Creative Ideas For Kids

A laundry bag, a catch-all mat and a small smock make great gifts for kids. Plus, they're easy to sew.

Laundry Bag

Materials:
3/4 yard of denim
grommets
cord
hole punch
hammer

Steps:

1. Fold a hem one inch on each end of the fabric and stitch.
2. Using a hole punch, make three openings along each hem for the grommets.
3. Hammer the grommets onto the fabric.
4. Fold the fabric in half with right sides out.
5. Sew 1/4-inch French seams. To do this, turn the wrong side of the fabric out, and pinch seams together. Pin them at 1/2 inch and sew along the new seam.
6. Turn fabric right side out, trimming any stray threads.
7. Weave the cord in and out of the grommets and tie it in a knot at the center front of the bag.

Catch-All Mat

Materials:
fabric square for the mat
vinyl adhesive sheets cut to the same dimensions

Steps:

1. Place vinyl adhesive sheets on top of the fabric. Flip so that the wrong side of the fabric is facing upward.
2. With iron set on medium-heat, press the fabric and vinyl together. Place the paper on the bottom of the vinyl and don't leave the iron on long at all.
3. Create a border with double-fold bias. Cup it around the mat with the smaller side on top.
4. When you reach a corner, create a triangular hand miter with the bias tape.
5. Sew the bias to the vinyled fabric. If you have a roller foot, use it here.

Small Smock

Steps:

1. You can make a mini-sized smock using an adult-size smock pattern. Cut the fabric according to the pattern.
2. Make a pocket that will run across the bottom front of the smock.
3. Sew the hem of the pocket, and place it on top of the front of the smock.
4. Pin the pocket to the smock.
5. Sew the shoulder seams of the fabric, wrong side up.
6. You can create flat fell seams on the smock by cutting down the front part of the seam. Then, fold the back part of the seam over the front and sew the seam fabric, creating a smooth, clean finish.
7. Sew the binding around the entire edge of the smock. As you round the curves, push in a little extra binding so that the smock will lay flat against the body.

Resources
Pillows! Pillows! Pillows! (Sew & Serge Series)
by Jackie Dodson and Jan Saunders (ISBN: 0801985307)
Mr. Potato Head Pillow from Pillows! book.
Click here to order this title.
Krause Publications
Website: www.krause.com

Also in this Episode

Sew Perfect : Episode SEW-352
•	Creative Ideas For Kids