Patterns, Techniques, Articles, Blogs, and other resources to learn how to sew
Miriam Tribe from Mad Mim shares a free pattern and tutorial for making her Strapping Stick Horse. It’s the classic stick horse toy that you probably remember from your own childhood. His head is made of faux suede with a yarn mane, and his body from a wooden dowel. Get the pattern and tutorial. Here is the PDF.strapping-stick-horse-pattern
[photo from Mad Mim]
I’m always tempted by the pretty velvets at the fabric store. So much texture! And the way the fibers catch the light! But sewing on velvet is trickier than you’d think. That nap that lends beautiful texture also likes to slip and crawl. That nap can also spell disaster if you cut a piece the wrong direction. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t use buy that velvet and sew it into something gorgeous, you just need to go into your velvet sewing project prepared. And Melissa at Melly Sews has a post that takes you step by step through sewing on velvet.
Velvet is such a luscious fabric, especially for winter sewing projects. Of course there are velvet Christmas sewing projects – stockings, tree skirts, santa hats – but velvet is beautiful for all winter. Think of all the gorgeous velvet dresses, evening bags, hair accessories, even pillows and other home décor that you see all winter long.
Melly Sews’ post gives you the tips and tricks you need to know in order for your velvet sewing project to end up a success. There are types of projects better suited for velvets, and kinds of projects to avoid. She describes the different types of velvet available. And she also tells the best way to lay out and cut your pattern pieces from velvet fabric. Her tutorial also covers marking, pressing, and of course sewing that beautiful fabric. There’s also a video included in case that’s your preferred method for learning.
Head over to Melly Sews to learn how to sew on velvet fabric.
And if you want to learn more about that lovely blue velvet dress shown, she has a post that tells more about it including 2 ways to style it depending on if you want to be more dressy or more casual.
[photo credit: Melly Sews]
Making for 4year old boy with canser
Her website is no longer available so the links don’t work.
We have updated the link to the web archives page.
The pattern is cut off can you post the link Here so we can use it.
I do not see an issue with the PDF pattern. You have to piece the pattern together on 2 papers to make the full head template.
I made this stick horse for my grandson, he LOVES it!! Thank you so much for the GREAT pattern!! It was perfect!! VERY HELPFUL!!
I just made two for my grandsons. They turned out great. I did make a couple changes from reading another blogger who used the pattern. Here is what I did:
1. I sewed the nose bridge in before adding the ears. That allowed me to be sure the ears were even and across from each other. You may have to adjust where you cut for one ear to make them even.
2.On one horse I added a blaze to the nose bridge. We have been reading “Billy and Blaze” books so I free cut and attached a blaze to match the horse in the book.
3. I suggest creating your own nose swirl and placing it up higher than what is marked on the pattern. If you look at Mad Min’s drawings, you will get a better idea.
4. Use both pictures and writing to guide you. I do enough sewing but Mad Min did a wonderful job of both pics and writing to make things understandable.
5. I added a bridle by looping some macramé cord I had across the mouth and then 2x through a ring on each side of the head. One side then went over the mouth and the other side went under the mouth and each looped 2x through the ring again. I then tied it at a length I thought will work well for my grandsons. It is not secured (sewn on anywhere)so time will tell how well it works when the boys play.
6. If in a hurry, you can sew on button eyes and skip sewing the mouth, which was the toughest part for me. You may have to cut your bottom neck piece a little longer and you can make the nose bridge and bottom neck one long piece. If you want a bridle, you will need to find a different way to do that.
Seriously, this is the best tutorial on how to make a ‘realistic’ stick horse you can find. I can’t wait to make cowboy outfits and give these to the boys.