Basket Weave Sleeve Tutorial

Hello again!

Today I'm showing you how I made my basket weave sleeve. I used the Beachy Boatneck pattern by Blank Slate Patterns (affiliate link), but this tutorial will work with any flat insert sleeve pattern you have in your stash. If your skilled with a seam ripper, you could even take apart an existing shirt to add a sleeve insert. You will follow the same steps for either knit or woven fabric, but a bit more patience is required when working with knits to prevent any warping of your fabric.

Step One: Prepare your pattern. Trim 3/4 of an inch off of the long edge of the sleeve pattern piece.

Step Two: Cut your fabric. Instead of cutting on the fold, you will cut two separate pattern pieces for each sleeve.

Step Three: Create your paper guide. Cut a strip of paper 2 inches by the length of the sleeve edge. You will most likely have to tape an extra scrap of paper to the bottom to get your desired length. I recommend paper tape which will tear easier when we remove the paper from the sleeve. Use a quilting square or a ruler to create your grid. You can save some time by making a photo copy for your second guide.

Step Four: Cut and fold your strips. You could make tubes, but that generally leads to warping with knit fabric. Another option is to fold them like bias tape which is what I did. I cut my strips to a one inch width, and then folded the edges so they met in the middle. I then folded them in half lengthwise to hide the raw edges and pressed them closed. I used twelve 8 inch strips to make a size 7. You will also need two extra strips long enough to make a sleeve binding.

Step Five: Create your weave. Use your paper guide to arrange the strips of fabric in a basket weave pattern. Let the strips hang over a little to be sure they get caught in the seam. You can trim them back later. Play around with space between strips. You may prefer a tighter or looser weave. Pin the weave to your paper at each intersection.

Next you will sew it to the paper. Sew slowly along each strip. Stop just before the needle reaches each intersection. Remove the pin and gently guide the fabric under the needle by hand so that neither of the strips get folded over. This is the part that makes this project take so long, but it is necessary so that your weave can keep it's beautiful shape.

Step Six: Attach your weave to the sleeve. With right sides together pin the shirt sleeve to the paper and weave. Sew along the edge with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Repeat with the other half of the sleeve.

Step Seven: Finish the sleeve. Turn both sides of the sleeve to the right side and top stitch close to the edge.

Step Eight: Follow the pattern instructions to insert the sleeve with the paper still attached. Once the sleeve is secured tear away the paper guide. Most of it should come off easily because of the perforations from the needle, but there may be a few areas (such as the double stitching along the edge) where you are left with scraps. Don't force the paper off or you risk pulling up stitches. Instead wait until your top is finished and soak it in warm water. The scraps should pull off more easily.

Once the sleeve is attached you can trim the excess off the ends of the strips. Also check your facing to make sure it doesn't show. If it does you can trim that back as well.

Step Nine: Apply the two remaining folded strips of fabric to your sleeve ends. Use a zigzag stitch and be sure to catch both sizes of the binding. You may want to pin the ends of the weave in place so that they don't shift while you sew them into the binding. Trim the ends and finish the shirt according to the pattern directions.

That's all you get to see for now. I'll reveal the finished shirt with the rest of my Spring Break look next week when I post in on the Project Run and Play sew along.

Have fun with the tutorial. Try different widths and tighter or looser weaves to get a custom look. Happy Sewing!

5 Minute Tulip Skirt for 18 Inch Dolls : Free Doll Clothes Sewing Tutorial

Here is the tutorial I promised for a quick and easy skirt for your 18 inch dolls. You can make the skirt with left over scraps of any knit fabric. I like to use an old T shirt. In order to make this skirt work with the least amount of fabric, making it a perfect scrap project I omit seam finishes that won't show on the outside. Because we are using knit you don't have to worry about fraying.

Supplies

• Knit Fabric Scrap: 13 inches wide by 5 inches for a mini skirt. Add one inch for knee length or 2 inches for below the knee.
• 11.5 inches of 1/2 in. elastic
• Coordinating Thread
• Any standard sewing machine with an adjustable zigzag stitch.

Step One: Turn 3/4 of an inch of fabric to the wrong side and stitch in place. This will become your elastic casing. 

 Step 2: Insert elastic into casing and stitch ends in place.

 Step 3: With right sides together fold skirt in half and stitch closed with a quarter inch seam allowance. This will become the center back seam. Trim ends of elastic.

 Step 4: Complete the skirt with a lettuce hem. A lettuce edge can be done with a standard sewing machine as long as you can adjust the width of your zigzag stitch. Practice on a piece of scrap if you have never done this before. You will see that you can adjust the size of the waves by adjusting the amount that you stretch the fabric as you sew. You will want to clean your machine out as soon as you are done, because this technique always seems to leave a ton of lint behind.

• Set you machine to a long tight zigzag stitch
• Start sewing at the center back seam
• Line the fabric up so the stitch reaches right to the edge of the hem but does not go over or cause the fabric to curl in on itself as you sew
• Stretch the fabric while you are sewing
• When you reach the center back seam where you started you can stop or go over it one more time to fill in any missed areas.

 Step 5: Try your new skirt on your doll

Thanks for checking out my tutorial. Doll clothes are my favorite thing to sew and I planning to add more tutorials for both doll clothes and matching girl and doll outfits in the future. Check out my archives in the meantime. If you would like to see more subscribe to my blog via your favorite method. 

Feel free to post a link in the comments section if you want to share a picture or blog post of what you made using this tutorial. 

How One Extra Step Changes A Pattern From Elastic Waistband To Drawstring Waist

The goal of my second pattern flip was to make a pair of shorts to be donated to Haiti. The village that they are being sent to has requested drawstring shorts for children as well as pillowcase dresses.

For those who haven't heard yet, June's flip this pattern sew along project is Elegance and Elephants bubble pocket shorts, which features an elastic waistband.

Switching things up to make it work with a drawstring is a simple task that will only take an extra minute or two.

The Incredibly Simple Extra Step

Buttonholes. That's It. Sew two small buttonholes a few inches apart centered over the front of the waistband. Then finish the waistband as you normally would and string the drawstring through instead of elastic. Pull the ends through the buttonholes and your all finished.

I hope others will be inspired to sew for the children in Haiti. Shorts and Pillowcase dresses can be sent in until then end of June, and if you happen to use the Bubble Pocket Shorts like I did, be sure to add it to the Flip This Pattern Linkie before June 20th.

If you missed my first flip of this pattern you can see it here.

Baby Sewing Week - Gift #2 Tradition

My second gift to the triplets is the gift of tradition. I am giving a handmade baby bonnet that turns into a wedding handkerchief on her wedding day. When she has her first child she can turn it back into a bonnet.

This easy to make sentimental gift can be passed down from generation to generation. 

You Will Need

• Fabric and Lace Fabric - I used a new standerd pillow case and a table cloth, but look for vintage for an extra special gift.
• White Thread
• Colored Thread - For Decoration
• Sewing Machine
• Cutting Tools
• Ribbon 

Tutorial/How to Make

Cut a 12 inch by 12 inch square of both fabrics and lay them on top of one and other. Attach with a straight stitch close to the edge. From this point forward they will be treated as a single piece of fabric.

Sew a narrow hem around all four sides. Work in parallels. After hemming the first side go to the opposite side and hem. Then do the two remaining hems.

Remove the white thread and bobbin from your machine and insert you decorative color. Choose a decorative stitch from your machine (I used a feather stitch) And sew one inch from the edge in a straight line around all four sides. You now have your wedding handkerchief. 

Now we will form the bonnet. Fold two parallel sides under 2 and 1/2 inches each and press.

Adjust the setting on your machine so that your stitches are slightly larger. Sew a few small stitches on each of the four inside corners (see picture below) to hold the folds in place. These stitches are in contrasting thread so they will be easy to find and snip on the wedding day.

Insert a length of ribbon into one of the casings .

Gather the ribbon and fabric and tie it in a bow to form the back of the bonnet.

Now slide two pieces of ribbon into the front and stitch each in place to make the ties for the bonnet front. I chose to switch back to white thread because the ribbon would make these stitches easy to find and snip, but you can use contrasting if you prefer.

Now your bonnet is complete. You can include instructions in the gift, or use the poem below. There are many versions of this poem so do a quick Google search for the one you like the best.

For a special baby

Loving thoughts and nimble hands

Created this little bonnet

Of fine lace and ribbon bands.

At first it was a handkerchief

But with some stitches small

A bonnet was made for downy head

To be admired by all.

Mother will carefully store it

Gently pack it away

After years she'll take it out

Before her daughter's wedding day.

She'll snip the tiny stitches

Place it in her daughter's hand

To carry, as a hanky, down the aisle

And receive her wedding band.

Mother's Son will find good use

For the square, when he's a young man

He'll give it to is sweetheart 

When he asks her for her hand.

If you missed gift # 1 you can see it here. Don't forget to look for gift # 3 which will be revealed later in the week.

How to Mark Buttons and Buttonholes for a Perfect Match

How was everyone's weekend? Did you get a lot accomplished?  One of my goals was to start sewing some summer clothes for the kids. The first project in my summer sewing line up is the Hattie button up tank top from Peek a Boo Patterns in some denim and twill that I have in my stash. 

The shirts aren't quite ready to show you just yet but I did want to give you this quick photo tutorial of how I get my buttons and buttonholes to match perfectly the first time. 

Feel free to ask questions or make suggestions in the comments. 

The Lots of Layers Garden Party Dress Tutorial (Kind Of)

I'm sorry I took so long to get this tutorial to you, but I wanted to be sure that it was perfect.

I want to start by saying that this dress requires a little bit more work than most dresses, but that little bit of extra effort is so worth it for the amazing results you will get in return. Of all of the dresses I have ever made, this is by far the one that I am the most proud of.

Materials:

• One Shoulder bodice Pattern - I used the Peek a Boo Pattern Shop Jasmine Dress
• Woven Lining Fabric - (not shear) I used about a yard for the equivalent of a size 6 ready to wear.
• Main Fabric - My fabric was purchased from www.fashionfabricclub.com but be warned it took 3 weeks to arrive.  I used every inch of a yard and a half for a size 6.
• elastic 1/2 inch elastic
• matching thread
• basic sewing supplies - tape measure, needles, cutting tools, iron

Step 1: Preparing the lining

• Cut the bodice and skirt out of the lining fabric as instructed by the pattern. If you are using the  Jasmine Pattern add one inch extra to the sleeve top. Do not cut out the petal tie. 
• Hem sleeve edges. 
• Sew elastic casing along the neckline. 
• Sew one of the side seams. Do not sew the seam on the side where the neckline is lower. 
• Sew the waistline elastic casing as instructed.
• Do not insert the elastic into the casings yet.
• Hem the bottom of the dress. 

At this point the dress should look like this.

Step 2: Determine the size and ruffle of your main fabric.

• Cut a few test strips of fabric.
• Measure the fabric before ruffling
• Sew a line of basting stitches and then pull your basting thread until you reach the desired level of ruffle
• Measure the strip of fabric afterwords. 
• Finished Ruffled Measurement / Starting Ruffle * 100 = ruffle
• My ruffle was 70% of the original fabric length for a barely ruffled look.
• Decide how wide each ruffle will be. You will need a few wider strips to fill in blank spots.
• My ruffles were 4 inches wide and 5 inches wide.

Step 3: Prepare your First Ruffle

• If you are using the same amount of ruffle as me cut your first ruffle length using the following formula. 
• Hem length * 1.3 + 2 inches
• Narrow Hem the ruffle.
• Sew a row of gathering stitches.
• Distribute the fabric evenly as you gather the ruffle to fit the hem of the dress.
• One inch on each end should remain unruffled and hang over the edge of the dress.
• Once the gathers are distributed turn under the gathered edge at the ruffle stitch and zigzag stitch it under so that it won't be exposed once the ruffle is attached.

This tutorial is meant to get you started on making your ruffle dress. At this point in the process of creating the tutorial my computer crashed and had to be reset to factory settings. I lost all of my pictures (and learned an important lesson about backing up my computer) so I will try my best to explain the rest of the process without photos.

• The rest of the ruffles were prepared and placed one at a time in an slightly asymmetrical pattern. 
• Do not sew over the elastic casing when attaching ruffles. 
• Once all of the ruffles are attached insert elastic into waistline and neckline casing and sew ends in placed.
• Before sewing up the side seam baste the 1 inch over hang of each ruffles out of the way. 
• After the side seam is sewn hem the ends of the overhang ruffles, then overlap with the other end of the same ruffle and hand sew in place to the dress.
• Sew the shoulder seam together.  
• Create a tube of fabric and insert a piece of elastic into it for the shoulder strap. 
• Try the dress on for fitting and pin the shoulder strap in place.
• Sew to dress after fitting
• Hand sew any disobedient ruffles down.

That's it. I really wish I had the pictures to finish this tutorial correctly, but hopefully you can use the information to take this dress and make one with your own unique spin on it!

Let me know if you have any questions and I will answer them as best I can.

DIY Denim and Lace Cell Phone Case for Mother's Day

It's getting to be that time of year when we start turning those blue jeans into cut off shorts. It's one of the most popular refashions and so darn easy, even non sewer's can do it. It also leaves you with a bit of unused denim lying around.

I hate to let denim go to waste because it isn't cheap. Luckily cut off shorts time corresponds with Mother's Day quite well. Turn those denim scraps into a beautiful cell phone or digital camera case to give as a gift (to your mom or to yourself).

I added a lace overlay to make it pretty and made the chain out of a broken necklace so that it would be easy to find in a purse, or carry around without a purse.

You Will Need:

• Denim and lace scraps
• A sturdy broken necklace
• Scissors
• Thread
• Sewing Machine
• Hand sewing needle
• Sew on Velcro

Step 1: Mark your seam lines using the cell phone as a guide for size.

Step 2: Cut out Denim. Remember to include seam allowance and hem allowance. On the back leave 4 to 5 inches of extra fabric and trim to a curved shape. 

Step 3: Flat line the denim with the lace. Flat lining is the process of attaching the overlay. It's very simple. Just sew the lace to the denim inside the seam allowance so that the stitching won't be visible once the seams are sewn. From this point forward the denim and lace will be considered a single piece of fabric. 

Step 4: Hem the top of both the front and back by turning it under and securing it with a straight stitch. Then use a zig-zag stitch along the edge to prevent fraying. On the back piece with the curve, you may have to clip the fabric to get the hem to lay flat.

Step 4: With right sides together, sew the front to the back along the bottom and both of the long sides.

(Sorry, no pictures)

Step 5: Turn to the right side and attach the Velcro  Attach the chain with a thread loop. You may want to use home decor thread to attach the chain to make it stronger.  (Sorry again for the lack of pictures)

This post is part of the Sharing is Caring Mother's Day Blog Hop hosted by Life With Lovebugs, Powerful Mothering and Feeding Big!


All of the blogs listed below are sharing Mother's Day themed posts as part of this event, so click on one or all of the links below to find some great recipes, tutorials, crafts and more!

Mixed Fabric Raglan T-Shirt Tutorial

Q: What do you sew for a girl who considers herself a tomboy but still loves the color pink (in moderation) and loves the feel of soft fabrics on her skin? 

A: A mixed fabric Raglan Tee

Do you want to make one for yourself? No problem. Just follow the steps below.

You will need:

• Rib Knit Fabric - You can use any type of knit for the main fabric, but you need rib knit for the collar. The fabric I used is currently out of stock but here is something similar.  Cotton Baby Rib Knit Pale Blue I used about a half a yard with some left over.
• Sleeve fabric - I used a satin fabric with just a tiny bit of stretch for comfort. Again, out of stock but here it is in a darker color. Tahari Stretch Satin Dark Pink You only need about a quarter yard of this
• Thread to match your main fabric
• Paper for Tracing
• Hem Gauge
• A T shirt or tank top that fits well
• Straight edge with a square corner (a sheet of paper will work)

Step 1: Trace your T- shirt or tank top. We will be drawing a new sleeve later so don't worry about that. I chose to use the back collar for a tighter neckline. If you want a lower neckline you can fold the back neckline under and trace the neckline from the front of the tee. Remember we will be adding 3/4 of an inch with the neck binding.

Step 2: Add a 1 inch seam allowance to the bottom for the hem and a quarter inch to the side seam and collar. You don't need to add anything to the shoulder  but I did for a slightly looser sleeve because the fabric did not have much stretch. The easiest way to add the seam allowance is with a hem gauge. 

Step 3: Make the Sleeve. If objects in your house mysteriously disappear and you can't find your ruler grab a piece of paper. Draw a straight line from the point of the armpit to 1 inch from the edge of the collar. Then use the corner of the paper to help draw the rest of the sleeve. 

Step 4: Cut out your pattern. Don't forget to add the seam allowance. Align a piece of paper behind your pattern piece with a quarter inch hanging over the edge. Then, tape in place and trim.

Step 5:  Cut two of your main fabric and two of your sleeve fabric. Then, cut one long strip of your rib knit 1 and a half inches wide and as long as you can make it. We will trim it later.

Step 6:  Pin your sleeve edges to one piece of main fabric and baste. (I know that your eyes just glossed right over the basting part, but if you are using a slippery fabric please don't skip it.)

Step 7: Attach the the back of the shirt to one of the sleeves but not both so it will open up like this. Sew up your seams using your favorite knit sewing method. Press your seams to the main fabric. Remember to set your iron to the setting for the most delicate of the two fabrics. Then flip your shirt and press again. You can also top stitch 1/8 inch from the seam on the main fabric.

Step 8: Now grab that long strip of fabric you cut earlier and fold it in half lengthwise. Press. Line the raw edges up to the raw edges of the neckline on the right side. Now this is the tricky part. In order for the neck binding to maintain the correct shape you have to stretch the binding just a little bit while sewing without stretching the neckline on the shirt. Just take your time and adjust as you go. Trim off the extra.

Step 9: Pin, Baste and Sew your last sleeve edge to the main fabric. Sew all the way to the top including the neck binding with right sides together. 

Step 10: Hem the sleeve edges (I used a narrow hem) and the bottom of the shirt.

Step 10: Sew up your side seams. ( No picture, but its just two straight seems) and try on your shirt!