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)

Project #6 - Pattern Box Set-up

921 Days LeftThis one isn't technically a sewing project, per se. However, this project was becoming a necessary one. My patterns and printouts were beginning to take over a rather large area in the kitchen. It was becoming difficult to find what I needed when I needed it. This was my solution:

Cost Breakdown

Box: Approximately $5.00

Files: Refurbished and recycled

Total Cost: $5.00

Project Rating

Difficulty: Easy

Enjoyability: Boring, but necessary
Time: Excellent. I needed to wait on my darling husband to bring me the hanging files.
Final Product: Excellent
Overall Rating: Excellent. Oh the joy of being organized again!

Instructions:

Purchase a box that allows for hanging file folders. Place hanging folders in the box. Decide on the titles for each of your hanging files. So far my files are Misc., Blankets, Clothes, Online. As I increase the number of patterns, I'm sure this will change. In fact, changes are already brewing in my head!

Place the patterns in their respective file folders.

Project #5 - Car Organizer

941 Days Left

Cost Breakdown
Fabric: $5.24
Thread: Free (from my stash)
Pattern: $.99

Fusible Webbing: $3.47

Notions: $13.75

Total Cost: $23.45

Project Rating
Difficulty: Challenging
Enjoyability: Good

Time: Poor - even the cutting and transferring of marks took two hours.

Final Product: Excellent
Overall Rating: Okay

Materials: Purchase according to the indication on the pattern.

Pattern: Simplicity 2916

Instructions:

I've debated how to describe the process on this project. To date, it has been the hardest project I've ever created. I've decided that since this was created by pattern, I will defer the directions to the pattern. If you choose to make one and have any questions, I will happily answer it.

I will say that the process was this:

1. Create the base


2. Add the bottom row pockets


3. Add the second row pockets


4. Add the third row pockets


5. Bind the whole thin