DIY Rudolf brooch/badge with light up nose

Hello!  Today I am back after a very long break to share a project which I made a couple of Christmases ago.  Unfortunately, time has flown, and I haven’t been able to share it with you until now.  I’m glad to say that I have finally edited it and I hope you enjoy it. So, one autumn, I decided it would be fun to make a Christmas brooch.  While Christmas jumpers are great, sometimes it’s much easier to wear an accessory to make any outfit festive.  I was getting into wearable electronics as well, and this seemed like a nice straightforward project for anyone wishing to learn a bit more about this as well.The design I am sharing with you is a reindeer badge.  It is made from two colours of felt, sewn together with embroidery floss, though I do use some glue as well.  It uses a small sew-on red LED light, secured to the coin battery pack on the back with some conductive thread.  The coin battery pack was purchased from Pi Hut and allows you to select a flashing or constant light option.I encourage you to have a go at designing your brooch design but if you like my reindeer, you can download a template off my website for free with the option to make a payment if you wish.Now, I mentioned that this tutorial has been long in the making.  I made a slightly different version the year before which used a rechargeable battery which was sewn into the head of the reindeer.  It used a more complex electronics design as well.  However, I felt the coin battery design was much simpler and more effective. What you need First, I will run through the resources you’ll need to make this brooch.Felt in the colours you wish to use for the face and antlers of your reindeerEmbroidery flossRed LED light - I got them from the pihutCoin battery power supply - I used one from the pihutA wire stripper toolTweezers are optional but can be useful for manipulating the coin battery wires which can be fiddlySwe-on brooch/badge backGlue that can attach plastic to the felt (I used rapid epoxy adhesive)Conductive thread - I got this from the pihutPermanent adhesive spray suitable for fabric - mine is from HobbycraftOptional: fray checkThe brooch templateFabric pen, tailor’s chalk or pencil for tracingBulldog clip or something to help with gluing the coin battery to the felt (you can always check this step to see what I mean)The template 1. Cut out the felt pieces First, I used the template to trace around the reindeer’s face to create two reindeer heads.  These were then cut out.Next, I used a white fabric pen to trace around the whole reindeer template onto the antler felt colour and cut this out.I have used a fabric pen to trace but you could use a pencil.Use spray adhesive to stick the antler coloured piece to another bit of the same coloured felt to create a thicker section…

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Tutorial: Waterproof Sitting Mat

I haven't sewn a lot recently but this project had been on my mind for about a year, and I finally made it happen recently! I expect it was inspired by all the outdoor catch ups during the pandemic.  However, I thought it's still a useful item to make for yourself or a great and fairly simple gift to make for someone else. What you need 1/2 metre Main fabric for the top - a sturdy fabric like cotton duck 1/2 metre Insulated wadding - to help provide some insulation 1/2 metre waterproof fabric for the base - I chose a 600 dernier canvas-like fabric as I hope it will provide some longevity 30cm of strap - I used herringbone twill tape as I had it to hand, but webbing might be more robust.  If you have neither, you could make a strap from leftover fabric Matching thread A quilting foot and temporary fabric spray are useful for the quilting stage but not essential. 1. Make your template I've popped down how I made my template but you could make it another shape, such as a circle! Draw out a 42cm by 42cm square on paper. Use a side plate to curve the corners. Cut out. 2. Cut out your pieces Now you have your template, you need to cut out: 1x top piece 1x of waterproof fabric for the base piece Once the top piece is cut out, either attach it to your wadding with pins or temporary adhesive spray and cut out. 3. Quilt the top layer to the wadding Mark out a quilting pattern of your choice depending on the fabric and stitch the two layers together. You may find a quilting foot handy for this step. 4. Attach the strap Once quilted, position the webbing on one side overlapping the edge slightly, about 11cm down from the top. Stitch to secure just within the 1cm seam allowance. 5. Stitch the front and back pieces together Place the front and back right sides together and sew around the edges, leaving a 10cm opening on one side. Trim the seam allowance on the corners (or use pinking shears) and turn right side out. Hand stitch the opening closed with slip stitch. With the top side on the top, carefully press with an iron. 6. Topstitch around the edge Top stitch around 1cm from the edge all the way around. 7. Finish the raw edge of the strap and add the snap fastener To make the strap, fold the mat in two with the base on the inside, and so the bottom meets the top edge. Starting from the side without the strap, roll the mat up, and then wrap the webbing around to see where you would like to add the fastening. For me, I chose the tie to be 25cm in length. To reinforce and hide the raw edge, I cut the webbing 4cm longer than I wanted the tie. I folded up the end by 2cm…

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Review of the year: 2019

With the year drawing to a close, I thought I would reflect on my makes during 2019. Most challenging make - the black copley cardigan I've chosen the black copley cardigan as it is the make that took me the longest.  I have made this pattern before but in a yellow colour, which was a lot easier on the eye!  I can get quite impatient so the fact I persevered and finished it within a year is quite an achievement. I haven't worn it much yet - I think I have just got a bit exhausted from it.  I'm sure I will start wearing it more once I've recovered! Most fun make - the beach towel poncho It was easy to select the most fun make - it's the beach towel poncho!  My mum and I made this one weekend when she came to stay.  She wanted one for when she visits us as we live close to the beach. I enjoyed this make as it was a collaborative effort, we had to work out how to make it as we went along, and it came out better than I imagined. Most useful make - the Debbie Shore office bag The most useful make has been this Debbie Shore Office Bag.  I only made it in September but it is now my work bag.  I made a matching water bottle carrier and zip pouch as well which have proved to be invaluable as well. Favourite gift made - the bear pjs I am fond of practically all the gifts I made this year, but my last substantial make has to be my favourite.  I made Phill these bear PJs from pattern woven fabric from our trip to Hong Kong in 2018 and then made a top in a black knit fabric.  Once made, I couldn't resist making a little bear motif for the top.  I tried to replicate one of the bears on the patterned fabric and created the outline with chain stitch, using a french knot for the bear's eye. Favourite make - the Cleo upcycle The Cleo pinafore stands out in my mind as it is probably the make I wear the most.  As I made it from two pairs of jeans that were given to me, it feels so substantial and lovely to wear. My #2019makenine Molly Dress - completed Bibi Pinafore - completed Copley Cardigan - completed (see above) Kinder Cardigan - completed Toucan T-Shirt - did not start but will rollover to 2020 list Bag for swimming or yoga - no longer required (but I did make that office bag instead) Vinyl travel bag - did not make but may carry over to 2020 list Art of Knitting throw - Did not continue as the cardigan took so long Sew House 7 Dress - did not make Other key achievements and lessons learned I can survive on my fabric stash without buying more fabric - and I now appreciate my stash rather than feeling overwhelmed…

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Pattern Review: So Sew Easy Serger Scrap Catcher

Today I am sharing my thoughts on a free sewing pattern you can follow on the So Sew Easy website - it's the Easy Serger Scrap Catcher! Details Pattern name: Easy Serger Scrap Catcher Variation/Style: N/A Design House: Pattern from So Sew Easy website Size I made: made according to the pattern's suggested measurements Fabric I used some remnant fabrics to make this - I would say that the toucan fabric pictured is quilting cotton weight.  From the image below, you can see I had two colour ways of this fetching fabric.  I also added fusible fleece to it to give the final mat and pocket structure. Difficulty I found the bias binding element (all around the top of the pocket and all the edges) particularly challenging on this project.  Usually, I opt for machine sewing one side down and then hand sew the other side in place, but I didn't have the time on this occasion and opted for top stitching by machine.  It is not my finest piece of work as a result as the tape dragged a bit, so if you haven't used bias binding much, you may need to work carefully at this step! Clarity I printed a grey scale copy of the instructions and struggled, so I would recommend either reading off your screen or using colour!  I am not sure whether I just wasn't feeling great at the time or I had a fixed idea on how it would work, but I did struggle a bit with comprehension and may have veered off from the instructions on occasion. The linked guide on how to create mitered corners with bias binding was really good. Design and Fit This pattern fits my overlocker perfectly - however it is a gift so I hope it fits the machine of the recipient!! I love the big pocket for scraps at the front as well as the fact that it protects the table I am using while I overlock. Time Taken The longest aspect of this project was cutting all the sections out.  I didn't quilt (just ironed on the fusible fleece) so if you do this element, it will take a bit longer. You could do this in a day, including cutting out, particularly if you are a savvy bias binder! Conclusion Love the concept, but I may have a play around next time to tweak the design for my own machine. https://youtu.be/3GLoWCk8bGY

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5 Ideas for quick sewing gifts (all free patterns/tutorials)

I love to make a gift for my nearest and dearest, and while I start with huge ambitious plans, I'm normally grappling with time.  Here are a few ideas if you find yourself wanting to make gifts but needing some faster options. 1. Eye Mask (Tilly and the Buttons) A classic quick and fun make is the eye mask.  A great gift for frequent travelers or someone who likes to wear one in general!  This tutorial is a lovely simple yet effective gift which you could complement with some lavender spray for their pillow or include in a travel pack set. 2. Slippers (Tilly and the Buttons) I haven't made this one yet, but it is definitely on my list!  TATB also have this fabulous pattern for free on their website as well. This one might be a slightly longer make and you might need to make more 3. Hair towel turban This is a pattern I shared earlier in the year and it is free to download from this website here.  There is also a youtube video which guides you through how to make it.  You only need a small towel and a bit of elastic to make it and you only cut out two pattern pieces. 4. Tote bag The classic tote bag is a great gift.  There are so many free patterns out there, it's difficult to pin point one in particular.  You could also find a pattern in a library book.  It's a good universal gift that would suit a lot of people. The photo is from Mollie Makes which has a 20 minute bag tutorial.  I haven;t tried it but it looks like it could be a good one to try. 5. Zipper pouch This is another versatile option because you can make one for a variety of uses: Add money to complement the purse Add items to make it a vanity set Gift little haberdashery items to a sewing friend such as buttons or a mini sewing kit Make it longer to create a pencil case or crochet hook case You can read and watch my tutorial on how to make a simple lined zipper pouch. That's all my ideas for today.  If you do have any useful quick free sewing gift ideas to share, I'd love to hear them in the comments below, or feel free to contact me. Watch it on the Vlog I've linked my video on these ideas below: https://youtu.be/2lzs3iRW8iI

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