Ah I am super proud to have Mamma Lynch our join our team of experts here at EASE HQ with her top tips and suggestions on how to enjoy sewing during lockdown.
"Well, I don't know about all of you, but whilst we've been in Lock Down, I feel so blessed that I
can turn to my sewing to while away the hours. This is indeed a stay- at -home activity for the present.
It's a trying time for all of us but there are 'sew' many items you can easily sew using simply a needle and thread. For those of you who have never picked up a needle and thread, now's the ideal time to begin. Perhaps you have a sewing machine which still might be in its box, untouched from the day it was purchased, or you may have one tucked away in some corner of the house which might have been given to you but have never had a go at using it then now is the perfect time to get them out and start making some lovely items for your home or as gifts for friends and family.
Just take a little look around the different rooms of your house, and see what you could do to change or update to freshen the look in those rooms. You'll be amazed at how you could change a cushion on a favourite chair you might have by simply sewing a new cover for it
MAKE A TEA TOWEL - Spring is a time when most of us do our Spring Cleaning, and a time when we might want make some other lovely items for the home, and, since we are stuck at home and unable to take a trip to the high street shops, why not begin with a very easy project such as a simple tea towel made from any discarded pieces of fabric you might have hanging around the house, an old sheet for instance or a duvet cover you no longer use. Go ahead and raid your airing cupboard, I'm sure you'll be surprised at what you may find!
So now you have your fabric, all you need to do is to cut a rectangle piece measuring the same as any of your existing tea towels, then simply press a narrow hem about a 1/4" all around the rectangle, then fold again about 1/2" all the way round. and press and pin. Next, either by hand or machine if you have one, simply stitch all the way around, and there you have a lovely new tea towel. You could also sew a loop at one of the corners, using a piece of ribbon or tape.
MAKE A DRAW-STRING BAG - We are hearing more and more now about the shortage of items needed by our hospital staff all around the country. So what better idea than to make some draw-string bags for them to put in their scrubs to be laundered before leaving the hospital , so they are clean for their shift the next day. This is something I am doing myself at the moment in return for the very good care I was given whilst undergoing treatment before and after my surgery, I cannot thank them enough!!
They are such easy items to make. All you'll need are two rectangles of fabric, again cut from an old sheet or duvet cover, measuring about 19" wide by 22"long.
To make these bags, you can find lots of tutorials on You Tube and lots of tips on many of the sewing groups on Face Book. For some inspiration have a look at Pinterest where you will find lots of wonderful examples as well as some really wonderful ideas . You could make some of these for your children or friends' children as little gifts.
MAKE A CUSHION - You could also give cushions a try. Simply use your original cushion cover as a template from which to out out your new cover. You could always sew on strips of ribbon or tape as fastenings for your cushion by stitching them to each side of m your finished cushion cover if you prefer not to tackle a zip or make a simple again you could make a simple envelope style cover by using one you might have as a template.
So there you have a few ideas for anyone who thought they couldn't sew to just give it a go. Not only will you be learning a skill (which I'm sure you will come to love, and will have made some lovely new items for your home) you will have up-cycled a lot of your discarded items thus saving the planet as well as saving yourself a lot of money!
Once you are hooked on this lovely sewing lark, you will lose all track of time, which is something we all could do with during this time of spending long hours being kept cooped up in our homes.
If you need to get some bits of sewing items like needles, thread, pins, tape measure etc, you will be able to buy them from a lot of places online
Happy sewing folks!"