Sew-It-Yourself Home Accessories E-Book

Cheryl Owen

• Herausgeber: IMM Lifestyle Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Seitenzahl: 86

Beschreibung

Making your own custom accessories is a great way to add color, texture and comfort to your life—and can be fun too! Sew-It-Yourself Home Accessories offers 21 simple and beautiful projects to create with natural cotton. Using easy-to-learn sewing methods and bright, fresh fabrics, this book shows you how to make a range of useful items, from cushions, aprons and oven mitts to a laptop case, table linen and even a doorstop. Each project can be completed in just one weekend. Clear step-by-step instructions and color photographs make the process straightforward and simple, even for absolute beginners. A basics section at the front of the book introduces you to all of the tools, materials and techniques you need to know.

Leseprobe

Published 2018--IMM Lifestyle Books www.IMMLifestyleBooks.com

IMM Lifestyle Books are distributed in the UK by Grantham Book Service, Trent Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 7XQ.

In North America, IMM Lifestyle Books are distributed by Fox Chapel Publishing, 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552, www.FoxChapelPublishing.com

© 2018 by IMM Lifestyle Books

Produced under license.

The patterns contained herein are copyrighted by the author. Readers may make copies of these patterns for personal use. The patterns themselves, however, are not to be duplicated for resale or distribution under any circumstances. Any such copying is a violation of copyright law.

All photography by Paul Bricknell (Paul Bricknell Photography Ltd) except as follows. Mark Winwood: here, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 top right and bottom right. Africa Studio (Shutterstock): here. Manfredxy (Shutterstock): here bottom right. Kostikova Natalia (Shutterstock): here. Nitr (Shutterstock): here bottom left.

Print ISBN 978-1-5048-0093-8eISBN 978-1-6076-5518-3

For a printable PDF of the patterns used in this book, please contact Fox Chapel Publishing at [email protected], stating the ISBN and title of the book in the subject line.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Owen, Cheryl, author.

Title: Sew-it-yourself home accessories / Cheryl Owen.

Description: Mount Joy, PA : IMM Lifestyle Books, [2018] | Includes index. Identifiers: LCCN 2017044254 | ISBN 9781607655183 (pbk.)

Subjects: LCSH: House furnishings. | Machine sewing.

Classification: LCC TT387 .O94 2018 | DDC 646.2/1--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017044254

We are always looking for talented authors. To submit an idea, please send a brief inquiry to [email protected].

Introduction

It’s easy to be enticed by the fabulous array of cotton fabrics available today for sewing projects. This book shows you how to turn these fabrics into beautiful home accessories, whether you plan to keep them for yourself or give them as presents. All the projects in this book use small amounts of fabric, so if you already have a glorious stash, you’ll find lots of ways to use it! Don’t be nervous about mixing prints—it’s a great way to use up small pieces of fabric and to give your creations a quirky touch. If you want to use coordinating fabrics, buying a set of fat quarters is a great way of making sure that your fabrics will go well together. Fat quarters are sets of rectangular fabric pieces about 22" x 18" (56 x 45cm) in size. They provide a handy amount of fabric for sewing many small home accessories.

In this book, you will find projects for those new to sewing and for the accomplished sewer. Many projects incorporate techniques that you may not have tried before, such as embroidery or quilting, so it’s an ideal way learn something new or to incorporate a familiar, favorite technique. Basic sewing techniques are explained concisely at the beginning of the book, and each project has clear instructions and step-by-step photography to guide you and give you confidence as you work. Even if you are already an experienced sewer, there are lots of innovative ideas and suggestions included here that will inspire you to create projects with your own flair. Enjoy filling your home with this variety of home accessories!

Contents

Introduction

Materials, Supplies, and Tools

Materials

Supplies

Tools

Techniques

Cutting Out

Using Templates

Positioning Motifs

Stitching

Using Bias Strips

Bindings

Rouleaux

Projects

Chenille Sofa Pillow

Coffeepot Cozy

Cute Egg Coaster

Half Apron

Pear Doorstop

Quilted Oven Mitt

Stacked Pincushion

Headphones Case

Key Case

Kimono Clothespin Bag

Laptop Case

Leaf Place Mat

Buttoned Mug Hug

Needle Case

Pot Holder

Panel Pillow

Hanging Storage Tub

Tablet Sleeve

Toiletry Bag

Tote Bag

Wall Organizer

Templates

Materials, Supplies, and Tools

Materials

Your main fabric is not the only material you might need when sewing! From interfacing to batting (wadding), there are several other materials you might need in addition to your fabric of choice.

Cotton Fabric

All the projects in this book are made from cotton. It is the easiest of fabrics to work with, so it’s just right for a beginner. The variety of printed cotton fabric is vast, inexpensive, and widely available. Check your local fabric store or shop online. Many cotton fabrics are produced for patchwork and quilting purposes, and it’s these kinds of fabrics that have been used for most of the projects in this book. You can easily complement the prints by using coordinating, pattern-free cottons. Heavier-weight cottons are suitable for simple cushions, aprons, and bags (such as the tote bag here). Most printed fabrics have a right and wrong side, and it’s usually quite obvious which is the right side. Most plain fabrics, woven stripes, and woven checkered fabrics do not have a wrong side; these are known as double-faced fabrics.

As it is a natural fiber, cotton may shrink. To test for shrinkage, cut a 4" x 4" (10 x 10cm) square of fabric. Wash and press the square, then measure it again. If the square is now smaller than 4" x 4" (10 x 10cm), it has shrunk, and you should wash your fabric before cutting out the pieces for the project.

Interfacing

Stiffen fabric with interfacing to give it more body or to add strength. Nonwoven and woven varieties of interfacing come in different weights to suit particular purposes. Interfacing is sold in packs or by the yard (meter). Iron the shiny side of iron-on (fusible) interfacing, or baste (tack) sew-in interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric.

Fusible (bonding) web, which is similar to interfacing, is a double-sided adhesive web with a paper backing that is used to fuse layers of fabric together.

Batting (Wadding)

A layer of batting (wadding) is sandwiched between fabrics to pad them. It comes in various weights and is made from man-made fibers such as polyester or natural fibers such as cotton, wool, and eco-friendly bamboo. Use cotton batting (wadding) for items that will come in contact with heat. Batting (wadding) made from natural fibers is prone to shrink, whereas polyester isn’t, so if you are planning to wash an item frequently, it might be more practical to use polyester instead of cotton.

Use a layer of insulated lining in items that will come into contact with heat (such as the pot holder here or the oven mitt here). It reflects warmth back to the body and is breathable, letting moisture escape. Just remember: insulated lining is heat resistant but not heat proof.

Supplies

Find a nice selection of supplies at department stores and sewing shops. Don’t be afraid to collect a large stash of buttons, ribbons, and other trimmings—they will come in handy for lots of applications!

Threads

For machine and hand sewing, choose sewing thread to match the fabric colors of your project. The thread should be strong and durable with a bit of give in it; an all-purpose polyester thread is a good choice, and it has more give in it than an all-purpose cotton thread.

Topstitching is machine stitching on the right side of the fabric, both for decoration and to hold fabric layers in place. Topstitched projects in this book use regular sewing thread, but you can also find thick topstitching thread in a small range of colors. Use thick topstitching thread with a topstitching needle and ordinary sewing thread in the bobbin.

Embroidery floss (stranded cotton) is a versatile embroidery thread made up of six strands that can be separated for use in any quantity desired (1 strand to 6 strands), which allows you to precisely control the thickness of your embroidery lines. It’s inexpensive and comes in a huge variety of colors.

Buttons

Use buttons for practical purposes as well as for decoration. As you can imagine, there is a huge variety available out there, in every shape and color. Flat buttons have flat backs with two or four holes to sew through. Shank buttons have a loop underneath to sew through. Self-cover buttons allow you to cover the button with a fabric of your choice; they are available in different sizes and are easy to assemble, so rest assured if you want the buttons on a project to match perfectly, you can do that!

Ribbons

Use ribbons for decoration or for fastenings. They come in various widths and finishes and in lots of colors.

Cotton Twill Tape

Usually a utility tape for binding edges or reinforcing seams, cotton twill tape comes in a small range of widths and colors. It is cheap to buy and, in this book, is perfect for making apron ties (see the half apron here).

Zippers

For a professional finish on a bag or other item, close two edges of fabric temporarily with a zipper. It’s easiest to stitch a zipper with a zipper foot on a sewing machine.

Bias Binding

This is a strip of bias cut fabric (see here) with the long edges pressed under for binding curved and straight edges. The binding is available in different widths and a limited color range, plus a small choice of printed bindings. Buy bias binding by the yard (meter) or in packs of 3 yd. (2.5m), or make your own bias binding with a bias binding maker (see here).

Metal Hardware

Use round, square, rectangular, and D-shaped metal rings to link straps to bags and to hang items on a wall. A swivel bolt snap is a trigger-style fastener to join a strap or handle and metal ring together, allowing the strap to be removed. A key ring is a split ring that can be affixed securely through the hole in a key. Metal rings and swivel bolt snaps come in different finishes, such as chrome and antique bronze.

Metal eyelets are available in a few different sizes and have nickel, gold, and painted finishes. Most come with an installation kit or are applied with special pliers or a setting tool.

Hook and Loop Tape

This two-part tape, commonly known by the brand name Velcro®, is used to fasten bags and clothing. One tape has a looped mesh surface and the other a hooked surface. The two layers interlock when pressed together. Hook and loop tape can be sewn on or can have a self-adhesive backing for sticking. It is also available as circular disks.

Tools

Even if you are new to sewing, you probably already have some of the basic equipment you’ll need to get started. Keep your tools together and use them only for sewing activities; otherwise, they may become blunt and dirty. Keep sharp and swallowable tools beyond the reach of small children and pets.

Pattern-Making Papers