One Lovely Blog Award

What a fun surprise I got this morning! Mama Mel honored me with the "One Lovely Blog" award.

 ((Thank you!))

I am going to pass this award along to some wonderful blogs that I highly recommend you all check out! 

Lil Blue Boo

Has great projects and tutorials. I can't wait to make some of these flaming pants for my boys

Pink Picket Fence 

Has wonderful projects and beautiful pictures! Check out her Tulle Skirt, it's AMAZING!

Obsessively Stitching 

Always has fantastic sewing projects and great tutorials. I'm already setting aside baby clothes to turn into doll clothes using her tutorial.

Pink and Green Mama 

Has so many fun and creative ideas, especially for little ones. Her Family Shape puzzle would make a great gift!

~Ruffles And Stuff~

Has some of the cutest ideas I've seen, especially for quick and easy sewing projects

Robot Tooth Pillow

I have had this great tutorial from goody-goody bookmarked for quite some time and finally got around to making a robot tooth pillow for my 6 year old. Mine didn't turn out anywhere near as cute as the one in the tutorial, but I think my son will like it just the same.

Now, we just have to wait for him to start loosing teeth so he can use it.

Book Pocket for Bed or Armchair

Wow! I've let quite a bit of time get away before getting this tutorial together. Thanks for being patient with me! I made this book pocket for my mom's birthday and wanted to share with you how I made it. Sorry there aren't more pictures.

**This tutorial is for personal and gifting use, please don't sell your finished products**

You will need:

Medium or heavy weight fusible Interfacing (1: 25"x12" piece and 1: 12"x11" piece)

2/3 yard fabric 

(you might need slightly more if your fabric isn't a full 42"wide or more)

How to make it:

1. Cut your fabric:

2 pieces: 25"x12"

2 pieces: 12"x11"

2 pieces: 6.5"x7.5"

2. Pin and sew the 2- 6.5"x7.5" pieces, right sides together. Remember to leave an opening on the bottom so you can turn it right side out! Clip corners, turn right side out and press.

3. Iron interfacing onto one 25"x12" piece and one 12"x11" piece.

4. Pin the small rectangle from step 2 to the front of 12"x11" piece from step 3. This will make the small pocket on the front. It should be 2" from the top, 2 3/4" from sides, and 3" from the bottom. Topstitch this pocket on, sewing both sides and bottom. Be sure to catch the raw edges from the opening you used to turn small pocket piece right side out.

5. Next, Pin and sew the two 12"x11" pieces, right sides together. Remember to leave an opening on the bottom so you can turn it right side out! Clip corners, turn right side out and press.

6. Pin and sew the two 25"x12" pieces, right sides together. Leave top end open so you can turn it right side out. Clip corners, turn right side out and press.

7. Pin the 12"x11" piece to the 25"x12" pieces, with the small pocket facing in. Sew around the sides and bottom of smaller rectangle. Be sure to catch the raw edges from the opening you used to turn right side out. Turn right side out.

8. Press, folding in raw edges at top. Topstitch top edge to close. This is the part that will either be between a mattress and box spring, or under an armchair cushion.

Viola! You're finished! Wasn't that easy?

If you make one, please send me a message, I would love to see pictures!

T-Shirt Refashion ~ Dress for Baby

There are SO MANY super cute ideas for refashioning t-shirts into dresses for little girls and I've been anxious to try my hand at one. Here's the dress I just made for my baby girl from a women's shirt found at Goodwill. (Can you believe I forgot to take a picture of the shirt before I cut it apart?!)

Sewing Machine Cover

This is my new reversible sewing machine cover:

Don't you love this fabric?

This cover is very simple: First, I measured my sewing machine, then cut one large rectangle out of each fabric to go over the front, top, and back of the machine. Then, I cut two rectangles out of each fabric for the gussets, and ironed interfacing onto the three rectangles from one fabric. Next, I sewed the gussets onto the larger rectangles and sew the two sides of the cover together, turned them right side out and top-stitched the opening shut. Super Easy!

Christmas Gift and Tutorial SWAP

My "Something Made Something To Be Made" Swap partner, Deanna, and I had so much fun swapping, we decided to host our own! We would love to have you join in on the fun! Here are the details:

We are hosting a Christmas Gift Tutorial SWAP! With Christmas just 115 days away, we are all trying to figure out which tutorials and projects we've found online to use for Christmas gifts. How about a Take Along Race Track and Toy Car Holder or a Cottage Chic Apron Tutorial? The options are endless and at times, overwhelming.

In this SWAP, you can make a Christmas gift using any fabric or any project using Christmas fabric for your partner using one of your tutorials in your To-Do list. Include the finished product with a print out of the tutorial (with the link of where you found it) with materials to make another object from the tutorial. Easy and you can check that pattern of your To Do list and hopefully you will find a new tutorial from your partner!

We will sub-classify everyone who signs up in hopes of getting you with a partner who will make something you love. This is open to all crafts- sewing, crochet, knit, etc.

If you would like to participate, send the following information to craftyswap@aol.com :

1. Name, email address, shipping address

2. Brief description of who you are, where you live, etc.

3. What types of tutorial would you like to TRY from these categories? Baby, Home, Women's accessories, Kid Boy, Kid Girl

4. What types of tutorial would you like to RECEIVE from the above categories?

*You can pick as many categories as you want

5. Whether or not you will ship internationally

Isn't this fun??

Here are the dates to remember:
September 27- LAST day to sign up

September 30- date you will receive your partner (at the latest)

October 21- deadline to have the project in the mail to your partner

Let's Swap some Christmas gifts!

Some Goodwill Finds

Check out the bag of goodies I got for $3.00 at Goodwill:

Ric-rac, bias tape, buttons, Velcro, snaps, elastic, pattern transfer markers, and patches:

And the curtain I made to cover my laundry area from a queen size sheet that I picked up for $1.25.

Update on my Iraqi Bundles of Love

I should have mentioned in the last post that JoAnn's (at least our local store) has A LOT of red tag fabric for $1 a yard. There's some really great fabric to choose from! Also, I need to thank my mother-in-law for purchasing 30 (Yes, THIRTY!) yards of fabric for these bundles.

Iraqi Bundles of Love

My boxes are packed and ready to be mailed! Have you heard about Iraqi Bundles of Love yet? If not, PLEASE go to the blog to find out more. It is a wonderful project with the goal of getting fabric, sewing notions, yarn, and knitting needles into the hands of women in Iraq. Visit the blog, get some boxes packed, and get the word out about it! I printed some information out and took it to all of our local fabric stores. Thank you, IBOL Guy for organizing this and giving us the opportunity to participate!