Did you happen to see my most recent update on Facebook? I have good news for CANADA!  We found out a way to include you in the 2 Canon Rebel Cameras giveaway (plus $100 gift card for runner up).  Wahoo!!!!  I wish it weren’t so difficult to ship to other countries….but shipping such a large prize becomes tricky because of duty fees, customs, taxes, etc.  I know, bummer.  But at least you Canadians can now enter.  And I promise, we’ll try really hard to include more countries next time.  Anyway, if you’re Canadian (or American) hurry and enter the Canon Rebel giveaway (one for you and one for a friend).  Giveaway ends May 29th.

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Do you want to know what some of my favorite emails are to get?  The ones from some of you that tell me that you haven’t sewn since Home Ec in 7th grade but decided to start up again.  And that much to your surprise, you’re actually making things that are mostly turning out.  I have a little mini party in my computer chair every time.  Ha.  Sewing really is a little hidden treasure.  For those of you who sew proficiently, take a few sewing skill steps back and realize that to a beginner, sewing seems REALLY hard.  Sewing a straight line, creating a zig-zag, or eeeek, or trying to sew around a curve……it all seems scary.  But once you get it, it’s kind of like riding a bike.  Right?  So to those of you who haven’t used a sewing machine since you were a kid (or ever), I love that you are trying new skills and attempting things you never thought you could.  And then realize that “hey, I can sew a blind hem, or make piping, or add a zipper.  What was I so worried about?”  (And here’s a whole section of Sewing Tips, in case you’re new around here.)

But just remember, it takes baby steps.  And lots of practice. 

A sewing skill that I tend to do a lot, but don’t have a good tutorial for, is ruffles and gathering fabric.  Okay, I do have an old one here.  But I didn’t add enough info to that tutorial, so here’s TAKE 2.  Mostly because I get questions about little things pertaining to ruffles and gathering that I wish I would have added to that old tutorial.  So here’s to explaining it a little bit better:

And yeah, there’s a correct way and a shortcut way.  I rarely use the correct way.  But who really cares?  I love me a shortcut!!  (And just so we’re clear, my mom cringes when she sees me use the shortcut method.  And yes, she taught me correctly.  But I like to save myself some time.  And I really don’t notice much of a difference.)

I even have a few tricks that help me attach my gathered fabric to a tube like a skirt (shown on left) or to a flat piece of fabric (shown on right).  You  may already know and use these same tricks……..but maybe there are some who don’t.

Let’s get started, shall we?

Okay, first of all…….when gathering, you need to adjust your stitch length to the longest it will go. 

Here’s my shortcut method first.  I do this about 98% of the time.  Maybe even 99% of the time.  (Even though it makes my mom cringe.  “Love you mom!”)

First, you will sew a nice straight seam along the edge of fabric that you want to gather, without backstitching at each end.  This is also known as a basting stitch. 

See how nice and big those stitches are?  (I used orange thread on top and white thread in my bobbin, so that you could see the different threads.)

Now, you’re going to start pulling either the top thread or the bottom thread and start sliding your fabric together, creating a gathered look.  You can pull the top thread from both sides or the bottom thread from both sides but just be sure that you don’t mix the two.  If you try to pull the top (the orange) thread on the left and then pull the bottom (the white) thread on the right side, it won’t gather correctly and will lock up.  And then you’ll get frustrated.  Ugggh.   So, just remember what thread you’re pulling on.  Now slide the fabric together, creating a nice gathered look.

And if you are gathering on the left side and your gathers are sliding right out on the right side (this happens a lot with slick fabric), you can always tie a knot on the right side so that you lock that side up and the gathers won’t slide off.  (or vice versa)

Now, for the correct gathering method.

  You do everything the same, except instead of only one row of stitching, you add another row of stitching right next to the first.

See?  Just the same.  Just two rows of stitches.

Now, instead of only pulling one your one top thread (or your one bottom thread), you’ll grab the two top threads (or the two bottom threads).  And then gather it on up the same way.  Using the double seam gathers more evenly and makes your gathers look more uniform.  It even helps keep the gathers from sliding out a bit more.  (I know mom, I know. ;) )  But it’s not enough of a difference for me to ever care.  And I can usually adjust the ruffles enough as I’m sewing them to whatever other fabric I’m using, and even them up enough so that it doesn’t matter much.  But if you are more of a perfectionist, go on and sew a double seam.  Or if your gathers are frustrating you, try out the double seam to help you keep them stable and more uniform.  It may be just the method you need until you feel like taking the shortcut like I do.  (Just don’t tell my mom I converted you!)

Here you can see the two methods side by side.  See?  Not a huge difference, but you can see a bit of one.  The gathers on the right are smaller and a lot prettier.  (I’ll show you how I make up for that later.)

Now, if you have to attach this gathered fabric to something, here’s a little trick that I use every time.  Totally worth the effort in the long run. :)  Let’s say you have to add this gathered piece to a bed skirt, or the edge of a pillow, or a table runner, or I don’t know……..whatever you’re making.  Well, the piece of fabric above is the fabric I’m attaching mine to.  So I need to find the very center of this piece (I do so by folding it in half).  Then find the very center of the piece you are gathering.  (I un-gathered it to show you this technique.)  Place a pin to mark your centers.

Then gather up your fabric just a bit.

Then place your fabrics together with the edges together that need to be sewn together, and with right sides together.  Pin the two ends together (shown on left) and then pin your two centers together (shown on right).  Gathering in smaller sections like this will just keep your gathers even all the way across.  (This is a mini version and the size of it doesn’t really need this technique but this was just used to show you how to do it on something much bigger.)

Then, pull your threads on each end (remember to pull either the top or bottom thread) and tighten up the gathers so that the gathered piece of fabric is exactly as wide as the flat piece of fabric.

Add more pins to secure your gathers in place.

Now, time for sewing.  I always place the gathered side facing up so that I can keep an eye on it and adjust when necessary.  And then I start sewing either right on top of that old basting stitch or slightly to the left so that it will never show from the other side.  And I slide pins out as I go, being sure to not actually sew over them.  (Have you ever broken a needle this way?  Not fun.)  Oh, and like I explained before, this is where I make up for not making the double seam in the first step.  I keep an eye on the gathers and if I see a gather that’s too big or is going to make more of a pleat than a ruffle, I just use a pin to even it out and help guide it under the needle.

Here’s your seam from the back and then the front.  Pretty, huh?

Now, let’s say you have a large tube of fabric (like a skirt bottom) and need to attach it to another smaller tube (like a waistband of some sort).  Here’s how I tackle that:

I divide tubes of fabric into two sections of gathering: the front and the back.  I find the two very sides of the tube and place a pin at each side.  Then I place a pin in the very center back (which I usually make the seam that sewed the piece of fabric into a tube) and the very center front.  (I never measure, I always just fold it in half to find the center.)  So now there’s 4 pins in place.  Then I make one long basting stitch along the front, starting at one side pin, making my way over to the other side pin, leaving long thread tails at each end.  Then I do the same thing to the back, making sure to leave long threads for that seam too.

Now, I find the sides and center front and center back of the smaller tube of fabric.  Then I place pins at those spots, just like I did with the bigger tube.

Next, I turn the bigger tube inside out and then slide it over the smaller tube and start matching up the pins, sides with sides, front with front, and back with back.

Then I find the thread tails and start pulling on the backside thread. (I’m pulling the white thread now since I turned the tube inside out and this is now the “wrong” side of the fabric.)  I then gather section by section, pulling from the sides and sliding the fabric toward the center pins.

Once it’s all gathered evenly, I place plenty of pins to keep the gather in place.  Then I sew the two pieces of fabric together just like shown above but this time sewing all the way around in circle.

Then, when you turn everything right side out, you have a nicely gathered tube of fabric.  And because this is so mini, it may have to become a dolly skirt. :)

And that’s it. 

Gathers 101…….How’d you do??

Let me know how it goes.  And if it wasn’t perfect the first time, try again. 

And then put it to use and make a ruffled shirt dress, a ruffled shower curtain, a ruffled heart applique, or a gathered pillow. 

Or millions of other things. :)

P.S. Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend if it applies to you. And eat an extra slice of watermelon for me! :)

-Ashley

Holy stinkin’ smokes. 

I have a really cool giveaway to share today.  And it’s going to blow your socks off.  (You shouldn’t have socks on anyway.  It’s warm out. ;) )  Especially if you have always wanted a new camera.  What better time to start taking great pictures than summer time.  Lots of beautiful light.

Up for grabs is TWO (yes, you read that right), 2 Canon Rebel Cameras!! One for you and, well, one for your friend! If you win, you’ll receive this fabulous camera plus one more to give to your friend. You and a friend can learn together and start sharing pictures between the two of you.  And then start sharing tips and cool photo tricks.  So you may want to increase your odds by spreading the word and getting all those “friends” to sign up.

And, just because two winners just didn’t seem like enough, there’s also a $100 cash gift card for the lucky runner up.

Don’t know much about the Canon Rebel?  Read more about this camera HERE.  

It’s also the first DSLR camera I owned and was the only one I used on my blog until about 8 months ago.  (And I still use it as my back-up.  In fact, I was using it all of last month after I dropped my bigger camera on concrete and had to be sent away for repair.  Ouch, I know.  A little clumsy.)  The Canon Rebel does so much.  And takes some beautiful pictures. 

Anyway, 2 fancy little cameras are up are ready to be given away.

So hurry and enter.  I know, I know, you’re worried about your chances. But for something as big as this, it’s worth a shot, right? :)

Signing up is easy: Just “like” all the bloggers who helped make this giveaway possible and fill out the short form below.  (This giveaway is in no way affiliated with Facebook. The submission of the form below is your entry to the giveaway.  Also, leaving a comment on this actual post will not actually enter you into the giveaway.  But I like comments, so leave all you want. ;))

Fine Print: Must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the U.S. or Canada to enter. This giveaway is in no way affiliated with Facebook. Winner will be notified via email within 48 hours of the giveaway close (May 29th). The winner must respond within 48 hours of receiving the email or a new winner will be chosen. No purchase necessary. 

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You know how I sometimes create Projects for Bernina’s site, “We All Sew“? 

Here’s a few from the past to jog your memory:

(Monster Pillow, Pacifier Pocket, Ruffled Scarf, Autumn Hanger, Owl Pillow, Scrap-Pieced Belt)

Well, I have contributed another one to their site.

And it was created out of necessity.  Because my mail tends to sit on the counter/desk and then starts mixing with other things as the days go on and then get tucked under notebooks or coloring pages or receipts.  When I try and find something, ugggh, I have to search for a while to find it.  Does anyone have this same problem?  (If not, I need an intervention. Ha.)

So I made a Mail Organizer.  But I don’t need anything else to clutter up my counter or workspace, so I made one that hangs on the wall.  Nice and neat and out of the way.

The pocket on the front folds expands, giving plenty of room for all those envelopes.

And has a little separator down the middle, keeping the “in” and “out” pockets separate.

It works great for all the mail that comes in every day.

And to make the organizer sturdy, it’s mounted on a wooden canvas frame.  No worries about sagging.

And the lettering?  I cranked that out in minutes while using a Bernina 580E sewing machine, with the embroidery function.  Simple.  (Can I shriek for one minute and tell you how cool this machine is?  It runs like a dream and pumps out embroidery like no ones business.  And then switches back to regular sewing in a snap.  Wow.)

This little Mail Organizer sure helps with my clutter problem……….and adds a little beauty to my space.

Would you like to make your own?

Click here.

And enjoy.

I was recently introduced to a really fantastic program.  One that gathers and delivers vivid and beautiful handmade quilts to children in hospitals all over the country.  I never realized this but children in hospitals often times are not allowed to bring personal items of comfort from home to stay with them.  For this reason, the “Downy Touch of Comfort” campaign was born. They have partnered up with “Quilts for Kids” and have organized a way for children’s quilts (within certain specifications) to be gathered and donated to children who have been admitted to hospitals all over the U.S. 

And if you think about it, that little quilt must bring a whole lot of cheer to a little one who carries serious illness or trauma in their young bodies.  Especially if they have been there a long time and only have boring walls and plain white bed sheets to look at.  Aww, I was sold.  I can sew.  I could whip up a quilt or two (or maybe more?).  I knew this program was right up my alley.

And then I thought, hmmm, maybe some of you might be interested in this program too.  And may want to use that quilting talent (or take a bit of time to learn how) and create a little something for a child right along with me.  Anyone in?  (And if you’re not from the U.S., you are more then welcome to donate but perhaps there is a similar program you could donate to in your own country.  It’s worth looking into, right?)

You don’t even have to purchase the fabric………or even cut it!  You can request a quilt kit here, which is just what I received in the mail recently.

However, if you’d rather use your own fabric, that is fantastic.  They just ask that it is bright, cheery, and perfect for young children.  Also, the quilt must be approximately 38″- 40″ x 45″- 46″ in size and must be machine quilted.  Don’t worry, you can machine quilt straight lines right on your regular ‘ol machine.  And because these quilts are small, you can fit a quilt this size under your sewing machine needle. 

The quilt kits that are sent out, come with the fabric necessary to create a Four-Patch Quilt (that’s just the name of the pattern design).  However, there are many more quilt patterns with instructions that are all suitable for this “Downy Touch of Comfort – Quilts for Kids” program, found here.

**Just as an FYI, if you’re using your own fabric, be sure to follow the guidelines listed on the Quilts for Kids site here.  Quilts in hospitals can’t be rag quilts or be yarn tied because extra edges can snag on IVs or even create extra lint which can be harmful to medical equipment. 

Are you feeling nervous about putting a whole quilt together?  Especially one that is pieced together?  Let me show you that it’s not so hard.  It’s just a bunch of straight lines.  I promise, you’ll love sewing each piece together, knowing that it will surely brighten up a little one’s bleak day.

If you request a kit, this is what you’ll receive.  All nicely cut out for you.  (Cutting is the worst part for me.  So I love that the kit is all ready to go.)

If you want to make a Four-Patch Quilt from your stash, go here to find written instructions and how much fabric you’ll need to cut your own pieces.

And in case a visual is easier for you than written instructions…………here’s how to put it all together.  (Everything is sewn with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.)

Start by sewing one Fabric A strip together with a Fabric B strip, along one long side, with right sides together.

Then open it up and iron the seam to one side on the back.  (I ironed it over to the blue side.)  Then sew the other two Fabric A & B strips together and iron the seam in the back over to the same side as you did the first one.  (You do this so that in a future step, the seam allowances lay opposite each other.  It just helps eliminate some bulk.)

Next, cut each A & B strip that you sewed together, into 3.5 inch sections.

Then grab 2 of these little 3.5 inch sections and flip one around, to create a checkerboard look.  Sew them together with right sides together.

Then fold the seam over on the back, and iron it flat.

Repeat, until you have sewn together all 15 squares.

Then place them all down, alternating them with the plain fabric 6.5 inch squares, and lining them up just how you want your quilt to look.

But be sure that you don’t have one of the Four-Patch squares turned the wrong way.  You should be able to see continuous diagonal lines going through your quilt.  (The little red squares and the little blue squares create diagonal lines.  See it?)

Next, being careful to keep each square in order, take the entire top row and sew all the squares together, with right sides together.  Continue until all 6 rows are sewn together.  Iron flat.

Then iron the down the seam allowances on the back of each strip, all facing to the right on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th rows.  Then iron the seam allowances to the left on the 2nd, 4th, and 6th rows.  That way, when you iron each row together, the seam allowances are facing different directions and will nest right up next to each other and won’t be so bulky when trying to sew.  Now, sew each row together.

Next, attach the narrow border strips to the sides of the quilt, then add the top border strips.  Iron flat.

Do the same with the wider border strips, sewing the sides first and then the top.  Iron flat.

Now the quilt top is done.  And is ready to be matched up with the backing fabric and batting.  And then quilted and bound.

Which I still need to do.  And I will. 

And then I’ll sign the quilt and send it off (address found here) so that some little deserving boy/girl, who may not be having the best day in the hospital, will receive a little something to cheer them up. 

Definitely worth all the effort.

If you’re unsure how to finish up your quilt, go here to see how to add your batting layer and bind the quilt.  That tutorial shows how to machine quilt with a meandering seam but if your machine can’t do that, just create diagonal lines that go through every block.  A visual diagram can be seen in the written pattern here.

Good grief.  I forgot why being sick puts a wrench in things.  Especially when it’s one of those viruses that you aren’t quite sure has a handle on you or not…….so you still try to GO GO GO, pretending that it’s not there.  But then you finally realize it has a complete hold on you when you go in to pick up a crying baby from her nap and she lost her lunch all over her bed.  And then after cleaning her up and then trying to hold her, rock her, and calm her achey little body………she loses the rest of her stomach all over your chest and lap.  After a good soak in the tub for both of you, you realize that you really don’t feel much better than she does.  No more pretending, it’s time to stay in jammies and leave the kitchen a complete mess (even if it was on the “deep scrub” list for the day) and chill the rest of the day.  It’s no fun to be sick.  But my little baby girl hasn’t been sick much.  So I can’t complain.  But today is a better day.  Hooray.  (My antibodies are working over time I suppose!)

Onto more fun stuff.

Like buying a shirt at Target without trying it on and thinking it’s going to fit just fine. (Because let’s be real, who likes to try things on with 3 kids in a dressing room anyway??  Not me.  Because this is just a snippet of what I may hear;  “Mommy, why are you getting naked?”  “Mommy is that your bra?”  “Does daddy have a bra?”  “Mommy, will I have a bra one day?”  “Who’s under there mommy?”  “Owwwww, stop pushing me!” etc, etc, etc.)  Anyway, I decided to avoid any of that and snatched this little shirt up and was sure it would fit fine and just be a little flow-y and loose.  But once I got it home, it was loose alright.  And too long.  And really frumpy.  I can’t pass up a good ruffle front (and in coral no less) but my vision was different than how it actually looked on me.  I guess I should have corralled my kids into the dressing room afterall.  Haha.

However, instead of taking it back, I decided that I would change the look of it and cinch in the bottom and create a band of shirring that would sit on my hips.  And then the rest of the shirt could stay loose. But as long as something was cinched in, it would give the shirt some shape.

And turns out, I really like it.  Especially on one of those bloated/tired-of-sucking-it-in days.

 If you want the finished shirt to be even more flowy and loose up top, find a bigger shirt.  There are some tops that are really billowy and are made with more fullness, like peasant tops.  But if you only want it a little loose like mine, you don’t need it too huge/wide on you.

All it took was a few minutes to shirr it up……..and done.  (I know, I’m on a serious shirring kick lately.)

I know you have a few shirts that are too baggy, fit a little awkward, or maybe are leftover from a pregnancy(??).  Or maybe you have fallen in love with one of those loose and baggy tunic tops in the store but the cut of it doesn’t quite look right on you.  (Yeah, they rarely do for me either.  Don’t feel bad.)  So fix it.  And make it work for you.  Especially if you love the color/print…..and maybe found it on sale???  (I know, hard angle to see the band in the photos below…….I guess I may need longer arms.)

And if you STILL haven’t tried shirring, go on.  You may love it.  Elastic thread on the underside (that you put in your bobbin), regular thread on top.  (Full tutorial here.)

Sorry little coral shirt, you totally thought you were going back to the store, didn’t you? 

In case you can’t tell exactly how to do it by just looking at the pictures, I’ll explain:

You just sew one row of shirring at a time, all the way around the bottom of the shirt.  I started and stopped each row along one of the side seams of the shirt.  I also back-stitched after finishing one row, then lifted up the needle and jumped to the next row (about a 1/4 inch apart) without cutting threads.  Worked great.  I started my rows of shirring just above the shirt hem………but didn’t like how that ruffled at the bottom (like shown below) so I went back later and added another row of shirring closer to the bottom (that you can’t see here).  Just be sure to pull your fabric flat while sewing so that when you’re all done, the shirring will stretch in and out.  (More on shirring here.)

And like explained in the above link, I always steam my shirring to get a nice and even shirred look.  It also helps pull it all in……..especially the very bottom where I sewed over the bottom hem.  Because it was two layers of fabric, it shirred a little differently, but doesn’t matter one bit after you have the shirt on.

Then pull on your shirt and feel fabulous.  Because you tricked the original shirt designer and turned it into something that worked better for you. :)

Enjoy.

P.S. sometimes some of you will ask in a comment why I take some of my clothing pictures on my mannequin and not myself.  Well, here’s why.  I can’t quite get any good full shot pictures of the item on myself, by myself.  My husband is never home when I need to take the finished product shot, and my arm is only so long.  Haha.  So sometimes I can’t quite get the image I need to explain the technique used when I take it of myself.  But other times I can get away with it.  Like today??  Hopefully??? :)

It’s that time again. 

I’ve been digging through my kiddos’ drawers and finding the “too small” items that need to be weeded out and then deciding what needs to be donated and what can be………….salvaged.  And well, babies always seem to have plenty of onesies that get a little snug in the length but still fit in the top.  So why not give them a few more months of use and adjust them just a bit.  Here’s one idea that I used for my little girl:

Making a little Bubble Dress doesn’t get any easier than this.  Really.

There’s something about that little bubble layer on the bottom that adds more fulness but also looks so clean and polished.  No worrying about a bottom hem.

And because I don’t do well leaving things alone, I added a little flower up top. Ha.

I think she likes it.  (You know what I like?  When babies learn how to blow kisses.  I adore it!)

You could use knit or a woven cotton for this but I used knit.  So it’s still soft, stretchy, and cozy from top to bottom. 

So it’s still a great dress for playing in.  And well, for being curious.

Would you like to make a quick little Bubble Dress out of a Onesie??

Grab a onesie from your baby’s drawer.  Or even go and buy one.  They are a really great base for making a bubble dress.  Then decide on your coordinating fabric for the bubble section of the dress.  (I found this teal knit at Hobby Lobby.)

Then decide on the length you’d like and cut the bottom off the onesie.

Next, decide how long you want the bubble section of the skirt to be.  Then double that number and add an inch for the seam allowance.  For the width, measure the bottom of the onesie all the way around and then double that number and then add an inch for the seam allowance.  So, I wanted to add 4 inches of length to the bottom of my dress and the bottom of the onesie was 18 inches all the way around.  So I cut a piece of knit that was 9 inches tall and 37 inches wide.

Then, fold the strip in half width-wise, with right sides together, and sew the two ends together (shown on the left).  Then, fold that circle in half inside itself, with the right side facing out, matching the raw edges together (shown on the right).

Now, with the horizontal seam along the center back and the raw edges at the top, sew a basting stitch along the top front half and another along the back half, leaving the ends free for gathering.  (Need help with gathering?  Go here.)

Now gather up the skirt section and evenly space it along the bottom of the onesie, matching up raw edges.  Pin in place and then sew.  TIP: Increase your stitch length just a bit while sewing, to prevent stretching and pulling.

Now, you can either do another seam right next to the one you just did, to reinforce it, or you can do what I did next.  (This will just keep it clean and finished but isn’t necessary if you’d rather not.)  I folded the skirt section down and then top stitched right at the very bottom of the onesie section, making sure that the excess seam allowance from the skirt is tucked upwards and is included in this seam from the bottom. 

Then, add a flower if you’d like.  Just fold up some of the flower and sew the base down to the onesie.  (Tutorial for the flower here.  I just added 3 layers, not just 2.)

 And that’s it.  A little Bubble Dress made from a onesie.

I know you have a Maxi Dress (or more?) that makes you crazy. 

You love the print, the fabric, or something else about it……but after you wore it a time or two, you realized it did nothing for your shape.  So instead of throwing it out or donating it, fix that sad little Maxi Dress into a fabulous MAXI. SKIRT.  What?!!  You’ve never worn a Maxi Skirt?  You may have to stop everything you’re doing right now and make one.  (or buy one!)  They are the most cozy little thing you can wear.  And I love them more than a Maxi Dress.  Because Maxi Dresses can be finicky up top and you may not like the neckline/waistline/sleeve length/etc.  But you can pair a skirt with whatever top you want.  Done.  And holy smokes, there’s nothing better than a Maxi (dress or skirt) during the warmer months.  Yeah, they allow some serious air flow. :)

While my friend Ashley and her family were visiting last week (yep, same name as mine……sometimes confusing), she wore a Maxi Dress one day and by the end of the day, she hated it.  Something about the elastic and the fit of the top just wasn’t doing it for her.  No biggee.  I reminded her that instead of throwing it into a donate pile (or the back of her closet)……..that we could transform it.  And that’s what we did, right before they left Saturday morning. 

Nothing beats a little last minute project.  Especially when it takes like 15-20 minutes.

I made the skirt using my favorite waistline {because it’s so darn cozy}……..a nice shirred waistband.  Who doesn’t love an elongated waistband?  (Don’t let shirring scare you.  I share a tutorial how to do it, here.)

So go on, whack that dress in half, and turn it into a skirt that you’ll love.  (However, don’t you love that lace at the top?  I know, such a shame it didn’t fit her right.  I’m saving that for some other future project though.  Who knows what……but something.)

And if you don’t have a Maxi that you hate…….maybe you have a shorter length dress that looks you can’t stand the top.  Go on, turn it into a skirt of any length.  It’s a quick fix to something that you may have decided to throw out.

But ooooh, a Maxi.  I love them.

By the way, if you don’t have a Maxi Dress to cut up, no worries.  You can just create a Maxi Skirt by following this tutorial as well.  Just make a long tube of fabric out of some knit (or other fabric), that can be cinched into a skirt at the top.  Nice and easy.

Would you like a quick little tutorial on how to turn a Maxi Dress into a Maxi Skirt??

Okay, first of all, cut the top of the dress right off.  If you’re cutting into a knit dress, you’re in luck.  Because it doesn’t fray.  And that makes it easier.  However, whatever fabric you’re using will work.  Just be sure that you have enough fabric at the top to either just fold over a 1/2 inch and make a casing for some elastic at the top (like I did), or you may need a little extra to fold down a 1/4 inch and then fold down another 1/2 inch to make your casing.  (You would do the 2 folds if you were using a woven fabric like cotton.  You don’t want it to unravel.)

So here I go, I started at the back, folded the top edge a 1/2 inch (towards the inside of the skirt), then sewed right along the bottom edge of that folded over fabric.

When I sewed all the way around, I stopped about an inch before completing the full circle.

Then, I flipped the skirt to the right side and started making rows of shirring, about a 1/4 inch apart.  (Need help with shirring?  Go here.)  My first row was right on top of the seam that I made to create the casing, then I moved down from there.

When the waistband was to the desired height of my friend, I threaded some 1/8 inch wide elastic through the top casing, pulled it in, knotted it off, then cut the ends off.

Then I sewed that little opening closed. 

Then, like I shared in the shirring tut0rial here, I always steam my shirring and flatten out that top casing so it’s not bulky or bunchy. 

And that’s it.

A quick little fix for an unloved Maxi Dress.

Enjoy.

Nope, didn’t forget.  Just having a little too much fun.

First of all, do you want to know how to get a free dinner?  Here’s how:

• Have a reason to celebrate and find a really good restaurant to eat at.  (Yay, my husband passed the PANCE, his national exam!!  He is now officially certified.  I’m pretty sure my insides have never felt so nervous.  But, now that’s over.  Whew.  Hooray.   ……….sigh)
• Then, skip on just ordering water and happily ask for a nice and sticky strawberry lemonade.
• When the server comes to deliver it, be sure to make him nervous somehow…….and allow him to spill said beverage all down your front.  (my husband was the recipient)
• Then, be sure that your server doesn’t have any control over his language and throws out a few colorful words in front of your 3 young children.
• Next, jump up quickly out of sheer shock and head to the bathroom.
• When the manager arrives, tell him everything is okay, and no you don’t need to dry clean your blue jeans.  And even when he insists on making a great big huge enormous deal, tell him it’s not and that everything really is okay.  However, mention that you are disappointed at the language used in front of your children by the clumsy server.
• When the manager insists on paying for your whole meal, gladly accept.
• And then learn from our mistake.  And order dessert. :)

Edited to Add: I may have confused a few of you who read the above story about our free meal.  We didn’t intentionally enter the restaurant with the idea to trick our server into making a mess.  That’s just what happened (and has probably happened to many of you too) and so I decided to re-tell it with a little sarcasm.  Mostly because I figured it was relatable.  We weren’t really trying to receive a free meal……that’s just what happened.  Sorry if I confused any of you.  And no, I don’t really think you should follow the above steps to receive a free meal.  And yes, even though our meal was free, we tipped him.  He did great other than the spill (and his language) and we totally understand that the spilled beverage was just an accident. :)

We were little stress buckets for a week and a half…….but hallelujah!  My husband is done with school, done with tests (until he has to re-certify), and done with rotations.  We’re not really sure what to do with ourselves.  He feels a little guilty not having his face in a text book in the evenings and it feels strange to have him sit right next to me on the couch after the kiddos are in bed.  Weird.  But we’ll adjust.  Ahhhhhhhh. 

And to kick off our school-free celebration……….we have had some great friends come for a visit from Idaho.  We couldn’t be more thrilled.  Except we feel a little bad that they have been sleeping among a few unpacked boxes and completely naked walls.  (Sorry friends!)  When we have a free week when friends have a free week, we must take advantage of it.  Unpacked boxes or not!

But we have been trying to squeeze in a little something each day.  All 10 of us (4 adults, 6 kids).  And so far, the zoo has been the most fun.  We kind of adore those animals, the winding paths, and this beautiful weather.

And you know, giraffes never disappoint.

And are friendly little buggers.

I’m not sure we could have asked for more beautiful weather.

This little lady always liked to be in charge of the map.  She looked at those trails, studies the colors, and told us right where we should go.

Until we found the animals she was looking for.  Like this mountain lion.

And this little monkey?  We didn’t really here much of a peep out of her.  She looked and listened and studied everything…….while kicking back with her feet up.  I’m pretty sure I’m going to trade her spots next time.

These little rascals ran from here to there and everywhere.  Everything was so interesting.  Definitely a great place to go with our good friends.

And this little guy was an angel, even though he was feeling a little icky.  And holy smokes, those big blue eyes kill me every time. 

It’s been so fun to get together after not seeing each other in so long.  Our kiddos play like little cousins……and we love that!

But they’re not related……..so we can oogle over this all we want.

Today?  We’re off to the aquarium.  Hooray.

I’ll be back to normal next week.  We’ll be flying solo again and my husband starts his first day of his real job.  Pinch me, I still can’t believe our school days are over. 

See you soon!

-Ashley

Whew, did you think our new home (rental) sucked me right into its mess of boxes and random homeless piles of stuff?  Uh, well, it did.  Haha.   But I’m mostly back.   And wanted to share with you a little something that I made before we moved.  I can’t keep it to myself any longer. :)

Remember how I made these little baby sandals last summer?  A boy and a girl version?

(click on either image to visit tutorials)

Those were seriously so fun to make.  But I know, things in small sizes can sometimes be a little tricky.  And from the comments, a few of you struggled with the binding around the edges of the sandals.  So, I made a new pair of little girl sandals that are even easier.  Without the strip of binding.  (But if the binding doesn’t bother you, try either of the sandal tutorials above……they are a lot of fun to make too!)

And yep, you got it, made from an old faux leather pouch.  I love a good “something outta nothing” project.

 And yeah, these sandals don’t have sturdy thick manufactured soles, so this would be best for babies or small toddlers who only walk outside minimally.  They’re not really intended for walking miles on hiking trails.  However, the soles are fine for indoor and just a little bit of dry outside use.  (I let my little one walk in them on the sidewalk out to the car, on the grass, etc.)  I even added some canvas material inside the sole to sturdy them up.  (More on that below.)  It worked great.

This was one of those, “wow, this turned out even better than I thought it would” type of projects.  I love a good surprise!

And really, they were a lot easier to make than they may look.  (Or, I don’t know…..maybe they look easy?)  And would be even more simple if you skipped on adding those soft little flowers on the strap.  But hey, don’t go doing that.  Those soft little flowers make the sandals POP! :)

They are especially interesting to little fingers.  But don’t worry, they are sewed on nice and secure.

And remember, if you are recycling from old stuff……..making these sandals won’t cost much.  So even if you mess them up terribly on your first try, you’re not out much.  Try again.  And just think, you may surprise yourself like I did.  So give it a try.  Dare ya. ;)

I have said this before and I may say it a thousand more times…….but little feet in teeny tiny little shoes may be one of my most favorite things to gush over.  Yeah, impractical.  But dang it, so cute!

Want to make your own little flower sandals?

To begin with, you’ll need to find a small amount of faux leather.  You can sometimes find faux leather for sale by the yard at the fabric store but they generally don’t have a very good variety.  That’s why I head to the thrift store.  And look at all of the old purses and pouches.  There are always great colors and textures that you can cut up and use for other projects.

Next, trace around a pair of shoes (or sandals) that fit your subject.  Then let the child stand on top of that traced drawing to see if that will be a good fit for the foot.  Adjust as necessary.  Remember, you’ll want a little extra room around all of the edges for the little seam all the way around.  Then, for one sandal, you’ll use that pattern piece to cut out a top piece and a bottom piece of vinyl that are cut opposite each other so that they can be placed with wrong sides together.  Then cut another pattern piece that is an 1/8 of an inch smaller around all the edges than your fist pattern piece. Then cut 2 pieces of felt, and 2 pieces of fusible adhesive/web (what’s this? go here).  You make these smaller so that when the sandal sole is sewn together, you are only sewing through the 2 layers of vinyl…….not the felt and adhesive.

Next, turn one of the sole places face down, then place a layer of fusible adhesive/web down, and then a piece of felt.  Iron the felt down until it’s securely attached to the vinyl.  (Be careful how hot your iron is so that you don’t melt or shrivel up your vinyl.)

Do the same thing to the other vinyl piece.

Next, you’ll cut some strips of vinyl that will be used for the straps of the sandals.  And because vinyl usually only has the pretty color on one side, ach strip is made with two strips of vinyl, placed together with wrong sides together, then sewn along each side to attach them together.  Everyone’s measurements will be different, depending on the size foot your subject has.  But I will tell you what my dimensions are for my size 4 sandal for my 13 month old daughter.  (Remember, you will need added length for each strap so that they can be tucked/folded under/etc.  If you read on, you will understand better.)

The strip all the way to the left is the one that goes over the toes.  It is about 5/8 inch wide and 6 inches long.  The second strip from the left is the one that goes under the heel and reaches up to each side of the ankle.  It is 3/8 inch wide and 6 1/2 inches long.  The strip on the right is used around the ankle and is 3/8 inch wide and 8 inches wide.  And one end of this ankle strap, I curved the end just for looks.  But you don’t have to.  That will be the end that wraps around and velcros the strap in place.

Then, I cut slits into the top layer of vinyl/felt that will be directly under the foot.  The bottom layer of vinyl/felt (the part that will touch the ground) doesn’t need slits in it.  Make the top slits right where you want the wider strap to cross the toes.  You may need your subject to stand on this sole piece, to get a better idea of where you should place the slits.  Then place another set of slits toward the back of the vinyl piece, right where the ankle is.

Then, place your top toe strap through the slits from the front………and then the other strip through from the bottom.  Make sure they fit nicely and are positioned how you want them.

Now, time for the flowers.  I cut up old jersey knits scraps from my knit scrap box to make them.  I cut 10 circles for each circle (mine are about an inch in diameter).  And remember, the circles don’t have to be perfect at all.  Just eyeball it and then cut.  Then, I cut one piece of felt that was slightly smaller than my knit circles, that I would use as the backing to each flower.  Then I stacked all of the circles on top of each other and then sewed them together right in the middle, with the felt circle centered on the very back.  (To sew them together, I lowered my stitch length really low, lowered my feed dogs, and then sewed a little circle right in the very middle.  But I realized that’s not the easiest way for everyone.  So another option is to just turn your machine stitch to zig-zag, decrease your stitch length all the way to zero, and then stitch several stitches.  That will tack all the circles together.)

Then fluff up all those layers of circles……and those center stitches will be hidden anyway.

Then, flatten those layers back down again, remove the toe strap from the sole, and then stitch the flower down to the strap the same way you did in the previous step.  Add two more flowers the same way.

Then place the strap back through the top sole of the sandal and then pin it down in place.

Then add plenty of glue.  I used Amazing Goop (purchased at Michael’s) that works awesome!  I used clothes pins to pinch each end in place, until the glue dried.

Then, to make each sole even more stiff, I cut out little sole shapes out of plastic canvas to add between the two sole layers.  This is optional but it really helps to stiffen up the sole.  Maybe there are other ideas out there……..but I had extra of this from another project and it worked great!  However, be sure to make the canvas piece 1/4 inch smaller (not just an 1/8 of an inch like the felt) around all of the edges of the vinyl sole shape.  You don’t want it in the way when sewing around the sole of the sandal.

Then, make sure the bottom strap is centered in place…………..and then put a generous amount of glue on the bottom of the sole, then place the canvas layer on top, add another layer of glue, and then place the bottom layer of vinyl on and sandwich it all together.  Just be sure that the right sides of your vinyl is facing outward on both sides of the sole.  (When applying the glue, try to keep it about a 1/4 inch away from the edges of the sole.  You don’t want it to gum up your needle when sewing in later steps.)

Then use more clothespins to sandwich your layers together tightly…….or throw a heavy book on top to press all of the layers together.  My husband was done studying this dang book, so it came in handy.  I’m just trying to get our money’s worth out of all his pricey P.A. books. ;)

After the glue has completely dried, put your zipper foot on your machine and then sew all the way around the sole, an 1/8 inch from the edge.

Then, fold over each end of this strap towards the inside of the shoe, about 3/4 of an inch.  The loop that it makes at each end needs to be big enough for the ankle strap to fit through.

Next, slide the straight end of the ankle strap (if you made one straight and one curved) through the OUTSIDE strap loop.  Pull it through about a 1/2 inch and then sew it in place with a few stitches.

Then place the other end of the strap through the other loop.  Then add about 1 1/2 inch strip of velcro to each end.

Lastly, inspect your sole.  If you see any gaping holes, use a toothpick to place a bit of glue in that opening…….

……….then pinch it closed and hold until it dries.  Repeat with any other gaping sections.

And that is it.

Now, try on for size.  And adore your teeny tiny little sandals.

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Does anyone need a little project to do during the next few weeks?  Maybe a little project to work on for Mother’s Day?  Or Father’s Day?  Your friend’s birthday?

Oh, you do?  Good.  This one is FREE.

I just have to share this really cool promotion going on, because yep, I’m always loving a good deal.  Have you heard of Paper Coterie?  (If  not, hurry on over and check them out.)  They are offering a $15 gift credit from now until May 14th.  (Enter GIFTFAVES at checkout)  Yep, totally free.  You don’t have to order a minimum amount and if you want to make something bigger, you can just apply the $15 to a bigger project.  Perfect.

Here are some of my favorite things from the Paper Coterie Site that I’m going to have a hard time choosing from:

This sweet little Desktop Sentiment that folds up to celebrate the recipient…..but also folds down into a little box that holds up to 12 cards with a special note or memory.  Great for any occasion, really.

Or how about a special Journal (spiral bound or hard bound).  What a lovely and personalized gift.  Journals are great for moms to jot down favorite family memories, to quickly write down some of the funny things heard from her kids, or to just write down thoughts or ideas.  I need to start one about the funny things my kids do ASAP……and a pretty journal is really motivating me to get started.

Paper Coterie also creates photo canvases……but they also carry these really cool Photo Posters.  And they’re a lot less in price.  What’s extra cool about them is that they have a re-usable adhesive on the back that is safe for walls.  So you can position and re-position.  You could use these in so many ways.  I’m totally getting some to decorate this new home we just moved into.

Ooooh, oooooh.  Something else I really love………are these clever little Memory Keeper Boxes that you can stuff full of all sorts of little trinkets/tickets/announcements that you’re just not sure what to do with.  (Do you have a pile in your closet/drawers?  I do too.)  I have 3 kids and 3 sets of hospital bracelets/cards/etc that I need a home for.  3 baby Memory Keepers for me, please.

I could go on and on.  Okay, I will for just 2 more seconds.

I really love these little Swatch Books.  Makes a simple and sweet last minute gift.

And also their Calendars.  No more boring ‘ol calendars.  These have such great shape and design to them.

And another favorite idea……making a family Recipe Book.  I love tried and true recipes, especially from a friend or family member.  Great gift idea!

And of course, Paper Coterie carries Photo Books.  Lots of styles, options, ideas.  I love them all.

Okay, okay.  I’ll stop now.  I just got so excited.

Go here to see even more great things that Paper Coterie offers.  You’ll fall in love too.

One of my very favorite things about Paper Coterie (besides the incredibly nice quality), is that you always always get to see your final product and how it will look, before placing your order.  Because, you know, sometimes I have a good idea in my head but it doesn’t turn out as well as I thought. No worries here though.

And to be able to spend $15?  Just because?  How nice.  I know your little creative brains are churning out some great ideas too……..so hop on over and use up that $15 credit before it expires May 15th.  Remember to enter GIFTFAVES at checkout (expires 5/14/12).

They also have a sale that’s exclusively for Mother’s Day going on, where you can save 40% off your entire order.  So if you’re making a larger order and would save more than $15 by using the 40% off promotion, enter BEINGMOM at checkout (expires 4/30/12).  That may be useful for some of you purchasing several things all in one order.

Okay, I’m off to look at my pictures files.  I need to order some wall posters.  And a few gifts. :)

Talk to you soon.

-Ashley