sewn gardening set

by: Lisa Falduto

I don't know about you, but I am really anxious for spring!  It has been a long and very cold winter. When the weather begins to warm I start getting really antsy to get outside and start preparing my flower beds and my vegetable garden for planting- especially with the help of my Fiskars Garden tools.  There is nothing quite so exciting to me than to walk outside in early spring and see my tulips, hostas, and other perennials peeking up through the soil. 

As I write this article it is still February here with very cold temperatures and lots of snow on the ground!  But I love to think ahead and plan and organize so I decided if I cannot garden yet, I can at least begin to prepare for a successful gardening season!

I pulled out my fabric and Fiskars Sewing tools and went to work to create a fashionable gardening set.  I am sure to be the talk of my neighborhood! If you garden I encourage you to use rainy or cold days and do something to prepare for your gardening season.I made a coordinating ensemble of items and you can do it all like I did or just choose one item you want to make for yourself to begin your gardening this spring. The bonus is that now I have one organized place to store all of my Fiskars gardening tools.  I just leave them tucked right in my apron pockets and loops and hang it right in my garage.  Now in the spring all I have to do is slip on my apron and "dig in."

The 45mm rotary cutter, 12 in 1 sewing tool, various Fiskars scissors, ruler, and cutting mat were all vital in my creations. Love my Fiskars tools in the craft room as much as I do in the garden.

I used Simplicity pattern #4597 to create the visor and apron.  I made the knee pad slipcover on my own.  I started by pinning all pattern pieces to fabric for both the apron and visor following the instructions included in the pattern envelope.

So for my apron after I had my pattern pieces pinned down to my fabric I used my Fiskars Comfort grip rotary cutter on top of my Fiskars 18"x24" cutting mat to cut around each pattern piece.  I have not used a sewing pattern for many years and let me tell you that it very easy using the Fiskars Comfort Grip Rotary cutter to go around the pieces.  When I had notches to cut along the pattern I simply stopped and used my Fiskars Razor edged No. 8 Bent scissors.  I was done in no time!

The apron was easier to create than I thought it would be!  The tools I had laying right next to my sewing machine were my Fiskars Razor edged No. 8 Bent Scissors and my Fiskars 12-in-1 Sewing Multi-tool. 

I used the 12-in-1 tool on several occasions to help me measure, rip out seams, and once when my bobbin thread got all tangled up underneath.  The tweezers in my Fiskars 12-in-1 tool helped me get things untangled and going again.

There is nothing more frustrating that being outside to garden and at an angle where the sun just won't stay out of your face.  So creating this visor to match the apron will really help.  You need a heavyweight fusible interfacing for the visor to create a sturdy front that will block the sun.

While I was creating the visor I used my Fiskars Razor edged No. 8 Bent scissors quite a bit to trim seams inside before pressing.  These scissors are very sharp and cut through fabric like butter.  They are lightweight and very comfortable to use.  The handles are sturdy and comfortable since they have Fiskars Softgrip cushion.  The joint where the scissors are held together are solid metal allowing the blades to create smooth cuts.  The blades are nice and even with great balance which helped me to cut with precision. 

After I completed the visor it was time to move on to my Knee pad cover.  As you can see in the photo my knee pad cushion is getting dirty and starting to look worn.  In order to extend the life of the cushion I decided to create a cover for it.  The cover is held on by the button at the end and I can slide it off and throw it right into the washing machine.

I pulled out my leftover fabric and folded it over once and then laid my gardening cushion vertically along the fold leaving about 1" allowance on the fold side.  Next I used my Fiskars 3.5"x18.5" Acrylic ruler as a guide to cut straight as I was going around the top, bottom, and open side of my rectangular cushion.  Make sure to allow enough extra fabric for the seams that you will sew as well as the end that will need to button.  This will vary depending on the size of garden cushion that you have. 

Once you have the cushion cover sewn it is time to add a decorative element.  You will want to use your Fiskars Razor edged No. 8 Bent scissors to cut out some small pieces of coordinating colored fabric with a medium weight fusible interfacing to match up to the bottom side.  Go ahead and iron this into place following the manufacturer's directions on your interfacing.  I used 3 different colors of coordinating fabric since I had decided to create a flower with petals, a center, and a stem with leaves.

Next you will use your Fiskars Ultra Shapexpress to cut out the shape(s) you have chosen.  I used the Fiskars Flower template to create my flower.  I cut out 7

petals, one circle, and a stem with two leaves.  The interfacing you previously ironed on to the back side of your fabric serves as a nice base to hold the fabric so it does not pull while you cut with the Ultra Shapexpress.  You will cut with the Ultra Shapexpress exactly the same way that you do on cardstock or paper.  I've seen this done before by other members of the Design team and this was my first time to try this out.  It cut through the fabric and interfacing like a breeze!

Once I had all the pieces cut out I inserted a plastic bag on the inside of the cushion cover making sure that it laid flat.  Then I used a permanent clear drying fabric adhesive to attach my cut pieces to the front of my cushion cover.  This gives my cover an appliqué look without sewing each piece down individually. 

There you have it, a wonderful gardening ensemble just waiting for spring to arrive right along with you. Although I am now ready to garden, the outdoor elements are not quite ready for me yet. Soon it will be time, and when it is, I am ready. Ready to don my apron full of Fiskars garden tools, place my sun blocking visor upon my head, and kneel upon my cushion to begin digging in the fresh earth. To me there is nothing quite like the first breath of spring when I can get outside and start preparing for all the newness around me. This year I am ready early!

By Lisa Falduto