Happiest Camper

How To Make A Double-Sided Infinity Scarf

HappiestCamper — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 12:30:06 +0000

My favorite time of year is just around the corner, and I have a brand new sewing project for you guys that will be perfect. Today on HappiestCamper, I’m going to show you How To Make A Double-Sided Infinity Scarf! I love scarves when the weather starts to cool off. This one is one of my favorites. You can make it with coordinating fabrics on both sides or make one more neutral and one that really has a pop of color to it. I picked out some super soft fabric so that this scarf would be comfortable to wear all day. You guys probably remember my infinity scarf tutorial from a while back, and if you love that one, this one will be right up your alley. You can make these for much cheaper than you could find one in store. That is one of the things I love about sewing the most. It frees you to make something that you love, instead of settling to buy something you like. This cute scarf would make a nice gift as well. It is simple to sew and is a great project for all sewing skill levels. I cannot wait to break out my fall wardrobe and this scarf will definitely be a regular in the rotation.

I went with a light pattern fabric on one side and a darker pattern fabric on the other. Pick out some fabric you love that goes with what you wear. You can also make several of these with different fabric so you have a scarf for every occasion and style. I believe you can never have too many scarves! Gather your supplies from the list below and let’s get started on this fun sewing tutorial!

What You’ll Need:

The best part about this double-sided infinity scarf is you will have most of the materials in your sewing stash if you have been sewing for a while. Due to the easy access to materials as well as the simple steps to make it, it is the perfect beginner sewing project. If you don’t happen to have the materials on hand you can quickly grab them out your fabric store of even walmart.

How To Make A Double-Sided Infinity Scarf

Start this how to make a double-sided infinity scarf sewing tutorial by washing and drying your fabric. This helps preshrink your fabric and prepares it for washing later so that your stitches don’t pull out or fray the first time you wash it. Plus, it helps keep the fabric super soft. Once you have done this, cut a piece 30”x40” of each fabric.

Once you have your fabric pieces cut and laid out, pin or clip them together with right sides touching.

Now on this how-to make a double-sided infinity scarf, it’s time to sew! Sew down each of the sides with a straight stretch stitch, making a tube, with two open ends.

Fold in the edge of one of the open ends 1/4” and press with a warm iron. We are halfway through this fun and simple sewing tutorial!

Next, take the raw edge of the other end and place it inside the folded end and pin.

For the last step in this how-to make a double-sided infinity scarf sewing tutorial, simply the ends of the scarf together, leaving a gap to turn.

Turn scarf right side out and sew gap closed. And that’s it! You’re done with this how-to make a double-sided infinity scarf sewing tutorial! Now you have a cute two-in-one scarf you can wear. This easy-sew scarf also makes a great gift to give to just about anyone and they are sure to love it. I made this double-sided scarf one for me and one for my daughter and she loves it and wears it almost every day now that the weather is cooling off. Try making one yourself and you will see how easy of a sewing project this is and will want to make a few more.

If you liked this how to make a double-sided infinity scarf sewing tutorial, make sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make this simple project on your own, make certain that you take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices that people use!

Yield: 1

How To Make A Double-Sided Infinity Scarf

Make your own cute double-sided infinity scarf! You'll have two scarves in one. Make one side match your favorite outfit and the other a more neutral color you can wear with anything.

Active Time 45 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Estimated Cost $15.00

Materials

Tools

Instructions

Cut a piece 30”x40” of each fabric.
With right sides together, pin or clip the fabrics together and sew down each of the sides with a straight stretch stitch, making a tube, with two open ends.
Fold in the edge of one of the open ends 1/4” and press with a warm iron.
Place the raw edge of the other end and place it inside the folded end.
Pin and sew around with a straight stretch stitch, leaving a gap to turn.
Turn right side out and sew opening closed.
Press your seams open and enjoy!

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The post How To Make A Double-Sided Infinity Scarf appeared first on Happiest Camper.

How To Make An A-Line Skirt With Free Pattern

HappiestCamper — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 12:26:41 +0000

We have another fun sewing project for you! Today on HappiestCamper, we are going to show you How To Make An A-Line Skirt With Free Pattern! You guys know I love skirts, especially in summer. We have several different skirt sewing tutorials on our site, and when I got this sewing pattern from my friend, Debbie, I knew I had to make it. Unlike a pencil skirt, this a-line skirt has a slight flare to it at the bottom. This makes it a great all-around skirt for formal or casual wear. It is super comfortable and easy to dress up or down so you can wear it all day. The included free pattern makes it a breeze to cut out your fabric and size it for the perfect fit.

This Classic aline skirt will be one of your favorite things made. With its clean lines and subtle hem, the Aline skirt can take you through a day feeling comfortable and dressed for any occasion.

What You’ll Need:

1.25 Yards of 60″ Fabric – cotton, cotton blends, linen, linen blends.
Pins
Scissors
Measuring tape
Optional Rotary Cutter & Mat
8 “ zipper
Hook and eye closure
Sewing machine
Matching Thread
Zipper foot
Free Skirt Pattern

Size Chart:

Imperial (inches)	Small	Medium	Large
Waist	28	30	32
Hip	38	40	42

Printing Instructions

This a-line skirt pattern has layers, so that you can choose to print only the size you need. To achieve this Adobe Reader must be installed on your machine or device. Adobe Reader allows you to click on the layers icon which will show you each size with an eyeball beside it. Click on the eyeball beside the size you do not want to print.

Before printing check that your printer is set to No scaling or Actual size. Set the Page orientation to Auto or Portrait. And then print page 1. Measure the 2” test square to see if it measures exactly 2”. If it does, print the remaining pages.

Trimming Pages

Cut off the right and top margins of each printed page before assembling the pattern.

You can use tape or school glue to adhere your paper pattern together.

Pattern Assembly

After the pages have been printed and trimmed as instructed above, use the quarter circles located at the corner of each page for perfect alignment. When done your pattern should look like this:

Pattern Pieces Checklist

Once you have printed and assembled your pattern. You will cut the following pieces. (The elastic length is provided in a cut chart and is not a pattern piece).

Skirt Front	Cut 1 on fold
Skirt Back	Cut 2 mirrored
Waistband	Cut 1 on fold

Seam Allowance

Use a 3/8” seam allowance unless otherwise instructed.

How To Make An A-Line Skirt With Free Pattern

The first step of this how to make an a-line skirt with free pattern sewing tutorial is to wash and dry your fabric. This helps preshrink your fabric and prepares it for washing later so that your stitches don’t pull out or fray the first time you wash it. Plus, it helps make the fabric super soft. Once you have done this, use the pattern you printed out to cut out your fabric pieces.

Lay the front piece skirt right side up. Pin each of the skirt back pieces right side down on the side seam of the front skirt piece.

Now on this how to make an a-line skirt with free pattern sewing tutorial, it’s time to head over to the sewing machine. Sew the side seams of your skirt using a 3/8″ seam allowance.

Next, we will add the waistband. Pin the skirt and the waistband right sides together.

Now on this how to make an a-line skirt with free pattern sewing tutorial, it’s time to sew the waistband and the skirt together using that same seam allowance.

Fold the back skirt seams so they are right sides together and mark 7” down from the waistband seam. Pin from the mark to the skirt hem. We are about halfway through this how to make an a-line skirt with free pattern sewing tutorial!

Sew from the mark to the skirt hem.

Now on this how to make an a-line skirt with free pattern sewing tutorial, measure from the sewn seam up to the waistband a length of 8” .

On the left side of the skirt fold the seam allowance of 3/8 “ wrong sides together. Slide the zip right side up under the skirt so that the folded seam allowance is as close as possible to the zipper teeth. Pin the zipper in place.

Next on this how to make an a-line skirt with free pattern sewing tutorial, just sew the zipper in place 1/8” from the folded edge of the skirt folded seam allowance. You will want to use a zipper foot if you have one. If not, I recommend them as they make sewing zippers so much easier. All you do is snap them in and you’re good to go.

Still working on the back of your a-line skirt, go to the right-hand side to sew on the other side of the zipper. Fold the seam allowance wrong sides together by 3/8”. Place the folded seam allowance on top of the left-hand side so that it covers the zipper. Pin the zipper in place.

Sew the zipper in place, as you sew feel for the zipper teeth so that you do not sew over it. You will sew about 1/2” from the fabric edge. Pivot at the end of the zipper and sew across to secure.

Next on this how to make an a-line skirt with free pattern sewing tutorial, Fold the waistband seam allowance wrong side together by 3/8” then fold the waistband to cover the seam.

Now, sew the waistband in place with a 3/8″ seam allowance.

When you arrive at the short end of the waistband, pivot and continue sewing the top of the waistband as well.

Next on this how to make an a-line skirt with free pattern sewing tutorial, we will work on the hem. Fold the skirt hem by 1/2” then by another 1/2”.

Sew the skirt hem in place to secure it.

For the final step in this how to make an a-line skirt with free pattern sewing tutorial, we will attach a hook and eye closure to secure the waistband in place.

And that’s it! Now you know how to make an a-line skirt with free pattern! We hope you enjoyed this fun sewing tutorial. We love hearing from our readers, so be sure to leave us a comment. This cute skirt is simple to make and looks great with almost anything!

If you liked learning how to make an a-line skirt with free pattern, make sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make this simple project on your own, make certain that you take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices that people use!

Yield: 1

How To Make An A-Line Skirt With Free Pattern

This cute A-Line Skirt is comfortable for all day wear. The included free pattern means this is simple to make. Add this to your DIY wardrobe today!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 45 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Estimated Cost $20.00

Materials

Tools

Instructions

Use pattern to cut out your fabric.
Lay front skirt right side up.
Pin each of the skirt back pieces on the side seam of the front skirt ."
Sew the side seams
Pin the skirt and the waistband right sides together
Sew the waistband and the skirt together
Fold the back skirt seams so they are right sides together and mark 7” down from the waistband seam.
Pin from the mark to the skirt hem
Sew from the mark to the skirt hem
Measure from the sewn seam up to the waistband a length of 8”
On the left side of the skirt fold the seam allowance of 3/8 “ wrong sides together. Slide the zip right side up under the skirt so that the folded seam allowance is as close as possible to the zipper teeth. Pin the zipper in place.
Sew the zipper in place 1/8” from the folded edge of the skirt folded seam allowance. You will use a zipper foot if you have one.
Still working on the back of the skirt, go to the right-hand side to sew on the other side of the zipper. Fold the seam allowance wrong sides together by 3/8”. Place the folded seam allowance on top of the left-hand side so that it covers the zipper. Pin the zipper in place.
Sew the zipper in place, as you sew feel for the zipper teeth so that you do not sew over it. You will sew about 1/2” from the fabric edge. Pivot at the end of the zipper and sew across to secure
Fold the waistband seam allowance wrong side together by 3/8” then fold the waistband to cover the seam.
Sew the waistband in place
When you arrive at the short end of the waistband, pivot and continue sewing the top of the waistband as well.
Fold the skirt hem by 1/2” then by another 1/2”
Sew the skirt hem in place
Attach a hook and eye closure to secure the waistband in place

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

More Fun Sewing Projects:

The post How To Make An A-Line Skirt With Free Pattern appeared first on Happiest Camper.

How To Make A Baby Rag Quilt

HappiestCamper — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 12:14:24 +0000

Today on HappiestCamper, we have a fun new quilting project. We are going to show you How To Make A Baby Rag Quilt! This baby rag quilt is simple and easy to make, yet beautiful and warm. This would make an amazing gift for any new or expecting mom. It would also make a wonderful heirloom to pass down to your children. Rag quilts have exposed seams that are snipped into a fringe. The fringe created with the seam allowances adds a fun texture on the front of the quilt. If you have enjoyed our other quilting projects, you’ll love this one. This particular rag quilt uses Minky fabric as the backing and is soft and fluffy. This is a great beginner project for those looking to increase their sewing skills and repertoire. You can customize this baby rag quilt to the size you like with your favorite soft and cuddly fabrics. This baby rag quilt finishes at approximately 30” x 40”. You can change the number and size of the strips to add color or adjust the size of the rag quilt to your liking. You can also add a personal touch to this cute quilt with some simple embroidery if you wanted.

You only need a few basic supplies for this project. First off, you’ll need some quilting cotton. Quilting cotton is quite a bit stiffer than traditional apparel cotton. It is sturdy and will hold up against years of use and washing better than regular fabric. You’ll also need some backing fabric. I choose Minky for mine. The only other specialty item you will need is extra wide double-fold bias tape. Once you have these items, gather up your other basic sewing supplies and let’s get started!

What You’ll Need:

1-yard quilting cotton
½ yard coordinating quilting cotton
1-yard Minky fabric
Matching thread
4 ½ yards Extra Wide Double Fold Bias Tape
Rotary Cutter & Mat, & Ruler
Scissors
Iron/Ironing Board
Pins and Clips
Binding Maker (if you want to make your own binding)
Sewing Machine

How To Make A Baby Rag Quilt

Cut Your Fabric

Start this how to make a baby rag quilt sewing tutorial by washing, drying, and ironing your cotton fabric so it is pre-shrunk before sewing. Once your fabric is prepped, you can start cutting. This quilt uses two different fabrics that are different widths.

Use the 1 yard of cotton fabric to cut 5 strips that are 6.5” wide by 30” long. Use the ½ yard of cotton fabric to cut 4 strips that are 3.5” wide by 30” long. Wait to cut your minky fabric until the quilt top is assembled.

Assemble The Quilt Top

Next on this how to make a baby rag quilt sewing tutorial, we will work on the top quilt. The order that you are going to sew the strips together is big, small, big, small, etc. When you are done assembling the quilt top, you’ll have the wider strips at both ends.

Start by taking a big strip and a small strip and place them wrong sides together. Line them up on a long edge and pin or clip them together.

Sew these two strips together with a ½” seam allowance.

Repeat these steps with each additional strip until all your strips are sewn together.

Each seam allowance is ½” and the seam allowances are going to show on the top of the quilt top.

It should look like this when you are finished with this step.

Press Seams

After your quilt top is assembled, you need to press the seams. Using a hot iron, press all the seams one direction. It doesn’t matter which way they go.

You want the seams pressed so the back of the quilt top is nice and flat.

Trim Uneven Edges

If, after your quilt top is assembled and ironed, you have uneven edges, trim them so they are nice and straight. Do this by using a quilting ruler, rotary mat, and rotary cutter and trim off the excess fabric.

Attach Minky Backing

Now on this how to make a baby rag quilt sewing tutorial, we need to cut the Minky fabric, but first, measure the size of your quilt top. Mine measures approximately 30” x 40”. Cut your Minky fabric to be two inches wider and longer. Mine is cut 32” x 42”. This will give 1 inch of extra fabric around the whole quilt top. Now lay the quilt top onto the back of the Minky fabric so the wrong sides are together. Center the quilt top with the Minky fabric as best you can.

My minky fabric had straight lines that I wanted to be parallel with my seams on the quilt top. So I placed pins on one of the lines on the top and bottom of the minky fabric so I could make sure they stayed lined up. There are other minky fabrics that have dots or paisley designs that are not directional and don’t need to be lined up at all. Do what’s best for your minky fabric.

Once your quilt top is in place with 1 inch of extra minky fabric on each edge, place pins all over to pin together the quilt top and minky fabric. Place pins in the middle of the strips. Avoid putting pins where the seams are.

Next, you need to sew the quilt top to the minky backing. To do this, finger press a seam open and sew right down the middle of the seam with a straight stitch.

Now on this how to make a baby rag quilt sewing tutorial, repeat that process with all of the seams. Make sure to start sewing on the same side of your blanket every time. Don’t sew from left to right on one seam and then right to left on the next seam. This could shift your fabric in opposite directions.

The minky fabric is very soft and might be hard for your machine to feed through at the correct speed. I pulled my blanket very slightly through the machine to help it along. A walking foot might be beneficial in feeding the fabric through with more ease.

Binding Your Blanket

Once you have sewn your quilt top onto the minky fabric, trim all the excess minky fabric from around the quilt top. Before trimming, pin down the edge of the first and last strips so they don’t shift while you are trimming.

Next, you need to determine how much binding you need. Start by measuring the perimeter of your blanket by measuring all four sides and adding them together. Then add 10 inches for an overlap at the end. Take that number and divide by 12 to determine how many feet. Then divide that by 3 to determine how many yards you need. My blanket had a perimeter of 142 inches plus 10 inches equals 152 inches. 152 inches divided by 12 inches is 12.7 feet. 12.7 feet divided by 3 feet equals 4.2 yards. You can buy packages of extra wide double fold bias tape in 3 yard packages. You will need two packages and join the two together at the ends to make one continuous one.

You can also use a binder maker and make your own bias tape. This is what I did with the same fabric as my thin strips.

Next on this how to make a baby rag quilt sewing tutorial, we will work on attaching our binding. To attach the binding, open the bias tape all the way open and start lining up the raw edge of the bias tape with the raw edge of the blanket. Make sure the bias tape and blanket are right sides together. Start on one of the short edges of the blanket and place the end of the bias tape a third of the way from the corner. Clip or pin the bias tape in place until you get to the first corner.

At the sewing machine, sew the bias tape to this first edge. Do not start at the end of the bias tape. Start at least 6 inches from the tail of the bias tape. Sew in the crease of the bias tape closest to the raw edge of the blanket. We are about halfway through this how to make a baby rag quilt sewing tutorial!

When you get to the corner, stop ¼” inch from the end of the blanket, pivot towards the corner and sew to the corner.

You can mark with a pencil where you need to stop and pivot if that’s helpful.

Take the blanket out of the sewing machine and trim the threads. Fold the bias tape up so the edge lines up with the next edge of the blanket.

Then fold it down and line up the raw edge of the bias tape with the raw edge of the blanket and clip in place all along the second edge.

Now on this how to make a baby rag quilt sewing tutorial, head back to your sewing machine and start sewing again from corner to corner along the whole edge of the blanket. Sew in the crease closest to the raw edge. Repeat the previous steps to turn each corner and sew along each edge of the blanket. When you get to the last edge of the blanket where you originally started, leave the tails of the bias tape unsewn.

Trim the tails of the bias tape so there is a two inch overlap and each tail should have about 5 inches that are not sewn onto the blanket.

Fold both tails up, so the right sides of the fabric are facing up.

Then place them on top of eachother, right sides together, creating a ninety degree corner.

Pin this together and then mark a line from the left to the right corner.

Sew on the line you just drew, backstitching at the beginning and end.

Trim off the excess fabric and finger press the seam open. You can now sew the rest of the bias tape onto the blanket.

Once the bias tape is sewn onto the back of the blanket, the next step in this how to make a baby rag quilt sewing tutorial is to turn the blanket over so the quilt top is facing up. Make note that it doesn’t matter which direction the seam allowances of the quilt top are facing. We will be cutting the seam allowances at the end.

Fold the raw edge of the bias tape in toward the raw edge of the blanket and then fold again to enclose all the raw edges into the binding. Do this all around the quilt and use clips to hold everything closed.

When you get to a corner, fold the top edge down, and then fold the right edge over, and it will create a nice mitered corner.

Use a clip to hold the corner in place.

To sew the binding closed, there are a few options. You can hand stitch the binding closed which will allow you to hide the stitches and it will look very nice. You can also machine stitch the binding closed with a straight stitch or a decorative stitch. I chose to use a decorative stitch because I think it looks nicer than a straight stitch.

When machine sewing the binding closed, I like to have the back of my blanket face up. With my decorative stitch, I aimed to have the far left side of the stitching be about ⅛” from the inside edge of the binding. As you are sewing, remove the clips or pins and make sure the front side of your binding stays in place.

Create The Fringe

The last thing you need to do on this how to make a baby rag quilt sewing tutorial is snip the seam allowances. Using scissors, carefully snip the seam allowances every ½”. You don’t have to measure every ½”. You can eyeball the snipping. But be careful not to cut through your seams. Also, trim right next to the binding. Your blanket is now finished.

Wash the blanket to get the fringe to start curling and fraying. Here is an example of what the fringe looks like after one wash and what it will look like after many washes. Good luck and enjoy your beautiful blanket.

Now that you know how to make a baby rag quilt, you can make a beautiful piece to pass down to your kids or just give someone a nice gift. I love quilting and it has been nice to get back into it. Let us know what you are going to do with your quilt in the comments!

If you liked learning how to make a baby rag quilt, make sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make this simple project on your own, make certain that you take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices that people use!

Yield: 1

How To Make A Baby Rag Quilt

Sew this super cute baby rag quilt. This makes a wonderful gift. You can make this quilt in a few hours!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 3 hours 50 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 55 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Estimated Cost $20.00

Materials

Tools

Instructions

Before cutting into your fabric, wash, dry, and iron your cotton fabric so it is pre-shrunk before sewing. Once your fabric is prepped, you can start cutting. This quilt uses two different fabrics that are different widths.
Use the 1 yard of cotton fabric to cut 5 strips that are 6.5” wide by 30” long. Use the ½ yard of cotton fabric to cut 4 strips that are 3.5” wide by 30” long. Wait to cut your minky fabric until the quilt top is assembled.
The order that you are going to sew the strips together is big, small, big, small, etc. When you are done assembling the quilt top, you’ll have the wider strips at both ends.
Start by taking a big strip and a small strip and place them wrong sides together. Line them up on a long edge and pin or clip them together. Sew these two strips together with a ½” seam allowance.
Repeat these steps with each additional strip until all your strips are sewn together. Each seam allowance is ½” and the seam allowances are going to show on the top of the quilt top.
After your quilt top is assembled, you need to press the seams. Using a hot iron, press all the seams one direction. It doesn’t matter which way they go. You want the seams pressed so the back of the quilt top is nice and flat.
If, after your quilt top is assembled and ironed, you have uneven edges, trim them so they are nice and straight. Do this by using a quilting ruler, rotary mat, and rotary cutter and trim off the excess fabric.
Now we need to cut the minky fabric, but first, measure the size of your quilt top. Mine measures approximately 30” x 40”. Cut your minky fabric to be two inches wider and longer. Mine is cut 32” x 42”. This will give 1 inch of extra fabric around the whole quilt top.
Now lay the quilt top onto the back of the minky fabric so wrong sides are together. Center the quilt top with the minky fabric as best you can.
My minky fabric had straight lines that I wanted to be parallel with my seams on the quilt top. So I placed pins on one of the lines on the top and bottom of the minky fabric so I could make sure they stayed lined up. There are other minky fabrics that have dots or paisley designs that are not directional and don’t need to be lined up at all. Do what’s best for your minky fabric.
Once your quilt top is in place with 1 inch of extra minky fabric on each edge, place pins all over to pin together the quilt top and minky fabric. Place pins in the middle of the strips. Avoid putting pins where the seams are.
Next, you need to sew the quilt top to the minky backing. To do this, finger press a seam open and sew right down the middle of the seam with a straight stitch.
Repeat with all of the seams. Make sure to start sewing on the same side of your blanket every time. Don’t sew from left to right on one seam and then right to left on the next seam. This could shift your fabric in opposite directions.
The minky fabric is very soft and might be hard for your machine to feed through at the correct speed. I pulled my blanket very slightly through the machine to help it along. A walking foot might be beneficial in feeding the fabric through with more ease.
Once you have sewn your quilt top onto the minky fabric, trim all the excess minky fabric from around the quilt top. Before trimming, pin down the edge of the first and last strips so they don’t shift while you are trimming.
Next, you need to determine how much binding you need. Start by measuring the perimeter of your blanket by measuring all four sides and adding them together. Then add 10 inches for an overlap at the end. Take that number and divide by 12 to determine how many feet. Then divide that by 3 to determine how many yards you need. You can buy packages of extra wide double-fold bias tape in 3-yard packages. You will need two packages and join the two together at the ends to make one continuous one.
You can also use a binder maker and make your own bias tape. This is what I did with the same fabric as my thin strips.
To attach the binding, open the bias tape all the way open and start lining up the raw edge of the bias tape with the raw edge of the blanket. Make sure the bias tape and blanket are right sides together. Start on one of the short edges of the blanket and place the end of the bias tape a third of the way from the corner. Clip or pin the bias tape in place until you get to the first corner.
At the sewing machine, sew the bias tape to this first edge. Do not start at the end of the bias tape. Start at least 6 inches from the tail of the bias tape. Sew in the crease of the bias tape closest to the raw edge of the blanket.
When you get to the corner, stop ¼” inch from the end of the blanket, pivot towards the corner and sew to the corner. You can mark with a pencil where you need to stop and pivot if that’s helpful.
Take the blanket out of the sewing machine and trim the threads. Fold the bias tape up so the edge lines up with the next edge of the blanket.
Then fold it down and line up the raw edge of the bias tape with the raw edge of the blanket and clip in place all along the second edge.
Start sewing again from corner to corner along the whole edge of the blanket. Sew in the crease closest to the raw edge.
Repeat the previous steps to turn each corner and sew along each edge of the blanket. When you get to the last edge of the blanket where you originally started, leave the tails of the bias tape unsewn.
Trim the tails of the bias tape so there is a two inch overlap and each tail should have about 5 inches that are not sewn onto the blanket.
Fold both tails up, so the right sides of the fabric are facing up.
Then place them on top of eachother, right sides together, creating a ninety degree corner.
Pin this together and then mark a line from the left to the right corner. Sew on the line you just drew, backstitching at the beginning and end.
Trim off the excess fabric and finger press the seam open. You can now sew the rest of the bias tape onto the blanket.
Once the bias tape is sewn onto the back of the blanket, turn the blanket over so the quilt top is facing up. Make note that it doesn’t matter which direction the seam allowances of the quilt top are facing. We will be cutting the seam allowances at the end.
Fold the raw edge of the bias tape in toward the raw edge of the blanket and then fold again to enclose all the raw edges into the binding. Do this all around the quilt and use clips to hold everything closed.
When you get to a corner, fold the top edge down, and then fold the right edge over, and it will create a nice mitered corner. Use a clip to hold the corner in place.
To sew the binding closed, there are a few options. You can hand stitch the binding closed which will allow you to hide the stitches and it will look very nice. You can also machine stitch the binding closed with a straight stitch or a decorative stitch. I chose to use a decorative stitch because I think it looks nicer than a straight stitch.
When machine sewing the binding closed, I like to have the back of my blanket face up. With my decorative stitch, I aimed to have the far left side of the stitching be about ⅛” from the inside edge of the binding. As you are sewing, remove the clips or pins and make sure the front side of your binding stays in place.
The last thing you need to do is snip the seam allowances. Using scissors, carefully snip the seam allowances every ½”. You don’t have to measure every ½”. You can eye ball the snipping. But be careful not to cut through your seams. Also, trim right next to the binding. Your blanket is now finished.
Wash the blanket to get the fringe to start curling and fraying. Enjoy your beautiful blanket.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

More Fun Sewing Projects:

The post How To Make A Baby Rag Quilt appeared first on Happiest Camper.

How To Make A Wrap Dress With Free Pattern

HappiestCamper — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 12:03:36 +0000

We have a fun and flowy project for you! Today on Happiest Camper, we are going to show you How To Make A Wrap Dress With Free Pattern! Wrap yourself in this easy flowy dress that is comfortable enough to wear all day long. It ties around your waist allowing you to determine your level of comfort. And let me tell you, there is something so encouraging about wearing clothing that fits. When my sewing friend, Debbie, showed me this new sewing pattern, I knew I had to make it. You can make this in a few hours or less depending on your skill level. The sewing tutorial includes a free pattern. As you can see from the layout below, this pattern is rather large due to the amount of fabric you are using for this wrap dress. Take your time and you shouldn’t have any issues. I love how cute this dress looks! If you loved our wrap skirt, you’ll love this dress. It makes a great addition to your DIY wardrobe. You can make it out of some cute pattern fabric like I did or make it in your favorite color.

The wrap design makes this dress unique and if you’re like me, it will quickly become one of your favorites. It is perfect for warm weather or you can wear it with leggings when it gets cooler. Gather your supplies from the list below and let’s get started!

What You’ll Need:

2.5 Yards Of 60″ Wide Fabric – cotton, cotton blends, linen blends, rayon, challis
Matching Thread
Free Pattern
Iron
Pins
Scissors
Optional Rotary Cutter & Mat
Measuring tape
Thread nippers
Sewing machine
Fabric marker

Size Chart

Imperial (inches)	Small	Medium	Large
Chest	34	36	38
Waist	28	30	32
Hip	38	40	42

This pattern is drafted for a height of 5’ 4”- 5” 5” so you may need to lengthen or shorten the pattern if required. If you need to adjust the pattern, be sure to check our post on Pattern Grading – How to Scale a Pattern Up and Down!

Printing Instructions

This wrap dress pattern has layers so that you can choose to print only the size you need. To achieve this Adobe Reader must be installed on your machine or device. Adobe Reader allows you to click on the layers icon which will show you each size with an eyeball beside it. Click on the eyeball beside the size you do not want to print.

Trimming Pages

Cut off the right and top margins of each printed page before assembling the pattern. You can use tape or school glue to adhere your paper pattern together.

Pattern Assembly

After the pages have been printed and trimmed as instructed above, use the quarter circles located at the corner of each page for perfect alignment. When done your pattern should look like this:

Pattern Pieces Checklist

Front Bodice – Cut 2 mirrored
Back Bodice – Cut 1 on Fold
Sleeve – Cut 2
Skirt Front – Cut 2 Mirrored
Skirt Back – Cut 1 on Fold
Front Facing – Cut 2 mirrored
Back/ Neck Facing – Cut 1 on fold
Waist Ties – Cut 2

Seam Allowance

Use a 3/8” seam allowance unless otherwise instructed.

How To Make A Wrap Dress With Free Pattern

Start this how to make a wrap dress with free pattern sewing tutorial by washing, drying, and pressing your fabric. This helps preshrink your fabric and prepares it for washing later so that your stitches don’t pull out or fray the first time you wash it. Plus, it helps make the fabric super soft, and pressing it makes it easier to get nice clean cuts. Once you have done this, use your pattern to cut out your fabric pieces according to the cut list above.

Pin the shoulder of the front bodice to the shoulder of the back bodice.

Sew them at the shoulder seams using a 3/8″ seam allowance.

Next we will work on the facing. Take your pieces and pin the back/neck facing to the front-facing.

Sew them together using the same 3/8″ seam allowance.

Next on this how to make a wrap dress with free pattern sewing tutorial, we will work on the waist ties. Fold the waist ties in half right sides together.

Sew down the long sides.

Now, turn the tie right sides out and fold one of the short ends inwards to conceal the raw edges. Topstitch around the entire tie. Repeat the above steps for the other tie.

Pin the ties to the bodice right sides together. The ties should be pinned ½” from the bodice hem.

Place the facing on top of the bodice, sandwiching the straps. Ensure the shoulder seam of the bodice and the seam of the facing line up to each other.

Sew the facing to the bodice, ensuring to catch the straps in the stitching. Finish the raw edges of the facing if desired.

Clip the curved areas along the neckline.

Next on this how to make a wrap dress with free pattern sewing tutorial, turn the facing to the wrong side of the bodice and press. Topstitch the facing in place if desired.

Pin the center of the sleeve to the shoulder seam. Next, pin the ends of the sleeve to each end of the armhole. Continue pinning towards the shoulder seam. There will be extra fabric from the sleeves, use the extra fabric to form small pleats in the top of the shoulder.

Sew the sleeve into the armhole using a 3/8″ seam allowance.

Now on this how to make a wrap dress with free pattern sewing tutorial, fold the bodice right sides together. Measure up ½” from the bottom of the bodice and place a pin. Then measure up 2” more and mark. Continue pinning the side seam of the bodice and the sleeve.

Sew the side seam leaving the 2” section you marked unsewn.

Press the seam allowance of the opening apart and sew around the edges to secure the opening. Once you’re done, sew the other side of the bodice only this time do not leave an opening.

Sew the skirt front and back at the side seams. Finish the raw edges if desired.

Now on this how to make a wrap dress with free pattern sewing tutorial, you should now have one long skirt piece. Fold the skirt raw edges 1/2 inch and another ½ inch.

Hem the skirt by folding 1/2 inch and another ½ inch and sew.

Pin the bodice and the skirt right sides together.

Sew the skirt to the bodice using the same 3/8″ seam allowance.

Hem the sleeves by folding 1/2 inch and another ½ inch and sew.

And that’s it! Now you know how to make a wrap dress with free pattern! We hope you enjoyed this fun sewing tutorial. Be sure to let us know in the comments what you think about this dress. We love bringing you fun and creative sewing projects and this wrap dress is no exception!

If you liked learning how to make a wrap dress with free pattern, make sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make this simple project on your own, make certain that you take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices that people use!

Yield: 1

How To Make A Wrap Dress With Free Pattern

Make your own super cute dress! If you liked our wrap skirt, you'll love this dress!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

Difficulty Moderate

Estimated Cost $20.00

Materials

Tools

Instructions

Print the free pattern. Use it to cut out your fabric pieces.
Pin the shoulder of the front bodice to the shoulder of the back bodice and sew.
Pin the back/neck facing to the front-facing and sew.
Fold the waist ties in half right sides together and sew the long end.
Turn right sides out and fold one of the short ends inwards to conceal the raw edges.
Topstitch around the entire tie.
Repeat for the other tie.
Pin the ties to the bodice right sides together. The ties should be pinned ½” from the bodice hem.
Place the facing on top of the bodice, sandwiching the straps. Ensure the shoulder seam of the bodice and the seam of the facing line up to each other.
Sew the facing to the bodice, ensuring to catch the straps in the stitching.
Finish the raw edges of the facing if desired.
Clip the curved areas along the neckline.
Turn the facing to the wrong side of the bodice and press.
Topstitch the facing in place if desired.
Pin the center of the sleeve to the shoulder seam.
Next, pin the ends of the sleeve to each end of the armhole. Continue pinning towards the shoulder seam. There will be extra fabric from the sleeves, use the extra fabric to form small pleats in the top of the shoulder.
Sew the sleeve into the armhole.
Fold the bodice right sides together.
Measure up ½” from the bottom of the bodice and place a pin. Then measure up 2” more and mark. Continue pinning the side seam of the bodice and the sleeve.
Sew the side seam leaving the 2” section you marked unsewn.
Press the seam allowance of the opening apart and sew around the edges to secure the opening.
Sew the other side of the bodice only this time do not leave an opening.
Sew the skirt front and back at the side seams. Finish the raw edges if desired.
You should now have one long skirt piece. Fold the skirt raw edges 1/2 inch and another ½ inch.
Hem the skirt by folding 1/2 inch and another ½ inch and sew.
Pin the bodice and the skirt right sides together.
Sew the skirt to the bodice.
Hem the sleeves by folding 1/2 inch and another ½ inch and sew.
Enjoy your wrap dress!

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The post How To Make A Wrap Dress With Free Pattern appeared first on Happiest Camper.

DIY Duffle Bag Tutorial

HappiestCamper — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 13:25:00 +0000

Who says functional can’t be stylish? Today, we are going to show you this DIY Duffel Bag Tutorial! You know that here at HappiestCamper, we love sharing functional sewing projects that you can make for yourself and others. And when I saw this fabric at Joann’s, I knew exactly how we needed to use it! This bag is perfect for a fun overnight trip with friends or you could even use it for a weekend getaway. Bags are my favorite and this is my first try at a duffle bag. I am super happy with how it turned out and I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did. This duffel bag is an easy to moderate sewing project that only takes about two yards of fabric and a few hours to make. It features sturdy straps (that you don’t even have to turn out!), a reinforced bottom panel, and a zipper that goes all the way to both sides. And I have to confess, mine was originally going to be for a friend, but I fell in love with it as I sewed along, so now it looks like I’m going to have to make another. I don’t think I can bear to part with this one.

So, pick out some fabric that you love and gather your supplies from the list below. I used some fleece interfacing to add some durability to my bag and use cordage to make some piping around it, but those are optional if you don’t want to add them. Let’s get started on this fun sewing tutorial!

What You’ll Need:

Main Fabric – 2/3 yard
Lining Fabric – 2/3 yard
Trim Fabric – 1/2 yard
Fusible Fleece – 1-1/3 yards
3/16″ cording – 2 yards
Iron
Ironing Board
Coordinating Thread
Sewing Machine
Straight Pins
Clover Clips (optional)
Self Healing Cutting Mat, Rotary Cutter, and Acrylic Ruler
20″ zipper

DIY Duffel Bag Tutorial

First, cut out your fabric and fusible fleece. You’ll need:

From Large Flowers (Main Fabric)
(2) Main pieces 19” x 15”
(2) Circles 9.5”
From Small Flowers (Lining Fabric)
(2) Main pieces 19” x 15”
(2) Circles 9.5”
From Polka Dots (Trim Fabric)
(2) Strap pieces 42” x 2.5”
(1) Bottom panel 19” x 6”
(2) Cording strips 2” x 30”
From Fusible fleece
(4) Main pieces 19” x 14.5”
(4) Circles 9.25”
(2) Strap pieces 42” x 1”
(1) Bottom panel 19” x 5”

Match up each piece of fusible fleece to its corresponding cut of fabric. The only pieces that shouldn’t have a matching fleece are the two cording strips.

Use an iron to fuse the fleece to the back of the main pieces, the end circles, and the bottom panel.

Double check to make sure the fleece has bonded. Iron again if necessary.

Now we can start sewing our duffel bag! Lay the two main outer panels right sides together. Sew the bottom together with a 1/4″ seam allowance.

Unfold and press the seam flat.

Next we will be creating and attaching the straps. Turning out tubing with fusible fleece is a real pain, so we are going to be using an easier method. Start by ironing a crease down the center of each strap.

Then place your remaining fusible fleece inside each strap so that it’s butting right up to the crease. Iron in place.

Now fold the raw edges inside and pin or clip in place.

Then sew several straight lines down the length of each strap. Make sure you’ve caught the raw edges under one of those lines. Don’t worry about closing off the ends. Those will be sewn into the duffel bag’s bottom panel anyway.

Next you’ll pin the straps in place and sew onto the front panels. Make sure the straps line up on both sides and aren’t twisted before you pin them in place.

Sew four long rectangles onto the main panel where each end of the straps lay. Stop about three inches away from the top of the panels. To cover the ends of the straps, fold in and iron down the outer edges of the bottom panel, and pin into place on the center seam.

Sew all the way around the panel. I went around mine twice to give it some extra strength.

Now for the piping for your duffle bag to give it a nice look. Lay a piece of cording down the middle of each cording strip. Fold over the fabric and clip or pin into place.

Sew down the middle to hold the cording in place. It’s easiest to use a zipper foot, but you can also do this with your regular sewing machine foot by moving the needle all the way to the left.

Next, clip each piece of cording to a circle of the outer fabric like this. If your fabric print is directional, make sure the ends of the cording are at the bottom.

Overlap the ends and cut off any excess.

Sew the cording in place with at least a 1/4″ seam allowance. Set these aside and we will move on to shaping the duffel bag.

Start by sewing the zipper across the top of one front panel with right sides together.

Each time you sew along a zipper (four times total in this project) start with the zipper in front the needle. Then once you’ve gone down a fair amount, lift the foot up with the needle down, and slide the zipper pull behind the needle.

Then flip the bag so the fleece is on the outside, and sew the top of the second panel to the other side of the zipper.

At this point you should have an inside out tube.

Next, we will be pinning and sewing the end circles in place, but before we do that, it’s very important that the zipper stays at least 1/3 of the way open for the rest of the project.. Otherwise, you won’t be able to flip the bag right side out at the end. Line up the end circles so that the cording overlap at the bottom lines up the middle seam at the bottom of the bag. Pin and sew into place.

Now you should have a fully finished inside out tube of outer fabric. Now we need to repeat these steps with the inside fabric.

Next, pin and sew the first inner panel to the zipper so that when the bag is facing up, so is the inner fabric. Repeat with the other inner panel.

Do not sew the bottom together.

Now align and sew the inner circles into place the same as before. Only, this time, the tube is not closed on the side. I used a couple clover clips to hold the tube “closed” while I added the inner circles. That way I could make sure they would line up correctly when I was done.

Now you should have two tubes connected by the long zipper. (With one side still open.)

Flip the bag right side out through the opening, so that the outside of the bag is right side out, but don’t tuck in the lining just yet.

While the lining is still out, tuck in the ends and sew the gap closed. (You can also do this part by hand if you want less up a bump in the lining seam. I prefer it this way because I know it will hold when I shove too many shoes in my new duffel bag.)

Tuck the lining into the bag and it’s all finished!

Now you know how to sew a beautiful duffel bag! This simple duffel bag can be dressed up even more if you add some pockets but works great as is. It would also make a great gift for any occasion. Whip up one for yourself and for a friend. The whole thing only takes about three hours to make and just looks so much nicer than a plain black duffel bag.

If you liked this diy duffle bag tutorial, make sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make this simple project on your own, make certain that you take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices that people use!

Yield: 1 Duffel Bag

DIY Duffle Bag Tutorial

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 3 hours

Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes

Difficulty Moderate

Materials

Tools

Instructions

Cut out fabric and fusible fleece.
Match up each piece of fusible fleece to its corresponding cut of fabric.
Use an iron to fuse the fleece to the back of the main pieces, the end circles, and the bottom panel.
Sew the bottom of the two main panels with the right sides together.
Make straps by folding strap fabric in half and ironing a crease down the center. Fuse the fleece inside, tuck in the raw edges, and sew several straight lines down the length of the straps.
Pin straps in place and sew onto front panels.
Press in the edges of the bottom panel and stitch into place.
Create piping by sewing cording into the remaining strips of fabric.
Sew piping onto outer circles, making sure there is some overlap at the bottom and trim off any excess.
Sew zipper to top of first panel.
Sew zipper to top of second panel. Make sure zipper is at least ⅓ open from here on out.
Sew outer circles in place on both sides so that you have an inside out tube.
Sew first inner panel to zipper.
Sew second inner panel to zipper.
Sew inner circles in place the same as before. You should now have two inside out tubes connected by a zipper with a gap across one side.
Flip bag right side out and sew bottom gap closed.

Notes

Cut List:

From Large Flowers (2) Main pieces 19” x 15”
(2) Circles 9.5”

From Small Flowers
(2) Main pieces 19” x 15”
(2) Circles 9.5”

From Polka Dots(2) Strap pieces 42” x 2.5”
(1) Bottom panel 19” x 6”
(2) Cording strips 2” x 30”

From Fusible fleece(4) Main pieces 19” x 14.5”
(4) Circles 9.25
(2) Strap pieces 42” x 1”
(1) Bottom panel 19” x 5”

Recommended Products

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More Functional Sewing Projects

The post DIY Duffle Bag Tutorial appeared first on Happiest Camper.

DIY Dog Snuffle Mat – Easy No-Sew Project

HappiestCamper — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 12:18:40 +0000

Are you looking for something fun to keep your dog busy and engaged? We have a fun new sewing project that can help! Today on Happiest Camper, we are going to show you how to make this DIY Dog Snuffle Mat – Easy No-Sew Project! This is a new must-have toy for them to have fun and get treats at the same time. Create this easy no-sew project and hide small treats inside. Your pooch can use its sniffer to discover hidden surprises while having fun. Did you know that you have to exercise your dog’s brain as well as their body? My vet told me that dogs can act out and be naughty when they are bored. Certain toys can keep your pup mentally challenged and this simple diy will do the trick. I love taking a break from my sewing machine every so often to do a fun project, and this one is great. No-sew projects are a nice way to break up the hum of sewing. I love my pup, but sometimes he goes through toys like crazy. This little project is inexpensive and can be made in about an hour. I made a couple of these to give to my other dog-loving friends!

The entire project can be made with just a few supplies. I used a fleece throw that I had lying around. You could use fleece fabric if you wanted or look for a 50″x 60″ fleece blanket on clearance. I was able to use the throw blanket and have a little material left over. Once you have your fabric picked out, you’ll just need something to cut it with. I always recommend my trusty rotary cutter, mat, and ruler, but you could also just use a good pair of fabric scissors. I also ended up using some tweezers on parts of this project, so you might benefit from having some on hand. With all your supplies gather up, let’s get started making this fun project!

What You’ll Need:

Fleece Fabric (cut mine from a 50″x60″ fleece throw and had a little leftover)
Rotary Cutter & Mat
Scissors
Tweezers (optional)

DIY Dog Snuffle Mat – Easy No-Sew Project

Start this diy dog snuffle mat tutorial by cutting out a square that is 13″ x 13″. Or to a size mat you are looking to make. If using a throw as the fabric as I did, you will need to cut the outer stitched edge off first.

Using the rotary cutter, make small cuts in the square about every 1/4 to 1/2 inch apart in rows.

Be careful not to get too close to the edges while you are making your cuts. This process is much easier with the rotary cutter and is worth the investment for your future projects as well.

Next on this diy dog snuffle mat tutorial, cut strips of fleece that are about 1 inch by 6 inches. You don’t have to be right on with the size just close to this size. I used a total of 157 for my 13 x 13 mat. We are about halfway through this fun project!

Starting with the outside holes, run a strip through the hole and then tie it together.

Do this working your way all the way around the outside.

When you have the edge finished, start filling in the inside. These ones you will need to run through two holes/slits that are side by side. Then tie it together just as you did with the outer edge. Keep going until the whole mat is filled in.

If you find it hard to feed it through the small holes with your fingers, a pair of tweezers works well to help pull it through.

And that’s it! Now you know how to make a DIY dog snuffle mat! Once you’re done with your new project, place it on the floor and scatter a few doggy treats, hiding them within the strips. Call your favorite four-legged friend and let them enjoy the hunt as they snuffle around trying to find the goodies hidden within. They’ll love looking for the goodies and you’ll keep their brains and bodies busy for a while!

If you liked learning how to make a DIY Dog Snuffle Mat – Easy No-Sew Project, make sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make this simple project on your own, make certain that you take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices that people use!

Yield: 1

DIY Dog Snuffle Mat - Easy No-Sew Project

Entertain your favorite four-legged friend and let the explore with their nose with this fun DIY dog snuffle mat. An easy no sew project, you can easily make with a piece of fleece or an old fleece blanket. Here is how to make it!

Active Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour

Difficulty Easy

Estimated Cost $10.00

Materials

Fleece Fabric (cut mine from a 50"x60" fleece throw and had a little leftover)

Tools

Instructions

Start by cutting out a square that is 13" x 13". Or to a size mat you are looking to make.
Using the rotary cutter, make small cuts in the square about every 1/4 to 1/2 inch apart in rows. Be careful not to get too close to the edges.
Cut strips of fleece that are about 1 inch by 6 inches. You don't have to be right on with the size just close to this size. I used a total of 157 for my 13 x 13 mat.
Starting with the outside holes, run a strip through the hole and then tie it together. Do this working your way all the way around the outside.
When you have the edge finished, start filling in the inside. These ones you will need to run through two holes/slits that are side by side.
Then tie it together just as you did with the outer edge. Keep going until the whole mat is filled in.
Sprinkle in some treats and give to your pet!

Notes

Note: If using a throw as the fabric as I did, you will need to cut the outer stitched edge off first.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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The post DIY Dog Snuffle Mat – Easy No-Sew Project appeared first on Happiest Camper.

How To Make A Microwave Heating Pad For Your Back

HappiestCamper — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 12:01:12 +0000

If you have ever done a little too much work or too much bending in the garden then you are probably familiar with back pain. When that happens to me I reach for my trusty heating pad. Today on Happiest Camper, I am going to show you How To Make A Microwave Heating Pad For Your Back! Making your own at home can save you money over buying one in-store, plus you can customize the size to fit you best. While this was made with the lower back in mind for the size of the pad, it also works on other areas of the body as well. I often use it on my knees. This is a simple sewing project that you can do in about half an hour. I love this one because all you have to do is toss it in the microwave for a little less than two minutes and it is good to go! How great is that! I am an instant relief kind of gal, and when it comes to pain, the less the better. This project is great for beginners or anyone wanting to try some DIY pain relief. If you are nervous at first about making this, but once have it all laid out, you’ll realize it is not nearly as complicated as you think.

You’ll only need about half a yard of fabric for this. I used some flannel I had leftover from another project, so this would be a good scrap buster if you had the material laying around. You can use any fabric that is 100% cotton. Synthetic materials are not microwave-safe, so be careful. Once you have your fabric picked out, you only need a few supplies. You’ll need fabric scissors or a rotary cutter, some thread, sewing clips, and some rice to fill your heating pad with. I definitely recommend using a funnel to fill up your heating pad as it cuts down on the mess significantly. Gather up the rest of your supplies from the list below and let’s get started!

What You’ll Need:

How To Make A Microwave Heating Pad For Your Back

Start this how to make a microwave heating pad sewing tutorial by pressing and cutting your fabric. Pressing the fabric will give you nice clean cuts. Once you have pressed it, cut out two 12 inch by 15 inch pieces.

Lay one piece face up and then the other piece face down on top of it. Pin it around the edges on the two longer sides and one shorter side for 3 sides total, leaving one side open.

Now on this how to make a microwave heating pad for your back sewing tutorial, it is time to sew! Using a 1/4 seam allowance, sew all the way around the three sides you pinned, making sure to do a backstitch at the start and finish.

Now, simply turn the fabric right side out through the side you left open.

Now on this how to make a microwave heating pad sewing tutorial, we will make the baffles for our heating pad. Mark the fabric with lines running from the bottom to the top side that is not closed. You want to stop about 1 inch from the top edge that is not closed. You also want the lines to be about two inches apart.

Once you have your lines marked out, sew down each of those lines. Make sure you stop the stitching about one inch before the open side as we need this to stay open all the way across for the next few steps.

You can also stop about a half-inch at the other end to allow the rice to be able to fill in the edge. I highly reccomend this as it gives you heating pad a more finished look.

Now on this how to make a microwave heating pad for your back sewing tutorial, it’s time to add the rice! Fill each of those long pockets you sewed with rice. This is what the funnel is for as it helps tremendously since your pockets are narrow.

Once you have them all filled with rice, pin each of those pockets closed just above the rice to help hold it in place.

Fold that open end inside by about 1/2 inch and pin closed. This will give our heating pad a more finished look.

For the last step in this how to make a microwave heating pad sewing tutorial, we just need to sew the last edge closed. You will use about 1/4 seam allowance to stitch it closed. Be sure to do a backstitch at the start and finish.

And that’s it! Now you know how to make a heating pad for your back! Now you have a cute and convenient way to soothe your back. This heating pad works amazing and is cheaper than buying one in-store. When you are ready to use this heating pad simply place it on a clean microwave-safe plate. Then heat in the microwave for 1 minute and 20 seconds. If it still needs heating after that, heat in 20-second intervals at a time. That’s it. Only minutes from relief! Make your own fun heating pad today!

If you liked learning how to make a heating pad for your back, make sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make this simple project on your own, make certain that you take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices that people use!

Yield: 1

How To Make A Microwave Heating Pad For Your Back

Make your own soothing heating pad for your back. Just pop it into the microwave and you'll be enjoying

Active Time 45 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Estimated Cost $10.00

Materials

Tools

Instructions

Cut the fabric to the size you need. You will need two pieces that are 12 x 15 inches.
Lay one piece face up and then the other piece face down on top of it. Pin it around the edges on the two longer sides and one shorter side for 3 sides total.
Using a 1/4 seam allowance, sew all the way around those 3 sides making sure to do a backstitch at the start and finish.
Turn the fabric right side out.
Mark the fabric with lines running from the bottom to the top side that is not closed. You want to stop about 1 inch from the top that is not closed. You also want the lines to be 2 inches apart.
Sew down each of those lines. Make sure you stop the stitching 1 inch before the nonclosed side as we need this to stay open all the way across for when we close it. You can also stop about a half-inch at the other end to allow the rice to be able to fill in the edge.
Fill each of those long pockets with rice.
Pin each of those pockets closed just above the rice to help hold it in place.
Fold that open end inside by about 1/2 inch and pin closed.
Time to sew it closed. You will use about 1/4 seam allowance to stitch it closed. Be sure to do a backstitch at the start and finish.

Notes

When you are ready to use this heating pad simply place it on a clean microwave-safe plate. Then heat in the microwave for 1 minute and 20 seconds.

More Fun Sewing Projects:

The post How To Make A Microwave Heating Pad For Your Back appeared first on Happiest Camper.

How To Sew A Maxi Dress – Free Printable Pattern

HappiestCamper — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 12:16:47 +0000

We have a new dress for you! Today on Happiest Camper, we are going to show you How To Make A Maxi Dress – Free Printable Pattern! If you don’t have a Maxi Dress, now is the time to make your own! This is such a comfortable dress. I love long, flowy dresses, and when my sewing friend, Debbie, showed me this pattern, I knew I had to make this dress! This style of dress looks great on all body types. You can dress it up with accessories like the belt pictured below, or keep it simple and relaxed for lounging. This maxi dress is simple to sew and so comfortable. It has become one of my favorites to wear. I love sewing my own clothing. This is one of the easier projects I have made since I started building up my own DIY wardrobe. If you have been wanting to get started making your own clothing, this is a great project to start with. The included free pattern takes the guesswork out of cutting out your fabric and sizing this dress just right. Perfect for those warm summer days or you can wear leggings underneath when the weather gets chillier.

You’ll only need a few supplies for this dress. You’ll need to decide on some cute fabric with a bit of stretch to it. I had this fabric in my stash and thought it would be easy to accessorize in a neutral color. Gather up your other supplies from the list below and let’s get started!

What You’ll Need:

Size Chart:

Imperial (inches)	Small	Medium	Large
Chest **	34	36	38
Waist	28	30	32
Hip	38	40	42

** This maxi dress pattern is drafted for a B cup bust size and a height of 5’ 4”. At this height the finished dress length is 56”. This length falls to the floor without wearing any shoes. If you want a shorter version to wear with sandals, shorten the length of the dress by 4”. Otherwise, to find the right length for you, measure from your shoulder to your ankle and add 1”. Adjust the length of the pattern by subtracting your measurement from 56”. This will be the amount you will change the pattern by if you are shorter or taller than the pattern. If you need a different size than the pattern, check out our Pattern Grading – How To Scale A Pattern Up or Down.

Printing Instructions

This pattern has layers so that you can choose to print only the size you need. To achieve this Adobe Reader must be installed on your machine or device. Adobe Reader allows you to click on the layers icon which will show you each size with an eyeball beside it. Click on the eyeball beside the size you do not want to print.

Trimming Pages

Cut off the right and top margins of each printed page before assembling the pattern.

You can use tape or school glue to adhere your paper pattern together.

Pattern Assembly

After the pages have been printed and trimmed as instructed above, use the quarter circles located at the corner of each page for perfect alignment. When done your pattern should look like this:

Pattern Pieces Checklist

Once you have printed and assembled your pattern. You will cut the following pieces. (The elastic length is provided in a cut chart and is not a pattern piece).

Front	Cut 1 on Fold
Back	Cut 1 on Fold
Front and Back Facing	Cut 1 – Front on Fold Cut 1 – Back on Fold

Seam Allowance

Use a 3/8” seam allowance unless otherwise instructed.

How To Make A Maxi Dress – Free Sewing Pattern

The first step our how to make a maxi dress sewing tutorial is to wash and dry your fabric. This helps preshrink your fabric and prepares it for washing later so that your stitches don’t pull out or fray the first time you wash it. It will also help it stay super soft! Once you have done that, lay your pattern on the fabric and make the cuts from the cut list above.

Place your front and back dress pieces right sides together. Pin at the shoulders. Also, pin along the side seam from the sleeve marking to the hem. Sew these areas using a 3/8” seam allowance.

Next on this how to make a maxi dress sewing tutorial, we will work on the facings. Pin the front and back neck facings, right sides together and sew using that same seam allowance.

Next, pin the neck facing to the dress right sides together, being sure to align the seams of the facing to the seam of the dress.

Now on this how to make a maxi dress sewing tutorial, sew them together using that same 3/8″ seam allowance.

Snip in the V of the neck so that it will lay flat. This will help you when you sew the final facing on in the last step. We are about halfway through this how to make a maxi dress sewing tutorial!

Next, we will work on the sleeves for your maxi dress. Fold the sleeves and the dress hem wrong sides together by 1/2” and pin. Sew each section using a 3/8 seam allowance.

Your maxi dress is really taking shape. As we near the end of this how to make a maxi dress sewing tutorial, we need to fold the neck facing inside the dress and pin. Fold it in far enough that will overlap the fabric for the collar.

As the last step in this how to make a maxi dress sewing tutorial, sew 1/8” away from the raw edge attaching the facing to the dress.

And that’s it! You made it through this how to make a maxi dress sewing tutorial and now you have a super cute dress. I love the length and style of this dress. It is simple to sew and still looks so nice and elegant. You can make this with solid color fabric like I did or with a print if you want to add some flair. I made a few of these dresses so that I would have them ready to go. I even made one to match one of my husband’s suits for the next time we head to a wedding. This is such a fun dress to make.

If you liked learning how to sew a maxi dress with a free printable pattern, make sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make it take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices others make.

Yield: 1

How To Sew A Maxi Dress - Free Printable Pattern

Sew your own beautiful Maxi Dress with this simple sewing tutorial. The included free pattern makes cutting out your fabric so easy.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 50 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Difficulty Moderate

Estimated Cost $20.00

Materials

Tools

Instructions

Print and cut out pattern. Use it to cut out fabric.
Place your front and back dress pieces right sides together.
Pin at the shoulders
Also, pin along the side seam from the sleeve marking to the hem.
Sew these areas
Pin the front and back neck facings, right sides together, and sew
Pin the neck facing to the dress right sides together being sure to align the seams of the facing to the seam of the dress. Sew them together.
Snip in the V of the neck so that it will lay flat.
Fold the sleeves and the dress hem wrong sides together by 1/2” and pin. Sew each section.
Fold the neck facing inside the dress and pin.
Sew 1/8” away from the raw edge attaching the facing to the dress.
Enjoy your new dress!

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The post How To Sew A Maxi Dress – Free Printable Pattern appeared first on Happiest Camper.

DIY Corn Hole Bags

HappiestCamper — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 21:31:11 +0000

Fall is a time of cool days and evenings that a full of outdoor fun! We are going to show you how to make these DIY Corn Hole Bags! What better way to have some family fun than to play some games in the yard! Our family loves playing corn hole, but sometimes we accidentally leave the bags outside and they get ruined. I realized it was way cheaper to just quickly sew up some corn hole bags rather than buying a whole additional set. The great thing about making them yourself is that you can customize them. You can make some to match the corn hole set you already have or sew up something unique. These would also be fun gifts for friends and neighbors that also love corn hole. My husband recently made some custom corn hole boards as a gift for a co-worker and I sewed some matching bags for a complete corn hole set up. They loved it and I loved how easy it was to make. This is a super easy sewing project, perfect for beginners. As I said, this is a super cheap way to make your own corn hole game yourself. Just buy the wood and put it together and sew your own bags you’ll be set for a day full of fun!

For my corn hole bags, I used a combination of tightly woven cotton canvas for added durability. You could also use a duck canvas here, or whatever works for you. You just want to make sure you pick something with a little extra strength to stand up to the wear and tear of the game as thin fabrics will tear after a few throws. Once you’ve picked out your fabric, you’ll need some interfacing to help the bags keep their shape and add some extra durability. After that, just some basic sewing supplies like thread, a rotary cutter, mat, and ruler, some sewing clips or pins, and finally some filling. I went with a corn-based filling for mine, some use rice or beans, but you can do whatever you prefer. One thing to note is that sometimes when sewing thicker fabrics your sewing machine needles can break. Be sure to have a few extra on hand in case that happens or use a stronger needle to stand up to the thicker fabric.

What You’ll Need:

How To Make DIY Corn Hole Bags

The first step on this DIY corn hole bags sewing tutorial is to wash, dry, and iron your fabric. This process acts as a preshrink and will help your stitches stay put even if these corn hole bags get wet. Trust me I learned this the hard way and had my stitches come out of one too easily. Once you have done that, cut 4 to 6 5-inch pieces of one color/pattern and 4 to 6 5-inch pieces in the other color/pattern. With right sides together, pin or clip the 4 of the first color/pattern and the 4 of the second color/pattern.

Now it’s time to sew the bags. Using a 1/4 “seam allowance, sew all the way around each, leaving a 3.5” gap for turning. Repeat until all the pieces are sewn together.

Next on this DIY corn hole bags tutorial, clip off the corners of your fabric and turn them right side out. Using a turning tool, push out the corners. Once they are all pushed out, press with a warm iron.

Now we will fill up our bags. Using a food scale and a wide mouth funnel, fill each bag with between 1 ¾ – 2 cups of corn filling. For these bags, I used popcorn kernels but you could use whatever you want like beans, corn, or even rice. Repeat until all bags are full. While you fill up your additional corn hole bags make sure to use sewing clips to keep the opening closed until I was ready to sew them all shut.

Now for the last step in this DIY corn hole bags sewing tutorial, we just need to sew the opening closed. Using a ¼ “seam allowance, either use your machine or hand sew the opening closed. If hand sewing, make sure the opening is closed very securely so the filling will not come out during play.

And that’s it! Now you know how to make DIY corn hole bags! We hope you enjoyed this fun and simple sewing tutorial. Now get outside and have some fun with your family. If your kids love playing corn hole as much as mine, you just made yourself a bargain on summer fun and making memories.

If you liked learning how to make these DIY corn hole bags, make sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make this simple project on your own, make certain that you take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices that people use!

Yield: 8

DIY Corn Hole Bags

Make your own fun corn hole bags with this simple sewing tutorial. I made a whole set with custom boards and it turned out great! Start your DIY corn hole bags today.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Estimated Cost $20.00

Materials

Tools

Instructions

Cut 4-6-5” pieces of one color/pattern and 4-6-5” in the other color/pattern.
With right sides together, pin or clip the 4 of the first color/pattern and the 4 of the second color/pattern.
Using a 1/4 “seam allowance, sew all the way around each, leaving a 3.5” gap for turning. Repeat until all the pieces are sewn together.
Clip off the corners and turn right side out. Using a turning tool, push out the corners.
Press with a warm iron.
Using a food scale and a wide mouth funnel, fill each bag with between 1 ¾ - 2 cups of corn filling. Repeat until all bags are full.
Using a ¼ “seam allowance, either use your machine or hand sew the opening closed. If hand sewing, make sure the opening is closed very securely so the filling will not come out during play.
Enjoy!

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The post DIY Corn Hole Bags appeared first on Happiest Camper.

15+ Easy Fall Sewing Projects

HappiestCamper — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 19:27:00 +0000

Fall is my favorite time of year! I love the cooler weather, the leaves falling off the trees, and curling up with a warm cup of coffee. To get more in the spirit of the season, I’m going to bring you my favorite Easy Fall Sewing Projects! From hand warmers to hoodies, these fun sewing projects will make your fall season even better. I love the feeling of being bundled up on a cool fall morning. When I was thinking about my favorite sewing projects for this time of year, I definitely think of cozy and cute. As the days get shorter, I find myself in gift-making mode and many of the projects below would make excellent gifts. You can make many of them in half an hour or less as well, making them a nice afternoon project to occupy yourself with. Now is the perfect time to get started on your holiday sewing projects. Don’t be afraid to make some of these fun projects for yourself! I love the hoodie and the snuggling up under the rag quilt. There are also some great no-sew projects on this list that are perfect for when you don’t have a lot of time.

So, look through this list and pick out which ones you are going to make. Gather up your sewing supplies from the list below and let’s get started on these easy sewing projects for Fall!

What You’ll Need:

Easy Fall Sewing Projects

As the weather cools I start wanting to sew more and more as I start to hunker down getting ready for the upcoming winter. Check out all these fun and easy fall sewing projects that anyone can sew.

How to Sew an Infinity Scarf

If you want a more traditional scarf, this infinity scarf is one of my most popular projects. You can make this in print or solid color fabrics. Plus, there are many different ways to wear these scarves so it's super versatile.

DIY Reusable Hand Warmers

Keep your hands nice and toasty with these DIY reusable hand warmers! This easy sewing project is perfect for staying warm on the go!

DIY Corn Hole Bags

Get the family outside and having fun with these easy sew Corn hole bags. Fully customize them for your favorite team as this is the perfect fall outdoors family game.

How to Make a No-Sew Fleece Blanket

Snuggle up with this no-sew fleece blanket! I love no-sew projects because they are simple to make!

How to Make Warm Mittens with Free Pattern

Just like the headband, these winter mittens are perfect to keep stashed in a coat pocket. This project includes a free pattern so it is simple to cut out your fabric. Make your own now!

How To Make A Rag Quilt

Make your own rag quilt to pass down to your kids and family. I love curling up with a book under a nice quilt and this one fits the bill!

How To Make A No-Sew Fleece Hat

If a headband isn't your style, this no-sew fleece hat is a quick and easy project that could meet your needs. This hat is warm and will keep you nice and cozy.

How To Sew a Minky Baby Blanket

This minky baby blanket is one of my favorites. It is perfect for snuggling my littles. It also makes a great baby shower gift!

How To Make A Winter Headband For Women

Keep your ears out of the cold with this winter headband. I love using this headband when I don't want to put a big hat on my hair. This is a super simple project that I always keep in my winter coat.

How to Make a Cowl Scarf Sewing Tutorial

I always get lots of compliments on this cozy cowl scarf. I make a few to match my favorite outfits! I picked a sherpa fabric for the inside and I love it.

How To Sew A Hoodie With Free Pattern

Last but not least is this cute hoodie! That's right, you can sew your own hoodie at home. This sewing tutorial includes a free printable pattern so you can size this for the perfect fit and cut out your fabric.

Easy Sew Slouchy Tote Bag With Free Pattern

This fun slouchy tote bag is perfect for carrying extra layers and whatever else you need for cooler weather. I always end up carrying a larger bag when the kids go back to school and this one is my favorite.

How to Make a Microwave Bowl Cozy

This quick and easy sewing project has been a game-changer at dinner time. Especially as it gets cooler, heating up soups and leftovers is easy and safe to do with this little bowl cozy. I don't have to worry about the kids burning their hands when taking their food out of the microwave.

Photo Credit: beginnersewingprojects.com

Scented Mug Rug

These scented mug rugs are wonderful to fill your home with the scent of fall! A friend of mine made me some of these and every time I put my hot coffee on them the fragrant scent of cinnamon and other fall spices fills the room. I love it!

DIY Jogger Pants Sewing Tutorial With Free Jogger Pants Pattern

These joggers are the perfect pants for lounging. The included free pattern makes it easy to size these for the perfect fit and they keep me warm and toasty. They are comfortable enough to wear all day long.

How To Sew A Robe With Free Pattern

When I'm not quite ready to make the leap to "dressed", I live in this robe. I love this DIY robe and it is so soft and warm. Perfect for enjoying my morning cup of coffee while I give myself time to wake up. Also comes with a free sewing pattern!

Photo Credit: beginnersewingprojects.com

Fall Leaves Banner with Template

What a fun way to get into the Fall spirit. This cute little banner is perfect for a kid's room or craft area. It is easy to make and adds some nice themed decor to your space.

DIY Reversible Placemats Sewing Tutorial

Placemats are another easy way to add some flair to your decor while also being functional in protecting your surfaces. Pick out some cute fall-colored fabric or patterns and make some of these for the season.

DIY Cast Iron Skillet Handle Cover With A Free Printable Pattern

I love cooking with my cast-iron skillets. This simple handle cover keeps me from burning my hand while I am baking up tasty treats! Comes with a free pattern to make it easy to cut out your fabric.

Hanging Kitchen Towel Easy Sewing Project

I do a ton of baking in the Fall and this hanging kitchen towel is a life-saver. I feel like there are times when I am cooking that I don't put it down until I am serving the food. Kitchen must-have!

We hope you enjoyed this list of easy sewing projects for Fall. These fun projects are sure to make this season better than ever. Be sure to let us know which ones are your favorite. Fall for me means family time and making new memories and cozy days curled up by the fire. Many of these projects can be completed in less than 30 minutes, so you can sit down and make several items in only a few hours.

If you liked these easy fall sewing projects, make sure to pin them to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make any of these projects on your own, make certain that you take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices that people use! Let’s get started on these Easy Fall Sewing Projects and start sipping on something pumpkin spice.

More Fun Sewing Projects:

The post 15+ Easy Fall Sewing Projects appeared first on Happiest Camper.