Felt Flower Shirt Using Hot Glue

I picked up a cute striped 3.00 walmart a couple of weeks back and thought it would be a fun little shirt to embellish. I was thinking of doing a simple fabric applique by sewing around whatever shape I used.

Then I heard about fabric glue sticks. Have you heard of these? 

Well, I love my glue gun and I love fabric, so I thought it was a brilliant idea to combine the two! I had looked at Joann's and while they had it, the glue sticks are the larger size glue sticks, which meant I needed to buy a new glue gun as well. The glue guns were around 15-20 dollars, and the pack of fabric glue sticks were 5.00. I was buying some other items that I actually needed that day, so I passed on this, tucking it away in my brain for another day.

Then a friend of mine and I were at Hobby Lobby, picking up some things for a birthday party and she needed fabric glue to make shirts. So we headed over, and not only were they cheaper at Hobby Lobby, but having 40% off coupons really sealed the deal. The glue sticks were 2.99 and the high temp larger glue gun was 6.99. The coupon made this around 7.00 total. Definitely worth it then!

Although the glue is very stringy (and WHITE!) it was fun to use and I am anxious to try it on other projects as well. The draw back is, it is harder to sew through (by hand, because a machine will not work for this) because it is still the same thickness and texture as normal hot glue.

I used a smidge for these felt flowers that I had cut out, and then sewed on buttons for the center. Easy and satisfying shirt perfect for impending Spring!

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Lengthen the life of those tights

Make too small tights into footless tights!

Cut off the feet right at the ankle, iron a hem, double stitch around each leg (use a double needle to help with the stretch and the neatness) and you now have footless tights, and they look adorable under skirts. Plus, you avoid that awful "low feeling" because the tights are too small to be pulled up high enough. Think back to your childhood, girls, you know that feeling!

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Prudent Baby Pretty Party Dress

Don't you love free patterns? I always think its so generous and cool!

I found this one recently over at Prudent Baby and since it was a size that is perfect for us right now, I thought it would be a fun Saturday sewing project! 

I lengthened the sleeves quite a bit to make it a 3/4 length sleeve, skipped the cuff and also lengthened the dress a lot (I have a long legged little one who is off the charts in height and also 13 months old). I think if I had made it the pattern length, it might have worked as a tunic instead. 

She loves her purses. And what party dress isn't complete without a sequin purse?

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Patching up those jeans part II

Over the summer, I posted about patching jeans. Although they worked great, my knobby knee-ed boy has now holed up four pairs of school jeans, leaving him down to one or two good pairs. I love creative and fun patches, but I wanted to tone it down a bit for school. I had bought a bunch on sale, because his school dress code is either school uniform (only way he can wear shorts) or jeans without holes. So it was time to patch them up so that I wasn't having to wash every other day.

My husband was fortunate enough to have such a sweet grandma that would always patch his jeans up for him. Even when we were dating, he would work on cars, rip his pants out and send them down to Grandma, who would patch them up so sturdy and nice for him again. I thought I would patch Jaden's up using the same method that she used.

The challenging part between doing my husband's pants and doing my son's is the size difference. It is a LOT easier to put pants on through the sewing machine from an adult than it is a skinny pant leg. I wrestled and sweated and pricked fingers and groaned, but I did it!

Here's how the whole process works:

Gather thread, recycled denim for patches, sewing machine, scissors ands jeans to mend.

I chose a bunch of different colors so I could match the thread up a bit to the jeans I was mending. The bobbin color doesn't matter if you only sew on the right side

The denim that you are using as patches also do not matter in color because it will be inside of the jeans, unseen.

Now cut a patch out thats bigger than your hole:

turn jean leg inside out, and pin patch over hole, making sure it covers all the hole and the weak material.

Turn leg right side out. This is what you should now see:

Next, place pant leg on machine. Its tough, and it's tight. I don't know if  I would have been able to do a pair smaller than his 5t pants.

Set machine to a zig zag stitch and stitch in rows as close as possible above, over and below hole. Your finished product should look like this:

Turn leg inside out again, remove pins and carefully trim patch.

Finished! Congrats! You just saved yourself at least 10 (for a cheap pair) dollars! And really, with the right color thread, its a great fix. Its hardly noticeable, especially when caught early. Here's the first one I did, the hole is a lot larger and the thread is lighter, but it still works. Its also super messy sewing. Doesn't have to be perfect! But I do think this shows the final results better when knowing how to sew the patch on.

The other two ways that I mended his jeans were to take large denim patches, cut into squares and sew on front as typical patches. I did it in a different color to give it a bit of variety.

The last way I mended his jeans was on the bottom of the pant leg. I buy his jeans long and cuff them so thats he can grow into them, but then he walks on them anyway and puts big holes in them. I cut the frayed and holey mess and sewed in a new hem using another old pair of jeans that had to match in order to blend in. Good as new!

Doing this entire project saved a pair of old navy jeans, two children's place jeans and a pair of target jeans.  Success!

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Leila and Ben Little Cap

This morning I was perusing blogs and saw a pattern that I was checking out, that then led me to this one.

Ok, usually I am not one to buy patterns, but I have been doing so lately because 1. it is so much easier to use measurements and patterns already done for me 2. i love that most of them go from little up to bigger sizes!

So on an impulse, I got this one, and whipped out a hat for my middle guy. I want to do another one with the argyle on it like the example on the pattern! The first one was more to see how it would turn out. He liked it!

Perfect little corduroy hat for this blustery windy cold day!

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Sewing for my boys

Sometimes, boys get ripped off when it comes to sewing clothes.

Everytime I am making something for Ellie, the boys will make a statement, assuming, "Oh, you makin' that for Ellie?"

So I thought I would surprise Jaden by making him a hoodie using the lil blue boo pattern I bought when they were on sale. I had some knit yardage here that waso nly a dollar a yard that worked together and it took me no time at all to make him one. When Jackson saw his brother's, he pulled me aside and asked me very sweetly if I would make him one too. No problem! I used a couple of old tshirts micah had and completed one pretty quick!

Jaden loved his so much, he tried to wear it three days in a row!

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market skirt from made

Today is the last day for the Noodles & Milk giveaway! I will pick a winner tomorrow!

This week, I have been busy sewing up a whole bunch of stuff! One of the things I worked on was my own spin off of the Market Skirt, This pattern was VERY easy to follow, and I will use it again, however, I will NEVER use satin again. I was going for a dressy look, but it turned out a little messier than I had hope for, and I just do. not. like. satin. for sewing. Accessories, yes, clothes, no!

I added the tulle to the bottom by doubling the tulle and gathering it. Its a shimmery tulle too, which seems to be a bit softer than other tulle.  The pearl and lace trim was just sewn on.

(She just started walking the week of Thanksgiving and is impossible to keep still now for pictures!)

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Lil Blue Boo Giveaway!

I had the opportunity to be a pattern tester for Lil Blue Boo for the "T" patchwork dress. 

I love sewing with Lil Blue Boo patterns because of the variety of sizes, the thoughtful and thoroughness of her patterns and directions as well as the other options you can do to make the pattern different over and over again! Underneath, I added a pair of the leggings that has paid for itself over and over since buying the pattern. These leggings were made from sleeves of a long sleeved shirt, and the body of the shirt can still be made into a skirt!

It's almost impossible these days to get some good shots of Ellie, but I did what I could. Here she is modelling our version of the T patchwork dress! I used an old onesie from Jackson for the top:

Love that fun optional flower!

Right now, Lil Blue Boo is doing a giveaway to 4 lucky winners! Hop on over for a chance to win!

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Hippo Dress

Even though we are still needing our a/c out here in Arizona, it is starting to cool off! In the morning when I take my son to school, we all have to at least wear jackets. That's something, and I will take what I can get!

With the weather changing, we need to start looking at colder weather clothes. I bought a pattern from Dear My Kids to make my daughter some long sleeved dresses. I have been buying patterns on etsy here and there because for the most part, the sizes tend to range from tiny to larger, which makes it a great value since I can just print them out as each size happens. I originally bought this for the tunic to match up with those cute leggings I can't stop making, but I thought for the first attempt, I would go for the dress. I also skipped the inside pocket and the elastic sleeves.  I like the bell sleeves on this.

It has a fun button closure on the back

and its reversible! I lined this with corduroy so its a bit heavier and stiffer than I normally would have done.

I am about 3/4's done with another dress from this pattern that is a lot lighter and flow-ier (is that a word? because it is now!) and I added elastic to the sleeves this time. 

Happy Sewing!

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Outfit for my Night Owl

Remember that tutorial I said was coming soon? Well, sad story, my laptop died, and took those pictures right along with it! Thank goodness I had kept up on backup up pictures up to that point!

I thought instead, I would show a picture of what I was going to write the tutorial on, and just explain it here!

This entire outfit was handmade, from the bows to the toes :) Well, the leggings anyway. I'll break down how you can do it too.

Bows: two pieces of fabric right sides together, sewn into a rectangle, leaving a small opening to turn right side out. Once, it is right side out, close it and top stitch around. Accordian fold it in the center so that you can wire it for that nice pinched center. Cover with a ribbon and glue onto barrette. 

Onesie: I love decorating onesies, but white ones tend to get old. Instead, I dyed this that fun caramel color using tea! I used about 6 teabags and made tea, and then soaked the onesie for 30 minutes. To help keep the color, soak onesie in fabric softener first. Then once desired color is achieved. rinse in cold water until water is clear. Different flavors of tea produces different shades. This is great to antique something as well!

The skirt: was made from a tutorial here and is the same material as the owl on the onesie as well as the bows in her hair.

Finally, the leggings were made from an old  tshirt I had here using Lil Blue Boo leggings pattern here: I can say I have used this pattern in a variety of ways and it has definitely paid for itself. This way was ruched legs :)

 Sorry for a lack of pictures, but hopefully the links will help! Feel free to ask questions as well! 

Happy Creating!

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Kimono and Pants Set

I have to share this outfit I made today:

I requested this free pattern from habitual and it went so fast. She was so sweet and it was emailed really fast too!

I cheated and didn't make my own bias tape (although I started to. I just wanted to cheat since I had some that matched already. I am all about short cuts.)

I thought it would look really dressy to add some silky looking pants with matching trim to make it a complete outfit and traced some sweat pants that we already had here. The fabric was an old tablecloth!

Love the completed look!

I bet it would be a great boy outfit too. Thanks again for sharing that great pattern, Habitual!


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