Sewing/Crafts
Project Run & Play: Remix
Have you been following along at Project Run & Play? It’s so much fun to see the amazing kids clothing that is posted everyday! Season 6 started on Monday, and I thought instead of just following along this time, I’d sew along! (Not for the contest, just for the motivation and the challenge. I often seem to be in need of a little extra motivation!)
First up is The Pattern Remix Challenge, and the pattern is a great little girls’ pattern: The Cottage Home Party Dress. My remixed design uses Riley Blake’s new cotton/spandex jersey. On the bodice, I added a neckband and armbands and skipped the lining. (Katie’s not here now to try this on, but I suspect that I’m going to have to adjust the armholes to make them a little smaller.)
At the waist, I left off the band and added some interest by sewing the gathered raw edge of the skirt to the outside of the bodice. I adore how the gathered edge curled and made such a sweet “ruffle”. 
For the skirt, I cut two pieces, one shorter than the other and layered them. To finish the hem, I just ran a line of stitching about 1/2″ from each edge and let the raw edge roll up after washing.
I didn’t snap any pictures of the back of the dress, but since it’s sewn with knit fabrics, I just made it a simple pull-over without fasteners. I think the final result is a quick and easy dress that works for playing or partying!
Next week is Stripes and Polka Dots. Anyone else sewing along?
Christmas Bags for My Nieces with a Little Extra Love Sewn In
I’ve established this really fun annual tradition of sewing new bags for my three nieces each Christmas. I think I’ve shared before that I’ve heard that one of the things they enjoy most about using them is being able to tell their friends that they’re bags are “one of a kind”. This year, I decided to sew something a little extra special into all three bags.
While I was at my mom’s for my step-dad’s memorial service back in October, I asked if I could take home some of the chambray shirts that he wore almost everyday. I had plans to incorporate patches from them into a quilted throw, and I probably still will at some point. My nieces shared a very close bond with their Papa, though, and I knew they would love having a little something of his to carry with them everyday. With that thought in mind, I worked scraps from Papa’s shirts into each of the girls’ bags.
I used the pattern that I created for Samantha’s “No Bully Zone” bag with a few minor updates including a little cell phone pocket on the front. The girls loved the easy, fun style of the bag, and the incorporation of Papa’s shirts meant so much to them! I hope they enjoy them all year long!
Lee Lee the Lion & Ronny the Robot 12 Days of Handmade Christmas Projects:Day 11
I was afraid that these two little guys were going to be the finishing-at-midnight-on-Christmas-Eve-when-I-should-be-sleeping project! I am so thankful that the raw-edge style finishing on these lends itself well to slightly (or not so slightly) messy stitching. With time running out quickly, I moved through as fast as humanly possible.
Lee Lee and Ronny are Freddie’s Friends patterns. (I sewed Olive the Owl for Katie’s first birthday several months ago.) These are definitely not quick projects, but the end result is well worth the extra time. I love the cute little details! Seriously? Look at this adorable tail!
Lee Lee the Lion is going into Jamie’s stocking tonight, and Ronny the Robot into Charlie’s. Only a few hours left until Santa comes! I better be off! 
Handmade by Samantha12 Days of Handmade Christmas Projects:Day 10
My kids are all pretty crafty. (I think they come by it naturally.) My 14-year-old, Samantha, is particularly talented at both knitting and drawing, and it’s really exciting for me to see that she’s learned the value in creating one-of-a-kind handmade gifts for her family and her friends. This year, she is knitting quite a few of her gifts, but she also used her drawing skills to create this trio of sketches for her niece, Katie. 
Katie’s a little too young to really appreciate these now, but someday, she’ll love them both for their beauty and for the love that went in to them! Are your children giving any handmade gifts this year? How do you encourage them to develop their creative talents and share them with others? I’d be thrilled to hear your suggestions!
Samantha’s “No Bully Zone” Messenger Bag 12 Days of Handmade Christmas Projects: Day 8
I brought these “No Bully Zone” fabrics back from Quilt Market just over a year ago, and Samantha has been asking what I had planned for them since! They’re from the Kanvas Cool School collection from Benartex. Samantha actually wrote on her Christmas Wish List this year that she’d like a bag made from the No-Bullying fabric. I guess she finally decided on my plan for them! 
Samantha tends to prefer messenger bags to traditional shoulder bags, and she loves anything that is fun and funky. I designed this casual, unstructured bag specifically for her. 
There’s a big pocket on the center front and a set of pen, pencil and cell phone pockets hidden down inside. I love the funky patchwork design that came from this mix of fabrics and the frayed edges on the patches. The peace signs work really well with the No Bully Zone fabric, too, don’t they? I think Samantha’s going to love this bag. I hope so, anyway!
(Don’t you just love my photo background? I was hiding in the garage so that I could take pictures without Samantha seeing . . . I was terrified the whole time that she was going to throw open the door to take something to the washer!)
Katie’s Playdate Backpack 12 Days of Handmade Christmas Projects: Day 6
Our little granddaughter, Katie, is getting so big! It’s definitely time for her to have her own Playdate Backpack. Her Uncle Charlie (Yes, Charlie’s been an uncle since he was one!) uses his every time we go out. It’s perfect for carrying all of his little essential toddler/preschooler things. 
Katie’s mama requested owl fabric for her backpack, and I happened to have this sweet pink Japanese owl fabric hiding in my stash. I think it mixes perfectly with the larger print owls from Jenn Ski’s Ten Little Things collection. I can’t wait to see what Katie and her mama think of it! 
I love the funky orange straps and the green snap hidden under the flap!
Felt Trees with Pompom Ornaments 12 Days of Handmade Christmas Projects: Day 4
Our second set of handmade ornaments for the tree this year are these very simple felt trees with pompom decorations. This is an easy afternoon or evening project! You can choose to do the cutting and stitching before having your kids decorate (I did that part during naptime and had the pompoms and glue ready to go as soon as they were up), or you can have your older children do the tracing, cutting and sewing, too!
Here’s what you need: the Christmas Tree Template, two sheets of craft felt for each four ornaments, ribbon, white (or tacky) glue, pompoms and a sewing machine. (If you have time, you could actually stitch these by hand for a more handmade look!)
Start by cutting out one tree template. (The other three are on the printout so that you can see the best layout for your felt.) Trace your template four times.
Stack a second piece of felt under the first and cut out four trees. Each tree will consist of two felt layers.
Cut a 10″ long piece of ribbon for each tree.
Form a loop with each ribbon and tuck the raw edges about 1/2″ down from the top of the tree, between the two layers. Pin in place.
Stitch around each tree 1/4″ from the raw edges. Be careful to sew the ribbon hanger in well.
Call in your little ones to decorate!
Enjoy your new ornaments!
Fun Fabric Fobs For Keys 12 Days of Handmade Christmas Projects: Day 3
Need a quick and simple last-minute handmade gift or a dozen gifts for a dozen friends that won’t take a dozen days to finish? With the right hardware on hand, you can turn out a pile of fabric key fobs in no time! I love how simple and practical these are, and how you can tailor them to the receiver just by choosing the right fabric. The rainbow of key fobs above are all going to be little handmade extras for the ladies on my list who are receiving store-bought gifts.
How about a quick tutorial so you can make your own? Before you start, you’ll need to purchase the metal hardware online. A quick search turned up quite a few Etsy sellers who carry the parts: Key Fob Hardware on Etsy. I used 1 1/4″ hardware. (Update: Check the purse hardware section at Joann Fabrics if you need a quick local source for the pieces.)
Cut a piece of fabric 10″ x 4 1/2″.
(If you want to be able to slide the key fob loop around your wrist, add a couple of inches in length. I prefer the slightly shorter length because I tend to toss my keys in my purse or tuck the fabric end into my jeans pocket.) 
Iron a piece of very lightweight fusible interfacing to the back of your fabric. 
Fold your fabric in half with wrong sides together, matching up the long edges. Press. 
Unfold and press the long edges to the center.
Fold the fabric strip on the original crease in the middle and press well.
Topstitch along both long sides about 1/4″ from the edge.
Grab a pair of pliers from your toolbox. (I like to use my needle-nose pliers.)
To prevent scratches or dents in your metal hardware, wrap a piece of fabric around each set of teeth on your pliers. (I use strips of microfleece, but flannel would work well, too. You can tape these on if you have trouble with them sliding around too much.)
Now you’re going to fold your fabric strip over so that the raw edges are together. (I like to pin the two sides together to keep the ends from sliding apart while I’m attaching the hardware.) Slide the raw edges inside the open end of the hardware.
Press the hardware shut.
And, you’re done! That was quick and easy, wasn’t it?
Punched Fabric Ornaments for Our Tree 12 Days of Handmade Christmas Projects: Day 2
Our Christmas tree is covered with a beautiful array of handmade ornaments that range from incredibly intricate design work to designed with love by a two-year-old. It’s such a blessing to unpack them every December and share stories that they bring to mind of Christmases gone by. Adding new ornaments to our collection is a family tradition that we look forward to each year!
I ran across the Punched Fabric Ornament while browsing Pinterest a few weeks ago and knew that we just had to make these! I happen to love fabric, and I happen to have an enormous stash of fabric, so anything that uses fabric is obviously going to top my list. 
These were so simple to put together and really fun! The instructions can be found on the Crafts ‘n Coffee blog: Punched Fabric Ornament Instructions. We used Tacky Glue for a strong, long-lasting hold, and we punched the fabric pieces in with well-sharpened colored pencils.
Some of us got creative with patterns, some of us used a whole lot of fabric, some just enough to cover the ball and some of us had our hands full with a certain two-year-old who was a little too excited about stabbing something with a sharpened pencil!
The Quilted Raw Edge Stretched Canvas Tree 12 Days of Handmade Christmas Projects: Day 1
Last year, I began a tradition of sharing 12 Days of Handmade Christmas Projects (or at least 12 Christmas projects spread out over 12 days . . . life gets a little busy around Christmas time.) This year, I’m going to incorporate some projects that I’ve sewn for our home and for gifts, as well as some things that I’ve made with our children AND a few new Christmas recipes!
First up is a little mantel decor. This is the first year that I’ve owned a mantel to actually decorate, and it was so much fun! I started out with our family portrait which will be there year-round and built around it. The “framed” wreath was inspired by the wreath hung over a vintage window on this mantel at BHG.com: Window Wreath. I always enjoy decorating with live plants, so I added the miniature potted Christmas tree on the opposite side of the framed wreath, threw in some Mason jars filled with miniature pinecones and ornaments, and added some scattered larger pinecones from our immense backyard collection.
It needed something else, though, to balance out the family portrait. I searched the internet for inspiration. A print of some sort would work, but I really wanted something handmade. How about piecing together a small Christmas tree quilt and stretching it over a canvas? A quick trip to the craft store and an hour of so later of cutting and sewing resulted in this Quilted Raw Edge Stretched Canvas Tree!
What do you think? If you want to create your own, it’s a very simple project. Just choose the canvas size that you’d like. Cut a base fabric piece wide and long enough to wrap all the way around the canvas. Cut fabric strips of various lengths for your tree branches. Decide on your arrangement, then applique them to the base fabric. Add a star for the finishing touch. Finally, stretch your quilted fabric tree over the canvas and staple it in place on the back of the frame. (If you wanted to make this more colorful, you could also stitch buttons on to your tree before stretching it!)
