My Springtime Pillowcases...My First Sewing Lesson...
By twoey68
@twoey68 (13627)
United States
March 9, 2008 7:53am CST
As some of you know, I quilt. I taught myself how. I can also cross stitch and do some crochet. The only sewing I can do, other than quilt, is basic hemming.
Yesterday I washed my bedding, while I was putting my pillowcases back on my pillows (plain white ones)I decided I wanted new pillowcases or at least something prettier. I didn't want to go to the store and besides I didn't have the extra money to blow so I decided to make some.
I had a really nice fitted sheet (which I couldn't use b/c we only have a waterbed) and it's covered in yellow, pink and blue flowers (it makes it feel more springtime too). I used one of my other pillowcases as a template and after cutting all the elastic off, I cut out four panels the same size as the pillowcase. I sewed three sides together, put a 1 1/2" hem on the open end and ta-da! New pillowcases :) They are so pretty and bright. I loved sleeping on them last night.
There are other things I want to make but I don't know how. I'd like to make me some aprons, both the kind that just goes around your waist and the kind chefs wear (my oldest Brother would love one of those), some slip covers for mine and Hubby's chair and I don't know what else but I know I need to start off small. I'm not very good with reading instructions and figuring them out...I do better with pictures. I do have a friend here in town, an older woman, who worked for years in a sewing factory so she might be able to teach me some. I'm going to set up a day to go over and see her...see what she thinks.
Here's a pic of my springtime pillowcases complete with Morgana nosing around. I swear she sees the camera and she practically throws herself in front of it. LOL
Does anyone know any good sites to learn? What are some good easy things to start off with? Any special advice or tips you can give me?
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
13 people like this
25 responses
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
9 Mar 08
When I was in the fifth grade we started out making a tea set. It was napkins and a table cloth that we stitched around using the sewing machine. We then pulled threads to make fringes. Then we graduated to the aprons like you described. I also had an aunt that helped me with sewing when I got older. I used to make my girls dress and sleep wear. as well as some of my work shirts. I taught my girls to sew too. I don't know of any web sight that can help you.There are some very simple patterns for you to start with. Sometime fabric store give lessons so you might look in to that.
3 people like this
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
10 Mar 08
I LOVE your pillow case! such a beautiful pattern to the fabric. a great resourceful idea you had. I am astonished that you do not sew everything - as quilting, to me, seems like such a difficult and precise hobby.
here are two websites to make you happy
http://etherwork.net/ejmtph/sew/apron.html
is for a butcher apron
and
well turns out my second one is no longer up and running, bummer....
but there is this one for a quilted block apron
http://www.craftandfabriclinks.com/apron2/apron2.html
which has a nice older style feel to it
1 person likes this
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
10 Mar 08
actually, there is a much simpler apron using two towels.
martha stewart has it on her website - using dishtowels.
For me, I would need a bath towel for the bottom and a hand towel for the top. Terry cloth would make a great apron fabric as it is absorbant and good to wipe up hands and spills with!
when I was in kindergarten and first my mother made me a wonderful painters apron out of a bath towel.
I would lay out the bath towel horizontal and put the hand towel vertical at the center. In the martha instructions it says the bottom of the hand towel becomes the back for the pockets - I would probably just attach a patch pocket made from a co-ordinating wash cloth!
you would have to attach some sort of ties for neck and waist - or some other sort of fastener. A grommet would be cool at the waist to thread a dishtowel into - or a loop to put it through. I think my great granny's aprons had button holes and her dish towels buttons (or vice verse) and she attached her's that way.
oh, here is the martha link
www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=channel1138
1 person likes this
@KKKBsmom (1092)
• United States
10 Mar 08
whoo hoo... didn't that make you feel good... NEW and you made them!!!
you will be able to make lots of stuff... and it sounds like you are on the right track.
pillow cases... you could make some pillows for your couch?
I will look up some sites and try and remember to send them to you!
1 person likes this
@hardworkingmom (1130)
• United States
10 Mar 08
I agree you can make throw pillows for your bed or you cough. I just finish redoing my couch and I made some arm pillows and did the cushions on the couch.
1 person likes this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
9 Mar 08
very good job there.
and that pretty good to start off with
Curtains are anothr project that is easy to do.
Other than that in clothes I always bought the pattern to use. Just finding a pattern that I want is the problem. and then I add my own style to it. Sorry I dont know of any learning places.
And working in a sewing factory women might help but then there they have it all cut out for you and you just do the seams on 1,000 of the same thing daily hugs and good luck
1 person likes this
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
10 Mar 08
curtains are what my daughter chose for her first project - we used an old gingham table cloth that had a few moth holes on one end -
It was fun for her because she could follow the gingham lines for cutting and hemming. I think they look quaint too. :)
1 person likes this
@newzealtralian (3930)
• Australia
17 Mar 08
I'd love to be able to make clothes for my kids, but alas, I missed out on the sewing gene. I'm sure you did a great job of your pillowcases.
1 person likes this
@ruby222 (4847)
•
13 Apr 08
That was a good idea there....my Mum always used to use the remains of the sheets when they went too thin to use to make tea towels and pillowcases...successful pillowcases they were...but used for tea towels they werent good..by no means absorbent!!!
I recently made a couple of aprons....I had a lovely one given to me by my daugher...just a simple full apron...i wanted to make my mum one ..so i had some very pretty fabric....I laid my apron on top of the fabric..and just cut out a template...allowing a good margin for turning in....well thee end result was good...and i used white tape for the ties and neck....
If you can do pillowcases you can certainly do an apron....good luck..
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
9 Mar 08
For your aprons, you can get at wal-mart an apron that you can make for about $5 then what I did was I cut out all the pieces then I made a pattern from that on newspaper or some kind of paper then that way I can use it to make it over and over again. Hope this helps.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
9 Mar 08
I admire you hon, I am not very good with my hands, I am very clumsy and nothing looks pretty, but I creative beautiful stories with my mind.
We all have strengths, and all of them are important.
1 person likes this
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
13 Mar 08
Great job!!!!
I'm a self taught kind of person too.
My grandmother taught me the basics but that was about it.
I don't know of any sites though :( So I can't help you there.
Don't forget to post any new pictures of the things you make!!!
Good luck!
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
10 Mar 08
I am afraid that I am not much of a sewer so I can't offer any advice in this regard.
I love your pillow case, it is extremely pretty.
I think your cat will love it too. He will probably claim it is his own bed!!
@hardworkingmom (1130)
• United States
10 Mar 08
Your pillow case is pretty and is right for the new season of spring. And thank you very much because you give me some good ideas for the sheets I have that I can't use and saved me a lot of money because I have king size pillows and they can get expensive. I guess I'll be going back through my give away bag and get the ones I want out. Thank you. :)
1 person likes this
@whittby (3072)
• United States
10 Mar 08
I quilt and use some of my leftover fabrics for pillow cases. I use one color for the main color and one for the accent depending on how much fabric I have. I'm made some cozy flannel pillow cases for gifts. Anyway, I have a ton of links for you but here are two. This one features how to make a pillow case to match your quilt - just basic stuff really:
http://quickquilts.com/bonus/qb02_pattern/And this one is from about.com and has a ton of links to pillowcase patterns.
http://sewing.about.com/library/weekly/aa061505.htm
By the way, I love your cases you made and now have a sheet I'm considering for the same thing. whit
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
9 Mar 08
That is a great way to save money and decorate at the same time. You really got off to a good start and will enjoy making more wonderful things for yourself and for gifts. I am proud of you and obviously so is Morgana. She has such cute feet!
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Mar 08
You did a great job, it is so pretty!
Good for you for recycling something else and giving it a new life.
I don't know how to sew with a machine either and I wish I had learned when I was younger. I never took Home Ec in high school because my mother said she or my older sisters could teach me anything I needed to know.
Of course that never happened.
:(
1 person likes this
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
9 Mar 08
I would check the tv schedule for the PBS channel for the sewing show. They are usually on the weekend. They have some great sewing tips, you can also go to the library and get some books. Do you have a craft store or even the local Walmart, they have lots of books and booklets that will help you get started. I have sewed a few things, I am not very good. (Not my cup of tea). I also can do other crafts, crochet, cross stitch etc. Have fun, good luck and keep up the good work. The pillow cases look great.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
9 Mar 08
Twoey, the library has lots of books with patterns in them, and then your friend could help you size and cut out the aprons.If you have one of the chef aprons you could just lay it out and cut around it. In home ec this year my great niece made my brother a cute apron, he loves to cook. I also have a whole body type apron, have the pattern for it. They are pretty easy. You have taken the first step with your pillowcases, and they sound terrific. I have often used remnants, or like you, old sheets to make extra pillow cases, because I like to have at least two pillows for each of us. Curtains are another easy project. Slip covers would probably be a little harder. I have never done those.
1 person likes this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
9 Mar 08
Good for you for sewing the pillow cases. I have not made pillow cases but I have made pinch pleat curtains and other cutrins. I have sewed my own clothes. I do not sew much any more. I do do a lot of hand work like cross stitching crocheting and knitting. I taught myslef how to knit.
I think it would be pretty easy to make an apron like the one you are talking about. you need to make a square and put the ties on it.
Good luck. I do not know a good web page to look at.
Have you tried going to a fabric store? That maybe the place to start
1 person likes this
@jezzmay (1845)
• United States
9 Mar 08
I know you did enjoy the pillowcases.I made me some new curtains
the other day.I really enjoy them.It is nice to be able to do this
when we do not have the extra money to buy them.If you do get some
tips on other things please share them I would like to see them.I
enjoy doing this and do not have money to buy things.So,I could
learn to make them to.Thank you for the tip on pillowcases.
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
9 Mar 08
I envy you teaching yourself to make things like that, you did a beautiful job..I had to laugh though, because you say your cat jumps in front of the camera, both my cat and dog run when they hear the ding of the camera being turned on..lol
I noticed no one provided a site, I hope someone does, I love to learn new things..:)
