Sewing tutorial - Heat/Cold Packs for Kids

Unless there is a lot of blood, we cannot use band aids or sticking plaster at our house. The noise and pain that is experienced with their removal is never worth the pain that they alleviate at the time of injury. The next best option is the ice pack.

And even better than the ice pack, is the rice pack. We keep one in the freezer and another on the bench, ready to microwave if a warm pack is better suited to the situation.

I made them out of flannel, after first drawing the outlines and cutting a front and back piece for each.

I cut wings, beak, eye and arm pieces out of felt and attached them. With right sides of the flannel together, I sewed around the edges, leaving a space to turn them out the right way. Embroider by hand any other features such as eyes, mouth etc.

Fill with rice and sew close the seams. I sewed in a small length of vecro to each opening to make it easier to replace the rice in the future.

Sewing tutorial - Colour your own art supply bag

Ikea. I love the stuff that they sell, but I'm not a fan of the shopping experience. Finding a parking spot, finding what you want in the store and then getting out before two young children lose it. This time we went in with a plan. Fabrics only. Straight there and straight back out. I didn't believe it could be done, but that is how it went. And they even had a little play area at the fabric section! Wow!

So I bought a few metres of the Tidny fabric and we love it. The kids spent part of a lazy Sunday afternoon colouring in and then I made it up into art supply bags. The bags now travel with us when we eat out, filled with some Frozen colouring in pages, coloured paper, markers and stickers. A success!

I washed the fabric and cut a wide strip out (allowing for handles and pockets too) and then the kids used fabric markers to colour in the designs on the fabric. Later I placed baking paper over the fabric and ironed over, applying heat to fix the colours.





I cut a lining for the bag, pockets and handles, and a second fabric for some of the inner pockets.



For the handles, place right sides together and sew along one short end and the long side. Turn it out the right way. Top stitch along the two long ends.

For the top pocket, place right sides together and sew along the two long edges. Turn out the right way and press. Top stitch along the top long edge.

For the two bottom pockets, place right sides together and sew along the top long edge. Open out, press and top stitch along that long edge.

Take the top pocket and pin it in place on the lining fabric. Sew a few mm above the lower seam to fasten the piece to the lining. Sew vertically to form smaller pockets.

Sew velcro strips to the lining and the lower upper pocket. Use a tacking stitch close to the edge to put the lower pockets and handles in place. Now sew the bag outer and lining together by place right sides together and sewing around the outside with all pockets and handles in place between. Be sure to leave an opening to turn it out the right way.

Turn the bag out the right way and press. Sew a top stitch around all outer edges to finish off. Fill with goodies and enjoy!