Book Upcycle - Paper Bunting

I know some of you may be dead against cutting up Dr Seuss books but if you think you may be getting rid of a few or have multiple copies, this craft idea is a great way of recycling a childrens picture book.

A long piece of bias binding, an old picture book, scissors and a sewing machine is all you'll need. Cut out triangles of paper using the pages of your children's picture book, pin them in place and fold bias binding over (leave 1 or 2cm in between each triangle) and sew! 

The kids did this one on their own. I assisted them with the pinning and sewing. The kids love it because they get to sew and cut and when its done you can hang it in their room.

Enjoy!

Plaited Rag Headband

I always have off-cuts laying around of cute materials. I can't part with them but I can never find a use for them either. Until now.

Make a plaited headband out of scraps. Tear off three strips of fabric equal in length and width. My pieces were approximately 1cm in width and 35cm in length for a child's. Begin by knotting the three strips of material together with at least 5 cm overhanging. Plait as neatly as you can. To make this easier have someone hold the end for you while you plait or place the knotted end under a heavy object such as a chair or table leg. Tie a knot at the end. You will need to make sure that the plait is the right length on the subject. Ideally, it should measure from behind the lower ear and extend over to the other this is how to gage the length. Next you need to attach a length of elastic. I used white lacey elastic to match my fabrics. Attach one end of the fabric to the elastic by sewing it in place on the underside of your fabric plait just above the knot. Then cut two of the overhanging strips of fabric away. Use the remaining fabric to wrap around the knot and where the elastic is attached and hand sew at the back. This covers all the joinery and gives a more see less finish. Next measure the amount of elastic you need to reach around the back of the head with out stretch. This should be a good amount of stretch once you take into account the length lost in overlap. Cut and sew above the knot on the under side of the plait. Then repeat the process of covering the knot and joinery with matching material overhang.

You should now have a nice rustic looking headband and if you've used some of your favourite off cuts, you should be very happy with yourself! These make great gifts and would be great to coordinate with another handmade item in the same material.

Waterproof Swim Bag

Here's what I did with the rest of the oil cloth I bought.

Its a tote or a bag with holes punched out at the base to carry towels and wet swimmers without them making everything soggy.

Oilcloth Apron for Ruby

For my birthday girl, Ruby. A pink strawberry oilcloth apron for getting messy over and over again!

Make a Poof

Here's another quick craft project you could knock over in under half an hour. Cut out 2 equal circles (I traced around a large bowl and added 1cm hem allowance). Cut out a length of material in matching or contrasting pattern, approximately 30cm in width and the length is to worked out according to the size of your circle. Measure the diameter of your circle (from one side to the other through the centre) and multiply by 3.14 to get the approximate circumference of your circle and this will be the length that you cut your meterial plus at least 2cm for seem allowance. Sew the circle on each length of the rectangle ensureing outer sides are facing in. Turn inside out, stuff with plenty of filling and hand stitch the opening. Sit a kid on top like this one.

...oh and happy birthday beautiful Ruby! xxx

Oilcloth Apron

The aprons I created for my girls, Poppy and Ruby, were bleached beyond repair when I tried to get some stains out and ended up in the bin. So I've sewn some more indestructable aprons out of oil cloth and am hoping these will last a bit longer. This is another easy sewing project for beginners. Cut the apron shape from oil cloth (for an even shape fold lengthways and then open out). Get at least 2 meteres of bias binding. Sew a length on the short collar edge of the oil cloth and the bottom length of the oil cloth leaving two arm spaces without binding. Next sew a length of binding encasing both of the arm areas whilst leaving a loop wide enough for a little head to get through and at least 30cms on each side for ties at the back. Each end can then just be knotted.

Waterproof Art Bag

Just made this waterproof art bag for Poppy's A3 visual art diary and art supplies. She has begun taking art classes in the park with local homeschoolers. It is awkward carrying all these items as there are not many bags that fit an A3 sized visual diary. We also take things home from the park that are still wet so having a waterproof bag will be very practical. We can wash the paint, glue or crayon straight off with a cloth. Poppy helped me design this or should I say, dress up the dull green material... and so handles, badge and sticking are PINK. Anyway, she loves it. Kids are climbing all over me as we speak. Not safe to type. Happy krafting! Ow

Matching Skirts

1/2 a meter of fabric, 2 meters of binding, 1 meter of elastic and 1 hour later... two cute skirts for my two little girls.

When the girls came home from their morning walk I surprised them with these matching skirts and they were very excited. I wonder how long I can sew for them and get this reaction? I was super excited because of said reaction and because the skirts cost around $4 each and was so quick and simple o make. Love it.

Double Layer Skirt

Love this design. It is the simple kind... Easy for anyone to make.

Ruby is loving this skirt I made for her yesterday. It is a very easy design to make but the added layer makes it a bit fancier, a bit twirlier and a bit more exciting than the average skirt. Sewing binding around the hems of each layer makes it a bit of fun too and you can mix and match materials which I love. I will be making plenty more I think. I'm wondering if the pattern works for big people too... Poppy has already put in her order, anybody else?

The instructions are found here on this lovely lady's blog, Dana Made It, along with heaps of other cool tutorials.

Kid's Craft Idea: Clothes Design

You have to admire children for their honesty.

I made a simple skirt which was a little too drab for my expressive four year old. "We need some decorations" she told me. So she pulled up a chair and said "Okay now, let's get to work." After scrounging around through my button collection and fabric off-cuts she soon came up with a pocket design of her own to jazz up her new skirt. And I can honestly say, I'm glad this little girl knows what she wants and is not afraid to tell me so.

Play Mat

Do you have 10 minutes to spare? This sewing project might suit you and make your life a bit easier.

It's simply a mat for playing LEGO or blocks or puzzles on. I had one when I was a kid and until my kids just used a blanket or table cloth. It is much easier to pack up at the end and gives the kids a fun and defined space to play in. I loved these LEGOish colours in this fabric, and I only need 1 square meter of fabric which cost me $5. Then quickly doubled over the edges and sewed a seem with a straight line.



 You could make it as fun as you want with applique pictures or attaching words like I did or you could add a drawstring to convert this mat into a bag at the end.

LEGO just got more fun.

Trunks with Trunks!

Ha ha! The puns are coming. More shorts for Angus. Elephants, because they are so cute and cotton because it is so darn hot right now. See previous post for simple directions on how to make shorts like these.

Pretty Play Bag

My girls love little bags to collect things, take when we go out (or pretend to) or just to wear like Mum. Here's one I made for my two year old. Its really quick and easy to make and I made it from off-cuts of old material and leftover ribbon.

Directions:
Cut a rectangle of material 30cm x 15cm
Fold in half right side facing in
Sew a straight line down the two sides
Fold over top edge and sew a 1cm seem
Turn inside out
Sew ribbon over the seem line with a zig zag stitch for decoration
Attach required length of ribbon for a shoulder strap.
(I like the strap to cross over the body and sit just under the hand so it is easy to access)

...10 minutes later.

Pillow Slip Dress and Matching Bag

Want to make a kids dress but don't know how? This is a simple solution with a great outcome. Another quick and easy sewing project for kids. I found this pillow slip at an op-shop (thrift store) years ago and thought it would make a great dress. I used directions found in this book and found I had to alter it to fit a 4 year old (trim a bit off the top). So with the excess material, I made a little bag to match. We used ribbon for the straps and the detail at the bottom of the dress rather than rickrack. Have you got any pretty pillow cases?

A Little Light Reading for the Holiday

Buy here

We have been on holiday in Boonah, living the country life and while we were there, Charlie bought me this book for my birthday. There are heaps of cool projects in there to keep me krafting for the next year I think... So fighting the urge to get to the machine, I put my feet up and read, and I actually learned a thing or two about proper sewing and cross stitching techniques! I usually do not have the patience to read such things but Pip makes it easy to read, and some good illustrations for visual learners like me. So I can definately recommend this book to learner sewers and crafters alike. 5 stars.

Simple Summer Shorts

These shorts are real easy to make. All you need is 1/2 meter of material, some elastic and a pair of baby shorts to trace around.

Directions:

Trace around one panel of the shorts, be sure to stretch out the waist line.

Add 1cm at the bottom leg and 2cm at the waist for hems plus 1/2cm around entire panel.

Fold material in half and then half again until you have a rectangle this size 4 layers thick.

Cut out the pattern and pin it to your material

Cut out the material and separate two lots of panels that face in and pin these together.

Sew 1/2cm in from the waist to the crotch line on both lots
Open out and place the now two pieces together and pin.
Sew 1/2cm in at both sides and then pin the crotch and sew.
Zig zag stitch the edges and the sew a 1cm hem for both pant legs.
Fold and sew 1 1/2cm hom for the waist allowing 2cm opening to thread the elastic through
Measure your babies waist line and cut a piece of elastic to this length
Thread through opening at waist and then sew 1cm of overlapping elastic.

Sew shut and then turn right side out.

These make a nice light weight short for summer but can be altered very easily to be long pants or heavier track pants for colder weather. I used 1/2 m of cotton material on sale so it cost me around $3 but you could also recycle old pants or shirts or even sheets.

Happy sewing! x

Ready for Wrapping

After our family holiday I hit the sewing machine hard and sewed these little beauties... More Travel Art Folios for the kiddies in our families. I loved making these. Making something for someone else is very fulfilling and I hope that this is something I can encourage my kids to do also as they grow older.

I remember having something similar to this when I was 5 and I thought it was awesome, although it was not hand made, I felt like a real artist. I hope that they will be enjoyed and loved and used to bits and that many ideas will flourish and that many creative moments occur between these pages.

Travel Art Folio

Christmas is such a busy time of year.  Rather than hit the shops this year, I'm hitting the sewing machine. So that is where I've been in my spare moments amidst the craziness of kid rearing. Here is the latest art folio I've made. I adapted my original design to make sewing simpler and the folio easier to use, with the opening flap positioned to the right and with snap lock buttons to make the folio more secure. This one is for a 5 year old boy.

1 down, 10 more to go... how many days till Christmas??? Is anyone else making pressies this year? What are you making?

Crocheted Love is Forever

This blankie is older than I am.

When our son was born, Charlie's mum gave us the blanket his Grandmother crocheted for him as a baby. That makes this blanket more than thirty years old. It is still as beautiful as ever if not more with all the love that it has received over the years and all the cold nights it kept my husband warm and for the many more to come where my son will lie cosy inside its soft folds. So from Nanna Green, whom never got the chance to meet our baby boy, her love is still felt and she lives on.

Here is a free tutorial to crochet this exact pattern.
http://www.knitting-n-crochet.com/Crochet-ripple-afghan.html

Has anyone else got a hand-me-down they cherish?

Playing Skirty

Here's my cheeky girl in the skirt I made for her. I've had this material forever and its about time I did something with it. So for Poppy, whom everything has to be pink for at the moment, I designed a skirt with enough length not to be cheeky in a showing your bottom all the time kind of way and short enough to run in, with room enough for karate kicks and doing the splits. Most importantly it was damn easy. I made it within 2 hours and it did not require too much concentration or detail or changing the foot on the sewing machine (which I have no idea how to do) and best of all, dodgy sewing is hidden... hehehe.


Instructions:
(Based on a size 3-4)
Cut one piece of material 30cm in length (the length can be altered to your child's preference) and at least 60cm in width. Cut in half. Pin the two pieces together, top sides facing each other. Sew a seam on the two lengths. Sew 60cm of binding at the bottom. Measure your child's waist and cut a piece of elastic slightly shorter. For a good waist band, make sure the elastic is 2cm in width or more. Sew a rough seam at the top at least 1cm wider than your elestic. Leave a 5cm gap to insert elestic through. Thread the elastic through and pin. Check that this fits the child before sewing together. Next, push the elastic down so that it is pressed up against the stitching. Now fold the band over and sew a neat seam as close as possible below the elastic without sewing the elastic. This creates a tight elasticized waistband without having to tediously thread the elastic through, its also nice and thick. Turn inside out. Now put it on your lucky kid and send them out to play.