Spring flower brooch

I was searching around the other night for something to put on the girls' easter dresses and found this adorable flower pin tutorial. It was so close to what I wanted, but I was thinking flower petals. That's why I tweaked it a bit to come up with this little design. I do want to give credit to Chris at pickupsomecreativity because I spent a good chunk of time being inspired by her blog!

So here goes... this little tute will be for the smaller flower. I started by cutting a 3" strip from my fabric, and then cutting that in two 3" x 22" strips, which will make two flowers.

Now thread you needle with a long piece of thread. I doubled it and put a knot at the end so it would be strong. In order to make the petals, you are going to gather by hand. Yeah, I know, you didn't even know it could be done. We are going way, way, old school here! (but it's fast and easy)

Start by folding the fabric in half lengthwise (wrong sides together).

To make the first petal:  secure your thread with a knot in a corner next to the fold.

Now run your needle down the short end, going in and out to make smallish stitches. 

Pull tight so that it gathers.

Now take about 15 more running stitches going down the length. I used up about 2" of fabric here for a nice little petal. Make it how you like it.

Pull tight. When you have gathered enough that you like the petal size, wrap your thread around the top of the strip to encircle the whole thing and pull that tight.

Secure with a stitch through the middle.

To make the rest of the petals: continue sewing down the length and pulling it tight...

Then wrapping your thread around and securing to make the petal.

When you have a few petals made, form a little ring and stitch them together on the back. 

Keep pulling your thread tight.

Now make more petals. I waited to the end to sew the rest together, but you could sew them together as

you go if you like. Gather the end just like you did the beginning.

Arrange all of the petals and stitch together on the back.

Sew a button on the front...

Now cut a little circle of felt and hot-glue to the back to cover up all of your stitches.

Done!

To make the larger flower, cut your fabric strip 4" wide and use the whole 44".

These were just pinned on the dresses so I can remove them later when I do laundry.

Now just wait until you see the little matching ties for the boys!

Easy fleece shrug!

So my little girl wants to wear her short sleeved tops again, but even here in Florida, I wish she wouldn't sometimes. I was thinking about making one of those cute crocheted shrugs, but something quicker came to mind - one made of fleece! I love the way that fleece is soft, stretchy, and finishing the edges is optional!

Luckily, I took pictures as I went along, so here's the tute:

Start with a piece of fleece and your cutting tools.

Measure your little girl from wrist to wrist across the back, and around her upper arm. Also measure from wrist to armpit and save that measurement for later. Chloe was 33" wrist to wrist and 8" around her arm. Then cut a rectangle of fleece using the measurements you just took, plus two extra inches each way. (mine was 35 x 10).

Now fold the short edges to the wrong side about 1/2" and stitch down for the cuff edge.

Now to make the sleeves: Remember the wrist to armpit measurement? Take that number and subtract 1. Fold your rectangle the long way (right sides together) and mark a seam from each end that is as long as you just figured. Chloe's was 11". 

Stitch the sleeves using a 1/2" seam allowance.

Try it on her and send her out!

By the way, I can't find anyone to send my little dress to (see last post). If you know anyone with a little girl who wears a size 6 months, please let me know. I really want someone to wear it!

Baby girl dress up for grabs

Okay, so this little dress is a design that I have been working at for awhile now (whenever I haven't been busy at something else). So far all of my trial versions have been for Chloe. Last week I decided it was time to make a different size, so I measured one of Cadie's dresses and reduced the pattern accordingly. As you can see, it turned out a bit too small. She thought I was trying to kill her when I was trying to stretch it over her head. Obviously this design requres more ease (and a bigger neck) than the dress I measured. But I still really like this fabric and the way it turned out. Cadie fits into a size 12 months right now, so I'd bet that this dress would fit a size 6 months baby girl perfectly.

Trouble is, I don't have a size 6 months baby girl.

Does anyone out there have one?

If you do, please let me know! I really want this dress to be worn (and I would LOVE some pictures of a baby wearing it). Leave a comment here with your email address and I'll write you for your real address. If more than one person wants it I'll have to do a drawing or something. I'll send it out in Monday's mail, so tell everyone you know! The only catch is you must promise to send me pictures of your little one in it!

...and here's a picture of the back. I love it when the back has something interesting.

Don't buy new throw pillows - recover the old ones!

A couple weeks ago I did a budget makeover of our family room. I took a lot of unused toys out to the garage, put a slipcover on the couch, and last but not least, sewed new covers for the throw pillows. That was my favorite part. It took way less effort than I thought (I did nothing to the old pillows, just stuffed them inside) and the new pillows are so cute! Total cost for 4 pillows: less than $10.

My flower bag - get the applique design here!

I made a new bag today -- and boy do I need it. I've been carrying around that diaper bag that you get free at the hospital when you have a baby and EVERYONE tells me about it. I'm starting to get really embarrassed. To give myself credit, I did make this bag, but I got tired of it after a while and my sister really loved it, so I gave it to her the last time I was visiting.

Anyway, this is my new one that I made today. I have been wanting to try something with a frayed edge look and I thought this would be perfect for it because normally you have to sew a purse twice - once for the outside and once for the lining. Because I wanted the seams to show, I got to sew them at once!

I stiched the flower applique on using a straight stitch so that those edges will fray a bit too. Click here for the applique pattern. I would love to see anything else with my carolina fair designs flower on it! Hopefully I'll get a flikr pool made soon. Then I want everyone to post pictures!

Button Up Bolero Winners...

Sorry this is a day late, I've been swamped. So I went to http://www.random.org/ and had it pick a number from one to eleven... the number was 3. Rmenda of rowanmayfairs is follower #3, so she won a copy of The Button Up Bolero! Thanks so much Rmenda (and everyone else) for following me.

As for the twitter winner, that will be have to be Kat Fisher. She's the only one that's not a business. Come on now, girls! Does no one here twitter? To be honest, I just started, so I kind of understand.

I hope you two have lots of fun making jackets, and be sure to send me pictures!