Sew Spoiled

Materials:  Penguin Pillow Sewing notions Filler, we used rice and lavender.  Step 1: Cut out the penguin pillow and slip cover. Step 2: Place the critter pillow panels together and sew around the dotted lines. Step 3: Fill 2/3 full with rice. and lavender.  It should look like this. Step 4: Sew pillow closed.  Step 5: Take the back slip pillow panels, fold and iron on the yellow dotted lines.  Step 6: Topstitch the fold. Step 7: Sew around the entire slip cover. I like to serge the slip cover, that way in the wash it does not fray. Step 8: Slip the cover over the pillow. Ta Da! I am hoping to win the Spoonflower fabric contest . My fingers are crossed. If you want to help please vote for this fabric . Thanks!

Now you can instantly download any ePattern from my Sew Spoiled Pattern Shop!  You no longer have to wait on an email! Woo Hoo!  I have also started to sell some of my epatterns in a bundle package . Look for this below the epattern listing. All of the patterns bundled together are also available through instant download.  I hope you visit us and enjoy shopping around!

I recently visited Spoonflower in Durham, NC . I loved the new store and was inspired to try to design my own fabric. If you sign up on their website you will receive a newsletter. This weeks newsletter was about three fabric contests that Spoonflower is hosting. Each week is something new! One of the contests was for a rice, heat pillow and slip cover called the critter pillow contest.This is the cute critter I decided on. Totally inspired by my oldest who loves penguins!  I have my fingers crossed! You can find the fat quarter here on Spoonflower's site .

It still amazes me how much my designs change as I am testing everything out. One design can go through hundreds of variations. Here is the the latest in designing the Clutch. Many Facebook and blog flowers ask for a recessed zipper. So here it is!! It is so simple and easy to install. I can't wait to share this part of the pattern with all of you.  I decided to make it with the loops on the side because I like having a strap. Even though this is a clutch you can attach a key fob or a shoulder strap like the picture above. The lace bow was just an after thought but I like it. I think the bag needs something like a fabric flower or bow. Well back to the drawing board. I like the top but I think I need to rework the bottom. I will keep you updated.

Since our devices are getting smaller and smaller. I have started to reuse old laptop sleeves and make new sleeves for smaller devices. You get a new sleeve and you don't have to start from scratch. If you have the Sew Spoiled Laptop sleeve ePattern it will tell you how to measure your device and get the right measurements for a new sleeve.  Materials: Old laptop sleeve Seam ripper Ruler Scissors Sewing machine Step 1: Open the laptop sleeve and pull the lining out. Next open the lining with the seam ripper. Step 2: Turn the entire sleeve inside out. Step 3: Cut the laptop sleeve down to a smaller size. Step 4: Sew around entire laptop sleeve, leaving a hole in the lining to flip it right side out. Step 5: Flip the sleeve right side out. Step 6: Sew the lining hole closed. Step 7: Reuse your sleeve! Ta Da! I love reusing materials and I get so attached to the fabric. It is great to be able to give an old laptop sleeve life again, as an

This is Hillary Lang's new book Wee Wonderfuls ! It is filled with amazing dolls and accessories. Every time I open this book I see another fun doll I want to make for my girls. I have made some of Hillary Lang's dolls before  from her Wee Wonderfuls website . Her patterns are always easy to follow with great pictures.  I want to make the Margot doll below. She is two dolls in one. You can flip her over and play with a new doll. I love the yarn hair and long dresses. Hillary Lang has a unique design style. I can look at a doll usually and tell if it is one of her designs.   The Tag Along Doll is adorable too, this doll comes with a kid apron to make. That is what we made first since we made dolls at Christmas. My girls love to wear their aprons and bake with their Easy Bake oven. So cute! Can't wait to sew more dolls and accessories for my two daughters. Happy Sewing!

This is my new project I am currently working on. I think I am going to call it the Carolina Clutch. It is large enough to store an iPad Mini inside. I am drafting pockets ideas. Since it is a clutch it will not have a strap but I was thinking of adding a strap tutorial with it. I like it both ways. I am also playing with the zipper placement. (On top or inside). I love this design and it will be fun to write this pattern up. What do you think?  Please add any helpful thoughts or comments below.

 I have been on a Washi Pattern kick lately, pattern by Made by Rae . I really can not help myself. This pattern is so easy and fun to make that after making one, I want to make another! The pattern has cap sleeves or you can create it sleeveless. However, it is winter and I need sleeves! I decided to take the 3/4 sleeve template from the Tova Pattern by Wiksten  and try to sew them to the Washi tunic. It worked perfectly!!!  -------------------------------------------------------------------- Here are a few Sew Spoiled Tips. Instead of topstitching, I under-stitched the seam allowance to the interfacing using a zig zag stitch. This makes the collar stay flat and I do not have a topstitch around the neck line, it simply rolls under. Also, I attach the sleeves,  then stitch the sides together. I learned this technique making kid clothes and I realize it works for big people too. I love this top! It looks great and no one will have a tunic like mine! Smiles!

My oldest daughter wanted an Easy Bake Oven and the Shrinky Dink Maker for Christmas. We bought the Easy Bake because we thought it would be more fun. She received Shrinky Dinks also but no maker. Of course one thing lead to another and that is when she asked, "Can you shrink Shrinky Dinks in an Easy Bake Oven?" First, we had to find out how hot the Easy Bake would heat to. We used a digital thermometer to find this out. Everything online said 375 degrees but they would be wrong!  Our Easy Bake reached 441 degrees after 24 minutes of preheating. Wow!!! Next we tested a Shinky Dink!  It Worked!! Place aluminum foil on the Easy Bake pan and then put your colored Shrinky Dink on top.  We strongly advice you to use only Shrinky Dinks that fit inside the Easy Bake Oven Pan. Bake for only 1 minute and slide it through to cool! We had a great time coloring Shrinky Dinks and heating them inside the Easy Bake. Now she can make them by herself.