Simple Superhero Cap and Cuffs {tutorial link}

 

My son was invited to a Birthday Party and like always, I ask the mom what she wants the kiddo to have as a gift.  (A mom's and kid's idea of a good gift often differ, plus I wouldn't want to get them something they already have! :)

She knows me well and knows that I rather enjoy crafting, so sent me this link that she found on pinterest.  Blankets weren't staying tied on when used as capes, so something else was needed. Never fear....Kelly to the rescue.  :)

The tutorial is great, I just made a few minor modifications.  

I bought 2 tshirts at the Dollar Store, since they weren't on sale at Hobby Lobby this week.  From now on....I'm saving the shirts that dear hubs donates.  This is such a perfect gift!!!

I opted for snaps (at the mom's request) at the neck instead of velcro, but am going to let them be tested and can add velcro if snaps seem to be cumbersome.

I used the green scraps to make these appliques.  I cut 3 squares bigger than my star shape out of wonder under, ironed them to the knit scraps, then die cut the stars (you can trace and hand cut though), ironed onto cape, and then stitched with contrasting thread.

I used a freezer paper stencil that I cut with my silhouette to put the "M" on the back.  The Birthday Boy's name started with an "M."

It wasn't very nice of me to have my sweet boy model for me then make him take it off so I could wrap it. 

No worries....I promised him a set of his own.  Hopefully he will forget until Christmas! ;)

Since I sewed on the appliques and the cuffs, this is SC#31....wow I am sooo behind!

Braided headband

Got any leftover knit fabric?  An old t-shirt?  Or even just fabric scraps?  Quick and easy headband redo.  I found the headbands at the Dollar Tree, but any craft store will have them.

Here is an easy tutorial for them.  Enjoy!

Upcycled flower Tshirt {tutorial}

As I process laundry on a daily basis, I'm amazed at how many items of clothing just do not come clean anymore.  Those so called "washable" paints and markers aren't as user friendly as they say.  My children also seem to not be able to use the napkins they are given at each meal.  Why use a perfectly clean napkin when I have this shirt right here?

This is my attempt to cover up some stains and keep this shirt out of the play-clothes drawer.  You know those clothes....the ones I make them wear to "help" in the garden.  (I say that like I actually have a garden...you know what I mean.)

Supplies:

Tshirt

Tshirt material (or another tshirt)

Pins

Thread and needle

Scissors

How to:

I took an old pink baby pajama jumper that was a little stained due to a three baby girls using it.  Since we are done having babies *sniff* I figured it needed a new life.  I cut along the seams to have a flat surface.  

Then ran it through my die cut machine with the 4 circles die.  I cut 5 sets of 4 circles.  This can easily be done with a template and set of scissors, too.

I then stacked the sets from biggest to smallest and pinned them in place.

  I started with the center "flower" and worked my way out on each side.

I sewed the "flowers" first by putting an X through the center and pulled rather tight so they would squish up.  Before cutting the thread, I sewed them on the shirt.  Once again, I started with the center flower and worked outwards.  

 

I pulled #2 out of her jammies to try it on (hence the mussed up hair) then we switched out her clothes for the next day so she could wear it to school.

Tshirt to tunic {SC#5}

Browsing "I am Momma Hear Me Roar" awhile back I can across this up-cycling t-shirt to dress tutorial.  Since I'm all about not throwing things away (hoarding is what the hubs calls it) I have lots of tshirt material.  (Just between you and me.....when I know he's getting ready to take a box to donation, I go through it before he loads it into the car.  I find all sorts of fun stuff that I sneak take upstairs to my "office.")

I also have 4 kids that are growing like weeds, and destroying clothing in the process.  My 5 year old came to me one morning with a shirt on that I knew was not suppose to show her belly, but she cried when I told her she had to change.  She loves the shirt and the cute embroidered ladybug on the front (which I kept).  So...I told her I'd fix it.  And I did.

Here it is now.  (Do you think she likes it???)

She's posing all on her own!  No prompting from me at all.  She even asked if she could sleep in it tonight! (Notice another pair of patched jeans?  I told ya my #1 was rough on them, so #2 gets all the patched jeans!)

Honestly, it took me longer to re-thread one of the needles on the serger than it did to sew this up.  I'm new at serging, so am really trying to like it.  (Its not working so far...)  It would have been much easier to just sew the shirt up with a straight stitch on my machine.

We are totally into the tunic and jean/leggings look at our house and this fits right in.  I'll be doing it with more of the girls clothes, I'm sure!

From Shirt to Skirt {quick tutorial and SC#4}

We have 4 kiddos.  3 girls, so lots of hand me downs that I'm ok altering to last a little longer.  This shirt, I loved the color combo, but the way it is (was) constructed makes it a little hard to get on a squirmy 11 month old.  So...I made it into a skirt.

I thought this little ruffle at the bottom was so cute.  (Pardon the un-iron shirt...that's one thing I don't do much of around here!)

The whole process took about 15 minutes.

Supplies:

Shirt

Scissors/Rotary cutter and mat

1/4" elastic (or whatever you pull from your leftovers)

Safety pin

Sewing machine

How to:

Cut shirt from armpit to armpit.    I wasn't too worried about the length of the skirt, since I planned on her wearing them over the leggings that came with the shirt (those still fit.)

Fold in and hem just wider than you elastic.  (Knit doesn't fray, so this is a crude hem job with no turning under.)  Leave about an inch open at the back to insert your elastic.

I grabbed a pair of the little punkin's pants to measure (she was already asleep I couldn't measure her waist) and cut the elastic.  Put your safety pin through the end of the elastic and pin, then thread through your waist band.  Overlap the elastic and secure with a zig-zag.

Either close up the waistband with your machine or hand stitch closed.

Done.

 Trying to take a picture of a skirt on an 11 month old who prefers crawling to walking was not the easiest.

This is what happens when she sees the camera. 

Attack of the baby.