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Decorating a kitchen: an embroidered pot holder Not only will an embroidered pot holder protect your hands from scalding but also make your kitchen look lovely. In the course of our collaborative projects, the participants are required to embroider any of the kitchen or table textiles of their choice. No need to do something complex, as one can always make a pot holder. An embroidered pot holder. Materials Sole-colored cotton, 2 pieces Printed cotton, 1 piece Tearaway adhesive stabilizer Upper thread Underthread Scissors Cotton lace Padding material An embroidered pot holder. The making process I used two sole-colored pieces of different fabrics for the embroidered part and for the back part of my pot holder, with a binding. I could have cut the front and the back parts out of the same fabric, as it would look more natural if the whole thing was white. But I didn't have the necessary amount of white fabric, and therefore, I supplemented it with beige one. Let’s embroider a design first. Stabilize your fabric and hoop it. Select your threads (I do it beforehand, and sort them in the order of sewing), and start the embroidery. While the machine is going, you can make yourself a cup of coffee, pausing occasionally to change the thread. Once the embroidery is ready, unhoop the fabric and do the cutting. Natural fabrics, being heat-resistant, are preferable. My pot holder was a simple square one, with no bells and whistles. As for the batting, felt, wadding or drape cloth are most common, but if you don't have any of those, and you only plan to use the pot holder for the decoration, you may use polyester batting instead. Attention! Polyester batting is highly thermal conductive and has a low melting threshold. You’ll need to cut two square pieces, one sole-colored and one printed. Don’t use vividly colored prints; the fabric should not distract attention from the embroidery. It would be better if one of the colors of the fabric will match one of the main colors in your design. Out of the embroidered piece, cut out a pocket with seam allowance, so that the design is right at the center. Lay a piece of lace on top of it, facing into the right corner. Cut with allowance, in case it shifts during sewing, and you don’t want to rip it off. Prepare the binding. It is usually cut on a bias, but if you don’t have enough material, you may use a simple rectangle instead. First, I stitched the batting and the beige fabric for the back part of my pot holder. These are simple square pieces, no difficulties here. You may mark them for better alignment, but I did it by eye, and it came out fine. Then I stitched the pocket and the lace to the front part. I ironed out the edging so that it would sew easier, pinned the corners and carefully stitched along the edge. Now be very careful and make sure that the stitch goes along the top edge of the binding in one go and doesn’t slide down the lower one. If you set your machine at a low speed and keep steadying it along the way, it will come out fine. Be extra careful at the corners (alas, I didn’t manage to achieve perfection here). I don’t like basting and step-by-step stuff, all this dilly-dallying just doesn’t agree with me. But if you prefer to work that way, you can baste the thing first. Cut your binding a little longer than the perimeter of the pot holder; we’ll make the surplus into an eyelet. Your pot holder is ready! You may insert your favorite recipe into the pocket. Original text by Mary Stratan

Ways of creating a backpack sewing pattern Backpacks remain in trend for a long time. Handmade backpacks, being unique, are valued most highly. A sewing pattern, suitable fabric, and decorations are all you need to create a stylish backpack at home. A creative approach and the enthusiasm of the seamstress also contribute to the success of the matter. Preparations In order to create a backpack by hand, you’ll need: A needle Threads A thimble Scissors Fabric A piece of dry soap for drawing. Best fabrics for a backpack: Denim (without elastane); Cotton — it breathes, maintains shape and is agreeable to the touch, an important point as you will wear it on your back; Dense synthetic fabrics — they come in handsome patterns, bright and printed. Bags made of such fabric do not need additional decoration. Make sure that the fabric doesn’t stretch too much under the strain and doesn’t crumble on bends. One disadvantage of synthetic fabrics is their ability to absorb smells. A synthetic backpack also feels unpleasant on the back in summer. Synthetic fabrics don’t breathe; they also hold water. You may use this to your advantage, making your bag double-layer to protect things in it from rain. For the lining, the following fabrics are most common: Satin — dense, reliable, and wear-resistant. Rayon — even more reliable than the satin. Cupro — similar to natural silk, soft, and stretchy. Polyester — durable and undemanding fabric, mud-resistant. Sateen — made of cotton and silk threads. Netting — has holes, breathes. Taffeta — a coarse fabric that maintains shape. Now, all that’s left is to decide how to sew a backpack without expensive garment accessories. You may create your own or take accessories off an old bag, coat, and other such things. You may use these for decoration: Belts, buckles, and other fasteners ripped off the old clothes. Leather or fabric fringe. A bunch of twisted colorful yarns (they will serve as strings). Curious-looking buttons, beads, and rhinestones. Ropes of various diameters and colors. Felt appliqué. Quilt, ribbon embroidery. Decorative zippers. Choosing decorations, you must keep in mind that they will be subjected to intense wear and tear and soil, too. So unpleasant when a ruined appliqué or a lost bead makes the whole garment unusable. Detachable garment accessories make washing much easier and allow you to revamp your old item in a simple way — by changing the color of a cord, for instance. You can create a hand-made backpack in two different ways: using your embroidery machine or your own hands. The first way is quicker and easier. Tools and materials: Dense sewing fabric title="Capro and polyester fabrics" The lining: cupro and polyester The lining: satin and rayon The lining: taffeta, netting, tulle netting Garment accessories How to use a sewing pattern If a newbie seamstress doesn't know how to sew a backpack with her own hands, a step-by-step guide and a sewing pattern is a must. They will help to bring her project to life. There are ready-made easy-to-transfer full-scale sewing patterns with measurements. To draft your own pattern, you’ll require the following: A sheet of paper (you may use tracing paper or a newspaper instead) A pencil A measuring tape A ruler A triangle ruler A French curve for rounding corners can be made by hand. Draw a circle on a piece of cardboard with an 18–20 cm radius and cut out one-third of it. With such a contrivance, you will be able to make symmetrically rounded corners. To draft a simple backpack sewing pattern, you’ll only need two measurements: shoulder width; center-back length from the natural neckline to the waist. On paper, draw a rectangle, its width less than your shoulder width. An important point: the backpack should not go below waist level, it would be inconvenient to wear. After that, draw a vertical line through the center of the rectangle — the center axis. Now fold the paper along the axis and draw the preferred outline of your backpack. Cut along the outline to get a symmetrical pattern piece. If you plan to attach things like pockets or cover or a movable bottom, it would be easy to mark them on the basic pattern, adjusting the sizes. In order to decipher the pattern, you need to learn the key notations: The line with the arrow — lengthen. The line with small triangles — the joining line is here. Identical numbers in the inner area — these pieces match together. The crosses work as alignment marks. The arrow between the lines is a place for a ruffle. A crisscross is the place for a button. If you've decided to use a ready complex pattern, you’ll need to enlarge it. On the pattern, measurements are given in cm. In this case, it’d better to use a dense fabric instead of paper. The cutouts are placed on top of the fabric and traced with a piece of soap, sharpened on one end. Before cutting out parts of the pattern, make sure that seam allowance is included. More often, it isn't, and therefore, you’ll need to add 1–1.5 cm on all sides. Sometimes the enclosed seam is used — first, the fabric is folded the wrong side out and stitched, then turned right side out and stitched again. Seams executed in this fashion look neat and add support to the backpack. They require a larger seam allowance. Making a sewing pattern according to the model Sewing your own backpack allows you to choose any model you like. What you need to understand that copying the manufactured models may be futile, due to the lack of the frame and finishing (plastic edges, metallic corners, coarse bottom, etc.). Even if your pattern is accurate, the backpack might turn out quite different. The advantage of homemade backpacks is the individual approach that makes them stand out. It improves the overall imagery, visible in decor and unusual joining seams. Backpack for kids Kids like backpacks shaped like animals. Bunny ears or button eyes are easy to attach, and will make a child happy. On a basic pattern, the upper part must be narrowed. The backpack should resemble a triangle with its apex facing upward. The bottom is made according to the pattern. You can make it two-part, joining the pieces accordion-style and strengthening the edges with a cord. The upper part will be gathered with a cord; to prevent the things from falling out, a flap cover may be added. Pom poms look marvelous on kids’ backpacks. If the kid will wear it to school, you may add the compartments with fasteners for books and exercise-books. Use thin fabric that doesn't soil easily. A detachable lining will be easier to wash. Sewing a pineapple-shaped backpack Cut four rectangular pieces, two out of your main fabric, two out of the lining fabric. Cut and stitch the future rings for the cord. Stitch the rings to the main part of the backpack. Cut and edge finish two rectangles. Join the main part to the rectangular pieces and stitch the base. Align the openings, pin, and stitch. Prepare the four rectangular pieces, draw the lines and stitch. Cut out the pineapple crown. Join the lining to the main part. Join the lining to the main part. Insert the cord (a ready one or made by you). Draw the cord through the rings and fix them with a clamp. Drawstring bag The most convenient shape for a hand-made backpack is a drawstring bag. It is a godsend for creative people. A simple structure leaves room for creating images, from dreamy and romantic to ascetic ones. A drawstring bag is a sack with strings on top and shoulder-straps. A well-known, traditional shape. A sewing pattern for such a bag is rectangular. The bottom edges may be rounded or left as is. The size depends on the maker’s wish. The upper part is not narrowed down, as it is gathered with the strings. The fabric should be soft, that ruffles beautifully — in that case, the upper part, folded like a hand fan, will be a decoration in itself. Romantic drawstring bags are ideal for slim young girls. You may decorate them with pleated straps, and to attach a fringe with beads to the edges. For a mature woman, a backpack bag may be made into a carry-all. The color of the bag should harmonize with the dress, and a brightly colored neck handkerchief may be wrapped around her neck and shoulders. A khaki drawstring bag is fine for men who prefer casual style. A drawstring bag made of thick water-repellent fabric will be indispensable while hunting, fishing, or just hiking. Thick ropes may be used instead of straps. You don't even need to sew them. Colorful ropes for women and restrained sole-colors for men. You may adjust the strap length simply by tying up the two ends where the knot will not rub sore. Straps like that make the backpack look stylish. A shoe bag made of an old pair of jeans: The necessary materials Shape and sew the bottom. Shape and sew a pass-through for the string. Sew the ring for the ribbon. Stitch the ribbon at the bottom. They will serve as straps. Backpack made from an old pair of jeans: Many people ask how to make a backpack without a sewing pattern. If you don’t have a ready sewing pattern, you can draft it yourself or find a tutorial that shows approximately what you want and take the pattern from there. The easiest way is to make your backpack bottomless. In such cases, a front part of the backpack is enlarged to serve as the bottom as well as the front. The following measurements are approximate, you’ll need to make some changes to them in order to suit the pattern to your tastes and needs. The back part, slightly narrowed down — 26 cm wide. You may add about 3 cm on each side in the middle. The front part is cut as a semicircle with a 38 cm radius. The flap cover is rounded. It should be one part with the back. It should drape freely and elegantly onto the gathered top. The straps are made of denim. If you don't have a sufficient amount of material, you may substitute denim for a decorative cord. If wished, a hanger is attached, so that the backpack is easy to pick up. The center of the semicircle and the lower edge of the back part are aligned along the vertical centerline of the pattern. The edges of the semicircle are stitched to the back part. The upper part of the backpack is gathered with strings and covered with a flap. The straps are stitched to the upper and the lower edges of the back part. For this model, you’ll need a very wide piece of fabric. If you don’t have a sufficiently wide piece, you may sew it from pieces, because this type of backpack may be quilted. A backpack from an old pair of jeans Draw the parts of the future backpack. Cut out the pattern. Sew the bottom, the parts, and the flap. Attach the denim straps. Sew the handles, if necessary. The fabric should not be threadbare. Patchwork backpack Being skillful at patchwork allows you to create beautiful garments out of scraps. You can join the fabric pieces haphazardly or create a particular pattern. It is not rational to cut the existing length of fabric to pieces, better to use the trimmings and leftovers already accumulated. For this reason, don’t try to make a facsimile of a backpack you’ve seen somewhere. Instead, find the backpack you like, alter it to suit your needs. A patchwork backpack without a bottom may be decorated according to your tastes. For example, a flap can be rendered as a divergent beam of light or a cluster of petals. The straps might be made of horizontal strips or pleated. The front part may be sole-colored or contain vertical insets that look beautiful between the pleats. Before sewing a new backpack, you should make a sewing pattern. Just draw the shape of the future item on paper, then cut and trace the pattern to the fabric. Don’t be afraid to spoil the materials in case something goes wrong. Failure helps you to master the necessary skill. Stitching the scraps of fabric into one piece. Cut the fabric according to the simple pattern. Out of the patchwork piece, prepare the flap with the clamp. Make the slash pockets with zippers on the front part. Slash pockets from inside: The front and the back parts remain sole-colored. Sew the hanger, the flap, and the straps. The back part and the lower part: Join the front part to the back. Draft the pattern of the bottom. Sew the bottom as pictured on the pattern. Sew the bottom to the front. Prepare the lining. Sew parts of the lining. Sew the base and attach the upper flap. Stitch the edging. A ready model should be supplemented with a cord. Make the openings for the grommets and draw the cord through them. A ready patchwork bag: Original text by sumki.guru title="Owl backpack"

Patchwork quilt for a child If you have a small kid or are expecting one and love sewing, this tutorial is for you. Using only natural fabrics, you can decorate a child’s bed with a patchwork quilt of your own making. Haven't tried patchwork quilting yet? Now is the right time! To create a simple quilt block, you’ll need scraps of bright-colored fabrics and a sewing machine. Let’s go! Patchwork quilt for a child. Materials For this patchwork quilt, I’ve bought a ready set of fabrics with batik print and a piece of sole-colored backing fabric. There were 40 squares in the bundle, size 12.5x12.5 cm. You may cut your own squares or buy a ready fabric set, as I did. To make the quilt warmer and puffier, you’ll need a thing called quilt batting, designed specifically for this purpose. It is usually made of cotton, bamboo, wool, or their combinations. You’ll also need some lining fabric. As you’re making a kid’s quilt, this fabric ought to be natural. Cotton, calico or lightweight calico will do splendidly. Patchwork quilt for a child. Cutting For a patchwork quilt, cut the same number of squares out of your sole-colored backing fabric. Place the squares by pairs with their right sides together, a bright-colored plus a sole-colored one. Draw the lines on the sides to mark the seam allowance. In my bundle, the size of the squares didn't ideally correspond to the one I needed. So I drew two parallel lines at a distance of 11.5 cm. That would mark the width of the ready square. Done that? Pin the pieces together. Patchwork quilt for a child. Joining the pieces Stitch along the lines on the right and of the left. Repeat with the top and the bottom of the square. Press the seam allowances. Now draw the diagonal lines from one corner to the other. Cut the squares along those lines. Join these smaller pieces by pairs, their right sides together. This is the most interesting part; you can “play” with the squares and create various combinations. Remember the kaleidoscope you’ve probably had in your childhood. Choose your pattern, arrange the blocks and pin them together so as not to mess up the whole thing. Baste them together and press the seam allowances. Lay the resulting short strips of fabrics together and sew them to each other. While arranging the pieces, position them so that their seam allowances are oriented in different directions, thus “locking” them. Having sewn the pieces together, unstitch the fabric near the “lock” and press the seam allowance open (see in the photo below). In our future tutorial, we’ll tell you how to arrange the quilt blocks into a ready quilt. Original text by Irina Lisitsa See also: