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Reusable Gift Wraps Pattern of the Month December 2017

tote bag

 Pattern of the month December 2017

This month’s pattern are reusable gift wraps. This way you’ll always have beautiful gift wraps on hand and don’t have to buy paper wraps that just end up crumbled up or torn apart in the bin. You could enlarge or shrink the pattern too to make even more sizes and varieties.

The pattern will be available for free for the first 2 days of the month in my shop:
https://samidolls.com/en/product/reusable-gift-wraps
Afterwards it will remain available for purchase.

The video tutorials are here:
Gift Bag: https://youtu.be/KL-pEh1k4nM
‘Candy Wrapper’: https://youtu.be/K8VMcO0zQ78

I hope you enjoy the pattern and if you like, post a picture (or two) in the Sami group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/496284950388111/

Have a wonderful day and happy sewing!

Theresa xx

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BLACK FRIDAY SUPER SALE 2017

BLACK FRIDAY SUPER SALE!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.2001687059847885&type=3

I massively reduced some of my Sale items and added some brand new ones at production cost or under.
Happy shopping!

Please go to the Sami Facebook group (Follow the link to the album) and comment there, if you are interested in purchasing any of the items. Thank you ♥

tote bag

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Pattern of the Month August 2017

tote bagPattern of the month August 2017
This month’s pattern is a roll-up case for makeup brushes and pencils. it comes in 2 different sizes. I have been using my makeup brush roll-up case already and I am loving it. it is so handy for travelling.
I am sorry for the delay today. The videos took a lot longer to upload than I anticipated.

The pattern will be available for free for the first 2 days of the month of April in my shop:
https://samidolls.com/en/product/roll-up-case/
Afterwards it will remain available for purchase.

The video tutorial is here: https://youtu.be/wzD4EXLnHAI

I hope you enjoy the pattern and if you like, post a picture (or two) in the Sami group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/496284950388111/

And thank you all for 10 000 subscribers on YouTube! I am totally in shock about it. Stay tuned for a giveaway later this week.

Have a wonderful day and happy sewing!

Theresa xx

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What is the grain of fabric?

HTML tutorial

Finding the straight grain of knit fabrics is easy, as you can just slightly pull the fabric and you will see small ribs all running in one direction. This is the direction of the grain.

HTML tutorial

In woven fabrics, the straight grain runs parallel to the selvage of the fabric. On most of the Sami patterns, the grain line (straight grain) is represented with an arrow on the pattern pieces.

HTML tutorial

The selvage is the factory edge that often has the manufacturer and the name of the fabric printed on it. It often is stiffer or thicker than the fabric, therefore we don’t use it for our sewing projects and cut it off.

HTML tutorial

If your fabric has a particular print that calls for all animals, flowers etc. to be looking or pointing in the same direction, it often indicates the direction of the straight grain.

HTML tutorial

When you pull the fabric in different directions, you can easily find out which way the straight grain is running:

If you pull the fabric along the selvage edge or straight grain, the fabric hardly has any stretch. This is the direction of the straight grain. If you pull across the crossgrain, the fabric is a little stretchy and if you pull the fabric on a 45° angle, on the bias, the fabric has the most stretch.

 If the fabric has no selvage edge, for example on a scrap piece of fabric, you can figure out the direction of the straight grain in that way.

HTML tutorial

 If your piece of fabric is asymmetrical, you can cut it in a little along the crossgrain and then pull the fabric and an even thread line on the grain line will be left. This is the true grain line. From there we can cut our fabric according to the instructions of the pattern.

 When we buy the fabric in the shop the fabric is rarely cut perfectly, so it is a good idea to find the true grain line before starting to work with the fabric.

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The grain line generally runs up/ vertically in garments. If the grain line is slightly off, the fabric won’t lie nicely and sleeves or pants legs might twist around the body.

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 In some projects we want to cut the fabric with the straight grain, for example when making waist bands for pants, as the straight grain has the least pull and is therefore the strongest.

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If you imagine the fabric being woven on a loom, the warp threads (in the direction of the straight grain) are running upwards, vertically,

and the weft threads are the ones that are being woven up and down through the warp threads and around the edges to the next row.

HTML tutorial

In other projects we might want to cut the fabric on the bias, for example for skirts and dresses. It makes the fabric more unstable, as it is so stretchy, but it also allows for more flexibility, the fabrics falls nicely, and you might be able to avoid sewing some darts.

 When working with fabric cut on the bias you will want to hang the fabric up for 24 hours after cutting, so that it stabilizes itself into its new shape, before you start sewing with it.

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Pattern of the Month July 2017

tote bagPattern of the month July 2017
This month’s pattern is a tote bag. I really needed a new fabric shopping bag and I thought it might be great for those trips to the beach too. I finally used this adorable woodland fabric and can now see it every day I am using the bag 🙂

The pattern will be available for free for the first 2 days of the month of April in my shop:
https://samidolls.com/en/product/tote-bag-larissa/
Afterwards it will remain available for purchase.

The video tutorial is here: https://youtu.be/nKmiIv9HTEo

I hope you enjoy the pattern and if you like, post a picture (or two) in the Sami group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/496284950388111/

Have a wonderful day and happy sewing!

Theresa xx

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Pattern of the month June 2017: Gym Bag ‘Becstar’

Pattern of the month June 2017
This month’s pattern is a gym bag. I named it after my favourite personal trainer I ever worked with: Becstar. She is a legend. She helped me get trim and fit and believe in myself when I was really down on myself. She had the best sense of humour and is just one of the kindest people I ever met.
Sadly I had to stop training with her as I could not afford it anymore and shortly afterwards she got pregnant, stopped working at the gym and moved far away.

I fell into a bit of a depression afterwards, stopped believing in myself once again and gained a lot of the weight back and some.
Working on this gym bag made me think of her and made me think of how strong and empowered I felt during my time at the gym. I am now taking small steps to take better care of my health again, as best as I can at home, to get back of that feeling that I could conquer the world, if I wanted to 😉

This bag makes me happy and I hope it will bring some joy to you and whoever is wearing it too.

The pattern will be available for free for the first 2 days of the month of April in my shop:
https://samidolls.com/en/product/gym-bag-becstar/
Afterwards it will remain available for purchase.

The video tutorial is here: https://youtu.be/7NnFQ7boFgM

I hope you enjoy the pattern and if you like, post a picture (or two) in the Sami group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/496284950388111/

Have a wonderful day and happy sewing!

Theresa xx

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Pattern of the Month May 2017

Pattern of the month May 2017

This month’s pattern is a bird plushie.. It will be available for free for the first 2 days of the month of May in my shop:
https://samidolls.com/en/product/bird-chirpie-pdf/
Afterwards it will remain available for purchase.The video tutorial is here: https://youtu.be/q3lJJtAbT68

I hope you enjoy the pattern and if you like, post a picture (or two) in the Sami group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/496284950388111/

Have a wonderful day and happy sewing!

Theresa xx

www.samidolls.com

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New Video Tutorial: Zippered Pouch (easy)

Zippered Pouch Tutorial

Have you ever wanted to sew something with a zipper, but you were worried that it would be too complicated? This might be the project for you. In this video tutorial we are sewing a zippered pouch together, step by step, and even sewing beginners will be able to follow along.

A little warning: Sewing zippered pouches is potentially addictive 😉 They make great gifts for friends and family and for ourselves too 🙂

Here is the link to the tutorial: https://youtu.be/WyI7HiFECfA

You can make them in many different colours, fabrics etc. In the video I am using interfacing to stabilize my lining fabric, but if you use thicker material you won’t have to do that.

I’d love to see some pics of your creations in the Sami Facebook group, if you’d like to share a picture: https://www.facebook.com/groups/496284950388111/

Happy sewing!

Theresa xx

 

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New Video Tutorial: Fingerless Gloves

Fingerless GlovesFingerless Gloves Tutorial

It is getting a bit cooler down under, autumn and winter are approaching, so I need some comfy fingerless gloves or wrist warmers to help me brave the cold, so I can continue sewing and editing without my hands freezing too much. Meanwhile in the northern hemisphere spring and summer are coming… but who knows, there might be some cooler days as well, or save this video somewhere so you can make yourself some fingerless gloves once winter arrives for you.

Here is the link to the tutorial: https://youtu.be/haw2-M03NMc

You can make them in many different colours, fabrics etc. In the video we are making our own pattern, so it fits each individual hand. I am tracing around my hand and arm with an approximate 1″ distance to make the pattern. If you use thicker fabrics like felt or fabrics that don’t stretch much, you will need to make a wider seam allowance to make sure they still fit around your hands and arms.

I’d love to see some pics of your creations in the Sami Facebook group, if you’d like to share a picture: https://www.facebook.com/groups/496284950388111/

Happy sewing!

Theresa xx