Making It Rain

Ok, here's a fun one for you and the kiddos!! Let's face it, clouds are a little hard to understand but this activity kind of helps teach the basics. Unfortunately I can't remember where I got the idea to give them credit and the more in depth lesson than what I taught. I kept it really simple.
Here's your supplies: water, shaving cream, and some food coloring with something to make droplets (I had pipettes but an old medicine syringe would work too)

**Edit: I found the idea site (yay!! Credit where credit's due , right?). Find it here at Modern Parents Messy Kids.

Cover the water with a layer of shaving cream (you can see eager knees in the background waiting while mom takes pictures).

Then all you do is drop the coloring in- simple! Pure food coloring falls through pretty quick, if you water it down a little it takes a little longer but be careful not to add too much water or else it will take forever!

This is when is first started to fall, isn't it pretty. We played around a bit using other colors after we got the gist that when the clouds get heavy with water (more pure color) it starts to release some and it rains. However it didn't take long before it looked like this:

The girls were just filling their pipettes and dumping it in- this poor town had no idea this downpour was coming.

Oh, and the top of the shaving cream- so pretty! Check this out:

After it was all said and done, KK and KL ran off to get ready for bed and I played in the shaving cream- marbling it with one of the pipettes.

So much fun was had by us all! With a quick lesson thrown, these are my favorite kinds of activities!

That's all for now
Jo!

Pillowcase Dresses

Recently my grandma (Mom's stepmother) sent me a box of craft supplies, as she's getting a little too old to use them anymore- crazy arthritis doesn't allow you to stitch quite as easily. Anyway, inside the box there was fabric and lace and bias and pipe cleaners and ribbon and even a doll making kit that she bought, my mom stitched a face for, but she never got around to actually making it. None of the fabric was more than about a half a yard so there wasn't a lot I could do but there was one purple patterned fabric that I LOVED and there was also a complimentary purple (there were also pre-cut squared in the box of each fabric so I'm guessing she used them for a quilt). I decided that with the two fabrics combined I had enough for a set of matching 2T dresses.

I started by stitching the two fabrics together and ironing them out to cut, generally following this Pretty Prudent pattern (also the pattern I followed for that last dress I posted).

After I had them cut I went ahead and zigzag stitched over the seam to help keep from fraying, see:

Then to prevent the seam from bothering my precious K twins I went ahead and added a thin strip of interfacing (I also didn't lock stitch the zigzag because I knew I was going to do this and there will be another seam over it anyway).

Next I stitched the sides together and did a zigzag to finish the side seams.

After that, I used bias tape to finish the bottom and support the arms (I hadn't finished the bias in the pictures, I had only done the first step of sewing them on but had ironed them to prep for the next step):

Finally I sewed a seam for the neck. I pinned and ironed down a 1/4 inch and then folded down another 3/4 inch and stitched near the bottom so I could lace a ribbon through for the sleeves.

And here's the finished product (with the bow I made to match that can be seen closer in my previous post):

Isn't it cute? I love how they turned out and I definitely can't complain about free fabric. Now to wait for summer to actually allow the twins to wear them.... (that's the hardest part!!)
Hopefully I'll get a good picture of the K twins in them to share with you all.

That's all for now,
Jo!

**Update: There is a photo of the twin Ks in their dresses on the Mar. 16, 2015 post entitled "A Quick One".

Bias Tape Making Adventure

While looking through different sewing sites I found a tutorial to make your own bias tape. Seemed easy enough and you can't buy a patterned bias but with the right combinations it is adorable! So I went and bought a set of bias tape makers and (since it was a trial run) I grabbed a scrap piece of fabric that was square enough and large enough to work with and off I went with enthusiasm (but not my camera, sorry there's very few pictures here).

I cut my fabric and lined my fabric and set of to the sewing machine. All the lines (mostly) lined up as I pinned but as I began to sew I found that I was off much more than I thought but I kept on going, thinking "I can work with this." It was all sewn and I stared cutting and it was easy at first and I was patting myself on the back think "see I knew I could do this" and then I hit the area that didn't line up and I was a little (okay, a lot) more confused. I knew that I had measured equal widths so I kind of found a chosen spot to angle to the "off" line and continue back on the line - I think I worded that in the most confusing possible way, sorry! Anyway, I got it all cut, and it was MUCH longer than I though it would be. So I looked at this rather large pile of fabric on the floor and thought "I'll continue this tomorrow, I've had too much trouble today." (Sometimes you just need to sleep on things- never forget this, it comes in handy in all areas of life.)

The next day I got the big Ks to school, got a few chores done, and the little Ks were down for a nap and I went back to try and tackle it. So I grabbed my iron and my fabric and my bias tape maker and I look at the width of my fabric and the bias size I planned on making and thought "there's no way" - I had cut my fabric for a half inch bias instead of a 1 inch bias (off to a great start for day 2). Good thing I bought a set of bias makers! I grabbed the half inch maker and pulled the fabric through and I get my iron right behind it and off I go! And hour later I 12 inches of bias made and burnt myself at least 3 times- moving right along with the pace I had been keeping. It would not hold it's shape for ANYTHING!! So, remembering I had some starch, I decided to starch the fabric and see if that helped. I soaked the fabric in starch for about an hour (or more- the twins woke up and I lost track). When I had them locked in chairs to eat I went back at it- completely easy. I did find it helped if I help my finger right after the maker (I also remembered my camera this time :) )

Like that, you can't tell because my hand is in the way but the bias maker is right behind my fingers. I have seen bias makers that seem like they would hold the fabric down better than the ones I bought (the only ones Hobby Lobby had), I think that would make this part easier but as you can see I was finally starting to get somewhere. After about 2 hours I was FINALLY done!!

There you have it, I wrapped it around a piece of cut cardboard to keep it accessible and I think I got about 7 yards. I did have one sections seam give out, which is why there's two ends visible in the picture (and the 18 inches that came off isn't included in the total yardage I gave). It was an adventure to say the least but with a little practice I think it will get much easier.

That's all for now,
Jo!

Bows

I mentioned in my last post about baby gifts that I was having fun making hair bows so I thought I'd show off a few more.

 

 I wish I knew how easy this process is before now. It's so simple to make bows! A little ribbon, a little fray check, and a lot of hot glue (or thread if making for younger kids- the twin Ks tore the hot glue apart like it was nothing) and you've got an adorable one-of-a-kind accessory for your one-of-a-kind kiddo (unless you're like me and they argue over who gets to wear which one so it's easier to make two-of-a-kind accessories)!

I think I made 5 of the hearts for Valentine's Day- none of them exactly the same- but we got a lot of compliments on them.

That's all for now,
Jo!

Baby Gifts

So my best friend is having a little girl and I couldn't be more excited! (I'm starting to get baby fever again but, with 4, I'm done and so I'll live vicariously through her.) This is the first little one since I've started sewing again so I was ready for special gifts for very special baby!
Here's my theme- or at least what I'm thinking: Rock-a-bye Baby.

Here's how it works out-
"Rock-a-bye Baby" (in this cute little dress)

*This was a super simple pillowcase dress made with pink chevron flannel because even when your baby is born in summer you're still worried they're not warm enough! Then added a cute Wal-Mart sew on applique (isn't that little birdie cute!).

"In the tree top" (where the owls sleep)

*Again super simple- just a yard of flannel and a yard of black satin with a pink satin bias trim. Easy as sew together and add trim- I made my corners rounded so I wouldn't have to worry about making the squared corners perfectly folded.

"When the wind blows" (these will keep your hair in place)

*I had a ton of fun making bows. There's seven here (I think I added one more small one with a cupcake that was made after this picture was taken) but I made over 20 total- my K girls are in bow HEAVEN!!

"The cradle will rock" (I'm not sure quite how I'm going to tie this one in, I'm thinking something about how this is a diaper "cradle")

*I followed a pattern from 7 Layers Studio, it was much easier that it looks, I promise! I added a pink trim to the top after this photo was taken, just to make sure the layers don't slip and to stiffen the opening. It's perfect size to hold a container of wipes and 5-10 diapers, depending on the size of the wipes container. It's great for quick diaper changes on the go instead of having to dig through the diaper bag to find everything.

That's it- I'm so glad I get to give such unique gifts to such a unique and loved little girl!

That's all for now,
Jo!

NSFW

Today, we have my first, and probably only, not safe for work craft.

I made this for my brother, per his request, because I love him. When I saw him over Christmas he had found a picture of one similar to this online and wanted me to replicate it.

So I did. It's nothing difficult or special- Simple doodle stitching and an easy rectangle pillow- but my brother loved it and that was all that mattered.



That's all for now,
Jo!