Project Round-up

Lately I've been gathering projects on pinterest.  What a great place to gather everything for easy access! Seriously, awesome.  Here are just a few projects on my to do list. They range in difficulty, but they are all doable I think.

This bow from Make Bows and More

 I can NOT resist a cute quiet book, here's a cuter one from Blue Cricket Design

 Paper dolls? Felt board? Awesome. get the tutorial and template here from Smile and Wave

Babies need diapers, get a pattern for these from 2 Little Hooligans

 We love babies in any form at our house, this one is from Coloured Buttons

 I think we need this nap mat set for Grandma's house, get the tutorial from Sew Like my Mom

 Again with the quiet book?! Yes please! This one comes from Everyday Celebrations

Guest post: Autumn- the gift that keeps on giving!

Autumn in another sister in law. She's been around for a while, since she is married to my oldest brother.  And she was friends with my older sister before that.  So it's hard to remember when we actually met.  She's fun to play games with, but watch out cause she likes to win!  She also likes to try things that are new, and she's a total do it yourself-er.  She is a master decorator, her house has some really cool pieces.  Autumn always has some kind of project she has in the works. Last year , Autumn did a TUTU tutorial.

Sharon made the most darling dresses for my baby, Andelin. I need Christmas gifts for baby girl, and what better then something she can use, and something handmade with love, by her Auntie!

Sharon and I went shopping at the fabric store, and found cute coordinating fabric. Sharon was the sewing wizard, while I was her assistant- aka Iron Master.
Sharon whipped these cuties out in no time, which turned out perfect, of course.
I appreciated the time Sharon put in to help me with Andelin's gifts.

 Another cool thing about this particular pattern is that these can be worn for a long time. Not just as dresses, but as Andelin gets older, she can wear them as tops.
ADORABLE!!
Ajoy

Tutorial: How to put in a Lapped Zipper

The Lapped Zipper application involves a conventional zipper, which is most commonly used on the left side seam or center back seam of pants, skirts and dresses.  This is the most widely used methods for inserting a zipper, which opens at the top seam.

*Zipper foot needed

Directions:

1. Shrink your zipper ( do this by placing a pressing cloth over the zipper, and then using steam, iron the zipper)

2. Sew your seam from bottom to top leaving an opening in the seam the length of the zipper, plus 5/8 inch. 

3. Press seam flat open. Then press left side to 5/8 inch (or which ever side you want to lap) Press the right side to 3/8 inch

4. Put your zipper foot on your machine.

5. Sew on the right side of the zipper on (the 3/8 inch side) with zipper face up, and 3/8 inch side face up on top of the zipper, 1/8 inch away from the teeth.

6. Turn project so right sides are all facing up.Straighten project so seams line up and lap in over zipper.   Starting at the bottom of the lap, stitch across the bottom 3/8 inch, with needle in the down position, turn and sew up the left side (5/8 inch side) at a 3/8 inch seam allowance.

Tutorial: How to Sew on a Button

There is one really important thing that often is forgotten when sewing on a button, normally there is a button hole that has to go around the button.  So the button can't be sewn right against the fabric, you have to give it a little space.  This space is called a shank.  Their are several different buttons, ones with holes, and ones without, but with built in shanks.  Those with holes need to have the shank created when you are sewing them on.  Here's a step by step how to...

1. Mark the spot the button goes. 

 2.  Place a pin over the spot to create a buffer between the fabric and the button

 3. Now take your needle and starting from the back, come up through the button holes.  To make this step faster, use a double thread instead of single.  it will be stronger and more secure.

 You should be sewing over the pin.

 Do you see the buffer?

 4. Now that you have gone up and down the holes for a while, bring your needle up through one of the holes.Remove your pin.

 5.  Bring your needle back through the hole, but not the fabric.

 6. Wrap your thread around the button 3-4 times

 7. Now tie a knot by creating a new wrap and putting your needle through the loop and pulling tight, repeat 3 times.  You are tying a knot, but you are also creating the shank for the button

 Are you seeing the shank form?

8. Cut your threads close the the shank.

Enjoy your new button.

Guest Post: Mel conquers the chair

One of the things I love about having me family and friends guest post for me during sewing week, is the cool projects they conquer.  Sometimes it's the first time they try something, or a project they have been doing for a while.  They really are terrific.  its fun to have me involve my family in one of my loves, sewing!  My sis in law Mel is always so productive.  I have never seen her house dirty, she is an amazing cook and she finds time to sew.  When I sew, pretty much everything else in the house goes down the drain.  But Mel can do it all, I'm pretty sure its because she doesn't sleep, haha.  Last year Mel shared her sewing tips and tricks, they are really handy! Click HERE for that post

So to make a long story short. My friend Lucy found this little chair at a yard sale years ago and she recovered it the first time for her little boys and they are grown up now and so she wanted to recover

it for her brothers two little girls. We found this cherry fabric and we both fell in love with it. It started out being our project but in the middle of trying to move she handed it over to me to finish. Their family was moving to Guatemala and she ran out of time to help me finish it. She was so excited to give this to her niece Olivia and a new sister on the way. I wanted to make sure it looked as good as

possible. When she left it with me there were a few spots that I had to fix and the bottom wasn't turning out well so at the last minute we decided to put the ruffle all along the bottom and it totally made it. What a project. I'm not sure I will ever do that again but at least I can say I have tried it. I can sew pretty good but furniture is a lot harder than it looks, for sure!!!! Now I share this with you because I have never covered anything in my life, let alone a piece of furniture. It has many mistakes and the back doesn't look that great, but who sees the back, right!. Anyway, I was pretty proud of myself. I hope you all like it too.

Melissa

52 Finishes: Week 23- Baby Benson's Blessing Clothes

I've made several boys suits over the past year, and I think I have perfected the size and pattern.    I really love these little 3 peice suits, I think they compliment a cute baby perfectly.  They really are one of my favorite things to sew.  I'm dreaming up the details I want to put into our new baby's suit, so in the meantime I have some good firends who let me practice on them.  (It's such a hardship on them, right?)  If you want me to practice on you too, buy a suit HERE.

 Some of the special things about this suit include, satin ribbon.  It's the perfect way to dress it up a little bit

 Buttons are always a hard choice, I love bottons and it takes me a while to choose the perfects ones.  I want them to look great, but not be too flashy

Welt pockets on the vest and pants are probably my favorite detail of all.  Seriously, who doesn't love a pocket?! (Find an awesome tutorial on Welt pockets HERE)

Then of coarse the satin ribbon down the side of the pants, turning them into Fancy Pants.

For my other finishes, click HERE

Guest Post: My mom: The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world

My mom is the best mom in the world.  She is so supportive of all of our hobbies and dreams.  She was always there when we needed her, including now during sewing month!  I first learned to sew from my mom, she would let all of us kids use her machine if we wanted.  She always was proud of what we made and helped us fix the mistakes.  She's basically everything a mom should be.  Even now that I'm on my own, and have my own little family, my mom is there for me whenever I need her.  to see last year's post by my mom, click HERE.

When I began having my babies many years ago, my mother made me some flannel receiving blankets. I loved those receiving blankets, not only because she made them for me, but because they were 36” square! They are wonderful. They keep the baby’s parts in and warm. Have you ever tried to wrap a baby in those rectangular ones that measure about 28” by 40” Awkward!!! Frustrating!!! Downright maddening!!!. Someone other than a mother must have invented them. If you would like to make some for your loved ones you will need either 1 or 2 yards of the same or different flannel. Cut the Material 36’ square. If you want a doubled blanket for warmth place 2 pieces of flannel together with the right side on the inside. Sew most of the way around the edges ( I curve around the corners) leaving a 6’ opening. Reach in the opening and turn the material inside out. Your right sides of the fabric should be on the outside. Turn under the 6” strip and slip stitch it shut. Now top stitch all around the edges about ¼ to ½ inch in. You may use a decorated stitch if you like. If you only want a single layer blanket, only use one piece of flannel and serge the edges. Again top stitch if you like a pretty pattern or not. I have always made a few for my daughters and hopefully they will agree that they are much easier to keep a squirming baby in.

Recently my church women’s group began a service project for our local Crisis House.”. Children’s blankets are one of the items we are gathering. I found a King size fleece blanket on sale for $14.99, regularly $89. This was within my budget. I cut it in quarters and finished the edges on two sides by just repeating the folded over hem already in place with a wide zig zag stitch. Here is a picture showing how easy it was. I didn’t even have to turn the edge under first.

 

The remaining two quarters of the king size blanket, I just serged all around the edges. I used a very small crochet hook to finish the tail of the serger string and secure it within the stitches around it, piece of cake. You can also glue it in with “No Fray” if you like.

Here is a picture of my finished Blankies!

 

52 Finishes: Weeks 20-22- Puppets

Do you ever have one of those projects that you work on forever, and then never finish?  This is one of those for me... sorta.  I have made lots of these puppets, only I have never kept any of them.  I always give them away to friends or family.  So I decided that I needed a set of my own.  I have about 6 sets of these puppets cut out, but again, every time I finish a set, I give it away. Thus they are a never ending project... until now! Cause this set is all for me, well for Jayne.  It's one of her Christmas presents.  I don't have to worry about her finding out about them, because I'm pretty sure she doesn't read my blog :)  We are going to get her the three stories to go along with the puppets. 

First up: Goldilocks and the Three Bears...

Next, The Three Little Pigs

 And finally my person favorite, Little Red Ridinghood. 

I started making these sets back in Jr. High/ High school with my sister Shaina.  She's made many of these puppets over the years too.  Someone new to the puppets is the woodcutter.  I've thought for a while that he needed to be added, but we just never had a pattern for him.  You see these puppets are based off a set of puppets my mom made for my older siblings when they were growing up.  Shaina, and I think Shavonne, made the original patterns from those puppets.  But there was no woodcutter in that set either.  I think he not only fits in, but completes Red Ridinghood's story.  Unfortunately for all of you, these puppets are sorta a family secret.  So I can't share my patterns or do a tutorial or my sisters might disown me.  Sorry!

To see my other finishes, click HERE

Guest Post: Shaina, the one woman (head)band

Shaina has become a total seamstress over the past 18 mo.  She really inspires me to get out of my comfort zone and try new things.  She also comes up with fantastic new ideas and has a great eye for cool color and pattern combinations.  Shaina is also a great writer, chef,  and photographer.  She basically has hands of gold, and everything she tries/does turns out amazing.    Last year she did an awesome bag tutorial, click HERE for that.

I love it when I see things that were intended for one purpose, being used for another. Lately I've been really in to headbands. I've always loved wearing headbands. It adds that extra something to an outfit; a bit of personality to your look. So when I was making bow ties for my boys, I made a few extra to sell at our local Farmer's Market. Time after time, people kept coming up to my table, grabbing the bow ties, and trying to fit them to their little girl's heads. I kept correcting them. "These are bow ties. For boys." Then another vendor came up, grabbed a bow tie, and tried to put it around her head. After telling her that they were bow ties, she said she would want to wear one as a headband, and could I make the strap a little longer so she could do that.

Of course I could do that! So I went home and made another bow tie (only in a girl-friendly material) and with the neck strap adjusted to fit around my head instead of a boys' neck, it magically transformed into a headband bow! So adorable. It made me wonder "Why didn't I do this before?"

You could make any type of bow tie, and follow any tutorial, but simply changing the neck measurements to the length needed to go around your head. I followed THIS Tutorial  for mine, but there are tons of adorable bow tie patterns out there. I used Velcro on the end pieces, to keep it together under my hair, but you could just as easily add a bit more length and simply tie it at the base of your hair.

So don't be afraid to change things up a bit, to fit your needs. You might just start a new trend!

Guest Post: S is for Shavonne and B is for bag!

Shavonne is amazing! She is a labor and delivery nurse, and she has actually delivered a baby before!  She's a planner and an organizer, but still has her moments of chaos.  She's an amazing knitter (way better than I could ever be- and fast too!) she sews, she's super creative and is wonderful at colors and patterns that go together.  She is having her first baby within a month and has the nursery all done and everything.  I'm telling you, ultra prepared- but a procrastinator at the same time ;) To read last last year's post click HERE 

I've had alot going on the last month or so since Sharon sent out the email requesting everyone if they could do a guest post for Sewing month. I was glad for the advanced warning, but it wasn't until last week that I decided on what I was going to make. And it wasn't until yesterday that I actually had the time to sit down and make it! I was at work (I work as a RN in Labor & Delivery) and saw a patient with this bag she had made and I loved how it many pockets it had. She didn't remember exactly where she had gotten it but I did a little investigative work on the Internet and found what I think is the exact pattern to the bag she had. She had made hers a larger size, and I had the same intentions, but didnt' have enough fabric. This pattern only has 8 steps to it and actually was quite simple! I am not great at sewing but it only took me about 2 1/2 hours, but that was because I had to re cut some fabric. I know if I make it again it probably take less than an hour - especially because I didnt' make the handles, I bought twill tape (I think I'm in love this this stuff...)

The name of the pattern is: Pick-A-Pocket Purse and here is the link 

Here was my initial choice of fabric but I only ended up using two of them. My cat, Mitch, was supervising...

 This is showing step 2-5 on the pattern. I chose not to use any batting when I made it. I was wanting a thinner lighter bag, but that was my preference.

 I decided to add a small pocket on the inside too so I just kind of made a square and then sewed it on. I don't know if you can see it, but the ruler is showing the placement.

 All sewed up and could be turned inside out now, or you could shape the bottom, which is what I did. The next picture shows that.

Then the magic happens.... You turn it inside out through the hole and something amazing happens!

 Sew the opening in the lining, then tuck it into the bag and Voila! You have an awesome little purse/tote with LOTS of pockets!

  I LOVE how it turned out and I love my fabric choice and the twill handles.

It is perfect for a purse, or project bag, or even a scripture purse for church. The finished size is 8x10x4.

If you are a beginner or hesitant seamstress, this is a great project to make. Hope you have fun with it and love your cute little bag!