Cottage Skirt

I made another skirt. It almost was a complete disaster. I accidentally cut into my skirt while sergering (the woes of sergers) but i was able to fix and and you would never know. I think it look really good. Just a nice casual happy skirt. The fabric is my Riley Blake, I believe. I cannot remember the collection for sure. It was part of the mass amount of fabric my momma bought for me for my Christmas. I cannot tell you know that we are on a budget how nice having all that fabric is because otherwise, i would have *almost* nothing to sew. One more immediately planned skirt to go!

It's just a simple tier skirt with pintucks on top and an elastic waist back. It's a little big, but i am really making it for a maternity-ish/post-maternity/fat skirt. No, i am not pregnant. Trying, but not pregnant. I just can't stand to make all these clothes that won't fit me in *hopefully* a few months and will then only fit me again for a few months a year later!

The pictures aren't as crisp as normal because they are taken from an iPhone. We hiked 30 minutes up a super steep hill only to realize--the battery to the camera was in the wall. Darn it! Oh well, Nick had his camera and saved the day!

Ironing Board Cover

The other day I was cutting on my ironing board and I also cut my ironing board cover. I know i hated the other one and PLANNED to refinish it, but i was being lazy. Lazy no more. It was probably one of the easiest projects ever! If you have a serger it is a BREEZE! Really, you should try!

My nice beautiful tear

Halloweens Past

With Halloween rapidly approaching I have been doing lots of planning for this year's Halloween! I am super excited about what I have come up with! I love having a family theme! So we will have one yet again. I will reveal it soon... just not QUITE yet. Let's see if you will be able to guess :o)

I also realized I have never posted my pictures of my last two year's worth of Halloween pictures! So here goes...

Nick (my husband)'s favorite book as a child was "Where the Wild Things Are" so I knew once i started sewing that Hayden's first Halloween he HAD to be the main Wild Thing. Since i was pretty knew to sewing it's a bit rough, but i was (and am!) so insanely proud of how it turned out. The onesie is made of two fabrics i sewed together. Then embroidered. The pants are a pair of Carter's stretchy pants covered in rows of gray triangles. I also appliqued WILD THING on the front. The head band is a crocheted fur yarn with stuffed horns attached and on the socks i put little claws. He was totally a hit and looked SOOOOO cute!

Then last Halloween, we had TWO little monsters and I really wanted to do a family theme. So i wracked my brain and after a trip to Joanns and seeing this pattern I knew what I was going to make the Tanner Family Circus. So i made Hayden and Elephant, Eldon a lion, Nick the Ringleader, and I was a gypsy (i am afraid of clowns so our circus wasn't allowed to have any clowns).  I LOVED the way the costumes turned out. I even won $40 at the Base Kid's Halloween Party. That was pretty awesome!.

I also HAD to make the boys Halloween shirts (and romper) for the little boys. I was pretty excited about Halloween last year. This year i am going to make a tie for Eldon and a bowtie for Hayden. (H is obsessed with bowties). So these are their little shirts!

No-mess Bib II

I made another "no-mess bib." I also tried to throw together a bit of a rough tutorial for if anyone wanted to make one. I love this so much! It could easily be modified for any type of chair. If anyone wants me pattern i can scan it in, just let me know! The directions are in the pictures!

I'm so glad i found my bias tape! I love the bias tape version even better than the bib here. I had lost the tape before, but i really like both version. I made this one with a little more "extra" space because the last one was a wee-tight for my wiggling little guy. He kept popping the snaps off! I can't tell you how much i love this bib! If you have a chair like this... IT IS A MUST!

(i love my little model! :o))

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband and me! :o)

Here's us over the past FOUR years:

And now... what a lucky girl i am!

Oh, and my iron broke... so i am waiting on a new one. I never knew how much i needed an iron until i didn't have one. So... more sewing to come... :)

Medicine Jar Maracas

As part of our typical, playtime Monday activity we made medicine jar Maracas Hayden really wanted in on the action and Eldon loves shaking things and making noise. The boys had a ton of fun! It occupied them for AT LEAST half an hour while i finished up some dishes! They make me smile!

So, what are you waiting for? Make some of your own!

AND DANCE!!!

Little Boy Short

Yesterday was our baby's birthday! So i figured here is the tutorial for his birthday shorts... and the other two pairs i have made! To see the original go here. Happy Birthday Eldie!!! We Love You!

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I made another pair of super cute Hayden shorts!!I love these shorts. Really love them. They are so simple to make and if you left out the pockets, they would be about 3 steps! Really easy. The pockets are a bit confusing at first, but once you figure them out they are a breeze {and super cute}. I love the Twill material! Really quality! He's darling!

Are you ready to make some super cute shorts? I know there seems like a million steps, but i wanted to make it SO understandable! It's really easy! Promise! You will need:

• about 3/4 yard main fabric for 3T
• fat quarter lining fabric
• 1 1/4 inch elastic
• (and normal sewing supplies)

1. Trace shorts-front, back, pockets {Or print out mine}
2. Cut out pieces. Set aside. {I like to keep them with their label on top-especially the short front and back. It can be confusing}
3. Take pocket pieces {all 6} separate one lining with two tops.

4. Iron top pieces over about 3/8 inch.
5. Place piece on top of lining and pin.
6. Edge stitch as close to the edge as you can {without missing the fabric, of course}
7. Trim Edges of shorts so the wlining and main fabrics match
8. Fold shorts so the “wrong” sides and facing {the two pure lining sides}
9. Pin and sew ½ from the bottom side {we are doing a French seam}
10. Now turn “inside out” {turn the opposite way} so that the two main fabric pieces on each pocket are facing each other. Iron and pin the bottom.  Sew 3/8" from the bottom {encasing seam allowance}{honestly, you don’t need to pin . Look at the bottom once you have turned it inside out. You see the ½ of fabric that is darker and about 3 times as thick. That is what you need to encase. Sew along this}

11. Set pockets aside.
12. Grab the front main pieces. Sew up the center of these pieces. Repeat for back pieces.
13. Press the seam to one side and stitch about ¼ inch from the center seam down the short piece.
14. Grab your pockets. This will be the hardest part of the tutorial. Take the front piece of the pocket and place it on the front of the short.
15. Now take the piece that is NOT touching the short and pin it. Sew about 3 inches.
16. Clip the top and bottom of the stitching pocket.

17. Flip around {creating a French seam} and sew about 3/8” in from the edge encasing the raw edges.
18. Now the next two steps are helper steps:
1. First, straighten up the front piece and pin your pockets in place This way they won’t move around when you are sewing the bottom pieces of your shorts.
2. Next, take your pockets and stitch a satin stitch at the top of the opening of the pocket and the bottom of the opening. This will keep the two pieces of the pocket together sturdily AND make it easier to sew with.
19. Now pin together the lower leg opening. Sew or Serge.

20. Next, match up the front and back sides of the shorts. Make sure to line up the back side of the pocket with the back. Sew down the two sides seams making sure to miss your pocket.
21. Check to make sure you didn’t accidently stitch the pocket. Serge Short.
22. Iron the seam allowance the opposite way of the pocket. Stitch ¼” from the seam.
23. Now to hem the short. Fold the fabric over 1/4" then again 1/2". Edge stitch along the INSIDE of the short. This guarantees you hit the inside and make a nice clean hem.
24. Now to the waistband. Fold the fabric over 1/2 inch. Then fold again 1 3/4". You might have to trim a little length of the top depending on how long your top piece was. You need you waistband to hit at the top of your pockets, so you sew them in as you sew the waistband.

25. Edge stitch along the inside of the waistband leaving approx 2" for the elastic.
26. Cut elastic to desired length (measure around child or pre-exisiting short). Stick a safety pin through the end of the elastic and thread through casing.
27. Overlap ends of elastic and zigzag together (zigzag has some give--making it better suited to elastic)
28. Sew casing shut.

29. No one wants their elastic to move around too much and if you look at most of your boy's professional shorts you will see a chainstitch running through the waistband. If you have a coverhem machine use that, but if not i will teach you how to make it LOOK like you did.
30. Grab your short. Change your stitch length to 5.0mm (the longest on my machine).
31. Using your foot as a guide, stitch 1/2 inch from the top of the short through the waistband. As you continue through the short, stretch the elastic and waistband fabric so there are no gathers. Go all the way around the short.
32. Repeat ever 1/2 inch until you have completed the waistband!
33. Cut your threads and TA-DA! You are done! Look at those awesome shorts you made! Put them on your babies and... as always... take WAY too many pictures!!



I really want to make a million more!!!

Train Wreck

Literally y'all... this is a train wreck. I spent ALL day making a cake. And it turned out like this:

Scary, i know. It looks like something a two-year-old made. And although i would like to blame it all on Hayden, i can't. :o( So i think i am officially never making a cake for a kid again. ColdStone here i come.

At least it will taste good. Look bad, taste good.

I think i'm gonna stick to sewing....

Simple Headband

I am about to be an Aunt... again! To a little girl! The first little girl since i started sewing {well, the first kid that wasn't mine since i started sewing...} and as you already know, i am super excited! SO of course i had to make some head wear from my beautiful little niece.

This headband was BEYOND simple! I just bought the flowered fabric from the trimmings section in Joann, added some elastic i already owned, sewed them together, and VOILE! I have a beautiful headband!

What you need:
Some sort of trimming
8" (for 3 month) 1/4" elastic
Needle and Thread

please excuse the hairy model... i happen to be the only girl in the house :)

I can hardly wait to see it on her {or to see her, for that matter!}

No mess bib

I made the jump... and cut into my Amy Butler Temple Doors laminated cotton. Such a beautiful fabric. Very different to work with, though. The bib was a pretty easy sew. I am going to make another one too... So many options!!

I really love it. And best of all? It worked!!! Even with a dinner of noodles, cabbage salad, and peas, he managed to only drop 4 peas and 2 noodles on the floor. That's a miracle! 

He doesn't mind it too much. He likes to put his foot up by the table so that is harder, but it seems pretty comfortable. He is just too darn darling! I can't believe he is turning ONE in THREE days!!!! I might pass out! I forbid it, actually. Anyways, take a look at the pictures below!

How to make a Paper Airplane

Airplanes are in our blood around the Tanner home. With a F-16/commercial airline pilot Poppa and a Aeronautical Engineer Father (aka Aeroenginerd) our boys are destined to be airplane LOVERS. 

My husband (Mr. Aeroenginerd) is really good at making paper airplanes. Hayden is ALWAYS asking for a paper airplane, and, well, i just don't know how to make them. So together as a family we created our paper airplanes. These planes fly AWESOME! So good ahead... make one (or a million) your kids will love you for it!

No mess bib mock up

Our almost *tear* one-year-old sits in a seat that attaches to our table. We bought it for our two-and-a-half year old because we liked how he sat at the table with us. Problem is, it has always caused the worst messes EVER. There is about a two inch gap between the child and the chair which means when food misses the mouth {which is often} it goes right on to the floor. Gag. Our floors have to be vacuumed multiple times a day. Or... they are just not vacuumed {shhh... i didn't tell you that}. We have tried all the "food catching" bibs but alas, they hardly work. or they are too stiff... etc.

So i decided to come up with a solution. I bought some super beautiful Amy Butler laminated cotton...{mmm... nice fabric!} and am busting at the seams to cut it up.

BUT at $20 a yard i decided to make a mock {or two} before i butchered the beautiful fabric. Good plan. Because i definitely had some mods to make. Here is the first take on the new bib:

Swirly Skirt

For Christmas last year my parents bought me mainly fabric and sewing books. Up until now, i had not touched the fabric my mom and dad had bought me. But now i have. And i made a skirt. Yay! I am very excited! I really like it. I mixed two patterns very roughly together (Vogue 8560 & McCall 5631).

The skirt was the Vogue and the waistband was VERY roughly the McCall. The skirt was supposed to have a hem band, but when put on it hit right at the knee and ruined the flow of the skirt. So i took it off. It made the skirt a little bit too short for me (i'm 5'10") but i still really like it. For the waistband i increased the size and added elastic to the back. I wanted it to be able to fit maternity since my husband and i are yet again ttc and i already have a closet full of skirts i can't wear.

I added embroidery in a wave-swirly pattern along both the front and back of the skirt. I really like how it turned out. I am a firm believer in that embellishments make the outfit. So yay! I have two more skirts to make and a shirt too. I am excited to be sewing for myself, but it is definitely more nerve wracking than sewing for my kids. They are easy (and they aren't picky)!

Looking at it again i'm starting to wonder... should i length it? Maybe a-laMake It Love It?
hmmmm.......

Sidewalk Chalk

I've recently decided that at least once but preferably twice a week we are going to do something creative with the boys like playdough {my boys have NEVER played with playdough} or painting or sidewalk chalk. So when i saw a post for sidewalk chalk on Pinterest I had to try it out.

Review: I wasn't the biggest fan of the consistency of the stuff. I actually own some of the Crayola sidewalk chalk and it didn't paint anything like it. It did better in the morning before our outside cement wasn't 100 degrees but still. I think it needs something other than cornstarch. I will do more research and let you know what i find.

America Banner

About two years ago I bought a banner from TJ MAXX for Valentine's day and i fell in love with it SO much that i wanted to make one for each of the holidays of the year.

Two years later... I made a "God Bless America" Banner. The banner kind of symbolizes summer to me. But by September i want to make a FALL one... that will be replaced for HALLOWEEN... then back to FALL (for Thanksgiving)... then CHRISTMAS... Then WINTER... THEN Valentine's... THEN St. Pattys... THEN EASTER... then back to SUMMER (AKA God Bless America). Pretty fun, eh?

For the banner I went to Joanns AND Michaels looking for solid star shapes, but they didn't have any. So then i saw these and at 2.99 each (for 3) i decided they were perfect (and already painted! yay!) So i brought them home, moved the bells, chained them all up together, and added the words! Done! Seriously, easiest project ever!

Then letters didn't turn about as well as i would like because the texture of the wood made the paint bleed and, well, i went too fast. but i like it more and more and i am happy to have it hanging on the wall!

Bowties too!

The bowtie happens to be my older son's favorite part of the whole "tie extravaganza". He is always asking for his "boo-tie." I'm glad he likes it so much!

Here is the photo tutorial for how to make the bowtie. On the pdf i kinda left out the first step so i have added it in here and i will alter the pdf soon.

Don't forget to check out the ties and their photo tutorial too! {Little Boy's Ties!}

Bowties, too!

pattern found here
*this pattern is for home, personal use ONLY*

1. Place bow tie right sides together. Stitch 3/8” away from edge leaving about 1 inch to turn inside out.
2. Iron on fusible fleece.
3.  Turn bowtie back inside out.
4. Iron and stitch opening closed {either by hand or machine}. Set main bowtie aside.
5.  Fold tie neck strap in half. Press. Now fold the raw edges in onto the middle line you just created {just like bias tape}. Stitch close to the edge.
6. Next take your bowtie center knot piece. Fold in half.
7. Stitch between ¼” and 3/8” from the outside.
8. Turn inside out and press so the center seam goes up the back.
9. Grab your bowtie again. Baste up middle of bowtie.{two lines close together work best}
10. Gather as well as you can without breaking your strings. Press.
11. Take the bowtie and the strap and place them together with the back of the bowtie to the front of the neck strap.
12. Take your bowtie center knot piece and fold in the ends wrapping it around your tie as tight as you can {or as tightly as you like}
13. Sew BY HAND the ends of the piece together.
14. Apply Velcro or snaps.
15. Place on your little boy and {again} take LOTs of pictures!

{i can never get enough of my sweet children!}

{taking all these pictures on my ironing board has shown me how badly i need a new ironing board cover... looks like one is on the way! :o)}