Easy Birthday Crowns!

Want to sew quick and easy crowns for a party or get together?  Then you’ve come to the right place!  I made a last minute decision days before my daughters’ first birthday party that we needed crowns!  The theme was rubber ducky, so I decided to make birthday crowns instead of hats!  Young kids and babies don’t enjoy hard hats on their head and also shouldn’t have a rubber band or elastic around their neck.

IMG_0058 (2)As you can see they are very cute for photo shoots as well!  She didn’t particularly like keeping it on, but I got a couple good shots!

As usual, there is a YouTube video and also a written explanation below.  I didn’t have a lot of time to embellish the other crowns but you can always spice things up with some ribbons, bows, glitter, rhinestones, or buttons!

To get started you need:
1) Choice of fabric and design
2) Scisscors
3)Thread
4) Closure for crown (velcro, button, ribbon) or you can sew all the way around if you know the exact size

 

  1. Cut your fabric for the main part of the crown 4 1/2 x 18 inches
  2. Snapshot 1 (10-7-2015 8-50 AM)
  3. Make your own crown pattern by drawing the top on a piece of paper and cutting it out!
  4. Cut your design onto your fabric to make the shape of your crown! If you want a felt backing with another color cut that out as well.
  5. Next, pick out your ribbon if you are using one, if you want any other embellishments get them ready!  I made a felt duck that I sewed onto
    the crown.
  6. Snapshot 2 (10-7-2015 9-02 AM)
  7. Line up your crown pieces and sew all the way around!  Then you are done! If you want to add button loops and buttons you can sew them on as well.
  8. IMG_2478Congrats and enjoy the party!  Check back often for new crafts or subscribe below!

 

FollowFacebookpinterestrssyoutube
ShareFacebookpinterest

Baby Slippers Tutorial!

In one of my last tutorials, I showed you how to make a super cute sleeper.  Now, here are the matching slipper shoes!

IMG_2318           IMG_2303

What you will need:

  • Fabric of choice
  • 1/4 or 1/8 inch elastic
  • Thread color of choice
  • Optional: buttons or bows

I used a free pattern from marked crafts- > shoepattern

So lets get started!  here is the video tutorial and below that is the written and picture format.

 

  1. Cut your pattern out and decide on your color/colors you want to use (you can use two colors!
  2. IMG_2289
  3. Cut out your pieces- there should be 4 of each piece
  4. Take your upper pieces (the two sided rounded pieces) and place them pattern facing pattern as usual.
  5. Then sew the non-rounded part only (the bottom of it)
  6. Turn right side out, then iron you piece down with the right sides out and sew a nice little line across the outside where it is sewn together.

 

IMG_2291

7. Take your heel pieces (the long rectangles), and place the pieces facing eachother (as usual) and sew just down one long side IMG_2292IMG_2293

8. Cut your elastic to 4 inches long (2 pieces).  Pin it to one end of the sewn heel piece.

elastic

9. While sewing stretch the elastic and sew using your zigzag stitch across the length of the fabric

elasticcurl

10. It will be curled up as shown above.  Turn right side out.  Pin and sew below the elastic and all the way around the whole piece to make it look nice and then trim as needed.

11. Place sole pieces together with patterns facing eachother, use a basting stitch (set your stitch to longest number and do not backstitch).

IMG_2299

12. Pin together the heel and the front piece, adjust it to be the appropriate size for the baby/infant you are making it for.

bootie

13. Sew straight across where you already have the previous sewn line from the front piece.  Then trim the rest off.  This makes a nice neat line when you are finished.

14. Find the middle of the sole and the middle of the top part.  You can do this easily by folding in half.  Line them up together and pin.  (the back of the sole is the smaller part). Have the top part the wrong side still out to pin. IMG_2301

15. Now sew all the way around! Almost done!  Doesn’t it look so cute?

16. Trim the excess fabric being careful not to cut too close to your thread line.

17. Now turn right side out!  And WA-LA you are done!  You can add a button, ribbon, or any other accessory you want!  Great JOB!  Lets see those pictures

IMG_2303

FollowFacebookpinterestrssyoutube
ShareFacebookpinterest

Sew An Easy Baby Sleeper!

Ever love that oh so cute baby sleepers with the elastic on the bottom?  I sure do, in fact I miss them now that my little one is getting older!  However, I have many showers to go to and it is a great gift!  The slip on sleeper with the elastic on the bottom is great for babies because you can easily change the babies diaper without fussing with all the buttons, snaps, or zippers.  It also keeps the baby warm and comfortable; not to mention how cute he or she will look!

IMG_2318First off, you need the pattern.  For this one, I used a neighboring sewing blog’s pattern since there are so many out there:

Stitched Together Pattern

So print your pattern making sure you unclick the fit to page (you want it letter size).

What you need:
*Fabric of chose
*Thread
*Elastic 1/4inch or
1/8inch
*Optional: bias tape (can
also make or just hem)

Below is the link to the Youtube video tutorial.  Below that is written instructions with pictures…enjoy!

  1. Print your pattern.  Cut your fabric as instructed on pattern

IMG_2259 IMG_2260

You should now have one front and one
back piece, and two sleeves.

2. Next, you use your bias tape. If you don’t have bias tape you can hem the ends instead or you can make your own bias tape. Here is directions to make your own bias tape

IMG_22643. Fold your bias tape on the ends of the sleeves, pin on
and sew straight on both sleeves.  Do this also to the neckline of the front and back piece.

4.  Next, You want to overlap your front and back gown pieces by either looking at the mark you made from the pattern or you can measure 4 inches of overlap from the top down.  So you want to pin and sew the overlapping sides (the 4 inches)

IMG_2266

IMG_2267

5. Find the middle of the overlap and the middle of the sleeves. This can be done by measuring 2 inches in for the overlap or folding.  The sleeve can be folded as well if you didn’t mark it. Line up the middle of the sleeve and middle of the overlap place pattern on pattern and pin and sew.

IMG_2265Snapshot 2 (9-8-2015 1-51 PM)Snapshot 1 (9-8-2015 1-51 PM)

You have to bunch it and pin it for it to stay.

IMG_2274

6. Turn your sleeper inside out and pin from the bias tape bottom all the way down to the bottom of the sleep.  Then sew!

Snapshot 3 (9-8-2015 1-57 PM)

 IMG_2276 IMG_2278

Almost there!

7.  Turn inside out and make elastic casing by folding up the bottom 1/4 inch for 1/8elastic or 1/2inch for 1/4elastic. Iron or pin the area to make it easier to
sew.  Don’t forget to leave a 1-2 inch opening to put the elastic through!
Remember to back stitch!

IMG_2280

8. To get your elastic through use a safety pin on the end and put in the opening
and pull through by bunching the fabric and then pulling the safety pin.

IMG_2281

9. Choose the tightness you need for your little one on the bottom and then sew your two pieces of elastic together.  Then sew the opening closed!

IMG_2318

That’s it!  Congrats you have finished!  Great job.  Any suggestions questions please let me know.  Look for the next post to be the matching slippers!

FollowFacebookpinterestrssyoutube
ShareFacebookpinterest

Creating A Photo Pillow

Looking for that perfect gift for someone?  Maybe for a holiday or special occasion?  Possibly a housewarming gift? Or maybe just an I’m thinking of you gift, the photo pillow is a perfect easy sewing project!  The pillow below always gives my little one a smile when she picks it up on the couch!  I know my husband enjoys it too because sometimes I find drool on it :op

 IMG_0709

Follow the You-tube tutorial here:

You can also follow along here:

pillowFor this tutorial you will need:

  • Freezer paper the size of a piece of printer paper (8.5×11″)
  • Computer and printer (choose your photos or photos)
  • Fabric (sizes vary on size of the pillow you would like)
  • Sewing machine and accessories
  • Poly-fill
  • Iron

1. Start by cutting a piece of freezer paper to the size of a piece of a paper (8.5×11′).  Also cut the piece of fabric you are going to print the photo on to that size.  Remember you most likely want to print on a light thin colored fabric so the picture stands out.freezerpaper2. Next, take your fabric you want the photo printed on and put it on your ironing surface with the side you want the photo printed on down.  Then put your freezer paper shiny side down against the fabric.  Have your iron on medium high and iron on top of the freezer paper.  You can also turn it over and iron the fabric with the freezer paper on the bottom.  Do not leave it on one spot too long or the fabric will develop a burn mark.  Make sure the corners are well ironed and the sheet should stick to the fabric.

3. Take the fabric and freezer paper that are now one to your printer.  Place it in the paper tray and print your photo.  Make sure there aren’t any loose strings hanging on the side of your fabric, this could catch in your printer.  Also make sure you put your paper in the way your printer will print on the fabric and not the freezer paper.  If you are unsure, take a piece of regular printer paper and mark one side. Put it in the tray and check and see which side it prints on.

4. Once you have your photo printed, you can easily peel off the freezer paper.  You can save the freezer paper to use one or two more times; quite economical if I should say so myself!  Then, if you are planning on putting the photo fabric on a larger piece of fabric to have a bigger pillow, you want to fold a hem around the edges of your fabric and pin and sew it onto the larger piece of fabric.  Below is an example.

  pillow

However, if you would like to make a small decorative pillow (the size of a piece of paper), you would skip this step.

5. Next take your photo fabric or front of the pillow and place it facing side up.  Take the back fabric for your pillow and place it on top facing in.  So now the fabric pieces you want to be on the outside of the pillow are now facing the inside.  Pin them together.  Then you want to stitch all the way around the outside except for a three inch opening.  So make sure you back-stitch when you start and end.  I suggest you do not do this on the corner because it will be harder to hand sew at the end.  This opening will be used to turn the pillow right side out and then stuff with poly-fill.

6. After sewing, turn it right side out.  Stuff it with poly-fill to your desired fullness.

7. Now you will have to decide what stitch you want to use to close it.  You can close it on the machine however it will be noticeable.  You can do the regular loop stitch which is easiest.  Another option which is used in my video is the blind stitch.  The blind stitch is used for hems and closures that you want “blind.

8. And Viola!  You are finished, congrats and enjoy!

cooltext124722308895836

 

FollowFacebookpinterestrssyoutube
ShareFacebookpinterest