My husband has started taking flying lessons. The fun part is that I get to tag along. So while he is trying to sort out every little detail that one needs to know in order to fly a plane...I get to take pictures:~)
Anyways...he asked me to make him a bag for is headset a little bit ago. I finally got down to making it over the weekend. The outside is a fake leather and the inside is lined in fleece. It was quick simple and fits perfectly.
Hello! My name is Tara and I'm a Craft Blog addict!
At this point in time I have 30 blogs in my RSS reader and I'm constantly adding to that number. The only reason there are so few is because I have actually been able to exercise some restraint, but I feel it slipping:~) There are so many fabulously creative ladies out there with fantastic blogs I just can't help myself!!! And its not just craft blogs that I follow. There are food blogs, photography blogs, decorating blogs, sewing blogs, chances are if it involves being creative I'm more than likely interested. I have more little orange flags, marking projects and ideas and recipes, than I know what to do with.
Here are a FEW of the blogs I have been privileged to stumbled across.
Happy Friday!
My sewing machine came with a big, plain, ugly, white cover. See...
I told you plain and ugly. And that just isn't my style. So ofcourse I decided to make a new one. I used 3 fat quarters and some bias tape that I had made for another project. The existing cover served as my template.
aahhh...much better:~)
TGIF!!!!!!!!! It has been a week full of playing catch-up for me. I think I have finally gotten on top of things. And I promise I have a something other than pictures to post next week:~) But until then here are some a few neat things I have come across lately.
1. Better Oats - http://www.betteroats.com/
I found these at Fred Meyer a while back and I am completely hooked. They really are better than the instant oatmeal I was using. They are made with real ingredients and the big plus for me is that they contain flaxseed already. They taste fantastic and at my grocery store they are cheaper. Which in my book equals awesome!
2. Grocery IQ for iPhone - http://www.groceryiq.com/groceryiq/index.html
This app rocks. My favorite thing about it is that I can put in prices and it will keep a running total for me. Really helps me stay on budget. You can scan items into your list, which helps in building your list and it also has a function that allows you to keep track of your coupons and savings card. Unfortunately Fred Meyer is not in it so I haven't been able to use it. I any of you gets a chance to try it please let me know what you think!
3. Embroidered Effects - http://www.sublimestitching.com/embroideredeffects.html
I picked this book up at B&N a while back. I really wanted to get into embroidery and I loved the modern designs in this book. I already knew several stitches and have bits here and there, but I've never really gone full into it. This book has very clear instrustions and great tips. She also has included several reusable, heat transfer patterns. So far I'm throughly enjoying it.
I have had this plain old pillow for years. I pull it out every time I get into my fabric stash and think to myself I really need to do something with this and then I shove it back in the box.
Well I finally decided to do something with it:~)
Ruffled Pillow Tutorial
1. Decide how large you want/need to make your cover. My actual pillow was 12x12 so I made my cover 13x13. ( I used scrap fabric for the whole pillow. )
2. Make your strips. Mine were about an inch wide and about a foot and a half long. How "ruffled" you want your ruffles will determine how long your strips are. The longer the strips the more ruffled.
3. Baste down the middle of all of your strips. Do not back stitch either end and be sure to leave a nice long tail of thread on both ends as well.
4. Create your ruffles by gently pulling the bobbin thread on your strips. You want each ruffle to extend from one end of your pillow cover to the other.
5. Pin each ruffle to one of the pillow cover pieces (wrong side of ruffle facing the right side of the cover).
6. Stitch each ruffle in place. Sew right down the middle of each of them.
7. Pin the other cover piece over the piece with the ruffles, right sides together.
8. Sew around the outside. I used a 1/2" seam. Be sure to leave an opening so that you will be able to turn it and stuff it.
9. Turn your cover right side out and stuff.
10. Stitch the opening closed.
11. Display your super cute ruffled pillow somewhere fun!
I have been wanting to participate in A Frock by Friday over at Grosgrain ever since I discovered her blog, but I have always had too many other projects on my list. This week I finally got time to sit down and join in:~) It was super simple and I really love the style of the Anda pattern. The best part about it is that it is so versitile. I'm already planning some alterations for a future frock....eventually I'll get around to trying them out.
Here is how my Frock turned out....
It took me forever to pick out a fabric I liked. In Alaska we are pretty limited and I just hate ordering fabric without being able to feel it or see the true color. Surprisilgly once I found this burried on the shelf at JoAnne's I was pretty happy. I love that it still has that "little black dress" feel but with a little more character:~)
College classes start again on Thursday. This year along with my academic classes I have decided to take a hot yoga class as well. I'm hoping this will help keep my energy/spirits up during our cold, dark, alaskan winter (which is already peaking around the corner) and get my butt back into shape:~)
Since I will be lugging myself and my mat downtown twice a week I decided a bag was in order. I used the fabric I had left over from my ironing board cover and to get started I used Amy Butler's free Nigella Yoga Bag pattern. I made my bag a bit bigger. The material my mat is made of is rather clingy and the larger bag helps keep it from getting hung up on the material and it fits my water bottle:~) I also did not add the pocket, I mixed up my fabric a bit by adding a panel down the front, and I changed up the top so that it could be cinched closed.
I had intended to make a tutorial, but I ran out of time. If anyone is interested in a tutorial with the changes I made let me know:~)
I have been meaning to buy myself a new camera strap for a while now. There is just something about the standard black and yellow Nikon strap that just doesn't do it for me:~) But I keep finding other fancy things to spend my money on. So in the mean time I decided to make a cover for the strap I have. I also decided to make my first official attempt at a tutorial. I will apologize in advance for any mistakes or confusion:~)
Pleated Camera Strap Slip Cover
You will need:
1/2 yard of fabric
1. Measure the width of your camera strap. Double that measurement and add 1/2" for your seam allowance. Mine ended up being 5". Cut two strips. You will need the second one for a lining. I originally did this without the lining and trying to pull the camera strap through was painful. It just kept getting caught up on the back side of the pleats.
2. Lay out your first strip and begin adding pleats until your fabric strip is even with thick part of your camera strap. Don't forget to leave room for finishing your ends.
3. Baste your pleats. This will keep them where they belong for the next steps.
4. Finish the edge of your lining piece. Make sure it is the same length as your top strip.
5. Lay both pieces right sides together. Fold them in half length wise and pin.
*I forgot to take a picture of my second attempt with the lining. But this gives you an idea of what it should look like.*
6. Sew both pieces together. I used a 1/4" seam.
7. Turn right side out and iron.
And Presto.....Camera Strap Cover!
