I go LIVE on Instagram with a hand sewing workshop for you and your kids every Monday 5pm PT and Tuesday 10am Sydney time. I show you and your kids how to sew simple projects to keep you happy and busy in lockdown.
Edited to add: Live workshops are on hold for the moment
Project 6: Little Purse Person
With Mothers Day on the horizon I thought I’d design a quick hand sewing project for kids to make for mum. The idea originally was a little cat purse sort-of-thing…not quite sure what to call it. But it just didn’t look good. For a moment I was a little frustated and thought what am I going to do now…but suddenly I looked at the purse and saw another project staring at me. Sometimes fails are really good wins!
So let me introduce you to Little Purse Person. Now little Purse Person holds a secret but I’m not telling you what that is until the live workshop. Although this project is for Mothers Day I’m telling you and your kids it’s a little gift for their grandma. That way once they’ve made one with you, for grandma they can make one for mum with perhaps a little help from dad. After all dads really need to get on the sewing bandwagon too!
For this project you’ll need 2 felt hearts. Here’s the Little Purse Person_template .
You’ll need to cut a slit in one heart as indicated by the dotted line in the template and…you’ll need googly eyes, braids or bows and…
The usual sewing supplies.
Needle
Thread
Pins
Scissors
Marking tool
Project 5: Bean bags
For my next live on I’ll be showing you two different ways of sewing a bean bags. These are the bean bags you play with not the ones you sit on. I’ve made my bean bags 4 inch squares. I’ve cut my fabric into 4 1/2 inch squares of fabric so I get a 1/4 inch border around my sewing line…but any size will work.
Usually bean bags are filled with beans or rice or a similar weighted material. If you’re in lockdown or you want to use a different weighting material you can try the following, which the lovely members of my Sew a Softie facebook group have suggested.
Sand
Fabric scraps
Shredded paper
Plastic bags
Small buttons
Wooden or plastic beads
Aquarium gravel
Please let me know if you find anything else that works.
Remember: If you’re using food to fill your bean bags you”ll need to keep them dry to avoid your bean bags going mouldy.
The usual sewing supplies.
Needle
Thread
Pins
Scissors
Marking tool
Ruler
And of course your fabric squares.
So once you’ve sewn some bean bags you’ll want to play some bean bag games with your or better still get your kids making up their own bean bag games.
Project 4: Felt Bookmark
If you’d like to make your own bookmark join me on Monday April 13th, 5pm PT & 8pm ET or Tuesday April 14th, 10am Sydney time over on Instagram live.
You’ll need some felt or fabric about 2 or 3 inches wide and about 10inches long. The exact size doesn’t really matter. Find book you like and measure your size so its about 3 – 4 inches longer than your book.
The usual sewing supplies.
Needle
Thread
Scissors
Marking tool
Ruler
If you missed the live here’s the How to Sew a Felt Rainbow Rain Bookmark tutorial to show you what to do.
Project 3: My Reading Buddy Softie
My next online hand sewing workshop is on Monday 6th April 4pm PT and 7pm ET which is Tuesday April 7th at 10am in Sydney, Australia.
I’ll be going live on Instagram.
I’ll show you how to sew this little softie, who I call “RB” at the moment as he doesn’t have a name.
RB loves having stories read to him, especially in the garden!
Come join me with the following materials so we can sew a Reading Buddy softie together.
2 pieces of felt 8″ x 6″
Don’t have felt? Fabric works too. You can make your softie bigger or smaller. So don’t worry if you don’t have those exact measurements.
Felt scraps, lace, ribbons, buttons etc for facial features and to decorate.
The usual sewing supplies.
Needle
Thread
Pins
Scissors
Marking tool
Ruler
Stuffing
Project 2: The Two Storey House Project
Part 1.
I’ll be going live @colouredbuttons instagram page with my next online hand sewing workshop on Friday 27th March at 10am Sydney time or if you’re in the US that’s Thursday 26th at 4pm PT and 7pm ET.
I’m not telling you what we’ll be making…actually I’ve never made this before so you’ll all be my guinea pigs 🙂
Here’s what you’ll need.
A piece of felt in the shape of a 2 storey house. Mine is 5 inches across, 6 inches high and the roof is 2 inches high.
Needle
Thread
Scissors
Marking tool
Ruler
Part 2 of the two storey house project.
I’ll be live on Monday 4pm PT and 7pm ET to finish the project.
Please come with your felt in the shape of a 2 storey house. Hopefully you’ve had time to decorate your felt with lots of running stitches.
In addition to your usual sewing supplies, please bring a ribbon, lace or cord or a velcro dot. A hot glue gun if you have.
Decorate your felt with a running stitch
Next fold the felt into a purse shape. Use an over stitch to sew the sides together. Glue on the ribbon.
Adding my swing supplies.
Project 1: Heart Softie
If you can’t go to a Global Kids Sewing Party then the Global Kids Sewing Party will come to you with a live online hand sewing workshop.
On Tuesday 24th March at 10am Sydney time, I’ll be doing a live “sewing with kids” workshop on instagram @colouredbuttons and facebook if I can work it out.
I’ll be showing you how to sew this little heart.
What you will need to sew your heart
You’ll need 2 pieces of fabric about 10 inches by 10 inches but smaller is ok too.
Needle: A real sewing needle please. Not a thick blunt one
Thread: Ordinary sewing thread is great.
Stuffing: Commercial stuffing, the inside of a cushion, some old stockings etc
Scissors: Please make sure they cut fabric.
Pencil or marker to draw a heart on your fabric. You may want to make a template for your heart or just draw it freehand.
And you’ll need a fun snack too of course.
Any questions to trixi@colouredbuttons.com
I will post as soon as I can the heart tutorial from the live workshop, in the meantime her’s how to make a felt heart 🙂