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Project Index The Polka Dot Chair blog was founded in 2008 and features thousands of free sewing, quilting, & crafting tutorials & projects. We invite you to take some time to explore all of the great content you can find here. Browse by Project Type Cricut Embroidery Gift Ideas Bag Sewing Patterns Disney Holidays Quilting…
Quilting, a time-honored craft that combines creativity and precision, relies heavily on accurate fabric cutting. This guide will walk you through the process of using a rotary cutter and ruler to cut fabric accurately for your quilting projects. Three must-have tools for all quilters are the rotary cutter, cutting mat, and quilt ruler. Precise fabric…
Are you in the mood for Love? If so, you may like this specially curated collection of 40 things to sew for Valentine’s Day! I’ve included all kinds of fun projects, from Valentine’s Heart Quilts to Valentine’s Day pillows! Enjoy! The weather here has been so horribly gray and cloudy this week that I’ve begun…
Who’s ready to get organized? (Raises hand!) I’m going to do my part to help you organize your sewing, quilting, and craft projects this year with these printable monthly project planners. Keep yourself on track throughout the year! Like many of you, I sat down at the beginning of the year to “get myself organized.”…
A look back at the most popular sewing & quilting projects from 2023 as chosen by our readers! One of my favorite blog posts to write each year is my “Year in Review” post. I’ve done it almost every year that I’ve been blogging. I hit “publish” on my first blog post in early 2009,…
The right pressing tools are essential for achieving crisp, professional results in your patchwork quilting projects. Here are some of my favorite pressing tools used for quilting. Pressing is an important part of patchwork quilting, but the selection of tools we might need are often lower our “must buy” quilting notions list. Perhaps because they…
It’s time for our March Mug Rug pattern; this month, we have a free pattern for an English Bloom Mug rug created using the English Paper Piecing (EPP) method. If you’ve ever wanted to try EPP but didn’t want to commit to an entire quilt, this is the perfect project for you! Each month this…
Have you ever started a sewing or quilt project only to get stuck when it comes to picking the colors and fabrics for your project? Does color theory overwhelm you a bit? I’m breaking down my best tips and tricks for picking and combining fabric colors for sewing and quilting projects. (fabrics above are from…
Another year has come to a close, and with it, the opportunity to look back at the previous year. It’s always interesting to see what resounds with readers; if you’re curious about what everyone loved this year, here are the most popular sewing & quilting projects of 2022. Every year I love to look back…
One of my favorite things about Fall is Halloween. And one of my favorite things about Halloween is all of the fun crafting and sewing that goes along with it. I’m always looking for Halloween Patterns for all of the cute Halloween Fabric that I love to hoard. I’ve spent a lot of time scouring…
From Cricut Projects to Quilts to Disney DIY’s here are the projects that you loved the most on the Polka Dot Chair site in 2021! Every year I love to look back and see which projects you, our readers loved the most. Each year I’m a bit surprised; inevitably, some of my favorites don’t make…
Welcome to the Spooky Sampler Quilt Along! Each week during the quilt along, I thought I’d share a few quilting tips & tricks to help you more easily construct the blocks in the pattern. This week we are kicking things off with a quick tutorial teaching you how to fussy cut fabric. Some of you…
Looking for fun crafts for kids or teens to do? We’ve rounded up 30 of our favorite craft projects just for you! Each one of these projects provides a simple & creative way to spend a summer day. Many of these DIY kids’ crafts use supplies that you might already have on hand! My kids…
A few years ago, it seemed like mermaids were popping up everywhere! It’s a trend that I can definitely get behind. If you’re looking for ideas for some DIY mermaid projects, we’ve got you covered! Enjoy these Mermaid patterns, sewing & quilting projects. Last month my newest fabric collection Ahoy! Mermaids was released. In honor…
Freshen up and organize your sewing, quilting or creative space with one of these DIY tutorials. From fabric basket sewing patterns to how to build a pegboard there’s bound to be something to help you get and stay organized this year! It seems the last few months that I’ve had one deadline to meet after…
From quilt blocks to spray painting projects, we’ve rounded up our top blog posts of 2020. Did your favorite make the list? Well, it’s been a year. I’ll just leave it at that. I have to say that as far as blog content goes my whole “plan” for the year went out the window mid-March…
Tired of tangled cords? Use your Cricut Maker to create a set of leather cord snaps. I have a zip bag that I use when I travel to hold all of my chargers and cords (and by “travel” lately, I mean a weekend in the RV *wink*). Recently I was trying to find an iPhone…
I am frequently asked what the best sewing projects for someone who is learning how to sew are. I’ve spent a lot of time going through my archives and visiting the websites of some of my favorite sewing friends and have rounded up more than 50 Free Beginner Sewing Projects and patterns for you. This list…
The 4th of July is just around the corner, plenty of time to stitch up a few items to help you celebrate. If you’re looking for some fun things to sew this summer, I’ve rounded up 25 4th of July Sewing Projects for you to try. There’s something for everyone on this list, from…
I love Summer. The slower days, the warmer weather, and even the evening thunderstorms. I also love to sew during the summer. I’ve noticed that I tend to alter a bit what I work on during the summer months. I prefer simple, bright, and fun sewing projects. If you’re looking for a new sewing project…
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cricut for Cricut. All opinions are 100% mine. Recently Cricut added a new machine to their lineup. Let me tell you, it’s an adorable addition! The Cricut Joy is a smaller Cricut machine made to be portable. The machine can write and cut. It…
Sewing is a great skill for kids to learn. It teaches patience and is great for hand-eye coordination. If you have kids or teens and are looking for fun sewing project ideas for them, then you might like today’s article! We’ve rounded up more than 40 beginner sewing projects for kids and teens! I learned…
I love finding new ways to sew with things I already have. Vintage Sheets and Handkerchiefs are two of my favorite items to repurpose. I’m lucky enough to live in an area where you can find them pretty easily! If you love to sew with Vintage Linens too; I thought I’d share with you some…
Each year I enjoy looking back to see what projects and patterns our readers enjoyed the most. Most years there are quite a few surprises. Even after 11 years of blogging, you guys can be a bit of an enigma at times! Without further adieu, here are the top 24 reader favorite projects from 2019….
Who’s ready to start making Christmas crafts? I have partnered with Cricut to bring you guys some fun gift ideas for Christmas that are both handmade and personalized. Today I’m going to be showing you how to make this DIY Wood Christmas Sign. I work as a Brand Ambassador for Cricut. This is sponsored content….
As much as a love tackling a big project sometimes I just need a “quick fix” with a simple and easy sewing project. Today I thought I’d share with you a few small sewing projects that you can easily complete in an afternoon. Simple and Cute Small Sewing Projects: One: Embroidery Hoop Baskets I work…
Years ago I made myself a travel laundry bag and it’s now one of my favorite travel necessities. My original tutorial included 5 different bag sizes but did not include fat quarter-friendly directions. Today, I thought I’d share with you how to make a laundry bag using only fat quarters of fabric! I have a…
Celebrate Easter with these fun and unique sewing patterns, projects, and ideas. From adorable bunny plushies to colorful Easter baskets, table runners & quilted pillows, there’s something for every crafter in this collection! Here are over 40 Easter Sewing Projects to help prepare you for Spring. If you like this round-up, you may also like…
If you’re looking to decorate and organize your dorm room then you may just find some fun Dorm Decor & Craft projects on this list! All of these projects are designed to be made with a Cricut Machine. That way the machine does all the “hard work” for you, and you’re just left with the…
DIY your Valentine’s Day gift-giving this year! These Leather Conversation Heart Keychains are oh so easy to make since your Cricut Maker does all of the hard work for you. I work as a brand ambassador for Cricut, this is sponsored content. I’d like to thank whoever decided to put Valentine’s Day smack dab in…
Learn how to cut fabric with your Cricut Maker while making this cute DIY Personalized Pillowcase project! It’s crazy easy to make and is a fun no-sew project for your Cricut machine! I work as a Brand Ambassador for Cricut. This is sponsored content. Last week I shared answers to some of the most frequently…
All during the month of January, I’ll be sharing ideas and projects designed by some fabulous bloggers using Let’s Be Mermaids fabric line. First up is Colleen from Made for Mermaids and Bianca from Thanks! I made that, Sew can you. Hands down my favorite part of being a fabric designer it’s seeing what you guys do with…
I always love diving into my site stats each January to see what projects you guys loved best during the previous year. Each year it surprises me which ones you loved the most. 2018 marked my 10th year blogging. I can hardly believe it’s been that long. I feel like an “old lady” when it…
In honor of Cricut’s DIY your Holiday campaign, today I’m excited to share with you some wool felt Christmas stockings that I made with my Cricut Maker. The machine made cutting out the pieces of felt a breeze. I’ve included instructions for cutting out the felt with the Cricut machine for you and a Christmas…
If you’re looking for a simple yet elegant gift that you can DIY this Holiday season, then I think you may love today’s DIY Travel Jewelry Roll Tutorial! It’s no-sew and easily made using a single piece of leather and a Cricut Maker Machine! I work as a Brand Ambassador for Cricut, and am thrilled…
Today, I’ve got a super quick and simple Christmas Craft idea for you! I’m going to show you how to use your Cricut Maker to cut out felt pieces to make a Felt Holly Christmas Garland. I’ve even included the Holly images as a Cricut SVG file download for you! I love crafting for Christmas,…
Celebrate summer by stitching up these fun DIY purses inspired by fruit! This Cricut Maker project uses the new Cricut Knife Blade to cut the vinyl pieces for the bag, making construction a breeze. Keep reading to find out how to make your own bag, and grab the free SVG files for the fruit crossbody…
I always love finding new fat quarter projects to make. I think it’s because I collect fat quarters, they are just so easy to throw into your basket at the fabric store! Today Liz from Simple Simon and Co is sharing some Quilted Placemat Patterns with us that are perfect for fat quarters! So break…
A few weeks ago, I asked some of my “blogging buddies” to create a few small sewing projects using Derby Day Fabrics. I absolutely LOVE the projects they came up with. They shared so many things to sew! From adorable mini quilts, dress patterns, travel sewing kits, and more. Each one of these simple sewing projects…
For the first weekend in a long time, I find myself with a bit of time to sew. Our last few weekends have been jammed packed and I’m looking forward to a bit of downtime. If you’re also finding yourself with a bit of weekend sewing time, and are looking for a quick and simple project…
Are you a Disney fan or know one? Do you love to craft, sew or DIY? Then you might love today’s article! I’m sharing with you more than 25 of my favorite Disney DIY projects! Everything from DIY Disney family shirts to how to make Disney purses. Last month I was scouring the web looking…
Are you looking for a little creative inspiration to start your weekend? Maybe an idea for a fun weekend project? Today I have 7 fun project suggestions for you. I’m also excited to be sharing a tiny sneak peek at my next collection, Derby Day with you. Including a “peek” at a new quilt pattern….