Birthday apron and card

This was my first reversible apron. I know it's not an incredible feat, but it took me some time to accomplish it anyhow. Aside from the fact that I have little craft time to myself when I can actually concentrate on what I am doing, I've only ever made single sided aprons before this. I made this one from a pattern, but decided to alter the pattern to accommodate being lined. Then since I was lining it, why not pick a pretty fabric for the lining? And if I'm picking a pretty fabric for the lining, shouldn't it also be visible? So I went ahead and made it reversible. I'm still a novice seamstress, so there are plenty of errors here, but thankfully the kind that you only notice if you look closely. Very closely I hope. Or maybe it's the kind of apron only a mother could love, but since I gave it my mom for her birthday, it's all good.

And, of course, a birthday card as well, only that took just a short amount of time, and was done with the help of a little guy (because he's like that).

Making elephant ears

Wool felt, leftover from a previous project, black thread, and ten minutes after lunch. He said he wanted to be an elephant and so he was.

I cut a three inch wide strip, long enough to go around his head with two inches left over. I folded it in half and closed it with a finishing stitch all along the outside.

I cut two ears, using a printed map of Africa as a template (since African elephants have African ears), and Sewed them to the band with two rows of stitching, the ears laying flat and forward so that when he has the band on his head the stitching is hidden behind them. I finished with new sew velcro. Ten minutes to healthy elephant ears.

If I did it again I'd make the base of the ears much smaller, and I might even trim them away from the band a bit now.

Heart banner and table runners

I should probably explain that the crafts we post to the site on Monday are not necessarily crafts we have done on that day; instead, I give Calvin his choice from his finished crafts and ask him to comment on them. Sometimes I get a comment, sometimes I don't, but as he understands more about what we are doing, he takes more and more of an interest. Today's crafts are ones that we finished at the end of last week so they'd be ready for our Valentines party on Sunday.

Heart banner

We used my Cricut to make this one and if you ask Calvin was his favorite part of the craft was, he'll say "using the Cricut!" exclamation and all. He did do all the gluing and writing, though, so the Cricut doesn't get all of the credit.

Table runners

I've always wanted to dress a table this way, with runners across the table, then we got this fabric in a Freecycle find and it seemed perfect for the occasion. This was easy, easy sewing—I cut all the pieces, pinned with right sides facing, sewed all around, leaving a 3 inch space for turning, then finished with a top stitch all the way around. The heart shapes on the plates are just napkin oragami, and yes, that's a poinsettia on the table still.

A Valentine and an apron

"Look what I made Monday" was not only too long a title, it wasn't all inclusive, since we have two people who could claim to be "I" here, so we've changed the title.

Valentine

I showed Calvin how to fold paper in half, draw half a heart, and cut it out to make a heart shaped Valentine. We completed one actual Valentine today, the one pictured here, before he spent the rest of the morning practicing the folding, drawing, and cutting talent. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of that in the future. On the other hand, if I want to get any more Valentines finished I may have to break out the Cricut to get the hearts cut.

The finished Valentine is, of course, for Mouse. He wrote it all by himself, sounding out all the words, with only a little spelling help (the "ou" in mouse, and the surprise e at the end of both "mouse" and "mine"—the surprise h at the end of "Be" was his on concoction after that).

An apron

We've been going for a 40s or 50s sort of look in our house as of late (more on the re-decorating later maybe) and in perusing some fun idea driven websites I came across these aprons. I have yet to do any pattern sewing, and that's a good thing, because I had no pattern for these aprons, either. Thankfully, I did have my Godmother, an accomplished seamstress, visiting for a weekend to give me a lot of tips and tutuorials. She takes credit for the pattern we eventually worked out using a little bit of math and a lot of Calvin's scrap art paper, while I did most of the pinning and sewing.

I love the fabric and I love the look. The final product was going to have pockets, but I've decided that there are a few other changes I need to make, toom, so I Plan on making a second apron from the same general pattern that will be a little broader across the chest, a little shorter on the neck piece, and a little less wide around the middle. Minimal tweaks, really, seeing as that we started out with no pattern. Thankfully I have enough fabric for a second try. I'll add pockets next time.

Snowmen and Valentine's Wreath

I'm looking for structure in life. I don't know if I'll ever find it, but I'm starting here. Calvin and I do a lot of crafts, many of which are just crafts, like drawing, painting, or pasting, not tutorial worthy work, but just fun crafts. This will be our day to share them.

Snowmen!

This, by the way, was Calvin's first shape creating project with scissors (as opposed, that is, to shape destroying).

Valentine's Wreath

I got the original idea here, on Skip to My Lou, and then I adapted it to fit my own vision. This was the first project I made with my new sewing machine! That means it's easy, easy, easy. And this one actually has a how-to.

Supplies: 16 inches of 52" burlap fabric, matching thread, wire hanger.

1. Cut burlap down the length into four 4" strips (so you have four 4"x52" pieces).

2. Pair the pieces, laying one piece directly on top of another, front to back (not facing), so that you now have two pairs of pieces. Pin the first pair carefully and sew together down the entire length just slightly out from center, then again down the entire length slightly out from center, leaving a place in the very center to insert the hanger. Repeat with the other pair.

3. Use plyers to completely straighten hanger, then bend in a small hook at the one end. Insert the hanger through the first pair of strips and push it on, gathering it as you go, until half of the hanger is covered and half uncovered. Fold hanger into a 90 degree angle at the half way point, then slide the other burlap strips onto the other half; once it is all the way on, bend the other end to hold in place.

4. Bend hanger into the shape of a heart and wind the ends together. I had to add a few stitches to get the burlap to lay properly, then I added a white ribbon for hanging purposes. Tada!