Make It Monday: It's %$%#@! Small Gourd Season

Can you believe that next week is Thanksgiving?  I can not understand how we got to the holiday season already, but none the less, I thought I'd try making something for the season...And when one thinks of this season, one has to think of small gourds.  They are everywhere and if you spend a minute on Pinterest, it is astounding how many small gourd projects there are!  So in honor of small gourds everywhere, I found some small gourd projects on Pinterest that I actually want to try...velvet gourds...























I'll let you know how it goes....

Ladder Stitch Tutorial

Funny Friday

Thursday Tutorial

Last week, we started our pajama pillow.  At this point, you should have appliquéd the face and hair to your liking.  Let's continue...

Step 5-  Applique the back hair onto the top back flap.

Step 6-  Make a pillow sandwich.  From top to bottom you should put:

• Head Front (good side facing inside)
• Outside Head Back (2 flaps aligned with Head Front(good side facing inside)
• Inside Pillow Back(good side facing out)

 

Step 7- Sew around complete circle.  I served, but you could zig0zag stitch to finish off seams.

Step 8- Turn pillow right side out.  If the sandwich was made correctly. you should have an inside pocket and the outside pocket.

Step 9- Stuff the inside pillow with polyfill.  Fill rather full, but not too full as you want to allow room for the pajamas in the pillow.

Step 10- Stitch the inside pocket closed by hand using a ladder stitch.

Step 11-  Flip outside Head Back to the outside.  This flap will be left open for the pajamas to be placed.

Step 12- You're done!  Now of course you can modify this pattern many ways.  One idea could be to add a zipper pocket or place a button to fasten the outside pocket closed.  I find however, that a simple flap works just as well…..

Wordless Wednesday

inspired by kate: Tuesday Tip

inspired by kate: Tuesday Tip: For my many craft shows, I make many, many totes and bags with straps.  At times, I find the strap making a tedious part of the process...

Tuesday Tip

For my many craft shows, I make many, many totes and bags with straps.  At times, I find the strap making a tedious part of the process.  So much so, that I have even considered buying pre made straps to cut down on my time.  But I just don't think the webbing straps will have the same impact as my handmade straps.  Since I discovered this tip, the dreaded strap strap is no more.  This technique can help you with any project that requires you to turn a long tube out.  Give it a try, it's better and cheaper than any store bought tube turning devices!

1. First, sew a long seam, faces together on the one long side of your strap.  If you are not using two different fabrics, like me, you can just fold your fabric in half lengthwise and iron the one side seam.

2.  Next, open your strap and lie a extra long piece of binding along the sewn seam (or fold if you didn't sew a seam).  You can use real any number of materials instead of the binding- string, ribbon- or anything that is about 3-4 inches longer than your tube/strap and quite narrow so when you sew the other seam, it won't get in the way.

3.  Now fold your tube/strap again, faces together.  Sew along one short side making sure to capture the binding in that seam.  Then sew a seam on the other long side, making sure not to sew on the binding.

4.  Now with your tube/strap inside out, pull the end of the binding, easily turning the tube right side out.  It's magic!  I get excited each and every time I turn a strap the right way out!

5.  You can cut of the bottom so release the binding.  Now go on with your bad self...