Here is a great tutorial on the sorbetto top from Colette patterns which is a free download that you can get right here. This is a great pattern because it’s simple, chic and great for summer, which is sneaking up on us fast. If you’ve never printed out a PDF pattern before, it’s really simple. Just print the pattern and follow the triangles with letters to match up the corresponding pages and then tape and cut out at your correct size. This pattern already comes with great instructions but sometimes seeing it done makes life a lot easier so I hope you get inspired and make your own sorbetto.
First you will need 1 1/2 yds of either 44″ or 60″ fabric.
I chose a leopard print rayon fabric from Anna Maria Horner.
The you will either need 1 package of 1/2″ bias tape, bias tape by the yard or you can make your own bias tape, you will need 3 yards total.
First tape and cut your pattern.
Cut your fabric out to the correct size.
Then you will take the front piece and mark your darts and sew them. Press down.
Now we are going to make the fun front pleat that gives this top such a fun look. Mark your fabric where the pleat is indicated on the fabric.
Fold in half matching up the marks with fabric face out and sew a straight line down the center.
Now press the pleat flat.
Now with faces of fabric together take both the front and the back of the blouse and sew the tops of the straps and the side seems.
Were almost done! Incredible right?… such a cute top in so little time!
Now press a 1/4″ hem at the bottom of the top and sew in place.
Now on to the bias tape finish.
Unfold your tape completely and with the right side of the tape facing the right side of your top pin the tape into place all around the arm hole. 
Once its pinned stitch along the very top crease of the bias tape leaving a little bit of a gap with a tail of bias tape on each end to finish it off in place.
once you reach your gap then sew the ends of the tape together leaving enough space to finish the arm hole, cut off extra and sew bias tape down all in place. 
This technique gives you a great finished look to your garment without having to do a rolled hem.
Repeat the bias tape steps on the other arm hole and along the neck line, trim your threads and that’s it!
This is a fun simple top to get creative with. Experiment with different prints and different bias tapes, or even add a fun lace trim or buttons to the front pleat!
I hope you all enjoy the sorbetto!
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Here is a great easy tutorial on how to make a cute skirt from a batik fabric that would make a great beach cover or fun summer skirt. All you need for this project is:
1 1/2 yds of fabric
about 2 1/2 yds of 3/8″ elastic
An iron, scissors thread and your machine… simple enough right?
I used a Robert Kaufman Batik fabric that is actually a made from rayon because I liked the way it draped.
First I cut my fabric in half along the 44″ width of the fabric giving me two pieces of fabric that were 44″ wide and 27″ long. The 44″ side is the top and the bottom of the skirt.
First you want to sew the side seems of the skirt like so..
Then after sewing both sides we will turn up the edge on the inside 3/4″ and press, repeat again so you have a clean hem, then sew
After hemming your skirt we are now going to work on the waist band which is comfortable and cute!
First press down a 4″ flap just like you did with your hem except this time were not going to roll twice.
Now we are going to stitch as close to the fold as possible to keep everything in place and to be the top of our band.
No we are going to make 5 more stitches around but make sure to leave a 2″ gap to pull the elastic through on each stitch.
The stitches do not have to be perfectly straight (they are going to get scrunched anyway) but just make sure they are each 1/2″ apart.
Now we are going to cut our elastic into three pieces that are all the same size and about 4″ smaller then your waist.
Now feed your elastic through the casings starting at the top and hit every other one on the way down. I like to use a safety pin to push my elastic through but if you have a loop turner they work great for this too.
After you feed the elastic through sew the ends of the elastic together and then finish the stitching to the casing making it one whole seam.
Make sure you stretch the elastic to get a straight seam here, I only had on hand because I was taking a picture but this should be tight, not gathered.
Then trim all your threads and pat yourself on the back because you just made an adorable batik skirt to strut around town, or the beach!
Happy sewing!!
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One of the best parts about working at Harts is seeing what becomes of the fabric that we sell. I love cutting fabric for customers and imagining what their projects will look like! We have so many talented and creative customers, it is always a treat getting to see pictures of their finished projects!
Many of our awesome customers have fantastic sewing blogs with pictures of projects they have made using our fabrics. Here are just a few of our many talented customers and their crafty sewing blogs:
Treasure Seeking is a fantastic blog run by Erin, recently she posted a tutorial for making a fabulous eco-felt wreath!
A Good Wardrobe is a blog dedicated to what makes a good wardrobe and how to make one! This adorable top was made with our organic cotton/lycra Jersey!
Queen of the Flies has an adorable blog filled with sewing projects and family fun. She recently made this amazing dress from one of our printed cotton voiles.
Sweet Little Chickadee is a favorite blog of ours, Juli has made a few projects out of fabrics from us, our favorite is probably her hip tourist skirt, made from Japanese imported cotton/linen.
Susie Homemaker, MD is a super cute blog with tons of awesome sewing project posts! Check out the recent post about the Sewaholic Lonsdale dress made with our Classica Flora Rayon Challis!
Do you have a sewing/crafting blog? We would love to see it! Be sure to leave a link in the comment section! Also, you can always share your project with us on our Facebook page, or by emailing your photos to us at customerservice@hartsfabric.com! We look forward to seeing all your projects!
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Minkee fabric is super soft and great for making adorable plush toys! It doesn’t take a lot of fabric to create a cute one of a kind toy! Here is what you’ll need:
Minkee – I used 1/3 yard Turquoise Dimple Dot Minkee – how much you need will depend on the size plush you are making, buttons for eyes, thread, stuffing, and a marking pen.
My wacky plush guy (who I’ve named Kevin) was drawn freehand, I wanted him to be a fun shaped little critter so I just doodled a bit until he was born. Have fun with it!
Trace your pattern onto the wrong side of you fabric, make sure to mark where you want your buttons to be for the eyes.
Sew your button eyes onto the right side of your fabric! You can also add a face with embroidery floss, have fun!
Pin your front and back pieces with right sides together.
Sew the pieces together using your traced pattern lines as a guide. Be sure to leave a 2″ opening at some point (I put mine between Kevin’s legs), you will need the gap so that you can flip it right sides out.
Cut around your shape close to the stitch lines.
Using the gap left in the stitching, turn right sides out!
Stuffing time!
After you have completely stuffed it, hand stitch the gap closed.
There you have it! An adorable little plush creature! Now go have fun with him!
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