If you're looking for ideas for things to make for little ones you are sure to love this show. And you won't be disappointed if you want to make great garments too! Follow along as I preview the last in the series of Be Your Own Sewing Superhero shows from It's Sew Easy TV. 

Looking for the perfect gift for a new baby? How about a bath wrap from terry toweling, with a double gauze hood and coordinating trim? In the first segment I had the opportunity to show the steps for making a hooded wrap to bundle up your precious baby.

This project features Shannon Fabrics 16 oz. Turkish Terry paired with their Embrace Double Gauze. Double gauze is great for a soft hood and makes great bias binding too. As an alternative you could consider making this from flannel to use as a cozy blanket. Downloadable Instructions include a simple pattern. I drew mine on one of my favorite products, Pellon Tru-Grid pattern tracing cloth. The grids help to draw and cut even lines but you do need to be aware of the fact that the 1-inch squares are not a scientific square inch. In most cases the slight difference shouldn't matter.

You'll see some trim options presented in this segment, including an embroidered option using an edited design from the Brother iBroidery design download site. Lettering in the design is from the Brother BES software program. If you CLICK HERE you'll find a tutorial with directions and details for the Star Baby design. This includes tips for adding lettering, editing the design to pull out special segments, plus a method you can use to add nap control to tame texture on toweling.

​For a super quick finish feel free to use pre-packaged bias binding and something like rick rack or ribbon to add a decorative touch to the hood. Re-watch this video anytime you like, right here on my site.

Next up, Emily Thompson, fellow Brother blogger, shows how easy it is to make lovely little leggings for girls. Emily's free pattern comes in sizes 18 months to pre-teen. Watch as she sews cuffs, adds elastic, and finishes off the top edge of the waist. Although the free arm is not featured in the show, both the serger and the machine have this capability. The free arm is perfect for serging and sewing itty-bitty clothing sizes.  CLICK HERE to visit the website and download Emily's free bonus pattern for leggings. You may never have to settle for store bought again! 

Angela Wolf closes out the show and the series with her final tips and techniques for her classic A-line "Kate" skirt. You'll see her use inexpensive grosgrain ribbon trim for a bulk free way to finish the waistband.
 
An alternative product would be the slightly thicker and more expensive option which is Petersham ribbon. It's flexible and easy to ease around curves. I was first introduced to ​Petersham ribbon by my friend Sandra Betzina when I saw her sample of a fitted pant finished with Petersham in place of a waistband. I see that Vogue Fabrics carries Pertersham. You may find it stocked by other fine fabric retailers but it's not likely to be found at the big box fabric stores.

As I said earlier, this is the last show for the 1500 series. Series 1600 is coming soon to local PBS stations and I'll blog about that next week! Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch Growing Up A Star, show 1513. Enjoy!

The topic for today is designing your own fabric. ​Fabric, material, yardage, cloth, textile, there are so many words to describe the substance of our creations. Plain or embellished, it's the starting point of what we make as we transform something from a flat piece of fiber into something we can wear or use in a myriad of other ways. This show is all about designing or re-designing your own fabric and then using it creatively. 

​First up, Rebecca Kemp Brent creates fabric yardage using the Brother Dream Fabric Frame, in combination with the Dream Quilter 15 machine, and the Dream Motion PRO Software. The frame itself works with many Brother machine models. Check with your Brother dealer for a list of compatible models.

You’ll see Rebecca use these tools to quilt some beautiful satin for a half circle Renaissance style skirt. But first, she tells you all about the bonus directions for creating a half circle skirt pattern. Simply download Rebecca’s formula HERE, fill in the blanks and finish up the calculations with your calculator.

As Rebecca tells you herself, this skirt style looks great in a variety of fabrics and you can design it in various lengths to suit your personal taste.

​I like this style made from a medium weight knit, hitting just above, or just below the knee for warm weather. For winter wear with boots I prefer a length that's midway between the calf and the ankle.

Take a look at Rebecca's finished quilted half circle skirt with a waistband and a bias trimmed hemline. The photo on the left is the skirt turned inside out so you can get a good look at the line designs formed with the automatic quilting software. Her quilting idea for a design in graduated sizes is a real beauty with potential for translating into many other garment ideas.

Next up is Michelle Paganini!

​You are in for a real treat as you watch Michelle Paganini, Up-cycle guru and owner of Paganoonoo.com share ideas for creating and embellishing with felted fabric.

​Michelle is a wealth of knowledge and amazes me with her eclectic ideas for turning something old into something new, better, and more beautiful! In this segment she shows how you can have fun felting sweaters to use for appliqués, hot pad fillers, and even a cute baby gift. Watch carefully and then click on the image above to download her tip sheet with detailed information on these fun projects.

Before the show ends Michelle returns with great ideas for custom printed fabric. Her adorable idea for family recipes would make a great family keepsake. Michelle doesn't mention any specific companies but you can CLICK HERE for her project instructions from the show with related tips for getting large size pieces printed.

I've successfully done lots of printing on fabric sheets measuring 8 1/2 by 11 inches through my inkjet printer. If you would like my tip sheet for this you can CLICK HERE.
However, I've never used an online fabric printing service. Have you??? If so, I'd love to hear about your experience in the comments below. 

Visit www.itsseweasytv.com to watch this free online show until noon EST December 14th.