Wall Butterflies

I saw these butterflies here and knew they would be perfect in the nursery.  I didn't see a tutorial, but knew they could not be too hard to recreate. 

Lucky for me Alison had this toy butterfly and I traced around it onto a heavy piece of paper.  Then I cut it out and I had my template for the butterflies.  You could draw yours free hand or find any picture of a butterfly and just get an outline. 

I used scrapbook paper for the butterflies.  I had a lot of scraps laying around, so I just found pieces big enough to cut two butterflies out of.  I used two cutouts of the same color for each butterfly, but you could use different colors, be as creative as you want.  Always trace on the wrong side of your paper, so you don't see lines.  Then cut it out with an exacto knive or scissors, whichever you prefer.

Then cut it out with an exacto knive or scissors, whichever you prefer.

If you like you can use a sharpie to outline the edge of the butterflies to give them a more finished look.  I forgot to do that in this step, so I did it later.  It would have been much easier to do here.  Anyways, after your butterflies are cut out gently fold up the wings of both butterflies, keeping the body area flat. 

Using craft glue, add a small line to the body part of the bottom butterfly.f

Place the top butterfly on top like this.  Give it time to dry and you are done.  I did more of an assembly line since I wanted to make a lot of these little guys.  I'd trace them all then cut them all, and then glue all at once.  They were so easy.  I actually used this as my craft to do at nighttime when I was just sitting on the couch watching tv.  I like crafts that can be done while relaxing :)

Here is what they look like on the wall of the nursery.  I used wall puddy to attach them.

I'm wondering if I should make a few more.  I like how they fill up a blank area without overpowering it.  Have fun crafting :)

Pillowcase Dress

Pillowcase dresses have been around FOREVER!  I absolutely think they are adorable.  There are so many tutorials out for them that I do not think there is anything that I can add to them.  This is one tutorial that looked really easy and explained well.  Here is another that looked pretty easy. 

This is the quick run down of how I do it, no patters, just sew :)

I just cut the fabric wide enough and long enough in two rectanges. 

Cut out smalll areas for the arms.  You need less armhole than you think. 

Then Hem the bottom of the dress.  At this time is when I add any embelishments I want to the bottom of the dress. 

I connect the two rectanges with a straight stitch and a zig zag to secure it.

Add the biased tape to the armholes (or just hem it up, biased tape makes them look better).

Hem up around the top of the dress.. allowing about an inch opening in order to be able to thread the ribbon through.

Thread the ribbon through, cut any excess strings and wear :)  OH!  Use a lighter quickly on the tips of the ribbons to keep them from fraying.

On this one I sewed three ribbons together for the top so it would have extra color.  It was easy and the top matches the bottom.  I also only used one ribbon making one bow.

This is the first dress I made Alison.  I used two ribbons at the top, and she has two bows, one on each shoulder. 

Be creative with these.  I think the accents really make the dresses adorable.  Google Pillowcase Dresses and you will get plenty ideas! :)

Decorated Wipes Case

We love to have pretty stuff for the baby.  There is no sense in having an ulgy wipes case with all the other pretty things we buy.  Instead of spending too much on a wipes case, make your own :)  Now there are tutorials all over the web for these.  This is how I make mine, I did not invent them, just have made quite a few and have learned what looks best for me.

This is what you will need... One huggies travel case (the have different brands, and I have tried them, huggies seems to work the best).  Two pieces of fabric cut 6"x9.5" (this is a little large b/c if it has a pattern on it you want to be able to move it around and put it on as you need.  Plus you want to be able to pull and tighten the fabric as needed.  Two pices of quilting binding cut a little smaller than the fabric. I usually just put the wipes case on it and trim around,.  And Rick Rack (not sure this is what it is called) tape.  You can get this at most fabric stores.  The color variety is not very good, but you can find it.  Get creative with what you use as a border.  I tried ribbon but will not dothat again b/c when hot glueing it on it looked terrible.  Maybe there is a trick to the ribbon, but I have not found it.

Heat up your hot glue gun.  I try to line up the batting with the back, straight side of the case.  Apply a small amount of glue at a time, if you apply to much it will harden before you attach it.  Do this to both sides. 

Once it is all glued down (it doesnt take tons of glue, just enough to keep it from moving) trim the excess batting... I just use scissors and trim around the top.  It does not have to be perfect, but if you make it neat it helps.

Now its time to glue the fabric.  I start on the back straight side again.  I will put a 1" spot of glue in the center and attach the fabric.  I try to line it up so I do not have too much excesstht needs trimed, you will have some around it, so dont worry.  If you have a pattern then center the pattern how you want it and then glue it down.  Slowly work down the back and finish glueing it.  Do not glue the corners.  Doing those last makes it look much nicer.

 Now glue the front (curved) side of the wipes case.  Do it as you did the back, but pull the fabric tightly.

After the front is done, do one side at a time.  Again, leaving the corners open.  Once Everything else is glued, glue one corner at atime, pulling tightly to make it look smooth.

This is what it will look like.  Use an exacto knife to trim off all the excess fabric.  Once you have it trimmed repeat glueing on the other side.  I find doing one side of fabric at a time is easier, less to fabric to move around.  I save all my excess fabric.  I can use those for something later, I am sure :)

Once both sides are done it will look like this.  Do not worry if your cutting with the knife isnt perfect, you will cover it up.  Also, make sure you open the case periodically or you might just glue it closed.

Now its time for the rick rack tape binding.  Pick out a color that compliments the fabric.  Start on the back, straight side, and slowly glue about an inch at a time.  Try to keep it as straigh as you can.  Line up the inside edge with the opening of the wipes case.  Pull it snug, but dont pull too hard.  Slowly go around the whole case.  Glue it until it matches up in the back again, cut it and start out again.  I did not meaure the amount that I used, I just losely wrapped it around the case twice and that was how much I cut off.

This is what the front of the case will look like.

Admire your finished product!  Be creative.  Before you put the rick rack on add a ribbon across the top.  Or iron on an aplique to the fabric, or even crystals.  Whatever you can imagine you can do.  You can use all types of fabrics for this too.  Pretty much whatever you want to make it out of you can.  Let your imagination determine what you will do :)

I will add pictures as I make more :-)  Pictures give me lots of ideas!

This one was actually made out of lycra material.  You can use most any material for these clutches and wipes cases!

 

DIY Magazine Holders

Alison has the bottom two shelves of our large book case for toys and books that se wants to play with in the living room. The books are always a mess and I got tired of straightening them up.  I came across a blog that showed how to make at home magazine holders and I thought this was the answer to my problem.  The tutorial I got it from was too good to recreate, so go here to learn how to make them yourself. 

The only thing I did was added scrapbook paper to them with mod podge.  It took two sheets per magazine holder.  I simply laid my holder down and traced all 4 side.  Then put a layer of mod podge on the holder and put the paper down.  I then put one layer of mod podge on the outside  When it as all dry I traced the borders with a sharpie to give it a more finished look instead of seeing the white of the paper and the perforation of the cardboard.  I plan on making more of these for Alison's room so I can keep her bookshelf a little more organized. I like that they are bigger, b/c the large kids books will fit in them. 

Onesie Double Skirt

With a new little girl coming I decided I wanted to make some girly baby clothes.  I did not use a pattern for this, I just had looked at two different tutorials.  They made different skirts, but I used the ideas they had on here and there to put this one together. 

You will need a onsie, Coordinating fabric, ribbon and thread.

Measure down to see how long you want your skirt to be.  I marked with a pin where I would sew the skirt, and knew I would want it to be about 7" long, so I decided to cut the fabric 8" to allow for seam allowances.

Measure the waist of the onesie... This one was 20", since I wanted a ruffled skirt, I doubled that to 40".  One tip I did get from multiple blogs was to use a onesie that was a little loser instead of a tight one.  That way it would be easier to get on and off the baby.  If you use one that is tight, it will not have much give when putting it on. 

I cut two pieces that are 8"x20".  I wanted a double layer skirt, which is why I cut two.  You could easily modify this tutorial to make it a single layer.

I ironed the pieces and folded over where I was going to hem.  I find it much easier to hem when it has been ironed, then from pinning.

I did a double straight stitch on the hems.  I find this gives the item a bit more of a finished look.

Once the pieces are hemmed, stitch them together by placing wrong sides together.  Do the same to both.

With the onesie right side out, place the first skirt upside down, inside out around the onsie. You will pin, a lot, that way you have a nice ruffle.  I started by pinning in the middle on the frong and the back (where I put the seam of the skirt).  Then I pinned on the side seams.  I went through by findin the middle of each of the pins in order to keep my ruffles even and consistant.  I found putting a book in the middle of the onesie kept me from pinning the front to the back.

I sewed using a tight zig zag stitch.  The other blogs mentioned that the zig zag stitch would give the dress a bit more give, but a staight stitch would be more secure.  I figured that since this was for a really little one (onesie size 3-6) I could compromise a bit f security.  I sewed right over my pins.  I never do this because it makes me nervous and I hate replacing needles.  But I wantedmy ruffle to be perfect :-)

Now with the onesie right side out and the first layer pulled straight up, start pinning the second layer onto the dress.  Have it also be right side up.  Pin your ruffle as I explained above and also use the zig zag stitch.

This is what you will now have.  Its starting to look cute!

Since we want it extra cute, I started pinning again to put a nice ruffle on top of the skirt.  Pin the same as explained above.

This time I wanted it to be secure, so I used a straight stitch.  Don't forget to back stitch to make it secure.  I did this on all seams.  I also, again, sewed right over my pins to make sure my ruffle worked.  Make sure you double check your seam that you have all of our pins out.. squeeze, pinch andtouch using your fingers.  You would much rather feel it on your fingers than have a little one feel it.

To me the dress needed just a little bit more finishing, so I cut a ribbon to attach aound the waist.  I started by stitching it on the back seam. 

Then around the body I hand stitched s the ribbon wouldnt slip up or down.

I made a hairbow using this tutorial. 

Clip the hairbow onto the ribbon...

Your DONE!!  The hairbow can stay cliped on the ribbon until the little girl outgrows the onesie and then used as a hairclip.

Binki Holder

So I really do not want to insult anyone's intelligence by doing this tutorial.  But I thought that maybe my ideas could help with your ideas of how to make one yourself.  I have seen these all around, and have meant to make one forever, just never got too it.  I didnt read any tutorials, just guessed on them :)

For each binki holder you will need a piece of ribbon (I cut mine to 15") a metal clasp badge holder and a small elastic hair tie.  I made two, thats why you see double of everything.

First I threaded the ribbon through the clip.

Then I went back through again.  I figured having it through there twice would make it stronger.  Stitch it together and do the same with the elastic hair holder.

This is what the elastic end will look like.

And this is the clip end.

Your DONE!! I told you a tutorial on this was an insult to someone's intelligence. 

Now, you can also use these to hold toys.  I know elmo has bit the concrete many times from Alison throwing him out of the stroller for all these years.  Make a longer ribbon and clip it to the stroller and then place the elastic around whatever you want them to hold onto.  You can do this with toys, bottles, cups, whatever your little one likes to toss on the ground.