Brother PE 770 Embroidery Machine Cover

Hi crafters,

I won't admit to you how long I've had this fabric...I also won't admit to you that I purchased it without a project in mind! I'm quite sure I'm the only crazy lady who goes to a fabric shop that is moving and buys fabric just because she likes it :wink:

My brother machine came with a cover which I appreciated very much! However, it was plastic and far too large to accommodate the arm on the embroidery unit. I used the original cover to collect measurements then I tweeked once I started assembling it because it was in fact too big. The front and back pieces I cut at 11.5x25.5 then on a 45 degree angle on one side. The side I cut at 11.5x12.5 to start then I trimmed down to about 10.5x11.5. The top piece I started as 12.5x30.5,  I tapered this piece so it could fit over the arm. It ended up being about 29 inches long and 10.5 wide at the top of the machine and 11.5 at the bottom.  These are VERY loose measurements I did a lot of pinning and taking the cover on and off to get a good fit.

This cover is much more pleasing to the eye and makes you think about temperatures that aren't sub zero! 

Happy crafting,

{Baby Shower Gift} Diaper Cake with Burp Clothes

Hi crafters,

I've been busy working on a few projects! I made this diaper cake for a co-worker who is expecting a baby boy! I found this adorable dog and tennis ball fabric from fabric.com I used the Gerber Heavy Weight Diapers for the burp cloths. I know that embroidery can sometimes be abrasive on skin so I used the cotton fabric on the back of the diaper to protect that sweet baby skin!

I also got some newborn gerber hats and embroidered them with his initials. I used the hats and burp cloths to cover up the diapers. Mini clothes pins were used to secure the burp cloths to the cake. I've also discovered using kabob skewers with the points cut off help to keep the layers in place.

I used my Cricut Explore for the card. Click here for the file

Thanks for stopping by,

"bAprons" for Everyone!

Hi Crafters,

I've been SUPER busy preparing for the Christmas season. One of my big projects for the year was sewing aprons (or "baprons" as my niece used to call them). I used this great tutorial from 7 Layers Studio.  All the fabric is from Joann's. I had to size down the one for my niece, I mostly took the measurements and divided in half but I had to tinker with a few of them. I had a dress that I used to help me get the proportions correct. The sash didn't quite make it all the way around to keep a front tie but that's ok.

 I couldn't leave out the nephew, I didn't think he would appreciate wearing an apron. I whipped up this cute appliquéd onesie using some leftover fabric from the aprons.

Welcome Birdie

Hi Crafters,

Last weekend we threw a party for my sister. She is having her baby next month. She didn't want a big to do so we just the ladies in her immediate family come up for a fonDUE party.  We had lots of great cheese and chocolate and even did a few crafts.

 I also had been eying NewlyWoodward's pennant quilt and decided to attempt my first quilt. I even got to use the bias tape maker my husband got me for Christmas.

I learned a lot as I always do with the first project. I'm happy with the outcome!

I made a pumpkin hat with Fleece Fun's Pumpkin Pattern although the one I had is from a few years ago and the leaves were much smaller.

I used some jersey chevron material to make some festive hats for the little guy too.

I had a leftover cut from his baby book that I used for his card.  I embossed the background with the cuttlebug.

Thanks for stopping by,

A little craft therapy...{Chevron} Purse

Hi Crafters,

I am in the final stages of submitting my National Board Certification project. I took my written test yesterday and hope to submit my portfolios this week.  My test location had a Hobby Lobby close by so my co-worker and craft buddy and I stopped by after we finished our test.  I had been searching for chevron fabric for a few months and hadn't had much luck with my quest. I should have had a pattern ready to go but I had been a bit preoccupied so I just got 1 yard and that was plenty.  I already had the lining fabric that I got when our Joann's relocated for a song. I found this Tutorial on  Pinterest and it led me to crafter. I knew this was going to be perfect! I have had so little time to craft on the weekends recently I decided to take the afternoon to make the purse.

I followed the tutorial pretty closely.  I added 2 pockets inside for my phone and keys.  I opted to go for 1 strap instead of 2. I used the 2nd strap to make the rose, I just folded it in half again and rolled it up using hot glue to keep it together.  

I'm happy with the way it came out. It took most of the afternoon but I was glad to have the time to work on it.

Thanks for stopping by...

Happy Crafting,

Bridal Shower {Shaker} Invites

Hi crafters,

I had a blast working on these bridal shower invitations.  I created shaker style vellum invites for my niece's 3rd birthday.  I use that inspiration for these invites as well.  I cut out a bridal gown, an engagemetn ring, and the various hearts from the Sweetheart's cartridge.  I cut out an H for her name an an S for his name from Martha Stewart's Elegant Cake cartridge.

I designed the text on microsoft power point and printed 4 invites per page making their final size 4.25x5.5. I sewed around 3 of the sides.

 I filled the invite with the cutouts and some sequins

I then adjusted the cuts inside the vellum and sewed the last edge close. I hope the bride to be likes the way they turned out.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Crafting,

Happy {Mother's} Day! Cut it up Challenge!

Hi Crafters,

Mother's Day is right around the corner...

Here's a sweet little card I whipped up the other morning before school...


The card base is a 4x4 card (4 inches x 8 inches scored at 4 inches and folded in  half)

I used my cuttlebug to cut out 4 scalloped circles.  I folded each circle in quarters (folding it in half and in half again). I used glue dots to keep the petals somewhat together but still allow them to spread open a bit.

I cut the chevron paper at 3.5x3.5 and used a white scrap for the background.  I used my sewing machine to stitch along the bottom.

Be sure to check out the other great projects at Cut it Up! and link up your project for a chance to win!

Happy Crafting,

March...in like a {lion} Mama and Baby Lion Birthday

Hi Crafters,

It's our second challenge on Cut it Up! blog.  Thanks for coming to visit!

I created this card for the challenge March: in like a lion, out like a lamb.

The original design had a mane on both the lions but I didn't add it to the larger lion to create a lioness. This birthday card is for a new mom who is celebrating her birthday at the end of the month.  The card is an A2, the layers are cut at 4x2, 4x4.75 and 3.5x3.4.  I stitched along the bottom orange piece with a zig-zag stitch on my sewing machine.
I used the Create a Critter cartridge for the lions and the sentiment.
The mama lion and her layers are cut at 2.84 inches
The baby lion and his layers are cut at 2 inches.

Be sure to check out the other designer's amazing projects over at Cut it Up! and link up your project for a chance to win!

Happy Crafting,

Alligator Shower Sneak Peak

Hi Crafters,

Remember this adorable alligator invitation I made a few weeks ago?  We had the shower this past weekend.  I'm struggling a bit with our internet and doing the final edit of my photos.

I made these burp cloths as part of the gift for the mama and baby.  I cut out the alligator with the Create a Critter cartridge and heat and bond lite (so I could appliqué it on the sewing machine).  I used embroidery thread and a cutaway soft backing then I did 2 eyelets for the eyes so there wouldn't be buttons.  I finished it off with a ric-rack before sewing it onto the diaper.

You can see a snippet of the name canvas in the background.

More to come soon!

Happy Crafting,

Polka-Dotted Swirls Wedding Card

Hi Crafters,

I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying being able to run up to the craft loft and whip up a project.  There's nothing like having everything out and ready to go.

I found out recently that a new co-worker is getting married in a few weeks.  I created this for our group gift from the team.

I used this Taylored Expressions sketch for my inspiration. 

The triple accent are 3 little sewn hearts from my machine.  The rings are cut from Sweethearts cricut cartridge.  I embossed the small white square with the the textile cuttlebug folder.  I used the Martha Stewart scoreboard to make an envelope to fit the A7 sized card.

Thanks for stopping by!  Ya'll East Coasters stay safe this weekend! The hurricane Sandy is late to the hurricane season party.

Happy Crafting,

Crafting as an Aunt...

Hi Crafters,

Crafting as an Aunt is one of my favorite ways to craft.  When I found these free patterns from Fleece Fun I knew this would be the perfect first sewing project in the craft loft.  I had my sister ask Penelope which one she wanted for this fall and she picked the pumpkin. That one is my favorite with the dinosaur version coming in a close second. I made the size large child hat for her.

You may have noticed that there are 2 hats there... I will be an aunt x2 in February! My brother in law and his wife are having their first child.  I realize that a pumpkin hat in February may seem a bit out of place, so I created the baby's hat in a baby size large.  I can't wait to see that little pumpkin wearing my hat next fall.

The pattern, directions and video were very easy to understand.  I have plenty of leftover to make a few more.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoy your Labor Day weekend!

Happy Crafting,

Custom Bench Cushion

Hi crafters,

This past week has been rather warm!  We had a bad storm roll through last Friday and we didn't have power until Thursday evening.  I must admit I am spoiled and had a generator running the fridge and ceiling fan as well as a gas hot water heater so it was more like camping.  I'm so grateful for all the extra help our power company had from all over North America to help get power back as quickly as we did.

I found this tutorial from the CSI Project and the directions where so clear that I decided that I could make one for our bay window.

The bench is counter height seating for the table.  It is about 10 feet long and 21 inches wide.

My supplies all came from Joann's

3 inch foam 2x10 feet (came from joanns.com) $45.00 shipped

Indoor/outdoor canvas $35.00 (3.5 yards)

Piping 7.5 yards $20.00

Upholstery thread $5.00

Topstitch needles $5.00

Velcro 18 inches (I can't remember the price)

At one point when I was gathering my supplies I decided to research if it was actually going to be cheaper to make this rather than having someone make it for me.  I found an online company that does custom cushions and after playing around with that I determined it would cost around $300.00 to get the cushion I wanted.  I did end up saving some money.

My husband used an electric carving knife to cut the foam down for me.  He tried a razor blade first but the foam was too dense.

The project took me about 2 days to complete.  When we didn't have power I cut out all the fabric and started pinning to get things ready for the sewing machine.  I suppose part of this is my novice sewing skills but it always surprises me how long it takes to cut things out!  It could be that cutting has NEVER been my favorite (I think it's because of my left-handedness).  I suspected it would take some time to get all these pieces cut and I was right.  It was probably good that I didn't have access to a sewing machine so that I didn't try to rush through the cutting process.

I did of course make some modifications to suit my needs.  I did not use any batting around the cushion (which I think probably saved my tail I just barely had enough fabric). I also did not do piping around the bottom which saved me $20.00.  When it came time to attach the pieces together I pinned it all then I traced where the foam was with a marker so I had a good idea where the seam needed to be since I did not have the piping to guide me.

So here are my final thoughts and comments,

It was a relatively easy project.  The zipper foot was a critical piece when working with the piping.

I ended up using the upholstery thread on the top and a regular weight cotton/poly blend in the bobbin.  My machine did not do well with the heavier thread in the bobbin. The velcro did not do well with the upholstery thread at all! I switched to regular thread for those pieces.  My cushion was also much longer than the tutorial so I used pins to put the fabric onto the cushion that helped keep everything in place when I was pinning to make sure everything fit correctly.

Thanks for visiting!

Happy Crafting,

Pillows for the Kitchen

Hi Crafters,

I've been using my sewing machine to make some pillows to put on the bench that goes with the kitchen table.

The wood grain fabric and the twill both came from Joann's.  The duck fabric (far left) is from a local overstock store.

I used some of the decorative stitches that my Husqvarna Viking Emerald 183 offers to embellish this pillow.

This pillow was created with freezer paper and the Teresa Collin's Sophisticated cartridge. I have just about gotten to the point that I am fairly comfortable with my sewing machine.  It's nice to be able to just use it and not fret about what could go wrong.

Happy Crafting,

Bridal Shower Card with Purple Accents

Hi Crafters,
I am headed on a road trip today with my mom and younger sister.  We are headed to the American Girl store then I am going to my college roommate's bridal shower.

This is the card I made for her shower. I swear if I could make clothes with my cricut and cuttlebug I would be set!

I used the Sweethearts cricut cartridge for the dress and veil.  The patterned paper came from the DCWV Sweet Shop photo matt stack.

I cut the dress in the two layers and embossed the back layer with the d'vine swirls folder.  I cut a small piece of tulle and attached it between the two layers.  The top layer was also embossed with the cuttlebug.  I trimmed off the straps to make a sweetheart neckline.  I attached some bling with the Jolee's Heat affix tool.  I sewed the tulle to the veil and trimmed it to the correct size.  I then cut a piece of purple card stock and did a decorative stitch on the top and bottom with my sewing machine

Enjoy your day!

Jinger Adams Design Team Call

Hi Crafters,

Jinger Adams, former Provo Craft Spokeswoman, is hosting a design team call.  I have always enjoyed seeing her project ideas and inspiration so I decided to apply.  My best friend and my husband's best friend got married last weekend.  I used this lovely event as the inspiration for my project.  These love birds are from the Sweethearts cricut cartridge.

 Here's the recipe:

I started with an A2 size card (5.5x8.5 scored at 4.25)
Cut white card stock 4x5.25
Cut vellum to layer at 4x5.25
Sew eyelets using sewing machine with cream thread
Attach these layers to the base of the card
Using the Sweethearts cricut cartridge cut the birds with the various layers at 4.41 (I used my gypsy to hide various elements so I could just cut what I needed).
Before gluing down the nest run it through the sewing machine several times with a light brown thread for contrast
Emboss the tree branch with the "forest" cuttlebug folder
Attach the leaves
Cut a small piece of white tulle for the veil attach with a glue dot
Assemble the birds
Use a black pen to accent the eyes and add eye lashes to the bride bird.
Use pop dots to attach the birds to the card.
Stamp sentiment inside

The cut at this size makes it a BIT too big to fit in an envelope.  If you are planning on mailing I would suggest making the cricut cuts a bit smaller.


Thanks for stopping by,

Mustache party shirt

Hi Crafters,

Here is my first wearable sewing machine project!  This is for my niece's birthday party next weekend.

I took a pre-made tshirt and cut some applique with my cricut.  I used heat and bond lite on the back of the fabric.  The 2 is from Lyrical Letters and the Mustache is from Paper Doll Dress Up.

I used soft cut away for the stabilizer.  I made good friends with my seam ripper for this project ;) I learned a lot and of course it is far from perfect, but it works.

I hope she likes it!

Happy Crafting,

Hats and (Mus)taches Party Invites

Hi Crafters,

My niece is turning 2 this month! I can't believe how fast the time has flown!  She loves hats and mustaches are quite popular in the crafting world so we merged the two to make a Hats and Stache birthday party.

 The 2 is from Martha Stewart's Elegant Cake cart and the hat and mustache are from Paper Doll Dress Up.  I used markers on the hat to show the detailing.  Then I stitched around the yellow paper before gluing it down.

The inside I printed the party details on white cardstock and attached it.  I hope she likes them!

Happy Crafting,

Triple Threat Valentine's Day Cards

Hi Crafters,

I mentioned in my previous post that my parents purchased me a new sewing machine as a gift.  My mom specifically chose the Husqvarna Viking Emerald 183 for me because of all the extra stitches it had thinking I could use it for paper crafting as well.  I finally got it up and running after a bit of a bobbin casing user error issue.

I lowered the pressure on the presser foot for sewing on card stock and it did beautifully!  I call these cards a triple threat because they have sewing, cuttlebug, and cricut (on most) of them.

I stitched a heart boarder on the edge of the cards.  I used swiss dots on the white background.  I used several 2x2 cuttlebug embossing folders for the embossed images.  The dicut hearts are from George and Basic Shapes. The ones that aren't stamped on the outside are stamped on the inside with the same sentiment.  The stamp is a studio G stamp and fit the theme perfectly!  Click on the pictures for larger images.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Crafting,