Frame Re-do

 I have these two picture frames in my hallway, they are kind of boring and I am sick of them! However, I didn't want spend money on new ones, so I decided to re-do them.  Here is the before picture. (Blaah)

I took some paper that I love the design of and turned the mat & paper upside down to trace the "windows" out, and then I cut them out to fit the mat. I tried to line up the edges the best I could to make them "flow" together.

I was going to mod podge the paper on the frame, but at the last minute I decided to just use photo sticky tabs (whatever they are called) much less messy, and that way I can change it in the future if I need too.

I wasn't sure how they would turn out, but I love the result. It is just what the hallway needed. 

Jenny

an easy dress or skirt

Love this dress.

Wanna know how to make your own?

Above is an infant dress.

Here's how.

What you'll need:
-fabric for the desired size-you'll need double for the width at the chest (look at pattern).
-elastic thread -matching thread -buttons, ribbon or any kind of embellishment you want

Step 1: Measure your fabric, double width & desired length. Cut. *If you are making a long dress or skirt, you can just measure the chest x2 & the length just for the chest (so it will be like a tube top) and add the long dress or skirt part later on.

Step 2: Wind your bobbin, by hand, with the elastic thread.

Step 3: Load bobbin & use normal, matching thread on top.

Step 4: Set your stitch to a wide straight stitch. The wider the stitch, the more it will shrink.

Step 5: Start sewing straight stitch, about 1 1/2'' from the top, with the fabric right side up. Leave at least 2'' of thread at beginning & end. Back stitch at beginning & end.

Step 6: Repeat step 5 as many times as you want, about a 1/2'' below the first & in between each row. The dress above, has ten rows.

Step 7: Either at the end of each row, or at the end of sewing all the rows pull the ends tight to make the elastic shrink. You can also try steaming it with the iron.

Step 8: If you just did the chest part, now you can sew on the bottom part of your dress or skirt.

Step 9: Hem the bottom & top.

Step 10: Wrap it around you & make sure it fits.

Step 11: Bring together & sew seam up the back. If you want, you can leave a little slit in the back, for fun.

Step 12: Add straps, if it's a dress & any embellishments.
You did it!

here's how you make a car seat cover...

For all of you that have been asking, here's how you make those darn cute car seat covers that are starting to become so popular.
It makes for a great baby gift!

This first one I made (the first pic) was my VERY FIRST sewing project ever.
The second, I did a few more fun tricks, but they both turned out pretty cute.What you'll need:
2 yards of fabric-any kind will work, using two different ones are fun, think of the season though, if the baby will be born at the beginning of summer you don't want double flannel, or something too hot.
thread-doesn't have to blend in, coordinating with the pattern can be fun and look cute.
1 pkg sewable velcro-white will mostly match the best, unless you're using a really dark pattern.
buttons, ribbon, tulle or whatever kind of embellishment you want
The dimensions are:
41'' x 35''
Handle dimensions are:
9'' x 2 1/2'' (you will be making two handles)
The handles will be 7 1/2'' apart from each other and they will be about 12 1/2'' from the outsides of the blanket.
The best way to place the handles on the car seat is to pin them on to the blanket and hang them on the car seat handle bar, so you can have the blanket/cover to hang in the right position.

Step 1: Cut the fabric.
Then fold in half and cut corners off (start with 7'' on a diagonal and if you need more cut more), so they won't be dragging on the ground. It will be in the shape of an octagon, but longer in height than in width...if that makes sense.

Step 2: Place both pieces of fabric the wrong side out (pin it if that helps, I never pin), on top of each other. Sew around (straight or zig zag stitch), leaving one small (about 7'') opening to be able to turn inside out.

Step 3: Flip inside out, iron, and then sew around again with straight stitch or any fun, decorative stitch around (the pic below, I used a flower stitch, with pink thread on yellow fabric, so cute!), stitch opening close. Voila! The main blanket/cover part is complete.

Step 4: Making the handles. Cut fabric (dimensions above), sew the same as you did with the whole blanket. Sewing inside out, flip, iron and then sew edges and opening close. Make sure both handles are the same size as each other.

Step 5: Cut velcro to the size you need, testing it as it hangs on the car seat helps, you'll need about an inch & a half, more if you think it needs more.

Step 6: Place them on the handles, but make sure you test it, like wrap it in a circle as it would be around the handle bars, so that you are putting them on the right sides! You'll need the fuzzy side of the velcro on one side of the strap and the pokey side of the velcro on the other side of the strap, so when you wrap it into a circle it will connect.

Step 7: After you sew the velcro on, it's time for the embellishment!
Pick whatever you want, ribbon, bows, buttons, whatever you come up with, make it, buy it whatever, just have it ready. You can use a tiny bit of glue (hot glue) you can put a dab on to hold it in place, or you can just sew it on. It can be tricky because you don't want the thread to show, so you have to sew it on by hand, hiding the tread.
If you used some kind of fabric or ribbon (the pic below I used fabric cut out as flower pedals & ribbon) that is fraying. You can use fray check or modge podge, dab it on the fraying edges and let it dry.

Step 8: Sew the straps on the right side of the blanket/cover and you did it!