Sew Fun

SewFun.com has teamed up with ConKerr Cancer, a non-profit organization that makes pillowcases for children in hospitals and pediatric hospices in North America and South Africa. Founded by Cindy Kerr when her own son was diagnosed with cancer in 2002, ConKerr Cancer seeks to bring some comfort and a smile to children fighting cancer through its pillow case project, A Case for Smiles. Please download the FREE SewFun pillowcase pattern today and stitch up some love (and a smile) for a sick child.

Here are some tips for creating your pillowcases and getting them to a sick child:

• Use bright, colorful fabrics in cotton or flannel. One of the best collections of kid’s prints that Sewfie has found on line is BugFabric.com… they have all kinds of adorable prints featuring animals, fairies, space, robots, dinosaurs and, of course, BUGS!
• Although juvenile prints are always bright and fun, don’t forget there are a lot of children suffering from cancer who are teens so keep them in mind when choosing your fabrics. How about sports logo fabrics or Patty Young’s new collection, Flora & Fauna?
• Wash fabric with unscented detergent before and after sewing to prevent the spread of allergens and germs. And, of course, always maintain a smoking-free environment when creating the pillowcases
• Package each finished pillowcase in a quart or gallon sized Ziploc bag
• Contact a local ConKerr Cancer chapter coordinator to find out where you can make your donation. There are coordinators in just about every state as well as Canada and South Africa. See the ConKerr Regional Directory for a list of coordinators and drop-off locations. Many drop-off locations are local fabric and quilt shops which you are probably visiting on a regular basis already!

FREE Slumber Party Pillowcase pattern

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Dear Sewfie,
I’m just sewing your Grab ‘n’ Go Diaper clutch, & wondered how you were able to line up the diagonal lines so well on the main picture of the pattern cover? Is it difficult to do?
- Julia

How to line up your stripes or other design perfectly on your Grab 'n' Go Diaper Clutch.... read on!

Dear Julia,
The key to success in lining up the diagonal stripes (or any design) so well is to line up where the magnetic snap goes FIRST and THEN cut the fabric out… but how do you do THAT? Well, it’s REALLY easy. Here’s what you do:

• Cut out the Flap piece first. Don’t cut out the Body (yet). Cut out your Flap such that you have your stripes in a nice place. In my case (for the cover model), I wanted a red stripe right near the edge. I just thought it looked cool and I knew I had this awesome red vintage button that I wanted to use.
• Next, transfer the snap placement mark from the pattern onto the Flap. You can mark it with a pin or some chalk. I like to use pins because they are very precise.


Cut out Flap (1) and mark snap placement

• Next comes the part where we line up the Flap with the Body. Remember we didn’t cut the Body part out yet. Lay the rest of your (uncut) fabric out on the table. It helps to iron it so it lays nice and flat. Find some area of the fabric which matches up with the Flap, and lay the Flap exactly over that area. You might want to hold it down with a pin or two so it doesn’t wiggle around in the next step.


Line up Flap (1) with fabric underneath, matching stripes or design

• Finally, position Body pattern piece (2) under Flap (1). Line up the snap placement marks from the Body and the Flap. Ensure the straight edges are parallel. Now you can move the Flap out of the way and cut out Body (2).


Position Body pattern piece (2) under Flap (1)

Your stripes or other design will now be perfectly aligned!

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Ask Sewfie... advice for the sewing obsessed, because you know you need help. E-mail "Ask Sewfie" today!

Dear Sewfie,
I like to sew, but I am having trouble basting. It takes longer than I think it should. Should I skip it or do you have any tips?
Thanks!

-Izzi

Dear Izzi,
If the pattern is recommending it, you definitely shouldn’t skip it. Basting is usually recommended for seams that are long (such as a skirt hem) or for areas that are too complicated or bulky to easily use pins (such as the bottom seam of our Grab ‘n’ Go Diaper Clutch, see photo below). Also, basting is often called for because it is easier to stitch over with your sewing machine than pins.

Here are Sewfie’s tips for making basting less painful:

• Use long stitches. Basting doesn’t have to be tiny and accurate like your hand sewing stitches. For basting, use a big, long running stitch. ½” stitches (or longer) are perfectly OK and help to get the job done faster.
• Baste slightly inside your seam allowance. For example if you have a 5/8” seam allowance for a garment, baste at ½” from the edge of your fabric. This way, after you machine stitch your seam, you won’t even see the basting stitches and you won’t have to take them out! Not having to pick out all those stitches later will save you some time.
• Lay your work on a flat surface like a table or a floor (not your lap). Make several stitches at a time with your needle (see photo below) and then pull the thread through. Its like getting two stitches for the price of one! This will make it go faster, too.



• Finally, instead of using a single strand of thread like many sewing instructions recommend, use a double strand of thread, knotted at the end. This will keep your needle from falling off the thread all the time, which is what always happens to me. Not having to re-thread your needle 10 times will save you time as well.

In the end, basting seems like a hassle but it really does help you get good results the first time. And after all the hard work you put into your wonderful handmade creation, isn’t it worth it?

Basting takes extra time...

... but it helps you get great results!

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