Bow Tutorial

A few weeks ago I posted a Bow Holder project I had made for all my daughters hair bows. I mentioned then that I would post a Hair Bow Tutorial at some point in the future...
So here it is!

There are a lot of ways to make hairbows - mine probably isn't the best/most professional/easiest way. It's just the way I do it - and it works for me! My daughter is VERY (over)active, and these stay together for her - so I must be doing something right!
Type A: The Boutique Bow

To start I cut two lengths of ribbon based on what size I want my bow to be. I singe the ends with a lighter and fold them into loops. I use hot glue to attach mine - a very tiny bit! Otherwise you won't be able to gather the bow in the center.

(I used to use sewing glue, but found that hot glue holds about a millions times better and dries about a million times quicker)

Put one loop inside the other and turn them so they make an X

Then cut your additional ribbons. For this bow I used 1 wide organza ribbon and 4 coordinating gross grain ribbons (2 of each pattern.)

Again, I singe the edges with a lighter, then layer the ribbons on top of my X.

I use super thin floral wire to wrap the middle as tight as I can get it.

At this point I added another ribbon - it felt like it needed some more pink.

Then I choose a coordinating ribbon to use as the center wrap and attach it with a dot of hot glue.

I attach the barrette to the back of the bow with (yep!) more hot glue - then wrap the ribbon over it.

And there it is!

Type 2: The Pony Bow

I just learned how to make this style, and I love it. I actually purchased one from Gymboree so I could examine it closely. Mine are just as fabulous as theirs are, and are SO MUCH CHEAPER.

Start with several pieces (I used 10) of coordinating ribbon in different widths and patterns cut to about 14 inches long.

Make sure they're nice and flat - I use a 1/2 inch flat iron to smooth mine out.

You're going to choose two "main" ribbons to become your T for the bow. One will be the bottom, the other will be the top. They should match each other.
Start with the bottom ribbon and begin crossing ribbons over the top of it.

The goal is that no two ribbons sit directly on top of each other - so you can see them all when it's laying flat - but you want to keep them pretty close together or the ribbons don't fall as pretty when it's in the pony tail.

Once they're all laid out how you want them, sew them together. You don't have to use a machine for this, but I did.

Sew it in an X, so you're sure to get all the ribbons.

Then you take your elastic, stand it up right and use your second "T" ribbon to attach it.

I marked where I wanted it and sewed the first side without the elastic in it.

Then I slid the elastic back in and sewed the second side down.

And that's it.

Here it is in my daughters pony tail. I love this style of bow! It's so sweet - but a little more "grown-up" looking :)

Sew What!

It's day two of the Creative Chick Parade!!!

Link up as many sewing projects as you want...we can't wait to see them all!!!

Once again - here's a list of all the super-cool bloggers that are part of this blog hop! Be sure to check them all out - many are hosting giveaways this week!

Sew Much Ado
Fingerprints on the Fridge
Girl.Inspired
Blog Guidebook
Sumo's Sweet Stuff
Brown Paper Packages
Dilly Dally and Flitter
The Trendy Treehouse
Lucky Star Lane
Beat Until Fluffy
Dear Madelyn

The Girl Creative

"sewing"

I know how to sew.
I'm not even bad at it.
But sometimes it's a lot of work.
Dragging the sewing machine out, threading the needle, winding the bobbin (it's always empty!)
Blah, blah, blah.

So when I wanted some sort of fall-themed pillows for my front porch, I decided to sew the easy way.
With my glue gun.
Bonus - I did the whole thing outside :)

I picked up some beautiful outdoor fabric at JoAnn's in the remnant bin. The big piece was about $4, the little piece was only about $2.  I used the pillows that I already had sitting out there and covered them up. I figure I'll just rip open the seams when I'm done with the Fall theme :)

Okay - here we go! Easiest sewing you'll ever do.
To start I folded the fabric with right sides together, then laid the pillow on top of the fabric and cut it to size.

Then I used my hot glue gun to glue two sides together so that only the bottom was open. Here it is after I turned it right side out.

Then I put the pillow in and glued the last edge together.

 

This is how my final "seam" looks.

Turned out cute, huh?

Honestly, I would never do this for pillows that were going to be inside the house - but for the porch? I love it - quick, easy and cute!

Spa Wrap/Cover Up

My daughter, Tessa (who just turned 8) and I are leaving for Girl Scout Camp today!
It should be an adventure!!!

I wanted to make her something special for camp. A little accessory or souvenir that she'd always associate with her first time at camp. I settled on a spa wrap/cover up.
Our camp has a lake, and the girls will be swimming.
I believe the showers are communal, as well. So her little wrap will be functional as well as fun!

To start, I scoured the internet for a design I liked. I found this one, from Centsational Girl, and LOVED it. The ruffles were just too perfect for my little girly-girl.  Eventually I may do what she did and make one for myself, but for now I only had time to make the one.

This is a project that's been in my head for some time. Last year I bought a set of towels on clearance at Target with this project in mind. They were part of the '09 College Collection and I got 2 bath towels, 2 hand towels and 2 washcloths for $3.24. Score!
I started with my cheap towels and a scrap of fabric I had in my stash.

I cut the fabric into strips (about 4 inches wide) then folded it in half, lengthwise, and ironed it flat. Then I folded it up about every inch or so and ironed those folds flat, making faux pleats.
Then I sewed my pleats down.

Next I measured my daughter and cut the towel accordingly. My 8 year old is kind of tiny, so the regular size bath towel was quite large on her. I ended up cutting about 18 inches off one end, plus the finished end from the other side.

I folded the top down about 2 inches and sewed it shut, creating a casing for my elastic.  I measured my daughters chest, subtracted 2 inches and cut the elastic to that length. Then I put a safety pin on one end of the elastic and sent it through the casing, but not all the way. I sewed the other end into the towel.
Then I sewed the ruffle onto one end of my wrap.
Next, I measured the length on my daughter and hemmed the bottom of the towel (after cutting about 2 inches off.)  Originally I wanted to give it a ruffle on the bottom, but I was running short on time and decided against it. I can always add one, later :)

I used one of the washclothes to make a pocket, next. I decided how big I wanted it and cut it down to that size. I left the hem from the cloth on the bottom, and left the top raw, but I ironed the two sides in.
Then I added a ruffle to the top edge and finished it off with a piece of double fold bias-tape.

 

I top stitched it onto the wrap.

This is when I finally finished the elastic. I waited until the end so I'd be working with a flat piece for as long as possible.
First, I threaded the safety pin the rest of the way through the casing, then I pulled the elastic tight as I sewed from the finished edge to the unfinished edge. I did it twice, the second line just a few centimeters away from the first.
Then I hemmed the unfinished end of the wrap.

I added two sets of velcro to the wrap, so that it would stay closed on her.

Then I added straps (using the hemmed pieces I had cut off earlier) so that it would stay UP on her.

And that was it.

I love how it turned out. She looks adorable in it and LOVES it. We leave for camp in two hours - hopefully I'll get a cute picture or two of her in it in a real setting! For now, here she is, photoshopped into post-card form :)

Linking up at...
The Girl Creative and
Raising Memories

Gorgeous Stocking Tutorial (and Giveaway!)

****Comments are closed! Sherri from Design2Shine is the winner and has been emailed! Thanks, everyone!****

If you're here from The Girl Creative's Creating Christmas Party, welcome!

If you're not, you really should go check it out!

Todays link party is all about creative wrapping, and I posted my pretty patchwork stockings.

I promised a tutorial on them, so here it is!

First, my customary sewing disclaimer...
I am not good at sewing. I don't do anything the right way - only the way that works for me.  If you read this and you think to yourself "how did this airhead ever sew anything?!" The answer is...idunno!

Step one is to make yourself a template/pattern.  Make sure to add extra room for seam allowances!
I drew out my stocking (on a brown paper grocery bag from Target!)
Once it was all adjusted to my liking I cut it out.

Use your pattern to cut out all of your fabric pieces.

 

The foot is the hardest part.  So that's where we'll start.
I'm going to show you the jester style foot, because it's the more difficult of the two.

Once your foot is cut out, sew it, making sure the right sides of the fabric are together(!)

Now turn it right side out.  I use a chopstick to get the tiny ends turned out.

The inside of the foot needs to be stuffed with batting for it to stand up and look right.  I use my chopstick again, and just push and push until it's all filled up to my liking.  The boot style foot is done the same way - it's just a bit easier without that awful curl at the end!
The foot is done, for now, so we'll move on to the leg.

 

Sew your leg fabrics together (right sides facing in) and then press your seams so they will lay flat.
You should have a rectangle of fabric now.

Then you take the right side of your bottom fabric and line it up with the outside of your boot (leave some room to sew the leg up later) and sew them together.
This can be tricky.
I take the removable portion of my sewing machine off for this part, so I don't have to work around it.

At this point you have an open leg sort of draped over the foot.

 

You COULD stuff the foot here, instead of before all this. I never do, though - I prefer to work with the foot first so I can see it better.

Now you sew the leg up. The foot will be inside, be careful not to catch it in the needle, otherwise you'll have to un-pick and you'll be cursing me.

Now...turn it right side out, and you're basically done!

All that's left is to add the internal sock and the embellishments.

To sew the inside sock use whatever scrap fabric you have laying around.
Take the pattern off the completed stocking and then sew it up.

 

Leave it inside out and place it inside the stocking, then sew the two pieces together.
I just let the seam show here, then press it under with an iron and sew an embellishment over the top.

 

Once that's done I add ruffles, trims and bells - usually where the fabrics meet, over the seams, because I like how it looks best there - by hand.

And that's it!

Now...if you got this far...

You can enter to win the boot stocking we just made!

Just leave a comment.
Followers get an extra entry!
You can post through Tuesday, and I'll drop it in the mail 1 week from today.  That will be Thursday, December 17.  I'm not positive that it will get to you by Christmas, but we'll try!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

PS...I'll be linking up everywhere! Go check out these parties!

     

Transformation Thursday at the Shabby Chic Cottage
Funky Junk's Saturday Nite Special
The DIY Showoff
It's So Very Cheri's Monday party
Newly Woodwards Dare to DIY party
DIY Day at ASPTL