Sewing Machine Creations for
the Intermediate Crafter
Written by Team One:
Uchenna Abakwue, Aracelly Arana, Zachary Bell, Megan Boudreau, Angela Burr
Mr. Terry Smith
TECM 2700-006
April 18th, 2014
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... iii
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... v
Ribbon Lanyard .............................................................................................................................. 1
Materials Needed ........................................................................................................................ 1
Preparing Work Area .................................................................................................................. 1
Making Your Lanyard................................................................................................................. 1
Measuring your Ribbon/Fabric ............................................................................................... 1
Sewing the Ends Together ...................................................................................................... 1
Connecting the bracket ........................................................................................................... 2
Final Product ........................................................................................................................... 2
Cleaning Up ................................................................................................................................ 2
Having Trouble? ......................................................................................................................... 2
Quilted Pillow ................................................................................................................................. 3
Materials Needed ........................................................................................................................ 3
Preparing Work Area .................................................................................................................. 3
Making Your Pillow ................................................................................................................... 3
Building the sides .................................................................................................................... 3
Ironing the Flaps ..................................................................................................................... 4
Connecting the Sides............................................................................................................... 4
Adding the Batting .................................................................................................................. 4
Forming the Pillow ................................................................................................................. 5
Adding the Stuffing................................................................................................................. 5
Completing the Pillow ............................................................................................................ 5
Final Product ........................................................................................................................... 6
Cleaning Up ................................................................................................................................ 6
Having Trouble? ......................................................................................................................... 6
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 7
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Introduction
Introduction
This manual is for intermediate to advanced crafters with knowledge of a sewing machine. The
directions explain how to create a ribbon/fabric lanyard and a quilted pillow. The instructions
include a list of materials as well as pictures of each stage of constructions. It includes a
troubleshooting section in case of any problems. The lanyard is a short project for those with ten
minutes to spare. The pillow will take time and patience, but the end product will be very
rewarding.
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Ribbon Lanyard
Ribbon Lanyard
Materials Needed
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Sewing Machine
Scissors
Ribbon or Fabric
Bracket
Ruler
Seam Ripper
Preparing Work Area
Set up the sewing machine on a clean table that is well lit. Lay out the ribbon or fabric to be cut.
Make sure all supplies are out and accessible.
Making the Lanyard
Measuring the Ribbon/Fabric
Steps 3-4 depend on the crafters preference of where the end of the lanyard should sit.
1. Measure out about 3 feet and 6 inches of the desired ribbon/fabric to start with.
2. Place the middle of the measured length on the back of the neck.
3. Check to make sure the end meets the ribbon/fabric at the place of the desired length of
the lanyard.
Note: This length is usually about three fifths of the way between the collar bone and the
waist, but the length is personal preference.
4. Cut the fabric 1 inch longer than the desired lanyard length.
Note: The extra 1 inch in necessary to attach the keychain bracket.
Sewing the Ends Together
In these steps, the ribbon/fabric is sewn together by the short end.
1. Fold the cut length of ribbon/fabric in half where the short ends meet.
Note: Make sure the ribbon/fabric stays smooth.
2. Move one short end of the ribbon/fabric 1 inch away from the other short end.
Note: The 1 inch sticking out is end 1 and the other end with the stitching is end 2.
3. Sew a line across the ribbon/fabric leaving about 1/4 of an inch on either side.
4. Sew another line the same length as the first only at a ninety degree
angle.
Note: This will be the first two sides of a square.
One inch extra
5. Sew back across the width of the ribbon/fabric stopping 1/4 of an
and square sewn
inch away from the edge.
6. Sew down the ribbon/fabric at a ninety degree angle until it meets
up with the other sewn lines.
Note: Step 6 should complete the square.
1
Ribbon Lanyard
Connecting the bracket
1. Loop end 1 through the end of a keychain bracket.
2. Fold end 2 back over the bracket so that it lays over end 2.
3. Sew a line across the width of end 1 connecting it to end 2.
Note: This sewing line should be through the middle of the
square made on end 2.
Line sewn to connect end 1
Final Product
Now, the lanyard is finished and ready to hold keys and
badges around someone’s neck.
Cleaning Up
Things to remember to pick up or put away:
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Scissors
Excess ribbon/fabric
Excess thread pieces
Ruler
Extra brackets
Having Trouble?
Try these troubleshooting tips from the creators of these instructions.
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Sewing lines are crooked.
o Use a seam ripper to start over sewing
Lanyard is too short.
o Start over and cut a longer piece of ribbon or fabric.
Lanyard is too long.
o Cut off the sewn portion and measure it by placing it on the back of the neck and
making sure it reaches the preferred length before sewing it again.
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Quilted Pillow
Quilted Pillow
Materials Needed
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Sewing Machine
Thread
Fabric
Scissors
Ruler
Iron
Ironing board
Poly-fiber Filling
These might also be useful:
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Seam Ripper
Fabric Chalk
Preparing Work Area
Set up your sewing machine on a table in a well-lit area. Clean off the table for space to work.
Make sure all the supplies are within reach.
Making the Pillow
Building the sides
Steps 1-8 will make both the front and back faces of the pillow.
1. Cut out twelve pieces of fabric that are 5 inches by 5 12 cut squares from 3 different fabrics
inches.
2. Place six of the 5 inches by 5 inches pieces in a two by
three pattern
Note: This will make the face of the pillow.
3. Lay them together as if you were turning a book page so
the outside faces are together and the touching edges from
the pattern are on top of each other.
Laid out pattern
Note: The touching edges in the pattern is the connecting
edge and this is where they will be sewn together.
4. Sew them together 5/8 of an inch from the connecting
edge.
One row sewn together
5. Repeat steps 2-4 to sew together the top and bottom rows
separately.
6. Lay the two rows together with the outside faces together
and the connecting edges on top of each other.
7. Sew the two rows 5/8 of an inch from the connecting
edge.
Note: Once all six pieces are sewn together the new big
piece is the face panel.
8. Repeat steps 2-8 to create the opposite face panel of the pillow.
3
Quilted Pillow
Ironing the Flaps
The 5/8 of an inch fabric that hangs off the back after you sew the
panel together is known as the flap and is labeled according to the
pieces it connects.
Back of one face panel
1. Flip your panel over so the flaps are showing.
2. Iron the row flaps down the same direction as they were
sewn down.
3. Separate the sides of the flap that connects the rows.
4. Iron them down separated.
Connecting the Sides
Ironing the middle flap
These steps will connect the face panels to the sides of
the pillow.
Placing the side piece
1. Cut out 2 pieces of fabric 5 inches by 12.5 inches.
Note: These are the side pieces.
2. Place a side piece face down on the bottom connecting
edge of one face panel.
Note: The connecting edge should be the long side of the
face panel and side piece.
3. Sew the face panel and the side piece together 5/8 of an
inch from the connecting edge.
4. Lay the opposite edge of the side piece to the bottom
connecting edge of the other face panel.
5. Sew the face panel and the side piece together 5/8 of an
inch from the connecting edge.
6. Repeat steps 2-3 to sew the other side piece to one of the
face panels.
Side piece and face panel seam
Note: Do not sew the open side piece and face panel.
7. Iron down the sewn flaps on the back just like you did the
middle flaps of the panels.
Note: Once the face panels and side pieces are sewn together it is called the outside
panel.
Adding the Batting
The batting gives the pillow a little extra cushion other than the
stuffing.
Sewn batting
1. Cut a piece of batting to be 1 inch larger than the outside
panel on all sides.
2. Line up the batting and the outside panel where there is 1 inch
of batting on each side of the outside panel.
3. Sew the batting and outside panel together 5/8 of an inch from
the long edge of the outside panel.
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Quilted Pillow
4. Repeat this for the opposite long edge of the outside panel.
Forming the Pillow
The following steps will remove excess batting and start making the
pillow take shape.
1. Trim the excess batting off the 4 sides of the outside panel.
2. Place together the outside faces of the side piece and face
panel that were left open.
3. Sew them together 5/8 of an inch from the connecting edge.
Note: Now the outside panel makes a full circle with the
batting on the outside.
Outside panel full circle
Adding the Stuffing
Steps 1-6 prepare the pillow for stuffing.
1. Line up the two square piece rows of the face panels
First sewn side right side out
with their outside faces together.
2. Sew the end of the pillow together 5/8 of an inch from the
connecting edge.
3. Line up the two square piece rows on the remaining open
end of the pillow.
4. Sew together two thirds of the open end 5/8 of an inch from
Opening left on second side
the connecting edge.
Note: Only sew two thirds of the way down this side to
leave an opening to put your stuffing into the pillow.
5. Flip the pillow so the outside panel is on the
outside and the batting is on the inside.
Note: The pillow now looks like a flat
Stuffing
square.
6. Gather the pillow stuffing to fill the pillow.
Note: Look in trouble shooting for ideas for other stuffing
options.
7. Fill the pillow with the stuffing through the small hole left
on one side.
Note: There is no recommended amount of stuffing, because the preferred amount
depends on the individual crafter.
Completing the Pillow
This step can be done in many ways the only important thing is that it is sturdy and mostly
hidden.
1. Thread a needle with the same thread used for the pillow.
2. Sew the hole shut using a basic slip stich (blind stich).
Note: Using these stiches is not required, but it is recommended to get the desired
invisible stich.
5
Quilted Pillow
Final Product
Now the pillow is complete and ready to liven up a space.
Cleaning Up
Remember to pick up, put away, or throw away:
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Small pieces of thread
Excess batting
Excess fabric
Needles
Scissors
Ruler
Chalk
Having Trouble?
If the following problems occur, here are possible solutions.
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Run out of stuffing for the pillow.
o Take large excess pieces of batting and pull apart the fibers until it is fluffy, then
use that to fill the pillow
Stich a line that is crooked.
o Use a seam ripper and take out the messed up line and start that stich over.
Rip the fabric.
o For small rips hand stitch or zigzag stitch it together. If it is permanently
damaged, get a new piece of fabric.
Fabric is too slick to be cut correctly.
o Exchange the fabric for one that is more suited for cutting and sewing. Quilting
fabric is best for this creation.
Have difficulty cutting straight lines.
o Use fabric chalk and a ruler to mark a straight line that is easy to get rid of.
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Conclusion
Conclusion
Sewing the lanyard and quilted pillow is another step in the road to becoming a better crafter.
Not only does sewing the pillow and lanyard help enhance our crafting skills, but it reminds us of
the awesome things we can make. This book provides you with a step-by-step process to give
you a basic idea on how to be creative however you choose to be. The team that provided this
guide not only learned how to create new things that they have never created before, but used
each of their ideas to create one great product. We hope that what you learned improves your
crafting in the long run.
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