Sewing is Sew Fun!

Lately, I've been working on a new fun hobby, sewing.  I used to get so stressed about sewing. Following pattern directions has been really hard for me. I think I'm more of a hands on learner. You can describe to me how to do something but until I get someone to walk me through it or see pictures of the step by step, it might as well be ROCKET SCIENCE!!

Since Pintrest has been around, I've been picking up habits of pinning things and trying to make them, so I came back to the sewing world little by little. I'm posting pics and links of things I've tried bc I've been amazed at how they've worked out and I've added little bits of changes along the way. Grandma Sperber and Mom, these posts are mostly for you. Thanks for all you've taught me about using what I have, being frugal, and making things work. I love being creative without spending much money! It's actually become a fun challenge for me!

Alot of what you'll see are presents I've made for different occasions. I tend to procrastinate decisions and bday parties/baby showers, etc. Seemed to creep up on me until I was running to the store at the last minute trying to decide what the person didn't have that they needed.  I decided since I want to become good at sewing, this is a perfect opportunity for me to practice (if the sewing job turned out really bad, I tried to give something in addition to it to make up for lack of straighness/etc.).  I've also decided that bday parties, baby showers, etc are ALWAYS going to happen, so...(LIGHT BULB moment) if I have a PLAN AHEAD of time, I'll be incharge of my money and my time alot more. (This is a new concept for me. I know MANY of you have already got it figured out, but let me live a little in thinking I'm finally AHEAD of the GAME :))

 Here are some projects I've done:

Baby Blanket with a "hood" to snuggle him up in :)

made with Minkey

Folded up cute!

Super Hero Fort Building Kit

Here's the stuff I put with it. It really can be anything you think they'll like. Boys are creative. They have loved these kits! I put clothes pins, glow sticks, marshmallows and graham crackers, suction cups, a bunch of twine wrapped around a piece of cardboard, a little dollar store flashlight. I buy a VERY cheap  Twin sized flat sheet (about $4) from Walmart. It comes in it's own little bag with elastic on it (which I use to put the super cool stuff in). I then sew loops onto the edges of the sheet (that way Moms know its the boy's sheet and not a bedsheet :)) and they can use those as hooks to hang onto doorknobs, use with the suction cups and clothes pins, etc. This one I added a Ninja Turtle color mask and Pez bc Jman was so excited to get those for his friend :)

 

Different style one I made

This is a hooded blanket with slats for the carseat. The flap you see is one I decided to add on so she could use it as a regular swaddle blanket too. It turned out alright but the more I though about it, the more I'd just want to use it as a regular blanket, so I haven't made another one. It also had a "hood". Here's the webiste I got the idea from. 

Egg Shaped Potholders-Very cute and pretty easy to make! I love making these! Here's the website I got the inspiration from.

More with a different style of fabric

Made a bunch of these for a Silent Auction at a Family Reunion (I've never made anything for those bc I never knew what to make! These were easy and fun!)

My super cute idea of how to wrap them for cheap. Just a piece of Tissue Paper and a cut out heart. I sew around the paper heart onto the tissue paper (carefully), and then put the gift in, and sew the edges! Voila! 

The kids had fun helping me with the banner for Fathers Day/Troy's Bday (we spread these decorations out in 2 months!)

Fairy Dust Kit-I just looked at a picture of one for sale (can't find the ad now) and made this. Sgirl really is into Fairies and now we make them for the girl bday presents. I thought it would be cute with a triangle bottom but then ended up cutting it and doing a flat bottom. Basically, I made a bag and went to WalMart and bought little glitter containers ($1 and comes with 5), then went to the Dollar Store and bought a glow wand and bubbles and that's the gift!

Here's the stuff to go with it. I ended up making them into purses and the girls LOVE them!  It's so cute seeing them all around the neighborhood.

Different fabric and this time I used ribbon for the purse strap :)

Bibs made out of scraps and old JEANS! I love this!-But next time I'll make the neck a little bigger :) Here's the website I was inspired by.

Back side of bib

Primary Chair Roll holder-In my church (LDS), I volunteer to teach the kids. I am the Secretary and give the teachers all the rolls for their classes. I was getting confused about which class sat where and it was getting really annoying and disruptive to hand them all out, and pick them back up again, so when they were all together sitting with their class, I thought it would be convenient to have the "Teacher Chair" (or the chair by the aisle) have one of these. I like to put handouts, Newsletters, the roll, etc.  I went with a durable fabric and got clear vinyl and sewed it on for the pocket!  They turned out so cute!  Here is the website I was inspired by.

Here's the sample one I did as a test

My little ingenious henchman made his own SUPER Helmet while I was working on these. He's soo cute!

I've made about 6 maxi skirts for myself. They are the easiest thing!  This one took about 20 mins!  Just find a skirt you like, lay it down on fabric you've folded, cut the same shape, cut a 4-6 inch strip for the top-waist, and sew them together!  My mom was my inspiration there!

Another cute "hooded" baby blanket-girl version

My Gpa's Bday present. He and my Grandma are World Horseshoe Pitching CHAMPIONS!! (Find out more here) They both taught me alot and I was pitching Horseshoes every weekend through the winter, in the summer-even pitched in a few WORLD Tournaments (don't worry, they let everyone in ;) ).   I have very fond memories of my times pitching horseshoes when other friends growing up were making very different choices. I wanted to do something simple and loving for him and they LOVE horseshoes so I decided, WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN A HORSESHOE NECK PILLOW? I say: NOTHING! :)  My new favorite trick for making patterns (these are NOT YOUR MOM's Patterns :)) is 1) find an image online that looks like the shape I want to make 2) print it out 3) cut extra paper off 4) lay it down on fabric and use it as a pattern. This one turned out great! I used this website for my inspiration.

Spiderman/Super J-Man reversible cape with mask (mask-just cut out felt and sewed elastic to it). I used my printing/pattern trick for the spider and cut it out of felt and put it on red felt background.  I used a bib for the neckline (but made it a little bigger bc he's 4!) and sewed velcro on. Here's the website that inspired me.

The Super J is off center and I didn't notice until after but the great part about making things for kids: THEY DON'T CARE! :)

He was so excited he wanted to wear it this way so he "could see it all the time" :)

He's modeling the stuffed version of the Horseshoe Pillow. He thought it would be "cooler this way". :)

One of my favorite pics!! :)

He thought it would make the cape "work" and then he would "fly" if he rode his bike while wearing it :)

My new favorite bday present for my friends :) They sell kitchen towels 4 in a pack for about $4 at WalMart and I buy them and sew on scraps of cute fabric with contrasting ribbons, then I add a ziplock of bathsalts and it ends up being a really cute, super cheap, very neccessary bday gift that is quick!  Here's the website that inspired me. I liked the ones that have a piece of fabric the wrap over the oven handle and then clasp with a button but I was thinking that when I'm in a hurry, I don't like those ones bc I want to grab the towel and take it to the mess or something, so I went with this and then people can decide what they want to do with it.

Here I added a colorful button

Made two more dishtowels but then I made a new quick baby present (middle) which is a diaper clutch. I have been wanting to do something with those travel wipes containers that come EVERYTIME in the Costco Huggies Wipes box, so I put one of those in there and they can fit about 3 diapers. Very cute. Here's the website that inspired me. I didn't do the edging

Feel better/Be Lazy kit-I made this for a church Service Auction Night. I have patterns for each of these in a book my mom gave me (THANKS MOM!).  It's a hot water bottle (like a rubber bottle/compress you can put water in and warm it up. They are at drug stores, etc.) holder, face mask, pillow with a pocket and a little Aromatherapy bag that goes in the little pocket. I added Dr. Teal's bath salts (I'm in love with those smells!) in a small ziplock bag and put it in the material pouch I made, which then I put in the pocket on the pillow. The idea is that you can lay down and smell relaxing smells and hold the warm compress and have the face mask on (yes, I did just have to explain how to relax,. You know I just looked up how! ;)  Maybe I need one of these!)

Double sided :)

Bath salts

Pillow with pouch peeking out of the pocket (say that 3 times fast!)