New RSS Reader

So...Google Reader is in it's final throes and I needed to find another easy way to follow blogs.

So, I noticed a lot of people turning to Bloglovin'.

Thought I'd give that one a go.

There is a new button on the side--follow with Bloglovin' to make it easy to follow my blog again.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

You can click that link above, or the button on the side.

Anyway, we'll see how I like this reader....

Thanks for following along!

Ugly Patterns

Simple Simon & Company are having an ugly pattern round-up. An ugly vintage pattern round-up.

So, I went through the few I have, knowing that there were a couple of ugly, ugly patterns in there.

 

The only thing I can think of taking from this pattern is the neckline. But, who ever thought of making a pattern that can go for both men and women?! That just does not work--we have such different body shapes...

Anyway, this top one just made me giggle. I don't know if it's the choice of fabric or the absolutely silly shape of those pants. Definitely 70's style.

 

Ah, and then this one. Yes, I can just picture sleeping in something like this! Ha, yes I'll sniff a rose while I'm at it too! And, that cinched up waist--reminds me of Ma Ingalls, who apparently had a waist that could be spanned by her husband's hands. Yes, very stylish--definitely hour-glass shape.

 

Anyway, those are two of my ugly patterns.

I actually have one where they've covered the whole room in fabric. Yes, even the walls--I got that one in a box of vintage patterns.

Invaded by Fierious Knights!

A couple of weeks ago, my oldest son came up to me and said, "Mom, you always sew for Anna, when are you going to sew something for us?"

"Um...."

So, I went fabric shopping after realizing that it does NOT have to be everyday clothes. In fact, it could be something fun--such as Knights!

 

 

I first sewed up these capes. They are mainly out of broadcloth though the black is a quilting cotton. They are reversible--the same C and I are done in the opposite color combo on the back. The boys were allowed to pick their own colors and these are the ones they came up with.

I used a free pattern from Nancy's Notions.

 

They thought that was it.

But, I had a surprise in store for them!

 

Suits of armor!

I used the pattern, Knight in Shining Armor by Becka Rahn from the book, Fabric by Fabric One Yard Wonders.

They are both made out of felt from Fabricland and it was a super easy, fun project. Other than trying to cut out the dragons...

 

 

They love them.

 This is them looking fierce......



 

Of course, some battles ensued...they are quite the fierious (My son's word--I think he has combined the words fierce and furious) knights.

 

And, my daughter was 'gifted' with my oldest son's old armor and wanted to get in on the picture taking:

 

 

We shall see how many fire-breathing dragons and evil enemies they shall slay as Fierious Knights!



My Feet Can Rest...

Remember a couple of weeks ago, I had asked for some advice?

Which of these two piles I should use for a foot rest type thing?

And, overall consensus was the brown pile.

I'm glad because I really did like that pile better...

 

 

Well, it is done:

 

 

I had put it on hold a couple of times to whip other things up in the meantime--something I don't often do because I like to finish what I start. But, some pattern testing and a fun project for my boys had to be done. (I will post about those later--the pattern has not come out yet and I have to do step 2 in the boys' project. (step 1 is done completely and in use already--so not an unfinished project, just an other part of the project.))

 

But, back to this pillow type foot rest.

The pattern or tutorial comes from the book Fabric by Fabric One Yard Wonders.

It's the Tuffet Inspired Ottoman.  

And, the paper pieced star block is from Sew Happy Geek's tutorial here. I didn't use the tutorial--just the pattern.  

 

The fabrics are from Walmart so I do not know the name or designer--they were a fat quarter bundle there and the brown was about three yards of their cotton (baby bolt I think is what they call those.)

Plus, I used some pink flannel to thicken up this thin fabric by quilting it to the back.

The stuffing is three 16 oz bags of polyester fibrefill and I had a pillow with similar stuffing laying around that no body was or will be using--it is now a flat, empty pillowcase...

 

I did add a zipper to the bottom so that I could take the stuffing out if necessary and wash the cover. And, I'm glad I did--I really do not like handstitching and to handstitch a whole side closed would have been a bit much, I'd say. Plus, you can adjust the stuffing if needed--especially to keep the tuffet corners nice and stuffed.

 

It's perfect for to throw my feet up--I think I will go do so now.

 

 

Zippered Book Cover Tutorial

For Christmas I received a lovely ESV Study Bible.

I love it!

My children love to carry it from the van to Church.

But, once in a while (actually only once yet) it gets dropped in the snow.

And, I really do NOT like a wrinkly, messy looking Bible.

I love the crisp, new feel and do not want to lose that to anything other than everyday use.

 

So, a somewhat water proof Bible cover was in order. Or at least one that could be shut so the pages would not all be sprinkled with snow and it had to be faux-leather so that the snow wouldn't make the fabric wet and then seep onto the cover of the Bible anyway.

 

Here is what I did. It is not perfect but I'm happy how it works and have gotten compliments already. (I've been told that the person who makes it always sees the errors where-as it really doesn't look all that bad.)

I did have some difficulties with the zipper but with some patience and many weeks of it lying forlorn on my sewing desk--just waiting to be finished, I plodded through and got it done.

 

Without further ado:

 

The Zippered Book Cover

a tutorial

 

 

 First, take your measurements.

For the Bible, these were my measurements and I added 2" to the 15 3/4" that I measured from the front, around the spine, all the way to the back cover. I also added 1 1/4" to the 9 3/4" which was the length of my Bible, as you can hopefully see in the picture below. The 23" measurement I took, I had to add about 5" to that for the zipper length. (That would be approximately 2x the thickness of the book--2 3/8".)  

 

So, after taking your measurements, cut these pieces:

 

Outer Fabric:

1- 17 3/4" x 11"

1- 2 1/4" x 1 1/2"

2- 1 1/2" x length of zipper (28")

 

Inner Fabric:

1- 17 3/4" x 11"

1- 6 1/2" x 11"

2- 5 1/2" x 11"

2- 1 1/2" x length of zipper (28") 

Make 1/2" double fold bias tape that is approximately 64" long for these measurements.
Tutorial for bias tape here.

 

Take the 6 1/2" x 11" piece of inner fabric, and fold the long sides in by 1/4". Press.

 

 

Position on the center of the outer fabric and edgestitch on. This will be the spine.

 

Take the two (inner and outer) pieces of 17 3/4" x 11" and baste together wrong sides together.



See that little piece of ribbon? One of my sons thought it'd be a good idea to cut Mommy's fabric...

Take the two 5 1/2" x 11" pieces of inner fabric and fold one side on each in by 1/4". Press.

Position these on the inner 17 3/4" x 11" piece to make the pockets where the cover of your book will slip into. Baste into place.

 

This is what the pocket should look like when finished. (Don't mind the out of order picture--this is the finished cover!)

 

 

Take a cup or other round edge and round all the corners.

Like this:

 



 

Take the 2 1/4" x 1 1/2" piece of outer fabric and sew onto the zipper, on the bottom side (where it would separate if you were using a separating zipper to prevent it from separating when you open it.)

 

Take 1 outer and 1 inner 1 1/2" x  zipper length piece and make a sandwich with your zipper in the middle. Sew with a zipper foot, leaving some on each end to be able to flip under.

 

 

This is what the zipper should look like when you open up the sandwich.

 

Press and topstitch, folding in the short sides to finish those edges.

 

 

Repeat for the other side.

You will end up with a zipper like this:

 

 

Open the zipper, and baste onto the cover, having the inner fabrics facing eachother.

This is a tricky, tricky part and I'd recommend that you use a hand sewing needle to baste as you go and to be able to adjust more easily.

 

 

 

At the non-separating end of the zipper, over-lap the edges like this:

Yes, that is a different zipper than I started out with--the other one was not long enough so the book cover would not lay flat, to be able to read. (I told you I had a rough time with that zipper!)

Attach the bias tape around the outer edge of the cover, using a bit of a longer stitch length if using faux-leather or the like to prevent any weakening of the fabric.

 

You may have to hand-stitch this part of the bias tape on as the zipper thing is super difficult to manuevre under the machine!

 

And, you are done! Slip that book or Bible into your cover and enjoy.

 

I know, I didn't add handles, even though that was a  request from my son. I may add some later, I'm not sure but that is an option, for sure.

Let me know if you use this tutorial to make yourself a book cover! And, if you have any ideas for improvement, let me know--this is not an un-improvable project!



Advice?

This is my little hide-away where I curl up to read a good book, hand stitch, or to spend time in relative peace and quiet to study God's Word or pray.

 

 

But, it needs something--a foot rest to make it even more comfortable.

I pulled two stacks of fabric and need your advice.

 

 

Which would you suggest I use?

The black or the brown stack?

I'm leaning a little to the brown as I have more browns in the house and you can't see lint on brown quite as quickly as on black.

But, I'm slightly biased towards that combination--it has a lot of pink in it, after all!

I lean to the black stack for the sole reason that because it is something 'new,' as in a new color combo for me, it may just morph into something that I really, really like.

 

I'm planning on piecing the top and putting a zipper in the solid colored (black/brown) bottom so you can remove the filling and wash the cover...

So, any advice?

 

 



Baby Boy Button Up

A new nephew meant that I had to sew!

A cute button up shirt is what I had in mind but none of my patterns had a size that could be worn soon--as in within the next half year.

 

After a quick search, I came across a free pattern/tutorial from Me Sew Crazy for a Baby Boy Button Up shirt in sizes 3-6 months. 

 

Perfect, especially with the track record of my brother's kids--they grow fast even though they start out tiny...at least compared to my forever tiny children.

My sweet little nephew should be in this in no time!

 

The fabric I used is from the Fat Quarter Shop. The Sweet on NYC orange swirl--it says Pixie Pops for Timeless Treasures on the selvedge.

To cover the collar seam in the inside the tutorial/pattern called for hem tape. I honestly have no idea what that is (and didn't feel like looking it up or going out to buy that as I'd probably have to go into the city) so I used some double fold bias tape and just sewed that on instead. I really like how that turned out--it looks quite cute.

 

I'm not sure how this'll look on the little guy, but I'm hoping that the fit is good!

 

And, just a quick reminder that tomorrow is the last day to buy the pattern bundle if you haven't already!

 

 

It includes 2 patterns from Me Sew Crazy plus 16 other patterns--a steal at $24.95!

You can buy it here:

 

 

 

 

Linking up at the Let's Get Acquainted Monday Link-Up at Bold Goods