Teacher Gifts 2011

6.03.2011

So this is a bit of a recycled idea but it's a favorite with the teachers and not a repeat for any of this years teachers. This was the original gift. This year I chose to use fabric in the school colors. I asked the girls to draw pictures with the school mascot a lion (or loin as Maddie wrote). I used printable fabric for the artwork. I had the girls look at some pillows for inspiration and they designed the pillows from there. It was fun to have them lay out the fabric and do some of the sewing. Maddie enjoyed the sewing a bit more than Anya. I would have had them do more but I put off getting this done until this week and most of the sewing happened after bedtime.






The quilts were for the art and music teachers. The girls love their specials teachers and their art teacher is retiring so we wanted to do something special for her. I didn't use a pattern, just pieced together the scraps from the pillow and stitched. It's been so long since I have done any sewing and it felt so nice to get back to the machine...



and you know it feels nice to back to this space.

2 dresses for $2 in 1 hour.

3.17.2009

My local thrift store gets clearance items from Target. Usually they are still $5 or $6 so I take a pass. The last time I was there they had all these women's skirts for $1. I grabbed two matching green skirts sizes 14 and 16 and figured I would use them to make something for the girls. Sunday we had a St. Patrick's Day themed 1st birthday party to attend.(Hi Q-man) I had to work at noon and was going to meet up with Dan and the girls after. Around 11:00 I decided the girls needed new dresses from those skirts for the party. This is so simple I thought I would share.

Find your skirt - it should have a wide band at the top and a zipper. There are usually bunches of these at Target for a few dollars at the end of the season. Check the plus size for lots of extra fabric for a matching headband or little purse.



Have the recipient step into the skirt with the zipper at the side. Pin for size leaving some extra room.



Lay out the skirt and fold the zipper side over to where you pinned. Like this. Measure about an inch out from the zipper side of skirt(solid line). Follow the shape of the skirt and cut. (dotted line) I didn't measure just eyeballed it all. Maddies was a little tight, Annie's a little loose but you know, an hour. Now you only have to stitch the one open side. I used a french seam and had to fiddle a bit with the sides. So now you have a bodice with a zipper, all you need are straps. Cut 2-4"x20" strips from the leftover piece of the skirt. Fold in 1" of each side to meet in the center and press. Now fold in half and press.



Fold under raw edges at top and bottom and stitch.
Yell down to the child "Come up here right now so I can finish your dress, I have to go to work" Pin the straps on with a criss-cross in the back. Carefully remove from the wiggly child and stitch the straps in place.

Cut off any loose threads and your done.



Okay I hope this all makes sense. Let me know if you have any questions.
Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Just a little post....

6.06.2008

Summer is officially here. School was out on Wednesday, the thermometer is registering in the high 80's and it's muggy. Summer in Chicago. This year we bought pool passes so I am hoping to put them to good use. The plan is to get all our "work" done before noon and then head out for some water fun. We don't have much else planned, maybe a vacation bible school and swim lessons at the end of the summer. I may be regretting this with the girls already driving each other crazy and Maddie more often than not in tears.
I have extended the deadline until next monday for this months kidmade challenge so if your looking for a little something to do with the kids you can check it out.
I haven't been doing a ton of sewing lately but a few projects have made it off the machine. The pillow in the picture was a gift for Annie's teacher. I had her draw a picture and then printed it on to fabric using this product and then added the strips. I am quite pleased with the way it turned out. It only took about 3 hours from start to finish, I think it takes me longer to pick the fabric. I know I saw a pillow like this last year around this time and filed it away for future use. Sorry I can't remember where. It was such an easy and satifsying project I think I may need to make a few more for our house. The family room could use a bit of color. I also love this one made by Jen.
So what do you all have planned for the long summer ahead?

Mini Swap makes it to Cinncinati.

2.28.2008

Our Mini Swap package made it to Ohio. We were paired up with a family of 3 little girls Susannah age 6, Grace age 3 and Evelyn 16 months. I wanted the girls to be involved in the making of this swap. We came up with the idea of homemade books with activities packed into little totes. I originally planned to have the girls do some of the tote sewing but, well you know, it was just easier for me to do it. I did get them to do some of the drawing on the books and managed to keep Maddie from defacing most of it.





For Susannaha: A tote filled with origami paper and a little book of origami folding directions. There was also a little art book with inspirations such as: Draw a bird, Draw something that swims. Annie wrote these out.

Inside the book. I found the illustrations online, when I find the link I will post it.

For Grace a handmade "I Spy" Book. The girls put together four vingettes from stuff around the house and we took pictures and then picked a couple to look for. I really enjoyed this project and will keep it in mind for future gifts. I think the execution could have been a bit better. I wanted Annie to do the writing but she was not cooperative at this point.

For the littlest family member, Evelyn we made a clothespin can with painted clothespins and a book of acitivites to do. Some of the activities were from the book The Busy Book for Toddlers.

The little totes also had some giant lollipops, stickers and giant bubble wands. It was fun thinking up ideas and putting it all together. I hadn't sewn much lately and it was nice to get back to the machine. We also tucked in some chocolate for mom and a jar of homemade blueberry jam. Our swap box should be arriving soon and I'll post on what came our way.

Desperation Crafting....

1.14.2008

"It's my pink flower headband"
"No, it's my pink flower headband"

On and on they went fighting over the one pink flower headband for the dolls. Mind you these two rarely play with dolls, but recently if one has something the other wants it. Not wanting to see my lovely little girls faces with a black eye I stepped in with a bit of desperation crafting. I would like to say that all of our little projects are well thought out but often they are purely out of desperation, my desperation that is.
World War 3 averted, dolls tossed to the side and forgotten, I thought I would share this little project.

You need:
a strip of felt about 1" and long enough to fit around dolls head
needle and thread
some fake flowers
a embroidery hoop


Stretch the felt across the hoop, poke any plastic bits out of flowers. Stich throught the center of flowers onto the felt.




Show it off for mommy and the camera (ignore the pile of laundry in the background).



Take a deep breath, sit the 3 year old on your lap and introduce her to the sewing machine. Really she can do this.



Listen to "No, I can do it myself " 50 times while stiching a 1" seam across the felt. Breath, insist that said 3 year old cannot use my big mommy scissors and trim off the thread. One pink flower headband down.



Take another deep breath and let the 5 year old sit at the sewing machine ALL BY MYSELF.

"Yes, line it all up. Yes, roll down the needle. Hold onto the threads, push the button with your foot.....WATCH YOUR FINGERS!" Breath.
Find the kid scissors.
"I don't know why you have to trim the threads you just do, everyone trims the threads."



Put headbands on dolls, find a spot that doesn't show more piles of laundry, take a nice little shot. Ohh and Ahh, high five. Shoo girls off so you can finish reading blogs.

Happy Halloween

10.31.2007

Goldilocks and Baby Bear hope your Halloween was as spooky as can be.

I was able to borrow Maddie's cute little costume and Annie's chose hers from a picture and pattern in last years fall Cutting Edge magazine. How can you turn down making a costume with knitted golden locks. It's really just a hat with 6 really long strips added to the side and braided. I can now add wigs to my knitting repertoire. I'm off to sleep off my candy coma.