NeedleReads: Pajama Pants

Did you know that you can sew your own clothes at the library?

NeedleReads project:  Pajama Pants!
supplies:
fabric (at least 2-2.5 yards of quilting weight or flannel or fleece)
sewing machines
scissors
thread
pins
paper to trace the pattern onto

Book:

Weekend sewing : more than 40 projects and ideas for inspired stitching / Ross, Heather
We used the "Pajama Pants for Everyone" pattern by Heather Ross.

NeedleReads: Felt & Fleece Mittens

Making mittens from fleece and felt is quick and rewarding!

Supplies:
felted wool sweaters and/or fleece
old t-shirts (optional, for lining)

Books:
Sweater surgery : how to make new things from old sweaters / Girard, Stefanie
(mitten patterns, p. 40 & 42)

Felt : 30 fun projects for felt (and fabric) lovers / Carestio, Amanda
(mitten pattern, p. 94)

NeedleReads: Ombre Dyeing

Dyeing fabric dark at the bottom and fading to lighter at the top is trickier than it looks.

Project:  Ombre Dyeing

Supplies:  
dye (we used Rit liquid dye, two bottles per dye bath)
hot water
large containers to hold the dye (we used a trashcan, a storage tub and a plastic Halloween cauldron)
fabric items to dye
hangers
clothespins
clothes line
sturdy rubber gloves
garbage bags (to carry wet items home in, individually wrapped)

NeedleReads: T-shirt Scarves

Abandoned T-shirts find new life as cute scarves!

Sewing Project: T-shirt Scarves
Supplies:
T-shirts for cutting up
Scissors and/or rotary knives
cutting mats & rulers

Needle Felting at the library

Stabbing fuzzy things never felt so good!  (Sorry.  Terrible pun!)

NeedleReads AND Craft Lab this month featured:  Needle Felting!

Supplies:
wool roving
foam blocks
felting needles

Book:

I felt awesome : tips and tricks for 35+ needle-poked projects / Moxie

NeedleReads: Felt Jewelry

Warm and cozy wearables, perfect for January!

Sewing Project: Jewelry (and other accessories) from felted wool
Supplies:
felt sheets
felted wool balls
needles
beading thread and other thread
scissors
cutting mat and rotary cutter

Book:  


Feltique : techniques and projects for wet felting, needle felting, fulling, and working with commercial felt / Davidson, Nikola

NeedleReads: Quick Sew Gifts

Need a quick gift idea?

Here are some great books with easy, fast sewing projects:

Last-minute patchwork + quilted gifts / Hoverson, Joelle Bend the rules sewing : the essential guide to a whole new way to sew / Karol, Amy Simple sewing : patterns and how-to for 24 fresh and easy projects / Jansdotter, Lotta

NeedleReads: Infinity Scarves

Circle scarf, Infinity scarf, scarf-lace (as opposed to necklace).... call it what you want, this accessory is all the rage and is almost as easy to sew as it is to wear!

Sewing Project: Bias-Cut Infinity Scarves
Supplies:
fabric with a good drape (knits, crepes, etc.  anything soft and flowy will work well)
Cutting mats (the larger the better, best if they have the 45-degree angle line marked clearly)
rotary knives
large rulers
iron (somewhat optional)
this measurement guide  with options for short (headband size!), medium and long scarves

NeedleReads: Back-to-school with pencil bags

 Make a pencil bag you'll be happy to see each time you do your homework!

Project:  Zippered pencil bags
Supplies:
10" or longer zippers
fabric
grommets or extra large eyelets (get the "kit" that has the hammer-ready setting tools in it!)
(optional) clear plastic for a "window" in your bag
patterns/instructions:  here and here

NeedleReads: Snappy Bags

Snappy bags use a surprising material for the "snap" (hint:  you might have some in your toolbox).

Project:  Snappy Bags

Supplies:
fabric
thread
metal measuring tape
scissors (not your best ones, but not kid-scissors either)
duct tape
rotary knives and cutting mats (optional, but very handy!)

NeedleReads: Travel sewing kits

A little something to keep your craft supplies organized on roadtrips this summer.

Project:  Travel Sewing Kit

Supplies:

fabric (quilting weight or linen will work best)

scrap of quilt batting (or polar fleece or felt)

thread

Book:  Zakka Style edited by Rashida Coleman-Hale  (p. 22)

NeedleReads: scrappy cards

Your fabric scrap bin meets the U.S. mail!
Sewing Project: scrappy cards
Supplies:
blank notecards (or ugly ones you want to rejuvenate!)
fabric scraps
sewing machines



Book:  Denyse Schmidt Quilts by Denyse Schmidt

NeedleReads: Freezer Paper Stencil

Did you know you could mimic the look of screen printing with a few simple, inexpensive supplies?
Sewing Project: Freezer paper stencils
Supplies:
freezer paper
exacto knives
cutting mats
iron
paint
sponge brushes

Book:  Screen your Stuff by Marion Levy