
Summer Splash Round Up
Choose one or more of these fun summer-themed sewing projects and stitch some sunshine into your next picnic, pool party, or road trip. Whether you’re heading to the park, backyard, or beach—there’s an easy-to-make project for you. Here’s a roundup of a few of our favorite summertime sewing projects:
Mermaid Dress Up
Grab this quick sewing tutorial and create a mermaid tail for dress-up all-year long. This idea was inspired by Nancy Zieman’s granddaughters. After watching Doll Costume Dress Up on Sewing With Nancy.
Colorful Bean Bag Toss
One of America’s family’s favorite outdoor games goes by quite a few names; cornhole, tailgate, bean bag toss, doghouse, Baggo, or, just plain bags. What would the game be without festive, colorful bags? Learn how to sew your own cornhole bags (or bean bags) and let the games begin! Find the bean bag sewing tutorial here.
Sew a Casserole Carrier
Stitch this Casserole Carrier project in an evening or two. Then, let your tasteful carrier help you get a handle on things. Cook, place a casserole in the center, wrap and GO! An insulated carrier is perfect for picnics and potluck dinners. The inner insulated pocket lets you store a hot or cold pack to keep the temperature of your dish just right. The carrier folds flat when not in use and can be laundered. See how easy it is to create this carrier, here.
Sew Easy Summer Napkins
These easy to make napkins are ideal for a summer luncheon, picnic, or handmade hostess gift. Stitch a set of four napkins in an hour or less with Nancy’s sew-easy mitered corner technique. Showcase your favorite fabrics by mixing or matching fabric groupings, or make them from one fabric. Find the sewing tutorial for Easy Summer Napkins, here.
Sew a Kids’ Hooded Towel Wrap
Get ready for some cuteness! Sew a hooded towel wrap for the beach or bath time. We have a special gift for you today. It’s a free project sheet of sewing appliqués—the Owl and Teddy Bear faces—to stitch on the Towel Wraps that Luella and Avery are wearing.
Make a Beach Towel Wrap
Summer is here and the pool is calling! Make a beach towel wrap easily with this tutorial from Sewing With Nancy guest Mary Mulari. This wrap is one of 14 in Mary’s book, All Occasion Fabric Wraps. Mary shares her step-by-step construction process. Watch the sewing demonstration on Sewing With Nancy and grab the sewing directions here.
Cool Off with a Pool Noodle Chair
You can sew your own Pool Noodle Lounger! Using mesh fabric and grosgrain ribbon, create a lounge-style seat that fits over a swimming noodle. Make one for yourself and another for a friend, and then share lazy summer afternoons seated and relaxed in the water—making more memories. Tune in to Sew Gifts–Make Memories, and learn Mary Mulari’s convenient way to stitch, fold, and store your lounger.
Portable Chalkboard Roll-Up
Whether it is a gift or simply a road-trip-sanity-saver, this Portable Chalkboard Roll-Up will be a hit with the kids, and probably the adults, in your life, too. Take the chalkboard roll-up on your summer vacation, to a restaurant, church, or anywhere your kiddos might need a quiet project. It rolls up for easy storage and transport. Find Nancy’s chalkboard roll-up sewing directions here.
Watch The Best of Sewing With Nancy online and on any TV.
Kick off the summer season by sharing what projects you’ll be sewing this July, and August. Leave a comment below for a chance to win a 10-pack of Wonder Clips from Clover!
The randomly selected winner of Nancy Zieman’s New! Afternoon Picnic Fat Quarter Pack, is Carla.
Her comment is: I love this block and the fabric is just divine. The instructions look so simple that I really think I could make this quilt in baby size with wonderful baby fabric. Now mind you I have never really made a quilt. I made one quilt top and that was over 20 years ago. I’m still looking for the fabric I bought to put on the back of it. ha ha. I just love all the info I get from Nancy Zieman website and I watched all the time on PBS as she was so informative on how to do things and had wonderful guests. Thank you for this opportunity to win this FAT QUARTER PACK.
Happy Sewing!
Team Nancy Zieman
Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.
Carolyn T
The mitered corners lesson for tNancy’s summer napkins is what I needed for my project. I am making cotton headbands to tie my hair back and off my neck in the hot weather.
Kelly McMillan
I will be tearing apart and repairing my daughter’s cross-body bag. It was her favorite and she has worn it out in places. I then plan to make a few more of these as gifts.
Susan Spiers
I will be working on sewing some short-sleeved summer tops! I love the patterns that allow me to blend two different fabrics!
Sharon
I hope to keep sewing quilts.
Cynthia
This summer I am finishing up my son’s T-shirt quilt (today ), sewing around applique fish hook panels for my husband’s quilt, sandwich and quilting my niece’s bedspread quilt, and designing more projects for my church’s quilt group donations.
Marylou Wahl
I have more projects then I can count to work on -in a while am heading to the sewing room to prioritize which is first ,second and on and on!! Hope all have a happy stitching summer ahead!!
Clovis
I will be sewing Christmas gifts to get an early start. Thanks for the chance to win. You can never have to many wonder clips.
Bev Bolduc Aldridge
THE POOL NOODLE looks to be easiest that I have not made ( only water is bathtub ) . It would give a woman rest if in a pool with her children. Nancys wonder clips might help me with quilts as edge holders. Team Nancy congratulations on continuing the helpful things Nancy Zieman started.
Noreen
My next project will be pink bandanna bibs for a new baby.
DeAnna S
My summer sewing plans include finishing some totes then starting on quilts for my two cats since they love relaxing on my people quilts so much.
Penny B
The mitered corners on the napkins are so simple and basic. I can’t believe I haven’t made corners like that before. Thanks for offering so much information on your site.
Dixie
I want to make a hooded towel for my granddaughter. Also finish a quilt.
Anne Z
I plan to make new fabric napkins using fun, summer print. I also plan to make new fabric place mats, using summer prints.
Lorraine Alves
I’ve started to make napkins with a lemon motif. They will add a freshness to my summer table decor and can be used both inside and outside during either dinner parties or picnics.
DebbieW
Project bags with vinyl windows for my needlepoint projects.
Teri
Have 2 quilts planned for summer but think I need to add a couple of these projects now.
Shirley Clark
I’m working on some adult bibs for the nursing home, and hopefully, a lap quilt for someone. Plus I’ll do a couple of things for our great-granddaughter!
Carol
I want to complete the projects I have already started. Then I want to sew some gifts for family and friends.
Donna S.
I will be finishing three quilts for three of my grown grandchildren. I will be making a bunch of summer outfits for my four year old granddaughter for now and when she starts preschool in August. I just learned that i will be getting another grandchild in January 2020 so i have to get started with a baby quilt and I will be donating some of my excess fabric to the local Vocational Technical School. Busy, busy, busy.
Sandra N
I will be working on a fall wall hanging and a throw for my son.
Mary Green
The pool noodle chair would be a fun way to cool off at the lake too.
And a chance to win wonder clips would be great. Thanks…
Cindy K
I will be seeing a binding on a quilt I finished last fall.
Marilyn Dunstan
I’ve already made the Beach Towel Cover Up and I love it.. I’d like to make the casserole carrier and the floating chair. Its so good to see that Nancy’s Productions are continuing to supply us with all her wonderful sewing expertise.
Hannah W
I’m just finishing my son’s quilt. Then a couple of garments are in the queue.
Jan m
That chair is an interesting idea.
Rosie
Finishing a tee shirt quilt is the first project on my list for the summer.
Marjean N
I will be sewing lots of Bakers Towels, Bowl Cozies and other items for the upcoming Craft Fair season.
Anita
I’m working on a reversible apron for my daughter, a baby quilt for my newest grandson, and two quilted fish wall hangings for my husband. If I’m lucky, I will get to do some mending and restock my supply of receiving blankets for gifts.
Linda Johnson
I liked the napkins and the casserole holder. There would be a good project for my special needs student. Thanks for the ideas.
Barb K
I just finished a quilt for my youngest son–That casserole carrier looks like a good project for summer picnics!
Susan
Plan to make some holiday quilted wallhangings and the Wonder Clips would come in handy to hold the quilted layers together.
DORIS RINDFLEISCH
My summer project plans are to complete a few UFOs! I am nearing completion of a T-shirt quilt for my daughter and a baby quilt for a friend. The clips would really come in handy for putting the binding on!
CAROL
I would like to update/repair items I have been saving. The
give-away would help.
Valerie Antosh
I plan on sewing tablerunners, placemats, potholders, quilts, and tops, pants and totes this summer. The wonder clips have been on my wish list for a couple of months. They would make holding bindings, trims, elastic in place while sewing so much easier than pins. I would use them very often.
Jan H
First, I plan to finish a guild donation quilt for Ronald McDonald House, then hope to make the casserole carrier and pot holders for Christmas gifts. Wonder Clips would be great help with the binding–and I was excited to see different colors in the same package.