Back to school ideas
It’s the time of year that all parents have been dreading and looking forward to in equal measure, it’s time for the kids to go back to school. However, before anyone gets a bit of peace and quiet there is much preparation to be done; name labels need sewing in and new pens need to be bought.
At Fabrics Galore Headquarters, we had some ideas on what you might want to quickly make up ready for your little ones to have a great first day at school. So here we go for the best children’s Back to School Sewing Projects
Pencil cases
Let’s be completely honest, the best part of a new year at school was getting all the new pens, pencils and of course pencil cases.
The dreamy thing about a sewing project like a pencil case is that you can pretty much use any fabric which doesn’t have any stretch or drape, meaning you can use any of our great cotton prints. Even better still, you can play around with and clash lots of different prints for the front, back and also for the lining.
Backpacks
Another key component of a new school year is the chance to nab a super cool new backpack. Here at Fabrics Galore, we are super fans of backpacks and it will surprise you to know many of us are no longer school age.
Our soft furnishing fabrics are not only great for blinds and curtains but because of their extra strength, they are perfect for a handy backpack too. This means you could whip up a classic black or grey one for school and then a brighter one for fun weekends. Also to make your new school backpack even more practical, we even stock a water-resistant fabric, which you could use as an outside layer for bad weather or as a lining in case of a spillage.
In case you missed it in one of our Newsletters a few weeks ago, here’s a free backpack pattern from Sustain My Craft Habit, so if you are all ready and raring to go you can make a backpack using this free pattern.
Nursery and children’s bedroom ideas
Maybe your need for children’s fabric is more for a nursery or a bedroom, but don’t panic, as here at Fabrics Galore we are ready for that. In fact, on our snazzy new website, we have an entire nursery collection. Whether your little one is into the deep sea, jungles, dinosaurs or just ‘pretty in pink’, we have something for that new bedroom you promised.
Cushions
Both an old Fabrics Galore classic that still pops, “Way Down Deep in the Jungle” and our latest prints like “A Streak of Tigers” would make great cushions for a nursery or bedroom. However, aside from our slight obsession with tigers, any of our animal print children’s fabrics are perfect to use in your little ones' room.
Sometimes, because we have so much fabric, we miss highlighting a few gems and although it’s a slightly more subtle idea for a nursery, a bumblebee print is super cute. The yellow of the bees makes it unisex too. This type of print is ideal for a newborn as they won’t grow out of it as quickly, so you won’t have to change the furnishings for a while.
Blinds
Our children’s fabrics would also make great blinds for a nursery or bedroom and there are lots of brilliant prints to choose from. Whilst we love all of our fabrics, we do have a soft spot for a shark print and we think it would make an excellent choice for a blind, especially when teamed with a little chambray stripe, it would just look so smart. For a slightly older child, you could mix in some denim accessories with this blind to create a cool vibe to the bedroom.
Children’s clothing ideas
Sewing clothes for babies and children is a good place to start if you are just starting out in sewing. Not only are the clothes smaller and using less fabric makes the project less expensive, but the shapes are usually simpler too.
Leggings
When you are learning to sew, a jersey is a slightly scary fabric, but a little pair of leggings are ideal to start with. Surely one advantage of being a child is that you can team a pair of the jazziest leggings with a jumper and you’re ready for the day, here at Fabrics Galore have been dreaming of rocking a pair of unicorn leggings for a while now.
In case that has got you thinking, we have found a free Leggings pattern from SewCanShe.
Bloomers
If sewing with a jersey is still a bit frightening, we have plenty of children’s prints on more stable fabrics, such as cotton, which is slightly easier to start with. In fact, we were thinking it’s never too early to introduce children to the power of Frida Kahlo or Wonder Woman and this type of print would look so cute on a pair of bloomers. You could even try a matching little dress if you’re feeling brave enough.
Dungarees
We can’t talk about children’s clothing without mentioning hickory stripe denim and this fabric is screaming out to be made into a pair of dungarees immediately. Dungarees are perfect for any of the small people you know, and they are just so cute. As they’re denim, they are fairly hard-wearing as well, so they can withstand the rough and tumble of any child’s life.
Sewing for babies
Whilst we’re talking about children’s fabric, we also wanted to touch on sewing for babies. Of course, the most important thing to remember when selecting a fabric for babies is to make sure that it is super soft and you can’t get any softer than our double gauze. Double gauze is perfect for everything from little romper suits to backing for baby quilts for extra softness. Our new tie-dye double gauze prints are a particular favourite of ours here at Fabrics Galore.
Baby hats
As mentioned above, sewing for children and babies is a great introduction to using jersey fabric and this free pattern from Coral + Co for a little baby hat is a great place to start. Our super-soft knits would work well with this pattern and the hat will look too cute for words.
Purchasing children’s fabric
No matter whether you are sewing Back to School projects or decorating your baby's nursery or child's bedroom, if you’re wanting to purchase some gorgeous children’s fabrics, be sure to browse the Fabrics Galore website. Within our brilliant collection of fabrics, you will easily be able to find something that is perfect.
