Frosted Flowers Cardigan Knockoff

Remember this? Due to quite a few requests I am posting the tutorial, even though I haven't completely finished mine. I have a somewhat good excuse as to why it's taken me a month to get this posted, and why I've been absent so long. But that will be another posts.

Well, here's the tutorial:

You will need a cardigan and an old t-shirt. I found the cardigan at the thrift store for $3. The t-shirt I had on hand.

Next print my pedal pattern, or draw your own. This flower is about 3"

Frosted Flowers

Cut out as many flowers as you can from your t-shirt. I had about 60 flowers. Pin them all over the front of you cardigan.

Unless you want to be board out of your mind I suggest you find something to entertain you during the next part. I like to watch TV episodes I missed on HULU while I sew.

Now, set your machine to a medium zigzag and drop the feed dogs. Tack all 60+ of those flowers in place. I suggest making more than one tack per flower, maybe one at the base of each pedal (4 for each flower). To begin with I only tacked them down in the middle, but when I finished the pedals just hung off the cardigan, not very cute.

If you couldn't find a t-shirt the same color as your cardigan, like me, you can throw the whole thing in a bath of RIT dye when your finished to give you a monotone look. I think I might like it 2 toned? What do you think?

Unfortunately I don't have a finished picture. I haven't finished re-tacking down all of the pedals, and my poor eyesight has killed ALL motivation. But I'd love to see pictures of yours if you try this project.

Good Luck!

Pottery Barn Felt Pillows

About a week ago I guest posted at Someday Crafts. Here's the post for any of you who might have missed it over there.

Don't we all look through the Pottery Barn catalogs and drool? I know I do. When I saw these pillows in PB Teen I knew I could make them for cheap!

PB version: $39

Cupkateer Version: $5

Ready to make your own? Let's get started!

Click on any of the images to make them bigger.

Scalloped Pillow

Begin by cutting the following sizes from your felt:

-17"x17"

-16"x16"

-17"x11"

-17"x11"

Step 1: Using your 16"x16" piece begin cutting your scalloped design.

Tip: I use a white crayon when marking dark colored fabric. Afterwards I use a pressing cloth and iron it. The crayon marks will stay on the pressing cloth, not your fabric.

Next you will be cutting out the center. I cut a piece of scrapbook paper to use as the pattern. Cut a opening 12" x 12"

Repeat the previous steps to make 2 more scalloped layers. With the following dimensions:

-11"x 11" square scalloped, 8" x 8" center

-7" x 7" square scalloped, 4" x 4" center

Then...

Next take your 17" x 11" pieces. Stitch a 1/2" hem along the 17" side.

Now we are going to sew the front and back pieces together.

First you will need to pin your scallops out of the way.

Now, with right sides together sew the 2- 17" x 11" pieces to the main 17" x 17" piece. Use a 1/2" seam allowance.

Clip your corners, turn, and insert a 16" square pillow form.

Flower Pillow

Begin by cutting the following sizes from felt:

17" x 17"

17" x 11"

17" x 11"

Scraps for flowers

Cut out your flower shapes. Click below to download my patterns.

Felt Pillow

Stack the flowers using the following diagram. Tack down the center of the flowers.

Tip: I set my machine to a small zig zag, then dropped the feed dogs when I tacked the flowers down.

Next pin the flowers aside and add a leaf design in a contrasting thread. You can use a free motion foot, stitch them by hand, or eliminate this step.

After you've finished the leaves, tack down the petals

To finish, attatch the 17" x 11" pieces the same way as you did for the scalloped pillow.

Add a 16" square pillow form and you're done!

Not to shabby of a knock off if I do say so myself.

Grocery Shopping, Felt Style

You Like? I made this set of felt groceries as a door prize for Ogden's New Moon, A Twilight Ball. One of my good friends is putting on this event to benefit the JDRF. I hope this set will make a fun door prize for someone.

I mostly traces things from my pantry for my patterns. The others I just winged. The set includes: Milk, Orange Juice, Cake Mix, Corn, Carrots, Soup, Tunafish, Bowtie Pasta, Fresh Fish, and a Reusable Shopping Bag.

A few close ups of the goods:

Bowtie Pasta

Soup, Carrots, Corn, and Tunafish

I'm linking this up at Poppies at Play

Stuffed Animal Child Harness

I'll admit it, I used to make fun of people who put their kid on a "leash." But now that I have a one year old, who thinks he can do anything himself, I am all for "leashing" my kid. I've seen quite a few stuffed animal backpack style harness. Here is my homemade version (please click on the pictures to make text easier to read):

To make this harness you will need:

-a stuffed animal

-3 3/4 yard nylon webbing

-1 D-ring

-2 buckles

-2 adjustable strap pieces

-sewing machine, thread, embroidery floss, thimble

I couldn't find packaged adjustable strap things, so I bought a back pack from the dollar store and took the these pieces off.

Next cut your nylon webbing to the following lengths:

3- 3"

2- 23"

2- 6"

2- 11"

1- 42"

Take a lighter and burn the edges on all pieces to prevent fraying.

This completes the "leash" part.

Grab a thimble for these next steps. You are going through a lot of layers so a thimble really helps.

To Finish it off, thread the 23" pieces back through the adjustable strap pieces. Fold the ends over twice and stitch to prevent the straps from slipping all the way out (like you did for the chest straps)

Attach the "leash" to the D-ring and you're good to go.

Questions? Leave me a comment or send me an email.

p.s. I know in the picture there are a lot of extra straps hanging down, but I wanted to leave plenty of growing room. Magoo is 15 months and 22 lbs. This should definitely fit throughout the toddler years. But feel free to shorten the straps if you're child doesn't need the extra room.

Reversible Twirly Skirt

Begin with 5 different pieces of fabric. One of the pieces (middle polka dot) needs to coordinate with your other fabrics. This fabric will be used on both sides.

This skirt is fairly easy once you've figured out all the measurements. For that you will need to dig deep into things you filed away during high school. Specifically from your high school algebra class. You need to start with this equation. I know it looks scary, but stick with me for a minute.

Radius = Circumfrence/2*π

Begin by measuring your widest area (hips and butt) that number will be your circumference. Mine was 37 inches. So... 37/2*π (π = 3.14). I rounded the number up to 6 inches. That is the first radius measurement you'll need.We'll call it Hip Radius

Step 1 Cutting out Fabric:

Fold your fabric into fourths. (fold hotdog, then hamburger) Your folds will be on the left and on the top, Starting in the top left corner (where all the folds meet) mark your hip radius multiple times. Connect the marks so you have a quarter circle.

Next decide how long you want your first tier to be. I decided on 6 inches. I added 1 inch for seem allowances. Add your length measurement to you hip radius measurement 6 + 7 = 13 inches. Starting again in the top left corner mark your hip + length radius multiple times. Connect the marks to make a bigger quarter circle.

Cut out on the lines you just created. It will look like a donut.

Diagram of measurements.

Next you will need to cut out the fabric for your other 2 tiers. Math time again... you will need to know the measurement of the outer circumference of your skirt.

Circumference = 2 * π * Radius

So using my measurements 2*π*13 (hip + length radius) = 82" (rounded) add 6" to this number

Decided how wide you want your second and third tier to be. My second tier is 9" and the third tier is 3 inches. Add 1" for seam allowance.

Cut out your next tiers using these measurements. You may have to sew several strips together.

Tier 2- 10" x 88"

Tier 3- 4" x 88"

Step 2 Sew Tiers together:

With right sides together, pin tier 2 to the outer circumference of tier 1. This takes ALOT of pins. Click on the image to enlarge it to see just how many pins I used. Pin all the way around.

Tier one is cut on the bias which means it will stretch (that why we added 6" to the length of tier 2)

When you've pinned all the was around mark where you will need to sew to combine the second tier.

Sew the second tier closed. Finish pinning to Tier 1. Sew using a 1/2" seam allowance.

Step 3 Third Tier:

Repeat step 2 to sew third tier to second tier.

Step 4 Repeat for Reverse side:

Repeat steps 1-3 with fabric for reversed side. Use the same fabric for tier 3 in both skirts.

You will now have two pieces.

Step 5 Iron & Topstitch:

Iron the seam allowances between the tiers. Iron the seam between tier 1 & 2 towards tier 2. Iron the seam between tiers 2 & 3 towards tier 3

Top stitch 1/4" in, on tiers 2 & 3.

Step 6: Combine the 2 skirts:

With skirts right sides together sew along the bottom (tier 3) with a 1/2" seam allowance. Iron seam open. Turn right side out and top stitch 1/4" from bottom all the way around.

Step 7 Create Elastic Casing:

Remember that first measurement you took (hips + butt) that is your inner circumference. Add 6 " to that. Cut a piece of fabric using the same fabric as tier 3 (or coordinating fabric) 4" x inner circumference + 6". For my measurements that was 43"

Iron 1/2" on each side. Then iron in half. This creates a sort of bias tape.

Step 7 Sew Casing:

With wrong sides of skirt together place the top of tier 1 inside the waist casing you just made. Line the raw edges of the skirt up with the raw edge of the bias tape.

Pin like crazy and sew casing to skirt using a 1/4" seam allowance. Be sure to catch both sides of the casing into your sewing.

Leave about a 2" opening to insert the elastic.

Cut a piece of 1" elastic that goes around where you want the skirt to sit on your waist. Insert the elastic into the casing and sew the casing closed.

Step 8 Sew a Sash:

To create a "sassy sash" cut 2 pieces of fabric 5" x waist measurement * 3 (it will wrap around your waist 3 times). Sew with right sides together, turn and top stitch.

Tie around your skirt after you've put it on.

Step 9 TA DA:

Side 1:

Side 2:

My original thought was that this would be cute on a little girl, but I only have a little boy. Then I thought hey, I'm a girl! So I made it for my self. I felt kind of silly the first time I wore it, but I got tons of compliments on it, so I guess it works for big girls too.

I'll answer any questions in the comments.