How to Sew Fabric Appliques – Video Tutorial + Photo Tutorial

Here’s my video tutorial for fabric appliques / patches. Appliques are a great way to embellish or customize a project. You can add them to bags, clothes, Xmas stockings, and more. Appliqued handmade goods make great gifts because you can tailor each one for the recipient!

If you scroll down, there’s also a photo tutorial version so you can go at your own pace, or go to a specific step.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!  There are lots more tutorials on the way!

And if you have any tutorial requests, leave me a comment!

This tutorial was filmed using a Creative Labs Vado HD Digital Video Camera, a Canon Rebel (for still shots), and edited in Sony Vegas Movie Studio.

 

Here’s the photo + text version of the tutorial:

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How to Add a Collar to a T-shirt – Video Tutorial

I finally posted a new video tutorial! This one shows my No-Measuring (Cheater) Method for finishing the neckline of a t-shirt!

This tutorial was filmed using a Creative Labs Vado HD Digital Video Camera, a Canon Rebel (for still shots), and edited in Sony Vegas Movie Studio.

How To Make a Square Bottom Bag – Video Tutorial

As promised, the very first WhatTheCraft video tutorial is here!

Check it out for step by step instructions for making a square bottom bag.

And while you’re at it, go subscribe to my YouTube channel!  There are lots more tutorials to come (including applique, inserting snaps, and t-shirt collars)!

This tutorial was filmed using a Creative Labs Vado HD Digital Video Camera, a Canon Rebel (for still shots), and edited in Sony Vegas Movie Studio.

Henley tee reconstruction – photo tutorial

This is a quick way to give a plain tee or tank a little upgrade! The best part is, you don’t have to screw around with buttonholes because that part has been done for you already!

If you’re looking at me funny and wondering WTF a henley shirt is, it’s a shirt with a partial button placket down the front. Like our finished project here:

Difficulty:

 

Things you’ll need for this tutorial:

• scissors
• sewing machine (or needle and thread, if you’re old school and mega patient like that)
• a t-shirt or tank (you can make your own, if you like)
• the button placket from another shirt

Step 1

Gather your materials. Here I’ve got my henley and my fabric, with which I will make a basic tee.

I happened to have a a henley shirt that I cut up a while ago to make a pattern. This is why I can never throw things away… I knew it would come in handy!

If you don’t have a henley style shirt, you can use a button placket from any shirt, really. A full buttondown will work just fine for this, you just need to trim it to the length you want. I think a plaid button placket would look super cute on a plain tee!

If you’ve searched your closets high and low and don’t have a button placket handy, there’s a really great tutorial for making a henley tee here.

The cute button print fabric I used in this tutorial is from Purple Seamstress Fabrics.

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How to make a ruffled hem – photo tutorial

Making a ruffle (aka gathering) is a basic sewing technique that you can use a million different ways once you know how to do it.

There are a lot of ways to ruffle or gather. In this tutorial, I create the ruffle as I sew, instead of gathering the fabric ahead of time. It takes some practice to be able to create even gathers, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a quick way to do it.

Difficulty:

Step 1

I want to add a ruffled hem to the bottom of a dress. The first thing I need to do is determine how much fabric I need for my ruffle.

How much fabric I need for the ruffle depends on 1. the width of the bottom of the dress and 2. how full I want the ruffle.

Laying flat, the bottom is 20″ wide, which means it’s 40″ wide total.

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how to resize a t-shirt

This is a pretty straight-forward reconstruction. If you’re looking for something to get your diy feet wet with, try this one.

Here’s a simple way to make that too-big Misfits tee you stole from your boyfriend into one that fits.

Difficulty:

Step 1

First, take your big shirt and turn it inside out.

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tutorial: how to peg pants

It seems like everywhere I go, I hear people asking how to make skinny fit pants. I don’t know what the big fuss is about them… I’m old enough to remember what it was like before you could find bootcut jeans, and I don’t look back kindly on that period of time. *shudder*

Anyway, it’s insanely easy to do, so let’s do this.

Difficulty:

Step 1

Grab a pair of pants that would be perfect if it weren’t for those stupid flared legs. They should fit your waist and hips relatively well.

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easy sleeves – photo tutorial

 

Attaching set-in sleeves (the easy, cheater way).

Okay, so it’s not really cheating. It’s a perfectly legitimate way of attaching a sleeve, and it is way easier.

However, a set-in sleeve is a set-in sleeve because you’re supposed to be setting it in, and with this method, you don’t.

Anyway, I’m splitting hairs.

Keep in mind, though, that this will only work if you haven’t already sewn up your side seams. If your side seams are sewn, you’ll either have to cut them open, or use the other method.

And if your garment doesn’t have side seams that line up with the sleeve seams, you’ll also have to use the other method.

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