Reverse Applique Knee Patches Tutorial

 

 

Here is what I have been working on for so long…. A while ago my cousin (Sandra over at Rivas & Co.) commissioned me to make a t-shirt into short-alls and a pair of leggings with diamond shaped reverse appliqued knee patches with a matching bib. It took me FOREVER, or at least it felt that way!! I goofed SO many times on this…. I think I made 4 different sets!!! The first time my machine at the leggings. GRRRR!! The 2nd time I cut and/or sewed the patches in the wrong way. The print is a little crazy and the lines are not straight. I had to cut, pin and sew them JUUUST right. Then on the 3rd, I did every thing just right but when I went to cut the top layer over the patches, I cut the leggings instead!!! YILES!!!! Finally the 4th time was a charm! Good grief! LOL

So here is what I did.

 

 

The 2nd and 3rd attempts were made from this black t-shirt. The 4th attempt was from a different one. The 1st attempt was from some black jersey knit.

First I cut off the sleeves and collar. Then I cut the shoulders and sides. That left me with enough fabric to make 2 pairs of toddler leggings.

 

 

 

Then I cut the legs. These are for leggings so the legs are skinny and there is more room in the seat.

When I cut them, I used the t-shirt hem for the leggings hems.

 

 

Next, I cut the diamond shapes from 2 fabrics, 1 main and 1 for stabilizing.

 

 

 

Then I pinned and sewed the patches to the INSIDE of the leggings.

Next, I trimmed the excess from around the stitching. Be very careful here! THAT’S where I cut the hole in the leggings!!!

 

 

 

Now, I very carefully snipped the fabric from over the top of the patches and cut off the excess.

After that is done, you simply sew the leggings like you would any pair of pants.

 

 

 

This is the matching bib. I hope she loves them!!!

 

If you would like a step by step tutorial for making the leggings, you can follow my tutorial for the T-shirt Tunic and Leggings.

If you feel that you would prefer a pattern, try SquigglyTwigs Designs Quick Pants (you might recognize the model over there), just be sure to cut the legs narrower.

 

My next few projects will probably be very hush-hush. I’ll be working on my Pay It Forward gifts for 2013! I can’t wait to get started!!

HAPPY SEWING!!!!!

 

Sunshine Day Tunic and Clam Diggers – Tutorial

 

 

Well, the name is Sunshine Day BUT the pictures for this were taken on the COLDEST day we have had since moving here!!!!! LOL There was no way I was going to make Cailey stand outside in 40 degrees…..

 

For some reason this outfit (or maybe just the striped fabric) reminds me of…….

 

 

Y’all remember that, right??? LOL I loved watching Brady Bunch reruns after school when I was a kid.

 

 

ANYWAY…. Here is the tutorial.

 

 

What I used - 

3/4 yard of the stripes (very silky and flowy)

1/4 yard of the gold cotton for the yoke at the top

1 yard of heavier, stretchier cotton for the clam diggers

1″ elastic

 

 

 

 

I had this idea… I was going to make the front and back yoke one piece…. with lining….. Yeah… I even cut a muslin (above).

It took me a bit to figure out the problem. LOL

One I realized that I wouldn’t be able to turn it right side out after sewing the lining, I resigned myself to 4 pieces instead of 2.

 

 

So, then I made a pattern piece after much measuring and figuring. LOL

 

 

 

 

Pin the lining pieces to the main pieces and sew all around, leaving the bottom open.

 

 

 

Clip the corners, turn right side out and press.

 

 

 

Cut the pieces for the bottom of the tunic. I cut the top of it about a 1/4″ wider than the bottom of the yoke.

Make it as long as you like, widening as you go and curving the bottom.

 

 

 

Pin the bottom of the yoke to the top of the bottom piece, with right sides together. Sew then press your seams.

 

 

 

 

Now, pin the front to the back, with right sides together. Sew the shoulder and the sides.

 

Next, fold up and press 1/2″ on the bottom. Then fold up and press 3/4″. Sew the hem.

 

 

 

Remove the cat from your work space.

 

 

 

Grab a pair of your child’s pants to use as a cutting guide for the clam diggers. Turn up the leg bottoms to your desired length.

 

 

 

 

If you have a right side/wrong side fabric, you will want to flip the pants guide over to cut the second leg.

 

 

 

Sew up the inseam from the bottom to the start of the crotch curve.

(If your child is very small, you will want to hem them first.)

 

 

 

Turn one leg right side out and slide it into the other leg. Pin and sew.

 

 

 

Now for the elastic casing. Fold over 1/4″ and press. Fold over again by just over 1″, press and sew the casing, making sure to leave a section open to insert the elastic.

 

 

 

Pin the ends of the elastic and insert into the opening.

Then pull both ends out and secure with zigzag stitches.

Sew the opening closed.

 

 

 

Fold up and press the bottom of the legs by 1/2″. Fold up and press another 1/2″ and sew the hem!

 

 

Turn right side out and press!

 

YOU ARE DONE!!!!

 

 

As always, let me know if you have any questions. You can always use the Contact Me button at the top of the page.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

 

 

 

Tee to Short-all Refashion Tutorial

 

My cousin, Sandra (Rivas & Co.) is my newest client! YAY!!! She bought a t-shirt for Liam in the smallest size available (about a child’s 6/7) but it was way too big (Liam is 15 months old)! What to do, what to do??? AH HA! Make it a short-all! So she gave me a call and asked if I could do it. SURE!

 

What I Used

t-shirt

6 size 16 snaps (7/16 “)

navy thread

 

 

 

Step 1 -

 

Cut out a section at the bottom of the tee to make the legs.

HINT – if you want snaps in the crotch, DO NOT cut this big of a section out….. Learn from MY mistakes. I would just cut it straight and then fold and press.

Also, if you aren’t concerned about the neck and arm holes being too big, you can simply add the snaps to the crotch and be done!

 

 

 

Step 2 -

 

 

I took my BFF, the seam ripper, and took the binding off of the arm holes.

 

HINT- If you aren’t concerned about the arms being too big you can skip that part. Especially if you are putting the snaps in the crotch.

 

 

Step 3 -

 

Cut a tad off the sides to create your new arm holes.

 

 

 

 

Step 4 -

Take your trusty seam ripper and pick apart the shoulders. Then fold over 1″ , press and top stitch.

Add your snaps!

This will also make the neck smaller.

 

 

 

Step 5  - 

 

 

Stitch the ends in place.

 

 

 

Step 6 -

 

 

Pin and stitch the inseam.

 

 

Step 7 - 

 

 

Pin the binding back on the arm holes and stitch in place.

 

NOTE – My machine was not being well behaved and kept chewing up the binding, so I just folded the edges of the arm holes over and stitched in place.  Ever since I had to get a new presser foot my machine has been touchy. :/

 

 

Step 8 -

 

 

Pin and stitch the side seam.

 

 

You are ALLLLLL done!

 

 

 

Now my little cousin Liam has a new short-all with his daddy’s ship on it! YAY!!!!!

 

 

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to use the Contact Me button at the top of the page and shoot me an e-mail!

 

 

Pleats Be My Valentine Tutorial

 

 

Once again, there seems to be a couple of steps missing in my pictures. I have been getting caught up in it and forgetting to take the pictures! SORRY!! But I can still walk you through those steps.

 

 

What I Used -

1 yard of red poly blend knit – very light

1 1/2 yards of pink knit – thicker

1 yard of red jumbo rickrack

 

Headband -

1 group of fake roses from the Dollar Tree

1 stretchy headband from the Dollar Tree (sold in a group of 3)

hot glue gun

 

 

I took a tank that fits Cailey well and used it as my cutting guide. I wanted the top to have a very high waist so I let the top hang WAY off of the folded fabric.

Be sure to cut all the pieces on the fold!

 

 

Cut 2 front bodice pieces and 2 back bodice pieces.  (This shows 1 of each.)

 

 

 

 

To cut the sleeves, place one of your bodice pieces on the folded fabric with the shoulder lined up with the fold. Then cut at a widening angle. This will create sleeves that get wider as it goes down the arm.

I cut them to hit just below the elbow, not quite 3/4 length.

 

 

The next part to cut is the part from the bodice down. I apparently forgot to take a picture of this part, but it’s very easy. You want it to be 2 times the total width of the waist and the length can be as long or as short as you like.  You just cut a large rectangle at those measurements.

 

 

To cut the leggings I used a pair of pants that fit Cailey well. I wanted them cut straight instead of flared, so I let the side of the pants hang off the fabric at the fold.  I cut them the same length as the pants, no seam allowance. Also, instead of cutting around and leaving a seam allowance, I cut right at the guide. This gives them a leggings fit instead of like a yoga pant.

 

For the pleats I cut 10 pieces of the red knit, 5″ wide and the length was the total width of the fabric from selvage to selvage.  Make sense? You are going to sew the pieces together at one end until you have 5 VERY long pieces to pleat.  ;)

 

 

 

Now, on to the sewing!

 

 

 

Pin and sew the 2 front bodice pieces together at the areas outlined, making sure to leave the bottom open. Turn right side out and press.

Do the same to the back bodice pieces (shown).

 

 

 

Sew the front bodice piece to the back bodice piece at the areas that are outlined.

Turn right side out and press.

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s a little hint… Sew the jumbo rickrack on BEFORE you sew the sleeves together….. LOL

I didn’t decide to add the rickrack until the sleeves were already done….

Anyway, pin the rickrack to the bottom of the sleeve and sew on with a straight stitch.

THEN pin the edge of the sleeve and sew the seam.

Open up the seam and press.

 

 

 

 

 

Turn the bodice inside out and then leaving the sleeve right side out, slide it into the arm hole. Pin and sew the seam.

 

 

 

 

 

Now, take one of your 5 LOOOOONG strips and start pleating. Fold, press, pin. Fold, press, pin…. FOREVER!!!! No, just kidding. It only FEEL like forever. LOL

 

 

 

To add the pleated strips to the bottom of the bodice you will pin the first set of pleats to the bottom of the fabric. Not the VERY bottom, though. Leave the the pleated strip hanging over the edge by 2 inches. Then sew across the top.

Keep adding the pleated strips until you reach the top, leaving each section hanging over the next by about 2 inches.

Depending on how long or short you want this part to be, you made need more or less of the pleated strips.

 

 

To add this part to the top of the bodice you will run a gathering stitch across the top (just under where you attached the last row of pleats). Then adjust the gathers to fit the bottom of the top bodice section.

Turn the top bodice inside out and slide it over the top of the pleated section. Pin in place where the bottom of the top of the bodice meets the top of the pleated section. Sew in place just below the line of gathers.

Now, turn the whole thing inside out and sew the side seam.

 

 

For the leggings I am going to refer you to the tunic and leggings tutorial I did about a month ago. The ONLY difference between the two sets are -

Before adding the rickrack to the bottom, turn under by 1 1/2″ and press. Then pin the rickrack to the front and sew on with a straight stitch. This hems and adds the rickrack at the same time.

The rest of it is the same!

 

 

 

For the headband, I just pulled 3 roses and 3 sets of leaves off of the Dollar Store roses. Then I slide the leaves over the bottom of the roses and hot glued everything straight onto the stretchy headband.

 

 

 

 

 

She’s holding the rest of the roses. LOL

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let me know what you think, please!!

If you have ANY questions at all just click the Contact Me button at the top of the page and send me an e-mail!

 

 

 

DinoROAR Tutorial Part 2

 

Today we do the raglan tee and vest!! YAY!! In case you missed it, the shorts were yesterday’s tutorial.

What I Used

About 1/2 yard of plain blue knit

About 1/4 yard of the olive green knit

About 1/2 yard of the dino print

About 1/2 yard of blue cotton for the lining

 

 

 

I took one of Colin’s shirts and folded the sleeves back to give me the wider angle of a raglan sleeve.

 

 

Then I cut the neck. Both the back and the front of the shirt are exactly the same.

If you have ever made a peasant blouse this is VERY close!!!

It looks like I forgot to take a picture of how to cut the sleeves. I am SOOO sorry!! Fibro fog strikes again!!

It’s really easy to do. Just fold over your fabric for the sleeves and place the shirt part over it. Be sure to cut the angle of the sleeve in and a curve around the top part for the neck.

 

 

 

I found a picture of a dinosaur claw and printed it out to use as sort of a template for the applique.

Then I pinned the heck out of it! LOL Next, just zigzag all around the edges.

 

 

 

Weird… the olive green looks brown… EWWW!!!

Anyway, pin the sleeve to the shirt, right sides together and sew the one side.

 

 

 

Now attach the sleeves to the back of the shirt in the same way, right sides together.

 

 

 

Pin up the sides of the shirt all the way from the bottom to the end of the sleeve and sew it all up.

 

 

 

Now cut the neck!  I cut the piece 5 ” wide and long enough to go around the neck with a little left over.

Fold the piece in half and press.

 

 

 

Pin the neck to the… ummm.. neck…. right sides together, and sew!

When you get the back, just pinch the ends and sew them together.

 

 

 

 

I also hemmed the bottom of the shirt but no pics…. Just fold over by 1″ and sew!

 

 

 

 

I decided to make a pattern piece for the vest so that all the pieces would be exactly the same.

All I did was trace a shirt that was folded in half and then added in the curve at the bottom and deepened the neck.

 

 

 

You are going to have 6 pieces. 2 left sides, 1 main and 1 lining. 2 right sides, 1 main and 1 lining. 2 back pieces, 1 main and 1 lining.

Just follow the directions that I wrote on the pattern piece.

 

 

 

Pin the lining pieces to the main pieces, right sides together and sew them up, leaving the bottoms and the shoulders open.

 

 

 

Turn the pieces right side out and press.

Then pin the front pieces to the back, right sides together and sew up the sides and the shoulders.

 

 

 

Fold the bottom lining and bottom main in by about 1/2″ and press. Top stitch closed.

 

 

You are ALLLLL DONE!!!

I thought about adding pockets, buttons and different things to the vest but in the end I liked it much better just the way it is.

 

I hope that this was easy to follow and I apologize for the pictures I forgot to take. Sometimes I just so deeply involved in what I am doing I forget to stop and document it! LOL

 

As always, if you have ANY questions AT ALL just click the Contact Me button at the top of the page and send me an email or just ask me in the comments section!

 

 

DinoROAR Tutorial Part 1

 

I decided to break this up into 2 posts since there is A LOT involved. Part 1 will be the shorts and Part 2 will the raglan tee and vest.

Now, there are a few things I would change about the shorts and I will be sure to tell you exactly what they are and help you avoid the same mistakes I did.

 

For the shorts I used -

About 1 yard of stretchy denim

Small pieces of dino print

Small pieces of blue cotton for lining

1″ elastic

 

 

 

These are the front parts of the shorts. The red circles show where I cut for the faux fly and the green circles show where I cut the pockets. Now, when I do this again I will be sure to cut the pockets bigger and lower!!! I think it would have looked MUCH better.

Now, I seem to have misplaced the pics of the back legs…. But you cut them normally, without the pockets and faux fly extension.

 

 

 

To cut the back parts of the pocket pieces, use the pocket cut out and make sure your pieces will be wider and much longer than the pocket cutout.

 

 

 

Now for the front part of the pocket. First, use the back of the pocket and cut the front part the exact same. Then take the piece of denim that you cut out to form the pocket on the shorts, place it over the front part of the pocket  and cut that part out.

 

 

 

Take the front pocket piece and pin it to the right side of the shorts. Now, sew them together just at the part that is pinned.

Turn the pocket part in and press.

 

 

 

Pin the back part of the pocket to the front side and only sew the parts you see pinned.

 

 

Pin the front of the pants leg to the back with right sides together. Sew up the seam.

 

 

 

Cut your back pockets, turn in about 1/4″, press and then another 1/4″. Pin three sides to the back of the shorts and sew on!

I would also have made the back pockets a bit bigger and put them lower.

 

 

 

Now, sew a finishing stitch across the bottoms of the legs, fold over about 2 1/2″ and press. DO NOT SEW YET!!!

 

 

 

Pin up the inseam from the bottom of the leg to the start of the crotch curve.  Sew the seam.

 

 

 

Fold the cuff half way on the outside of the legs and top stitch into place.

 

 

 

Turn one leg right side out and one leg inside out. Slide the right side out down into the inside out. Pin all the way around and sew them together, making sure to follow the curve of the faux fly.

 

 

 

Turn the shorts right side out and tuck the faux fly part in. Now, top stitch from the top and around the curve at the bottom.

 

 

 

Sew a finishing stitch across the top of the shorts. Fold and press over by 1 1/2″. Sew the elastic casing making sure to leave an opening to insert the elastic through.

 

 

Pin one end of the elastic and insert it through the casing.

Sew the ends of the elastic together using a zigzag stitch. Then sew the casing closed!

 

 

You are all DONE!!!

Make sure to press every seam and every stitch that you sew! It helps to set them.

 

Be sure to come back tomorrow for the raglan tee and vest tutorials!!

 

I hope you have found this helpful! If you have ANY questions AT ALL feel free to use the Contact Me button at the top of the page to shoot me an email!

 

 

 

Orange Crush Dress Tutorial

 

 

Here is the tutorial I promised you!! This is dress that I sewed for the Project Run & Play Season 6 Week 2 Challenge – Stripes and Polka Dots Sew Along. If you scroll down the page you will find the link up where other bloggers have added their Week 2 outfits. You should check them out! There are some seriously talented ladies there!!!

 

What I used -

about 1 yard of main

about 1/2 yard of contrast

That’s it! Well, other than the obvious (thread, sewing machine, etc. LOL)

 

 

 

Sew the sides together creating a long rectangle. Leave the top open a few inches. (The length and width of the rectangle will depend upon the size of your child and your personal preference.)

Press your seam open.

 

 

Fold the sides of the opening in by 1/4″ and again by 1/4″. Sew in place.

 

 

 

 

Now you need to measure and cut the arm holes. (Make sure to cut at an angle.)

 

 

 

Cut 2 long strips about 2 1/2″ wide. Fold the sides in and press. Now fold in half and press.

 

 

 

 

Open up the strip and fold over the edges of the arm holes, pin and sew in place.

 

 

 

Time to add the pleats at the neck line!

To pleat you basically fold the fabric behind itself, press and pin in place.

I marked the places where I put the pleats.

 

 

 

 

Now put 2 rows of stitches across the top of the pleats to hold them securely.

It really is hard to see the pleats with the stripes! LOL

 

 

 

Add pleats to the back and sew 2 lines of stitches across the top.

 

 

 

 

Cut a long fabric strip (long enough to fit very loosely around your child’s neck AND tie a nice bow). The width of the fabric will depend upon how long your child’s neck is.

Fold over the edges by 1/2″ and press. Fold in half and press again.

 

 

 

Open up the middle fold and pin in place over the neck line.

As you can see, I didn’t make mine long enough to tie at first. I had thought about making a button closure but when I tried it out I just didn’t like it. LOL I think the big bow adds more to the back.

 

 

 

Now, the bottom pleats!! This can take a little while…. LOL I used a strip that was 6″ wide by about 80″ long (2- 40″ strips sewn together).

Fold the strip in half and press making it 3″ wide.

Now start pleating, pressing and pinning until the whole thing is pleated!

 

 

 

Pin the top of the pleats to the bottom of the dress (right side) and sew into place.

When you get to the edge of the dress, leave the rest of the pleated part unattached.

Press out the remaining pleats.

Fold the end edges in by 1/4 and sew closed. Now tie the remains!

 

 

 

 

ALL DONE!!!

 

 

 

 

The bow at the neckline was an afterthought but easy enough to make.

I used a 7″ x  5″ rectangle. Fold it over and sew 2 sides (right sides together). Turn right side out and press. Turn the raw edges in and top stitch around all 4 sides.  Take a small strip about 2″ x 3″ and fold in the sides by 1/4″ and press. Wrap it around the center of the rectangle and sew in place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As always, let me know if this was easy to follow. If you have ANY questions feel free to use the Contact Me button at the top of the page and email me!

 

Fox Trot Tutorial Part 2

 

 

This part of the tutorial is for the bolero. To find the tutorial for the gauchos and tank click here.

 

What I Used-

1/2 yard of main fabric (I used the fox flannel print)

1/2 yard of lining (I used hot pink flannel)

2 ft of pink ribbon

 

For the bolero I sort of drafted my own pattern. It was very simple to do, I just used the tank I made as template for the arm holes and trimmed the pattern until I had the fit I wanted. This involved holding the pattern up to Cailey several times! LOL

 

 

Step 1 -

 

 

As you can see, the pattern is not pretty but it worked! LOL

I wanted the front of the bolero to curve and be slightly longer than the back.

I cut 1 left side of the main and one right side of the main. Make sure you flip it so you have one right side and one left side OR you can fold the fabric over but don’t place the edge on the fold.

 

 

Step 2 -

 

 

 

 

Now for the back of the bolero. This is the piece you want to cut on the fold.

 

 

Step 3 -

 

 

 

For the sleeve, I wanted it to bell out like the gauchos. I used a front piece of the bolero to cut where the sleeve meets the armhole to make sure it would fit properly.

Cut 2 on the fold.

 

 

Step 4-

 

 

Now for the lining. Cut it the same way you did the main, 2 pieces for the front and flip if you have right and wrong sides, that way you will have left and right pieces.

 

 

Step 5-

 

 

Now, cut the back piece, once again on the fold.

 

 

Step 6-

 

 

Pin your ribbon to the front bolero pieces with a bit hanging over the edge.

 

 

Step 7-

 

 

Pin the front bolero lining and main with right sides together, making sure the ribbon is still poking out a bit.

Sew the pieces together leaving the shoulders and the bottom open.

Do this to both of the front sides of the bolero.

 

 

Step 8-

 

 

Turn right side out and press. Cut a V into the end of the ribbon to help keep it from fraying.

 

 

Step 9-

 

 

Pin the back boleros pieces with right sides together. Sew the pieces together leaving the shoulders and bottom open.

Turn right side out and press.

 

 

Step 10-

 

 

Pin the front pieces to the back piece with right sides together. Sew the shoulders and the side seams.

 

 

Step 11-

 

 

Pin the underside of the sleeve and sew the seam.

Here is where the cats started to get interested in what I was doing! LOL

 

 

Step 12-

 

 

Fold over the bottom of the sleeve by 1/2″ and press. Fold over again by another 1/2″, press, pin and sew the hem.

 

 

Step 13-

 

 

 

Turn the sleeve right side out and slip it into the arm hole with the right side of the sleeve touching the right side of the bolero.  Pin and sew in place.

 

 

 

 

 

SIGH… Remove the cats so you can continue!!!! LOL

 

 

Step 14-

 

 

Turn in the edges of the bottom of the bolero and press. Pin the bottom together and top stitch.

Press and you are all done!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you try this out. It was so much fun to make!!!

As always, if you have any questions just use the Contact Me button at the top of the page and shoot me an email!

Let me know if anything is unclear!

 

Fox Trot Tutorial Part 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flannel! It’s not just for PJs. LOL

I had soooooo much fun with this outfit!! I really pushed myself, I think. I drafted my first pattern for the bolero. YAY!!!! I wanted to be sure I got it juuuuust right.

The tutorial for this outfit will be in 2 parts. The first part will be the gauchos and the tank. Tomorrow I will be posting the bolero.

 

What I Used for the Gauchos and Tank

1 yard of fox flannel

1/4 yard of pink knit

1″ wide elastic

 

Step 1 -

First I took a pair of pants that fit Cailey well and used them to cut the waist and crotch. Then instead of continuing down straight from that curve I took it way out. WAY out!!! LOL

These are basically like any other pants that I make except in leg length and leg width.

 

 

Step 2 -

 

 

Pin and sew up the inseam. Go to where the curve of the crotch starts and stop.

 

 

Step 3 -

 

 

Turn one leg right side out and slide into the other leg. Pin and sew the seam in one continuous stretch.

 

 

Step 4 -

 

 

Turn the gauchos inside out. Turn over and press 3/4 ” and then 1 “, press and pin.

Now, sew the elastic casing making sure to leave a space to insert the elastic.

 

 

Step 5-

 

 

 

Measure the elastic to your child’s waist and subtract 1″. Then safety pin the ends of the elastic and either pin one end to yourself or hold tightly. Insert the elastic into the opening!

They also make really cool elastic threaders but safety pins work just as well.

 

 

Step 6 -

 

 

 

 

Now, sew the ends of the elastic together using a zigzag stitch.

Then sew the elastic casing closed!

 

 

Step 7-

 

 

Take a moment and get your cat out of the cabinets!!!! Good grief!!!

 

 

Step 8-

 

 

Fold over and press the bottom of the legs by 1/2″. Fold up another 3/4″, press and pin. Now sew the hem!

Press your hem and you are all done!

 

 

 

 

 

Now on to the tank!!

 

 

 

Step 1 -

 

 

 

Using a top that fits your child well, cut the arm holes, sides and length, while on the fold.

Then use the piece you just cut as a guide for the other side of the tank.

 

Step 2 -

 

 

Next, cut in the neck lines. You can make the shoulders as narrow or as wide as you like.

 

 

Step 3-

 

 

Pin and sew the shoulders together. If using a print make sure right sides are together.

 

 

Step 4 -

 

 

Pin and sew up the side seams!

 

 

Turn right side out and press. Now you are done!!

You can finish the neck and arms and hem the bottom if you like but I always prefer the natural look of unfinished knits. They get that soft curl after a couple of washings.

 

Let me know what you think!! And PLEASE, if you try this out let me know!!

If you have any questions feel free to use the Contact Me button at the top of the page.

 

Sew or No Sew Stockings

 

 

Christmas is in a few days… HELP!!!!!!  If you are looking for a last minute idea, here you go! These are super fast and super easy. I did 4 of them in an afternoon.

You can sew them or glue them or both. I did both.

What I used to make 4 -

1 1/4 yards of burlap

2 different spools of red, wire ribbon

1 partial spool of shiny, red rickrack

1 spool of gold cording

2 plastic snowflake ornaments

1 tiny bottle of Tulip Puffy Paint

hot glue gun

 

 

 

First I drew out a pattern.  You can trace an existing stocking or free hand it.

Yes, I know this looks NOTHING like the stockings I made… I’ll get to that.

 

 

Place your pattern on the burlap, making sure the burlap is folded so you cut the front and back at the same time.

Yes, still looks different. I’m getting there. LOL

 

 

 

Sew or glue the front to the back.

 

Then hack off the curly toes when you realize that burlap is just too thick to turn right side out with that narrow of a space…. LOL

Now, that being said…. If you want to leave the stockings inside out, it DOES look really cute. The curly toes don’t show up as well as expected but still very cute.

Too bad I didn’t think about that BEFORE I got frustrated and hacked them off…..

Now, turn right side out and press. Use a cool iron if you’ve used hot glue. Or leave it inside out.

 

 

 

 

Turn the top in about 1/2 inch and press. Again, using a cool iron if you’ve used hot glue.

 

 

Now, cut a small piece of the rickrack and pin in place OR hot glue in place.

Then either sew the top under and the rickrack in place or glue the top under.

This one I did with the sewing machine. The other 3 I just glued.  Either way works just as well as the other.

 

 

 

Cut your ribbons to make as big a bow as you like. Cut a smaller piece, about 3 “, to use for the middle. Wrap it around the center of your bow and glue or sew it in place.

 

 

 

Glue or sew your bow in place. Then adjust the ribbons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Measure out the rickrack to go around the toes, cut and glue in place.

 

 

 

Now do the same for the heel!

 

 

 

Then write the name with the puffy paint!

It takes about 4 hrs for the paint to dry so I would suggest putting it up somewhere that the cats can’t get to……

 

 

 

This is the first one I did.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colin informed me that boys don’t like big, red bows so I went with little gold bows and snowflakes for theirs.

 

 

 

 

I hope you like the tutorial! Please let me know if you have any questions. You can leave a comment or use the Contact Me button at the top to email me!