How to sew a Reversible Fat Quarter Skirt {#FQSinspiration}

How is your Friday going so far? The weekend is just around the corner. I’ve booked a fun sewing day with two friends today, lots of quilty finishes I hope!

I am thrilled to introduce a fellow Canadian today. Tori from British Farm Wife in Training! She pattern tested for me and then, while I was working out this series, posted a reversible skirt idea on Instagram and…

…Boom! I asked her if she’d like to guest post the pattern hack here and she accepted. So you are all on my strict orders that you visit her blog as collateral for her hard work. *kidding about the orders, of course!* But you should visit her blog, she has mad sewing and photography skills, so it’s gorgeous, and her little boy is a cutie pie too. I love him in this Roller Coast Tee she made!

Check out her clever reversible skirt hack below.

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Fat Quarter Skirt Pattern Inspiration Series (#FQSPinspiration)

I’ll be posting a tutorial or some tips every couple of weeks. ‘Specially made to work with the Fat Quarter Skirt pattern – but of course, to be used as inspiration with your own skirt patterns as well. 

Week 1: Sew a Fleece Fat Quarter Skirt ~ Week 2:  Sew a Reversible Fat Quarter Skirt (this post!)

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Big round of applause for Sherri and this AWESOME pattern!! And thank you for having me here to share my hack on it!

Firstly, a short blurb about myself – My name is Tori, also referred to as the BritishFarmWifeInTraining. I am a Canadian gal who married the love of her life – let’s call him….. theBritishFarmer. We live in the middle of nowhere Manitoba, Canada (smack dab in the middle of the country) where we are raising our son,#britishfarmboyintraining (or Little Mister A). You can follow my adventures and misadventures over here. (When I have time to breath and write about them!)

Now, after I made my first two Fat Quarter Skirts from the Thread Riding Hood pattern for my nieces I had a brilliant idea….

REVERSIBLE!

So you get not only ONE cute skirt but TWO!

How hard could that be?

Well firstly, you need to go get yourself a copy of the pattern over here.

Secondly, instead of getting two coordinating fat quarters, grab a third! (Disclaimer: to make this skirt I used 1 fat quarter and 2 normal 1/4 cuts)

NOTE: When picking a fabric for your contrasting bands, pick a non-directional fabric (or one that looks okay upside down)

Now, granted, I haven’t been sewing that long, and honestly, I don’t think I have ever sewed anything to be reversible yet… So there MAY be a better way to do this!

This is just what I came up with (the gist of it at any rate – you should still need the original pattern for the full instructions!). Always remember to press your seams and finish your edges as per the original pattern. And as always, read the whole hack before starting!

Cut four main pieces – 2 from color A and 2 from color B (if you do not want the original length of the skirt to change then cut the fabric 1inch shorter in height). And cut your contrasting bands.

Eight pieces total! (Okay… I actually cheated a little bit because some of the fabric I used was a 1/4 cut, but not an actual fat quarter so my contrasting pieces on my color A are already one continuous strip… only 5 pieces for me…)

Stitch matching fabrics together only along one side (instead of both like suggested in the pattern).

Down to four pieces total! (Now we have the same number of pieces!)

Stitch main fabric color A strip to bottom contrasting band (right sides together) followed by stitching main fabric color B strip to the other side of the band (right sides together).

Down to two pieces total!

Fold the fabric right sides together to color A matches color A, etc. Stitch the edges together to form a tube. Repeat with the elastic casing as well.

Fold the tube in on itself (wrong sides together). Be careful to match up the seams. Top stitch around the contrasting band.

OPTION 1 for elastic casing: Iron the elastic casing in half width wise and iron the main fabrics approximately 1/4inch under all the way around (towards the inside of the skirt). Top stitch the elastic casing into place leaving a 2inch opening to feed the elastic through. Insert elastic and close the opening.

OPTION 2 for elastic casing: Alternately, you can follow the original direction for attaching the elastic casing. This way it will be visible on one side of the skirt but not the other. If you are doing this then you should keep the height of the main fabrics the same as the original pattern.

TA. DA!

A cute little skirt made even cuter (since now it is a two-in-one)!

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Wow, thank you so much Tori! The cutest fabric and what a brilliant way to put it all together. I’m going to have to cut one out and finish it up asap, my youngest would love the idea of a reversible skirt!

Plus, if you’ve read this far – congratulations! You are the first to know my fun news, you can win the Fat Quarter Skirt next week during my first-ever Blog Tour! Lots of great fun blogs to visit and prizes to win – check it out starting Sunday, March 5th!

How to sew a Fleece Fat Quarter Skirt {#FQSinspiration}

Sometimes you don’t get what you expect! I put a cat-ear headband on my youngest for this photoshoot. Turns out that means she has to act like a cat in all of the photos! Of course… *facepalm* Anyhow – it was super cute, and she had fun, so all in all, win for both of us! 

While writing the Fat Quarter Skirt pattern, I thought up a ton of ideas for embellishments and ideas for how to make it. Enter my lovely pattern testers and they suggested even more options! So, with no further ado, today I’m introducing the… *drum roll please!*

Fat Quarter Skirt Pattern Inspiration Series (#FQSPinspiration)

I’ll be posting a tutorial or some tips every couple of weeks. ‘Specially made to work with the Fat Quarter Skirt pattern – but of course, to be used as inspiration with your own skirt patterns as well.

Today’s Inspiration: Winter! (How to Sew a Fleece Fat Quarter Skirt)

The Fat Quarter Skirt isn’t just for warm weather. Sew up a fleece version that is even-faster-than-the-original – you don’t need to finish your seams, plus, check out the tips below to skip pressing too!

Fleece is so cozy, plus it adds warmth to the perfect winter outfit. Pair it with leggings and boots, or tights and heels. Your little one will love how fluffy it is – plus it twirls!

I’ll be referencing the Fat Quarter Skirt pattern, so grab your copy in my shop buy it below, or read on for some good tips for sewing pretty much any fleece item.

As you sew, these four tips will help you sew the perfect Fleece Skirt!

Sew most of your fat quarter skirt as is noting the tips below. You can even skip any pattern notes that involve finishing the seam allowances. Fleece does not fray, so you won’t need to zig-zag or serge the edges. In fact, serging them can make them more scratchy!

Contrast Band – Step 3 

Fleece seam allowances are thick! Pin the contrast band seam allowances so they do not overlap to help thin them out. When matching the contrast band seams with the main skirt side seams, open the skirt side seam and then pin them well before sewing.

Elastic Casing – Step 4

 

Open each seam when matching them up to help distribute the thick fleece. Pin well so they match up once they’re sewn! 

Avoid pressing! – Skip turning the edge of the casing under in step 4(c). Instead, turn the whole casing over as shown in step 4(d). When it is time to stitch the casing in step 4(f), stitch 1 1/4″ away from the top edge, leaving 1/2″ of raw-edged fleece underneath.

Sew the rest of your Fat Quarter Skirt as shown in the pattern and enjoy it!

You can also check out the pattern tester’s Fat Quarter Skirts for more inspiration.

If you have any other fleece sewing tips, please let us know in the comments below!

How to Hem using a Sewing Machine

So, the funny thing about this post about hemming is that I will do almost anything to avoid hemming, even though it is a really simple task! Not sure why the simple things are the most tedious… but that seems to be the way it is!

Hemming (and pressing) properly are the best ways to ensure your project looks super professional. It’s worth the extra time to fold the edges up neatly and sew a straight seam. Plus, it’s really satisfying to be able to tailor your store-bought clothing to the right length!

How to Hem On a Sewing Machine in 10 Simple Steps

Curtains, Skirts, Pants… You can do it!

What project are you hemming right now? Any tips for us? 

How to Re-Thread Your Sewing Machine

Ooof! When I began sewing, I HATED re-threading my machine. Even though it was quick, it was just so annoying to do! Now that I’ve sewn a bit longer I don’t hesitate to change thread colours to match what I’m making. I promise it does get easier!

Unfortunately, I have a stack of old projects with crazy coloured thread that I wish I had taken the time to change. Taking a few extra minutes really does create a better, more professional result! (Next maybe I should tackle a post about re-threading the serger. But I think you’ll have to give me a few years to master it first!)

4 Steps to Re-thread Your Sewing Machine (and fill the bobbin!)

P.S. Quick Tips: It does matters which way the bobbin turns when you insert it. And don’t forget to use the thread guides near the needle – they make a big difference!

Let me know how it goes – and more importantly – what project you’re working on! I’d love to see it!

Re-purpose ruined leggings, sew them into bike shorts! {tutorial}

My daughters love their leggings, into the ground – literally! They get run into the asphalt school yard, sidewalk, brick walls – you name it! Take a couple of active kids, add in some biking and school-related spills and you end up with a pile of leggings with holes in the knees.

Every year I collect the fall/winter leggings and instead of giving up on them, turn them into bike shorts. The girls wear them all spring/summer under their dresses and tees. It’s a great way to re-purpose and reuse their clothes. Chances are they will still fit and it’s not as hard as it sounds!

If you’ve sewn with knits before, you are good to go. If you’d like some tips or a refresher – you can check out 12 Tips & Tricks for Sewing Knits – lots of easy steps to get you started, and some advanced ideas as well.

It’s almost fall here and our shorts-wearing days are fast becoming few and far between. If you happen to live where the seasons are getting colder, save yourself some work for next summer and mend this year’s leggings before they are packed away – they’ll be ready to wear when you unpack them in the spring! #organized #momoftheyear

How to Mend Leggings with Holes in the Knees

Tip: This will work with track pants too!

Use this tutorial to fix your child’s (or your own!) leggings, by turning them into bike shorts. If you want, use the bonus tutorial to add in a little extra detail with some ruching and buttons.

You will need:

  • Ruined leggings (with a tear or hole at or below the knee)
  • Matching thread
  • Ballpoint/jersey or twin needle
  • Iron and ironing board
  • Sewing machine and your go-to sewing supplies
  • Optional: Eight inches of ¼” elastic and six buttons

CLICK HERE FOR INSTRUCTIONS.

 

Happy mending!

How to Sew Leather {a Round Up}

Happy School PD Day to you! I know it might be a regular school-day in your area, but my kids (and vicariously) I are on vacation today so here’s a quick post with some fun tips for sewing leather, vinyl and faux/vegan leather.

When my oldest was little, I went to a leather shop and bought a huge bag of larger scraps by-the-pound to make her some tiny leather shoes. I got so much experience sewing them, and have gotten back into sewing with leather and vinyl again this year.

After making my Marmalade jacket and Canvas/Leather Forest Glen Satchel, I realized I’ve written 3 tip posts about leather and vinyl. One for this blog, one for Craftsy and one for eHow, so here they are. I hope they help!

If you have any questions about sewing with leather/vinyl please ask them in the comments below and I’d love to do my best to help you out. If you have any tips those are most welcome too!

I’m off to pack a picnic and head to Ann’s Fabric Shop in Hamilton for some bathing suit materials. The kids want to pick their own fabric and have grand plans (with drawings!) of what they want. I made this Scirocco-based bathing suit for my oldest a few years ago and it was so much easier than I thought. The girls are outgrowing their suits right now, so it seemed like a good outing for our day off.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!