Hoop Art Five Ways

For several months, I've been collecting embroidery hoops from thrift stores and any other place I can find a cheap deal on them. I wasn't sure exactly how or where I wanted to use them until I finished my girls' shared room and was looking for art for their walls. That's when I got them all out again and put my creative juices to work. It took me a few days of laying them out on my floor in different arrangements and digging through just the right prints of fabric to get a look that I liked and my girls liked.

After all the rearranging and trial and error, I came up with five ways to make art with hoops. I love how ours turned out so I wanted to share them with you! Maybe these will inspire you to do the same or spark some other creative ideas for your own hoop art.

1. Use fun, coordinating fabric prints in your hoops. I used a few different ones (polka dots, dolls, muslin, etc.) here that went along with my girls' room. It's easy and cheap and you can just do that with all of your hoops if you want. But if you want more variety, keep reading.

2. Add in a couple of hoops with muslin and embroider your favorite saying or quote (or a name, monogram, etc.) with your favorite color of thread. Since this is a shared room, I wanted to include something about sisters.

3. Cover the outer edge of your hoop with washi tape for a little pop of color and pattern. I bought the off brand and it didn't stick too well, so I mod podged it for a little extra hold. I used a red chevron patterned tape and I love it!

4. Put a fun fabric print in the hoop and then use felt to make people or animals that you love. Either sew them on or hot glue them like I did. I also added the names of my girls above the item to make it personal.

5. And, last, but not least - my favorite one! Think outside the box and hand stitch a picture on your muslin and use other methods such as different fabrics/threads to make a picture. I love this London double decker bus and the 'street' made from coordinating fabrics. I want to make more of these!

I hope these inspire you to make some of your own! I love how they turned out and plan on making a couple more to add to this wall. You can use as many or as little as you want and hang them in any way you want. The sky's the limit - or maybe the ceiling - but let's not get technical. :)

How to Cover a Lampshade with Fabric

 As part of my Shared Girls' Room Makeover, the one thing I had to keep was the ceiling fan. I am fully aware that ceiling fans are not the most fashionable thing in a room. However, comfort is a definite MUST. So with this room being one of the hottest rooms in the house during the summer, the fan stays.

You might remember seeing the fan in this picture....

It had pink floral on the fan blades and two shades of pink on the lampshades. And since I've banned pink from the room (or at least 99% of it), that had to be dealt with. Here's what I did....

I spray painted the fan blades white. I already liked the fan so much better, but the shades had to be covered. My love for polka dots took over and I ran out and bought red and white polka dot fabric. I bought extra so I can use it somewhere else in the room (more on that later).

Here's how I covered the lampshades and I just COULD NOT believe how quick it was. Less than 30 minutes and the shades were back on the fan.

First, take a lampshade and lay it sideways on a legal sized piece of paper or newspaper or paper bag, etc.

Then, trace each side of the lampshade (top and bottom) as you roll it on the paper. I started by laying the seam side down so that I would know when to stop rolling and tracing. I did go about an inch further for a small overlap.

Next, cut along the lines and then wrap the paper pattern around your lampshade to make sure it is big enough and works before you cut out your fabric.

You might want to trim any pieces that are sticking up too far, etc.

Pin pattern to the fabric so it doesn't move when you cut it.

Now, cut it out making sure to cut a little extra about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch to fold over the top and bottom of each shade.

Now, with all of your pieces cut out, you're going to need your Elmer's Spray Adhesive and some old newspaper or something to lay your pieces on, as well as, a well-ventilated space. I love Elmer's Spray Adhesive because it works on so many projects, but it is absolutely perfect for this one.

Lay your pieces WRONG side up and get ready to spray. I suggest spraying one at a time because you'll need to get it on your lampshade within 15 seconds for a permanent hold. Sounds harder than it really is. Spray your piece of fabric on the wrong side and then immediately lay your lampshade onto the piece starting with the seam down.

Then, you'll carefully roll the lampshade like you did when making the pattern for it. The fabric will stick right away. Then, just smooth out any bubbles. (There probably won't be any.) Fold over the top and bottom edges quickly. You might need to spray the top/bottom pieces carefully if you don't get them folded over fast enough.

{pic taken before I painted the blades white}

You're done! Wasn't that easy?? I can't wait to redo another lampshade!

What to Do BEFORE You Begin a Sewing Project

Sewing is a pretty easy skill to learn. There are so many tutorials, classes, articles, etc geared toward sewing and I love it! Where was the internet when when I was learning to sew?? {Actually, it was just becoming popular when I was in college....yikes!} And because the resources were not always at my fingertips, I learned from the textbooks - yes, literal textbooks - how to sew. In fact, I learned all the rules of sewing and had to do it all exactly by the book because I wanted to get a good grade. But all that learning from the textbooks and rigid rules of sewing were kind of intimidating to this average seamstress. I really didn't even know I could sew something without following every rule to a tee. However, once I realized that there are lots of ways to sew things and you don't really have to follow every.single.rule. it was like a whole new world opened up for me. It was a revelation, people! My love for sewing and creating really took off. That's one reason I wanted to start this blog. I want you to be inspired to create something and not be scared of breaking the rules! No sewing professors breathing down your neck here and making sure you finished those seams that no one will see on the inside of that skirt. Just make stuff. And have fun!

That being said, there are a few things {not rules really, just smart suggestions} that you might want to consider before sewing a project. There is a science behind this skill and sometimes shortcuts can produce a less-than-desirable outcome. Here are a few:

1. Wash your fabric before cutting.
   
   I have to admit that I do not do this very often. I typically use fabrics that do not tend to shrink much like poly/cotton blends, but there are certain fabrics that will have quite a bit of shrinkage. Fabrics like 100% cotton, some terry cloths, wool, etc. Natural fibers tend to have more shrinkage if too much moisture is pulled out during the drying process. You might consider washing and air drying these before you cut them for your projects. Then, don't forget to iron it!
2. Check to see if your fabric is evenly cut.
   
   Most of the time, my fabric is not cut perfectly straight at the fabric store. To check yours, line up the selvage edge with a straight line like a fabric cutting board or a yard stick. The fabric cutting board is perfect because it is marked at every inch and helps you see how your fabric is shaped. If the cut edges are not lined up on a straight line, you'll need to trim them.
3. Check your grainline.
   
   I rarely do this unless I'm making a project like a dress or a pencil skirt, etc. If you're a perfectionist, you will want to do this. If you're like me, you will only do this when you have to. Here's some great information on grainlines.

 These are a few of the basics. Do you follow any guidelines for fabric before you start your sewing projects? Which ones?

Thanks for stopping by!

Fat Quarter Projects: Baby Gift Set

Giveaway now closed.

Congrats, Amanda! You are the winner!

Do you know those cute little squares of fabric you see in the fabric department of your favorite stores and notice how cute and coordinating they all are? And then, you look at the label and it says something like Fat Quarter or Fabric Quarter and you wonder what on earth does that mean? Well, wonder no more!

{source}

A fat quarter is a one-fourth yard cut of fabric that (usually) measures 18" x 22" instead of the typical 9" x 44" quarter-yard cut. The longest side's dimension will vary if your fabric is not 44" wide.

Go here to find out all you ever wanted to know about fat quarters. All I know is that I love the fat quarter selection at JoAnn Fabrics! They have tons of them and in so many wonderful colors and patterns! I bought some a few weeks ago when they were on sale for .99/each. You cannot beat that price!

You can also find a big selection online at fabric stores or on eBay and etsy. Online is a great option if you are looking for something a little less ordinary.

I found this terrific fabric online several months ago and finally decided what I wanted to use it for. It was a fat quarter and the print was just so cute I couldn't pass it up even though I wasn't sure what I was going to make with it.

I finally decided and then wanted to show you what all you can make with just ONE fat quarter! A few other supplies were needed for these projects but one fat quarter of fabric made all of these fun items.

With just ONE fat quarter, you can make a bib, burp cloth, bow tie and necktie t-shirt for your favorite little boy! What a perfect gift to give someone - and for less than $5 (assuming you already have elastic on hand and backing for the bib which you can use just about anything)!

Here they are in detail:
Bib: Made with fabric from the fat quarter + quilters batting I already had on hand from other projects + a small square of velcro for closure that I already had on hand. (Tutorial coming!)

Burp Cloth: Fabric from the fat quarter + a cloth diaper I already had on hand - I snatch these up when I find them on sale to use for gifts, etc. (Tutorial coming!)

Bow Tie: Fabric from fat quarter + elastic I already had on hand.  You can find a full tutorial on making a Baby/Toddler Bow Tie here.

Necktie T-Shirt: Fabric from fat quarter + Heat n Bond I already had on hand + black t-shirt from Hobby Lobby $2.99. I used the applique method for applying the necktie to the t-shirt. Find the full tutorial here.

Now for the fun part! I don't have any little boys so this will do me no good! I'd like to give it to one of you. If you'd like to win this 4 Piece Wiener Dog Baby Gift Set (fits size 6 months - 12 months), you can win 3 different ways.

1. Follow me on Facebook at Life is {Sew} Daily. Then, just come back and tell me you did.
2. Follow my Pinterest board, Life is {Sew} Daily. Then, come tell me you did.
3. Leave a comment for me telling me what you've made or would like to make with a Fat Quarter or just say hey!

One entry for each method! So, up to 3 entries! I ship to the US only. Giveaway ends Friday, February 14 at noon! Winner will be chosen at random.

Don't forget to share this post with your friends so they can have a chance to win, too!

Thanks for stopping by! Happy weekend to all!

My Fun $2 Project + a Money-Saving Tip

I'm about to give you a great tip that will save you money and hopefully inspire you to create something! It's the first thing I do everytime I visit a fabric store and I'm never disappointed. Here it is:

Always visit the clearance bin in the fabric department for discounted fabric remnants.

It's no secret that I am a big fan of the chevron print. And yes, I know they say chevron is on its way out, but I don't know who 'they' are and I'm pretty sure 'they' didn't ask me how I feel about it. However, I still like it and it will always be cute on girls clothes (and my living room curtains).

I also happen to be a fan of the aqua/turquoise/teal family. So, when I found this 1/2 yard of aqua/white chevron cotton fabric for $2, I quickly did the math in my head and knew this would make a cute skirt for my 10 yr old - without having to even make a cut. Win, win - people. It doesn't get much better than that.

I got home and got to work. Don't know how to make an elastic waist skirt? Check out this tutorial for all the juicy details.

My big girl loves her skirt and can't wait to wear it!

Do you shop the clearance bin?? Have you found any great fabrics for those quick and easy project ideas? I found more today and can't wait to show you what I make with those! Stay tuned....

To Mend or Not to Mend

This is a current pic of my basket of things that need to be mended {or sewing project that just needs to be finished}.

I don't know how you feel about mending, but it's not my favorite thing to do. It's usually a pretty simple task. Sometimes it might need a little creative thinking and math to figure it out, but it's generally a quick fix. If you've been to your local thrift store or goodwill lately, you may have noticed that lots of people just get rid of clothes because they don't want to mend whatever it is or they don't know how. Learning to mend simple things can save you lots of money in the end. {Stick around and you'll find more posts here on mending.} However, you need to ask yourself a few questions:

Do you love it?
If you don't love the item that needs to be mended, don't waste your time. You won't wear it anyway. However, if it is a good quality item that only needs a button or something simple and not time consuming done, fix it and donate it or sell it. Don't just throw it away - This is the waste not, want not principle. Donate it - someone else can use it. Sell it - make a profit. Win win.

Is it worth saving for another reason?
If you don't love it for wearing or using for it's original purpose, is it worth saving for another purpose? Can it be remade into something else like this men's shirt makeover? Or should it be thrown into the rag pile to mop the floor with? My dad {and now even my husband} kept a pile of old worn-out t-shirts in his garage to use for waxing the car, etc. It turned out that those t-shirts really came in handy afterall and saved $ by not having to buy soft cloths to wax the car with. Think every item through before completely throwing it out.

Is the rest of the garment in good condition?
For instance, if your child has a good pair of jeans, but ends up wearing out the knees, you could cut them off and hem them to use as shorts instead of throwing away the whole pair. This will save you $ when Spring and Summer roll around and you find yourself having to buy new shorts. You could always just fix the knee hole with a patch if it is salvagable, too.

Is it something you are comfortable mending?
Some things I am more comfortable with mending like sewing on a button, restitching a torn seam, hemming, replacing elastic, etc. But there may be some things you aren't comfortable doing and that's okay. If you really love the item, hire someone to do it. If you don't love it, donate it. Maybe someone else will really love the item enough to fix it.

What was the last thing you mended? How do you decide what to mend and what's not worth mending?

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Here's a great mending kit if you're looking for one!

Who's With Me?

I know I'm not alone....

What do you do with all of your scrap fabrics? How big is your stash?

This is part of my 31 Days of Home Economics series.

Thank you for coming by! Come back tomorrow for the last day of the 31 Days of Home Economics series!

How to Cut Out a Pattern

If you read yesterday's post about How to Read a Sewing Pattern, you might be thinking now about the next step. Cutting out the pattern. It's not as simple as just cutting around the lines, but it's not complicated, either. There are just a few more things to consider when cutting the pattern pieces out. Let me encourage you to read through this tutorial so that you have an understanding of it before you actually start cutting. I hope this is helpful!

This diagram may help you understand the parts of the fabric such as selvage and folded edge.

{Source}

You may really benefit from reading this post about grainline, how to find it and why it's important.

Most patterns come with a few pages of pattern pieces in no particular order. You'll probably have to look through each page to find all the pieces you need for your particular project.

Your pattern instructions should help you understand what to do with each marking, but be sure to transfer the markings to the fabric so you can locate them and line them up when pinning the project together to get ready to sew. You'll see below about marking.

 Now, cut ON the appropriate lines.

The most common pieces that will be marked for lining up are collars, sleeves, waists, buttonholes, ruffles, etc.

 

These are important tips to know before cutting out your pattern and the fabric. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. These are the most common things you will see on a pattern piece, but sometimes you may encounter something you don't understand. If I missed any common ones, comment and let me know! I'll be happy to add them later to this post.

 

Do you use a pattern when sewing or do you just work by measurements?

 

This is part of my 31 Days of Home Economics series. You can find the rest of the posts by clicking the tab above labeled {Home Economics}.

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