Sizzlin’ summer sewing ideas

With summer in full swing, what better time could there be for showing off a few new accessories at the beach?

In this article, we’ll introduce you to some simple summer sewing ideas that are sure to put a smile on your students’ faces and get their creative juices flowing!

Our favourite summer sewing ideas

1) Sunglasses case:

Summer wouldn’t be complete without your fave pair of sunnies! This practical case is quick to make and is just the thing to keep sunglasses protected and scratch-free.

Materials:

• Two pieces of coordinated fabric
• Two pieces of fusible (iron-on) fleece

Method:

1) Cut the fabric into four 7.5 x 4.5-inch rectangles – two from each piece of fabric. Fuse the fleece to the wrong side of the rectangles you want to use for the outer sides of your case. Cut about 0.5 inches from the length, so they’re a little shorter than the inner rectangles.

2) Match up your rectangles (inners and outers) so that you have two pairs. With the right sides of the fabric together, sew around the outside edges of your pairs, making sure you leave one of the short ends open.

3) Turn the rectangle inner you’ve just made right side out and push it inside the outer fabric (this is still wrong side out). Line up the top edges then sew around them leaving a little gap so you can turn it. Take care to sew two layers of fabric together at a time and not all four layers, or you won’t be able to open your case!

4) Turn everything right side out and push the inner material into the outer material, leaving a small edge of the inner fabric visible at the top. Iron it all flat and then top stitch (ask your teacher if you need help) right around the top of the case. Take care not to sew all four layers together again, only the two that you need. Hey presto, you’re done!

Source: https://crazylittleprojects.com/quick-easy-sunglasses-case-pattern/

2) Towel tote bag:

Need a towel to take to the beach and something to carry your things in? This fantastic tote bag is all you need to carry your essentials and doubles-up as a beach mat when you arrive at your destination – brilliant!

Materials:

• Bath towel
• Hand towel of the same colour and width
• Twill tape or heavy-duty ribbon
• Sewing pins

Method:

1) Cut two 25-inch handles from your twill or ribbon. Then, pin one handle to the long side of your hand towel – around 7.5 inches from each side and 3 inches down from the top, to create a ‘U’ shape. Stitch each side of the handle to the towel in a rectangular shape to ensure the bag’s straps are strong.

2) Place your hand towel on top of the short side of your bath towel. Then, mark where you need to put the other handle using pins. Make sure you centre your hand towel on the bath towel if the towels aren’t the same length. Stitch the handle to the towel in a rectangle, as previously.

3) Lay the two towels together matching the handles and the top edges. Then, once everything’s lined up, pin the bottom edge of the hand towel to the bath towel and stitch together.

4) Now, pin the sides together and stitch them down in the same way. All done! When you flip the bag inside out, the bath towel part will hang out. Just roll it up and tuck it inside until you get to the beach!

Source: http://sewchatty.blogspot.com/2012/05/beach-bag-tutorial.html

We hope these sewing ideas have given you a little creative inspiration! At Utility Rentals, we have a great range of sewing machines for schools to encourage your budding designers! Our exclusive rental package also comes with a 5-year warranty so you needn’t worry about maintenance.

For more help selecting the ideal sewing machines for your school, contact the friendly team at Utility Rentals