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Crafter's everywhere love their epoxy and no epoxy is better, more universal than e6000. It is the work horse of the craft world. I have used mine to fix shoes, repair jewelry, affix candlesticks to create works of art and bring countless toys back from the dead. When I am not feeling the sewing love and just don't have the time to knit and want to make something, well, pretty for me, I always grab the e6000. It can do anything that you need and it is the one glue I have found that dependably glues felt to felt.

Here are some amazing DIY I have found that highlight e6000. Grab a tube and make your favorite.

Jcrew-inspired Bubble Necklace

Crystal encrusted heels

DIY Fabric Covered Toms

Fabric Thumbtack

Finish off your kid's Halloween Costume

Glitter T-shirt

 

Here is a chart that lays out which fabrics e6000 works well on and not so well.

I go through a tube at least every 6 months because it gets put to good use on (and well-intending if not so successful) craft projects. I hope that you gain as much enjoyment as I do every time I pull out my e6000. I feel like I am taking a really good short cut. 

Create Kids Couture has blessed us with another delightfully feminine sewing pattern: Allison's Ruffled Pillowcase Dress. They have put a very ruffley spin on the classic pillowcase dress. I love the details that have been added to this favorite dress pattern. A hidden elastic neckline disguised with a fabulous bow that looks like a tied neck. There is also a banded hem and oversized neck ruffle that will delight any aspiring princess. 

As always, I put my own spin on it to reflect my love of graphic fabric and bold colors combined with my little girl's love of simple dresses. While I adore the pattern as designed and would swoon to see my girl twirling around in it, getting her into it would have been like wrestling a greased pig. We don't always agree on wardrobe. I lean towards "Oh, this would be so cute on you" and her retorting "but I can run around and climb in this" or just simply "No". I decided that this pattern could fit both of our desires with a few tweaks.

First, I slimmed down the dress and made it into an A-line by taking off 8'' total off the top on both front and back pieces and then angling down to the original hem. I then lined up the armhole pattern pieces on the angle and then free-handed the remaining ½'' or so to the top.

 I cut wider bias trim (4'' wide to be exact) for the arm holes in a fluorescent yellow (remnants from my Sewing with Voile post). I also scaled down the ruffle to 3'' wide and twice the length of my new neckline. The ruffle was cut from an organic jersey knit so which is 100% cotton and has a softer drape than the quilting cotton used in the original. A small serged edge was added (just like a rolled hem I removed the finger but did not set my machine settings to rolled hem).  I also left one end of the elasticize neckline open to accommodate the loss of the extra fabric. Without this extra fabric my daughter's head would not fit in. So I left the elastic which I loved and made the faux tie useable by first running the elastic into the neck line and then pinning each end 1'' away from the edge and topstitching in lace. This left room to tuck in the raw ends and the ties (which I also made smaller with the finished ties being 10-12'' each) and topstitching in place.

Lastly, I only used one row of shirring because I had already slimmed down the dress and didn't want to make it too tight in the waist. Oh, and I also eliminated the band at the hem and made the neck edge the same material as the dress because I felt with my color choices added something else at the neck or hem would have been too much. I hope you enjoy my changes and the original whether you have a girly girl or a less ruffled girl like mine you can get the perfect pillowcase dress from one great pattern. 

This month's blog, a Beautiful Mess, is doozie. My jaw dropped when I beheld the craft page; it is full of wonderful, beautiful tutorials that make my fingers itch to get started. I cannot decide which is my favorite but I can give you a small list of my top " to-do's":

You can find just about anything to make on Emma and Elisa's blog. Want to try something new then why not try bees wax candles? Are you a princess and tired of people not recognizing then may I suggest making yourself a bloom flower crown? Do you enjoy a bit of whimsy in your bedroom then the horse throw pillows are a must-make (they are so adorable)?

Aside from crafts, these talented girls also blog on photography, recipes, fashion, beauty and decor. If you are looking for great photo tips and tricks, check out the photography tab. There are a bunch of great tutorials for cute and beautiful shots as well as techniques for jazzing up pictures on your computer. Do you enjoy lavender cupcakes, grapefruit donuts, and homemade funnel cakes (I know, I'm drooling too) then try the recipe tab to find all these food pleasures and more. Is your wardrobe a little sad then may I suggest the fashion tab. I love the fashion mixology where Emma and Elise show you how to make beautiful outfits from a small number of pieces. You can also check out a few makeovers and find some trendy tips to help bring in the new season. Step over to the Beauty if you want to try something new or just a new way for the same old ponytail. Take a home tour under the Decor tab and pick up some design basics.

Basically when you visit a Beautiful Mess you come for the DIY but stay for the makeup tips, recipes and photography tips. It is a one stop shop for inspiration and eye candy.

Its spring and that means sprint cleaning. Spring cleaning in my house starts in the closest but before I place any t-shirts in the "donate" pile I give them the once over to see if they are good for projects. My husband's t-shirts are especially good for kids' clothes. His shirts are usually large so they come with a lot of material to work with. My youngest is growing so fast and with warmer weather coming I need some cooler pajamas for her to sleep in. In cold weather she loves the footed PJs but she is hot-natured so I decided on some short-alls. I found this great pattern on Pinterest by Feather's Flight. . It is an excellent pattern for size 6-12 mo. though it is large if your baby is on the wee side (50% or below).

There are a few things I would change before making another (I'm a sucker for short alls so I will be making more). First, the size changes that she outlines in Step 10 I would make them to the pattern before you cut. You know your kid's head so you can adjust the pattern before cutting. This makes it easier later. I didn't and tried to wing it and ended up taken it in too much at the chest. This makes it difficult to get my daughter's arms in but I can just add a strip under the arm if I want her in it longer.

Second, I really recommend a crew neck shirt for this and also it should probably be a man's shirt. Most women's shirts are slim fit so they don't have enough materials for all the extras like facings and crotch pieces. Look for men's shirts with cool graphics, slogans or pictures. My husband was gifted a funny shirt with a graphic that says "I have gas". I thought it would make cute Pjs for my little one given my baby's love of tooting. It looks adorable and quite funny.

Third, next time I will be cutting the sleeves in a bell shape. I had trouble getting her arms in and some of that was because the arms are slightly narrow. I think a slight flare will help with that. I also believe it is because most baby clothes are made from narrow ribbed knit which gives them a lot of stretch where as t-shirt fabric has much less stretch.

Lastly, I recommend 5 snaps instead of 3. There is a good amount of gaping with 3 snaps. I also don't recommend Velcro as a fastener. There is a sleep factor that must be taken into consideration. Whether your baby is asleep when you must check the diaper or almost asleep, ripping Velcro is surprisingly loud and even if you do it super slow the sound doesn't decrease. I used our Babyville Plastic Snaps; they are wonderful and so colorful. You can read more on them here.

I heartily recommend this pattern. Because you are starting with material that already has hemmed and bound edges this outfit goes together so fast. Couple that with using a t-shirt that is already decorated you can create a super delightful get-up for little ones that you still have time for a shower, or even- gasp- making something for yourself.

We are lucky enough to have another great free kids' pattern in our Free Pattern Download section: Create Kids Couture Taylor's Pj Pants. It is a great pattern and fun to make. This is an excellent beginner's pants pattern too. Everything from the cutting to the assembly is a great introduction for a first pants project. I decided to add a ruffle detail to the bottom of my pants to feminize it a little bit more for my little girls (more on the ruffle below). The pattern is very comfy, according to my 4 yr old, and quite roomy too. I made the size 4 and size 6-12 mo for my 5 mo old. Both fit well with room to grow. I do recommend if you cloth diaper, like me, to make a size bigger to fit the diaper. Both pants run long, as evidenced by the picture, so make sure your intended child tries them on before you hem the bottom. I measured mine against a pair of pants from my daughter's wardrobe.  I love that the pattern is the same front or back; this makes it super easy when dressing either of my children who are only still when sleeping. The Riley Blake Flannel that I used is really soft and washes very well with little shrinkage. The elastic measurements for each size were spot on which makes it easy for moms who will make this during nap time or school time when children are unavailable for measuring. The designer's cutting suggestion was a great little time saving tip and helps line up those stripes, chevrons or patterns just right. I suggest cutting several pants at one time because these will be a big hit. They also make wonderful shower presents for new moms. I like to gift larger baby sizes (6 mo and up) that are often overlooked when gifting a new baby and PJ pants are perfect for that age range. 

To add a ruffle to your completed Pj pants you need approx 1 ½ to 2 yds of 3'' wide flannel per pant. Take your strip and fold them in along the length and press. Run a basting stitch down the open end of the strip ¼'' away from the edge with your bobbin tension very loose. You will see the fabric start to gather as you sew. Repeat ½'' away from the edge. Pull your bobbin thread to gather your fabric to your desired fullness. Press your gathers to help keep them in place. Line up the raw edge of your ruffle with your hem stitchline with your ruffle upside down (see picture below) and stitch in place with a ¼'' seam.

Press you ruffle towards the bottom of your pants and topstitch ¼'' away from the top. Depending on how deep your hem is your ruffle may cover your cuff or it may sit above it like a little skirt. You can stack ruffles for a very feminine look or add bigger ruffles to suit your style. Either way this is a simple ruffle to spice up a simply great PJ pant pattern. The addition of the ruffle will not significantly increase your time making this a great one day project!

A great tip: I recommend stitching your seams then serging them (or zig zag if no serger) this will reinforce the seams (because you know kids don't just wear PJ pants to bed) and will keep away any stray threads that might irritate during sleep. 

The Riley Blake Flannel Chevron is going fast but check out our Riley Blake Flannel Dots and Riley Blake Super Star Flannel is great for boys!

Granny Squares are the Chevrons of the crochet world. They are super hot right now and go with everything. But they don't have to be the granny squares of era's past; today's granny squares have blended in inspirations from floral, Asian and whimsical aspects of pop culture. Granny Squares rose to stardom in the 1970's where they dominated the knitwear scene. Today they are stars for different reasons: they are an excellent way to use up small amounts of yarn, they are quick and they are comforting. The granny squares look has worked its way into toys, décor and apparel unlike the 1970's though it is only the technique that has been incorporated.

Here are some of my favorite free granny square patterns.

Crochet Spot's Granny Square with a Flower is a very simple granny square with a lotus like flower floating in the center. The look is gorgeous because it is uncluttered.  

Yarning has also created a floral based granny square but she has created hers in a more traditional fashion. You can see how this square works into a complete blanket which is incredible.

Hop Scotch Lane has taken granny squares to a new level. One project is a giant granny square blanket worked in beautiful yellow tones and another is an owl with a granny square belly.

But my favorite is Repeat Crafter Me's Owl Granny Square which is a traditional granny square with an owl worked first that stands out from the granny square background. You can work the owl without the background and use is as an appliqué. I made two using the pattern and let me tell you they are fun and easy. I made a girl version (pink, light green and teal) and a boy version (brown, navy, grey) using Lion Brand's Wool Ease. I loved making them and am planning on working up an afghan using this pattern and a traditional granny square pattern together. 

My New Year's Resolution is to glam up my wardrobe a little bit. I am not talking about changing diapers in 4'' heels but I would like to break the "mom mould" just a little. This makes me feel good and means I always have a project to work on. Most of my glam projects are inspired by pricey versions from my favorite stores so I feel better by saving money and adding some pretty to my closet.

I decided my first glam project would be a clutch for a date night I have coming up so I choose Noodlehead's Gathered Clutch (you may remember this blog from my Bike Basket Project). I have always loved Dupioni Silk and knew it would be my main material for my glam clutch. I love our selection of colors and elected for a caramel brown. Dupioni Silk can be pricey when used in apparel and home décor projects by using it in a small project like this clutch you can save money while indulging in silk. It also makes a very luxurious gift for friends, hostesses or teachers.

As Noodlehead's tutorial mentions this is an easy project though it looks so posh that you may think it difficult.  Anna is right again when she discusses how the most difficult part of this project is picking out the fabric. Since I had already chosen a jewel-toned silk for my exterior I decided the perfect compliment would be the jewel-toned Denyse Schmidt quilting cotton collection that I used for Create Kids Couture Millie Schoolhouse Skirt. This collection has the same brown tone but also some brighter yellows and pinks to really pop against the brown. What I was most excited about, however, was Anna's zipper technique. She covers the ends of the zipper in fabric and sews them in a certain way that gives the zipper a very finished look without the weird pucker that seems to occur in zipper pouches. Be warned to not go by the pictures in the tutorial. You want the zipper to be 1'' shorter that the width of the clutch. This means that the zipper width on each end will be ½'' shorter than the clutch. You will not sew over the zipper ends just right next to them. I got a bit confused by this but eventually worked it out. I modified this clutch very little because I wasn't really set on what I would use it for besides the occasional (I cannot stress occasional enough) date night. So I decided on eliminating the interior pockets because I have never used interior pockets on any bag with the exception of my diaper bag. It must be said that I loved making this bag from start to finish. There was just enough cutting to not drive me crazy and at each step the clutch became prettier and prettier. I also ran out of fusible interfacing so I ironed on some Heat n Bond to  some canvas to make my own fusible interfacing.

I also planned some modifications for the future:

·         Add gathers to both sides

·         Increase size to fit my Kindle 

·         Add wrist strap with a snap so I can snap it to my diaper bag strap to make it easier to find in the blank hole that is my diaper bag

·         Make more because they are so fun and cute.

This is now my go-to friend gift because I can't think of anyone who wouldn't love it made in the right fabrics. It works for any age and the size is easily adjusted for other uses. You can omit the zipper and turn it into a tote bag, enlarge it for a diaper clutch or monogram the front band. 

With 2 kids, I am constantly looking for ways to involve them in the holidays but without the risk to any of our decorations. That is a hard task when Christmas rolls around: glass ornaments, ceramic table toppers and porcelain angels abound. However, when I saw this Felt Christmas Tree project idea on Pinterest, I knew it was just right for my family. I set about planning my tree. I wanted it a bit different to blend with my funky/traditional Christmas decorating theme that I always seem to end up with so I cut my tree from turquoise felt. Next I cut several different circle shapes from red, green, blue and purple felt and some square and rectangle as well to serve as presents.

To decorate each ornament I used a combination of fabric and felt. I cut small polka dots from felt for my 3 yr old to decorate ornament. I also cut a snowflake inspired overlay for another. A simple white flower centered on a red circle serves as nod to the traditional. For my fabric decorations I let my love of polka dots have full access. I used several sizes of polka dot fabric and cut using my pinking shears for a decorative edging. Some of the presents feature ribbon and some felt add-ons.

I recommend using fabric glue for affixing fabric to felt but for felt-on-felt and ribbon on felt use your glue gun or a simple running stitch in a matching thread. The felt really soaks up the fabric glue so you need something thicker to stick anything other than fabric. When gluing fabric to felt, apply your glue to the fabric and then press it to the felt. Don't apply the glue to the felt first as it will soak it up.

Lastly, I hung my tree with thumb tack so my little one could hang "real" ornaments from the branches. I made her some small pom poms and tied the ends into a loop for hanging. You could also make more felt ornament for hanging. My little bit loves her Christmas tree and re-decorates it every morning after a visit to her advent calendar (free pattern available here). It makes a great backdrop for her Christmas photos. The best part is it is unbreakable and cheerful!

P.S. I realize the length of her pants ruin my credibility but she could not be persuded to wear anything else