Today our friend Sophie, writer and creator of the most beautiful sewing blog Ada Spragg, visits the blog to share two of her favorite me-made summer weather accessories. Get out your sewing machine, grab some colorful fabric, and get ready to turn up the beet because you’re going to want to stitch up both of these projects ASAP!


2 Fun in the Sun DIYs to Inspire Your Next Sewing Project | Spoonflower Blog

2 Fun in the Sun DIYs to Inspire Your Next Sewing Project | Spoonflower Blog
Feel The Beet by ElliotDesignFactory

Sophie: I’m super excited to share two projects with you today that are made with Spoonflower’s Linen-Cotton Canvas Ultra. Both projects required a fabric slightly heavier in weight to hold their form of the visor and ‘belted bag’ (aka. bum-bag / fanny pack depending on your sensibilities) but one that was not thick enough to make the construction difficult. I chose the linen-cotton blend from a couple of samples of the heavier apparel/light upholstery fabrics Spoonflower has available, both for the texture and weight, which is perfect for structured accessories.


2 Fun in the Sun DIYs to Inspire Your Next Sewing Project | Spoonflower Blog

But let’s backtrack. May I present, two of the uncoolest-cool accessories you might like to make yourself this coming summer: a visor and ‘belted bag’. Which you may like to wear together for the full ’90s mom effect. Now depending on where you’re from and your own personal sensibilities, the ‘belted-bag’ also goes by the name of fanny-pack or bum-bag, however, you might notice that neither of these pet names has been picked up by RTW brands, who are simply referring to it as a ‘belted-bag’. Either way, they are back, and like epic-sleeves and flared jeans, we’re all wondering why they ever left. Well, a few of us are.

2 Fun in the Sun DIYs to Inspire Your Next Sewing Project | Spoonflower Blog

The print! The print! It’s aptly named ‘Feel The Beet in Skillet Black & Electric Purple‘ by ElliotDesignFactory and I chose it because of a fondness for beets or ‘beetroots’ as we call them in Australia. A close contender was the ‘Post Modern Batik Doodle‘ also by ElliotDesignFactory, which would have made an equally wonderful ’80s flavoured visor + belted bag duo. And who knows whether Charles Bukowski might have had a penchant for vegetable accessories but I feel it’s definitely a case of if you’re going to try, go all the way.

2 Fun in the Sun DIYs to Inspire Your Next Sewing Project | Spoonflower Blog

2 Fun in the Sun DIYs to Inspire Your Next Sewing Project | Spoonflower Blog

Now the best part is that both the visor and belted bag are made from pre-existing sewing patterns by indie designers in the community. The great thing about indie patterns is the instructions are always user-friendly and include lots of pictures with the steps, which is great for visual learners. For my projects, I’m using the ‘Lucent Visor‘ by Pattern Fantastique and the ‘Fennel Fanny Pack‘ is by Sarah Kirsten.

2 Fun in the Sun DIYs to Inspire Your Next Sewing Project | Spoonflower Blog

2 Fun in the Sun DIYs to Inspire Your Next Sewing Project | Spoonflower Blog

The Lucent Visor pattern is an intermediate sew and includes a couple of fiddly steps, like the insertion of millinery wire but was surprisingly quick and super satisfying! It comes with three brim options for coverage and I went with the full brim here. Sun safety first kids.

2 Fun in the Sun DIYs to Inspire Your Next Sewing Project | Spoonflower Blog

2 Fun in the Sun DIYs to Inspire Your Next Sewing Project | Spoonflower Blog

The Fennel Fanny Pack pattern sits more at an advanced beginner. If you can insert a basic zipper then everything else is elementary! The trickiest section was the final step prior to turning the bag out the right way when there are a few layers of canvas fabric to sew together and you’re trying to make a neat curved corner.

To sew around tight corners as the bum-bag requires, the best way to do it is to sew a little at time. To change direction:
1. Leave the needle in.
2. Raise the presser foot.
3. Grab the fabric of the bum bag and shift it slightly, so that the next point where the needle goes in, will be helping to create the curved line you are following.

When sewing through multiple layers of thick fabric, a walking foot is also helpful. Don’t forget to clip into and trim seams to minimize bulk before turning the bum bag out the right way.

2 Fun in the Sun DIYs to Inspire Your Next Sewing Project | Spoonflower Blog

I hope this inspires you to DIY some of your own summer accessories; they also make really fun handmade gifts that your friends and family will want to keep. And maybe even wear.

Don’t stop at just the visor! Sew up a matching swimsuit to create the ultimate beach babe outfit. We’ve rounded up 10 different styles to inspire you. When you’re done, be sure to tag your photos with #spoonflower so we can see all the fun you’re having at the beach.


About the Guest Blogger

Sophie Parslow is the maker, writer and creative mind behind Australian DIY fashion blog, Ada Spragg. As a late-comer to sewing, Sophie needed a creative outlet after becoming a mother and has been creating the ‘ultimate hand-made wardrobe’ ever since. With an eye for print and colour and a passion for sharing her makes with the world, Sophie’s blog received the Best Sewing Blogs award in 2014 & 15. For a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Sophie’s adventures in sewing, connect over on Instagram.