Bye, Bye High Waters

So I typically buy clothing off the clearance rack whenever possible. I mean come on who wouldn’t if you were saving a few bucks and after a few good buys you basically get one for free (my husband doesn’t see it like that). So I bought these cute light weight cotton pants for work. They were great for the summer heat. I am not pinning this on the husband but for some reason they all of the sudden got a bit too short to wear to work.

Yes, my legs spend most of the day under a desk but I don’t want to be the one strutting down the hallway with pants halfway up my ankles. So my solution…make them into capris! This is how I did it…super easy.

The first thing, take a pair of capris that are the ideal length that you are going for.

Then cut the high waters leaving two inches for the hem.  Fold over and iron the cut part ½-inch and then fold and iron leaving a 1-inch hem.

I like to iron all the folds and then sew it.

Then all you have to do is sew ¼-inch from the top of the new hem.

There you have it… new capris!!! (Please forgive the silly photo)

Happy Re-fashioning!

Flower Power Part I

I get inspiration for projects from just about anywhere. I scour magazines, catalogs, website, and stores looking for things that I can recreate with my own flare. This project came to me when I was shopping with some friends and one of them picked up a cute flower pin/clip and said this is cute. Of course I said "I can make that" (sounding just like my husband). So this is Flower Power Part I because I am planning a few variations but wanted to get the ball rolling.

You will need:

A few scraps of fabric (feel free to mix and match). I chose thick tweed from this blazer I picked up at Goodwill for $2.

Pin/Clip
Button

Thread

Hot Glue

Print out the pattern. Trace and cut eight petals on the fabric of your choice.

 

If the fabric you choose is lightweight and will not be as sturdy as you had hoped, use starch spray to stiffen the fabric. Next you want to take a petal, pinch the small end, approximately 1-inch from the end, and sew an X securing the two sides together. I crossed the X about 4 times for each petal. Next cut approximately a 1/2-inch off the end creating a flat end.

Once you have all the petals stitched and cut you are ready to put them together. Take the petals and start your stitch through the X of one petal, loop around the flat end of the petal and back through the X you just started with, next thread the second petal, going through the X and again loop around the flat end and go back through the second petal X. Continue this process until you have all eight petals strung. Remember to keep the thread tight. Once all the petals are strung tie off the tread securing the circle. The flower may be a bit floppy, don't worry.

Next take the hot glue gun and put a bead of glue between the petals as close to the X as possible. You can also add a small bead of glue near the top of the petal to secure the petals.

Once all the petals are where you want them put a small bead of glue in the center and place the button. Flip the flower over and glue the pin/clip onto the back and away you go!

Enjoy!

 Sammy Gene

To Bolt or Not To Bolt

That is the question. I often find myself in the upholstery fabric clearance section of our local craft store thinking I really like this print but I don’t need any more pillows, curtains, or chair covers. So in the end I buy the bolt of fabric (because the print moves me), I mean come on at $3 a yard who wouldn’t. That leaves me to figure out how I am going to use the 3 yards I impulsively purchased.

That leads me to my next problem: I have the hardest time finding table cloths I really like. Either the clearance table cloths are the wrong size or UGLY and the in season ones are too expensive, and not always what I am looking for. I mean if I am going to pay upward from $20 for a table cloth I better like it. So with Spring/Easter coming up I thought this would be a perfect time to try my table cloth making skills. I mean come on, how hard can it really be? Typically rectangular or oval, ah piece of cake. So I decided to replace our “Spring” table cloth (it is faded from washing) in the dining room.

Now I cheated a bit on this one because the fabric that I am using has a checkered pattern so I had go-by lines and didn’t have to measure anything. I first started by laying out the checkered fabric. I then placed the table cloth on-top to get a good measurement of the length (see I am not one for actually measuring, I like to trace). I cut the checkered pattern to fit.

(Good thing my helper was there just in case a gust of wind came through the house!)

Next, I measured the seam at ¾-inch to allow enough room for the sewing machine foot to be guided by both the inside and outside lines. This allows for a consistent line down the whole side. If you are concerned about folding and sewing at the same time, just take a hot iron and put a crease to hold your fold. My suggestion would be to fold (and sew) both long sides first and then fold (and sew) the short sides so your corners all look the same.

After your long sides are folded you are ready to sew. Now I am not claiming that I am a sewing expert, but a helpful hint while at the machine is to push and pull at the same time, especially with a heavy fabric like this one. By pushing and pulling I mean have both hands on the fabric, one guiding on each side of the foot. This will prevent the fabric from getting all jammed up either going in or coming out from the under the foot. This also helps to make sure you seam is consistent and the fabric isn’t sliding out of place.

Now wasn’t that simple. Just a simple straight stitch and viola new table cloth for under $10!