Sewing Supplies

The minimum it takes to sew is a needle and thread. However, some additional sewing supplies won't hurt your creative efforts.

Essential supplies

To start, and to sew by hand, you need a kit that contains, at bare minimum:

Scissors of different sizes, pins, needles, thimble, tape measure, spools of thread, chalk

• Assorted sizes of sewing needles
• Small-headed straight pins (the ones with colored ball-shaped heads are less precise)
• Sewing thread (white, black, colored...)
• Sewing scissors
• Tape measure
• Fabric pencil or chalk (or a regular pencil, in a pinch)
• Iron and ironing board

Basic supplies

As you move on to more ambitious projects, you'll find that you need to add some more specific equipment to your sewing box.

Open sewing basket, with basic supplies

• The essentials, plus:
• Thimble
• Thread nipper
• Large pair of scissors for cutting
• Small pair of scissors for detail work
• Magnet
• Large, flat, graduated metal ruler
• Tailor's ham for ironing details
  
• And, of course, a sewing machine, your indispensable ally for all sorts of sewing projects: clothes, decorations, accessories...

Watch this demonstration to learn the basics of using a sewing machine.

Advice for use

Remember that these supplies, sometimes expensive at purchase, can last for a long time if you use them well.

Scissors

• Scissors have specific uses. Don't cut anything except fabric with your sewing scissors.


• Scissors come in different sizes. Start with 2 pairs:
  
  • large scissors for cutting fabric (dressmaker shears)
  • and small scissors (embroidery scissors, appliqué scissors) for more detailed work (forming buttonholes, pinking...)


• For cutting threads, it's better to use a thread nipper (also called a thread snip or thread scissors) rather than regular scissors (to keep scissors' blades from becoming dull).

Thread nipper

• Store scissors away from humidity and in a case, if possible.
  

• Remember that scissors can be sharpened. So if you love to sew, invest in a good pair, because the quality will last longer than you'll remember the price you paid for them.

Needles and Pins

Needles and pins also need some attention.

• They can become dull if you use a pincushion that is too hard and they can rust in a humid environment.
  

• Store them in an airtight, firmly shut container.


• Don't mix needles and pins and you'll save time!


• To arrange your workspace, use a magnet that will quickly collect scattered pins, even ones you don't notice.

Fabric Markers

• Mark your fabric with a fabric pencil. It's more precise than chalk and cleaner than a felt-tip pen (which you shouldn't use!).
  ! - Chalks and fabric pencils come in several colors, which is practical when working with several colors of fabric.


• To mark outlines on the back of a fabric pinned to a pattern, put a sheet of carbon paper under the fabric and trace the outline with a tracing wheel. You'll have a dotted outline.

Tracing wheel

Iron

Always use a clothes iron for your work: it's an indispensable ally for successful sewing.

• A good iron is an iron with:
  
  • a clean ironing plate,
  • an adjustable thermostat,
  • the very useful steam function. But it needs to be able to work without steam, too (to iron a pattern or activate fusible binding).
    

• For more precision, use a tailor's ham as well as an ironing board.
  

• Always work with well-ironed fabric.


• Always iron on the wrong side of fabric.

Tape Measure

• Choose a tape measure isn't permanently encased, if you can. They're generally graduated from 0 to 150 cm (0 to 60 inches/5 ft) on both sides.
  ! - The graduation runs in opposite directions front and back.


• The flat graduated ruler typically measures 60 cm (2 ft):
  
  • Choose a metal ruler (more solid than plastic) and smooth the 2 sides so that it moves more easily over fabric.
  • Store it flat so that it doesn't deform.

Tools to create and adapt patterns

For ambitious seamstresses (and seamsters), here's the list of supplies necessary for the different stages of creating clothing items.

• Paper (a roll of it, preferably white)
• Pencil
• Large, flat graduated ruler
• Set square
• French curve
• Paper scissors
• Utility knife

Scissors of different sizes, thread nipper, pins, magnet, needles, iron, thimble, tape measure, spools of thread, chalk, tracing wheel, French curve

Tools to create a toile

• The basics, plus:
• Cloth: cotton-based, soft, white or ecru, 140 cm (55-1/8 inches) long
• Brightly-colored thread
• Pencil
• French curve
• Tracing wheel
• Dark-colored carbon paper
• Large, smooth table
• Sewing machine

:laura:

Furoshiki: An Introduction

An essential element of Japanese culture, the furoshiki is a traditional scarf that can cover and transport anything. It was originally used as a bundle to carry clothes or toiletries, but now its uses tend more toward wrapping gifts and carrying everyday objects. It came back into fashion as a mode of eco-packaging that avoids the use of plastic bags.

You can use them in the above ways, as a decorative object (hung on a wall, as table linens, etc.), or as a purse.

Supplies

• Square fabric or scarf. Allow for about 1 m (40 inches) each side for an object measuring 20 cm (8 inches).

Main principles

The technique simply involves folding and knotting the square of fabric.

4 basic knots are used in all the patterns:

• Vertical square knot

• Square knot

• Bow tie

• Single loop bow

Source: a Japanese website found by Raffa, an ecological blogger.

Instructions

• Choose your fabric according to the occasion. There's a large variety of materials, colors, and patterns available, ranging from traditional to modern.
  
  
• Figure out the size of the fabric you'll need.
  
  • Adapt the size of the fabric to the object you're going to wrap. You'll need about 1 m (40 inches) of fabric for an object measuring 20 cm (8 inches).
  • The size varies between 20 and 240 cm (8 and 95 inches). The most common size is 75 cm (30 inches) and the most popular size is 45 cm (18 inches).
  
  
• Place your object to be wrapped in the middle of the fabric.
  
  
• Wrap your object following a pattern or simply following your inspiration. If you opt to follow a pattern, know that there are at least 20 different types of furoshiki. Take the time to choose well and to understand the logic behind the pattern and the instructions before starting.
  
  
• Choose your wrapping style according to the object you're going to wrap.
  
  • Basic Carry Wrap, 4 Tie Wrap, or Watermelon Carry Wrap
    

    

  • Shoulder Carry Wrap, Long Object Wrap, or Flat Object Wrap
    

    

  • Slender Object Carry Wrap, 2 Books Carry Wrap, or 2 Knots Carry Wrap
    

    

  • Hidden Knot Wrap, 1-Bottle Carry Wrap, or 2-Bottle Carry Wrap
    

    

  • Padding Carry Wrap or Hand Carry Wrap

Source of illustrations: Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan

• Other wrapping examples are available on a completely Japanese website. They're understandable thanks to illustrated patterns. Click freely along the left-hand menu and find something that you love!

Explore further

• History of furoshiki


• Some basic wrapping techniques (in French, but the pictures can be easily followed)


• Links and instructions for furoshiki (in French, but the pictures can be easily followed)

Source: "Sophie The Blog!!"

:laura:

Shrink Plastic: An Introduction

Jewelry, key rings, Christmas decorations, decorations for scrapbooking, and why not a tag for the dog's collar...? What have these things all got in common?

Yes, that’s right: it's shrink plastic, the material that brings to life even your most eccentric projects. All it takes is a drawing on a sheet of plastic that shrinks and thickens in the oven! Child’s play for the little ones, but also fun for adults...

Supplies

Materials

• 1 sheet of shrink plastic (around 2€/$2.80 for an A4 sheet)
• 1 sheet of aluminum foil
• Varnish (optional)
• Something to color with: colored pencils, paints, chalk, felt tip pens, crayons, water color pencils (for doing monochromes), etc.

Tools

• Scissors
• Hole punch

Instructions

• Draw your design on the rough side of the sheet of shrink plastic and color it in. The shrink plastic is transparent, so you can draw whatever you want!
  
  
• Cut it out.
  
  
• If you want to be able to hang your creation, make a hole in it with the hole punch.
  
  
• Put your design on a sheet of aluminium foil in a pre-heated oven at around 100°C (212°F). Ensure that the rough side is on the bottom. You will see the plastic start to shrink.
  
  
• The shrinking proportions and the baking time, as well as the temperature of the oven, vary according to the different brands. In all cases, when taking the plastic out of the oven, it should be flexible. If it’s not, continue to heat it.
  
  
• Once taken out of the oven, flatten the plastic between two books or give it a 3D shape that you want (wrapping it around a pen or a glass, for example).
  
  
• Let it cool.
  
  
• In order to fix the colors, you can varnish your creation with a gouache varnish, which won't dissolve the colors.

Translation: Emma-Jane

:laura:

Fabric Christmas Ornament DIY

It's Christmas in July! ;-)

Make Christmas tree ornaments with your fabric scraps. It's a simple idea that allows for unlimited combinations of colors and designs.

Level: Easy
Creation time: 1h

Supplies

Materials

• Styrofoam ball
• Fabric scraps (here, a printed fabric and a plain fabric)
• Straight pins with small heads
• Ribbon

Tools

• Scissors
• Drinking glass (optional)

Instructions

For 1 ornament measuring about 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter.

Decoration

• Cut out about 90 pieces of fabric measuring 5 cm (2 inches) square.
  

• Fold each piece in half, then in a triangle.

Apply the decoration

• Support the styrofoam ball on the open end of the drinking glass.
  

• With a pin, attach the top of the triangle to the ball, making sure that the pin will be hidden by the 2 flaps.

• Attach the 2 bottom corners of the triangle with 2 other pins.
  

• Attach the first 4 pieces so that they form a square.

• Make the second row with a contrasting fabric color:
  
  • Pin 4 triangles at the 4 corners of your square, halfway into the square.
  • Pin 1 triangle between each of these 4 triangles.
    ! - This row and the following ones are composed of 8 fabric triangles each.

• Continue making rows of triangles, alternating contrasting fabrics.

• Cover the entire ball with fabric triangles.
  

• Make sure to hide each set of bottom pins with the following row of fabric.

Final touches

• Take a piece of fabric that has the edges folded under.
  

• Place it on top to hide the edges of the last triangles.


• Attach the ribbon.

Source: "Le petit caillou dans ma poche" ("The Little Pebble in My Pocket")

:laura:

How to Decoupage: An Introduction

Decoupage is a specific method of gluing paper in decorative designs on all sorts of surfaces.

It’s a versatile art, as it can be done with wood, plastic, stone, metal, glass, or even wicker. It can be used on almost anything: trays, tea sets, furniture, etc., making it a good technique to use to spruce up boring or worn-out objects.

The main idea? Gluing paper in place to decorate a surface and then varnishing it to give it a seamless finish—it will look like it’s part of the original work rather than pasted on. It’s a simple technique that doesn’t cost much and doesn’t take much practice to get professional-looking results. Even children can easily create a decoupage project.

Supplies

Materials

• Thin paper: consider tissue paper, napkins, magazine cut-outs, decoupage paper, scrapbook paper, etc. Regular paper can be used, but the thicker the paper, the more likely it is to bubble as it dries.
• Glue: decoupage glue (like Mod Podge) or any water-based glue
• Varnish: necessary when using a non-decoupage glue, but an additional layer of varnish may be needed even when using decoupage glue in order to protect your design from wear and water. Choose according to the type of object you're making.
  
  • Decoupage glue works like varnish: apply several layers
  • More powerful varnishes can be used: water-resistant ones like marine varnish or any specially-designated outdoor varnish work well. For effect, you can choose between transparent, colored, matte, glossy, or satin-finish varnishes
• Transparent acrylic paint or Gesso primer (see the recipe for gesso) if you need a base coat

Tools

• Paintbrush, varying in size according to the size of your work surface

Instructions

Prepare the base

If needed, sand the base and/or apply a coat of Gesso primer or transparent acrylic paint. This can be used to disguise the base color so that it doesn't affect the color or pattern you're applying. If you're using very thin paper, it will have a transparent effect and you'll be able to see the base color through it. A primer of Gesso or varnish is also recommended when using terra cotta or wood that might absorb the glue.

Prepare the pattern

• Choose from one of the following methods:
  
  • cut out a pattern from the paper
  • use different bits of paper to create your own pattern
  • use whole sheets of paper
    

• If you use napkins: use only a single layer at a time and use only the smooth part (discard any raised edges).

Glue it together

• Coat the surface with glue and place your pattern on top, taking care to smooth out any air bubbles.


• Once the pattern's in place, coat it with varnish.
  
  • Start from the center or inside and work your way out. Remember to smooth your surface ahead of the varnish to make sure no air is trapped.
  • Be careful: don't use too much glue or add too many coats of varnish at once, because the paper could tear.
    

• Let it dry and add more coats of varnish until it's as smooth and thick as you want it.
  
  
• After applying several coats of varnish, the varnish can be sanded to give a smoother look to the surface as needed.

Tips

• Don't worry if the glue or varnish seems to fade the colors: when dry, it will actually make them more vibrant.
  

• If you haven't varnished your project, you can dampen it to re-set the glue and make small changes before varnishing.


• You can still decoupage even if you don't have decoupage glue. Any water-based glue will work to glue and cover the patterns. Use an all-purpose varnish to add the finishing touches.


• For flower pots and other hollow objects, make sure you add layers of varnish inside as well as outside to protect against dampness!


• For metal, glass, or earthenware, you'll need to use a glue specific to the material. Often, you'll have to fire or cook the object once it's dry.


• When you're working with any sort of fabric, you need to iron the pattern (don't use steam!). Use parchment paper to protect the design while you iron. Afterward, you can wash it in the washing machine at 40°C (104°F). Make sure you also follow any special washing instructions for the fabric.

Ideas for further exploration

• Relief effects with hardened modeling clay
• Crackled effects

Project ideas

• A storage box made from a simple shoebox (you just need to paint it white beforehand)
  

• A candle holder made from a glass yogurt or jam jar
  

! - The picture at the top is just an example of one of the many things you can do with decoupage. One brand's website offers a video presentation of this technique.

:laura:

How to Make Pompon Tassels

This pompon tassel can be made with any material that can be wound and knotted: strips of fabric, plastic, yarn, etc.

Level: Easy
Creation time: 5 mn

Supplies

Materials

• Mercerized cotton

Tools

• Sewing scissors
• Yardstick or ruler

Instructions

• Wrap the mercerized cotton around your hand.

• When you have the desired thickness for the tassel, cut it.


• Cut about 1 m (40 inches) of thread and knot it, forming a loop of about 20 cm (7-7/8 inches).

• Pass the loop through the inside of the rolled thread.

• Pass the top of the loop through itself to knot the little ball.

• Pull the top of the loop to tighten the knot.
  

• Take the 2 hanging thread ends and wrap them tightly around the top of the little ball.

• When only 7 or 8 cm (2-3/4 or 3-1/8 inches) remain, make a knot by passing the threads under the last loop of the spiral several times.

• Cut the bottom of the ball to form strands and trim to make them even.

Source: "Chronique d'un petit poisson créatif" ("Chronicle of a Creative Little Fish")
Boutique: Le poisson est dans le sac (The Fish is in the Bag)
Sale outlet: Les petites souris (The Little Mice)

:laura:

Tissue Box Cover DIY

Make a fabric tissue box cover and "dress up" your tissue box to blend in with any decor.

Level: Easy
Creation time: 45 mn

Supplies

Materials

• Thick fabric for the outside
• Fabric for the lining
• Braid (or lace)
• Matching thread
• Ribbon, cut into 4 pieces long enough to be tied together

Tools

• Basic sewing supplies
• Sewing machine

Instructions

• Use the model below to create a pattern for your tissue box cover. (The little flaps on top allow it to be well covered.)
  ! - Adjust the measurements to your own box; they're not all the same size.

• Cut out 2 pieces of fabric according to this pattern, 1 for the outside and 1 for the lining.
  ! - Seam allowance of 0.7 cm (1/4 inch) is included.
  

• Sew the braid with small, invisible backstitch by hand on the outside fabric. Make sure it's straight!

• Position the outside and lining fabrics on top of each other, right sides together.
  


• Position the ribbons about 6 cm (2-3/8) apart from each other on the 2 longest sides, between the 2 fabrics.

• Sew around the outside border of the fabric, leaving an opening on one of the small sides to turn it right side out.
  

• Trim the corners, turn right side out, and iron.

• Sew the 4 corners with a slipstitch for about 7 cm (2-3/4 inches) to form the box.

• Put over tissue box and tie the ends of the ribbon.

Variation

• An old-fashioned tissue box cover, made with grosgrain and lace.

Source: "Le blog d'Alizarine" ("Alizarine's Blog")

:laura: