Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Arts and crafts

Discover knitting, crochet, scrapbooking and art and craft ideas on this forum.

Sewing projects that can be completed in 2-3 hours

31 replies

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 05/08/2022 20:19

I'm looking for ideas for small sewing projects some friends and I can make in an afternoon, probably 2-3 hours. We thought we might get together month or so to do something. 'crafty'.
Consensus was that people wanted to sew, making practical items (I lost the argument to try a variety of crafts, I'll revisit that in a few months!)
We're supposed to be each coming up with some ideas of things we could make, but I'm not coming up with anything so thought I'd ask for ideas on here.

We're none of us expert sewers but have all made things like cushion covers and curtains.
We will have sewing machines.
The resulting product if possible should be something we can use.

Any thoughts please?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
ChocolateHelps · 05/08/2022 20:22

Fabric bookmarks

Cushion covers - personalised first, with zip or envelope back

Pencil case / washbag - with zip

Pinterest is your friend for lots more ideas

Starlitexpress · 05/08/2022 20:24

Tote bags, look up "mors bags", take no time at all but very strong and look good as they have french seams.

Fivemoreminutes1 · 05/08/2022 20:25

A peg bag for the washing line or a drawstring bag

Fivemoreminutes1 · 05/08/2022 20:25

Also a sleeping mask is an easy one

Fivemoreminutes1 · 05/08/2022 20:26

Bunting

LIZS · 05/08/2022 20:26

Peg bag, patchwork, tote bag, make up bag(quilting) ?

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 05/08/2022 21:56

Thank you all, perfect suggestions

OP posts:
Augend23 · 05/08/2022 22:08

I've had great success with a lined bag that had width to it as well.

Essentially just a normal bag but a square cut out each corner so it's this shape.

Two of those and then you just stitch together round the top with the handles in. You can even fit a big magnetic popper or a zip at the top to turn it into a beach bag.

Bunting is easy and fun if you have that sort of house.

A Zigzag stitch on felt can make some nice Holly leaf Christmas decorations which you can bend.

I'm also a big fan of hand stitched felt Christmas decorations (maybe a suitable Segway into other crafts?) Photos also attached. They're fairly simple but if you make the embroidery more complicated they do take a bit longer.

You could potentially produce some lovely Christmas garlands with e.g. felt holly leaves on ribbon, or little thinly quilted stars or something.

Christmas stockings wouldn't take too long.

Evening stoles made of velvet and satin, perhaps not very practical though!

Aprons to use in the kitchen.

I have a really handy drawstring bag for all my chargers etc for travelling.

I think a jewellery roll would be quite achievable in a few hours.

Sewing a summer dress only takes me about 3-4 hours if I start with the pattern pieces already cut out. I cut large, pin it on me and don't usually both even tacking though so I am probably a terrible example.

You could also do small patchwork projects in a few hours - things like needlebooks if they have a more complex pattern, and if it's just squares maybe something like a table runner (but probably only with precut squares for it or it takes forever).

Sewing projects that can be completed in 2-3 hours
Sewing projects that can be completed in 2-3 hours
HannahDefoesTrenchcoat · 05/08/2022 22:16

What about an Autumn Garland?
www.polkadotchair.com/fabric-autumn-leaf-garland-sewing-tutorial/

I need to add stuff to a crochet one I did last year. Will look for pics

Dontfuckingsaycheese · 05/08/2022 22:20

Christmas bunting would be nice 😊

HannahDefoesTrenchcoat · 05/08/2022 22:21

Hope you can see leaves, pumpkin and acorns.
not sewing but you have inspired me to finish it off

Sewing projects that can be completed in 2-3 hours
dannydyerismydad · 05/08/2022 22:42

Felting. Mindlessly stabbing a bit of fluff into a shape is incredibly satisfying.

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 05/08/2022 22:49

Wow didn't expect so many more suggestions, all fit the brief!

Thank you

OP posts:
BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 05/08/2022 22:54

I've made a few notebook covers. I did some fancy quilting so it added time but the basic is pretty quick. I used this YouTube video.

This is one that I made for my Mum

Sewing projects that can be completed in 2-3 hours
NotMeNoNo · 05/08/2022 23:06

Yes to Morsbags and zip pouches
Those square fabric storage baskets
Bits of free motion embroidery
Simple top or T shirt
Book covers
Christmas decorations
Advent calendar from a kit

What a lovely idea

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 05/08/2022 23:10

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 05/08/2022 22:54

I've made a few notebook covers. I did some fancy quilting so it added time but the basic is pretty quick. I used this YouTube video.

This is one that I made for my Mum

I love this, and the personalisation really finishes it off. Not sure I could sew a name so neatly though!

Thinking of gifts, we could also make material reusable gift bags.

OP posts:
Sgtmajormummy · 05/08/2022 23:33

Once you’ve measured your table, added 20cm all round and mastered the double-thickness mitered corners on YouTube’s “sew very easy” you can make a very satisfying tablecloth and matching napkins with just straight machine sewing. An old duvet cover is perfect.
I also make patchwork boxes using 32 fabric squares (usually 2.5 inches) to make a tulip-shaped container, ideal to gift a box of Twining’s tea.
I’ll link below.

Crispynoodle · 05/08/2022 23:33

A patchwork quilt block every month it will soon add up to a fab sampler quilt

Sgtmajormummy · 05/08/2022 23:38

Sew Very Easy
Lots of easy ideas here, search mitred napkins.

Sgtmajormummy · 05/08/2022 23:51

Tulip shaped fabric box.

Sewing projects that can be completed in 2-3 hours
FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 05/08/2022 23:53

Some very nice ideas here if you wanted to do a session of charity sewing

www.thesewingdirectory.co.uk/sewing-for-charity/

MammaWeasel · 05/08/2022 23:57

Look up "seaside stitches" storage box, very straightforward and satisfying.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 06/08/2022 00:00

The name was pretty easy. I printed out the name in a bold font in the size I wanted then made an improv light box to trace it onto the fabric with chalk (or you could use water erasable pen). The improve light box was a quilting ruler resting on a couple of books at each end with my phone torch underneath.

I had to slightly change the way that I constructed the cover because I quilted it first. So I did the top (I made it from two pieces but you don't have to), wadding and a hidden back first. Once it was all quilted I could treat it as one piece of fabric, then made it up as the video with the real back and the flaps.

This is the first one that I made, for my friend. That took hours and hours and hours of quilting and I will never do it that way again. It's pretty though.

Sewing projects that can be completed in 2-3 hours
Craftybodger · 06/08/2022 00:10

Pillowcases with names appliquéd on them
Drawstring bags
Bunting
Fabric wreaths
T-shirts are also a quick make.

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 06/08/2022 08:13

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 05/08/2022 23:53

Some very nice ideas here if you wanted to do a session of charity sewing

www.thesewingdirectory.co.uk/sewing-for-charity/

Love the idea of our creating things for charity, will take a look.

Thanks to all for the ideas.

OP posts: