The No Pins Required Pinwheel Garland

 We had a class play date at our house last week. Yes, that would be 20 some kids and a parent.  I'm not sure how I get myself into situations like this.  We've been blessed with a big house and great yard and I'm basically the only parent who is not dropping off and picking up my kid from school so with a little guilt in the mix, I enthusiastically said, "Why don't we have the end of the year gathering at my house?"

And it really was going to be a simple affair.  We'd provide the hamburgers and hot dogs and everything else would be pot luck.  Silly me.  Some times being a control freak comes in handy.

At the last minute, I decided it would be fun to have a few simple decorations.  Along with some paper lanterns from the dollar store, I threw together a pinwheel garland. Once you learn to make one, you'll be able to whip up an entire string in mere moments.

Supplies:

Double sided scrapbook paper
scissors (I used my set of Fiskars Paper Edgers)
glue gun
assorted buttons
twill tape or ribbon

To make a pinwheel, start with a square sheet of double sided paper.  I used a 5 X 5 piece of origami paper but larger scrap booking paper can easily be cut down into four smaller squares.

Fold your square in half, forming a triangle.  The crease will help you to mark the center.

Using a pair of scissors (I went with a pair of Fiskars Paper Edgers to fancy up my cut lines), starting from opposite corners, cut until just before the crease mark.  There's no need for the cuts to be perfectly symmetrical, just don't cut the entire way.

Now make two more cuts following the crease line.

Place a drop of hot glue in the center of the square, and starting from the top, press down into the center one side of each "triangle".  Make sure to only glue down every other triangle point.

If needed, add another drop of glue and press a coordinating button into the center.  Press and hold until the glue is set.

There you have it, one pretty pinwheel.  Now make a few dozen more.

Hot glue each pinwheel onto a piece of twill tape or ribbon and hang in your favorite party decoration spot.

There you have it,  a pretty piece of party decor in under an hour.  Tomorrow, my advice for planning and organizing a pot luck BBQ.

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A Winner and the June Sew Along Sponsor

I do hope you'll all forgive me for making you wait, just a bit, for the May sew along winner.  It was a bit hectic here last week and I'm just finally getting around to picking the winner.

No pomp this time around.  The winner was picked the old fashioned way.  8 participants went into the hat, and out came Fenna.  Congrats on winning Pick Up Some Creativity's fabulous robot pattern. Send me an e-mail when you get a chance, Fenna, and I'll pass it along to Chris so she can send you the PDF file.

It sure doesn't feel like June around here but the calendar assures me it is.  If you haven't yet taken a look at the June sew along pattern, make sure you do.  I got a bit sewn yesterday and I have a feeling this might be my new favorite pattern.

And with a new pattern, comes a new sponsor.  I'm pleased to announce Virginia of Gingercake Sewing Patterns, as our June sponsor.

Virginia runs both an Etsy and Big Cartel shop and has the most adorable sewing patterns.

 The Art Cady Tote

Lucky the Elephant Pillow

Love Your Lunch Box Pattern

Three Layer Clutch

These are just a few of my favorites.  I could seriously fill an entire room with those adorable elephant pillows.  Virginia is offering the June sew along winner, their choice of FOUR PDF patterns.  How awesome is that? The Gingercake button will be on the side bar through the month of June in case you just can't wait to see who's the winner.

Thank you so much, Virginia for sponsoring our June pattern!  I'll be back tomorrow with more on last weeks craftiness.

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Warning: We're Hatching Aliens

When I think about aliens, graphic scenes from Aliens tend to pop into view.  I'm not easily scared but that movie was terrifying.  You won't find me on top of a roof waiting for them with signs saying "Welcome to Earth." like in Independence Day.  Personally, I can't imagine any thing good coming out of alien contact.  But the boys, they love all things space related.  Which means aliens are way c-o-o-l.

So when C received a Test Tube Alien for his birthday he was so very excited to see what it was all about.  I mean, the anticipation of waiting for something to happen, that part I can understand.   When you open the package and see your over sized test tube filled with a white cocoon looking shape, you really can't wait to see what's hiding inside.

After some seriously cool boiling and bubbling, your alien is revealed and you must feed him.  For the next few weeks you get to watch it grow and change.  That is as long as you keep him "fed".  You can then go on line to find out your aliens name and even interrogate him to learn more information.

The packaging totes this as a science experiment, which I'm not 100 percent behind.  I guess you could have the children hypothesize about what the alien will look like and then make predictions about the nutrient and temperature preferences based on how the alien looks, but beyond that, and measuring the daily growth, I'm not really buying the science labeling.  But the boys have enjoyed the activity and had fun checking in to see how much he'd grown each day.  For now they'll remain in my "Boy Birthday Gift" rotation, at about 12 bucks, they'll be perfect for those classmate birthday party invites where you may not know the child well.  While I may not have a favorable opinion of the space dwellers, I've yet to meet a boy who'd pass up the chance at hatching one themselves.

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June "Sewing For Boys" Sew Along Pattern Announcement

 Geez, every time I write the title for the pattern announcement post, I feel like it's a mile long.  Maybe we can shorten it to SFBSAPA?  No?  Not catchy?

So June is soon upon us.  Can you believe that we've been sewing our way through this book for 6 months now?  After this month, we'll have SIX fabulous patterns under our belt.  And I know many of you will agree that several of those we've sewn will be ones we come back to time and time again.

And I think it's finally time for the one you've been waiting for.  The June sew along pattern will be The Henry Shirt.

photo via Flickr

If the "advanced" status on this pattern worries you a bit, there is plenty of help out there.  The wonderful ladies of Bilingual Baby and Thar She Sews teamed up to do a step by step sew long of The Henry Shirt, so if you're a visual learner, you've got help.

photo via Thar She Sews

I'm looking forward to a bit of a challenge this time around.  Since the pattern is a bit more difficult than what we've been sewing, feel free to skip the extra embellishment this month.  I think this pattern is all about featuring the fabric choices so I know I'll be giving this a lot of thought.  I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

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Finished Rainbow I-Spy Quilt

Did you ever have one of those projects you just couldn't wait to finish?  You know, the ones that just never seem to materialize into what you saw in your mind's eye and thus feel like they've taken forever to complete?  This was one of those projects for me.

I think I actually like the back more than the front.

Here's the main reason, I had this great idea of incorporating circles into the quilt design.  I thought I'd bunch them close together in the white sections and sort of fade them away as I got to the quilt bottom.  I think I overestimated my machine quilting abilities.  In the end, I just had to let it go before I ruined the quilt.

I went with a black and white binding, which I think ties it all together well.

I think the purple wheel is actually my favorite.  But I think that has more to do with the fact that almost all of the squares came from a special friend.  Thanks, Susan!  This baby would still be sitting on the pile if she hadn't saved the day.

It's a far from perfect quilt, but the boys are enjoying it.  Lazing around in the shade, playing I-Spy with the boys and picnicking in the park go down as the best moments of the weekend.

And if I wrap it around me just so, I can completely ignore that the circles stop so abruptly.  Yes, this one will do just fine for a nap on the porch.  Now if only they'd leave me alone long enough . . .

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Mimi's Suspender Shorts

I'm so glad that I chose Mimi's Suspender Shorts for the May sew along pattern.  Let me tell you why.  First, the main reason I decided to sew my way through "Sewing For Boys", this year, was to expand my knowledge of sewing and create a unique wardrobe of clothing for my boys.  By choosing this pattern, I've completed a project I may not normally have chosen which has helped me expand upon my growing sewing skills.

I went with a basic ribbed knit because I wanted to make these super comfortable.  I wasn't sure how little K was going to feel about the suspenders, so I used snaps to make them detachable.  Surprisingly, he has had no issue with the suspenders.  Which is fabulous because I think they are darling.

The button hole elastic, that I'd ordered, didn't arrive in time, so I made the back waistband into a casing for regular elastic.  It may be because I was using knit anyway, but I think it works well for my little guy.  They're easy on and off and the knit fabric makes them perfect for climbing in and out of cars.

I found these adorable button in my stash.  I think they give the shorts just that little extra toward a vintage feel.

The teal cuffs and suspender "connector" were a last minute decision.  I had originally thought of keeping it all the same color, thus allowing the shorts to be worn with practically anything.

I'm so happy I went with the knit fabric because, as you can see, they are totally wearable for playing around in the yard.  Which is how we spend most of our time these days.

A few last words on the pattern itself.  The shorts themselves go together easy-peasy.  I love the pocket construction, the front pleats and high waist.  The front and back waist facings go together quickly and easily and the button placement (if I'd followed the rules), was perfectly measured.  My only concern was with the suspenders, and basically I think this is all due to my inexperience with the lovely, pants holding up, straps.  You really do have to measure specifically to your child and make adjustments along the way.  I think it's hard to tell from the picture above, but my center bar is not yet perfect.  I think this is mainly a factor of involving the knit fabric.  I should have included an interfacing layer to both the suspenders and center bar.  He's happy with them so we'll see how much it annoys me.  Since they are detachable, it's no biggy to do them over.

Enjoy your holiday weekend!  I hope some of you will give this pattern a try.  I think they would be so, so adorable for a wedding or summer picnic outfit.  Made with a fabulous grey or green cotton. some contrasting fabric for the pocket facing, and bright buttons, these would be the hit of the party!

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Crafterhours Skirt Week: Accordion Pleat Skirt

I'm so excited (okay, and seriously nervous) to be part of crafterhours Skirt Week 2012.  I've had the extreme privilege to be friends with the lovely crafterhours ladies for the last 5 years, long before they shot themselves into bloggy fame with their fabulous sewing inspiration.  They are the ones who convinced me to dust the old sewing machine off and get back to work.  Oh, the good old days, when I could just hop in the car and drive down the street for some craft and conversation. Good times!

Today we're talking accordion pleats.

Examples are popping up all over Pinterest.  I mean, how can you not love the texture, the colors, the luxurious fabrics?  I had to have one for myself, and while I usually stick to sewing for my boys (mostly because they require a LOT less fabric), I thought I'd give it a shot.

I know most of you are probably thinking, "Yes, they are fabulous but who wants to do all of that pinning and pressing?"  And that's what I thought at first, too.  Then, I discovered the secret that puts that all in the past:  The Extra Long Perfect Pleater.

I wanted a midi length skirt.  I love those maxi skirts but for the first go around, I thought it best to limit the amount of fabric. I went with a 20 inch skirt length and added 1 3/4 inches for the waistline seam and hemming.

Once I had those measurements, it was time to decide how many panels I'd need.  Starting with a 45 X 21 3/4 inch panel,and using the Extra Long Perfect Pleater, I needed to figure in the 3/8 " return for each pleat.  Basically, for 1/4 inch wide pleats, that reduced a 45 " piece of fabric to about 20 ".  This meant I could get away with just 2, 21 3/4 X 45 inch panels.

Disclaimer:  I'm mathphobic therefore, I avoid math at all costs.  I'm sure there is a fancy formula for finding how many inches of fabric you'll need to start with.  Something to do with the 1/4 inch pleat + 3/8 inch return  + seam allowance to join panels and divide that number into the 45 inches.

Once I'd cut my panels from a vibrant Free Spirit Voile in Navy, I pressed and hemmed each panel to the desired length.  Now it was time to pleat! Important Note:  The pleater recommends using a synthetic or 50/50 blend for pleat permanence.

With the lourvers facing away, I used a credit card to help slide the fabric all the way into each pleat.

Once the entire length of the pleater was filled, I turned my iron to the linen setting, soaked my press cloth in a solution of vinegar and water (1 to 9 ratio), rang out the press cloth, laid it over the fabric, and pressed the length of fabric in the pleater.

 Once the fabric has cooled, one can use a wash away tape, or simply run over to the sewing machine and bast the pleats into place.

I removed the pleated fabric, slid it over to the last pleat made and continued pleating until the entire panel was pleated.

I made sure to let my fabric overlap the end of the pleater so I could baste stitch my pleats while they were still in the pleater.

Once I had my required number of panels are pleated, I sewed them together to form the "body" of the skirt.

I went with an exposed elastic waistband but a zipper and matching waistband (made from two rectangles) would be just as easy.  Let's face it.  I rarely find occasion, in my boy chasing life, to wear something more than casual.

Sadly, I'm a short waisted kinda gal, so that lovely exposed elastic won't be getting a show anytime soon, but I'm still digging the, eat all you can at dinner stretch-ability.

 I shied away from the traditional chiffon this time around but now that I know how easy it was to pleat, I'm thinking I'll make another for "fancier" occasions.  You know, like when my husband takes me out for dinner.  Aheem.  Wink, wink.

Thank you, Adrianna and Susan for giving me the push I needed to sew this skirt.  Okay now, you all go make a few!

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