sewing

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!

Your Guide to Sewing The Perfect Curtains

May 9, 2017

If you’re just starting out with sewing, one of the best projects to tackle first is curtains. With just a few straight seams, you’ll make a huge impact and learn a few key basics. Plus, it’s something you get to enjoy every day in your home, out in the open for guaranteed “oooo” and “you made those???!” remarks. Grab your iron, sewing machine and scissors as former Spoonflower staffer Theresa takes you through each and every step to sewing the perfect curtains.

Birch, please! Curtain fabric design by Willowlanetextiles.

Sewing Along with the Bombshell Swimsuit

April 2, 2017

Store-bought swimsuit woes — we’ve all had them. You’re inside a horribly lit fitting room with 10 different suits, all of them gaping in the wrong areas, barely covering you in others. Is it just me or is your normal dress size nearly doubled when it comes to bathing suits? I’m convinced it’s a cruel joke on the part of these swimwear designers who are just out to get us frustrated and confused about what’s going to actually fit. In the journey to total body confidence, swimwear can be a dreaded thing for many women. Enter the me-made suit. When you sew your own, you have complete control over fit. You can show off the areas you feel comfortable with, and cover the parts you want to be more modest about. No weird size tags, just pure and honest measurements. No itchy labels. No weird pulling or gaping. Just your perfect dream suit, in your perfect print or even one you designed yourself.

I recently came across the Bombshell Sew Along and pattern from Closet Case Patterns. Let me tell you — this sew-along / pattern combo was sent from above! I was once super intimidated by the idea of sewing my own swimsuit, but knowing that Heather’s sew along would guide me through each and every step with extremely thorough instructions, photos and diagrams along the way made me feel brave enough to take the plunge — and I’m so glad I did.

How to Sew the Perfect Summer Tank Top | Video Tutorial

March 22, 2017

Today we’re going to show you how to sew a custom tank top using a yard of Spoonflower’s Modern Jersey (or something else stretchy) and the easiest pattern around… tracing your favorite tank top! Making your own tank tops is so fun and easy that once you know how you’ll never buy them from a store again. So go rummage through your drawers and find a well-loved tank top…we’re about to make something awesome! And don’t forget to subscribe to our Youtube channel for more DIY sewing and design tutorials!

Learn to Make a DIY Cosmic Diaper Bag with this Easy Zipper Hack

March 14, 2017

Spoonflower’s new Lightweight Cotton Twill is an absolute dream to work with. The weight is the perfect go-to for a multitude of projects, especially totes! The combination of this easy to work with material and its tough weave will ensure that you’ll end up with something that will not just look amazing, but wear well. In this tutorial, Gia from the blog Sew Gratitude will to take you through a simple “hack” using the Lightweight Cotton Twill and an Everyday Tote project from Sprout Patterns. Each Everyday Tote is printed to order on a full length of twill. Which means once you cut out and prep your tote you’ll have a HEALTHY chunk of fabric leftover to work with, almost 400 square inches worth! It’s an amazing deal to have the leftovers to coordinate. Without further ado, let’s jump into the how-to!

Fleece Sweatshirt Sew-Along with Burdastyle: Part 3

February 28, 2017

This is the last part of the fleece pullover sew along! Haven’t started yours yet? You can catch up on part one, and part two here. I’m using this BurdaStyle pattern and you can download it yourself for 50% off with code PULLOVER50 and sew along by reviewing part one and two first. Let’s get to it and finish up sewing this wintery warm and colorful pullover!

Sewing the neckband/turtleneck in place and installing the zipper

Fold the turtleneck band in half, with wrong sides together and pin mark the center front. The two end edges are the center back. Lay the pullover’s neck edge open on your table and pin the band in place matching up the edge and center fronts for an even ease in. [Read more…] about Fleece Sweatshirt Sew-Along with Burdastyle: Part 3

The Pillow Every Pet Owner Needs to Have

February 17, 2017

One of our favorite custom-fabric projects of all time is the doppelgänger dog pillow. Originally dreamed up by Spoonflower co-founder Stephen, this brilliantly clever pillow was designed for Ruby, the first of the two rescue dogs that have come to live in Stephen and Kim’s home. Since then, the project has exploded — and we’ve seen everything from hedgehog to bunny rabbit versions stitched up by our customers. Get inspired and learn to make your own snuggly pet pillow!

Square pillow fabric is Freestyle (Black) by Domesticate in Linen Cotton Canvas

The DIY Cacti You Need In Your Life Right Now

January 31, 2017

If you’re anything like us, you love the idea of adding plants and greenery to your home but aren’t the best at keeping them alive. Spare yourself — and your plants more pain by whipping up one (or both!) of these adorable plush cacti created by Berlin-based maker Na’ama. Read on for the full how to.

Na’an: Hello there sweet makers! How great is a plant that you never need to water, and still will have a long and beautiful life? When you solve problems with fabrics, like I always do, everything is possible! And if you have the love for cacti, it is a unique plant that can decorate your window, shelf or table. I created 2 different cacti design, so each will never feel lonely. They share similar sewing techniques/methods, with slight variations. Let’s make some cacti! [Read more…] about The DIY Cacti You Need In Your Life Right Now

The Secret to Sewing Perfect Mitered Corners

January 10, 2017

You know those neat, crisp corners on quilts and professionally sewn napkins that you look at and say “I could never do that?” You’re not alone; we’ve been there! We’re pleased to report that mastering mitered corners is easier than you may think, especially when you’ve got the right fabric. Our brand new Lightweight Cotton Twill (perfect for reusable napkins and table linens) has just enough structure to make crisp corners, but is light enough to be easy breezy to work with. It prints vibrantly and is brilliantly wash fast, so your new napkins will hold up. Follow along as we reveal the secret to sewing crisp, perfect mitered corners.

Brand new Lightweight Cotton Twill is perfect for napkins

Design shown here is Onion Rings by Zoe Ingram

How to Sew a Retro-Style Half Apron with Lightweight Cotton Twill

January 10, 2017

We are over the moon about the launch of Lightweight Cotton Twill, and we knew just what we wanted to make with it: aprons with jumbo pockets and pretty gathers. Well that, and about a zillion other things! This half apron is sure to help you out with all your 2017 goals from cooking more, crafting more, and sewing all the things. Read along as we walk you through each step of this simple sewing project using Lightweight Cotton Twill.

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Sewing the neckband/turtleneck in place and installing the zipper