DIY Fabric Napkins

I officially have two weeks left until my due date, consequently I've made a massive mental list of projects I would like to do.

One pressing item on my list:  fabric napkins.  Because that is what you need when a newborn is on it's way.  Just kidding.  My oldest has hit a phase where she hates being messy or having a drip of water on her while eating, as well my toddler is too cool for bibs but is a pretty messy eater.  We were going through a lot of paper and cloth towels at meal times.  I wanted something more fun than worn out dish towels and that we could reuse more systematically.

I'm sure it has been done before, but I decided to make my cloth napkins out of flour sack cloth.  They are my favorite towel to have around for drying and covering baked goods.  I grabbed a pack of four at the store and chopped each towel into quarters.  I rolled one edge over twice and stitched, then on the last raw edge I made some colorful bias tape out of fabric scraps (I love yellow in the kitchen!).  At the last minute I decided to add some twill tape so I could hang them if I wanted.

Each family member gets one at meal times and afterwards if it's clean we hang it up to use next time.  As a result of my adorable napkins I now want to build a skinny buffet table for our kitchen (I have the supplies, just need some tools) to house said napkins, cookbooks, and other kitchen things.  Also I want to make an ottoman.  And an over-sized wax canvas bag (wax is in the mail!).  Don't try to follow the thought process of a full-term pregnant woman, we do ridiculous things.

Raglan T-Shirt

Partially inspired by the Spring Top Sewalong, partially due to the fact that most of my shirts no longer fit--I decided to finally sew a new top.  I used a pattern from my Sew U book (which I need to use way more) and altered the front bodice to have more room.

It came together quickly and will be easy to hem and take in a little post-baby.

I've already started plotting a few more t's to keep me from looking shabby this last stretch.

Handmade Teepee

We don't have much going on in our backyard and I wanted to have something fun for the girls to play with this summer.  There are a number of tutorials out there, but I remembered seeing this teepee tutorial years ago.  Like most everything I do, I used her pattern as a starting point and then changed it.

I wanted each section to be equal (rather than have a big opening like Rachel's version), so I cut my panels about 44 inches wide tapered to 5 inches wide at the top.  I thought a round opening would be fun so I just went for it.

I cut a few inches off the wood due to necessity (I may have wedged the teepee against our ceiling...).

I didn't want to sand the wood, but didn't want to hear about splinters all summer.  So I decided to use strips from a vintage sheet I had lying around to hold the wood in place.  I was a little short on the length needed so I added a strip to the bottom of the teepee as well.

I haven't pulled it outside yet, but so far the girls seem to like it and I think it's totally cute and girly. Hopefully hours of fun will be had in this girly teepee this summer.

Big Black Apple Dolls

I love trying to make something homemade for my girls for their birthdays.  This year I decided it would be fun to make them a doll.  I've always thought the Black Apple Doll was adorable, and have sewn a few in the past.  This time I wanted to make them a little more special.  I enlarged the pattern to give me a starting point and then got creative with the rest.

I'm totally in love.  Way more than the girls love them, but isn't that how it always is?

I stressed about the face and left it for last on both dolls.  That was silly to do.  What if I had messed up after I had finished the whole thing? 

I painted the eyes on and then stitched the eye lashes and mouth on.

The hair took forever.  My girls are young and I knew I needed to adhere the hair on pretty well.  So I stitched every piece of yarn on to the head.  I used pins to sort of weave the yarn on the head and then I tacked everything down.  I found the technique/idea here.

The peach doll has tiny suede moccasins..Ack!  I die over them.  My oldest doesn't like to wear shoes so I thought it would be fun to leave her doll barefoot.

Dotty Pillow

I have been in dire need of some fun pillows to offset my vintage couches.  The room was looking a little too seventies for me. 

I have a few more to make.  I love using hidden zippers, it makes the pillow come together so quickly.  Hello bees!  I like adding silly details.

Geranium Flower Girl Dresses

My sister's wedding kept me pretty busy this summer.  After finishing some projects with Tracey it was time to figure out what the girls would be wearing.  I looked online, searched in-store...nothing was jumping out at me.  Where have all the cute things for little girls gone?

I had been dying to buy/make Made By Rae's Geranium Dress and this was the perfect occasion.  I had no time for drafting my own patterns and the pattern sewed up like a dream.

 

I lined the bottom of both dresses.   I used the lower half of a formal dress for Ellie's (no hemming!), and happened to have a pretty peach pillow case that turned out perfect for Ivy.

Word to the wise.  If you let uncles play with their nieces you might turn around to your daughter alarmingly high from the ground.  Luckily this time it turned into a great picture.

I think a few more Geranium dresses should be sewn before Christmas (they are so adorable).  But lets be honest, what I'd really love to sew next is a Washi Dress for myself!

Old News

Eons ago (or perhaps last spring) I made a skirt for my sister's wedding.  I didn't have anything on hand that went with her color scheme, so I decided to have fun with a bright yellow skirt.  I made it while I was still pregnant so I had to guess the size--consequently I have it pinned in the back until I redo the waistband as I was a little off.  It's a bit crazy to some probably, but I love it. 

Also, I ran across another mid-century enameled bowl.  I love the bold heart pattern.  Maybe someday I'll sell it (I sold the blue crockpot--which I now somewhat regret), but for now it's happily displayed in my kitchen.

Mending

Either my girls are hard on thier clothes, or clothes just aren't as sturdy as they were once made.  Or both.  I'm often finding holes in their clothes and I could easily throw them out and get new ones for cheap--but there's something fun about patching little clothes.  You can have fun with it.  I can't get away with this on Corey's jeans.

I did a little honeycomb patch on these jeans.

 And one more to cover another hole!

These got hearts.

 And I decided to have fun and try wool felt stars on these.  I'm hoping the felt holds up.

Only one knee needed mending, but stars on both knees are double the fun.

Postpartum Refashion

I've done a tiny bit of sewing and thrifting since my newest little cutie was born.  Sewing and thrifting are therapeutic to me I think, they help me de-stress if I've had a long day (or week).

Anywho, during some needed breather time one evening I stumbled upon a beauty.  Just kidding.  It was pretty bad but I liked that the top half unbuttoned (convenient for a nursing mom), the print was kinda cute, and it had pockets.   The skinny: I took the waist up about six inches, removed shoulder pads, took in the shoulder width, and chopped the sleeves...and I love it!  A casual (and comfortable) dress that is also functional.

In other news I am dangerously close to actually finishing that quilt I started eons ago.  Seriously I probably have like two feet of binding to finish...lets get on that.

Quiet Book Volume 1

Originally I had sketched a myriad of page ideas (probably close to twenty) for my little quiet book, but quiet book volume one will just be five pages long.  I am okay with that.  I've constructed the book in such a way if/when I create more pages I can easily add them, which is super.


The book isn't perfect, but I think that gives it charm (or is that just what people who make imperfect things say to feel better?).  I didn't use any patterns, just had fun recreating the sketches I started with.  There is a thin layer of patting in each page giving it some stability, but keeping it soft.  There are no loose pieces, I didn't want to go crazy trying to keep everything together.


Here's the cover:

The classic mailbox page:

The Velcro bee page:

The elephant page (you stick your fingers through the back to be the elephant trunks):

The family picture page:

The zipper pouch (back of previous page):

The button frog page:

And as an afterthought I added another little file like pouch on the inside back cover to hold a notebook or a small book:

Handmade birthday gift:  done!  With 7 weeks to spare!  On to the next project...

Toddler Raglan Tee

After making the basic toddler t-shirt I decided to make a raglan tee as well (why not)?  I used this tutorial.

My sewing wasn't perfect (gathers and such), but I like the style.  I will definitely be making more of these.  I'm also going to use the pattern I made as a guide to a dress I am making for Easter and my baby sister's wedding this May (another project that was not on my official "make this before baby" list, oops!).

Toddler Tee

Despite the fact I sat down and listed all craft projects to complete before baby # 2 arrives I keep starting new things.  


The other day I decided I needed to make some new t-shirts for Ellie.  I wanted to work out the pattern now so post baby I could whip them out as needed.  I used a well fitting shirt as a guide to create the pattern, and then used an old grey t-shirt to construct.  

It was looking a little ho-hum so I added some little pockets in front.  As well added some stretch lace trim (from my vintage stash) to the sleeves and pockets for a feminine touch.

They are so quick and easy I want to sew up a storm making some more.  I'm going to resist for now and get some other projects done with my shrinking free time (t-minus 8 1/2 weeks if baby is on time!).

Quick Diaper Pouch

This project has been on my to-do list forever.  Once Ellie was past the new baby stage I hated dragging my diaper bag everywhere and just stowed a few necessities (diapers, snacks, etc) in my purse.  My messy purse.

Last night I wanted to do a quick project and finally decided to whip this out.  Nothing fancy. Functional and small was what I was going for.  Now I have a nice little bundle to hold together a few diapers and wipes (I just stow a small amount of wipes in a zip top bag, the generic travel wipe holder always left me with dry wipes and it was bulkier).

It's just a rectangle sized to wrap around a few diapers with a smaller rectangle at the bottom to hold things in (which actually I don't think is necessary).  

I used felt for half of the outside so I wouldn't need to add the soft side of velcro.  Lazy?  Perhaps.  Either way it gets the  job done.  Here's a full view of the canvas side to see the general shape.

Small Refashion

I serendipitous ran across this post yesterday.  I had just bought a similar shirt (thrifted, maybe $4?) last week!  I thought it was pretty sweet.  Corey thought not.  I've been trying to tell him that old school stuff is cool.  Think, what would my grandma wear?  I think he thought this shirt was too grandma.

Basically doing the same steps as the original post, here's my tiny refashion:

Taking a step back perhaps I should have lowered the neckline a little more.  Even so, I like the simple adjustment.  Freshens up the shirt a bit.  Amazingly I'm still able to button the shirt despite my 6 1/2 month bump!  

Basic Sewing

I recently made two basic tank tops.  Not super exciting, I know.  I used an old tank as a guide and created my own pattern.  They aren't perfect, but work well enough.  Now that I've made two I think any future ones I make will turn out even better.  I hate spending $15-$20 on a tank top and now I don't have to, hooray!  As I got my fabric at cheap shop I probably spent $5 for both.  

I did not make these shorts, but I am loving them--too bad they are not my size! I went with a friend to this big baby consignment sale and got them for a few dollars.  I'm filing the cute style under "I'll try to make this for myself, someday" folder.  I will just have to live vicariously through Ellie as she wears them all summer.

I can't get enough of the strawberry buttons.

Quiet Book Peek

Here's a sneak peek at one of the projects I've been working on recently, a modern quiet book.  It's for Ellie's 2nd Birthday.  I'm hoping to get it done weeks before her sister arrives.  For a few weeks I had fun sketching out quiet book ideas I wanted to try.  I have some traditional, but many of the ideas I made up.  For all pages I'm making the patterns up as I go.  Most of the quiet book pages are going to have some cutesy saying on them when completed.


Here's the first page I finished.  You stick your hands through the holes to be the elephants' trunks.  It will say "I love you a ton" (...awe, cute):  

I love this page.  The bees have Velcro backs that you can stick on the flowers or beehive.  It will say something like "bee happy" or "you're the bees knees":

Here's one I've seen a few times online.  The mailbox.  The flag goes up and down and you open and shut the mailbox.  There's also an envelope inside that you can stick notes in.  Predictably this will say "you've got mail" (which is also a super movie):