Round 5 Material

It's time to announce the material our Top 3 Contestants will be using for their final projects of One Crafty Contest!  Are you ready?  It's....

BURLAP!

Hand Sewing an Invisible Hem

Hey, friends!  I know that today is typically "crochet day" around here, but I had a different type of sewing project I had to complete and I thought some of you might be interested in a little "how-to" for that.  It starts with Little Crafter's karate pants.

Beach Ball Pillow and a Silhouette Promotion!

Little Crafter and I share a few important mutual loves, namely Starbucks, art projects, and the beach!!  Now that the weather is warm and summer is headed our way, we're both getting impatient for our Myrtle Beach vacation.  To help us think beach-y thoughts while we're still here at home, I thought it would be fun to surprise him with a beach ball throw pillow.  {It worked!}  Here's how I made it, with the help of "Cammie" and some sewable fabric interfacing I received from Silhouette.

BEACH BALL APPLIQUÉ PILLOW COVER

Crazy Coasters: My Take on a Very Cool Project

Some of you may remember that a few months ago, I advertised a "Growing Together: Blogger Mentoring Program" I wanted to run.  The response was so fabulous that I had to cut off the registration at 20 members, and I've been working with that group of ladies since the end of January to grow their respective blogs and meet some of their goals.  As a matter of fact, we just finished up the course, and I'm going to be running a second one starting in July.  {More on that later...}

One of the bloggers in the class, Nancy, who writes at Do Small Things With Love, has consistently blown me away with her creative projects, many of which she makes using felt.  Week after week, I kept pinning things she made so I could go back later and make them for myself.  But one project in particular was just so fun and so fabulous that I had to do it myself the very next day.  And, of course, now I have to share the idea with you so you can make some too!

They're called Crazy Coasters, and they're, well, really fun looking coasters made from felt!  There's no need for me to post a tutorial because Nancy has already created a great one.  So, instead, I'll just show you the finished product{s} and then you can head over and read her instructions to make yours.

CRAZY COASTERS

Pillowcase Dress Drive Update

Remember the Pillowcase Dress Drive I recently shared with you?  Project Yesu is collecting these simple dresses, in all sizes, colors, and fabrics, to take to little girls in Uganda when they travel there this summer.

Well, I figured I couldn't very well ask you to make and donate some if I didn't do it myself.  So, here's an update on the dresses I'm about to ship.

Last weekend, I stopped by the fabric store while we waited for our carryout Chinese food to be ready {mmm...orange chicken...shrimp lo mein...but I digress}.  I got the fabric for my infinity scarf, and I also picked up a yard each of purple and pink cotton fabrics to use for these simple dresses.  

I confess, I'd never made a pillowcase dress before.  In fact, it's been years since I made a dress of any kind.  So, I found and followed the same tutorial I gave you in the original post from Sew Like My Mom.  {Remember, if you don't sew, there's also a no-sew option too}.  I made the purple dress first, and it took me about an hour because I wanted to make sure I was doing everything right.  The second one went much faster, because once you figure out the process, it's easy-peasy.

I have to tell you a special story about making the pink dress.  I had cut it out and started sewing the first step when Little Crafter realized what I was doing.  He recently learned to use the sewing machine {with 150% supervision} so he begged to help me.  Honestly, at first I was a little reluctant because I wanted the dress to turn out really nicely and wasn't sure how it would go, but then it occurred to me that the lessons involved in letting him sew clothing for a poor child halfway around the world were far more valuable than the time it might take to rip out a few seams.  

So, I said yes.  Little Crafter grinned from ear to ear and sat down at the machine.  I guided the fabric while he pushed the pedal, and together we finished the rest of the dress.  He was focused, interested, and helpful...and you know what?  I didn't have to rip out a single stitch.  He did perfectly.  He also helped me thread the ribbon through the casing, and as we worked, he asked questions about the little girl who might get the dress.  I had the opportunity to talk with him about how blessed he is compared to families around the world who don't have enough money, food, or clothing.  And, I got to share with him about how God wants us to use the things we have and the things we're good at to be a blessing to other people.

He says he made the dress all by himself, which is okay by me.  It's also particularly special because we happened to make a size 4T which is what LC himself wears, so the dress will girl to a little girl his size and age.  My heart is full.  Thank you, Project Yesu, for the opportunity to be involved in this special drive.

If you would like to contribute dresses too, it's not too late!  The shipping deadline is May 31, 2013.

Please mail completed dresses to:

Project Yesu

c/o Rory Fundora

1178 Willow Bend Drive

Clarksville, TN 37043

If you and/or your kids make some, would you send me a pic or two?  I'd love to share them!

Hugs & Glitter,

Infinity Scarf Giveaway!

So, you know how there are those projects you see and you pin and you always mean to make but you never seem to get around to them?  That's how it's been with me and the infinity scarf.  I've wanted one for ages, but never actually got the fabric, looked up a tutorial, and made one.  

Until yesterday.

Little Crafter was spending the day with his grandparents so hubby and I could attend our Home Run movie screening.  After the movie, we decided to get some carryout Chinese food for dinner...of course, the restaurant is right by the fabric store, so I ducked in to get some material for a few pillowcase dresses for the Uganda drive.  While I was there, I couldn't help but look at the knit fabrics, and once I saw this brown and white print one, I knew it needed to become an infinity scarf.

I got a yard of fabric, to make sure I had enough, then came home and {after consuming unmentionable amounts of shrimp lo mein and orange chicken}, searched for a good tutorial.  There are lots of great ones out there; the one I used is from Rach, who blogs at Family Ever After, but it's actually a guest post of hers on Skip to My Lou.

Essentially, all you do is cut your fabric into a big long strip.  Mine was as long as the width of my fabric, which ended up being about 58" when I cut off the selvage.  It was 10" wide.  You fold the right sides together and sew it along the side like a big tube.  Then you do a sneaky little maneuver to sew the ends together and turn it magically into an infinity scarf!  Rach has a great photo of that step.  I was really intimidated by that part just reading about it, but she's right, once you actually do it, it makes sense and works really well.

As it turned out, I needed less than 1/3 of the fabric I bought to make my finished scarf {which, by the way, took about 15 minutes, tops}.  Sooooo, I whipped up another one.  Whatever shall I do with it?

What's that?  What's that you say?  You say give it away?  Well, okay!  {Happy birthday, Dr. Seuss!}

Rafflecopter will walk you through the entry process, and one of you lucky readers can be my twinsie!  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pillowcase Dress Drive

Hey, friends!  How many of you remember a special post I did last March about a young lady named Mallory who started something called Project Yesu in the hopes of helping provide food, medicine, and education for children in Uganda?  {If not, be sure you stop by to read more about it}.

In the past year, Mallory and her team have been working hard and doing some amazing things, like taking a trip to Uganda in October to deliver 450 lbs of supplies.  They are taking another trip this coming June, and one of the things they want to take with them this time is as many pillowcase dresses as they can collect for the poverty-stricken young girls.

Here's where you come in.

Do you sew?
If so, you probably already know that a pillowcase dress is one of the simplest sewing projects that exists.  If you've never made one, you can find a tutorial here at Sew Like My Mom.

Easiest Pillowcase Dress Ever

Don't sew?

Never fear, you can also make a no-sew pillowcase dress...believe it or not, it's simple and just as nice!

Here's a tutorial from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom.

NO-SEW Pillowcase Dress

What do you think?  To me, it sounds like an incredible opportunity to do what we've been talking about in the CAKE {Crafting Acts of Kindness Everywhere} series...using our interests and talents to bring joy to others.  Could you find the time to make even one of these sweet, simple dresses and send it to Project Yesu so they can deliver it to a little girl in Uganda?  They will take any size, any colors, any fabric...any dress you make with love.  

Completed dresses can be shipped to:

Project Yesu

c/o Rory Fundora

1178 Willow Bend Drive

Clarksville, TN 37043

The deadline is May 31, so that they can get the dresses packed and ready to take on the trip.

If you make some, I'd love to see photos so I can share them on the Facebook page.  Also, please share this post on your Facebook, Twitter, etc. so that we can spread the word and get as many crafters involved as possible!  Here's a great way to use our talents to help and bless someone else on the other side of the world.  Let's do it!

For more information about Project Yesu, take a look at their fantastic website.

Hugs & Glitter,

Felt Monster Finger Puppets

The other day, while browsing Pinterest, Little Crafter and I saw something we just had to make.  They were adorable little felt monster finger puppets.  Who could resist?  Not us!  Here's how ours turned out and how we made them!

Materials:

- felt

- pinking shears {you could also use regular scissors if you don't have any}

- sewing machine and thread {again, you could hand sew if necessary}

- craft glue or hot glue

- assorted google eyes and pom poms {thanks to CraftProjectIdeas.com for ours}

STEP 1: Cut out two of whatever shape you want.  Ours ended up all different; one was rounded at the top, one was a rectangle, and then LC decided he wanted Frosty the Snowman and a carrot.  Go figure.

STEP 2: Stitch around the edges, leaving the bottom open.

A quick note here...yes Little Crafter did do the machine sewing.  I don't know that I would necessarily recommend that for all four year olds, but he's been wanting to try it and I decided this was a good intro project for him.  He pushed the pedal and helped me to guide the felt, but I did most of the "guiding" work and made sure his sweet little fingers stayed far from the needle.  We also discussed safety before we started and he practiced stopping and starting the pedal when I said the words "Go" and "Stop."  He really did an amazing job.

STEP 3: Decorate!  We used our CraftProjectIdeas.com google eyes and pom poms for eyes and noses, and we used felt, buttons, and fabric paint for other embellishments.

STEP 4: PLAY!  Enjoy those monsters!

Handmade Holidays: Kadie's Blankets



I'm so excited to be here today!  I LOVE Amy and all her crafty things she does.  Amy and I started blogging around the same time and have become good friends.  My name is Kadie and I blog at Seven Alive all Livin' in a Double Wide.  I like to blog about crafting, sewing, cooking, and my favorite, crocheting.  I also like to throw in a bit about being a mom to 5 amazing children. I love to make handmade gifts for Christmas.  It's a way I can give a little bit of myself to others.  Not only can I pour all my love and talents into a handmade gift, it is often cheaper to make a gift rather than buy one.  When you are on a tight budget, which with 5 kiddos we always are, cheap  less expensive is a good thing. So this year I am making each of my kiddos their own blanket, pillow case, and pajama bottom set.  It's really fun to have something custom made for you.  There are so many prints and colors to choose from it makes it easy to find something that who ever you are making them for will love!

I'm going to show you how to make the blanket today.  I will have the tutorial for the pillow case and PJ bottoms on my blog next week.

What you will need:

• 1-2 yards Polar Fleece {it is important that you get Polar Fleece because it wont fray} depending on how large a person you are making it for.  2 yards makes a great lap blanket for an adult or a large blanket for a child. The one shown here is 1 yard.
• quilting safety pins {these are the ones with the curve in them.} You can use regular safety pins too.
•   thread in a coordinating or contrasting color. {depending on what you like} I used contrasting thread for mine.
• scissors
• sewing machine {optional, I'll tell you how to make the same blanket sewing free}
• yard stick, or fabric measuring tape.

Like I said above you don't have to sew this blanket so if you don't have a sewing machine don't pass up on making these adorable blankets.  The sewing skills you need if you choose to sew it are minimal, great for a beginner. I am going to apologize for the quality of some of the photos now.  Because I'm making these for my kiddos for Christmas I had to work on them late at night so they don't see them. To start lay out your fabric wrong sides together.  You will need a large space to work on, either a large table or the floor would work best.  Trim the fabric so that the top and bottom are the same size.  You can use this tutorial for using a rotary cutter to do this, or you can use scissors   Be careful using scissors  it's hard to make a really straight line.

I like to pin an X in the blanket first.  Try not to move the blanket after you start. It only takes a couple of hours to finish the blanket, it's best if you can do it all in one sitting because until it is sewn {or cut and tied} the fabric will move all over the place every time you move it. It's a big pain to always have to straighten it back out!  I like use a yard stick to get my pins straight.

After you have your X you are going to cut a 4 inch square out of each corner.   You might need to adjust some of your pins in your X to match up with the corners of the square you cut out.

Now you are going to pin a 4 inch wide border all the way around your blanket.  I know it's a lot of pins but trust me the more pins you use the easier it's going to be over all.

If you are not sewing your blanket then you can skip the next few steps and go right to cutting and tying your fringe. If you are going to sew your blanket, start by following the X that you pinned.  This will make it so that when you wash your blanket the two sides will not come apart and bunch like they sometimes do. I'm going to pass on one of the best tips I ever got about sewing a large blanket like this.  You want to treat it more like driving a car.  It's easiest to keep a straight line if you can see where you are headed before you get there. Remove any pins that get in your way. DO NOT run over your pins; it will ruin your sewing machine. Now sew on the outside of your pins for the 4 inch border.  Each seam should meet at the corner of the 4 inch squares you cut out of your corners.  Take out any pins that are left over. If you are not sewing your blanket, start here after pinning. Cut 1 inch strips around the blanket in the 4 inch border you made.  If you sewed your blanket make sure you don't cut through the seam you sewed around the blanket. Again I like to lay out a yard stick and cut  at each one inch.  It makes it easier than guessing and is long enough that you aren't moving your ruler every couple of inches.

After your cut your strips tie them together in a knot, all around the blanket.  If you are planning on making a lot of these blankets or if you make a lot of rag blankets you might want to invest in some spring scissors, they are a blessing to your aching hands after cutting a ton of strips.  I like to tie my strips so that the strip from the opposite side shows.  I like to tie my blanket while I watch a show, on the couch or in bed.  If you have sewn the blanket you can move it where you need to at this point.  If you haven't sewn the blanket it's best to leave it where you have been working on it until it's all tied.

One kid down 4 more to go.  The first one may take you a while but after you know what you are doing it really only takes 2-4 hours start to finish {depending on how large a blanket you are making}.  They really are fun easy cozy blankets to make.  I hope you'll give them a try and give someone you love a handmade gift this year. Thanks so much for having me Amy I had a great time.

Fun in the Sun: Angela



Hi Everyone! I am Ange over at Decorating the Dorchester Way and I am so excited to be a part of the "Fun in the Sun" Summer series! Thanks Amy!

This summer we spent a lot of time playing with our Water Table. What kid doesn't love water?!  Mine is no exception. But I was getting tired of cleaning all of the bugs, dirt and leaves out every time he wanted to play with it.

So I decided it was time to make a cover for the water table! I used a shower curtain I purchased at Target on clearance. I thought a shower curtain would work well for this project because it is meant to get wet and can handle rain.

The first things I did were: cut the shower curtain to make it the correct size and sewed my unfinished edges. Then I placed the shower curtain upside down on the water table.  I used painters tape to hold it in place while I positioned it where I wanted it.

 Next I pinned the 4 corners.

Then off to my trusty sewing machine! I said a little prayer that it would fit (like I always do when I am sewing!! I am not an expert sewer so one of these days a project is bound to be a major fail!!!)

I waited until I was able to position the cover on the water table before cutting off the extra fabric from the sides.... just in case I needed to re-sew one! I used Velcro on all four sides to hold the cover in place.

Yes, a finished Water Table cover! And a happy mommy who doesn't have to constantly be cleaning the dirt and bugs out! And of course a happy little man who will have more time to spend with his water table!

Another Quilt Square...

A few weeks ago, I shared with you the exciting/super-intimidating project idea I'm working on for Little Crafter's Christmas gift.  I'm making him a quilt {or at least I hope to} composed of squares that remind him of our "I love you" game.  So far, I have three completed.  I've already posted about the first two:

 Are you ready to see number three?  The colors in the photo are a little off...it looks brighter and more vivit in person, but you'll get the idea:

To make it, I cut four triangles from different fabrics and sewed them together to form the kite.  I also cut out two cloud shapes.  Then, I ironed heat-n-bond light onto all of the pieces.  I ironed the clouds onto the fabric first, sewed around them, then ironed the kite in place and sewed around it using a zig zag machine stitch.  The last step {or so I thought} was to add the words and the kite string using puff paint.  Buuuuuut, I happened to have a little accident that caused the kite string to smear and get paint on the lower cloud.  Part of that, I was able to turn into the little heart you see.  The other part had to be covered up, so I cut a third cloud and appliquéd it on after the paint was dry.  Live and learn...

Now that the Lego party is over, I can get back to working on some more squares...stay tuned!

Happy Crafting!

****UPDATE: My "Love you to the moon" quilt square is a finalist over at Happy Hour Projects!  I'd love it if you'd vote for me there {only if it's one of your 3 favorites, of course}!  Click the button below, then click "vote" ABOVE my square.  Thanks. :)



Lego Party: The Shirts

 Are you Lego-ed out yet?  I hope not, because there's still more Lego goodness coming your way over the next week as we count down to the Little Crafter's birthday! 

Today, I get to share with you one of my favorite things for this party...our family t-shirts!
A few weeks ago, Amy from Sew Incredibly Crazy shared a tutorial for Lego minifigure shirts at the Shine on Fridays party.  I immediately pinned them, and knew I'd be making some for us...which I did!

It all started out with me making one for LC...then as soon as hubs and I saw it, we knew we had to get in on the action too.  Little Crafter picked out the colors for us; red, blue, and purple, which are his three favorites.  They're super simple to make. 

First, I found a minifigure head template online and printed it out in three different sizes.  Then, I ironed Heat-n-Bond Lite onto yellow fabric, cut out the three heads, peeled off the backing, and ironed them onto the shirts.  Then I did a zig zag machine stitch around the whole shape...but if you don't want to sew, you can just use Heat-n-Bond extra hold.  Finally, I used fabric paint to add the face details.  If you want a step by step tutorial with photos of each step, visit Sew Incredibly Crazy!

I think the most fun part was that each family member got to choose his or her own Lego face.

LC went for the simple, standard, old-school Lego man.

Hubby opted for Mr. Scruffy.

I went for Lady Lego.

I absolutely love how they turned out!  They were pretty easy to do, and super-cheap!  The shirts cost less than $5 a piece at Michaels, and I already had the fabric, thread, and paints!  Three shirts for less than $15...I'll take it!

Which one is your fave?  Happy Crafting!