Table of contents for Quick & Easy Sewing Projects in Quick & Easy Sewing Projects

This checklist covers the equipment that you will find indispensable as you learn new sewing techniques and improve your quilting skills. There’s nothing more frustrating than sitting down to start on a project and realising that your scissors have gone missing and your needles have been led astray, so keep it all together in a workbox next to your sewing machine, so that everything is nicely close to hand when you begin. SEWING MACHINE You only need a basic straight-stitch sewing machine for most of the projects in this bookazine – even a well‑maintained hand model will do. Make sure to use a sharp, universal needle, and change it regularly. Most sewing machines are supplied with a foot that has seam allowance measurements marked on the right edge, so you…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Four fabric fat quarters✱ Matching sewing thread 1 Cut two 25x45cm pieces from each fabric. Take four of the pieces and arrange into your preferred order. Sew right sides together along the short edges with a 1cm seam allowance to form a strip. Press seams open. Repeat with the remaining fabrics in a different order. 2 Matching the seams, pin and sew the two strips together along the long sides, with right sides facing and a 1cm seam allowance, to make a tube. 3 Turn the tube right side out and match up the seam allowances at the open ends. Pin and sew the openings together, with right sides facing and 1cm seam allowance. You will only be able to sew about three-quarters of the way around. Turn the…

Difficulty level SIZE 21 x 11 cm YOU WILL NEED ✱ Tracing paper and pencil✱ Access to a photocopier✱ 40 x 40cm square of patterned fabric✱ 25 x 15cm rectangle of medium-weight wadding Bodkin✱ 60cm of 1.8cm-wide bias binding✱ 37cm x 1.5cm wide elastic✱ Matching sewing thread Stockist: Tilda Bloomsville Flowertangle cotton fabric, £3.75 per fat quarter, Sewing Direct; sewingdirect.co.uk 1 Trace the template (right) onto folded tracing paper, matching the broken lines to the fold. Mark the arrows and dots, then enlarge on a photocopier. Cut out and open out flat. From patterned fabric, cut one 48 x 5.5cm bias strip for the elastic channel and one pair of sleep masks. From wadding, cut one sleep mask. 2 Fold the elastic casing lengthwise in half with right sides facing. Stitch the…

Difficulty level SIZE Newborn YOU WILL NEED ✱ Access to a photocopier✱ Tracing paper and pencil✱ 30cm of 140cm wide dinosaur-patterned jersey fabric✱ 30 x 25cm rectangle of soft iron-on interfacing✱ 30 x 25cm rectangle of plain jersey fabric✱ 30 x 25cm rectangle of terry towelling✱ 20 x 10cm rectangle of bonding web✱ 2 x 2cm square of sew-on Velcro✱ 90cm of 6mm wide elastic✱ Bodkin✱ Matching sewing threads Stockist: Dinosaur leaves blue cotton jersey fabric, £14.90m, plain jersey, £9.90m, both Little Legs Fabrics; littlelegsfabrics.co.uk Making paper patterns On a photocopier, enlarge the patterns by 360%, then place under folded tracing paper, matching the broken lines on the bib and tie to the fold, and draw out the outlines. Mark the arrows, notches and the position for the Velcro. Cut…

Difficulty level Finished size Vertical bag 20 x 21cm Horizontal bag 9 x 23.5cm YOU WILL NEED ✱ Tracing paper and pencil✱ 25cm of 112cm wide lightweight denim fabric✱ 25cm of 110cm wide mustard patterned cotton fabric✱ 30cm square of three coordinating patterned cotton fabrics✱ 45cm of 90cm wide lightweight wadding✱ One 20cm zip for vertical bag✱ One 22.5cm zip for horizontal bag✱ 20cm of 1cm-wide ribbon✱ Matching sewing threads Making the pattern Trace the petal pattern on to tracing paper. Mark the arrow. Cut out the pattern. Cutting out For each bag Cut a total of 12 petals from the patterned fabrics. Cut two 5 x 2.5cm rectangles for zip end covers from mustard patterned fabric. For the vertical bag Cut two 24 x 24cm squares from the denim,…

Difficulty level STARS & STRIPES Choose one print for the sweatshirt body and another for the arms, then tie the two together with details in the starry cuffs and stripy pocket YOU WILL NEED ✱ Old sweatshirt✱ Safety pin✱ Scissors✱ Stars print soft sweatshirt dress fabric✱ Cotton jersey stripe sweatshirt fabric✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Pins Draft the pattern Use an old sweatshirt to create a template. YOU WILL NEED ✱ Old sweatshirt✱ Safety pin✱ Scissors 1 For a set-in sleeve, place a safety pin to mark the point of the shoulder seam, then remove the sleeves by cutting just inside the stitching line around the armpit. 2 Cut the cuffs off the sleeves and cut down the stitching to open flat. Repeat with the neck binding and the hem cuff. Snip just…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Two 45 x 55cm canvas lining fabric✱ Two 45 x 55cm foam batting✱ Two 1.5m lengths of 30mm-wide webbing✱ Two 45 x 55cm canvas outer fabric✱ Matching sewing thread Stockists: Merchant & Mills sturdy webbing in Orange, £3.49m, Robert Kaufman Big Sur cotton canvas fabric in Yellow, £17.99m, both minerva.com; Cotton + Steel Bramble Citrus Grove canvas in Navy, £22.50m, sewhot.co.uk Note: Take 1.5cm seam allowances throughout. 1 Stack a piece of lining fabric right side up on top of a piece of foam batting. Top with an outer fabric piece, right sides down. Sew together along one long edge. Repeat for the remaining pieces. Press, trim seams to 5mm and open out the bag pieces flat. 2 Pin the webbing lengths in a loop on the…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 70 x 127cm striped bath towel✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Rotary cutter, quilting ruler and cutting mat NOTE Take 1.5cm seam allowances throughout. Our snug beach hoodie is made from a single towel, cut into six pieces (see diagram for cutting instructions), and makes use of the towel’s original edging. The measurements we’ve given fit a two-to-three-yearold, so adjust accordingly and buy more towels if you’re making for older children. As towelling frays, run a quick zigzag stitch around the cut edges of all the pieces, to make it easier to work with. 1 Cut out pieces of the hoodie, as per the diagram. Take the hood piece and cut off the two side hems, then fold in half along the long edge, right sides facing…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 14 x 17in light blue cotton✱ 11 x 25in patterned cotton✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Fusible batting✱ 25cm black zip✱ Sewing machine✱ Zipper foot✱ Quilting ruler✱ Rotary cutter and cutting mat✱ Hand-sewing needle (optional) Stockists: Moda Fabrics Bella Solids fabric in Blue Raspberry, £10m, Art Gallery Fabrics The Flower Society in Dreamlike Daisies, £15m, both The Fabric Fox; thefabricfox.co.uk NOTE Sew with right sides facing and ⅛in seam allowances throughout, unless stated otherwise. 1 From the plain cotton, cut eight 1¾in squares, one 4in square, two 2½ x 5½in rectangles, two 1¾ x 9¾in rectangles and one 8½ x 9¾in rectangle. 2 From the patterned cotton, cut one 3¼in square, four 2⅜in squares, two 7¾ x 8¾in rectangles, one 2in square and one 2 x 25in strip. From…

SIZE 25cm Diameter YOU WILL NEED ✱ Access to a photocopier✱ 30 x 20cm rectangle of cream-patterned cotton fabric✱ 20 x 10cm rectangle of gold metallic linen fabric✱ 20 x 10cm rectangle of mustard-patterned cotton fabric✱ 20 x 10cm rectangle of peach and mustard felt fabric✱ 30 x 20cm rectangle of peach-patterned cotton fabric✱ Cream 4-ply cotton yarn✱ Sixteen 8mm diameter wooden beads✱ Six 2cm diameter wooden beads✱ One 3cm diameter wooden bead✱ 25cm quilting or embroidery hoop✱ Air-erasable fabric marker✱ Large-eyed needle✱ All-purpose household glue✱ Matching sewing threads✱ Toy filling✱ Cocktail stick✱ Masking tape Stockists: Buttercream Spark and Motif Madness fabrics in Pale Peach, £4 per fat quarter, thefabricfox.co.uk; Metallic Essex linen, £4.40 per fat quarter, hand-stitched Karen Lewis cotton fabric, £3.80 per fat quarter, mybearpaw.co.uk; Rowan 4-ply Cotton…

Difficulty level TIP To make the base waterproof, apply a piece of fusible vinyl interfacing to the right side of the back piece YOU WILL NEED ✱ 52 x 75cm patterned cotton fabric✱ 29 x 43cm plain teal fabric✱ 46 x 54cm plain teal fabric✱ 25cm of 25mm-wide pink webbing✱ 26 x 40cm piece of 5cm thick foam✱ 46 x 92cm patterned outer fabric✱ 46 x 92cm patterned lining fabric✱ 46 x 48cm patterned pocket fabric✱ 46 x 92cm Vlieseline S520 firm flexible fusible interfacing✱ 140cm pink bias binding✱ Matching thread✱ Hand-sewing needle✱ Paper, pencil and ruler Stockist: Dashwood Studio Night Jungle fabrics, £15.99 per m, all Minerva; minerva.com Garden kneeler YOU WILL NEED ✱ 52 x 75cm patterned cotton fabric✱ 29 x 43cm plain teal fabric✱ 25cm of 25mm-wide…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 30 x 85cm piece wool felt in mustard✱ A4 sheet of wool felt in white✱ Embroidery thread in white✱ Embroidery needle✱ Scissors✱ Pins✱ 2ltr hot water bottle✱ Paper and pencil✱ Ruler 1 Place your empty hot water bottle on a piece of paper and use a pencil to draw around the edge. With a ruler, straighten the lines at the neck of the bottle, using our image as a guide. Add 2cm around all the edges of the hot water bottle to create your front hot water bottle template. 2 For the two back templates, measure 28cm up from the bottom of the template. Draw a horizontal dashed line to mark this length. Then measure 18cm down from the top of the template and draw a…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Two contrasting cotton fabrics✱ Fusible batting✱ Scissors✱ Pins, needle and matching thread Note: Sew with right sides together and 1cm seam allowances throughout. 1 For the small basket, cut a 12.5cm-diameter circle and a 20 x 38cm rectangle from both fabrics and the batting. For the large one, cut a 20cm-diameter circle and 28 x 60cm from both fabrics and the batting. 2 Fuse the batting onto the reverse of the outer fabric pieces. On the circle pieces, mark the quarter points, and on the rectangles, mark the quarter points along the bottom edges and inside the 1cm seam allowances. 3 Pin and sew each rectangle to form a cylindrical tube. Pin and sew to the bottom edge to the circular bases, matching up the quarter markings.…

Difficulty level MAKES five pads and the drawstring bag YOU WILL NEED ✱ Patterned cotton fabric✱ Towelling fabric✱ 70cm of 10mm-wide ribbon✱ Safety pin✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Rotary cutter and cutting mat Stockists: Bramble Citrus Grove Mint Cotton Fabric, £15.50 per m, sewhot.co.uk. Stof France Bamboo Polyester Towelling in Aqua, £17.99 per m, minerva.com 1 From the patterned fabric, cut two 14 x 24cm pieces and five 10cm squares, and from the towelling, cut five 10cm squares using the rotary cutter and cutting mat. 2 Pin a towelling and a patterned square together, with right sides facing. Sew nearly all the way around the sides with a 1cm seam allowance, leaving a 3cm gap for turning on one side. 3 Turn the make-up pad right sides out, push out the corners, press the…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 70cm of 112cm-wide patterned fabric B✱ 70cm of 90cm-wide low-loft fusible fleece✱ 1m of 112cm-wide patterned fabric A✱ 20cm of 112cm-wide plain fabric✱ 1m of 1.5cm-wide ribbon✱ Air-erasable fabric marker and ruler✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Pins✱ Bodkin or safety pin Cutting out Note: Take 1cm seam allowance and press seams open, unless stated otherwise. Join pieces with right sides together and edges level. From fabric B, cut two 46 x 34cm rectangles for the pockets and one 30cm‑diameter circle for the base. From fabric A, cut four 46 x 34cm rectangles for the bags and one 30cm-diameter circle for the base lining. From fusible fleece, cut two 46 x 34cm rectangles for the bags and one 30cm-diameter circle for the base and fuse to…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Tracing paper and pencil✱ Iron-on transfer pen✱ 15cm square white cotton or linen fabric for the front✱ Two fat quarters in a colourful print✱ Stranded embroidery cotton to complement print fabric✱ Embroidery hoop✱ Crewel needle✱ 1m flanged piping cord in white or cream✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Zipper or piping foot✱ Polyester toy stuffing Cutting out For one pillow, cut two strips of 7 x 15cm and two of 7 x 25cm fabric in a complementary print. Cut one 25 x 25cm cushion back. 1 Using a computer, print your chosen initials on to a sheet of tracing paper, or draw out the letters freehand. On the reverse of the paper, go over the outlines of the letters with a transfer pen. 2 Position the letters in…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Tracing paper & pencil✱ Three babygros✱ Fabric glue✱ 5cm square of black felt✱ Black stranded-cotton embroidery thread✱ Washable toy filling✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Scissors✱ Pins 1 Trace the pattern (p92) onto tracing paper. Mark the arrows, eyes, dots and notches. Cut out all the pattern pieces. Ensure that arrows run in the same direction as the grain of the fabric. 2 From babygro A, cut a pair of front heads, a pair of back heads and one 15 x 5cm rectangle for the scarf, cutting the long edges parallel with the fabric grain. From babygro B, cut two bodies right side up and one pair of ears. From babygro C, cut two bodies wrong side up, one pair of ears and one 5 x 15cm rectangle…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Round pouffe✱ Tape measure✱ Newspaper✱ Fabric scissors✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Hand sewing needle✱ Washed denim✱ Sewing machine✱ Covered piping cord✱ 1m piping cord✱ Safety pin or bodkin 1 Measure the top of the pouffe and add 3cm. Using these measurements, cut out a newspaper template and pin to the denim fabric. Cut out. Then, measure the circumference adding 3cm and the height adding 15cm, and cut this rectangle from the denim fabric. 2 For the handle, cut out two rectangles from the denim measuring 9 x 20cm. 3 Pin and stitch the covered piping cord to the circular pouffe top, 1.5cm from the edge. Repeat, sewing the covered piping cord to the two long edges of one of the handle pieces. 4 Match up the handle pieces. Pin…

Difficulty level TIP Use scraps of leftover fabric from your workbox to make the patterned appliqués YOU WILL NEED ✱ 60cm square navy cotton fabric✱ 30cm thermal batting or fleece✱ Four patterned fabric fat quarters✱ 25mm wide bias tape maker✱ Bondaweb✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Scissors✱ Sewing machine✱ Hand-sewing needle 1 Photocopy the template and enlarge by 200%. Fuse the Bondaweb to the wrong side of the patterned fabric pieces. Using our templates as a guide, copy the cherry, knife and fork, vegetable and mug motifs onto the paper backings fused to the different fabrics and cut out. 2 Cut eight 15cm squares from the navy fabric and four from the thermal batting. 3 Peel away the paper backing from the appliqué pieces and fuse to four of the navy squares. Using a small…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Towels with a woven strip at the end✱ Patterned fabric✱ Ruler and pen✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Hand sewing needle✱ Iron 1 Begin by measuring one of the woven strips at the end of the towel – this is usually located about 10cm from the edge. Add 2cm to each of these measurements, transfer to the reverse of the patterned fabric, and then cut out. 2 Use an iron to press each edge under by 1cm. Unfold the edges and then fold in the corners. Fold the sides under again and, this time, the raw edges will be concealed at the corners. 3 Place the fabric over the woven end of the towel and pin it carefully in place. Topstitch in place with a sewing machine for a…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Access to a photocopier✱ Tracing paper and pencil✱ 15 x 15cm square of red spotted, striped and patterned cotton fabrics✱ 8 x 8cm square of brown cotton fabric✱ 8 x 6cm rectangle of green cotton fabric✱ 4 x 6cm rectangle of bonding web✱ Rouleau turner or safety pin to turn the stalk through✱ Wood shavings or sawdust✱ Sheet of scrap paper for funnel Making paper patterns Photocopy the pattern of the pear and leaf below. Fold the tracing paper in half. Trace the patterns onto tracing paper, matching the broken line to the fold. Cut out the patterns and open out flat. Mark the arrow, dots and notches on both halves. Cutting out ✱ Cut one pair of pears from each fabric. Snip the…

Difficulty level SIZE 33 x 30cm YOU WILL NEED ✱ Access to a photocopier✱ A3 sheet of tracing paper and pencil✱ 40cm of 90cm-wide, blue-striped cotton or linen fabric✱ 5 x 5cm square of navy cotton fabric✱ 5 x 5cm square of bonding web✱ 3cm-high, iron-on navy letters A, H, O and Y✱ 70cm of 2cm-thick cotton rope✱ Matching sewing threads✱ Toy filling✱ 1.5kg of rice✱ Sheet of scrap paper for funnel✱ Craft knife Making paper patterns On a photocopier, enlarge the pattern to 170%. Fold tracing paper in half. Trace the pattern onto tracing paper, matching the broken line to the fold. Cut out the pattern and open out flat. Mark the arrow, circle, cross, notches and dotted line on both halves. Cutting out Cut one pair of anchors…

All in the prep Taking the time to pre-wash your fabric can save heartache further down the line, as your finished project may shrink slightly once it is washed. Use the temperature and programme on your washing machine that you’ll use for the finished piece. Likewise, once washed and dried, give your fabric a good press, to make cutting out more accurate. Check the iron temperature on a small patch first, especially if using a delicate fabric. What’s a fat quarter? Half a yard of fabric that’s been divided vertically in half, this cut gives you a versatile shape that measures 50 x 55cm (18 x 22in). Buy singly, or in made-up bundles. Embroidery guide ✱ Backstitch Bring the needle up through the back of the fabric a stitch length…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 18 x 19cm patterned fabric for exterior✱ 18 x 24cm lining fabric✱ 18cm square of foam batting✱ Matching thread 1 Stack the lining and exterior fabrics together with right sides facing, then top with the foam batting. Line up the pieces along the bottom 18cm edge, then pin and sew with a 2.5cm seam allowance. 2 Open out the pieces, keeping the foam batting next to the exterior fabric. Fold the fabrics in half with right sides facing, across the just-sewn seam. Line up the edges, then pin and sew all the way around them with a 1cm seam allowance, leaving a small gap in the lining for turning through. 3 Turn right sides out, turn the gap edges under by 1cm and topstitch or slip-stitch closed.…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Two 40cm squares of patterned fabric✱ 50 x 100cm plain fabric✱ Matching thread Stockists: Into the Wild large floral fabric in Aqua, £14.50 per m, Warp & Weft Honey wovens crossweave fabric in Goldenrod, £16 per m, both sewhot.co.uk 1 Take the first 40cm of rope, fold in half and pin along the length. Set your sewing machine to a wide zigzag stitch, then place the folded piece that forms the bag’s base under your sewing foot, so that the needle comes down on either side of the join. Sew along the join in the darkest fuchsia pink thread. 2 Stitch to the end of the join, then begin turning the bag base, so that the rope wraps around the previous piece, stitching as you go. Repeat…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Two 40cm squares of patterned fabric✱ 50 x 100cm plain fabric✱ Matching thread Stockists: Into the Wild large floral fabric in Aqua, £14.50 per m, Warp & Weft Honey wovens crossweave fabric in Goldenrod, £16 per m, both sewhot.co.uk Note: Use a 1cm seam allowance throughout. 1 Cut the plain fabric into one 18 x 40cm piece for the bottom edge and two 16 x 100cm pieces for the waist ties. 2 Pin and sew the patterned squares either side of the plain bottomedge piece, with right sides together. Press the seams towards the patterned fabrics and topstitch 5mm from the seam to secure. Fold this panel in half widthways with right sides together. Pin and sew sides together. Clip the corners, turn right sides out…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 50 x 60cm navy stamp fabric✱ 30 x 50cm orange stripe fabric✱ 50 x 50cm plain navy fabric✱ 15 x 25cm plain orange fabric✱ 28 x 38cm wadding✱ 28 x 38cm medium-weight sew-in interfacing✱ Cutting mat, quilter’s ruler and rotary cutter✱ Matching thread✱ Hand-sewing needle✱ 9in zipper✱ 2.5cm wide button✱ 15cm of 3mm wide round elastic cord in Orange✱ 130cm orange bias binding✱ Sewing machine Stockists: Bon Voyage Postage Stamps in Red and Navy, both £15.50 per m, Camont Cabana Stripe in Orange, £15 per m, Spectrum Vienna in Orange, £9 per m, Artisan Solid in Dark Navy, £16 per m, YKK designer accents 9in zipper in Apricot, £3, 3mm round elastic cord, 48p per m, all sewhot.co.uk Cutting out ✱ Cut two 28…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Patterned fat quarters✱ 9in zippers in matching colours✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Key rings with clasp✱ Zipper foot Stockist: Make Time Scissors in Iris, Make Time Square Dot in Strawberry, Make Time Check in Blue Bell, all £15 per m, available from Sew Hot; sewhot.co.uk 1 Cut your fabric into four 11 x 15cm pieces. Fold and press two of the pieces in half lengthways and with wrong sides together. Pin and sew the two folded pieces to either side of the zipper tape, folded edge next to the zipper teeth. 2 Pair the remaining fabric pieces with wrong sides together, and stack on top of the zippered piece. Stitch all the way around the edge with a 5mm seam allowance, starting and stopping at the zip…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 20cm metal zip✱ 20cm square of green fabric✱ 50 x 50cm pale pink stripe fabric✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Hand-sewing needle✱ Paper-backed adhesive webbing✱ Pins and scissors✱ Pink embroidery threads✱ Small tassel maker✱ Embroidery needle 1 Photocopy the monstera leaf template and cut out. Fuse the webbing to the green fabric and trace around the template onto the paper backing. Cut out and repeat until you have four leaves. 2 Cut the pink stripe fabric into four 20 x 25cm rectangles – two for the front and two for the lining – and two 4cm squares for the zip tabs. Place two leaf appliqués onto the front washbag pieces, remove the paper backing, and fuse in place. 3 With your sewing machine set to a small straight stitch,…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 45 x 56cm Vlieseline H250 medium fusible interlining✱ 45 x 56cm of blue and peach cotton fabric✱ 1m peach bias binding✱ Sewing thread✱ 2cm-wide peach button✱ Paper and pencil✱ Ruler✱ Dinner plate✱ Scissors✱ Pins✱ Sewing needle 1 To make the template, cut out a 28 x 45cm rectangle from the paper. Fold the paper in half lengthwise. On the side opposite the folded edge, measure and mark 23cm from the bottom. Take the plate and draw around it, from the mark to the top edge, leaving about 2.5cm from the fold. Cut out along the curved line and unfold to reveal the pattern. 2 Fuse the interlining to the peach fabric, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Using the pattern, cut one from the blue and one from…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED Per basket: ✱ 50cm x 112cm outer fabric✱ 50cm x 112cm lining fabric✱ Firm sew-in interlining✱ Pins✱ Matching thread✱ Bias binding maker✱ Four 14mm eyelets and washers✱ 70cm length of 12mm rope Stockists: Ruby Star Society Eminence in Sweet Cream, £16 per m, Ruby Star Society Spark in Goldenrod, £16 per m, Moda Fabrics Bella Solids in Berrylicious, £10 per m, all thefabricfox.co.uk 1 To make one basket, cut out five 25cm squares from the outer fabric, lining fabric and interlining. Pin the interlining to the wrong side of the outer fabric pieces. 2 Pin four of the fabric and interlining squares along each side to make a cube, with right sides together. Sew along the edges with a 1cm seam allowance; stop sewing 1cm from the…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 60 x 80cm dog bed cushion✱ 63 x 112cm plain linen fabric✱ 63 x 140cm stripe linen fabric✱ Matching thread Stockists: Linen Fabric Washed Marine Blue Francesca, £14.99 for 100 x 140cm, Linen Fabric Marine Blue Multistripe Prewashed, £13.99 for 100 x 140cm, all linenme.com 1 From the striped fabric, cut out a 63 x 83cm rectangle, a 15 x 63cm strip, and four ties measuring 10 x 40cm. From the plain fabric, cut out a rectangle measuring 63 x 83cm and one measuring 28 x 63cm. 2 Fold the ties in half lengthwise, pin and stitch 1.5cm from the raw edge along the long side and one short end. Turn right sides out and press. 3 Take the striped strip, turn one long edge under by…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 4½in square of fabrics 1 and 2✱ 2 x 4½in squares of fabric 3✱ 4 x 4½in squares of fabric 4✱ 6 x 4½in square of fabric 5✱ ½ yard of background fabric✱ FQ of backing fabric✱ FQ of batting✱ 5in x WOF binding fabric✱ Rotary cutter✱ Cutting mat✱ Quilting ruler✱ Matching sewing thread Notes & abbreviations: Seam allowances are ¼in unless otherwise noted. Press all fabrics well before cutting and seams open unless otherwise instructed. WOF, width of fabric; FQ, fat quarter; F8, fat eighth; HST, half-square triangle; RSF, right sides facing Fabrics used: Blueberry Park, karenlewistextiles.com Cut out the pieces 1 Cut the stated number of 4½in squares from patterned fabrics one to five. From the background fabric, cut 14 x 4½in squares and…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 42 square charm pack or fabric scraps cut into 12.5cm squares✱ 55 x 150cm backing fabric✱ 55 x 150cm cotton batting✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Cutting mat✱ Rotary cutter✱ Quilter’s ruler✱ Sewing needle 1 Spread out the charm pack squares and, using our image as a guide, position the pieces into the shape of the runner. 2 Pin and sew one row at a time, stitching the squares together with right sides facing and 5mm seam allowances. Press the seams open. Repeat until every row of charm squares has been pieced together. 3 Pin and sew the rows together, making sure to match up the seams, with right sides facing and 5mm seam allowances. Press the seams open and repeat until the patchwork has been completely pieced. 4 Layer…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Patterned cotton fabric✱ Thin batting or medium fusible interfacing✱ Scissors✱ Ruler✱ Pins✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Water-soluble pen 1 Cut out two squares of fabric and a piece of batting, or interfacing, measuring 20cm for the small tidy or 25cm for the medium tidy. Fuse the interfacing to the reverse of one of the fabric pieces. Position the two squares of fabrics right sides together, pin and stitch all the way around with a 1cm seam allowance and leave a 7cm gap for turning. 2 Trim the corners, turn right sides out and press, tucking the raw edges of the opening in by 1cm. Topstitch all the way around with a 5mm seam allowance. 3 Using the water-soluble pen, mark a 4cm square at each corner on the outer…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Four tea towels✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Scissors and pins 1 Choose four tea towels in similar sizes and colours but different patterns – checks and stripes work well together or try busy floral patterns, which can create a bold design. 2 Wash the tea towels and allow them to dry completely. Cut off any care labels and press flat. 3 Pin a pair of them with right sides together along one long edge and sew with a 1cm seam allowance. Press seams open, then repeat the same thing with the remaining pair. 4 Place the two stitched sets tea towels right sides together and pin along one long edge. Sew with a 1cm seam allowance and press seams open. 5 Neaten up the sides of the tablecloth by…

Difficulty level TIP Add a snap fastening to the inside of the bag to secure it closed YOU WILL NEED ✱ 40 x 50cm floral fabric✱ 50 x 55cm blue fabric✱ 20 x 80cm orange fabric✱ 40 x 100cm lining fabric✱ 50 x 100cm non-fusible foam✱ 160cm of 6mm thick piping cord✱ Binding tape maker✱ Sewing machine✱ Piping foot✱ Matching thread✱ Scissors✱ Pins✱ Hand-sewing needle (optional) Cutting out ✱ For the bag: From the floral fabric and foam, cut two bag centres on the fold using the enlarged template. From the blue fabric and foam, cut two bag sides on the fold using the enlarged template. ✱ For the handles: From the blue fabric, cut four strips measuring 5 x 55cm. From the foam, cut two strips measuring 5 x…

NOTE Slippers are size 5; see right for adjusting Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Access to a photocopier✱ Tracing paper, pencil and ruler✱ 30cm of 110cm-wide patterned fabric✱ 30 x 60cm rectangle of medium-weight wadding✱ 30 x 30cm square of heavyweight calico fabric✱ 30 x 30cm square of firm, flexible iron-on interfacing✱ 30 x 30cm square of sew-in heavy, firm interfacing✱ 30 x 30cm square of lightweight white cotton fabric✱ 1m 80cm of 1.8cm-wide bias binding✱ Matching sewing thread Stockists: Tilda Bloomsville Flowertangle cotton fabric, £3.75 per fat quarter, hollieshaberdashery.co.uk. Heavy, firm sew-in interfacing £4.09 per metre and firm, flexible, iron-on interfacing, £10.99 per m, both Minerva Crafts; minerva.com Making patterns Enlarge patterns by 130%. Trace onto folded tracing paper, matching broken lines to the fold. Mark arrows, dots…

Difficulty level SIZE Fitting a size 10 to 14 (but can be scaled up, to fit) YOU WILL NEED ✱ Dressmaker’s pattern paper or tracing paper✱ 1.4m bird print cotton dress fabric✱ Light-weight fusible interfacing✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Scissors✱ Pins Our simple top will soon become a wardrobe staple. Once you’ve drafted the pattern, have fun adding pockets, different fabrics or trims. Make in cotton for relaxed style, or why not try chic velvet? Draft the pattern Stitch up a stylish top using the below diagram YOU WILL NEED ✱ Dressmaker’s pattern paper or tracing paper Draw a W44 x H70cm rectangle on paper, then measure and copy this pattern. On a separate sheet, make facing patterns by tracing the neck and shoulder lines, then add a second curved line…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ A piece of plain or patterned fabric✱ 6mm-wide piece of elastic✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Scissors✱ Pins✱ Safety pin✱ Hand-sewing needle (optional) 1 Cut a 10 x 50cm strip from the fabric. Make sure to press the fabric before measuring and cutting. 2 Fold the fabric in half lengthwise with right sides facing. Pin and sew along the raw edge with a 1cm seam allowance, by hand or machine. Turn the right sides out and press. 3 Cut a 20cm piece of elastic and attach a safety pin to one end. Thread the elastic through the fabric tube and tie the ends together in a double knot. 4 Fold one end of the fabric tube under by 1cm. Tuck the other end of fabric inside…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 12 x 20cm plain blue cotton✱ 20 x 20cm red stripe cotton✱ 12 x 20cm fusible interfacing✱ 10cm blue zipper✱ Matching and contrasting thread✱ Zipper foot 1 Cut two 10 x 12cm pieces from the plain blue cotton, the red stripe cotton and the interfacing. From the leftover red stripe fabric, cut out two sail shapes, using our photograph as a guide. 2 Fuse the two interfacing pieces to the wrong sides of the blue cotton pieces. Place the two sails on the front of one of the blue pieces and stitch around them a couple of times to secure – the messier the better with this freehand look. Stitch a mast and the boat in the same way, following our photograph as a guide. 3 Pin…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Stripe jersey fabric✱ Iron-on patches✱ Elastic✱ Overlocker✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Scissors✱ Pins 1 To make a template from old leggings, unpick the waistband stitching to undo the top fold and release the elastic. Cut along the stitching on the inside leg seam and crotch seam, and press the piece flat. 2 Pin onto a double layer of fabric and cut out, adding 1cm at the side and crotch seams and 1.5cm at the hems (a). With right sides out, fold the leggings in half to work out the position of the patches. Pin these in place, then sew or iron to adhere (b). Re-fold the pieces with right sides facing and sew up the inside leg seams (c). Turn one leg right side out and slip…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ A pair of PJ trousers✱ Large sheets of tracing or brown paper, or a roll of wallpaper/lining paper✱ Pencil✱ Tape measure✱ Scissors✱ Cotton poplin fabric✱ 25mm-wide white elastic✱ ½in-wide cotton tape✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Scissors✱ Pins Make a pattern from PJ bottoms Don’t bin your worn-out favourites – use them to create a pattern to make new trousers or shorts. 1 If you want cropped length or shorts, put the trousers on and pop a safety pin at the length you want. Remove any drawstrings (a), undo the stitching at the waist (b) that holds the elastic and set aside. 2 With the trousers inside out, cut around the crotch seam along the line of stitching to separate the legs. Cut along the stitching lines down…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Starry fabric✱ Two large buttons✱ Two large poppers✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Tape measure✱ Pins✱ Scissors 1 To create your pattern, you will need the following measurements. A Full bodice width: From under armpits across the front. Add 5cm ease. B Upper bodice: This is the width of bodice where the buttons will go, approximately 10cm narrower than full bodice width. C Bodice height: Where you want bib to start and finish. Add 3cm seam allowance. D Underarm height: Approximately ⅔ of bodice height, measured from bottom up. E Length of skirt: Measure from where the bodice is going to finish to the bottom hem. Add 6cm for hem allowance. 2 To make the bodice pattern, draw a rectangle using measurements A x C. Cut out, fold…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Two fat quarters in matching fabrics✱ Scissors✱ Sewing needle and matching thread✱ Four brass eyelets (between 11mm and 14mm) 1 With each napkin, cut out one 8 x 36cm rectangle from each fabric. At each short end, mark the centre. From the short ends, measure 8cm down the sides and mark. Join up these points and cut out to form triangular ends. 2 Position the pieces right sides together and sew all the way around the edge with a 1cm seam allowance, leaving a small gap for turning. Snip the corners, trim down the seams, turn right sides out and press. 3 Turn the open edges under by 1cm and topstitch the gap closed. Position an eyelet 15cm from one end and secure following the manufacturer’s instructions.…

YOU WILL NEED ✱ 35cm of 112cm-wide of patterned fabric✱ Two 19 x 32cm pieces of patterned fabric✱ Two 45 x 70cm pieces of patterned fabric✱ 35 x 50cm cotton wadding✱ 19 x 32cm cotton wadding✱ 35 x 50cm insulated lining✱ 19 x 32cm heatresistant lining✱ Pinking shears✱ Bias binding✱ Pins✱ Matching thread Stockists: Nantucket Summer Sail in Navy, Nantucket Summer Plaid in Cream Navy, Nantucket Summer Sconset in Navy, Nantucket Summer Somerset, all £15 per m, all Sew Hot; sewhot.co.uk Difficulty level Pot holder YOU WILL NEED ✱ 19 x 32cm heat-resistant lining✱ 19 x 32cm cotton wadding✱ Two 19 x 32cm pieces of patterned fabric✱ Pins✱ 1m of bias binding✱ Matching thread 1 Sandwich the lining and wadding between the two patterned fabrics, with right sides out, and pin.…

Difficulty level Enlarge template by 110% YOU WILL NEED ✱ 30cm square of patterned fabric✱ 15 x 30cm fusible batting✱ 15 x 30cm pink felt✱ Matching and contrasting thread✱ Hand-sewing needle Stockists: Koi Pond Fishies Shell fabric, £15.50m, sewhot.co.uk 1 Photocopy the template by 110%. Fold the patterned fabric in half with wrong sides facing and position the template on top with the dashed line along the fabric fold. Draw around and cut out four shells. 2 Pin two shells together with right sides facing. Sew along the bottom straight edge with a 1cm seam allowance and press open. On the other two shells, fold the bottom straight edges under by 1cm and press. 3 Trace around the stitched shell on the fusible batting and cut out. Fuse to the reverse of the shell.…

Difficulty level TIP Swap polyester stuffing for clean, old tees or socks, cut into strips YOU WILL NEED For one bag: ✱ Coloured felt✱ Scissors✱ Two 12cm linen or cotton fabric squares✱ Fabric glue (optional)✱ Embroidery thread✱ Embroidery needle✱ Dried lavender✱ Stuffing 1 Cut simple fruit shapes from the felt. When cutting leaf shapes, first cut a rectangle the size of the finished leaf, then round the edges off. This helps keep the leaf more symmetrical. 2 Arrange the fruit in the centre of one of the fabric squares front, glue or pin in place. Sew around the edge using a blanket or overstitch with one strand of embroidery thread. Decorate the fruit with straight stitches to form stars, fans or herringbone patterns, using two strands of embroidery thread. 3 Pin the fabric…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Three patterned cotton fat quarters✱ Thin fusible interfacing✱ Matching thread✱ Ruler, cutting mat and rotary cutter 1 From each patterned fabric and the interfacing, measure and cut a 10cm square. 2 Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of one of the fabric squares. Take another of the fabric squares and fold it in half along the diagonal, with wrong sides together, to form a triangle. 3 Stack the interfaced square with right sides up, top with the triangle piece, followed by the final fabric square, right sides down. 4 Pin and sew the layers together around the edge with a 5mm seam allowance. Leave a 5cm gap along one side for turning through. 5 Trim the corners and turn right sides out. Fold the gap edges under by…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Two patterned fat quarters, each cut into two rectangles measuring 22 x 18cm and a circle with a 15cm diameter (F1 & F2)✱ 18 x 13cm rectangle of pink fabric (F3)✱ 18 x 13cm rectangle of turquoise fabric (F4)✱ 8 x 18cm strip of grey fabric (F5)✱ 18cm square of orange fabric (F6)✱ 13 x 11cm rectangle of red fabric (F7)✱ 1m x 112cm of pink patterned white fabric, cut into one rectangle measuring 58 x 70cm and one rectangle measuring 58 x 18cm (F8)✱ 1m x 112cm of grey patterned white fabric, cut into one rectangle measuring 58 x 70cm and two squares measuring 18 x 18cm (F9)✱ 58 x 70cm rectangle of batting✱ 4m orange bias binding✱ 1 large orange button✱ 1m…

Difficulty level SIZE 40 x 40cm YOU WILL NEED ✱ 40cm of 112cm-wide patterned fabric A✱ 50cm square of plain fabric✱ 40cm of 112cm-wide medium sew-in interfacing✱ 40cm of 112cm-wide patterned fabric B✱ 50cm square of patterned fabric C✱ 50cm square of low-loft fusible fleece✱ 13 x 8cm rectangle of felt✱ 1m of 1.5cm-wide ribbon✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Air-erasable fabric marker and ruler✱ Pins Cutting out Note: Take 1cm seam allowance unless stated otherwise. Join pieces with right sides together and edges level. From fabric A, cut two 42 x 30cm rectangles for the pockets. Cut one 42 x 42cm square from plain fabric, fabric C and fusible fleece for the case. From fabric B, cut four 40 x 12cm rectangles for the pouch and flap, and two 40 x…

Difficulty level TIP Hang in your wardrobe to deter moths from your clothes YOU WILL NEED ✱ Piece of newspaper✱ Scrap of floral fabric✱ Ribbon✱ Pins✱ Dried lavender✱ Stuffing 1 Draw a heart-shaped template on the newspaper, measuring around 15cm high. Cut two hearts from your fabric. 2 Cut a piece of ribbon 20cm long and fold in half to make a loop. Match up the raw edges of your loop to the top of one of your hearts and pin (see photo above). With right sides facing, pin other heart on top. 3 Machine-stitch around the heart with a 1cm seam allowance, leaving a small gap of 6cm along one of the edges near to the bottom point for turning through. 4 Turn right sides out. Fill with dried lavender and top with…

Difficulty level Windmill Pincushion YOU WILL NEED ✱ 5 x 8in blue patterned fabric✱ 3in square of red patterned fabric✱ 3in square of green patterned fabric✱ Scissors✱ Pins✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Stuffing✱ Dried lavender (optional) ✱ One red button Notes: Seams are ¼in. Press seams open unless otherwise stated. *RSF is right sides facing. Cutting out 1 From the blue fabric, cut four 2½ x 1½in rectangles and two 4½ x 2½in rectangles (for back). From each of the red and green fabrics, cut four 1½in squares. Assembling the top 2 Pin together red and green squares in pairs, RSF*. Machine stitch and press seams towards green fabric. Open out. With red squares uppermost, pin RSF and sew a 2½ x 1½in blue rectangle to the right-hand edge of each pair. Press…

Difficulty level SIZE 43 x 35cm YOU WILL NEED ✱ 1m of 112cm-wide patterned fabric✱ 1m 30cm of 90cm‑wide of low-loft fusible fleece✱ 1m of 112cm-wide plain fabric✱ 50 x 30cm rectangle of medium sew-in interfacing✱ 3m 20cm of 2cm-wide bias binding✱ Sharp HB pencil and ruler✱ Matching sewing thread✱ 7.5cm-diameter cup or mug✱ 15mm anorak press stud Suppliers: Menagerie Silhouette Orange fabric, £15 per metre, sewhot.co.uk; low-loft iron-on fleece, £9.50 per metre, lovecrafts.com Quilting The fabric is roughly cut to size, then quilted before cutting to exact size. From patterned fabric and fusible fleece, cut one 90 x 50cm rectangle for the main panel and two rectangles 40 x 28cm for the side panels (long edges parallel with the selvedges on all pieces). On the right side of the…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Plain and striped navy cotton fabric✱ Cream cotton fabric✱ 6mm-thick piping cord✱ Stuffing✱ Paper and pencil✱ Sewing machine✱ Piping foot✱ Scissors✱ Pins✱ Matching thread✱ Hand-sewing needle Notes: Place right sides together and use 1.5cm seam allowances throughout. 1 Using our photo as a guide, draw or print out a star shape to your two chosen sizes and cut out. Place each template on the stripe and plain navy cotton fabric and cut out two star shapes from each. 2 For the contrasting edging, cut out 10cm-wide strips from the stripe and plain navy cotton. Join the short ends together until you have enough to go all the way around the edge of your stars. 3 Create the piping by cutting 4cm-wide strips from the cream cotton.…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 40 x 50cm cotton canvas fabric✱ Matching thread✱ Hand sewing needle✱ Stuffing✱ Protractor✱ Ruler✱ Pencil and paper✱ Ribbon✱ Rice Note: Sew with right sides together and 1cm seam allowances throughout TIP We’ve used a length of selvedge from the fabric in place of a ribbon 1 Make an equilateral triangle-shaped template as follows. Draw an 18cm straight line on your paper. At each end, use your protractor to measure and mark out a 60-degree angle. Draw lines along these markings, both of which should measure 18cm. Use this template to cut out four triangles from the canvas fabric, and also cut out a 18cm square piece. 2 Pair two triangles together and stitch along one edge. Press seams open and repeat for the second pair. Pin…

Difficulty level SIZE Peg bag 35 x 29cm, laundry bag 42 x 32cm YOU WILL NEED ✱ 1m of 137cm-wide plain soft-furnishing fabric or calico✱ 120cm of 110cm-wide patterned cotton fabric✱ 60cm of 90cm-wide, medium sew-in interfacing✱ 70cm of 45cm-wide firm flexible iron-on interfacing✱ 270cm of 6mm diameter cord✱ Children’s clothes hanger✱ Matching sewing threads✱ Bodkin or safety pin Cutting out For the Peg Bag: ✱ Cut one 32 x 41cm rectangle for the pocket from patterned fabric. ✱ Cut two 32 x 38cm rectangles for the bag from plain fabric. For the Outer Laundry Bag: ✱ Cut two 51 x 53cm rectangles for the bag and two 10.5 x 42cm rectangles for the handles from plain fabric; two 44 x 53cm rectangles from medium sew-in interfacing for the bag.…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Patterned or plain fabric✱ Scrap fabric✱ Contrasting sewing thread✱ Small scissors✱ Fray check (optional) Stockists: Pure dinner plate, £3.50; Pure side plate, £3; Denby Heritage aqua coupe plate, £8; Denby Elements blue dinner plate, £11; 16-piece cream cutlery set, £5, all Dunelm 1 With your sewing machine set to a scallop edging stitch, sew a couple of practice rows on your piece of scrap fabric. This will help to determine what stitch length and width you’d prefer to use. 2 Stitch all the edges of the napkin fabric, turning the fabric gently at the corners to create a curve. Tie off any loose threads. Make sure you have enough sewing thread on your spool and bobbin, as this technique uses a lot of thread. 3 Using a…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Denim sewing machine needle✱ Black sewing thread✱ Neutral sewing thread✱ Scissors✱ 50m of natural cotton cord✱ Pins 1 For the small basket you’ll need a 9m length of cord; for the medium basket a 21m length, and for the large basket a 20m length. 2 Begin by snipping off the end of one of the lengths to remove any fraying threads. You can put a couple of hand stitches into the end if it’s fraying badly. 3 Coil the first 30cm of cord around itself to create a tight spiral. Pin through the sides to secure. This will form the base of the basket. 4 With your sewing machine set to a wide zigzag stitch, using neutral sewing thread and the denim sewingmachine needle, stitch between the pieces…

Difficulty level TIP The tassel and pompom trimmings are a great way to use up leftover yarn YOU WILL NEED ✱ 55 x 165cm fabric (for each cushion)✱ 40 x 40 x 8cm foam cushion pad✱ Medium fusible interfacing✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Hand-sewing needle✱ Yarn in bright colours✱ Pompom maker✱ Tassel maker✱ Darning needle✱ Crochet hook✱ Scissors Note: Use 1.5cm seam allowances with right sides facing throughout. Cutting out for each cushion ✱ Cut two squares of fabric measuring 43 x 43cm. ✱ Cut a side strip measuring 11 x 163cm (if your fabric isn’t long enough, cut several 11cm-wide strips and join them along the short edge to create one long strip). ✱ For the handles, cut two 10 x 15cm rectangles from the fabric and interfacing. 1 To make…