Easy Fabric Weights to Sew in 10 Minutes - Easy Peasy Creative Ideas (2024)

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Discover how to create your very ownfabric weightsin just 10 minutes with this easy-to-followtutorial! Thesesewing weightsare not only practical for effortlessly tracing patterns without the need forpins, but they also add a touch of charm to your home decor. Get creative and make your sewing process a delightful experience!

Pattern weights

Fabric weights are a great alternative to pins for holding pattern pieces onto fabric when you’re tracing them off or cutting them out, especially on slippery fabric. These sewing pattern weights are cute little triangle sachets that you can use as fabric weights for sewing or as air fresheners placed around the house. Simply add a few drops of your favorite oils!

Trianglefabric weightsare a very quick project that you can make in under an hour and require very basic sewing skills and nosewing patternortemplate. Thesecutiesalso makegreat giftsforsewing friendsand family.

Cutting out patterns can be both challenging and boring, and you risk cutting it out wrong when pinning with straight pins and using scissors. Fixing it with weights and cutting with a rotary cutter is a lot easier and more accurate. You will also finish cutting a lot faster and you can pass on to the actual tailoring and sewing.

This way, you also save a lot of time and get to make more amazing sewing projects.

More beginner projects you might like:

Chicken fabric weights
Basic pillowcase tutorial
Fabric yo-yo flower tutorial
Essential oil carrier pouch tutorial
Reusable fabric bowls
Trio pumpkin pincushion

Are pattern weights better than pins?

Silk, veils, organza and other fine and slipperyfabriccan be damaged bypinsand shears, so it’s always better to usefabric weightswhile tracing the pattern and cutting. Also it’s best to use arotary cutterfor this kind offabricsto make cleaner cuts.

I use these fabric weights for both purposes and also because they’re so darn cute! I like to have them laying around the house for no practical reason, really. They have a little ribbon loop so you can hook it onto something or grab it easy. You can usethem in your drawers and maybe your fabric shelf too!

They can also be great holiday gifts, especially when made out of themed fabrics. Just use some pine essential oil or cinnamon extract to make them smell amazingly.

A sewist will love receiving a set of these cute weights as a gift, as we all know the struggle of laying a pattern and cutting it out neatly.

Tips and tricks to make these fabric weights:

Batching will make it a lot quicker when you are short on time and need to make more weights;
Gravel, dried peas, barley or dried lentils are also good fillings in case you don’t have rice on hand. Aquarium gravel is the heaviest, if you plan on making very heavy weights;
Use up all the fabric scraps you’ve been keeping so long and didn’t find something to do with;
Kids will also love playing with them and using them as small balls, so keep this in mind and make some for them too, if you want yours to be safe;
Make some fun animal-shaped weights by adding beaks, rooster crests, eyes or other elements to make them a lot cuter.

What are pattern weights filled with?

Pattern weights can be filled with a variety of materials such as rice, dried peas, barley, lentils, or gravel. Aquarium gravel is the heaviest option for making heavier weights. These fillings help add stability and weight to the pattern weights while using them during sewing projects. Additionally, using these materials allows you to use up fabric scraps that may have otherwise gone to waste.

Overall, pattern weights are a practical and charming addition to any sewing room. They offer an alternative to traditional pins, making the cutting process easier and more accurate. Plus, they make for great gifts and can be customized with different fabrics and fillings for a personal touch. So why not give them a try in your next sewing project?

These pattern weights are also a great project for beginners where they get the chance to practice sewing a triangle (which might sound scary but it’s so crazy easy!). And it’s a great scrap buster! The size on these little sachets is quite small but you can easily adjust it to fit your needs and style.

Fabric weights easy tutorial

Materials:

cotton fabric, 2 pieces of 4″ x 4″
ribbon 4″
scissors
ruler
fabric marker
rice or crushed walnuts for filling
essential oils if you use the sachets as air freshener.

Directions:

Place the fabric squares right sides together.
On the toppiece of fabric,fold one corner down.
Fold the ribbon in half and pin or staystitch in that corner.

Lay the strips together again and sew around 3 sides with 1/4″ seam allowance.

Clip the corners.

Open the open side a bit and re-arrange it so the seam hits the middle of the opening. This is how you create the triangle shape. In other words match the side seams.