Sewing a Simple Baby Dress

I used some vintage fabric to make a sweet little baby dress to have on hand for an upcoming photo shoot.  I wanted something very simple.  Something that would look good with vintage props.  I used New Look pattern number 6880.  This pattern is SUPER easy- a wonderful beginner pattern if you are just learning to sew.

Last night we planted sugar snap peas in the garden and are enjoying harvesting and eating the fresh asparagus that is already growing.  Garden fresh asparagus is sweet- it doesn't have the bitter aftertaste that you find in asparagus that has been in the grocery store for awhile. I like to steam it, add real butter and some salt and then fight the kids off to eat as much as I can.... my husband refers to it as "dessert".

How to Lengthen a Skirt by Adding Ruffles

I found a cute gray skirt for my daughter at the thrift store for three dollars.  It was too short. To lengthen it I decided to add two ruffles. I cut a strip of coordinating fabric seven inches wide and long enough to go around the bottom of the skirt almost two times.  I  made a 1/4 inch rolled hem on one side. It is much easier to hem before gathering! On the other side of the strip of fabric I ran a zig zag stitch to reduce fraying and then I ran it through the sewing machine with the ruffler foot on.

I made a second strip of fabric five inches wide and did the same thing.  Then I sewed both ruffles onto the lining of the skirt and topped it with lace, just to add a pretty touch and to hide some of the rough edges.

All done!

Felt Embroidery Doodled Valentine Magnets

Surprise, surprise.  I did a craft project and it didn't have to do with activity days or anything- just made something for fun.  It has been awhile.

I made these little embroidery doodled Valentine hearts and then turned them into refrigerator magnets.  Here is how you do it.

Use a water soluble marker and draw a heart onto white felt.  Select your embroidery thread and doodle.  Cut out your heart.  Place onto red felt and cut around using your white heart as a pattern- leave a little bit of red showing to "frame" your stitching.  Sew your white heart onto your red heart.  Glue magnets onto the back of the red heart.  Display or give them to a friend.

How to Lengthen a Skirt

I purchased this skirt from modbe on clearance for about $10 for my daughter.  I was disappointed that it was so short- too short. So, I went to Hancock's and found some coordinating fabric.

Here is how I lengthened it.

1. Take the original skirt and cut off the bottom four inches- now you will have a circle of fabric and a skirt with no finished hem.  
2. Take the matching pieces of fabric and cut five inch wide strips, I wish my photography lighting skills were better because the fabric coordinates perfectly with the skirt and the sweater
3. Sew these into a circle matching the circumference of the skirt bottom.  
4. Match up the side seams and sew this new fabric to the bottom of the skirt.  
5. Take the original skirt bottom and sew it to the bottom of the fabric you have just added to the skirt

Now, you have the original hemmed edge at the bottom of the skirt and it is a good four inches longer- yeah!

Making a Forever/ Infinity Scarf

I didn't used to be much of a scarf person- but I'm changing my ways.  I made a quick forever scarf using this tutorial and my serger.  While I was at it I made two more scarves and feel so "put together" when I wear them.

If you want to avoid seams showing where you attach your pieces of fabric together- you'll need about two yards of fabric- You need that much fabric so that you can wrap the scarf around your neck twice and only have one seam that you place in the center back of your neck- not seams going every which way!  Having this much length has a perk because you will end up with enough fabric left over (from the width) to make at least two extra scarves.  So, find a couple of friends and start sewing :o)

Making Interchangeable Headbands

I'm getting a huge stash of headbands, flowers and bows and thought I'd better come up with a way to simplify.  I decided to make some interchangeable headbands.  I went to dollar tree and bought a variety of headbands- thin, thick, different colors, etc. 

Then I went home and cut a tiny piece of bias tape-   I simply folded the bias tape ends under and sewed it onto the side of the thick headbands- making a loop- like this.

For the skinny headbands you'll need bias tape and you'll also need two felt circles and some hot glue.I folded the bias tape ends under and sewed it onto a felt circle. 

Then I placed one felt circle under the headband clip and one felt circle (with the bias tape sewed on) on top.  When I had it positioned I lifted the top circle, applied a generous amount of hot glue and pressed the top circle back in place. 

Now I can use the same headband to hold on a bunch of different bows or flowers- just attach them using the hair clip on the back of the flower and clipping it through the little loop you made with the bias tape. 

Getting the headbands at dollar tree was cheaper then buying elastic and sewing my own! Dollar Tree also had these sweet little baby hats in a variety of colors.  I grabbed a few and sewed my little bias tape loop on the side where I'd like an embellishment- and now I can add flowers and bows to them as well.  Fun!

Zipper Pouch

I purchased a purse that I really like at JC Penney on clearance- which was a good thing because the handles on my old one were almost completely worn through.  I love everything about it- well, almost everything- the interior pockets are tiny and sparse. 

Quick fix- after looking at a few of the gazillion zipper pouch tutorials online- I whipped up this little bag to help keep things organized.  And "whipped" is the word- it took less then 20 minutes- from first snip of the fabric to finish.  I'm all tickled because my purse is more organized now.  (Fabric is printed duck cloth from Hancocks)

I'm finding that I enjoy simple mini-organizational improvements.  Like placing the sheets and pillowcases that are toppling from the top of the linen closet into labeled plastic tubs (with no tops on) so the stacks stay stacked and I can find things without excessive digging- took 120 seconds and makes life easier and neater.

Sewing: Making Luggage (Duffel Bag)

We've been getting ready for our family trip- so, I spent a few hours and sewed a simple duffel bag.  I LOVE this fabric and have had it for a long time.  I believe it is a duck cloth print (they currently have some super cute patterned duck cloth at Hobby Lobby).  Just remember to wash your duck cloth before sewing- I had some that shrank like crazy when I washed it (full length curtain became a valance- almost).

There are patterns for this "luggage" bag available at most fabric stores (Simplicity 2274, free pattern online, etc.).  I just made up my own pattern.  I serged the interior seams- I am hoping that reenforcement of the seams will give the bag some extra strength.... here is to many happy journeys!

Wearing Drapes- Skirt Made from Curtain Panel

I give up on trying to get good pictures.

I found a great curtain panel in one of my favorite colors on clearance for only $5.99.  It was  washable, 100 % cotton with an embroidered edge.  Mmmm, my brain started spinning.  I decided to make a skirt.  I suppose it is kind of weird to wear curtains (didn't that happen in Gone With the Wind)? 

I didn't use a pattern but you can.  Just line up the bottom of your skirt pattern pieces with the bottom of the hemmed curtain.

When I attached the waistband to the gathered bottom piece I discovered that I had measured my waist too generously- or I lost four inches in two days- I wish!  So, I ended up having to take in the waistband after the skirt was finished- but that isn't very tricky.

Since I had used the finished curtain edge as the skirt bottom there was no hemming involved--- gotta love that!

All done- not too bad for $5.99 and the cost of zipper and thread!

Layer of Ruffles Skirt

One project that did get completed last week was this ruffly skirt for my daughter.  Many prefer to wear this style so that it hits above the knees, but we wear things long around here.  I wouldn't attempt this skirt without a ruffler foot on my machine- unless you're patient and ambitious. 

Ruffler foot woes:  I have purchased three ruffler feet, tried them on all three of my machines, read several blog posts and repeatedly watched you-tube videos and I FINALLY, after over a year, found a combination that works.  YIKES!  I bet the company that makes generic ruffler feet would sell ten times more if they actually included direction with the foot they sell!  Aye, I digress. 

After looking at this tutorial for an adorable skirt I came up with my version. 

I used a knit fabric and didn't make any hems- really cuts the sewing time down- but it definitely is a more casual look.  I used a needle specifically for stretch fabrics and sewed each seam with a slight zig zag stitch.

First, measure the length you want your skirt.

Measure your widest point- usually hips-  and add about an inch on each side for a seam allowance.

Put these measurements into play and cut a rectangle of your desired fabric.

Then sew up the length side of your rectangle making a tube.

Out of the remaining fabric I cut strips five inches tall and as long as my fabric piece came.  I ran these through the ruffler foot on a setting of a gather for every six stitches.

With the right side out, and the seam placed at what will be the center back of the skirt, I used my frixion gel pen to draw a line every four inches going up from the bottom of the skirt tube.  Then I attached the ruffles by lining them up with the lines and sewing in place- starting at the bottom and working up. 

If my ruffle strip didn't make it all the way around the skirt I just picked up another piece, folded the raw edge under about an inch and placed it so that it slightly overlapped the previous piece and started sewing again-

When attaching the final layer of ruffles- I sewed the ruffle on "upside down"  so that I could flip it down- covering the stitching.  I pressed that edge down as well.

To finish I folded down the waistband and inserted a piece of elastic the measurement of my daughter's waist.  I love how it turned out!

If you want real directions to another super cute skirt check out what Anna made here.

Small Framed Silk Ribbon Embroidery

I haven't done much silk ribbon embroidery in a long time.  I've been feeling the urge to pull out all the stuff and enjoy it again.  I decided to do a little Valentine floral and was trying to decide how to finish it off when I found these little frames in the dollar section at Michaels.

I spray painted it the color I wanted and here it is!

I tried out a hot pink Frixion gel pen (made by pilot) (via Bari J.)  to draw a pattern directly onto the fabric.  Jet pens.com has a better selection and better prices- you can use friction or an iron to make the marks vanish.  When I was done stitching I just ironed my fabric and the bright pink ink magically disappears- very nice for all sorts of fabric crafts.

Free Sewing and Craft Patterns

If you are a computer surfer you may have stumbled upon Allcrafts  - scroll down their home page to find a  comprehensive list of free patterns for many types of crafts-  I have used a few of their crochet patterns and found them very handy!

I recently found another list of free sewing patterns called all free sewing- they have a bunch of patterns.

If you don't mind paying a few bucks (watch for sales and coupons or it will be more then a few!) Butterick has started carrying a line of patterns that are called Two Peas in a pod- as pictured above-adorable- very crafty looking patterns.  Check out their bags and their kids clothes patterns- nice!

Now you can add a hundred and ten projects to your to-do list- something we all need- right?!

More Ribbon Roses

I needed a rose for a friend's gift and went to town.  The two pink ones are just made by cutting circles that are NOT symmetrical- random sizes- getting smaller and smaller.  I used about six circles in the large flower and four in the smaller one.  Cut your petals from a polyester fabric and then hold the edges over the flame of a candle to melt the edges.  Stack them up and stitch them down the middle.  A few of the circles were too big.  On those I just ran a little running stitch around the center of the flower- pulled it tight and the circle was smaller and much more "ruffly".

 The brown one made from fray resistant chiffon I used this pattern from Snazzie Drawers.  Her flowers and headbands are so amazing- I'm a bit embarrassed to send you over there.  You'll see how far I fall short... but go ahead, have a look.  So pretty.  I love how she incorporates netting and feathers.  There are several similar free patterns on the web.  I wish I would have made more petals from the dark brown and mixed it up a bit more.... but it's okay

The wire ribbon flower I made the same way I made these here.  I'm thinking these might be nice teacher Christmas present for little guys stylin' first grade teacher.

The flower centers are either buttons, old earrings, a single bead, or a cluster of beads wired together.