Sewing Tutorials

Beat the Heat! Make Your Own Chic Summer Tunic

July 25, 2017

Charlie caftan by Closet Case Patterns and Organic Sweet Pea Gauze™ featuring Crystal Walen | Spoonflower Blog

Gold Leaves by Crystal_Walen

What’s four words and sweet as can be? If you guessed our newest fabric, Organic Sweet Pea Gauze™, you’re right on the money! Your go-to project using this super-soft gauze may be swaddle blankets, but did you know this fabric can be used for so much more? From reversible bowl covers to reusable grocery bags, your gauze project list is endless! Today we’re celebrating the launch of our newest natural (and organic!) fabric with a visit from Spoonflower alumna, Theresa Rizzuto — you may recognize her as trizzuto in the Marketplace! Find out her tips for working with gauze and see how she put it to the test with the new Charlie caftan from Closet Case Patterns.

Make a Splash with this DIY Mermaid Tail Beach Blanket

July 14, 2017

This summer, it’s total mermaid madness and we’re getting poolside ready with SammyK’s newest project: DIY mermaid tail beach blankets! It’s the perfect gift for your beach buddies and they’re sure to make a splash at your next pool party! To complete the look, we recommend choosing our super-soft Minky for the outer shell and your favorite toweling fabric for the lining. Dive in and see the full tutorial from our good friend Samarra Khaja…

Samarra: Calling All Mermaids and Mermen! I know you’ve been on the lookout for sparkling fresh options to expand on that tail repertoire of yours, so wait no longer fine-finned friends! [Read more…] about Make a Splash with this DIY Mermaid Tail Beach Blanket

How To Make a DIY Scarf for Under $22

July 11, 2017

Have you given our newest (and dreamiest!) fabric, Chiffon, a try? After our friend and local blogger, Allie Jackson stopped by the blog to test out our Chiffon with an easy summer neck scarf , we knew we had to do a second take on this simple DIY with one of Spoonflower’s web developers, Leah! Using Spoonflower’s latest feature, Fill-a-Project™, Leah created an airy chiffon infinity scarf that can easily dress up any outfit. Keep reading to find out how you can make three chiffon scarves for $42 – that’s just $14 per scarf!

DIY a Chiffon Infinity Scarf | Spoonflower Blog

Designs by gaiamarfurt and emilysanford

Easy Summer Scarf with Spoonflower’s New Chiffon | Video Tutorial

July 5, 2017

The warm weather is here and we’re all about the summertime neck scarf trend. We may have packed away our winter scarves months ago but we’re just getting started with this lightweight accessory that is the perfect way to add a pop of color to your summertime look. Today, we’re partnering with Allie Jackson, the sewist, maker, and blogger at www.alliemjackson.com, to share a quick and easy (not to mention beautiful) neck scarf tutorial using our newest fabric, Chiffon. It’s the perfect fit for this summer accessory. Find the video tutorial and step-by-step directions below!

If you like this video, don’t forget to subscribe to our Youtube channel for more DIY tutorials and project ideas!

Allie: This pretty chiffon scarf is pattern-free and easy to sew, even if you don’t have a rolled hem foot. I like using scarves to add some print and color to an otherwise plain outfit, but they also make a perfect gift for your sister, mom, or friend. They’ll never know it only took one yard of Spoonflower’s chiffon fabric and just a few minutes to make. Let’s get started! [Read more…] about Easy Summer Scarf with Spoonflower’s New Chiffon | Video Tutorial

10 DIY Swimsuits You Don’t Want To Miss!

July 4, 2017

Whether you’re all about the bikini, tankini or one piece, there’s one thing that’s true : This summer, it’s all about the me-made swimsuit. With options to customize your suit through style, surface pattern (Have you seen the 500,000+ options in the Marketplace?) and fabric type (Did you know our Sport Lycra is swimsuit approved?), how could you not give these 10 DIY swimsuit projects a try? Not quite ready to go to the deep end of DIY swimwear? Our sister company, Sprout Patterns, is now offering the Soma Swimsuit as a cut-and-sew project!

This DIY Chiffon Ballet Skirt is On Pointe | Pattern Included

June 28, 2017

Our newest fabric, Chiffon, is making its center stage DIY debut today with the help of longtime blog contributor and talented designer, Ceri Staziker (aka Cerigwen). This blousy and ultra-sheer fabric is a dream for projects that require a material with a light touch and beautiful drape. Today, follow along as Ceri shows how to sew this gorgeous ballet wrap skirt in our new Chiffon using her free PDF pattern. For Ceri’s daughter (and maybe even you!), when its time to hit the dance floor, she’ll be twirling in style thanks to her custom Chiffon ballet wrap skirt for under $25.

Getting to Know the RiRi Swimsuit

June 21, 2017

The summer weather is heating up here in North Carolina and the first day of summer is right around the corner (oh wait – it’s here)! The weekends will soon be filled with adventures to the beach and pool which means we’ll also be needing the perfect swimsuit! Luckily, there are so many great swimsuit patterns available to pair with our favorite swimsuit material, Sport Lycra. Today, we’re excited to share one of the newest patterns helping us beat the heat : the RiRi swimsuit by Mimi Goodwin featured in May’s issue of Sew Sew Def Magazine (have you subscribed to this fantastic read from the Mimi G team?). Keep reading to see how Alexia Sotelo, a self-taught sewist and DIY swimsuit extraordinaire, shows how easy it is to make your own swimsuit. Beat the heat bonus : she’s sharing her own variation of the swimsuit and the secret to a custom swimsuit for just $32.00!

Alexia models the RiRi swimsuit at the beach

Get ready for the beach with the RiRi swimsuit

Alexia : I am a self taught seamstress and have been sewing for about 4 ½ years. Since teaching myself to sew, I have learned that sewing swimsuits is probably my most favorite thing to make! People often tell me they would love to sew themselves a swimsuit but are so intimidated and have no idea where to start. While I haven’t been sewing as long as some, I am here to tell you, sewing a bathing suit is really not as hard as it may seem! I think the most difficult part for me is finding quality swim fabric in a print that I like. The Spoonflower sport lycra is nice and thick and has a matte finish to it : just what I like! The only problem I have now is there are SO many amazing designs to choose from it’s nearly impossible to choose just one or two! I absolutely love the RiRi swimsuit and it’s the perfect pattern to use if this is your first attempt at a bathing suit! It has a flattering fit, an on trend vintage style, and it’s construction gives you the freedom to play around with a couple of prints to give it a fun look!

Let’s get started!

We’re Going ‘Wild’ Over this DIY Baby Tee How-To | Video Tutorial

June 13, 2017

Hello, fabric friends! Looking for an adorable and easy project that’s perfect for a weeknight? We love these DIY baby tees–they’re so quick you can knock out a bunch for gifts or outfit your kids in totally custom me-made wardrobes. And, as an added bonus, you can make one baby tee with just a fat quarter of fabric. Ready to get started? Grab your organic cotton knit fat quarter and some supplies and let’s jump right in!

If you’re more of a visual learner, Click here to jump down to the video. featuring Spoonflower ops superstar Tim. [Read more…] about We’re Going ‘Wild’ Over this DIY Baby Tee How-To | Video Tutorial

The Sprout Patterns Dress We Can’t Stop Making

June 6, 2017

Have you ever found a sewing pattern that you’ve fallen in love with and can’t help but make time after time? When you open your closet, do you see that specific pattern taking over your wardrobe until you realize you now have six versions of the same project? Spoonflower team member Meredith shares the Sprout Patterns project that’s taking over her closet: the Kielo Wrap Dress by Named Clothing. Keep reading to learn how she used the Sprout Patterns’ color coordinating tool to take her staple dress to the next level!

Kielo Wrap Dress in tribal jungle 2 by Laura_May_Designs

The Kielo Wrap Dress takes a tropical twist with “tribal jungle 2” by Laura_May_Designs

A Personalized Gift for Teachers: Kids’ Art Cheater Quilt

May 16, 2017

Have you found yourself looking at the calendar asking, “Where did the school year go”? With summer quickly approaching, students are counting down the days until the last school bell of the year, while teachers are reflecting on the leaps & bounds made throughout the year (ok… they may also be thinking about that last bell too!) Need a little help dreaming up a thoughtful end-of-year gift for your child’s teacher? Spoonflower team member Meredith demonstrates how to make a personalized cheater quilt for approximately $50 using student artwork and Spoonflower’s newest feature, Fill-A-Yard™.