versus

holiday crafting ideas & roundup!

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:56:00 +0000

*this was originally posted this week on luvinthemommyhood but i thought those of you popping in over here on versus might like it too :)

i don't know about you guys but i'm in full on christmas crafting mode! i thought i would give you all a hand and remind of you the fun roundups we had last season to help keep us inspired and a tad less stressed for the holidays.

wreath roundup

garland roundup

christmas stocking roundup

remember my my paper wreath? i still have up what was my fave christmas craft from last year. i turned it from a wreath (paper leaves taped onto a cardboard base made from a pizza box...lol) into a mirror. easy peasy and one of my fave things in our home.

paper mirror wreath

paper wreath

and just for fun....here's some fabulous tutorials from me and other fabulous guest bloggers that would make some wonderful xmas pressies for loved ones :)

1. the mallory cowl pattern 2. the carefree cowl pattern

1. infinity & beyond scarf tutorial

1. sunburst pillow 2. everest: the ultimate knitting needle organizer

1. legwarmers

1. jardain coasters 2. nesting cups

1. lace belt 2. dad's tie to gadget case 3. the buff cuff 4. organic dishcloths

to find more fun roundups to get inspiration from check out all of my link luv roundups and theme months here that include a ton of awesome guest posts for adults, babies/kids and your home. alos don't forget to head over to the headquarters of comfy sews vs cozy knits on "versus". check out both the tutorials and the roundups there too! lots of goodies galore to be sewn, knit or crocheted!

happy crafting!!!! i'm hoping to put together another xmas roundup for you all this month...what would you like to see the most? what is the one thing you make for xmas decor every year?

jardain crochet coaster tutorial with guest rebecca of nook

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:44:00 +0000

you all know i have a love affair with knitting & sewing but i also adore crochet. it's the one craft that often get's pushed aside for me though. it's not that i love it less, or don't enjoy it as much, i just for some reason always have my knitting & sewing battling it out. so in honor of throwing some crochet love your way i asked one of my good friends rebecca of the blog and shop "nook" to come give us a fun, easy and very fun tutorial on how to make one of my favorite crocheted things - coasters!

for my birthday this year i got this lovely little package from becca filled with the coasters above, a mug cozy (you can buy these in her shop) and the fabric she used to wrap it! how sweet is that!

rebecca is one of those people you meet who eats, sleeps and breathes knitting but she also crochets. i mean seriously people, check out this blanket!! LOVE!

she knits faster than anyone i know (her hands are like a speedy blur at our knit nights) and i know a lot of knitters. she also seems to have some strange knack for knitting in superhero style...she can be baking bread or making dinner - knitting, talking to me on the phone - knitting, i bet she even knits on the potty..lol. needless to say if there's a chance my bud can pick up her sticks she will. she's got an adorable etsy shop filled with some of her handmade goodies, a pretty blog and if you live in my city (victoria, bc) she also teaches some pretty rad classes at the cloth castle. check out her fall listings..where else can you take lessons for jane richmond's super stylish patterns? plus you get to hang with rebecca and take it from me....she's super fun to be around. i heart her. she feeds me and makes me coffee....a lot.

so get those hooks & yarn out and get ready to whip up some jardain coasters! happy hooking..lol...now let's hear from rebecca....

i have been looking forward to being a part of versus for a long looooong time now. i'm so happy to be here, thanks so much for having me!

it is my honest opinion that a home can never have enough coasters, inside or out.... well... almost. meet jardain. these little cuties are so adorable, you'll wanna be sure to make a set... or two... ! it's enough to make your fav tea cup or mug or even mason jar of homemade smoothies exclaim "oh la la!" so quick, grab your hook and let's get started!

this is a great project even for the very beginner crocheter. and they make perfect gifts from house warming to stocking stuffers.. (eeks! already??) to just because... they're a fairly instant gratification project. i know what you're thinking... "sa-weeeet". yeah, i know.

so here's what you'll need:

4.0mm/US 6 hook
worsted weight yarn. ... each coaster really really doesn't take much, just use up some scraps for this little project.

directions:

with your crochet hook, loosely chain (ch) 4 stitches (st). then join with a slipped stitch (sl.st.) to the first ch to make a ring.

rnd 1: make 8 single crochet (sc) inside the ring. sl.st. in your first sc

rnd 2: ch.2. 2sc in the second ch. from hook and continue with 2sc in every stitch around. you have now doubled your stitch count to 16 sts. make a sl.st. in the first ch. of this round. ... in this way, you are basically crocheting a spiral. see?

rnd 3: ch.2. sc in second ch. from hook and in every st. around. sl.st in first ch. of round.

rnd 4: ch.2. 2sc in second ch. from hook and continue with 2sc in every ch. around. sl st. in 1st ch. (36 sts.)

rnd 5: ch.2. sc in second ch. from hook and in every ch. around. sl.st in 1st ch. of round.

rnd 6: ch.2. sc in second ch. from hook, sc, 2sc in next ch, *(sc, sc, 2sc)* repeat from * to * around until last ch. sc. join with sl st. to 1st ch. of round. 46 st. total.

rnd 7: ch.4 sl st. in 5th ch. from hook. *(ch4, skip 4st, sl st. in 5th ch)* repeat from * to * around until 6st remain. ch 4, sl st. in 3rd st from hook, ch4, sl st. in last st. of rnd. you will have created 10 loops.

rnd 8: 6dc in 1st loop space created. sl st. in previous rnd's sl. st. continue around in this manner. 6dc's in every loop space, with a sl. st. in between.

draw a knot through final loop. sew in ends.
and you're done!

see? easy peasy lemon squeezy. enjoy!

thanks so much for joining in on the fun here on versus rebecca! i'm gonna go sip some tea out of my cozy mug sitting on my fave coaster :) you can find more nook here:

*blog *etsy shop *facebook *pinterest *ravelry

do you love coastsers too? what's your fave way to make them? sewn, knitted or crocheted? have a fave pattern you want to share? i'd love to hear about it!

Round 4 - Comfy sews VS Cozy Knits Skirts

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Tue, 24 May 2011 17:20:00 +0000

1. shiroshakar 2. flower gathered skirt

i posted this roundup on hideous! dreadful! stinky! for the "summer of no pants series" last week. here's the full roundup in case you missed it over there. bring on the skirts ladies!

let the battle begin...ding...ding...ding...

1. nederdel

1. soft linen single gore skirt 2. lanesplitter 3. swirl skirt 4. prairie skirt

1. baile 2. #12 skirt 3. flamenco ruffled drawstring

1. fit-n-flare trumpet skirt

1. eave 2. agnes

1. chelsea skirt 2. ruffled mini skirt 3. bell curve 4. flouncy skirt

1. sugar 2. linen skirt with flounce border

1. elastic waist skirts

1. midi-skirt 2. flirting the issue

1. charlotte russe inspired skirt 2. denim skirt refashion 3. circle skirt

1. favorite frills skirt

1. paperbag skirt 2. everything coming up roses 3. vintage bowtie skirt

1. maxi skirt

1. reversible scallop skirt 2. reversible skirt

1. drape wrap skirt 2. skirt with deep pockets

1. gyspy romance 3 tiered skirt 2. skirtdress 3. simple long flora skirt

ok...get your vote on (here's the link to the poll in case it doesn't show up):

Round 4 - Comfy Sews VS Cozy Knits SkirtsMarket Research

happy sewing ladies! may you all enjoy a pants free summer!

Summer of no pants guest post!

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Fri, 20 May 2011 15:00:00 +0000

1. shiroshakar 2. flower gathered skirt

hi everyone! i'm over on the fun blog hideous! dreadful! stinky! for the "summer of no pants series" today! i love this series! it's a fun challenge where people make an effort to only sew and wear skirts and dresses. marigold asked me to join in with a round of "comfy sews VS cozy knits" on skirts for you all (you can find dress showdowns here)! i love skirts and dresses. i would prefer to wear a skirt/dress over pants any day. in fact i just made my very first dress for myself (check out the tutorial here)! i'm so happy i did!

so here's a fun roundup so that all of you will feel encouraged and inspired to whip up some skirts this summer! the only question is which side will you be on? knits or sews?

1. elastic waist skirts

get in your seats gals, the battle is about to begin...

1. fit-n-flare trumpet skirt

...ding...ding...ding...ding!

click here for the full roundup & to join in on the "summer of no pants" series!

you can find all things hideous! dreadful! stinky! here...

*blog *shop *flickr *facebook *twitter

what do you all prefer? are you more of a pants girl or a skirts girl? could you go the whole summer wearing only skirts and dresses?

ps. the full roundup will be archived here on versus next week :)

The Spring Frills Scarf with Guest Anneliese of Aesthetic Nest

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

our last guest for comfy sews VS cozy knits is the talented, creative, beautiful mom of 3 anneliese of the gorgeous blog "aesthetic nest". i'm so excited that anneliese is back again this season with a crochet pattern to throw into the mix!!! i couldn't have this theme month without one more crochet pattern :P

anneliese's blog is filled with gorgeous and inspiring goodies. from food, sewing, painting, crochet, knitting and parties galore this talented ladies got it.

her style is gorgeous. her children are oh so cute as are the patterns and items in her etsy shop.

so trust me when i say to pop over to the aesthetic nest and get lost in anneliese's world.

how she manages to find the time to make all these beautiful handmade goodies with 3 wee ones is beyond me but i'm gonna keep bugging her till she tells me. in the meantime though....

let's hear how she makes the pretty spring frills scarf....here's anneliese...

I love these battles Shannon stages, because without the opportunity to duke it out I might never make something for myself! If you ever stop by Aesthetic Nest you know my three daughters are usually the focus of my creative production. So thank you, Shannon, for keeping some luv in the mommyhood--all moms need something for themselves every once in a while.

This project may be the perfect thing if you find a few minutes to work on something for yourself. It's crochet and I'm taking sides this Spring because crochet can travel, you can pick it up for just a minute or two and drop it when someone spills the milk, it doesn't create a big mess you have to clean up a the end of nap time, and it produces results quickly! In fact, this particular project, the Spring Frills Scarf, fits into no time at all. It works up quickly, but more more importantly, it works up rather mindlessly. It's perfect for carrying along to work on while waiting in the car, or for an appointment, or on a vacation--with just 1 or 2 skeins and a hook it can easily fit in your purse, diaper bag or carry on. And the simple instructions mean you rarely have to refer to the pattern--you can just work away. I started work on this in one day on a recent vacation while riding in a car, on windy roads no less, because the repetitive stitch work meant I could look ahead most of the time and avoid motion sickness! It's true!

A scarf may not be the first thing you think of wearing in the spring, but this is lightweight and cotton and offers a number of options for throwing over a work or SAHM outfit. Plus, it has ruffles, and we can all use a few more of those, can't we? It's Spring! Let's add some frills.

If you are new to crochet, you can do this! And if you have been doing it for a while, you can do this quickly! So without further delay, here we go.

SPRING FRILLS SCARF TUTORIAL

MATERIALS:

--2 skeins Omega Sinfonia 100% mercerized cotton yarn in Fresco. It's 100grams/218 yds and available at Hobby Lobby. (You won’t need very much of the second skein and I provide directions if you’d like to make a shorter scarf and use just one skein.)

--H Hook.

TO MAKE:

Chain 283 (or if you want to make this a 1-skein project and have a slightly shorter scarf, chain 253).

Round 1: Work 1 double crochet (dc) in the third chain (ch) from the hook. Dc in each ch to the last ch.

Work 5 dc in the last ch.

Do not turn. Work along the back of the foundation chain working 1 dc in each ch to the first ch.

Work 4 dc in the first ch for a total of 5 dc and slip stitch (sl st) to the beginning dc to join.

Round 2: Ch 3...

Work 2 dc in the same stitch.

Work 3 dc in the next dc and every dc thereafter...

(Your work will start to "ruffle" nicely.)

...working around the end and all the way around the scarf.

Join with a sl st. Weave in ends. Wear!

thanks so much anneliese! i love this scarf! it will look so pretty with jeans and tshirt or pretty summer dress! i can't wait to cast one on! if you all want to see more of anneliese's work...

*blog *etsy shop

the roundups are coming....i've got one last comfy sews VS cozy knits left and a giant crochet one coming your guys way next week so stay tuned :)

do you crochet? are you going to cast on for the spring frills scarf? am i the only one who knits/crochets in the car in between all the errands with the kids?

Reversible Skirt Tutorial with Guest Disney of Ruffles and Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

i'm super excited to have one of the sweetest bloggers i know, disney of the blog "ruffles and stuff" join us today with a pretty cool reversible skirt tutorial! i love this tute! it's timeless, adaptable and so much fun! i'm definitely going to have to try my hand at making one of these.

disney's blog has been one of my favorites for a very long time. her photography, styling, fun personality and adorable daughter make it an irresistible place to visit.

you can find tutorials galore for ladies, little girls and for your home. you can even fancy up a pretty snazzy accessory as well! you ready to get inspired? get your fabrics ready & your machines warmed up to get working on any number of disney's tutorials.

now let's hear from disney...

Oh! I'm so excited to be part of Versus, I don't even know what to do with myself. What an honor! Thank you, Shannon!

And I'm extra-excited to be in sewing's corner of the ring. Sewing is such an open field for creativity. I don't want to make the knitting ladies feel bad, knitting is so lovely, and you can make some very lovely things. But, seriously, with sewing, what can't you do? If the choice comes between the two, for me, it's sewing-hands down.

And to help state my case, here's a lovely little sewing tutorial from me to you!

A reversible skirt.

One skirt, two looks! With simple, beginner-type directions.

All the benefits of two distinct skirts, with the effort of only one! Hot dog!

Got a split personality? No problem. Let both sides shine!

One side of mine (I call her Poppy) loves little country florals, picket fences and wearing rain boots whenever possible.

The other half of me likes to plays it pretty safe. All matchy-matchy and "normal" looking.

But, if you flip your skirt, won't one side have a seam showing?

We can't have that....

And what about where the elastic is closed?

It's no problem! Let's see how it's done...

1. First we'll need a nice elastic waistband for our skirt. Wrap some 2"-3" elastic around your waist until it's comfortable, add an inch and sew ends together, leaving about an inch on one end. (Photo a) Then fold the extra bit over twice, open up the waistband and sew the folded bit down. (Photo b)

2. Next cut two lengths of fabric for your skirt pieces. 2x your widest hip/waist measurement and 28" long for your main fabric, 18" for your accent fabric.

3. Turn each piece into a tube by sewing the sides together with right sides facing. Hem the bottom of the 18" piece.

4. To hem the longer piece, turn under the edge once and fold up the bottom about 7", pin well. Then use chalk or a sewing pen to mark 1" lines all the way up. Sew along each line with matching thread.

5. You'll need to gather the top of each skirt piece slightly until it's a little larger than your elastic band. To gather, sew along the top with a long straight stitch and pull one of the threads as you slide the fabric down.

6.Then pin the elastic band to the top of the skirt pieces in four equally spaces places. As you can see in the photo, the right sides of the skirt pieces should be facing each other, with elastic sandwiched in between, and all layers flush on top.

6. Gently stretch the elastic band as you sew the three layers together with a zigzag stitch.

All done!

Now you can have fun thinking of fun color combinations. :o)

But be sure that neither of your fabric choices show through to the other side.

And if you want to practice a little before making your own, this pattern works for little punkin's, too!

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial!

Thank you again so much for having me Shannon.

Have a wonderful day, everyone!! :O)

Love,

Disney

thanks so much for being part of comfy sews VS cozy knits disney! love this skirt! remember what i told you...i will email you daily..wink wink :P if you all want to see more of disney's work pop on over to her fab blog - ruffles and stuff.

are you planning on making this skirt? don't you just love the fact that it's reversible too? so fun!

Spring Wrap Belt & Bracelet Tutorial with Guest Sascha of Piccoli Piselli

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

our next talented guest is sascha from the wonderful blog piccoli piselli. i fell in love with sacha's blog at first site sometime last summer. her style, taste, sewing skills and gorgeous photos just lured me in. piccoli piselli is a pretty and inspiring place to go visit. i knew when i decided to do a spring/summer version of comfy sews VS cozy knits that i had to ask sascha. i'm so happy she said yes :)

sascha has some great sewing tips and tutorials on her blog. she's also pretty handy with some diy. you can also purchase some of her lovely handmade goods in her shop as well. she makes some pretty darn stylish baby carriers if you ask me :)

she's also the talented lady behind the "lego play table" from this year's session of "celebrate the boy".

you can always tell when sascha's made something. she always leaves a little piece of her style on her garments. her fabric pairings are fun with a touch of whimsy. i also love that she loves sewing with knits so much and makes it look super easy to do. she's always inspiring me to get the knits out...and add just that "little extra something special" to a handmade garment.

now let's hear from sascha...

Hello everyone from the Mommyhood! I'm Sascha from Piccoli Piselli. I'm so excited to be a part of such an amazing group of bloggers. I also want to say thanks to Shannon for asking me to jump into the Versus ring. I was thrilled when she asked me to contribute.

I'm here to show something for the Comfy Sews side of things. It's no secret that I like sewing with knits. I'm usually creating clothes for my kids and for some reason I find it hard to sit down and make something for myself. I'm also usually dressed the same way every day. A white t-shirt and jeans. I'm not kidding about everyday. So I decided to create something that could spruce up my daily uniform without going too far out of my comfort zone. There's no denying how cozy knit fabric is to wear. For those of you new to sewing with knits or nervous about trying it out, this is the perfect project for you.

With this tutorial you can also make...

This project is super easy and what's best is that I used scraps to create everything.

For the main belt/bracelet you'll need knit fabric. I used a cotton/rayon jersey knit. How much depends on the finished length you want. The embellishments can be cotton, chiffon, lace, rayon, buttons, beads, feathers... well just about anything. Some other things for this projects are a rotary cutter, fabric loop turner and a sewing machine or serger. I'll be using a serger to create the long strips in this tutorial.

So let's get started

I like to have a belt made with between 2-3 lengths of knit fabric sewn together. Since most knits are pretty wide this gives you a lot of length. Old t-shirts are great for making a bracelet. The green belt is a finished length of about 170". I used less than 1/4 yard. The best way to cut the knit strips is to fold your fabric in either quarters or thirds so that when you cut the strips you will be cutting through multiple layers. I found that 1 1/4" width worked for my fabric loop turner.

With right sides together stitch your strips together at the short ends. Trim seam allowance.

If using a serger (recommended) make sure to leave a tail of thread for the next step. With right sides together stitch the strip closed creating a long tube. If you are using a sewing machine for this you will want to stitch your loop closed with a zig-zag. Not too narrow but not too wide. When you turn the loop right side out the fabric stretches a lot and the threads can break if you are not careful.

This is what your belt will look like before it's turned right side out.

A little bit about fabric loop turners. I own two different kind of loop turners. As you can see above I prefer the loop turner pictured on the left. The metal turner will work for shorter loops, but I haven't tried it on a super long belt. The blue turner actually comes in a two pack and this is the skinnier of the two. I love this turner and I use it on a lot of projects.

Here's where the tail of thread you left comes in to play. On my loop turner there is a tab of plastic that you can wrap the thread around. The chain stitch from the serger should be strong enough to withstand the pulling you are about to put it through. I did have the thread break halfway through turning on one of my samples so don't pull too hard. It can be tricky to get the loop started but once you get the fabric started turning right side out it's just a lot of mindless pulling and stretching and tweaking. I'm not going to lie. This can get tedious. I took my 170" belt and watched t.v. It took about an hour. I imagine if you make your belt a little wider the loop will turn easier, but I think it looks cute with the spaghetti strap look.

Once it is turned you can lightly press it, but I didn't feel the need. Set aside.

Next is making the embellishments. To make the tail of the belt I took a scrap strip of chiffon that measured about 2 1/2"-3" wide by 25". I didn't cut the edges. I ripped the strip so the edges would fray. Stitching with a gather stitch (on my machine 5.0), stitch two rows or stitching side by side down the center. I only stitched one row in this photo but I used heavy duty thread. Since this piece once gathered will have no other stitching, you'll want to have either strong thread that won't break easily or the two rows of stitching. Gather to the length you want and tie the ends of the thread. I made a small back and forth stitch on one end of this tail.

I hand stitched the tail onto one end of my belt so I could tuck in the raw edges of the chiffon. The other end of the belt I just tied a knot and cut the fabric close to the knot.

Now for the fabric flowers. Yes, I know they are all over the place. I also realize I'm probably hitting the tail end of the trend, but what can I say? They're easy to make and really very pretty. There are a bajillion (I swear it's a word) different tutorials out there on different flowers to be made from fabric so I'm not going to try and re-invent the wheel. Actually, that's not my intention with any of my tutorials. People have been sewing and creating long before I met the internet.

After looking around the interweb I decided to try both sewn and glued flowers. I can't really say I have a preference. I didn't use hot glue, but a flexible fabric glue that had to dry over night. I played around with shapes and fabric scrap widths, and it got kind of addictive. That's actually what led me to create the bracelet.

I also tried two different ways for attaching the rosettes. On the green belt I wanted to be able to move the flower around depending on where the tie ended up. I made a small loop that I hand stitched on to the backs of the flowers.

It was an extra step but it worked out nicely.

On this belt I stitched them in place. I tried the belt on and marked where the flower placement should go and I just back-tacked a few times.

Here I am wearing the belt. I made this one shorter with only two lengths of knit fabric.

Here is another bracelet I made. The bracelet is a really quick project and before you know it you can have something to go with just about any outfit.

In case you are wondering how to tie the bracelet without the help of a third hand, it's really quite easy. Just hold one end in the same hand of the wrist you are wearing your bracelet. With the opposite hand start winding fabric around your wrist. Tie a loose knot and you're done!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and thanks for reading until the end.

thanks so much for joining in sascha! it's been so fun chatting with you :) you guys can find more piccoli piselli here:

*blog *shop

these are so adorable! i can't wait to give them a try! what color/flower combo would you make yours in?

Day to Night Reversible Scallop Skirt Tutorial with Guest Megan Nielsen

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

so excited to share today's guest blogger with you all today! when i saw her adorable tutorial i got super excited! megan nielsen is here today with us to share a tute for the day to night reversible scallop skirt! you may have seen a few of these popping up here and there if you're into fashion! i'm super excited that megan decided to whip up a tute for us all so we can make our very own!!!!

i adore megan. she is one of the loveliest, sweetest, funniest & stylish bloggers i've had the chance to become friends with. when i first started sewing her easy to follow tutorials were super inspiring and her maternity refashions/tutes were invaluable. her readers (including me) watched as she took the leap into starting her own fashion line and pattern business and she hasn't looked back since! her first 2 lines were ahhhhhmmmmmaaazing!!!!! (find all her collections here) so gorgeous!! and her new spring/summer line will not disappoint - trust me...i got a sneak preview! love it!!!

even though megan's got a successful and busy fashion line she's still blogging. you can find her on her blog "design diary" where she shares her outfits, fashion tips, tutorials, sewing tips & craft projects. she also has a 2nd blog called "diy maternity" where all her maternity tutorials and sewing tips are featured along with other readers as well. you should check it out! it's an awesome resource!

so without further ado...let's get whipping up some scallop skirts! let's hear from this fashionable, fun mommy of 2 -megan....

Hi everyone!! My name is Megan Nielsen and I'm a designer and mom of 2. I was so excited when Shannon asked me to share a tutorial for Team Sewing! (that's right I just gave us a name, matching tshirts are coming next hehe).

I had a tough time figuring out what to sew - because well, I love sewing and there were a lot of things I wanted to do! But I'm so thrilled with this project, and I really hope you like it as much as I do! It's a reversible scallop hem skirt - that I'm calling the Day to Night skirt. The perfect little skirt to take you from day to night, or work to play. I made mine with a fun bright side and a darker serious side. I love it, and I've already spent too much time trying it on with everything else in my wardrobe!

Want to make one with me?

Here's what you'll need:

2 different fabrics - 2/3 to 1 yard of each

a cup or round object to use as a stencil

contact paper (the kind you use to cover books or line drawers)

elastic for the waistband (I used 1" wide, but if I did it again I think I'd use 2" wide)

a pen

rulers

All seam allowances of 1/2"

What to do:

1) The first thing we'll have to do is cut our 2 fabrics. We will basically be cutting 2 rectangles. Where the height will be the length of the skirt but seam allowance, and the width will be your hip measurement plus ease plus seam allowance. is measure our hips. But (you might know this already) when we say hips in sewing, we don't really mean hips, we mean the widest part of your lower body - for me that's across my butt and thighs. Add on 4 inches to this measurement if you'd like a skirt with a nice amount of moving room - if you'd like a tighter fitting skirt, Add on about 2 inches. This measurement is the width of your fabric. So for example, my hip measurement was 39" so I cut my fabrics to be 43" wide.

2) Fold your fabric in half width ways with the right sides together. Then sew along the side seam. Basically we will be creating 2 tubes.

3) Head over to your iron, and iron those seams open

4) Turn one of the tubes the right way round and place it inside the other tube (so now the right sides will be facing each other). Pin, and then sew a row of basting stitches 1/2" from the edge

5) Now lets make our scallop edge stencil!! I tried a couple of ways to do this, and I found the easiest thing to do was to use contact plastic - that way you can stick it to your fabric, and have an easy guide! Lay out your contact plastic with the paper side upwards. Place your glass so that the edge of the glass lines up with the edge of the paper, and trace half way round. Do this all the way along the edge, butting up the glass to the edge of the last half circle and the edge of the paper. I chose to make deep scallops, but if you want more shallow ones, just overlap your half circles rather than butting them up.

6) Cut your stencil out and remove the paper backing. Stick it to your skirt, so that the edge of the scallops line up with your basting stitches.

7) Sew around the stencil as close as you can to the edge without actually sewing on it. But if you do, don't freak out!! It'll still come off, it just means that you'll probably rip your stencil a bit and it might not be as re-usable.

8 ) Peel off your stencil carefully, and stick it back on the backing paper so that you can use it again.

9) Cut inbetween the scallops, as close as you dare to the stitches, without actually cutting them.

10) Trim the excess fabric around the scallops. I used pinking shears, because they're basically like cutting neat little notches around the edge - but you could just as easily just trim very close to the stitches and achieve the same result.

11) Now turn your skirt the right way round, so that the right sides of both fabrics are facing outwards. Using your hand, "push" out the scallops and shape them with your hands.

12) Move over to the iron, and press them nice and crisply. Spend some time doing this properly, because the neater and more evenly you do it, the better your skirt will look.

13) Measure your waist and subtract 4" from that number. Cut your elastic to be this long.

14) Now we're going to sew the elastic case. Sew a line of stitches 1 3/4" from the raw edge of the top of the skirt.

15) Over at your iron again, fold in1/4" on both fabrics and iron. Then pin them together, and top stitch as close to the edge as you dare, making sure that you leave at least a 2" gap so you can thread your elastic through.

16) Thread your elastic through, and sew the ends together.

17) Sew up the gap in the top of the skirt. Then sew 2 lines of top stitching on top of the elastic, stretching as you sew. This is basically just to give the waistband a neater look, and keep the elastic in place.

18) Once you've done that you may notice that the elastic has stretched out a bit. Don't' stress!! Just spritz the waist band with some water and press it with your iron a few times, and your elastic will recover.

19) There is no 19!! You're done!!

Enjoy your fun reversible skirt!!

megan - luv ya girl! i'm sending giant cups of coffee, spa dates and hugs your way!!!! thanks so much for being part of comfy sews VS cozy knits! i'm loving this skirt!!! want some more megan nielsen? you can find her here:

*website *blog *shop *facebook *twitter

any of you been wanting a scalloped skirt? what fabric/color would you make one in? make sure you link up your posts or pics here in the comments...i love seeing and hearing about what you are all making!

Mosaic Knitted Pouches Tutorial with Guest Kate of Needle and Spatula

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:57:00 +0000

we've got our 2nd guest reader post up today. kate from the blog "needle and spatula" wrote me a sweet email asking if she could come on and share an adorable tutorial for mosaic knitted pouches. i loved the look of them. the fact that they were done with mosiac knitting seemed fun as i have never done that and also that they look felted but they are not was fun too! i could see these being addicting to make as little hostess gifts, xmas pressies, teacher gifts, shower gifts - basically anything you need a stylish little handknit pouch for!

kate blogs over at needle and spatula where she shares all her creative adventures in crafting, cooking, & gardening. kate quilts, shares tutorials and she also has an etsy shop of the same name where she sells sewing patterns, pouches, purses, and more! there's patchwork and free motion applique galore - love it!

now let's hear from kate...

Hi! I'm super excited to be joining you all today. I have been reading luvinthemommyhood for a while but I always feel a bit like I don't belong... because I am actually not a mom yet! But I love sewing and knitting, and I make lots of gifts for friends' babies (and my 8 month old nephew!), and I just love Shannon's blog! She has the best roundups and I always feel inspired by the weekend wishes... it often makes me want to run out and buy some vintage pyrex and sheets. So I hope you don't mind me hanging out with you in the Mommyhood :).

I loved the idea of the knitting vs. sewing matchup when Shannon did it last fall, so I was super excited to see that she was doing it again and had even launched a spiffy new site for the occasion. I am as much a sewer as a knitter (and lately have been mostly sewing!) so I love seeing all the tutorials and the roundups. As they starting rolling in this year I thought the knits could use another person duking it out on their side, so even though I love them both I got in touch with Shannon with this idea for a fun knitting tutorial that I am thrilled to be sharing with you today. Although, I confess, it does have a sewn lining, so it is a bit of a crossover project... but lets still count this on the knitting side, OK?

These fun pouches would make a great first colorwork project because they use a neat technique called mosaic knitting where you actually only knit with one color at a time. The color patterns are created using slipped stitches, so you don't have to worry about holding both yarns at once and how to carry them across the back or any of that business (although if you wanted to knit these that way, you could - they would turn out a little differently though). You can read a great overview of Mosaic Knitting on Knitty, and if you get really into it you can even get whole books of mosaic designs like this one from Barbara Walker.

The basic idea of mosaic knitting is that you knit a row in one color, slipping all the stitches that are going to be the other color. Then you knit (or really purl) back on the wrong side knitting and slipping the same stitches. Then, for the next row you use the second color and just go ahead and knit the next row in the chart - knitting the stitches that are supposed to be that color and slipping the other stitches, and then doing the same on the wrong side. This means that the stitches you slipped before just pull yarn from the rows before and the rows after to fill in the gap - so you can get a pretty dense fabric, which is great for a sturdy item like a pouch.

I love using color-changing yarns like Noro's Kureyon and seeing how the colors develop as you knit, and I think it's even cooler when you use two strands and they are both changing at once like in this project. As you can see from my pouches, depending on the amount of contrast between the two strands the design can be fairly subtle or can really stand out! If you don't like having both colors change at once, you could knit this with one color changing yarn and one solid, or just with two solids.

Details:

Finished sizes:
Large square pouch: 5.5" x 5.75"
Small square pouch: 3" x 3.75"
Medium zigzag pouch: 4.25" x 5.5"

Gauge is not super important for this project, so if you usually knit close to gauge you should be fine with the size needles called for in the pattern. If you knit loosely you may want to go down a size to get a denser knit.

Materials:

1 skein Noro Kureyon yarn or other worsted weight yarn (either color changing or in 2 contrasting colors)
Size 6 needles (straight or circular)
Size 7 circular needles + 1 extra size 7 needle (straight, circular or DPN are all fine) - or just 1 set of size 7 needles will work too with an extra step
Tapestry needle
6" or longer zipper
Fabric for lining (optional)
Sewing pins, thread and hand-sewing needle or sewing machine

Mosaic Knitting Pattern Charts can be downloaded here.

Instructions for squares design:

Decide which color of yarn you want to be "black" and which you want to be "white" in the chart (I will refer to these as black and white from now on). I like to pull apart my skein of yarn to see how the colors will change, and then divide it into two sections and line them up next to eachother to get a preview of how the colors will line up:

CO 67 stitches (43 st for smaller pouch) with size 6 needles and black yarn, and knit two rows (garter stitch). Switch to size 7 needles and connect white yarn and knit one row, then purl one row as indicated in line 1 of the chart (stockinette stitch). Knit the next two rows with the black yarn following line two of the chart - eg, on right side row: *knit 3, slip 1 purlwise (sl 1), repeat from * until last three stitches, k3; then on wrong side row: *purl 3, sl 1, repeat from * until last three stitches, p3. Knit the next two rows with the white yarn following line 3 of the chart - eg, on the right side knit 2, *sl 1, k1, repeat from * until the last two stitches, k2; then on the wrong side purl 2, *sl 1, p1, repeat from * until the last two stitches, p2. Continue following the chart in this manner for 3 full repeats (1 and a half repeats for smaller pouch) or until piece measures desired height of pouch, ending with row 1 or row 5.

See how the slipped stitches alternate with the knitted stitches?

Split the stitches between the two ends of the circular needle with 34 stitches on one side and 33 stitches on the other. Fold the knitting together with right sides facing and the two needles parallel. Using your third size 7 needle, bind off stitches using a three-needle bind-off.

Turn the pouch right side out and sew up the side seam using a mattress stitch. I put the seam 1 1/2 stitches in from the edge so that the pattern would be maintained but you can do whatever works best for you. Weave in the ends.

To make the fabric lining, lay the knitted pouch down on top of a folded piece of your lining fabric, with the fold along the bottom edge of the pouch. Cut out the lining piece so that it is 1/4" wider on each side and 1/4" taller than the knitted pouch. Sew the two sides with a 1/4" seam, leaving the top open, and then fold down the top edge about 1/2". You can also omit the fabric lining and just sew in a zipper if you prefer an unlined bag.

Put the lining inside the pouch and then line up the zipper between the lining and the pouch, pinning in place. You can shorten your zipper first if you need to by stitching back and forth over the new stop point and then cutting it off 1/4" past the stop point.

Then stitch through all the layers, just below the top edge of the lining. I did this both on a sewing machine and by hand, and found it easier to keep everything lined up and looking nice with the handstitching (using a backstitch). This one I machine stitched:

And this one I hand stitched:

Instructions for Zigzag Design:

The zigzag design is actually knit as a longer piece and then folded in half at the bottom - so the two sides are different colors. If you wanted it to be the same on both sides you could modify the design to work with the construction used for the squares bags. Here are the two sides of my zigzag bag:

To make this bag, with size 6 needles cast on 33 stitches, knit 2 rows in color you want to have on the top edge (which will be your white on the chart). Join 2nd yarn using size 7 needles and knit row 1 on the chart (and repeat on return purl stitches) - see instructions for squares design above for a more detailed example of how to follow the mosaic pattern chart. Continue knitting in design until piece measures twice the desired height of the bag (8.75" for the size bag shown above). Switch back to size 6 needles and knit two rows using color you want to have on second top edge, then bind off all stitches.

Fold the piece in the middle, lining up the two top edges, and seam both sides with mattress stitch. Weave in yarn ends. Follow instructions above for lining the bag.

Enjoy your finished pouch or pouches!

Maybe you want to use them to store your essential knitting notions?

Or to hold your jewelry when you travel?

Or to hold a collection of foreign coins?

Thanks again Shannon for having me!

thanks so much for writing kate and for sharing your fab pouch pattern! i love it! so handy to have! this would even be cute for storing your knitting notions inside your knitting bag. you guys can find more kate here...

*blog *etsy shop *flickr *twitter *facebook *ravelry

what would you use these knitted pouches for? your fave yarn of the moment? have you done mosaic knitting before?

Knitting Bag Tutorial with Guest Buffy of Passionate Design

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 15:38:00 +0000

we've got a few special posts for this holiday weekend. i love my readers here on luvinthemommyhood and versus. i love seeing and hearing about what you all are making. what fun is it to craft and then not show off your handiwork? i know i'm not that only one who believes in sharing & showing so i thought it might be fun to have a few readers of mine guest post this weekend.

do you remember me mentioning a few weeks back the new knitting bag that my pal buffy sent me? it was such a sweet surprise to get in the mail from one of the sweetest ladies i know. thank you again so very much buffy! luv ya hun!

this knitting bag of mine rocks. it's perfect for sitting beside me on the couch, on the floor, on the table at knit night. it holds just the right amount to quickly bring along with me to whip out a few rows in the parking lot at my daughter's preschool (yes, i do this) or any other place i think i may just get my knit on at. when you need something just big enough for a project or two this bag is the perfect fit. not too big and not too small. so without further ado i'm going to take my poor voiceless, sick self off to rest and let buffy finish telling you all about how to make your very own knitting bag....

Hi luvinthemommyhood readers! I've been a reader for a while and a several months ago I worked up the courage to email Shannon, who is perfectly friendly and absolutely a doll. However, I love to share so I begged Shannon to let me come on and share with you all my absolute favorite knitting bag, to which she heartily agreed! This is my go-to gift for any knitter because it is, well perfect and nothing is more cozy than settling down in my comfy couch and a super cute bag at my feet bursting at the seams with yarn.

With all the knitting goodies that I make around here I'm always needing just one more bag to keep myself just a little more organized…well as organized as a right-brained girl can get! The best part is that there isn't any Velcro, snaps, zippers or buttons! Yup, no stressing about the closures at all. Woo Hoo!

So let's get started.

What you'll need:

1/2 yd fabric*

1/2 yd fabric* for lining1 yd heavy fusible interfacingthreadpins

pencil or fabric marker
ruler
safety pin

*Note: Fabric must be at least 44 inches wide (before washing) for you to get this out of 1/2 a yard. If your fabric isn't wide enough you can get 2 bags out of a yard of each fabric but not 1 out of 1/2 a yard.

Pieces:

Front & Back 10" x 12" - cut 2 of both fabrics & interfacing

Sides 5" x 12" - cut 2 of both fabrics & interfacing

Bottom 10" x 5" - cut 1 of both fabrics & interfacing

Ties 1.5" x 42" - cut 2 out of lining fabric

Pocket (optional) - I just use whatever rectangle shape I have left over from cutting out the lining fabric. The pocket shown below measured 9.5" x 6"

All seams are 1/4 inch unless otherwise noted.

After cutting out your pieces iron interfacing to all outer fabric pieces. Then you'll prepare pocket for the lining.

When I do pockets I fold down the top about an inch and the bottom a 1/2 inch right sides together then sew a 1/4 inch from the the sides. Then I clip the corners, turn the top and bottom out and iron so it looks like this:

Then I simply stitch the top seam to enclose the ends.

I love the look of double stitching on pockets. However you can prep your pocket however you like.

Now you'll want to sew your pocket to front/back piece of lining.

You want to place the pocket at least 2 inches below the top of the lining, as you have to have room for the casing. You can sew dividing lines as I have done or go without, your choice.

Now you get to set the lining fabric aside and start working with the outer fabric. Take one side and one front and place right sides together, if your fabric has a direction make sure you match it up correctly. Then place a pin 3/4 of an inch from the top, another pin an inch below the first pin and then one more pin 1/4 from the bottom.

You will sew to the first pin then back stitch, cut threads and then start again at the second pin then stop again at the last pin. Yes there will be a hole in the seam, it is on purpose! I like to use green and red tipped pins, the red ones I place where I'm supposed to stop and the green ones mark where I'm supposed to start again.

After you've finished sewing the side to the front, press you seam open. Then top stitch 1/8 of an inch away from either side of the seam, from top to bottom no stops. The key to top stitching well is to go s-l-o-w-l-y.

You will have enclosed the hole in your seam which will be an opening for the casing. A button hole of sorts, with out the strife. Continue like this for each seam, sewing sides to front/back pieces into a circle. When top stitching the final seam when your bag is in a circle keep the right side of the fabric on the inside of the bag, this makes it much easier to top stitch an not sew the whole bag together.

This is how it looked on my machine:

Now you get to attach the bottom of the bag. Pin your bottom piece to the bottom edge of one side and sew together starting and stopping 1/4 inch from each edge. Now prepare the second edge (for my picture I am doing a side. Pin the pieces together and form a right triangle with the side already seamed as shown below:

Begin seam in the seam line and sew to a 1/4 inch from edge. Repeat for remaining two sides, remembering to press your seams between each step.

Congrats! You now have your front done. Repeat all of the above steps to put the lining together, omitting only you don't have to start and stop as for the front to make your casing holes, just start at the top and sew to 1/4 inch from bottom edge. Also, you can leave out the top stitching (you can still do it if you like).

Now with both the front and lining finished. Sew together at top edge, leaving a 5-6 inch gap for turning.

Turn and place lining inside bag. Press and sew a 1/8 inch around the top of bag to close up hole and make pretty top stitching.

Next with a ruler draw stitching lines for casing. You want the top line to be perpendicular to the top of the casing holes and the bottom line parallel to the top line like so:

Sew on the lines to make casing.

Now to make your ties. Fold ties in half right sides together and stitch.

Turn right side out and press. Now thread your first tie through the casing in a C- shape around one side of the bag. Start at one corner, pass through the front, opposite side, and then the back coming out of the hole. Your tie should be through 3 of the four sides. Take your second tie and repeat starting at the opposite corner. When you are finished, both ties should be through the front and back but only one on each side.

Now tie your ends together. I like to leave the tie ends unfinished but you can always finish them up if you prefer.

And you're finished! So fill it up with your fave knitting book or mag. Max out the space with oh-so-soft yarn and don't forget your needles. Then pull the ties to close it up, now your ready to go out the door!

Thanks again Shannon for letting me join in!

thank you buffy, for sharing this awesome pattern. we got lots of requests on how to make it on luvinthemommyhood so i know we all apprecaite you taking the time to share. you can find more about buffy on her blog passionate design where she writes about life with her 5 children under 7 (i don't know how she does it??!) and all her crafty endeavors. go pop over and say a big hello and make sure to enter your name in to win the very knitting bag shown in this post!

what do you carry your knitting in? what's your project bag of choice? what fabric would you make this in? let's chat!

Leg Warmers Pattern with Jane Richmond Designs

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 15:56:00 +0000

one of my new year's resolutions for the last few years has been to meet jane richmond. i heart jane. to say that i love jane's patterns is an understatement. i came across jane's fabulous patterns a few years ago when i had first started blogging. i got super excited when i spotted her etsy shop and realized she lived a few hours away from me! i got even more excited when she agreed to be one of the first interviews for our "moms in the mommyhood" series (read it here). jane now lives in the same city as me and i can happily say that my long standing new year's resolution can finally be checked off! i got to meet the pretty knitting designer at one of our saturday night knit nights! talk about surreal!!!! i'm so happy to call her a friend.

if you haven't seen the talents of this amazing knitter, check this out....patterns for my fave hats...

cozy sweaters...

snugglies for the man in your life...

special lovelies for the kidlets...

jane is so talented and always inspires me to drop the sewing and pick up my needles! which is what i did when i got a sneak peek at her newest pattern that she's sharing with us all today! honestly, how could i not knit these? you all know my fascination with leg warmers (check out my pinterest board & roundup)...love it. i've been desperate to knit up a pair and when i got jane's pattern i knew it was time. i picked up a skein of cascade yarns heathers 220 in color #9322 in the loveliest turquoise shade (surprise) and cast on last weekend. now it's your turn....let's hear from jane...

Hello! Jane Richmond here and I can’t tell you how excited I am to jump into the ring for this season of Comfy Sews VS Cozy Knits. Shannon sure started this off with a bang, that Hands Off My Picnic Blanket Tutorial from Katy of No Big Dill really set the bar for this season, it had me shaking in my boots.

Me? I am a knitter through and through but I’ve always dreamed of learning to sew, it’s on the list. I have a lovely sewing machine that is only a few years old, I have small stacks of fabric and retro bed sheets just beckoning to be cut up and sewn into something... I’ve just never taken the time to learn to do it properly, and is it a surprise that I don’t use patterns? That could be part of the problem ;)

I make up my own patterns for knitting as well and fortunately I have enough experience to follow it through to the end. For this round of Comfy Sews VS Cozy Knits I give you...

...perfect for spring and can be worn with anything!

You will need:

*100g skein of Cascade Yarns Heathers 220 (shown in colour 9408), 220yds
*5 mm dpns (or long circular needle for magic loop method)
*Yarn Needle

Pattern Information:
These leg warmers are designed to use up every last inch of one skein of Cascade 220. If you prefer not to unravel your swatch you will need to purchase an additional skein. These leg warmers could easily be made longer by using 2 skeins of yarn.

Finished Measurements: 7.5 inch circumference (unstretched) x 14.25 inches long
Abbreviations:
BO = bind off

CO = cast on
dpns = double pointed needles

k = knit
p = purl
rnd = round
sts = stitches
st st = stockinette stitch

Step One:
Make a gauge swatch. For this pattern you will need a gauge of 18 sts and 24 rows = 4 in over st st

Step Two:
Watch the video! Although these legwarmers can be knit on double pointed needles, this pattern was written with the Magic Loop method in mind. Magic Loop is a fast and easy way to knit in the round, take a look at the video, you could even use this method to make your gauge swatch for some extra practice.

Step Three:
Using long tail method CO 48 sts. Join, being careful not to twist.
Rnd 1: [k2, p2] to end of rnd.
Repeat Rnd 1 until piece measures 14 inches long.
BO loosely in rib.
Weave in ends.
Repeat Step 3 once more.

Step Four:
Enjoy!

...wear these cozy legwarmers over flats, under boots, or barefoot around the house. Pair them with a cute skirt, a pretty dress, jeans or tights or leggings... the possibilities are endless!

thanks so much for joining in again this year jane and for your gorgeous patterns! do you want some of jane's patterns? pop over to luvinthemommyhood to enter jane's giveaway!!!! if you would like a pdf of jane's leg warmers pattern it is up on ravelry here as a free download! you can also find more jane richmond designs here:

*blog *shop *facebook *ravelry

do you love legwarmers too? what's your fave jane richmond pattern to make? any of you used the magic loop method yet? let's chat knitting ladies! wishing you all a wonderful and relazing easter weekend!

Freshly Picked Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:35:00 +0000

to say i am drooling over this next giveaway is a major understatement. i'm drowning in my own jealousy that you guys get to enter this one!!!! susan from the awesome blog and shop "freshly picked" has a FABULOUS giveaway for us today and when i say fabulous i mean FABULOUS!

pop on over to luvinthemommyhood to get your entry in for a chance to win!!!

Crochet Nesting Cups Tutorial with Lorajean from Lorajean's Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

our next guest this week is a blogger who i have to admit, i've stalked her blog for a while and never left a comment. yes, i know...i'm a bad blog reader sometimes. when i started planning this month's theme month though i just knew i had to ask her. she crochets, sews, cooks, crafts, sculpts...you name it - she does it and i love it. lorajean from the lovely blog "lorajean's magazine" is here today to throw her voice into the ring and side on our friend "cushy crochet"!

i heart crochet. i don't get to do it as often as i would like. it's funny because sometimes i find people are more scared of crochet than they are of knitting or sewing when i find it's actually quite simple, less time consuming and a very rewarding craft. plus you can make the best blankies ever!

lorajeans magazine is filled with eye candy galore, inspiration, vintage goodness, tutorials and eye catching photography. take a look...

so crafty...

so pretty...

and so yummy!

want some more? let's hear from lorajean...

Hi everyone! Lorajean here from Lorajean’s Magazine. First off, I just wanted to say how truly honored I am to be a part of such an amazing group of talented bloggers! Last season I was drooling over all the great tutorials. Seriously, I wanted to make all the Comfy Sews and Cozy Knits! :) In deciding what to make for this season, I soon realized I was in the ring with myself, battling it out, fighting over what side I wanted to be on. I love knitting and I love sewing. Well, crochet always gets the shaft, so I thought I would stand in the Crochet Corner in the verses ring! Knitters are always getting all the attention and it’s high time we had a duel! So, what do you say fellow crocheters, shall we hold our hooks high and fight? Lets start stitching! (Now I have the dueling song stuck in my head. You know, the one from Micky Mouses “Ye Olden Days”, circa 1933.

“We’re gonna’ have a duel, we’re gonna’ have a duel,

“we’re gonna’ have a duel, we’re gonna’ have a duel”). :)

For my tutorial I am doing three crocheted nesting cups. I am super excited to share this pattern with you! It is super easy so even beginners can make these. They are great for stashing those random nick knacks, or, dare I say it, sewing notions! *gasp* ha ha! :) They are so cute, and fun for kids too. My 6 year old daughter keeps asking when I’m making hers so she can store all her trinkets too. :)

The pattern is basically the same for each cup. All that is different is the number of starting stitches and rows for each size. To add pattern I made stripes by changing colors after a few rows.

Here is what you need to get started

Hook size

I used US H 8 / 5.00mm

Yarn

medium 4 weight

in three different colors

Here is a key for all the abbreviations I use:

dc = double crochet

ch = chain

sl st = slip stitch

beg = beginning

rnd = round

-Lets get started-

Ch 4, join with a sl st to form a ring.

Rnd 1) ch 2 for first dc, *7dc in ring, sl st to top of beg ch.

*8 stitches, counting the ch2 = Sm

10 stitches, counting the ch2 = Med

12 stitches, counting the ch2 = Lg

Rnd 2) ch 2 for first dc, 2 dc in each dc, sl st to top of beg ch.

Rnd 3) ch 2 for first dc, 2 dc, in each dc, sl st to top of beg ch.

Rnd 4) ch 2 for first dc, 1 dc into back loop of each dc, sl st to top of beg ch. See photo below.

(Stitching into the back loop creates a nice edge to the base of the cups.)

Rnd 5) ch 2 for first dc, 1 dc in each dc, sl st to top of beg ch.

For all consecutive rounds, repeat Rnd 5 and fasted off.

Sm) 5 pink rnds ,1 orange, 1 beige. 7 rounds total.

Med) 6 pink rnds, 2 orange, 1 beige. 9 rounds total.

Lg) 7 pink rnds, 3 orange, 2 beige. 12 rounds total.

So that's it! :) Super easy right?! Now you can go fill yours up with stuff!

Mine are on my sewing table. The large one holds my threads, the medium one holds my buttons, and the small one holds my measuring tapes and a few random strands of embroidery floss.

This was fun! Thanks so much Shannon for having me!

thank you for joining in lorajean and for whipping out the crochet! you rock! make sure you all pop over to lorajean's magazine and say a big hello for me!

do you crochet? what's your fave crochet pattern? what colors would you make these nesting cups in? i can't wait to whip some up!

Comfy Sews VS Cozy Knits - Round Two - Cowls!

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:30:00 +0000

1. infinity & beyond 2. french braid cowl

i love me a cowl. i love me a cowl in the spring, in the summer and in the fall & winter. heck i love a cowl anytime, any day. a cowl is the perfect accessory. it's cozy, comfy, warm, cool, drapey, thick, luxurious, modern, sweet, pretty, funky....it's whatever you want it to be. they are perfect for new sewers and knitters to whip up and fun for the more experienced to add pizazz and personality to. you all ready to vote for your fave cowl of choice? what's it gonna be ladies - comfy sews or cozy knits? only you know the answer!

ding...ding...ding......let's start round two!

1. infinity scarf 2. winter warmer cowl

1. cozy cowl scarf 2. sweater into a scarf 3. sweater into infinity scarf

1. cowl girl fabric cowl 2. shoot for the scarves

1. pom pom cowl 2. city cowl 3. infinity scarf from upcycled sweater

1. 10 minute summer scarf 2. little fleece cowl

1. honey cowl 2. destroyed cowl

1. marian 2. gaptastic cowl 3. skye cowl

1. dolores park cowl 2. ostrom 3. chunky knit cowl 4. big herringbone cowl

1. chalice cowl 2. cambridge drop stitch cowl 3. gray lace cowl

it's time to vote folks! make sure to get your vote in...each one counts! which side of the crafty ring are you on this round??? (direct link to poll)

Comfy Sews VS Cozy Knits Round Three - Cowlscustomer surveys

i'm torn....and my faves and must make folders are overflowing!! which ones are your faves?

A Springy Tote Tutorial with Guest Jessica of Happy Together

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

we've got a new look here in the mommyhood - you likey? i looooove it! things are still in progress though so bear with me the next few days as all gets finalized. i can't think of a better person though to kick off our new look with than the lovely, sweet, kind and oh, so talented jessica of the blog "happy together".

this momma of one darling little girl & a little bean on the way has been one of my favorite bloggers since i started reading blogs. she's always coming up with something new and fun and her photos are to die for! i love the fact that jessica sews and crochets - go crochet! she can also whip up a mean anthropologie knock off, show you how to make some stylin' jewelry, hair accessories and she sells patterns and other goodies in her equally as fabulous etsy shop. i mean really...check this stuff out....

how adorable is her daughter?? she's just got the knack for whipping up the cutest stuff. harper is always sporting these adorable onesies she sent me along with 2 of the cutest toys mackenzie has in her room. we heart jess! thank you hun, i can't wait for the new baby to come to return the favor :)

now let's hear from jessica....

Knits are so much fun with so many possibilities!!!!!! I decided to make a little tote for this event. It's lightweight and very washable and environmentally friendly if you upcycle some shirts. Perfect for the spring and summer time! Here is what you will need to make one yourself:

-Paper, pencil, and ruler for creating the pattern
-About 3-4 t-shirts if upcycling
-4 pieces of knit fabric that are 6" x 4" for strap covers
-34 inches of trim or piping for the front (I added a little extra just to be cautious)
-1 yard of lightweight or mediumweight interfacing
-Magnetic purse closure
-Two small pieces of felt
-Fabric Glue

*Before we get started, remember that you have a ball point needle in your machine for sewing knits. This makes a world of difference. Also, it helps to do a few practice stitches to make sure the stitch length works for that type of fabric. Oh, one more thing, I highly recommend using a spray starch and ironing before cutting.

*All seams are 1/4"

Let's begin by creating a pattern. Feel free to change any measurements as you like :)

1. Start with a square piece of paper measuring 12" tall by 18" wide.

2. Fold in half width-wise. Cut an angle on the center crease to be the middle of the purse and cut an angle on the open end to be the side.

3. Open it up. I suggest going ahead and using this piece to cut out a few pieces:
-1 piece for the back
-2 pieces for the inside lining
-2 pieces of interfacing

4. Then to create the front pieces, measure on the bottom to the 8" mark and the 13" mark. Draw a vertical line from those points and cut the paper there. Make sure to add seam allowance to the places where you cut the paper when cutting the fabric. So now use these pieces to cut out:
-1 of each side piece for the front of the purse
-1 center piece (I suggest a bold pattern to show off here)

5. Now, cut out two straps from knit fabric that measure 15" x 4" and two pieces of interfacing that are the same size.

6. Cut out any fabric for inside pockets if you like. I just cut of the sleeves of a shirt and made them into rectangular pieces. Then I didn't have to stitch up the top of the pocket because it was already done.

You should now have all of these pieces below:

The Front The Inside, Straps, and Pockets

The Interfacing

Let's start sewing with the straps.

7. Place one of the strap pieces right side down. Then place a piece on interfacing on top. Fold in half and iron.

8. Open up and fold each long side to the center crease you just made. Then iron.

9. Refold to the center crease and iron. Sew down the open side.

10. Repeat for other strap.

11. Cut your trim or piping in half and sew onto the front middle piece edges. Make sure the side of the trim you want to be unseen is facing the outer edge.

12. Take one of the side pieces and lay on top, right sides facing. Sew together.

13. Repeat for the other front side.

14. If you have any pocket pieces, fold over the side edges towards the wrong side of the fabric. Then fold over one more time. Repeat for both sides. Fold up the bottom edge once. (I didn't have to mess with the top because it was already finished).

15. Place a piece of interfacing down with an inside piece on top, facing right side up. Pin the pockets where you would like them to go.

16. Sew them in place along the side and bottom edges. You can sew other vertical lines to create smaller pockets for placing things.

17. Take the front piece and lay it down, right side facing up.

18. Take a strap and pin it to the middle top points.

19. Take one of the inside pieces and place it right side facing down. Then place the interfacing piece on top if it wasn't sewn on with the pocket piece. Pin together and sew along the yellow line.

20. Clip inward at the curved edges for a smoother finish.

21. Repeat these steps for the other two sides of the tote.

22. Open up each side of the bag and place together right sides facing. Make sure to line up middle seams with each other. Sew around the yellow lines, leaving only the inside bottom unsewn.

23. Turn right side out and iron around the top.

24. Then mark the middle of the top inside where you want the magnetic closure to go.

25. Cut a big enough slit for the piece to go through on each side. Make sure to only cut through the inside and interfacing only!

26. Take one of the main pieces of the magnetic closure and put fabric glue on the bottom.

27. Stick it through the slit and it will look like this. Add some more fabric glue on top.

28. Then cut two small pieces of felt and cut a slit in them. Put one on top and then add the final piece of the closure. Push the prongs down.

29. Repeat for magnetic closure on the other side.

30. Turn wrong side out and sew across the inside bottom, except for a few inches in the middle for turning.

31. Turn right side out. Then turn the raw edges of the opening inward and sew shut.

32. Take your 4 pieces that are for the strap covers.

33. Fold in half, wrong side facing, and sew long ends together.

34. Fold it so the seam is in the middle of the piece now.

35. Fold around each strap with the seam facing the strap so it can't be seen. Tuck the edge that is on top under and sew in place (I also made sure this edge was facing the inside of the purse). Or you could be lazy like me and just fabric glue these pieces in place :) Just as good!

And that's all for now!!!! Thanks Shannon for having me :) It's been a pleasure as always. GO COMFY SEWS!!!!!!!!!

thank you sooo much for joining in jessica! you're the best and i loooooove this tote! so fun! i'm so glad you could join in on all the fun! hugs! you can find more jessica here:

*blog *facebook *etsy *twitter *flickr

have you all been in the mood to whip up a new spring tote? what fabrics or colors would you use to make this? share, share! we wanna see pics and have a chat! happy monday!

Chevron Tee Tutorial with Guest Cheri of I Am Momma Hear Me Roar

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

our next guest is one of my fave creative mavens. let's all say a big hello to cheri from the fabulous "I Am Momma Hear Me Roar"! now cheri is a woman of many talents. not only does she craft and sew she can diy the heck out of anything. i swear she could take any object and make it fabulous!

she's a busy mom of two adorable little boys and boy do i love that she has boys. she posts all the cute goodies she makes for her stylish litte men that i can drool over but never get to make that often. she can rock a hair accessory or hat like nobody's business, take a tacky playroom and make it stunning and sew, embroider, applique like a pro.

i mean honestly how cute are these?

so creative and oh so much fun! make sure you pop over and say hi to the lovely & talented cheri (always rocking some great hair) for me and make sure to check out all the crafty goodies on her blog. now let's hear from cheri...

I'm ready to head into the ring today. While I can appreciate the skills of the opponent, I'm fighting for sewing here. Why? Because it's faster and more doable. I had a sister who "took up knitting" several times and we always teased her because all the knitting ever amounted to was what we called a Barbie scarf.

Sewing also allows you to embellish clothing, which I absolutely love. Today I'm going to show you how I made this chevron tee. We all know the chevron pattern is all the rage. I thought it would be fun to try it on a t-shirt, adding a bit of texture.

I started off with a plain shirt and cut out two chevron shapes from an old t-shirt. The shirt had some gray sprayed on the side of it and I purposely used that part to give it more interest.

When I had it where I wanted it I pinned the chevrons down.

I sewed lines along it (1/4 from the edge and the lines being 1/2 apart). Don't worry about the lines being perfect. (What we're going to do to it won't allow you to see small errors.)

I took my scissors and snipped the top fabric between the stitched lines like this.

That's it. The strips will roll in a bit as you wear it and wash it, giving the t-shirt some fun, textural interest. I think it would be fun to make one tone on tone (meaning the chevrons the same color as the t-shirt).

Go Comfy Sews! Thanks for having me Shannon.

you're welcome cheri! thanks so much for joining in, i love the chevron tee! if you want more i am momma hear me roar check out cheri on her blog and on facebook.

have any of you been loving all the chevrons lately? what's your fave way to spice up a basic tee? share your tips and pics!

The Everything's Coming Up Roses Skirt by Guest Maggie of Smashed Peas & Carrots

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

today i get to welcome one of my lovely & super talented bloggy pals - maggie of "smashed peas and carrots". i luv mags. she's so sweet, funny, can cook up a storm (this girl loves her some crock pot!) and is oh so crafty! sewing, knitting, crafts, baking - you name it, maggie does it right along with blogging, her etsy shop and 3 kids! wowsa!

lovelies for the littlies...

yummies for the tummies...

crafty goodness...

and even vintage finds!

i don't know how she balances it all and stays sane but she does. her blog is one of the first blogs that i started reading when i started blogging and i've been hooked ever since. i'm so happy to have gotten to know this talented momma through her blog and also as her friend. so get ready to whip up your next must make skirt for the spring/summer - mags is here with this easy, comfy and oh so fab skirt tutorial for us!

now let's hear from mags....

Hello luvinthemommyhood readers!! It's Maggie from Smashed Peas and Carrots!! I'm so happy to be here today, holla! I just adore Shannon and her blog and couldn't have been more excited when she asked me to step into the ring today and battle it out at Versus.

As much as I love a good knitting project (and I so do love spending an evening hearing the clickety-clack of my sticks) I also really love the sweet humming sound of my sewing machine...I was torn to say the least at who to fight it out for!! But in the end those Comfy Sews swayed me to their side and I'm so glad they did!

So let me jump into the ring today with a very romantic and feminine skirt, the Everything's Coming Up Roses Skirt. It's the perfect skirt to wear when you want to feel a bit more lady-like and less yoga-pants wearin' momma :-)

Funny thing is this skirt is really a take on yoga pants but with some flair! Basically, the waist band is very wide and can be folded down or kept up (just like many yoga pants) depending on how you like to wear your skirts...or what top you are wearing with it! It also doubles as a great maternity skirt because of that stretchy wide waistband...I lived in skirts like these at the end of my last pregnancy while I was sweltering in all the summer heat...so if you are pregnant keep on reading!!

This skirt is made of super soft jersey knit yardage. It has a very lightweight and bouncy feel and the cut of the skirt gives it some very lovely drape making it oh-so flattering to wear.

Well are you ready? Then let's get started!

The Everything's Coming Up Roses Skirt

1 1/2 yards of jersey knit

Rotary cutter and mat

Sewing machine, ball point needle and coordinating thread

Serger and coordinating thread

First, to get the measurement for your hip band and top of your skirt you are going to take your jersey knit yardage and stretch it around your waist so it's nice and snug. Jersey knit tends to stretch a lot so make sure you are pulling it taught enough so that it will stay up on your hips. This measurement will become 'X'. To figure out your skirt's hip measurement you will take 'X' and divide it by 2 (since you are cutting on the fold) and then add 1 for your seam allowance.

The length of the skirt can be whatever you feel is a comfortable length for you. As this skirt is more dressy than casual I made my skirt length 21 inches since I wanted it to fall slightly below my knees, but really do as you wish here. Also note that my skirt bottom is not hemmed. If you are hemming take this into account in your length measurement!!

The width will be 17 inches and you can see from the picture above how there is a slight upward curve in the cut, this gives the skirt the flouncy drape. Then, just connect the dots for the remaining edge. Please remember to cut this on the fold of the length measurement as seen in the picture above as well as to cut two, one for the front and one for the back of your skirt!!

Once you have your two (front and back) skirt pieces cut, sew up both sides. Turn the skirt right-side out and set aside.

I used my serger to make this skirt but if you do not have one no worries!! Just use your sewing machine, a ball point needle (meant to sew on knits) and a zig-zag stitch (this helps keep the stretch in the material!)

To make the waistband, once again take your measurement 'X' and divide by 2. Then add 1 inch for a seam allowance. The width will be 14 (if you'd like a band you can fold over). Cut two pieces for the front and back of the waistband.

Sew or serge both 14 inch edges together to make a tube.

Next fold the waistband over so that the sewn seam is in the inside and the width is now 7 inches.

Place the folded waist band around the outside of the skirt with the folded edge toward the bottom and the raw edge at the top. Aligning the waistband's raw edge with the top of the skirt's raw edge.

Here's a peek at what that should look like. Left picture shows the outermost side of the waistband and the right picture shows the innermost side of the skirt.

Once your raw edges at the top are aligned, sew completely around the top of the skirt making sure to match both side seams together for a nice finished look. The waistband is now attached to the skirt. Flip the waistband up and 'Hooray!' your skirt is done!!

Now it's time to make some roses!!!

Grab your leftover knit scraps and cut 1 and 2 inch wide lengths of knit to make rolled jersey roses.

Start rolling the knit around two fingers until you get a size you are happy with for your skirt, mine are about 3 inches in diameter. I added the bottom two pictures (above) to show you different ways you could design your roses. I think the bottom left design would look awesome going along the whole hem of the skirt, how cool would that be! I ended up doing three roses bunched together like a bouquet...it just suited me!

Now you could sew your roses directly onto your skirt but what I did was sew them onto a small piece of felt and then hand sewed the felt onto the skirt. Do whatever is easiest for you...I won't mind a bit!

And that's it!! You have just made yourself a pretty and very feminine skirt for a night out on the town.

Thanks for having me Shannon! Go Comfy Sews!!

XOXO,

loving the shoes my dear!!! i have a pair almost exactly the same...great minds think alike :P thanks so much for coming by the mommyhood my dear! i'll be ringing ya tomorrow for our chit chat :) you guys can find more smashed peas and carrots here:

*blog *etsy shop *twitter *facebook

what do you guys think? fab right? wouldn't this be equally as fab with a cute tank and flip flops for the beach? so many options and so easy to make! how would you style it?

Organic Cotton Facecloth Tutorial with Guest Melynda of French Press Knits

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

it's time for some knitting ladies! get those needles out. turn the sewing machine off and welcome one of my fave knitty gals melynda of "french press knits"! she's back again this year to support her craft of choice and i'm super excited to have her! whether you're looking for the best pair of slippers EVER, a stylish cowl, hat or wrap - the lovely melynda is your gal!

this super talented knitter is also a new momma. i keep finding myself squealing each time she posts some of the knitted pretties she's whipping up for her gorgeous new baby girl. what a lucky little lady :)

so start thinking cozy...

the knits are joining in!!!

let's hear from melynda...

Ok, ok. I know what you're thinking: "What's this crazy knitter doing here? It's Spring. Time to dust off the sewing machine and put the knitting needles away."

Maybe you aren't thinking this, but there was a time when every spring meant knitting season was over for me. I was what you would call a "fair-weather knitter" (and in this case, fair-weather would actually mean weather of a chilly variety). But, in the past few years I have abandon my wayward ways to become a die-hard knitter, and along the way, I've learned that knitting works in all seasons.From shawlettes, lightweight cardis, socks, and baby projects (and not to mention stocking up for those colder months)- summer knitting has become a necessity.

Recently I had a yarn open house at my abode and was floored with the generosity of other knitters. For the first time in my life I received hostess gifts. Maybe it's something our generation doesn't do a lot of, but receiving simple gifts was such a joy that I would like to start doing it as well. One gift I received was a couple of handknit cotton dishcloths and fancy dishsoap. I loved it- so rare to have someone knit me a gift, so it was very much appreciated.

So, today I share a simple Organic Cotton Face Cloth Tutorial- inspried by the gift I received (perhaps a little way to 'pay it forward'). Paired with handmade soap, fancy dish detergent, or a shower gel, this little hostess gift is a cinch!

Materials:

1/4 skein of your favorite Organic Cotton Yarn

Size US 8 Needles

Instructions:

Cast on 24 stitches

Row 1: (k1, p1) repeat to end of row

Row 2: (p1, k1) repeat to end of row

When cloth measures 8" (or desired length) bind off.

Make a few and tie off with ribbon or twine for a gift (or just bypass the presentation and keep them for yourself!).

See what I mean: Easy-peasy, right? The cotton yarn combined with moss stitch is just the right balance of softness and texture- perfect for scrubbing you, your pots and pans, or your baby- enjoy!

thanks so much melynda! this is fabulous! i can definitely use a whole whack of these! what a great idea also for a gift as well!

want some more french press knits? you guys can find more melynda here:

*facebook *twitter *ravelry *etsy shop *blog

are you a dishcloth/facecloth addict? what's your fave pattern to make? i love the idea of using moss stitch for the cloth - so soft and the texture just looks fab as well. let's have some knit chat ladies!

Round 1 - Comfy Sews VS Cozy Knits Tops & Frocks Part Two

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 17:50:00 +0000

1. effortless cardigan 2. diy drape cardigan

you guys ready to go duke it out in the ring again? this time it's tops turn! spring is here but that doesn't mean we have to put our knitting aside. knits can be cool, breezy and also just that right amount of coziness on a cool summer evening or for snuggling up beach side. but that also doesn't mean your sewing machine has to be ignored either. add some pizazz to a boring tee or tank, whip up a stylish tunic or a flowy wrap. whichever way you choose you're sure to have some fun pieces to liven up your spring/summer wardrobe!

you guys ready? here we go.....ding, ding, ding....

1. yvonne 2. sophia 3. liesl

1. layered ruffle sweater 2. matrac
3. green leaves tank 4. party in the back

1. evening shell 2. coral 3. shopping tunic

1. leaf tshirt 2. silverlight 3. cowl vest 4. taiga

1. peony tank 2. millie 3. coachella 4. zinnia

1. rotation 2. ao

1. spring fling 2. lace tee 3. esplanade halter top

1. daria ruffled tank top 2. dress shirt refashion

1. no sew poncho 2. boring to wow 3. all in tiers tank

1. ruffled shirt 2. sweatshirt vest

1. spring ruffle top 2. tutu shirt
3. one shoulder ruffle top 4. aphrodite

1. flower ruffle tank 2. gardens at dusk

1. tank & bow ruffle 2. ruffle tee
3. long sleeve shirt refashion 4. jcrew tissue flutter tank

ok..it's time to vote!!!!!! vote in the poll below or use the direct link. which corner of the ring are you in???

Round One - Comfy Sews VS Cozy Knits Tops & Frocks (Part Two)customer surveys

ps- don't forget to get your entries in for the "make it perfect sewing pattern giveaway"!!! you don't want to miss your chance to win 3 patterns of your choice!!!

The Awesome Bag Tutorial with Guest Meg of elsiemarley

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

happy monday everyone! did you have a good weekend filled with sewing, knitting & crochet? you ready for some more inspiration and projects galore? yippee! today we're welcoming meg from one of my faaaavvvve blogs to stalk - elsiemarley!!!! oh my...i've been trying to write this intro to explain my thoughts on elsiemarley but i've realized there is no better way to explain this wonderful, simplistic, inspirational, delightful and oh so addicting blog other than go check it out.

meg's projects seem effortless, they are so organic and i find myself so drawn to her work, thoughts and her blog. whenever i find myself needing to find a boost of good ol creative energy i pop on over to elsiemarley. this pastry chef is now making the most delectable crafts & sewn goodies instead of chocolate's and boy am i happy she is. just like chocolate meg lures you in and then once you take your first bite it's instant luv! this girl's got an eye and some fab taste and i am so excited, thrilled and honored to have her be a part of comfy sews vs cozy knits.

i tell you....blogging is just so much fun and then when you blog and get to have bloggers you are amazed by on a weekly basis come post on your own blog...well.....it's just fab and one of the many reasons why i love what i do! versus is like christmas in the spring for me!

so get ready to open up another pressie! here's meg with another awesome project for us all...

Hello Mommyhood readers, Meg from elsiemarley here! I was absolutely thrilled when Shannon asked me to be a part of her fabulous crafty boxing match. It was a little hard to pick teams, I have to say. I learned how to crochet last year and very quickly fell in love with it. My winter was spent sitting on the couch, cranking out whatever cool crochet patterns my little fingers desired, as my poor sewing machine sat dusty and unloved in the corner. But sewing has always been my true favorite: the instant gratification of sewing wins out over the sitting on your butt part of crochet (or knitting) almost every time. And with that in mind, let's crank out a bag that will go with everything in a few measly hours. Take that Cozy Knits! Kapow!

Every spring I get the urge to buy a completely new, bright, flirty, floral wardrobe replete with matching bags and strappy sandals, but it never happens. Even if I did have the cash for a springtime shopping spree (ha!) all those accessories wouldn't fit in our little house. So I came up with a bag that can be many different bags all in one. It is completely reversible, so it will match all the springy outfits you already have and make them look fresh and new. It is also adjustable, so it can be a very ladylike shoulder bag or if you need to jump on your bike and go, it can become more of a messenger bag. Awesome, right? So without further ado, I give you The Awesome Bag:

materials

1/2 yard fabric A

1/2 yard fabric B

1/2 yard lining fabric, I prefer to use canvas or a home dec weight fabric rather than interfacing

20 buttons, yes 20! all the same, or 10 of one kind 10 of another, but they all should be about the same size

sewing machine, buttonhole attachment (you can do it!)

iron

directions

1. Out of each 1/2 yard of fabric cut two 14 inch wide by 15 inch tall pieces and one 2 inch wide by 41 inch long piece. You should have plenty of fabric to work with, but I want you to mark all the piece on your fabric first to see how it will fit. The strap will go along the top (the long side will be perpendicular to the salvage) and the two main piece of the bag should fit below it (the short side going with the salvage).

2. On the bottom of each piece cut a 1 1/4 inch square out of both corners. This is going to make a boxed bottom for the bag.

3. Now you need to sew all the pieces together.

Start with fabric A: before you sew, mark a 4 inch wide space in the middle of the bottom edge, sew the bottom of the bag together, right sides facing, but in between the marks use a basting stitch (just a very long stitch). Take it to your ironing board and press the seam open. Then sew up both sides,right side facing. Don't sew around the notches we cut out! the easiest way to press the side seams open is to lay your bag flat and fold down one side of the seam, iron it (see above), then flip it over and fold the other side of the seam down and iron.

fabric B and lining: Sew the bottom seam first (no basting) right sides together and press the seam open. Sew the side seams and iron as above. Again don't sew the notches!

4. At on of the square notches, fold the bag so that the bottom seam and the side seam line up. Iron it flat and sew closed. Do this on both notches for fabric A, fabric B, and the lining.

5. Take fabric A where we did that bit of basting and rip out all those basting stitches. This will be the hole where we turn the bag right side out, which is the next step...

6. Turn the fabric A bag right side out and put it on your hand (really!). Then take the fabric B bag, inside out, and pull it on top of fabric A. It's important that that the right side of these two bags are facing each other. Then lastly, fit the lining (inside out or right side out, it doesn't matter) on top. You should have a big oven mitt like thing on your hand now. Poke your fingers into the boxy corners and try to get them all to match up.

7. Line up the raw edges at the top of the bag. If all the fabrics don't line up (mine never do) trim them so they do. Now sew all around the top of the bag.

8. Stick your hand through the hole we made in fabric A and pull out fabric B and the lining. Then stuff fabric B and the lining into fabric A. This is a little confusing to explain and weird the first time you do it, but it works I promise!

9. Iron the top edge.

10. Hand sew the hole in fabric B closed. It should be easy to make it straight and pretty much invisible because you can just follow where the basting stitches were. The best stitch to use for this is the ladder stitch.

11. Now for the strap. You should have three strap pieces--42inch by 2inches--one from each fabric. Stack them all on top on one another making sure the right sides of fabric A and fabric B are touching.

12. Lay the strap out flat. On the left side, on the bottom measure in one inch and cut from there to the end of the top edge. This just makes a pretty angled end to the strap. Do the right side, except measure in one inch from top and cut down to the end of the bottom edge.

13. Sew all around the strap, leaving about a foot wide opening in the middle of one side, so we can turn it out easily. You could also do the basting stitch trick here if you like. Turn that sucker out! You can use a chopstick, a pencil, a tweezers, whatever works, but be sure to poke the corners at the ends of the strap out. Iron it well after it's all right side out.

14. To sew the opening closed you can topstitch all around or hand sew it--it's up to you. If you want to topstitch it and want to match your thread to your fabrics, just put the one that matches fabric B in the bobbin and the one that matches fabric A on top. Then be sure to sew with fabric A side on top and you're good to go.

15. Now we're going to attach the strap to the bag! Place the strap so the pointed part is at the bottom edge and it is centered over the side seam.

16. Starting about an inch from the top of the bag lay 5 buttons along the strap all the way to the bottom (about an inch before the angled bit begins). My buttons are 1 1/2 apart, but your bag might have turned out a little bigger or smaller, so just make sure they are evenly spaced.

17. Mark where all the buttons go. Then do a test run with your buttonhole attachment on your sewing machine.

18. You can see above I have my test buttonhole next to my strap (with the mark on it), so I know about where to start the buttonhole. When you hold your awesome bag all full up with awesome stuff the button will slide down to the bottom of the buttonhole, so keep this in mind for where you place the buttonhole in relation to the button. I hope this isn't horribly confusing--I'm trying to be extra clear so you don't have to rip out any buttonholes, because that's no fun.

19. Mark the buttonholes in the same way on the other side of the strap as well. Sew those buttonholes! You should have 5 on one end and 5 on the other. Carefully cut the buttonholes open. Pin the strap onto the bag and make marks through the buttonhole for where the buttons go. All the marks should all be on the side seam.

20. It's time to sew all those buttons on. Settle in on the couch with a needle and thread (and a podcast or two). You are going to sew two buttons at a time: they will be in the same place, but one will be on one side and one on the other. The awesome bag is reversible, remember? When you are finished you should have 20 buttons sewn on!

21. Attach your strap however you like, on whichever side goes with the very cute outfit you have on today. Ta Da! you made The Awesome Bag. You are awesome!
20. It's time to sew all those buttons on. Settle in on the couch with a needle and thread (and a podcast or two). You are going to sew two buttons at a time: they will be in the same place, but one will be on one side and one on the other. The awesome bag is reversible, remember? When you are finished you should have 20 buttons sewn on!

21. Attach your strap however you like, on whichever side goes with the very cute outfit you have on today. Ta Da! you made The Awesome Bag. You are awesome!

thanks so much for joining meg! i love this bag - it's awesome (sorry, couldn't resist)!!!

you can find more elsiemarley here: blog, etsy shop, twitter, pinterest and ravelry! what fabric would you use to make the awesome bag? have fun & happy sewing!

Sunburst Pillow Tutorial from Guest Anna of Noodlehead

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

ohhhhhh, i love me a good pillow! i especially love me a pillow when it's anna of the addictive & oh, so inspiring blog noodlehead. anna is a pillow addict, a kick ass sewer, a busy mom, and another one of my fave bloggy pals.

here's an example of what is usually a regular email from me to anna:

Hi anna, You are ahhhmmmmaaaaaaazing!!!!!!!!!!!! Love it!!!!!!!!!
blah blah blah blah...blubbery blah.....ahhhhhmazing!!!!!!! blah blah blah...love.....blah blah blah...so amazing!!!

i seriously think i need just a standard anna email/comment that i can just repost over and over again to her. she blows me away with her fabric choices - this girl's got an eye! what i wouldn't give for her stash! she quilts, she sews, she designs patterns....ahhhhhmmmmazing (sorry, couldn't resist)...plus she's a sweetheart to boot.

what i wouldn't give for her stash! she quilts, she sews, she designs patterns....ahhhhhmmmmazing...plus she's a sweetheart to boot.

so let's all get ready to add some sunburst style to our comfy homes! here's anna...

Hey there luvinthemommyhooders! It's me Anna, from noodlehead. So glad Shannon asked me to join in today in the Comfy Sews vs. Cozy Knits battle. Even though I've been lured into the Cozy Knits side, I haven't taken time to learn how to knit or crochet yet, so for me I'm with the Comfy Sews!

How about a Comfy Sew for your home? Maybe something for on a chair, your couch, or your bed? Well, today I want to show you a really fun pillow to make. It's made of really soft and pretty linen with a sunburst of pintucks! Simple and elegant and modern.

Materials:

1/2 yard linen (or any solid color fabric would really look stunning as well), you may need up to 1 yard depending on what size pillow form you use

one pillow form 14x20 - the one I'm using is actually from Target, it's a travel pillow (you'll find them right next to the regular bed pillows, the best part is that they're under $5)

thread, pins, etc.

Cutting the pieces:

main front piece 20" wide by 16" tall (this is cut a little tall for the pillow form, but it's to leave room for the pin tucks)

envelope back closure pieces: 14" tall by 16" wide, 14" tall by 12" wide

Additional measurements for a 12x24 pillow form: front piece 24" wide by 14" tall, cutting down to 12" tall after pin tucking, back closure pieces 12" tall by 18" wide, 12" tall by 9" wide.

Measurements for a king size pillow 20" tall by 36" wide: front (36" wide by 22" tall, cutting down to 36" wide by 20" tall), back closure pieces 20" tall by 26" wide, 20" tall by 14" wide.

Also, I thought I should add that the smaller you cut your pillow sizes the firmer fit on the pillow form. I usually like a really snug and tight fit, so I often cut my pieces smaller than the pillow form just to get that nice tailored look.

*** I just want to note here that the photos I've taken for this tutorial are from making a king size pillow cover, but the technique is the same no matter what size pillow form you use.

Making the sunburst pin tucks:

Using the edge stitching foot on your machine (or even your regular sewing foot - you'll just have to be a little more precise) sew the pin tucks.

Take the pillow main front piece and make an angled fold in the fabric, WRONG sides together. Press.

Stitch fairly close to the fold. This is where the edge stitching foot comes in really handy.

See that little metal piece sticking down from the middle? That'll be where you hold the fold up next to, and it'll give you a really nice straight pintuck without worry about wobbles.

Again, if you don't have a machine with that foot, a regular foot will work just fine, just try and make your stitches as straight as you can. Press pin tuck towards the top. Repeat pin tucks by making radiating lines from one side of the pillow (you choose which side - no need to be technical here).

(this seam looks wobbly here, but it's just the nature of the linen, once it's pressed it lays flat and smooth)

Just keep making angled folds to guide where your pin tucks will be (I did 5 pin tucks per pillow), don't worry about placing them in an exact place, it's meant to be more abstract. If you're not comfortable doing that, just use a water soluble pen to mark the lines where you'll be folding (just be sure that your water soluble pen still comes out once you've ironed over it). Trim the pillow top down so it measures 20" wide by 14" tall.

Making the pillow back:

Feel free here to use whatever pillow closure method you prefer. I really love a good invisible zipper on a pillow, if you want to try one out, I highly recommend Sew Katie Did's Invisible Zipper Tutorial. The easiest and quickest method (and the one I'm showing you here) is an envelope style closure, easy to sew and pops off quickly for washing.

Take one envelope back piece and press one 14" side over to the WRONG side by 1/2", repeat. Stitch close to the fold. Repeat for remaining envelope back piece.

Assembling the pillow:

Lay your pillow top RIGHT side up on your table. Place the wider envelope back piece RIGHT side down on top, aligning the raw edges and having the hemmed edge facing the middle. Next, lay the remaining envelope back piece RIGHT side down, aligning the raw edges. Pin.

Sew around entire rectangle using a 1/2" seam allowance.

Serge, zig-zag stitch or leave edges raw. Clip corners. Press again, insert pillow form and you're set.

This also could easily be sized up or down to fit the pillow form of your choice. Now go sew some comfy stuff!

Thanks again Shannon for having me over to duke it out! Be sure to stay tuned to Luvinthemommyhood for lots more of Comfy Sews vs. Cozy Knits!

Terms of use: For personal use only please.

you can find more of anna on her blog noodlhead and for more eye candy check out her flickr page!

thanks so much anna! i'm thrilled to have you back again for comfy sews VS cozy knits hun! what do you guys think? are you a pillow addict too? what's your favorite pillow pattern to sew? do you use an invisible zipper method or envelope style?

Lace Belt Tutorial with Guest Toni of Make It Perfect

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

ok....this post has had me seriously squealing with delight for a few days now. as soon as toni from make it perfect sent it to me i just started daydreaming about all the possibilities! i mean really....i just love the idea of anything with lace, doilies and fun fabric and then put it together onto an accessory and i am one happy lady!!!!

toni needs no introduction but i'm gonna do it anyways cause i can't help myself...haha. she's the mastermind behind the "make it perfect" line of patterns, blog and book!!! toni is pretty much amazing. if you haven't checked out her work before go check it out now. this australian momma has got skills ladies. i'm dying over that coastal dress. i need to make one yesterday :p

when toni said she would join in for this round of comfy sews VS cozy knits i was super excited! what a treat! her book "make it perfect: 21 easy patterns for sewing women's and children's clothes" is filled with lovely goodies! let's all hope the publishers decide to get it released over in the states and here in canada because i want a copy!

want a chance to win some make it perfect sewing patterns? check out the post on luvinthemommyhood to enter into the "make it perfect sewing pattern giveaway"! woot woot!

you guys ready to hear from toni? here she is....

Hi guys! I'm in the Versus ring today - I don't think I need to tell you that I'm fighting for the sewers! I do love a quick sewing project - especially something that I can start AND finish when the kids have gone to bed all ready to wear the next morning.

As much as I do love sewing though, I have to admit that I am fond of a bit of knitting and crochet (I said fond of, not good at!) at the moment I am working on a super cute crocheted bag but it won't be finished any time soon!

If you are looking for a sewing project that you can finish quickly though - like in half an hour - then keep reading for my Lace Belt Tutorial...

I have a great love for doilies, lace, vintage linens and when I was thinking of a quick and easy tutorial for Versus, I knew that I needed to work with this love...

We are heading into winter here in Australia - which means the jeans have started to make an appearance again. I wear a lot of plain tops with jeans and sometimes feel like I need something extra to "pretty it up" a bit - enter the Lace Belt! Perfect for adding a pretty detail to a basic outfit. The Lace belt is also reversible with a strip of patterned fabric decorating the reverse side! You can adjust the length to suit your size - or make it a bit shorter if you like wearing your belt higher. The width can easily be adjusted too depending on the width of your lace trim.

To make a 1 1/2" wide x 42" long Lace Belt you will need:

One 3" x 44" strip of plain fabric
One 2" x 44" strip of patterned fabric
One 1 1/2" x 44" strip of mid-weight interfacing (I used Shapewell)
One 44" length of 1 1/2" wide lace trim
Two 1 1/2" wide D-rings
(Note: if you want your belt longer or shorter, cut your strips of fabric longer or shorter - you might have to join fabric if your strip is not long enough.)

Step 1. Take your strip of plain fabric and fold it in half with wrong sides facing. Lightly press crease down the middle of the strip.

Step 2. Open out fold and use the crease down the center of the strip as a guide to fold both long raw edges of the fabric in toward the center fold. Press.

Step 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 using patterned strip of fabric. (In the photo below I used a bias binding maker for this strip of fabric...you will need size 22mm bias binding maker for the 2" wide strip.)

Step 4. Take the plain strip and open folded edges. Place the strip of interfacing onto the wrong side of the center of the strip.

Step 5. Re-fold plain strip so that interfacing is enclosed.

Step 6. With the wrong sides of the plain and patterned strips facing, pin the patterned strip to the plain strip. Make sure that the patterned strip is even and centered over the plain strip.

Step 7. Sew strips together by stitching about 1/8" from the edge of one side of the patterned strip.

Step 8. Sew 1/8" from the edge the opposite side of the patterned strip.

Step 9. Turn belt over so that plain fabric is facing up. Lay the lace trim on top of the belt and pin into place.

Step 10. Sew lace trim to the belt by stitching close to each long edge of the trim.

Step 11. Slip D-rings onto one end of the belt so that flat edges of the D-rings are sitting on the patterned side of the belt.

Step 12. Fold raw edge of the belt under 1/4" and then fold over D-rings about 1/2". Pin into place.

Step 13. Sew across the folded edge of the belt as close to the D-rings as you can get. You might find it easier to use a zipper foot on your sewing machine to get the stitching close to the D-Rings.

Step 14. Hem the other end of your belt by folding raw edge under 1/4". The fold under another 1/2" and sew down.

And you are done! A super quick and easy sewing project - try and stop at just one!

thanks so much for joining in toni! i LOVE the tutorial and cannot wait to make about 10 of these!!!! you can find more of toni on her website make it perfect & her blog, you can follow her on facebook.

want a chance to win some "make it perfect" patterns of your own? make sure to pop over to www.luvinthemommyhood.com and enter the "make it perfect giveaway"!

Empire Waist Dress Tutorial with Guest Lindsay of The Cottage Home

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

our next guest for comfy sews VS cozy knits is one of my fave bloggy pals - lindsay of the blog "the cottage home" and the fab shop "the cottage mama". this ladies got some skills folks. i love that she pairs vintage styling with modern fabrics! so fun and fresh! her tutorials are always lovely and she has some great ones on adding that extra special touch to your own sewn garments. nobody does piping, buttons and trim like lindsay! i can vouch for that as i have two of her handmade dresses for my girls and we get asked repeatedly whenever they wear them who made them and where we got them.

look at these......don't you just love all the little details?!! i'm so excited that lindsay's back to take part in comfy sews VS cozy knits again this year. i always look forward to her tutorials.

lindsay is a busy momma to 2 lovely girls and a new baby on the way! so she's here to share a great tutorial with us all today that is perfect for you moms to be and can still be worn by all the rest of us! i can't wait to try one!

get ready to get sewing! let's here from lindsay...

Hello, Mommyhood readers - I'm so thrilled to be here! I love Shannon and her blog so I'm thrilled she has chosen to include me again in her latest "Versus" series! Guess which side of the ring I'm on?.........ding, ding, ding......you guessed it, Comfy Sews. You might remember my Shawl Collar Sweater tutorial that was included in the last round.

For this challenge I decided to create an easy Empire Waist Dress. As most of you know, I am pregnant with baby #3 and I wanted to create something super-comfy to wear throughout the summer during this pregnancy. I made this dress from a shirt that was a little too boxy for my body and some additional jersey knit yardage. The dress will take you only about an hour to complete and is great practice for sewing with knits.

This dress could certainly be made the exact same way for a non-pregnant person and would be just as cute! So let's jump in the ring and let the battle begin..........

Empire Waist Dress

Maternity and Non-Maternity

Supplies:

1 shirt

1-1.5 yards jersey knit fabric (60 inches wide)

Scissors

Sewing machine

Iron and ironing board
Ball-point sewing needle (for sewing with knits)

Directions:

Grab a shirt. I chose this one because I liked the print but I always felt like it was a little boxy in the waist area. You could certainly use a simple t-shirt or any shirt that you are ready to transform into a dress.

Cut off the bottom of the shirt. I left the top of my shirt 13.5" long from the shoulder to under the bust line. Try on your shirt to figure out how much of the bottom you would like to take off. Make sure to allow for a 1/2" - 1" seam allowance for attaching the skirt piece.

Here's the top of my shirt after it had been cut. There were also a couple of fabric ties at the top that I decided to remove as well.

And what will I be doing with the bottom of the shirt? Well, that is going to be turned into a skirt for one of the girls. I like a little cheesy "mommy and me", so I think it will be just darling on Miss Savannah or Miss Matilda.

Since this shirt had buttons down the front I decided to sew the button area shut. I used my zipper foot to make this happen. This way I don't have to worry about any buttons coming undone.

Now it's time to cut your knit fabric. I chose a jersey knit because it is SO soft, super-stretchy and very light-weight. If you are making this as a maternity dress I would highly recommend sticking with jersey because of the amazing stretch. If you are making this non-maternity, then you could still use a jersey knit, knit interlock or you could even use a woven cotton if your top is made from t-shirt material.

I cut the skirt portion of the dress 27" long x 60" wide. I am about 5'5" and this fell right below the knee. Cut the skirt any length that you like.

Cut 2 pieces for the fabric ties. These were cut 32" long x 4" wide.

When sewing with knits you will need to change out your needle to a ball-point needle - these are specially designed for sewing with stretchy knits. Fold the ties in half lengthwise and sew one short end and down the long end. You should have one short end still open.

Clip your corners, turn right-side out and press with a hot iron.

For the skirt, fold in half, right-sides together and sew down the short side - in my case this was 27". I used my serger because I like using it for knits, but a regular sewing machine would work just as well. This seam will go to the back of the dress. Now run a gathering stitch around the top of the skirt. Set your sewing machine to the longest stitch length (5.0, in my case) and sew all the way around the top making sure not to back-stitch at the beginning or the end.

Gather the top of the skirt by pulling on the bobbin thread. Gather the skirt until it is the same width as the bottom of the shirt piece. Place the skirt and the top, right-sides together and sew in place.

Press the seam between the skirt and the top upward. Again, I used my serger, but that was just because it was easier for me and finishes very nicely.

Now it's time to attach the fabric ties. Normally I would place these in a seam, but that didn't work out for this dress. Stitch the ties on either side of the dress. If you are going to have the dress tie in front then you want the raw edge pointing towards the front so that when it ties it will be covered up.

Here's the fabric tie on the side. You will not see the raw edge when you tie the bow in front.

I decided to leave the bottom of the dress with a raw edge because I find jersey knit doesn't fray. If you would prefer a more finished look definitely sew a hem, but make sure you allow for that additional length when cutting the skirt piece.

This dress is incredibly comfortable and will definitely grow with me through out this pregnancy. It's still a bit chilly here in Chicago so I paired it with a cardigan and a pair of leggings. I'm so happy to have breathed a new life into this shirt.

Maternity dresses can be pretty expensive, so this dress was a bargain at $3.00 total for the jersey knit (which was found in the 50% clearance section at Joann's). So, what do you think? Have any shirts that you might transform into an Empire Waist Dress?

Thanks again, Shannon, for inviting me into the mommyhood - you rock, girl! This is just week one of Comfy Sews vs. Cozy Knits, so make sure you guys all visit Shannon's blog and check out some of the other fabulous projects from some seriously talented bloggers.

thanks so much lindsay!!!! luv ya - you're the best! this looks so fun and i can't wait to try one out! i'll be right over with coffee for a playdate and some girl chat! ohhh....one day, one day........in the meantime you all can find more of lindsay at her blog the cottage home, her shop the cottage mama, her facebook page here and twitter page here.

you guys having fun so far? ready to make yourself an empire waist dress? do you have just the top to bring some new spring life into? share...let's chat!

Round One - Comfy Sews VS Cozy Knits Tops & Frocks Roundup (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:02:00 +0000

1. isolde 2. diy pleated dress

yippee ladies! it's time for us all to get back in the ring for our first round of friendly boxing! for our first bout we've got tops & frocks! i've compiled some of my fave pretty knitting & sewing patterns/tutorials for spring & summer! my list was so big that i've actually had to split it up into two posts! so this is part 1. today you will be voting for your fave dresses! who's it gonna be.....comfy sews or cozy knits? let the match begin....

ding...ding...ding.....

(the patterns shown for knits are all found on ravelry. you can find me on there under imstitched.)

1. still light tunic 2. tunic dress 3. igloo 4. topstykke

1. soho smocked dress 2. little black dress

1. shinjuku 2. melvie 3. hill country

1. miss brooks 2. soft kid bubble

1. 3-way skirt dress 2. diy scarf dress

1. modern prairie dress 2. fleur dress

1. paperbag ensemble dress 2. sunshine daisies bottom mellow dress
3. love in the afternoon dress 4. nursing dress

1. mcintosh knockoff 2. museum tunic 3. nautical dress

alrighty ladies...don't forget to vote! (here's the direct link to vote in case the poll has a glitch)

Round 1 - Comfy Sews VS Cozy Knits Tops & Frockscustomer surveys

ohhhh...this one is so tough......i'm leaning towards knits this round but that's because i've been in a knitting mood lately. i was also very pleasantly surprised by the amount of stylish & modern knit dresses out there right now! i could have done 3 posts on those alone! which side are you voting on?

feeling inspired? ready to get out your machine or your needles? stay tuned for our next guest tutorial up tomorrow!!! we've got lots of fun planned for you all!!! also make sure to link up your favorite knitting & sewing patterns/tutorials in the comments below and i will add them in to reader faves in this post! i love hearing what you all are loving as well!

Hands Off My Picnic Blanket Tutorial from Katy of No Big Dill

noreply@blogger.com (Very Shannon) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

i'm so excited to welcome our first guest - katy from one of my favorite blogs "no big dill", to kick off comfy sews VS cozy knits this month. i could not resist asking her to come back again and join in for our spring/summer edition. this lovely, sweet, caring and oh, so talented momma constantly amazes me with her attention to detail, impeccable seamstress skills and whimsical & imaginative designs. she never ceases to inspire me to always want to learn more about the art of sewing and to really push myself to do more than just a straight stitch.

when it comes down to my inner battle between knitting & sewing, katy sure does one heck of a job luring me over to the sewing side. i mean really...how can you not want to sew looking at these?

ahhhhmazing!!!!!!!!

i only hope to one day be able to sew like katy. so let's all get inspired. let's hear from katy!

Hello Luvinthemommyhood readers!! I am excited and happy to get back in the ring this year for the Sews!

When I was thinking of what I wanted to make for Versus this year, I wanted to make something that I actually needed, not just make something to make something. We were out on a picnic a few weeks ago and I noticed there wasn't any room for the food once we all got on the blanket! The problem is, fabric only comes so wide, so I decided to piece some fabric together lengthwise to create a picnic blanket big enough for our family of 7!

Fleece was my choice of fabric. It's what our current picnic blanket is made out of and I have loved it. Soft and comfy! And! Now is the time to buy it. Mine was 50% off and I had a coupon for an additional 25% my entire purchase. Bargain. As I was roaming the fleece aisles I was repulsed by the prints. Sorry to be so blunt, but really, I didn't see a single print I would even consider, they were all screaming at me as I walked quickly by to come to the serene solids.

I bought 3 yards of 3 solid colors: pale yellow, white, and a dark grey

Cut several strips, lengthwise, of varying widths.
Use a ruler to keep each strip uniform.

Overlap two strips by a half an inch to a quarter of an inch and zig-zag them together.
Repeat with remaining strips, until desired blanket width is achieved.

I thought it would be fun to do a hand silhouette for each member of my family so that every time we sit down for a picnic we can measure how much each baby dill has grown! As Ryan traced my hand with my little stump of a piece of chalk he said, "with all your professional sewing instruments, don't you have something more appropriate?" I laughed and said, "you think I would!" But sometimes you just make do, right? I'll put it on my list...

Trace hand with chalk or water-soluble pen, cut out silhouette, just inside the line.
Pin in place and zig-zag stitch around all those cute little digits.

If you overlap the strips too much on the back side, simply trim them up after completing the blanket.

And no matter how carefully you cut and sew and measure, the ends will come out uneven. Maddening.

Trim the edge to even it out. Hem this edge, since the backstitching was just snipped off by fold under an inch and stitch, either straight stitch or zig-zag.

I had about a foot left of each color that I thought I could add later when their hands grow a bit.

So I took it out for a spin...plenty of room for me and my rosemary, peach lemonade! ;)

I love the hand silhouettes all lined up and the contrast of the gray against the yellow.

Yes, I think it will fit the whole family...plus the food!

If you want the recipe for the lemonade, come on over to no big dill! You won't regret it ;)

Thanks for letting me duke it out here today!

GO SEWS!

thanks so much for joining in katy! love the blanket and i can't wait to make one for our family of 4 for the beach this summer! you guys can check out more of katy over on her blog "no big dill"!

what color scheme would you make katy's blanket in? have you ever made your own picnic blanket before? is it just me or are you really thirsty from looking at that delicious pic of lemonade!!?