Mustache Crazy!

I have fallen in love with everything MUSTACHE after doing this project.  Great little boy theme!

I started my hunt for the perfect fabric to make a gift.  I found the precious mustache print fabric at Hobby Lobby.   I also found a cute coordinating fabric in grey with small black dots.  I decided to add a little turquoise and orange to make it pop!  

I decided to make what I call a "Backsac".  This is the girly version I did awhile back ( Backsac tutorial ).
I made a few other gifts too. I will share those projects in another post.

The "Backsac" was made like the tutorial above with a few changes.

 I monogrammed the name on a piece of turquoise fabric 16" wide and then added my

 orange trim to both sides and stitched in place

 I then added my mustache fabric to both sides.  This is where you can decide how large

your bag will be.  I added 8" to the top and 10" to the bottom.

Cut a back piece the entire length of the front piece.

Cut 2 pieces of lining fabric (grey/black) and added 2" to the length. 

 Before stitching the sides of the outer sac, add a small loop of the cording 

at the lower corners, stitch in place and then square the corners by

cutting a small 1" square from the lower corner in order to made a boxed bottom.

Picture below shows the lining piece cut ready to be sewn.

Leave a 3" opening at the bottom of the lining 

to turn inside out later in the project. 

 Before connecting the sac and lining cut a piece of lining fabric with width of the bag

plus about 1" and finish the edges of this piece by turning them end and stitching in place.

 Fold this piece and press flat.

 Find the center and pin in place to the top of the outer sac.

 Repeat this for the other side.

 My helper Sadie isn't excited about my MUSTACHE project.....!

 After pinning the two separate pieces to top this is what it should look like.

This will be the pocket the cording goes into to draw up the bag.

It will make sense later on...keep going!

 Turn the outer sac (MUSTACHE FABRIC) to wrong side

and insert the lining(Grey) fabric into the sac and match the top edges.

Match top edges of sac and lining. 

 Stitch around the entire bag.

 Trim edges and get ready to turn.

 Turn through the opening you left in the lining.

 This is what the finished top will look like after turning.

The lining extends beyond the outer fabric.  

 Press everything flat and stitch around the lower grey piece

to help lining stay in place.

Finished sewing....ready for cording.

Lay cording out to make sure you have enough to go around the 

bag and down the side to the loop. 

Cut 2 pieces.

After cutting the cording burn the edges to keep them from fraying.

Be careful, it is like hot wax. 

Attach a safety pin to the end and guide the cord to the other side.

On to the other cord.  

Repeat the same process going the opposite direction.

 This is what the side should look like.  Two cords coming out each side.

 Extend your cording and go through the lower loop 

and make a knot.  Lay sac flat and make sure both sides are even.

Burn the knot to prevent it from fraying.

Finished bag ....Ready for baby CANNON!

Party Banner

Party banners make things more festive!  It was a quick project, 

the best kind in my opinion!  

My banner was for a shower I hosted for my nephews soon to be bride.  

I needed something to hang above my dessert table.  

I started with 4 pieces of scrapbook paper.  I didn't have yellow patterned paper so I made my own.

I used my brush marker to color some of the white flowers on the paper.  

I left some white to give the paper depth.

 After coloring the paper I cut a V from the 

bottom of each piece for the banner.

I printed Bride To Be on my computer onto white card stock and cut the same V at the bottom.

I cut a piece of yellow card stock a little bit larger and taped to the back. 

I punched small holes on each side and threaded ribbon from the back and connected all the pieces.

The rose was made with yellow ribbon. I stitched the ribbon in place through the hole from the back.

 I found the rose ribbon tutorial on this site...super simple!

 I used yellow stripped ribbon between each banner piece.  

I also used a small piece of yellow to hang between each banner piece.

I made 3 yellow tissue flowers to hang above the banner.  

I also made small cards to label the food we enjoyed at the shower.

I printed the food items on card stock, cut long enough to fold. 

I punched a heart in the corner and glued a small piece of 

yellow paper on the back.  

 The heart is yellow now...!!!  

Just adds that little extra!

 Sweet and Simple

 

This was the coffee station....we had a great time!

Wedding Bells will ring on October 5, 2013!

Congratulations Colton & Stephanie!

Hot Iron Travel Bag.....DCC Style

This time last year my daughter was in the process of making the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader squad for the 2nd time.  She just recently attended training camp again and made the squad for the 3rd time.  The journey is long and tiring for her but worth every minute of hard work...she loves to dance and I love watching.

Each game one of the group members give the girls in their group a gift.  Last year I made Amelia's group a bag to carry their flat iron or curling iron in along with making them a travel case for their pictures they carry to autograph for fans.  Most of the girls were carrying their pictures in a baggie...NOT COOL!
I designed a carry case just for her group.  I have recently repeated the same carry case for her group this year. Tutorial for that at a later date...it took me a year to make one for the hot iron case...life gets busy!

The flat iron bag was my own design....sometimes necessity is the mother of invention.

I  cut the outside fabric 14 inches long and 18 inches long.
(I measured a curling iron for my dimensions)

I ironed on interfacing to the entire piece.
Fold the 14" side in half and stitch side seams with 1/4 " seam.
(I inserted the folded fabric piece with the ring attached into the seam before stitching)


I repeated the process with the lining fabric.
I inserted a piece of heat resist fabric into the center of the bag before stitching sides together.
(I used quilted heat resistant fabric for my lining and the flat heat resist for the center insert. Fabric was purchased from Joann's online.
Leave a small opening in bottom for turning later in the sewing process.






The blue fabric of the envelop top was cut and the pink was added to
the edge.  I monogrammed the names before it was assembled.  I stitched the lining right sides together, stitched around 3 sides leaving the top open to turn.  Press after turning.




Velcro was attached to the underside of the flap and on the front of the bag itself.  I did the same thing 9 times...!

I inserted the lining into the bag right sides together.

Attach the front flap onto the body of the bag.

After attaching flap turn the entire bag right side out...
( Now you know why you left an opening in the lining.)
Press Press Press!







I made a long strap to attach to the side with a hook.

REPEAT 9 TIMES AND YOU GET THE POINT....!

This is the picture carrier I designed for the girls to put their pictures in.
I know this is going to be a great year....1st real game of the season this weekend and I am looking forward to watching her cheer and dance!

A proud mom and Amelia's biggest FAN!

PEACOCK Kitchen Towels

Peacocks seem to be showing up on all sorts of things these days.  I recently did my own version of peacock decor for a housewarming gift for my niece.  

I searched for the perfect peacock image.  My niece loves turquoise and orange so that narrowed the search.  I found the perfect picture and the idea grew into the finished project.

I copied my image on the 8x10 paper backed fabric for inkjet printers.  I had two 5x7 images to print so I printed one 5x7, let it dry and inserted the paper back into the printer and printed the other 5x7 on the other side. Be sure to insert the paper so the image will print on the other side.  Be sure to allow the ink to dry before inserting back into the printer.  Read instructions for fabric after you print.  My specific paper instructed me to let the image dry completely, peel the backing off and run water over the ink until it ran clear.  The fabric is ready to use after it has dried completely.  Iron the fabric and now it's ready for the project.

 I cut a piece of orange fabric 2 inches wide and as wide as my image fabric.  

I stitched this piece to the top and bottom and ironed seam flat afterward.

 I repeated the same process for the sides but I increased the orange fabric cut to 3 inches. 

I stitched these pieces to the sides and ironed flat.

After all four sides were flat I pressed a 1/4 seam along all four sides in order to have a finished edge.

I placed the finished fabric image onto the orange kitchen towel (I purchased mine from Target).

I stitched it on all four sides and around the inside four sides as well.

 I cut a piece of the orange fabric the width plus 1 inch of the towel width.  

I turned the fabric wrong sides together and stitched the ends 1/2 inch on either end.

I stitched the orange fabric piece onto the bottom of the towel with right sides together.

I stitched across the top of this strip to enclose the seam underneath

 After finishing one towel I was ready to repeat the process.

I was PEACOCK proud after I completed my gift and she loved them!