Car Seat Cover- Tutorial!

Car Seat covers are so handy to have. They keep your baby covered during cold and flu seasons. They hide your newborn from the world. If its rainy outside, your little one stays nice and dry. Also it provides privacy for your sleeping child. Plus they are a nice way to dress up a drab car seat. want to know how to make one yourself? Click on the link to download my tutorial!

Guest Post- Mel and sew on...

Mel is my sister-in-law, like Autumn and Karissa. But I love them all like they are my born to my family sisters. They are the best! Jayne calls Mel, Meee-el, super cute! Mel has four boys, and we always say that their baby sister lives with us, AKA Jayners. (we also have their dog, since they won't ever have one) Mel is a die hard Twilight Fan, she LOVES Edward. She's an amazing decorator, super organized, really crafty, her house is always clean, and she keeps my brother in check. I really don't know how she does it. I can only accomplish about 3 things at a time (keeping Jayne and Max alive and..................(fill in the blank- craft, clean, sew, kint, cook...). Mel is really fun to hang out with, if I go to many months without seeing her, I start to go crazy.

Hello everyone,

When Sharon asked me a few weeks ago to write a spot for her blog for National Sewing Month, I was first surprised there was such a thing and then I started thinking about what I was going to write. I thought back to my Junior High years. My first sewing class was in 8th grade.My mom used to sew and craft a lot when we were young but as she got older her arthritis got bad she stopped doing a lot so I'm not sure where my sister and I got the desire to want to sew. I think I just thought it would be fun. Anyway, my teacher was not the best. She was ornery a lot of the time but despite that I managed to make my very first patchwork quilt, which I still have, and learned the basics of sewing. I remember loving it. I couldn't wait to start a new project.

I have since then had some awesome teachers and family to teach me over the years. My sewing teacher all through high school was Mrs. Smith.I loved that class. I had so much fun. There were also 2 guys in my class, boy could they sew. We had a lot of fun and by then I was pretty good at it. I have a knack with sergers. Somehow I was always on brake down duty. Whenever a machine broke down Mrs. Smith would always call me over. I didn't mind so much, it definitely taught me a lot. I can honestly say there are 2 people that I owe a lot to my sewing ability. Mrs. Smith and my aunt Tine, AKA Christine. Mrs.Smith taught me how to sew but my aunt taught me the tricks of sewing.She is a brilliant seamstress and drapes are her specialty. My sis and I used to fly up to Seattle every summer for a month and she would always have some sort of sewing project for us to do. We always had a lot of fun making new things with her.

I also have to give a shout out to my sis. We have been sewing together for many years now. She went to school up at "Rick's," to go into the same program that Sharon graduated from. She makes the most beautiful things. Because of her education, she has taught me even more than I ever would have learned. I still am learning from her everyday. We started up our own business together last year. It's called, "Just Sisters." Between the both of us we have 7 boys and it's fun to be able to make girly things together. We definitely compliment each other and have a blast making things for others.

I am grateful for all those who have taught me all that I know so that I can teach others about this wonderful gift that I have, to sew.

I am what you would call, A PERFECTIONIST, the be mild about it. I like my projects to be perfect but of coarse there is always something that is not. I love to see the finished product and know that I did that. I think that's the best thing about knowing how to sew. It's an awesome feeling. So I would like to give a bit of advise. 3 things that I have learned over the years that I think are the most important things about sewing:
1. Cut your strings.
2. Press, Press, Press
3. Pin, Pin, Pin Because
I do these three basic things, my projects almost always turnout great, and yours will to.

I hope you all have enjoyed a bit about me and my trip down memory lane. I love to sew and it scares me to think that so many girls nowadays don't know how to sew. It's becoming such a lost art and it makes me sad. I love to sew and I hope those that those that have a desire to sew will find a way to get started. It really is a lot of fun. So for all of you out there reading this cheesy summary of my life sew on my fellow sewers, sew on.....

Guest Post: Rebekah makes some flower clips

Rebekah is delightful. She's funny, smart, nice, outgoing, creative, loving, oh man, she's everything great. She's my sister!! I love to have late night conversations with Reba, she's always there when I want to talk. Here's funny story.... When I was in 5th grade, Rebekah was in 8th, and she was soooooooo cool. Our school had a talent show and I decided I was going to sing (I can't sing- something I realize now). I sang that song from Fievel Goes West . So when it was my turn, I was totally ready to back out, but i got up there. Rebekah stood and cheered for me and yelled that I was her sister. Then I sang. Afterwards, there was silence. Then Reba started to cheer and yell, and I felt a lot better. That's why she's my BFF


To make a cute felt flower clips follow these simple instructions.

#1) Cut out 8 large petals and 8 small petals in the color of your choice.

#2) Get a needle and thread (thread should be the same color or close there too of the felt color that you are using)

#3) take one of your large petals and fold it in half (like the way of a hot dog) and sew at the base of the petal back and forth 2 times. Then continue this step with the other 7 petals until you get the form of a flower.

Then take the smaller petals and do the same, once done with the small petals sew then to the larger ones as if to make it look like a real flower would.

#4) Choose a button that you like best to go with your felt flower.

#5) Sew the button on in the middle of the flower. (This acts as not only as a little bling to your flower but it also covers up the sewing job you did earlier.) Sorry my picture is not so great, my lighting in my house is not so good and my camera is not the best either, but hopefully you get the idea.

#6) Now take a bar clip that you can find at the craft store and hot clue the flower the to clip. Some people will hot glue some ribbon to the clip first so as to hide the clip, I don't but would recommend it.

#7) Admire you work.

#8) Have your beautiful daughter model for you and show off your talents.

Machine Applique.... A tutorial

Ever want to create your own applique? Have you ever thought about creating a special birthday top for your baby? You want a customized a blanket for the love of your life? You have a bag that just needs a little something? Look no further!

Click on the link above to get the tutorial! Its my very first PDF file, so forgive me the imperfections...

*Update: The Tutorial also includes my own hand drawn alphabet, and a couple of my favorite shapes/animals to use as a pattern- so don't even think you aren't artistic enough!

Winner Winner

The winner of the Headband is..... Shavonne ( Wooohooo sister!! -sorry Shaina!)

And the bracelet goes to Chelsea!! (I'm gonna need your address, so email me!)

This week is the final week of September Sewing Month! I can't believe its almost over. I had fun....but I'm ready to post about my babes again (Max is HUGE!!) Whatcha think, should we make this a yearly thing? Is there anything you're still dying to see (this week I'm doing a tutorial on appliques, toys for girls and boys, and another surprise giveaway). Is there something you just wish I had shown you though?

Hand Stitches

(puppets my sister hand stitched)

Hand stitches have so many uses! Pretty much any project you do, you’ll have a little bit of hand work to do. It could be finishing a seam, closing a hole, sewing on a button, lots of things. Before the sewing machine, all sewing was done by hand. Even though most sewing is done on a machine, hand sewing is still an important skill to have. Its also really important to know what stitch to use, for appearance, function and longevity.

Depending on what kind of hand work you are doing, you may need a single or double thread. To sew on fasteners (buttons, hooks/eyes, and snaps) you use a double thread, basically everything else uses a single thread. You also want your thread to be pretty short. This is because your thread can get all knotted and tangled if its too long. Usually your thread should be between 12-18 inches, and no longer than 20 inches.

You want to make sure you have the right kind of needed and thread for your project. Here's a couple of tips…

• Use extra-fine thread for basting (basting is sort of like a practice stitch, just to make sure your garment is going to fit together. Like a rehearsal of the real thing. The basting stitch is also used when gathering) Using a fine thread won’t scar your fabric as bad.
• Use top-stitching or buttonhole thread for making buttonholes, and sewing on buttons and other fasteners
• Use a color thread that is similar to your project. Some colors can rub off and stain your project. (especially dark colors)
• Needles come in a variety of sizes and types. Make sure you are using the correct needle for your fabric. For example, a finer fabric requires a smaller needle. Heavy weight will require a thicker needle. Leather needs a wedge type needed. Then there are sharps and ballpoints. If you aren’t sure, talk to you needle retailer to know the needles you buy are right for your project.
• Use a short needle when you are doing one stitch at a time, and a longer one for multiple stitches (like a running stitch)

A well-made hand stitch will…

1. be secured at the beginning and end with no loose threads
2. have uniform length
3. be invisible on the outside of the garment
4. be neat on the inside
5. Knots/threads will be hidden within construction details
6. have correct thread and needle type for the fabric, stitch and task
7. be smooth and not create puckers in your fabric

Want to practice your hand sewing? This page has a bunch of links to cool projects. Need help with hand sewing? Follow these links..

here… HERE…hErE

Guest Post: S is for Shavonne, and A is for Apron

My sister Shavonne is one of the nicest people you could meet.  She and I have some pretty funny similarities (read more about her and my other 6 sisters here)  Shavonne has two kitties, she’s a great nurse ( I wish she could have been my baby delivery nurse).  She likes to go letter boxing.  She loves Sims.  She is a super talented knitter (totally my inspiration, I only wish I was half as great as she is!) She also LOVES apple pie, which reminds me, I need to get her recipe from her…

When Sharon asked me about her plans to celebrate Sewing Month, I was pretty excited for her upcoming posts. But then she asked me to do one of the guest postings and I was very hesitant. This was not the best time for me because of work obligations and I’ve been putting it off. Anyway, I’m not going to be able to show the work in progress, but I’ll show the finished products I’ve made in the past.

I first learned to sew from my mom, like all of us girls. I was always interested in how you can take a flat piece of fabric and turn it into clothes, blankets, wedding dresses, etc. I remember making my first quilt while I still lived at home and I bought my first sewing machine after I graduated from nursing school. Then I began experimenting with other sewing projects. I was fortunate in my marriage to gain a Mother-in-law that is also very talented with sewing and I’ve learned many more things and we’ve had fun sewing projects together.

One thing that I love to make and to wear are aprons. Whether they are full, or half, dressy, or functional, vintage or new, I love them all. Both my Moms have made me aprons and I love to wear them.

This is one pattern book that I’ve used often. I’ve given away all the ones I’ve made but I have the fabric set aside for the one I want to make for myself (I just wasn’t able to get to it).  The best part, I think, is shopping for the fabric :)

Hopefully this will inspire you how easy and fun aprons can be and what a great gift they’ll make for Christmas! 

He loves me, he loves me… ALOT

So fabric flowers are totally in right now, they are everywhere! I was going to do a tutorial on how to make them… but I decided to Google it instead and you can find some pretty amazing helps right here…. HERE…. here… HeRe…. here… hErE and HERE!

So lets just get to the other cool part of this post, a GIVEAWAY!! Here’s what you could win! This Headband (not for little heads, it fell off Jayne like 10 times while I was trying to take a picture. Its a faux leather braided headband that connects in the back with a button. Then it has 3 flower rosettes on it.

Oh wait, there’s more! Here is a crocheted bracelet with a faux leather rosette and a cute button center. Because of the crocheted band, this bracelet can fit multiple people, it’s really stretchy.

You could win one of these sweet flower accessories! All you have to do is leave a comment (just one!) and I’ll announce the winner… oh later. Remember, if you don’t win, you could always make an accessory of your own.

Guest Post: Nancy she's "Sew" Awesome

Nancy is the baby of the family. She's totally spoiled and you would think she would be a total drama queen, but she's not. She's the sweetest person you'll ever meet. I'll be the first to admit I wasn't always the nicest person to her, but I love her more than anything now. She stayed with me this summer and it was so great to have her around. I always had someone to talk to. The kids love her, and she occasionally did the dishes (I HATE the dishes!) Nancy makes everyday the "BEST DAY EVER!!!"

My favorite thing to sew are blankets. Of course, I've never tried to sew anything else...my favorite part of sewing a blanket is using it the night you finish. It's the best feeling!! My second favorite part of sewing, however, is cutting the fabric. Everyone hates this part, but I thoroughly enjoy it. I like sitting down with some music in my ears or watching TV.
Here's my trusty assistant, Trevor, helping me cut up some sweet Elvis material for a blanket I'm working on.

The first thing you have to do is wash your material. That way, it wont shrink after you cut the pieces. Then you pick the size and pattern, then measure and cut!

After you cut, lay out your pieces and get to work! In no time, you'll be layin' in bed with that oh "sew" comfy blanket keeping you warm.

Guest Post: Shaina and the Reversible Bag Tutorial

My sister Shaina is amazing! Pretty much whatever she touches is delightful. She sews, she cooks, she scrapbooks, she dabbles in crochet, she has 5 kids, the list goes on and on. I use to love visiting Shaina when she lived close. I would stay for about a week and watch movies and delight in her craftiness. We would make puppets, and then I would enjoy terrific dinners and desserts. I have nothing but fond memories of the times I spent with Na...

I love making cloth bags. They are so useful for so many things. Instead of buying wrapping paper every time we have an occasion to give gifts, I use cloth bags. The best part is, I use them again and again. At Christmas, all of our gifts are wrapped in cloth bags. It makes cleanup a breeze, and saves us money every year. You can also use these cloth bags for birthday presents or baby shower gifts, or any other occasion you can think of. It makes the gift even more special.

So, I normally make my gift bags a single layer, much like a pillow case. However, I got the idea to have a reversible bag. This way, you can change things up for variety and still have your bag look just as good on the inside, as it does on the outside. Let's get started. First, you need to pick out two coordinating pieces of fabric and some cording (you could also use rope or ribbon). You can make these bags any size you want, but for purposes of this tutorial, cut out each of your fabrics 18 x 22 inches. (Don't cut your cording yet.) (Follow all of these instructions for BOTH pieces of your fabric!)

On the long side (22 in) of each of your pieces of fabric, fold down the top 1/2 inch and press it flat. Then, sew across it, making a nice even hem.

Now, fold your fabric over itself, with right sides together, like you are turning back a page of a book. There should be a fold on the left side, with the top hems aligned together. You are going to sew around the bottom and side of your material, starting 3 inches down from the top. You will also need to leave a gap along the bottom (3 inches) so you can turn it right side out later on (but only on your "lining" fabric. The outside fabric does not need the opening for turning) Make sense?

Clip your corners!

Iron your seam open, along the side of your bag, up to the top (even the 3 inch gap that you haven't sewn.

Sew along your open seam, at the top of the bag. It should look like a V when you are done sewing it. Keep your needle in the down position, when pivoting the fabric across, then up.

Fold down the top of your bag about 1.5 inches. This will be your casing for your cording. Make sure it's even, all the way around. Iron the fold to make it easier to sew.

Start sewing around the top of the bag. It should look like this, on your sewing machine.

Sew around the top, with your presser foot against the left hand edge of the fold, or you can follow your previous stitching line.

By now, you should have done all of these steps with both pieces of your fabric. At this point, you should have two bags that look like a pillowcase. One of them should have a gap at the bottom of the bag, which we will call your "lining" fabric. Keep your lining inside out, and turn the other bag right side out. Place the outer bag inside the lining bag, with right sides together, lining up the bags so that your casing edges match up. You should see the wrong side of both bags, looking at the outside, and the inside, of your bag, because the right sides are together.

Position your bag, once again, to your sewing machine, and sew along the top of your bag.

Remember that opening at the bottom of your "lining"? Grab hold of the inside bag (which will become your outer bag) and pull it out through the opening, essentially turning everything right side out.

It should look like this now...two bags joined at the tops.

Stich your hole closed with your favorite hidden stitch, and then push in your "lining" into the outer bag, then iron the top seam so everything is nice and even. Now, measure TWO strands of your cording (3x the width of the bag), attach one end to a safetyp pin, and thread it through EACH layer (lining and outside) of your casings.

Tie ends together and thread it through the casing so you don't see the knots. You are done with your bag! Simply pull ends to cinch bag closed.

Fill bag with treasures for your cute baby.

You can use these bags for lots of things. If you make a bigger bag, you can fill it with laundry!

There's no limit, to what these bags can hold. Well, I wouldn't fill it with spaghetti, or soup, or water...but you get the idea. Enjoy your reversible bag!

Guest Post: Just an Amateur Holding a Needle and Thread

Karissa is my new sister-in-law. I love her. She is so perfect for my brother Ian. She is super funny and awesome to hang out with. I really only have a couple of months of memory to pull stories from, but here’s some facts. Karissa is a gamer, she’s way better at video games then Ian. When we were playing Guitar hero, she sang and played the Guitar-pretty talented. She is totally willing to try new things (like sewing, she’s never done it before) She’s a pretty good bowler. I can’t wait to get to know my new sister better!

When Sharon asked me to do a blog on sewing for her, I knew I would end up procrastinating deciding on a project and actually doing it, because I generally don’t like doing things that I’m not good at. Well, somehow I married into a family with a zillion women that are experts at just about everything that I am not (sewing, cooking…the list goes on and on). So, I’m glad that they ask me to do things like this, because otherwise I would never do them and hopefully one day I’ll look a little less inexperienced next to them!

Last week when it started to look a little more like winter was coming, I decided to go get my winter clothes out of storage and as I pulled out all of my winter coats, I realized that all except one were missing buttons. So, I figured since I needed to do it before winter anyways, and since I literally have never sewn a button onto anything in my life, why not make replacing the buttons my project? (I know, it’s like someone asking you to do a cooking project, and you decide to cook top ramen). Maybe you wouldn’t do it, but apparently I would. If you have ever read my one and only sandwich blog, you could probably guess that I’m not always an over achiever.

The blue coat with gold buttons was missing the most, obviously, but luckily I hadn’t lost any of the buttons that had fallen off so I could just sew them all back on.

Unfortunately, the gray coat was missing a big silver button on the front. I hunted all over town and could not find any buttons like it, so I ended up taking a silver button from the back of the coat and replaced those buttons with black ones.

The brown coat has buttons sewed on the front but it actually closes with clasps on the inside. The clasps had stopped working and my coat would always pop open, so I got some new clasps from Michael’s and sewed those on.

Lucky for me, my other blue coat had a spare button sewn to the inside so I didn’t have to go searching.

All in all my sewing experience was great. Next time I’ll try and take on something more complicated, but hey, I’m ready for winter! I have such a great respect for all you sewers out there, it’s no piece of cake for me.

Karissa Weber