E is sewing!

My 7 year old has been learning to sew for a while, and these past two Saturdays has taken the kids sewing classes at Joann Fabrics! It was nice, it gave her a chance to learn from someone else for a bit, and she had time to sew where we weren't being interrupted by everything else that goes on in our house! Her first class, she made a pillowcase and this week she made pajama pants!

Her teacher was a member of the quilt guild, and taught her how to do a french seam for the pillow case. She has already started her list of things she wants to make.... I think I might have to buy her her own sewing machine!

She also started her first quilt... well, helped me get this one together for her student teacher, who is having a baby. the class is having a baby shower for her this week, and E really wanted to make a quilt for her. She picked all the fabric and helped piece most of the blocks.

All the pieces are from the stash I keep of 6.5 inch blocks leftover from other projects. I was impressed how good she is at keeping a straight seam!

This week we have a doll for her to make, and she has all the other scraps that she wants to use to make a lap quilt for herself! I love that she has chosen sewing as a hobby, it is nice to share it with her! I hope S decides to try it in a year or two also!

Happy Sewing!

Make a pin cushion cup thingy!!!

I made this pin cushion cup thingy this weekend, it was really easy! First, I found a container...

measured the height

Then around. It was 4.5 inches hight by 12.5 inches around. I cut a piece of heavy fusable interfacing the same size and fused it.

So I cut the interior piece 13 bt 5. I took the lid and added 1/4 inch around for the bottom for the interior bottom...

again, I used heavy interfacing. I assembled these pieces by making the tube, then attaching the bottom. Then I took my measurements from the cup and came up with the "ball" piece pattern. I knew I would have 8 pieces, so 12.5/8 = 1.5 plus .5 for seams, so the TOP has to be 2 inches wide. I wanted the ball to be really fat, so I wanted the center about twice that, and so it would be nice and cushiony it had to be about twice the height. I came up with this piece...

I curved the top edge and cut it on the fold. Cut 8 of these. Then cut fusible interfacing and fuse to pieces. Seem them together like you would a ball, leaving 2 openings to stuff

Now you should have 2 pieces

Pin together and sew!

Then invert and add to your container...

Cut another circle using the lid with about 1/2 inch extra to turn in to seam. press the seam allowance.

I stuffed a little bit from the bottom, then hand stitch the bottom piece on, stuff from the openings to get the shape and density you want, then handstitch those closed, and there you go!