WASHCLOTH BIB TUTORIAL

Got this friend who's expecting her first grandchild.  Let me rephrase this...SHE is not expecting her grandchild - her daughter-in-law is.  My friend's a quilter...I'm a quilter.  She's a knitter...I'm a knitter. She has gone ALL out on this baby, leaving nothing for anyone else to make...as well it should be! However, I've got this weird thing about wanting to give a little something handmade and from the heart, which left me in a bit of a quandary...until I remembered my absolute favorite toddler bibs of all time, made by my Mom for each of my two children.  Nothing could be simpler in design - uber fabulous for washing messy faces and hands afterwards - bigger than conventional bibs!  Here's how they're done...

*  One pack of washcloths - these were in a 6 pack from Tuesday Morning - thick chenille, 13 x 13".
*  2-1/4" bias cut strips of fabric, 38" long ~ OR (if you don't want to make your own) ~ packages of 1/2" wide double fold bias tape, available at most fabric stores.
*  Scissors, Pins, Iron
*  Thread
*  Sewing Machine

Packaged Bias Tape is absolutely the easiest way to go, as all the work is done for you.  If you want a little variety in your ties, Bias Strips are extremely easy to make on your own - the longest time you will spend on them will be ironing.  "Bias Cut" means at a 45 degree angle across the face of your fabric (great little explanation HERE) - this allows for "give" around curves.  If you have cut your own strips (2-1/4" x 38"), fold them in half lengthwise (so they are now 1-1/8" x 38"), and iron a crease along the fold (this will run down the center of your strip).  Open the strip out and fold one raw (long side, still) edge in to the fold line, and iron that (you will now have two creases running along your long edge - one down the center, and another halfway between the center and one side).

Fold your remaining long raw edge in towards the center crease, but leave almost a 1/4" gap (we are going to make one side of your folded tape wider, so as to make sure your stitches catch it from underneath - packaged Bias Tape is made this same way).  Iron this side down as well, and then fold your strip together along the center crease again, (your folded edges will now sit atop one another, with one jutting out just a bit, under the other)...

like this.  Do this for all your strips.

Cut yourself a 4" diameter circle (don't use your good fabric scissors...get the paper scissors out).  Fold this in half - it's now 4" across the fold, and 2" from the fold to the bottom of the circle.  Fold this once again, and you have a 2" X 2" wedge.

Determine the top/neck edge of your bib, and fold the washcloth in half, lengthwise (you will be cutting the neck hole).  Pin your wedge pattern along the fold of your washcloth, and cut out.

Voila!

Finding the centers of your bib AND bias strip, and with the WIDER edge UNDER the neck edge, insert the bib into the folded bias tape (clear to the center crease) and pin in place.  I pin around the neck edge, but leave the ends free from pins - if you need to pin the entire edge, go for it!  Make sure you catch the back side of your bias tape while you are pinning.  Check this as you go along - you want to have enough "overhang" to catch with your pins, so that you know you will be catching it with your bobbin thread when you are sewing.

What the back side of your bib should look like - see how there is a little more below the pins than on the top...this way your machine has enough material to ensure that you get both sides stitched in one pass.

You've got two options for finishing off the tie ends - I took the easy route on these.  I sewed across my starting end at an angle, then down the strip along the folded edges (your wider folded edge will just be peeking out as you sew, and that's what you want - you can see how you are catching both sides as you go). Continue sewing around the neck edge, removing pins as you come to them.  Sew the remaining length of the tie, pivot at the end and sew another angled end to match your starting one.  You will trim close to the stitching on each angled end, and Fray Check them.  There really is no ravelling of the ends, since they are stitched across - the Fray Check is just something I like to do.

~ OR ~

For a totally finished end, open out each short end, fold ends inside your strip, refold and iron.  Stitch across your squared off end, along the entire tie, and back across the opposite tie end.  Either way you do these, they are going to be fabulous.  Hint - take the easy way out.  They will look just as great and save you the frustration of sewing over extra folds of fabric and chancing skipped stitches at the ends.

Favorite bibs EVER  - I never worried about ruining these because they were SO washer friendly (they're also big enough to cover LOTS of area).  Fast cleanup of "messy parts" (not to mention the highchair tray, and/or floor...obviously clean your little one before the floor) - rinse and toss in the wash.  FAVORITE!

Bon appetite, Baby!

FABRIC POTHOLDER TUTORIAL...

I was recently contacted by my Mother-in-Law, who had left her favorite potholders behind at a party and was wondering if I knew the "recipe" for making new ones.  She remembered the combination on her own before I could help her (and sent me a few for Christmas), but I realized this was the perfect opportunity to share a fast little project - perfect for any kitchen, and easy enough for a quick gift!

A pair of happy Matryoshka doll potholders matches the unique measuring cup set I found for my daughter, this Christmas...

RECIPE FOR FABRIC POTHOLDERS:

*  1/2 YARD OF TWO DIFFERENT FABRICS, WILL YIELD THREE 8-1/2" SQ. (FINISHED SIZE) TWO-COLOR POTHOLDERS

or

FIVE DIFFERENT SCRAPS OF FABRIC, CUT TO 9" SQUARE, PER POTHOLDER;

*  COTTON BATTING, SUCH AS (WARM AND NATURAL) or

COMBINATION OF COTTON BATTING AND INSUL-BRITE (by WARM AND NATURAL);

 * BASIC SEWING SUPPLIES - MACHINE, THREAD, PINS, SCISSORS, ETC.

A.  Gather your fabrics and cut the following:

* FOR "SCRAPPY" POTHOLDER - 5) different fabrics, cut at 9" X 9" (scrappy assortment was used in tutorial, for ease in seeing how these are layered)

or

** FOR TWO-COLOR POTHOLDER - 3) pieces Fabric A, cut at 9" X 9"; and 2) pieces Fabric B, cut at 9" X 9"

B.  If using a combination of Insul-Brite and Cotton Batting, cut one of each, 9" X 9", for each potholder.  If you are using the Insul-Brite, you MUST use a piece of Cotton Batting with it...NOT two layers of Insul-Brite.  The cotton works to wick the moisture away from the insulated piece.

If using Cotton Batting, cut two pieces 9" X 9" for each potholder.

(Note:  Either combination will work great - the Insul-Brite gives a bit more insulation but, if you don't expect to be carrying large, really hot items across football length kitchens, then two layers of Cotton Batting will work just fine.)

C.  Leaving one square flat, fold remaining four pieces in half, and iron.  ** For a two-color potholder, leave your third piece of Fabric A flat - you will have four ironed pieces...two of each color.

D.  Layer one 9" X 9" square of Insul-Brite, with a square of cotton batting on top (or two squares of Cotton Batting).

A.  Place flat fabric piece, right side up, on top of Cotton Batting and Insul-Brite.

B.  With folded edge toward center, on diagonal (raw edges to outside edge of square), place first "triangle of fabric".  You can work either clockwise or counter-clockwise.

C.  Add second triangle, overlapping first, as shown (folded edge on diagonal).  If using only two fabrics, you will alternate your two colors in this section.

D.  Add third triangle, as shown (folded edge on diagonal, once again).

A.  Add fourth folded triangle - this will cover the portion of your first triangle that was showing (Remember the white/blue "paisley?  It's hidden under there, now).

B.  Flip up right edge of triangle you just added to reveal the first triangle placed in stack.  Flip back (or "up") left edge of that triangle, as well.

C.  Lay right edge of last triangle added (black/pink hearts) under first triangle (white/blue paisley - which is still flipped up)...

D.  Flip left edge of first triangle back down over last triangle added.  The placement of these triangles gets easier once you've done one or two.

A.  Pin along center flaps, close to corner edges, to hold in place (if needed).  With 1/4" - 1/2" seam (I use the side of my presser foot - you just want to make sure you catch all layers in your seam allowance), sew around entire outside edge of potholder.  Pivot at each corner and take three to four diagonal stitches before continuing on your next straight side seam (this makes for a smoother corner when turned).

B.  Clip corners on the diagonal - you may also trim a little on each side near corner, to alleviate bulk.

A - D.  Going through center of your four triangles, turn your potholder right side out.  Push corners as far as you can get them by hand...

A - B.  Chopsticks - they're not just for Chinese food!  Being careful not to poke a hole through your fabrics, gently poke corners out to full potential.  Press both sides of your potholder.

A.  Pin flaps in place on front, to keep from shifting while stitching.

B.  Topstitch 1/4" around all four sides of your potholder.

C - D.  Either handstitch a little "X" in the very center of your potholder, to keep the flaps closed, or find a decorative stitch on your machine, and take the easy way out. 

Here's to you, Happy Cooker, and a fabulously fun kitchen ensemble in 2013 ~

FABRIC INFINITY SCARF TUTORIAL

I'm participating in 2 Bags Full's PINK SCARF PROJECT~ a wonderful, year-long effort to gather pink scarves for Breast Cancer patients.  My first instinct was to grab for my knitting needles...however, Vicki is collecting ANY scarves for the project - knitted, crocheted, store-bought, etc.  I have been teaching my friend, Jackie, to knit, but she has told me she thinks she will never be able to finish a full scarf in time ~ and has already sent a store-bought beauty.  Being a seamstress, first and foremost, got me thinking...Jackie sews too - how about an easy FABRIC scarf, for those that hate the thought of knitting?!

I knitted a Mobius scarf (the Infinity/Mobius scarves are a continuous loop, with a permanent twist built into them) similar to this a few years back, as a gift.  I've never made another ~ yes, the hours involved were plenty.  THIS, however, can be achieved in 45 minutes or less, start to finish...with THREE sewn seams (and 5-1/2" of hand sewing).  I made four this morning, plus took photos as I went, all in under 2.5 hrs.  So........here's how to do it.

WHAT YOU NEED:  1 yard fabric and thread!  That's it!  Well, that and a sewing machine and necessities like scissors, pins, etc.

I used three 100% cotton fabrics for these, and one knit that reminds me of a top I had in the 70's.  The cottons I chose were all soft to begin with (the one above is almost a "voile" - VERY lightweight cotton.  Use what you love - I washed and dried my cottons before cutting, to make sure they softened up, and/or shrunk before they were used.

WHAT YOU DO:

Cut TWO pieces 20" wide X 36" long. 

Lay these two pieces, right sides together, and seam across one of the two short ends, using either a 1/4" or 1/2" seam.  Press seam open on wrong side of fabric.

With right sides together, fold the now joined fabric piece (20" X 71.5", or so) in half LENGTHWISE (meaning you will have a long piece of fabric with a fold along one long side, and raw edges along the other long side - or 10" X 71.5").

 

Mark your long side (along the raw edge side) 3" in from each end.  Start sewing at one of these marks/pins, and continue along long edge til you come to the other 3" mark.  Press this seam open, centering it in the middle of the scarf, and not along the edge.  Press just the seam - not the edges of the scarf.

Reach inside this tube and pull right side out.

Center your seam so that it is facing up (so you can see it), and down the center of the length of your scarf.  Now for the "twist"...

Fold the left side length of your scarf UP, as shown.

Take the piece you folded UP in the last step, and fold it UNDER and DOWN.  Should look like something like a backwards 7 at this point.  It doesn't matter where you fold it, as long as you go up, under and down - this will add that "twist" into the scarf.

Bring your short, open ends in towards each other, as pictured.

Match your raw edges, right sides together (pinning if needed).

Sew seam across, from opening to opening edges.

After this seam is sewn, gently pull on scarf and your sewn end seam will roll to the inside, through opening left on end.  Press seam allowances on this opening to inside.

Close by hand stitching opening (I use a ladder stitch, which ends up being virtually invisible...YouTube it!)

Your scarf will have a built-in "twist" to it...can be worn long, or twisted once or twice, and doubled over your head, for the short version.  WINNING!  A snap for everyone on your Christmas list ~ or join in the giving over at THE PINK SCARF PROJECT.  Three of these are heading there tomorrow - the tutorial scarf will be in my daughter's Christmas stocking.

Addendum - 11/28/2012:  My son's girlfriend was sporting a knit Infinity the other day, and mentioned that she loved them really long - hers was wrapped three times.  SO...

This was made with a piece of soft, thin wool/polyester fabric - again, one yard.  I cut it across the width of my 58" fabric, into 4) pieces 9" wide X 58" long - THIS GIVES YOU ENOUGH FOR TWO SCARVES!  Constructed the very same way as the directions above (use only two pieces for each scarf), it left me with a finished scarf that is approx. 4" wide X 115.5" long (sewn into a round), and a few more options for styling.

  Happy sewing!

BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO MAKE ONE...

Seeing these darling multiple wrap bracelets everywhere, starting last spring, I earmarked a page from the Internet, but went onto other (seemingly) more important things - until last week, when I actually cleaned out my "Favorites" on my computer - talk about hoarding!  From under the stacked up pile of nonsense, saved for a year because I knew I would need those pages, I unleashed a great TUTORIAL FROM "RINGS AND THINGS" (and it's like totally free - TOTALLY, Dude!)

Armed with boatloads of cash and a burning desire to learn something new (OK, I admit the cash part is a lie), I headed to my local bead store for supplies, and turned out two pretty cool pieces of arm candy, in the past two evenings.  Some among you will "honk" the orange one as being anything but garish (the beads are actually a dark amber/orange and blue combo - always check your color wheel for complimentary colors, when in doubt), but it's THE color for summer, "they" say (the same person who will throw up in her mouth over the orange one will also shudder at the yellow one).  I actually made it to be paired with some of my orange Bakelite bangles, which brings me to this...

A new Bakelite bangle, the design of which I had never seen before, so was pretty excited to get it.  Kind of a dark butterscotch color - coiled over on itself, with the end being flattened and sliced off at an angle before being hand carved.

Once you've finished drooling over my good fortune with the bangle, you might want to pull up the tutorial and make a wrapped bracelet (or two) of your own.  These things I know - or figured out in the course of making mine.  The supply list on the tutorial is a little vague, but I've got ya' covered:

1.  2 yards of 1.5mm/2mm round leather cording will get you a 4 wrap bracelet for a standard size wrist. 2.5 yds. will do a 5-wrap bracelet.

2.  I used Czech Fire Polish beads in the 6mm size.  They came in strands of 25.  For the 4-wrap bracelet, I used almost a full 6 strands (or 150).  For the 5-wrap bracelet, I used 7 strands (or 175 beads).

3.  If you're patient, this can be made using one length of thread, instead of ending a piece and tying more on as you go (patience is the key, and making sure you have an area of floor that you can lay your thread out beside you as you pull it through, to make sure it doesn't tangle).  I cut 8 "wingspans" (from fingertip to fingertip) of the colored beading thread on the little spools (Nymo, I believe is what I bought).  Use thread conditioner to keep it from tangling, also, running it over the thread as needed.  The thread gets doubled, so you won't be working with that entire length.  Carefully lay it out as you peel it off the spool, to make sure it doesn't tangle uncontrollably until you get it doubled.

FABRIC LUNCHBAG TUTORIAL - HAPPY MAY DAY

Linking up this May Day (or a day early), with Old Grey Mare’s "Project Genesis".  One of the most consistent things I do to try and help the environment, is faithfully haul my reusable grocery bags with me each week when shopping (if you carry them back out to your car once groceries are all unloaded, and keep them in the trunk, you can never forget them). This got me thinking of doing the same for my daughter, to alleviate the glut of brown paper bag lunches she carries to work now (and knowing it would be a little more cheerful, also. Z also has a simple Bag Tutorial on her blog, which she posted last year).

Gathering up some fabric I had on hand, I set forth to make her a reusable lunch bag of her own. One that is easily folded up and brought home in a purse each night, to be used again the next day. Following is a quick tutorial I threw together, in case you get the urge to ditch your own paper (or, GASP! Plastic) lunch bags – this bag goes together in no time.  It's a tiny step, but every little bit helps in the long run...

MATERIALS NEEDED:  Main Fabric – ½ yd.; Lining fabric – ½ yd.; 1-1/2” piece Velcro; thread and sewing machine. ALL SEAMS ARE ½”.  Since main and lining pieces are constructed the same way, you will construct both at the same time.

1.  Cut two pieces of main fabric, 16” long X 12” wide.

2.  Cut two pieces of lining fabric, 15-1/2” long X 12” wide.  (Quick Tip: Ever made a bag and had the lining “pool” up in the bottom, like it was too long? It was! Try cutting it ½” shorter in length.)

3.  Cut a 2” X 2” square from each of the bottom corners.

4.  With right sides together, sew across bottom seam of both the outer bag, and the lining.  Press seams open.  On right side of each piece, stitch ¼” on each side of seam line.  This will hold your bottom seams flat.

5.  On main bag (with right sides together), sew both side seams, from top to bottom.  On lining (right sides together), sew ONE side seam from top to bottom.   Sew the OTHER side seam, leaving a 3 - 4” opening in your seam.  Press seams open.

6.  Your bottom corners will now have formed an opening.  Open out edges and, matching side and bottom seams (right sides together), stitch across opening – this will “box” your corners.  Do this for both main bag and lining, on both corners.

7.  Turn main bag, right side out.  Leave lining WRONG side out.  Slip main bag inside of lining, right sides together.  Matching side seams, stitch around upper edge.

8.  Gently pull main bag through opening in lining.  Stitch side seam closed on lining, and push lining down into main bag.  Iron and top stitch ¼” from edge, around top of bag.

9.  Center 1-1/2” piece of Velcro (the stiff side) ¼” from bag edge, at upper center of bag.  Sew in place.

10.  Center remaining piece of Velcro on opposite bag side, approx. 4-1/2” down from top edge.  Stitch in place.  If you have placed these correctly, you will be able to roll top down twice, and Velcro in place, to hold.

11.  Measure over 1-7/8” from each upper side seam, and mark with pin.  Smoothing lining on inside, fold your fabric between lower edge (at boxed corner) and your pin at the top.  Pin along fold that forms, making sure you catch your lining in at same time, also.  Sew a 1/8” seam along this folded edge.  This will help your bag hold its shape, like a paper bag.  Do this for each of the four sides/edges.

12.  Just about done…fold your two sides in towards the middle of the bag (you will have a "V" from the folded/stitched edges in towards seam), and the bottom up (grab a paper bag if you need a reference, but it should pretty much fall into place, once you start easing it into place), and iron to hold shape.  Finished bag will be the size of your standard brown paper lunch bag, but much more fashionable, and certainly reusable.

Project Genesis - Creating change, one day at a time...