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I often get this question, "How did you learn to sew?" and well, most of the time I tell people that my family taught me. Which is partly true, they inspired me. When I was younger I was surrounded by beautifully handmade things. We couldn't always afford the finer things and so my family would make them. My Great Grandmother made for me a Cabbage Patch doll from a sewing kit. My father built my first bicycle, mostly out of a Spiderman bike parts. :) I loved it! My mother would reupholster our couch when it needed a facelift. She also made my first concert black dress when I began to play the clarinet. I was enriched by the people around me. I loved the handmade treasures they made for me. Each handmade piece had a colorful story of how it was created.

It wasn't until I got older and had my first child that I realized I wanted to give my little ones handmade treasures. Gifts that were made by me and they could keep forever. Gifts that would have stories to share. That is why I started to sew. 
I looked online and to sewing books first. I borrow a beginner sewing machine and set to work. My mother excited about the idea of me creating would come over on the weekends to help. I started to take pictures of everything I made. My Flickr account is my sewing scrapbook. I fell in love with making one of a kind gifts for any one and everyone. Honestly that is where the name Sew Spoiled comes from. I was spoiled as a child with wonderful handmade gifts and now I hope my customers feel that way when they buy a Sew Spoiled product. 

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Fun in the Sun Mermaid Tutorial

Sewing Materials: 1/4 yard of Lycra or  5T or larger old swimsuit Thread Stretch Needle (helps) Sewing Machine and Sewing Notions Print the PDF patterns pieces out and tape them together. ✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄ ✄✄✄✄ ✄✄ Step 1: Cutting Layout-  Place the templates over the fabric and cut. ✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄ ✄✄✄✄ ✄✄ Step 2:   Fold the top edges of the mermaid tail and sew across. ✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄ ✄✄✄✄ ✄✄ Step 3: Place the mermaid tale pieces right sides together. Sew around the mermaid tail using the stretch stitch, it looks like a bolt of lighting. ✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄ ✄✄✄✄ ✄✄ Step 4: Flip the mermaid tail right side out using a chopstick.   Option: You can add Poly-fil to make the end of the tale puffy.   Set aside. ✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄ ✄✄✄✄ ✄✄ Bodice   Step 1: Cut a bodice measuring  4.5” X1.5” or use template. ✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄ ✄✄✄✄ ✄✄ Step 2: Fold the bodice right sides together and sew the  short ends making a loop. Use the edge of the presser foot for your seam a

How to Line an A-Line Skirt Tutorial

 After you find an A-line skirt pattern , I am using  One Yard Wonders 101  template . Make a muslin of your skirt! It only takes a few minutes to make a muslin version. Just baste stitch the side seams and make adjustments for your hips. Once your template is right you can make all the skirts your heart desires, so it is important to get the perfect fit first. Now we are ready to cut the "good" fabric and sew! ---------------------------------- ---------------------------------- ---------------------------------- ---------------------------------- Flip the skirt right side out and put it on!! You are done!! It is super easy and your new skirt will look store made.  Plus there is no hand stitching the lining to the main fabric. If you have any questions please comment below or email me at leah.sewspoiled@gmail.com .  WooHooo!! A-Line Skirt Pattern Finds

Sweet Coin Purse Tutorial for Teacher Gifts

This time of year is so special to me because I get to show my gratitude for all of the hard work that goes into teaching my daughters. I love to make handmade gifts and this year is no exception. Since money does not grow on trees around here, I looked at my stash (I keep my scraps in hat boxes ) and tried to see what I had a lot of; small zippers, trims, Peltex strips ( from making iPad cases ), fabric scraps and some hardware for key fobs. So I set to work.  Materials: Plastic multipurpose 5" Zipper  Fabric Scraps Lightweight interfacing 808 Pellon Trims (We clipped  key fobs  with 1.5" swivel hooks onto our coin purses . There are tons of tutorials on making key fobs .) Step 1: Print out the Coin Purse Template  PDF.  Cut 2 main fabric, cut 2 lining and 2 interfacing using the template.  Optional: Cut a 2"X2" square of your choice main fabric or lining. This strip of fabric is used to clip a key fob to your coin purse later. We used a 1.5