Wow! I am giddy with excitement to be on Ucreate today. I am Tammy and I started blogging at She Wears Flowers to have a reason to work on the stuff I really want to do and avoid housework at all costs. I love to sew and craft and have enjoyed blogging as a way to keep a record of the things I make and provide a resource for others. Today I am going to share my turkey placemats with you. These are similar to the ones Pottery Barn sold several years ago. It’s a cute little turkey that has pocket feathers for the silverware and napkin. Perfect for children and fun for adults, too!

Supply List:  NOTE: Measurements are for one placemat.

• PATTERNS <—found here.
• thread – dark brown, light brown, red, orange, black, invisible (clear)
• fabric – (100% cotton fabric works best) multiple scraps for feathers, scraps for facial features, tan for body (6 x 12 inches), tan for wings (12 x 12 inches), fabric for backings (3/4 yard)
• low loft batting *1/4 yard double-sided paper-backed fusible webbing (Heat ‘N Bond Lite)
• lightweight iron-on stabilizer for applique (6 x 12 inches)
• straight pins

Instructions: Preparing your pattern and cutting the pieces Print out pattern pieces. Each page a small scale showing one inch so you can check to make sure the page is printing the right size. Be sure to chose “None” at the Page Scaling section. Cut the eyes, beak, wattle and body on the lines. Cut around the wings, feathers and center section so you can separate these pieces from each other. Put the backing pieces together by connecting the pages (tape them together) as you match the stars and letters together. It is a bit confusing, but very do-able! Start with the small backing piece which is only 2 pages. The large piece is made out of 4 pages. Tape together really well. Each backing piece is only half of the pattern. Fold your fabric in half (right sides together or wrong sides together) and place the side labeled “Place on fold” along the folded edge. Cut out the pattern piece and the fabric. Do this once for the small backing piece and 2 times for the large backing piece. This is what you should have when you are done cutting your backing pieces:

 Using your pattern pieces as a guide for the size, cut out fabric rectangles for the turkey body, beak, eyes, and wattle. Do not cut the shapes out of your fabric yet.Adhere the double-sided fusible webbing to the wrong side of the fabric pieces according to the manufacturer’s directions. Trace the pattern pieces onto the paper.Cut out the body parts and set aside.With right sides together of the wing fabric, cut out 2 wings at a time. Repeat so you have 4 wing pieces.Use the pattern pieces to cut out the feathers and center piece. It is very important to keep them in the right order with the top of each feather at the top and the left and right sides correct. You will cut the left feathers with the pattern piece facing up and then flip it horizontally (writing is facing down but the top of the piece is still at the top) to cut the right side feathers. I laid my feathers in order—from 1 to 3 which is from the bottom towards the center on each side–as I cut them out so they didn’t get mixed up. If you are cutting feathers for more than one placemat at a time, this gets a little confusing so be sure to match them up to the pattern pieces to check for correct order and placement.Cut a piece of batting in the rough shape of the large backing piece. It does not have to be exact, but be sure it is not smaller than the backing piece. Cut a piece of stabilizer a little larger than the turkey body. I just cut a rectangle and trimmed it when I was done. Some people do not use this because you are already using fusible webbing, but I swear by this step. It really helps a lot! Sewing the feathers Using 1/4 inch seams, sew the feathers together one at a time. I have found that it is easiest to flip the lowest feather over the next one (right sides together). Sew these two together.   Open the feathers you just sewed and place them back in order. Then flip them back up and “grab” the next feather the same way you did the first. Sew these two together. Do not worry about the points being longer on some feather than others. It all works out. This method seems a little uptight and crazy, but it is really easy to get the feathers all mixed up and then they don’t fit together properly. I have found that this is an easy way to get them sewn together the right way.When you get to the center feather/section (which really doesn’t show so it doesn’t matter what color your fabric is), you will need to sew it along the length to the preceding feather. Then the little point at the bottom left will be sewn to the protruding tip of the second left-side feather.Add the next feather (right side) by sewing it to the length of the center section. Sew the center right side feather to the previous one and then sew the protruding tip of this feather to the little edge of the center section. This sounds a little confusing, but it makes sense as you are sewing. The whole thing fits together like a little puzzle. When your feathers are sewn, the bottom center of each side will be open. Lay one side over the other. This will not show. You could also sew these sections together in the center, but it really won’t matter. Iron the seams open and clip if necessary. It tends to get a little thick where the points meet and clipping will help everything to lay flat. Sew the wings Put two wing pieces sections together with right sides together. Sew along two sides according to the pattern piece. Clip the curves. Clip the corners off and trim the seam allowance to 1/8 inch. (The clipping is still there, it is just hard to see.)Turn right sides out and iron flat. Sewing the body and wings onto the feathers Iron stabilizer on the back (wrong) side of the feather section.Remove paper from the body section. Center body section on the feathers. Tuck the wings in place along the sides of the body. (Yep, I forgot and had to pick out the applique stitching hence the reason there is no picture of it-sorry!) Be sure to leave 1/4 inch of the center feather section exposed around the head. Iron body and wings to the feather section following the manufacturer’s directions on the fusible webbing. You may need to pin the wings in place since there is no webbing under them.Change your stitch setting to a zig zag stitch. The length should be a very small number—almost O—and the stitch width will be 2 or 3. You will applique using a satin stitch which is basically a very close together zig zag stitch.

Iron on the eyes, beak and wattle to the body section. Be sure to tuck the wattle slightly underneath the beak and be sure it is at least 1/4 inch  away from any edges. Applique in place in the same manner as the body section using matching thread for each piece.

Sewing the small backing to the feather section Lay the small backing piece over the turkey/feathers with right sides together. My backing fabric is the same on both sides so it is tricky to see. Be sure to tuck the wings to the inside so they stay out of your way. Pin in place so it doesn’t move around while you sew it.

Leave a large opening at the bottom for turning.Sew using 1/4 inch seams and be sure to sew around the applique stitch when you are sewing around the head. Sew with the backing side down so you can see where you are going as you sew.Also be sure that you pivot around the curves at the seam lines. (I forgot about this and had to go back and fix it which is why you can see an extra stitching line in some of my pictures. ) Clip a V shape out of the inside of each set of curves. This will help it lay smooth when it is turned right side out.Turn right side out and iron flat. Sewing turkey to large backing Make a “sandwich” with the turkey section/batting and the backing sections. The turkey section will go face up on one large backing section. (Wrong side of turkey on top of right side of large backing piece.) Place the second large backing section on top of this part with the right sides together. Lay batting on top of the whole thing. Check to make sure the edges are lined up carefully especially at the bottom. Trim as necessary.Carefully flip the whole thing over so that the batting is on the bottom. Pin together.Using a 3/8 inch seam along the bottom and a 1/4 inch seam everywhere else, sew along the edges leaving the bottom edge between the two arrows open. (The opening is basically the body section if that helps.) Measure the 1/4 inch seam from the edge of the fabric–disregard the batting.

Trim the batting even with the edges of the fabric. Clip the spaces between the “feathers” as you did before.

Carefully turn the turkey right side out bringing the turkey and pockets section out and leaving the batting inside. The turkey section will be hanging. Just pat it all down in place on top of the large backing sections. Iron the large backing section smooth. Turn the edges from the bottom opening 3/8 inch towards the inside and iron in place. The turkey body part will be stiff and thick from the webbings.Sew the bottom opening closed by hand. I used invisible (clear) thread since the top layer is light colored and the bottom layer is dark. Otherwise, I probably would have taken the easy path and sewn it on the machine!Sew lines from the middle of each “feather” on the large backing piece down to the turkey body. The lines on the center section will only go to the top of the head, but be sure to catch the head/center feather section in your stitch. I sewed over that tiny part several times to reinforce the stitch since this is all that is holding the pocket down on that section.

Sew lines from the edge of the large backing sections to the turkey body for the rest of the feather sections. You will stitch in the seams of the multicolored feathers which are sewn together (stitch in the ditch). Be sure to flip each wing towards the body to be able to sew as close to the body as you can.

Now, stuff the pockets with silverware, napkins, treats or trinkets and go enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner!

The post Turkey Placemat Tutorial appeared first on U Create.

Since the Sewing Sheets for Kids – Part One was so popular…I decided to create a part two set!!

Triangles and chevron patterns are great practice for doing corners and pivoting the machine. The circles are great practice for appliqué and controlling the foot.

My daughters have so much fun with these printables and I love teaching them new techniques!

Click the following links for the downloads…

DOWNLOAD: PRACTICE SEWING SHEETS

POST BY: Kari Sweeten

The post Sewing Sheets for Kids – PART TWO! appeared first on U Create.

You’ll find comfortable masks in all styles and sizes!

Have you tried a mask pattern that you absolutely love? Do you have a favorite fabric you use that is more breathable?

Please share your tips and tricks in the comments below. Thanks!

The post 10 Comfortable Mask Tutorials appeared first on U Create.

These shapes are great for practicing straight lines and pivoting around corners.

These sewing sheets consist of a star, heart and a swirl.

My daughter had so much fun doing the dot-to-dots on her sewing machine! Here’s a picture of her practice sheets and I have to say she did a pretty great job!

This is such a fun way to get kids into sewing!!

Simply print out on cardstock.

Get your printables at the following links…

FREE DOWNLOAD: SEWING PRACTICE SHEETS

Enjoy!!

These sheets were such a hit that I created a Part Two Version of the Sewing Sheets!

Post By: Kari Sweeten

The post Sewing Sheets for Kids appeared first on U Create.

C. With the wrong sides facing out, pin the exterior A pieces together. Stitch ½” seams along the sides and bottom.

D. Match the side seam line with the bottom seam line at one of the corners. Pin in place and stitch a ½” seam. Repeat on the other corner.

E. Trim the seam allowances at the corners about half way to reduce bulk. Turn the bag exterior right side out and set aside for now.

Step 4: The Lining
A. Align the 2 pocket B pieces with the wrong sides facing out and pin. Stitch 1/2” seams along the four sides, leaving a 2” opening (approximate) on one side for turning.

B. Clip the corners to reduce bulk. Turn the pocket right side out and press. Stitch a ¼” seam along 1 long edge. This will be the top of your pocket.

C. Pin the pocket to the right side of one of the lining A pieces. Place it 7” down from the top edge and centered between the sides. Remember that the stitched edge is the top of the pocket. Stitch 1/8” seams along the sides and bottom (you will close the opening along the way).

D. Following the manufacturer’s directions, attach ½ of the magnetic snap to the lining piece A. Place it 1.25” down from the top edge and centered between the sides. TIP: For added reinforcement, place a square of fabric that is slightly larger than the snap on the back of the snap on the wrong side of the fabric. I like to use canvas or felt. Attach the other half of the snap to the other lining piece A.

E. Align the lining A pieces with the WRONG sides facing OUT. Pin in place. Stitch ½” seams along the sides and bottom. Leave a 5” (approximate) opening on 1 side for turning.

F. Create the bottom corners the same way you made the exterior bag corners (see step 3-D).

Step 5: Finishing
A. Place the exterior bag inside the lining (with the lining inside out and the exterior right side out). Pin around the top edge. Stitch a ½” seam.

B. Reach through the opening in the lining and pull the exterior of the bag through. The lining will now be right side out. Slip the plastic canvas through the opening and place it in the bottom of the bag.

C. Fold the raw edges of the opening in the lining in and pin. Stitch a ¼” seam.

D. Push the lining into the bag exerior. Topstitch around the opening.

E. Admire your work!
TIP: Try adding embellishments such as bows, buttons, fabric flowers, doilies, etc.

The post Messenger Bag Tutorial appeared first on U Create.

Recently my siblings and I planned a big family vacation to Disneyland.  

For this trip I made my girls and nieces some adorable Princess Peasant Dresses.  I wanted to make the dresses so that they could wear them to Disneyland and be comfortable.  Also, I didn’t want to spend a ton of money on a dress that might potentially end up with pop, cotton candy and other amusement park goodies imbedded into every crease. 

I headed to the fabric store and bought my VERY FIRST PATTERN: Simplicity 2377.  Why the pattern?  I was about to make 8 dresses ranging from size 4 to size 8.  I wanted to have a base pattern for each size so I didn’t have to spend all my time measuring the girls and figuring out sizing.  Basically, the pattern was the easy way to go…this time.  And it made my mom so proud that I was sewing “old school.”

Instructions: 

I traced all the sizes I needed on to tissue paper and cut them all out.

I washed, dried, and ironed all the fabric. After reading the pattern instructions a couple of times, I got busy sewing!

Cinderella:

For the Cinderella dress, I made the bodice and skirt according to the instructions in the pattern.  However, before I gathered the skirt and connected it to the bodice, I cut rectangular shapes that would wrap around my 4-year-old’s waist.  I serged and hemmed the raw edges and sewed them to the skirt.  Then I gathered the top of the skirt and connected it to the bodice per pattern instructions.

Tinkerbell:

For the Tinkerbell dress, I made the bodice and skirt according to pattern instructions.  Then I made a leaf pattern and cut 6 large leaves.  I serged and hemmed the edges and sewed them to the skirt then created the gathers.  I sewed both the bodice and the skirt together and attached a thick white grosgrain ribbon around the waist for a tie.  Burn the edges of the ribbon in order to prevent fraying.

Snow White:

For the Snow White dress I followed the pattern, but before I assembled the sleeves I sewed strips of red satin ribbon on them.  I did everything else according to the pattern.  I sewed some red satin ribbon around the waist as a tie (like the Tinkerbell dress) and burned the ends to prevent fraying. 

Rapunzel {Tangled}:

The Rapunzel dress was the most time consuming, but it was not hard to make.  I took the front bodice piece of the pattern and cut it into three pieces by folding it in half and cutting a 4 inch wide piece out of the middle {#2 in the picture below}.  I did the same thing with the skirt, but added a 10 inch wide piece in the middle.  Because you eventually gather the skirt, this piece had to be bigger. {FYI: When you add pieces to a pattern make sure to add seam allowances to those pieces.}

Once I had all the pieces cut and ready to create the dress, I added the gold ribbon x’s to the middle bodice piece first.  Start the gold x’s 1.5” from the top so you have plenty of room for the elastic casing of the neck.  I sewed the gold ribbon down using clear thread then I sewed the two small purple pieces to the middle pink piece creating the front bodice.  I did the same thing with the skirt front and then sewed the rest of the dress together using the pattern instructions.  It sounds more complicated than it really is…I promise!

I was just as happy as my daughters and nieces were with the finished product! It was great fun to sew such easy and adorable dresses.

After making 8 dresses with the same pattern, I learned 2 things:

1. I actually didn’t hate following a pattern.

2.  Just because you follow a specific pattern does not mean you can’t make it your own!

Do you use a pattern when you sew or do you just wing it?

NEW! Part Two of the Princess Peasant Dresses!

The post DIY Princess Peasant Dresses appeared first on U Create.

Supply List:

-3 fat quarters

-12 inch zipper

-medium fusible interfacing

–Extra Large Eyelet Kit

-8.5 x 5 inches clear vinyl fabric

-Other sewing essentials (iron, machine, thread, etc.)Step #1: Cutting the fabric

Front of pouch –

• 10.5″ x 3″ top strip
• 10.25″ x 1.5″ interfacing
• 2″ x 5.25″ cut 2 for side strips
• 1″ x 5″ interfacing
• 10.5″ x 1.25″ bottom strip
• 10.25″ x 1″ interfacing

Back of pouch –

• 10.5″ x 10″ Cut 2 pieces…I did one from the scientific equations and one from the periodic table fabric.
• 10.25″ x 9.75″ interfacing

Step #2: Assemble front of the pouch

• Fold the side pieces in half so they are now an inch wide; slip the interfacing inside and iron. Do that on both sides.
• Fold the top piece in half so it is 1.5″ and iron interfacing inside.
• Iron the corresponding  interfacing to the back of bottom strip.

Step #3:  Sewing the front of the pouch

• Sew the side strips first.  You are going to sew the fold of the side strips to the short sides of the clear vinyl.
• Next, sew the top strip to the top of the clear vinyl; again you will sew the fold to the vinyl.  All raw edges are away from the middle.
• Last, sew the bottom strip to the bottom of the clear vinyl.

Step #4: Sewing the Zipper

Place the zipper face down on the front of the pouch…making it flush with the top, pin in place and sew close to the teeth.Flip the zipper face up and carefully iron the fabric down…(don’t get the clear vinyl with the iron; it stinks and makes a mess…so I’ve heard).
Top stitch (1/8″ stitch) over the fabric and zipper.  This not only keeps everything in place, but just looks nice and professional.Yeah! The front is finished…well, almost.  It needs to be “squared up” (as my mom would say).  This just means make it a perfect rectangle (or square) again.  Take your ruler and cutting wheel and make the front of the pouch 8″ x 10″ (include the zipper). Cut off the excess fabric except for the zipper.  I cut the zipper to size right before I sew it…that way it can’t really fall apart.Step #5:  Sewing the back pieces to the front.

First, decide what fabric you want to be the inside of the pouch. I choose the periodic table fabric.
Grab your back pieces and iron the interfacing to the side that will be the inside of the completed binder pouch.  It’s helpful to iron the interfacing BETWEEN the two back pieces.  This just helps hold the piece without the interfacing to the other one.
Next, place the two back pieces on the front of the completed front piece.  Make sure the side you want showing through the pouch is facing you and the back is facing the front of the pouch.  Line up the top of the back pieces with the top of the zipper and pin in place.  Stitch it in place close to the zipper teeth…it’s about a 1/2 seam.  Then zigzag stitch/serge the raw edge to keep it from fraying. Fold it over revealing the zipper and topstitch like you did to the other side above. 

Once the zipper is completed, slide the zipper in about 2 inches (so unzip about 2 inches). However, you are going to pin the zipper teeth together pretending the zipper is still completely done up.  We just want to be able to cut the excess of the zipper off without chopping off the zipper head. Flip the back piece back on top of the front of the pouch (so the fabric that will be on the inside will be facing you…again.).  Pin around the sides and bottom.  Using 1/4″ seam allowance and starting at the top of the left side, stitch the sides and bottom. NOTE: Make sure to backstitch at both ends of the zipper.  Zigzag stitch as well to keep those raw edges clean and tidy.
Step #6: Finishing up

Open the zipper all the way up (this was tricky because it’s the back of the zipper) and pull the entire pouch right side out.  Looks good so far.  You kind of have to play with the corners to get them to lay flat, but I just used a pen and push the corners out.  Topstitch all the way around the entire pouch and the top of the bottom strip. (see the arrow above)Step #7: Adding the Eyelets

Lay a ruler at the end of the pouch where the holes will go.

Make a mark at 1/2″, 4.25″, and 9″.  This is where the eyelets will go. Or if you have something other than a standard 3 ring binder, measure where the holes go first.

Cut holes where your marks are and follow the instructions on the eyelet packaging.  
Now you’re done!  I plan to make more because it was so easy and fun.  Wouldn’t it be fun to make a bunch with leftover fabric and donate them.If you make this project I would love to see a picture.  Feel free to post it to our Facebook page or tag us on Instagram @ucreateblog.

Also, please I would love to see what everyone makes with my fabric…if you use my novelty science fabric please tag me @beckymariedesigns and use #iloverileyblake.

The post How to Make a Binder Pouch appeared first on U Create.

Hi U Create fans!  I’m super honored to be here today.  Kari always seems to round up the most fun sewing projects from around blog land.

I’m Anna, my blog is noodlehead, I’ve got two little girls, am a working mama, and am trying to find the balance between my hobby, my job, and my family.  I’ve got lots of tutorials and even a few patterns if you want to stop by and check them out!

Red Heart Pillow Tutorial

Lately, I really have been enjoying collecting vintage kitchenware, so this pillow is inspired by a vintage enamel bowl designed by Kaj Franck.  Valentine’s day is one of my favorites, so here we go!

Materials:

20″x 20″ pillow form

2/3 yard white fabric (for background)

20.5″ by 20.5″ muslin for lining (optional)

20.5″ by 20.5″ piece for back of pillow

fat quarter (18×22) for heart

18″ invisible zipper, I just shortened a 20″ zip  ** if you don’t want to try an invisible zip, you can do a simple envelope closure

thread

templates: white background, red heart

Directions:
Cut out pieces, you’ll need two of the half-heart shaped pattern pieces and two of the white background pieces.  I would err on leaving plenty of wiggle room on the white pieces, then after completing the heart, just trim down to 20.5″ by 20.5″. You’ll also need to cut two additional pieces 20.5″ by 20.5″.  One is the pillow back the other you can use muslin, it’ll line the font of the pillow and hide the heart seams and make it sturdy and durable for washing, etc.

Ready for the curves?
Don’t be scared. Watch this video for piercing the heart.

Sorry, both parts I say wrong sides facing, guess I was nervous, it’s supposed to be right sides facing! 

Once you complete both halves of the heart, you’ll have to pieces like this (they’ll be mirrored though, obviously, to complete the heart shape):

Press all seams towards red part of the heart.  I like to use a little spray starch to make things nice and crisp.

Trim heart halves, making sure you have room for the 1/4″ seam allowance.

Place RIGHT sides facing and sew together.

Press center seam open.

Install the zipper:
(You might also want to check out this invisible zipper tutorial too, it’s how I learned to install one.)
I really recommend an invisible zipper foot, they should be relatively inexpensive (between $2-8), but you can also use a regular zipper foot.  Press the zipper if you’re using a zipper foot, it’ll let you get close to the zipper teeth.

Align the edge of the zipper tape with the serged edge of the bottom of the pillow front, zipper open, zipper teeth, and zipper pull facing down.  Sew close to zipper teeth.

Align remaining zipper tape edge with serged edge of bottom of the pillow back.  Sew close to zipper teeth.

Place pillow front and back RIGHT sides facing, pin, being sure to pull out the zipper tape ends (those zig zaggy things) and pin them out of the way.  Be sure to open the zipper at least half-way at this point otherwise you won’t be able to open it up!

Sew starting at the point where you stopped sewing the zipper using a 1/2″ seam allowance all the way around, ending where the other side of the zipper had been sewn.

I like to taper in the corners to more of a 5/8″ seam allowance, it gives the pillow and nice shape and the corners look nicer.

Using a pinking shears, clip the corners.  Turn right side out, insert pillow form.

Thanks, Kari for having me!

The post Red Heart Pillow Tutorial appeared first on U Create.

I’m creating a Valentine table runner and during my search I found many free valentine quilt patterns that I wanted to compile in one place!

You’ll find many different techniques, colors, and sizes — all with a Valentine flare!

Create this pixel heart quilt by using your scrap stash or Valentine-themed fabric!

How adorable are these valentine envelopes onto a quilt?

Love these pretty fabric choices…

How beautiful are these heart blocks?

Love the simplicity of this heart quilt…

This quilt reminds me of those construction paper hearts we used to weave in elementary school. So cute!

Lovin’ this beautiful log cabin quilt … heart style!

Check out this beautiful heart quilt using long strips of fabric…

Awesome quilt for a beginner using large pieces!

Add some fun edging and ric rac…

Make a giant heart for a modern quilt. Love the pillow, too!

BONUS: This free heart pattern at Robert Kaufman will be available in March 2019!

I hope this inspires you to create something “love”-ly this Valentine season!

Huge thank you to all of these designers for sharing their creative talent!

The post Free Valentine Quilt Patterns appeared first on U Create.

The first thing you’ll want to do is measure the size of the throw pillow you’re making a cover for.

Once you have your measurements you will want to add one inch to the length and the width. For example if I have a pillow that is 27″x27″ I will want to cut my FRONT piece 28″ x28″. If I have a pillow that is 6″ x 12″ I would cut my front piece 7″ x 13″.For your BACK pieces (depending on how much you want the flap in the back to overlap) you will want want the height to be the same measurement (so 28″ in example). For the width, both pieces need to add up to be more than 28″ (or height) when sewn together.

Once you have your three pieces of fabric ready, you are ready to sew!

1. Grab one of the BACK pieces and fold & iron 1/2 inch down on one of the 28” sides.

2. Fold over another 1/2 inch and iron down.

3. Pin your iron fold to make it secure.

4. Sew a 1/4” inseam down the side.

Repeat steps 1-4 on the other back piece.

Next you will lay your back piece right side or also called patterned side facing up on your table.

Then you will lay your back pieces right side facing down like the picture above.

Pin all 4 outer sides and sew a 1/4” inseam on all 4 outer sides.

Flip right side out and stuff with your pillow and you’re finished!!

Other pillows I’ve used this tutorial with…

Interested in making more throw pillows? Click here for the tutorials!

Post By: Kari Sweeten

The post The 10 Minute Throw Pillow Cover appeared first on U Create.