Kids' Aprons

Here are the examples from our monthly church sewing group's apron evening, made completely from scraps (except for the dollar store markers!) The pear print is a Martha Stewart dishtowel from my kitchen drawer, with a scrap applique and rickrack from my Mom's ribbon and trim stash. The green-and-floral fabrics are from our 5-generation quilt project, with girly sash and button from grandma's button box. The pencil print craft apron is made from a scrap from a previous project, green contrast from my fabric stash, and dollar store scented markers in the pockets. Pencils and scissors would be a fun addition to the craft apron. Fun and inexpensive personalized gifts!

Fifth Generation Scrap Quilt

No, not generations of humans--this quilt is the fifth we have made from this batch of fabrics!
Apparently we overbought for the first quilt, an assignment for daughter Elizabeth's college quilting class. After making three quilts herself, E. passed them on to me, and I have since made two smaller quilts for baby granddaughters. (Of course, a few new pieces have sneaked in along the way.)

Quilt #4 featured small blocks pieced of strips, with semicircles cut out. Quilt #5 features those semicircles transformed into balls. The pieced border is from leftover strips from quilt #1. Appliqued bias scraps form the corner circles.

I have to confess I was forced to buy a piece of fabric for the back, as nothing in my stash seemed to work. But I assembled the batting from good-sized scraps! The remaining shoebox full of bits and pieces has gone back home to Elizabeth for another project (or projects?) We'll keep you posted!

Basic Sewing Tool Kit

Do you know a tool lover? If so, you've heard about the importance of having the right tool for the job. This applies not only for woodworking, mechanical, or household projects! I'm thinking about sewing tools--sewing can be just as important to the household economy as any handyman or yard work project. We're not just talking hobby here! Mending, alterations, making gifts, home decor, and so on can be a great savings on the budget. We need the right tools for the job! Here's my current list of essential sewing tools. These are only the basics--first we need the essentials.

FOR MEASURING:

-Seam Gauge
-Measuring Tape
-Yardstick

FOR CUTTING:

-Shears (with bent handles)--for cutting fabric ONLY.
-Scissors--small and sharp pointed for snipping and trimming.

FOR MARKING:

-Disappearing Marking Pen or Marking Pencil (I mostly use pins.)
-Marking Wheel and Paper

FOR THREADING CASINGS:

-Bodkin (a must, from the notions section--grips ribbon or elastic to pull through casing.)
-Safety Pin (pin to ribbon or elastic and pull through casing.)
-Hairpin (Cut small slit in ribbon or elastic, thread hairpin through, and pull through
casing.)

FOR ACCURATE SEAMS:

-Post-it Notes, Rubber Band (place on bed of machine where edge of fabric should run.)

FOR PRESSING:

-Iron
-Ironing Board (a GOOD iron makes sewing easier.)
-Press Cloth
-Spray Bottle
-Smaller Pressing Surface such as a sleeve board or table-top pressing board.

FOR SEWING MACHINE MAINTENANCE:

-Machine Oil--regularly clean and oil your machine! Check your manual.
-Small Screwdriver
-Small Brush

GENERAL TOOLS

-Pins (I like long pins with round heads--get good ones!)
-Pincushion
-Needles, Hand and Machine (Change your machine needle often! Have a selection of
sizes on hand.)
-Seam Ripper
-Stiletto, Ice Pick, or another sharp pointed instrument for guiding fabric under presser
foot.
-Fray Check (A must! Stabilizes frayed edges, ends of seams, and any number of other
uses.)
-Bone Folder--from the Paper Craft section of the craft store. Marks fabric with a crease,
turns out points, useful for finger pressing.
-Chop Stick--for turning points.

These are the basics--now starts the fun: pinking shears, rotary cutter and mats, cutting rulers. . . arrange the workbench!

PERSONALIZED PILLOWCASES

Pillowcases make a fun, personal, and simple gift for birthdays and holidays! Holiday prints and character prints are both perfect for the project, and can be suited to the recipient. And it's a perfect opportunity to re-use: a mint-condition 1991 WWF wrestling sheet from the thrift store made four fun pillowcases for our grown sons--happy memories, and a total of $3.00 spent!

For each pillowcase, you will need:
*3/4 yard of 45"fabric for main piece
*1o inches of 45" contrast fabric for the band
*1" of 45 " second contrast fabric for optional flat piping

l. Lay out the 3/4 yard fabric. On the fold, cut a rectangle 21" wide by 26" long . (It will be 42" by 26" when opened out.)
2. Cut a strip 10" wide across the contrast fabric.
3. Cut a narrow 1" strip across the second contrast for optional flat piping.
4. Fold the 10" contrast strip lengthwise and press the fold.
5. Fold the 1" contrast strip lengthwise and press the fold.
6. Pin the narrow contrast strip to one wide (42") edge of main piece, right sides together and raw edges together. Stitch, using 1/4" seam.
7. Pin the 10" contrast strip on top of stitched-on narrow contrast strip, all raw edges together. Stitch, following previous seam. Serge or zigzag raw edges to finish and press seam toward body of pillowcase.
8. Trim ends of the contrast bands even with edges of main piece.
9. Place right sides together and pin along remaining two raw edges. Stitch with 1/4" seam, then zigzag or serge seam to finish. Clip across the two bottom corners to reduce bulk, turn, and press.

How about using a pillowcase as the gift wrap for another present? Two gifts in one!

In Praise of the Yard Sale Gods

How I love thrift shopping! It’s the fun of finding old, odd, and interesting items, as well as the triumph of finding unique and useful things to fill the needs--for less cash! Not to mention the challenge of using yard sale finds as raw materials for new creative projects.

But we have come to realize an added dimension—much of the time, even the most obscure need or desire is filled, evidently by the Yard Sale Gods, once we have simply stated said need or desire. Latest example: two days ago, my daughter and I were discussing her need for a new frame to hold her hanging laundry sorting bags after her recent move. Our thoughts tended toward making a PVC pipe construction to fit the size of the bags and the available space in the new laundry area. Then, this morning on a trip to the thrift store, there it was! A sturdy PVC frame, the exact size of the space, the exact size of the sorting bags, and priced $1.00. Praise to the Yard Sale Gods!

High chair for the cabin? You got it. Set of 3 8” cake pans? Yep. Three silicone pastry bushes for $.50? Same week. Two foot plastic lobster? There he is.

This is not to say wishes are always granted directly after the need is stated, though often they are. After thinking I would like an American Girl doll of my own for some time, 15 years to be exact, and not caring to pay the $90.00 price, this month TWO beautiful dolls came my way—at $1.00 each! On the other hand, last yard sale season we were on the way home from purchasing (for full price) a folding craft table when we stopped at a yard sale, and there was the SAME table at a fraction of the cost. We just didn’t wait long enough! And then there was the time I reluctantly paid full price for a pizza peel, and the same model showed up the next week at the thrift store for one dollar.

What bounty! Yes, the Yard Sale Gods can provide many (too many?) things we didn’t even know we needed. But we are seasoned and selective and enrich our lives with care, not to mention fun. All hail to the Yard Sale Gods!

Post #1 at Wardrobe Re:fashion!

See my first post at Wardrobe Re:fashion-

Dollar Store Wedding Dress

On a dollar store outing last week, I noticed some pretty drawstring wedding favor bags that reminded me of dotted swiss. This made me think of my 1950's childhood doll, Shelley, who I occasionally like to redress in period style and fabric, so I came home with . . .

two drawstring bags and a stack of tulle circles from the wedding aisle, a $3.00 investment for Shelley's elegant new wedding dress.


I snipped the knots off the ribbon strings and pulled them out to use for trim later, then cut down one side and across the bottom of each bag, leaving the hem intact.

I stitched the bags right sides together to form a circle, trimmed them to length,and applied the reserved ribbon over the seams to conceal them and add detail. I cut a two-inch deep slit in the top of the center back and made a narrow hem on the edges of the slit, then cut a strip of white satin scrap to the same measurement as the overskirt. I made a narrow hem along the bottom, and sewed a back seam, leaving a 2" opening to match the overskirt. Then I layered the overskirt on top of the satin and pinned them together top and ran a gathering stitch along the top.


The top was made of two scraps of white ribbon from my mom's ribbon and trim stash.The bodice is a folded and pressed piece of 2 1/2 inch ribbon cut to Shelley's chest measurement plus 1/2 inch for seam allowances. Sleeves are strips of 2" ribbon, folded in two along the length and edge-stitched. I marked the center front and sewed the straps so they cross at center front and extend to the far edge, then stitched along the pressed fold.

I put the top on Shelley and pinned the back placement of the straps, then stitched them on in the same way. I folded the bodice right sides together and stitched the back seams, then turned it right side out. I marked the center front and sides of the skirt and pinned them to the corresponding spots on the waistline of the top, right sides together, pulled up the gathers to fit, and stitched them together. Snaps are the closure.


For the veil,I folded one tulle circle in half and stitched around the edge with a gathering stitch, 1" from the edge, then pulled up the gathers to one inch in length. I layered two tulle circles and gathered straight across one end, 1" from the edge. I pulled up the gathering stitches to one inch in width, then placed the two veil pieces wrong sides together, matching the gathers, and stitched across, A little trim evened the ruffle.

Here is Shelley in her elegant new dress.She wears it with her full net slip, made from more of the tulle circles.She makes a lovely bride!

When my mother died a year ago, I inherited-among other dear things-her wonderful collection of trims and ribbon for sewing: parts of her projects both finished and unfinished. The colorful, shiny, and elegant piles date back over many years. Among the treasure trove, I find small pieces dating back to her own mother and her handiwork. I sort through the bounty to find just the thing to accent my own ideas and project plans, things I give to my own daughters and grandchildren, and feel strong hands that join with mine.