last minute wrap skirt

from this:

to this: 

Leave it to me to start a sewing project on the eve of Christmas vacation (when I should have been packing). But I am sure glad I followed my last minute inspiration, because the skirt got worn it A LOT!

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all patched up

"Any day spent sewing, is a good day."

Between building with blocks, riding bikes, and a visit to the library, I managed to find a few spare moments to sew patches.  The rhythm of the needle in my hand provided calm (and sanity) I desperately needed.
I am amazed at how fast I can acquire holes in my pants, this one was huge.  No one told me that was in the job description when I decided to be a mom.  Guess I should have read the fine print.
The patches are scraps from a shortened skirt.

gift of organization

My best friend Kelly e-mailed me with "a small request"  for a few fabric envelopes.  She wanted to take back some counter space and, having seen the envelopes we use, she thought they would be the perfect organizing solution. 
Using thrifted fabric left over from this project and this project, and zippers from my stash, I was able to make a fun gift for my friend for very little money - gotta love a thrifty gift(y)!
The bow was a spur of the moment idea - and a way to use more of my scraps. 
So Kel, I hope this works!

summer shorts and passing the "cool" test

Sewing for boys is a lot of fun.  Challenging at times.  But fun. 
The biggest challenge I face these days is passing the "cool test" with my now 5 year-old.  I would like to say that this is just a phase, but unfortunately I think we are in for the long haul, as he has been this way since age 2.  

Little brother on the other hand is the complete opposite, and could not care any less.  (Although, if given a choice he will always pick striped pajamas... and wear them ALL day, EVERY day.) 

So, when I decided to sew them more shorts (find the tutorial here), I thought it would be a good idea to use my oldest as a "cool" consultant.
I presented him with several dress shirts to pick from, and he chose the green/gray plaid for little brother, and the blue plaid for himself. 
I think the deciding factor for him was the "cool" yoke on the inside of the blue shirt (the design now on the the inside of the waistband pictured below) that he insisted I use that on his shorts.

The pockets were inspired by Dana's tutorial over at MADE, (just changing the shape a little).  They are lined with soft gray jersey.

Both pairs of shorts are made from thrifted shirts costing $0.50 each ($1.50 for all three), and by using a flat front style of shorts, I was able to save on elastic, bring the total cost to less than $2!
And the best part... I was given an A+ on the "cool" test!

a summer tote

It is amazing how a little spring cleaning can rejuvenate my creative spirit.

I spotted this chartreuse scrap of fabric while reorganizing my sewing room, and was instantly inspired to create.  Something. 

Something fresh.  Something clean.

So a bag it was.  Perfect for a spontaneous adventure in the sun.   

 Made entirely of recycled materials - thrifted fabric and a belt.  I love it.  Love the idea of creating something new from something old.

Summer fun, here we come!

 

(now we just need to convince Mother Nature to turn off the rain and bring on the shine!)

hobo sacks

 

Tomorrow we are attending the Maritime Parade in our town, and with the parade comes a lot of treasures to carry home.  So this year, instead of stuffing our pockets , I thought it would be great if each of the boys had a bag to carry their loot in.

I have been eying the Hobo Sack over at MADE for a while now, and this seemed to be the perfect opportunity to try it out.

And I am excited to report that they are AWESOME (the perfect size for little ones).  I already have plans to make several more very soon!   

(The pink one is for a darling little girl who we are meeting at the parade) 

We are ready for a fun day tomorrow (with fingers crossed - praying for rain to stop). 
A big THANKS to my friend Michael for all the trifted material.

teacher gifts - gathered clutch

It is hard to believe that the school year is coming to an end, especially for my oldest.  He will become a kindergartner next year, and it seems like yesterday I was walking him to his fist day in the 2's class.

We are so incredibly lucky to have such an amazing group of teachers at the school (no wonder it was voted top preschool in our city!) 

So, for end of the year gifts, I was hoping to make something to reflect just how wonderful we think they are.  You might recognize the gathered clutch from Anna over at noodlehead.  She has a great tutorial on her blog that is so easy to follow. 

Originally, I was hoping to make each clutch using different fabric, but upon checking my calendar and realizing the time crunch I was facing, I opted to add button details instead.

So, thank you to all the wonderful teachers at Little Lambs, you are amazing! And thank you Anna for sharing the beautiful gathered clutch tutorial.
Each clutch was made from thrifted material (thanks Michael), and has a dryer sachet (filled with lavender) tucked inside.
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If you would like to print the gift tag, click the button below.

flag tutorial

The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays.  Full of family, friends, food, fun, fireworks, and of course FLAGS!  So, in anticipation for this years celebration, I am sharing a tutorial for a fun and festive flag garland!

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Materials:

• denim (old jeans work great!)
• red ticking fabric
• twine ($1 at Home Depot)
• white embroidery floss
• embroidery needle
• mesh lingerie bags (pack of 2 at the dollar store)
• hot glue gun (optional)

Cut:

• denim into 1.5" X 1" rectangles
• ticking into 3" X 2" rectangles
  

To achieve the soft fringe around the edges, place your pieces into mesh lingerie bags, run them under water until they are soaking wet, ring out the excess water, and then toss them in the dryer.  It is important to dry the bags separately in case the denim bleeds (I learned this the hard way).  Check the bags occasionally to make sure the pieces are not all clumped together.  Remove when dry.

To get the fringe just right, pull off the loose strings.

Grab you embroidery floss, and cut a piece that is about 24" long.  Peel two strands out of the cluster.  Thread the embroidery needle, and tie a knot at the end.

  (click the picture to view larger image)

Start from the back and poke the needle through the top center of the denim. Follow steps 1-6 to create the star.  When finished, make a knot on the back of the flag, and cut your thread. 

 

Iron out all the creases - they can be stubborn sometimes, and I usually find myself dousing them with the spray bottle to achieve the desired flatness.

Once you have a stack of flags ready, it is time to attach them to the twine.

(click the picture to view larger image)

Tie a loop at the end of the twine.  Lay the flags out in a line to determine the length of twine needed. I spaced the flags about 2" apart.  Before cutting the twine, be sure to leave enough extra to tie a loop at the other end.

Then, using two more strands of embroidery floss, thread the needle, tie a knot.   Sew loops AROUND the twine, catching the ticking in each stitch.  Be careful not to sew through the twine, that way you can adjust the flag placement later, if needed.

Alternative: use a hot glue gun to attach the top edge of the flag to the twin.  Be sure to place them exactly where you want them, because there is no adjusting after the glue is dry!
Repeat with the rest of the flags, and you are done!

Let 'em fly!

variation: rusted wire instead of twine, and french knots to crate the circles.

Shorts Tutorial (from a shirt)

  

This time last year I started making birthday gifts for my oldest son, but his heart was set on a robot t-shirt, and I was not confident enough in my freezer paper printing skills at that time to attempt one.  So, I searched Etsy until I found this one. 

I did, however, feel confident in my ability to make him some shorts to go along with the t.  Using a mans button-up shirt (XL),  and a pattern made from a pair of shorts that fit him well, I set to work.  

Well, summer is just around the corner again (and his birthday too), so I thought I would share a tutorial for making these super easy shorts.

Materials:

• button-up shirt (I used a mens size XL to make 4T shorts)
• elastic (1" -1 1/4"width) measured 1" longer than the waist measurement of your child
  
• a pair of shorts that fit your child
• paper for the pattern

The first step is to do a little deconstructing. Cut the shirt up the side seams, around the sleeves, and across the shoulders.  What you should end up with is two front pieces, two sleeves, and one back piece.  

To make a pattern: trace around a pair of shorts that fit well, adding a 1/4" seam allowance down the side seams (making sure to stretch the waist band out when doing so).  Then  mark the top of the waistband (I used dashes) and add a 1.5"  (1/4" wider than my elastic) above that line for the casing. 

For the bottom hem, I added 2 inches while cutting the fabric (notice the "add hem" note at the bottom of the pattern) because the paper I was using to make the pattern was just a little too short - oops!

I added a back pocket placement line 2" below the waistband line (dashes) and then a center mark.  This will make the next step a lot easier.

This part is very important... make sure you take your time when lining up the pockets (front of the t-shirt) with the marks you just made.  I folded along the horizontal line, making it easier to find the center.

Pin (or use weights) to keep the pattern in place while you cut.  I started with the bottom hem, adding 2" with my ruler.  Continue cutting all the way around the pattern.  Repeat for the second back pattern piece, but be sure to FLIP the pattern over - so you end up with a right AND a left!

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Cut the front pattern pieces from the back of the shirt.  Again, be sure to FLIP the pattern before cutting the second front piece.

 

Once all of the pieces are cut out (4 total - 2fronts & 2 backs), then stack the them up with the right sides together - pictured above.

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Now for the sewing.  Start by sewing the center front and center back of the shorts or as I like to call them, the "J's." 

To finish the seam, use a serger if  you have one - OR - a medium width zig-zag stitch close to the edge.

Next, insert a side tag if you have one, and then sew along the outside leg seams.  Finish the edges with a serger - OR - a zig-zag stitch. Iron the seams as you go.

outside leg seam                                                 inside leg seam

Finally, match the center front and the center back seams (crotch), and sew from the bottom inside edge of one leg to the bottom inside edge of the other leg.

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Using your serger OR zig-zag stitch, finish the top of the waistband and the bottom hem on the legs.

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Fold over the waistband about 1/4" more that the width of the elastic.  I used 1 1/4" elastic (just what I had in my stash) so I folded the hem over 1 1/2" and ironed.  Then, mark the opening for the elastic and your tag  with two pins so you know where to start and stop - if you don't have tags, a loop of ribbon will work just fine.  Pin the rest of the way around the waistband.

Sew all the way around, stopping at the double set of pins.  Using a safety pin or bodkin, pull the elastic through - making sure it does not get twisted.  Then overlap the ends of the elastic 1" and zig-zag stitch closed. 

Pull the elastic into the casing and insert  the tag (or ribbon loop ends) and sew closed - pulling a little as you go to avoid bunching. 

An optional step: stitch along the top edge of the waistband to give it a little more detail and help keep the elastic from twisting inside the casing.

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For the bottom hem, I have my boys try the shorts on to be sure I get the right length.  Then fold, iron, and stitch.   DONE!

Super easy, right?

 

Some notes about the brown shorts:

You might notice that the brown shirt only had one pocket - totally fine. There are so many possibilities, just have fun with it!

I also used one of the shirt sleeves to make a side pocket, placing the bottom of the pocket about 2" above the bottom hem.  (tutorial to come)

Thanks for visiting! 

If you decide to make a pair, I would love to see them!

** UPDATE: See more shorts HERE **