Ready, Set, Sew - Hunting for Ladybugs

Hunting for
Ladybugs
Ready, Set, Sew
THE SIMPLE STARTER TOOL SET
& PIN PILLOW PROJECT KIT
Skill Level: Easy Peasy
Notes
I find it useful to write down any adjustments or modifications I make to a
pattern as I’m going along to remind myself what I did when I come to sew that
pattern again. Here’s some space for your scribbles.
Hello
Hello and thank you for your purchase. I’m so pleased to welcome you into the
world of sewing.
One of the most overwhelming things about your new hobby is the multitude
of tools and equipment there is available. Navigating your way through what
you’ll need now and what you can delay buying until later can be tricky.
The enclosed tools are the exact same ones that I use in my sewing room day
in and day out. They will give you a great start to your collection and feedback
I’ve received from customers so far is that you’ll use every single one. Some
you will have heard of, others will be new to you.
This kit also contains all the supplies you’ll need to make a pin pillow to hold
the pins once you break them out of the box.
This is just one of a series of sewing project kits I offer. They cover a variety
of skill levels so there’s always something to work towards. I also introduce
new kits from time to time so please join my email list to get new release
updates. The convenience of me doing all your that sewing supply shopping
for you ensures that your creative time can be both productive and frustration
free. Nothing is missing and it’s all ready to go when you are.
Please email me at sarah@huntingforladybugs if you have even the smallest
of questions. You will also find the Resources page on my website useful to
getting started with tasks like threading your machine and pinning like a pro.
Thanks again for your support and I look forward to connecting with you again
soon.
Happy sewing, Sarah xx
Hunting for
Ladybugs
Scissors
Thread Snips
Hem Gauge
Seam Ripper
Pins
Point Turner
Tailors Chalk
Tape Measure
Scissors
Successful sewing begins with accurate cutting. These scissors are called
dressmaking shears and made especially for fabric.
Notice how the handles are offset to allow you to run the blades along a flat surface.
The idea is that when you’ve pinned your pattern pieces down (or marked your
cutting line) that you lift the fabric only a minimal amount to ensure that your cutting is
accurate. Ironing your fabric flat before you start cutting also helps.
When using shears, take long straight cuts; open your blade to the full width each
cut. Short choppy ones will fray your edges (argh, fabric fluff!) and it’s super easy to
wander off course.
I know it’s tempting but please only use these scissors for cutting fabric. Cutting
paper, felt or plastic will dull the blades over time; buy a cheaper pair of office scissors
to keep in your sewing box for those jobs.
It’s easiest to cut out on a table or clean hard flooring. You can use the table edges or
lines in your flooring to make sure you stay nice and straight. I also use a ruler or tape
measure and tailors chalk to mark waypoints
along the way to guide my cutting line.
When cutting out a small object like this zipper
pouch, try to cut into the corners each side rather
than into the corner and then out again. Keeping
this nice and accurate at this stage means your
sewing has a better chance of being accurate
later on when you’re following your fabric edge
for the seam allowance.
You will eventually like to add a rotary
cutter (and associated mat and ruler) to
your cutting tools. It is super sharp and
very useful for long straight cuts. I would
like to offer them as an add-on to this
starter set so please let me know if this is
something you are interested in.
Thread Snips
It is important to trim your threads as you go/sew. To use these, just place the points
close to your fabric and pinch shut. Pulling the thread taught with your other hand
helps them to cut cleanly.
Trim threads close to your project, and leave a few inches of thread
hanging from the machine. Don’t forget to do both the top and
bottom threads.
A good habit is to trim the threads as you finish each
seam. Loose ends can snag back in your machine
on your next pass and have the potential to ruin the
time, effort and energy you’ve put into your project
so far.
I keep a small tub near my machine to hold the
thread ends and then empty it into the larger bin
at the end of the day.
Hem Gauge
A hem gauge is normally new to most of my class participants but this is a fantastic
little gizmo. A hem is formed by folding fabric back on to itself to enclose the raw or
cut edges. Think of a hem along the bottom edge of a skirt or pant leg.
The gauge helps you to fold down a set amount of fabric so you can get an even and
accurate level. You can also use this gauge to form a casing for elastic or drawstring.
To use, start by laying a section fabric as flat as possible. Using the plastic slider, set
the gauge to the amount you wish to fold down. It may be ¼” to fold under the raw
edges or larger to form the actual hem.
Now run the gauge along the folded edge of the fabric with the slider against the fold
of the fabric and the end of the gauge at the raw edges. The slider will help to push
and fold the fabric which you can press into place with your iron.
I normally use my gauge on my ironing board to press the edge as I go. Be careful
not to iron over the top of the gauge as the slider will melt (or so I’ve heard).
TIP
Push pins down into
your ironing board to
hold your fabric in position
– they’re like little metal
fingers that won’t burn.
Seam Ripper
As long as you don’t cut it, there is lots of opportunity for a ‘do over’ in sewing and
this tool helps you do just that. Beginners and experienced sewers all groan when we
reach for the unpicker but isn’t ever a sign of failure, just a reminder to concentrate. I
still use mine regularly.
A seam ripper allows you to easily cut into a line of stitching to remove it. You don’t
need to cut every stitch, every second or third one is fine.
To use this tool, slide the pointed end underneath the stitch and push forward until the
thread is cut by the small sharpened blade between the two points.
Slide the longer sharp point under every second or third stitch until the thread is cut.
Continue working down the seam on that same side of the fabric. You can either flip
the fabric over and pull out the opposing thread (it should come out intact) or gently
pull the two pieces of fabric apart. Either way, you’ll probably have to pick out some
stray little threads – but I’ve heard a lint brush from Ikea does wonders here.
Pins
There are so many different types of sewing pins that it can be confusing for new
players. I love these heart pins as they’ve got a nice long shank for superior holding
power. They are probably a bit thick and big to use for really delicate fabrics but will
work well for woven cottons etc. Be very careful when ironing as these plastic heads
will melt if they touch the hot iron (you can buy glass head pins if you want to iron
over them).
I place pins parallel to the fabric edge so that the head is towards me as I sew. It
takes a bit of practice to visualize the seam on your machine. Having them this way
around makes them easy to pull out as you reach them.
I pin about ½” from the edge to stop the fabric moving too much. I’ll pin at ¼” if
I’m sewing with laminate fabrics so that the pin hole marks are inside the seam
allowance.
Do not sew over pins. Your pins and needles may bend at best or your needle will
snap sending shards to flick up into your eye if you happen to land directly on a pin at
worst.
I sometimes pin perpendicular to the seam when I want the horizontal to be firmly
held, for example when I’m inserting a zipper or matching seams in patchwork. I also
tend to mark turning gaps with a perpendicular pin to remind myself to stop sewing for
that area.
Point Turner
This is Fantastic Plastic! I use my point turner almost daily. A point turner is a tool that
is used to push out corners and points but with a slightly rounded point to minimise
the risk of making holes in the fabric. It is much better and safer to use a point
turner, rather than a chopstick or the tip of your scissors, which are alternatives often
mentioned in patterns.
To use, carefully trim the bulk of fabric from your corner – you don’t want to cut your
line of stitching - then turn your fabric right side out.
Trim square corners at 45° or just trim the bulk either side as I’ve done on this
bunting. Insert the point turner inside your fabric and carefully push the corner seams
out until nice and pointy. You should just see the stitching slightly in the folds of the
fabric.
Repeat for all outer corners. Don’t worry about pointing corners in lining as they will
be staying the way you sew them.
Tailors Chalk
I find marking my fabric incredibly useful. I sometimes write a big WS on the wrong
side of fabrics when it’s hard to tell. I also make little lines to mark gaps, notches, darts
and other helpful notations on patterns.
I use either white chalk or a lead pencil as both are easily removed. Press lightly and
work on the wrong side of your fabrics and you won’t go too far wrong with these. Try
not to iron over your marks if you want to remove them later as the heat will set them
into the fabric fibres.
I have found those washable blue fabric markers
leave a blue tinge even after machine-washing
on some projects so I prefer chalk markers,
particularly on items that cannot be washed.
The grand-daddy of chalk marking pencils are
made by Clover – they are more expensive but
fabulous. They come in white, pink, yellow and
blue and really do disappear with the wipe of a damp cloth. They fit into a normal pencil
sharpener so you can even mark fine embroidery designs.
Tape Measure
The quintessential sewing tool; seamstresses have had one hanging around their neck
for centuries. Using a tape measure is straightforward – ensure one end of your tape is
on the edge of your fabric and pull it tight, but not stretched, across to your next point.
Make sure it is level without any twists.
I made sure that the included tape had both metric and imperial measurements so you
could work in either or get a feel for flipping from one to the other.
When measuring smaller areas, I tend to use my hem gauge.
Depending on how much sewing you do, you may outgrow using a tape to cut fabric
quickly. When you do, you’ll want to buy a 45mm rotary cutter, a green self-healing
cutting mat and (6.5” x 24”) quilting ruler. This makes cutting fabric a breeze. As I
mentioned, I’m looking at stocking some as an add-on package so please get in touch if
you’re interested.
Glossary of Terms
Backstitch:
Always backstitch at the beginning and end of your sewing. To
make a backstitch, sew two stitches forwards then two in reverse and then carry
on stitching forward to the end of your seam. A backstitch will anchor the threads
of your seam and not allow the layers of fabric to be pulled apart.
Ironing / Pressing: Your iron is an important sewing tool.
Use more of
a lift and press motion rather than pushing or driving along the fabric. A hot, dry
iron will work well on quilting cotton, cooler settings for interfacing and synthetics.
I also look for one that doesn’t beep when left on for long periods. Pressing a
seam open means to press each side of seam allowance back down onto the main
body of fabric. This helps to reduce bulk or gives a nice sharp edge when pressed
together again in a later step.
RST (Right Sides Together):
Place the two printed sides of fabric
together and sew with the wrong or back sides facing out at you. This ensures
your sewn edges are on the inside when your bag is finished.
Seam allowance:
The pin pillow uses a ¼” seam allowance but feel free to
use 1/2” if you feel more comfortable. Aligning the edge of your fabric with the edge
of your presser foot while you are sewing means you’ll be stitching a consistent
distance in from the edge and stay straight. See the Seam Allowance Resource on
my website for further information on how to make a consistent seam allowance.
Trimming:
The aim is to make the reverse side of your work as neat as the
front. Snipping your thread tails as you go is important as they are easily tangled
in later lines of stitches causing no end of headaches.
Why inches?:
The sewing community is huge in the USA. Many online
tutorials, patterns and other sewing paraphernalia hail from there using the
imperial system for measurement. There are the few metric ones but many cutting
rulers and mats are also in inches. Some school rulers show both but I’ve found it’s
easier to learn the inches dance. If you need to do the conversions 1 inch = 2.54
cms. Common increments are 1/4” = 6mm ; 1/2” = 12mm; 3/4” = 18mm;
1” = 25mm; 2” = 50mm. When buying fabric, one yard = 36” / 93cm Pin Pillow
Now that you’ve got some tools to play with, let’s
get sewing! Your included project is this cute pin
cushion to keep those pins tidy now they’re free
from their box. It’s all straight lines so the perfect
starter project. Pincushions work best in a close
weave fabric so the enclosed quilting cotton is
ideal.
You’ll need:
•
2 x (8” x 5½”) rectangles of quilting cotton
•
small bag of rice or sand as a weight (
I’ve sent you a small pouch of poly pellets)
•
2 bobbins of sewing thread
•
15g of polyfill/toy stuffing
•
2.5m of embroidery floss, size 26 embroidery needle and coordinating button
Tricky Thread Tip: These are universal bobbins wound with ‘goes with everything’
cream thread. Use a bobbin for each of your top and bottom threads. They should
fit most machines but if your thread tangles frequently just re-wind the thread onto a
bobbin that is specifically made for your model of sewing machine.
1. Read these instructions through fully before
you begin – yes, really. It’s important to know
where you’re heading.
2. Mark the centre point on each fabric price.
To find the centre, fold each rectangle in half
and then in half again. Use your thumb nail
to crease the fabric gently. Unfold and use
a lead pencil to make a small faint dot where
the two lines intersect. These marks will be
covered by the button in the finished pillow.
3. Place your fabric pieces Right Sides Together
(RST)*. On one of the short sides, mark 1.5”
from each end. Use your chalk or a lead pencil.
4. Using a ¼” seam allowance (normally the edge
of your presser foot), sew along the sides.
Backstitch* each time you start or stop a line of
sewing. Make sure you leave your turning gap
in one short end. You can pivot at the corners
or just backstitch at the end of one seam, remove the fabric from under your
needle, realign and start sewing down the next side.
Stop & Start
Pivot
5. Snip each corner at 45° being careful not to cut through your line of stitching.
This removes some of the bulk so you can get nice pointy corners in Step 7.
6. Turn your pillow right sides out through
the gap in the short end.
7. Use your point turner to carefully poke
out each corner.
8. Press well* (iron flat!).
9. Manoeuvre the weight inside your
pillow through the gap.
10.Try and keep the weight flat and
centred as you stuff your pillow with
the polyfill. Using small pieces is the
key to smooth stuffing. Use a pencil
or chopstick to help you get into the
corners; pencils with erasers on the
end work really well. <IMG5290>>
11.Push the polyfill away from the gap end. Fold under the ¼” seam allowance in
the gap and pin in position.
12.Sew the gap closed with edgestitch*.
13.Once the gap is closed, distribute the polyfill
more evenly throughout the pillow.
14.Thread the length of embroidery floss onto
the hand sewing needle. Don’t worry about
tying a knot in the end.
15.Find your central marks. Starting at the
centre bottom, push the needle up through to the centre top. Pull the majority of
the floss through but leave a 15cm tail on the underside.
16.Hold the tail (to stop it pulling through) and wrap the floss around one side of the
pillow. Bring the needle back to the bottom and push up again through the centre.
Give the floss a slight tug and wrap the next side. Repeat for all remaining sides
to tuft the cushion.
17.Now to attach the button. Bring the needle to the centre top again and pass
it through the holes of the button. Push down through button and pincushion.
Repeat again for either a second stitch or the remaining pair of holes on button.
18.Tie the loose ends together on the underside of the pincushion.
19.Trim the excess floss.
20.Poke those pins in and stand back and admire your handiwork. You’re all done.
TIP
I find it useful to have
two pin cushions on the
go – one lives on my cutting
table and another by my
machine, so there’s always
pins to hand no matter
where I’m working.
Challenge Yourself
Look at how clever you are! Now that you’ve made them once – try again with
a new twist. This basic pattern is easily enhanced with your creativity. Why
not try some of these ideas next time ~
~ Use a themed fabric and make lots as special birthday party favour bags
guests can keep
~ Add some applique and personalise them with your initial
~ Change the basic pouch dimensions to 14” x 12” and it’s a perfect sized
pencil case for school
~ Add a length of ribbon to the side seam and use delicate fabrics and they
would be a perfect clutch for brides or bridesmaids
~ Use laminate cotton as your base fabric and it’s a great bag for travelling
~ I’ve enlarged the triangular pouch pattern and added a red cross for use as
a first aid kit in a new mother’s nappy bag
Additonal Resources
There is a vibrant Hunting for Ladybugs community on
Facebook and I’d love you to be part of it. Feel free to
post any questions you have and your ‘ta dah’ photo to
our Hunting for Ladybugs Helpdesk group.
There are so many generous sewers in the online world
and a wealth of tutorials to try. Come and visit my
Pintrest boards, particularly the New To Sewing for
some inspiration.
You can find me at: www.pinterest.com/huntingsarah/
We all know that sewing isn’t necessary in the modern
world. Gone are the days when you need to churn out
children’s clothing or stitch a quilt for your bed. But there
is nothing quite like the feel of quality fabrics and using your
hands to create something that’s exactly what you want –
the colours, the patterns, the dimensions.
I’ve created a series of gorgeous, mail-able project kits with
everything you need to start and finish a sewing project so
your precious creative time is frustration-free.
The kits provide you with a good strong base from which you
can explore the wealth of tutorials and patterns online – you
may even venture into a proper fabric shop!
If you’ve enjoyed this project, I’d love to hear about it.
Please also come back and visit me online to try another
www.huntingforladybugs.com.au.
Hunting for
Ladybugs
© Sarah Caporn, 2014
www.huntingforladybugs.com.au
Booklet layout www.bedesignsolutions.com.au