Ribbon T-Shirt Revival

I found this picture as I was cleaning out my picture folder, and thought maybe you could use an easy way to brighten up a regular old t-shirt...

 

This was done with a T-shirt and one of those ribbon rolls that they have in the target dollar bins. I love them, they have several colors on the roll, with cute patterns and they all coordinate. Yea!

 



 

Imagine what you can do...

 

 

Don't mind that I totally sewed her pocket shut. It's so tiny anyways, and she never even noticed I did it and I'm not going to tell her!!  Shhh!

 

 

Until next time.....

 

 

A Flower, a Girl and a Belt

This past summer, I made Lucy a ruffle shirt. But I thought it needed something to break up the ruffles. So I decided to make this belt out of a vinyl material!! (It was late...don't judge!) :)

 

 

I loved how the flower turned out...so I'll show you how o make one...but first here is how it looked in combination with thew ruffle shirt.

Oh and first of all, I didn't plan of using these pictures, so ignore her pajama pants. But I took three pictures of Lucy in this belt, and these are seriously in order of how she posed. Take about hamming it up!!

 

 

#1 Here I am....

 

 

#2 A little more into it...

 

 

#3 Hamming it up!

 

Here's how to make one of these cute flowers.

 

Begin by choosing your fabric. One color, two colors --- doesn't matter.

Trace a circle on your fabrics. I did 4-inches and 3.5-inches in diameter.

I usually cut out 3-4 circles from one fabric and 3-4 circles from another fabric, But I did the same fabric for this one!!

 

Find the center by folding and creasing down the middle. Then cut down the center of all the circles. Your half circles.

 

Fold each half circle in 1/2, wrong sides together. Sew approx. 1/4 in. seam down the straight edge.

 

 

Clip the threads and turn right side out.

 

 

Begin Bottom Layer of Flower The biggest size petal.

Use thread and stitch a running stitch on the bottom curve of each 'petal'.

 

 

Add your next 'petal' with that same running stitch.

Keep adding 'petals' to this same length of thread until all of that size are gone.

Pull tightly on the thread to form the flower. Secure with back stitches.

Leave a 10 in. tail when cutting thread

 

 

Repeat steps for top layer of flower as you did with the bottom flower. Also leave a 10 in. tail when cutting thread.

 

Using one of the 10 in. tails of thread, stitch the top layer to the bottom layer of fabric flower. Do not cut other thread. You will use this thread to secure the button.

 

Use a button for the center of the flower. Fabric covered, or your choice of button/bead whatever.

 

Using the other 10 in. tail of your thread, sew button to the center of the flower.

 

Trace a circle on felt to cover the back center --messy thread part!-- and using fabric glue, or a hot glue gun, attach felt to back of flower.

 

 

All Done. Add a pin back, or a alligator clip and attach it to belts, handbags, or as a hair bow.

 

Until next time...

A Little Halloween Inspiration...

So lets face it, getting things ready for a holiday takes a little planning, so here are some halloween inspired outfits for your little cuties!!

 

 

Candy Corn Onesie

 

 

Pumpkin Onesie

 

Witches Boot Onesie

 

What kind of things do you like to do to help your kids celebrate Halloween??

 

Until next time....

 

The Tastes of Fall

Can I just say....I LOVE FALL!

I love the look- the leaves changing color, the sound- the leaves crunching beneath my feet, the feel- that slight breeze that lets you know to enjoy it now, because its going to get colder. I even kind of like the rain, I guess you get that when you live in Oregon for a few years!! But most of all, I like the tastes of fall!!

I think that it's because it's getting cooler and so I don't mind using my oven, and I kind of crave more hearty meals too! Plus with all the holidays coming up, I get to do fun food, and Holiday themed desserts. So today I thought I would share a recipe for....

my FAVORITE fall dessert.

Apple Crisp

4 medium tart apples, sliced

¾ c. packed brown sugar

½ c. flour

½ c. old fashioned oats

1/3 c. butter or margarine, softened

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Ice cream (I prefer Vanilla Bean YUM!) 

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 8-inch square pan with shortening or cooking spray. Spread apples in pan. In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients, except ice cream, until well mixed; sprinkle over apples. Bake 30 minutes until golden brown.

I have done this recipe using pears and a caramel glaze, raspberries, I bet it would even be good with peaches. Basically whatever fruit you have laying around! I hope you like it as much as I do!! Enjoy!

Until next time....

BYU Blanket, A skirt, and a Winner

This past week we celebrated my husband Bryan and my daughter Lucy’s birthdays! It’s always a crazy week but fun at the same time!!

 

Bryan didn’t want much for his birthday, but he has wanted a BYU T-shirt blanket ever since my sister-in-law made one for my brother last Christmas. So I figured it was high time he go one too!

I found some great BYU material at Wal-Mart, then cut up 6 of his old (and some holey) BYU shirts he has been collecting ever since he did his undergrad there.

 

Funny Story: My kids kept asking me if Dad knew I was cutting up his shirts, “cause that seems like a naughty thing to do!” in the words of Sawyer, my 6 yr. old! LOL!

I just used the front logo parts of the shirt, backed the t-shirt part with a less stretchy material, just for my sanity!! Then I sewed it all together, and backed it with fleece, and...Ta-Dah!! This is the best picture I could get with out children climbing on it!!

 

 

 

 He is pretty happy with it and has already taken a few naps! ;)

But it bothered me…what to do with the back of the shirt and the sleeves…..

Well, let me tell you. I was looking at a few tutorials and found this one HERE at Lil Blue Boo and thought it to be perfect!! And it was. Here’s how my version turned out…

 

 

The skirt was super easy and turned out great! I used the bottom of both gray shirts to make the skirt part and cut up the blue and white shirts for the ruffles and the yoke. It did end up being a bit heavier than I would have liked, but hey...it's a free skirt!! The T-Shirts were heading to the trash anyways!  And Lucy absolutely adores it!!

Next order of business.....the winner of the ruffle skirt is
 

 

CAMMIE

She said, "I love stepping on crunchy leaves! I like Corina's comment about sweatshirts. And I might need the recipe for Danielle's white lightning chilli...Sounds tasty!"

Congrats! I'll e-mail you and get your measurement's, and fabric choices. Until then, head on over to rufflefabric.com and start looking!!

Until next time…

Birthday Dresses

When I first had Lucy I hadn't really gotten into sewing a ton! I made little jeans for my boys and Halloween costumes, etc. But I was never very confident. Shortly after moving back to Utah in 2009, both my sister in laws were due in July and I had 2 cousins due that summer as well. I could sew straight lines, mostly, so I decided to give blankets a try. I had never done them before, but as I went along I became more confident and quicker!!

 

 

 

 

I also realized I LOVED TO SEW!! I found it relaxing and kind of a creative outlet. Who knew I was creative?! Not me!!

Shortly after finishing Boston's Blanket we bought a house and moved in. And I got to have my sewing machine up and accessible 24/7!! YEAH! So I decided to make Lucy a birthday dress. It was fun to make and I decided to make one every year! I let her choose the fabric, but I get to decide the style! An agreement which I am sure will change as she gets older!! ;)

 

 

First Birthday

 

 

Just before her second birthday Bryan's little sister, Ashley, got married and so it got to play double roll for the wedding and her birthday!!

 

Just had to throw in this cute picture!!

 

Third Birthday!

 

And this years!! BIG 4 Years OLD!!

 

She loves it. Although when we went to pick out fabric she was sure she would get a purple dress. But soon after seeing this material her mind was set!!

 

 

I decided to do pleats for the skirt, but I had only ever tried them once, on this....

 

I just started pleating and added a yoke and zipper. Nothing fancy. But I was frustrated because I wanted it to stay pleated with out having to iron it all the time!! I'm just lazy! So when I was explaining what I wanted to do to my Mom, she suggested sewing the edge of the pleats so they stay pleated!! GENIUS!!

 

On each pleat I sewed (is that a word?) a 1/8 in to make it stay! And it worked beautifully! I have even washed it and the pleats look great! I don't have to iron it!! YEAH!

 

Best of all, I have a very Happy Birthday Girl!!

 

Oh and don't forget to enter the skirt giveaway! It can be for anysize, baby to momma!!

Here's the details: 

1- "Like" Sensible Stitches on Facebook

2- "Share" this giveaway on Facebook
3- Come back here (the giveaway page) and leave a comment on what your favorite fall staple is, whether it be pumpkin bread, or a favorite jacket. Let me know!!
Make sure to leave your email address so I can contact the winner!! The winner will be announced on Sept. 21, 2012.

 

Until next time.....

Giveaway....

Lets get into the swing of things this fall with a GIVEAWAY!!

 

Did you know they can go this way too! They are great for travel too!! They never wrinkle, and always look this cute!! Love that!!

 

 We've all seen these super cute skirts right....well, they aren't just for little girls. Thats why I am giving away a ruffle skirt to one lucky winner!!

To enter 1- "Like" Sensible Stitches on Facebook
               2- "Share" this giveaway on Facebook
               3- Come back here and leave a comment on what your favorite fall staple is, whether it be pumpkin bread, or a favorite jacket. Let me know!!
Make sure to leave your email address so I can contact the winner!! The winner will be announced on Sept. 21, 2012.

Oh and if you want, check out all the cute fabric you can choose from if you win at rufflefabric.com and dont for get to look at the elastic too!!

Good Luck!!