Round Cushion Pattern and Tutorial

These round cushions are the perfect decorative accent for a bed, or sew one to use as a padded seat on a round stool. My children love tossing them in the floor and sitting on them! However you use them in your home, you'll be sure to get lots of compliments, especially when you use fun fabrics like Panda-Rama by Maude Asbury or Flutter & Float by Ana Davis for Blend Fabrics.

Make a small 12" diameter round cushion or a large 18" diameter round cushion using my Round Cushion Tutorial below. It's easier to make than you might think!

Disclosure: I was provided the fabrics used in this post in exchange for sharing a project a sewed with it. All opinions are my own.

Go Bananas Bag

My daughter's teacher asked me last week if I could repair their old, worn out recess ball bag. The bag had completely come apart along one side and most of the bottom, and let's not even mention how dirty it was from being dragged on the floor! I told her there was no hope left for that bag, but I'd be more than happy to sew a new one. She gave me what was left of the old bag for measurements, and later that night, Ella and I picked out fabrics.

I had recently received a half yard bundle of the latest collection from Blend Fabrics-- Tutti Fruitti by Maude Asbury. When we saw the That's Bananas fabrics in pink and blue, Ella immediately said those were perfect for her class because they were wild and kooky like monkeys! We decided to use the Lemon Drop in yellow fabric as part of the lining simple because it was yellow like a banana! What we came up with we dubbed the Go Bananas Bag!

Disclosure: I was provided some fabrics used in this post in exchange for sharing a project I sewed with it. All opinions are my own.

Now, I didn't take photos for a tutorial because I needed to make this bag in a hurry, but I will give you basic measurements and instructions for the construction in case you want to make your own Go Bananas Bag. This is a very large tote bag that is perfect for carrying a variety of items, especially recess equipment likes kickballs, soccer balls, jump ropes, and a first aid kit.

Keep reading for the details!

Christmas Present Placemats & Skirts

Some of my fondest memories are of times spent with my mom decorating our home for Christmas. Handmade decorations, a large fir tree, fresh holly and magnolia leaves from our yard, and the Statler Brother's Christmas on the stereo were essential to creating the festive mood in our home.

One thing we always had on our dining room and breakfast room tables were special, Christmas placemats that my mom had sewn. Several years ago, I decided to recreate her Christmas Present Placemats and even wrote a tutorial so others could make them, too. This tutorial continues to be one of my most popular tutorials and posts ever!

Since it has been a while since I made a set of these adorable Christmas Present Placemats, I thought it was time to make a few more using all quilting cottons instead of a double-sided quilted fabric. I'm so pleased with the results!

The quilting cotton prints in Blend Fabric's Even a Mouse collection by Maude Asbury were perfect for these new Christmas Present Placemats! I love the Snowball Fight print for the border and cloth napkin that makes the bow, and the Christmas Carolers snowglobe print in red is fun and festive for the main part of the mat. The back of the placemat is sewn with the Let It Snow print in light gray.
(Disclaimer: I was provided the fabrics used in this post in exchange for sharing a project I made with them. All opinions are my own.)

If you'd like to make your own set of Christmas Present Placemats, then click HERE for the full tutorial. Here's a picture of the original one I made years ago. For this one, I used a double-sided quilted fabric for the mat and quilting cotton for the napkin and binding.

If you choose to use quilting cottons instead of double-sided quilted fabric, then you will cut out 2 rectangles measuring 12" x 18" for the front and back of the placement. You will also need to cut out one piece of batting measuring 12" x 18". All other pieces remain the same from the tutorial.

Since I had a some fabric left over from the bundle of fabric from Blend Fabrics, I whipped up a couple of skirts using my Simple One Seam Skirt Tutorial.

For this size 4T skirt, I added a contrasting band to the bottom of the skirt.

For this size 6 skirt, I used the Stocking Stuffers in Grey fabric to make this animal lover's version. My daughter was sad that I didn't have enough fabric to make this one in her size! These are so quick and easy to sew and make gifts for little girls.

Have FUN sewing!

Halloween Skirt & Tote Bags

For a few days, we had a taste of Fall weather with cool, crisp air and gentle breezes. It was just a tease though. After three days, it felt like summer again with temps in the high 80s! 

That didn't stop me and Ella from heading outdoors to enjoy a local park and dream of upcoming Fall festivals and pumpkins. In fact, I made her a few things to wear and carry with the Blend Fabric collection, Spooky Town by Cori Dantini, to put us in the Halloween spirit!

You'll be amazed at all the adorable things I was able to make with this half-yard bundle of fabric. 

Disclosure: I was provided the fabrics used in this post in exchange for sharing a project I made with them. All opinions are my own.

Wonderland Blog Hop: Chair Pocket Tutorial

School is back in session which means tons of papers being sent home and lots of homework. In years' past, the completed worksheets, art work, and notes from school would pile up on the kitchen counter or dining room table, but this year, all those papers will be stored in this new chair pocket I made for my daughter's chair.

What's even better is that I created a matching double zipper pencil pouch that detaches from the chair pocket when she needs to sit at the table to work on a project. All of her pencils, crayons, scissors, and other supplies will be conveniently at hand and can be stored away when she is done with them.

Help organize your home when you make my Chair Pocket Tutorial with a detachable pencil pouch. It's easy to sew and your child will love it when you use fun fabrics like the Wonderland Collection by Josephine Kimberling for Blend Fabrics.

Disclosure: I was provided the fabrics used in this post in exchange for sharing a project I sewed with them. All opinions are my own.

How to Sew a Bucket Pocket

It's July which means it is time for Skirting the Issue with Simple Simon & Co. Last year, I shared my Simple One Seam Skirt Tutorial with you so you can create a basic girl's skirt using a single cut of fabric. This skirt is one of my favorites to sew, and since we donated all but one of the skirts I made last year, Ella has requested a few new ones.

While my original skirt tutorial does not include pockets, I'm sharing another fun and simple tutorial this year that shows you how to sew a Bucket Pocket to my Simple One Seam Skirt. You can use this pocket tutorial and add it to any other basic skirt or pair of shorts, too.

How to Add Ruching to a T-Shirt Hem

Recently, I sewed Ella a new casual, summer outfit using the Vintage V-Neck pattern by Blank Slate Patterns (affiliate links) and the free Sycamore Shorts pattern by Sew Like My Mom. Both patterns were quick to sew and the end results made Ella (and me) very happy!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I am a Contributor to the blog, Melly Sews, and was provided the shirt pattern and compensated for writing a post about the pattern. I was also provided some fabrics for use in a project of my choosing. All opinions stated in this post are honest and my own.

Since summer is upon us, Ella really needed some new t-shirts. Personally, I'm not always a fan of a basic, boxy tee on girls, so I was excited to discover the Vintage V-Neck pattern.

SLPCo Ayda Top & Emilya Pants Outfit

Hello? Anybody there? I know, I know. It's been a while since I've shared any new projects or tutorials with you lately. What can I say? Life is busier than ever. I've sewn quite a few things lately and even shot photos for some new tutorials, so please bear with me as I try and find time to put it all together for the blog.

Ella recently celebrated her 7th birthday, and a few weeks before her party, I sewed together this adorable and fun cupcake outfit using some new patterns I recently purchased from the Simple Life Pattern Company (SLPCo for short). This pattern designer is fairly new to me, but I've been seeing their patterns on several blogs I follow as well as all over my sewing Facebook groups. I knew I needed to give them a try!

Disclosure: The patterns used in this post were purchased by me; however, I was provided the fabric used for the top in exchange for sewing an item with it and sharing it on my blog. All opinions stated in the post are my own.

DIY Fabric Clipboard

The other day at Target, I picked up a plain brown clipboard, a small bottle of Mod Podge from the $1 aisle, and a packet of sponge brushes and decided to cover the clipboard in fabric. This project was so quick and simple, that it took less than 30 minutes from start to finish! Here's how you can make your own DIY Fabric Clipboard, too!

Lulu Dress Pattern

This post is way, way, way overdue! About a year ago, Jessica from Craftiness is Not Optional came out with the Lulu Dress and Top Pattern, and I promised to make one and blog about it! I met half the promise since I sewed the dress immediately, but then one thing after another came up and I never took any photos of Ella wearing her Lulu dress. To make matters worse, I finally did take photos last September, but then I never wrote the post--until NOW!

So, so sorry, Jess, for the delay in sharing the news about your wonderful pattern. Ella wears her Lulu dress often and her wearing it today is what reminded me that it was way past time for me to share it.

All Day Fun in the Sun Dress Tutorial

For the third year in a row, I'm participating in one of my favorite all-time sewing series: 30 Days of Sundresses at Melly Sews with my All Day Fun in the Sun Dress Tutorial! This year, I made a super simple dress that is just perfect for my active 6 year old, and I've put together a step-by-step tutorial so you can make one, too! The All Day Fun in the Sun Dress is a great project for the beginner sewer and takes less than a yard of fabric to make!

Springtail Sundress Pattern

It's been a l-o-o-o-ng time since I've done any pattern testing, but when Rachael at Imagine Gnats posted a picture of a fresh summer dress pattern she was working on, I jumped at the chance to volunteer to try it out. I was thrilled when she asked me to give her Springtail Sundress Pattern a test run that I ended up making more than once since I liked it so much!

A Sunny Apron & Chef's Hat Tutorial

When I was a kid, I had my very own child's size apron and chef's hat that I would wear whenever I helped my mom bake or cook. Although my mom kept essentially every item from my childhood, I can't seem to find my apron and hat among my things in storage.  Since Ella has been wanting to help me cook and bake more, I decided it was about time that I make her some proper kitchen attire!

After only about an hour and a half of sewing, Ella finally has her very own Sunny Apron and Chef's Hat to wear when she is my sous chef.

This set was so simple to make and took hardly any time to sew. Plus, I used fat halves from this very appropriate fabric collection, Tea Garden from Blend Fabrics, to make both pieces.

Here's how you can make your child his or her own Sunny Apron and Chef's Hat, too! Just follow my tutorials below. And while I'm mentioning tutorials, I want to give a big shout out and thank you to Anne Weaver at Craft Gossip for featuring my tutorials often. Anne and Craft Gossip have done so much to help bloggers and readers alike--you help spread our projects to a wider audience and in return, more people enjoy our craft!

Super Saturday Giveaway Day!

Today is a Super Saturday Giveaway over at The Daily Sew!

Some of you may now be asking what is The Daily Sew and how do I enter the giveaways! Keep reading to find out!

Fabric Slippers + Craft Book Month

Come sew along and celebrate Craft Book Month all September with Craft Buds for a chance to win one of several amazing prizes! You know you have them--craft, quilting, or sewing books--just sitting in your sewing room waiting to be used. I'm guilty for sure, and for some reason, my stack of books keeps growing despite my lack of effort to sew from them more often. They are just hard to resist! An entire book full of wonderful patterns and ideas!

Craft Book Month always reminds me to reach for one of those books and finally make something I've bookmarked, and this year, I decided to sew up a pair of fabric house slippers for myself! Ella doesn't get anything this time. Nope! This one's all for me!

And it's sort of funny that the book I used was Little One-Yard Wonders which is actually full of tons of absolutely terrific projects for children! The fabric slippers pattern includes pieces for children as well as adults, and I have been needing wanting a new pair of house slippers for a long time.

Photo from Amazon.com

Simple Zipper Pouch + Fabric Bundle Giveaway!

Yesterday, my kids were arguing over a pencil pouch. One claimed the other took it without asking. Since I have no idea who the pencil pouch was originally purchased for, I decided to go make a couple of quick ones so they would both be happy.

I found the perfect pattern and instructions for making these simple zipper pencil pouches in Craftsy's Bag Making Basics: Reversible Tote and Zipper Pouch FREE mini class (affiliate link)! I printed out the materials list and cutting instructions and then grabbed some colorful fabrics I had received from Blend Fabrics. I used four different prints from Maude Asbury's Geofabulous collection. These were the perfect to make both a masculine and a feminine pencil pouch for each of my children.

A sewVery Simple Envelope Pillowcase Tutorial

Today I'm showing you how to make a sewVery Simple Envelope Pillowcase using half yard cuts of fabric. Two or three times a year around a big holiday (primarily Valentine's Day, Halloween, and Christmas), I sew my children a new holiday themed pillowcase that they use all season long. They get so excited about the pillowcases, plus they add a little holiday decoration to their rooms!

sewVery Sunny Tops Preview

A huge weight has been lifted, and I feel I can relax for a couple of days.  My sewVery Sunny Dress & Top Pattern has been sent to testers! I'm so nervous even though I had the three sizes in the free version tested last month without many issues. So much work goes into creating and preparing a clothing pattern, and even if you have sewn and tested for years, you just don't know how time consuming it is until you try it!

So, while I twiddle my thumbs and anxiously wait to see some finished test versions and receive their feedback on the pattern, I thought I'd share with you some more photos of the sewVery Sunny Tops in Option A (with the neck ruffle) and Option B (without the neck ruffle) of the full pattern.