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He shall be dubbed "cutethulhu" and his soulmate is almost finished too! Another incredible pattern by Choly Knight! #cuddlycthulu #cthulhu #cutethulhu #sewdesunepattern #sewdesune #freesewingpattern #plush #plushy #minky #minkyfabric #sewing #stuffy #sewinglove #sewingdiy

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Occasionally friends, family, and even strangers will commission me to create projects for them.

These projects are always exciting! They force me to tackle projects I normally would not consider doing. Challenging myself with drafting a new pattern, in time constraints, and with the clients chosen fabrics keeps me sharp and always learning.

This project happened to combine two things I love dearly: Music and Sewing.

The request was a fabric amp cover! The need for it arose because of course, a friends kitty minion was using the amp as a scratching post. And being a tube amp, keeping dust out of it is very important. So the amp cover would tackle both requirements.

The request was as follows:

It must be thick enough to stop the cat from wrecking the amp further.

The handle on top needs to be accessible so that the amp can be moved without removing the cover.

The front needs to have a flap that can open and close but remains sealed when not in use.

It needs to be designed from second-hand measurements. No seeing the amp in person.

We chose the fabric from my stash and I got designing it. My friend was lovely enough to give me an easy timeline and was totally open to my design.

We decided to seal both flaps with velcro to keep them closed. I had some issues with the first attempt to put velcro on. It was self-sticking velcro, and stuck on incredibly well, to the point that I couldn’t even sew through it by hand or machine. But, of course, the next day when I went to give it to her, the velcro just fell off. So she acquired some new sew on velcro, and I attached it with no problem. We also decided to close the front flap permanently.

Amp without cover

Amp with cover

Amp with handle cover open

All in all, I’m very happy with it. The client was as well, and that is what matters. It was a lovely break to sew something so geometric!

I would be happy to write up a recipe style pattern for creating your own fabric amp cover. If you are interested, comment below!

Fabric Amp Cover Occasionally friends, family, and even strangers will commission me to create projects for them. These projects are always exciting!

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Even worse if you have pets!

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Undershirts, specifically spaghetti strap tank tops, are something my wardrobe severely lacks!

They have been on my sewing to-do list for a few weeks now. I’ve been working on completing a few of them. I’ve made all the shirts, but I hit a snag when it came to making the typical thin spaghetti style strap I was aiming for.

I had no idea how to make a spaghetti strap!

My usual techniques for turning the fabric tube weren’t working. The tube was too tiny, the fabric too stretchy, and the tools I was using for turning were too large. So, after a few failed attempts at trying to turn them, I remembered a technique that I had seen before in a lingerie sewing book. I figured I should give that a try.

Well, friends… It worked PERFECTLY! This will be added to my sewing arsenal immediately. This is a technique I will end up using a lot.

So what do you need to create a simple, tiny, knit fabric tube?

A sewing machine that can make an adjustable zig-zag stitch.

A tapestry needle

Durable thread

Fabric in the desired length of the tube

That’s it. Simple, huh?

Now, let me show you how to make spaghetti straps!

To start with, we need to determine the length of your strap.

This will also be the length of your tube. You can be exact and measure an existing strap or drape a string over your shoulder while looking in the mirror and mark and measure. Or, you can do what I do and just roughly toss a piece of fabric over your shoulder and see if it sort of covers the desired length. (Organized chaos, all day, every day!)

Whichever method you choose, make sure to add 2-3 inches to the desired measurement. This will account for your seam allowance when sewing it to your shirt. You can always cut some length off, but it’s a huge pain in the butt to add more length.

Now, you’re going to cut 2 strips of fabric 1.5″ wide. Take these strips and lightly stretch them out lengthwise. Doing this prevents the tube from stretching too much when they’re in use. There will still be some give though because of the stretch fabric.

Next, decide on exactly how wide you would like your strap to be.

We’re talking spaghetti straps here, but you can make them more like linguini straps or angel hair straps if you wish. Fold your strip in half width-wise and with right sides together. Set your machine to a thin and short zig-zag stitch and sew along the length 1/4″ to 1/2″ away from the folded edge. How far away from the folded edge you sew is how wide your tube will be.

After sewing, we will need to trim off the remaining fabric.

Cut the fabric as close to the sewn line as you can. The closer you get, the better. If there is too much extra fabric it will be impossible to turn it. Be extremely careful not to cut the sewing or your tube can unravel.

Take a tapestry needle that every sewer seems to have. The duller they are on both ends, the easier this will be. Cut a length sewing thread 2 feet long and double it up on itself. Treat these two threads as one moving forward. Thread your needle and tie both ends together into a knot so you have a continuous loop. The needle will be securely knotted in it.

Take the tapestry needle and poke it through your tube near the top of it.

Don’t pull the thread all the way though, instead guide the needle in between the two threads through the loop that was created and pull tight so that it loops the edge of the fabric.

Guide your needle in backward, with the non-pointy side and guide it through the tube.

Be careful not to poke through the fabric. As you’re threading it through, you may need to gently ease the fabric initially when starting to turn the tube. Once the tube starts turning the process will go smoothly. below.

Keep pulling the needle and thread through by the dull side of the needle until it exits the other side. Pull your tube through. Cut the thread and iron your tube if desired. You may want to sew over both ends of the tubes to clean them up. I left mine raw, as they’ll be sewn to the inside of a tank top.

You now have a beautiful, skinny, knit tube!

The same method will work for non-stretch fabrics, as well as larger tubes. It’s a great method to make any sort of tube.

You can use these for straps for dresses,  button loops, those adorable strappy bras, and tanks.

  I’d love to see what you make with these! What pattern will you use them in?

  How to make spaghetti straps in knit fabric Undershirts, specifically spaghetti strap tank tops, are something my wardrobe severely lacks! They have been on my sewing to-do list for a few weeks now.

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Check out my most recent blog post to find out how!

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Get a custom drafted dress form for $24!!

Dress Form Reviews and Round Ups

Since starting to sew clothing, I’ve realized my need for a dress form. Trying to properly fit clothes by yourself can be a strange procedure.

I’m truly convinced that the only people who are able to do a full fitting on themselves are contortionists! Trying to insert pins in a straight line while grasping a 1/4 of fabric on a back dart? Yeah right! You bend down to mark a hemline and you find…

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Say hello to my little friends! #sewdesune #sewdesunepattern #diy #plushy #cholyknight #handmade #memade #freesewingpattern #freesewing #freepattern

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Dress form I made!

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15-Minute Plastic Bag Holder

Most people have a stash of plastic bags hiding somewhere in their house.

They take up drawers and cupboards. You can find them hiding in closets and car trunks. Unfortunately, some cities are no longer taking them in curbside recycling. Ugh. There are definitely issues when it comes to storage and disposal of them.

Despite being an avid sewer, I often forget my reusable bags at home. I don’t drive, so I haven’t found a convenient place to store sewn bags while on the go. (Hmmmmm, new project?) Unfortunately, at this moment, the plastic bags keep following me home.

I have tried a few different storage methods: Folding into triangles… Who has time for that? Wet wipes containers… They get stuck! Shoving them in a drawer… Quick and easy, but oh so messy.

One Spring cleaning day, I thought back to a fabric bag dispenser that my mother had when I was a child. This was a common thing in the crafty 1990’s… because IT WORKED! I quickly whipped a few of them up, and I’ve been using them ever since.

So I’m sharing a pattern that I designed: It’s called “The 15-minute plastic bag holder.”

It’s a great starter project for new sewers. It takes no more than 15 minutes to put together. The total cost of materials are extremely inexpensive if you have basic sewing items! I only paid $5.00 for the fabric and other items. It’s also a great way to use all of those gorgeous quilting cotton fat quarter precuts that are oh so hard not to buy. And finally, the best part is: You can put it together with a glue gun if you’re not a sewer! Just follow the instructions and glue the sew lines!!

Also, it’s free… Cause trying to organize plastic bags sucks!

15-Minute Plastic Bag Holder – Free Sewing Pattern Tutorial

MATERIALS:

1 piece of quilting cotton – cut into a Fat Quarter

1 piece of 1/4″ elastic – cut into an 8″ length

1 piece of ribbon – cut into an 8″ length

1 bodkin or safety pin for threading elastic

Cotton thread in a colour that matches your fabric

Sewing pins

An iron

Sewing needle for hand sewing (optional)

Scissors

Materials for Plastic Bag Holder

INSTRUCTIONS:

A few things to remember before starting:

When starting and finishing sewing, make sure to backstitch 2-3 stitches to secure your new line before continuing.

Do not sew over your pins! It can mess up your machine or break a needle. Bad news!

Preheat your iron.

If you are using a glue gun instead of a sewing machine, just follow the instructions as normal and replace the sewing lines with glue lines. Easy!

To start with, look at your Fat Quarter and decide which side of the fabric is the top and bottom. This is especially important if there’s a design or pattern that has a visible up and down! Lay it out on an iron safe surface with the wrong side facing up.

On both the top and bottom of the fabric, fold the fabric over 1/2″ and iron, then fold that over  1/2″ and iron again. The top will fold down and bottom will fold up. See the photo below for an example.

With the top edge still folded over twice, sew across the fabric, as close to the edge of the fold as you are comfortable. This is just tacking down the fold on the top and keeping the edge pretty.

Now you are going to create a loop to hang your bag from. Take the ribbon and fold it in half. Pin it along the top edge that you have just sewn, about 2″ from the raw edge of the fabric. Make sure to fold the bottom of the ribbon under to prevent fraying. See the photo below for an example.

Sew the ribbon loop down with a rectangle. This rectangle should be sewn close to the top edge of the fold, otherwise, the bag will hang weird. Also, make sure that the stitching catches the bottom layer of the folded ribbon. If not the ribbon may fray. And that is just a pain in the ass!

Next, unfold the bottom edge. The crease that we ironed will still be there. We will end up folding it back up later.

Fold the two side edges together, with right sides together. Sew close to the edge of the fabric, about 1/2″ away from the raw edge. See the picture below for an example! Do not sew over the ribbon loop. 

Now that the side is sewn, you will be working with a tube. You’re going to start working on the bottom where the elastic will be inserted.

Fold the bottom edge back up the same way it was originally folded along the ironed crease. Fold up 1/2″ and then fold that up 1/2″ again.

With two pines, you will mark a 3″ gap with sewing pins on any side of the tube. This will indicate where to start and finish sewing.  See the photo below for an example.

Sew close to the edge, just like you did at the top. Starting at the first pin, you will sew all the way around the tube and stop right before the second pin. This will leave a gap at the top that will allow you to thread the elastic through.

*DON’T SEW THROUGH BOTH LAYERS OF THE TUBE. SEW AROUND THE TUBE.*  

Now that you have a tube to thread your elastic through, attach your bodkin or safety pin to your elastic. Starting at the gap, thread it all the way around the bottom edge. The elastic is much smaller than the tube so you will need to hold the loose end and scrunch the fabric around it to get it all the way through. See the photo below.

When the elastic is threaded and both ends are able to held, remove the bodkin or safety pin. Pin the elastic together with one edge on top of the other. This creates a loop that is hidden inside the fabric tube.

Sew the ends together with a rectangle. This can be done either with a sewing machine or by hand. Regardless, make sure everything is stitched together securely! This part of the bag will get alot of repeated stress on it.

The elastic is now a continuous loop. You are going to have to finish sewing closed the gap on the elastic casing. Stretch the gap out, and lay it as flat as you can. Sew the fold to the fabric close to the edge like you did before. Be very careful not to sew over the elastic! The elastic should be loose in the tube you created. Again, see the photos below.

  Your sewing is all finished! Make sure to trim any loose threads that are hanging out. You can also iron the bag if there are creases in the fabric.

Now turn your new plastic bag holder right side out and admire your hard work.

I hope you enjoyed my first tutorial!

It’s a very easy beginner sewing project. It’s quick, inexpensive, and useful. Make one for your mom, she’ll love it!

If you have any feedback or have any difficulty with the project, leave a comment or message me. I will be available on this site or on social media. I’ll be happy to help out with any questions!

Do you have a favourite household sewing project? Have you made something useful to help you organize your house? I’d love to see some new patterns! Let me know below.

The 15-minute Plastic Bag Holder – Free Sewing Pattern Tutorial Most people have a stash of plastic bags hiding somewhere in their house. They take up drawers and cupboards.

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Another project sneak peek!

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Finishing a lace overlay is easier than I thought!