Tutorial and Pattern: Tea Towel Hat

 

 

I made a new hat pattern and created this version out of a super cute vintage tea towel with various songbirds on it. Obviously, there is no need to use a tea towel, any old fabric will do, but the pattern does cut out with very little waste from a standard sized tea towel and if you use a medium to heavy weight linen one it has just enough stiffness to make the hat hold it's shape well.

Here's how to make your own:

Cut out the pieces using the pattern embedded at the bottom of this post. Use  a fabric that is a bit lighter weight for the lining. Seam allowance for all seams is the width of the presser foot.

Place the two brim pieces right sides together and sew up the side seams. Place the two crown pieces right sides together and sew up the side seams. Press seams flat and turn. Repeat the process with the lining pieces.

Insert the crown inside the brim as shown in the illustration. Pin and sew together with one continuous seam. Repeat process with lining pieces.

Pin the top of the hat to the crown. Sew together. Repeat with the lining, except leave a 3 inch gap in the seam (be sure to back stitch at beginning and end because you will be turning the whole hat through this opening which will cause the seam to unravel if you don't back stitch). 

Placing the right sides together (lining should be inside out and the hat right side out) fit the hat inside the lining. Pin all the way around the brim. Sew the lining brim to the hat brim with one continuous seam.

Turn the hat right side out through the gap you left in the lining. Stuff the lining inside the hat. Press carefully. If you want, you can top stitch around the brim to give it extra stiffness and to keep the edge neat. I didn't do that, but you may find that the fabric you use needs it.

Tea Towel Hat Pattern

Tutorial: Bathtowel Beach Bag

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I made this beach bag out of a cute vintage bath towel and some vintage woven macrame cord. This is a super quick and easy project and when you return from the beach, you can just throw the whole thing in the washer instead of trying to shake/wipe sand out of the bottom of your beach bag (never a task I've enjoyed very much).

Refashion Tutorial: Man's long sleeved T-shirt to Loopy and Skinny T

I made this skinny t-shirt out of an old boxy men's long sleeved t-shirt that had seen better days and was in my husbands "things to send to Goodwill" bag. I'm not sure that Goodwill would have been too pleased to receive it, but after cutting it down and adding strips cut from the sleeves strategically placed to hid the holes and the stains, I'm pretty pleased with it.

Here's the How-to:

 This is what I started with.

 Cut of the sleeves and the ribbing at the neck. Even if you think you want a deeper neckline, wait to trim any extra until later.

 Use a t-shirt with a fit you like as a pattern. Allow a little extra for the seam allowance. Note to those with curvy figures: If your pattern t-shirt is shorter than the t-shirt you are refashioning, make sure that you leave adequate room to accommodate your hips. I didn't think of that, and mine is a bit tight.

 Cut down the seam of each sleeve so that you have two flat pieces. Trim off the seam area. Make a clip every 2 inches and tear into strips. Make sure to tear strips across the former sleeve (as shown) NOT down the sleeve.   

 You will have a pile of strips like this.

 Firmly stretch each strip to make it curl towards the middle, like this.

 Arrange your strips in a pleasing pattern. You build the design as you go, or pin each strip in place before you start sewing. 

 Use a running stitch to sew the strips to the shirt. When you've finished with your design, gently press the strips. 

  Put the right sides together, mark the location of the underarm, pin and stitch up both sides to complete the shirt. Use a zig zag stitch and be sure to back stitch at the beginning and end of each seam. Try the shirt on and make adjustments as needed by trimming the "sleeves" or the neckline.

Refashion Tutorial: Pillowcase Tote Bag

I made this tote bag from a vintage pillowcase and some scraps of fabric. Here's how I did it:

You will need a standard size pillow case, two 4" x 28"strips of cloth, 6 buttons (optional) and two 6" lengths of rope or heavy felt.

#1: Fold and press the pillowcase as illustrated in the photos. Pin to hold folds in place. Sew a button (or simply hand tack) at the top point of each folded up corner on the front and the back of the bag.

#2: Sew each strip of fabric into a tube. Turn and press. Center a 6" scrap of rope, cord or heavy felt on each handle. Fold the handle over the rope/cord/felt so that the rope/cord/felt is completely covered. Hand stitch the edges of the fabric handle together as illustrated to completely contain the rope/cord/felt. Hand tack at either end of the rope/cord/felt to keep it from slipping out the tube formed by the hand stitching you just made.

#3: Hand tack the handles (positioned as shown) into the side folds of the bag. Stitch through one layer only. Hand stitch down the side of the folded edges until you reach the bottom of original hem of the pillowcase. Hand tack the two sides of the pillow case together on the opposite side of the handles (as shown). Add decorative buttons (optional)  

Last Minute Handmade Gift Idea #3: Eternity Scarf

This eternity scarf can be worn two ways; loose or doubled over to form a cozy cowl. I made this one from a cashmere sweater. The key to making this scarf is to cut up the sweater in a way that creates the least waste and requires the least amount of sewing to assemble the scarf.

How-to:

Cut both sleeves off of the sweater.

Cut apart both shoulder seams and ONE side seam. Carefully trim off the ribbed band at the bottom of the sweater.

Mark a line from just under the armhole on each end of the cut-apart sweater. You may need to measure from the bottom up to make sure of an evenly sized piece. 

Cut along the line you marked. 

To Assemble: 

Fold the rectangular piece in half longways and right sides together. Sew up one long side to form a tube. Finish assembling in the same way as for the turband. You may include a twist (as shown in the turband instructions) or leave as a simple ring (as I did here) by omitting the twist in the middle.   

Tutorial: World's Easiest Recycled Jean Bag

What this little bag lacks in visual excitement, it makes up for in ease of sewing. It's a 10 minute job and it utilizes a material that everyone has sooner or later: worn out jeans.

How-to:
Cut off the bottom 12" (30cm) of one leg of the jeans.
Turn inside out. Sew a seam to close up the cut edge. 
Fold over the top of the bag. Find a pleasing proportion.
Mark the desired location of the button loop and the button.
Sew on button and button loop.
Done!