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Eerie Nights Day 7

Welcome to day 7 – the final day – of the Eerie Nights blog hop. Here’s the line-up for today Friday, October 28, 2016:
Pink Doxies
Quilted Delights
Stitches Quilting
MaryMack’s Blog
Sew Incredibly Crazy

First, I would love to say thank you to everyone for all the wonderful comments on my post for the Eerie Nights blog hop. Anywhoooo.

I was planning on sharing making the crown and cape for my little girl’s pink princess outfit for Halloween. However, I was told earlier this week that she did not want to be a pink princess but rather a black cat. And not just any black cat, but the stray that wanders around our neighborhood that has white paws, and white patches on his head and chest. LOL So, I did what any momma would do, started cutting out white felt to make the patches to attach to a black outfit and hunting down a wire clothes hanger to put inside a handmade tail so it curls up.

Do you know what’s been on the cartoon shows lately? Halloween themed cartoons. Some of her favorite characters have been the various witches. Yep. You guessed it! She now declares that she wants to be a witch. *sigh* As I repeat over and over in my head “I love my child, I love my child” LOL! She’s 3.5 years old and this is the first year she’s actually getting to pick what she wants to be. Bless her, she can’t make up her mind.

I have some cheap black satin fabric that I picked up at Walmart for $0.50 per yard. I’m going to sew up a single layer dress similar to what I did with for the pink princess dress. However, for the bottom edge, I’m going to use a pair of pinking shears to cut a ragged edge instead of a nice neat hem. The witches hat will be bought from the store. She has some cute black shoes already. I’ll see what I can find as far as a witch broom goes. Anything will be a step up from what she’s been flying around the house on – that half sized pool noodle she turned into a caterpillar that I shared on IG.

She was playing in her room and started calling me and said there’s a caterpillar in her room! I jumped up, praying that it wasn’t a poisonous one while trying to figure out how it got in. Then she met me in the hallway holding that ^. See all the “legs” on it? With all those legs it must be a caterpillar. ROFL I love her imagination.

Regardless, it has to be cheap and quick because here in our small, rural town the kids do not go door to door trick or treating. Nope. The town has a trick or treat event, which is this Saturday, in which various businesses and vendors set up a booth / table down main street and the kids walk, in the middle of the afternoon, from one table to the next grabbing candy… 🙁 That’s not trick or treating IMO. Luckily for us, my bestie goes to a church that does a trunk or treat for the kids in their parking lot on Halloween evening / night! YAY! So, we’re going to go see her and have some fun. What are you going to be doing for Halloween?

Don’t forget to stop by the blogs linked above and enter into their give-a-ways.

Till next time, remember there’s nothing like last minute sewing! lol

 

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Eerie Nights Day 4

Welcome to day 4 of the Eerie Nights blog hop. Here’s the line-up for today Tuesday, October 25, 2016:
Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Jane’s Quilting
Just Let Me Quilt
Batts In The Attic

Now, onto todays little round up!

  1. If you seen my post from the other day, you know I hoard save glass jars and bottles so you won’t be surprised to see this next craft. This one can be easily done with your kids! 🙂
  2. This spider garland is just too cute! Another good one that the littles can help you with.
  3. I don’t know about you, but I swear we have at least 6 of these plastic pumpkins from the past 2 Halloweens. Why so many with just 1 little girl? Well, if she’s told she can have 1 thing, and picks out a $1 plastic pumpkin, who am I to argue? LOL She’s got a thing for buckets, pails, baskets, bags, and purses. Basically anything she can carry her things in. I don’t think she’ll miss a couple if I snag them while she’s sleeping to make these.

Just these 3 little ones for today. 🙂 However, don’t forget to go visit those on the Eerie Nights bloghop for you chance to win some prizes!

Till next time happy sewing!

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Eerie Nights Day 3

Welcome to day 3 of the Eerie Nights blog hop. Here’s the line-up for today Monday, October 24, 2016:
Words & Stitches
Just Because Quilts
Sally’s Quilts
MooseStash Quilting

No tricks today but I do have a treat! 😉 Some savings that I thought some of you may be interested in. 🙂

There’s a new program that Red Heart Yarns is doing. Click the pic and sign up to get a coupon good for $10 off your purchase of at least $20. I’ll get one too when you use yours. 🙂 So, to those of you who sign up, thank you!

Remember to go check out the blogs participating in the Eerie Nights hop today to see what Halloween goodness they’re sharing and to enter into their giveaways.

Have a great week!

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Eerie Nights Day 2

Welcome to day 2 of the Eerie Nights blog hop. Here’s the line-up for today Friday, October 21, 2016:
Quilting Affection Blog
Life In the Scrapatch
Feather Your Nest

I’m not on the line-up for today, but I wanted to share with you 5 free Halloween themed crochet patterns that I think are just too cute and on my to-do list. You know, for when I have a free moment. LOL

All photos are property of the website owners from where they came from and are linked to. Click on the pictures to go to the various websites to get the patterns from the pattern designers. I’m not affiliated with any of these, they are all just free, cute things I’ve found in my online hunting. The ones I picked to share with you today are Halloween themed without being scary to our little ones.

  1. This Scarecrow Cat with Crow is just the cutest! I’d love to make him to display on the shelf where our keys hang from.
  2. I think these Voodoo dolls are just the cutest things! I want to make bunches of them – in all different color combinations to have everywhere in my house! If I made them though, I’d probably leave them out year round. 🙂
  3. This is so cute! Just what I needed, another excuse to hoard collect glass jars. I can easily picture these made in all sorts and sizes of jars – the larger pickle jars, the tall and skinny jars my coffee comes in. Heck, if you have little kids and are afraid they could break them, why not wash out some clear plastic containers from peanut butter or mayo to use for these. Just a thought.
  4. Ooh! Look! Another one to reuse jars! Once again, you could upcycle those plastic containers from peanut butter or mayo. Simply cut off the very top part and if there’s sharp pokey edges, use a nail file to smooth them out. Easy-peasy.
  5. Crochet + Cupcakes + Halloween + all this cuteness! And, like the rest of the patterns featured today, they are free! I can just picture these made and displayed in an old, half-rusted muffin pan in the middle of the dining room table. 🙂

Thanks for joining me today. Don’t forget to visit those who are part of the Eerie Nights hop today for your chance to win some nice prizes!

Till next time, happy hooking! Crochet hooking that is. 😉

 

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Eerie Nights Day 1

Welcome to the start of the Eerie Nights blog hop. I’m glad you’re here! There are lots of Halloween goodness going on, not to mention giveaways! First I’d like to thank Marian of Seams To Be Sew for doing all the arranging and Amy of Sew Incredibly Crazy for taking over while Marian makes the huge journey of moving from Italy to the US as this event is happening.

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What can you expect to find? A new project from each blogger. Myself included. 🙂 Here’s the full line-up:

Today – Thursday, October 20. 2016
Seams To Be Sew
Cloth and Paper Studio – you’re here 🙂
Thrift Shop Commando
Sew Many Yarns

Friday, October 21, 2016
Quilting Affection Blog
Life In the Scrapatch
Feather Your Nest

Monday, October 24, 2016
Words & Stitches
Just Because Quilts
Sally’s Quilts
MooseStash Quilting

Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Jane’s Quilting
Just Let Me Quilt
Batts In The Attic

Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Inquiring Quilter
Living My Dream
123 Quilt
Craft Traditions

Thursday, October 27, 2016
Bumbleberry Stitches
Tea Time Creations
Anypattern.com
In The Boon Docks
Seacoast Quilter

Friday, October 28, 2016
Pink Doxies
Quilted Delights
Stitches Quilting
MaryMack’s Blog
Sew Incredibly Crazy

I don’t know about you, but I enjoy making my kids Halloween costumes. I think the most epic I’ve done is the year my 2 older children wanted to be Pokemon. Money was tight but I didn’t let that stop me. A thrift-store junkie who’s fond of upcycling (even before it became the thing to do) I found an older, fuzzy yellow blanket that I knew would make the perfect Pikachu. For my oldest, who wanted to be Mewtwo I used 2 different purple sheets. They came out wonderful if I do say so myself.

This year my youngest has had a hard time trying to figure out what she wants to be. I’ve been hoping she’d agree to be a fairy. She finally decided the other night that she wants to be a “pretty pink princess” and that she needs a “pink princess dress, sparkly pink princess shoes, and a pink princess crown with jewels.” Today, I’m going to share with you how I made a quick and easy princess dress that’s better and cheaper than what you’d buy at the store and the best part is your little princess will be the only one with that particular dress. That’s a win, win, win in my opinion. Let’s get to it!

Originally I was going to use tulle for the outer layer and satin for the lining, but I didn’t have enough in my stash, didn’t want to wait to go to the store for more and she absolutely had to have pink. LOL So after digging thru my fabric and linen piles, I found this ombre white to pink sheer curtain panel. Plus I found a bit of vintage pink shirting fabric for the lining layer, the lace and a piece of elastic.

What you’re basically going to be making is an easy elastic waist skirt. Huh? But I thought we were making a dress? We are, just say with me here. I’m not going to write-up a tutorial on how-to for an elastic waist skirt because there’s a million and one of them for free online. Here’s a good one that I’ve found. Follow the directions for the full skirt with an attached waistband. For the amount of fabric – I took my little girls biggest measurement around (doesn’t matter if it’s from her chest, waist or hips) and doubled it. However, if you want a really full and poofy dress, you could easily triple it or more! Here’s where you change it a bit, instead of making the length to be a skirt, you’re going to pull it up so it covers up her top so it’s like a strapless dress, and measure how long you’d like it to be.


To have it double layered, or even triple layered (more tulle = more twirly goodness) all you have to do is measure and cut each piece the same size, layer them and sew all the seams together except the hems. You’ll want to sew up the hems individually.

To attach the ribbon to go around the neck I simply sewed a buttonhole on my sewing machine, cut a piece of ribbon long enough to go around her neck and tie it in a pretty bow in back. That way I didn’t have to bother with snaps, velcro, or buttons. But you could if you prefer.

Then I cut another piece of ribbon that was long enough to wrap around her middle and tie in a bow with long tails hanging down. As an added little extra I made a bow and sewed it to the front of the waist ribbon.

And just that easy you have an easy, pretty princess dress that will get the stamp of approval from your little princess. You could also make loads of everyday dresses like this as well using cute vintage sheets, fabric remnants, or even larger sized ladies skirts. I’ll also be making, and sharing, easy DIYs for a matching jeweled crown and cape in the next few days so keep watching for more.

Since you made it this far I’ve got a surprise for you. There’s a give-a-way!!! Yeppers! Whoop-whoop! Thanks to Marian and Amy for setting all of this up. Here’s your chance to win a fabric bundle from Timeless Treasures!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Till next time happy upcycling!

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The Road Home (to Georgia) Row Along

First, I would like to thank Marian from Seams to Be Sew and Amy over at Sew Incredibly Crazy for putting on The Road Home Along and dealing with all the problems and issues that come with an event this big with people from all over the world with such grace and class.

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Are you a fan of The Row by Row Experience? This is NOT related to it, however, it’s very similar. Instead of driving around from shop to shop, you get to do it from the comfort of your home by visiting the different blogs that are participating. You can find the complete list on Seams to Be Sew.

Now, let’s get rowing!

Each of the participants were to pick an area where they called home and design a quilt row to go with it. My circumstance is a bit odd. You see, I call the mountains my home even though I’ve never lived in the mountains before. But I’m working on it! So instead I did the general area where I live now – Georgia.

In my row I wanted to include some things that are universally known to be related to Georgia and not really many (if any) other places. So I picked Vidalia Onions (grown -only- around Vidalia, Georgia), cotton (nick-named as Georgia snow), peanuts, and I couldn’t leave out Georgia peaches!

With the exceptions of the big cities in Georgia, such as Atlanta, Macon, Savanna, Warner Robins and a few others, the majority of Georgia is mostly rural areas with little towns dotting the landscape. In between these towns, there’s typically not much except for farm lands and woods. Another thing I didn’t realize until I moved here – did you know that here in Georgia pine trees are grown as a crop? Yep! It’s grown as a traditional row crop (but takes years to mature). The pine tree growers not only make money when the trees are cut, but typically once a year they get a crew to come and rake up the pine straw to sell! Anyhow, that gave me the idea for the next part of my row – farm land. However, around here it’s not like your typical idea of the flat midwestern farm land that’s flat as far as the eye can see. Here’s a peek at some Georgia farm land with the pine woods in the background set against the backdrop of the Georgia mountains.

Now, let’s put all those things together and reveal my row.

SHHHHHH! Don’t tell my hubby I used our tomato plants to hold my row up with. 😉

My row pattern is free here on my website and on craftsy.

Now that you’ve seen mine, you really REALLY need to go check out the others! Today’s participants include:
Cheryl LaPlant Featured At Quilt In Piece created York, Maine
Miss Loreen’s Schoolhouse creates New Hampshire
Bumbleberry Stitches creates Oklahoma
Needle in a Hayes Stack creates Mojave Desert

Considering that’s just 5 of us for today, you really must go check out the entire schedule (which has links to everyone) since there was almost 50 of us! Yep, almost 50 free row patterns to be had. Now go show everyone some love.

You still there? Good! Do you know why? There’s not one give-a-way involved – but TWO!!! WHOOP WHOOP!

First up is a P&B Textiles bundle

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Next we have an Anita Goodesign Machine Embroidery Design CD
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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Till next time happy rowing!

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Summer Sensations

Hi there everyone! Today it’s my turn to share for the Summer Sensations hop hosted by the amazing Marian over at Seams to be Sew. The theme is obviously summer and since many want to be outdoors as much as possible I wanted to make up a quick and easy sewing project that is also useful in the hot summer months.

Now, I know there are all sorts of drink coaster tutorials out there. However, many of them have one big flaw – they’re don’t really protect your furniture from the water marks! Those tile ones are really pretty, but when you have a drink that’s sweaty, the water pools on top of the tile coaster and ends running off the sides right onto the furniture you were trying to protect! And there are fabric ones out there – but if you just use regular fabric, eventually it’s going to get saturated and, once again, get your furniture wet… This has been bugging me for a while. And I’ve got an easy solution for you! That’s also quick. Plus, they’re nice enough to give as gifts.

Let’s make us some coasters that will actually protect your furniture!

Here’s what you’ll need for 1 coaster:

  • 4.5″ square piece of fabric for top
  • 4.5″ square piece of fabric or felt for bottom
  • 5″ square piece of Pellon 100 Vinyl Fuse

plus a sewing machine or needle and thread as well as an iron. Yep that’s it! Let’s do this.

First we layer the top and bottom together with right sides out and sew a hem about 1/4″ in from the edges. I used a zigzag stitch because I like the look of it.

Then, if you would like, you can do some decorative stitching. I simply went around the edge of the chicken.

When you done, make sure you clean up all the stray threads on the front and back really well.

Next we’re going to peel the paper layer off the back of the vinyl fuse

and center it on the back side of the square with the sticky side down.

Press it down firmly. If you’re using cotton on the back it will stick well. However, if you’re using felt, it won’t stick that well. Don’t worry about that. It will be fine! Keeping the vinyl in place, flip it over and lay it on your ironing board. Fold the vinyl over one edge of the top and hold in place if it does not stick. Place an ironing cloth on top of the vinyl – very important! Do NOT iron directly on the vinyl!!! It will make a nasty mess on your iron! – and press for 8-10 seconds per section.

After I fold over the next edge, I simply snip off the corner so that it does not hang over the edge. This is optional. I like to do it so it looks neater.

After you finish all four edges, it’s time to flip it over and do that back. Once again, remember to use a pressing cloth! That’s it! You’re done.

These can be simply washed by hand with a drop of dish soap and hung to dry. In between use I turn them upside down in my dish rack so moisture doesn’t gather. Do not put these in hot water, the dryer, or the dishwasher as you’ll end up with a sticky melted vinyl mess.

As simple and quick as these are, you can greatly expand on this idea. Instead of using just a plain piece of fabric, you could use little quilt blocks, vintage linens, or even hand embroidered pieces. You could also make these larger to make placemats that will actually protect your table.

I hope you liked my simple tutorial. Now make sure you go visit the others that are participating in the Summer Sensations blog hop for more summer fun sewing!

Joining me today is
Life in the Scrappatch

You can find the entire schedule and list of participants here. Don’t forget there’s a give-a-way each day of the hop! You can enter below for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate from the awesome sponsor of the Summer Sensations blog hop

Till next time have fun sewing and try to stay cool!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Time for some Summer Sensations hopping

hosted by the wonderful Marian of

seams to be sew

Seriously, if you don’t already follow Marian you need to be if you like quilty things! She does lots of boms, qals, and quilty things in general. She’s also the one who organized The Road Home Row Along that I’m also participating in starting September 6th (psst – see, there’s a button for it over there on the right).

Anyhow, I don’t know about you but I’m not a summer time person. The heat really gets to me. So I signed up to participate in Marian’s Summer Sensations blog hop. 🙂 There’s 13 of us and each will have something summer sewing, quilting or crafting related to share with you. That way you’ll have plenty on your to-do list for those times when it’s just too darn hot to go outside or when you need to whip up something quick for a summertime event.

Not only that, but there’s also an awesome giveaway! Whoop-whoop! Each day of the hop, our wonderful sponsor

will be giving away a $25 gift certificate! YAY!!! So go show the other blogs some love and join the giveaway.

Thursday, July 21

Friday, July 22

Monday, July 25

Tuesday, July 26

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see what the others are going to be sharing. Have fun hopping and good luck in the give-a-ways!

Till next time happy sewing 🙂

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