Looking for more holiday ideas? Christmas Cake Pops, Melted Snowman Cookies, Christmas Nail Ideas.

Homemade Advent Calendar

As children, we loved the tradition of an advent calendar counting down the days until Christmas. Today, I’m going to teach you how I made a reusable advent calendar for my kids.

Ideas for Advent Stuffers

Much like stocking stuffers, we like to stuff our advent with a variety of candies, small toys and trinkets and activity ideas.

Candies – For our advent, I like to get a couple bags of pre-packed holiday candies and spread them out randomly through the month. I suggest getting one bag of chocolate candies and one bag of gummy candies.

Toys and Trinkets – Try a new toothbrush, matchbox cars, Lego characters and bookmarks make great gift ideas.

Activities Print – A sheet of fun to-do items and and pack the weekends with fun activities such as watching holiday movies, driving around to see lights on people’s houses or visiting shops to buy gifts for friends and family.

It took me around a week to complete my advent calendar. If you want to save a lot of time, choose pre-made mini stockings.

Instructions

Let’s talk about the DIY steps. This is E-A-S-Y. There’s nothing in this that you can’t just see from the photos, but I will still explain all the steps just in case you’re curious about exactly how I did it.

1. First, cut out 24 stockings from felt. I mainly used felt I already had, so it’s a mix between high and low quality (and I’m a-OK with that!). I made a few paper templates for stocking shapes and used them to cut out all the stockings.

I didn’t want mine to be exactly the same shapes and sizes, but you can do that if you want a more unified look. Next, embellish each stocking on the top side with hand embroidery and/or by gluing things onto the stockings.

2. Machine stitch or hand-stitch each stocking. Then, add a loop to the top of each stocking with felt or yarn (something to hang them from).

3. Paint small wood stars white and drill or punch holes. Use a stamp set to add numbers one through 24.

4. Add the stars to the stockings with string.

5. Use wooden rods, yarn, and wood beads to make the hanging structure. You can see below that my stockings are permanently attached to the rods, but you can tie them on instead if you’d like to be able to remove them each day.

Bonus step: After I was done, I wanted to add a little more detail, so I hung a bunch of larger wooden stars on the rods.

6. Fill your stockings with candy, small toys, and notes with fun activities like movies to watch, crafts to do or special places you will go each day.

Note: If you don’t have the time to make your own this year, there are lots of cute felt calendars out there, or you can just buy the mini stocking part and go from there to save a little time.

More Holiday Crafts to Try

• Vintage Christmas Tree Marquee
• Oversized Christmas Wreath
• Bottle Brush Christmas Trees
• Holiday Garlands

Holiday Gift DIYS

• Homemade Bath Bombs
• Crystal Soaps
• Marbled Clay Ring Dish
• We’ve also made a few advent calendars over the years here on the blog, so see if one of those seems perfect for you!

Related: Check out our entire Halloween archive of spooky decorations, recipes and more! You’ve Been Booed (with Free Printable), Halloween Cake Pops, Caramel Apples.

Aunt Emma (as she is known in my house) came up with the idea to make our girls a Halloween countdown calendar. I immediately said “YES, YOU’RE BRILLIANT.”

So why not start this fun (and very spooky!) tradition to enjoy a little bit of Halloween magic all month long in October? I pretty much set out to make a Halloween version of our Christmas advent calendar since we love that one so much.

We created this Halloween activity printable. My suggestion is to use a mix of activities and then in some of the days, just put in a candy. And, use a calendar to strategically place the movies on the weekends (or whatever adjustments are best for your family’s routine).

Feel free to add your own activities and traditions. The printable we made is mainly just stuff my little kids would enjoy and nostalgia from my childhood. Other things you can include are stickers or coloring pages. Customize it to fit your kiddos!

As far as the DIY goes, this is a pretty simple project. I completed it over a two-day period. I probably spent about 4-5 hours on it. It would take half the time if you just eliminated the embroidery stitching, but I really enjoy doing that and like the look of it.

Supplies:

-dowel rod
-large piece of felt for banner (I got a half yard at the craft store).
–colored felt for pockets
-embellishments for pockets (I used a lot of buttons, some embroidery, stamps with permanent ink, a bit of paint, and some wooden stars).

My complete banner is 18 inches wide and 32 inches long. Each pocket is 3×3 inches.

The first step is to cut out your banner and the 31 pockets. I embellished all the pockets before gluing them down. You can also sew them if you like.

I like to lay them all out and embellish until it feels done. I did a lot of stamped buttons and stars. The buttons are sewn on and the wood stars are glued on.

After all the embellishments were done and dry, I used glue on three sides of each piece of felt to create a pocket.

Next, use glue to create a loop that holds your dowel rod in. Then, tie a string to each side of the rod to hang it on the wall.

As you can see in my photos below, I also used halloween garland to make mine a little more spooky. This pumpkin button is so cute, too.

Here’s the completed calendar! I can’t wait for October to start using it with our girls, but I wanted to post it here early enough for you to have time to get all the supplies and make yours before October begins!

It looks so cute with a garland hanging around it too (here’s a DIY for a cute wooden spider garland!). Wishing you a magical spooky season. Soak it in! xx. Elsie

More Halloween Ideas

• Halloween activities for children
• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
• The best Halloween decor for your home
• 15 Easy DIY Halloween Decorations

Print

Halloween Advent Calendar

How to make a cute felt calendar to count down the days to Halloween!

Author Elsie Larson

Ingredients

• dowel rod
• large piece of felt for banner  (I got a half yard at the craft store)
• colored felt for pockets
• embellishments for pockets  (I used a lot of buttons, some embroidery, stamps with permanent ink, a bit of paint, and wooden starts.

Instructions

• The first step is to cut out your banner and the 31 pockets. I embellished all the pockets before gluing them down (you can also sew them down, but I just moved and I don’t even know where my sewing machine is at the moment).
• I like to lay them all out and embellish until it feels done. I did a lot of stamped buttons and stars. The buttons are sewn on and the wood stars are glued on.

  After all the embellishments were done and dry, I used glue on three sides of each piece of felt to create a pocket.
• Next, use glue to create a loop that holds your dowel rod in. Then, tie a string to each side of the rod to hang it on the wall.

Just follow this step-by-step beginner’s guide or watch the easy tie-dye video below to make your own tie-dye creation at home!

Love tie dye? Then you may also want to try: Shibori Tie-Dye, Resist Dye Basics, and How to Double Dip Dye (similar to ombre).

Tie-Dye Basics

The history of tie-dye dates back thousands of years, with evidence of similar techniques found in various cultures around the world.

However, the modern form of tie-dye that is most commonly associated with colorful patterns and designs on clothing emerged in the 1960s during the counterculture movement in the United States.

The basic idea is you cover areas of fabric by tying them off with rubber bands. Then, you dye the rest of the fabric, possibly in multiple colors. The tied-off areas do not get color, since they are not exposed to the dye color.

Tie-dye, like many projects, is about experimenting and enjoying the process while also at times being surprised by the results. If you want a perfectly curated look, tie-dye is likely not the best option, as it’s meant to look messy, colorful, and fun!

Looking for more nostalgic crafts? Check out How to Make Friendship Bracelets!

Tie-Dye Supplies

• Dye: There are so many dye colors you can choose from and you can mix and match to make your own custom colors. To make it easy, buy a tie-dye kit like this Tulip kit that has your dye all ready to go in prefilled bottles. Just add water and shake!
• Rubber bands: You can either use rubber bands you have around the house or buy a kit that has them included.
• Gloves & drop cloth: These items protect your hands and working surface from the dye so make sure to use them. You can use dish gloves or plastic gloves and any sort of waterproof or plastic sheet will do. A tie-dye kit will include these as well.
• Garments or items to dye: White cotton is best for tie-dye application although you can also dye other natural fabrics like rayon, silk, linen, or hemp.
• Ziplock Bag: You’ll want a ziplock bag or some kind of plastic grocery bag you can tie closed while your dye sets in.
• Drip pan (optional): A plastic sheet is helpful for protecting your work surface, but it’s also very handy to also use a drip pan under the item being dyed (something like a dish pan or plant saucer will do).

Do I have to use a pre-made dye kit for my tie-dye colors?

While the all-in-one kits like these Tulip dye kits are super helpful to get everything you need in one place, you can also mix your own colors for your tie-dye creation from dye concentrate added to water in your own squirt bottles.

Start with one tablespoon of liquid dye added to one cup warm water in a bottle and shake. Test on a scrap piece of clothing to see if you want to add more dye for brighter color or more water for a more subtle color.

Tie-Dye Garment Preparation

Begin by washing the garments you plan to dye. If they are things you already own and have washed before, you can skip this step. But anything new should be washed to remove any residue from the making of the garment.

Tie-Dye Tip: For the best color adhesion, soak your items in soda ash mixed into water for 20 minutes before tie-dying. While this step is optional, it will help make the colors on your tie-dye creation the brightest they can be.

How to Tie-Dye

Prep your workspace: Put down your protective cloth over your work surface and get your dye bottles ready with your chosen colors (these kits simply add water to the bottles and shake).

Dampen shirt: A slightly wet shirt will spread out the dye better than a totally dry shirt, so fully wet your item and then wring it out fully so it’s just damp.

Band and Dye shirt: Fold or swirl your shirt based on the design you want (check out our pattern options below!), add your rubber bands to keep in place, and add your dye.

Flip the shirt over and repeat on the other side trying to keep the same colors in similar spots.

Seal for 24 hours: While you can unveil your creation after about 6 hours, the best colors will come if you place it in a ziplock bag (to keep the dye from drying out) and leave it there for 24 hours.

Rinse and wash shirt: Remove your shirt from the bag, take off the bands, and rinse in a sink or tub with cold water until the water runs clear (you’ll want gloves for this step as well). Wash in cold water with a small amount of detergent in the washing machine, and add an extra rinse cycle if that’s an option on your washer (wash apart from other laundry for the first wash). Dry and wear proudly!

Tie-Dye Patterns

While there are so many options when it comes to tie-dye patterns, here are 4 classic methods to achieve different cool tie-dye looks for your personal creation.

Spiral Tie-Dye

This classic tie-dye shape is beautiful and easy to achieve!

Twist: Start with your shirt flat on the work surface. Pinch a small section in the center of your garment or stick a wooden dowel or cooking utensil end into the middle of the shirt. Twist the fabric around this point and keep twisting until the whole garment becomes a round disc. It should look like a cinnamon roll!

Secure: Secure the shirt with at least four or five rubber bands, crisscrossing them over the center of the disc. The tighter you bind the shirt, the more white there will be.

Dye and finish! When you dye, add color to different wedge sections on the disc (you can also do a different color in each section created by the rubber bands). Repeat the color on back, add to your plastic bag, wait, rinse and wash to unveil your creation!

Bullseye Tie-Dye

The Bullseye pattern is a great option for beginners.

Pinch: Pinch a section of fabric in the middle of the garment. Pull the fabric up the whole way off the floor, creating a fabric cone.

Secure: Wrap rubber bands around the cone of fabric, adding a band at each spot where you want to change colors. You can add as many or as few rubber bands as you want. 

Dye and finish! When you go to dye, add a different color to each section between the rubber bands. Repeat the color on back, add to your plastic bag, wait, rinse and wash to unveil your creation!

Stripes Tie-Dye

The Stripe pattern is a fun and easy way to get a cool graphic look.

Fold: Lay the garment flat. Starting from the left or bottom side, fold the shirt in a series of small accordion-style folds. If you start folding from the left side you’ll create vertical lines, and if you start from the bottom you’ll create horizontal lines.

Secure: Zig zag the accordion folded shirt into a “Z” shape with the folds facing up. Wrap the folded shirt with rubber bands to secure.

Dye and finish! When you go to dye, add color to each section (between rubber bands). Repeat the color on back, add to your plastic bag, wait, rinse and wash to unveil your creation!

Scrunch Tie-Dye

This Scrunch tie-dye pattern gives you an organic marbled look that is another classically cool tie-dye look.

Scrunch: Lay your garment flat. Pinch a series of small sections and pull them up a bit to create small mountain shapes.

Secure: Continue until the whole shirt is scrunched into mini mountains and secure the whole shirt with overlapping rubber bands.

Dye and finish! When you go to dye, add color to different areas and try your best to replicate the color placement on the back of the banded shirt as well. Add dyed shirt to your plastic bag, wait, rinse and wash to unveil your creation!

More Craft Projects

• Weaving for Beginner’s
• Experimenting with Natural Dyes
• How to Make Bath Bombs
• Shrinky Dinks – Ultimate Guide
• Resin Art – Beginner’s Guide
• How to Make Candles
• Clay Bead Bracelet Ideas
• Make Your Own Tie-Dye Soap
• No-Sew Fleece Tie Blanket

Print

How to Tie Dye

Step by step instructions for the best supplies and classic tie dye patterns for beginners.

Keyword scrunch tie dye, spiral tie dye, stripe tie dye, tie dye, tie dye instructions

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Soak Time 1 day day

Total Time 1 day day 20 minutes minutes

Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

• white cotton shirt or garments
• tie-dye kit or bottles of dye
• rubber bands
• gloves
• drop cloth
• drip pan optional

Instructions

• Begin by washing the garments you plan to dye if they've never been washed.*
• Mix your dyes according to the package instructions.
• Cover your area with a drop cloth to protect it from any dye spills and wear disposable gloves as you work to protect your hands.
• Scrunch up or fold your item as desired for your pattern and then add rubber bands to secure.
• Add dye to the prepared fabric in your chosen color pattern until the top is saturated. Turn over and repeat on the other side.
• Add your dyed fabric to a sealed off plastic bag (or twist a plastic grocery bag closed) and let it sit for 6-24 hours. The longer the better for color saturation.
• Remove from bag and rinse your garment in the bathtub or kitchen sink until the water runs clear (wear gloves again for this step). 
• Wash the tie-dye item (or items) in the washing machine on cold separately from other laundry and dry or as you normally would.

Notes

TIPS:

• If the garments you are dyeing are things you already own and have washed before, you can skip washing them. 
• A plastic sheet is helpful for protecting your work surface, but it’s also very handy to also use a drip pan under the item being dyed (something like a dish pan or plant saucer will do).
• You can also add an extra rinse cycle to your washer when washing the clothes for the first time if you machine has that setting to make sure any extra dye is rinsed out.

*Optional but you can soak in soda ash if you want for 20 minutes for better color adhesion.

I decided to not buy anything pre-portioned, but instead, invest in reusable containers and spend some time doing lunch box prep every evening.

This year, I decided to make my own reusable sandwich bags and snack bags that we can use for the simpler lunches on days when mama’s too weary to compile creative lunches.

Related: Check out our kid’s site Childhood Magic for more ideas!

These reusable sandwich and snack bags are made out of cotton fabric from the A Beautiful Mess Flower Market fabric line. I added a vinyl coating to them to make them durable and easy to clean.

Check out how simple they are to make below!

Supplies:
–cotton fabric that has been washed, ironed, and cut into pieces (two 5″ x 12″ pieces for snack bags, two 7″ x 16.5″ pieces for sandwich bags)
–vinyl iron-on interfacing
–hook and loop strips
–straight pins
-iron
–sharp scissors or rotary cutter
-sewing machine and coordinating thread

Step One: Cut pieces of the vinyl interfacing to be 1/4″ smaller than your pieces of cotton fabric.

Step Two: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to fuse the vinyl to your fabric. Be sure your fabric has been washed and ironed before cutting into the pieces you’ll need, as described in the supplies list of this post.

To fuse my vinyl to the fabric, I peeled off the paper backing, placed the vinyl onto the right side of my fabric, replaced the paper backing, and pressed with a hot iron (no steam) for eight seconds.

Then, I flipped the fabric wrong side up and pressed again for eight seconds.

Be sure to keep one of your larger paper backs from the vinyl adhesion process. You’ll use it in step six, and possibly later in the maintenance of your reusable sandwich bags!

Step Three: After each of your cotton pieces have been coated with vinyl, you’ll want to make rounded corners on one side of each fabric strip. I used round objects from my home as a template for this.

Step Four: Arrange your fabric pieces right sides together and pin very closely to the edges. You’ll be stitching 1/4″ around the border, so make sure the pin holes will be hidden within that seam allowance.

You don’t want to poke holes in the visible vinyl.

Step Five: Sew along the border of the pinned fabric pieces, removing the pins as you go. Do not sew on the short flat edge.

Only sew along the two long sides and the one rounded side. You’re leaving open the non-rounded side to flip the fabric right-side-out.

Step Six: Clip the corners of your rounded edge as shown above, then flip the fabric right side out.

When you flip your vinyl coated fabric right side out, you will heavily crinkle the vinyl in the process. Don’t panic! Simply use a reserved piece of paper backing from the vinyl you used in step two and iron the vinyl (with the paper barrier) to get out the wrinkles.

Just be sure not to iron for more than a few seconds, or the vinyl will begin to degrade and come off onto the paper backing. Definitely do not use a hot iron directly on the vinyl!

Step Seven: Close up the open flat edge of your fabric with a simple straight stitch. Then, add pieces of hook and loop strips as shown above. I used two straight pins near the edge of each hook and loop strip to keep them in place as I sewed them.

Step Eight: Now, fold the fabric as shown above and stitch closely to the edge of the fabric to close up the sides of the bag. You’re going to begin by going up the left side, around the top flap, and then back down the right side of the bag.

School hasn’t started for us yet, but my kids were already excited to see these new reusable sandwich and snack bags in their favorite colors and fun patterns.

My littlest was able to easily open and close the bags herself, which was not the case with some snap-lid containers and reusable Ziplock bags we’ve tried in the past. Cute and easy to use? Win-win!

How Do You Keep The Bags Clean?

When it comes to washing these little reusable snack bags, you’ll want to stick with lukewarm water and a non-abrasive sponge or washcloth.

Let them air dry then use again and again forever! If your bags ever get really crumpled looking, just use some of the paper from the vinyl adhesive process and iron the vinyl smooth again. Do not use an iron directly on the vinyl.

How cute do these little guys look?! This was such a fun and useful project, I’m already thinking about other ways I can use vinyl-coated cotton to make reusable version of disposable items. – Mandi

Looking for more reusable projects? Check out …

• Reusable Makeup Wipe DIY
• 5-Minute Reusable Swiffer Cover
• Reusable Coffee Cozy DIY

Print

How to Make Reusable Sandwich and Snack Bags

Sew your own (reusable) sandwich or snack bags using any fabric!

Keyword sandwich bags, sewing

Author Mandi Johnson

Equipment

• 1 sewing machine + coordinating thread
• 1 pair of sharp scissors or rotary cutter
• 1 iron

Ingredients

• cotton fabric that has been washed ironed, and cut into pieces (two 5″ x 12″ pieces for snack bags, two 7″ x 16.5″ pieces for sandwich bags
• vinyl iron-on interfacing
• hook and loop strips
• straight pins

Instructions

• Step One: Cut pieces of the vinyl interfacing to be 1/4″ smaller than your pieces of cotton fabric.

  Step Two: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to fuse the vinyl to your fabric. Be sure your fabric has been washed and ironed before cutting into the pieces you’ll need, as described in the supplies list of this post.

  To fuse my vinyl to the fabric, I peeled off the paper backing, placed the vinyl onto the right side of my fabric, replaced the paper backing, and pressed with a hot iron (no steam) for eight seconds. Then I flipped the fabric wrong side up and pressed again for eight seconds.

  Be sure to keep one of your larger paper backs from the vinyl adhesion process. You’ll use it in step six, and possibly later in the maintenance of your reusable sandwich bags!
• Step Three: After each of your cotton pieces have been coated with vinyl, you’ll want to make rounded corners on one side of each fabric strip. I used round objects from my home as a template for this.

  Step Four: Arrange your fabric pieces right sides together and pin very closely to the edges. You’ll be stitching 1/4″ around the border, so make sure the pin holes will be hidden within that seam allowance. You don’t want to poke holes in the visible vinyl.
• Step Five: Sew along the border of the pinned fabric pieces, removing the pins as you go. Do not sew on the short flat edge. Only sew along the two long sides and the one rounded side. You’re leaving open the non-rounded side to flip the fabric right side out.
• Step Six: Clip the corners of your rounded edge as shown above, then flip the fabric right side out.

  When you flip your vinyl coated fabric right side out, you will heavily crinkle the vinyl in the process. Don’t panic! Simply use a reserved piece of paper backing from the vinyl you used in step two and iron the vinyl (with the paper barrier) to get out the wrinkles.

  Just be sure not to iron for more than a few seconds, or the vinyl will begin to degrade and come off onto the paper backing. Definitely do not use a hot iron directly on the vinyl!
• Step Seven: Close up the open flat edge of your fabric with a simple straight stitch. Then add pieces of hook and loop strips as shown above. I used two straight pins near the edge of each hook and loop strip to keep them in place as I sewed them.
• Step Eight: Now fold the fabric as shown above and stitch closely to the edge of the fabric to close up the sides of the bag. You’re going to begin by going up the left side, around the top flap, and then back down the right side of the bag.

Notes

When it comes to washing these little reusable snack bags, you’ll want to stick with lukewarm water and a non-abrasive sponge or washcloth.

Let them air dry then use again and again forever! If your bags ever get really crumpled looking, just use some of the paper from the vinyl adhesive process and iron the vinyl smooth again.

Do not use an iron directly on the vinyl.

Josh made amazing bench seating to give us a place to lounge, and we decided to add some thick outdoor cushions to make the seating area more comfy.

Having outdoor cushions makes a space look finished and one million times more comfortable. Here’s how to make your own!

Related: Make Your Own Fire Pit, Mid-Century Pergola DIY, and The Best Outdoor Furniture.

Supplies:
–canvas twill or outdoor fabric
–outdoor cushion filling
-standard sewing machine
–zipper the width of your cushion
–fabric scissors and sewing pins
–waterproofing spray

First, I measured the width and depth of each seat to see how big the cushions should be. The cushion filling I bought was 4″ tall, so I knew that number would be the height of my cushion.

To figure out the fabric dimensions for the cushion panels, take the width and depth measurements and add 1″ to both numbers to allow for a 1/2″ seam allowance all around. These measurements are for the top and bottom panels of the cushion.

To determine the side panel length, add the original measurements (the numbers before the additional inches for seam allowance) of all four sides of the large panel together.

Add 1″ onto that big number to allow for a 1/2″ seam allowance. The height of your super-long side panel is the height of the cushion filling with 1″ added for a 1/2″ seam allowance. 

Take these dimensions and cut your top and bottom panel and your long side panel accordingly.

Use fabric scissors to round the edge of your fabric corners on your two larger panels.

To connect your long side panel strip and make one big continuous loop around the edge of your cushion, fold the panel in half (with the right sides facing each other), and sew 1/2″ from the edge to connect the ends.

Line up the edges of your side panel loop of fabric with the edge of the top panel (with the right sides together), and pin the edge in place.

To make the corners easier to sew, add some “V”-shaped notches around each corner.

Use your machine to sew all the way around the edges with a 1/2″ seam allowance. 

Pin the bottom panel to the side panel in the same manner as the top panel, and make notches on all the corners.

Before you sew all the way around the bottom panel, you’ll want to add a zipper at one of the ends so you can insert your cushion filling.

Place the zipper face down onto the right side of the fabric at one of the ends of your bottom panel. Pin the zipper in place so that the zipper will be installed 1/2″ from the edge. 

Watch the video below to learn how to install your zipper:

Use a zipper foot on your machine to sew the right side of the zipper in place.

Repeat the process of pinning and sewing the other side of the zipper so that you have a functional zipper installed.

Now you can sew all the way around the rest of the bottom panel (starting at the end of the zipper and stopping when you reach the beginning of it).

Make sure to leave your zipper open a few inches before you sew all the way around so you can get back in later! Flip your cushion cover right side out, and you’re ready to add the filling!

Use a ruler and a marker to measure the appropriate width of your cushion filling.* If you aren’t able to buy a cushion long enough that’s in one piece, you just use as many pieces as needed to fill the cushion length.

*NOTE: I would highly suggest making the width and length of the insert a little bigger than your actual cover dimensions (maybe add an inch to both). This way, the insert will fit snugly into the cover and you will have a full-looking cushion.

Now, I’ve heard that some people use jigsaws or even electric turkey carving knives to cut foam and filling, but the thing that worked the best for me was actually a plain handsaw. Weird, right?

The saw was able to do most of the cutting pretty easily, but I did use some fabric scissors to clean up the edge a bit.

Once my filling was cut to size, we folded the filling in half like a taco shell and inserted it into the cushion cover through the zipper opening. Use your waterproof spray to seal your fabric, and you’re done!

Throw in some outdoor pillows (or you can make your own) a few concrete planters, an outdoor rug and your space is ready to go!

Once you get this cushion-making technique down, you’ll be not only able to update your outdoor space, but you can also apply the principles to making cushions for lots of other seating options as well.

Happy sewing! xo. Laura

Print

Make Your Own Outdoor Cushions

Keyword outdoor cushions

Author Laura Gummerman

Equipment

• standard sewing machine
• fabric scissors
• sewing pins

Ingredients

• canvas twill or outdoor fabric
• outdoor cushion filling
• zipper the width of your cushion

Instructions

• First, I measured the width and depth of each seat to see how big the cushions should be. The cushion filling I bought was 4″ tall, so I knew that number would be the height of my cushion.
• To figure out the fabric dimensions for the cushion panels, take the width and depth measurements and add 1″ to both numbers to allow for a 1/2″ seam allowance all around. These measurements are for the top and bottom panels of the cushion.

  To determine the side panel length, add the original measurements (the numbers before the additional inches for seam allowance) of all four sides of the large panel together. Add 1″ onto that big number to allow for a 1/2″ seam allowance. The height of your super-long side panel is the height of the cushion filling with 1″ added for a 1/2″ seam allowance. 
• Take these dimensions and cut your top and bottom panel and your long side panel accordingly.
• Use fabric scissors to round the edge of your fabric corners on your two larger panels.

  To connect your long side panel strip and make one big continuous loop around the edge of your cushion, fold the panel in half (with the right sides facing each other), and sew 1/2″ from the edge to connect the ends.

  Line up the edges of your side panel loop of fabric with the edge of the top panel (with the right sides together), and pin the edge in place.
• To make the corners easier to sew, add some “V”-shaped notches around each corner.
• Use your machine to sew all the way around the edges with a 1/2″ seam allowance. 
• Pin the bottom panel to the side panel in the same manner as the top panel, and make notches on all the corners.
• Before you sew all the way around the bottom panel, you’ll want to add a zipper at one of the ends so you can insert your cushion filling.

  Place the zipper face down onto the right side of the fabric at one of the ends of your bottom panel. Pin the zipper in place so that the zipper will be installed 1/2″ from the edge. 
• Use a zipper foot on your machine to sew the right side of the zipper in place.
• Repeat the process of pinning and sewing the other side of the zipper so that you have a functional zipper installed. Now you can sew all the way around the rest of the bottom panel (starting at the end of the zipper and stopping when you reach the beginning of it).

  Make sure to leave your zipper open a few inches before you sew all the way around so you can get back in later! Flip your cushion cover right side out, and you’re ready to add the filling!
• Use a ruler and a marker to measure the appropriate width of your cushion filling.* If you aren’t able to buy a cushion long enough that’s in one piece, you just use as many pieces as needed to fill the cushion length.

  I would highly suggest making the width and length of the insert a little bigger than your actual cover dimensions (maybe add an inch to both). This way the insert will fit snugly into the cover and you will have a full-looking cushion.
• Now, I’ve heard that some people use jigsaws or even electric turkey carving knives to cut foam and filling, but the thing that worked the best for me was actually a plain old handsaw. Weird, right?

  The saw was able to do most of the cutting pretty easily, but I did use some fabric scissors to clean up the edge a bit.

  Once my filling was cut to size, we folded the filling in half like a taco shell and inserted it into the cushion cover through the zipper opening. Use your waterproof spray to seal your fabric, and you’re done!

We have a pretty small bedroom, and having large dark pieces of furniture doesn’t help the room feel its largest/brightest. But when a bed is fabric, you can’t just repaint it when you get tired of the color.

So what’s a girl to do? Reupholster the bed frame!

Related: How to Easily Fold a Fitted Sheet (With Video)

r

Isn’t that a crazy difference in just one day?! I’ll show you what I did with mine, and give you choices to do things the easier no-sew route if you would rather. Or, you can do 10 minutes of very basic sewing—it’s up to you!

Supplies:
–wide bolt upholstery or multi-use fabric in your color of choice (wide enough to cover your headboard and be wrapped around the back, the blush fabric I chose was 54″ wide). I used about 5.5 yards for my bed.
–wide bolt white fabric as an underlayment (optional but helpful if you have thin primary fabric and are going from a dark bed to a light bed)*
–electric staple gun and 1/2″ staples
–fabric scissors and straight pins

*NOW, BEFORE WE BEGIN, I’ll let you know that my bed took a little longer to cover than yours probably will because of two things: the fabric I liked best was on the thinner side and the bed I was covering was a super dark color.

If I didn’t cover the bed in white fabric first, then the blush pink would look kind of dull because you’d be seeing some of the dark grey coming through, but by covering it in white first, you got the full blush color.

If you aren’t going from a very dark bed to a very light colored bed OR if you have a thicker backed fabric like an upholstery grade fabric then you probably won’t need to do this step.

Just lay your fabric choice over your bed frame and if you can’t see any of the color underneath coming through, then skip the white fabric step—faster and cheaper!

OK! So, most fabric covered beds come in four pieces (headboard, two side rails, and a footer) that connect with some sort of hardware pieces like you see above.

Most beds come apart like that because it’s both easier for the manufacturer to wrap the pieces individually, and who has a house with doors and hallways big enough to move a full-sized bed into rooms if it doesn’t come apart, right?

You can also see above that the bed was originally covered with fabric and then stapled into place, and that’s basically what we are going to do too!

Once we had taken apart each of the rails (and removed that wooden spine part in the middle that holds the mattress up) we also took off the connecting hardware on each section, too.

Make sure to label where each piece goes and what direction it faces so you can put it back together at the end.

I also suggest jotting down a quick measurement of where the hardware is connected on each board so you can easily find that spot again if you end up covering that area with fabric.

For example, 8″ in from the outside edge and 1/2″ up from the bottom type of measurements. 

I also unscrewed the legs from the header and footer and made a note of where those holes were located.

Your legs may have a plate they attach to or just go directly into the wood, so remove the plate if there is one there. 

The Sewing Option

I laid the headboard onto a section of my white fabric (with the right side of the fabric facing the headboard) that was big enough to wrap the headboard, and wrapped and pinned the fabric around the back. Be sure to get the fabric smooth and tight.

The small section of sewing that I did was at the top corner of each side of the headboard. I smoothed out the fabric and pinned the corner together so that the sides came together nicely (like you see in the top two frames.) Repeat that smoothing and pinning with the opposite side.

Next, I removed the pins that were holding the fabric on the headboard, removed the fabric from the headboard, and sewed down that line where the corner pins were and cut the excess.

Then, I tried the cover back on the headboard to see how it fit and pinched and sewed a little more fabric if it didn’t fit very snugly.

Once I had the fit right, I turned the fabric right side out and put it back on so that I had the nice sewn corner that you see in the last frame.

The No-Sew Option

If you don’t want to be bothered by sewing, you can lay your headboard on your fabric (with the right side facing outwards) and wrap your corners like you would wrap a nice present and staple in place!

The above two photos are how I wrapped the bottom of the headboard, so the only difference is that you’ll want to make sure you have enough fabric length to have that open side (in the first picture) come all the way up and over the back. That way, you can staple it on the back where it won’t be seen at all.

I did the quick sewing option at the top two corners of the headboard and the footboard to make them look extra clean, but I wrapped all the other edges like you see above.

Just be constantly thinking about what edges will be seen and which will be hidden under the bed, etc., so you know which edges should be totally covered.

And if you are using two layers of fabric and doing the new-sew option, I would layer the fabrics on top of each other with your main fabric on the bottom and the right side facing the floor. Then, wrap them around the corners at the same time rather than one at a time.

Take care to smooth them really well before placing your headboard on top, but doing them together should give you a less bulky fold than if you did them separately.

Once your sides are wrapped and the fabric is smoothed and pinned to the back, use your staple gun to secure your fabric in place on the back/bottom of your headboard.

You’ll want to staple into something hard rather than just an area of foam or something, so feel around for the wooden frame under your fabric and staple your fabric secure to that down each side.

I like to start in the middle of each section and have one person smooth and hold the fabric tight while the other staples every 5-6″. Once you reach one end, go back to the middle and complete the other side.

You may occasionally reach a spot that’s really hard wood where your staple gun doesn’t quite go all the way in and that’s OK.

You can try another spot nearby or hammer your staple flat, and as long as most of it went in it will hold. Trim any excess fabric as needed.

Once I had my headboard wrapped and covering the white fabric, I repeated the process (with the pink fabric) of pinning the corners, sewing, and stapling the fabric in place.

You’ll only have to do it once though if you don’t need the white underneath. 

Here’s what the bottom side looks like from the back with both layers stapled!

How Do I Put the Hardware Back On?

To put the hardware back on, we poked around the spots where we knew the holes were (based on our measurements we took before taking them off) with a pin or an awl until we found the holes. Then, we drilled our screws back in to create holes in the fabric.

It’s a little harder to find the holes with two layers of fabric, so we found the holes through one layer and put the screws in and took them out again.

This made the holes easier to find (and mark on the second layer) so we could put the hardware back on over the top of the fabric. We used the same method for connecting the legs back on.

See? All ready to connect to the other pieces!

At this point, I just repeated the process of laying out fabric that was big enough for my section, wrapping each piece, and stapling it in place.

I found it easier to do the two sides with both fabric layers at once since I was simply folding and stapling those corners.

But then, I did the headboard and footboard with the white and pink layers separately since I was sewing those top corners and that kept the fabric smooth. 

Tip: If you are using two layers of fabric, trim excess fabric off the underneath layer to get a cleaner, less bulky corner fold (like I did with the white fabric) above.

What if the Staples Don’t Go Through the Fabric?

If you come to a really hard spot in the wood where your staple gun can’t get through, you can use small nails to tack that section in place.

Once all your pieces are covered, reattach all your hardware and legs and put your new bed back together!

Since the fabric made the bed a little thicker in some spots, it was helpful to leave the screws out about 1/4″ when putting the hardware back on. That way, you could fit the pieces together more easily and then tighten the screws once the frame was back together again.

Reattach the spine middle part of your bed and you’re ready for the mattress and covers!

Love this post? Learn how to make an upholstered headboard here!

I have to say, I felt pretty good about this project, but it came out so much better than I ever expected! I would be shocked if I saw this in someone else’s house and they told me they had recovered it.

This simple method did remove the tufted look that the headboard had before, but I like it better that way since it looks more modern.

If your headboard has tufts that you want to keep, use extra fabric to cover some buttons in the new color, find the buttons under the fabric, and use a curved needle to sew the buttons onto the top of the existing buttons for more of a tufted look.

Overall, I love this before/after and you could actually grab a staple remover in the future if you ever want to recover again in another color. Hope this DIY helps you give your bedroom a budget makeover, too!

P.S. You can see how my bedroom finally came together and the rest of my home tours here! xo. Laura

Print

Reupholster Your Bed Frame in One Afternoon

How to recover your bed in one day!

Keyword bed frame, upholstery

Author Laura Gummerman

Equipment

• electric staple gun and 1/2" staples or manual staple gun
• fabric scissors
• straight pins

Ingredients

• wide bolt upholstery or multi-use fabric in your color of choice wide enough to cover your headboard and be wrapped around the back (the fabric I chose was 54″ wide). I used about 5.5 yards for my bed
• wide bolt white fabric as an underlayment optional, but helpful if you have thin primary fabric and are going from a dark bed to a light bed

Instructions

• Take apart the pieces of your bed frame
• Once we had taken apart each of the rails (and removed that wooden spine part in the middle that holds the mattress up) we also took off the connecting hardware on each section too. Make sure to label where each piece goes and what direction it faces so you can put it back together at the end. I also suggest jotting down a quick measurement of where the hardware is connected on each board so you can easily find that spot again if you end up covering that area with fabric (like 8″ in from the outside edge and 1/2″ up from the bottom type of measurements). 
• I also unscrewed the legs as well from the header and footer and made a note of where those holes are located too. Your legs may have a plate they attach to or just go directly into the wood, so remove the plate if there is one there. 
• THE SEWING OPTION: Next, I laid the headboard onto a section of my white fabric (with the right side of the fabric facing the headboard) that was big enough to wrap the headboard and wrapped and pinned the fabric around the back trying to get the fabric smooth and tight. The small section of sewing that I did was at the top corner of each side of the headboard. I smoothed out the fabric and pinned the corner together so that the sides came together nicely like you see in the top two frames. Repeat that smoothing and pinning with the opposite side.
• Next, I removed the pins that were holding the fabric on the headboard, removed the fabric from the headboard and sewed down that line where the corner pins were and cut the excess. I then tried the cover back on the headboard again to see how it fit and pinched and sewed a little more fabric if it didn’t fit very snugly. Once I had the fit right, I turned the fabric right side out and put it back on so that I had the nice sewn corner that you see in the last frame.
• THE NO-SEW OPTION: If you don’t want to be bothered by sewing, you can lay your headboard on your fabric (with the right side facing outwards) and wrap your corners like you would wrap a nice present and staple in place! The above two photos are how I wrapped the bottom of the headboard so the only difference is that you’ll want to make sure you have enough fabric length to have that open side in the first picture come all the way up and over the back so you can staple it on the back where it won’t be seen at all.

  I did the quick sewing option at the top two corners of the headboard and the footboard to make them look extra clean, but I wrapped all the other edges like you see above. Just be constantly thinking about what edges will be seen and which will be hidden under the bed, etc., so you know which edges should be totally covered.

  And if you are using two layers of fabric and doing the new-sew option, I would layer the fabrics on top of each other with your main fabric on the bottom and the right side facing the floor, and wrap them around the corners at the same time rather than one at a time. Take care to smooth them really well before placing your headboard on top, but doing them together should give you a less bulky fold than if you did them separately.
• Once your sides are wrapped in whichever way you choose and the fabric is smoothed and pinned to the back, use your staple gun to secure your fabric in place on the back/bottom of your headboard. You’ll want to staple into something hard rather than just an area of foam or something, so feel around for the wooden frame under your fabric and staple your fabric secure to that down each side. I like to start in the middle of each section and have one person smooth and hold the fabric tight while the other staples every 5-6″. Once you reach one end, go back to the middle and complete the other side. You may occasionally reach a spot that’s really hard wood where your staple gun doesn’t quite go all the way in and that’s OK. You can try another spot nearby or hammer your staple flat, and as long as most of it went in it will hold. Trim any excess fabric as needed.
• So, once I had my headboard wrapped and covering the white fabric, I repeated the process with the pink fabric of pinning the corners, sewing, and stapling the fabric in place. You’ll only have to do it once though if you don’t need the white underneath. 
• To put the hardware back on, we poked around the spots where we knew the holes were (based on our measurements we took before taking them off) with a pin or an awl until we found the holes and drilled our screws back in to create holes in the fabric. It’s a little harder to find the holes with two layers of fabric, so we found the holes through one layer, put the screws in and took them out again, and that made the holes easier to find and mark on the second layer so we could put the hardware back on over the top of the fabric. Do the same thing for connecting the legs back on as well.
• Basically, at this point, I just repeated the process of laying out fabric that was big enough for my section, wrapping each piece, and stapling in place. I found it easier to do the two sides with both fabric layers at once since I was simply folding and stapling those corners, but then I did the headboard and footboard with the white and pink layers separately since I was sewing those top corners and that kept the fabric smooth. 
• A little tip if you are doing two layers of fabric is that you can trim excess fabric off the underneath layer to get a cleaner, less bulky corner fold like I did with the white above. Also, if you come to a really hard spot in the wood where your staple gun just can’t get through, you can use small nails to tack that section in place.
• Once all your pieces are covered, reattach all your hardware and legs and put your new bed back together! Since the fabric made the bed a little thicker in some spots, it was helpful to leave the screws out about 1/4″ when putting the hardware back on. That way, you could fit the pieces together more easily and then tighten the screws once the frame was back together again. Reattach the spine middle part of your bed and you’re ready for the mattress and covers!

There are several hacks to get the job done, and I’ve outlined (step-by-step) the four easiest ways to thread a needle so you can get to your sewing project within moments of starting. And they all work on large and small needles.

Some of these hacks suggest helpful tools to make the job easier, but some you can do without a needle threader or aid if you don’t have one nearby.

Related: Quickly Sew a Flat or Shank Button

Option 1.) Wet the end of your thread: This is how I’ve threaded my needle since I was a kid, and it’s nice that you don’t need any extra tools to do it.

Since frayed thread ends make threading a needle a bit of a nightmare, cut the end of your thread so you have a fresh end that’s still woven pretty tight.

Then, either wet your fingertips with water (or a bit of spit) and get the end of the thread damp, which helps it stay together and be a little stiffer. You can also put the end in your mouth for a second and that will do the trick, too.

Once the thread is damp, push the damp end of the thread through the needle and pull it through until you have the length you want and knot it at the end.

Option 2.) Use a needle threader: While I understand that having another tool around to do a specific job may not be ideal, needle threaders are so small and take up such little space that they really are worth it.

You can also use these to thread sewing machines as well so they work double duty in addition to hand sewing (and they make really cute ones like these daisy shapes).

Just stick the thin diamond-shaped wire through the eye of your needle until it’s sticking through the other side. Thread your thread through the larger diamond shape and then pull the wire back through the eye of the needle so that your thread comes with it to the other side.

Pull it through until you have the length you want and knot it at the end.

Option 3.) Use the fold and pinch method:

Fold your thread over the top of your needle and pinch it tight on the bottom with your thumb and forefinger. Pull your needle out so that you have a tiny loop pinched between your fingers.

Position the eye of the needle over the loop with your free hand and push it down onto the loop so that the loop goes through the eye of the needle. Once it’s pushed down far enough, you can grab the loop and pull it through.

Pull it through until you have the length you want and knot it at the end.

Option 4.) Use a self-threading needle:

If you find yourself doing a bit of sewing here and there, you may want to spend a few bucks on a pack of self-threading needles to make the job easy.

These needles have a V-shaped opening on the top of the needle, so all you have to do is hold the thread over the V shape and pull down to pull it into the opening and your needle is threaded!

Looking for an easy no-sew project? Try these!

• Glitter Star Tree Skirt DIY
• Baby Headband DIY (3 Ways)
• Easy Square Aprons
• How to Make a Tooth Fairy Pillow
• No-Sew Braided Velvet Headband

Learning to sew? Try these easy sewing projects!

• How to Hem Your Jeans (in 4 Easy Steps!)
• Boho Shower Curtain
• Oversized Scrunchie DIY
• Padded Headband DIY

Whether you are gearing up to do some hardcore sewing projects or just starting out on a beginner project, these easy ways to thread a needle will get you started off right! xo. Laura

Print

How to Thread a Needle (4 Easy Ways!)

4 Easy Ways to Thread a Needle

Keyword crafts, sewing

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 minute minute

Total Time 3 minutes minutes

Author Laura Gummerman

Equipment

• sewing needle
• self-threading sewing needle optional
• needle threader optional
• 1 Pair of scissors

Ingredients

• sewing thread

Instructions

Option 1.) Wet the end of your thread

• This is how I’ve threaded my needle since I was a kid and it’s nice that you don’t need any extra tools to do it.

  Since frayed thread ends make threading a needle a bit of a nightmare, cut the end of your thread so you have a fresh end that’s still woven pretty tight.

  Then, either wet your fingertips with water (or a bit of spit) and get the end of the thread damp, which helps it stay together and be a little stiffer. You can also put the end in your mouth for a second and that will do the trick, too.

  Once the thread is damp, push the damp end of the thread through the needle and pull it through until you have the length you want and knot it at the end. 

Option 2.) Use a needle threader

• While I understand that having another tool around to do a specific job may not be ideal, needle threaders are so small and take up such little space that they really are worth it. You can also use these to thread sewing machines as well so they work double duty in addition to hand sewing (and they make really cute ones like these daisy shapes).

  Just stick the thin diamond-shaped wire through the eye of your needle until it’s sticking through the other side. Thread your thread through the larger diamond shape and then pull the wire back through the eye of the needle so that your thread comes with it to the other side.

  Pull it through until you have the length you want and knot it at the end.

Option 3.) Use the pinch and fold method

• Fold your thread over the top of your needle and pinch it tight on the bottom with your thumb and forefinger. Pull your needle out so that you have a tiny loop pinched between your fingers.

  Position the eye of the needle over the loop with your free hand and push it down onto the loop so that the loop goes through the eye of the needle. Once it’s pushed down far enough you can grab the loop and pull it through.

  Pull it through until you have the length you want and knot it at the end.

Option 4.) Use a self threading needle

• If you find yourself doing a bit of sewing here and there, you may want to spend a few bucks on a pack of self-threading needles to make the job easy.

  These needles have a V-shaped opening on the top of the needle, so all you have to do is hold the thread over the V shape and pull down to pull it into the opening and your needle is threaded!

Whether you are trying to sew a regular button with holes or a shank button, here are easy steps to sew your own button. Even if one pops off right before you head out the door, you’ll have the skills to get it back on in no time.

Learning to sew? Try these easy sewing projects!

• How to Hem Your Jeans (in 4 Easy Steps!)
• Boho Shower Curtain
• Oversized Scrunchie DIY
• Padded Headband DIY

STEPS TO SEW A FLAT BUTTON (TWO OR FOUR HOLE):

Supplies:
-button (a two- or four-hole button)
-thread (regular weight works for most things, but you can do a heavy weight for bigger coats, etc.)
-needle (a multi-pack like this has several options for different thread weights)
–straight pin
-scissors
–disappearing marking pen (optional)

Thread the needle: Cut a piece of thread about 24″ long and thread it through a needle halfway so that both ends are equally as long (you can use a self-threading needle like this for easy threading). Keeping your strands together, tie a knot at the end to tie them together.

Click here to learn 4 easy ways to thread a needle.

Position the button: Position the button where you want it on your garment (make sure the holes are facing the same direction as the other buttons nearby).

Check to see that it is the right spot for the buttonhole if it’s on a coat, shirt, or jacket. You can also use a disappearing marking pen to mark the spot if you wish.

Start your first stitch: Pull your needle up through one of the holes from the underside of the fabric, pulling it all the way through until the knot stops you. Push the needle back down through the second hole and pull the needle all the way through again.

If you have a button with 4 holes instead of just 2, you’ll come up through one hole and cross to the button hole diagonal from that hole rather than straight down so you are creating an “X” as you sew.

Use a straight pin as a spacer: Place a straight pin under the button between the button and the fabric in the middle of your stitching. Having this pin there gives a little bit of space so the button isn’t sewn too tight.

Continue sewing: Continue sewing your stitches by coming up from the bottom and going down into the next hole several times until the button feels secure when you pull on it.

Create a shank (optional): Before you finish your button, come up through the material but come out underneath the button rather than through the button hole again.

Take out the straight pin and wind your thread between the button and fabric to strengthen the button and create a shank. (This gives you some space between the button and the fabric so it can be buttoned comfortably).

*If you are sewing on a decorative button that doesn’t go through a buttonhole, you can skip this step of winding it around to create a shank.

Tie off thread on underside: To finish, push the needle back down through the material, next to the shank, so it’s on the underside of your material.

Catch a little bit of the underside material with your needle and pull it almost all the way through so that you have a small loop of thread.

Pass the needle back through the thread and pull it tight to create a knot. Cut the thread close to the knot to finish.

STEPS TO SEW A SHANK BUTTON:

Supplies:
-shank button
-thread (regular weight works for most things but you can do a heavy weight for bigger coats, etc.)
-needle (a multi-pack like this has several options for different thread weights)
-scissors
–disappearing marking pen (optional)

Thread the needle: Cut a piece of thread about 24″ long and thread it through a needle halfway so that both ends are equally as long (you can use a self-threading needle like this for easy threading). Keeping your strands together, tie a knot at the end to tie them together.

Position the button: Position the button where you want it on your garment. Check to see that it is the right spot for the buttonhole if it’s on a coat, shirt, or jacket. You can also use a disappearing marking pen to mark the spot if you wish.

Start your first stitch: Push your needle through a small bit of the material on the spot where you want the button to go. Pull it all the way through.

Thread your button: Thread the needle through the shank of your button.

Attach the button: Thread the needle through a small bit of fabric again like you did earlier and pull tight to attach the button.

Continue to pass the needle through the button shank and then through the small bit of fabric underneath several times until it feels secure when you pull on it.

Tie off the thread: To finish, make another pass through the small bit of material and pull it almost all the way through so that you have a small loop of thread.

Pass the needle back through the thread and pull it tight to create a knot. Cut the thread close to the knot to finish.

There you go! You just learned to sew on a flat or shank button, and now you can be your own tailor and do a quick repair the next time a button falls off. Check out our sewing archives for more projects! xo Laura

Looking for an easy no-sew project? Try these!

• Glitter Star Tree Skirt DIY (No Sew!)
• Baby Headband DIY (3 Ways and No Sew!)
• Easy Square Aprons (No Sew Option!)
• How to Make a Tooth Fairy Pillow (Free Printable with a No-Sew Option!)
• No-Sew Braided Velvet Headband

Print

Easy Way to Quickly Sew a Flat or Shank Button (Step By Step)

Sew a flat or shank style button quickly and easily!

Keyword button, sewing

Active time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 button

Author Laura Gummerman

Cost $1

Equipment

• 1 Pair of scissors
• 1 sewing needle a multi-pack has several options for different thread weights)
• 1 straight pin

Ingredients

• thread (regular weight works for most things but you can do a heavy weight for bigger coats, etc.)
• button flat or shank style
• disappearing marking pen optional

Instructions

STEPS TO SEW A FLAT BUTTON (TWO OR FOUR HOLE):

• Thread the needle: Cut a piece of thread about 24″ long and thread it through a needle halfway so that both ends are equally as long (you can use a self-threading needle like this for easy threading). Keeping your strands together, tie a knot at the end to tie them together.
• Position the button: Position the button where you want it on your garment (make sure the holes are facing the same direction as the other buttons nearby). Check to see that it is the right spot for the buttonhole if it’s on a coat, shirt, or jacket. You can also use a disappearing marking pen to mark the spot if you wish.
• Start your first stitch: Pull your needle up through one of the holes from the underside of the fabric, pulling it all the way through until the knot stops you. Push the needle back down through the second hole and pull the needle all the way through again.

  If you have a button with 4 holes instead of just 2, you’ll come up through one hole and cross to the button hole diagonal from that hole rather than straight down so you are creating an “X” rather than an “=” as you sew.
• Use a straight pin as a spacer: Place a straight pin under the button between the button and the fabric in the middle of your stitching. Having this pin there gives a little bit of space so the button isn’t sewn too tight.
• Finish sewing: Continue sewing your stitches by coming up from the bottom and going down into the next hole several times until the button feels secure when you pull on it.
• Create a shank (optional): On your final stitch, come up through the material but come out underneath the button rather than through the button hole again. Take out the straight pin and wind your thread between the button and fabric to strengthen the button and create a shank (this gives you some space between the button and the fabric so it can be buttoned comfortably). Push the needle back down through the material, next to the shank, so it’s on the underside of your material.

  *If you are sewing on a decorative button that doesn’t go through a buttonhole, you can skip this step of winding it around to create a shank.
• Tie off thread on underside: To finish, catch a little bit of the underside material with your needle and pull it almost all the way through so that you have a small loop of thread. Pass the needle back through the thread and pull it tight to create a knot. Cut the thread close to the knot to finish.

STEPS TO SEW A SHANK BUTTON:

• Thread the needle: Cut a piece of thread about 24″ long and thread it through a needle halfway so that both ends are equally as long (you can use a self-threading needle like this for easy threading). Keeping your strands together, tie a knot at the end to tie them together.
• Position the button: Position the button where you want it on your garment. Check to see that it is the right spot for the buttonhole if it’s on a coat, shirt, or jacket. You can also use a disappearing marking pen to mark the spot if you wish.
• Start your first stitch: Push your needle through a small bit of the material on the spot where you want the button to go. Pull it all the way through.
• Thread your button: Thread the needle through the shank of your button.
• Attach the button: Thread the needle through a small bit of fabric again like you did earlier and pull tight to attach the button.

  Continue to pass the needle through the button shank and then through the small bit of fabric underneath several times until it feels secure when you pull on it.
• Tie off the thread: To finish, make another pass through the small bit of material and pull it almost all the way through so that you have a small loop of thread. Pass the needle back through the thread and pull it tight to create a knot. Cut the thread close to the knot to finish.

I’m always astounded by the amount of clothing items in stores (especially in summer) that it would be impossible to wear a bra with based on the low back/skinny straps/no straps/cutout designs.

And as someone who definitely needs some support in that department, it frustrates me to no end.

Related: Check out our sewing archives for more ideas.

Thankfully, there’s a way that you can still wear that super cute item and get the support you need with a built-in bra DIY!

Now, this won’t work on every item depending on the construction and what the material is, but my guess is that you’ll be able to open up your options range a lot wider than you would think with this trick.

The items that work best with this are ones that are more fitted to the torso/waist, so this method wouldn’t work with a super flowy top or dress.

I’ll show you two ways to add some support to your garment based on the level of support that you need.

The More Support Method: This method uses an underwire bra instead of loose foam cups as the underwire will help larger busts keep their shape.

Since we are going to cut this bra apart, it’s a good idea to find a less expensive bra set, or you can use an old everyday underwire bra that you were about to retire.

I found some bras on sale that had a band size that was too large for me, but since the cups fit I got them anyway, since that’s the part I was going to be using.

Once you have your bra, assess your garment and decide if you want to cut off the straps and cut out each cup individually, cut the sides off but leave the cups connected at the middle, or leave the middle and most of the sides and just cut off the closure on the back.

It really depends on what you would be able to see with your garment, so try and leave as much as possible and cut off the rest.

Try your clothing on and pin your bra/cups in place at the location where you want it to be.

If the top edge or side of your cup is sticking out to where you can see it, you can fold over that edge inward and tack it in place with a needle and thread (the folded edge shouldn’t really bother you since it’s soft foam).

Or, you can cut the edge and sew alongside it with a zigzag stitch or a serger if you have one to keep it from unraveling further.

Once your cup is in place, use a needle and thread to attach each cup to the garment in at least four places about 1/4″ away from the cup edge (at each side and top and bottom). You can do more locations on the cup if you feel like it’s needed.

If you left on some of the sides of the bra, you’ll want to tack those areas down as well.

When attaching the cup, use a thread color that will be least noticeable on the outside of the garment and either make very small stitches to where you are coming through to the front and going back in almost at the same spot.

Or, if your garment has two layers of fabric in that area, just catch the inside layer so no stitches are noticeable from the outside.

Once your bra is in, your item is ready to wear!

The Less Support Method: So, for this method, you’ll want to purchase a pair of bra cups that come in your size, and you may want to get some that match the clothing item color so it’s the least noticeable.

Try your garment on and assess where you would want the cups to be. Pin the cups in place, and gently try the item back on to make sure you like the cup location.

Follow the advice in the first method about trimming the cup size if needed and how to sew in place.

Once your cups are in place, your new garment is ready to go!

Don’t forget that the better the garment fits you in general, the better this will work. So, if the waist or chest area is too loose, consider altering it to fit closer to your body first before adding in the bra.

I hope this hack helps you widen your range of options the next time that you go shopping! xo. Laura

Looking for more sewing DIYs? Check out …

• How to Hem Your Jeans (In 4 Easy Steps)
• Circle Swimsuit Coverup DIY
• Make a Dress from Any T-Shirt

Print

How to Add a Built-In Bra to Clothing

Two easy ways to make your own built-in bra!

Keyword sewing

Author Laura Gummerman

Equipment

• 1 Pair of scissors
• needle and thread
• straight pins
• sewing machine optional

Ingredients

• 1 bra
• 2 bra cups optional

Instructions

The More Support Method: 

• Once you have your bra, assess your garment and decide if you want to cut off the straps and cut out each cup individually, cut the sides off but leave the cups connected at the middle, or leave the middle and most of the sides and just cut off the closure on the back.
• Try your clothing on and pin your bra/cups in place at the location where you want it to be.
• If the top edge or side of your cup is sticking out to where you can see it, you can fold over that edge inward and tack it in place with a needle and thread (the folded edge shouldn’t really bother you since it’s soft foam).
• Or, you can cut the edge and sew alongside it with a zigzag stitch or a serger if you have one to keep it from unraveling further.
• Once your cup is in place, use a needle and thread to attach each cup to the garment in at least four places about 1/4″ away from the cup edge (at each side and top and bottom). You can do more locations on the cup if you feel like it’s needed.
• If you left on some of the sides of the bra, you’ll want to tack those areas down as well.
• When attaching the cup, use a thread color that will be least noticeable on the outside of the garment and either make very small stitches to where you are coming through to the front and going back in almost at the same spot.
• Or, if your garment has two layers of fabric in that area, just catch the inside layer so no stitches are noticeable from the outside.
• Once your bra is in, your item is ready to wear!

The Less Support Method: 

• So, for this method, you’ll want to purchase a pair of bra cups that come in your size, and you may want to get some that match the clothing item color so it’s the least noticeable.
• Try your garment on and assess where you would want the cups to be. Pin the cups in place, and gently try the item back on to make sure you like the cup location.
• Follow the advice in the first method about trimming the cup size if needed and how to sew in place.
• Once your cups are in place, your new garment is ready to go!

So for this DIY, I added macrame trim to a simple/boring shower curtain. The finished result is a custom shower curtain that you can’t buy in any store!

Here’s how it’s done …

Supplies:
–white shower curtain
–macrame lace
-fabric scissors
–fabric glue or sewing machine

Cut a macrame lace strip to be just as wide as the bottom of the curtain. Pin your lace in the location you want it along the bottom of the curtain. Use a ruler as you go to make sure the top of the lace is even with the bottom of the curtain.

Using a ruler again, add and pin your next line of lace and repeat with each layer you want to add.

Use fabric glue along the top edge of each piece of lace to secure, or sew along the top line with a sewing machine.

Add some Fray Check to the ends of all your cut macrame pieces so they don’t unravel.

Hang up your curtain to see your finished product!

I loved how this curtain looked in my guest bathroom.

P.S. If you love macrame, check out these DIYs:

• Simple Macrame Table Runner
• Macrame Handbag
• Make Your Own Macrame Curtain

Print

Boho Shower Curtain DIY

add macrame lace to a plain shower curtain to create boho look

Keyword boho, shower curtain

Author Elsie Larson

Equipment

• fabric scissors
• fabric glue
• sewing machine optional

Ingredients

• white shower curtain
• macrame lace

Instructions

• Cut a macrame lace strip to be just as wide as the bottom of the curtain. Pin your lace in the location you want it along the bottom of the curtain.

  Use a ruler as you go to make sure the top of the lace is even with the bottom of the curtain.
• Using a ruler again, add and pin your next line of macrame lace and repeat with each layer you want to add.
• Apply fabric glue along the top edge of each piece of lace to secure (or sew along the top line with a sewing machine).
• Add some Fray Check to the ends so the macrame pieces won't unravel.

Credits//Author: Elsie Larson. Project and Photography: Laura Gummerman.