by Sherri Sylvester | May 13, 2014
A few weeks ago my youngest needed a bunny costume because her preschool was having “Dress Like a Bunny” day. It was the perfect opportunity to use this bunny hat tutorial from the Purl Bee. I commented on Instagram that it might possibly be the cutest thing I have ever made!
I decided to make the outer portion from fleece instead of wool, since I didn’t have any on hand. This meant I wanted to finish the ear edges, so I doubled them, stitched around the edges and turned them before stitching them on. It fits my almost-four year old perfectly and is super adorable. The tutorial also includes a tutorial for mittens to go with the hat. Since it wasn’t practical to send her to school in them I didn’t use that part, but they would add so much to the costume!
My youngest decided that she most definitely needed a tail to go with the hat. So I was tasked with making one the night before. I started with the fleece blanket I had used to make the hat. I got it for about $5 at a big box store a while ago to make my oldest’s winter cat hat. I see a lot more white fleece in our future – the blanket is huge. It’s a pretty inexpensive way to purchase fleece, but make sure you check the quality before making something important. These blankets are not usually made to last!
We decided to attach the tail to the back of the gray & lace dress I made a while ago. Since it’s gray my youngest has decided it is not fun to wear… but it’s perfect for a little gray bunny! Especially since we already had some gray pants to go with it. Here’s a little tutorial on how I made the tail. You’ll need some fleece, scissors and a needle & matching thread + a shirt or dress to stitch the tail to. Since it is hand stitched it is really easy to remove when you are finished with the costume!
Step 1: Cut a long strip of fleece about 2 1/2″ wide and the width of your fabric. I think mine was at least 45″ long, since it was a throw size blanket. Cut vertical lines through 2/3 of the width of your fleece all along one side of the strip. If you are lucky you can just cut a strip from the end of the blanket – since mine already had the “fringe” detail on both ends.
Step 2: Start rolling one end of the fleece around itself. Once you have rolled it twice or so, stitch through the non-fringed side of the strip of layers to keep the centre of the tail together.
Step 3: Continue rolling and stitching, making sure to stitch along each side to secure the tail well. I alternated my stitches between the top and bottom and then the left and right sides of the roll as I went. With lots of hopping, you wouldn’t want your tail to come loose!
Step 4: When you have finished rolling the fleece, stitch around the entire edge, make sure your needle has passed through and secured each layer. Here it is from the front as well – so cute!
Step 5: Figure out where you’d like the tail to be stitched onto the dress/top. Stitch around the entire edge of your bunny tail through the inside of the dress.
Step 6: Since the tail is still a bit floppy, separate 3 or so top layers of the tail and stitch them close to the dress near the bottom. This makes the the tail fluffier!
And there you are, a super-fast tail for your little bunny’s costume. Enjoy!
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by Sherri Sylvester | May 8, 2014
This is week 10! Hooray! This week we cover how to make the Rainbow of Colours page. Before you start, get the materials list of items for this page ready. You can also find out more information about this page in the week 9 post. (If you are just starting find all the information you need on this Sew-Along page.)
You will also need:
- small safety pin
- matching thread
- your normal sewing gear, including a ruler and iron
Before we begin/Important Notes:
- When you are sewing this book it is good to remember that some of the edges will be covered after the book is completed and sewn together. 1/2″ on the top edge of your page and 3/4″ on each side edge will not show in the final project.
- Remember to use your iron liberally when you are sewing this book. It is going to be a work of art when you are done! Since it is thick and some of the pages will not be iron-able once you are finished with them it is advisable to take all of the care you can to remove wrinkles so they are not accidentally permanent in your final book.
Here We Go:
- Cut 1 3/4″ high scrap strips of Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple. I used 2 or 3 fabrics per colour.
- Cut 1 each of 1 1/4″ high strips of the white and gray for the top and bottom of the page.
- Piece each colour together into 9″+ long strips adding ribbons as desired with a 1/4″ seam allowance. I made my strips too long and then trimmed them later. Press all seam allowances open to reduce bulk in the final page.
- To add ribbons to each strip: fold the ribbon pieces in half, pin the short lengths between the fabric, stitch.
- Lay all of your strips out in order. Lay vertical ribbons where you’d like them. Place other embellishments in place so you know where they will go.
- Working one strip at a time, pin and stitch the strips together with a 1/4″ seam allowance. Double stitch over ribbons to make sure they stay in place. Press seam allowances open as you go. (Remove embellishments that are not held in by the seam allowance, you will add these later.)
- Give the back of the page a good press to ensure all seam allowances are flat. If you press from the front, use a press cloth and check your iron temperature to ensure you do not melt any of the ribbon.
- Fuse the medium weight fusible interfacing to the back of your page. Again, be careful with the iron temperature. Square up and trim your page to 9″x9″. Pin any unattached embellishments back in their places. (Now is also a good time to add the colour names in permanent fabric marker – if desired.)
- Stitch the embellishments on. I used a bar tack in the centre of the bow and I stitched a circle around the crocheted flower’s centre.
- Fold the 3 1/2″ matching ribbon tab in half and use the small safety pin to attach it to your page so it does not get lost.
All done the 4th page! Easy peasy lemon squeezy – yes, I have been hanging out a lot with my 1st grader lately! I’ll be back with the next tutorial soon! (P.S. Share your page using these ideas!)
** As usual: This tutorial is for personal or charitable use only. Please do not sell items made with the Quiet Book Sew Along posts. If you wish to sell these please contact sherri@threadridinghood.com for information on how to purchase a license. Thank you!
by Sherri Sylvester | May 7, 2014
Heads up! Just a little post today to remind you that the Sew Fab Pattern Sale is up and running! It is only on sale for 1 week – from May 5th through the 13th. There are many places you can purchase it from, including each of the pattern sellers involved in the sale. I got mine from Jenny Yarbrough of the Southern Institute, who started the bundle sale last year.
The bundle includes 20 pdf patterns, and is selling for only 80% of the retail value of the bundle! I have not used every pattern in the Spring and Fall bundles from last year (yet!), but I have used many of them and I love having them around for when inspiration hits. Especially at the super-discounted cost of each pattern!
There are also two giveaways happening at the same time as the bundle sale – you can enter them here – some amazing stuff is up for grabs!
What do you think? Do you love or hate pdf patterns?
by Sherri Sylvester | May 5, 2014
I had the pleasure of pattern testing the Bohemian Babydoll Dress and Top (affiliate link*) a few weeks ago. It was right in the middle of making Easter Dresses and a super busy weekend, but it was an easy sew – and went together really quickly thank goodness! We did a double photo shoot of the Easter dresses and this dress in the same afternoon, even switching locations, super bloggy-like. (ha!)
I had never used an Elegance & Elephants pattern before, but had happened to buy the very popular Spring Showers Jacket pattern just a few days before I volunteered to pattern test. I found Heidi’s instructions very clear, and the photos are easy to understand as well. This is especially nice because sometimes I prefer illustrations for their clarity, not a problem here!
This pattern creates a really nice looking summer top. I really like the high/low hem and that the bottom of the bodice is high in the front and low in the back as well. It makes a really fun line if you use contrasting fabrics. (You can see this in the first photo). The sewing is simple as well because there are no closures to deal with! And of course my girls are ecstatic about the ruffled sleeves (though it looks cute without them as well, they are optional). I know something is good if my oldest wears it again directly after it has come out of the wash – so great when that happens!
I would be remiss not to talk about the way this pattern is setup for printing. When you open the pdf there is the option to use bookmarks on the side to choose the size pattern you would like, so you don’t end up printing more pages than you need. It works really well – I was super impressed!
We ended up cutting into some fabric I’d been saving since last year again. I say we, because my daughter chose this one herself. She’s very drawn to florals at the moment, which is nice because they are trendy again! I originally bought the Shelburne Falls by Denyse Schmidt (in Maple) July of last year when I visited Needlework for the first time. It was destined for some couch cushions, but that was way-laid when I thought they might look too “quilty”. Not so matchy for my (aiming for) mid-century modern vintage-esque living room. The bottom of the dress is made from a random print I found last year. It matches well and I got to de-stash some more – hurray! The girls are really in a “twins are fun” mode so I might just make up another one in the same prints so they can enjoy their new phase for as long as it lasts.
If you want to get the pattern you can find it here: Bohemian Babydoll Dress and Top (affiliate link*). Thanks!
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* This post contains affiliate links, which means that I receive financial compensation for any sales made through these links.
by Sherri Sylvester | May 2, 2014
Welcome to an Online Fabric Store post with a discount just for you! Let me introduce you to the 8th Canadian Online Fabric Store in our series – Stay Home Fabrics, located in Edmonton, Alberta. Lindsay’s shop has fabulous fabrics, patterns and quilt batting – one stop shopping for your next project!
Lindsay Freistadt keeps shop from the home she shares with her husband and two children. She grew up attracted to anything creative and has now found her favorite – sewing! I’ll let her tell you more:
I have always been drawn to creativity in all its forms. I love the absolute freedom that comes from being able to make something yourself. From choosing the fabrics and design to picking out the final details. I feel like we all follow other peoples rules all day long but at the end of the day, when I go to my sewing studio, all rules disappear and it is all me.
I have been sewing casually for many years now inspired by a couple of good friends, one a co-worker and the other unlikely source, my boss. They both have taught me many things about how to improve my projects and skill level. Just this past year I began taking custom orders and doing a few shows for mostly home décor items, pillows, curtains, baby blankets, hand towels etc. I love letting the fabrics speak for themselves and giving them space to show their beauty. I never could cut the pieces up smaller because I loved how the entire pattern looked. Sounds funny I am sure.
I totally get the “cut the pattern up” comment, so glad I’m not the only one! I’m also happy to welcome Lindsay as a new Thread Riding Hood sponsor. You can find her ads on a few posts this month, so be sure to click over and see what new collections she’s ordered in. If you can’t decide, order her fabric swatch collection and get a piece of every fabric she stocks! Perfect for matching and oh-so-fun to play with.
Thread Riding Hood: What inspired you to start Stay Home Fabrics?
Lindsay: My love of fabric, pattern and design inspired me to start Stay Home Fabrics. I wanted to give Canadians a place where they could buy fabrics online and know the quality of the fabrics was always top notch, the shipping would be fast, and they would never have to pay duty or customs again. I work very closely with my good friend Sarah to pick the newest modern quilting fabrics to have in stock. So if I ever refer to Stay Home Fabrics team or say “we”, this is who I am referring to.
Thread Riding Hood: What is your favorite type of sewing project?
Lindsay: I absolutely love to make anything I can use in my home; Quilts, pillows, hand towels, baby blankets, and anything for my kiddos. My favorite project to date would have to be a set of French Print Curtains and matching Pillows for a girlfriend. They were very unique and added such flair to her room. Did I mention I also love interior design!!!!
Thread Riding Hood: What is something coming up in the near future that you are especially excited about?
Lindsay: I am very excited to be bring in new lines of fabric. We will be bringing on more and more Kona cotton basics this year as well as Robert Kaufman, and a few surprises. I am also excited to be working with more and more small artisans who are taking part in our small artisan program which gives them access to special ordering and 15% off all orders over $200. If someone wants to join this program they just need to email us at stayhomefabrics@hotmail.com for information on how to sign up.
Lindsay has been super-amazing and has provided a discount code for Thread Riding Hood readers until the end of May! Search her collection and stock up! Use the code: “threadridinghood” to save 10% off your entire order. Thanks Lindsay!
And, so I don’t leave you hanging… here are 6 of my favorites to get you started with your shopping! (Click any of them to get to her website.)
