Handmade Outdoor Cushions! {+ Tips to Make Your Own!}

July 12, 2018 trishstitched5 Comments

When Drew and I first got our bid accepted on our house, we were fortunate enough to negotiate on some of the furniture already with the home. Some of those items were the outdoor chair set and fire pit.

After living in Hoboken for five years, we were SO excited to have a backyard of our own – and having furniture already there was a huge deal (especially when we had a whole house to furnish!). The only problem was the cushions that came with the chairs. They had been left outside in snow and rain, and gotten gross, to be completely honest.

We started looking up new cushions, but quickly discovered the selection is slim pickings and expensive! The original set was from Target, and the only cushions that we could find to fit were so boring. If you haven’t noticed based on this blog yet, I hate boring!

So I planned on making a new set. This was my only option right? I was extremely nervous to make a set because with every new project, there’s a chance it won’t work out and the investment in this was pretty big. We also had our Housewarming Party coming up and we NEEDED these cushions done!

Thankfully everything worked out- and I love them! We did a lot of research to complete these and I wanted to share some tips and supplies if you want to make your own!

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Making Cushions

I read a few blogs and some makers recommend 1 yard per cushion, and since I had 5 bottoms and 5 tops, I bought 12 yards of fabric. After cutting out the bottoms I thought I way overbought. I was actually freaking out because I was going to have so much material left over. But after cutting out all the fabric, I didn’t have that much fabric left after all! So I do think the 1 yard per cushion is a good rough estimate. (I always tend to buy a few extra yards if I mess up, or want to make additional pieces.)

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We still don’t have couches so I was able to spread out my fabric!

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{Scroll to the bottom of the page for all my links!}

The hardest thing to find was foam for the bottom seats. I checked out the foam at JoAnns but it was not in the budget for me, as they wanted $50 per foam cushion! So we went the difficult route and “diy’d it”.

Drew and I found thick foam on Amazon that we would be able to cut down to the size we needed. Originally I wanted 4″ foam, but he ordered 5″ foam, so our cushions are really thick! To cut the foam, we used a hand saw.

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Amazon was also the go-to place for zippers. Since we wanted to be able to re-use the foam if we ever got bored of the fabric, I wanted each cushion to have an invisible zipper to change things up. I found a 20 pack and they were perfect.

Bottom Cushions:

Couch: 70″ long x 26″ wide. Foam: 5″ x 24″ x 72″

Using these measurements, we cut the foam down to 5″ x 24″ x 23″.

We determined that each cushion seat would be 24″ x 23″ (as that was keeping in line with the size of the foam). With a 1/2″ seam allowance for each cushion, I cut out the following:

(2 x) 25″ x 24″ (top and bottom)

(2 x) 25″ x 6″ (long sides)

(1x) 24″ x 6″ (one short side)

(1x) 24″ x 7″ (short side with zipper)

I cut out 5 sets of the above, and did an assembly line style to make them. I started by inserting all the zippers. I cut each 24″ x 7″ piece in half (lengthwise) and sewed in the zipper. This band needs to be a little wider because the zipper alters the size. Sew your four side pieces together (with 1/2″ seam allowance), alternating long side and short side to form a rectangle. Then you attach the tops and bottoms. I wrote out a mini tutorial to show this method, as I’ve used it in handbag making too!

Sewing Boxed Corners

With each seam, leave 1/2″ from end of stitch line. (If your seam allowance is 5/8″, you will leave 5/8″ free.) Backstitch at end.

2. Line up sewn corner to the corner of piece you are attaching.

3. Pin one corner together, pull the other corner away from seam. (do not catch other end in stitching)

4. Sew seam until you reach the end of your initial stitching line made in step 1. Backstitch.

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5. Adjust the other side of your corner. You will now be able to line this corner properly, and start stitching where the other stitching line stopped. Continue stitching.

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6. Turn corner to right side out, and you are finished!

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I’m sure there are many other ways to do this, but I wanted something quick and easy!

If you are using this method, be sure to leave your zipper open halfway to be able to turn the cushions right side out!

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(Finished cushion showing the invisible zipper side.)

Top Cushions:

The old cushion set had a basic pillow on top, and we decided to mimic the look. I made each pillow with poly-fil and a broadcloth case. It is not weather proof – but this was the fabric I had on hand and I wanted to be as economical as possible. We also don’t plan on leaving these cushions out, but I still wanted a inner shell before the pillow case, so it will be easy to make new ones.

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I bought a 10 lb box of poly-fil, and after stuffing the first pillow, again I thought I way overbought, but it turned out to be the perfect amount!

I made a test pillow first in the size of our previous cushions and they came out way too small! I increased the size of the pillow and it was perfect!

The finished pillow was 23″ x 27″. (This made the fabric 24″ x 28″)

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(Invisible zipper on top cushion, inner pillow and finished set!)

I am so happy with the way they turned out, and now that I have my measurements down pat (and recorded on this blog!) I can make new cushions whenever we want a change! The only thing I would change for next time is adding a small handle to the back or side of the bottom cushions so they are easier to take in and out! (Leaving this tip here for myself! =p) Here are all the links!

Supplies

Amazon:

Foam : Get here

Zippers: Get here

JoAnn Fabric:

Fabric: Get Here

(The fabric is originally $21.99/ yd, I bought mine for $10.99/yd and used a 20% off my total purchase coupon!)

Poly-Fil: Get here

(I used a 50% off coupon for my fil, but it’s currently on sale now!)

Broadcloth: Get here

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This post turned out a lot longer than expected, but I do hope it encourages you to make your own cushions if you’ve been thinking about it! Or using this fabric for another project because it is so beautiful!

TWO New Projects – Plus Tutorials!

June 27, 2018 trishstitched3 Comments

Just a quick hello from me today! I’ve been busy doing sewing projects for a few of my favorite sites! Best part about these projects is that you can make them too!

My first ever downloadable bag pattern is over on Fabric.com!

Trish Stitched

If you are taking a short trip this summer, this bag is perfect for your travels! I wanted to create a basic pattern that would leave room for customization, and you can certainly customize this bag to have exactly what you want!

Trish Stitched

Head over to Fabric.com to grab the pattern now!

And while you’re at it, add some more fabric to your stash! 😉

And if bag making isn’t your thing, maybe a new refashion is in your future! A brand new tutorial is over at Janome.com to turn an old dress into a kimono!

Trish Stitched

When we start getting into summer days, I sometimes feel like I have nothing dressier to wear over shorts and tanks, but a simple kimono style jacket adds flair without adding heavy fabric layers!

Trish Stitched

I love easy refashions – and this one is super simple! The hardest part is finding the right dress! {The machine used here was the Janome Skyline S9}

I’ve also created a YouTube channel and you can definitely expect more videos from me in the future! Subscribe to my channel here – and leave your channel in the comments so I can subscribe!

{This post may contain (i) links to third party websites and (ii) sponsored content. All opinions are my own and do not reflect the views or opinions of fabric.com or Janome.}

Janome Sewing · Tutorials

4th of July Clutch & Wristlet Tutorial – Janome

June 30, 2017 trishstitched1 Comment

Happy Friday! A quick post today to share a tutorial I wrote for Janome! Head over to their blog for instructions on how to make your own Patriotic Clutch or Wristlet!

4th of July Clutch & Wristlet Tutorial - Janome - Trish Stitched

Do you have a long weekend of sewing planned? What’s on your list?

Happy 4th of July!

refashion · Tutorials

Refashion Your Summer Wardrobe – Dress to Top Refashion

June 29, 2017June 29, 2017 trishstitched2 Comments

Hello, hello! Earlier this month I received an email from Heather, who writes the blog Feathers Flight, about doing a Refashioning Blog Tour! If you’ve been reading my blog for some time, you know I love refashioning, so I was in! Heather & Kali (from Kali Nicole Creative) are hosting “Refashion Your Summer Wardrobe” and a giveaway!

The idea is to transform current pieces in your wardrobe to make them summer ready! We all have those pieces in our closets that we love, but don’t really wear – and this is a great idea to take some of those pieces and transform them into something for summer!

I am trying to weed out my wardrobe and after Me Made May, did a huge clothing binge. I decided to get rid of some of the dresses I used to wear years ago, but didn’t get much use out of lately. There were a few in particular I decided to keep because I love the prints, and wasn’t ready to see them go. I decided the best way to keep them in my closet, and get to wear them again, was with a super simple refashion!

Refashion Your Summer Wardrobe - Dress to Top Refashion - Trish Stitched

I bought this dress years ago at Target, and wore it a lot when working retail, but haven’t had a chance to wear it in years. My closet is overstocked with dresses, but I needed some “going out” tops for fun summer nights. Turning a dress into a top is so easy, it’s really just a quick hem job- but I’ve listed a few tips to make the sewing easier!

First thing’s first. Put your dress on! I like to imagine the outfits that I would put together with my new top; is it something I will wear more with shorts, jeans or tuck into a skirt? For this particular dress, I would most likely wear with jeans, so I didn’t want to make it too short. Put on a bottom that will work with the refashioned piece and in front of a full length mirror, fold the hem up to where you would like the new piece to lay.

Refashion Your Summer Wardrobe - Dress to Top Refashion - Trish Stitched

After finding a good hem, pin in place while still on your body. This will be “final hem”, not where we are actually making the cut. Take the dress off and measure how much of the hem you pinned up. Since I get nervous about making something too short, I usually add an extra two inches to the pinned hem. You can always cut more off, but adding more to the hem is difficult!

Refashion Your Summer Wardrobe - Dress to Top Refashion - Trish Stitched

I prefer to do 1″ hems, with the raw edge folded up 1/2″ and then folded again to enclose the raw edge. If your dress has a lining, you will want to use the same measurements for the outer layer to hem the lining.

Refashion Your Summer Wardrobe - Dress to Top Refashion - Trish Stitched

Give your new top a quick press and you are ready to show off your refashion!

Refashion Your Summer Wardrobe - Dress to Top Refashion - Trish Stitched

I’ve done a few dress to top refashions, so this idea is really full of possibilities!

Dress to Top Refashion:

Floral Dress to Top Refashion - Trish Stitched

Dress to Cardi Refashion:

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Thanks for stopping by my blog! Don’t forget to enter the awesome giveaway over at Feather’s Flight and Kali Nicole Creative!

inspiration · Janome Sewing · Tutorials

Janome Skyline S9: Embroidered Shoes and Cactus Lou Box Top Hack

March 7, 2017March 7, 2017 trishstitched2 Comments

Since I’ve gotten the honor of keeping the Skyline S9 Embroidery machine for the year, I’ve done a little more experimenting with the capabilities of this machine. I’ve been loving the built in embroidery designs, but was ready to test out the USB feature and open myself up to the world of online embroidery designs. When I was thinking about a Spring project, I was trying to think of what my wardrobe needed and how I could use the Skyline to elevate my closet addition.

When the seasons start changing, the first thing I realize I’m missing is a proper pair of shoes to transition to warmer weather. I go from a closet full of boots and heavy socks, right into sandals. I usually need a pair of footwear that will cover my toes but are fun and light to walk around in.

Footwear is not something I can make. As much as I wish I could, shoes are not yet in my handmade wheelhouse. That’s when I thought a simple pair of white sneakers could become something so much more.

Janome Skyline S9: Embroidered Shoes and Cactus Lou Box Top Hack

I love cacti (and the many varieties that exist), and I thought they would make a cute design on a shoe! These shoes are super simple, and very customizable! Here’s a little tutorial on how to make you own!

What you will need:

Embroidery Machine, Hoop, Threads and Stabilizer

Plain Canvas Shoes (mine came from Payless)

Embroidery Designs (small enough to fit on the shoe)

Frey Check

USB

Fabri Tab (or similar fabric glue)

Janome Skyline S9: Embroidered Shoes and Cactus Lou Box Top Hack

The first step is to find the embroidery designs you want to use. The two designs I used were from embroiderydesigns.com – Cactus and Geometric Circle. (I skipped embroidering the pots on the cacti for the design to fit on the shoe). Janome also offers some amazing embroidery designs on their website! When downloading designs from a website, use JEF to get Janome compatibility. Copy the files onto your USB, plug the USB into your machine and open the files! It’s so easy to get the designs onto your machine from your computer!

For my designs, I used the tear away stabilizer with muslin to embroider. Depending on your design, you should be able to use two layers of tear away stabilizer and no fabric, but some designs might need a more stable base.

After embroidering, cut out your designs. Next, fray check all your edges. This will keep any pieces of fabric or thread from unraveling during wear.

Janome Skyline S9: Embroidered Shoes and Cactus Lou Box Top Hack

Once you figure out where on the shoe your embroidery will go, cover the back of the piece with fabri-tac and apply piece to the shoe. I love using fabri-tac because it is extremely strong and meant for material (a little expensive but well worth the price). After glue dries, stitch some securing stitches around the edges of the designs. Some spots may be hard to hand stitch because of the thickness of material, or tough to get to – like spaces in the toe that become hard to reach. On these sections, be sure the design is secure with extra fabri-tac.

Janome Skyline S9: Embroidered Shoes and Cactus Lou Box Top Hack

*For the top section, each shoe will be a bit different but mark in chalk or fabric pencil where to cut to piece the top part together.*

And your new shoes are ready to wear!

Janome Skyline S9: Embroidered Shoes and Cactus Lou Box Top Hack

I also made a fun new top for my wardrobe because you can never have too many cacti to wear. Pattern is Lou Box Top by Sew DIY with a hacked split back! I followed the tutorial by Natty Jane Sews to redraft the back.

Janome Skyline S9: Embroidered Shoes and Cactus Lou Box Top Hack

The Skyline S9 makes it so easy to switch from embroidery to sewing, I was able to embroider when cutting out my fabric, and switch right over to sewing when the embroidery finished!

Ready to add some embroidery to your shoes? Here’s some inspiration! {All shoe details on Pinterest}

Embroidered Shoes

Wanna make a pair like these from Anthropologie? Follow fellow Janome Artisan Sew Caroline’s tutorial to make espadrilles!

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handmade wardrobe · Janome Sewing · sewing · Tutorials

Janome Skyline S9: Embroidered Peplum Pullover

January 24, 2017January 24, 2017 trishstitched10 Comments

I don’t know about you, but winter always makes me want to cuddle up. Even when I have to go out and look decent, I would rather just throw on a sweatshirt and be done with it. Drew and I have been going out more than usual this past year. Wait, let me rephrase that. Drew has been making me go out more than usual and has tried to push me out of my introverted ways. I like to stay home on the couch with warm blankets and since I am forced out, I have been needing to find ways to bring the comfort along with me.

The initial idea was to make a “dressed up” sweatshirt, and I turned to one of my favorite patterns: Astoria by Seamwork. To dress it up a bit, I wanted to add some embroidery from the Janome Skyline S9 Machine. Oh, I should mention something super exciting! I’ve been asked to be a Janome Artisan! I’ll be keeping the Skyline S9 Embroidery/Sewing Machine for the year and sharing a whole bunch of projects made with the machine, which is an awesome thing because I didn’t want to give the machine up! Seriously, I love this thing!

I was a little nervous about this project because I wasn’t sure how well embroidery would work on a knit. With all the stretching of the fabric, I was sure something would pucker and become a mess. Luckily, Anna Maria Horner made it super easy for me to embroider with knits! Her kit comes with three different stabilizers, and following the instructions in her booklet, using two of those layers of stabilizer made this project a breeze! Here’s a little tutorial to make a peplum sweatshirt!

Janome Skyline S9 Embroidered Top - Trish Stitched

What you’ll need:

Sweatshirt/sweater sewing pattern. (I used Astoria by Seamwork because it is a cropped shirt, which you will need to add the peplum portion.)
Knit Fabric, something medium/heavy weight. Follow your pattern for specific amounts and materials. I used Ponte from Joann Fabrics
Embroidery Threads
Stabilizers: No Show Cut Away Stabilizer & Embroidery Topping
Embroidery Hoop

Janome Skyline S9 Embroidered Top - Trish Stitched

Start by cutting out your pattern pieces from fabric. Before sewing the shirt together, embroider the front bodice. Cut enough stabilizer to cover the entire front of piece. You will sandwich your stabilizer and fabric like so: bottom layer – No Show Cut Away Stabilizer, Middle – Front Bodice Piece, Top – Embroidery Topping.

On your embroidery screen, you can add multiple designs to the same screen- the editing mode on the machine allows you to rotate, duplicate and resize all designs. At this point, changing the hoop size to RE20a will allow you to embroider half of the bodice at once. By using the ruler guide on the hoop, you can play around with placement and size of designs. I used embroidery designs from Anna Maria Horner (Bird), Embroidery Lace Designs (Flowers) and Combination Design (Swirling Stem). I only used four colors, so the shirt wouldn’t be too overwhelmed with color, the tones give this sweatshirt a more sophisticated look. You can see my left side bodice design below.

Janome Skyline S9 Embroidered Top - Trish Stitched

*Tip: I used a stretch needle when embroidering, I believe you can use a jersey needle as well, but I have better luck with stretch.*

After completing one side, duplicate on the other side. This is where your ruler guide will come in very handy to get an idea of where your embroidery will sit on the bodice.

After completing the embroidery, cut the bottom stabilizer and tear away the top. Also cut threads. The embroidery topping dissolves with steam or water, making clean up a cinch!

Janome Skyline S9 Embroidered Top - Trish Stitched

Follow pattern to attach front and back bodice and add sleeves.

Janome Skyline S9 Embroidered Top - Trish Stitched

To add peplum:

Try top on and mark where you would like the peplum to start. I wanted mine to sit at my natural waist, which came to 14″ from my shoulder. Measure the circumference of where the peplum will be sewn. My measurement was 33″. To this length, you will want to add between 20-30″, depending on how full you would like your peplum.

Next, measure how long you would like your top to be. To get this complete measurement you will want to add in seam allowance and hem allowance (Around 1.5″).

My peplum measurements came to 57″ x 12″.

Janome Skyline S9 Embroidered Top - Trish Stitched

Using the gathering setting on your Skyline S9, gather the length of your peplum piece down to your bodice waist measurement. (On mine: from 57″ to 33″). Make sure your gathering is pretty even- you don’t want it to look too full in one section and not another! Sew the ends of the peplum together with 1/2″ seam allowance, right sides together.

Attach the peplum to bottom of bodice, right sides together. Hem the bottom and you are done! You now have an awesome, comfy, stylish top! I wore mine to do a few errands the other day and I felt warm & chic!

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Janome Skyline S9 Embroidered Top - Trish Stitched

And these awesome brick walls were from Liberty State Park. I wanted to photograph indoors but my stark white apartment walls weren’t going to work. Drew and I went over to Jersey City and explored inside the ferry ticket building where the ferries to the Statue of Liberty leave. It’s such a cool spot, I can’t wait to go back and photograph. We couldn’t stay long because of other activities but definitely expect more photos from this place.

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sewing · Tutorials

Janome Skyline S9 Embroidery Machine Review and Clutch

November 28, 2016 trishstitched10 Comments

When I was 16, and told my mom I wanted to sew, she pulled her sewing machine out from its deep dark hiding place and put it in my room. That machine was gifted to her by my Grandma, and even with the best intentions, it was left unused for years. When it was my turn to give it a go, it didn’t have a manual and I blindly learned to use this little machine. I sewed on it for 9 years before deciding I needed to upgrade to a machine that could handle more. When researching new machines, the only requirement I had was that it be a Janome. I had sewn on Singer and Brother but never felt as comfortable as when I sit behind my Janome.

Last year, my boyfriend bought me my current machine, HD 3000 after quite a bit of research. And this past spring, my mom bought me my first serger, a Janome of course. To say Janome is my favorite machine brand is an understatement, and maybe I’m a little biased, but what I’ve gotten from this company, in terms of a reliable piece of equipment, is just incredible.

A few months ago, I was contacted by Janome to test and review one of their new embroidery machines. To be asked to review was just crazy. Here I am, a little sewing blogger- a girl with a Janome in her apartment making bags and garments and I’m fan-girling over the fact that the company even noticed me. This sounded like an amazing opportunity and I had to say yes. So I give to you, my completely honest review of the new Janome Skyline S9.

The Review

When the Skyline S9 arrived, I was overwhelmed. This machine comes with everything you can possibly need to successfully embroider right away (Just add fabric and thread!). I know some machines require you to buy extra hoops or feet, but it’s all in the box! The instruction book is beautiful and it hasn’t left my side since getting the machine. The S9 is also a very solid machine. It has quite a bit of weight but that’s what you want, not some flimsy machine that feels like it’s going to break down.

Janome Skyline S9 Review and Project - Trish Stitched

Of course embroidery on this machine is the main attraction, but because this is an investment piece, the regular sewing portion of this machine has to have some power. I did some experiments regarding it’s general sewing capabilities and I am so impressed. This machine can handle layers and fabric types just as well as my heavy duty machine. I’m going to be completely honest for a sec here, I haven’t use my personal sewing machine in two months. Every single project I’ve sewn has been on this machine. That includes my Anorak, Peplum Top, Rosari Tapestry Skirt, and so many bags for my shop. This also includes an all day sewing marathon of 10 placemats and 10 napkins for a custom order. This machine did not quit.

Janome Skyline S9 Review and Project - Trish Stitched

Switching to embroidery is as easy as pie. Attaching the unit is quick, simple and doesn’t take as much room as I originally thought an embroidery machine would need. The touch screen is clear and large and even comes with a pen (that has its own little holder on the machine!). The “ready to sew” window has all the information you can think of, making the user experience practically fool proof.

There is another feature on this machine that makes it one of a kind. It has wifi capabilities, so you can download embroidery designs from your computer or ipad and send it straight to your machine! There are some apps you can get as well to enrich your sewing. I don’t have an ipad so I wasn’t able to test these out, but the possibilities with this machine are just awesome.

Janome Skyline S9 Review and Project - Trish Stitched

A few details I really love and appreciate about this machine; the thread cutter button is amazing. What’s even better is that after the thread is cut, the presser foot lifts! When I go back to sewing on my personal machine, I’m pretty sure I’m going to be reaching for this button out of habit. I also love the storage compartment and how neatly it holds feet, bobbins, and other accessories.

Janome Skyline S9 Review and Project - Trish Stitched

The only part of the machine that made me aggravated was the little pop-up when the bobbin was running out of thread. I can’t believe I’m calling that an annoyance since it is such a handy feature, but it would go off when there was still quite a bit of thread left on the bobbin itself. It was simple to press ok and keep sewing, but there would be a constant reminder the bobbin is running out. Again, such a small detail and I appreciated the feature more when doing the embroidery, rather than the sewing, which I believe is the point of having it stop with so much left on it.

Janome asked me to make a project using the machine and it’s possible I got a little carried away. I have a few projects that I’m spacing out over this week to show you a couple different ways to enjoy the Skyline S9. After playing around with the machine for a few weeks, Janome sent a box of Anna Maria Horner threads, fabrics and stabilizers to make my project.

The Project

Today’s project is an adorable floral clutch. I wanted to think of a fun project to make for a gift, since we have the holidays right around the corner! This clutch is great for that teen or young adult on your list who you just don’t know what to get. This clutch features Anna Maria Horner’s beautiful embroidery art on the front and a fun printed lining with interior pocket!

Janome Skyline S9 Review and Project - Trish Stitched

{My tutorial photos will have different interior fabrics from my final, but illustrate the steps. }

You will need: Embroidery Hoop & Threads, 1/2 yard exterior fabric (I chose Navy Suede to highlight the colorful embroidery), 1/2 yard quilting cotton for interior. 9″ Closed Bottom Zipper.

Janome Skyline S9 Review and Project - Trish Stitched

Cut 2 pieces suede 12.5″ x 9″(exterior)

Cut 2 pieces suede 2.5″ x 1.5″ (zipper tabs)

Cut 2 pieces suede 8″ x 5″ (pocket)

Cut 2 pieces cotton 12.5″ x 9″ (interior)

I interfaced my suede pieces with thick interfacing, and the cotton interior with lightweight interfacing. This makes for a sturdier bag.

Embroider one of your suede pieces. I chose to use Anna Maria Horner’s large floral for the center and the embroidery lace designs for fabric on the sides.

Janome Skyline S9 Review and Project - Trish Stitched

Sew your pocket pieces right sides together with a 3/8″ seam allowance, leaving a small opening to turn right side out. After turning, pin to one interior piece, centered and approximately 2.5″ from the top.

Janome Skyline S9 Review and Project - Trish Stitched

To make zipper tabs: fold one short edge of zipper tab fabric under and top stitch to end of zipper, repeat with the other side. Trim excess fabric to match zipper.

Janome Skyline S9 Review and Project - Trish Stitched

Now it is time to sew the zipper to the fabric with a 1/4″ seam allowance. You will want to sew in a specific order. On the bottom, a piece of lining fabric right side up. On top of that, your zipper right side up, and on the top is your exterior piece, wrong side up. Once they are sewn together, top stitch the zipper. Repeat the steps for the other side.

Janome Skyline S9 Review and Project - Trish Stitched

Unzip the zipper. (This is important!) Pin your pieces together- right side of lining pieces together, right side exterior pieces together. You can push the zipper tabs towards the lining. Sew all around the exterior with a 3/8″ seam allowance leaving a 4″ opening on the bottom of the lining. Turn our bag right side out and push corners out.

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Stitch the lining opening shut and push lining back into your bag. And you are done!

Janome Skyline S9 Review and Project - Trish Stitched

Your bag is ready for gifting, or to carry around yourself!

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Janome Skyline S9 Review and Project - Trish Stitched

Other project details:

Suede Fabric from Fabric.com

Lining Fabric and Zipper from JoAnn Fabrics

Embroidery Thread from Anna Maria Horner

Embroidery Art from Anna Maria Horner Designs

Overall, this machine is a winner. I know it is a heavy investment to make in a machine, but working with it for the past few months has assured me it is well worth the price. I am so sad to be sending this back, but I do plan to start saving to get my own.

My dream studio has a large table with my sewing machine, my serger and this embroidery machine all lined up. And a really great rolling chair to go to and from each machine in a snap! A girl can dream!!

Stay tuned for my next project!

for the boy · sewing · Tutorials

Handmade Halloween: Dumbo & Timothy

November 3, 2014September 13, 2018 trishstitched5 Comments

2018 Update!

I love Halloween, and making Halloween costumes has been such a fun part of the holiday for me – and it seems that way for you guys too! Since first posted in 2014, this post always becomes popular in August, and remains my most read post until Halloween!

Honestly, the photos and details have always gotten me down, as my skill with a camera have gotten a lot better! So I wanted to update the post with a full tutorial (since the original didn’t include instructions) and hopefully anyone coming here from the inter-webs can easily make their own!

Bonus: I’ve made pattern pieces for you to download!

Dumbo and Timothy PDF

(Print PDF at 100%)

I hope you enjoy this casual Dumbo & Timothy Halloween costume, and if you make your own version – let me know in the comments!

Dumbo and Timothy

Supplies:

Felt (based off 12″ x 9″ pieces in the craft section)

2 Thick Grey, or 4 Regular Grey

2 Light Pink

1 Brown

1 White

1 Black

4 Red

5 Yellow

Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks

2 Headbands – find thicker bands to glue to!

Velcro

Embroidery thread to hand gather

Grey shirt or dress for Dumbo

Red shirt for Timothy

Print out pattern pages and cut pieces from appropriate colors. Extra pieces required:

Timothy’s Hat

3″ x 7.5″ Red

7 1/4″ x 1″ Yellow

Dumbo’s Hat:

9″ x 3″ Yellow

12″ x 9″ Yellow

Dumbo Ruffle:

(4 x) 5″ x 12″ Red

(4x) 1″ x 12″ Yellow

Gluing Tip: be light with your hot glue, there are a lot of seen edges, slow and steady for a clean finish!

Timothy Hat:

Glue 1″ yellow band to bottom of Red felt for hat (3″ x 7.5″) you will have a slight overlap of red. Glue short ends together to form circle.

Handmade Halloween: Dumbo and Timothy

Glue red top to top of hat, and black bottom to bottom of hat. There will be overhang of black to form the cap.

Handmade Halloween: Dumbo and Timothy

Glue short end of white “feather” to small yellow piece, then glue yellow piece to center of red cap. Be sure to leave the feather free!

Handmade Halloween: Dumbo and Timothy

Timothy Ears:

Glue pink centers to brown outer ears, matching bottoms.

Handmade Halloween: Dumbo and Timothy

Glue finished hat to center of headband. Glue ears, one on each side of the hat.

Handmade Halloween: Dumbo and Timothy

Timothy Shirt:

Cut yellow pieces of felt, and hand stitch appliques to front. The oval shapes are sewn to shoulder seams.

Handmade Halloween: Dumbo and Timothy

Dumbo Hat:

Take yellow 9″ x 3″ piece and fold in half lengthwise. Glue. Glue short ends together to form hat bottom.

Handmade Halloween: Dumbo and Timothy

Take full 12″ x 9″ yellow piece and fold in thirds, gluing together. Glue one short end of large piece to bottom of hat bottom.

Folding other end inside the hat bottom, angle free end until you form an angled shape on the top. Cut excess felt off, and glue free end to other side of hat bottom.

Dumbo Ears:

Glue pink centers to grey outer ears, matching ends. I recommend using two layers of grey on each ear as it will stabilize the ears for easier wear. If you can find a thicker grey felt, you’ll only need the single layer on each ear.

Handmade Halloween: Dumbo and Timothy

Glue ears and hat to headband. Starting with ears, glue one to end of headband, and the other 2″ up from end of headband. Glue hat next to ear. (You may choose to make a hat “bottom” to make gluing easier.)

Handmade Halloween: Dumbo and Timothy

Dumbo Ruffle:

To make the ruffle, cut 4 pieces 12″ x 5″ Red. Short ends can be glued or stitched together to form one long red piece, around 46″ long.

Cut 4 pieces 12″ x 1″ Yellow. Machine stitch or hand stitch yellow band to bottom of red piece, 1/2″ up.

Using embroidery thread (or gathering stitch on sewing machine), hand stitch along top of red piece until ruffle is gathered. I gathered mine to around 20″. Knot on the end, spreading gathers along ruffle evenly.

Cut pieces of velcro for short ends of ruffle and attach as per the instructions on the packaging.

Handmade Halloween: Dumbo and Timothy

Your costumes are done! Happy Halloween!

Handmade Halloween: Dumbo and Timothy

Here for the original post content? Don’t worry, I saved it below!

I need to start this post with a disclaimer: there are NO photos of us in our full costumes. This is for a few reasons. Reason #1 Drew refused to let me take a picture because he thought I would post it all over the internet…so he isn’t completely wrong for thinking that. Reason #2 we didn’t think we were going out until 10 pm, when I was rushing to get into my costume and go out, so all thoughts of taking pictures were lost.

But I hope these pictures are sufficient enough to show off our costumes!

One night last year, walking back to our apartment, the idea of being Dumbo for halloween came to my mind. I thought it would be clever to make Drew Timothy the mouse because he is so much taller than me, him being a mouse would be pretty comical. Drew almost always refuses to dress up for Halloween so I knew our costumes would have to be pretty casual for him to actually wear it.

I made almost all aspects of our costume. Our ears were made out of felt, hot glued to headbands. For my costume, I wanted to make a dress that I could wear after the costume was worn. I took a Cynthia Rowley pattern I made before, and some grey jersey (same as this top) to make a base dress. I made a neck ruffle out of red and yellow felt and used velcro to make it easier to put on and take off.

I made this costume so easy for Drew I’m actually pretty impressed with myself. He had his ears and hat made of felt and I sewed some yellow felt onto a t-shirt. I’m slowly easing him into wearing full on costumes.

Everything came together pretty quick. Felt has a way of making everything look adorable and it’s definitely one of my favorite materials to work with. We had a good night and people knew who we were so that was awesome! About halfway through the night we both took our ears off because I kept hitting people and Drew’s headband was stretching out. This was a fun to wear and I was happy with our first official “couple costume”!

Hope everyone had a fun Halloween!

mini pip · Tutorials

Making Your Own Craft Labels

August 7, 2013March 3, 2015 trishstitchedLeave a comment

If you follow me on pinterest, you'll know I've been planning this project for months. I have wanted labels with my business name on them for years, but have never found the right source with the right price. The past year has made it very apparent to me that it isn't just a want anymore but a need for my business. It isn't enough to have tags and business cards that can just be discarded when the bag is in use; my name needs a permanent spot on my bags.

I've been looking into custom labels, and while it is not hard to find a source to make them, it is rather expensive. I've seen websites with custom labels ranging from $50-$100 for 100-200 labels. To me, that cost isn't worth it. I would rather take that money and use it for fabric. Of course, the more you purchase, the lower your cost, but I'm not at the point in my business to buy 5000 labels. My taste could change over time, I want flexibility.

I've researched some "make your own custom label" options (the one below is a fantastic option from Patchwork Pottery) and while there are great ideas out there, I've found the solution for my own business.

After my research, I decided to make my own labels because it would drastically reduce the cost, and most of the supplies are re-usable for other projects. In this post I'm going to share my process and sources for my custom labels.

The Process:

Stamp name onto twill tape with fabric ink

Separate labels by cutting and use frey check for ends

Sew label into bag.

Easy enough right?!

Materials and Sources:

Custom Stamp:

talktothesun on etsy. I've blogged about this artist before, but have no problem repeating that this seller is fantastic. I was nervous because the stamps are made in Japan and I'm always more inclined to purchase from a small business in the United States because I want to support a more local seller. After looking on etsy at stampers, this seller was far better than most I saw. Again, there are MANY stamp designers on etsy, I fell in love with talktothesun's style and knew it was best for me (and at only $35 for a custom stamp)!

I was more interested in stamping because it lets me reuse the stamp for more than just labels. It also makes customizing the label very easy. I can change the color of the stamp with a quick switch of ink pads.

Ink Pads:

Versa Craft for fabric, paper, wood, etc. I did some research on ink pads and knew I wanted a fabric stamp pad so the ink wouldn't bleed through the twill tape. Not only did talktothesun sell VersaCraft , but I read some blogs also stating this ink was great. I purchased three different colors from JoAnn Fabrics online because I had one of their many coupons. (they are also on sale right now!) What I love about these stamp pads are the range of colors and the size of the pad. I bought Burgandy, Emerald Green and Spring Green because these colors will work well with my bags. I'm sure my color collection will be growing soon. The ink pad is only 1" but makes stamping simple because the stamp pad itself is raised so you don't hit the sides like on larger stamp pads. It also doesn't bleed through the twill tape!

Twill Tape:

I debated on many different sources for twill tape and did many different "research missions" for a source. I was originally going to purchase from Save-on-Crafts but I found a much better source for what I was looking for. If you only need a few yards at a great price, definitely check out save-on-crafts, but if you are looking for more for your money: twilltape.com is your resource. This site has so many colors, widths, weights, all for fantastic prices. I purchased the Heavyweight Natural at 3/4". This bolt has 72 yards for $9.75. 72 yards. That's impressive.

There are many reasons people purchase custom pre-made labels. Yet there are also many reasons to make your own. I know this process is very time consuming but it works for me. When I want to step away from my sewing machine, just relax but still do work, this is a great project. It's mindless so I can watch tv or hang out with Drew while still working on a task that needs to be done.

If this is a process you think would work for you, I hope my resources will help. I'm so excited to start putting labels into my bags and can't wait to give it that professional, but still handmade, touch.

Blog Everyday · sewing · Tutorials

Day 13: Fabric Bow Bracelet Tutorial

June 13, 2013March 3, 2015 trishstitchedLeave a comment

Just over a month ago, I posted this bracelet and said I would post more later. Well, it's later! Day 13 of the June Challenge is to craft something with stripes. I've been wanting to write a tutorial for this bracelet (cuff?) for a while, and thought I could make one with stripes to use for the challenge!

I was inspired to make a fabric bracelet because I saw a leather version on a daily deals site, and knew I could make one, completely out of fabric. I wrote up a little tutorial, in case anyone wanted to make one themselves. And if you make one, be sure to post your link in the comments!

What you will need:

Basic Sewing Supplies (scissors, seam ripper, thread, machine, iron, etc)
1 Button: 3/4"-1"
Cotton Fabric and interfacing

** I used a 1/4" seam allowance for all pieces because I do not like trimming (I like to cut steps out of sewing). If you aren't comfortable sewing a small allowance, add another 1/4" to all the pattern pieces. **

Step 1:

Cut 2 "floral" pieces for the bow

Cut 2 "stripe" pieces for the wristband

Cut 2 "Stripe" pieces for the center of bow

For the bow:

These are the measurements I used, I have a small wrist so something larger than this size is overwhelming.

For the wristband: Measure around your wrist, and add 2". This is the length of the band. The height is 2".

For the center of bow: Cut two strips 1" x 4"

Step 2: Interface all pieces. With right sides together, pin all of the same pieces to each other. Sew pieces.

Leave one side of wristband and one side of bow center open to turn inside out. Leave side of bow open to turn.

Step 3: Turn all pieces inside out. Fold raw edges in and iron flat. Top stitch all.

Step 4: Place wristband over your wrist and measure the overlap to where it feels comfortable on your wrist. Mark where this overlap lands.

Save this mark for later. On the end that faces the outside, mark where your button hole will go. (You can see on the striped fabric this end has an orange stripe). My button hole started a half inch down from the end, depending on the size of your button, this measurement will change.

Open button hole with seam ripper. Line the end with the button hole up with the mark you made earlier. Mark where your button will need to be sewn.

Sew button on other end of wristband.

*Some of the next few steps were photographed with a different bracelet*

Step 5: Take the center bow piece and wrap it around the bow. Pinch center leaving only a little space for the bow to move. Sew the ends of the bow center together.

Step 6: Cut the ends off, but leave just over 1/4" left. These raw edges will be sewn to the center of the wristband. Much like when you iron open a seam, this is what you will do to the raw edges and pin each end down to the wristband. I did a zig-zag stitch to make it secure.