Tips & Tricks | Re-make & Re-use: Napkins to Go from Dad's Old Shirts

This very unique Re-make & Re-use project comes to us from Julia Chapman, a new member of our Sew4Home seamstress team. She developed the idea for a benefit in which all the items for sale had to be an ‘upcycle' product of one kind or another. We love cloth napkins here at S4H, but had never seen any made from old shirts, let alone with their own handy carrying case. There are racks and racks of men's short sleeve shirts at thrift and second hand stores... and probably in your own closets. Colors and patterns that might be too wild to wear would be perfect as napkins.

Men's shirts are recommended because you don't have to work around any darts, but women's shirts or even larger kid's shirts would do the trick as well. If you choose a shirt with a dart, you can take it out and press the fabric flat prior to cutting out your napkin square, or stitch the dart in place and press flat.

For other ‘upcycling' projects, take a look at our Re-make & Re-use category.

Sewing Tools You Need

• Any Sewing Machine (we recommend the Janome Jem Gold 3)

Fabric and Other Supplies

• 1 large, short-sleeve 100% cotton men's shirt
• 1 yard of ¼" ribbon or cotton cord
• All purpose thread to match fabric
• Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
• Large safety pin
• Iron and ironing board
• Straight pins

Getting Started

1. Launder the shirt and lightly press.
2. Cut the sleeves off the shirt just below the seams that attach them to the body of of the shirt. Leave underarm seams intact on the sleeves. Set sleeves aside.
   
3. Cut both of the shirt's side seams open, staying close to the seam, and lay out the entire shirt on your work surface. The front and back are now only attached to each other by the shoulder seams, so each will be laying right side up, flat on the table. Pin the placket of the shirt closed from both the front and back.
   
4. Make a paper pattern for a 15" - 19" square. The size will depend on the size of your shirt.
   NOTE: These napkins do not have to be a standard size; just let the shirt determine how big to make them.
5. Place the paper pattern on the front of the shirt so the edge of the pattern is at least 1" from the top as well as at least 1" from the side edges of the pocket. The shirt's button placket should be centered on the pattern piece. Pin the pattern in place.
   
6. Using the paper pattern as your guide, cut out the napkin, taking care not to cut into the pins holding the button placket together. Press the square flat, being careful of the pins.
7. Cut a square out of the back of the shirt using the same pattern, again making sure you are at least 1" from the top. Press the square flat. Set this piece aside.

At Your Sewing Machine & Ironing Board

1. From the wrong side of the piece you cut from the front of the shirt, pin the facings down. The facing is the fabric that is folded to the inside of either side of the shirt’s original opening.
2. Sew both facings down 1/8” from their edges.
3. Also from the wrong side, sew the pinned placket shut 1/8” from the overlapping edge.
   
4. Turn this piece back over to the right side, and sew the placket shut 1/8” from the overlapping edge. You now have four seams securing the original shirt opening.
   
5. Make a simple ¼” double turn hem around all four sides of the front piece. To make this type of hem, fold under ¼" and press, then fold another ¼" and press, encasing the raw edge within the fold.
   NOTE: If there is a button in the way of your hemming simply remove it and hem right over the buttonhole.
6. Find the piece cut from the back of the shirt and make a simple ¼” double turn hem around all four sides of this piece as well.
   NOTE: If you are new to this type of hemming, especially to making the corners neat, take a look at two of our previous tutorials: How to Make a Simple Hem and Quick Tip: 1/4” Double-Turn Clean Finished Corner.

Napkin bag

1. Take one of the sleeves you cut off and turn it inside out. Find and mark the center point of the sleeve cap with a pin by laying the folded sleeve flat.
   
2. With right sides together match up the sleeve’s underarm seam with pin where you marked the center point of the sleeve cap, and pin the raw edges together.
3. Stitch together, using a 3/8” seam. Finish the seam allowance edges with a zig-zag stitch.
   
4. Turn sleeve right side out to form your bag.
5. Fold the sleeve’s original hem over the outside of the bag exactly one hem width and pin in place. This forms the casing for the drawstring.
   
6. Edgestitch the casing in place all the way around, leaving a ½” opening over the seam.
7. Cut approximately 22 inches of grosgrain ribbon or cotton cord, tie one end in a simple knot. Attach a large safety pin to the other end. Using the safety pin as your “threader” pull the ribbon/corn through the casing.
   
8. Once you come out the other end, remove the safety pin and tie a knot in that end.
   
9. Fold or stuff both napkins into their matching bag, cinch the drawstring and take them along to work or play.
   

Tips & Tricks | The Denim Jacket Pillow

Every once in awhile, I'll open my closet and see something that causes me to shake my head and wonder, "What on earth was I thinking, and why do I still have this?!" What seemed like a great idea at the time, would now be fashion suicide should I actually slip it on and leave the house. Sometimes the item goes straight into the Goodwill bag, but there are also times when my Vintage Rescue lightbulb goes on. I see beyond the jacket's silly majorette neckline and wild, stacked cuffs and envision what could be a cool home decor project. My denim jacket lives again as a whimsical throw pillow.

All this project requires is a denim jacket you wouldn't be caught dead wearing, some coordinating fabric for the pillow back and the 'jacket's shirt', and a fluffy pillow insert. If you have a jacket with interesting closures, such as the frogs on mine, toggles or buckles, this makes the pillow front more fun and best shows off the fabric behind the closures.

Create a pattern template for your pillow front. For notes on pillow sizing as well as step-by-step instructions for a simple square pillow with an envelope back, check out our tutorial: Super Simple Throw Pillows.

Using your template, fussy cut the jacket so the original closures will be right down the center of the pillow front.

Cut a small strip of your contrasting fabric and stitch it in place behind the jacket's original opening. This is the jacket's 'shirt' that will show behind the closures.

Complete the envelope back, and sew front to back around all four sides. Insert the pillow form though the back envelope opening.

Sewing Tips & Tricks | How To Use Snap-on Grommets

You've seen grommets many times: on apparel, bags, athletic gear, etc. They're those metal circles with some type of rope or cording woven through at a closure point. Well...things are beginning to change in the world of grommets (bet you didn't know there was a world of grommets ... did ya?!). Dritz® Home has a great product available for home décor enthusiasts, snap-on Curtain Grommets. Fast, fashionable and functional.

The industrial installation of metal grommets usually involves a large, also metal, machine, which uses an intense force of weighted pressure to secure these circles in place. You may have also seen metal grommets in your local fabric and craft stores that require you to purchase a metal tool (looks something like a pair of pliers) to install them on your home projects.

The Dritz® Home snap-on grommets require NO tools. They come in various sizes, colors, and finishes. You'll have no problem matching your selected fabric. They're packed in sets of 8 and include a plastic see-through template for positioning (we really liked this!). You'll be delighted to know that these are incredibly easy to install.

Grommeted curtains have traditionally been associated with a modern style interior. However, we've noticed them showing up in home furnishing stores and catalogs more and more lately, and in fabric styles that blend with all types of interiors. Grommets are an easy way to hang a curtain from a rod, they're functional (you can actually open and close the curtain without sweating), and they look clean and sleek.

And ... who said grommets can only be used on a window curtain? For our sample test, we decided to give them a try in on a bathroom shower curtain.

1. To start, pair the grommets. There's actually a front ('raised center' side) and a back ('prong' side).
   
2. Use the included plastic template to mark the position of each grommet on the header of your shower curtain. Grommets are a ‘final' step, which means your curtain should be finished and ready to hang prior to marking and inserting the grommets. The template has a cross-hair to help determine the center of each circle. However, we discovered it would be more helpful if the template had a small center hole for marking. So, we used an awl to make that hole.
   
3. Determine the overall positioning of your grommets across the top of your curtain, making note of the distance from center point to center point. Using a see-through ruler and the template, we marked the center points and traced the circles.
   
   
4. We decided to zig zag the marked circle before cutting it out. Why? Because we learned these grommets easily snap on and off for laundering. Cool. But, we wanted to be sure the fabric wouldn't fray when we washed our shower curtain. The zig zag reinforces the cut edges.
   
5. Cut out the circle close to the zigzag stitching. Fold the sewn circle in half and make a ½" slit. Then, cut around the circle.  
   
   
6. With the wrong side facing up, insert snap grommets. Place the 'raised center' side of the grommet in the circle so the ridge of the ring pokes up around the inside edge of the circle.
   
7. Snap the 'prong' side of the grommet on to complete. Done!
   
8. If you decide to remove your grommets for laundering, just find a small flathead screwdriver or even a letter opener. Slide the end into the tiny slot on the back side of the grommet. Twist the screwdriver slightly, and the grommet will snap off.
   
   

We had some leftover grommets after we completed our shower curtain project, and figured there must be a lot of other great uses for these. Sure enough, we found a number of handbag and tote patterns where grommets are used. Sweet!

Tips & Tricks | How to Create a Fabric Palette

I can't even begin to guess how many different fabrics there are in the world. Of course, any fabric can be used by itself, but fantastic results can be achieved by mixing different patterns and colors together. Now, if that seems out of your comfort zone, here's a tip: the easiest way to start mixing patterns is to choose from a fabric designer's collection made specifically for mixing. You'll look like a pro on day one!

Let a Fabric Collection Work for You

Many fabric brands, like Michael Miller Fabrics, Free Spirit, and Westminster Fibers, have designer collections that are made to coordinate with each other. While it makes the selection process so much easier, it really doesn't dampen your creativity. Many of these collections have thirty or more fabrics from which to choose, so the possibilities are nearly endless. Check out a few of the designers and their collections at the above links. As you get more comfortable with mixing fabrics, move on to selecting fabrics from several designer collections. With just a few additional guidelines – you can't go wrong.

Creating Your Palette

When S4H plans a room, we start with a concept as we did with Patio Party. When it's time to choose fabric, we look at many collections and narrow it down to the top two or three before making a final pick.

These fabrics from Heather Bailey's Freshcut collection look beautiful together.

With Patio Party, we ultimately selected Heather Bailey's Freshcut collection from Free Spirit for its perfect mix of summertime nostalgia and festive modern design. Along the way, however, we actually created two other fabric palettes, one using Farmer's Market by Sandi Henderson for Michael Miller Fabrics, and the other: Lila Tueler's Soirée for Moda Fabrics. Both beautiful collections, by the way (click the links above to see the full collections)!

Hints for Mixing Patterns

Colorways: Many designer fabric collections use what are called colorways -- a range of colors grouped within a fabric collection. For example, Heather Bailey's Freshcut has three colorways: Spring, Summer and Fall. If you're new to selecting fabric you may feel more comfortable selecting from just one colorway. However, with a well-designed collection like this, you can confidantly be a bit more adventuresome.

Proportion: It's better to use varying amounts of each fabric. In other words, three equal size pieces of fabric are not as appealing as using a dominant or primary fabric, a smaller amount of a secondary fabric and then just accent with the third. Even if you only use 2 different fabrics, avoid using the same amount of each.

Scale. If one of your fabrics has a small-scale pattern, you should mix it with a larger-scale pattern. Scale creates drama and interest in your finished piece. If all of the patterns are the same scale, the result can be lifeless.

Pattern. Mix it up. Florals, stripes, plaids, polka dots -- they can be mixed together beautifully. The key is to mix them up. For example don't use three same-size polka dots patterns and expect a winning result. A small plaid looks pleasing with a large floral. Stripes and polka dots look terrific together.

Try Before You Buy

You can either buy a small amount of each of your fabrics, cut swatches and move them around until you get the effect you want, or you can use online fabric sites and digital swatches to do the same thing. One warning about online sites, look for fabric sites that tell you the size of the swatch. Otherwise, you don't know if that swatch is six inches or a foot. That will really throw your scale planning into a tailspin! I love how Quilthome shows swatches in three sizes using their FabView™ dropdown menu.

Below is the palette S4H created for Patio Party.

Following, are the two palettes we didn't use. You may prefer to try our Patio Party tutorials with one of our alternate palettes. If you're looking for a little bolder version of our Patio Party palette, try Farmer's Market. If you want a softer version, Soirée has a gentle warmth.

If you want to swap our our palette with one of of our alternates, replace #1 one in the Freshcut palette with the corresponding #1 in either Farmer's Market or Soirée. Or mix it up, or even better; try making your very own palette!

Sewing Tips & Tricks | How to Sew on a Button

Picking out buttons for decoration is fun! But let's be frank ... sewing on those buttons is not fun. It's kind of the "cleaning toilets" of the sewing world – a dirty job, but one that is very worth it in the end. The up-side of button sewing is that it's relatively quick and easy, and there's no sponge involved. Our button sewing tutorial explains the basics. There are two types of buttons: Flat buttons and Shank buttons. Flat buttons have holes through the body of the button and thread is visible from the outside.

Shank buttons have a small "eyelet" piece that extends from the back of the button with a hole for attaching the button. These buttons are generally more decorative than flat buttons because the entire top surface is available for decoration.

How to Sew on a Flat Button by Hand

1. Cut a length of thread about 24".
2. Thread the needle, and loop the thread so it is folded on itself.
3. Make a knot, catching both ends so you are working with double thread (you want the strength of two strands of thread when you are sewing a button so it doesn't fall off). Trim the thread so you leave a short tail. If you are new to hand sewing, read our article: Hand Sewing: Thread the Needle ... Tie the Knot.
4. Pull the needle up through the back of the fabric in the location where you would like to place your button. (Because, of course, you've already figured out and marked where you want your button to be ... right?)
   
5. Stitch an "X" in the fabric in the button location.
   
6. Using the "X" as your guide, and with the button slightly raised from the fabric surface, bring the needle up through one hole of the button, then down through the hole diagonally across from it. Note: this is the pattern for a four-hole flat button. Sometimes there are only two holes, in which case you are simply sewing back and forth.
7. To keep the button elevated from the fabric, so there is space to fit it through the buttonhole when you're done, place a pin between the fabric and the button.
   
8. Repeat so the thread goes through all holes. Do this four times. You will end with your needle and thread on the backside of your fabric. Remove the pin.
9. Bring your needle and thread through the fabric once more, but keep it UNDER the button.
   
10. Wrap the thread tightly around the thread at the base of the button where it is now attached to the fabric. Wrap it around a few times. This reinforces your work.
11. Bring the thread through to the back side of the fabric again.
12. Pass the needle through a few of the stitches, and form a loop.
13. Pull your needle through this loop to form a knot.
    
14. Trim the thread to leave a very short tail.

How to Sew on a Shank Button

1. To sew a Shank button, you're going to follow the steps above with just a few minor alterations.
2. Because the button has a shank, you don't need to worry about creating one (the button raises itself from the surface of the fabric, so there is a natural space between it and the buttonhole). You can sew on this button without using the pin behind the button to lift it from the fabric surface.
3. When stitching the button, just pull your thread through the single hole of the shank button four or five times.
   
4. Knot your end thread and trim the tail in the same manner as above.

Button Sewing by Machine

Some advanced sewing machines (such as the Janome MO200 Quilter's Companion) come with a button sewing foot and a computerized feature that allows you to sew on buttons with your machine. Check your manual to see if this is possible on your machine. It's an ULTRA cool feature to have when you have lots and lots of buttons to sew.

Sewing Tips & Tricks | How to Make a Simple Hem

Every athlete knows it all comes down to the finish. It's the same with sewing – just not as sweaty. A smooth, beautiful hem makes everything look better and more professional. The simplest of hems is the double-turn hem, which you can use on almost any edge where you want an easy, clean finish.

Double-Turn Hemming

The first thing to do is determine how big a hem you need to get the finished length you want.

Most people prefer to err on the side of narrow over wide so there's less bulk to the folded fabric and the hem will lay nice and flat. In fact, it's often better to trim your fabric just a bit rather than make a giant hem.

Large

Let's say you have 2" to work with for the bottom of a curtain. First, fold in your raw edge ¾" and press. Then, make another fold 1¼". Your first fold rolls inside the second and you end up with a nice folded edge on both the top and bottom. Press this double fold and stitch down, sewing close to the fold in the fabric.

Medium

Perhaps you'd like a narrower option for the edge of a pillow back opening or the bottom of a table cloth. In this case fold under ½" and press. Then fold under an additional 1½" and press. As above, stitch the hem down, sewing close to the fold in the fabric.

Small

Sometimes, you need a tiny hem for something like a napkin edge. In this case, your double-turn should be just ¼" to start and then a second ¼" to finish. This is also called a "rolled hem" and on many machines you have a presser foot called, unusually enough, a Rolled Hem foot to help you do the job. This specialty foot comes standard on many machines, like the Janome models we recommend at Sew4Home, or you can purchase it separately.

Blind Hemming

Blind hemming is exactly what you think it is: a hem with stitches you barely notice. This a the perfect option when you'd rather not have the "top-stitching" look of the double-turn hems described above. It is a much more elegant solution.