Easy Pocket Scarf

This project is great and SUPER DUPER easy!  Price and materials breakdown:

Fun Fleece  $3.99/yd (I barely used any of it, so I need to find a new project for the rest)

Thread

Buttons (I already had a stash)          

Total: $3.99

My super cute fabric

First, cut your fleece down to scarf size.  Mine was 60 inches long, while I made Sadie's 48 inches.  

 

Measure the scarf 8 inches wide and cut, cut, cut.

Fold the ends of your scarf into a triangle, both facing down and pin.

Sew, sew, sew.  Leave the top of the triangle open, as this is your pocket.

My awesome yellow thread

Add on some funky buttons for fun.

Is anyone else as excited about winter as I am???

$1 Fat Quarters

Fat Quarters were $1 at Joann's today!  BLISS! Which shall I use for my next bag???

Fat Quarter Purse

Sew Mama Sew!, a blog that caught my attention a few weeks ago, had a tutorial on Fat Quarter purses and I thought it would be super fun to make one.  This purse is great because it is extremely cost effective and easy to make.

Here is the cost breakdown:

$1.99 fabric quarter
$1.50 yard of interfacing
$.68 remnant of muslin (which I only used a quarter of!)
$ 2.50 purse handle
thread________________
$6.67


I pretty much followed this blog's instructions to the T since I hadn't ever made a bag.

• First I cut two inches of fabric off the side of my quarter for my handles.
• Then, I cut the rest of my quarter in half.

• I ironed my pieces so they could be pretty and flat.
• I sewed my 2 inch piece together with the RIGHT sides facing one another.  I then cut the piece into 4 equal pieces and turned them back right side out.

• I pulled the 4 straps through my handles and put them aside for later.

• Next, I cut two pieces of muslin (for my lining) and 4 pieces of fusible interfacing (which gives the bag strength) the same size as one of my fabric pieces.
• Next, I applied fusible interfacing to the back of each my fabric and muslin.  This involved an iron and damp cloth.  Note:  Do not iron on the kitchen table even if you have a towel underneath it.  You will leave heat marks and have to explain to your husband.

• After my interfacing dried, I pinned my handles to the RIGHT side of my fabric.  The length that you leave exposed at the end of the hem will depend on how long you want the straps to your handle to go.

• Next, I pinned my muslin to the same side, covering the handle and RIGHT side of my fabric.  I stitched this hem 4 times, since the I blog I was learning from explained that this was a big stress point for the bag.  Use the zipper foot for this step, so that you can get closer to your handle.

Zipper Foot

Regular Foot

• After both of my handles were stitched on, I pinned my RIGHT sides together and my muslin together.  Your handles should be in between your pieces of fabric.

•  Stitch every side except for what will be the bottom of your lining.  Turn your bag right side out.

•  I tucked the edges of my lining under and pinned them together to sew them shut.  My tutorial blog recommended sewing the lining all but 4 inches while it was still inside out and them hand stitching it shut, but my hand sewing skills are way below par.  I think I liked the way the other blog looked better though and will try it that way next time.

•  I tucked my lining in and Viola!  My first Fat Quarter purse!

Sadie Modeling This Week's Project

My model had on grumpy pants this morning but still thanked me for the dress :).

My First Project

This week I decided to work on an idea I was inspired by at the Crescent Hill 4th of July Festival.  The concept is to take a man's button up shirt and convert it to a toddler dress.

Price breakdown:

$2.99 Pattern
$3.00 Shirt from Margaret's Consignment
thread                   
$5.99 

• First, I took out my seam ripper and took off the long sleeves.
• Then, I used Simplicity Pattern 4927 to make a simple A line toddler dress

• I changed the back of the shirt to be the front of the dress so the cute pleats would show.

• I made the buttons (front of the men's shirt) into the back of the dress by sewing the buttons closed.

• I used my seam ripper to take the pocket off.  I reattached it to the middle of the dress and sewed down the middle of the pocket to create a double pocket.

• I am not super experienced yet, but I did sew around the collar and arm cuffs to complete them.  The pattern said you could use ribbon around the arm cuff to cover the raw edge, but I liked how simple this dress was.

 Enjoy!