DIY: Draft snake

Living in a 100+ year old house has its advantages. Drafts are not one of those advantages. Case in point: my studio door. Look at that gap...Look. At. That. Gap...did I mention it's an outside door and that's sunlight you're seeing?! I'm pretty sure a small child could shimmy their way under that door.

Well, maybe it's not that wide, but look, I can almost completely fit my hand underneath. Running the heater is pretty much futile if you have a gap this size under the door. Mostly I huddle by the warmth of my iron in a vain attempt to keep warm while I'm out there. Today, I could see my breath!

Making up a few draft snakes has been on the to-sew list since the day we moved into this house. It wasn't until the past week that I finally got the job done. Just in the nick of time - we've already had one snow day.

Already, we can feel the difference though, so it's totally worth it. You can heat your house all you want but if there's a draft, you're just wasting your time and money.

The fabric I went with is an organic cotton that's a bit heavier than standard quilting cotton. I've used rice to fill the draft snakes and was shocked at how much each one holds - 13 cups for the one in the studio! I've nearly gone through a 10kg bag of rice just making three snakes!

With this design, one end closes with Velcro so the snake can be emptied and washed if needed. The Dear Sweet Husband had the pleasure of accidentally stepping on one in the house and the Velcro busted open spilling rice EVERYWHERE. Might want to keep that in mind if you make your own. Here are the instructions if you want to take a stab at it:

Materials:

• Fabric cut to 11" by the width of your door plus 3"
• 5-1/2" strip of Velcro (at least 1/2" wide)
• Rice...oh, so much rice! You'll probably need 13-15 cups or so.

Steps:

1. Fold one of the short ends of your fabric over twice making a 3/4" hem. Press. Stitch the folded edge in place.
2. Find the centre point of the hemmed short edge by folding your fabric in half length-wise. Mark the centre point on what will be the inside of the snake.
3. Separate your Velcro strip and pin each half just to either side of your mark. Stitch in place.
4. With right sides together, align and pin the edges of your fabric. Stitch along the short and long edge (obviously, not the hemmed short edge).
5. Turn the snake right side out and fill with rice.

Tutorial: Quilted tea cozy

I've got a quick and easy quilted tea cozy tutorial up on imagine gnats today (or, actually, I guess it was yesterday - I've been busy, okay?!) It even got picked up on CraftGossip.com as well! Woo hoo! The design was originally concocted for a recent charity auction and I loved it so much I wanted to make another one to keep and thought others might like to make one of their own.

Speaking of sewing for a good cause, have you seen that the Hottie Project 2014 has just kicked off on the Big Little blog? I've been following Lisa's blog since just after last year's project and I was so bummed to miss out the first time around. So excited to start making a few hottie cozies! I'm sure Lisa won't mind me sharing her own words about the project:

It started with a simple idea... and after an incredible response last year from kind and generous crafters around New Zealand (and the world!) we are excited to launch "The Hottie Project 2014"

With your help, we are hoping we can make winter a little cosier and warmer for a bunch of lovely children by creating a BIG stack of lovely warm hottie covers to keep Christchurch children cosy this winter. 

The cozies are due at the end of June so there's plenty of time to get sewing if you'd like to participate, just pop on over to the Big Little blog for all the details or click the button below. They even provide tutorials and templates if you don't know where to begin!

Tutorial: patchwork doorstop

Today I'm sharing a sweet little patchwork doorstop tutorial over on imagine gnats as one of Rachael's new contributors.

I am loving how these turned out and think you should all give the tutorial a try. You'll learn a handy technique for piecing small squares and it's probably the only time you'll get to make a trip to the pet store to finish a sewing project. [Read the tutorial - it will all make sense. Trust me.]

Seriously, aren't those colourful little x's just too cute for words? The monogrammed version I made for Abner is doing its thing holding our lounge door open as I write [and doing a mighty fine job I might add.] The little heart one was made specifically for the wee little girls who live across the road from us. I'm told the younger of the two has taken to sleeping with it each night. Say it with me now....awwww!

Rainy day pillowcase-style dress

Don't you love it when you finally get to cross something off your to-do list? This dress was one of those things for me. I bought the fabric something like four months ago always intending to make up a dress for Abner. Perhaps it's the raindrops on the fabric reminding me of rainy Vancouver, but I think it is just the sweetest fabric. The other day, I wound up chopping into it and using some to make a wee skirt for a little friend's birthday. Luckily there was enough and motivation leftover to whip up this little pillowcase-style dress. Here are some quick instructions if you want to make your own:

DIY Rainy Day Pillowcase Dress

You will need: fabric, thread, 3/4" elastic, double fold bias tape, scissors and a marking tool.

Cutting
For this dress, you’ll use the full width of fabric from selvedge to selvedge. Determine how long you’d like the finished length to be; then add 2 1/2" to that measurement and cut the fabric that length from selvedge to selvedge.

Side seam
Fold the fabric in half, with the right sides together, and align and pin the selvedge edges. Stitch the pinned edges just outside the fabric's selvedge edges (i.e. you don't want the selvedges to show once the dress is turned right side around). Press the seam.

Hem
Fold the bottom edge 1/2" to the wrong side and press all the way around. Fold the edge 1/2" again creating the hem. Press. Edge stitch along the folded edge to secure the hem all the way around. Press.

Armholes
Place the fabric flat on your cutting table with the wrong side out, the hemmed edge at the bottom nearest you, and the seam running along either the right or left side (it doesn't matter which).

Measure and mark a spot approximately approximately 3" in from each side edge along the top of the fabric. Measure and mark a spot approximately 4-5" down from the top along each side edge (one will be on a fold, the other will be on your stitched side seam). Mark a curved line joining the two marks on each side to make the outline of the armholes. Cut along marked line.

Neckline
On both the front and back of the dress, fold down the top edge 1/2" to the wrong side. Press. Fold down the top edge 1" to the wrong side once again and press to create a channel for the elastic.

Cut two lengths of elastic slightly shorter than the distance between your child's armpits. You can use one of their t-shirts to measure if your child doesn't want to cooperate.

Thread your elastic through the channel using a safety pin. Make sure the elastic does not get pulled into the channel at either end. Use pins to secure both ends in place even with the edges of the fabric. Stitch them in place staying fairly close to the edge of the fabric.

Ties
Cut approximately 30" of double fold bias tape for the each tie. Fold each length in half to establish the middle point.

Align the middle point of the bias tape with the centre of each arm hole (where the side seam is on one side and the fold is on the other). Pin the bias tape in place with the dress fabric simply tucked into the centre fold of the bias tape.

Stitch the bias tape in place using a zig zag stitch. Be sure to keep the dress fabric securely in place within the bias tape, especially at the elastic ends which are a bit harder to sew over. Start and finish your stitches just past either edge of the dress (i.e. don't zig zag the full length of the bias tape, just where it contains the dress fabric).

Finish the dress by tying knots at the ends of the bias tape ties.

DIY: Quilt-as-you-go Christmas stocking tutorial

My patchwork group got together recently to make up some quilt-as-you-go Christmas stockings. I've been wanting to try quilt-as-you-go for ages and now that I've tried it, I'm going to be doing much more of it. It's so quick an easy and is a great use of scraps!

Here are some quick instructions for you to make your own quilt-as-you-go Christmas stocking. If you've never tried this technique, even if you've never made a quilt before or even if you're new to sewing, this tutorial will be easy to follow.

DIY Quilt-As-You-Go Christmas Stocking

All seam allowances are 1/4" unless otherwise noted.

You will need:

• Stocking pattern (use any pattern you like or draw your own - this is one instance where size doesn't matter)
• Batting slightly bigger than your stocking pattern
• Strips of fabric wide enough to extend past the edges of your pattern
• Coordinating fabric for back and lining which is tall enough to fit the length of two stocking and wide enough to fit two stockings side by side.
• Thread and the usual arsenal of sewing equipment for a basic sewing project

Making the front of the stocking:

Using your pattern piece, cut one stocking shape from the quilt batting. I used one of our family stockings as my pattern.

Dry fit your strips by laying them out as a test before sewing. Make sure they're going to cover the batting entirely.

Beginning at the bottom of your batting stocking, place the first strip right side up so the edges of the fabric extend well past the edges of the batting.

Lay a second strip on top of the first with right sides together and the top edges aligned.

Sew along the aligned edge (going through both fabrics and the batting).

Fold the second fabric up to lay flat on the batting. Press.

Repeat steps 3-5 until the entire stocking is covered.

Turn the stocking over so the batting is facing up.

Trim away excess fabric following the contours of the batting.

Cutting the back lining and backing of the stocking:

Fold a piece of your coordinating fabric in half so that the fold runs along the top edge of your fabric.

Lay your stocking front on the coordinating fabric with the top edge approximately 1/4" past the folded edge of your fabric.

Cut one stocking piece on the fold.

You'll wind up with what looks like two boots joined at the top...like this:

Making the front lining:

Lay your stocking front on a single layer of your coordinating fabric with the toe pointing the opposite way as your stocking (i.e. place right sides together). Cut out one stocking piece.

Place your stocking front and front lining pieces right sides together. Stitch along the top edge and turn the piece right side out. Press the top edge.

Open up the newly assembled stocking front and lining and lay it right side up.

Making the loop:

From your coordinating fabric, cut a piece 2.5" x 6". Fold the piece in half lengthwise with right sides together and stitch along the long edge opposite the fold. Turn the piece right side out and press with the seam centred down the middle.

Assembling the stocking:

Fold the loop in half with the seam on the inside and position it at what will be the top back of the stocking (i.e. where it makes sense to hang the stocking from).

Open up the stocking back/lining piece and lay it right sides together on top of the stocking front/lining.

Pin the edges.

Stitch all the way around leaving a 3" opening on the sole of the foot on the half without batting.

Clip the curves.

Turn the piece right side out and sew the opening you left in the sole closed by hand.

Carefully push the lining into place and press.

You're done.

Here's the one I made with my patchwork group. I didn't use a sewing machine at all on this one. That's 100% handmade, baby.

Paper Patchwork Wall Art

That big blank wall above our bed was in desperate need of some art. As a quilter, I do love the look of patchwork, but I don't always love seeing quilts hung on the wall...a little too homespun for my liking. Solution: a paper quilt (of sorts).

Here's what I love about this project:

• it's cheap. Total cost was about $20.
• It's renter friendly. Just pop the papers off the wall when it's time to move on. No damage to the wall and you can even stick it up at your next place if you're careful.
• No worries about a big piece of art falling off the wall and crushing your head during an earthquake (yes...I really do think of things like that).

Here's what I used to make this project. I'm not sure Magic Dots were the way to go. I love how they let the paper lay flat against the wall, but they are not sticking so well in our damp weather. Good thing they come 700 to a pack!

Happy crafting!

Colourful hair comb loveliness

This little hair comb project was quite literally one of the very first things I ever pinned on Pinterest. So thrilled was I to find a project that used up all the leftover embroidery floss from the hand-stitching on my quilts. About three years and 1000 pins later, I finally got around to making a few. Lovely aren't they?

My favourite part is picking the colour combos. A little gold, blue, green and brown...

and some grey, green, lilac and blue. The options are endless!

It's been a great project to keep my hands busy as TDSH and I watch videos on YouTube each night. I do have several quilts on the go which I could/should be working on, but sometimes I just need to change gears every once in a while and try my hand at other crafts.

The original DIY tutorial can be found over on the Lemon Jitters blog if you want to make your own. That girl has heaps of awesome crafty ideas!