Simplicity Patterns has a link to free sewing and knitting and crocheting in their "classroom". Here's the link. Click on either sewing or knitting and crocheting and there are dozens of projects with patterns and instructions for free and they are adding more all the time! Just in the sewing section, they have projects for everyone, from kitty toys and a travel doggie dish, to home decor like pillows and frames, to accesories like necklaces, bangles, headbands, and belts to quick and easy clothing like embellished t-shirts, and ruffled denim skirts. There is everything you could ever imagine like costumes, pins, lunchsacks and totebags, and that just barely scratches the surface. Check it out, I'm sure with all the options you'll find something you will fall in love with! And I only visited the sewing section, if you knit or crochet the options are even more diverse and exciting!
http://www.simplicity.com/t-classroom.aspx
Monday, December 6, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
A Princess is Always Prepared!
A friend of mine posted about an Emergency Purse Kit. This would be a great Bridal Shower or Baby Shower gift! Here's the link. This list seems do-able! I couldn't think of anything I would add, but while writing this I thought of sunscreen or sunscreen stick, I don't know if that's on the list or not, but if my family plans on being in the sun for more then 5 minutes that is a must! And while I was typing that, I thought of gauze and medical tape? Maybe, for bigger cuts? Anyway, enjoy!
http://queenofchaosandjoy.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-purse-emergency-kit.html
Someone commented that they needed to add:
nail clippers
Phone numbers so you can call people if you phone goes dead
a snack like crackers or peanuts
a toothbrush or brush ups (but that sounds like a personal problem...jk!)
http://queenofchaosandjoy.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-purse-emergency-kit.html
Someone commented that they needed to add:
nail clippers
Phone numbers so you can call people if you phone goes dead
a snack like crackers or peanuts
a toothbrush or brush ups (but that sounds like a personal problem...jk!)
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Smocking (Shir) Dress Tutorial #2
While I was googling where to get some smocked fabric online, seeing if I could find it cheaper, I found these 2 tutorials.
The first one was more just someone posted this on a forum where someone else asked where to buy smocked fabric. I also found out that it's also called shirring, or shir fabric. Here are some tutorials to make your own shirred, or smocked fabric. I have tried this before and it didn't work, but my machine was broken at the time and I didn't know it, so I will try it again now that my machine is fixed. (Plus these instructions are way better then the ones I had) I hope this helps!
The written instructions are below, or there are a little more descriptive instructions if you CLICK HERE.
You can find elastic thread at any fabric store with a good notions supply. It can be found with the rest of the elastic, not the thread.
1. Hand wind the bobbin with the elastic thread and don't pull it and don't use your machine bobbin threader.
2. Use regular thread for your top thread.
3. Set your stitch length to the longest stitch and I usually set the tension around 3-4. You might want to play around with it on scrap fabric from the same fabric you are going to be using as every machine is slightly different.
4. Cut your fabric with at least a 2:1 ratio for the size you need. Meaning if your chest is 30 inches around, you need to make it 60 inches around before it's shirred, or smocked.
5. Hem the top of the piece first. It is difficult to do when it is all bunched up. You might want to do the bottom seam too, it just makes it easier.
6. Start sewing in long straight lines. You can trace your guidelines if you want or just go slowly. I use the sewing lines as a guide for distance. I go down three stitches in between each line.
7. When you are done sewing your lines, tie the two threads together. It is hard to use an anchoring stitch with the elastic thread, so tying them together is necessary.
8. Now if it didn't shirr enough while you were sewing, you can use a steam iron to bring it out. It usually shirrs more when I put the outfit in the dryer, too.
The first one was more just someone posted this on a forum where someone else asked where to buy smocked fabric. I also found out that it's also called shirring, or shir fabric. Here are some tutorials to make your own shirred, or smocked fabric. I have tried this before and it didn't work, but my machine was broken at the time and I didn't know it, so I will try it again now that my machine is fixed. (Plus these instructions are way better then the ones I had) I hope this helps!
The written instructions are below, or there are a little more descriptive instructions if you CLICK HERE.
You can find elastic thread at any fabric store with a good notions supply. It can be found with the rest of the elastic, not the thread.
1. Hand wind the bobbin with the elastic thread and don't pull it and don't use your machine bobbin threader.
2. Use regular thread for your top thread.
3. Set your stitch length to the longest stitch and I usually set the tension around 3-4. You might want to play around with it on scrap fabric from the same fabric you are going to be using as every machine is slightly different.
4. Cut your fabric with at least a 2:1 ratio for the size you need. Meaning if your chest is 30 inches around, you need to make it 60 inches around before it's shirred, or smocked.
5. Hem the top of the piece first. It is difficult to do when it is all bunched up. You might want to do the bottom seam too, it just makes it easier.
6. Start sewing in long straight lines. You can trace your guidelines if you want or just go slowly. I use the sewing lines as a guide for distance. I go down three stitches in between each line.
7. When you are done sewing your lines, tie the two threads together. It is hard to use an anchoring stitch with the elastic thread, so tying them together is necessary.
8. Now if it didn't shirr enough while you were sewing, you can use a steam iron to bring it out. It usually shirrs more when I put the outfit in the dryer, too.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Table Linens!
Craftiness is not just making things. I think craftiness is also ideas that make life easier, or at least a little more beautiful. I'm going to share an idea that I came upon on accident and I stumbled into greatness!
I am of the idea that I don't want it in my house unless it's washable. If I let up on even one thing, I am just wasting money as my boys can't keep anything clean for more then an hour. I have been buying vinyl tablecloths to cover the table so that I can just wipe it off. I was tired of the staining, and the texture of the tablecloth making it impossible to clean easily. I was buying tablecloths every 6 months and it was way beyond where it should have been, I should have been buying new ones every 2-3 months to keep them clean and whole. So I was at the store looking for another tablecloth and I came upon the clear plastic cover that you use for the cloth table linens. They are a little cheaper then the vinyl ones and that way I can buy a table cloth that I really like, still vinyl, (I won't take a chance that the cover will shift and get the bottom tablecloth dirty) and then cover it with a cloth table linen cover. The plastic cover protects the tablecloth and is 1,000,000 times easier to clean, it wipes right off and I don't have to scrub. There's no texture so wiping is easy and there is no staining! Best $5 I ever spent!
I am of the idea that I don't want it in my house unless it's washable. If I let up on even one thing, I am just wasting money as my boys can't keep anything clean for more then an hour. I have been buying vinyl tablecloths to cover the table so that I can just wipe it off. I was tired of the staining, and the texture of the tablecloth making it impossible to clean easily. I was buying tablecloths every 6 months and it was way beyond where it should have been, I should have been buying new ones every 2-3 months to keep them clean and whole. So I was at the store looking for another tablecloth and I came upon the clear plastic cover that you use for the cloth table linens. They are a little cheaper then the vinyl ones and that way I can buy a table cloth that I really like, still vinyl, (I won't take a chance that the cover will shift and get the bottom tablecloth dirty) and then cover it with a cloth table linen cover. The plastic cover protects the tablecloth and is 1,000,000 times easier to clean, it wipes right off and I don't have to scrub. There's no texture so wiping is easy and there is no staining! Best $5 I ever spent!
Smock Dress
I bought some smocking at JoAnn's etc. and it's not too expensive, it's about $0.12 an inch and it comes in several different colors. (You can probably find it other places with the skirt already attached, it makes it so much easier, but it's not as customizable and it's more expensive (like $12 a yard) It may be worth the extra money to have the ease.) Then I just got some coordinating fabric and added it at the length I wanted to the bottom. It's super easy, but I need to lose a little more weight before I wore it without being pregnant, it's not super flattering, but I will rock it next time I'm pregnant, or in a few months when hopefully I drop some weight (cross your fingers) Anyway, so I tried to take a couple how to pics, but most of them didn't really turn out, I have one on here, I hope it helps. I'll tell you the steps, they are really easy!
STEPS: Make sure to measure your chest to make sure it goes around your bust without pulling. You should get as much smocking as the measurement around your bust not stretched at all, so you can get it on and off easily.
You will also need ribbon for the straps if you want them to stay up. You can also make straps from the coordinating fabric, but I always take the easy way.
1. Cut the amount of smocking you need and turn wrong side out and sew up the edge to make a tube top. Make sure to match up the lines of elastic so they look continual.
2. Figure out how far around you need to make the skirt. I wanted to use mine when I was pregnant, so I made sure to accommodate for my belly. If you don't have hips too big, then you can just cut the skirt width as wide as the smocking is when it's stretched to it's fullest. The skirt can be as full as you want to make it, the skirt doesn't have to match the stretched smocking, Step 4 will get it all to fit. To easily measure, after I've stitched the smocking together, I hold the end of the tape measure and the seam of the smocking together and with the other hand I stretch the smocking and let the tape measure slide until the smocking is at it's most stretched out stage then double it because the smocking is doubled over. Once you figure out the width, figure out the length. You can make this into a shirt or a long dress, it just depends on how long you want it to be. Cut the length of fabric you want for the skirt, making sure to leave enough extra for the seam allowances. If it's wider then the width of the fabric then cut half of the width, 2 times and sew together so you have seams on both sides.
3. Hem the bottom of the fabric skirt tube.
4. GATHERING: If you have cut the skirt wider then the stretched smocking then follow this step, if not, skip to step 6. Lengthen the stitch on your machine. Sew a long stitch all the way around the top of the skirt pretty close to the raw edge. Make sure you leave the excess thread long, it will help when you pull it in the next step. Don't back stitch. When you're done with that, make another long stitch all the way around the top of the skirt about 1/4 inch below the stitch you just made, make sure to not overlap them and make sure to leave extra thread to make it easier to pull. When you're done stitching make a knot and tie together the 2 stitches of one side and then the other side on the top of the fabric and the 2 stitches on one side and the other side on the bottom side of the fabric. You will have 4 knots. This is confusing, I hope this makes sense. (On the pic below it's the 2 light blue parallel threads.)
5. Take the knotted thread from one side, top and bottom and gently pull one at a time, to figure out which give a little easier. Then while keeping one (either top or bottom) thread stationary, gently pull the other set and work it down, you will get a gathering effect. Work it all the way around so that it's even all the way around. Gather it until it's the same circumference as the stretched smocking. This way you will get the fullness and still be able to sew the 2 pieces together easily.
STEPS: Make sure to measure your chest to make sure it goes around your bust without pulling. You should get as much smocking as the measurement around your bust not stretched at all, so you can get it on and off easily.
You will also need ribbon for the straps if you want them to stay up. You can also make straps from the coordinating fabric, but I always take the easy way.
1. Cut the amount of smocking you need and turn wrong side out and sew up the edge to make a tube top. Make sure to match up the lines of elastic so they look continual.
2. Figure out how far around you need to make the skirt. I wanted to use mine when I was pregnant, so I made sure to accommodate for my belly. If you don't have hips too big, then you can just cut the skirt width as wide as the smocking is when it's stretched to it's fullest. The skirt can be as full as you want to make it, the skirt doesn't have to match the stretched smocking, Step 4 will get it all to fit. To easily measure, after I've stitched the smocking together, I hold the end of the tape measure and the seam of the smocking together and with the other hand I stretch the smocking and let the tape measure slide until the smocking is at it's most stretched out stage then double it because the smocking is doubled over. Once you figure out the width, figure out the length. You can make this into a shirt or a long dress, it just depends on how long you want it to be. Cut the length of fabric you want for the skirt, making sure to leave enough extra for the seam allowances. If it's wider then the width of the fabric then cut half of the width, 2 times and sew together so you have seams on both sides.
3. Hem the bottom of the fabric skirt tube.
4. GATHERING: If you have cut the skirt wider then the stretched smocking then follow this step, if not, skip to step 6. Lengthen the stitch on your machine. Sew a long stitch all the way around the top of the skirt pretty close to the raw edge. Make sure you leave the excess thread long, it will help when you pull it in the next step. Don't back stitch. When you're done with that, make another long stitch all the way around the top of the skirt about 1/4 inch below the stitch you just made, make sure to not overlap them and make sure to leave extra thread to make it easier to pull. When you're done stitching make a knot and tie together the 2 stitches of one side and then the other side on the top of the fabric and the 2 stitches on one side and the other side on the bottom side of the fabric. You will have 4 knots. This is confusing, I hope this makes sense. (On the pic below it's the 2 light blue parallel threads.)
5. Take the knotted thread from one side, top and bottom and gently pull one at a time, to figure out which give a little easier. Then while keeping one (either top or bottom) thread stationary, gently pull the other set and work it down, you will get a gathering effect. Work it all the way around so that it's even all the way around. Gather it until it's the same circumference as the stretched smocking. This way you will get the fullness and still be able to sew the 2 pieces together easily.
6. Put the tube top smocking the right side out and upside down inside the skirt tube. The skirt should be inside out. So when you put them both together, the right sides are together. Pin it all the way around making sure to stretch the smocking to meet the fabric so they are the same circumference.
7.Sew the smocking tube top to the skirt tube. Don't worry about the gathering stitches. if they show you can take them out after you are done with the dress. Make sure to stitch it securely.
8. Then turn the dress the right way and if you want it to be strapless you're done! To add straps, try the dress on and with a friend or hubby's help measure the length of the strap that you want allowing for seam allowances also mark where you want the straps to be on the dress. You can make it a solid strap, or you can make it so you can tie it at the top of each shoulder with a bow. This is ideal for a nursing dress, so you have easy access. If it's a solid closed strap, cut the ribbon with seam allowances, and heat seal the ribbon with a match or lighter on both ends. This will eliminate having to hem it. Then just sew them on the dress. For a tied strap, double the length of each strap to allow for a bow. You can make it bigger for a bigger bow. Heat seal all of the ends of the ribbon. Sew one ribbon to each place on the dress where you want to have the straps. Then when you put it on you can tie the dress straps together.
I actually enjoyed making this dress, but I always enjoy making things with my own hands and imagination. You can embellish the dress where you want to. Make it your own and enjoy the journey!
I had my hubby take this and he took it from a not very flattering angle. I haven't put the straps on yet, but it's fine and semi-secure this way too. This pic has the dress over a brown shirt. I like long dresses, any length will work! It would make a really cute Maternity shirt as well!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Bandana 15 Minute Dress
I saw this on Nannygoat's Blog
http://littlenannygoat.blogspot.com/2010/02/bandanna-dress-and-belated-valentines.html
and they got it from Trey and Lucy's Blog
http://treyandlucy.blogspot.com/2009/01/15-minute-dress.html
Each time improving on the original
http://littlenannygoat.blogspot.com/2010/02/bandanna-dress-and-belated-valentines.html
and they got it from Trey and Lucy's Blog
http://treyandlucy.blogspot.com/2009/01/15-minute-dress.html
Each time improving on the original
Trey and Lucy, well, I don't know if it originated there, but they don't post a link to anything so who knows? It's cute either way! Then NannyGoat added the seam in the middle of the gathered top to prevent ribbon slippage! I added the cute little applique at the bottom to give it a little umph! Here's the finished dress and a close up of the appliqued area. Click on the links to see the complete step by steps, they say it better then I could!
I also love that this is a dress when she's 2-3 and it becomes a shirt when she's 5-6! I love dual purpose! Can't go wrong with leopard print sassy!
Here's a close up of the bottom left corner of the garment. I got this applique at Michael's.
This is so easy and quick! I even sewed a few extra seams and it didn't take that long! This would take someone that really knows sewing about 15 minutes. Me, it took (not including getting out my machine and setting up the area to get ready to sew) about 30 minutes. It will take a lot less time the next time I make one, the first time I try a sewing craft it always takes me longer. So sad I have to wait 2 years for Lydia to fit into this. I will be doing the same thing most likely with just fabric cut a little smaller, that will take a little longer still as the fabric's not pre-hemmed or pre-cut, but she can wear it sooner! (OK, after typing that sentence, I might just have to wait, that seems like a pain! Maybe I can find something smaller that's already hemmed? We shall entertain possibilities and get back to you!) This little dress puts me in my happy place!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Sweet PURSE-on!
Ok, so I'm a little weird, anyone reading this blog that knows me personally, I'm possitive, isn't shocked! My mom didn't like her purse, she had it for a while and it didn't work right for her, plus, like all my purses, the straps started to rip. She was going to throw it away, but it wasn't that old and just the straps were ripping, the rest of the purse was still good. I couldn't figure out what I was going to do with it, but I knew I didn't just want to fix the strap, I wanted to revamp that whole purse. Much to my husband's chegrin, I like to be a little flashy and colorful, that's just sort of my personality! I have to surpress it so my husband will walk with me, but I still have ways for some of it to come out! I was putting away some of my craft stuff and trying to think of something that I could do with my colored Duck Tape (yes, DUCK! I recently found out that when it was invented for the army in WWII it was nicknamed DUCK tape, it later became Duct Tape after the war.) Then it hit me and I came up with this...
Yes, I covered a black purse in black and lime green duck tape! My husband wasn't too mortified when I showed him! It makes me happy! You know those things that when you look at them there is just something in your minds that makes you smile? I have a whole bunch of those things, but this is my most recent! I haven't gotten the hang of this whole craft blogging and I was halfway through when I thought, I should have taken a before photo! Oh well, I didn't change the shape of the purse, you can probably picture the way it was before pretty easily!
HOW TO: Not being used to blogging my crafts yet, I forgot to take how to pics, but it's not really all that hard, let me try to explain. Good luck as I'm notoriously bad at giving directions...
Just take a length of duck tape, it really doesn't matter how long, but I started with long strips all going one way and then added some going different ways to add dimension and have that "duck tape" look. If something was too long for what I had intended, I would rip it off and put the little scrap piece just out there on some little place that I had already finished. I never cut it, I just rip the tape as it will gum up your scissors and won't cut it anyway. Again, it all adds to the look! The easiest way is to get your length of tape, figure out where you want it, then smooth out the area that you want to put the tape on, as flat as possible so you can put the tape on easier, and the tape stays more flat and doesn't bunch up. Just make sure that every part of the purse is covered, and don't cover up any hardware (like clasps, hooks or zippers. You don't need to do the inside of the purse as it's a finished purse. Just do the outside.
When doing the pockets, I just make sure when I'm doing the black to go just a little way up on the pocket. Then when I did the green I just went to the edge of the pocket and just made sure to make a semi straight line. on the top of the pocket just tuck it in just a little to make sure to coat the top of the pocket with tape.
OPTIONAL: Some thoughts I had to embellish, but my husband couldn't handle it so much. Duck tape flowers! Take wax or butcher paper, cover with one layer of colored ducktape on one side and then flip and repeat. So you basically get a sheet of duck tape paper. Then you can cut out any shape of the ducktape and glue them together to have some layered flowers. Put a jewel or a button or something in the middle and attach wherever you think it will fit. Makes it too cute!
ALTERNATIVE: I also thought that this could be an awesome idea for reclaimed purses. Purses that are still very functional, but not so much pretty. Saved from garage sales and thrift shops. Super easy and pretty cheap. The duck tape was $3.75 a roll about. and in this case the purse was free, so this whole project was less then $2, maybe even less then $1, I haven't figured out how much of the roll I used, but it was definitely less then half? If you got a purse for $5 this would still be a really cheap and cheerful project!
I hope that what I layed down made sense! Happy Crafting!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Onesie Dresses
I had a little onesies handed down to me that had a little skirt on it. It was NOT handmade, it was purchased and it was so cute except it had the dumbest picture on the front. I wondered for a while if I could make a cute one and it kind of evolved from there. I spent probably a month thinking of all the things that I could do to make it the easiest and the most durible and the cutest. Finally I got up the nerve to dive into it and here's what happened. This is actually the second one I made. The first one was awesome, but it was slightly crooked. It only took me two to perfect the ideas. Super easy, when I get a minute I'll post the how to's I need to make a bunch more for my gift closet!
Friday, July 30, 2010
In the Beginning...
I have just started this blog and so I'm just working on getting all my craft ideas and pics up, not only to share, but also to remember the fun ideas I have, or more accurately, the fun ideas that I have stolen from much more crafty people. After I have gotten the pics up for everyone to view, I will start to add "how to's" because I believe that being crafty is great, but sharing your crafts and making them accessible is what makes us a community and not a faceless, nameless zombie race, co-existing. I am always open to questions, suggestions, ideas, or helping out, so just leave me a comment and I'll get back to you ASAP! I hope you are inspired and I hope I meet your expectations of craftiness! Enjoy!
Hair Bows
These are some of the bows that I have been making lately. Matt tells me all the time, When are you going to be done making bows? Frankly, they are really easy, relaxing to make and so dang cute. And I can give them away as gifts. Now that I have a baby girl, I just can't get enough bows! They make me happy!
Hair Bow Display
These are some gifts that I have made recently. The circle in the middle of the flower is a peg to put headbands or bracelets on. The second bow holder has a shelf and 2 pegs. I love these! They were super fun and easy to make! I made all the hair bows too, but that's another post. I have one of these up in my bathroom, and they sure are handy!
I made these for a cousin who was having twins. One girl and one boy. They are really easy to make. Believe me, I wouldn't make anything that's difficult and I would make these again. I will do the dress a little bit different next time, it was a chore to do the smocking so I will buy the pre-smocked fabric and then just attach a matching skirt section.
Friday, July 23, 2010
One of my favorite things...
I love how-to vids that are easy to duplicate. I can't figure out how to put vids on here from the Michael's Website, but here's the link. I really like Jo Pearson, although she does work for Michael's and therefore some of them are things that you have to buy specifically from a craft store, but some of them have mainly easily found and cheap supplies! Enjoy!
Simply Patterns
I know it's a small pic, but I saw this pattern and thought that would be easy enough to duplicate without a pattern, which is my favorite way of sewing and crafting in general, from the hip! I have been planning on trying that for a while, so as soon as I do, I'll post it!
I don't think that I could figure this one out, but I really like Simplicity's easy to sew patterns, they usually don't have too hard instructions and they usually don't have many steps, these are the dresses I make in bulk, for gifts or in several different sizes for my little girl!
Here's Looking at you kid!
I have made this website to post pics of my crafty ideas and to share other's ideas. I don't know if you know this, but I have never had an original idea in my life. Well, ok, so maybe that's not entirely true, but I always borrow my ideas from others and most crafters start there. So I will add things as I make them! I hope this gets your creative juices flowing! Enjoy!
Monday, February 22, 2010
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