The Best of Sewing with Nancy

Fleece accessories and outerwear is what I turn to when there's a chill in the air. Sewing with fleece can be as comforting and enjoyable as wearing the finished item. As not to take away time from a brisk walk or attending a football game or even a stroll at a farmer's market I'd like to share with you "Fast and Fleecy" projects for you to sew. Let's start with less than a yard of fleece fabric then add some creativity. The result is a comfy scarf with muff-like pockets. "Fast and Fleecy Accessories" that's what coming up next, on Sewing with Nancy. Sewing with Nancy TV's longest-airing sewing and quilting program with Nancy Zieman

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Baby Lock, a complete line of sewing, quilting, and embroidery machines and sergers. Baby Lock, for the love of sewing. Madeira, specializing in embroidery, quilting, and special effect threads because creativity is never black and white. Koala Studios fine sewing furniture custom-built in America. Clover making a difference in sewing, quilting, crafting, and needle arts for over 90 years. Fuller Brush Vacuums, dedicated to keeping homes clean. Fuller Brush Vacuums. Amazing Designs and Klass needles. During this mini-series on working with fleece fabrics choose your favorite traditional fleece, like I have here, or velour knit fabrics or something that has some embossing to it. It doesn't matter. It's knit, it stretches, and it's versatile. It's usually 60" wide. So for this scarf and muff combination you need 2/3 of a yard of fabric, cut into two rectangles. The size, 12" by 60". Two 12" by 60" rectangles. The corners have been shaped, as this muff and scarf show. You can use your favorite way of making a corner whether it's a coffee cup, or a dessert plate or a specialty ruler like I have here. With your rotary cutter, just shape the corners the short ends of all the corners of your two rectangles. This muff has pockets in it, as you well know. You saw Sarah wear the cute muff and how comfy it can be. To make room for the pockets, measure 4" and 10". We have quarter-inch clips at both the 4" and 10" area that will later be tucked underneath, exactly 1/4". Then you topstitch, as on this sample. It's topstitched down. The pocket is going to happen on each end of the muff, on the outside. You only need the markings on the outside area of the muff. The appliqu is next. When working with nap fabrics the traditional way of working with paper backed fusible web has to change slightly because you don't want to press the fabric and flatten the nap. I'm using double stick fusible web. It has paper on both sides. It has release paper on both sides. Determine which side peels away and the web sticks to the paper. On that side, trace the elements. These appliqu pieces are given in the book that accompanies the program or use your own simple appliqu style. Then I have another step-by-step to show you. Here you would remove the lower release paper apply the fabric, and then finger press or hand press, I guess, in this instance. Then you can cut out the shapes along the drawings. Here's that second release paper. You peel away the second release paper and then do the placement. You could pin it but I don't really think that's necessary. Then, as you can see here I'm just straight stitching, edgestitching close to the very edge using a 3.0 stitch length. So you have the edges of the pocket turned under topstitched. You have your appliqu put in place. Then you have your second layer of the scarf that you're going to meet, right sides together. During this two-part series I'll be giving you a variety of ways of finishing edges. This is just one of them, using a traditional seam. The extension after the pockets is what determines the seam allowance width which is about 1/4". You'd sew all the way around the corners, down and around and you'd come along until you get to the opening of the other end of the pocket. I'm just going to show you on this pocket. You would then sew until this pocket. Everything is sewn, right sides together between the pocket openings. Then you turn it right side out. Simple as that. It can't get any easier than that. If you'd like to keep the muff in place if you'd like to keep something in your pockets then 12" from the lower edge to about 2" above the pocket do a row of straight stitching. You have a scarf and muff, all in one made with 2/3 of a yard of fleece and a little creativity. For a quick, yet totally warm cover-up choose your favorite fleece fabric and follow these sewing steps to create a snuggly cape. Two yards of fabric, cut into three rectangles plus an hour or so of sewing will make this next fabulous accessory. This is more than just a scarf or cover-up. This covers for warmth at a soccer game a football game, or a walk in the park. I mentioned three rectangles. There is a large rectangle each for the front and the back cut 30" by 60". The seam is at the shoulder. The third rectangle is this cowl shape which I'll modify just slightly to give additional shape to go around the neckline. We'll have some templates to shape the neckline, so the cowl fits. An easy project. Work with velour, stretch velour, an embossed knit traditional fleece, the choice is yours. Two yards of fabric. I mentioned, just to repeat, it's 30" by 60" for the front, as well as for the back rectangle. Then, for the cowl neck I have this rectangle in process. But we have a 14-1/2" by 30" length. The stretch is going across, around the neckline. You can kind of see, I've done some shaping. You'll see that as I fold the long ends together. Then at each end, you're going to measure one inch and taper to the fold. Trim off this little wedge shaped piece. One inch, tapered to the fold. Do the same on the opposite side of the cowl piece. Then, meet right sides together. We'll meet the right sides together so that the V shape is in the center. Then stitch or serge along this shape. Here we have another sample where it has been serged. Just serge off the edge, and then serge again or you can simply use a straight stitch it doesn't matter. Very simple seaming throughout this entire program. Then I'm going to meet the edges together to form a circle. We have wrong sides meeting. I'll pin along the center back seam and find the halfway point, which is right here. Then I'll quarter it. Fold it so the center front and center back meet and place pin marks at the quarter marks. Pin marking is so valuable when it comes to meeting two angles or two shapes together. In this instance, it will be two circles. I have the quarter marks of the cowl marked. Now, for the main body of the cape. The samples that I have on my table are half-scale. Half-scale, as far as the 30" by 60". But the templates are full-scale. You'd fold the 30" areas together. Along the fold place the template and cut out the back shape. Do the same for the front, cut out the front shape. Then meet right sides together and sew the shoulder seam. Sew or serge the shoulder seam. You have a lot of fabric. I'm working with a velour, and it ravels somewhat. Because of that, we have serged the edges to prevent getting a lot of the fuzz floating around. But we have this neckline and the neckline of the cowl. I already have clip marks at the side areas the center and the side again. Meet right sides together and pin the quarter marks. With a little time spent you'll have to meet these quarter marks together. This will take a little time to do. Then I'll just flip this to the inside and match the remaining quarter mark. Now that I have these quarter marks matched it's time to do the stitching putting the two fabrics together. I'm using my serger to do this stitching. Just simply meet all these cut edges. You may want to add a few more pins or even machine baste this area together. But this is the main design feature of this cape. After sewing the cowl to the body of the jacket all that's left is to do some finishing of the edges. You have some options here. The option would be in this instance to fold under 3/4" or so, and top stitch along the edges. Very simple sewing, with very dramatic results. Small pieces of these fabrics are ideal for the quickest of all fleece accessories texting gloves.

There are really only three steps

cut, stitch, and then turn. With all the years I've taught on television this happens to be the fastest technique I've ever done. The quickest project. You start off with another rectangle of fabric. The grain is 14". 14" by 12", two rectangles that size. But before you cut out the rectangles on either end press in one inch and taper it to nothing at the opposite end. On the short end, press under one inch and taper it. There are openings for the thumbs. The thumb openings are marked in the seam at 2" and 4-1/2". We have marked a generous one-inch seam allowance. You cut out your shapes using this trapezoid shape and do the markings for the thumb areas down in this area. Then do a basting stitch. Rather than at first leaving an opening for the thumb just baste a generous one inch. This is maybe too generous for me because at this point, you'd try on your texting glove without the thumb but fit it on over your hand to see how it fits. I would like just a little bit more room so I'd probably sew with a lesser seam maybe a 1/4" seam. Then stop sewing, leaving an opening at the dots where I had the thumb openings. Do a double stitch or a stretch stitch leaving an opening. Here, I've used that same fusible tape that I used earlier when applying the appliqu. Remove the paper backing, probably the most tricky part! Then press to the inside. You can stitch it, if you'd like. Turn under 1/2" seam allowance. Stitch at the top, at the bottom and try on your glove. You have a quick project made with fleece. A high-loft fleece pillowcase is warm and cuddly yet lightweight and easy to care for. These cases make great gifts and are also an ideal project for beginner sewists. The traditional fleece is what I've used 22" by 60" is the size. It's folded with a cuff. We have three buttons and buttonholes as a closure and some appliqus that can be glued or sewn into place. Cut the strip, 22" by 60", that's about 2/3 of a yard. One edge, this edge has been pinked with a decorative blade. The edge doesn't have to be finished. To put the buttonholes in I found the center point of the 22" length. Then, to space the buttonholes which I have already sewn into my fabric I'll just fold the fabric to the center. On each fold line is where the buttonhole is going to be placed. People sometimes are afraid of buttonholes and fleece. Use a stretch stitch, a buttonhole stitch. You can see it's sewing over a water-soluble stabilizer. I can easily put a buttonhole in. Just make sure you have the right buttonhole stitch for the knit fabric. Later on, you can cut open your buttonholes. But right now, to form the sides of the pillowcase measure from the short end, seven inches and fold back, right sides together the cuff. Then measure 28", which I have already done believe it or not, here we go, 28". I have started to fold it. I'll fold up the lower portion of the pillowcase. Then, two long side seams are stitched. The beauty of this design of this case is you can make it much smaller. I've reduced the size by two-thirds and have this small little case I'm going to use for my camera. I've stitched the side seams. Same folding principle, first folding down the cuff then folding up the length of the case. Then you turn it right side out. I'm showing you on this small piece because it's easier to turn a smaller piece. You'd place your pillow inside the case and then flip the top portion over. With a little encouragement, the corners will be flat. Isn't that a fast way of creating it whether it's fleece or suede-backed fleece it works out so well. Notice that we have some adornments along the case. We have used fleece pre-cut little posies. You can stitch them on, or there's even fleece glue that you can apply very gingerly and let it dry 24 hours. Regarding the buttons I sometimes like to put another square piece of fleece on the back to give some stability to the button. Cut open your stretch buttonhole and presto you have a very quick project to make for a dorm room a bedroom, or lounging while watching TV. There's something about the silky feel of a satin edged blanket that can calm a tired toddler. Make one or more blankets for a special child in your life. As we all know, one blankie is never enough! Here's how to add the satin edge binding. We get lots of inquiries on how to replace the binding on a blanket, or make a new fleece blanket with this wide binding. It's four inches wide, folded in half. The edges are finished, just like a narrower satin ribbon. It comes pre-folded. The main technique I'm going to review with you is how to miter the corners so that you don't have bunches of fabric and not knowing how to handle it. It's fairly easy to do. You could use a straight stitch to apply it or a multi-step zigzag along the edges but you'll be assured of getting very sharp mitered corners. You can join the beginning of the ribbon and the end of the ribbon per your choice. I'm just going to show you the corners right now. I have pins starting in the middle of the seam. Pin the binding to the edge of the fabric. I like to pin parallel to the edge of the fabric. For simplicity sake I'm just going to use a straight stitch. Sewing this stitching a little bit from the edge. I'm using contrasting colors of fabric, trim and especially thread. I'm going to stop sewing at the edge of the fabric. Cut the threads. I'm sewing right to the very edge. I'm going to cut my threads. When I raise the presser foot I'm going to fold the trim back on itself exposing the edge of the fabric. This is where, if you want to take some time align the satin edge on the back and align the satin edge on the front. This will make certain that your fabric corner will be mitered. I'm lining everything up so it's square. Then with a ruler, you're going to draw a 45-degree angle from the corner. I'm going to align the 45-degree angle and draw this corner. Using a marking pen, line up that 45-degree line. There we go, and mark it. I'm not marking to the very tip because you don't want to sew to the very tip. Just leave 1/4" or maybe even 1/2" that hasn't been sewn. Then sew from... about 1/2" to the corner with matching thread. Stitch back and raise the presser foot. As I bring this to the front to show you this is how it works. It works back on itself, kind of magic. Keep pulling. If I had matching thread you wouldn't see the navy blue thread peeking through. Here I have a perfectly mitered corner. Let me tuck the next raw edge into place and as I do, you can see that that has been sewn perfectly. Then you'd start to stitch at that corner and you continue to go back. Again, you fold the fabric back on itself and draw that 45-degree angle and stitch. That's how you add a satin binding on a fleece blanket. What skill for students can tie together the need to learn basic language, math, reading science, design, and speaking skills? Well, the answer is sewing. Carla Peery is an educator. Carla lives in Lake Forest Park, a suburb of Seattle. She teaches a school program called "Let's do business." It's taught to fourth and fifth graders. Carla cleverly teaches basic sewing skills as a way to let students polish other academic skills. Carla, welcome to Sewing with Nancy. Thank you. When I read about your program called "Let's do Business" I was really surprised it included sewing. Tell us about this program that you've developed. Well, we were finding that a lot of young students didn't like math or didn't understand why they needed certain skills. They were just too young to know. We did a project. My daughter is a fourth and fifth grade school teacher and we did a project, and realized that by doing things the students get to apply what they're learning in school. We started out by dying silk scarves for Mother's Day. It went from there. We realized that learning all these life skills was something that we could build into the classroom. So here we are, eight years later and it's now a 14-week program that the students learn about business. We divide the classroom into partnerships of four to six students each. They do everything that you would do to start a business. They learn to think like an entrepreneur. They learn about advertising. They have to do a business plan. They learn how to write checks. One of our credit card companies in Seattle gives us basic things like that. They get checks. They do everything. The product they're selling is something they've made. Yes, it is. We have a partnership with Fabric of Life Foundation which has started a school in Mali, West Africa in Bamako, the capital. These young women had previously been beggars. They go to school for 18 months to learn how to get out of that cycle. Dying and stamping fabrics is one way that they do that. By partnering with the Fabric of Life Foundation they donate these beautiful fabrics to our students to use, and they make pillows. This is the kit that the students get. We have a whole bunch of them. We throw them out on the floor and the kids get to choose which pillow kit they want to make. They use lots of math in order to figure that out. They use lots of different skills to figure out how to run their business. It's fascinating. When they have made their pillows and they are ready to do sell their product tell our audience about that part. Oh, our parent night. At the end of the program, mom and dad and grandpa and grandma, and the kids all get to come in. Each of the businesses has their display set up. They've got their advertising, their business cards their business license, which they've had to get. Their pillows are all on display. Each of the businesses has made a one-minute commercial for their company. So they go around and they do those commercials. Then the audience gets to go shopping. There's a caveat. Yes, there's a caveat. There's only one rule if you go shopping. You cannot buy your child's pillow! We get groans and "Oh, no!" They have to listen to the sales. They have to talk to the students and see what's what about the pillows. They've learned a skill. Fourth and fifth graders, I wouldn't think initially that would be an age group, but it works so well for you. It works beautifully. The students are excited. They're old enough for the logic and to understand business and still young enough to be excited about learning. Not once in the eight years I've been doing this have I had any of the boys say to me "Ooh, sewing, that's for girls." They can't wait to get to the sewing part because that's a machine. Sure, they can drive! They can drive. Janome America donated five brand new sewing machines to our program four years ago. Wonderful. So then they sell their pillows? It's a mock sale. They get to keep their original pillow. Some of the students get the opportunity to make more pillows and sell them for real money to family and friends, or at the art walk at school. Sure. Then people in Africa, women in Africa have benefited from getting their fabrics being used. Yes, because if they sell it for real money that money goes right back to the school. We don't touch it, it goes right to the school. Well, Carla, what a fascinating program. "Let's do business," incorporating sewing. Thank you for being such an enthusiastic educator and for being with us. Thank you. And thank you for being with us on Sewing with Nancy for our two-part series on "Fast and Fleecy Accessories." If you'd like more information on this program to learn about Carla's program, you can go to NancyZieman.com where all things Sewing with Nancy are housed. You can watch the latest 52 programs online. You can find out about information that ties in with the program. Then of course, you can click on the Nancy's Corner segment and find out more information about all my interesting guests. Thanks for being with us during this two-part series on "Fast and Fleecy Accessories." Thanks for joining me. Bye for now. Nancy has written a fully-illustrated book entitled "Fast and Fleecy Accessories" that includes all the information from this two-part series. It's $14.99, plus shipping and handling. To order the book, call 1-800-336-8373

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sewingwithnancy.com/2521 Order item number BK2521, "Fast and Fleecy Accessories." Credit card orders only. To pay by check or money order call the number on the screen for details. Visit Nancy's website at NancyZieman.com to see additional episodes, Nancy's blog, and more. Sewing with Nancy TV's longest-airing sewing and quilting program

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