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Vintage Rose and Polka Dots Nail Art Tutorial

hands holding a small polka dot pin cushion

Susie Gushner

1 of 11

Polka-Dot Pincushion

A pincushion is an easy and practical first project. Take two 4 1/2-inch squares of muslin, decorate one with polka dots, sew the cushion together, and stuff it.

fabric with several polka dots with different patterns

Susie Gushner

2 of 11

Polka Dot Sampler

A polka-dot sampler can be suitable for framing, make a fun hand towel, or simply coax you to pick up a needle again. As its name implies, the sampler is a great place to loosen up and experiment.

yellow dress with sewn polka dots on the bottom hanging from a door

Susie Gushner

3 of 11

Yellow Polka-Dot Dress

Never underestimate the beauty of the simple straight stitch! Use paper circles, pinned on the fabric, as a guide. Stitch around the circumference to make perfectly round dots, like on this slip.

polka dot napkin and glasses on top of plaid picnic pail

Susie Gushner

4 of 11

Polka Dot Picnic Napkin

Polka dots are supposed to be playful, so feel free to go a little crazy with your choice of color! Play with the entire rainbow, or explore one particular hue, say, blue -- from sky to cobalt to navy.

polka dot pillows in a hammock

Susie Gushner

5 of 11

Polka-Dot Pillows

Trace a glass, compact disc, or quarter or silver dollar; or use your computer to make paper patterns for circles of different sizes. Cut out patterns, pin to the fabric, and every polka dot will be perfect.

Use a whipstitch around the edge of fabric that won't unravel, such as the wool felt dots seen here.

thread and trim and polka dot fabric circles

Susie Gushner

6 of 11

Polka Dot Notions

What's more fun than shopping for sewing supplies? Build yourself a basic sewing kit, with plenty of colors and textures. It will inspire you to pick up your needle again and again. Invest in a pair of good scissors, needles and pins, thread, embroidery cotton, a thimble, and, of course, fabric.

blue converse sneakers with circles sewn on

Susie Gushner

7 of 11

Polka Dot Sneakers

You'll need a heavy-duty hand needle and a little extra push and pull to decorate a pair of sneakers, but you'll agree that the finished product is worth the effort. Perle cotton comes in lots of colors, so play around and you'll have a pair of comfortable shoes that are cute enough to wear with a summer skirt. Keep your circles round by pinning paper circle patterns to the sneakers and sewing around them.

rickrack skirt and linens hanging from a clothes line

Susie Gushner

8 of 11

Rickrack Polka-Dot Skirt

Cheerful rickrack edging around circles will also keep your fabric circles from unraveling. Find it at most trim stores. Using matching-color thread, attach rickrack with a straight machine stitch; sew right down the center. Rickrack "bobbins," made from small pieces of cardboard, will keep your sewing box from becoming a jumble.

napkin with small polka dots folded next to a plate

Susie Gushner

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Polka Dot Napkin

You'll love perle cotton thread! It's mercerized 100 percent cotton that's twisted for easier sewing. It's available in a couple of hundred colors and several thicknesses, or "sizes." Size 8 suited the napkins, the slightly thicker size 5 worked on the slip, and size 3 is thick enough to stand out on the sneakers.

hands holding a purse with large striped polka dots

Susie Gushner

10 of 11

Polka Dot Purse

Natural fibers rule here! Linen and cotton are a pleasure to work with and wear well even after years of laundering. Quilting cotton is often precut into fat quarters for easy selection; plus it doesn't shrink, so you can start sewing without washing and ironing. For best results, approximately match all the fabric weights.

girls sitting on a bench wearing polka dot bandanas

Susie Gushner

11 of 11

Polka Dot Bandanas

A sewing machine zigzag stitch keeps fabric from unraveling. First, tack down dots with machine straight stitching; fabric will stay in place while you zigzag.

HINT! To avoid puckered polka dots, remember to preshrink fabric! Before you begin to cut or sew, machine-wash, tumble dry, then press fabric.

Vintage Rose and Polka Dots Nail Art Tutorial

Source: https://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/how-to/g403/crafts-polka-dots-0707/