Kruzich - Retro mama scrap happy sewing - 18 easy sewing projects

www.stitchcraftcreate.co.uk

It took a number of years before I caught the sewing bug, even though I grew up watching my mom sew. Each year around Halloween, I spent hours studying her snip and stitch beautiful stacks of fabric into terrifying shark costumes for my brother and glittery princess gowns for me, but it seemed such a magical transformation that I didnt believe I could possibly learn those skills myself.

After I was married, my mom bought me a basic sewing machine using Betty Crocker points she had saved, so I could mend clothes and other things around the house. A few years later, when I had kids, I decided in my sleep-deprived state that I needed a creative outlet, and at Christmas time made aprons for the gals in my life. I squinted and seam-ripped and swore (mostly under my breath) my way through that store-bought pattern in the quiet hours of the night when my little boys were sleeping, and ended up with several aprons that I couldnt have been more proud of. I had a sense that sewing could, and should, be easier, and as I gradually taught myself how to sew, I found it simpler to devise my own patterns than to follow those designed for experienced seamstresses.

I opened a little shop online selling headbands and aprons of my own design, and continued to expand my sewing repertoire, learning to make pincushions, bags, and soft toys by trial and error. There is something immensely satisfying about collecting bits of felt and fabric and thread and stuffing, and then working, hunched over the sewing machine like a mad scientist, until you have produced an adorable stuffed animal that your bouncing baby is giving a real-life squeeze. I couldnt wait to share my patterns in my shop and on my blog so that others could have the same experience. And now, I am thrilled to be able to offer a collection of new patterns in the form of this book!

All of the projects are made or embellished with scraps, remnants, and small quantities of fabric. It didnt take long for me to accumulate lots of fabric scraps, trims, and buttons, and I bet its the same for you! Even if you are new to sewing, you may have found it difficult to part with a favorite wool jacket too damaged to repair, or a childs soft corduroy pants, long outgrown. So dig into favorite scrap fabrics, make use of those old garments, and create something new and magical for yourself and your loved ones!

This book was written with the beginning stitcher in mind, so even if you have little sewing experience, you will find that all the patterns have step-by-step photos and thorough instructions. For beginners and those returning to sewing I have included a list of essential tools for your Basic Sewing Kit and information on fabric to help you build (or rediscover) your stash. The templates you will need and the basic techniques used are given after the project sections. At the end of the book you will find my favorite resources for fabrics and sewing notions.

My hope is that whether you are an experienced stitcher or just starting out, you will find new techniques to try, experiment with different ways to use materials, and develop your creativity by customizing and embellishing the projects to your own style. So lets dive into that scrap basket and start creating!

Kim

For Mom, Sewing Sorceress

• Read the project instructions all the way through before starting a project, to help you visualize it and plan ahead. This will save time and hopefully reduce mileage on the seam ripper.
• Review the Techniques section to familiarize yourself with the methods and terminology that repeat throughout the projects. There you will find photographs and descriptions to help you learn or re-learn the skills.
• For the machine stitches and hand stitches used refer to Techniques: Machine Stitches and Techniques: Hand Stitches.
• A projects materials list will say where templates need to be used to cut the fabric pieces, so check the Templates section for the templates you will need for each project.
• Templated items in the materials list with a * next to them are to be cut at the start of a project. Those templated pieces without should be cut during the making process (as indicated in the project instructions).
• Measurements are listed in both imperial and metric units. All the projects were sewn with the imperial dimensions, so I recommend using these measurements.
• Be creative! Add your own embellishments, experiment with different trims and hand stitching, and personalize the projects to make the style just right for you or the recipient of your beautiful, handmade gift.

Whether you are new to sewing, returning after a long hiatus, or just need a refresher, you will want to have the following tools for craft sewing.

You do not need an expensive sewing machine for craft sewing! Many inexpensive models have more than enough functions to make a ton of gorgeous projects. My favorite features to look for on a machine are: a top-load bobbin with a see-through window, multiple stitch functions including zigzag stitch and triple stitch, adjustable needle position, and a free arm for sewing circular items, such as the topstitching on a bag. If you intend to make clothes you will want your machine to have buttonhole stitches as well.

Many machines come with basic presser feet (see ), though you may find that you need to purchase additional feet as you build your sewing repertoire. The following are my most used presser feet.

• A general-purpose foot for all-round sewing. I use it for piecing patchwork, triple-stitching reinforced seams on toys, and sometimes for zigzag stitching appliqus.
• A zipper foot for installing zippers. Its also useful for sewing seams very close to the edge of folded fabric.
• An appliqu foot looks similar to a general-purpose foot, but the bottom is transparent, allowing more visibility when sewing around appliqus.
• A quarter-inch foot is sized so that if you place the fabric you are sewing directly under the foot, lining it up just to the right-hand edge, your seam allowance will be exactly 14in. You can also achieve a 14in seam allowance with a general-purpose foot if you are able to adjust the needle position on your machine.
• A walking foot/even feed foot is designed for sewing through multiple layers of fabric, such as when quilting. It has its own set of feed dogs to help feed the fabric from the top and bottom. Use this foot any time your project has batting (wadding).

All the projects in this book require sharps needles (universal needles). I use 80/12 for lightweight fabrics and quilting cotton, 90/14 for slightly heavier fabrics and topstitching, and 100/16 for sewing through denim, other heavy fabrics, or many layers of fabric. I recommend changing your sewing machine needle after each project, when you begin quilting or topstitching, or if your machine starts to skip stitches, the thread tangles frequently, or the stitches become uneven.