Patchwork love

I do not consider myself a quilter. I don't think that following proper patterns and snipping thousands of little octagons and hand-piecing them together is really my thing.

 

 

 Using up what I have, making simple, pretty things, and borrowing on past successes is my thing.

 

 

Since making the patchwork Kindle case, I felt a new confidence to try my hand at patchworking again, though on a larger scale. I also had two other considerations to make:

1. I have a large bin full of scrap material that I have no interest in moving yet again. At least, I'd like to use as much as I can!
2. Anyone who knows me knows I make each of my new babies a blanket. Some have been crocheted, some knitted, and one rescued from the thrift store and given new life and service. This new wee babe needs her own blanket, just like the others.

 

I'm so pleased at the way this turned out. It's very forgiving, not showing just how crooked my seams are. It's also special, since every piece is a scrap of some other project. We've all enjoyed looking at the different pieces and remembering other things that were made or worn by and for others. "Hey, that's in Ellie's skirt!" "Remember that dress you made for Anna? That piece is from there!" Even the backing was once used as wall decoration in the previous house.

 

In spite of not really knowing what I'm doing and kind of making it up as I go along, something sweet, simple, and serviceable has been made. I'm looking forward to putting it into use.

 

 

 

My new Kindle case

Every so often, you complete a project that turned out just as you had hoped. This one was mine.

 I found this tutorial on Pinterest and was intrigued. Not that I need another Kindle case, but I do have some cute material to use up and I wasn't completely happy with my old case.

 I would like to point out that I have little experience with patchwork, and there are several places where my seams aren't straight, but it doesn't really matter. The sewing tips were great and the whole pattern is rather forgiving.

 Thanks to helpful instructions and some fabric that I love, I have a cute, functional case that will keep my little reader pretty and scratch-free.

Love.

More making do

I've had this remnant of upholstery fabric for a while, with no real plan of what to do with it. I also have more bath towels than this family needs. Put those two things together with a sewing machine, and you've got yourself a new mat!

 I was originally thinking this would be good in one of the bathrooms, but it's currently more needed at the kitchen sink. If you have a go, be sure to add some non-slip backing to it - I bought some at the dollar store and stitched it on by hand.

I have some more of this fabric to use, and I'm thinking of using it to freshen up some old and falling-apart-throw cushions. Watch this space!

Everyone needs a mug cozy...

So, I have this plan to use up some material I have in storage, and make some of the groovy projects I've pinned on my pinboard. I pinned this cute mug cozy ages ago, and thought "I might just have the stuff to make that". And so I did.

 I must say, felt is so easy to work with, particularly for kids, new sewers, or simply the time challenged. I fall into that last category at the moment, by the way.

There's little to do to make it neat and tidy, and since the edges don't fray, you don't need to spend a lot of time seaming and pressing and all that jazz. Just stitch the little triangles on in a fairly artful way, sew around the edges and add a button, and BOOM! You're stylin'. If you think that using a mug cozy is stylin', that is.

It does a reasonable job of keeping my beverages warm, which is nice, since it's so rare that I finish my tea or coffee while it's still hot. It's a good way to claim your mug, too - who else has such  groovy adornment? 

Maybe when folks start coveting one's mug cozy, it's a sign they need one of their own, perhaps with their own name emblazoned on the pennants for easy ID? Now there's a gift idea...

Climbing back in the saddle

It was the first baby shower for the first baby of one of the couples here at the Pastor's College, and you know how us ladies like us a good baby shower!

It appears that I have earned myself something of a reputation - if Kelly's in attendance, people expect something handmade. I wouldn't dream of disappointing...

Pattern: Eyelet Yoke Baby Cardigan (aka Old Faithful)

Yarn: Cascade, some kind of baby yarn, maybe this?

There was also the very clever suggestion that everyone get at lease one onesie and decorate their with a month of the year so that mom and dad can dress the wee babe up in her "month's" onesie and snap a picture for posterity. Everyone did a wonderful job!

 Clearly, I had month number eight. I bought a pack of 4 onesies, and since I had nothing clever planned for the other three, I decided to decorate all of them. Besides, even gorgeous babies poop all over their clothes and will need a change...

 To make, I printed off the number 8 (font size 450, I believe), traced it onto some scrap material I've got, ironed on some interfacing and got to sewing. It was easy enough to do in an evening, though cutting out a "1" or a "7" would have been easier. Just sayin'.

 I'd seen this cute idea on Pinterest for rolling up some onesie's with a sock to make them look like cupcakes. My first attempt looked rather stupid, really - rather like a wad of cloth with a sock sticking out. Perseverance paid off, however - perhaps they didn't exactly look like cupcakes, but they did look cute, instead of dumb.

Sometimes, that's about the best standard I can live up to.



Scrip-Scrappity Quilt

I'm really not much of a quilter - it often seems too finicky to do all that cutting and piecing. But when I'm wanting to get rid of some scrap material without throwing it away, I'm willing to do some simple quilting. Like, strips, for instance.

 

 I would appear that I sew more for my girls than for my boys, considering the excessive amount of girly fabrics I have...

Now, I just need to find a little wee girl who needs a quilt...I'm also thinking of other things I can apply this "quilting thing" to, as well - tote bag? Kindle case? Zippered pouches? I'm open to ideas!

The Slings I Make but Do Not Photograph

I made my first sling back when Dan was born, and it has been well worth the investment. I have used that thing so much - I love hands-free baby snuggles. Because I use it so much - particularly in church - it's understandable that a few like-minded mommies should want one of their own.
So, over the last 6 or so months, I've made about 6 slings for various friends and friends-of-friends, and would you believe I took not one picture until the most recent? Even that one isn't that hot:

 

So, from here on out, I commit to continue making slings and attempting to photograph them more, if only to prove to myself that the sewing machine is worth the space it takes up.

For the boys

A new car seat cover, in decidedly masculine colors...

...is in the shop.

Upcycled

Here we have Daniel in this season's latest - Daddy's old t-shirt.

 It has been modified to fit his frame using the raglan pattern from Sewing for Boys.

A modification was necessary - I tried adding a neckband. Wouldn't fit over his head. It wouldn't even fit over Caleb's head - those Gayner heads...So, off it came and he loves it just the same. 

In the shop

Need a new pouch for your...stuff?

 Wee babe need some privacy?

Celebrate the Ravens' win by purchasing some purple at the shop! 

Make do and mend

So, I saw this idea on Pinterest (where else?) for lengthening pants for kids, and was totally struck by the idea that it would also do very well for replacing worn out and holey knees. I had to put the idea to the test.

Noah was happy to oblige me with some very ragged jeans. I simply cut a bit above and below the holes, roughly 3 inches. I had some old jeans that Toby'd worn out and used that as replacement fabric. Cut enough to go all the way around and sew the short ends together to form a tube. Put it all together with some top stitching, and you're golden.

 

 

It was most gratifying to find that the plan worked and they fit, but even better is when the boy opts to wear his "mama-fixed" trousers instead of another pair that's in better shape. Sweet.

 

 

If I get around to doing this for the girls - I think they have some jeans I can experiment on - I would probably use some cute, girly-type fabric. I didn't think Noah would really appreciate anything that smacked of "cutesy", so denim is usually a safe bet. It matches so well with, um, denim.

Take a few minutes to root through your kids' trouser collection and see what you've got to work with. It doesn't take long and might save you some of your clothing budget. Which means you can spend it on jewelry instead.

More Car Seat Covers

Remember the car seat cover I made for Caleb? Well, it seems I'm not the only one who likes it, because requests have been made to cover other car seats. Since I have plenty of fabric to use, I'm happy to help. Here's another I made for one of Caleb's friends from church (and her mom).

 This one has some of my favorite fabric scraps in it, and is lined with a pink jersey material.

 This may be another way to give clueless strangers a good guess to the gender of your baby, saving embarrassment from them and irritation from you. (ahem)

The Shirt Smock

A good sturdy apron, really. whose pattern is found in this book.

 Perfect for all around coverage, and a nice big pocket for carrying around all the little tchotkies little girls "need". A single button fastening on the back means they can get it on and off pretty independently.

Two happy customers. Worth it.

Meet "Emily"

You know your children have reached a new stage of creativity when they begin making things with no help at all!

With instructions from this book, Abigail made herself a sock doll:

 Yarn hair, button eyes and a drawn nose and mouth completes the face. The book suggests ways to embroider facial features, but I think Abi was keen to complete the project.

I have it on good authority that some sock-doll clothes are currently in the works...

Ways with an old sweater

Since the Christmas season has officially begun, that tends to mean that there are a few people out there trying to pull together some creative gifts on not a lot of money. Can I help?
Chances are, you or someone in your home have a sweater that's no longer in circulation. Maybe it's small, been run through the dryer, has a hole, or simply doesn't speak to you anymore. Before chucking it or running it over to Goodwill, perhaps you can repurpose it? Here's a few ideas:

Way 1 - a skirt

Pretty easy, this one. Cut a sweater off under the arms, fold over the top and sew to make a casing, and insert elastic. Cute over leggings, and warm!

Way 2 - fingerless gloves

 

Again, easy. Again, a great gift. Cut off a section of sweater that's large enough to wrap around a hand and sew up the seam, leaving a small hole for the thumb. You can hem or otherwise finish the cut end if you think it might unravel.

 

Way 3 - hats

  Had some trouble getting a photo on this one, but this website has easy instructions for how to get it done. Really good for manly gifts - it's not too hard to find a nice men's sweater to cut up, and almost all men wear winter hats, right?

 

Way 4 - baby pants

Photo from makebabystuff.com

I've made a number of pants and shorts for my kids from old t-shirts, and making warm woolen leggings from a sweater is really just the same song, different verse. This website makes them from the sleeves, which is a nice touch.
 

Way 5 - sleep sack

Photo from Rhythm of the Home

Construction is the same a for a hat, basically. Great gift for a new baby.

Need some more ideas? Check out http://tipnut.com/make-sweaters/.

You're welcome.

Car Seat Couture

Caleb's car seat is pretty old and was starting to show its age, mainly in the sag around the sun canopy - more often than not, the thing ended up in his face. I also started to notice how regardless of the canopy, he still would get the sun in his face.

When I saw this pin, I knew what must be done...

 

 On this occasion, I used the pin for inspiration rather than followed it exactly, and it was just the ticket. I was able to line it with some flannel from the stash, which allows it to hang better and gives an extra layer of warmth.

I'm thinking this is the perfect time of year for this sort of project - protection from the weather and other people's germs, a cozy little blackout screen, and a little bit of pretty as the weather turns bleak.

The only thing cuter is the baby inside.

Getting long in the leg

I have been sewing - really, I have. It just comes in quickly and quietly stolen moments, and the projects have been small, guaranteeing quick gratification.

These pants of Ellie's for instance...

She wore them to co-op a couple weeks ago, and walked around all morning looking like she was ready for the flood. I didn't have time to go shopping for new jeans at the weekend, so I had a go at "making do"...

 

Cutting some leftover, sort-of-coordinating fabric, giving it a hem and a gather and attaching it to the inside of her pant legs did just the trick in lengthening her pants to acceptable levels. It won't last long, but I feel I've bought some time...

...and sometimes, that's about the best I can hope for.

Lest you think I have it all together...

• Daniel ate hand sanitizer the other day and declared it "tasty".
• One night, Toby found little black floaty things in the water jug. The next day, there were plastic sea toys in there.
• There has been smoothie spots on my dining room wall for more than a week, with no sign of them coming off soon.
• More than once, Dan has poured powdered laundry detergent into various containers in the laundry room. I'm thankful it wasn't liquid.
• My children love to climb everything, including up the hallway walls and out their bedroom windows.
• They also pull out winter hats and gloves as soon as the temperature drops below 75F.
• Usually, if Ellie dresses herself, it looks like she lost a bet.
• One of Abi's history questions was "Name a country that one of Prince Henry the Navigator's expeditions reached." Her answer was "Las Vegas".
• It has been so long since I've ironed, Toby was struggling to find a subtle way to ask me to iron a shirt or two. What he came up with was, "So, how do you feel about ironing?"
• I have an upholstery project to tackle that I am so under-inspired and overwhelmed by that I'd rather get rid of the piece of furniture itself than make the needed repairs. However, I've already bought the material, so repair it I must.

I can't be the only one who has yet to get her act together. Any fun tales to share?

Made from Scraps - Water Bottle Sleeve

I have this water bottle. I use it a lot, but it's ugly. I like cold drinks with a lot of ice, but they tend to leave puddles on tables and counters. This makes my husband growl.

None of these are a problem any longer, though. The answer to my problems were just in my sewing closet, awaiting a moment of inspiration - the Sleeve:

The tutorial I used referred to the slightly odd shape of a fountain drink cup, but I modified mine to fit my straight-sided bottle. It was also easier because I used some scrap felt inside, rather than quilt batting that needs to come between two layers. I like me some shortcuts.
I'm thinking this would work not only as an absorbing tool for cold drinks, but an insulating one for hot drinks as well. I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to modify further for to-go mugs or even a large thermos. The possibilities are...quite a few!

Made from Scraps - Bookmarks

This family is made of readers. As book-lovers, we need bookmarks. And in my quest for near-instant gratification and less scrap material in my closet, I met a need: more bookmarks!

 The tutorial I used for inspiration called for several small pieces stitched together, but I went for single pieces with fusible interfacing in between. Some I made according to the instructions (turning right side out and top stitching) and adding a ribbon, but a couple I made by just sewing the wrong sides (fused) together and trimming the raw edges with pinking shears. Both were fun and easy.

I have no idea why the photos came out upside down (camera phone!), nor why I couldn't seem to turn them around in my picture file. Whatever - I think you get the point. :)
For the record, I did make a couple of non-girly bookmarks for the boys, but they never made it to the camera stage - they were run off with too quickly. I think that's a good thing.