Sweetheart Pin Cushion Tutorial

Every person who sews needs at least one cute pin cushion to adorn there craft room. Having cute things around you help motivate you when you are being creative. To add more cuteness to your craft room, here is a little heart pin cushion you can make. If you do make one, feel free to share with us by adding a picture to the Flickr Group.

You will need:
-Pattern pieces printed out (download here)
-Scrap fabrics (biggest is two 4.5"X4.5" of fabric)
-Iron on adhesive (5"x5" piece)
-Stuffing: fiberfil, quilt batting, t-shirt scraps, etc. Your choice :)
-Sewing Things
-Optional: other embelishments

How to make it:

1. Cut out all the pattern pieces

2. Grab some scraps for the heart and iron them. Start by placing one piece on the edge of the pattern piece that says "sew scraps here", wrong side down. Then place the next piece you want on top of it, right side down.

3. Sew the two pieces together, right onto the paper.


4. Open up and iron seam. Continue on until the whole paper is covered with scraps.

5. Rip the paper off of the back now.

6. Sew any top seams you want now.

7. Trace the heart onto the middle of the piece of iron on adhesive. You will trace on the paper side, not the sticky side. Cut around the outside of the heart about 1/2" at the most. Cut out two pieces of fabric for the main part of the pin cushion using pattern piece.
Place the sticky side of the iron on adhesive on the middle of the wrong side of the main fabric. Iron on according to directions.

11. Cut the heart out. Start by making a clip in the middle and then cut it out.

12. Remove the paper backing on the fabric. Place scraps underneath the heart cut out. The iron on adhesive will be on the top of the scraps. Iron together according to directions.

13. Sew around the heart if you like and add any other embellishments. You could embroider or add a ruffle. If you add a trim, sew it on first first sewing the two pieces together. You sew it on the right side of the fabric so the edge you will see is facing towards the middle of the square. It keeps it in place a lot easier.

14. Place the two main pieces right sides together and pin. Sew around leaving an opening for turning and stuffing.

15. Turn right side out. Iron it real quick if it got wrinkly. Stuff with fiberfil, quilt batting, etc. I found that I really liked using quilt batting to fill them with. It was heavier than fiberfil but still easy to stick pins into. Another thing I experimented with was using t-shirt scraps. I stuffed some in on the bottom, then covered the top with quilt batting. This allowed the pins to stick in easily, but added even more weight to the pin cushion.

16. Hand sew opening shut.

Now you have an adorable pincushion! The cute pins are Fiskars Heidi Grace Designs Decorative Pins.

GIVE AWAY IS NOW CLOSED
Guess what? If you read down to here you are in for a treat! I'm giving away the green heart pin cushion! (the other two already have a home). Just leave a comment within the next 24 hours and I'll randomly pick a winner. Make sure to leave an email that I can contact you at in case you win :)

Win One of My Felt Flower Headbands!

Head on over to the Dress Up Drawer Today for a chance to win all sorts of things, including one of my felt flower headbands!

My headband is #5 on today's list.

PS: One of my blog friends is having a Contest too with a fab prize! Simply upload as many pics into her new Flickr group, Giving Vintage New Life, as you can of vintage things you have made into something new. It's a great new group that will give lots of inspiration for sure!

My New Project

Not that I needed to take anything else on, but I did :). I have been trying to think of something I could make that could be a large piece of artwork in our living room. It had to be something I could do, preferably low cost, and something my husband would like. About three days ago, the idea came to me: Crochet a bunch of coral, etc. and put it on a large, long canvas that was covered in linen (our living room has a coastal theme). Then I went to search the internet for coral crochet patterns. While searching, I found out about the whole Sydney Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef and was in AWE! It's amazing how many artists put in time to crochet and donate their creations to it.

I found this lady too, who does amazing things with yarn! And, lastly, here is a pattern for some of the coral things I found. I so far have created the three things above. I have a lot more to go, but I'm really excited about it. Plus, it will help me cut down on my yarn collection, which has really outgrown it's storage space.

Getting Ready for Spring

Things are starting to warm up around here, so I wanted to make a few dresses for my daughter from this pattern by Ashley at Lil Blue Boo.

I had the t-shirts laying around ready to be cut and pieced together, so it took me one night.

Also, I was finally inspired to make something for her contest.If you don't know, she's having a contest with some fab prizes. Here is a quick run down of the rules from her site:

1. Create a unique outfit for a girl or boy using a Lil Blue Boo pattern. Alterations to the patterns ARE allowed as well as additional coordinating clothing items and accessories! I want you to have as much creative room as you think you need!
2. Use at LEAST one of the following techniques in your creation: fabric dyeing, fabric painting, stenciling, fabric transfers, screen printing or other embellishments (including applique).
3. Multiple entries are allowed! So submit as many as you like! There will be a gallery spotlighting all of the entries.
4. After all the entries are received, a very distinguished, diverse panel of judges will narrow the entries down to 10 final designs and there will be a week long public vote on Lil Blue Boo! And then the winner will be announced!

I was going to make the dress to enter, but it didn't come out as planned. So, I'm going to try again today and I'll show you my entry soon :)

Glass Dessert Stands How To

I made these with the intention of putting cupcakes on them, but I didn't see any nice premade ones at the store. So, I bought some mix and all. Of course, I didn't have any cupcake liners when I got home! So I just cut up the cake showing you could put something besides a cupcake on them. I know the idea isn't new, but I have never seen anyone decorate the glasses or put things underneath of it like this. I wanted to share that with you. Here is a brief how to that will help you get going if you would like to make something of the sort yourself. It's a great way to add a lot of personalization to your dinner table or party.

*Upload any you make to the Flickr group to share with us*

What you need:

-Glasses (I bought mine from the dollar store)
-Anything and everything to decorate with (I just used stuff I had, plus some accessories I bought from the dollar store)
-Felt (or you could use a doily, fabric, cork, etc) for the bottom
-Optional: Grip things (also from dollar store; they help keep it in place)
-Hot glue gun

How to do it:
(First are general instructions, then what I did to each further down)

1. Gather your supplies. I started with the basics and then added as my creative juices began to flow. I'm one of those who needs to see it in front of me to put it together. I cannot just picture it in my mind usually.

2. Cut out felt circles to cover the grips if using them. Glue the pieces together. Decorate the felt in any way you like.

3. Glue the middle scene onto the middle of the felt. Make sure the glass will fit over it fine.

4. Decorate the glass with paint, ribbons, trim, etc.

The Woodsy Dessert Holder (for my husband)

I glued the mushrooms, moss, pine cone, and heart pick onto a lid from a jelly jar. I added a paper ribbon around it for embellishment. The string, ticket, and W were embellishments from scrapbook packages from Michael's. I also added paint dots to the glass and the felt.

The Girly Frills Dessert Holder (for my daughter)

I tied ribbons around the neck and glued a vintage bunny figurine with scrapbook embellishments onto it. I sewed around the edge of the felt and added some glitter as well.

The Sewing Dessert Holder (for me; could you guess?)

I glued on buttons and embroidered on the felt. The middle just has some old thread spools I have with a vintage ric rac paper cover behind them. I glued on ric rac and pom pom trim to the glass.

Look What I Just Put in the Shop

Four more headbands in the shop! Getting back into the swing of things....

Zebra Pink

Yellow, Pearls, and Lace

In Love with Pink

Mint Chocolate

Fit for the Man

This is another crocheted hat I did while in VA during the Christmas holidays. My hubby needed a hat and he picked out this pattern.

I did it in the colors in Vanna's choice yarn brown and olive. It was very quick to make. I did the biggest size in the pattern (my husband has a large head) and it was plenty big. So if you husband is the same way, this would be a good pattern to give a try.

My little girl is still doing great with the potty and no accidents still :)

Potty Success

I did it! I started potty training my princess the day after I asked for your advice. THANK YOU so much to those of you who shared your experience and advice with me (read comments to this post for advice). I had that inner mommy feeling that she was ready, and I cannot say how easy it was for her to get it! The first day she had a few small accidents, but after that, none at all! We have taken her out quite a bit and she does fine. She did fine in Sunday School today too. I'm so stinkin proud of her! We did a sticker chart, which filled up faster than I thought. So last night, we took her to get her prize.

A sparkly donut at Starbucks.

I still can't get over how quick she got it. I think it's God's grace because so many things have been really hard with her. It's about time something was a little easy ;)

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

Gooey Hearts Day Shirt Makeover Tutorial

Gooey Hearts Day is what they named Valentines Day on this cartoon my daughter likes (spelling? Rolly polly olie). I thought it fitting to make this shirt with things that were Valentine like so it could be her Gooey Hearts Day shirt. She loved the shirt and most importanly, the name :) It's a simple makeover to give a shirt for a little one or an older one. I love the bottom part because it made this shirt longer, expanding it's wearable life. Many times she can still fit in smaller sizes, they are just too short on her.

What you need:

• A shirt to makeover
• Fabric
• Buttons
• Scissors
• Sewing machine, thread, etc.
• Sewing needle and thread (to sew on buttons)
• Iron

1. -Determine how wide and long you want the strip down the middle to be. To determine the width measurement, take your desired width x 2. For the length, add how long you want the strip to be plus how much longer you want to leave for the part to tie and add an extra 1/2 inch for seam allowance. (My daughter's was 13" by 3"). This will be piece one.
   -The second piece you need to cut is for the other tie to make the bow. Take the length of piece one minus the length of the middle strip (the part that will have the buttons on it). Add an extra 1/2 inch for seam allowance. The width will be the same. (My daughter's was 9" by 3").
2. Take the two strips and fold in half, wrong sides facing. Iron.
   
   
3. Open pieces up, then fold each side towards the middle crease and iron.
   
   
   
4. Turn up the bottom at each end and iron.
   
   
   
5. Fold back in half and sew down the open side and the bottom that will be left hanging to tie into a bow.
   
   
   
6. Pin the longest piece at the middle top of your shirt.
   
   
   
7. Pin the second piece on the middle a little above where the middle strip will end. This will make sure it is sewn on.
   
   
   
8. Sew down the side right on top of where you had sewn it earlier, but this time it's on the shirt. Then continue sewing around until you have it all sewn on. Tie the ends in a bow.
   
   
   
9. Sew on buttons. I used embroidery thread to extra contrast and a stronger hold.
10. To add a bottom flap, clip at the bottom of the side seams. I would cut it to right above the bottom seam.
    
    
    
11. Measure how long the bottom is on the now front flap and the back. This will be the width of your fabric measurement plus seam allowance. (I added an extra 1/2 inch). For the length, just decide how long you want it to be plus seam allowance. (I added an extra 1 inch for my seam allowance). Cut two pieces in these measurements.
12. Fold one side end over once, towards wrong side, and then again and iron. Sew down that side. Do the same for the other side.
    
    
    

    
    

13. Fold up the bottom once, towards the wrong side, and then fold again. Iron. Sew across.
    
    
14. Place front flap on, right sides together, and pin. Sew across. Repeat for back flap.
    
    
    
    
    
15. Turn seam towards fabric on the inside of the shirt. This will cover the fabric ends and prevent fraying.
    

    

16. Sew right over the pushed down seam to hold it in place.
    
    
    

Admire your pretty new shirt.

And then maybe think of some pretty accessories to make to match.