’s also the most I’ve sewn in a long time, and I am happy about it.

I am aware that a pillowcase is just about the world’s simplest project, but it’s also the most I’ve sewn in a long time, and I am happy about it.