Baby Name Banner

I love that in this particular stage of life our circle of friends have started buying houses and making babies. However, it does feel odd coming to the realization that we all graduated from college years ago. Our conversations now include talking about retirement, educational options for future children, and house repairs. Funny how spend our childhood wishing we were that much older...now we'd be more than happy with time talking a much slower route :).

Expanding families are my favorite though. Nothing is more special than a family welcoming their child into the world. Such exciting change! With each shower gift I like to add a personal touch. So many baby items can feel so generic and engulfed in boring plastic. So, when I discovered my friend was having a baby girl, I knew the exact personalized project I wanted to make. The best part is that it is fairly simple to complete. and can be personalized in any way that you desire. Let's get started!

Materials

- Material                 - Scissors
- Ribbon                   - Triangle pattern
- Lace                       - Letter pattern
- Felt                        - Sewing machine
- Glue gun                - Iron

Begin by making a triangle pattern. I copied one off of Google into Word and stretched it until I had the size I wanted. I would recommend starting big so you have adequate room for each letter and the trim on the top of the banner. Once your pattern is cut out of paper, fold your material in half and cut out as many triangles as you have letters.

To save on material, cut the triangles as shown below. I ended up cutting out eight triangles (sixteen total pieces). Six were used for her name, and two for decoration. 

   

 

Take a triangle and flip it so the material you want on the outside is facing in. Sew each side straight down, overlapping at the point. Trim any excess.

                          

           

           

When your triangles are finished, flip them inside out and iron them flat. Line them up and trim the tops so they are all the exact same size and any rough edges are removed. 

In the same way that you created the triangle pattern, do the same thing for the letters of the name. Once you have printed them out, carefully cut them out of felt. I chose felt for this project because it is sturdier than normal fabric, and it looks better glued. Once the letters are cut out, glue them on the triangles. Make sure to leave at least an inch at the top for the ribbon.

    

    

Measure the length of the ribbon you want to use and pin it to the triangles. Make sure the ribbon is wide enough for it to cover both sides. I didn't want to go through the aggravation of folding the ribbon over and sewing it all together since it is a pain to make sure all three layers stay perfect. So I cheated and only sewed the side you see. When I finished sewing the one side I hot glued the rest of the ribbon on the back. Much easier and it looks practically the same :).

   

     
   
     

For the ends I made lace flowers using this tutorial. I glued them in place as well. Happy crafting!

Denim and Lace Refashion

Fall is officially here, but it didn't stop the weekend from bringing out absolutely gorgeous weather! Sunshine, warm breezes, and the perfect opportunity to wear shorts for the last time. I've had my eye on pairs of shorts edged with lace for awhile, but never found the right pair to purchase or make. After discovering a pair of jeans that needed refashioning I knew it was time. I'm absolutely in love with the result, of course making me wish I had done this back in May instead of September. Whoops! 

Materials

- Jeans or jean shorts

- Lace

- Sewing machine

- Scissors

I'm not sure about you, but I hate it when my favorite jeans wear out! They always seem to get holes in the places that are not fixable either. Luckily, they can usually be redeemed. So grab your pair and let's go!

Despite the front looking just fine, the side thigh was completely worn out. Making it awkward to wear and not terribly attractive. 

               

Starting at the rip I cut across both legs.

                

 After testing several types of edging and material I realized that I loved the look of this lace. 

I did not have enough lace to go around each leg so I decided to just sew it on the front. First though, I hemmed each leg to prevent fraying and to give the shorts an even edge.

               

Once the edges are hemmed I placed the lace over the top and sewed it into place. I also sewed both the top and bottom of the lace to ensure that it stayed on. With my leftover scraps I hand sewed them onto the back pockets for some extra embellishment. Now I can't wait to wear them!

So what do you think? Ready to make your own?!? 

Burlap and Lace

While I never considered myself into "shabby chic," my love of lace and burlap is a clear indication that I am. Who wouldn't be though? Lace and burlap can add a pretty touch to just about any room. Celebrating my new found love of these materials, I decided to make a table runner. I really like how it came out, and it is the perfect accent for several of the rooms in our home. As an added bonus if you don't have a sewing machine, this project can be completed just as easily with a hot glue gun! Now...let's get started!

Materials

- Burlap

- Lace

- Sewing machine (or hot glue)

- Iron

- Scissors and thread

Begin by choosing the size you want your runner to be. I measured the table I wanted it to lay on, and then added 1/2 inch around the perimeter that would be folded over to prevent fraying. 

Once you have measured, cut your piece.

Around all the edges I folded the burlap over 1/2 inch and ironed it into place. 

This prevents a lot of fraying, and the ironing allowed for easier sewing later on. 

 Sew all the edges on your runner. If you are not using a machine, then glue everything in place the same way.

 Now decide where to place your lace. For this one I chose the two longer sides of the runner to place my lace. I pinned it first before I started sewing. Depending on your lace, fold 1/2 inch of the lace underneath on the end to give it a smoother look. 

 Sew in place!

 Iron out any wrinkles and get ready to decorate! 

 I used this one as a simple table runner.

 This one, as you can tell, has different lace. I used an old vintage lace my Aunt gave me and sewed it on the ends instead of the sides. This gave it a vintage feel and I love the look of the old lace!

Stick a pin in it!

I have recently embarked on doing more projects with my sewing machine. I've always wanted to be able to sew well, and since practice makes perfect, a variety of projects have now infiltrated my craft table.

With this new found hobby, came the need for fun accessories. One in particular was a pincushion. In the past I would keep needles in a container, which proved to be easy storage, but not effective for use. As a result I decided to make a place for my needles to reside that was easy to use and looked nice on my sewing table. I really liked the final result and it has worked very well as I continue to stitch on! Here's how to make your own!

Materials
Picture frame (make sure it has a back with a stand)
Hot glue
Stainless steel scrubbing pad
Material

I was originally going to use stuffing as filling for this project, but then I read that if you use a stainless steel pad it will keep your needles sharp. Figured it couldn't hurt, and I had one on hand. Perfect!

Begin by taking the glass out of your picture frame, and cut a piece of material that will cover the back of your frame with several inches to spare.

Stretch and pull your scrubbing pad until covers at least 3/4 of the backing of your frame.

Place the pad on the cover and wrap your material over the top. Glue the edges down, making sure it is all firm and secure.

 Slide the cover into the frame and stand it up. 

 Push in your pins and you are ready to go!

Happy sewing!