Valentine Wreath

My favorite crafty project is the one that is quick, useful, and uses up materials already in my stash.  Enter this wreath.  I stumbled upon it somewhere in the blogosphere and thought it would be a cute addition to our other Valentine decorations.  

I modified it a bit to make it smaller, and use materials on hand (see here for how to make the yarn wreath base).  Originally, I used the same charcoal gray yarn to make the argyle stripes, but it looked too chunky (see the wreath on the left in the top photo?).  I like the lighter pink stripes much better - looks more authentic argyle.

The hearts were cut from 2" squares, and the wreath is 9" in diameter.  They fit perfectly on either side of our dining room windows to perk up the space a bit with some Valentine spunk.

Wishing you some satisfying (and free) crafting! 

Kids' Art Smock made with reusable shopping bags: a tutorial

Last week, I gave away a handsewn oilcloth art smock. 
Did anybody notice all the bias tape binding on it? 
Would you like to make your own?



You can make this with any material (preferably something waterproof and wipeable).  Oilcloth can be hard to find and doesn't have a huge variety of prints (that I can find).  Laminated cotton is just super expensive for a project that is going to be used for kid's art!  So...I opted for those cute, cheap shopping bags they now seem to sell everywhere!

This smock has a pocket with spaces for all your "arting" materials.



For this project you will need:
one patterned reusable shopping bag
5 yards 1/4" wide double-fold bias tape (make your own following this tutorial!)



Step 1: cut off the sides of the bag
 

Step 2: cut the top and handles off the bag
 

Step 3: fold the bag, right sides together
 

Step 4: trace and cut out one front, one back and one pocket piece
(pattern here)
To print pattern, select "actual size" and "poster" to tile pages.  Overlap at least .5".
 

Step 5: sew binding to top of pocket (see here for how to)

Step 6: pin and then baste pocket onto front of smock
mark the pocket binding in fourths  (hard to see my pins in the photo!)
and sew straight down, making sure to backstitch at the top edge

 

This is the back side of the front - you can see the stitching much better - basting around the edge, and three sewn lines to create four pockets
 

Step 7: sew binding around back opening
 

Step 8: sew shoulders, making sure to backstitch at beginning and end of seam

Step 9: measure 7" from one end of bias tape
at the 7" mark, pin to one side of neck
 

Step 10: starting at end of bias tape, stitch bias tape together and then continue past pin to sew bias tape around neckline.  Continue 7" beyond back opening edge (where bias tape overlaps).

Step 11: Cut four 10" pieces of bias and sew along each long end
knot one end of each tie
sew to smock about 3" above pocket binding on front left and right
sew to smock back, matching placement from front ties

Step 12: starting at the bottom center back, sew bias tape around bottom, up side, around armhole, down front side, across front bottom, up other front side, around other armhole, down back side and finishing at starting point (see here for how to finish).  As you sew, make sure you encase the ends of the four ties.

It should look like this when done! 


 Now, try it on your little ones and see what they choose to create! 

 

 

 

 

 

A monkey applique shirt, some news and a chalkboard mat tutorial...

First off, look who's two!

I can't believe how grown up she looks in this photo! The shirt is mommy-made, based on the monkey fabric in her party favors - Urban Zoologie Monkeys by Ann Kelle. 

Second, some quick news: I have a line of reusable snack sacks currently for sale at a local farm stand.  The pairing of the snack sacks and a business promoting local produce feels like such a good fit.  If you are a leaf-peeper in Western Mass, be sure to swing by M&M Green Valley Produce to check them out!

Last, but not least, I gave you a sneak peek at some chalkboard fabric a while back.  Now, that fabric has magically transformed into chalkboard mats!  These roll up for easy travel, and are perfect for entertaining little ones at restuarants, in the car, etc.

Interested in making one?  Here's how:  

 Materials: one 13.5 " x 11"  piece of cotton quiliting fabric

                 one 4" x 4" piece of cotton quilting fabric

                 one 13.5" x 11" piece of chalkboard fabric

                 one package extra wide, double fold bias tape, 1/2" width

                 12" piece rickrack (or ribbon) for tie

 1.  Round corners of both fabric pieces.

2. Pink top and left edge of 4 inch square.  Align with bottom right corner of chalkboard fabric and baste.  Trim along rounded corner.

3.  Use a spray adhesive to baste the wrong sides of fabric together.  My spray adhesive of choice?  Sulky KK 2000 - non-toxic, non-flammable and safe for the environment!

4. Beginning in the middle of the bottom, sandwich chalkboard fabric and cotton fabric between bias tape.  Note: the photos show me sewing with the chalkboard side up, but it's better to sew with the cotton side up.  This way, you can make sure you encase all the cotton fabric.

 5. Once you have sewn the bias tape around the entire chalkboard mat, overlap the ends by about an inch and a half.  Cut the tape.

 

 6. Open the tape and fold the end, wrong sides togther, about a half inch.

7.  Fold the sides of the tape back, enclosing the raw edges.  Now, re-sandwich the mat in the fold of the tape, sew and backstitch. 

8.  Fold your piece of rickrack or ribbon in half and sew to the right edge, half way up, on the cotton side.  Note: I used Fray Check on the ends of my rickrack.

9.  Write a message to your little one, tuck the chalk in the pocket, roll and tie your mat, and off you go!

Here are the ones I made for the party - perfect for a two year old girl and her friends!

And, for the two babies who came, their very own monkey bibs (because they'd probably just eat the chalk!). 

Wishing you lots of reasons to monkey around today!



Popping in




"Too many project ideas, not enough will power to say no!"

 

It feels like ages since I've posted anything.  While I haven't been blogging, I have been busy - scattered, actually.  The holidays may be over, but that means birthday season in upon us in our house, and I can't resist the temptation to make things for birthdays. 

So, in the works are:

 - felt broccoli and strawberries for a party game

 - fabric crowns for kids to decorate

 - beaded fairy wands to put together for kids to make

 - party favor bags

 - cookies to decorate

 - a party dress

 - finish my aunt's birthday gift (just a few weeks late)

 - Valentine's for little E's class

I really don't know how "real" craft bloggers do it all - the creating, picture-taking, photo editing, blogging, etc.

Happily, there are a few completed projects to report:

 - bibs for a friend's niece-to-be

 - new bag for me (oops!  how did that happen?)





"For Pleats Sake" bag courtesy of U-Handbag

  

 - birthday gift for friend





Another "For Pleats Sake"

  

 - same bag (different fabric) for sister-in-law (no photo)

 - new dress for little E - I actually made this first one from old fabric b/c I was worried about the fit of the pattern, but the fit was perfect and little E was soooo happy - you can just tell how good she felt in her new dress.

 Thank you, Ruby, for sharing a dress pattern even I could make!  ha ha

Hope to be back soon with photos of more completed projects (preferably the ones listed in the above "in the works" section!).
Happy weekend!