Creating my way to Success

Teach your kids to sew with a pair of jeans - an E-book

It's finished!

This year I've been working hard on this e-book course to teach kids to sew. It uses a pair of jeans as the main fabric for the nine projects included in the book.

I chose a pair of jeans because I personally love sewing with denim, it's strong, hard wearing, looks great and only improves with age. Sewing with old clothes is also a very eco- and budget friendly fabric source option, which is something I feel strongly about. It teaches kids to use what they've got for sewing resources - the tutorials making use of all parts of the jeans from the zip to the pockets and even the waistband!

Most people have an old pair of jeans at home that they can use for this, or there are always plenty of second-hand jeans for sale in charity and op shops for just a few dollars.

The nine tutorials in the book build up skills and techniques gradually, but each project is achievable for kids to make either by themselves or with a little help from an adult.

Through the course of the book, kids will learn skills like appliqué and putting in zips; and also how to read tutorials and patterns that use both written instructions and photos to make each step clear and straightforward.

My own two daughters, aged 10 and 12 have been my pattern testers for this book. It was great to see their sewing confidence grow as they progressed through the tutorials. They started out with the super simple and very fast project - tissue pouches.

and then went on to make things like bags, soft toys and zipped pouches!

By the end of the book, once all the tutorials have been completed, the sewer should have the confidence to be able to browse through the endless sewing tutorials available online - both here on my blog and on many other fabulous blogs and sites - and try making lots of new things!

To purchase your own copy of this book to teach someone (or perhaps even yourself) to sew, for just

AUD $10.00

simply send me an email at jillinamillion@y7mail.com to arrange purchase.

Thank you for your support of my blog and my sewing tutorials. I would love to hear from you if you use this book to help kids (or adults too) to learn to sew!
Happy Sewing!

Resuable Denim Rudolf Christmas Card

This week I made another new Upcycled Denim Reusable Christmas Card.

This time I used a simple Rudolf face applique - adapted from the free printable template that I made for this Mug Rug

And this Christmas Handibag.

The card has the usual clear plastic vinyl pocket on the inside to add and change your greeting, and a message on the back explaining that the card is reusable and resendable!

To see the other Reusable Upcycled Denim Christmas Cards I've made so far and the tutorials showing how to make your own - go here.

And to see what other eco and budget friendly things I've made so far - see my

Christmas Shouldn't Cost the Earth page.

Coming soon - Teaching kids to sew - my new ebook!

Over the past few months I've been working on a new e-book for teaching kids to sew.

My girls have been brilliant helping me as pattern testers! A friend of theirs also tested some of the patterns too, which was awesome!

I'm impressed how good they are getting with their sewing skills!

Take a look at now neat the zip is on this pouch my youngest daughter (aged 10) sewed!

The book is now just having the final touches put to it ready to launch at the beginning of next week.

This will be my second e-book.

Last year I released my

Eco-Friendly Shopping Bags E-book

Which only costs $5

To order a copy simply email me on jillinamillion@y7mail.com

I'm very excited about the launch of my new book next week.

I hope you'll like it!

Wrist Cuffs and Sugar Gliders - more clothes upcycles

With just over a week to go until the school carnival, I've been upcycling a last few things for the stall.

I've made a few wristcuffs from the jeans waistbands. I have about 50 of these cuffs to decorate - a nice project to sit and do in the evenings while watching TV.

So far I have some flower ones.

Some with beads

And there are even a few waistband parts that had pretty writing on already!

I also managed to squeeze in a couple of sugar gliders from an old pair of kids leggings!

Next week, in the lead up to the carnival, I shall be posting a clothes upcycle each day that will be added to the stall. I'm excited about it all, but nervous too. After months of planning and preparation, I just hope it all goes well and that things sell!

To see the other things I've made for the stall this year - all upcycled from old clothes, go here.

Handmade Christmas Softies - Christmas Shouldn't Cost the Earth

Christmas Softies - what a great idea! There are so many great ideas, patterns and tutorials out there for making your own Christmas cuddly toys.

In past years I've made a few furry and other Christmas creatures for my girls. Here are some pictures of what we have.

A Santa Jem - this is a covered plastic bucket - so is great for putting presents in!

Two small Santa's Elf Jems - these are covered sections of drainpipe - and over the years I've made A LOT of these in various colours to sell and for kids presents.

They are cuddly and can be filled with all sorts of things (tutorial here)

I also made a small Santa one year. (He's about 30 cm (1') tall)

And together with a shoe box full of wrapped boxes and a cuddly reindeer we bought - he gets played with a lot each Christmas.

Finally this year I've added a couple of super simple no-sew sock snowmen from an old pair of the girls school socks. stuffed with fabric scraps.

Here are some more Softies that have been linked up to my Christmas parties over the years.

Snuggly Christmas Characters (with tutorial) from Brassy Apple.

Christmas Crochet Robin from Creative Chaos Art.

Christmas Reindeer from Howling at the Moon.

And a Gingerbread Man Rattle (with tutorial) from Vixen Made.

There are plenty more ideas for making Christmas Softies and lots of other Christmas Crafts on our group

Christmas Shouldn't Cost the Earth Pinterest Board

Please do come and take a look - and feel free to request to join as a contributor to this board. The more the merrier!

To see what other topics I've covered in my Christmas Shouldn't Cost the Earth series - go here. And do keep coming back as I'm adding more ideas, projects and tutorials every week!

Another Reusable Upcycled Denim Christmas Card

Last week I made some upcycled denim Christmas Cards that are designed to be reused again and again making them more eco and budget friendly than the usual single-use Christmas cards we send each year!

I'm really pleased with how they turned out - so I've decided to keep on making them.

This week I made a snow globe card.

The card is covered with some grey denim from an old pair of jeans. The snowman is fabric scrap appliqué and the snow globe is some clear vinyl I cut from bed sheet packaging! The snow in the globe is simply some sequins - mostly white and silver, but one stray red one got in there too!! You just shake the card to make it snow over the snowman!

The card has the design on the front, a clear vinyl pocket on the inside to insert your greeting in (and replace with another greeting to resend) and a printed explanation on the back as to the card being resuable and resendable!

What do you think? Would you send reusable cards like this?

They are easy to make - go here for the tutorial.

If you didn't see them, these are the two other cards I made last week.

To see what other eco and budget friendly things that I've made for Christmas so far - see my Christmas Shouldn't Cost the Earth page. There are ideas for Christmas Crafts, stocking fillers and more being added every week.

Tea Bag Wallet Tutorial

I've been wanting to make myself one of these for a while - just because I think they're cute and a neat idea, and I think they'd make a great stocking filler gift!

It wasn't until I'd finished making both of these that I realised I'd made them so the closure is on the left side instead of the right.

When I showed them to my younger daughter she said, "They're Japanese!!" (Japanese books open from the left!)

So here's how to make your own, 'Japanese' Tea Bag Wallet.

You will need two different fabrics, some elastic (I used a hair tie) and a button. I also used a left over scrap of appliqué fabric for the "T"

Cut 2 rectangles of your main fabric 26 x 22 cm (10.25 x 8.75")

2 rectangles of inner fabric 26 x 7 cm (10.25 x 2.75")

First take your smaller rectangles - these will be your pockets.

On one of the longer edges for each piece, double turn the edge and stitch to completely hide the raw edges.

Now place these pieces face up on the top and bottom edges of one of your main fabric pieces. The double hems you just stitched should be facing the middle. Pin, then stitch around the 3 outer edges on each

Now to stitch the pockets.

Measure 3 pockets each 8 cm (3.25") wide. Mark with pins then stitch lines to form the pockets.

Take your elastic and fold in half. Place it on the top left side at the edge of the pocket. The folded elastic loop should be around 3.5 cm (1.5") long. Stitch securely in place.

Now take your other outer fabric piece. Fold it in half lengthways and place the pocketed piece below it like this. Now you can see where your middle panel will be on your outer fabric. This is where you want to stitch your button and if you want, your appliqué.