Fabric Rosette

Materials:  

• Fabric Strip (4 inches x 24 inches)
• Matching thread
• Hand sewing needle

Step 1:  Cut your strip of fabric.  You can make it  any size you like really.  I  used a 4" x 24" strip which made  rosette  with a 5 inch diameter.

 Step 2: Fold your strip in half lengthwise.  I folded so that wrong sides were facing, but this will give a a raw edge.  For a cleaner look, fold so that right sides together and turn right side out after gathering.  Sew along the edge with a basting stitch.  Now you should have a long tube.

This is what it will look like when you are finished.

Step 3:  Holding the bobbin (bottom) thread, gently push your fabric to create gathers.  If you are familiar  with ruffles this is the same process.  

Pull the gathers along the length.  Try to keep them even. Keep going until your strip is about have the size as the original length.  In my case, 12".  

Step 5:  Stitch along your original seam to hold the gathers in place.

Last Step: Roll your fabric around itself to create the flower.  A tighter roll will make a smaller flower; looser rolls make larger flowers.  Hand sew the raw edges to hold them in place.

Checkbook Cover for Momma

My mom requested a checkbook cover for Christmas…last year.  So, being the amazing daughter that I am I decided to make one for her six months later; anything for my Momma!  Oh, and I was at her house when I decided to fulfill her wish for a handmade checkbook cover.  That means I was separated from my fabric supply (not all of it).  I did have my beloved Bernina on hand (as I don’t leave home without it) and some scraps of material from various other projects I had thought about ahead of time.  I found these two scraps that I had used together in another project.  She had asked for something bright, and I felt that this fit the order. 

It has two pockets; one for a checkbook and one for a check register or receipts or whatever.  She was pleased with the way it came out (or at least she told me she was), but I would do things differently.  These are the ideas for future checkbook covers:

1.  I think it needs a heavier stabilizer.  It wasn’t as stiff as I would have liked.

2.  I want to add some sort of latch (magnetic snap, button and loop, Velcro).

3.  I would like to put a pen holder in the crease.  That’s always handy for a checkbook cover.

My first custom made...

A childhood friend of mine has recently been blessed with a new nephew.  Upon viewing some of my projects, she asked me if I would be willing to create an owl hat for a boy.  She gave me specific colors. I searched high and low (but really I just made one stop) and finally found the perfect colors.  As requested the colors are brown, blue and green.  This is what I came up with.  The original owl hat has a scalloped edge, but that’s pretty girly.  I thought earflaps suited a boy much better.  I also wanted to add some ties just in case it needed to be secured.  And let’s just face it; ties are baby masculine and cute.  So with no further ado here is the boy version of the owl hat…

Frugal Me





I think I love it



I’m moving into a new apartment all by myself, which means I get to decorate just for me with no considerations required.  But…I am on an itty bitty budget.  I have decided to make as many things as possible for decorating.  Here is the very first thing I have come up with.



It’s an M in a frame (for lack of a better name for this project).  It was super easy! I just picked out a frame at Hobby Lobby and measured a piece of fabric to fit.  Then I cut out an M (because that’s my initial) and a decorative little bird.  A little wonder-under made it super easy to piece together.  Then pop it in a frame. The whole project to less than an hour and I used fabric I had on hand.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!  ( And I think it turned out pretty darn cute).







The details



Everyone needs a turtle friend

As I have mentioned before, I prefer to have a person inspire project, but inspiration is inspiration.  This time it just happened to come from my complete adoration for this print (and maybe a little frugality).  Here’s how it happened…

So I made these placemats for two out of this REALLY cute print.  I had maybe a quarter of a yard left over.  And it was in a funky skinny rectangle.  It wasn’t even enough to make another placemat; too skinny.  But really who has dinner for three very often?  It was too skinny to make any real practical thing, I thought.  What can you do with that?  Well this is what. 

I went through my collection of patterns and tried out a couple of things that I thought might work.  Rosette? No.  Napkins? No.  Headband? Maybe, but no.  Then I came upon this pattern for this precious little turtle friend.  And guess what…The pieces fit PERFECTLY.  I whipped him up and here he is.

Table for Two

A table settng suggestion.

Originally I bought this fabric to make a dress for my sister as she is always complaining that I never make her anything, but I changed my mind.  It has been sitting there beckoning to be used, and I don’t have her measurements so what could I do?  I admit it.  I shamelessly gave in and decided to make placemats out of it.  I made two with matching coasters.  In hindsight, I don’t really think this print is very fitting for her anyway. 

 I have no regrets.

Here's one in action.

How cute is this print?!

Blue the hippo cushion

So I mentioned my cousin Brittany was getting married in and earlier post.  Well she’s all hitched.  Thinking ahead, I decided to go ahead and make a baby gift for her.  She’s not pregnant…yet.  This is what I came up with.  He’s a blue and white plaid hippo cushion called Blue.  Upon showing it to Brittany she said, “Can you monogram a name on it when we do have a baby?”  No, Brittany you cannot monogram a stuffed animal after it is completed.  So…this little snuggle friend is up for grabs at my etsy store, and Blue Jr. is awaiting a baby with a name so he can be monogrammed.