Easy Ribbon Embroidery for Kids.

A few weeks ago someone asked me about running a workshop about ribbon embroidery for kids.  I'll be honest I hadn't done much in this particular aspect of our craft and was keen to explore it. Ribbon embroidery is a way of adding details such as leaves or flowers to a garment or other sewing project. The flowers can also be mounted onto a safety pin or broach clasp or used on a fascinater.
There were many techniques out there, in fact it seamed as though no two people made flowers from ribbon the same way. Each method had it's pros and cons, some required intricate sewing before hand to place a wire in one side of the ribbon, other methods included making your own ribbon.

Most techniques had the following draw backs.
Expensive materials
Specialist tools
Fiddly advanced sewing techniques
Lots of sharp things for kids to hurt themselves on.

To make this project more child friendly we will be using aida (the fabric with a lose weave used for cross stitch) and wool needles which are rather blunt to make things safer for kids. This method is designed to reduce the equipment and advanced skills that you will need. Once you have your bits you're about 10 minutes away from your first ribbon embroidered flower!

You will need:
Aida (a metre will be enough to make LOADS of flowers, probably hundreds)
Wool Needles
A regular hand sewing needle
A little sewing thread
Satin ribbon (either 10mm or 15mm wide)

Step 1

Draw a circle on your aida. I This one is just under 5cm in diameter and seems to be a good size for a first go. Draw out 5 lined from the centre to the edge of the circle.



Step 2

With the reguler sewing needle and thread going from the underside of the aida to the top make a stitch from the center to the edge of the circle along one of the lines. Repeat for the other four lines. We have used a contrasting thread to help you see what is going on. When you make your flower use a thread that is a close match to your ribbon.





Step 3

Thread the wool needl with a 40cm length of ribbon. Tie a small knot in the end of the ribbon and push the needle from the underside of the aida to the  top at the centre of the circle. This is one step that MIGHT be too tough for little hands and so they may need a little help.












Step 4

Slide the needle UNDER the first thread and then over the next going around the circle going under
and over alternate threads.










Step 5

Keep going around in a spiral, going over and under the threads.

   Step 6
The shape of the flower can be determined by how much tension you put on the ribbon, to help the shape form waggle your finger in the centre of the forming flower now and then. When you get to the edge of the circle you can stop and push the ribbon through to the underside.However  if you keep weaving the thread through the string at this point your flower head becomes denser and more three dimensional.


All that remains is to pop the ribbon to the underside and either tie it off or tack it in place. You can then trim away the excess aida (making sure not to cut the 5 threads) or cut a rough circle around the flower and then fold the aida back and taking it in place. Your flower is then ready to be turned into a broach or added to a sewing project such as a prom or wedding dress.

How to Shorten Curtains, or "How to Take Curtains Up"

Your first thought may well be "What a weird title, surely shortening Curtains and Taking Curtains up is the same thing?" In fact they are but here is how a tailor my think differently from a curtain maker.
  This distinction hit me when a friend of mine had a problem with his curtains. They were simply far too long. These curtains were of a very heavy high quality  fabric with a thick bonded interlining/lining. Due to the cost and quality of the curtains we decided to just alter these instead of sourcing new ones and that's when it hit me. He asked me to "take the curtains up". Now I'm used to taking up a skirt, or trousers or a dress so my first thought was to cut off the excess at the bottom with the curtains and re-hem them just like trousers or a skirt! These were nice curtains and would need to be "Blind Hemmed" with care and precision. I really wasn't looking forward to this job, then a curtain maker made me realise my stupid mistake. Don't redo the bottom, requiring to lots of intricate hemming, just take off the curtain header tape, cut off the excess fabric, fold the top of the curtain over to the lining side and sew on NEW header tape. Header tape is very inexpensive  and this was a MUCH easier quicker way of doing the job!  And so here we have it, the quick easy and more accurate way to make your curtains fit.

You will need:
Curtain Header Tape
Thread
Pins
Tape measure
Scissors

Step one.
Lay out your curtain lining side facing up. Try and have it fully laid out either on a huge table or on the floor, avoid having half of it crumpled up or tucked away. By having it all out and visible you reduce the risk of cutting the curtains at an angle.




Step Two.

Remove the curtain header tape. If you're removing LOADS of hight then just pull away all of the cords that are used to gather the curtains, but if in doubt unpick the tape. This way your curtains will be laying nice and straight and not pulling t the middle when you try to adjust them.









Step Three.

Measure your curtains from the hem up to the desired length. Fold the curtain over at this point. Pin this fold in place both just below the fold and along the length of the curtains, and along the bottom of the fold,  We want to minimise the curtains shifting. Check this folded section is the same length all along the width of the curtain.



Step Four.

Very carefully and only after you've double checked the length  on BOTH sides of the curtain begin to cut away the excess curtain. MAKE SURE YOU ARE ONLY CUTTING ONE LAYER OF CURTAIN!
As the picture shows by leaving the pins in at the fold we are holding everything in place ready for the curtain header tape.


Step Five.

Pin on the new curtain header tape and sew in place.  By keeping the pins in on the fold of the curtains we help keep the shape stabilised so attaching the header tape is simple. Make sure to tuck the ends of the tape under itself to keep the ends nice and neat.

Step Six

Pull the cords on the header tape  carefully to gather the curtains and hang your new curtains up!

Teaching kids how to sew.

Last time I wrote about how we  now run  sewing classes in Colchester, Essex and how that has helped both our customers and us. Teaching grown ups is one thing, but teaching kids teaches YOU even more.

When you start teaching children you will find they are a lot smarter than you may think and very engaging. Try to keep the feeling of the lessons light and bouncy and let them make mistakes. They will learn far more from a mistake than by doing things perfectly.

There are some practical considerations. The main issue is one of safety. Whilst we may all have had a needle or pin through our fingers at some point, day to day most regular dressmakers never worry about injuring themselves. Whilst no kids in our classes have ever decided to do something overtly stupid such as sticking pins in each other or waving scissors around their heads they do need some supervision. To help with supervision we only teach children when they have a parent or other responsible adult with them to help  out. The adult is made aware that THEY are responsible for the  safety of their child when our tutor has to give some individual attention to another child.

The main points we have found through our lessons are:-

Picking fabrics for a project:-

There can be many reasons why a fabric isn't suitable for a project. The fabric may have the wrong amount of stretch, it may be too thick for some delicate points. If a child wants to use a fabric that is technically suitable but will look a little strange  we suggest you let them. We are trying to teach them that sewing is about expressing yourself and being creative and  yet we often see people try to stifle that creativity at the very first step! One girl wanted to make a scarf of white velvet,with gold ribbons and day-glow yellow fringe trim. A few of the grown ups tried suggesting other fabrics but she stuck by her guns and the actual scarf looked REALLY cool, original, one of a kind and she was thrilled with it!


Pining pattern to fabric and cutting out :-

Make sure you actually explain and demonstrate how to put the pin through the paper and fabric. It's something grown ups take for granted but some of our kids have never used pins before!

On the subject of patterns. We tend to make our own projects (such as making a draw string pouch). At home I use brown paper but young fingers can REALLY struggle to punch a hole through that stuff. Try using thinner tracing paper of your not using a commercial pattern.

Have a selection of scissor sizes on hand. This may sound obvious but I actually forgot to get some when we first started teaching kids as well as grown ups. some of my younger students can't even lift my personal shears (giant man sized ones). And a sharper blade is much  safer than a blunt on which will slip and slide!

Don't be afraid to spend a few minutes letting the kids cut through some scrap fabric (under intense supervision) before cutting out the pattern pieces. Again when you cut out fabric you may actually be holding the blades at a certain angle, or holding the fabric in a certain way. Many times I've been told scissors are blunt and seen people just mash the fabric with the blade, but when I cut I tend to apply some sideways pressure between the blades and with the same scissors I can cut perfectly. These are the little quirks we all develop.

If working with a very young child use the big scissors BUT have your hand through the handles as well as theirs, so they get the feel of how we cut out the fabric without the risk of injury.

So there you have it, a few simple ideas for when you want to introduce  kids to the world of sewing.
The biggest most important things to remember is to let them have fun and experiment and let them know it is ultimately only fabric. They are allowed to make mistakes.
Take care :)

Sewing Classes, what we teach in them, and what we learn from them.

From being too scared to try threading a machine to making a cushion

We have been running sewing  classes in Colchester Fabric8 since last Summer.  During this time we have run classes in putting in zips, patchwork, making fancy dress costumes and how to use a sewing machine.  There is a special warm glow you get when you give someone the skills to create something. I have lost count of the number of people who have come along to our "How to use a sewing machine" and told us they bought a machine years ago but have been too afraid to use it. The fear of failing can be very powerful and very destructive. The look of pride on people's faces when they hold up something they learnt to make in an hour or two and the determination they  have to go home and start sewing is fantastic.

A group of happy quilters with  out Patchwork,
quilting and appliqué tutor Michelle.

We get different kinds of people coming to our classes. Many are like the young lady above who was afraid to even thread the machine  at first. Often these people have a project in mind and need help overcoming the initial fear or maybe just need a little knowledge. We then have people with a good basic knowledge but who want to try something new like our Patchwork and Quilting classes or our Machine Appliqué classes.  Often these people like to come in groups and they like to make it part of a girls day out.
For these people we now offer a special discount.
If you book 2 places on the same class you get 5% off.
If you book 3 places will get you 10% off
If you book 4 places will get you 15% off.
And if you fill the class up with 5 people you get 20% off, that's a whole person free!

 We have learnt a lot from teaching as well though
.
1) Mean people don't sew. I mean it, we've never had anyone who wasn't totally lovely attend our classes.

2) It is always worth going to a basic class even if you know loads. We have had several people book in on the "how to use y our sewing Machine" even though they felt very confident in their abilities. Sure enough they always leave with a little gem of knowledge. One lady had been making curtains for years and said had she been to the class 10 years ago who life would have been a lot less frustrating .

3) Teaching helps you improve yourself. By slowing down and thinking about everything I do as I explain how to sew I have found myself becoming neater and more precise!

4) Enthusiasm is contagious, and it works BOTH WAYS! Our students always leave primed and ready to sew (most pick up a lot of fabric after the class to go home and work on). However after the classes I tend to stay behind and carry on sewing myself. There's nothing quite like sharing a passion for sewing and quilting to make you want to grab some fabric and start creating.

5) THERE ARE NO STUPID QUESTIONS - EVER! This can not be stressed enough! What may seem obvious because you've sewn for decades may not be at all apparent to someone setting out. And sometimes the questions really do make me think long and hard (such as how do you adjust the tension when sewing a light silt to a heavy furnishing fabric).

So there you have it, great reasons to either try a sewing class or to teach one! If you're handy with a machine then invite a friend over for a sewing session and teach them the basics. you will BOTH find it fun and rewarding!

And if you're anywhere near Colchester pop in for a sewing lesson with us! at the moment prices start at £8.00 and the lessons are not only informative but great fun!

Check back tomorrow for the second part of the blog. Teaching Kids  How to Sew!

Blackout lining your curtains

Yep I've been a TOTAL man and failed to multi task. The world of Fabric8 has been an interesting one lately. Whilst we sadly had to say farewell to Felixstowe out Colchester branch is expanding it's services. We now run some superb sewing classes (more on them in our next blog) as well as expanding and improving our fabric website . With so much going on this blog fell to the side a little, but it  was never far from my thoughts. During this time I have been preparing a few tutorials for you such as how to shorten curtains, fun sewing projects for kids and some patch working tips. All of these in the coming weeks.

  So where to begin with the first blog of the year? I took inspiration from our shop window this week. In previous blogs we've looked at why you should line your curtains , what kinds of curtain linings are out there and how to line your curtains.

Lately we've been focusing on blackout lining. Check out these examples of regular curtain lining and blackout lining.

Curtain WITH Blackout Lining

Curtain WITHOUT Blackout Lining 

As you will have noticed you can still clearly see the pattern of the curtain with the regular lining clearly through the reverse side of the curtain. The blackout lining however totally blocks everything out. So what are the advantages to blackout lining?

1) If you have children they may stay in bed a little longer giving you the lay in you deserve.

2) Blackout Lining reflects heat as well as light helping you reduce your fuel bills.

3) Blackout lining is slightly heavier than ordinary lining and helps your curtains hang straight making your curtains look even better!

4) Blackout Lining is durable. With proper care you wouldn't need to change your curtains for many years to come.

So if you ever visit us and talk about curtains you hopefully will understand our love for blackout lining

Take care and I promise not to leave it so long before the next update.

How to Make a Patchwork Christmas Stocking.

Forgot someone on your Christmas list? Want to make a hand crafted gift or decoration but haven't got time t visit your local fabric shop or order from an amazing fabric website?  Fear not we're here to help you create a stunning Christmas stocking to fill with nuts, fruit or small toys out of little pieces of scrap fabrics. Many people may find the patchwork simple, but I have a lot of people in the shop ask me how you avoid any raw seams in the finished article.
You will need:
Thread
Needles
Pins
Fabric for the stocking (any off cuts will do)
Lining fabric. (I've used satin lining but you can use any thin fabric that you have laying around.
Inspiration
Tea or Hot chocolate
A good Christmas movie or soundtrack to work to.

To begin with gather all your little odds and ends of fabric. One of our previous blogs covers ways of storing fabrics by the way. You can either just pick  what fabrics takes your fancy or  break the fabrics down into themes, such as "cool colours" or "natural colours" or just gold old "red, gold and green"
I adore this red and gold fabric (I've made a rather fetching jacket from it) but I just didn't have enough fabrics to compliment it, so I've gone for silvers and whites, a clean cool but festive stocking.









Draw a template 

I used an existing  stocking, and then cut out 4 of these stocking shapes out of the lining. I'm using a satin lining so I made sure to have 2 from each side so it looks like I have 2 "right" stockings and 2 "left" stockings. Then use this to sort out a rough stocking shape out of the scraps of fabric. I've decided my stocking will be made mainly of horizontal strips.

 I found a beautiful Crystal organza which has a iridescent shimmer. It reminded me of some of the Christmas decorations from the 80's. (this is why Christmas fashions goes around in circles as each generation of adults borrows ideas from their childhood, I'm sure of it.) Now my lining is white satin so the organza would look lovely over it, but it may be hard to control. So I decided to top stitch the organza over the lining to form a big square of shiny shimmering magical goodness. You can do this if your lining fabric isn't something you want visible as well.

Now start sewing your strips to form one sheet of fabric. You can keep placing one of the stocking panels  over it to give you a guide to which bit of fabric will go where (I wanted the shimmering white to form a heel). Don't worry if this fabric is not stocking shape yet, We will use the stocking shape as a template and cut out the proper shape next.

Place the stocking shape over your patchwork and line everything up until you're happy where each piece is, pin and cut out.

If you are using a lining fabric that looks the same from either side then which piece you top stick your patchwork to will not matter. However in my case I need to ensure the patchwork is laid and sewn onto the SHINY side ! Why? if I laid the fabric onto the mat side then either one of the inside pieces or the back of the stocking will be mat as well.

Top stitch in place, sewing close to the edge so these stitches wont show in the finished stocking. If you wanted a padded  quilted feel to your stocking you would add the wadding between the two layers here.

Now is a good time to add ribbon or ricrac. I used some organza ribbon to fold under a little excess of the light weight silver fabric that was bulging out slightly.

Now right sides together sew your stocking front to the stocking back. Repeat the process for the  lining, BUT leave an inch gap in the middle of the back of the stocking (to pull the stocking right side out after). Cut noticed into the seam allowances around the curvy bits on the stocking.




Pull the outer stocking right side out THE slide it into the inside out lining.

Now sew the inner and outer stocking together along the top and pull right side out. and her presto, you have a beautiful hand crafted stocking!

Fabric8 in Felixstowe

Up until today I have found every blog a joy to post. I've covered some arcane facts of sewing and knitting as well as explaining terminology and providing many free tutorials for projects you can do at home.  The inspiration for many of these blogs came from working in one of the Fabric8 shops out there in the real world, in the Essex town of Colchester in fact. And some of you may be aware there are two shops in the Fabric8 family, one in Colchester and one in Felixstowe. The company has been in the same family for over 70 years since it started out in the stairwell and hallway of a flat in Felixstowe.

  Over this time shopping habits have changed a lot. What began as a stock of linen and antimacassars transformed many times over the years until it became 2 fabric shops and a website supplying dressmakers, tailors knitters and those with a love of crafts. However some changes have not been for the better. In recent years our Felixstowe branch has suffered from the failing economy and regrettably the decision has been made to close down Fabric8 in Felixstowe. As you can imagine this was a very difficult decision to come to as Fabric8, in all of it's incarnations has been a fixture of Felixstowe for so many decades. 

  Fortunately  Colchester has faired the economic storms better than many other towns and so our Colchester branch will be remaining open along with our website for many more years to come. All of our Felixstowe customers will find a warm welcome at our Colchester branch  where their loyalty cards will be honoured. Our website is expanding daily and we hope you will find all of your sewing, crochet and knitting needs met with only £3.50 delivery charge no matter how large your order. If there is some stock you miss from your local Fabric8 that you can't find on-line feel free to e-mail us at fabric8online@gmail.com  and we will do our best to get what you need available. 

We hope people will pop into the Felixstowe shop to say goodbye during our January sale and on our final day of trading in Felixstowe on January 31st.

On behalf of the Felixstowe staff we would like to thank everyone for visiting us over the years and on behalf of the Colchester and Web teams we look forward to meeting you and helping you achieve all you want in the fascinating world of stitch crafts.