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January 24, 2012 at 5:00 PM 3 comments

Learn the Backstitch

Hand Embroidery using the Backstitch

with

DIY Felt Pillow

Here is a cute & simple little project that you can use to work on learning new hand stitches. Even the little ones in your house can do this one with your supervision. It makes for a great quiet activity and keeps little hands busy. In case you were wondering, this activity is also great for building eye-hand coordination and strengthening those fine motor skills.

The tools needed for this activity:

Pinking Shears
Sharp Scissors
Pattern/Template
Embroidery Needle
Embroidery Floss
2-8½ X 11 Pieces of Craft Felt
Batting
Sewing Machine (optional)

First, let’s dive into the backstitch, itself:

Give yourself a length of embroidery floss not more than 18 inches, and knot it off at the end. (I’ve used a double strand to make it easier for you to see what I am doing.)

Next, come up from the bottom side of the fabric a full stitch length ahead of where you actually want to begin.

Then, re-enter the fabric {back} where you originally wanted the stitching to begin…

…and pass the needle underneath to come up a full stitch length past where the knot was placed.

Now, re-enter the fabric from the top side {back} at the position where the knot is.

Again, pass the needle through the fabric and a full stitch length past where you came up last time.

Now, re-enter the fabric {back} where the prior stitch came through.

Continue to repeat this process until you have accomplished your goal.

Pass the thread through to the back side of the project and knot it off.

Now onto a way in which we can use this lovely and simple stitch! Use a piece of paper to create a template or pattern for your pillow.

(I cut a heart out of notebook paper, but you can probably Google just about any simple image and adjust its size in your printer’s dialog.)

Mark around the very edges of your template using pins in order to give you the ability to eyeball your stitching placement.

I knew that I wanted to stitch the word “LOVE,” so I folded my pattern piece in half in order to give me a straight line to draft the word upon.

With my sizing and spacing figured out, I wrote directly on the felt above my sample writing on the paper.

Through the top layer only, I began my backstitching.

There are lots of ways to do this: You can use a grid to help you with stitch consistency by marking where your stitches should begin. There is a fabulous product out there called Tiger Tape that Quilters use for stitch consistency. You could use a ruler. You could just follow the lines that you drew and try to keep your stitches the same length. I chose the plastic grid that I had handy.

*Stitch Consistency is keeping your stitches all the same length, tension, and same distance apart from each other.*

This is very hard to achieve by hand, however not impossible with much practice.

Using my grid for uniformity, I darkened where every other hole in the grid lined up. Then, I began my backstitch, as shown before, from the underside of the fabric one stitch ahead of where I actually wanted to begin.

Now that you’re finished with the hand embroidery, layer the two pieces of felt together, replace the pattern & move the pins to secure the pattern piece in place. Using pinking shears, cut around the outside of the pattern, leaving about an inch of space between the cut line and the pattern.

With your machine (optional) you can stitch around the perimeter of the pattern piece. If you’re really ambitious, you could just backstitch the perimeter. Remember to leave an opening in order to stuff this cute pillow. Then, simply close it with whatever means you chose to sew the perimeter.

You’ve done it! What an adorable way to practice your hand stitches! This would make a great teacher gift for Valentine’s Day, pet toy, doll cradle decoration, or seasonal decoration. Make three different hearts for Valentine’s conversation hearts as a table centerpiece. Do you have a special neighbor or friend? Is there a nursing home or rehab center nearby? This could really make someone’s day!

With whatever pattern you choose, and whatever word(s) or shape(s) you add, may you truly enjoy the process. Have fun!

Warmly,

Jen & Dee

Backstitch w/ModestyMatters.net

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January 9, 2012 at 11:00 AM Leave a comment

Last Minute DIY Gift:

DIY Fabric Tissue Case

These make great stocking stuffers or small gifts. Quick & Easy! They’re great for your purse, diaper bag, or in the car. These could even be donated to a nearby church, nursing home or rehab facility. My daughter loved these and made some for all of her friends for Christmas.

Here are the things you will need to create these adorable tissue covers: Three (3) identical pieces of fabric measuring 5½” by 3½” for the small,

(or 11 ½” by 7½” for the large), sharp scissors and a hem ruler.

Fold two (2) of the pieces in ½” along the long side and press.

Fold these two (2) pieces again (1″ for the small size, and 2½” for the large size) and press.

Overlap the folded edges on top of the bottom piece with right sides together.

Straight stitch all the way around the rectangle at ¼” seam allowance for the small and ⅝” seam allowance for the large size. Clip corners.

Turn right side out and insert tissue.

For the small, insert small tissue packets leaving on the plastic.

For the Large, remove the flat tissue from a box of about 100 two ply tissues. Insert the tissue alone without the box.

I hope you enjoy these. They are a great way for a young lady to make her own gifts for her friends, or even as a ministry donation. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

Warmly,

Jen & Dee

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December 20, 2011 at 7:44 PM 7 comments

DIY Ribbon Ornament

DIY Ribbon Ornament

My children LOVE making these! They choose the recipients, and they choose the ribbon based on who they are making it for. It keeps those little fingers busy, hearts happy, and minds thoughtful. Traditionally these are made with fabric, but I LOVE ribbon. This is a great gift for less than $5 that is sure to please! If you have an hour before bed, you can even make these as a last minute gift for someone special. You can keep it traditional Christmas colors (reds, greens, silver & gold), or you can tailor the gift.

Materials:

A Plethora of Satin Pins or Appliqué Pins (size 17 or smaller)
A Small Styrofoam Ball (2½ inches works well)
A Spool or Two of Your Favorite Ribbon(s) (⅞“or 1½” wide)
A Hot Glue Gun or Fabric Glue

Instructions:

Cover the north and south poles of the ball with a flat piece of the ribbon being used.

At the north pole, place a satin pin as a marker right in the center of the ribbon covering. Do not stick it all the way in as you’ll be removing this pin momentarily.

Then, cut strips of ribbon twice as long as the width. If you are using 1.5″ wide ribbon, you’ll want to cut 3″ strips of ribbon. If you are using ⅞” wide ribbon, just round off the length to 2″ per strip.

Choose a starting point to begin the placement of your strips. Center a strip of ribbon, up-side-down, according to the pin marker. Pin the ribbon at the top center.

Next, take the top right corner of this same strip and fold it toward the center bottom of the strip, creating a triangle which shows the “pretty side” of the ribbon. Repeat with the upper left corner.

Directly across from the top point of that triangle, repeat the entire process. Then, fit one in between those two on one side, and then the other side, for a total of four (4) strips folded into triangles.

Begin the next level, or row, with the center point starting between two of the previous row’s triangles, and about ¼” down. This row, and the next row, will each require eight (8) strips.

Then, move to the next available position between triangles, and so on.

Do this until half of the ball is covered, and then begin all over again at the south pole until the two sections meet.

Wrap a ribbon around the center where they meet and hot glue or pin it in place.

Add a looped ribbon for hanging, a bow, and/or further embellishments.

This is the ornament my daughter made for a special teacher.

My son made this ornament for his daddy, because daddy loves football:

Be creative, but more importantly, have fun!

Warmly,

Jen & Dee

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December 16, 2011 at 10:00 AM 7 comments

DIY Wet Bag

DIY Wet Bag

If you are into cloth diapers and/or cloth momma pads for the sole purpose of being more green, or simply more healthy, then this wet bag is for you! Even if it has nothing to do with being green, this wet bag may be right for you. It is re-useable, so it creates less waste. It is customizable, so it can be very personalized. It’s portable, so it can travel wherever you go. It can hang on the bathroom door knob (or any door knob) for convenience without creating an eyesore.

I personally use it when I travel in order to keep my unmentionables unseen. It is a great dirty laundry bag for those items you don’t really want others seeing…and, it is washable!

Materials:

28″ X 12″ Piece of water proof or water resistant fabric like PUL (left) or ProCare Barrier Fabric (right)

PUL (LEFT – Purple) is a vinyl (shiny) backed fabric that is soft to the touch. It feels a lot like flannel on the “right side.” PUL is lighter or less thick/dense than ProCare Barrier fabric. ProCare (RIGHT – Aqua) is similar to a durable vinyl tablecloth with the exception of the backing being some sort of affixed woven mesh with a matte finish. PUL is commonly used in cloth diapers and diaper covers, both infant and adult. ProCare is hospital grade, non-woven, waterproof fabric.

7-9″ Exposed Zipper
A Zipper foot and a Teflon (non-stick) Universal Foot for your Machine
8-9″ Long Piece of ⅞” Wide Webbing
1 Complete Snap Set
8-10 Quilt Binding Clips or Rubberized Mini Clamps from a Hardware Store (No Pins b/c we don’t want to create holes for liquid to sneak through.)
Thread
Marking Pencil
Sharp Scissors
Sewing Machine

Instructions:

Remove the selvages from the piece of fabric.

ZIPPER: The two shorter edges will be where the zipper goes, so lay the piece of fabric in front of you in a tube shape with that opening between the two shorter edges facing up. You should be looking at the “right” side of the fabric which is the side you want to see when the project is finished.

Lay the zipper, centered, on one side of the opening. Mark where it begins and ends.

Placing right sides together, sew a straight stitch using a 5/8 inch seam allowance from your mark to the nearest edge on both sides. Remember to lock your seams.

(If you are using an invisible zipper, now is the time to press it open. Zipper instructions are always included with the zipper when purchased – it’s part of the packaging.)

Place your zipper back in the center and secure it. Keep in mind how you want the finished product to look and work. Doing so will help you make sure you get the zipper in the correct way.

Notice above, the front of the zipper is facing the “right” side of the fabric and the whole zipper is moved over to the right hand side. Using the appropriate zipper foot, sew this side in place. Zip up the zipper and secure it in place on the other side of the fabric.

Now, sew this side of the zipper in place.

You should currently have a tube with a zipper inserted. Flatten out this tube and roll the zipper over the top by about four inches so that the zipper will be on the front of the bag, rather than the top.

WEBBING: Fuse the ends of the webbing, either by melting them or by sealing them. Decide on the placement of your webbing, and tuck it inside the tube aligning its edge with the raw edge/side seam of the bag. I like it on the side of the zipper when it is completely closed, so I placed mine just above the seam on that side. (I made it stick out so you could see it.)

Straight stitch, using your Teflon* universal foot, down the right side of the bag using a ⅝” seam allowance. Remember to lock your seams. Unzip your zipper, and straight stitch down the left side. Again, lock your seams. Now, we’re ready to add gussets!

*If you do not have a Teflon foot for your machine, you can use a piece of cellophane gift wrap tape on the bottom side of your regular universal foot. Remember not to cover the area where the needle will penetrate the fabric. Keep that slit or hole free of tape so as to not gunk up your needle.

GUSSETS: Gussets increase the amount of useable space in a bag like this, and they are so simple to incorporate! There are several ways to do this. One way is to measure and mark as we did with the Zippered Pouch, and another it to create and use a template as such:

I wanted my gussets to be 3″ deep, so I measured a triangle from the corner of a piece of grid paper (any paper will do). I lined up the paper with the grid lines on my cutting board. When the measurement reached 3″ across the triangle’s base as shown above, I drew a line, and cut off the triangle. Of course, you’ll need to make sure the sides of this right triangle measure the same length too – hence, my grid. =) For you wonderful math people out there, just use the algorithm a² + b² = c^2.

Roll the side seam at the corner until the seam itself is centered in the triangle. Secure the template. Straight stitch across the long edge of the triangle. Lock the beginning and ending of this seam. Repeat this procedure on the other three corners.

You can trim the fabric triangles off leaving ¼” to ⅝” seam allowance, if you want to.

Turn the bag right sides out and admire your handiwork. Not only have you inserted a functional zipper, but you’ve made gussets as well! Good job!

SNAPS: The final step is to place your snaps (according to your snap setter … there are several different kinds) on the webbing to create a loop for holding or hanging the bag. Fold over the far end of the webbing by about an inch and affix the one side of the snap set. Then, fold that piece over toward the bag in order to place the other half of the snap set where you want it to be for a good fit.

Ta-Da!

You CAN Sew!

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December 5, 2011 at 10:00 PM 11 comments

No-Sew Fleece Blanket

No-Sew, Single Layer, Fleece Blanket

Here is a fantastic opportunity to make something without having to sew! This particular project is great for creative kids & adults who love to make things, and is often used as a “Project Linus” donation when completed.

All you need is 1½ yard of no-pill fleece (it won’t ravel or pill up), a ruler, a marking pen or pencil, a pair of sharp scissors, and about an hour of free time.

1^st – Remove the selvages off of the two sides.

^2nd – (Optional) Square off the end/edge where they cut it at the fabric store. They usually cut it unevenly.

Then, cut a 4” X 4” square out of each of the four corners. I have my fabric folded over so that I am cutting two layers (two corners) at once.

Now, use a pencil, evaporating fabric marker, or chalk to mark a line four inches above the raw edge, connecting the inner corners of the squares you just cut out. This line will be your “stopping point” with your scissors.

Yes, I am a little uneven here, but it will not be evident in the final product. This is such a forgiving project!

Next – Using a ruler for a guide, cut one inch strips (doesn’t have to be exact) up to the line you just made. My fabric is still folded over, so I am cutting two strips simultaneously.

Fold each strip all the way up to where it meets the body of the blanket, and snip a small section in the middle of each strip creating a hole.

Finally, grab the strip and push it back through the hole.

Tug lightly. Continue this all the way around the blanket. (It looks really nice if you only pull every other one [strip] through the hole from the top-side, and the remaining strips pull through the hole from the bottom-side.)

That’s all there is to it! Now, you have a finished blanket. These make great gifts, sporting event bench warmers, ministry donations, travel blankets, and more! You can even customize them by using favorite college team colors. Have fun!

Warmly,

Jen & Dee

***Click HERE for a PRINTABLE version (pdf)

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November 29, 2011 at 10:29 AM 5 comments

Shop Small – Small Business Saturday – SAVE $40!

Celebrate with us on 11/26/2011
Help support Small Business Success!

Dear Friends,

This November 26 is a big day for everyone at Modesty Matters. It’s the second annual Small Business Saturday®, when people across the country come out and shop to support their favorite small businesses.

For this special event, we will be offering our popular 12 week curriculum, “You CAN Sew!” for only $129, with FREE Shipping! That’s a $40 SAVINGS!

No prior skill set or knowledge of sewing is necessary for this course to be a successful addition to your day. All you need is a basic working sewing machine, a TV/DVD player, and this course. Adults and children can learn side-by-side. Don’t wait! Add this life-long skill set to your repertoire today!

Click HERE to take advantage of this offer and support small business success, or simply go to www.ModestyMatters.net to peruse our other great products.

Don’t forget to “Like” and recommend us on Facebook at facebook.com/YouCANSew.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Warmly,

Jen & Dee

November 25, 2011 at 8:33 PM Leave a comment

Creative Deviations

Hello! I am recovering from the flu, but found enough energy to post this “must see.” I have some fun creative deviations for you from last week’s project where we made the DIY Felt Gift Card Holder / Ornament that resembled a wrapped gift. Just look what else you can do using some felt, embroidery floss, ribbon, and a few of the same hand-stitches:

Creative Deviations

How about a cute Santa belt? Just slit a piece of black ribbon and thread the gold ribbon through it!

Keeping your skills sharp – Here is another example of the gift card holder featured above using a different shape:

Simply get one of your favorite little people and trace around their hand like a mitten. Use this drawing as a template.

The mitten and cuff (Cut 2).

Simple adornment: Wreath. (Cut 1)

Pin the wreath (looks like a large “o”) on the top layer of the mitten, secure it with a blanket stitch or a simple running stitch, and add French Knots to simulate holly berries. Then, use the blanket stitch to secure the two mitten shapes together. Be sure to leave the top open for the gift card by only blanket stitching through the top layer along the cuff.

Here it is!

Add some large dots for berries with a couple of leaf shapes and you have this sweet little holly berry mitten gift card holder:

Let’s go cuff-less!

I simply cannot forget the snowman! I just overlapped two paper circles, one smaller than the other, and taped them together. Then, I pinned them to the felt and cut around the perimeter. Again, just blanket stitching and French Knots!

Have fun with your own creative deviations! You CAN Sew!

Warmly,

Jen & Dee

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November 21, 2011 at 12:23 PM 3 comments

DIY Gift Card Holder

DIY Gift Card Holder/Ornament

Tutorial and BOGO Offer

We decided to bring our blog to you along with a special Black Friday BOGO offer! First, a fun tutorial the way we present them on the blog; and next, an unbeatable offer exclusively from Modesty Matters!

Sometimes finding the perfect gift for that special someone can be difficult. One thing that never gets old or goes out of style is gift cards. I know what you’re thinking….boring. Right? Not when you add some of your personalized handiwork to the presentation. You can make a very simple, yet touching (because you took the time to make it yourself with them in mind – scroll down to the bottom to see other great options) gift card holder that can double as an ornament or be re-used by the recipient to present a similar gift to another person. These are great for Christmas, Chanukah, birthdays, a thank you, a teacher appreciation gift, rewards – pretty much any occasion that calls for a gift. The options are limitless. Choose colors appropriate for the celebration, or the recipient’s favorite color.

Materials:

1-8½ X 11″ piece of felt for the main color

1-8½ X 11″ piece of felt for the accent color

Embroidery Floss

Embroidery Hand Sewing Needle

6-8 inches of ⅜” Grosgrain ribbon

Liquid Seam Sealant or a Lighter

Sharp Scissors

Pins

Instructions:

Cut two 3″ X 4″ rectangles from the main color.

Cut ½” wide strip the length of the piece of felt (using the longer side) from the accent color.

Place the strip vertically centered on one of the rectangles. Align the top edge of your rectangle with the top edge of the accent strip. Pin this piece in place. Trim off the excess.

Thread your embroidery needle with about 18 inches of all 6 strands of embroidery floss. (Embroidery floss is actually 6 strands of thread twisted together to make a thicker piece.) Knot off the end. Coming in from the under side, tack the middle of this vertical strip in place with a single stitch. Leave this as is – without knotting off the single stitch – while you place the left-over piece of felt from before.

Carefully make a knot with the left-over piece of felt. (Avoid pulling or tugging too hard on the felt as it may separate.) Place this knotted piece in the center horizontally and pin it in place (optional). I simply eyeballed the area that would be covered by this strip.

Back to the embroidery needle and thread: Creating a French Knot

Choose a random place to come up from the under side. Once you’ve pulled the thread through, hold the thread with your free hand, and use the needle to pull the floss, near the felt, towards you. Wrap the needle three times with the floss.

Now take the needle and insert it into the felt immediately next to the place where it came out of the felt. Use your free hand to keep the wrapped thread touching the felt as you pull the needle back through.

Pull the needle and the length of thread all of the way through while holding the wrapped thread. Gently pull until taught.

This is basically what your knot should look like from the top side.

Now, choose a few other random places to repeat this process until you are happy with the decoration you have created.

Now, we’re ready to secure the front piece that we’ve pinned and decorated to the back piece. Layer the two rectangles and re-insert the pins through all layers.

Back to the embroidery needle and thread: Creating a Blanket Stitch

The blanket stitch is often used to bind the edge of a piece of fabric that will not unravel, in a decorative fashion.

This time, separate the strands of embroidery floss so that you are only using two strands for this set of stitches. Knot off the end, and then insert the needle from the back side of the front rectangle about ¼ inch from the edge.

Pull the thread through to the knot and then insert the needle ¼ inch away vertically through both layers of felt.

Do not pull this all the way through. Leave a small loop. Take the needle and come up from the back side through that open loop and tighten.

Then, repeat this process all of the way around the piece.

Inserting the Grosgrain Ribbon: Before you reach the corner, seal the ends of your ribbon with either a quick pass of a lighter (which melts the fibers together) or with liquid seam sealant. Pin the ribbon between the layers, and incorporate it into your blanket stitch as just another layer to pierce with the needle.

REMEMBER TO ONLY STITCH THE DECORATIVE LAYER (not through both layers) ALONG THE TOP. (We need that opening in order to insert the gift card.)

Knot it off at the end, and try to conceal this knot between the layers.

You did it! Good work!

You CAN Sew!

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You CAN Sew: Gifts for Him

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You CAN Sew: Gifts for Her!

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Keep them both for yourself and make your gifts this year, or give the gift of skill by sharing one of your copies with a friend or loved one. Just add one of these two titles to your cart and we’ll automatically send you the other title for FREE! (This offer is valid NOW through November 25, 2011)

Do you ever struggle with what to get that special someone, or how to wrap it? Are you unsure of how to show them that you care without spending a small fortune? The solution is here! “You CAN Sew: Gifts for Him” and “You CAN Sew: Gifts for Her” offers many simple, do-able suggestions for handmade gifts from the heart. All you need is a sewing machine, thread, scissors, and some fabric, one or both of these reusable DVD sets, and you are on your way! These step-by-step DVD sets alone are also great gifts for loved ones who enjoy working with their hands.

“You CAN Sew: Gifts for Him” includes the following titles:

The Grill Apron

The Grill Mitt

A Handsome Gift Bag

A Handy Nail Apron

Leisure Pants (with a pocket)

“You CAN Sew: Gifts for Her” includes the following titles:

The Decorative Pillowcase

Drawer Sachet

Flattering Kitchen Apron

Drawstring Satchel

Gusseted Gift Bag with French Seams

When you really care about someone, you want them to feel loved. Showing them by using your skills to create something, with just them in mind, is a great place to begin. Just knowing that they were worth your time and energy is sure to please even the pickiest of folks! Get ready for the heartfelt, ear-to-ear grins you’ll be getting because You CAN Sew!

Warmly,

Jen & Dee

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November 14, 2011 at 10:09 PM 16 comments

DIY Snuggle Pet Bed

DIY Snuggle Pet Bed

You CAN Sew!

Isn’t Ginger adorable?!

It’s getting colder! Our beloved pets sometimes need help getting the extra warmth they need – especially puppies and kittens. We can just go put on a sweater or sweatshirt, but they are at our mercy. Giving them a special bed with a snuggle blanket affixed to it is an awesome way to provide for them. This will be their new favorite place when you are not available to love on them and keep them warm with your body heat. This is a very simple, yet effective and adorable, project. You CAN Sew!

You will need:

About a yard of no-pill fleece
Sharp Scissors
Matching thread
A Hand Sewing Needle
Sewing Machine
A Hem Ruler
Polyester Batting/Stuffing

Cut two pieces of fleece fabric 2 inches larger than you would like the finished project to be. For a large animal, your measurements will be vastly different than those for a small animal as pictured above. For a larger animal, add 3+ inches to the WIDTH of the smaller piece.

Cut one (1) more piece of fleece ⅔ the size of the first two pieces. So, you’ll have three (3) pieces total.

Sandwich the three layers, with the smaller piece in the middle of the two larger pieces. Keep the three sides (side–bottom–side) aligned with each other for all three pieces. (If you are making an XL sized bed, you’ll have to fold the middle piece at the base, making two pleats, in order to sew this sandwich together while keeping the edges aligned.)

For an XL bed, the middle (smaller) layer will look like this at the base:

So, the TOP | MIDDLE | BOTTOM sandwich looks like this for an XL size:

Straight stitch all the way around the edges of your project using a ⅝ inch seam allowance. Leave a 4 inch opening at the top (the side opposite the shorter piece of fleece) so we can turn the piece right sides out.

Now, turn the piece right sides out. We don’t have to worry about the unfinished edge of the shorter piece because fleece won’t unravel! This is what it should look like so far: