Presents I've been working on - 4

I recently completed a quilt as a gift for a lady for her niece-to-be as a baby shower gift.

She had decided she wanted a modern/fun design, with a nice soft back. We went to a fabric store, picked out all the materials, and got the supplies and then I began work on it. This type of pattern/design is slightly complicated because you have to make sure that you have straight lines to sew and can split it up into sections (so it ends up mostly straight and such as you go). It is also necessary to ensure that you leave extra fabric for seam allowance (for example if you want a square that is 12 inches next to a series of 3 inch squares when laying it out you need to make sure that each 3 inch square is really 3.5 inches as you loose a 1/4 inch for each seam). In addition, you may notice that every fabric is never touching the same fabric or within 2 blocks of it. this was intentional, so this design actually took way more thinking than a typical pattern, but is more forgiving of mistakes as it appears absolutely random.

 I also wanted to use a specific fabric for the edging, so I knew I wanted to make sure that fabric was never touching an edge. After I had finished the inside and put on the first edge, I decided it was too plain, so I added the colored border (using squares of all interior fabrics except the edge). Once I added the second border in the fabric I decided it was still too plain for a baby quilt and the ruffle was added (see picture of making the ruffle the the left - this took a LOT of fabric - 24 feet worth actually)!
This took some major effort as I had made it about twice the full diameter of the quilt and then used a thread the exact length of the outside of the quilt to ruffle the fabric the correct amount. After it was appropriately ruffled I attached it to the edge of the quilt and then pinned the entire front to the backing (which is a really soft fleece that is safe for baby bedding in a light yellow). I had to sew the entire ruffle and backing by hand as I found out that it was too thick for my sewing machine to sew without trouble. So I did it similar to a pillow case by turning it right sides together and sewing the edge in a whip stitch, flipping it inside out and then using the machine to put a seam to hold it all together and in place. Then I quilted it in the ditch of some of the squares so it would maintain the soft backing and not add to the busy front.

I then washed the whole thing to make sure all the fabric was nice and tightly sewn so the mom wouldn't have to fix anything that came apart in the wash.

Have I ever mentioned that I make sure all my quilts are machine washable? If not, I make an effort at all times to do so because I hate nothing more than not being able to treat stains and with a baby quilt it is particularly important to have something you can clean. To the right is the finished quilt which turned out adorable!

As an added bonus, I tried my hand at embroidery by adding a little message in the corner for the baby from her aunt. (this was a chain stitch I believe). I think I did a pretty good job for a first time on the embroidery, but if I ever do that again, I'm going to try to remember to do it prior to attaching the front and back as that really complicated the moving between letters. Overall, turned out wonderfully I think!

Projects I've completed for Presents - 3

After the doll dresses were done I set about doing a more complicated project.

I was doing a themed b-day present! This one revolved around some lovely floating candy corn candles I had gotten for my sister-in-law. Since the little candles were mostly just cute I decided to add some actual candy corn, and once I had done that. I needed to make a candy corn table runner! (Her birthday being in October, it seemed appropriate).

 First I sewed together strips of orange, yellow and white fabric and then cut out a bunch of "candy corn" shapes. made from a template I made for the correct height. Then I sewed them the pieces of black fabric cut at the same angle as the edge of the candy corn. Once that was completed I added trim to each side to make the candy corn surrounded. Then I worked on the back. I took a fun striped/polka dotted fabric and quilt batting onto which I sewed a spiders web. (If you know me personally, you are aware of my intense, paralyzing fear of spiders) so this was really a challenge. I did this spider web in Silver thread so it stood out (sadly it's a bit hard to see in the pictures. I intended to sew spiders on there too. But it freaked me out...

I then attached the two strips of candy corn to another 'beetlejuice-esque' fabric to make the front the same size as the back. Then I sewed right sides together and turned the whole thing inside out (Using a chop stick to push the corners out). Then I sewed along the edge of the two to close up the hole I had left for turning the runner inside out.

And it was done! To the right there is the front and the back. It turned out cute and made the themed gift extra nice.

Hopefully when you zoom in you can see the spider web. It actually is pretty fun looking.

Projects I've completed for Presents - 2

So after the little elephant was done, I got to work on doll dresses for my niece's 3rd birthday. I actually made 2 dresses, but sadly it appears I only photographed the first one. (shoot)

 This dress is a reversible dolls dress. It's closures are velcro (so it's easy to put on). You can see both sides in the pictures below. It's a very simple pattern that crosses in the back and fits very snuggly on a standard size baby doll.

I do like this dress, but it seemed a bit plain, so I made a second one that was a summer dress that tied in the back, which I didn't use a pattern for. (sorry no pictures on that one!) That one was measuring the doll and sewing pieces together like I used to do as a kid when I would make clothes for my barbie dolls. (Trust me, I did that A LOT!) It has a more full skirt

My niece who adores baby dolls, seemed to like them, so I was pleased.

Projects I've completed for presents - 1

Making presents causes a little bit of an issue when blogging...I'm not sure if the people I make things for are looking/reading my blog, so I don't like putting them up before I give the item to the recipient, but then I look like I'm not crafting at all.

Well, I recently gave some items away, so you can see what I've been up to.

First, there was a tiny elephant toy for a baby shower. I've done one of these before and it turned out as cute as ever. Just in case you want the step by step it's pretty easy. I started by putting right sides together and cutting out a front and back template.

I sewed along all the seams after pinning everything. making sure to sew the eyes first (I just did eyes that were thread, so by doing them first I could make sure they were nice and tight and the knots were inside the body).

Then I turned the little fella right side out and sewed the ears shut (so when I stuffed him he wouldn't have chubby ears). Then I used a chopstick to get all the corners nicely flat before stuffing.

I used fiber fill to stuff him, while making sure to get some in the nose and all the extremities before doing the head and body.
Once he was done being stuffed, I sewed up the back and sewed on a permanent bow so it couldn't be untied. Here he is sitting up waiting to be given to my friend for her little boy who will be arriving in December.

I can tell he can't wait to meet his new friend. Can't you?

Project for the Day: The window seat cushion

So, it's been forever since my last post. This of course is partly due to our intensive budget project, but also due to my having worked nearly all of August to finish several large projects (and therefore had no time for crafting).

But here I am. I'm sure you are rejoicing :)

First off, it is nearing my birthday and I had told one of my very good friends that I wanted foam to make a window seat cushion (I walk on the wild side... and I had coupons! Score). So, she came with me to get the foam (ended up with a 24 x 72 x 2 inch piece and I started out working the very next day. The first step was to make a template for the window seat I used some paper we had been given that was no longer needed at an office and taped it together to make a template. I wanted to be sure not to get my foam (it being $32/yard it's not exactly something you want to ruin) dirty, but also, I knew the small size would be easier to use to get around the various angles and such. Also, making the template didn't spoil my daughter's ability to use it for art (which is why we got it anyway).

Once the template was made, I placed it on the  foam and began trimming. The window seat itself is 96 inches long by 18 inches, but I was able to cut all of the window seat out of the above piece. Yay! The strangest part about this step was my normal scissors weren't sharp enough to cut the foam so I had to use my good sewing scissors (gasp!) to do it, since I didn't have a utility knife (or at least a really sharp one) handy.

After I had cut out all the pieces, I was able to test it in the window seat area to make sure it fit, as well as do any trimming necessary to make it nice and straight on the front (I used the factory cut edge on the front to ensure a smooth front, but if the back was strange it would cover more or less of the window seat ledge. Once it was perfectly fit, I had a helper test it out. Looks like it met approval.

Then on to the fun portion. If you remember way back when, I used to have three green curtains in that window prior to the window seat going in. Well, that third curtain became the fabric of the window seat. That curtain wasn't going to be big enough to cover the whole thing, and also, I wanted the cushion to stay on the window seat, so the bottom became the white grippy fabric that you often see on the bottom of kids slippers for going downstairs without slipping. I got 1 yard of that at $12.99 (also not cheap). That grippy fabric I cut and sewed as close to the perfect fit of the bottom as I could. All additional fabric needed on the bottom was covered by the former curtain.

The down side of this cushion was that the shape (and the clingy aspect of the grippy fabric) prohibited the normal techniques I use for covering furniture of turning the material inside out, pinning, and sewing up with my machine. So instead I sewed everything into a giant flat portion and then I had to close this thing up by hand, so that took quite a while.  ( you can see I pinned it closed as I went along).

Once I finished that, I put it into place (praying that it still fit) and it was immediately taken over by individuals ready to test it out when I went to get my camera. After the initial test, it was scotch guarded (love that stuff) to protect the fabric as well as the wood seat underneath.

So there you have it. A new window seat cushion. Happy Birthday (early) to me!

An anniversary present for my husband

Today is my 8th wedding anniversary. I can't believe it has been 8 years since I wore a really big poofy dress; was surrounded by friends and family; and married the man I had fallen for at first sight. This fall I will have known him 10 years and that too boggles the mind!

Well this year posed a bit of a problem for me anniversary wise. Elliot and I have never really exchanged anniversary gifts (or at least nothing too remarkably large). We've only gone out for dinner on our anniversary 3 of the last 8 years as well. In 2009, we had a candlelit dinner of mac and cheese because I had been laid off for crying out loud. So this year, when we are in the process of doing a big "pay off all our debt" project I certainly wasn't going to go out and buy something to give Elliot, but he wanted to make me dinner, so I had to think of something else. Didn't really feel like baking either as it's extra hot here which didn't put me in the mood for a cake or pie.

So what did I do? Well, I've been bugging my spouse for a few weeks...ever since we finished the swing set (back in mid June) that we need to finish the last wall so we can plant the pampas grass to hide the compost bin from being able to be seen from the street. (If you look at the picture closely you can see the topsoil piled up in the bags in the top of the picture. The pampas grass will go in the triangle of space to the right of this picture (on the other side of the fence to cover the big black compost bin (you can see one of the legs of the compost bin in the bottom right of the picture)).

So today, while my daughter was napping, I started and finished the wall. The first thing I had to do was remove the bricks we had originally put in along the side of the garden. I needed to make a raised garden, so those didn't need to be there. Also, I needed those to contain the side of the other garden (on the left of this picture). So those came out, then I dug out and leveled the ground around the right garden and started putting in the blocks.

I used some remnants of blocks we had pulled out of the ground from when we had removed the falling down shed as the back of the garden (as they are thinner and I didn't want to take up that much space). I was also one block short, so I have to go out and get that, but I placed all the other blocks, and the back ones, and emptied all the topsoil we had into the garden. So now the driveway is clean. After that I buried the bricks half way into the ground (which is good, since you can't open the gate forward with them out all the way) as they are on the rest of the garden and dusted off the path.

PS...it's too dry and hot currently to even think about moving/planting any pampas grass there right now, so it will remain empty until the fall probably when I can divide my large stash of pampas grass in back. That will significantly hide the composter and also will contain the pampas grass enough where it shouldn't take over the neighbor's yard or anything.

Done! Happy Anniversary Studmuffin! I look forward to many more years of projects with you!

Using up old Magnets

Hope you are all having a lovely Friday the 13th! I know I should be hiding under the covers or some such item to prevent disaster, but I had to craft something today because my daughter is an art protegee (as much as a two year old can be) and I must put it on the refrigerator.

How many times have you received some promotional magnet from a bank, restaurant, radio station,  insurance company, etc? You know the ones with contact info or a baseball schedule or something.

I had an overabundance of these at my house, but I kind of hate throwing them away since magnets are kind of expensive when you want to buy them. But, they aren't the most attractive item in the world and I prefer the front of my fridge to be fairly clean. I want only the most important info up there and I still want my fridge to be cute - so the important ones went on the side of the fridge where I could find them quickly and the rest go in a box in my craft drawer.

So, today I determined I needed additional magnets to keep my daughter's drawings up like any proud mama as well as attach the latest and greatest pictures to the refrigerator of cousins and such. I certainly didn't want to buy some, and also didn't want to use these as they aren't, well, cute. You know what that means? CRAFT PROJECT!

First I pulled out a few duplicate pictures that are adorable of my daughter from her first year (cause who doesn't want pictures of  their kids on a refrigerator). And some cute fortune cookies and found objects that I thought were interesting enough to be up there. Then I got out the magnets and mod podge. Then we were ready to roll!

First, I cut the magnets to size, put a thin coat of mod podge over the advertising, put down my new "art" and put a second thin coat of mod podge over the top AND EDGES of the magnet (I don't want them to peel up or get gross as they age).

Then I let them all dry and PRESTO! NEW custom magnets! And no injuries (though using scissors could have spelled disaster on this most superstitious of days). Easy and fast project...as well as bonus- practically free (especially if you already have Mod Podge laying around like me :) )