Whip It Up Challenge with Sew Mama Sew and Ink & Arrow {Kitchen-Themed Sewing & Free Patterns}

Today I’m grateful to be part of the Sew Mama Sew Whip It Up Challenge with Ink & Arrow fabrics. Not only do I get to showcase the Whip It Up fabric line (and a few coordinating Pixies prints) from Ink & Arrow, but also - just in time for Mother’s Day - I have several free kitchen-themed free motion applique designs you can download, a tutorial for a simple reversible apron, a framed applique design for the kitchen wall, and really fun kitchen-themed magnets.  Do you (or someone you know) enjoy cooking, eating, and/or sewing? (ha!)  Then today’s Whip It Up Challenge feature is for you!  Be sure to read to the end for links to free downloads and the other challenge participants.

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Sewing Caddy Free Tutorial on Fabricworm.com Blog with Birch Fabrics Wild Land

I am excited to be over on the Fabricworm blog today with this Sewing Caddy tutorial I designed for them using the Birch Organics Wild Land fabric line.  It fits under a sewing machine or serger and I hope you'll head over there to read (and sew!) the tutorial.  Be sure to pin it to your Pinterest board so you can find it later!  Feel free to leave a comment for them, letting them know if you like the tutorial or what your favorite Wild Land print is.  They have quite a few excellent tutorials and free patterns available and they run regular sales on their great selection of fabrics.  Be sure to subscribe to their newsletter to receive email updates on sales, in-stock fabrics, and their Saturday Sewing ideas.

I love the colors and print in Wild Land.  I used all cottons for the sewing caddy, but this line of fabric is available as organic cotton poplin fabric, organic knit fabric, organic double gauze fabric and organic canvas fabric (I used Birch Fabrics organic canvas for this backpack).  Wild Land, designed for Birch Fabrics by Miriam Bos, features a unique floral (I'm in love with Flowerbed Blue), an arrow print, an arrowhead print, tee-pees, a village feast, wild horses, and coordinating solids.  Wild Land Patch is the perfect fabric for a pin cushion (also included in the tutorial).  It would also be great for bean bags, or as the center of quilt blocks.  So many uses for such a great fabric line.

I'd love to see your sewing caddy if you use the tutorial - or anything you make with Wild Land.  Tag me on Instagram, or leave a comment below with a link!

Bow Headband Tutorial Using Knit Fabric

I gleefully jumped on to the headband making train when I had my first daughter after having three sons!  I love the way a knit headband has a comfortable fit and the big bow adds a fun flair to any outfit (it also masks crazy hair - or no hair! quite well).   This free tutorial will guide you through the steps to sew a large bow headband from knit fabric.  You can choose from a small, medium, or large bow.  This is a sewing tutorial - you will need a sewing machine or serger.  No hot glue gun required (I prefer not to use hot glue on this style headband).  If you are wondering what might make mine different from others (good ones, too!) out there - in my opinion, it's (1) no hot glue (I think sewing makes it more comfortable to wear and less likely to come unglued) and (2) interfacing - the not-so-secret ingredient to give my bows a little extra fluff, shape, and stability.  It's worth it!

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Remnant Bin Infinity Scarf Tutorial

I haven't sewn something wearable (including accessories) for myself since 2004!  I was inspired by Pattern Revolution's Sew Yourself Some Love to make something for myself; while I have a couple projects on my to-do pile now, I started with something simple.  This project is so quick and easy!  Nothing fancy or award winning, but perfect for a nap time craft or when you want a quick little something for yourself or a gift.  I am sure there are tons of tutorials on Pinterest and Google, but here is my version.

Fabric

I found my fabric in the remnant bin at my local JoAnns and paid just a couple bucks for it.  You could certainly do the same with any fabric you like cut from a bolt as well.  Remnant fabric is very cost effective and budget friendly.   I chose a polyester with a nice silky feel and fun cheetah print.  I am not an animal print person, usually, so this is kind of out-of-the-box for me, but I though it would be fun and versatile.  It is about .67 yards of 56" wide fabric, according to the label (I have doubts that it is that  Fabric any shorter/narrower (less than 56") will only be able to be wrapped around the neck once, but wider fabric will work well and provide longer loops that are not so close to the neck.  You will want to choose a knit or silky fabric that lays nicely.  Typical cotton woven fabric will not work well. 

my fabric - shown folded in half top to bottom

Machine

I used a serger, but you can also use a sewing machine set appropriately for whatever fabric you are using.  (speaking of sergers, I owe a big thanks to my friend Linda at Sew Happily Ever After for loaning me her serger recently.  I've been having trouble attaining one of my own)

Here is what you do:

 *Note:  I did not pin my fabric, since the nature of the scarf does not require that the fabric is lined up perfectly, but you could certainly pin your fabric between each step if it helps you.

Make sure your machine (serger or sewing) is set up properly for your fabric of choice.  If you do not have similar test fabric, use the short end of your fabric to run a seam, and when your adjustments are correct you can either use your serger or scissors to cut off the test area before proceeding.

When your machine is set properly, fold your fabric in half matching up the long sides, so that the right side of the fabric is on the inside, and the wrong side is facing you.  Serge or sew a seam down the long edge of the fabric, so that you end up with a long tube of fabric with open ends.  (I used a rolled hem, since that is how the machine was already set up.)

Turn your tube right side out now, so that the correct side of your fabric is facing out, and the seam you just made is now hidden on the inside of your fabric tube.

Fold your tube in half, so that the unfinished short ends of fabric meet.

Twist one side of the fabric one turn (180 degrees) in your hand and match the two ends again.  You are creating a twist in your loop of fabric.  It should look like this:

showing twist in fabric

Then

matched up edges at front (left), twist in fabric at back (right side in photo)

With your edges matched up, sew the edges together.  You are running four layers of fabric through your machine.  I used a rolled hem on my serger for a nice finished look.  (For extra credit, you can fold back the last 1/2"-1" at each end, so that at each end you are actually sewing through 8 layers of fabric at the very end on each side before you sew.  If you do this, it will help hide the seam even more when you turn your scarf.  It is not necessary.)

When you finish that seam, your should have a ring of fabric with no openings.  Turn the seam you just made, so that it is on the underside of your scarf.

You are done!