Applique Monogrammed Onsie {tutorial}

 

This was one of my baby shower gifts for my friend (does the fabric look familiar).  The process is very similar to my heart applique shirt and my knee patches.

Supplies:

Clothing

Fabric

Wonder under

Iron

Pencil

Scissors

Optional: machine stitching edges

How to:

Figure out what letter you want (I use a template.) Cut a piece of wonder under a little bigger than your final shape, and a piece of fabric a little bigger than your wonder under.

Iron WU onto fabric per included instructions.  Flip it over and trace or draw your letter onto the back.  IMPORTANT: Draw your letter in reverse.  

Cut it out, peel backing of your letter, place in center of your shirt and iron on following instructions.

 With that, you can be done, but you can also take it a step further and sew the edges of the letter.  I use heave duty wonder under that says "no sewing needed" but I always finish it off.  I have found that maneuvering those tiny little onsies on my sewing machine is a little bit easier if I take off my tool box.  Also make sure when you are sewing you are only sewing the top layer!  (Ask me how I know that?? ;)

I straight stitched my edges this time, but sometimes I zig-zag.  Just depends what kind of mood I'm in.  Around the tight little corners, I don't use my foot pedal and "hand crank" the machine.

There you go!  You can put these on blankets, bibs, burp cloths, you name it! 

(This is also Sewing Challenge #19)

"DREAM" Paper Pennant Garland (quick tutorial)

 

The hardest part of this little project...picking out the font! ;)  I LOVE fonts!!!  My favorite site lately is scrapnfonts  Cute stuff and super cheap!

Supplies:

Printer

Jute twine

Paper

How to:

Choose your font and increase the font size until it fits your size of pennant.

My pennants are 4" wide by 6" tall, so I re-sized my page to those dimensions and blew up the font.

Cut the paper.

Put it in the printer and hit print.

Punches holes and strung it up.

Easy Peasy.

Updating Chairs

These are a set from our "hotel" shopping spree.  I'm really happy with the way the chairs turned out.  I just finish reupholstering the seat last night, after an hour long battle with the staple gun in a dark garage (of course the light bulb burnt out when I'm trying to dig through the hubs tools to find staples!)

This is how they started.

I only did two.  My partner in crime here refinished the table and we are selling them as a set.  The table (seen in the left pic) has been done in SW Creamy and lightly glazed.  I can't wait to get the set together! :)

Here's the seat.  I'm a sucker for hounds tooth!

 Slight distressing and a past wax finish.

If we had 8, I'd keep them all for myself!

Linking Here:

Crib Bumper

First off....I will take a proper picture of this in a crib once the baby's room is done.  For now this is all I have. :)

This bumper is one piece of a set that I'm making for my friend, Katie.  Its my baby gift to her.  She chose the colors, fabric, and style of the bumper and I'm the labor.  I enjoy sewing and decorating so this a really fun project.

I didn't use a pattern or a tutorial, I just kind of wung it.  That's how I roll with these type of projects.  I'll read a few sets of directions, then do what makes the most sense to me.  If anyone reading this is thinking about tackling a bumper and wants more info...contact me.  Its really just like making a giant pillowcase for a really, really, really long pillow.

I put piping only on the top (since the bottom is not going to show, why waste the time and materials?)  The bottom was the last part I sewed, done with a simple straight stitch as close to the edge as possible while still sewing on the material.

The ties were not put on the top, but on the side...

...and made to knot, not tie in a bow....

...so they were made shorter.

Pretty picture to come once its in the baby's room. ;)

(This is also sewing challenge #18.)

Simple Card {quick tutorial}

Quick and easy!  

Supplies:

Card blank

Carstock or scrapbook paper 2 patterns, plus green scrap

Kraft paper scraps

Button and string (string optional)

How to:

I use the 4" x 5 1/2" card blanks, so these measurements are for that size.  Cut your background paper to 3 1/2" x 5" and adhere to blank.

Punch a  1 1/2" flower or scalloped circle out of kraft paper.  Punch a 1 1/4"circle out of your second patterned cardstock.  Punch a 3/4" circle out of kraft paper.   

Line your flower pieces up and punch two small holes.  Put your button on top and thread string through.  Tie a knot or bow and cut your ends.

Adhere to card where ever you'd like!  I use dots for this because of the weight of the flower I feel its more secure.

Cut or punch leaves out of green paper and adhere.  

This is an anniversary card, so I stamped "happily ever after" inside the card. 

Here is another variation.  I printed a page of "thank you" on circle labels.  Matted the label with another circle punch and adhered this with a pop dot.  These were the thank you cards that I made for the mom-to-be for shower thank you cards.

3 Legged Bench

This was never intended to be a project for me.  On my first garage sale-ing trip last summer my friend (and now business partner here) picked this little thing up for $3.  I was eyeing it too, so I'm glad she grabbed it.

This is what she looked like we rescued her. She sat in my friends garage through the winter.  I snagged her a few weeks ago and said I'd do a little slipcover for her.  I first reupholstered her in some white twill that I had.

Then I sewed this little cover for her, ala Miss Mustard Seed.  (I'm not even going to attempt a tutorial since MMS has done some fabulous video tutes.  Start here.  So worth the time to watch the series!)

Here's her cute little ruffle.

 But wait.....something is missing.

Ahhhh....that's much better.  A little freezer paper stencil!  (My first one.....and definitely NOT the last!)

She is for sale SOLD here.

{This also completed my Sewing Challenge #17.}

Sewing Challenge #16

Sewing on AWANAS patches.  Nothing like the last minute!  Their award ceremony is tonight. ;)

Book Bundles {quick tutorial}

This was one of the easiest projects to make!  

I ran into Goodwill one morning to see if they had any lampshades.  They were having a 50% off sale, so I grabbed some hardback books.  My 3 year old helped me pick them out.  

 When I got home, in about 10 minutes I turned this...

into this.....

Supplies:

Old hardback books (make sure they don't have markings on the paper edges) 

Jute twine

How to:

Take the dust covers off

Open the front cover and with scissors or an exacto knife (knife works better), separate the cover from the front page by cutting it off.  

Repeat for back.

Repeat for other books.

Stack them together.

Tie jute twine around (like wrapping a present) and knot at the top.  Tie a bow.

Done.

Owl Pillow

Isn't he cute???  I found this idea from this etsy shop.  (Aren't her things adorable!!!) 

 I made up the pattern and used scraps from the bedding I am making for my friend.  The bumper is behind the owl and will be another post.  The eyes and nose are felt scraps.  The wings can fold out and are white and grey.  The whole thing took less than an hour.  

I surprised her with it at the shower yesterday.  She loved is so much she wants another in the alternating fabric and her sister ordered a "girl" one too!

(This is also sewing challenge #15.)

Fabric Pennant Garlad {tutorial}

I whipped this up for a baby shower decoration that can then be used in baby's room.  I'm making the bedding as a gift to my friend, so snagged some scraps for this.  (This is also sewing challenge #14.)

Supplies:

Fabric

1/2" double fold bias tape (or you can make your own)

How to:

Decide how long you want your garland and make (or cut bias tape) to that length.  I made my bias tape since I had white fabric and it was late at night when I decided to do this (which is pretty much normal for me!) so didn't have the option of running to the store.  I used a manual bias tape maker (first time) and it was kinda fun.  I made single fold, then folded/ironed in half to make double fold bias tape.  Then ending width is 1/2" and its perfect for this size pennant.

I didn't start taking pictures until half way through the project....sorry!

Cut your pennant shapes.  I used this die and love it so much!!!  I made 8, but you can make as many or few as you'd like.  They are 4" across by about 6" high, with tails cut on both ends.

I sewed the bottoms of my pennants together, but you can just as easily leave them be.  Fold your pennant in half then sew a straight stitch down one side, up then down the tail, then back up the other side.  I left the top just folded and didn't stitch it.

An option is to leave a large seam allowance and use your pinking shears on the edges, but I kind of like the shabbyness of the slightly frayed edges.

Once they are all sewn (or not if you choose), then pick your pattern.

Mark the center of your bias tape.

Start pinning the pennants in following your pattern.

I spaced mine 2" apart, but play around with it until its to your liking.  I left about 18" at each end of the bias tape for tying.

Sew it up and tie a knot in each end of the tape.  

Here is it hanging at the shower.

Map Cards and Envelopes

The hubs is in a purging mode.  I have to be sneaky about checking boxes before they head to his trunk, which is why I usually volunteer to take the boxes to donate.  Don't get me wrong, I'm purging too, but I have to make sure the things that leave the house and things I want to leave the house.  Know what I mean?

Anyway....an old NW Map book was in the pile and I rescued it and now I'm turning trash into treasure!  

I few years ago I bought some envelope dies for my Accucut.  I  bought them and once they arrived I though....now what?  I normally use card blanks for my cards and those come with envelopes.  

Hmm...I'm using up some of my random pieces of scrapbook paper...when my mom comes to visit she buys and cuts wrapping paper (cute!)...but what else???  

Enter map book.  

Which is now a stationary set!

I'm selling them here in my etsy shop.