Portable DVD Player Case

I bought a new portable DVD player which I hope will come in handy on road trips.  I was worried about it getting all scratched up, but not worried enough to pay 15 bucks for the store's carrying case, especially when I can make my own for free from fabric scraps.  It's lined with fusible fleece, so it's not really going to protect from a huge shock, but it should prevent dings and scratches.

I know it's hard to see online, but I just love this fabric.  I have no idea where it's from, but all the little nails and bolts are cool.
The outside material (2 rectangles) inside material (2 rectangles) (and fusible fleece- 2 rectangles) were cut to 9 1/4 inches by 11 inches.

Baby Boy Outfit with Tie Applique

I love little tie appliques and I've seen a few online, but I couldn't find the exact shape I wanted.  I drew up this one, and you can use it too.  Here's the word file that includes a free tie applique pattern.  I attached it to the fabric with Steam A Seam II, and I zig zag stitched around the edge. 

The shoes are from a tutorial on michaelmillerfabrics.  When I sewed the elastic casing, instead of sewing it with the elastic already inside I threaded it through with a safety pin after sewing.  That's the only thing I changed.

The pants are from Made By Rae's free online pattern.

 I really love how the shoes turned out, but they were really a pain to sew.  There are some areas that are thick and hard to sew with interfacing and several layers of fabric.

Rag Quilt

I finished my first quilt.  My mom sent me a big stack of colorful homespun so I made a baby rag quilt out of it.  This is the website I used for measurements and directions.  I made 6 inch squares with a 5/8 inch seam.  I love how this kind of quilt hides all of your mistakes.

Stuffed Animal Owl Pattern and Tutorial

I saw a whimsical stuffed owl in a Pottery Barn Kids catalog, and I thought it would be fun to try.  This is my version. It's a bit skinner and I think the long legs are really funny.  It must be some kind of burrowing owl, or...something.

These are the fabrics I used, but you can use whatever scraps you have around. For the eyes, you need a non-fraying material such as felt or fleece.

Materials:

• Upper leg / foot/ wing fabric (yellow cotton)
• Leg fabric (blue fleece)
• Body fabric (checkered blue cotton)
• Face fabric (tan velour)
• Eye fabric (felt and fleece)
• Fusible Interfacing
• Matching thread

Print the pattern using these links-

Page 1 (foot, beak, center eye, back body part A)

Page 2 (wing, upper leg, top front body)

Page 3 (back body part B, bottom front body)

Cut out all of your pieces.  The pattern already includes a 1/2 inch seam allowance.  When you cut the feet, wings, and upper legs, make sure two pieces are traced on the right side of the fabric and two pieces are traced on the wrong side of fabric so they will match up when you sew them together.  In addition to the pattern pieces, also cut out 4 rectangles 2.5 by 6 inches in your leg material.  Also cut out 4 rectangles of the same size from the interfacing.  Using the center eye piece as a template, cut two circles slightly larger from a complimentary color of felt, and then cut out two more circles even larger from another color of felt (see the pic of the eyes below).

 Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of your 4 leg pieces.

Pin your feet and upper legs, right sides together, to the ends of your legs. 

Sew them on with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.  Make sure you sew very securely if your kids are like mine and like to swing stuffed animals around by their legs.

When you're done sewing, open them up.  They should look like this.

You'll notice that the upper legs have one side that is wider than the other.  Make sure to match them up correctly with the other leg piece so that the sides are the same shape.  Place two corresponding leg pieces right sides together and pin.

 

Then sew all the way around the legs and feet with a 1/2 inch seam allowance, leaving only the top of the upper legs open.  I used blue thread on the leg part and yellow on the yellow fabric so it won't show through when it's turned out.

Trim the seams and clip the corners.  Cut wedges out of the rounded edges and flip it right-side-out.  Stuff with Polyfil.  Use a chopstick or crochet hook to get it all the way down into the foot.  If you want, you can add some plastic pellets or beans to the feet before stuffing to give them some weight.

Now the legs are done.  Set them aside.

With right sides together, sew the wings, leaving the tops open.  Trim seams and clip corners.

Flip them right-side-out and topstitch, again leaving the tops open.

Pin the wings to the top edge of the bottom front piece, 3/4 of an inch from the sides.

Add the top front piece, right sides together and stitch with a 1/2 in seam.

Open it up and it's time to add the eyes.

Take the largest of your 3 circles per eye that you have cut out and place it where you want on the face.  Sew all the way around the edge with matching thread.  Keep in mind that you're going to lose a half inch around the outside edge of the body when you sew the back on.

Ok yeah....that's...creepy.  Better finish those quick...

Do the same thing with the two smaller circles and the beak.

Pin the legs to the bottom of the body.  Make sure the Polyfil is down low enough into the legs so you don't sew over it.  The wider sides of the upper leg should be facing the outside of the bird.

Sandwich the legs with the back body piece and pin.  Then, again with a 1/2 in seam, sew all the way around the body, being careful to keep the legs inside.  Leave about 3 inches open on one of the sides for turning.

Clip corners and cut wedges on the curves.  Turn it right side out.

Stuff it and hand sew the turning opening with an invisible stitch.  If you'd like you can put some beans or plastic pellets in the bum to give it some weight.

You're done!  Now make him a friend.

Diaper Travel Pouch

I found the cutest tutorial on Noodle Head for a diaper pouch.  It can hold some travel wipes, a few diapers, and some diaper cream.

 

 The tutorial was really easy to follow and the whole thing took less than an hour.  I put a Target Up & Up diaper in there and one of my son's Sunbaby cloth diapers, just to see how it fits.  I think it's large enough to fit two Sunbaby diapers and a case of wipes.  It's perfect for the baby shower I'm going to next weekend.

Chenille Burp Cloth

My first child spit up like none other.  We had to carry around a hand towel at all times just to clean her up.  Most of the burp cloths that you buy at stores were not absorbent enough for her, so here's a tutorial you can make for that baby that spits up everywhere.  It's very absorbent, and the chenille side is very soft for their new baby skin.

You will need:

• 1 fat quarter of 100% cotton woven material. I used homespun.
• 1 fat quarter of complimentary fabric or pre-made 1/2 inch bias tape
• An old towel.  You could also use a cloth diaper or cut terry cloth material.
• Starch spray if you're making bias tape.
• Coordinating thread

Prewash your towel and fabrics.  Then, fold one of your fat quarters in thirds to make a rectangle that's about 18 inches by 7 inches.

 Cut out your towel to the same size and pin the homespun fabric on one side like this.

Then, on the towel side, draw a diagonal line like this with a fabric marker or pencil.  This is the first line you will sew on.

With the homespun fabric down (you don't want the terry cloth catching in the feed dogs at all), sew diagonal lines about 1/4 of an inch apart across the entire burp cloth. (In this picture they're 1/2 an inch apart.)  How far apart you sew depends how many layers you have an what type of fabric you use.  If you have a looser weave like homespun, you either need to make the lines close together (about 1/4 inch) or you need to add more than three layers.  If you use flannel, for example, which is woven more tightly, you can do three layers sewn 1/2 an inch apart.

I turned around at the end of each line and made the next one without cutting the thread so it would go quickly.

Then with your very sharp scissors, carefully cut between your sewn lines.  Cut only the homespun fabric and be careful to not cut the terry cloth.

Trim up the edges.  Sometimes all of the diagonal sewing will skew the fabrics a bit, so I like to trim it to keep it all straight before adding the bias tape.

Next make the bias tape out of your other fat quarter.  Skip this step if you're using pre-made bias tape.  Cut strips 2 inches wide on the bias (diagonally).

Then sew these strips together until you have enough length to go around the whole burp cloth.  I needed 3 strips.  To sew them together, place them perpendicular and sew diagonally like this.

Press the seams open.  This is the starch I use.  Fold the whole length of fabric in half longwise and press it.  Then open it up.

Press each side to the center line.

 Then fold it in half and press again.  Voila.  Homemade 1/2 inch bias tape.

Now sew that bias tape all the way around your burp cloth.  If you need a tutorial to show you how, here's a good one on the Smashed Peas and Carrots blog.

Before you wash it, it looks like this:

Throw your cloth into the washer and dryer to fluff and fray the chenille side.   It should get all soft and fluffy and nice for baby.

The Chenille Side

 The Towel Side

And an action shot...

Monster Gift Card Holder

 

I saw a really cute tutorial here for making a monster gift card holder, and I made a few modifications.  If you want to do the same modifications, here's how.

 

• Cut out 2 rectangles: both 3.5 inches x 5.5 inches.(front and back)
• Cut out 2 rectangles: both 3.5 inches x 4.25 inches (mouth)
• Cut four rectangles: all 3.5 x 1.5  inches (2 arms, 2 legs)
• Out of felt cut one rectangle: 3.5 x .75 inches and cut teeth out of one of the long sides
• Out of the felt for the ears cut out 2 pieces that are the shape of the end of your thumb and about 1.75 inches long.
• You also need a button and some embroidery floss

 In the original tutorial, the monster has no legs, ears, or fabric teeth (they're paper).  To add fabric teeth, sandwich the felt piece between the two right sides of the 3.5 x 4.25 inch fabrics.  Sew along the top.

Then turn it right side out and do some embroidery stitches to top stitch under the teeth.

You use this new mouth piece in place of the one layer piece in the original tutorial. 

To make the ears, fold the thumb-shaped pieces of felt in half longwise, and make a small stitch at the straight end to hold them in ear shape.  

Add them and the legs to the inside of the monster when you stitch the back on, just like you do for the arms in the other tutorial.  I only added one button for an eye, and I made the other eye with the embroidery floss.  I love how he turned out.  I think I shall name him Spartacus.

I think it could also be used for an ipod holder.  So fun!  I don't want to give him away, but he's for a graduation gift.