Our Gryffindors for Halloween 2011

Just a quick hello and thanks for all the fun comments on our Halloween projects this year.  My kids are sound asleep, and had a fabulous day today between school and church parties.  We learned, if you actually trick or treat in the country, you find some wonderful treats!

Gryffindor Fleece Scarves + Tutorial

To wrap up my costume making this year, we made Gryffindor inspired scarves. I say "we" because my older children both helped to stitch them together.

They are pretty simple to make.  I'm sure there's a better way out there, but this is what my frazzled brain came up with.

Shutterfly Winner and what I picked.

So, I spent way too much time chosing a Christmas card. This is what I finally picked:

It's the Rainbow Greetings Christmas flat 5x7 card.  My favorite part? You could choose whatever you wanted for the back:

Printed Fabric Patch Tutorial

For each Hogwarts student, a patch was affixed to designate the house they belonged to. I wanted to make a patch for my kids' costumes, and the easiest way I figured to do this was using my printer.

Hogwarts Robe Tutorial

Any student at Hogwarts must wear the requisite uniform. For my aspiring wizards and witch, I had to come up with something, quick. For my older kids, I modified the graduation robes we'd held onto from Mr. Pickup and I's college days. For my younger son, I realized my Banded Peasant Blouse Tutorial would be a great starting point.

Hedwig Costume

For the first time, we're having a family theme for Halloween costumes.  My older children are all dressing up as their favorite Hogwarts attendees, Harry, Hermoine, and Ron, which left Dolly to dress up as something.  I ran across this darling costume:

Source: B is for Boy via Chris on Pinterest

and thought it would make a great Hedwig costume.  I shared a preview of my version on my blog's facebook page...and here is the final result.

Shutterfly Christmas Cards + Giveaway for you!

I have a confession.  I usually don't send out Christmas cards.  I love receiving my friend's cards...but it just seems to be one of those things not on my radar until it's too late.  Not this year!

Shutterfly has generously offered to let me sample their lovely cards, and also share a giveaway of 25 Holiday Cards for 3 readers!  Are you getting excited?  Click HERE for your chance to win!

Trick or Treat Bags + mini tutorial

Remember this post? I shared a couple of fun applique designs for making a Trick or Treat Bag based on my Easter Basket tutorial. I decided I should make a couple for my girls.

Egg Carton Witch Tutorial for the Kiddos

When my oldest daughter was in preschool, she made the cutest little witch.  Last year when my little boy was in homeschool preschool, we made my version of this craft.  I thought you all might like to make one with a little one in your life, so here's a quick tutorial and template.

Love @ Home

We've had some issues in our home lately. Like being mean just for the heck of it.

Kids Clothing Week

My goal for this week is to make these lovely fabrics into pajamas for Kids Clothing Week.  Anyone else playing along?

Thoughts on a Saturday

So, it's finally happening.  We're really going to build a new house.  The building permit goes out next week, and soon there will be a large hole dug.  I'm so excited I've been window shopping for fixtures on ebay.  :)

Here's a rendering of the front elevation.  Never mind the shutters...picture wide trim around the windows. 

And here is the main floor floor plan.

Oh Boy...

I am excited to introduce you to another fun blogging friend.  Stacey at Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy is a doll.  She made me this darling pillow cover last year.

Her husband is in government foreign service, and they are in the middle of moving again.  I am happy to be over there today sharing a delicious recipe for the most amazing French toast I've ever had.

Hop on over, and check it out!

Shop update

Hello everybodeeeee!  (with my best Grover voice)

I haven't been idle, although I don't have a lot of photos to share today.  I revamped and re-wrote my Buster Baby Bib pattern,

Sewing 101 with Michele, Loop Closures

It's time for another wonderful Sewing 101 post!  I'm delighted to welcome Michele from Michele Made Me.  I twisted her arm into helping this month.  She is SO creative, and makes amazing things. Take it away, Michele!

Disclaimer: Somehow I cleverly managed to get myself into guest-posting for Chris' immensely practical Sewing 101 series. I'm honoured as Dickens to have a chance to occupy this space even for a millisecond. But it's just that... well... honestly... I don't consider myself much of a sewist. Oh, I'm not saying I don't sew. I DO sew. And I like it! But like a lot of people, I sew in a sort of haphazard, trial-and-error (emphasis on the error), bull-in-a-china-shop, learn-as-you-go kinda way. Sewing to teach people? That's a different spool of thread altogether.

So I decided to tackle my post from the point of view of a learner. In other words, I'm sitting at the front of the class figuring these things out as I go here. As a result, I will be sending you hither and thither to a few really great tutorials.

Are you ready? Let's learn something!

So I've chosen to explore the "ins and outs" of the loop closure as an alternative to buttons and button holes, snaps, and other closures, so that we might add it to our bag of sewing tricks. The loop closure is simple. Essentially, it's made up of two elements: 1) the loop, and 2) what I'm going to call "the anchor". See? I'm making stuff up already... As part of my learning, I decided to try my hand at a few loop closure variations.

Variation #1: Fabric Loop + Button

First, I visited The Sewing Diva. Her button loop tutorial tutorial showed me how to make the most basic button loop closure. The process photos I include below are only to prove that I actually tried doing it for real. The Sewing Diva will show you the way.

Just let me add 2 small recommendations to the info The Sewing Diva provides: 1) to get the perfect button placement once you've sewn in the loops, mark the button locations through the loops and stitch the buttons in place. And 2) to make the loops themselves, make tiny fabric tubes using the highly recommended "Turning Tubes of Fabric" trick from Pattern Review and go from there.

I will say this for the basic button loop. Of the variations I tried, this is by far my favourite. Once you've learned the trick to lining everything up properly, it is quite simple and the results are so pretty. Not only that, but it won't take long to perfect. The following result was my very first attempt. Not too bad eh? Only a little bit off. I still think it looks pretty.

Variation #2: Fabric Loops + Tie

Next, using the very same method as in #1, I decided to try putting a series of loops on either side of an opening, and have it lace up like a pair of shoes. You've no doubt seen this concept on vests and dresses to allow for growth or cinching. But I could imagine using this variation as a small-scale decorative element on the flap of a messenger bag maybe, or on the back pockets of girl's pants even. Wouldn't that be cute?

Again in variation 2, I used the handy "Turning Tubes of Fabric" trick from Pattern Review to make the loop fabric.

Variation #3: Stretchy Loop + Decoration

Elastic hair ties make great stretchy loops. For my third loop closure variation, I started by making a felt swirly flower. Dozi Design shows you how to make swirly flowers here. I made my flower out of felt instead of paper, secured it with several stitches, stitched on some leaves, and paired my flower with an elastic loop for a sweet decorative closure. I used the very same method presented in #1 and #2 for installing the loop.

The possible uses for this closure are many and varied. Think belts, bracelets, needle cases, journal covers, bags and more. The stretchiness of the loop allows for firm closure and permits the use of bigger and odd-shaped anchors. For example, instead of a flower, why not use something else entirely? Like a painted wooden cutout or a crocheted bobble? Just make sure your loop is long enough to stretch around your chosen anchor.

Variation #4: Chinese Frog and Knot Before writing this post, I had seen "frogs and knots" on oriental dresses and silk bags. You can purchase these closures ready-made in sewing shops and online. But guess what? You can actually make your own too! Bridges on the Body has a beautiful Chinese frog and knot closure tutorial that will allow you to make your very own closures to match your particular project.

Truthfully, it took me many many - probably about 15 to 20 (I stopped counting after awhile...) - tries before I got these to look anywhere near authentic. But to be fair, I was using the wrong type of cord at first: a small crocheted chain that I'd made. Bad idea.

To be successful, you need the type of cord with a high coefficient of loopiness. In other words, it's gotta hold its loopy shape and resist flopping and folding. Once I figured that out, the frogs were much easier to make. Also, after so many tries, the method is etched forever in my little brain. But it is an elegant process once you know it. I'm very glad I learned it!

Variation #5: Emboidered Loop + Button

And finally, the fifth variation that I attempted was this embroidered loop. I learned how to make it from Ysolda.

Ysolda's button loop tutorial perfectly explains the easy steps to create this simple embroidered loop. It seems to me this variation would be perfect for a small subtle closure, one that you hope won't be too obvious.

And there you have it: my round-up of five loopy closures. Hopefully you will find it useful or, at the very least, feel encouraged to learn about a different closure! I certainly did. I'm sure whole new neural pathways have formed in my brain as a consequence too. And it didn't even hurt!

Come visit me at my blog, Michele Made Me, for all kinds of craftiness. I'll show you how to make some amusing things: your own covered buttons from scratch for example, or a pincushion out of a toilet roll, or maybe a fridge photo magnet display out of denim. Drop by anytime. I would love to have you!

Thank you sweet Chris for letting me prattle on about loopy closures on your lovely blog today. I learned something new by doing it and hopefully your readers will too. Have a great day!

How fabulous is this?  I love using loop closures since making the Portfolio dress...and you can use them in so many different projects!  Thank you so much, Michele.  I first found you through the covered button post...and have been a fan ever since.  


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