Crib Sheet

Bundles Of Love's crib sheet pattern is the easiest sewing project ever! It only takes 4 simple steps. She lists three options for finishing the edge in case you are A) serger-less like I am, or B) terrified of sewing elastic like I was last year when I made this. Even though I was a scaredy-cat I still used option #3 where you sew the elastic and it turned out to be a cinch.

By the way, I stumbled upon this pattern using a google search forever ago and I never looked at the rest of their website until tonight when I looked it up to link them in this post. These guys are amazing - their charity provides quite a large amount of baby items to families in need all by volunteer work. Check out their homepage to find out more.

Stay tuned for the rest of the tutorials from my crib bedding that I will be posting in the near future!

~Star

Tutorial: How To Make Bunchy Sleeves With Straps

I told you I have a lot of these long sleeved Shade shirts to experiment with!

To begin, use my Bunchy 3/4 Length Sleeve tutorial to bunch up your sleeves (the only things you'll need for this that aren't listed on that tutorial are 2 buttons). I made the sleeves on this one shorter so you will need to cut a bit more than the other tutorial says to. I tried it on and marked to cut just above my elbow. Save the fabric you cut off and use it to make your straps.

When making your straps, make sure they will be long enough to cover length of the bunchy-ness. I cut two 3.5" X 4.5" rectangles, folded them in half, right sides together, so you have two 1.75" X 4.5" rectangles, and sew edges with a 1/8" seam leaving one short side un-sewn.

Now turn your strap right side out and your shirt inside out, lay strap over elastic and pin strap's unfinished edge to sleeve's seam.

Sew a straight line to attach the strap to the seam then flip strap and sew another straight line to hide the unfinished edge.

Now sew your buttonhole on the end of the strap

Hand sew a button just above where the elastic ends.

Button it up (ignore my white chalk marks)!


Try it on and let me know how it turned out!


~Star

Tutorial: How To Make Bunchy 3/4 Length Sleeves

Cute right?! And really easy so don't be scared.

You need:

1/8" wide elastic

Long sleeved shirt

Sewing Machine

Matching Thread

Rotary Mat & Cutter or Scissors

Chalk

The inspiration behind doing this is a shirt that I only got to wear once. The sleeves shrunk in the dryer the first time I washed it. This is what they looked like:

I tried my shirt on and marked to cut it right between my elbow and wrist.I then turned my shirt inside out and used art chalk to mark the crease opposite the sleeve's seam. This is where the elastic will go. Mark where you want it to end - mine stopped 3" from the cut edge.

Fold over about 5/8" and iron. I'll be honest; I didn't iron.

Fold over another 5/8" and pin.

Now, using your chalk mark, place your elastic (I used a 3 & 3/4" long strip on each sleeve) halfway under the fold and pin in place.

Turn shirt right side out and sew about 1/16" from the edge that you folded under (not the edge of your sleeve).

Your stitching should be about 1/2" from the edge of the sleeve like so:

Now stitch a parallel line 1/16" from the stitch line you just made.

Now it looks more professional with the two stitch lines. I know there's a twin needle stitch option but you have to have that specific needle and my machine doesn't have it.

Now to sew your elastic in, start at the two stitch lines and pull your elastic as you sew up the sleeve with a straight stitch. If you want it really bunchy then pull the elastic really tight, otherwise just pull it taught and it will look like mine.

Sew to your stop point that you marked earlier.

Trim any excess elastic and all the threads and you're done!

I can see myself doing this on my little girl's cotton pants when they start to become high-waters and making capris out of them. I love it!

~Star

Pattern: How To Make A Crochet Butterfly

I've had butterflies on my mind lately so I made this little butterfly applique. Here is my pattern:


Using an E hook and worsted weight yarn (I used Red Heart Super Saver), make a magic ring (aka magic circle, disappearing circle, ajustable ring) and leave a 6" tail. All that is, is the circle you make when starting a slip knot but instead of tightening it like you would with a slip knot, you crochet into it. This way you don't have to make a circle out of chains and there's not a big hole left afterwards because when you're done you tighten it.

Once you have your circle ready, do the following:

Row 1:

Chain 1, single crochet 3 times into circle, tighten circle, slip stitch into first single crochet stitch


1st Wing:

Chain 2, double crochet into very first single crochet stitch, chain 2, slip stitch into same single crochet stitch


2nd Wing:

Chain 3, triple crochet 2 times into next single crochet stitch, chain 3, slip stitch into same single crochet stitch


3rd Wing:

Repeat instructions for second wing


4th Wing:
Double crochet into next single crochet stitch, chain 2, slip stitch into same single crochet stitch


Now for the best part! It's the best because instead of weaving the tails in (hate doing that part), we use them to make the body and the antenna. Tie off and cut leaving 6". Take your tail that you just tied off and bring it up the back and hold. Now take your tail from the beginning (the one that's in the middle of the back) and bring it down, under (between the two smaller wings) and up the front. Now tie the two tails together at the top of the butterfly (between the two bigger wings). Now take both strands of yarn and make a knot as if they were one strand right over the knot you just made when you tied them together. Now tie a knot in each strand where you want the antenna to end and snip just above the knot.

I hot glued it to a skinny nylon headband.

You could also glue it to a hairclip or attach it to a hat. Just use a bigger hook for a bigger butterfly. Enjoy! I'm happy to answer any questions or clear anything up that doesn't make sense.

~Star

Labels

Edited to add: These peel after being washed several times so only use on items that won't go through the wash much.

I love a project that is simple and inexpensive and I really think labels add that extra touch that you need on a handmade item. I made some for items I plan to sell and some for gifts and it only cost me ten bucks. Here's the tutorial... enjoy!

~Star