Project 12 - Snack Sack

753 Days Left

Cost Breakdown
Fabric: Free (from my stash)
Thread: Free (from my stash)
Pattern: Free (Online tutorial)
Total Cost: $0.00

Materials:

Two fabrics or enough fabric for two squares and hook-and-latch tape. Rotary Cutter and Cutting Mat optional.

Pattern:

This amazing tutorial can be found here: http://ihavetosay.typepad.com/randi/2009/10/reusable-snack-bag-tutorial.html

If any of my instructions are unclear, use this tutorial. Her instructions are clear and concise.

Instructions

• Cut two squares, each 7" x 12"


• Cut a length of hook-and-loop tape 6" long. I made my hook-and-loop tape 3/4 of an inch wide.


• Sew the hook-and-loop tape to each 7" side of the inside pocket fabric, on the right side. (See I Have to Say's tutorial if this is unclear. I forgot to get a picture of this.)


• Fold both rectangle in half, long-wise, right-sides together. Stitch down the sides, leaving a gap for turning on the inside pouch fabric. Leave the top open.


• Clip Corners


• Flip the inside pouch out, so the right side is out. Leave the outer pouch wrong-side out.


• Place the inside pouch into the outside pouch


• Pin the edges, so the outer seams match up. Stitch around the top of the pouch.


• Pull the inner pouch out.


• Flip the whole snack sack right-side out, using the hole you left in stitching the inner pouch.


• Stitch the turning opening shut.


• Stuff the inner pouch back into the outer pouch.

Project Rating: This project was easy and entirely enjoyable. From start to finish, it took me 40 minutes. I love the result.

Project 11 - Upcycled Pillow Case

758 Days Left
NOTE: I've already done a pillow case, but this pattern is different, so counts as a new project.

Cost Breakdown
Fabric: Free --I got this curtain to use in my windows, it didn't work for what I needed. Therefore, I'm not counting it towards my financial cost, since it's an upcycled product.
Thread: Free (from my stash)
Pattern: Free (Designed concept on my own)
Total Cost: $0.00

Project Rating
Difficulty: Easy
Enjoyability: Excellent
Time: Excellent - Start to finish took less than twenty minutes.
Final Product: Excellent
Overall Rating: Excellent

Materials: Curtain

Instructions: I have a body pillow that is so cozy and wonderful, but it's red. Not that I don't like red, but everything in my room is blue. This splash of red just wasn't good in my room. I had purchased curtains for all my windows, but this curtain panel had a long ribbon off it that I realized wouldn't be safe for the children. I couldn't use it as a curtain. I decided to use the curtain as a pillowcase for my body pillow.

• First I folded the curtain in two and sight measured it compared to my pillow.



• I cut the extra material off, leaving the other three sides. Since they were finished edges, I wouldn't have to hem them.



• With the curtain folded in two with right-sides together, sew around two sides, including the raw edge. Leave the top open in order to put the pillow inside.



• Surge or zigzag stitch the raw edge to prevent fraying.



• Turn and insert pillow.

Project 10 - Upcycled Ottoman Cover

758 Days Left

Upcycled Ottoman Cover

Cost Breakdown
Fabric: Free -- to me. The person acquired all the material at a thrift store for less than $20
Thread: Free (from my stash)
Pattern: Free (Designed concept on my own)
Total Cost: $0.00

Project Rating
Difficulty: Moderate
Enjoyability: Good - I was panicky about ruining the coat, thus ruining the whole project.
Time: Excellent - Start to finish took less than two hours.
Final Product: Excellent
Overall Rating: Excellent

Materials: A rectangular ottoman; an old leather coat, size 3XL

Instructions:

• Val, my friend for whom I did this project, started out by conditioning the leather of the coat to make it supple and workable once more. According to her, it was in terrible shape before she did this.


• Then we placed the coat over the ottoman to try to get a fit we liked.


• We cut off the extra coat, including the sleeves.


• Pin the corners of the ottoman.


• Sew down the edges where the corners are.


• Test for fit on ottoman. I found that my initial stitches were too big and needed to be taken in more.


• We repeated the last step until the coat was the right size for the ottoman. Then, we covered the ottoman up.


• I think Val then used a staple gun to tuck the extra material onto the bottom of the ottoman.

Behind on Posting

I'm SO behind on posting. I have completed four or five more projects since I lasted posted in May. I promise to catch up soon!

Project 9 - Quilt

856 Days Left

Toddler Bed Quilt

Cost Breakdown
Fabric: Free (My grandmother purchased all of these materials for me for my birthday back in September. Therefore, I do not remember how much each material cost.)
Thread: Free (from my stash)
Pattern: Free (Designed concept on my own)
Total Cost: $0.00



Project Rating
Difficulty: Challenging
Enjoyability: Excellent - I really love quilting.
Time: Poor - I started piecing this just after I finished Natalie's bed skirt.
Final Product: Excellent
Overall Rating: Good


Materials:
When I developed this quilt, I hadn't yet started this blog. Therefore, I don't know how much yardage you'll need. Each block is a 8" x 8" square, add a 1/2" for seam allowance. The short border is . The long border is . The corner squares are 6" x 6". Material for binding, backing, and batting. Thread. Rotary cutter and mat (while this is optional, I think making quilts without this handy tool would be frustrating and exhausting).



Assumption: Unless otherwise noted, quilting uses a 1/4" seam allowance throughout.



Instructions:
Top:

• Cut 6 - 8" x 8" blocks from each fabric.



• Lay your blocks out on a work surface to determine the pattern you want. Sew the first row of blocks together. Do this for each of the following rows. Square each row up.



• Once each row is assembled, you need to assemble them together. Match up the corners of each block and sew across.



• Add the short border to each short side.



• Sew the 6" x 6" square to the long border



• Add the long border.

Quilting:

• Square-up the top.



• Make the "Quilt Sandwich" by layering the backing, batting, and top. Check fit and view of quilt.



• Undo the sandwich so we can baste the quilt together.



• Cover work surface with paper. Place the batting on the floor (work surface) and spray with basting spray.



• Place backing on top of batting, right side up, smoothing out any lumps or wrinkles.



• Flip over so backing is face down on the floor.



• Spray batting with more basting spray



• Place top onto batting, right side up, smoothing out any lumps or wrinkles.



• Quilt the sandwich together. I used a very basic square pattern.

Finishing

• Using a rotary mat, ruler, and cutter, cut the additional backing and batting in order to match up to the top.



• Bind the quilt. I used a pre-made binding. Usually I make my own binding, but the extra material I needed for the binding was used to make Natalie's pillow case. I LOVED the way the purple binding turned out!
  

Natalie's matching bed set!

Project #8 - Baby Tag Blanket

919 Days LeftRibbon Blanket

Cost Breakdown

Fabric: Free (from my stash)

Thread: Free (from my stash)

Notions: $10

Total Cost: $10

Project Rating

Difficulty: Easy

Enjoyability: Excellent
Time: Excellent
Final Product: Excellent

Overall Rating: Excellent

Every baby I know who has a ribbon blanket or a taggie blanket seems to LOVE them! So, I learned how to make them. They are the most amazing baby gift.

Materials:

Enough material to make two 18" squares. I recommend fleece or minky, but flannel might work well, too. 6 different corresponding ribbons of 22 1/2" each. I recommend different textures and widths of ribbons to be appealing to baby. Matching thread. Cutting mat and rotary cutter optional.

Other options: You will need a total of roughly 6 ribbons for each side of the blanket. You can choose 6 different ribbons and alternate around or you can use many different ribbons totaling 24 ribbons

Instructions:

• Cut two 18" x 18" squares of the material.


• Cut the ribbons into 5 1/2" strips. You should have four strips of each color.


• With one square right side up, pin the ribbons around the square. I like symmetry, so my ribbons are in order.


• With a 1/4" seam allowance, baste the ribbon to the right side of the square.


• Place the other square over the one you just basted, right sides together.


• Sew around with a 1/2" seam allowance, leaving a gap to turn (I can turn this blanket with approximately 2 1/2" gap.)


• Clip corners and turn.


• Sew around the edge one more time with a 1/2" seam allowance.

Project #7 - Cup Name Tags

921 Days LeftSippy Cup Name Tags

Cost Breakdown
Materials: Free - remnants
Velcro: Free - from stash
Total Cost: $0.00


Project Rating
Difficulty: Easy
Enjoyability: Excellent
Time: Excellent. I made 7 in an afternoon.
Final Product: Good
Overall Rating: Excellent. Functional and good looking!


The babies and young toddlers at church keep getting their sippy cups mixed up. We needed a quick and easy way to determine whose cup belongs to whom.


Materials: Remnant fabrics (12" x 3"), Velcro (3" x 3/4")


Instructions:

• Cut a 12" x 3" rectangle from your remnant fabric


• (Optional) Stitch the name on to the material. This can be done by hand or by machine


• Fold material in half length-wise, right sides together. Sew.


• Turn right side out


• Fold down ends to the inside and stitch close


• Cut a 3" length of approximately 3/4" Velcro


• Adhere Velcro, following manufacturer's directions. (I have some that are iron on, heat set; self adhesive, and sew on. I used all three types on the seven name tags)