Author: pacountrycrafts

Sewing dolls and stuffies is so much fun! Today we have some extra tips and tricks to help you get great results!

Did you know we have doll and stuffie patterns in the shop? We carry the entire line of Petit a Petit dolls (and clothes!) in addition to our Ocean Friends bundles from Project Under the Sea!

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#1 – Cut carefully and use an accurate seam allowance.

Small differences can make a big difference in your finished project! This is especially true when working with little pieces.

#2 – Stay organized!

Label or clip pieces together as needed. Mark the wrong side of the fabric so that pieces are not accidentally flipped. Shapes for stuffies are often much different that those of garment sewing and can get mixed up more easily.

#3 – Shorten the stitch length.

It can be more difficult to change direction with small pieces so a shorter stitch length helps. It also makes for a more sturdy finished project that holds the stuffing inside and can handle a bit of wear and tear.

#4 – Reinforce seams at pressure points.

Baste small into place to make sure they don’t slip as you sew. Stitch back and forth over joining points like arms or necks. This will help make your project a little more durable.

#5 – Clip corners and curves.

Bulky seam allowances inside a stuffie will give them an odd shape. Clip or notch the seam allowance on curves, being careful not to cut into the stitching. You may also be able to use pinking shears to simultaneously trim excess seam allowance.

For sharp, inner corners, be sure to notch well, again making sure that you do not accidentally cut into the stitches.

#6 – Use a point turner.

It is important to get those seams pressed outwards after turning. The curved end of the point turner is extremely helpful for rounded shapes- legs, arms, heads, etc. The pointed end is really helpful for smaller details and corners.

#7 – Use small pieces of stuffing.

It’s tempting to grab a handful of stuffing and work quickly, but using smaller pieces is better. They get into the narrower spots and create a more even result through the entire project.

#8 – Shape as you stuff.

Some fabrics continue to stretch with stuffing so you can easily change the shape of the project with careful placement. Arranging the stuffing and applying light pressure to areas can completely reshape the stuffie, so use this to your advantage!

#9 – Consider alternatives to fiberfill.

You may not have any on hand or may choose to try something different. You can cut scrap fabric into tiny bits to use as stuffing instead, making it a very eco-friendly project. Perhaps you wish to add dried lavender. Adding flax seed is one way to make a reusable hot/cold pack. The starfish softie pattern was based off of party favors made with rice and tea leaves inside.

#10 – Be creative!

There are so many fun variations that can be added to your projects, whether it is adding heat transfer vinyl, trims, embellishments, or any other extra details. The sky is the limit!

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In honor of Flag Day in the United States we are sharing this unique sewing tutorial from Courtney, of Sweeter Than Cupcakes. She took the twisted pleat shoulder detail from her sewalong entry and created a reverse applique flag t-shirt using the same technique! It creates a 3D, waving flag effect for a one-of-a-kind, patriotic kids shirt!

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Hi all! I’m Courtney, and you can find me over at Sweeter Than Cupcakes. What I love most about Project Run & Play is how it pushes me to try new things. During the last season’s “It’s all in the details” week, I created the shirt below with a twisted, pleated shoulder detail.

I thought then that the twisted pleat would be fun for an applique, so today I bring you the twisted pleat flag tee perfect for the 4th of July.

To make this tee you will need a plain tee, striped fabric for the twisted pleats, and a rectangular scrap for the “stars.” Cut a rectangle of striped fabric larger than you want the final flag shape to be. You can trim things down later.

Fold the fabric wrong sides together along one of the stripes and pin.

Sew along the next stripe over.

Keep pinning and sewing stripes together until the fabric piece is all pleated. Just keep your spacing equal and leave room on each end to sew it to the shirt.

Press one side of the pleats up and the other side down. Baste along each side. Trim the rectangle to the desired size plus 1/4” all around.

Turn the tee inside out and pin the right side of the striped fabric to the wrong side of the front of the tee.

Sew around the rectangle with 1/4” seam allowance.

Turn the tee right side out. Carefully pull the tee away from the striped fabric and cut it away. I cut from the center out to the corners and then trimmed along the edges.

Use Heat-n-bond to adhere the “star” fabric in the corner. This is slightly tricky because it’s not a completely flat surface, but you just need it to stick in place long enough to sew around.

Zigzag stitch around the “star” fabric.

You’re done! Now, you have a dimensional flag detail with those twisted pleats.

Come visit my blog to see my handsome nephew wearing his new shirt!

Courtney
http://sweeterthancupcakes.blogspot.com/

Save the image below to come back to this later!