Thread Thrills: 2014

Hi Everyone,

I have been very busy over the last month or two which is why you will find this blog has had no new posts since November.

One of my New Year Resolutions for 2014 is to keep sewing and making a variety of things. This includes keeping up with my blog. So next year, you will find some changes on Thread Thrills. I will have a new post every week or so, different techniques, more images, tips, stitches, polls and fabrics. I know I have probably promised this to you before, but as I had no experience with a blog before, I was a bit scatter brained and very, very busy.

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and I look forward to another year ahead of Thread Thrills.

Christmas Gift Bags

I am about to begin my sewing for Christmas. There are so many things you can make that will be fabulous gift ideas.

But what do you wrap your present in? Wrapping paper, obviously. But there are some other ways to decorate your gift...

Basically, you make a large pouch that your gift can fit into. Make sure you use Christmas themed fabric and a matching ribbon.

Your recipient will get to keep the gift and the gift bag, which is a bonus.

Merry Christmas!

How to make a pretty hair tie

I have just learnt how to make a hair tie. They are really cute accessories and are really easy to make.

Difficulty Rating:  Very easy
Time: 15-25 minutes hand sewn.                                          

What you need:

- Needle
- White thread
- 1 big matching button
- Black hair tie [ you can but these from a chemist or a super market]
- Cotton fabric
- Fabric scissors
- Cotton scissors

Note: This can be done with any fabric but it is best to start with cotton.

How to make a pretty hair tie

1. Cut a large circle from your fabric.
2. Thread your needle with a single thread.
3. Secure your thread in the fabric.
4.Do a tacking stitch around the edges of the circle.
5. When you have sewn all the way around your circle, gently pull the fabric with your thread until it bunches up in the center.
6. Pull your thread through to the back of the hair tie
7. Position your button in the center of the hair tie, at the front.
8. Bring your needle and thread through the first hole of the button.
9. Bring your needle down through the other hole.
10. Repeat steps 5 to 6 times or until secure.
11. Bring needle through the back of the hair tie.
12. Position your black hair tie where your thread is.
13. Secure your thread in place.
14. Attach the black hair tie with an over stitch. Do this 10 to 12 times.

Your hair tie is now finished!

You can make hair ties for Christmas, Easter, Halloween etc.

Enjoy!

How to make a sock monkey

In my sewing class at school we have learnt how to make a sock monkey.

Sock monkeys are cute toys that you can cuddle, put on your desk for show and admire.

Difficulty rating: Medium

What you need:                                                           
- 1 pair of socks.
- needle
- matching thread to the colour of the socks
- black embroidery thread
- pink embroidery thread
- fabric scissors
- cotton scissors
- two black buttons
- lots of stuffing
- fabric pen
- pin

Template

The sock on the left is the sock where you will cut out your sock monkeys ears,arms, tail and mouth. The sock on the right is the sock with the body and the legs.


How to make a sock monkey

The body:

1. Lay out your two socks.
2. Turn both of your socks inside out.
3. Take a sock, You will notice a faint crease down the center of your sock.
4. Align the creases on either side of the sock. Make sure the heel of the sock is straight and also in line.
5. Flip the sock over so you can not see the heel.
6. At the top of your sock, draw 1 even legs up the sock until you reach the heel.
7. Repeat instruction 6 on the opposite side.
8. Sew back stitch along the line of the first leg you have drawn. When you reach the end of that leg make a knot and cut you thread.
9. Repeat instruction 8 on the opposite leg.
10. Using fabric scissors, cut along the two legs, about half a centimeter away from the seam, until you reach the top of your two legs.
11.Between the tops of your two legs, cut using fabric scissors.
12. Gently turn your sock monkey body inside out.
13. You will see an opening at the the top of the two legs. Stuff the body carefully through there, including the legs. Gently push it in with a pencil.
14. At the opening of the body, do slip stitch in matching thread. For clearer instructions on how to do slip stitch, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWlE_-mS1-M .

The limbs

Now it is time to make the arms and tail of your sock monkey.

1. Trace the 2 arms and tail [ template shown above ]onto your second sock. Make sure it is inside out.

2. Sew back stitch along the arms and tail.

3. Cut your arms and tail out. Make sure you cut half a centimeter away from the seam. 

4. When you reach the top of your arms and tail, cut across the fabric, so your arms and tail are fully cut out.

5. Turn the arms and tail inside out.

6. Stuff the arms and tail carefully until you have one centimeter of fabric left at the top of the arm.

Attaching the limbs

This is how you attach the limbs.

1. Position your arms and tail where you want them to go.

2. Sew a slip stitch, connecting the arms and tail to the body.

The mouth

1. Cut around the heel of the sock using fabric scissors.
2. Turn it inside out.
3. Position the mouth where you want it to go on the body.
4. Pin the mouth in place at the bottom of the heel.
5. Add a little bit of stuffing into the mouth.
6. Sew a slip stitch, attaching the mouth to the body. Make sure you remove the pin.
7. Using your fabric pen, trace a smile onto the mouth.
8. Using pink embroidery thread, sew a back stitch onto the smile you have marked.

Some people also do a french knot at the sides of the mouth to make the sock monkey more realistic.

The eyes

1. Position your two black buttons onto your sock monkey, just above the mouth.
2. Using black embroidery thread, sew your buttons onto your sock monkey with across stitch. Repeat this stitch 3 to 4 times, or until secure.

The ears

1. Using your fabric pen, trace 2 large ears [ template shown above ]
2. Sew a back stitch along the trace.
3. Cut out your ears. Remember to cut at least half  a centimeter away from the seam.
4. Position your ears onto the sock monkeys head.
5. Sew a slip stitch, attaching the ears to the head.

You have just made a sock monkey! Congratulations!

Folk Art Needlecraft

I have received a really cool sewing book from my friend Rosie { rosiepatcher.blogspot.com.au } and it has some great sewing ideas. However, most of these ideas are for experienced sewers so the projects in this book may not be appropriate for your sewing ability. When you are capable of neat, precise stitches and have some knowledge of sewing, you should definitely try these creative projects.

Your favourite Sewing Toolbox

Recently I did a post on my favourite sewing toolboxes. You are welcome to vote for your favourite one that I have shown, or tell me one of your personal favourites.

Please comment below!

 

Sewing Rule #1- Instructions

There are many rules in the sewing world. A very important one is:

Read through all the instructions before you do a project

This can be crucial to your project. You don't want finish your project and realise you misunderstood the instructions, so that your piece is lopsided and ruined forever. The end.

But when you read through the instructions before commencing your project, your piece will be marvellous and sell for $200.

So, once again, always read the instructions before sewing.

By the way, this is how you will feel when you have read through the instructions:

Hemming stitch

Hemming stitch is used for hemming. It is sort of like blanket stitch.

How to do hemming stitch:

1. Tie knot in thread.
2. Fold a seam and pin in place.
3. Bring the needle through the fabric below the fold { as small as you can do it } about one tiny weave in the fabric. Do not pull yet.
4. Bring needle also up through the fold { as small as you can do it } about one tiny weave in the fabric. Now pull thread through.
5. Repeat sequence.

Apologies for confusing instructions. Images coming soon.

Sewing tool boxes

If you sew, have fun with your sewing tool box! They are great to decorate or you can buy one that looks cute.

Below are some images of my favourite sewing tool boxes/sewing kits found on Google images.

More cute sewing boxes...coming soon

Whip stitch

Whip stitch is very simple. It is used to join a fold to a fabric or two fabrics together.

How to do whip stitch:

1. Make a fold { if you haven't got one already }. Pin in place.
2. Thread needle and secure in fabric.
3. Bring needle up through the fold
4. Bring needle down through the fabric diagonally below the fold .
5. Repeat sequence.

Below is an image of the whip stitch.

Kids Crafternoon- Sewing

I recently borrowed a sewing book from my local library. I was thrilled to see so many new, fun ideas. Later, after I have completed some of these projects, I will do a post on them.

How to make a feltie

There are dozens of felties to choose from and make. Later on, I will do a post on felties.

Stem stitch

The stem stitch is the opposite side of back stitch. The only difference is that you are trying to make the back of back stitch straight which is stem stitch. Hold the fabric where you will do stem stitch to face you. 

How to do stem stitch:

1. Thread your needle and bring through the fabric 3 or 4 times to make it secure.

2. With the needle and thread facing the opposite direction you are in, do a starting stitch { - } .

3. Bring the needle up through the fabric and back to the start where you threaded your needle.

4. Repeat sequence.

My apologies if these instructions are confusing.

Below is the stem stitch in green thread. The yellow stitch is back stitch.

Sewing Work Book

Every sewer should have their own sewing book to place their ideas, samples and designs into.

I bought mine at Officeworks { http://www.officeworks.com.au } for $9.45. It has a hard cover with blank pages.

The other option is to buy a portfolio with plastic pockets, making it easier to keep your samples in.

Below is my sewing work book.

Back stitch

Back stitch is the strongest of all stitches. They form lines and are most often used to outline shapes or to add detail to an embroidered picture. 

How to do back stitch:

1. Thread needle and bring up through fabric. Then bring needle down through fabric. Repeat sequence 2 times, going over the previous stitch. This will be more secure than tying a knot.
2. Bring needle up a stitch length away.
3. Bring needle back down to where you started.
4. Bring needle up at stitch length away from step 2. 
5. Repeat sequence.

As you will see, your stitches are going forward, then backwards.

The yellow stitch above is the back stitch. The green stitch below is the stem stitch. 

Always try to have straight stitches.

What is open weave and what is closed weave?

Open weave and closed weave. What are these things and what do they mean?

These are sewing terms, and are used to described the weave of a fabric. Ever looked really closely at the fabric? You will see that there are tiny stitches there that make the fabric. When the stitches are close together, this is called a closed weave. When they are far apart, this is called an open weave.

Sometimes the needle or fabric you buy can depend on closed weave or open weave. For example, can a thick needle with a large eye fit through a closed weaved fabric? These are very important things to think about before sewing.

How to make a pocket book

I recently made a pocket book late one night out of some spare material. It was the first time I'd ever made one.

What you need:

- { you can always adjust the size }

   17 cms by 13 cms of strong cotton fabric                       

- 1 matching button

- Sharp needle

- Pins

- Iron

- Fabric scissors

- Cotton scissors

- Matching thread

How to make a pocket book:

1. Cut your fabric with your fabric scissors.

2. Iron it carefully.

3. With the faded side of the material, fold it forward 10cms.

4. At the 2 sides of the fabric fold a seam and pin it in place.

5. Thread needle and tie knot in end. 

6. On both seams, do running stitch until you reach the end of the seam.

7. Turn the pocket book inside out.

8. Fold half a cm back of the flap on each side { there are three sides }

9. Along these sides do the hemming stitch in matching thread.

10. Fold your flap forwards { facing you } and find a position for your button.

11.  Fold your flap backwards { facing you } and sew the button on the actual pocket. Do not sew it on the flap, but make sure it matches the proposed position.

12. In the same position your button is in, cut a small slit on the flap.

13. Around the slit, do satin stitch.

14. Put your button through the slit and your pocket book is done!

Sewing Repairs

After my basketball match today, I looked at the bottom of my top and realised it was undone. As soon as I got home, I whipped out my sewing kit and repaired it. It was nice and easy to do while watching TV. All I did was a simple blanket stitch of the two fabrics, in matching colours.

Now I feel extremely satisfied with myself. Always remember: ' It's only work well doing when it's work well done'.

Below are a few images of my repaired uniform.

Coming soon- Tapestry Needs

Before you begin tapestry, you need the correct materials.

About tapestry:

People do tapestry to create pictures, sometimes known as ' pixel pictures ' . Some tapestry pictures can be so small that you can turn one into a brooch or a key ring.

What you need:

- Plain tapestry canvas

- Tapestry needles
- Tapestry wool
- Coloured textas
- Graph paper

Below are a few images of what you need.

Tapestry needles

Tapestry wool

Tapestry canvas

Graph paper

Coloured textas

Tip: Make sure your tapestry wool is pure wool. This is always the best quality.

Op-shop Hunting

If you want to find affordable good quality fabric, you should look in op-shops. People who haven't got the time for sewing { mostly } donate their wonderful materials. I reccommend going to op-shops such as Salvos http://salvosstores.salvos.org.au/ , Vinnies http://www.vinnies.org.au/donations-in-material-national or any random op-shop.

Support your local op-shops.