Basic Children's Bat Wing Tutorial

Remember the wings I made for DS's halloween costume?

Well, I promised a tutorial. Here it is, in all it's picture-y glory, including my terrible MS Paint skills applied.

Materials:

• 2 wire coat hangers
• wire cutters
• pliers (2 pairs makes some things easier)
• electrical tape
• fabric of your choice (I chose a navy upholstery suede that I had lying around & no use for)
• coordinating thread
• tailor's chalk
• scissors
• straight pins
• sewing machine
• Elastic

Instructions:

1. Grab your wire cutters, and cut the hanging portion off your hangers at the bend. One of your hangers then needs to be cut into 4 (fairly) equal lengths. Here's an MS Paint mock-up:

2. Bend your hangers. For the first hanger, bend in half on the long (bottom) piece, then extend the angles until it resembles a wide "W" For the second hanger, try to straighten out any bends that are left behind. Another MS Paint diagram, with fancy arrows:

3. Wrap the ends of all your cut hanger pieces in electrical tape to cover any sharp ends & prevent them from poking your little one or coming out of the channels we will make later.

4. Place your fabric, right sides together on a flat surface (like my thread & lint-covered floor). Lie your "W" out upside down, and place your short pieces inside the points like boning in a bat's wing, like so:

5. Trace a wing shape around your wires , remove the wires, pin & cut out. Leave a 1/4" - 1/2" seam allowance.

6. With right sides still together, sew along the top of the wings. Clip the curves, trim any excess & turn right side out. Place the "W" inside the new seam, and pin in place securely. With the wire on the right of your machine, move your needle to the right. Sew a straight line along the length of the "W", creating a channel. Remember to close the ends of the channels so the wire doesn't pop/fall out.

7. Place your straight pieces, pin & sew channels, moving your needle from left to right as necessary, keeping it on the side closest to the wires. Remember to close the channels & encase the wire. Do this for all 4 pieces.

8. Measure the child's arms over the shoulder, & cut 2 pieces of elastic. Sew into loops & attach to the center back.

9. Put them on, wear them, love them, but remember to make scary faces!

If you find them a little floppy, you can throw a couple more stitches in the elastic at the top of the wings.

There are a few more steps to finish this set off to make it flow with his costume, but this should be easily altered & elaborated upon to suit your needs :)

Happy Halloween!

Worth it's own Post

I'm not big on the link-love posts. Generally, I try to post either WIPs or FOs that have links to patterns or tutorials that I used or inspired me.

HOWEVER, today, the wonderful ladies over at Prudent Baby posted what is one of the most useful tips I have ever seen in my life. A concise, comprehensive, easy-to-understand tutorial specifically for sewing knits (without a serger)! I have sewn with knits many times, both with & without a serger, but there were some things I didn't know or hadn't tried.

Please, please PLEASE if you feel intimidated by sewing knits, go read this post! You won't regret it.

HESTA Tie Up Espadrille Sandal Knockoff from the Dollar Store?

With Craftster's "I <3 the Dollar Store" swap that I am angeling for, I have to work with supplies from the dollar store, which can present a bit of a challenge when you are trying to make something chic & trendy.

I scoured through all the posts the Leeska has on Craftster as well as stalking her wists. I came up with so many ideas, and had to then narrow it down to what I could make in a short amount of time that looks like a million while only costing a couple bucks.

Well, one thing she had on her wist were these amazing HESTA tie up espadrille sandals that retail for $50US at TopShop. 

Gorgeous, no? I knew I had to at least try it. I figured that I would use cheap sandals and some ribbon and go from there.

But, I couldn't find any nice ribbon in a large enough quantity at Dollarama to make it cost-effective. I decided to cheat a little bit, and head to Fabricland and see what I could find there. Of course, I checked the remnant bins first, but they are having a sale, so I managed to snag some really nice knit for 50% off. Half a meter only cost me $3.50!!

So, I managed to muddle through it today, and took tons of pictures along the way in the hopes that I could throw a tutorial up if they worked out :)

Without further ado, the HESTA knock-off tutorial:

First, gather your supplies:

• cheap flip flops ($2 at Dollarama)
• .5m fabric, 45"width ($3.50 at Fabricland), ribbon, etc
• rubber cement ($1 at Dollarama) [other adhesives might look tempting, but rubber cement is the best choice here other than actual cobbler's glue, as it is flexible when it dries]
• scissors
• high-tech prying device (aka butter knife)

**Make sure your sandals are of the variety that have a separate sole & upper with the thong wedged between. If they aren't thong, that's ok, just one more step later.

Next, start making your awesome new sandals:

Insert your knife between the two layers. Usually there is a bit of a gap where the thong is inserted, which is a good spot to stick it in. 

Gently & carefully start prying the layers apart, working your way around the entire sandal. Have some patience & take your time, or you could rip some of the foam or fabric. 

You can see my first sandal ripped apart here, and notice that it is made of cheap foam for the sole & rubberized foam fabric wrapped around cardboard for the upper. The thong was faux-leather.

Repeat with the other sandal: 

If your sandals are of the thong variety (like mine), continue to the next step. If your sandals don't have the space between the toe, like this, then you will need to place your foot on the upper & mark the space between your big toe & first toe, then carefully cut a slit there on each upper where you marked. Then, move along with the rest of us... 

You are going to cut your fabric into 3 strips lengthwise in whatever width you desire. I made mine a little under 2 inches wide. Cut one of the 3 strips in half, so you have 2x45" lengths & 2x22.5" lengths.

And this is where it gets a little more complicated. Find the center of one of the short lengths & place it over the center of the top of the upper where your arch would be. I found it helpful to do this with my foot in place.

Wrap around & criss-cross under the upper, bringing the ends up and between your big toe & second toe. Insert both ends into the thong hole of the upper & pull as snug as you desire. I made mine snug for the thong portion, and looser on the arch portion.

If you are working with knits, keep in mind that the fabric has a good bit of stretch.

If you are working with ribbons, keep in mind that it likely does not have any stretch.

Trim the excess fabric underneath leaving about an inch:

Take the long length of fabric and find the center. Place this underneath where your heel would be on the botttom of the upper. You can practice wrapping & tying if you like, just to get a feel for how this will sit & make any adjustments you feel necessary. 

 Now, get your rubber cement & tack in place the two ends under the thong, as well as the criss-crossed fabric under your arch & the center of the long piece under your heel. You could, of course, use hot glue or something, but I just stuck to one adhesive. Plus, I didn't want to risk stiffness & cracking from other adhesives.

Once this has sat for a bit, place the rubber cement around the edges of the upper & a line up the middle for extra hold. Repeat this pattern with the sole. Wait 10 minutes, then stick together. [make sure you follow the directions on your package; mine said 10 minutes, then at least 30 minutes drying time]

 Firmly & carefully clamp the pieces together for at least 30 minutes:

Hey, the thousands spent on 2 years of education & all those text books have to be good for something, right? Plus, Leeska's geeky, so I'm sure she can appreciate that anatomy, physiology, neurology, kinesiology, pathology, hydrotherapy, treatments, etc were used on her shoes :P

Repeat the fabric placing with the other flip flop, glue, clamp, dry, etc... Don't forget to clean up any rubber cement that might have leaked out the side (like mine did)

And VOILA! $50 HESTAs for a mere $6.50!!

*I know these are a little small, but Leeska wears a 7/8, and I wear a 9/10.

Let me know what you all think! And if you decide to give it a shot, please do share pictures!! 

Think of the variations of colour, tying, knotting, embellishment - oh my! And, you could buy heels or wedges...maybe even several pairs of cheap foam flip flops to build your own wedges or platforms?

Starting to Work

Yesterday, I went to my BFF's house for a much-needed break from reality & a visit. After some fun & adventures outside with the kidlets, we headed inside, where we inevitably began talking craftiness. Since 9th grade, we have been best friends. We're so much alike that we joke that we share half a brain, as well as a passion for crafts of all kinds.
I talked about my to-do list and my desire to dedicate a little more time to my passions. We went upstairs and grabbed her grad dress (that she made herself and wasn't entirely happy with the overall feel of) and changed it up to be a beautiful summer dress. We cut off the top (the part she had a problem with) and grabbed some thin jersey knit to make a simple twisted bandeau top. Eventually we will likely add straps, but she loves it, and I felt accomplished.

So, back to that to-do list. I have started #4. A floor-length rainbow patchwork skirt. I decided I like the skirt better, because then I can wear pretty much any top I own with it.
I knew this would be one of the biggest endeavors on the list, but last night, I finished sorting my fabric and ended up with one large rubbermaid bin of full yardages+, one large rubbermaid bin of clothing & linens to recon or use as fabric, one smaller bin of large scraps, several very small bins of small scraps, and a big box of quilting fabric.
I took out the finished quilt squares & tablecloths that are just awaiting quilting or finishing, as well as all the pre-cut batting & quilting stencils. I'm not a quilter, and although I would love to have the patience for it, I really can't imagine myself sitting down to such meticulous, detailed work for such a long period. BFF does simple quilts and enjoys it, so I am forwarding it all to her.
Today, I attacked that big box of quilting fabric and sorted it into it's various colours. Except for white, all of the neutrals got added to BFF's pile (she loves browns, and has already made a gorgeous queen size quilt for her bed)
I then sat down with my calculator, pen & paper, and figured out all the numbers for a 10-tier rainbow patchwork skirt, with 1.5x increases between the tiers.
Let me tell you now, this is one hell of a major project! The numbers that I have to use are as follows:

Rainbow Patchwork Skirt

Using 4"x4" squares, construct a 10-tier skirt with 1.5x increases, using the following colour scheme:

             Colour                      # Squares           Width of Row (appx)

• White                           13 squares             50"
• White                           20 squares             75"
• Orange                         30 squares             113"
• Yellow                         45 squares              170"
• Green                           68 squares             255"
• Teal                              102 squares           383"
• Blue                              153 squares           575"
• Purple                           230 squares          863"
• Red                              345 squares           1295"
• Pink                             518 squares           1943"
•    OR                              690 squares           2590"

The reason for the "or" is because I would really like to have more ruffle on the last row, but if I can't manage enough squares, then I will settle for a 1.5x increase instead of a 2x increase. Also, I wanted a HUGE waistband, so that just about anyone could wear it. I'm a big girl (5'10" with a 42" waist - ugh)

Beyond that, I then have to stitch each tier of patches together, then ruffle them, then sew each tier to the next. After that, the waistband, and lastly, the dreaded hem.

So, I have started cutting. I started with larger numbers, but felt that a 60" waistband would be far too cumbersome, and adjusted accordingly for a 50" waistband instead.
Thank god for my rotary cutter!

*Total planning & organizing time: ~1.5 hrs*

Fishing, Anyone? revised

If anyone has attempted my "Little Fisherman's Toy Net" pattern, they may have found the last couple steps to be confusing (eg. after row 39)

Today, I was asked to clarify the last couple steps in the pattern, and I realized that they were written completely wrong! I have edited it to correct the error, and there should be much less confusion when making one of these now.

If you haven't tried the pattern yet, why not give it a go? It's super easy, works up quick, and great for getting some of those stuffed animals up off the bed/floor/bins/chairs/wherever you keep them :)

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Thanks, Theresa for pointing this out!

Sensitive Skin Baby Wipe Solution

As a cloth diapering mama, I tend not to want to dump all kinds of unnecessary stuff in our landfills. And I'm really cheap.

Thanks to my good friend, I started making my own baby wipes for my son's sensitive bottom.

The recipe I use is a couple tweaks on old standbys and works well for him...

1 1/4 cup boiled water
1 chamomile tea bag
baby oil
Sensitive skin baby wash (or whatever you usually use)

Steep the tea bag in the water, but do not squeeze excess water out of tea bag when removing. Pour into screw-top container. Add a couple drops of baby oil and a squirt of baby wash (less than a tsp). Shake well to mix.

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Depending on what your personal preference, this solution can be used different ways.
For those eco-friendly amongst us, you can use baby washcloths and pour or spritz this on them.
If you are slightly less concerned about a small piece of disposable debris that will decompose fairly quickly, there's paper towels. Your best bet are Bounty paper towels, as they really do hold up better when put to work than any other ones I've tried. Cut the entire roll in half while still on the roll (it will be about the height of a value-size can of powdered infant formula) Place the half-roll into said formula can (or other storage container of similar size) and pour warm mixture down the center of the tube. Put the lid on and let it sit for a bit, then reopen and pull the tube out (it will be wet and pliable) and the first (innermost) paper towel (the one with the glue) After a couple hours, when the liquid is all absorbed, they are ready to use; just take them from the center as needed. *This recipe covers 1/2 roll, double for a full roll* If you're using paper towels, feel free to decorate the can so it looks less like your feeding the baby from the wrong end. I'll be fancying mine up shortly, wanted to get the recipe right first...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The soap does the majority of the cleaning, the oil makes it glide easily across the baby's skin, holds the moisture in the towel, and moisturizes baby's tender skin, and the chamomile has mildly antiseptic properties, as well as adding a nice aroma without perfumes.




*******Original recipe called for 2 cups water and no tea**********

Fishing, Anyone?

When my son was less than 5 months old, we moved to a basement apartment that would need a bit of work to keep everything organized. His room theme was "under the sea," so we found an old waterbed headboard, sawed off the supports and refinished them, then hung it up on the wall filled with antique toys, a fishtank, sea shells, and pictures. There was a giant stuffed shark hanging from the ceiling, and various other little details that tied in. But my favorite item was the one I made.

As any new parent is aware, you become inundated with stuffed animals. And as your child's life progresses, the collection is ever expanding. We had a rocking chair FULL of stuffed animals, stuffed animals on shelves, in hanging baskets, in bins, and EVERYWHERE!

So, we discussed toy nets that you can purchase in stores, but I didn't like any of them that much.

Instead, I went out and bought a large ball of cotton and started coming up with a net of my own. I used natural, unbleached, undyed cotton so it would better mimic a fisherman's net.

And of course, tried my hand again at writing a cohesive pattern to share.

Little Fisherman's Toy Net

Pattern no longer available...sorry!
 

There's a First Time for Everything

I remember when I taught myself to crochet. That was about 5 years ago. I picked up a Family Circle crochet magazine at the checkout on a whim, and there were instructions in the back, so I gave it a go. In 2006, I attempted writing my first pattern (sort of) to share.

It was definitely a lot simpler than what I usually write now (if I take the time to bother at all), but it got the job done, and apparently was followable, so I guess it gave me the confidence to keep trying to make my own things, instead of always following a commercial pattern.

I made some rainbow wrist warmers when I had the flu and was home sick from work, then posted them to Craftster and was asked if I kept track of how I made them.

Here's what I came up with to share:

ch 35 (or enough to equal the measurement around mid-arm)
join w/ sl st to form circle
dc in each ch 1 round
sc until desired length (from mid-arm to wrist) dropping one stitch every 5 rounds or so
*sc in next 4, then 2sc in next stitch* repeat **'s until round completed, leaving 1 stitch out
^ch 1, turn and 1sc in each stitch^ repeat ^^'s until desired length (I made 11 rows like this)
ch 1 and join w/sl st to form circle
sc a few rounds until desired length again (I just did 2)

for the edges, I don't really know if the stitch has a name, I did a sl st, but tightened each stitch and added one extra loop and tightened it into a knot. I did this for each stitch around the finger/hand opening, as well as around the thumb-hole....

The Seven Year Itch

Quite some time ago, it was asked of a broad audience how one might go about achieving Marilyn Monroe's famous dress from "The Seven Year Itch." You know the one...

Several years before that, I had made a dress based off of Marilyn's famous dress for Halloween. Because this question came up, I put together a really quick MS Pain tutorial for the woman who asked, and have had a couple others say they used the exact tute for their own creations. I aim to please!

So, I'm just going to add it to this lovely little blog of mine for anyone else who might like to try their hand at it...

First, get your measurements down on paper (and be honest!)

You will need to cut out pieces resembling the following:

The last piece - you need to cut out two of.
For the cups, cut them out to about twice the width of your underbust per breast (as long as you're busty, I'm sure you can alter this to what you may need) Make them (at the longest point) appx the measurement from collarbone to underbust, over fullest area.
The next pieces are the waist panels. Cut out 2 pieces that are 1/2 your widest midsection measurement + seam allowance. Cut one of them in half as shown.
The piece on the far right is the neck-band.
For the skirt (last piece) make it like a standard circle skirt, but appx. 1 1/2 times your waist measurement (for pleats and fullness)

Take the bust pieces and gather or pleat along the bottom until they are the desired width. Baste.

Take waist panels and trim inwards slightly at the waist, if necessary. Sew the two smaller pieces to the larger one on either side as shown.

Fold neck-band in half length-wise and stitch. Cut in half and turn right way round (Inside out) Finish one end.

Sew bust cups to waist (closer together than they are in the image, since my paint skills are just THAT grand - for coverage)

Sew neckband to ends of bust cups.
Finish all edges as necessary.

Sew sides of skirt together (leaving zipper allowance on one seam)
Add pleats around waist to bring to your waist measurements.

Now, sew down the pleats part way and iron nice and flat.
Sew the skirt onto the waist band, lining up the zipper location in the back of the skirt to two ends of the top.
Hem skirt, finish any unfinished edges, and install zipper.
Voila! Put it on, zip her up, tie her up, and you have a fabulous dress!