Your project for this class is to sew a fabric gift bag with a unique fabric applique. I am creating the class so you can work along with me or work at your own speed. In this class I will be designing a Holiday fabric applique but I will also share other ideas that I have worked with so you can get inspired to create any design you would like best. Since the Holiday season is approaching I thought it would be great to make a Christmas fabric bag!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtGGu7jFT2I

In this class I will talk about:

Ideas and Inspiration.
Materials and tools.
Drafting and cutting.
Designing a fabric applique.
Sewing machine stitches.
Cutting the fabric applique.
Sewing the fabric applique.
Bag construction.
Finishing your bag and sewing variations.
Applying the sewing techniques in future projects.
Sewing journaling

Please share your finished project in the project discussion so we can all cheer up each other!

Remember to have fun and explore your ideas even further. “A new idea is always right behind another idea”

Lastly,

I am so happy to show you how sewing is a great tool and skill to bring your ideas to reality! Let’s get sewing!

Isabel

Second Part:

Class Outline

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yaqpNSAk1pTBub3GLCqK8l-8Exnm7m_R4zNsPVJZto4/edit?usp=sharing

Class Title

Sewing Gift Ideas: Sew a Fabric Gift Bag and Design a Fabric Applique

Class Description

In this class you will learn:

How to develop an idea from inspiration.

About choosing the right fabrics and supplies for the fabric gift bag and the fabric applique.

To draft your own bag pattern and cut the bag.
How to work from an idea to create a fabric applique to decorate your fabric gift bag.
The basics of using a sewing machine, straight stitches and zigzag stitch.
How to prepare and cut a fabric applique.
How to embroider and decorate the fabric applique.
How to sew a fabric gift bag step by step.
How to do the final touches and sewing variations.
How you can apply the techniques in future projects.
How to keep a journal of your sewing project.

This class is for any sewing enthusiast, experienced or a beginner, that would like to sew a gift idea for this Holiday season or apply the techniques to create any fabric appliques!

This class will help you to spark your imagination, use your own creativity using easy sewing steps that you can apply later to other sewing projects. You will feel confident about using your ideas, your sewing machine and fabrics to create beautiful gifts with your own hands.

Materials:

For this class you will need:

A sewing machine with straight and zigzag stitches.
Cotton or linen fabric, solid color.
Scraps of fabrics with small to medium size prints. Pick a color theme or a season theme, ex: Christmas, Fall, Halloween, Valentine, etc.
Ribbons, buttons, lace, etc.
Interfacings, medium weight and lightweight.
Wonder under.
Glue.
Threads in different colors.
Fabric and paper scissors, fabric chalk.
Rotary cutter, cutting mat (both optional)
Ruler.
Pins.
Safety pin.
Clear paper to trace. I use parchment paper.

Project Description

Your project for this class is to sew a fabric gift bag with a unique fabric applique. I am creating the class so you can work along with me or work at your own speed. In this class I will be designing a Holiday fabric applique but I will also share other ideas that I have worked with so you can get inspired to create any design you would like best. Since the Holiday season is approaching I thought it would be great to make a Christmas fabric bag!

In this class I will talk about:

Ideas and Inspiration.
Selecting fabrics and supplies.
Drawing, drafting and cutting.
Designing a fabric applique.
Sewing machine stitches.
Cutting the fabric applique.
Embroidering the fabric applique.
Bag construction.
Finishing the bag and sewing/design variations.
Applying the sewing techniques in future projects.
Sewing journaling

Please share your finished project in the project discussion so we can all cheer up each other! You can upload your finished fabric gift bag, or the front of the bag with the fabric applique you designed!

Remember to have fun and explore your ideas even further. “A new idea is always right behind another idea”

Lastly,

I am so happy to show you how sewing is a great tool and skill to bring your ideas to reality! Let’s get sewing!

Intro Video

Lesson Title: Introduction

Video Format: Talking head, slides, pictures

Media & Visuals:

Switching talking head, b rolls, slides

Lesson Length: 2 minutes

Talking Points and Key Concepts:

Hook: After this class you will be more confident to keep sewing with your own ideas and you will know how to embroider a fabric applique!
About me: Talk about my background, how I started, the work I have done, samples of my work. Moving my sewing room around the world.
Value proposition: Learning how to create a fabric applique and use zigzag stitches to embroider it on fabric. This skill can be applied in so many other sewing projects.
Stake: An easy sewing project that lets students learn beyond using straight stitches and lets the student use their imagination to create something unique. I love making fabric bags for special gifts and I always add a new twist.
Created for: Beginners or people that are familiar with sewing machines and want to jump back into sewing or for advanced sewists. Any creatives looking for a fun sewing project.
Knowledge and tools: This project might be easier for people that have sewn before, but I believe a beginner can also join in. A sewing machine with straight and zigzag stitches will be needed and an iron.
Structure: Teaching how to use an idea, choose materials, drafting patterns, follow the sewing steps, designing a fabric applique. Embroidering the applique will be the part that represents more work.
Summarize project: Students will make their own fabric gift bag with a fabric applique that they will design and embroider.
Sign off: Let’s get sewing!

Project Video

Lesson Title: Class Project

Video Format: Talking head, slides, b rolls

Media & Visuals: Mix of talking head and slides,

Lesson Length: 2 minutes

Talking Points and Key Concepts:

Final delivery: At the end of this class you will learn how to make a fabric gift bag decorated with your own embroidered fabric applique.
Context: This project is very rewarding, at the end you will marvel at how you were able to create a beautiful piece out of fabric. I have loved every time I have made one as a gift. Learning the techniques to embroider by machine a fabric applique will give you the encouragement to keep adding fabric appliques in multiple sewing projects.
Steps needed: Students will learn to develop an idea, choosing fabric and supplies, drafting patterns, cutting techniques, machine embroidery techniques, learning the many options to use these techniques in future projects.
Post: Upload a picture of your pretty bag and fabric applique in the project discussion. I would be happy to cheer you on and help you with any questions you might have or give you feedback.
Action steps: To start on this project, go have fun finding fabrics. Scraps of fabrics will work for the applique, find ribbons, lace, any embellishments. If you do not have fabrics yet, then it is a great excuse to go fabric shopping!

Lesson 1

Lesson Title: Starting from an idea or an inspiration.

Video Format: Talking heads, b roll with narration, and slides of past work, showing the real inspiration, pictures of other bags I have made

Media & Visuals:

Mix of talk head, b roll, videos from above and slides

Lesson Length: 5 minutes.

Talking Points and Key Concepts:

Inspiration can spark an idea.
Narrate about how ideas and inspiration work. (own experience with examples)
How I put the idea into drawing.
How to transform that drawing idea into real paper patterns.
Thinking of the sewing steps and materials.

Lesson 2.

Lesson Title: Choosing fabrics and supplies.

Video Format: b roll, slides, talkin head

Media & Visuals: mixing narration of slides, videos and me.

Lesson Length: 4 minutes.

Talking Points and Key Concepts:

Fabric love (talk about my own experience)
Getting to know your fabrics.
Inner fabrics or interfacings.
Wonder Under fusible web.
Embellishments.
Closure for bag.
Sewing machine.

Lesson 3

Lesson Title: Drafting a bag pattern and Cutting the bag.

Video Format: physical demonstration

Media & Visuals: physical demonstration and slides

Lesson Length: 5 minutes.

Talking Points and Key Concepts:

Dimensions.
Using rulers, paper, pen and scissors.
Direction of fabric.
Adding seam allowances or not.
To wash and dry fabric, yes or no?
Cutting the fabric, use scissors or rotary cutter.
Mark any sewing lines in your fabric.

Lesson 4

Lesson Title: Draft a fabric applique from an idea.

Video Format: Physical demonstration, talk head, slides

Media & Visuals: Mix of video showing my hands, myself and slides

Lesson Length: 8 minutes

Talking Points and Key Concepts:

Narrow down ideas.
Drafting/drawing an idea.
Dissecting a drawing into real pattern pieces.
Cut the paper patterns.

Lesson 5

Lesson Title: Sewing machine stitches.

Video Format: Talk head, physical demonstrations, slides

Media & Visuals: Mix of video of my sewing machine with narration, slides.

Lesson Length: 3 minutes.

Talking Points and Key Concepts:

Different stitches in a sewing machine.
Straight stitches.
Zigzag stitches.
Different ways to use a zigzag stitch (show samples)
Do a little practice.

Lesson 6

Lesson Title: Prepping and cutting a fabric applique.

Video Format: Physical demonstration, slides

Media & Visuals: A mix of visuals and media

Lesson Length: 8 min.

Talking Points and Key Concepts:

Basics of sewing a fabric applique.

Preparing fabrics with interfacing.
Cutting and fusing wonder under fusible web.
Use paper patterns to draw the applique.
Cutting applique to get it ready for sewing.

Lesson 7

Lesson Title: Sewing and decorating a fabric applique

Video Format: Physical demonstration, talk head

Media & Visuals: videos from above showing my hands, side views from my sewing machine, slides.

Lesson Length: 8 minutes.

Talking Points and Key Concepts:

Finding placement for hanging ribbons. (if you are doing the ornaments appliques)

Ironing in place de appliques.
Choosing thread colors.
Testing stitches.
Embroidering applique by machine.
Securing stitches.
Add decorations to the applique.
Remove excess interfacing on the back.

Lesson 8

Lesson Title: Sewing the fabric gift bag.

Video Format: Physical demonstration, slides, talk head

Media & Visuals: Videos from above showing my hands, slides.

Lesson Length: 5 min.

Talking Points and Key Concepts:

Closing side and bottom seams.
Serge or not serge seam allowances.
Sew the top edge.
Create a channel for ribbon.

Lesson 9

Lesson Title: Finishing the bag and other ways to sew this same bag.

Video Format: Physical demonstration, slides, pictures

Media & Visuals: Video from above, talk head, showing pictures of other projects.

Lesson Length: 6 min.

Talking Points and Key Concepts:

Feeding the ribbon through the channel.
Finishing the ends of the ribbon.
Show pictures and narrate different ways to finish this bag.

Lesson 10

Lesson Title: Using the techniques learned in future projects.

Video Format: Slides, b roll, talking head showing real items

Media & Visuals: Talking head, b roll.

Lesson Length: 6 min.

Talking Points and Key Concepts:

Draft your own pattern bag with simple geometric shapes.
Fabric applique on t-shirts.
Fabric applique on table runners.
Fabric applique on banners.
Make your own fabric letters.
Fabric applique on purses.
Keep a sewing journal.

Conclusion Video

Lesson Title: Let’s keep sewing!

Video Format: Talking heads, slides

Media & Visuals: Talking heads, b rolls, slides.

Lesson Length: 3 min

Talking Points and Key Concepts:

Thanks for taking the time to be here, it means the world to me.
Congratulations for giving yourself time to learn a new skill or learn to sew a new project.
In this class we learned about using an idea to put it into a drawing then into a piece of fabric, following sewing steps to create a real piece made out of fabric. Designing and embroidering a fabric applique also from your own ideas.
Learning to use your machine to embroider a fabric applique is a great skill that can be explored so much more in depth and you will have fun creating all sorts of designs and shapes!
I would love to see your projects and see how you use your own ideas.
Continue sewing to get practice and gain more experience.
Do not get discouraged, have fun and just keep sewing!
Follow more of my behind the sewing scenes in IG and Pinterest @gypsytailor

Isabel Wilder

Designer, Artist, Maker, Etsy seller

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