eBook
Available on Compatible NOOK devices, the free NOOK App and in My Digital Library.
Related collections and offers
Overview
About the Author
Lynn Weglarz is a past president and regional representative of the American Sewing Guild in the Pacific Northwest and an experienced sewing instructor for kids, teens, and adults. She lives in Portland, Oregon.
Read an Excerpt
I Can Sew
Easy Step-by-Step Instructions
By Lynn Weglarz
Annie's
Copyright © 2012 Annie'sAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-59217-483-6
CHAPTER 1
Ponytail Scrunchie
Start your sewing lesson with this easy hair accessory. Combine a small amount of fabric and elastic, and you have a great hair scrunchie!
SPECIFICATIONS
Scrunchie Size: Approximately 5-inch diameter
NEW SKILLS
• Learn to measure and cut fabric.
• Learn to straight stitch.
• Learn to use elastic.
• Learn to turn a long tube right side out.
WHAT YOU NEED
• ¼ yard cotton or cotton/polyester blend fabric
• All-purpose thread to match fabric
• ¼ yard ¼-inch-wide elastic
• Bodkin or safety pin
• Basic sewing tools and supplies
MAKING THE SCRUNCHIE
Refer to sewing terms on page 3 as needed to complete lesson. Reverse stitches at beginning and end of seams to prevent seams from unraveling.
1. Cut one strip 4 inches wide across the width of the fabric, approximately 42 inches, as shown in Figure 1.
2. Fold the strip of fabric in half along the length with the right sides together, matching the long raw edges as shown in Figure 2. Iron to hold.
3. Measure and mark a line 2 inches in from each end as shown in Figure 3.
4. Straight-stitch along the long raw edge using a ¼-inch seam allowance, starting and stopping at the marked lines as shown in Figure 4. This will form a tube.
5. Turn the stitched tube right side by attaching a safety pin to one end and pushing it through the tube to the other end; iron with seam flat on one edge referring to Figure 5.
6. Attach the length of elastic to the bodkin referring to the manufacturer's instructions or place a safety pin through one end. Pin the other end of the elastic to the center of one end of the tube as shown in Figure 6.
7. Insert the bodkin or safety pin into the tube on the same end and work the elastic through the tube to the opposite end, gathering the fabric onto the elastic as you go as shown in Figure 7. Remove the bodkin or safety pin and pin that end of the elastic to the center of one side of the end of the tube.
8. Pin the ends of the tube right sides together, making sure that the tube is not twisted and stitch to join ends making sure the elastic ends are stitched in the seam as shown in Figure 8.
9. Turn the raw edges of the unstitched area ¼ inch to the wrong side as shown in Figure 9. Iron to hold.
10. Pin the open edges together and stitch close to the folded edge to finish as shown in Figure 10.
CHAPTER 2Digital Music Player Carrier
Create this great carrier for your electronic music player.
SPECIFICATIONS
Carrier Size: Approximately 3 inches x 4 inches to fit a small digital music player
NEW SKILLS
• Learn to trace and use a pattern.
• Learn to measure and cut fabric.
• Learn to pivot and stitch corners.
• Learn to sew a button and loop closure.
• Learn to use a zigzag and basting stitch.
WHAT YOU NEED
• ¼ yard purple print fabric
• All-purpose thread to match fabric
• 1 yard 1/8-inch-wide ribbon
• Decorative button to close flap
• Fabric marker
• Basic sewing tools and supplies
MAKING THE CARRIER
Refer to sewing terms on page 3 as needed to complete lesson. Reverse stitches at beginning and end of seams to prevent seams from unraveling.
1. Trace and cut out the carrier pattern given on page 30. Transfer straight-grain arrow and cutting information to the traced pattern.
2. Fold the fabric in half with right sides together, matching the selvage edges, and pin edges together to hold as shown in Figure 1.
3. Pin the pattern to the folded fabric with the straight-grain arrow parallel to the selvage edges of the fabric as shown in Figure 2. Cut around the outside edges through both layers to cut two carrier shapes.
4. Remove the pattern from the fabric shapes.
5. Cut a piece of 1/8-inch-wide ribbon long enough to make a loop around the button plus 1 inch for inserting ends into the seam as shown in Figure 3.
6. Pin the ends of the ribbon to the right-side point of one flap piece as shown in Figure 4; machine-baste to hold in place.
7. With carrier shape pieces right sides together and matching raw edges, stitch along long edges, pivoting at corners and at pointed end of flap using a ¼-inch seam allowance and leaving the short straight end open as shown in Figure 5.
8. Referring to Figure 6, clip off corners close to seam to reduce bulk or thickness.
9. Turn right side out through the opening. Iron edges flat.
10. Turn open edges ¼ inch to the wrong side and stitch opening closed close to the folded edges as shown in Figure 7.
11. Fold the carrier to decide how deep the pocket will be to hold the digital music player as shown in Figure 8 (approximately 4 inches). Note: The straight edge will be the top of the pocket and the pointed flap with ribbon loop will be on the outside. Press the bottom edge.
12. Fold the pointed flap down over the pocket to decide where to place the button and mark with a fabric marker.
13. Unfold and hand-stitch the button in place, stitching with the knot on the inside and the button on the outside of the pocket. Stitch until button is secure without worry of falling off. End the stitching on the wrong side of the pocket, knotting the thread to end referring to Figure 9.
14. Fold the carrier again and place a pin on each side approximately ½inch down from top of pocket where the ribbon handle should be stitched as shown in Figure 10.
15. Pull back top edge over the pins for ribbon handle, and, using the remainder of the ribbon, pin ends of the ribbon in place on each side at pin markings and machine-baste in place to hold as shown in Figure 11.
16. Fold the top edge over the basted ribbon ends and pin edges together. Set your machine to a narrow, close zigzag stitch and stitch along the sides to hold the carrier edges together to finish as shown in Figure 12.
CHAPTER 3Perfect in Pink Pillowcase
Fall asleep to sweet dreams on a comfy flannel pillow.
SPECIFICATIONS
Pillowcase Size: Approximately 31 inches x 21 inches
NEW SKILLS
• Learn to work with larger pieces of fabric.
• Learn to gather and attach a ruffle.
• Learn how to finish a seam.
WHAT YOU NEED
• 1/3 yard pink print flannel for contrasting band
• ½ yard coordinating green cotton fabric for ruffle
• 7/8 yard pink flannel fabric for pillowcase body
• All-purpose thread to match fabric
• Basic sewing tools and supplies
MAKING THE PILLOWCASE
Refer to sewing terms on page 3 as needed to complete lesson. Reverse stitches at the beginning and end of seams to prevent seams from unraveling.
1. Cut two pieces of ruffle fabric 5½x 42 inches or the width of the fabric, whichever measurement is longer.
2. Using a ¼-inch seam allowance, join the two ruffle strips on the short ends with right sides together to make a 5½ x 84-inch or longer (depending on the width of the fabric strips) ruffle strip. Iron the seam open.
3. Fold the stitched ruffle strip with wrong sides together, matching the long raw edges and iron to make a double-layered strip.
4. To gather, sew two lines of basting stitches along the long raw edges of the double-layered ruffle strip — one ¼ inch from the edge and one ½ inch from the edge, referring to Figure 1.
5. Hold the two needle threads on one end of the stitched ruffle strip and pull, moving the fabric along the threads to gather. To help prevent the basting threads from pulling out as you gather, put a pin at the other end of the ruffle and wrap only the needle threads around the pin in a figure-8 as shown in Figure 2. Continue to gather the threads until the ruffle is approximately 42 inches long to fit the contrasting band cut in step 6.
6. Cut one 9 x 42-inch strip pink print flannel. Fold this strip with wrong sides together along the length to make a 4 ½ x 42-inch, double-layered strip.
7. Pin the gathered ruffle to the pink print double-layered band, pinning at each end and at the center. Adjust gathers to make ruffle fit the pink print band, having ½ inch of ruffle at each end flat without gathering as shown in Figure 3.
8. When satisfied with ruffle placement, machine-baste ruffle in place using a ½-inch seam allowance to hold.
9. Cut one 27½ x 42-inch strip pink flannel for pillowcase body.
10. Pin the pink print band to the pillowcase body fabric with the ruffle between the layers as shown in Figure 4; machine-baste to hold.
11. Stitch the basted layers together with a ½-inch seam allowance.
12. Finish the seam with a three-step zigzag stitch to keep seams from unraveling.
13. Fold the pillowcase in half with right sides together, matching the seams as shown in Figure 5. Stitch along the short pillowcase body end and long raw edges using a ½-inch seam allowance.
14. Finish the seam with a three-step zigzag stitch.
15. Turn the pillowcase right side out and iron the seam flat to finish.
CHAPTER 4Drawstring Backpack
This backpack is perfect for carrying books to school or clothes to a sleepover. Drawstrings close the pack and serve as straps.
SPECIFICATIONS
Backpack Size: Approximately 20½ inches x 17¼ inches
NEW SKILLS
• Learn to pivot and turn when stitching.
• Learn to create a casing.
• Learn to thread cord through a casing.
WHAT YOU NEED
• ¾ yard print cotton fabric
• All-purpose thread to match fabric
• 3 yards ¼-inch–3/8-inch decorative cord
• Seam sealant or clear-drying glue
• Fabric marker
• Basic sewing tools and supplies
MAKING THE BACKPACK
Refer to sewing terms on page 3 as needed to complete lesson. Reverse stitches at the beginning and end of seams to prevent seams from unraveling.
1. Cut two 18 x 23-inch pieces of fabric for backpack.
2. Cut one 3½ x 14-inch strip of fabric for tabs.
3. Fold the long raw edges of the 3 ½ x 14-inch tab strip to the center as shown in Figure 1. Iron to hold in place.
4. Fold the ironed long edges together and press to make a four-layered finished strip referring to Figure 2.
5. Stitch close to both long edges to finish the tab strip, again referring to Figure 2.
6. Fold the tab strip in half and cut along the fold to make two same-length tabs as shown in Figure 3.
7. On the right side of the fabric and using a fabric marker, mark 2 inches up from the bottom edge on both 23-inch sides of one backpack rectangle as shown in Figure 4.
8. Fold each one of the tabs in half matching raw edges and pin in place above the marked 2-inch lines on the backpack rectangle referring to Figure 5. Machine-baste ¼-inch from edge to hold in place.
9. Make a mark 1½ inches down from the top edge on the wrong side of each side of the backpack rectangle with tabs. Repeat with a second mark 2 inches down referring to Figure 6.
10. Place the second backpack rectangle right sides together with the backpack rectangle with the tabs and pin side and bottom edges together.
11. Starting at one top edge, secure stitches with reverse stitches and stitch to the first mark and reverse stitching again. Leave a space and start stitching again (reversing stitches at beginning and end of seam) at the second mark to the mark on the other side using a ½-inch seam allowance, pivoting seams at the bottom corners as shown in Figure 7.
12. Clip corner seams to reduce thickness and to keep corners flat. Iron the side seam open at the top edges to the 2-inch mark, clip below the opening to the seam, but not through the seam as shown in Figure 8.
13. Starting below the clipped seam, finish the side and bottom seams with a three-step zigzag.
14. Referring to Figure 9, iron ½ inch to the wrong side on the top edge of the backpack. Iron 1 inch over again, bringing the opening to the top edge of the outside of the backpack. Stitch close to the top folded edge and to the inside folded edge to form a casing as shown in Figure 10.
15. Fold the cord in half and wrap a piece of tape around the center. Cut through the tape to make two same-length pieces of cord.
Note: The tape keeps the ends from unraveling when cutting.
16. Attach cord to a bodkin or safety pin and pull through the casing, starting and ending at the same side seam opening. Repeat with the second piece of cord through the opposite-side opening.
17. To create straps, put one cord through the tab at the bottom of the backpack as shown in Figure 11. Remove the tape and tie the ends together. Repeat on the opposite side of the backpack to finish.
18. Place seam sealant or a drop of clear-drying glue on the cord ends to prevent unraveling, or let ends unravel if you prefer the fringed look.
CHAPTER 5Secret Pocket Pillow
This pillow has a hidden pocket — perfect for hiding your journal or favorite things away from prying eyes. Add a flower to make this a really cool accent pillow for your bed.
SPECIFICATIONS
Pillow Size: Approximately 17" x 17"
NEW SKILLS
• Learn to make a pocket.
• Learn to stuff a pillow.
• Learn to hand-stitch a pillow opening closed.
• Learn to use hook-and-loop closures.
• Learn to turn stitch curved pattern pieces.
WHAT YOU NEED
• 3-inch square green fabric for flower center
• ¼ yard pink print fabric for flower petals
• 1 ¼ yards pink cotton or cotton/polyester blend fabric for pillow
• All-purpose thread to match fabric
• 6 inch x 24-inch strip batting
• 3-inch square fusible web
• 9 inches soft hook-and-loop tape
• 1 package fiberfill
• Template plastic or pattern tracing paper
• Fabric marker
• Basic sewing tools and supplies
MAKING THE PILLOW
Refer to sewing terms on page 3 as needed to complete lesson. Reverse stitches at the beginning and end of seams to prevent seams from unraveling.
1. Cut two 18-inch squares pink pillow fabric for pillow back and front.
2. Cut two 11 x 15-inch rectangles pink pillow fabric for secret pocket.
3. Trace the petal pattern, on page 31, onto template material or pattern tracing paper. Fold the print flower fabric in half with right sides together to make two layers. Referring to Figure 1, trace the petal pattern onto template plastic or pattern tracing paper and cut out. Trace around the petal pattern on the wrong side of the folded flower fabric. Place pins inside the traced petal. Repeat to trace five petal shapes. Cut out each shape on the traced lines, keeping layers pinned together.
4. Using the pattern, cut five petals from the batting.
5. To make one petal, select one set of pinned petal shapes. Layer pinned petal shapes on batting. With batting on bottom, stitch around the curved edges using a ¼-inch seam allowance, leaving the straight end open.
6. Clip into the curves and trim batting close to seam as shown in Figure 2. Turn right side out. Iron the petal, keeping the curved edges smooth. Run a pencil eraser inside along the seam to smooth seam at the curved edges before or while ironing.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 to make a total of five petals.
8. Pin the petals on one 18-inch pillow square, centering and overlapping ends as shown in Figure 3.
9. Iron the square of fusible web to the wrong side of the 3-inch green fabric square referring to manufacturer's instructions. Trace the center pattern given onto pattern tracing paper and cut out. Trace around the pattern on the paper side of the fused square. Cut out on the traced lines and remove the paper backing.
10. Place the center circle on top of the petals' ends and iron in place.
11. Using a close zigzag stitch, stitch around the flower center to anchor the petals onto the pillow front.
12. Hand-stitch the tip of each petal to the pillow front using a needle with a double-knotted thread and small, close-together stitches.
13. Using a fabric marker, draw a ½-inch square on two corners of each 11 x 15-inch pocket rectangle as shown in Figure 4.
14. Make a mark 5½ inches from the left edge on both 18-inch pillow squares, again referring to Figure 4.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from I Can Sew by Lynn Weglarz. Copyright © 2012 Annie's. Excerpted by permission of Annie's.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Lesson 1: Ponytail Scrunchie,Lesson 2: Digital Music Player Carrier,
Lesson 3: Perfect in Pink Pillowcase,
Lesson 4: Drawstring Backpack,
Lesson 5: Secret Pocket Pillow,
Lesson 6: Doll Skirt,
Lesson 7: Doll Shirt,
Lesson 8: Apron for Mom,