Saturday, April 14, 2012

THIS BLOG HAS MOVED

This blog has been merged with JoyfullyYoursSusannah.blogspot.com. Please come visit me there! (Don't worry, all the posts have been successfully moved over.)

Blog consolidation


Hello, friends! For the next week, there will be no posts  because I'm consolidating three blogs into one: JoyfullyYoursSusannah.blogspot.com. So please be patient while I move things over from Just Sew Like Me and Kids in Kahoots. Blogposts will be identified as coming from each particular segment, but the more blogs I read, the more I enjoy those that combine all it means to be family and creative at the same time.

Another reason for the hiatus is that I have a craft show one week from today, so I'll be busy getting ready for that. Please join me if you're in the area of north Dallas, TX. Please leave a comment if you need details.

So, browse around all the older posts in case you missed any, and then be prepared for a lot more to come!

Suzi

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Tuesday Tutorial: Simple, 20 minute skirt

I've used this same technique to make lots of children's skirts, but I've never made a skirt from myself from it! (Actually, if you have large hips —like mine— you'll probably not want to use this tutorial for you. The elastic waist seems to emphasize large hips;( )

Anyway, take a look at a picture of a skirt I made, then skip right over to Grosgrain Fabulous to see the tutorial.


Thursday, April 5, 2012

Thrifty Thursday: Girl's skirt to child's dress

When I saw this little skirt at my local thrift store, I couldn't believe how cute it was, and I immediately knew what I wanted to do with it. And now I want to show you what I did.


Isn't it just gorgeous? I love the ice-cream layers with the cherries-on-the-top red stripes. 

I have a favorite bodice that would work just perfectly for what I wanted to do,
so I folded the skirt in half lengthwise and pinned the bodice to it. I knew I wanted the bodice to end at the first red stripe, so I positioned it where the armholes would be above that.

 Cut out and ready to sew.

 Sew the shoulders—the only seams I had to sew!

 Make a little rolled hem to finish the armholes and neck and...
 ...there you have it! Loose like this or...

...with a sash that took me almost as long to make as the dress. Total time involved including the sash, 35 minutes.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Shirt Cuff Bracelets By: Stefi Luca


Shirt Cuff Bracelets

By: Stefi Luca

    Tun the cuffs of a man's shirt into adorable cuff bracelets with this sewing tutorial from Stefi Luca. If you have refashioned the shirt into a cute dress, you don't need to throw away the cuffs!

Shirt Cuff Bracelets

Materials:
  • shirt cuffs
  • bias tape
  • a decorative button
  • some ribbon or lace or any other fabric
Instructions:
  1. Sew the bias tape along the edge of the cuff.


     
  2. Remove the existing button and replace it with a decorative one.

    Buttons
     
  3. Add a ruffled strip of fabric on the center (ribbon, lace or any other fabric that you like). Here you have a blue and pink cuff braceletor a blue and red cuff bracelet.

    Ruffle
This a very easy sewing project for a beginner and at the same time a fun way to express your fashion sense.
Shirt Cuff BraceletShirt Cuff Bracelet

Monday, April 2, 2012

20 Minute Ruffle Dress By: Jessica for Me Sew Crazy


20 Minute Ruffle Dress

By: Jessica for Me Sew Crazy
 
    The 20 Minute Ruffle Dress from Jessica Gerblick is one of those simple sewing projects for kids that really does take only 20 minutes! The pre-ruffled fabric makes the dress look much more complicated than it is.
20 Minute Ruffle Dress
Materials:
  • 3/4 yard-1 yard of ruffled fabric
  • Sleeveless dress or shirt pattern (or dress to measure against)
  • Scrap fabric for belt (optional)
Instructions:
  1. Laying the bodice pattern pieces down on the fabric, with BOTH of them on the fold, I cut out the top and arced out to my desired length.

    20 Minute Ruffle Dress
     
  2. Then with right sides together, I sewed up the side seams and shoulder seams, turned the dress right side out, folding down the raw edge neck line and armholes, and zig zag stiched them inside.
     
  3. I didn't have a belt to embellish with, so I used a scrap piece of brown knit fabric I had lying around and simply made a belted tube with it to slip over the dress.
     

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Thrifty Thursday: The Play Dress

Honestly, I thought this would turn out cuter than it did. A young friend of mine, 3 year old Athena, was with me when I was shopping at a thrift store. She  spotted this sheet with Mulan (I think) on it, and said, "Is this for me?" So I got it and made a long play dress for her to "dress up" in. She thinks it's beautiful, so what have I got to complain about? The bodice was made from a different sheet.


Monday, March 26, 2012

Make it Monday: Glasses Case Tutorial and Pattern



What you will need:
2 pieces of fabric measuring 9” x 11”
1 piece of batting, fleece, or flannel 9” x 11”
hook and loop closure
sewing machine
thread (matching or contrast)
scissors
pencil or fabric pen
pattern

First, stack your fabric like this: bottom, fabric right side down; middle,batting; top, fabric right side up. Trace around the pattern on the top piece of fabric and then pin the layers together. Don’t cut it out yet!

Using the line you drew, set your sewing machine to sew a narrow zig-
zag stitch and sew all the way around the pattern on the line. Now cut it
out, staying as close to the stitching as possible without cutting the stitches.

Next, fold it in half long ways, so you have a long, narrow piece. With
the longest piece on the bottom, sew with a straight stitch the two sides
to make the pocket.

Sew hook and loop closure onto the flap at the top so that it closes the
pocket.

Now you’re done! Easy-peasy, huh?

You are welcome to make these and sell them, but please don't sell the pattern itself. Thanks!

Friday, March 23, 2012

Fab Friday Found Favorites

I love perusing Pinterest! So many people have pinned so many things, and that's marvelous! (Marvelous is my new word to replace the worn-out awesome.) Some of my favorites are shown here (if I listed them all, you'd be reading this blog until next Friday!). I know you have favorites, too. Care to share? Leave a comment with a link and I'll go take a look. Maybe your board will be the next one I highlight.






















Thursday, March 22, 2012

Thrifty Thursday: Skirt from a Curtain

I was going through my "thrifty box" and came across a set of valances for a baby's room. They were originally part of a set someone had given me with a crib when our new baby granddaughter came along, but not usable in the room where we put the crib. So into the "thrifty box" they went, until they tumbled out today. I have just finished making "twirly skirts" for some of my other granddaughters (since newby is too little to twirl), and immediately knew what I wanted to do with these little curtains. They were just the right length and the width would allow for a lot of twirling, so all I had to do was sew up one side and put a ribbon through the casing that was already there! Voila! Two new twirly skirts from one pair of valances. Watch local thrift shops for curtains you can shorten or lace curtains you can re-sew the casing on (if necessary) to make beautiful skirts for your girls, big or small~so thrifty!