under an hour

Tutorial Tuesday for all you hookers out there

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And by hookers, I am of course referring to those of you who CROCHET!

Stand up and testify: “I, Melissa D, am a hooker”. I say it with pride. My grandma taught me how to crochet when I was 7 years old. The first thing I ever made was a pot holder and it can’t hold a candle to the one my grandmother made that day (I have both).  When she passed on I inherited all of her crochet hooks, plus all the hooks from a dear friend of hers.  Now those hooks in addition to the ones I already had…well it was like my hook collection had followed the Lord’s Command “be fruitful and multiply”.

I have been storing them in this cute little vase, but it isn’t so convenient when I’m traveling, so I decided to whip myself up a pretty carrying case!

Learn how to make it after the jump!

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Tutorial Tuesday – Machine Applique

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My great-grandmother was an amazing sewer. Well, to be fair, sewing runs in my blood from both my dad and my mom’s families. Apparently my dad’s mom was quite the seamstress, my mom is an amazing sewer, my grandma sewed, and one of my great-grandma’s was a professional tailor and the other was a seamstress. Talk about genetics!

One of my great-grandmother’s was from Tahiti. An unfinished hand applique quilt top of hers has been handed down to me!

From 2 large pieces of fabric
Up-Close detailing

I asked my mom if I could complete the project and she said yes, I then asked her if I could do machine applique and she said no. It is a traditional Tahitian quilt top and needs to be finished by hand as is tradition.

This didn’t stop me from teaching myself machine applique.

Here is a picture of my finished project:

Supplies:
2 squares of fabric – one for the background and one for the fun shape
Pellon “Wonder Under” fusible web
Pressing Cloth
Some pretty thread – you can go matchey matchey on this or you can go for some color contrast
A stabilizer for the back (I have gone budget cheap and used regular printer paper or you could get Sulky Tear Easy)

Pencil – for drawing your design
Scissors
Iron
Sewing Machine

Step 1 – Cut out your two squares
I did two 6.5 inch squares
Background fabric
Applique fabric
Step 2: Iron the “Wonder Under” onto THE BACK of applique fabric
Follow the directions that comes with the “Wonder Under”
Step 3: Draw your design on the fusible
I only drew half a butterfly, because I folded my square in half to cut
Step 4: Cut out your design
Step 5: Peel the paper off the applique shape – being careful not to remove the fusible web from the fabric!
Step 6: Line up your shape on your background fabric

I wanted mine perfectly centered so I made myself a template 🙂
Step 7: Iron on your shape – Again follow the “Wonder Under” Instructions!
Hint – if following the Pellon instructions – this is where your pressing cloth comes into play!

Step 8: Cut your stabilizer material – printer paper or Sulky Tear Easy

It only needs to cover the applique shape!

Step 9: (skip if using printer paper) If using Sulky – Iron stabilizer on to BACK of square

During Ironing
Back view once ironing is complete
Step 10: Set your machine up for the sewing portion.
  • zigzag stitch
  • Number 2 tension
  • Needle position 4 (or whatever works with the zigzag foot that came with your machine)
  • Very short stitch length, I used a 0.5 stitch length on my Janome
  • Pretty colored thread, I would use the same for the top and the bobbin!
Step 11: Start stitching. Go slowly around the corners and don’t be afraid to readjust your square. Leave your needle down and lift your foot to turn your material. 

When you get to a corner…
Leave you needle down and lift your foot…
Turn the corner…
Put your needle back down


When you have completed your shape, pull your threads to the back of the square (DO NOT CUT) – tie in a knot on the back side!


You have just machine appliqued your first ever shape! Pat yourself on the back!!!

Do what you will with your squares. I made a quilt with mine.

Once you have learned this skill it opens so many new possibilities for embellishing your sewing projects. Play around and don’t be afraid to make mistakes, unless you show them off, who is going to know?!?

Share your applique projects on our Flickr site:

Deconstructed Sloppy Joe’s

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Maybe I watch too much Top Chef…but I decided to call this recipe Deconstructed Sloppy Joe’s. It is super easy to make, kid friendly, budget friendly and YUMMY!

As I said this is a kid friendly and budget friendly dinner. My husband and I love this towards the end of the month when pay day is still a few days away, if you know what I mean.

The Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef (you could substitute ground turkey)
1 large can vegetarian baked beans (I like Bush’s)
1 cup (ish) Favorite Barbecue Sauce (I don’t really measure, I pour until it looks good)
1 tbsp Instant Chopped Onion (or 1/4 cup chopped onion) – I’m a busy mom with a toddler, instant is easier!
2 cloves minced garlic (I use the jarred garlic because it is easier)
1 canister of refrigerated biscuits (I like the butter biscuits)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions – with pretty pictures!
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
Step 2: Brown beef with onion and garlic
(drain fat)
Step 3: Add in BBQ Sauce and Beans
Bring all ingredients to a bubble
Step 4: Transfer to a large oven proof casserole dish
Step 4: Slice 6 biscuits lengthwise
Step 5: Top bean and beef mix with biscuits
Step 6: Bake in pre-heated oven for 18 min or until biscuits are golden brown
What’s in there?
Looks yummy!
See the nice golden hue 🙂
Step 7: Top with Cheddar Cheese, allow to melt completely before serving
Pre-melting
Post-melting
Step 8: Serve it up with your favorite veggies!
Nice wholesome yummines that you can feel good feeding to your family!

My family loved this dish!

Yummy messy fingers
More Please!
She really gets into her food 🙂
Empty bowl, satisfied toddler and mommy!
I hope you and your families enjoy this recipe as much as my family does!  Tell me in the comments how yours turn out and any adjustments you made. I’m always looking to improve my recipes.

Tutorial Tuesday – Bounce Back Strap

4 Comments / bounce back strap, jelly roll, sewing, tutorial, under an hour / By

I don’t know about your toddler, but mine…well she has one heck of a throwing arm. She throws pretty much anything she can get her hands on, including, but not limited to: balls, mega blocks, her stuffed best friend giraffe, and her sippy cup. I don’t really concern myself with the balls or the mega blocks, but when we are out in the stroller or a shopping cart having her throw her sippy cup or, god forbid, her giraffe, could potentially result in disaster. After all, the giraffe is a discontinued toy that is now only available on ebay!

You may be asking yourself, what does that have to do with Tutorial Tuesday? Well, I have made a tutorial for a bounce back strap (12 easy steps!) that can be used on both toys and sippy cups! No more lost cups on outings. Woohoo!!!

The Supplies

You will need:
One Link – can be any brand, I’m using one of the “Lots of Links” I bought when Anne was born
Three large hole plastic beads – Sunni and I found these at Shipwreck Beads in Lacey, WA
One strip from a Jelly Roll (or a 2.5 in thick, width of fabric strip)
2 Large Safety Pins
One 20 inch length of 3/8″ braided elastic
Seam Ripper
Pins

Grab your Janome and let’s get sewing!

Step 1

Sew your jelly roll strip into a tube – I used a 1/8″ seam. The smaller the seam the easier it will be to turn the tube later.

Step 2

Rip out the last 2 inches of your tube, and attach one end of you elastic. This can be done before you make your tube, but for some reason I am so itching to get sewing that I always forget and end up having to do it after.
Use a zigzag stitch and go over the elastic at least two times.
Resew the end of your tube.

Step 3 – Before

Attach a safety pin to both ends of the elastic and turn your tube right side out. The longer your safety pin the easier it will be to turn the tube.  If you have a hemostat handy that would make this process even easier (I will be purchasing one as soon as my craft budget allows!)

Step 3 – After Turning

Steps 4 & 5

Step 4: Fold over the edge with the elastic already attached 2 times, about 1/4 of an inch and sew closed with a zigzag stitch, I did mine 2 times.
Step 5: Bring the elastic all the way to the open end of the tube and secure with a straight stitch across.

Step 6

Tie a knot at the end of the tube that you turned and zigzagged in step 4 and slip first bead all the way down to the knot. Make sure you tie your knot to hide your stitches!

Step 7

Slide your second bead down towards your first bead

Step 8

Slip the end back through the first bead again to make a loop. It will be somewhat difficult to slide the fabric through the bead a second time, feel free to get creative with your method but be careful not to tear your fabric.

Step 9 – Before

With the end that we did the straight stitch on loop back over approximately 2.5 inches open the loop and sew on the inside of the loop, securing with a zigzag stitch.

Step 9 – After
Step 10

Tie a knot, remember you are trying to hide your stitching so be deliberate with your knot tying skills!

Steps 11 & 12

Add your final bead and your link and you are finished!

Take that, babies! Now trying to ditch your sippy will be a real challenge for your gross and fine motor skills!

Try as she might Anne just couldn’t get rid of her sippy! VICTORY!

We will be giving away a kit to make your very own bounce back strap, comment on this post telling us the most interesting thing your baby has lost by tossing it out of the stroller! (For more chances to win, comment on any post this week!)

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