Barbie Sleeping Bag

Level: Beginner        
Time to Complete: 45 minutes (once you know how to sew and have all of the materials on hand:).            
                                


Since one of my New Year's Resolutions is to explore my creative side, it feels like the next logical step would be to learn how to sew! Sewing is used for so many creative projects that I'm interested in. Only problem is, I don't know anything about sewing. As a child, I once started a cross-stitching project (that I never finished), as well as, a baby blanket (that only got as far as getting cut out). In middle school (which back in my day was called Jr. High) we were required to take a sewing class and make a pillow...I got a C on mine. 


My mom, on the other hand, used to sew quite a bit! She would throw together a new outfit almost every week in high school and has a funny story about a bikini that she made:) As she got older, she stopped sewing as much, but I do have a few items that she made me when I was younger....a Minnie Mouse bag for kindergarten (that my girls use for ballet) is the one that sticks in my memory the most. I also remember her making a teal dress for me in grade school for a Christmas concert! It probably engraved itself in my memory, though, because she wasn't finished in time and had to "pin me" together at the top so that I could still wear it:)


I'm sorry for boring you with all of my "lack of sewing" skills, but there is a point! I understand that most people would be able to just whip out a Barbie Sleeping Bag in no time at all. And, yes, once I learned how to sew, it took "no time at all". BUT, it was kind of a big deal to get my mom's sewing machine out, dust it off, look for the thread, thread the machine, learn what a bobbin is, and learn how to use it!! I rather enjoyed the process of learning how to sew and being able to call out for my mommy when I got stuck...it's not often that you get to do that as an adult!


So, back to the sleeping bags. My kids were invited to a VERY fun pool party in the middle of winter for a young boy and girl. I wasn't sure what to get them, but since my mind was wrapped around sewing and camping (we're in the process of collecting camping gear for our first big camping trip this summer), I thought of purchasing a Barbie and a Spider Man and making sleeping bags for them. This is what the finished products looked like:

Materials:
a little over 1/4 a yard of fabric for sleeping bag and pillow (I used flannel fabric)
thread
scissors
sewing machine
tissue paper or other paper if you want to make a pattern
pins
pillow stuffing


Sewing Instructions:


1. Cut material. Whether you choose to use 1 or 2 different fabrics for the sleeping bag, you will need to cut two pieces at 5 " by 10 1/2". For the pillow, cut 2 pieces at 3" by 4 1/2". 

2. Before sewing the pieces together, select the open ends where the Barbie will enter the sleeping bag. Pin the selected ends under (right side up) and sew a 1/4" seam to finish off the ends nicely.

3. Flip pieces of fabric over and pin together (wrong sides together) and sew the bottoms together. 

4. Pin both sides together and sew together starting at the bottom end. After tying off your ends, turn the sleeping bag right side out. Wow! You are already done with the sleeping bag!

5. For the pillow, follow steps (1, 3 and 4) with the smaller pieces of fabric. After you have sewed the sides together, stuff the pillow nicely and be sure to get plenty of stuffing in the corners.

6. After stuffing the pillow, fold both ends of the fabric under into the stuffing and pin together. Sew the final end. And, whala! You're finished! Great job!

The Finished Product