Create your own Pencil Case

Pencil cases are one of the best beginner projects because they’re fast, fun and can be easily customised. This tutorial shows you ideas on fabric types, embroidery designs, quilting styles and how to apply your own ScanNCut design.

What you need

• Fabric
• Scissors
• 7″ matching zipper
• Optional to embroider/decorate – 4″ x 4″ embroidery machine or larger

Fabric Required

Recommended fabrics such as cotton, linen, denim, canvas or drill.

• Front & Back: Cut two 24cm x 14cm in both fabric and lining
• Zipper Tabs: Cut two 4cm x 4cm in fabric

Pencil Case Tutorial

• Download the pencil case sewing tutorial

Fabric Pencil Case

Create a simple pencil case with fun, bright fabric.

Create a ‘shabby chic’ apron

This project will teach you how to decorate an apron using lace, fabric, your machine decorative stitches and applique techniques.

To create this project you can use any style sewing machine. I have used a Brother NV110 sewing machine.

What you will need

Apron

You can sew your own basic apron using the pattern from our May Charity Sewalong. I have purchased this apron from a Daiso Japanese store for only $2.80. You may also be able to find aprons like this from $2 stores across Australia.

Materials

• Download the Applique Shape Patterns (PDF, 400KB)
• Hot Melt Web for the applique
• Range of matching fat quarters for the applique
• Lace style 1 – 2 x width (plus 2 inches) of the bottom of your apron and 1 x the top width (plus 2 inches).
• Lace style 2 – 1 x width (plus 2 inches) of the top of your apron and 1 x the width of the pocket (plus 2 inches)
• Lace style 3 – 1 x width of your pocket (plus 2 inches)
• Fabric – 6 inches x (2 x width (plus 2 inches) of the bottom of your apron and 1 x the top width (plus 2 inches))

How to create your apron

First you need to get together all of your fabric, lace and applique pieces. Start cutting out your applique shapes from the fat quarters. You can choose any colours for these applique shapes but I would suggest you choose a white fabric for the circle and then style your cupcake shapes differently.

Create simple applique using Embrilliance software

In this project you’ll learn how to create a simple star applique design using Embrilliance StitchArtist software then apply it onto a garment. This project is perfect for 4″ x 4″ (100mm x 100mm) embroidery hoops, using machines like the Brother NV180 sewing & embroidery machine.

We’ve used BurdaStyle Vintage Nina Jacket sewing pattern to create a jacket using sweatshirt material

Creating the applique design

1. Open Embrilliance and select the hoop size for your machine. This design will only be small, therefore you can select the 4″ x 4″ (100mm x 100mm) hoop.
2. Hit the Program Preference icon and select your hoop size from the preferences.

September Charity Sewalong

Sunshine Coast University Hospital Queensland

This month’s Sewalong is for Sunshine Coast University Hospital Queensland, who offer a range of free public healthcare services, supported by highly trained and specialised staff.

They are seeking our help to create a hospital gown kit for children and teenagers who have to go into theatre for a range of different medical procedures and scans. At present these children are wearing adult gowns that are far too large for them. With hospital visits already being a very daunting and scary process, the hospital thought it would be beneficial for the kids to have colourful, personalised gowns to wear at these appointments, which they can then take home for future appointments and scans.

Plus, thanks to Lindee Goodall, you can embroider a very special seahorse embroidery design onto your drawstring bag or gown.

SEWALONG BRIEF

Create this hospital gown kit for children and teens.

Embroidering on Problematic Fabrics

by Leanne Church

Project Description

This project involves creating the Echidna Sewalong Dog Jacket and then applying the Lindee Goodall and Animal Welfare League embroidery designs onto it. As the material used was fur and heavily patterned, I have created an instructional tutorial to show you how to create a background for your embroidery design to make things a little easier.

The project itself was very easy and recommended for beginner sewers. The embroidery designs by Lindee Goodall were also easy to follow with clear, step-by-step instructions.

How I Created This Project

I have used fur for the fabric and a stretch lining, which can be a very problematic combination. Therefore, I wanted to share with you some tips and tricks that I discovered along the way to deal with this type of fabric and pattern choice.

To start with, I marked out the pattern on the fur fabric on the right side with a sharpie pen. I wouldn’t normally do this on a garment but for this occasion it was much easier to see and since it was a pet project, I figured I could get away with it.

July Charity Sewalong

Animal Welfare League Australia

Animal Welfare League are a national non-profit organisation caring for companion animals across Australia. They formed in 2007, when the Animal Welfare Leagues of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland united to become Animal Welfare League Australia. Dogs Homes of Tasmania joined AWLA in 2010 and SAFE Inc joined in 2014. Together they have more than 300 years of combined experience in caring for animals in need.

AWL work with local councils, state government, rescue groups and the community to
improve the outcomes of stray and surrendered pets, and they are nationally recognised for their unique and innovative programs, initiatives and re-homing strategies.

This Sewalong involves creating a number of coats for the animals housed in these shelters nationwide. They are desperate for large sized coats to keep dogs warm this winter, and thanks to Lindee Goodall who has once again sponsored our Sewalong, you can download a free “Adopt Me” embroidery design to decorate your dog coat.

Sewalong Brief

1. March Sewalong will run from 1st July – 31st July, 2017
2. Sewing – Sew a pet coat using your own pattern or use the free pattern below.
   Embroidery – Embroider a ready-made pet coat or one you have created with the “Adopt Me” embroidery design and the Animal Welfare League (individual state) logo.

Sew Your Own Pet Coat!

This is a great beginner project if you’re interested in learning how to sew. Use one of your own dog coat patterns or you can download the free dog coat pattern, created by Martyn Smith.

Cabin Fever Quilt Block

Inspired by the latest Echidna Sewalong for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, we have designed an aviation themed quilt block which can be used for a number of projects including pillows, mug rugs, quilts, table place mats, runners and much more! The quilt block design has been created from Lindee Goodall’s Cabin Fever Quilt Block project, which you can purchase for $39.95 (Platinum $35.95).

Cabin Fever by Lindee Goodall

This project requires piecing in-the-hoop (also known as pattern piecing) to create a finished block size of 5.5 inches (140mm x 140mm). The project contains 20 embroidery designs and an instructional pdf which includes full-size templates, patterns, colour sequences and step-by-step illustrations.

This collection contains designs with the following minimum sewing field requirements: 1 for 130 x 180mm, 9 for 140 x 200mm, 15 up to 200 x 300 max.

Purchase Cabin Fever by Lindee Goodall – Price $39.95 (Platinum $35.95)

How to Embroider a Towel

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ScanNCut Project – Personalise a Mug!

Project by Michelle

One of the things I really love about my Brother ScanNCut is the ability to create something unique for family and friends for birthdays and celebrations. So when my best friend’s birthday came up last month, I decided to make something special just for her.

This is a very affordable and easy gift, which you can personalise to suit your special occasion. Plus, because it’s created from sticker stock, you can stick it to a number of household items including coffee mugs, water bottles, glassware, homeware, electronics and much more!

Follow these simple instruction to create your personalised gift today!

Sewing For Charity – January Sewalong

Aussie Heroes

Our first Echidna sew along is for Aussie Hero Quilts – A blog dedicated to encouraging people to make quilts and laundry bags for Aussie service men and women currently serving overseas and to express our gratitude for their service.

“We care about the people – not the politics or the mission. Our quilts are not works of art, but works of the heart.”

Sew Along Brief

• January Sewalong will run from Jan 1st – Jan 31st.
• We are asking you to create a laundry bag (download the pattern & instructions)
• The colours, material and design will need to be themed appropriately for MEN only. (This is due to Aussie Heroes currently running low in men’s themed laundry bags)
• These bags need to be unique so the service men can quickly find and locate their laundry bags. Therefore we ask you decorate them appropriately by sewing, quilting, embroidering, applique or with Flex/Flock transfers using your ScanNCut machine.

Things to remember

These sewalongs are a great way to get inspired by what everyone creates, while giving to a worthy cause. If you’re new to sewing or embroidering then don’t despair. This is a  great chance for you to get involved and have fun not matter what the outcome.