'Need a new mouse pad?

We did. I only had one, but I have two computers. The kids needed new ones because they're kids. So we decided to make a no-sew craft this afternoon. It only took about 15 minutes, and the kids loved it!

We used:

• a square-ish of cardboard per kid - I cut them for the younger kids, but I could have let them do it
• a larger square-ish of scrap fabric - we put the cardboard square on it and cut the fabric about two inches larger on all sides
• Spray adhesive - I did all the spraying

We used an old display board that had water damage on one end. For my own mouse pad I actually used two equal pieces of cardboard. I used the spray adhesive to glue them together before moving on to the next step. 

We cut the fabric about two inches larger - emphasis on the "about." 

We took the whole production outside and I sprayed one side of the cardboard with spray adhesive. Be sure to spray on newspaper or some other surface than can be sticky forever - 'cause it will. One note - if you end up with very sticky hands (am I the only one who gets more sticky than my project with spray adhesive?), you can rub your sticky skin with cooking oil before washing with dish soap to get the sticky off. We use this method for tree sap, too.

We laid the fabric on wrong side down and pressed and smoothed it with our hands. The kids' pads had some wrinkles, but I was able to pull up the fabric and smooth them out. 

I trimmed the corners at an angle to make it easy to fold them under.

Next I sprayed around the edges of he fabric and folded them down.

What we should have done (and didn't  know until we tried them out) was to glue some grippy shelf liner stuff to the bottom. 

(This is from the dollar store. This piece actually belongs in a drawer, so I'll add some to my mouse pad when I get to the dollar store again.)

Even without the grippy stuff, it works well, and mine matches the mug rug I made a few months ago. 

Kristi loves hers, too!

It was a fun, cheap, easy kid project. Now I don't have to spend $$ on mouse pads for 6 kids!

I finally sewed something!

After a very way too long absence, I am briefly posting again. I found this tutorial online that I just *had* to make. In fact, I completely cleaned and reorganized my craft space just so I could make it. I didn't take photos along the way, but here's the finished product.

I used a dress that used to belong to my youngest daughter and a dress that I used to wear, a thrifted belt, and some fleece lining from my stash.

I love, love, love it!

A Cute Denim Apron

I pinned this neat apron tutorial about a month ago, but I got sidetracked and kinda forgot about it until today. I wanted a project that would be quick and fun, and wasn’t doll-sized. This turned out to be the perfect project.

I followed the instructions pretty closely, although I did find a couple changes to be necessary. I’m obviously a bit more generously-proportioned than the lady pictured in the tutorial, so I cut two 4-inch strips instead of cutting one and cutting that in half for the ties. If I had made them a little longer I could have wrapped them around and tied in front, but it worked to have 18” (or so) ties.

When I got the pieces all together I also found that the top was too wide…

…so I put some pleats in, and it’s perfect.

I decided I did not want the pocket on the upper portion. I pinned it on, got ready to stitch it down, and decided I didn’t like the way it looked on my apron. The jean pockets are perfect anyway – I made sure the pockets were intact when I stitched the ruffle on.

This was my first attempt at making my own bias tape with my new (non) bias tape maker. It’s a pain to get the fabric started through the device, but once that’s done, it’s a snap to make the non-bias tape (I did not cut mine on the bias – I followed the instructions in the tutorial and they were for non-bias tape). I made mine 1/2” double fold because that’s the size of my bias tape maker. I love how it came out, and it was much easier than I thought it would be.

So, there you go. I made a cute denim apron, and I love it! I might just start on some Christmas gifts a little (big) bit early…

Uhoh - My Daughter Got a Baby Doll

I think I may need an intervention. I've made clothes for my daughter (fun - but she doesn't appreciate them the way I would like), I've made clothes for my boys, and I've made clothes for me. I've even made clothes for stuffed hamsters. But until yesterday I'd never made clothes for a baby doll.

My daughter had never been really "into" baby dolls until Nana bought her one last week, so it never really came up. Nana bought her a bath time baby that only had a little diaper and a hooded towel. It's winter in Montana - it's COLD! Baby Rosa needed some clothes!

So I pinned some fun stuff and played with some ideas. But when I finally got around to starting to make them I was done for. Not in the "uhoh - I'm in big trouble" sorta way, but in the "sorry family, I hope you can fend for yourself for the next forever" sorta way.

First I tried this cute sundress...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This sweet dress is reversible, and will soon have some cute buttons or something that attach to the exposed Velcro just for cuteness. (Here it is with the new diaper shown below – I love mixy-matchy!)
 

But it’s too cold to go without pants!

Better. But those bare arms…it’s –15F raw temperature. What kind of person lets a baby doll freeze in these temperatures?!
 

I used an old sundress of Kristi’s and an old shirt of mine to make this little dress from this tutorial over at ruth plus two. Since my Kristi’s doll is only 13” I decreased the pattern to 80% when I printed it. It probably could have gone down to 75% as long as the dress was made with something stretchy like the knit I used.

I decided not to bother with seam binding or elastic – I cut my pieces from the bottoms of the garments so the edges were finished already, and I used the sleeve hem for the neckline instead of putting in elastic. When I was one with the dress I decided Rosa needed a matching diaper from this tutorial at Blueberry Moon.
 

Maybe it’s time to quit playing with the doll and start making dinner for my family?

but I think she might need some booties…