Mini Top Hat Tutorial (Sewing)

Materials:

1. felt
2. needle, thread, etc.
3. sharp scissors

Step 1:

• Cut out a felt rectangle: 

• To get the size, fold it into a tube (hamburger style). It should be about an inch longer than you want it, and a little taller.
• This is the point where you add any kind of embroidery, applique, etc. Trust me, it is a pain to try to do it at the end. (And I'm speaking from personal experience here. Don't laugh!)

Step 2:

• Sew the short ends of the rectangle together with the right sides together:

 Step 3:

• Put the tube on some more felt and trace around it, leaving a lot around the edge:

• It should be bigger than you think it needs to be. If it looks right, it's too small. (Not that I had to pull my first one off and try again or anything.....)
• Don't throw the scraps away; you need them later!

Step 4:

• Sew the circle onto the tube:

• For this hat, I did this while the tube was still inside out. I've done it the other way before, and I think I like it better.

Step 5:

• Using the scrap from step 3 as a stencil, draw another circle onto more felt:

• Then draw another circle around it to make a donut shape:

• Once again, if it looks big enough, it's not. It's easier to trim or take it in than to rip it out and start over.

Step 6:

• Cut out the donut:

• But beware: this is the only time bigger is not better. Cut the inside circle smaller than the line you drew.

Step 7:

• Sew the donut brim onto the center of the hat. (I don't have an in-progress picture of it, but I think you can figure it out.)

Step 8: 

• If you cut the inner circle too big, you're not alone. I totally did that too. Lucky for us, I also have a solution:

• Seriously. Just cut a slit in the brim. I suggest trying to make it line up with the seam of the tube, so you don't end up with this:

• You can now just pick one of the strips to sew on. Once you're about a 1/2 inch from the end of one strip. you can sew them together (making sure the seam allowance points down). 

You're done! There are an infinite number of uses for this: make one of those headbands, use it for doll clothes, or if you're me, slap a dollar sign on it (aforementioned applique) and call it a Civics project.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Happy sewing!

Free Versatile Scarf Tutorial

Hi guys! Today I have a really easy tutorial that can be used to make a few different kinds of scarves/belts/loopy accessories.

Materials:

-sewing machine/hand sewing equipment
-fabric: something with a lot of drape. You can use this tutorial with a long rectangle, or some small pieces sewn together, or really anything

Step 1: Get your fabric ready. All I had to do was sew two squares together, but this may be more complicated for you. Once you have a big rectangle, you may proceed to step 2.

Step 2: Fold the rectangle in half lengthwise, with right sides together, and sew up the long side.

Step 3a: If you want a regular scarf, then just stitch up the short ends (make sure you leave a hole to turn the scarf right side out).

Step 3b: If you want an infinity scarf, then stitch up one of the short ends, and flip the scarf right side out. Stuff the closed end into the open ends, make it pretty, and stitch it up.

From here, you can wear this scarf in pretty much every way imaginable. Have fun!

Free Knit M&M Dishcloth Chart

Here is the chart for the M&M dishcloth I epically failed at tried to make. I wasn't able to figure out my own chart, so I don't have written instructions. I hope you do a better job than I did!

Please only use this chart to make gifts. Do not use this to make money, or claim this chart as your own. 

Wow, I am bad at being stern! But seriously, no money making. Enjoy!

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie Recipe

My dad taught me how to do this, and I like it because there isn't anything bad for you in it. It makes one smoothie for someone pretty thirsty, or two for moderately hungry people. If you want to make it bigger, I suggest adding more strawberries and milk, not another banana.

Ingredients:

• one banana-this is a good way to use bananas that are just a little past their prime, but I don't advise using really nasty ones
• strawberries-I normally use about five, but it depends on the size
• milk
• ice cubes

Other Stuff:

• a blender
• a paring knife

Step 1:

• Cut the banana into pieces, about 1/2" thick. It doesn't have to be precise at all! I normally do this right over the blender.

Step 2:

• Rinse the strawberries and cut the insides out. All you want left is the stuff you want to eat. Then, cut them into small pieces into the blender. You should have about as much strawberry as banana, but you can mess with the proportions a little to get the best taste.

Step 3:

• Add a handful of ice cubes (five or six, I think), then pour in milk until everything is about covered. Err on the side of having to add more, because that's a lot easier than taking it out!

Step 4:

• Blend it up!

Step 5:

• Pour and enjoy! I have never tried making it in advance and putting in the fridge, but I don't see why that would be a problem.

I hope you love this recipe as much as my family does! Have a great day!

Upcycled Scarf and Crop Top Tutorial

Both parts of this tutorial use the same shirt, but you can use any shirt for either part.

Materials:

1. one shirt that fits you well (it can be too long)

2. needle and thread

3. scissors and fabric shears

4. sewing machine (optional for crop top)

Lay your t-shirt out flat. 

Then, cut the hem off the bottom of the shirt and lay it aside. Continue to cut strips that are about 1" wide.

To make the strips look like little tubes, you need to tug on each loop you just cut. Bundle them together, then use pieces of the hem to cover up the seams at each end. 

Sew the wrappings in place, and you're done! You can also add embellishments, such as fabric flowers, anywhere on the scarf.

Now go back to the rest of the shirt. You should try it on, to see how much more you want to cut off for the crop top. I cut a crescent shape out of the bottom, but you can do anything you want, such as fringe, or a plain old straight line. If you want, you can hem the bottom edge, but most t-shirts won't fray, so you don't need to. Here's the finished top again:

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Keep upcycling; Mother Nature appreciates it!

Shell Frame Tutorial

First of all, I want to say happy birthday to my awesome dad-this is actually what I made for his present!

You will need:

A hot glue gun

A picture frame

A bunch of seashells

Something to glue on (cardboard, paper towels, newspaper)

A good place to start is the corners of the frames.

To place a shell, put a glob of glue on the frame where you want it. If you put it on the shell, you are more likely to get burned!

Glue down all the shells where you want them.

And you're done!

This is a really simple and fun project, and it is perfect for anyone that loves the beach! 

Have a great day!

Tutorial: Upcycled Wrap Bracelets

Hi guys! I am doing a tutorial to make these bracelets,

as seen in yesterday's post. Here are the materials you will need:

1. Plastic rings, like the kind scarves come on in stores

2. Lightweight scarves or strips of fabric

3. Hot glue gun

4. Something to hot glue gun on (cardboard, newspaper, your Aunt Tillie's wedding dress)

I made three different kinds of bracelets. The first I call the Glue and Go method, and it's pretty simple. 

1. Glue the end of the fabric to the ring

2. Wrap it tightly all the way around the ring.

3. When you get to the end, add another dollop of glue to hold the end down.

The Glue as You Go method uses the exact same steps, but you put glue under each wrap, so the scarf is completely stuck to the ring.

You can do the same thing with two different scarves:

1. Glue two strips together at the ends  (I recommend using the ring to push them together, not your fingers, and no, that is not how I burned my hand!) 

2. Wrap one color completely around the ring (the same as the Glue as You Go bracelet)

3. Take the other scarf and loop it around, leaving spaces for the bottom color to peek out. I got burned doing this, so wrap carefully!

I ended up with these, which I then trimmed down to get these:

(Yeah, not entirely sure where the yellow one was when I took this.... But it looks the same!)

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, and that it inspires you to make your own upcycled clothes and accessories! 

Have a wonderful weekend, and I will talk to you on Monday!

Fingerless Glove Tutorial

Materials:

Sewing Machine and Needle and Thread

Scissors and Thread Scissors

Pins

A Stretchy Pant Leg

1. Cut the pant leg so it is about two inches longer then the inner joint of your thumb to mid fore-arm. Put an arm into the piece.

2. Cut the piece in half, so you have two pieces of fabric with a seam in the middle when you flatten them.

3. Turn these pieces inside out, then pin them together so they are in a loop again. (See the gloves yet?)

4. Stitch up the side of each glove so it can be worn as one.

5. Turn up the raw edge, and sew it down like a hem, except you don't have to be fancy if you don't want to. I'm not going to tell anyone! (And mine was a fail, so I can't really talk...)

6. Cut a slit for your thumb in the factory seam, then hand stitch around it to make it neat.

7. Wear your beautiful gloves and feel very cool. (A zebra ring never hurts.)

Fuzzy Cowl Pattern

This is a fuzzy cowl-earmuff-thing. It was originally going to be a scarf, but when I was folding it for in-progress storage, I saw a cowl and sewed the short ends. It's for another aunt. (doesn't it look like the scarf I posted earlier?) The white one was also destined to be a scarf, but I didn't have the ball band or yarn name to find the yardage, so I ran out. I had to rush to the store to get new white yarn, but I couldn't find this kind so I had to start over. Luckily, it led to the discovery of wonderful yarn, and a super-soft cowl! The -ahem- pattern is below.

Materials:

One skein of Bernat Boa yarn (or other fuzzy bulky weight yarn)

Size 10 or 11 knitting needles (or needles suggested on the yarn)

Scissors

Yarn needle

1. Cast on 15 stitches.

2. Knit each row until it is a little shorter than you want it to be.

3. Bind of with at least a 12 inch tail.

4. Stretch the strip you just made, so it is how long it can be.

5. Sew the short ends together with the bind off tail, then weave in all ends.

That's it! Super simple!

Patchwork Pouch Tutorial

I made these pouches to hold stuff. The tutorial below shows how I made the one on the right, but depending on how many scraps you use, it can be any size.

Materials

Sewing Machine and Needle and Thread

Scraps

Slightly largish pieces of fabric for lining and the back pieces-I used cotton and fleece

Some kind of string for the drawstring

Scissors and Thread Scissors

Pins

1. Arrange some scraps into a square or rectangle, keeping in mind they will shrink when you sew them. (I wasn't thinking about that, which is why this one was so small.)

2. Stitch all the scraps together, using a liberal amount of pins to make sure all goes well. (I've found it is very helpful when you want to get straightish lines!)

3. Stitch three of sides to the lining piece with right sides together, then turn it right side out and hand stitch the last side with really tiny stitches.

4. Fold an edge down about and inch and stitch it down to make the drawstring casing, then do the same for the back piece.

                                                                                           

5. Sew the three not-folded sides together with right sides facing, then turn the bag right side out. Be careful not to stitch the drawstring casings shut.

6. Feed the drawstring through the casing and knot the ends. I taped the end to a pen, because I couldn't find any safety pins. It works really well!

Voila!