Why Can’t I Have Cute Ankle Jeans?
Because I don’t like trying on jeans. Sorry for the terrible iPhone photos, I was too lazy to charge my camera, and now you are all paying the price.
So, here’s a pair of jeans that I’ve had for a few years, but they offensively roll over at the bottom.
So gross – even with a cute outfit, I look like a chimney-sweeper.
… throw the jeans on your twin sister inside-out and pin back the flare to make them straight-legged…
sew them on your bathroom counter, three rooms away from your sleeping baby…
…fold cuff over, double hem, and chase your unhappy toddler around the patio for that perfect amount of fray…
Bring photos in Photoshop and stretch the photo length-wise juuuuuuust enough so flat shoes don’t make you look like a hobbit, and readers are none-the-wiser.
And because sometimes great minds think alike, Centstational Girl did an awesome jeans revamp today also…
Homemade Christmas Gifts
For my book club last week we did a little Secret Santa exchange. We were all giggles and oohs and aahs – I think we were more excited for the homemade taco soup and gifts than talking about our book {typical group of girls}.
I had fun making my gifts for my good friend Laura:
Fun purple pillowcases using “Itty Bitty Chairs” by Laurie Wisbrun and High Society Petals.
Then a runner for her table, using Bird Swing by Michael Miller and Glass Tiles by Patty Young Fabric.
Wrapped up in the selvage edge for fun.
Bagged using Christmas tags I made last year {you can download for free here}.
Similarly, my mom’s gifts to her coworkers this year were Christmas Dreaming Pillowcases; Our yearly tradition growing up.
Last Minute Christmas Whim
This was how my brother put it when he took “scrap fabric and cheap fabric to doll up pillows for the holidays”. Only certain people can just “whip up” pillows like these, I’m so jealous. Don’t you LOVE? He made some new pillows, and wrapped ribbon around the old.
Custom Car Seat Cover – Best Grandma Ever
Owen is the luckiest little boy. My mom made him the most adorable cover for his “big boy car seat”. I found a pattern on Etsy for a Britax Marathon Car Seat, and my mom used it, adapted it, and ROCKED IT! {Previous cover was “crocodile” – Doh! No before picture.}
{Blurg. Blurry picture – not my best day!}
Baby Quilt
My friend had a baby girl, Camila. I couldn’t resist making a pink crib quilt for her. I mean, her name is Camila. How cute is that? She’s tiny and adorable.
I had all of the pink fabrics from several projects. The floral is my ultimate fav: Free Spirit Sketchbook in Rose. I bought gobs of it when I thought there might be a teeny tiny chance I was having a girl {Okay, more like a 50/50 chance. Oh well}. Now I get to use it all the time, like I did on my car seat canopies. The soft white fabric was a bit tricky to work with, but I think it looks so cute next to all that pink!
Last minute I decided to tie the quilt with Green Apple Divine Twine. You really CAN use this stuff on EVERYTHING!
Wicker Chair Makeover
My mom did a chair makeover this weekend, and she sent over some before/afters. Because my mom has a self-proclaimed passion for “topstitching and piping,” her sewing always turns out completely tailored. Check out how she matched the fabrics to keep the tulips moving in the same direction. She said had she done curtains, the tulips would have faced up, but since it was a chair, tulips facing up would have given you a view of the stems. Not quite as pretty! She always has the patience and vision in the details, something I severely need to work on.
And of course, check out the chair topped with one of her infamous pillows!
Round Vinyl Tablecloth
My friend and I decided to make another vinyl tablecloth since I’ve been enjoying mine so much.
Problem: Her table is round.
Solution: Go get a bikini wax, because that would be less painful than making a round vinyl tablecloth.
I was going to do a tutorial, but after a lot of pulling, tugging and restitching, I decided you should just buy a rectangular table instead. {fabric is Nicey Jane by Heather Bailey, laminated cotton}
Enough With The Pillowcases
I know. We’re not even half-way through September… but look how cute this one turned out?!
{Joann fabrics: Dancing Skeletons and Halloween Plaid}
Why so many pillowcases you ask? I had an itch to make them, and I don’t know when my little bug is going to be old enough for a pillow {3?}, so these are for family. Oh, and we just got the baby a jumper and he’s been in it for an hour and he’s still smiling away, so I’m keeping busy!
I also saw that Martha has some awesome halloween products this year: http://shop.marthastewart.com/. I LOVE HALLOWEEN!
Halloween Pillowcases
It was a tradition for me and my siblings to pull out our halloween pillowcases for the month of October, use them for trick-or-treat candy collecting, then file them away until next year. I am excited to pass on this tradition… and it’s a fun quick project to make the pillowcases. {How did this tradition start, mom?}
Supplies
- 3/4 yard fabric for pillowcase
- 1/4 yard fabric for cuff
- iron
- sewing machine
How to Make a Pillowcase {20 min. project}
Lay the 1/4 yd. fabric face up on top of the 3/4 yard fabric {also face up}. Sew the top edge.
Open the cuff fabric and iron the seam flat.
Fold the cuff over and iron 2 edges, one that will tuck under the seam so no fringe is seen, and one that will become the edge of the pillowcase. I don’t pin because I’m lazy, but you could pin this to lay flat for you while sewing.
Sew the folded over cuff so it stays in place. I forgot to do this on the first pillowcase and did it as the last step instead. Either way.
Trace a regular pillowcase so you can sew two straight lines to finish.
Trim, flip inside-out, and voila!
Carseat Canopy
Necessity is the mother of a trip to the fabric store and a one-hour sewing project.
{btw: 1 hour sewing project + a newborn = 3 day sewing project}
I needed a canopy for these occasions:
- Baby was 2 weeks old but I had to get out of the house – this helped me feel a little better about having a barrier between him and the world of germs
- It’s raining
- It’s chilly and a blanket or other traditional canopy would have blown off in the wind
- He’s asleep when we enter a restaurant and I want him to get a little more sleep
- It’s bright outside
I’m not selling these, and I didn’t make a pattern. I’m testing the waters to see if improvements can be made, but so far he likes it! Also, they are both the same dimensions, but I added a little extra velcro in case different car seat brands fit a bit differently.
{red fabric: Blank Quilting 5287 in Tomato and Free Spirit Meadow Lace in Peony}
{pink fabric: Free Spirit Sketchbook in Rose and Amy Butler Happy Dots in Grey}
Sweater Reincarnate
From this {nubby friend of a sweater}:
To This {comfy neck scarf & sleepy morning face}:
Inspired by anything and everything that Lex makes…
And on a sidenote:
I’ve always thought it was my hair that sucked. I had an epiphany: it’s my flat iron! How have I gone my whole adult life with a $15 flat iron? When I told my friends that I had ordered a CHI flat iron to restore the world order, they all said, “Oh, yes. I LOVE mine.” Huh?!?!? They’ve ALL had one this whole time and didn’t care to sit me down for an intervention with my poorly straightened hair? Let the healing process begin. If after next week when my new CHI is delivered, and you notice that I’m looking more fabulous… that’s why.
Crib Quilt Done!
My holiday break was not without projects…
Here is the finished crib quilt for the little boy… so cozy! I used scrap fabric from the bumpers {coming soon}, 7 different fat quarters, and Moda’s sock monkey flannel for the backing.
Sweater Reincarnate
This is a cute sweater that I received a few years ago. They style is a little short now, but I still think it’s adorable. I decided to take the trim off this sweater and put it on an $8 Old Navy shirt {a size larger than I normally wear so I can wear it as a maternity shirt, and with a belt when I’m back to my svelte self.
Just hand-stitched while watching a few episodes of Melrose Place. This is my attempt at taking a picture of myself to show you. {sigh} You get the idea…
