Easy Pillow Covers Tutorial

I'm very busy this summer making our rental house a home.  In addition to that I have been sick with sinus infections and such for over a month.  That has left me with little energy to blog.  I apologize!

The other day I had enough energy to do some sewing while the kids played.  Can I say how nice it is to have the sewing machine back out!  I love how quickly you can accomplish a project when working at the sewing machine.  A friend of my commented on Facebook about all that I was able to sew.  She said, "Most people can live on bread and water, but not Jill, she needs her sewing machine as well!"  I'm sure I am not the only one like that!

Today, I want to share with you my favorite way to make pillows.  If any of you have kids or pets and your pillows get dirty, it is nice to be able to take off the fabric and wash it without having to wash the entire pillow.  Another nice feature is you can change out your decor easily and not have to stuff another pillow and hand-sew the seam.

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Doll Carrier

My sister asked me to make one of her clients a doll carrier.  I have never made a doll carrier so I got on Pinterest to research.  There wasn't much to choose from, but the ones I did like led me to the book, Oliver + S Little Things to Sew:  20 Classic Accessories and Toys for Children.

Now for those of you who know me, I will attempt to sew anything.  Attempt is the key word.  I'm self-taught when it comes to sewing.  If something is too complicated, I won't try it.  Many times, if it is too complicated, I try my own way.  What was really nice about this pattern was it was both simple and I could still tweak it to be even easier!  The only change I had to make was using more velcro since I haven't taught myself how to make buttonholes yet.

If you want to try a new pattern to make for your little one or as a gift, this is a great one to try.  Here is the carrier I made for my sister's client.

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Tooth Fairy Pillow Tutorial

My oldest son is almost 6 years old and he has lost three baby teeth so far!  Right before Christmas he was working on his first tooth with all expectations of the tooth fairy delivering big time!

I had seen all kinds of tooth fairy pillows and I thought it was an excellent idea.  I also wanted to make it easier on the poor tooth fairy!  Let me show you what I came up with!

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Santa shirt tutorial

Last week my oldest son, Ryan was Santa for his Kindergarten class play, "Twas the night before Christmas."  He was incredibly excited to be Santa.  His teacher asked me if I could get a costume or have something for him more than just a red shirt to wear.

His teacher was great and let me know about it in early November so that I would have plenty of time to figure something out.  So what did I do?  I waited until three nights before to figure out his costume!  I am great at procrastination!

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Yellow Angry Bird Costume

Halloween is just one day away!  I wanted to share the costume I made for my oldest son, Ryan.    Since his first idea of dressing up like Phineas & Ferb with his little brother failed (his brother is Scooby Doo) he had to go in another direction.  Ryan loves playing Angry Birds.  He asked me if he could then be an Angry Bird.  I thought this was a great idea.

I showed Ryan some pictures of costumes, mainly the Red Angry Bird, and I was promptly told that the Red Angry Bird wasn't very fast.  He wanted to be the Yellow Angry Bird as it is super fast!

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Ruffled Candy Corn Shirts

It's no secret, I'm not a seamstress.  I'm just not good at it.  That being said, when I put my mind to something, I almost always succeed.  Well, I saw a beautiful candy corn ruffled shirt and was inspired enough to make 6!

These are our sweet friends, Zoe and Aubrey, sporting their shirts.

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Anna's Halloween Romper

The other day at Joann Fabrics, I found the best candy corn fabric.  I know, I know, I have an addiction to all things candy corn!  I bought a couple of yards to make something with one of my Whimsy Couture Patterns.

I wanted to make Anna something cute with this fabric.  I opened up my Pillowcase Romper Pattern and got started.

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Great Things-Whimsy Couture Sewing Patterns & Giveaway!

It's Monday and time for another Great Thing!  I am very excited to share today's Great Thing, Whimsy Couture Sewing Patterns.  Denise is the fabulous seamstress behind Whimsy Couture.  Like many of us crafty Moms, her business came out of making clothes for her first child.




If you like boutique clothes or all those custom clothes you find at craft fairs, then you will love these patterns.  They are absolutely adorable!  I have six of Denise's patterns so far and they are amazing!  The directions are very clear and easy to understand.  Even if you are new to sewing, these are patterns you can conquer.

Unlike most patterns, Whimsy Couture patterns are for a big span of sizes.  You are't just getting small sizes, most of them go to teenagers and some are even for adults!

Let me show you some examples of these fantastic patterns:

Petti Ruffle Romper

This is absolutely precious and would be perfect for any photography session.

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Baby Sling Tutorial

When I had Evan, I found it increasingly hard to carry him, tend to Ryan and do anything else.  A friend of mine (who also showed me the nursing cover) was carrying her son in a sling.  I loved the idea of the sling as it was much easier to get your child in and out of versus one of those fancier contraptions.

 The only thing I didn't like about the sling was the cost.  When I looked on the internet, most slings were at least $30-50.  That was way out of my price range.  After examining her sling, I knew I could figure out how to make one especially with a bit of google research.

Now that I've had another child, the sling is an essential and I have perfected how I make them.  This is a very simple tutorial and will get you a sling for the cost of 2 yards of fabric and some matching thread!

I made this one for my friend, Henri and her precious baby girl, McCall.  Here she is modeling it for me. Thanks for the picture, Henri!

Baby Sling Tutorial

Supplies Needed:

• 2 yards of fabric of choice (width should be at least 44 inches)
• Matching thread
• Sewing machine
• Measuring tape and/or measurement gauge
• Fabric Marking pen (or light pen to mark small measurements)
• Iron
• Scissors

1.  Prior to making your sling, you will need to get some measurements from the person you are making it for.  Measure from the right shoulder to the left hip bone (where the baby will sit).  Here is an example of how to measure yourself or a friend from a sling company.

2.  Unfold your fabric and cut it lengthwise.  It will measure 2 yards by 22 inches.  Put one piece aside for future use or another sling.

3.  Fold your fabric lengthwise once.  Then fold it in half widthwise.  Make sure the open sides are facing up and to the right. See picture below.

4.  On the top, open side, measure from the fold to your hip to shoulder measurement.  Henri is a petite little lady so her measurement 22 inches.  You want to add a 1/2 inch to this measurement.  Therefore, this top measurement is 22.5 inches.  Mark this with a pen.

Now measure along the bottom from the fold to the next measurement (keep reading) and mark.  Take the original measurement and adding three inches to it.  In Henri's case that is 25 inches (22 plus 3).  See picture below.

5.  After marking both measurements, you will want to cut from the bottom to the top with a curve.  See picture below.

6.  Unfold your fabric and heat up your iron.  It time to use that dreaded iron and do some finishing details.  Measure a 1/4 of an inch fold using your measuring gauge on the length of your fabric.  Iron this fold down on both sides.

7.  Fold this over again and iron down an additional 1/4 of an inch on both sides.

8.  Sew down the fold on top and bottom.

9.  With the sides sewn and finished, fold the fabric in half widthwise with the right side of the fabric facing up.  Make sure your adjust your stitch width to a tight stitch.  This will increase the strength of the seam. Sew along the curve a 1/4 of inch in.

10.  Turn the sling inside out.  You are going to sew along the curve above the seam you just made.  This will encase the previous seam.  Make sure you sew above the previous raw fabric or it will stick out the bottom of the sling (learn from my oops).  This is double protection from the seams opening up.

11.  Open up the sling and sew down this encased seam to the front or back of the fabric.  This makes a nice finish and you don't have the encased seam sticking out.

That's it.  A simple sew for an awesome sling!  Here is my finished sling.

I hope this tutorial helped you.  If you are new to baby-wearing and need help utilizing a sling.  Here is an excellent guide to the different wearing positions.

This is also an excellent gift to make for a little girl.  It is equally as fun to carry your baby dolls around in a sling.  I am sure I will be making one for my sweet Anna one day.

I hope you or a friend enjoys a new sling!

Happy Crafting!

My first Tutu & Tutorial

Well, I did it!  I made my first tutu!  My friend Henri, sent me an easy tutu tutorial video (see below) awhile back, so I thought it would perfect for a birthday gift.  Check it out!

I made this for sweet Antonia's Princess Birthday party.  Here are some pictures of beautiful Antonia in her tutu.  Thanks for the pictures, Karla!

Isn't she just precious?  I hug and squeeze her every time I see her!

I was very happy with how my first tut turned out!  It was very simple to make.

Here is what you will need:

• 2 rolls of 6 inch by 25" tulle of either one or two colors
• 3/4 inch Elastic for waist band
• Scissor or rotary cutter/cutting mat
• ruler or measuring tape
• needle and thread or a sewing machine to make it super fast
• coordinating ribbon to the colors of the tulle
• roll of paper towels and pins (this is to hold the elastic as you tie on the tulle

Here is the fantastic video I followed to make the tutu:




I did the slip knot technique and I used at least 60 strips for this 4T/5T tutu.  I used every bit of the two rolls of tulle. I like how full the tutu turned out.  Once I put on all the tulle, I tied on a ribbon and made a pretty bow.

I think my first tutu was a success!

Be on the lookout for my next tutu.  I am making a ladybug tutu for my sweet Anna's first birthday!

Happy Crafting!

Pacifier Clip Tutorial

Whether you approve of pacifiers or not, this isn't the issue.  The issue is saving yourself or another parent from picking up a pacifier continually or having to go on the great pacifier hunt.

  I have three kids and of those three, two loved having a pacifier.  My sweet little Anna loves her pacifier.  Since I am getting used to a girl and all the needs to accessorize, I had to make Anna some pretty pacifier clips to go with her outfits.  I also made a few boy's clips for a friend.

Without further ado...

Pacifier Clip Tutorial

Supplies Needed:

Suspender/Mitten clips:  You can purchase just the clips at a craft store, but they can be expensive ($4 for two).  If you are lucky to hit the winter items before they are gone, purchase some regular mitten clips.  Typically, you get 4 in a set.  I bought some at regular price for $2 and caught them a few weeks later for $0.50!  That is quite the savings.  These are colored, but you could always spray paint or even paint them with fingernail polish.

Ribbon:  Measure your mitten clip opening to insure that your ribbon will fit well.  Most of these are 3/4 of an inch or an inch.

Thread: Pick your thread to match your ribbon

Sewable Velcro

Sewing machine or by hand if you so choose


Scissors




Directions:


1.  Cut your ribbon to the size that you would like for the child.  Typically 6 to 8 inches.  You don't want it too loose as it could become a danger for the child.

2.  Put both sides of the velcro together and cut it to fit your ribbon.  It doesn't need to be a large piece, just enough to catch and keep the ribbon attached.

3.  Fold over one in the ribbon.  String the ribbon through the mitten clip with the fold on the backside.  Fold over the clip and sew together.

4. Fold over the other end of the ribbon. Place one side of the velcro over the fold. Sew around the velcro to secure.  Space the second piece of velcro about an inch down from the ribbon and sew it to the ribbon as well.

There you have it.  A simple pacifier clip that you can whip up very quickly as a gift or for one of your little ones.  Here the ones that I have made recently.

Happy Crafting!

PS.  Happy Third Birthday to my little man Evan!  Thanks for always making us laugh and for your sweet platypus type kisses! Stop growing up on Mommy!

Homemade Stuffed Teddy Bears

My mom planned our Bear Camp activities. For one of the activities, we decided to make stuffed bears.  The girls helped, where they could. GraciAnn knows how to sew buttons, from her Montessori schooling so she helped with that.  We also encouraged them to choose the dress style, the buttons, and help in any other way they possibly could. What they ended up with was bears they will treasure.

I used a brown paper bag to make a teddy bear pattern.  I folded the bag in half so the pattern was symmetrical.

Here's the pattern opened up. We traced the pattern on brown felt.  We cut the felt out. The girls selected the buttons they wanted for the eyes, nose, mouth, and accessories.  We made the bears dresses from flannel receiving blankets. Then, we sewed the bears, around the edges, by hand (we were at camp and without a sewing machine) until we got to a place to stuff the bear with cotton pillow fill. We filled the bears and then finished stitching them up. We added bows to the bears ears. We were done!

The girls loved their bears. These bears will remind them of their special time at Bear Camp!

Nursing Cover Tutorial

Before I had my first child, I knew I wanted to try to breastfeed him.  I was not aware how uncomfortable I would feel if I was out in public and needed to do so.  A blanket can help hide what you are doing, but it can be hot and babies learn to pull at it and destroy your sense of modesty.

Right after I had Ryan, a friend of mine who just had a baby as well came over and she got out her nursing cover when it was time for her to feed her son.  I asked her what she was using and where I could get one.  She told me she got it online and that it was about $40.  I was deflated.  I could not swing spending $40 on a nursing cover when I just quit my job to stay home with Ryan.  I asked my friend if I could look at her nursing cover.  After closer inspection, I found that nursing covers are very simple and would be easy to make.

Even if you use fancy fabric, it shouldn't cost more then $10 to make.  The first one I made cost less than $4 with some inexpensive fabric. Below is my handsome little man Evan being a good sport and modeling one I made.

Let me share with you how easy it is to make a nursing cover for yourself or as a gift.

Supplies Needed:

• 1 yard of fabric (the lighter weight the better to be breathable, just make sure it isn't see through)
• 1/2 yard of terry cloth for inside corners (optional, but nice to wipe up any spit up)
• 1 foot of boning (like what is used in corsets) see below

• Two D-clips.  (These usually come in a four pack).

• scissors
• iron
• sewing machine
• matching thread

1.  Unfold your yard of fabric.  Cut a 3 inch strip of fabric off the bottom of your fabric lengthwise.  This will be your strap and strap holder.

2.  Fold your 3 inch strip in half with the right side of the fabric inside.  Iron it down to give it a crisp edge.

3.  Sew along the edge of three side of this strap, leave one of the small ends open.

4.  Now cut off a 4 to 5 inch piece from the end that is not sew up.  This will become the portion that you will add the D-rings to.  See picture (ignore fabric below it).

5.  Take the both strap pieces and work them inside out so that the right side of the fabric is showing.

6.  String two D-rings onto the small piece and fold over.

7.  Sew a line directly below the D-rings so they don't move when the nursing cover is being used.

8.  Put both of these straps to the side for now.

9.  Take your remaining big piece of fabric and fold the two shorter sides and one longer side in a 1/4 of an inch and press with the iron.  Then fold it in another 1/4 of an inch and press with the iron again.  This will give a clean edge to the inside.

10.  Cut a 4 to 5 inch square out of the terry cloth.  The larger you make the square the larger your corner pockets will be.  Then fold over each square.  Check to make sure they fit well in the corners you just pressed down.  If they do, place them inside the corner, with the finished folded edge overlapping the terry cloth. (see below).

11.  Pin the terry cloth to the fabric edges and sew up the each of the folded edges to include the terry cloth triangles.

12.  Now to finish up the remaining long edge.  Fold over this edge a 1/4 of an inch or larger depending on the width of your boning.  Press with the iron.  Fold it another 1/4 of an inch and press with the iron again, then unfold this portion back.

13.  Place the boning under this folded edge in the center of the fabric, with the curve facing down. (This will allow the curve to face in toward the person when finished).  Pin the boning to the fabric.  Sew the portion where the boning is to attach the boning to the fabric.

14.  Fold over the fabric another 1/4 of an inch (you previously ironed it to this point).  Place your rough edge of your strap to the side of the boning and pin down.

15.  Place the small strap with the D-rings on the other side of the boning and pin down.

16.  Sew the length of the fabric to secure the final edge.  Make sure that both straps are securely sew into the edge.

17.  Fold over both straps and sew again so they are facing up when the nursing cover is worn.

It may seem like a ton of steps, but a nursing cover is very easy to make.  I wanted to be thorough and not leave out anything for even the most novice of seamstress.  The terry cloth corners are a nice touch to the nursing covers as you can use it as a pocket to tuck a tissue or bra pad.  Plus, it is nice to have something close to wipe the baby's mouth.  

I'm sorry I don't have a better picture, my model was asleep and I forgot to take another picture before I gave it as a present.

In a few days, I will have one more easy sew baby gift to share with you, but I need to make it first so that I have pictures for the step-by-step tutorial.  If you've ever wanted to make a baby sling, you won't want to miss that tutorial.