Summer sewing seems to lend itself to quick and simple to make projects.

Consider assembling a canning jar sewing kit for the off-to-college student, a colorful bean bag toss game for little ones if they ever tire from splashing in the wading pool or running through the lawn sprinklers, a baby puff quilt for expectant parents, a fashionable tie-back sun visor for shading faces or even a boxy tote for carrying homemade goodies to an outdoor picnic.

Canning Jar Sewing Kit - for college student, crafter, or sewing enthusiast. Gather a small amount of fiber fill, fabric scrap, as well as the flat lid and the screw band that comes with the canning jar, circle of card stock, and hot glue gun. For pin cushion top, in order assemble screw band, fabric, fiber fill, and flat lid pushing all tightly together. Trim fabric edges, add a bead of glue to inside rim to secure. Cover inside of jar lid to hide fabric edges with circle of card stock cut to fit the inside of the lid and hot glue to fabric.

Basic sewing notions to include in the kit are small scissors, several small size thread spools of various colors or a few colors of thread wrapped around flat plastic bobbins (used to organize embroidery floss), felt piece holding several hand sewing needles, a few straight pins and safety pins, a few buttons, a metal thimble. Measuring tape, and seam ripper are considerations as well.

Bean Bag Toss Game – small children cheerfully identify and delight with seeing bright primary colors such as red, blue, yellow and green. Fabric scraps are perfect to use. All that is needed is about 12 six-inch squares of fabric, 4 of each color. Also, dry beans, rice, or other environmentally friendly pellet-like fillings plus one clean gallon bright shiny paint can or even a colorful plastic bucket will do. Paint a happy face on the container if desired. Stitch two squares together right-sides facing out, leave a small opening for filling with beans or rice then hand or machine stitch opening closed. Use pinking shears to neaten edges.

Any of a variety of dimensional sewn shapes could be chosen for the bean bags for example, a water drop shape, or a fish shape could be used as well.

Baby Puff Quilt – easy to make from a variety of soft flannel or cotton woven fabrics, from which many 6-inch squares are to be cut. Lay out cut squares on a solid fabric backing to determine size of the puffy quilt. Double the number of squares needed. Sew two squares together, right sides facing out leaving an opening for stuffing with poly fiberfill. Stuff, then sew opening closed. Make as many stuffed squares as needed for the size of quilt desired. Sew puffy squares together first in vertical columns, (or horizontally in rows), then sew all parts together. Add an optional border using satin single fold seam binding tape.

Tie-back Sun Visor – make a visor template of the brim of a favorite visor or cap. Cut two out of fabric adding a 1/2-inch seam all around. Iron on a heavy weight interfacing to one of the fabric visors pieces. Stitch the two pieces right sides together on the outer curved edges, trim edges, then turn, press. Stitch the inner edges closed and several parallel lines across the visor to secure if necessary. Cut a long fabric rectangular strip approximately 6-inches wide by 36-inches long. Fold in half lengthwise, press, open up then press long edges to the center pressed line and fold in half on center line. Attach to the visor at the center of the long unsewn edge and stitch the entire length, catching in the visor edges. The visor will tie at the back.

Boxy Tote - use sturdy cotton duck type fabric. Cut two rectangular or square pieces of size desired. Match both pieces right sides together and sew three sides, then pinch each of the lower side corners into a triangle and sew across about 2-inches from the pointed tip. This will square off the corners and give the tote a flat bottom. Sew another of similar shape for a lining if you'd like. Put both together and fold down the top to the inside or outside if desired to form a neat, brimmed edge. Add a sturdy fabric handle.

There are many quick to make fabric projects to consider: a fabric ear bud pouch for teens - a thrifted silk tie is perfect to use, kids hooded beach towel – sew a face towel to the middle of one side of a beach-size towel for a great pool wrap, heirloom hankie baby bonnet, reversible table runner to brighten a picnic table, a no-sew kids’ teepee - tie 3 or 4 thick dowel rods together at one end, spread out the other, drape a tablecloth or fabric shower curtain over the outspread rods and secure, and so much more.

Sew happy, sew inspired.