Saving soap one bar at a time (a tutorial).

A bar of soap wasting away on the bottom of the tub in slimy, over soaped, scummy bath water. Did a part of your soul shrivel like mine? If you come in regular contact with kids and bar soap it’s a problem.

We’re going to fix that today. I’m going to show you how to make Monster Soap Savers!

You need a bath sized washcloth (makes enough for 2), 12” ric rac trim, and black fabric paint for eyes. You’ll also need a sewing machine and basic sewing supplies.

Here’s a picture of how to cut out your pieces.

Cut the side of the washcloth so it’s 4” across. Cut that piece again so it’s 10” tall, that’s the body. You’ll have a little 4” wide by however long little snippet of washcloth which you’ll use for ears.

The extra larger portion you can use for bigger rabbit ears, arms and legs, or another monster. Or you can save it and pretend you’ll use it but really you’ll toss it in a few months when you forget why you were saving it.

.

Now take your Monster body piece and measure down 3” and cut again. Set them both aside for a second. Make that 60 seconds.

Grab your ear piece and cut it in half so you have 2 squares. Pinch your pieces so the finished edges meet and pin. Sew them down along the bottom of the pinch and trim. Ears!

Pin your ears to the top edge of the longer body piece. Cut a piece of ric rac about 8” long and make a loop. Pin that between the ears. Set aside for another 60 seconds.

.

Grab the 4”x3” smaller body section and sew ric rac to the finished washcloth edge on the underside. I purposely (um yeah, on purpose) chose the rounded edge for the ric rac so he would have a crooked smile. If that bothers you use the cut edge and turn it under before you sew the ric rac on so it’s straight.

Take your monster body with the ears and loop pinned to it and lay your smaller body section on the top, sandwiching the ears and loop, making sure the ric rac is facing you and matching the top edges and pin in place. Fold up the bottom over lapping your ric rac edge by about 1” to 1 1/2” and pin in place.

Sew around the outside on the 3 open sides to close it all up. I would zig zag around the edges so it doesn’t come unraveled later.

Turn it right side out and you have a very handsome and very yellow cast eyeless soap beast. I tried shoving some white eyeballs into the ears for pop out eyes (instead of ears) and it was really cute until I smeared a pupil with my paint, gave up, and just added 2 dot eyes to the body instead. The possibilities are endless for making it look as unique as your own little monsters plus you can have several in different colors. Everyone can have their very own with no mix ups and it can be washed and used again and everyone loves that. I have an order for a bunny and dog next.

Here’s the necessity behind the invention- I used to buy the kids soap that comes in a green super sudsy plastic cover for several reasons but really, unless you have one kid it gets a little dicey when it comes to who’s soap is who’s and who used it where last. Nuff said.

Have a fantastic and squeaky clean Tuesday!

Tutorial- Embellished Burp Cloths

My most favorite thing to make for upcoming new babies are burp cloths. Really. It’s because they’re so fast to make, way cuter than the store bought versions, and I pull them out every time I burp my baby so they get maximum exposure. Literally, I go through a couple a day. Having tried a million different burp cloths made from every material under the sun and in every shape you can think of in the last 11 years these are what work best for me and my little spitters- a 9” x 17” knit 3 layered burp cloth made cute with a fabric panel or patch on the bottom front.

-Here’s how to make your own-

For a burp cloth with fabric along the bottom front you’ll need-

1 rectangle flannel 1o” x 18”

1 rectangle soft knit (cotton interlock or jersey- not ribbed) 10” x 18”

1 rectangle soft knit 10” x 13.5”

1 rectangle 10” x 5.5” of your favorite fabric print.

To make a solid white burp cloth with a patch at the bottom cut 1 layer flannel and 2 knit rectangles 10”x 18” and skip the fabric print.

First lay your fabric print right sides together on top of your 13.5” long piece of knit along the bottom edge and sew along the bottom using 1/2” seam. Press flat so it’s now your front piece that measures 10” x 18” like the other pieces.

If you want it embellished now’s the time to make it pretty before you move on. Add ribbon, ric rac, patches… whatever makes your heart pitter patter. If you’re making a solid burp cloth and want a patch on the front here’s where you add your patch to the right side of one of your knit pieces.

Continue… (said in a French accent).

Lay your pieces out so your flannel layer is on the very bottom, your solid knit piece is right side up on top the flannel, and your knit and fabric front piece is facing down on the very top like so.

Sew around the outside edge using 1/2” seam leaving a hole at the top about 3” wide for turning. Turn your fabrics right side out between the 2 knit layers so the flannel layer is on the inside.

Tuck the edge of your 3” gap towards the inside and pin. I didn’t pin mine so pretend I’m a pro and pin my stuff like I should. Do what I say, not what I do ;).

Sew around the outside edge of your burp cloth. I used my presser foot edge as a guide. When you get to your gap just sew along the edge and it will close it up for you as long as your seam along the outside is less than 1/2”.

That’s it!

Here’s a close up of the patch and reverse appliqué I did. Of course I had to use my new Silhouette heat transfer material, it’s too fun not to apply it everything I own. I used the yellow for the star and the white to make my own diamond patterned fabric for the number 1, to add stripes to the blue ribbon, and to write “little” on the green ribbon.

Here’s how you add the transfer to ribbon. I used grosgrain, satin, and twill with perfect results. You just cut out the design you want and the clear backing is a little tacky so it sticks to your ribbon making it really easy not to shift your design and screw it up.

Throw a pressing cloth over your ribbon and transfer and heat with your iron on the cotton setting (no steam) for 60 seconds or so. Great way to put whatever you want on ribbon without shelling out the big bucks for customized stuff.

If you want to get some heat transfer and other great stuff to try for yourself don’t forget to enter the giveaway here!

Have a fantastic Monday. I’m off to make more baby stuff. Not much time left!

High society or just high waisted?

What a weekend! My sister in law and brand new brother in law are wed and it was awesome. Not the 12 hours of driving or trying to get comfortable in a hotel bed that doesn’t have trenches worn into it though, but nothing a little cookie dough ice cream didn’t fix.

There are 12 nieces in the immediate family so to spare any little one from having a melt down by not being chosen as the flower girl we all made our girls dresses or skirts in her wedding colors so they all felt like they were flower girls. They turned out amazing. I have really talented sister in laws that I’ll have to brag about another day since I don’t have a picture to show you. Cody was kind enough to take pictures for me while I became a part of a marble bench for a few hours so all I have is this little gem.

Her colors were gray and orange, loved it by the way, so I decided to make Very Biased Skirts from No Big Dill. They were already gray so my pregnant brain didn’t have to think and exactly what I would wear myself if I could. I made her matching headbands to. Kennedy’s (or Frankenstein?) skirt is twisted but you can kind of see how it bustled in the back. Way cute.

What’s not so cute is Jeremy’s grandpa pants!?! Where did that high waist come from? I guess he felt left out since the skirts were kind of high. Or he was taking Kennedy’s lead from the hotel room-

It’s normally mom’s job to take the pictures and pull up the tights… this is why ;).

I still have costumes to start and Cody is gone all week so I have to get off here and get sewing. Have a fantastic Tuesday!

Trapeze skirt how-to

I get really bored really easily so I wanted to make something that was quick, easy, and wearable using my serger one Saturday night. One can only have so many napkins and receiving blankets so I decided to branch out. I wanted a knit skirt that didn’t require a pattern and could be made in under 1/2 hour. I mashed a few tips together and did my own thing and came up with this-

I made this baby in under 1/2 hour and that includes looking in my manual to figure out how to do a stinking rolled hem.

You don’t have to have a serger to make this (but use one if you have it). If you use your sewing machine just use a stretch stitch or a zig zag. *Make sure your fabric has some stretch to it. Mine doesn’t have a ton but enough that Ash could slip it over her hips without ripping out the stitching.*

~Here we go~

Making the waist band.

1. Measure your waist (or your child’s waist) and cut a strip of fabric your exact waist measurement long x 6” wide. For an adult I would make it 8” wide. Ashlyn’s waist measured 23 1/2 so I cut a strip 23 1/2” x 6”.

You want your skirt to stay up so don’t add a seam allowance. That’s what the stretch is for.

2. With right sides together serge or sew the short edges together, making a tube. Fold the tube towards the outside so the wrong sides are together and the raw edges meet together at the bottom. Set aside.

Making the skirt

1. I wanted the shortest side of the skirt to be no shorter than knee length so I measured Ashlyn from waist to knee and got 18”. Measure from your waist down to where ever you are comfortable with the shortest side falling, this is your length measurement. Take your length measurement and double it. Cut your fabric into a square the doubled measurement. My fabric cut was 36” square.

2. Mark the exact center of your square. Measure across your sewn waistband. Mine was 11” across after serging. Take 1” off that measurement, so that makes mine 10”. Center that measurement on the middle of your mark with a tape measure or ruler. I placed the 5” mark right on the dot and marked the ends and drew a line from 0” to 10”.

3. Cut your line making a slit in the square. Not a big gaping hole, a slit!

Finish line

1. Grab your waistband and slip it inside the slit with right sides together, matching the raw edges of your waistband to the raw edge of the slit in your skirt and pin all around.

2. Sew around the inside.

3. The hem- you can leave it raw, do a rolled hem, zig zag, or fold up the bottom edge and sew. I did a rolled edge on the serger and it made it kind of lettuce. I didn’t mean to do that but it still looks cute. Here’s what it looks like laying flat.

Ashlyn likes to hang her skirts on the floor.

That’s it! One rectangle, one square, one slit. You’re done! You’re welcome ;).

Have a fantastic Thursday and show me if you make some. mailto:some-dontlickthefloor@hotmail.com

Sunday meetin’ clothes

Ah, the tube top. An article of clothing that’s near the top of the list of things I would never ever in a million years wear to church or allow my girls to wear to church. Not that some people can’t pull it off under a cardigan or something but there’s just something about the word “tube top” in the same sentence as church that seems so very wrong to me. Like studded leather pants and church wrong. Maybe it’s just me.

But… there’s nothing wrong with tube skirt! I found some tube tops at the Mart that were on clearance for $2 or $3 a piece and thought they were so cute. I loved the dress shirt details (there’s a buttoned vent on the sides, seriously) and they were calling to me but I hated the fact they were tube tops.

Into the old cart they went and became tube tops no more! They look so much cuter as skirts. I can’t wait for colder weather so we can layer these with leggings and funky shirts.

Here’s the rundown if you’d like to make some for yourself. Or make some for your daughters if you still feel weird wearing one- ahem.

Find a clearance tube top you can’t live with/without.

Lob off any buttons on the smocking at the top and cut out any plastic strap doohickeys and such. Cut out the tag in the back and set it aside.

There’s a little elastic around the top of mine but not enough to hold it up as a skirt. Leaving everything as is fold the top down about an inch. Sew close to the edge making a casing, stretching the fabric as you sew.

Tuck the tag back in at the back if your 6 year old will not know which way is the front without it :). Thread some 3/4” elastic that’s cut to your waist measurement through the casing and stitch shut.

That’s it! No one will be the wiser, unless they happen to shop at the Mart to because it’s the only store in town.

They probably won’t be wearing them as skirts though. Lets do the world a favor and hoard all the tube tops and make them into skirts. For the good of humanity.

Have a fantastic Tuesday!

Little Brothers

More baby stuff. As if I could stop making baby things right now. I’m on a baby making things roll. I look like a baby making roll. Thought I would share a little something made from a mans 4x t-shirt for the little brother. A preppy gown and matching pilot cap.

Can’t wait to see that cute little pudgy face all scrunched up in the cap. All 6 pounds of him, here’s wishing anyway. Less than 9 weeks to go, yay!

I cut up some ribbed sweater to make the triangles and they are so much cuter in person. My stitching is “rustic” but we’ll just pretend I meant to do that okay? Everything is so soft I want to make a set for me, but my pudgy face won’t look so cute in the cap.

And this little brother is the reason I haven’t blogged in a week-

My first one! No not brothers, I have 2 little brothers that I don’t talk about much because they are just about as bratty as this machine. Hi guys! Love you muches :).

I pulled this little guy out of the box and spent 2 days just going over the manual. Once I felt comfy with the manual and dvd’s I spent another 20 minutes watching a threading video even though it’s already threaded (because I’m a freak) and glanced over at it some more. Tonight I got brave enough to plug it in, pressed the pedal, and……. nothing. Wouldn’t go. There was much noise but no movement. After sobbing and whining Cody helped a girl out and got it running for me. That’s why I keep him around.

Napkins and scarves for everyone! I might actually pull it out and serge another test strip. In 2011 I might actually get brave enough to make something. See you in a year ;).

Have a fantastic weekend!

Done and done.

Let me preface this post by saying that I’ve never made a bag before. Little girl purses yes. Bags for an adult to tote no. I really really wanted to make my own diaper bag but I couldn’t find a pattern or bag that didn’t look like a diaper bag, that I could make. I’m very limited in my bag making skills. So I searched out a bag that I liked the shape of and didn’t scream diaper rash cream to me. The pattern for it is in Sew Hip Magazine #18. Since I’m out in the boonies and couldn’t get the magazine anywhere I found an online site I could buy the digital copy from and was able to print the pattern from home.

*Edited to add magazine link. It's from YUDU and I've never used this site before until now so I don't know much about it, so be careful if you choose to. It was 3.99 GPB through paypal and I just bought the single issue here, not the subscription. You can view most of the issue for free before buying it.*

Did you know that you can cut old 12”scrapbook paper down to 8 1/2 x 12” to print European A4 patterns? It was the only thing I could think of to use that didn’t involve driving to town or using an obscene amount of tape. Tape is scarce in our house. Like candy and cupcakes scarce.

The pattern is awesome, the bag is super cute, and the instructions were clear after I converted the measurements into Oregonese. The only thing that bugs me is that the sides look taller on her bag but I did leave the height of the bag alone and my sides are shorter, not a fan of the shorter. I give the pattern and the style 4 stars as is. I modified it a bit though and surprisingly I like it even though I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. I added some things, took out a bunch of things, and made it an 1” wider so I could add another pocket to the inside. I also sprayed the crud out of it with a waterproof sealer so the fabric would stay pretty later.

If I could go back in time and do it again I wish I would have had half the brain to look at it and know that it doesn’t close all the way (duh!). I wish I would have remembered that that would bother me and always has. Oh well.

We have some bonding to do before I take it anywhere since I’m not sure I’m in love with it yet (the openness) and all it’s imperfections from my bad bag sewing skills but all in all it will do what I need it to do- haul diapers and supplies for my smallest minion. Or a bowling ball. Or a small poodle named Precious with a gold digger dress on. Doesn’t it kind of look like a dog carrier from the outside? But that’s exactly why I like it. What is she carrying?

Baby project #2 Done. Hip hip!

Tute for the tub.

I finished baby shower project #1 and it’s been delivered so I can share-

My toddlers absolutely loved big bath towel hooded towels and they’re the ones I always reach for first so I thought I’d show you how I make mine. I know, been there done that and there’s about 7 dozen tutorials for hooded bath towels out there but I haven’t seen my way yet so it won’t kill anyone if I add mine to the list. Make that 7 dozen… Plus 1. Here goes-

Supplies:

1 Cute Bath towel

1 Hand towel about 16” x 26”. You’ll get 2 hoods from 1 towel.

1 5” x 17” strip of fun fabric

17” long piece of ric rac. I used jumbo but smaller would work just as well. Not the micro stuff though.

.

.

First cut the hand towel in half and zig zag the raw edges. This is your hood. You only need 1 half for 1 towel so save the other half to make another later. Fold the finished edge up and pin 4” from the bottom. Sew along the finished edge where you pinned just to tack it down.

Pin your ric rack so it’s just slightly overlapping the bottom folded edge. Sew the ric rac down. I like to sew it with the ric rac on the underside so I can make sure the ric rac stays peeking out over the towel edge and doesn’t shift.

Fold the edges of your fabric strip under 1/4” on each long side and press. Place your fabric strip on top of the ric rac covering your stitches on the ric rac along the bottom and covering the ribbing along the top. Pin and stitch close to the edges. Your folded edge should be completely covered in fabric.

Fold your hood in half matching the ric rac edge and the raw edges right sides together and pin, then sew the raw edge closed. Go over the raw edge a few times with a zag zag stitch so it stays nice and secure after it’s washed a million times. Your hood should look like the second picture now. Set that aside and grab your cute big bath towel.

Fold your towel in half wrong sides together, just like your hand towel, but don’t cut. Measure 4” from the fold line and put a pin at the 4” mark. Open your towel back up with the pin still in place, this will be your pleat. Match the middle of the pleat to the middle of your pin and flatten it down, then pin some more. Sew along the top edge of your pleat.

Flip your towel so the wrong side is facing you and the pleat is facing your table and grab your hood. Match the middle seam of the hood to the middle seam of your pleat and pin the hood to the inside of the towel about 1/2” down or so.

Sew the hood to the towel using a pretty wide zig zag stitch from the inside of the hood. Flip your towel back to the right side and zig zag along the ribbed edge of the towel on the outside edge. Make sure to really secure the beginning and ending stitches so the hood stays put after it’s been used a bunch.

You’re done! Or are you?

Adding a couple appliqués to the sides would be really cute…

Grab a coordinating design fabric and iron on some wonder under to the wrong side. Cut out a couple flowers (or whatever) leaving a tiny 1/8” edge all around the design. Peel off the paper, center your design where you want it, and iron that puppy down. It would look just as cute layering a few different designs as well. Just play with it.

Using an appliqué stitch, stitch around your home made appliqué.

Add a cute pair of matching newborn jammies with a ruffly bum and a rubber ducky and you have the worlds cutest Bed and Bath set to give away. Or keep it because you totally should unless you’re having a boy. In which case get cracking with that second half of your hand towel, it’s only midnight!

I made the p.j. pants using this pattern from From an Igloo. Tiny!

Have a fantastic night!!