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)

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