...Make your own bias tape...tutorial...

...I had a couple of yards of fabric left over from my Easter dress...I had to buy extra in case the 'experiment' with merging the two patterns didn't work out...

...so...I used some of it to make some bias tape...I'll show you how and you won't need any special gadgets - just scissors, sewing machine and an iron...

...as the name implies you'll want to cut some strips of fabric on the bias...using the formula width of desired finished bias tape X 4...

...so:

1/4 inch bias tape - your strips would be 1 inch
1/2 inch bias tape - your strips would be 2 inches
3/4 inch bias tape - your strips would be 3 inches
1 inch bias tape - your strips would be 4 inches
etc....you could make it even wider for binding a quilt or blanket...

...I need 1/2 inch bias tape so my strips are 2 inches wide...


...the first step is to sew your bias strips into one long strip...

...then iron those seams flat...

...next...fold your strips in half lengthwise and iron...

...you'll have one long strip half as wide as your strip...

...now...open the folded strip back up and fold the two outer edges in to meet the center crease...iron...

...then fold it back along the original crease and iron again...

...and you're done...

...I know you can buy bias tape...but your choices of colour and fabric will be pretty limited...but this way you'll have a nice long strip of bias tape in exactly the colour and fabric that you love...

...I'll show you tomorrow what I wanted this grey bias tape for...

~Have a lovely day!

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...don't forget to enter the Sew Mama Sew Giveaways...

Click on the image to enter to win a dutiful little dishcloth...

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...how to sew on all those patches...

...a few people have asked how I sew on all of Scout's emblems, badges and patches...

...it's really not too difficult...start by pinning your badge in place...you don't want it to move around while you sew and be all crooked in the end...

...the hardest thing most people find is that the patches are so thick and tough to get a needle through...so I don't even try that...

...I just stitch through the shirt and then through the back of a few of the shiny border stitches on the badge...and then pull it nice and snug...

...and there you have it...another badge for another while...they almost all have to come off and be replaced at some point...

...The Tote Bag...How To's and Wherefores...

DON'T FORGET!! Enter the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway!







This is how I made the Tote Bag I'm giving away...

...Using two strands of worsted weight yarn I used one skein of Caron Simply Soft in Orchid and one of Cream - I cast on 50 stitches on size 10 needles - and knit 4 rows...then I worked in stockinette stitch (knit 1 row purl 1 row) for 175 rows...then I knit 4 rows again and cast off...

...then I had this big long rectangle...which I just folded in half and seamed up the sides by single crocheting in about every other stitch with a size E needle - still using 2 strands of yarn...

...I love how using two different colours of yarn like this produces this totally random varigation...

...this is the same seam that I used on the Isabeau Purse and I'm loving it...

...then I knit 3 strands of I-cord over 5 stitches - one using 2 strands of the orchid - one using 2 strands of the cream and one using 1 strand each of cream and orchid...

...then I tied the ends in a knot...

...looped it over a doorknob for some tension and simply braided the three strands to make the handle...then I just centered the braided strip at each side seam and stitched in place...

...the loop was made during the cast off...after I had cast off 25 stitches...I switched to the crochet hook and chained 15...then looped that back through the last cast off stitch with a slip stitch...and then did reverse single crochet back around the loop - joining again with a slip stitch and then continuing the cast off as normal...

...I love the added dimension this gives to the loop...and I added the little twin Sculpy button from my Isabeau button making adventure...

...and there you have it...a really simple, pretty, and sturdy tote bag...

Click here to enter the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway for this bag!

Tiered Skirt Tutorial

Skirt...Check...✓


...the Easter skirt is complete...

...I started with the waistband...I just turned down about 1 1/2 inches from the top and inserted some 1 inch elastic...

...so that's the little first section...

The formula I used (graphical image here):

First decide on the length of each tier - mine are 10 - 16 and 10...

Then...
1. Measure hips - add two inches - divide by two and cut two pieces of fabric to that size...
2. Then add 1/3 more for the next tier...
3. ...and 1/3 more for the next tier...I only had three but you could do more...


...gather your next tier...

...and pin it right sides together to the bottom of the first tier...

...matching up your side seams...

...this is what it looks like with 2 tiers completed...I tried it on and it would actually be a pretty cute skirt just hemmed at this point...

...on the bottom tier - I went ahead and did a serged hem before I gathered it...

...this is the back side of the serged hem - it's actually been serged twice - which was totally unnecessary - but I had already serged around all the pieces...

...and this is my little 'trick' for the gathers...

...I adjust the tension on the top thread so that gathers form...what could be easier...HA!

...Ta-Daaa! - the finished skirt...really easy...it only took about an hour...

...shown here with the Amity...I can't show you the A-Line Cardigan yet...as I'm currently working on the collar...hoping to finish before midnight...

The almost free (very cheap) Draft Stopper Tutorial...

...Just in time for those windy March days...I saw some draft stoppers on TV that consisted of two pieces of foam wrapped in cloth that slide under the door with foam on both sides...

...and I thought...I could make those...so I did...

...the only thing I had to buy was this foam tube...it cost $1.16...

...just cut it to the length of your door...mine is three feet...you'll need two tubes the same length...

...just bend it in half...

...it cuts easily with scissors...

...then I took some khaki cloth from my stash...so FREE...

...measured and cut...folded it over and stitched up the bottom and one side...

...then I pressed it flat with the seam in the middle...not necessary I guess...but I thought it looked neater that way...

...turned it right side out and stitched up the middle...leaving about 6 inches open at the top...

...slide your foam tubes in...

...then tuck the ends under...that's why you need to leave the top open...

...then slide it under your door - so that there's a tube on either side...

...it should slide across the floor easily and still block any drafts when the door is closed...

Last minute elving...

...I've been spending some time in my secret workshop...AKA...the laundry room...er...um...ironing...if you know what I mean...

Scout has a cousin serving in Afghanistan...and he wanted an ARMY Sweatshirt...

...so I went online and downloaded a military font and printed out some big letters...

...acquired a generic grey hooded sweatshirt...

..carefully cut out the letters with an exacto knife - through the printed paper and the freezer paper - not difficult but the most time consuming part...

...Oooops - I should have put some space between the two sets of letters to allow for the zipper...so I just covered the zipper with a strip of freezer paper and then cut the template in half...

...spounced on some bright yellow paint...

...let it dry - just to the touch - if you let it dry too much it makes it kinda hard to remove the paper...

...then peeled off the freezer paper - to reveal the perfect crisp letters...

..so, one little Mama-made present under the tree...

...somehow - between last winter and this one...Scout lost his gaiter...so he needed a new one...

...I just knit a tube over 80 stitches on size 10 needles...about 65 rows I think...

...I don't often mix sewing machine sewing and hand knits - but this gaiter would be too thin and breezy without a liner...so I stitched a tube of stretchy cotton (actually left over in the stash from the Alien Costume - wow that was a long time ago - such a little guy) - to the end of the knitted tube - with right sides together...

...then turned it back to the right side and stuffed it into the tube with the wrong sides together...

...and stitched around the bottom on the machine...

...it made a kind of neat rolled edge effect that I wasn't really expecting...but I like it...

...I'm really not very good with the bathroom mirror shots - but this gives you an idea of how it works - he can wear a toboggan and goggles and basically have no exposed skin - that's the goal when it's 40 below (which interestingly is 40 below Celsius too)...

...I'm hoping you get all your last minute elving done and have a very Merry Christmas!