Ear warmer

Winter weather is right around the corner. I can't actually feel it yet, but that's what the weather man is claiming anyways!

I had some leftover fleece fabric from a lining of a coat I'm "attempting" to make for Ry-pie, so I decided to use that to make a cute little ear warmer for her.

Trace pattern onto your fabric. I used an ear warmer of CalJ's that I got at Wal-mart last year for a $1 as my template.

Cut out two pieces of your fabric. Even though Ry-pies head is obviously smaller then her big brother, I didn't make my pattern smaller so I could allow for the seam allowance. And if you need to shorten it up you can just cut it shorter before it's complete.

Lay pieces of fleece on top of one another, right sides facing. I actually used two slightly different shades of fleece but since these are not printed there actually isn't a right or wrong side. Just go with me on this. ;) Sew each side using a 1/4" seam, or so. Leave each end open and on one end stop sewing about 1 1/2" short of the end.

Pin a safety pin to the bottom end that you DIDN'T stop sewing short on. Turn right side out, pushing the safety pin all the way through until it looks like the picture shown above. The reason you need to stop sewing all the way on one side end is because this makes it A LOT easier to turn inside out. The ends will be too small if you don't, making it almost impossible to turn it right side out. Trust me. I know. ;)

Now, stitch around the entire ear warmer leaving a 1/4" seam like shown here.

Wrap the ear warmer around your little munchkins head and mark with a water soluble marker where it's secure. This picture shows the open ends on top of her head but they will actually fasten at the base of the head. Ry-pie's not much for co-operating these days, so I have to take what I can get. It will still cover her ears when I flip it around.

Take your sew-in Velcro and cut a large enough piece to start at the end of the warmer to the mark you just made.

Cut another piece (the same length as you just used) of the opposite side of the Velcro and sew to the other end of your warmer. Make sure that your ends will line up and attach when placed around the head.
Here's what your Velcro ends should look like when they're sewn and fastened into place. You could tuck the ends of the warmer before you add your Velcro so your ends look nice and tidy. I skipped this step so my ends are unfinished. Which is fine with me.

You still with me?

Good, I'd hoped so!

You can stop there, which is fine. But let's keep going, shall we?

Now onto the decorative part.

Draw circles onto your fleece material.

And cut out shapes.

Sew a straight line - just a little off-centered -starting with one circle and adding an additional circle when your stitch reaches the center of the circle. I pulled on the fabric a little bit while I stitched it in place - creating a slight oval shape. Be real careful as you feed each circle through. The fleece tends to wiggle a bit, so make sure it's lying flat and doesn't fold over onto itself.

Your first stitch of circles should look like this.

Then stitch another line, just like the first, about 1/4" parallel to the first stitched row.

Place onto a piece of felt (in a similar color).

Glue onto felt.

Cut out felt so no felt will actually be showing. Adding the felt will give your circles a little more stability.
Lie it next to the warmer and mark where you would like them placed.

Glue onto warmer.

Thanks for hanging in there!! Lots of pictures and lots of instructions - but all in all it's not that difficult a project.

I hope you enjoy!

Bias-tape

Here is a very quick and easy way to make bias-tape.

Bias-tape, is actually fabric cut against the grain, that provides some stretch to go around necklines, armholes, and other items that have curves. In addition, it can also finish off raw edges of fabrics and adds a nice decorative touch.

The "quick and easy" way isn't actually cut on the bias, so I guess I shouldn't call it BIAS-tape. But I've used it for everything mentioned above - and more! It works just the same as bias-tape with the perfect amount of stretch for all sorts of projects.

Here is a 1/4 yard of fabric.

I cut off a 2" strip of fabric, perpendicular to the selvedge edge of the fabric. (To make sure you're cutting your strip correctly, just pull your strip lengthwise - it should stretch when it's pulled).

Next, fold that strip in half and iron.

Unfold strip. Fold each side of strip to meet in center, touching the ironed crease you just made.

Fold, and iron again. You should end up with a 1/2" strip of "bias"-tape.

Now here's how to finish the ends when you're done using your bias-tape. Just open bias-tape like shown, fold corners to touch.

Fold down.

Close bias tape again.

That's it. Easy right!?

Now look at all the cute stuff you can make...

Washcloths

Shirts

Even headbands!

Roller Derby Girl

My little Roller Derby girl. I think it came out super cute. I wasn't going to do a helmet, but at the last minute Josh suggested using one of CalJ's plastic cereal bowls. We spray painted it this morning, let it dry and attached some elastic straps to the inside using tape. It didn't hold up AT ALL by the end of the night - but I can't imagine her costume without it. Good Job Josh! (Notice her mouth full of marshmallows? I bribed her with them to keep her "helmet" on. Now, that's just good parenting! lol).

It would have been even better with roller-skates. But c'mon, she's 1. I think that would have been some kind of safety hazard or something. ;)

Pleated Skirt pattern: Heidi and Finn

Procrastination

We've been trying to get CalJ to decide what he wanted to be for Halloween for the past month. His suggestions have ranged from a ketchup bottle, a steam roller, a Backyardigan, a banana, a policeman, and finally - between Iron man or a trash truck. I had really wanted to make him a costume but was slightly terrified of having to construct a garbage truck. I really was trying to talk him into being a young Mermaid Man from Spongebob. He wouldn't budge.

I figured I had a week (this being about a week ago) to get him to finally make his decision and get his costume together. He tells me Sunday night he wants to be a spider. "I promise mama, a spider. That's all I wannna be. A spider"! Monday morning rolled around and I had completely forgotten that he had to dress up for school - the very next day!!! I went to the fabric store Monday afternoon and stayed up 'til almost 1am making his costume. Nothing fancy, by any means. But I was super thrilled that it was something he let me make. :)

And just in case he was going to change his mind - again. I made him a freezer paper spider t-shirt (two hours before he went to school)! This way, if he hated his spider leg jacket he'd still have a little spider shirt to tie everything together.

I still have a few things that I'd like to add but this is it for now.

CalJ, as a spider.

I hate spiders - well - except for this one! ;)