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...

Thursday Tutorial: PJ Pillow Part 1

 I wanted to make little throw pillows for K and HD to put their pajamas in each morning.  After a couple of tries, this is what came out

Here are the rough steps in making your own pajama pillows. The key to this project is creativity.  You can make your pillow in any image that fits with your child, but for this tutorial, I'll be demonstrating with the Super-Kid pajama pillow that I sell at my shows.

Step 1- Gather your Materials:

I use soft flannel, but really anything can work.  I have made them in fleece, which while more expensive, it does give the added benefit of not fraying so you don't have to take care of the rough edges.  You'll need fabric for head (1/2 yardish), fabric for hair (1/4 yard if that), fabric scrap for mask, scraps for eyes, thread, scissors, and a dinner plate.

tracing head front

Step 2:  Trace Patterns:

Using a fabric marker, trace around the dinner plate on the head fabric for the head front.  Then take that circle and fold it in half.  Trace a rough semi circle using the head front as a guide adding 4 inches to the straight edge to allow for overlap and finished straight edge for the flap opening.  Trace another semi circle similar to the first.  These 2 flaps will overlap to form one complete circle the same size as the head front and these 2 together will be the outside  head back.  You will also need to trace 2 more semi circles like the last two.  These will become the inside pillow back.

 tracing semi circles for outside head back and inside pillow back

Add 4 inches to each semi circle so that one overlap the other leaving room for a finished hem on each straight side.

You should end up with 4 of something like this for outside head back and inside pillow front.

At this point, let me explain that you are making a double envelope opening pillow-2 pillows in one.  One pillow (the inside pillow) will be stuffed and sewn shut.  The outside pillow flaps will be left open to store the pajamas in it.  It sounds much more confusing then it is.  It will make more sense as we move through the construction.

Now trace on the hair fabric some front hair fringe that will fit the top of the head front, and trace the back hair that will fit on the top of the outside head back.

hair front fringe

hair back

Now trace a mask that is the same width as the head front.  I made this one blue.  Cut two eyes that fit to scale with the mask.

mask

Step 3:  Cut Pieces:

You should have:

• Head front circle
• Outside head back (2 semi circles, that overlap to form one circle)
• Inside pillow back ( 2 semi circles that overlap to form one circle)
• Hair front fringe
• Hair back
• Mask
• Two eyes

Step 4:  Applique Face

Set and pin the hair, mask, and eyes to head front.  Using a washable fabric marker, sketch a nose and mouth to your liking.  Applique each piece to the head front.  I used a small and tight zig zag stitch.  If you are using fleece, you could just sew it on with a straight stitch as it will not fray.

When it comes to the nose, I used pink thread and a heart satin stitch on my sewing machine.  

sewing back hair to outside head back

For the mouth, I used red thread and a think triple stitch to embroider the mouth.  Naturally there are many other ways to do this appliqué.  For example, the whole face and hair could be embroidered.  Do what you like best and feel most comfortable with.

Lastly, sew the back hair to the top half of the outside head back.

Place pieces for appliqué 

Part 1 complete…next week, we will put it together and sew it up.  Then finally finish the pillow by stuffing a sewing...

Wordless Wednesday

Machine Foot Monday

If you're like me, you probably have one of these that came with your sewing machine, but haven't taken the time to try it out.  But now is the time-it's a walking foot.  It wasn't until very recently that I gave this foot a try, and now I have a hard time using any other foot.  It's that awesome.

The walking foot, or sometimes called even feed foot helps with sewing projects that include heavier materials, or several layers.  It's most common application is when making quilts as it helps your seams not get bunched up.

I first tried this foot while sewing my new lined leather totes, and it worked so well that I now use it for making my baby blankets and other items that have several layers together.

To further explain, with your machine you have feed dogs that pull your fabric forward from below, but if you have 2 layers (or more) of fabric, sometimes the seam gets bunched as the top fabric lags behind the bottom fabric.  Pinning carefully can help solve this problem, but depending on the stretch of the fabric, it just might not be enough.

How the walking foot helps is that it has a feeding mechanism in it that also pulls your top fabric evenly with your bottom fabric, hence the alternate name of name even feed foot.  Therefore by using this foot, your seams have a better chance of lying flat and not bunching.

Notice in the picture how smooth the walking foot leaves the seam, while the regular pressure foot leaves the seam bunched at places.  This can be problem for some projects.  Give this foot a walk!

Make Something Good Everyday

After seeing a tote by Lucky Brand for $100 that I just had to have, I decided to try to make my own…It has been quite a process figuring out the circle handle, but I think I solved the dilemma with binding.  I have been fighting with these totes for a week now, adding leather embellishments and an inside zippered pouch, but I see the end in site…For now, here's my first endeavor….

Make Something Good Everyday...

Today I spent some time making some new silver vintage earring bracelets.  Since the success of selling these over the holidays, I needed to up my supply.  The problem is that I like them all and could find the perfect outfit for many of them.  It's a good thing that they are fun to make and especially fun to hunt for the objects to create these one of a kind creations….  A special shout out to Laura and Kelly for spoiling me with their family finds!

Make Something Good Everyday...

In an effort to try to stay more on top of things, I am going to routinely post some of my handmade goodness to share.  Sometimes it will be some of my favorite tutorials that either I created, or links to others.  Other times, it might be some favorite materials that I might recommend.  And still at other times, it might be just a simple picture of my latest handmade goodness.  I will call these posts:

Make Something Good Everyday

Simple Vintage Inspired Carpet Bag

A few months ago, my mother came to visit with an awesome tapestry bag that she found at a thrift store "years ago".  I instantly fell in love.  What I loved most, was that it looked super-easy to duplicate.  With that end in mind, I traced the bag out on freezer paper and drew a sketch of the bag and added my "pattern" to the constantly-growing mountain of future projects.  Several months later (today), I finally put the plan into motion and created this little number….