MetroBoutique

Butterick B4054

2012-01-22T22:10:00.000-08:00

Another Butterick 4054:

Size 2; Quilting Cotton. I used homemade brown bias tape for the collar. I like the quilting cotton because it is a little heavier; good for a winter dress and holds up nicely to an active two-year-old.

Explorer Bags

2011-08-31T08:42:00.000-07:00

Our family likes to go on hikes and the boys have a tendency to pick up random findings along the way. I have been thinking about making these bags for quite some time so I have had a lot of time to work out the details in my head. I was able to make them using remnants that I just had laying around. Each bag is lined with a lighter material on the inside to hide the seams and brighten up the insides so things can be spotted easily.

The bags are made up of rectangles of 3 different sizes. For the body of the bag cut 10"x7": 2 for the lining and 2 of the outer fabric. For the flap and the front pocket cut 10"x9": 2 of the outer fabric for the flap and 1 of another fabric for the pocket. For the sides and bottom cut a strip 2"x21": 1 for the lining and 1 of outer fabric. I used iron-on interfacing on all of the pieces to give the bag some stability. To attach the straps to the bag I used small pieces of the outer fabric (but I don't know the exact measurements).

Make the pocket first. Fold the piece in half longways so you have a piece that now measures 5"x9". Top stitch along the folded edge with about 1/4" seam allowance. Place on the front piece of outer body fabric. Position, stitch to form desired pockets. Trim the pocket fabric to be even with the outer body fabric. Raw edges will be eliminated in the bag assembly.

To assemble the bags start with sewing the front and back sections of the outer fabric to the side/bottom strip. Be sure to line up the top along the strip so the bag isn't offset. Do the same for the lining but leave a hole in the bottom of part of the lining to flip the bag and conceal the seams when the lining and bag are attached later.

Sew the flap pieces right side together on 3 of the sides (2 long edges and 1 short edge). I opted for curving the flap but it can be left square too. Flip the flap so the right sides are out. Press. Top stitch around the 3 sewn edges.

Sandwich all of the pieces together, right sides together, flap tucked in between the lining and the bag body. Line up the seams. Sew around the opening. Flip through the hole in the lining. Press the mouth of the bag and top stitch. Sew up the hole in the lining.

To attach the straps (I used 1" wide cotton belting, just shy of 2 yards long). The strap hardware I found, after much searching, at Mill End Fabrics in Portland for $0.29 a piece. Use a small piece of coordinating fabric to attach to the bag (I made a tube and folded in raw edges to I don't have stray strings). Thread the strap. I just looked at the strap on my diaper bag to figure it all out. I used a strap adjuster so the kids could use the bags for years to come. The same size strap fits all of my children (19 months to 8 years old).

Baby Pants and Shoes

2011-06-13T07:32:00.000-07:00

My friend just had a baby so I made her some newborn pants and shoes. The brown pants are made of a soft, very pliable corduroy that someone gave me a while back. The others are flannel. For both pants I used Made by Rae's Newborn Baby Pants Pattern. The pattern is made for cloth diapered babies so there is extra room in the booty but I know my friend only uses disposable diapers so for the flannel pair I flipped the pattern upside down and made the legs the booty. It ended up being a little lower in the waist than I would have liked but they fit him well.

For the shoes, I used a modified version of the Stardust baby shoes pattern (I feel like the toes of that pattern were a bit too club-footed for my taste). I used the same fabrics as on the pants - corduroy for the outside (even the bottom) and flannel on the lining. These shoes are size 0-6 months. On the bigger shoes I like to use JiffyGrip to provide traction for beginning walkers.

Cutest Dress Ever

2011-01-30T16:47:00.000-08:00

Dress and Pinafore made from Butterick B4054. Dress is view A; Pinafore is view H but without the ruffles (I didn't have enough matching fabric for the ruffles). Both are size 1 (12 months) and loosely fit my 13-month old daughter.

The dress was made with a Kona cotton solid (100% cotton) from JoAnn. The pattern was easy to follow and went pretty quickly (I was able to sew it about 2-3 hours a day over 5 days). There were two difficult parts: getting the bias tape onto the collar because there was a lot of bulk from the collar pieces and the bias tape was pretty small AND sewing the sleeves onto the dress because the armholes were so small they wouldn't fit around the arm of my machine so I had to be very careful not to sew them closed. The dress fits loosely and the skirt is fairly long, which I like but could be difficult if she was crawling.

The pinafore was made from a white remnant, most likely 100% cotton. Easy to make and follow the pattern (it was the first time I had ever done gathers and it explained it well). It sat for a little while because there was hand sewing involved on the inside but once I sat down to do it, the hand sewing went quickly.

Fleece Jacket

2011-01-23T10:07:00.000-08:00

This jacket is made using McCall's M5538, view C, size small. It is made with charcoal grey fleece (anti-pill). Overall the pattern was fairly easy to read and follow but there were some parts where I didn't understand what they were saying so I had to just wing it:

First, the zipper was a nightmare. I think my biggest trouble came because it was plastic so when the instructions explained how to shorten the zipper, it didn't work on the plastic teeth. I ended up just hiding it in the collar; it was only a few inches.

Second, I don't feel like there were ever instructions on what to do about sewing down the bottom of the collar so when I was finished with the jacket, I just ran my machine across the back collar, hiding the stitches in the seam between the back and collar.

Finally, I omitted the arm pocket. I sewed it like normal but without the pocket.

One note about the pattern overall is that the pockets are located at the side seams, which makes makes it more awkward because it feels a little far back from where you would naturally expect it to be (but the pocket location made it easier to sew than if they were on the front section).

Penguin Costume

2010-11-07T17:01:00.000-08:00

Approximately size 3T

For the pants I used New Look 6861. I only needed about 1 yard total. Fleece fabric. I used 1" cotton elastic for the waist. It is important to baste down the seam allowances all around the pants before making the casing and stringing in the elastic to keep the elastic from bunching and getting stuck. I forgot about the seam where I connected the white with the black fabric so the elastic is a little funky now.

For the top I used a jacket he already has that fits well. I traced it leaving a little seam allowance. Instead of dealing with finishing the neck edge I decided to add a hood. I used #20 plastic snaps in white for the front closure.

Lederhosen

2010-05-09T21:12:00.001-07:00

For our church talent show my husband and two of his friends preformed "So Long, Farewell" from the Sound of Music. It just wouldn't be right without lederhosen. I used this tutorial to help me know what to do. The first pair took about 2 hours start to finish and the remaining two took a little less time (about 3 hours combined). I just bought dress pants and suspenders from DI (Deseret Industries, a used clothing and other stuff store similar to Goodwill but cheaper).

Baby Shower

2010-03-28T21:47:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I went to a friend's baby shower. She is having a boy so I made her a little baby blanket with farm animals on one side and a minty green on the other side as well as a crochet brim hat that [sort of] matches. I used my 3-month old as the hat model. I have to say she did a great job.

Finally

2010-03-28T21:24:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting an apron for quite some time now and I finally have one! I saw some really neat looking ice milk aprons and was inspired to make one of my own. It was really easy to make with all of the fabric coming from my [newly cleaned out] fabric stash. After making the apron I tried it on up high with the empire waist look but it didn't suit me so I will wear it on my waist instead. I love that I now have an apron and I can't wait to make more!

Quilt & Guitar

2010-02-11T15:08:00.000-08:00

Today was the first time in 7 weeks (since my baby girl was born) that I have been able to craft. It felt so good. This morning in an attempt to stop my 2-year old from playing with the Guitar Hero guitars I decided to make him his own guitar. It was really simple and used things I just had around the house. It took me about 20 minutes start to finish. The neck is made out of two pieces of cardboard taped together (front to back for support) with packing tape; the strings are made out of yarn; the body is made of heavy duty cardboard from an old scrapbooking notebook that I no longer needed. I used a popsicle stick to provide a little more support between the neck and body (that was done after this picture was taken so you can see the bend I fixed). Now it is totally sturdy and ready for a 2-year old to rock out on.

For my 2-year old I also made a quilt. It was meant for his Christmas present but that didn't happen and it got put off until a day when both kids were asleep at the same time for long enough for me to get my sewing machine out and set up. I can't wait for the day when I can have a place where I can leave my sewing machine set up all the time. the front is made out of woven cotton fabrics and the back is made of flannel that I found the day after Thanksgiving (that was the first time I shopped the sales and I just went to JoAnn). I used two layers of cotton batting on the inside so it should be nice and toasty. Overall, it was pretty easy with the only real challenge being the mitered corners. If you are making a quilt and want to miter the corners of the front or back, go here. The pictures are not the greatest but along with the instructions, it is the best I could find. Quite helpful. To quilt it together I stitched in the ditch so the pattern on the top wouldn't get too busy. I used a thread that went well with the flannel on back because that is where you would see it most.

Fit for a Girl!

2009-12-13T18:49:00.000-08:00

A good friend of mine made me a quilt for our little girl, who is coming any day now. It is purple (my favorite color) and very cute.

She had a lot of leftover fabric so I have been able to put it to use. First, I made a fitted flannel crib sheet. It was easy. I used this website and Amy Butler's Little Stitches for Little Ones as my guides.

I still had enough leftover fabric to make this cute little flannel blanket. She will be so cozy this winter.

I also used some of my flannel from my fabric stash to make her a little brown owl blanket.

These blankets are super easy and just the right size. You get two pieces of flannel, about 44-inches wide by 1 yard long. Sew the pieces together with the right sides together leaving a gap for turning. Turn in right side out and zig-zag around the edges. That's it. Perfect baby gift.

Diaper Covers

2009-10-26T15:47:00.000-07:00

I love cloth diapers. I have been using them for a little over a year now. I tried to think about what it was that I liked about using cloth diapers - is it the environmental aspects? money saving? bragging rights? Yes, yes, and yes. But it is more than that. I just like using cloth diapers. I can't say it is fun to clean them, not that it is hard to do but really, who likes to touch things with poop on them? Anyhow, as I was thinking about it I realized that I like it for a lot of reasons, which is probably why I have stuck with it this long and don't foresee myself stopping. I like to think it gives me "Old Lady" clout.

Now that baby number three is on her way I need more diapers and covers - I started with cloth diapers when my son was 7 months old so I am lacking the smaller size. A few friends threw me a baby shower and they were able to get a group of people together to chip in for a snap press. Let me say, it is wonderful. I am able to put industrial plastic snaps on everything. It is so much fun! Last week I went to Mill End Fabrics here in Portland and was able to buy some PUL. I would have preferred white but all they had was navy blue. I decided to get a yard and give it a try. It was really easy - it took only about 45 minutes from start to finish. I used this pattern, also from my baby shower, but instead of using the velcro, I used snaps.

Now, you may be wondering why I am so into snaps. I bought a whole set of diaper covers for my son with velcro and after about seven months the velcro stopped sticking. I was, and still am, ticked off that I paid $11 each for these diaper covers that are supposed to last through "multiple children" and they haven't even lasted for one child. So, that is why I am sold on snaps. I put snaps on all of my son's covers and they work like a charm - and they don't leak, which was a concern that was brought up.

Back to the cover I made, I couldn't find fold over elastic (FOE) here at Mill End and I didn't want to drag a toddler around town looking for something that I wasn't sure I would be able to find so I settled for a 1-inch cotton swimsuit elastic that I just folded in half and sewed on as I would have done with FOE. It is soft and works fine - no wicking. I used two layers of PUL because one side is plastic and one side is polyester. I thought that having the plastic up against his skin would be uncomfortable and I didn't want to use any fabric that would absorb moisture or wick it to the outside. The PUL doesn't slide around or anything. Next time I am going to mark where I want the snaps to go before I sew on the elastic because it was difficult to get them in a straight line once the elastic was attached. Overall, I think they turned out quite well so I am excited to get some white PUL and make a whole set for the baby to use.

Fall is Here

2009-10-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Fall is here. Winter is approaching. I love this time of year. I love the changing colors all around me. I love the smell of burning wood in fireplaces and stoves. I love soup and hot chocolate. I love fall. Thanks to the change in season and a predictable schedule now that my oldest is in school I have been feeling more and more like crafting. I have really missed it. Lately I have been cranking out the hats. Earflaps for all! There is nothing cuter than a sweet little babe with a handmade earflap hat. I hope to surprise some wonderful, dear, and patient friends with these beauties.

On another crafting note, I have started work on Christmas presents. I know that sounds like a crazy thing to do but I am totally stressing out because the baby is due on Dec. 30th (but I hope she comes before Christmas). It doesn't help that my youngest (for now) and my husband both have birthdays in January. Totally stressing. I am making progress so keep your eyes peeled, more posts are soon to come.

Not the Only Crafter

2009-09-03T14:51:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am still crafting but slowly (and all of my pictures are stuck on my broken camera). I am not the only crafter in the house. A while ago, like a year or so ago, my sister got a "Make a Racer" Kit for my son (who is now 6) and we put off doing it, mostly because I was afraid he would smear on all of the paint everywhere rather than take the time to think about what he wanted to paint. So, we were going through the craft box this summer and we came across this kit and decided to go for it. It was a lot of fun. He and his father mixed the plaster and poured it into the mould. Then they put in the casings for the wheels (so they actually roll when you are finished) and waited for a couple days to finish it. I helped him map out what colors he wanted, we mixed the paint to get the perfect colors, and he painted it (I just helped out with edges and touch ups). He loves his little car. I highly recommend this project for anyone with little boys. It is tons of fun! We still have the mould so I am wondering if I can find something for the wheels and wheel casings so we could make more. Here is the finished product:

Commissioned Work

2009-06-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

I completed my first commissioned piece of work. It was really fun to be able to create something totally new and unique. I made a giraffe hat for a friend's son who really likes giraffes. This hat was for his third birthday and was prompted by him asking if he would have horns, like giraffes, when he grows up. Tell me that's not adorable. You can't because it is too adorable. So, here is my hat complete with horns and ears. I crocheted the whole thing from 100% cotton yarn.

Cloth Napkins

2009-04-23T10:28:00.001-07:00

Here are some cloth napkins I made for a friend's wedding gift. I picked a main fabric that went well with the hand towels she registered for so I hope she likes them. I made them 2-ply from 100% cotton fabric based on this tutorial from the Purl Bee. To make them 2-ply (2 layers thick) but still easy to work with and durable, I stitched my two squares together (right sides together) leaving a hole for turning, turned them right side out, then used a zig-zag stitch around the edge (the same way I made my cloth wipes). Additionally, after I made the bias tape, I folded it in half lengthwise and pressed it down (to create double-fold bias tape) before pinning it on the squares - I didn't do that on the first napkin and I had to go back and redo a few spots where one side of the bias tape didn't catch.

Just an FYI - If you are going to purchase a bias tape maker, get the Clover brand. I couldn't find the right size when I was at JoAnn so I just bought the cheaper Dritz brand one. It was awful. I couldn't get it to work right at all. I tracked down the clover one and it worked beautifully. I love my bias tape maker!

Abra's Garden Apron

2009-04-08T13:35:00.000-07:00

I did a fun post on another one of my blogs (Did you know I have 4 blogs? I have one dedicated to my family - you have to actually know us to read it {if you do know us but haven't been invited to read our blog, feel free to email me}, one dedicated to food, wonderful delicious food; this one dedicated to crafting; and my newest which is all about Thrift and Industry {i.e. saving money and being more self-reliant}. You should check them out!). Anyhow, back to my fun post. It was that the first 5 people who commented would get something homemade by me especially for them. So, for my friend Abra, who loves to garden, I made a Garden Apron. I have always wanted a garden apron so I thought that perhaps Abra would want one too. She loved it! (or so she said) I made 3 pockets for holding things like a trowel and pruners and a little pocket for a key or small iPod. I embellished it with crocheted flowers and old buttons. I can't wait to see it in use!

Summer Hats

2009-04-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

As I was looking at some of the blogs I follow I noticed a very cute military-style hat on Design Mom (this post). I decided to try to make it for my boys. My first attempt turned out too small for either boy but my second attempt worked out quite well and fits my 5-year old. He loves it so much that he wears it every day.

For my youngest I crocheted him a brim hat.

So Excited!

2009-03-21T13:10:00.000-07:00

I just got this book from my library (I have had it on hold since November). I can't wait to try the patterns!

Chore Chart

2009-03-14T11:12:00.000-07:00

What started out as a simple project involving little more than cardstock and contact paper quickly became a much more challenging project involving my sewing machine. I wanted to make a chore chart for my 5-year old. My original idea was to have a table with chores on one side and check marks on the other side. After my son completed a chore, he could stick a check mark next to it. If he got all of the chores checked off (he must complete the task well without whining to get a check mark) he would get a star. Simple enough, right? Apparently that was too simple for me. I got this crazy, hair-brained scheme to sew it using red fabric (his current favorite color) and vinyl. I made pockets to hold the checks and start that were not in use (with little appliques on front to ward off confusion). My friend Abra used her super cool tool to put two little grommets in the corners so I can hang it up (now we are just trying to think of a place where my Alexander can reach it but Elijah the climbing baby can't). It took a few hours longer than the paper one would have but it is totally awesome!

I really like that I can change out the chores. This allows me to do different things each day (as well as some that are the same every day) plus as he gets older, we just have to print out new chores to fit his skills. He really likes it - he had to describe it in great detail to his dad.

What, you may be asking, are his chores? Daily chores include - morning routine (make bed, get dressed, brush teeth...), homework, practice piano (10 minutes per day), clean dinner dishes, evening routine (brush teeth, set out clothes for tomorrow...), and clean his room before bed (all toys need to be put away). Some of the ones that change are - bath (M, W, F, Sat), dusting, laundry (put into drawers), take out recycling (this is when his dad takes out the trash). When he gets all of his jobs checked off he gets a star. When he earns five stars he gets to choose a fun activity or dessert - Zoo trip, 30 minutes of video games, trip to the park... He tends to be pretty reasonable in his requests. For example, when we were living close to family he asked for his activity to be going to the Children's Museum with grandma.

Here are instructions on how to make your own. If you want one but don't want to make one, head on over to my Etsy shop and send me an email so I can custom make you one.

Chore Chart

Finished dimensions: 16" wide by 20" tall (holds up to 8 chores and 5 stars)

Materials Needed:
Outer Fabric - 2 pieces, cut to 18"x22" each
Batting (just thick enough to give it some body) - 1 piece, cut to 18"x22"
Vinyl (to display chores, checks, and stars) - 1 piece, cut to 9"x14.5" and 1 piece, cut to 2.75"x10.5"
Pockets (to hold chores, checks, and stars when not in use) - cut 2 pieces 4"x4" and 1 piece 3.5"x7.5"
1/2" double-fold bias tape - 39.5" total, cut into 2 pieces 14.5" long and 1 piece 10.5"
Matching Thread

Instructions:
1. Baste batting to wrong side of front fabric with a wide zigi-zag stitch.

2. Attach bias tape by sewing to vinyl with a straight stitch on long sides (14.5") or larger piece (9"x14.5") and along one of the long (10.5") sides of the 2.75"x10.5" piece.3. Assemble the pockets. Fold fabric about 1/4" - 1/2" under on all sides and sew down with a straight stitch. On the top of each pocket fold down an additional 1/2" and sew down. Applique or embroider pocket fronts, if desired, now.

4. Now all of the pieces are ready to be attached to the chore chart front.a.) Start with the largest piece of vinyl. First you want to mark where you will sew. The left column (for the chores) is 6.75" wide. Each row is 1.75" tall, which leaves about 1/4" excess at the top and bottom. Once the lines have been marked, lay vinyl in position and sew with straight stitch starting with the long vertical column stitch. For the horizontal rows, start at the top left and sew one row at a time working from the top to the bottom. On the 1/4" excess on top and bottom finish with a zig-zag stitch (be sure not to go below your straight stitching).
b.) Now work with the other piece of vinyl. First put it in place and sew the long (back) edge down. Then sew the horizontal lines starting 1/4" from the top then every 2" from there (you will make five pouches and have 1/4" excess on top and bottom). Sew around top, back, and bottom with zig-zag stitch just like in part a.
c.) Attach the pockets by pinning them where you would like them to be (don't forget to allow clearance to slide the cards in and out easily). Sew around each pocket with a straight stitch (sides and bottom).

5. Now you are ready to put it all together. Lay the other piece of fabric (for the back) on the top of the chore chart with right sides together. Pin. Sew around three sides (leaving bottom open for turning) of the chore chart with about a 1/2" seam allowance (be careful not to go too far in and sew over the vinyl and pockets). Remove pins and turn right side out. Fold bottom seam inside about 3/4", pin, and top stitch all the way around with a 1/4" - 1/2" seam allowance.

6. Prepare for hanging. I used grommets on my chore chart, which gives it a nice finished, professional look. If you don't have grommets or don't desire to use them, I would suggest hand stitching a dowel to the top edge of the chore chart. You can then tie string or yarn or twine to the ends of the dowel and hang it from that. Either will work fine.Voila! Now, you have your very own chore chart. Or do you? This is my first tutorial so I wasn't sure what level of detail was appropriate. Give me feedback so I can do better next time or get sleep knowing that this wasn't just a big disaster. Good Luck! Like I said before, if you want one but don't have that burning desire to make one, go to my shop, email me, and we can get you exactly what you want.

[Nearly] Free Pajamas!

2009-02-20T10:32:00.000-08:00

What do you do when you have an abundance of receiving blankets that you never use? What if your 1 year old was in dire need of pajamas? That's exactly what I did - I made pajamas out of flannel receiving blankets. They turned out a bit large but he will grow into them (to my credit, I made size 1 - the smallest size). They were really pretty easy. I used McCall's pattern 5741, 3 receiving blankets (these are, for those of you who may be unsure, the blankets that new mothers get tons of and the ones that hospitals use, made from cotton flannel), 3/4 yard of 3/4" elastic, an old t-shirt, and thread.I didn't have enough blankets to make the whole outfit from the same design so I used one pattern for the pants and another for most of the shirt. To tie the shirt in with the pants, I used some of the pant material to make sleeves for the shirt so it looks like he is just wearing two shirts. For the collar, I used one of my husband's old unused undershirts (I tried to find one that still had some stretch left). The elastic, thread, and pattern are the only things I bought for these PJs.

A Project for Me!

2009-01-28T08:26:00.000-08:00

My ironing board cover was in sad shape. I don't know how it got so bad. It had water stains and fusible interfacing on the top and the pad underneath was tearing (partly because it was free to side around and partly because it had a five year-old plucking pieces off) and it had gotten pretty flat. I really wanted a new one but I didn't want to spend $20 or more buying a new one so I found a pattern at The Purl Bee and went to work. I made a few changes to the pattern. First, I don't have pinking shears so when I made the casing for the string (I used acrylic yarn that matches my fabric) I folded the raw edge in so it would be in the casing. Second, I made a little pocket for the pointy part of my ironing board so it would be less likely to slip off when I iron sleeves that fit over the end of the board. Third, I used two layers of interfacing (the fleecy kind) and I zig-zagged them together, then I quilted the top fabric onto the interfacing rather than basting it all together first (I tried basting but had to go through and pull out the stitching because it wouldn't lay flat). I am really happy with the way it turned out! And it only cost me $10 (I had a coupon for 50% off so I splurged on the fabric because I knew I would have enough for another project).

Birthday Boy

2009-01-20T22:25:00.000-08:00

My little 'lijah just turned one last Friday. The time has gone by so quickly. So, what do you give a one-year old who doesn't really care about presents? Not much. We gave him two things - a wooden snail pull toy (I am really into wood toys) and a handmade doll. I so loved my little Black Apple Doll that I decided I had to make one for my little babe. I made a few changes (or at least attempted) to make it more boy-like. I shortened the hair in the back and made the front more plain and simple (I like how the hair turned out). I attempted to make the body more rounded and less dress-like but once you get those fat little legs pinned on and try to sew it all together you are no longer in control. I also made him look like he is wearing pants by using corduroy (once a pair of my pants) on both the legs and body. I decided not to attempt hands and feet to match the skin so I just continued the shirt and pants the whole way.

Do you think I like the color combination?

Christmas Presents Unwrapped, Part 4

2009-01-06T09:23:00.000-08:00

Part 4 is the final installment. For everyone else in our family (grandmas, grandpas, aunts, and uncle) I made calendars. I do this every year so it is no longer a surprise. It is a great way for family to see how the boys have grown over the years and what we like to do. I am not a big scrapbooker so this takes its place. I make the calendars in Microsoft Picture It! and edit the fonts to look how I am feeling at the time. This year the font was "Enviro." I add major holidays from this website so people can actually use it as a calendar. Then I make the picture page, also in Picture It!, with pictures of our family. This year each month is made up of pictures of what we did during that month in 2008. I print them out on white cardstock, punch a nail hole at the top, and take them to Office Depot for a spiral binding. It is really pretty easy and much cheaper than having someone else print them out.

Christmas Presents Unwrapped, Part 3

2009-01-06T08:43:00.001-08:00

Part 3 will be the things I made for my step-daughter who is 7 years old. All three of her gifts were handmade. She got a sleeping bag, scarf, and doll. I already posted the sleeping bag so I won't bore you with it again but if you missed it, check it out.

I made her a pretty pink scarf with dark pink flowers on the ends to match the hat and mitten set I made for her sixth birthday. She really liked the idea that I made them just for her (who knew kids were into that?) so she wore them every time she was at our house. That was seriously her favorite present that year. Anyhow, after seeing how much she liked the hat and mittens and having her ask for a scarf (I made my son a scarf for Christmas last year), I decided that I would make her a scarf for this Christmas (I didn't want to give it to her sooner because I have a lot of trouble thinking of gifts she would like). She loved it! She wore it even when she was wearing a jacket in 45 degree weather. When she opened the package her eyes bulged and she said, "It matches my mittens and hat!"

I also made her a doll. I really hoped that she wasn't too old for dolls. I used the pattern from when Emily Martin of The Black Apple was on Martha (I should get paid for that sentence). In the instructions they said to paint on the face but that sounded a little out of my league so I hand stitched the face (my first shot at embroidery) before I finished her off. I also made her a little apron to dress her up (it gave me an excuse to use one of my favorite little buttons that I had been hoarding). My little doll turned out so cute! I think my husband had more fun taking pictures of her around the house than my step-daughter did playing with her......at least she is loved. I like the doll so much that I am going to make a boy version for my baby. I have decided that every child should have a handmade doll (they are so easy). Oh, you can't have a doll without a name, so she was named Cooking Mama (because my step-daughter played a lot of Nintendo DS while stranded with my sister-in-law in the Spokane airport) but her name was later changed to "flowers and sweetie pie."

Christmas Presents Unwrapped, Part 2

2009-01-05T12:12:00.000-08:00

For Part 2 I will tell you what I made for my 5 year old... a scripture case. He has had his own Book of Mormon since he started reading on his own about a year ago. He loved having his own scriptures but he wanted to have his own Bible so, for Christmas we got him his very own full set of scriptures. To go along with that I made him a messenger bag-style scripture case. He (unknowingly) picked out the fabric (red for the outside and black with polka-dots on the inside). I used nylon straps and buckles to hold it closed and it will have a nylon strap long enough to go over his shoulder (I didn't buy enough at the time and have been unable to go back because of the freak Portland snow storm, Christmas, and a trip to Nebraska). Hopefully I can get to the store tomorrow. For the clasps I found ones with reflectors, which were cheaper (by like 10 cents) than the ones without reflectors and I figured that the red reflectors would make a fun addition to the red bag. I also padded the bag with a fleecy interfacing because I don't think a 5 year old boy will be easy on it - ever. I think I am going to get a piece of black elastic and sew it to the top inside of the flap for a pencil. It turned out a little short for his scriptures but pretty good overall. It was my first and it was from scratch so I have to say I get a silver star for this one.

Best of all, he really likes it!

Christmas Presents Unwrapped, Part 1

2009-01-04T13:38:00.000-08:00

Now that Christmas is all over and all of the presents have been unwrapped I can tell you all of the things I made (this was a very homemade Christmas). I will do this in a few smaller posts rather than one long post. This is Part 1 or things I made for my baby.

I already wrote about the giraffe scarf and rattles I made for my baby. He really loves those rattles! I also made him a stocking. I did a combination of different ideas to get what I wanted (and what my husband liked). I liked Martha's Felt Punched Stocking but my husband was not a fan of the 90-degree angle (I have to say that I agree now but I didn't really notice it until he pointed it out) so I traced the shape of a store-bought stocking that my eldest son has. The toe ended up being a bit long but it's all good. It was super easy. The felt was not strong enough after I punched the holes in it so I went back and added interfacing for stability (I had to re-punch my holes) so if you are going to do this either get stronger, more-expensive fabric or iron on interfacing before punching.

Giveaway Results

2008-12-29T07:43:00.000-08:00

Your odds were good on this giveaway! Based on the random number generator, here are the winners.

For the pink shoe the winner was number 2 or The Harris Family who said, "How cute! Those came out great :)" So, Mary just go ahead and email me (or Tristan) with your address and your shoes will be on the way.

For the purple shoe the winner was Deb (number 4) who said, "Those are absolutely darling! Seriously, you are way talented!!" Deb, I have your address. Be on the lookout. I am trying out new packaging.

Thank you for all who played. Keep on the lookout for more giveaways.

Baby Rattles

2008-12-25T10:48:00.000-08:00

Christmas is here and the presents are unwrapped. My baby is 11 months old so for Christmas we made him rattles. They were so easy and even better, they were free! I saved all of the pill bottles from my prenatal vitamins (for this purpose) and we filled them up with random things from around the house (beans, rice, bells, poly balls that I took from a dying stuffed toy, beads, paper clips...). To decorate the bottles we used Mod-Podge, glitter, and tissue paper. Then to finish it all off my husband glued the tops on with Gorilla Glue. They turned out really great! And best of all, our son LOVES them. He wasn't really into opening the packages but he loved to shake them wrapped or not.

The giveaway is still going on so be sure to post a comment! Who can turn down free?

Giraffe Scarf

2008-12-22T22:02:00.000-08:00

I am done with Christmas presents! We didn't get the kids much but I made almost everything myself so it was a long process. I was way ahead of things before Thanksgiving but then Thanksgiving happened and I was suddenly way behind... I don't know what happened there.

For my baby I made a giraffe scarf. This I am very proud of (bear with me, I may say that about all of the stuff I made - it was a good year) because I came up with it all by myself. The only giraffe scarf I was able to find a picture of was totally different than what I was thinking so I just went for it. I crocheted the whole body with cotton yarn. For the spots I cut out random shapes from felt and sewed them on with embroidery floss. I made both sides the same so it was easier to sew the shapes on. Isn't it adorable!?

Sleeping Bag

2008-12-16T14:19:00.000-08:00

I have a lot of half finished Christmas presents but this is the first one that I have finished this year.

This sleeping bag is for my 7-year old step-daughter to replace her pink Princess sleeping bag that was transformed into wigs - by my son. How does a 4-year old even think of cutting open a sleeping bag, removing the stuffing, and squishing it together into wigs? Wigs!

I was able to use my seam ripper, the greatest tool ever, to save the zipper. To make the new one I bought a butterfly print fleece and a coordinating solid purple flannel (2 yards each). I didn't worry about stuffing it because it can't get that cold in Portland. I decided to dress it up a bit by adding a purple strip to the top. It didn't take very long once I gathered the courage to start (I was deathly afraid I would screw up because straight lines and I don't always mesh). I hope she likes it!

Cute Card Delivery!

2008-12-16T11:29:00.000-08:00

I won my first giveaway and it made my day! I signed up on my friend Deb's blog Mumbo Jumbo to win a set of her delightful handmade birdie cards and I won! Deb is super amazing, especially with papercrafting. If you're jealous or just looking for some great cards, check out her shop. Get ready to be amazed.

Also, don't forget to check out my baby shoe giveaway! It ends at midnight (Pacific Time) on December 28th.

My First Giveaway

2008-12-15T10:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first ever MetroBoutique Giveaway! There are so many great giveaways (like this one from Design Mom) that I figured I could share the wealth. I am very excited to give two lucky winners each a pair of handmade (by me) newborn baby shoes. These are cute little girly shoes each with a soft cotton flannel lining. They are machine washable and dryable preshrunk cotton. They also have elastic around the ankles so they stay on. Here they are:

This pair is pink with white eyelet overlaid on te top and sides and solid pink on the soles.

This pair has little hearts on the top and sides with a coordinating purple sole.

To enter, just leave a comment. The Giveaway ends on Sunday, December 28th at midnight Pacific Time. I will use the random number generator to select two winners. The first number drawn will get the pink shoes, the second will get the hearts.

Check out my shop for other great handmade things!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-11T15:25:00.000-08:00

I just finished my Christmas cards - making them that is. I am not much of a paper crafter although I would love to be. I was looking for something simple so I planned to use this pattern but I couldn't find a nice Christmas paper with something on both sides. What's the deal with that? So, after searching (not too hard mind you) I gave up and used things I already had. I like how they turned out. I bought two packs of blank cards and envelopes last year with the intention of using them to make cards but the motivation was not there so it didn't happen. This year, however, after moving half way across the country I forced myself to make some nice Christmas cards. This is what I came up with. I cut white cardstock down to 3.5" x 5" pieces, stamped & embossed them (the red and green stamps are glittery and the gold is smooth and shiny), and stuck them on the folded cards. Voila! See, I told you they were simple. I cut the paper yesterday while watching House on the internet (8 days after airing...) and I did the rest today while reading blogs and emailing my husband. Cheap, simple, and cute. That should be my personal motto...they could write that on my tombstone.

I haven't been blogging a lot lately but soon you will see why. I am in the middle of like 3 projects that I can't wait to finish and post! Check back, and tell your friends!

Craft Fair

2008-12-05T23:02:00.000-08:00

Today was my craft fair and I have to admit I am a bit disappointed. I didn't sell anything. There was a lot of ooohing and aaahing but no buying. I think a big part of the problem was that I didn't have a big selection of shoes and hats. I had three hats - one neutral and two for girls (now listed on my Etsy site) - and three pair of baby shoes - two girl and one boy (soon to be listed). The craft fair was in a hospital so by the afternoon I had people coming down and saying, "These are the ones they were talking about..." and "Oh, how adorable!" In addition, I was able to crochet one and a half hats so it wasn't a total loss. I missed being home with the boys, near my computer but it was quite nice to get away for a time and be able to just sit and crochet.

Next to me was a man selling pottery that he threw and fired himself. It was really great. He had mugs, bowls, vases, pitchers, bird houses, and lots of other fun little things. One of the things I considered buying was one of his small mugs. I thought it would be the perfect size for my five year old's hot chocolate. I decided that I would not buy one unless I made some money. That didn't happen but as I was leaving I just wanted to see how much they cost so perhaps I could buy one later. I picked it up to look at it and he gave it to me. And the one that matched it. I couldn't believe it! They are so great. The man's name is Bradley and he sells through Bradley Ceramics in Newberg, OR. If you are in the area, he has sales at his house twice a year.

So, overall the craft fair was fun and well worth the time and effort. I was able to hand out my card to a decent number of people and I was motivated to get some stuff finished and posted on Etsy.

Baby Bibs

2008-12-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how long it has been since I last posted.

Here is my latest creation: Flannel Baby Bibs. I love them! My son has one and I use it the most often because it is the perfect size. They are made with 100% cotton flannel on the front and back and I used Velcro for the closure. I have had them made with the exception of the Velcro closure for a week now. They are basic and simple, which is probably a big reason why I like them.

I went shopping the Friday after Thanksgiving, which I never do because the very thought terrifies me. Anyhoo, I bought some really cute owl and farm animal prints that I can't wait to use. I will probably just make more bibs.

In addition, I am very excited because this Friday I am going to have a booth at a craft fair through my husband's work. It will be my first booth (and potentially my very first sale). I can't wait but at the same time I am nervous because, well, what if nobody is interested? That would be a big bummer. But, what ever is left over will be heading to Etsy.

Cookies Anyone?

2008-11-19T13:25:00.000-08:00

I am in "new toy mode" as my husband calls it. Last night I was surprised when a FedEx man knocked on my door with a KitchenAid in tow. I have wanted a KitchenAid ever since I killed my mixer last December making Christmas cookies (it was an accident, I swear). I have refused to buy a new hand mixer because I was holding out for a KitchenAid. That ment no cookies, no cakes, no cheesecake, no frosting...no fun. So, when the lovely new gift from my mom arrived last night I was more than happy. Surprisingly, I didn't stay up all night playing with it. I found it a good spot on the counter and went to bed.

This morning I woke up, got everyone ready and off to school and nap before I played. I broke out the cookbook and made some delicious 100% whole-wheat cookies (I am a whole wheat freak). I started out with Ginger cookies for my husband.
Then I made chocolate chip for my oldest.Don't they look scrumptious? I made a plate of each and surprised my husband and his co-workers and I made a plate for the new neighbors upstairs. I love to bake and even more than baking, I love to give away the things I make.

I have to admit I didn't do it all myself. I had a little helper.

Hooray!

2008-11-18T21:17:00.001-08:00

Thank you, Mom!

Food can be Pretty

2008-11-12T21:01:00.000-08:00

Lately we have been experimenting with fancy foods. No, not expensive foods. Pretty foods. This all started a while back when I decided to stuff cooked rice into a measuring cup (mainly to measure it out for portion control) and serve it molded to the shape of the measuring cup (like they do in swanky restaurants). That (about 6 months ago) was the extent of our pretty foods until recently. Motivated by the abundance of nice restaurants in Portland my husband has begun to randomly make pretty foods. Here are some of our beautiful (and quite tasty) foods:

This is our "breakfast rice" as my 5-year old calls it. It is just basmati rice with butter (hidden under the blackberry), sprinkled with granulated sugar and cinnamon, and topped with a fresh blackberry. This is pretty much what started it all.

This is another rice dish that my husband and I made together for some friends. It is sweet rice (basmati rice with butter and sugar) topped with raspberry coulis (raspberry juice strained from fresh raspberries) and a golden raspberry.

And Finally, this is my husband's pizza margherita (the picture colors are a bit off). It was delicious. It was a very simple pizza with a handmade (by me) 100% whole wheat crust, tomato slices instead of tomato sauce, chunks of fresh mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves. That is it. The basil was very aromatic and lended a nice flavor that really brought out the tomatoes (but not too much). So good and so pretty.

Cloth Wipes

2008-11-02T19:24:00.001-08:00

I made cloth wipes. I have yet to use them but they are finished. I stayed up until midnight (much to my husband's consternation) to get these bad boys done. I tried them with a binding but I didn't like how it turned out. I think the flannel was too thick and my husband brought up the fact that poop would probably get stuck under the binding. So, I decided to use a zig zag stitch. This was a very easy and quick project. First get a soft flannel fabric and cut an even number of 8-inch squares (you could also cut a piece that is 8" by 16" and fold it in half). Place the pieces right side together and baste around leaving a gap that will allow you to turn it right side out. Clip the corners and turn it right side out being sure to push out the corners. Make sure the raw edges where you turned it through are folded in and sew all around to finish. Like I said, I used a zig zag stitch but you could just top stitch if you like that look better. I had matching threads so I used different colors for variety. They look really good. Today I made a solution so, tomorrow I will get a squirt bottle and give this whole thing a go. I am really excited. I think I only used about 1.5 yards of fabric to make 15 wipes and I got my fabric on sale so it only cost about $3 for the batch. And to make this all a little bit better, if I fold them in half all of my finished wipes fit nicely in a plastic wipe box.

Beep-Beep

2008-10-31T16:05:00.000-07:00

So, I am officially done with costumes this year. Yay! I finished the robot costume last night. I could have finished sooner but after the mad rush on Monday I needed a costume break. I decided to use all fabric instead of cardboard, which was probably not the best idea. I should have just spray painted cardboard boxes and been done with it. I used 6 layers of fabric - silver for the outside, black for the inside, 2 layers of stiff interfacing, and 2 layers of fleece batting - but it didn't hold up well. It doesn't help that my son is really skinny. I ended up adding cardboard across his shoulders to keep it from sliding down. The hat kept collapsing so I added cardboard on the back and sides to prop it up. By the end of the night it looked pretty darn good. We decorated it with circuit boards on the chest. I also had a small computer fan but it disappeared sometime yesterday afternoon. For his arms and legs I bought drier duct and cut it to fit. The legs really made the outfit.

I have to take a moment to give a shout out to Free Geek for the circuit boards. They are totally awesome. All the computer pieces ended up costing only $3. That was 4 circuit boards, an antenna, and a small fan. Due to some miscommunication the antenna didn't make it on the final costume.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-27T20:46:00.000-07:00

Well, not quite yet but it was our church Halloween "Monster Mash" aka costume D-Day. I finished the turtle costume and it looks great. The snaps keep coming unsnapped so he crawls around quite immodestly. I made the body suit from a pattern and I used sew on snaps. Next time I think I will opt for snaps that are more heavy duty. The shell is a bit small but I really like how it turned out. I just zig-zagged around the edges of each piece (after finding out the hard way that you cannot quilt hexagons). To keep it on him, I sewed on elastic straps with plastic clasps.

The robot got done enough. I would still like to sew on a few more accessories. I sewed the whole thing out of many layers of fabric but I think it would have been much easier to just spray paint a few cardboard boxes. No pictures until it is complete.

In addition to all of the sewing I had to do, I also volunteered to bring two desserts and chili. I decided to make brownies because they don't require a mixer (I burnt out the motor on my mixer last Christmas in the middle of making cookies and I refuse to buy another one because I am holding out for a Kitchen-Aid). I thought a graveyard scene would be my best bet. I made shortbread cookies (again due to lack of mixer) for tombstones. I was too busy sewing to get it all put together so when my husband got home I put him on the graveyard shift. I think he did a great job, better than I would have done. He free-handed that skeleton with icing and made the heads from marshmallows and sprinkles (thank you Martha). They turned out great!

Alive and Crafting

2008-10-21T14:11:00.000-07:00

I am not AWOL I am just deep in Halloween Costumes. I can't wait to get them finished so I can see the boys. My oldest is going to be a robot. My baby is crawling everywhere so he gets to be a turtle. Our church Halloween party is on Monday (Oct. 27) so time is almost up.

In the meantime, feast upon my to do list:

Cloth Headbands
Scripture Case for my oldest to take to church
Quiet Book for the baby
Hand Towels
Cloth Napkins
Warm rain coat for my hubby
New baby shoes
Scarf for my baby (I think this may be next)
Cloth Wipes
Wool Diaper Doublers (as per a request from Mary)
Christmas Cards
Aprons for me (I am usually the last on my list)
A Dressy Dress (also for me)
Christmas Presents (I am sorry I can't be more specific but you shall see soon enough)

Hats!

2008-10-17T11:26:00.000-07:00

I have finally mastered the beast that is crochet hats. I am so excited to report that my hats transition cleanly from one color to the next and the tops are smooth and gradual. I was increasing too quickly and getting puckers in the tops. The hats looked fine on the head but when they were taken off the puckers were obvious. But no more! Here are some favorites:

Here is my attempt at taking pictures of a hat without a head. Not too shabby, I must say. I like the balloon idea to show the shape.

Here are earflap hats for girls and boys. I am particularly happy with the center of the flower.

I have also been able to make little crochet hats with brims. This one I made for my youngest son. I will have to admit I borrowed the color scheme from another website. Super cute. If only I could find a way to convince him to keep it on!

This one is just a simple beanie hat but with teddy bear ears.

Let the Crafting Begin!

2008-10-16T13:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my new blog all about crafting. This is where I can display all of the things I do from sewing to crocheting even to baking (it is an art). More to come. Enjoy!