Trending Post: 50+ Easy to Follow Beginner Sewing Patterns
Have you noticed all of the circle bags popping up everywhere lately? If you’d like to make your own, I’ve created a round bag sewing pattern called the Alice Bag. Today I’m going to be answering some of your most frequently asked questions about sewing the bag. Since I released the Alice Round Bag Sewing…
Today I have a fun softie toy sewing pattern for you, “Sleepy Raindrops.” These sweet little softie toys would make adorable gifts for a little one in your life. Keep reading to find out how to make them! I have these two cute friends that I met over 5 years ago. They are sisters in…
If you’re like me, time can be short but ambitions can be large. I always want to make gifts for my family and friends but many times run out of time. I’ve been blogging since 2008 and in that time have accumulated quite the library of projects. I spent the weekend sorting through the hundreds…
Almost as soon as Wonderland came out last February, Riley Blake approached me about designing a follow-up line. Of course, I was ecstatic; it’s not often that you get to go back and revisit a line that you’ve previously designed. I don’t know about you but frequently after I finish a project I start with…
If you’ve been a long-time reader of this blog, then you may know that I love to sew a lot. I also love fabric a lot. Even though I love to sew, I know some of you guys don’t love it as much as I do, but you still love fabric! I have for you a…
Today I’m excited to share with you photos of my completed Block of the Month Sampler Quilt AND the tutorial for the August Block; a Dresden Quilt Block. I’ve had a great time putting this series of blocks together for you and hope that you’ve enjoyed making the blocks. If you missed it be sure…
Happy Thursday!! I just wanted to pop in here and let you know that I am now offering printed sewing patterns in the shop! Right now I have 5 sewing patterns available for purchase in print form. There will be 3-4 more coming later this summer. If you are a shop and would like…
Today is June the 1st and with it comes our next Block of the Month in our Polka Dot Chair Quilt Block series. This month we will be making a Grandma’s Favorite Quilt Block. I really love this block, it may be one of my favorites. It combines elements (the pinwheels and the plus sign) from some…
I just returned from exhibiting at the Spring Quilt Market. It was my first time to attend as an official exhibitor and I have to admit that it was A LOT of work and last two months feel like an absolute blur at this point. I thought I’d share with you a brief recap of the…
Today I’m excited to reintroduce you to the June Bag Cross Body Bag Sewing Pattern. It’s one of the very first patterns that I designed, and one of my favorites. Way back in 2008 I was going on a trip and needed a lightweight cross-body bag to take with me. I just need to…
It seems to be that time again, when we look back at the previous year and ponder all that happened and wonder what the new year will hold for each of us. I always love to look back and see what YOU my readers loved MOST the previous year. Today I have for you the…
Hey there guys! Today, I’m very excited to share a little more about my upcoming fabric line with Riley Blake Designs, Wonderland. Some of you may know that my first ever fabric line was released in January of this year. The Story Behind the Collection It’s called Derby Style, inspired by my love for my “Old…
I hope you’re ready to play along with the Block of the Month series here on the Polka Dot Chair! This month we are continuing the series with a variation of a Pinwheel Quilt Block. This is block #2 of 12. It’s also designed to be a skill builder block, teaching you how to make a Half…
This Fabric Basket Sewing Tutorial is the perfect project to help you organize your sewing room or craft space! Make a bunch and keep them stashed all over your house. Today I’m going to share with you a project using some of my first fabric line with Riley Blake Designs, Derby Style! Today I’m going to…
It’s officially Fall, my absolute favorite time of the year! To help everyone celebrate today I have a free printable Fall Bucket List for you to download. It’s packed full of lots of fun things to do in the Fall. Just print it out, and hang it up to remind yourself to do some fun…
I hope you’re excited to play along with our new Block of the Month series here on the Polka Dot Chair Blog. Whether you get your fabric online, on sale, or in a shop, buy yards at a time or just a fat quarter, you’re going to need to know how to pick fabrics for a…
Today I have a very quick and easy sewing project for you. Have you ever wanted to dress up a simple tote bag pattern? I’m going to show you how to add a Dresden Plate to an existing tote pattern in a few simple steps. If you like this post you may also like this…
All sewing book reviews on this blog are not compensated, affiliate links are included. A few years ago I challenged myself to make a dress to wear to the Kentucky Oaks (the race before the Kentucky Derby). I knew exactly what silhouette I wanted. I also knew what sleeve, skirt and bodice I wanted on the…
This post is sponsored by American Crafts, affiliate links are included #HSMinc Last week I had a nice surprise waiting for me when I got home from Spring Break. A new Minc. foil machine. I’ve teamed up with the good folks at American Crafts for the next 6 months to show you guys some of…
Today I’m going to teach you a simple way to make a pillow cover with a zipper closure. I love to finish my pillows off with invisible zippers, that way the covers can be easily removed for washing. If you like this project then you may also like this tutorial (and free pattern) teaching you how…
Paper Award Rosettes are so simple to make and are a great addition to any party! You can use them as party decorations or as prizes for party games! Learn how to make Paper Award Ribbons with our simple, easy-to-follow tutorial. The Kentucky Derby is coming up in just a couple of weeks. Yesterday I…
Today I’m going to show you how to make this simple t-shirt dress by using a t-shirt that you already have as a pattern! This dress is made from Riley Blake knit fabric with a little bit of my own Derby Style line thrown in as a fun accent. If you’re not sure about…
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…
One of the simple tricks that I love that allows me to get more stuff “done” is to start with a premade item and then embellish or change it up. Today, for Ten Minute Tuesday, I’m going to show you how to embellish a simple t-shirt with a bit of sewing and applique. I’ve used the “trick”…
Whilst I sit and wait ever so patiently for my Derby Style fabric to show up, I thought I’d take a minute and talk about some fun things that I’ve been up to the last few months. Who am I kidding…. I’m NOT waiting patiently for my fabric at. all. *wink* .. I’m anxious to…
Learn how to make a simple patchwork doll quilt step by step with our free Baby Doll quilt pattern. Several years ago a few days before I needed to send off “the” Christmas package to my family out west, I decided that I needed to throw just “one more” gift in there. Normally I…
You can now purchase a PRINTABLE PDF Copy of this pattern bundled with 2 of our most popular pillow patterns! JUST CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE This post first appeared on Riley Blake Designs Blog as a part of their Design Team Wednesday series. I am totally smitten with bow ties lately (as seen by the…
I always love looking back at the year that has just passed. Remembering both the good and the bad and figuring out what I’d like to do and see in the next year. A few days ago I shared with you the top 10 most visited sewing projects of 2014, today I’m going to share…
Thank you so much for reading along in 2014. Personally I love reading blogs, especially now that I know personally many of the people behind some of the top sewing blogs around. I hope that by stopping by here regularly that you get a dose of inspiration and feel uplifted and inspired when you leave….
I’ve had a fun time the last few months sewing up some samples from my new fabric line Derby Style. While I still have a lot more ideas than time when it comes to sewing with this new line, I have been able to get a few things done that I’m really excited about. Today…
Hi guys! Today I’m going to share with you a bit more about some of the fabulous new things I discovered at Quilt Market in Houston last month. Before I get in to that, a little bit of business. I recently added a password to download my free printables. I did this because…
Hi Guys! I’m home from Quilt Market and have so much to share with you. This is my second quilt market to attend and I think I was a bit less overwhelmed this time. It was still pretty intimidating but I feel the friends I have that attended and the fun I had with them, out…
I’m still processing my first Quilt Market experience. Trying to sort out new ideas and inspiration and prioritize tasks and potential new projects. It’s crazy when you have a blog, so much of what you do is decided by what YOU want to do. Except for when I’m dealing with a deadline, what I work…
Use a polka dot stencil, paper mache boxes, and a bit of paint to create a custom set of designer-inspired hat boxes! A big thanks to Royal Design Studio for providing the supplies for this project // Today’s polka dot project, these DIY Gold Polka Dot Hat Boxes, would make a perfect addition to a…
The last couple of days I’ve shared with you my top 10 posts of 2013 according to Google Analytics. This list always surprises me it’s not always the same as MY favorites of the year. Figuring out what resonates with readers is still a fun ongoing challenge for me. Inspired by so many other bloggers,…
The March Bag is a sewing pattern that would make a great tote bag or everyday purse! It features 2 large outside pockets that are pleated, so you can fit A LOT of stuff in them! It features a choice of 4 different handles and a magnetic snap closure. The bag measures approximately 12″ x…
Last week I shared this tutorial for the Witch’s Hat Fascinator that I wore to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party over at eighteen25 for their Spooktacluar September series… here’s my post in case you missed it! Hello eighteen25 readers. My name is Melissa Mortenson and I blog over at The Polka Dot Chair. This is the…
I’m Melissa Mortenson! Hello, I’m Melissa Mortenson, a “creative mama,” published Author, Content Creator, Licensed Fabric Designer, and the Polka Dot Chair blog founder. The Polka Dot Chair is a place for Creative Moms and Families to come to find simple and inspiring DIY projects for their home, sewing projects, Holiday crafts, and family recipes. Its…
The Polka Dot Chair was founded in 2008 and is run by Melissa Mortenson of Louisville, Kentucky. It is a place for Makers to find simple and inspiring DIY projects for their homes, sewing projects, Holiday crafts, and family recipes. Its mission is to make its readers want to create. Who are our Readers? Our readers…
One year for her 11th birthday, my daughter requested a “un” slumber party. All of the fun of a sleepover party without the sleepover! She sat down and made a list of what she wanted to do for her party and we pretty much stuck to it. I’ve always had mixed feelings about…
Pin It Last week I braved the humidity ridden, 90+ degree weather that is a Kentucky summer to tour a local Home Show. Armed with my camera I snapped dozens of photos of the beautiful homes. It was held in Norton Commons, a planned development community in Louisville, Kentucky. The neighborhood was designed as a…
I’ve lived in Kentucky for 15 years until last year I had never been to the Kentucky Derby or the Oaks (more on that later). I was beginning to get a bit perturbed. I mean what’s the fun of living in a new place if you can’t go enjoy what it has to offer. Tickets…