Gab about Curtains

Hi there!!! Are you getting ready for spring and spring cleaning? Well I am and I have been making curtains for several rooms in my house. I started in my kitchen and used some cute coffee fabric (that my hubby helped pick out) to make these:

I love them! I loved them so much that I immediately bought more fabric to make curtains for my bathroom.

I used a very simple method that allows you to make curtains for any window. I used my travel iron and my press board (that I made a while back) and had these done in about 2 hours, including cutting time. I got the pattern out of this amazing book The Best of Sew Simple Magazine, unfortunately I do not see it sold new anymore. The great thing is that the pattern in this book is very simple and can be applied to just about any window or door in your home that needs curtains. I also made valances for the tiers using that pattern.

This is my pressing board and travel iron that I use in my sewing room, they help me do quick presses and their portable in case I go to a craft retreat.

I finished those kitchen curtains and then made a set for my bathroom using the same method.

This pattern is so fun! It also gives me an excuse to update some things in my bathroom.

I had enough fabric left over from the kitchen curtains to make some matching placemats and mug rugs, so I already have my next project picked out.

Until next time, stay safe in these crafting streets!

Happy crafting.

-Gaby

Sewing Clear Pouches (Easy)

Hi everyone! I have been doing some sewing lately to keep in line with my resolution for crafting this year and I came across this amazing pattern for making clear pouches. I was on Pinterest and found this great pattern with some great pictures and easy to follow instructions.  I was able to cut a bunch of these out and then sew them very quickly. I used ribbon for some of them, but eventually opted to just use the fabric and switch up the sewing order to assemble them faster. 

Zelda fabric! 

Chococat everything! 

Hiw cute are these birds?

Harry Potter fabric. 

Zelda fabric again.  

If you have some cute fabric that you have been wanting to use, this pattern is great because the size is perfect for a travel makeup bag, pencil case, or toiletry bag.  As you can see with the photos above, I got carried away and made several. If you are going to do any embroidery like I did, cut your fabric first and then just center the design in your hoop.

Hey Mickey! 

These will hold brush markers and colored pencils! 

These are easy to mass produce and a little less intimidating if you want to make bags, but you are not super confident in your zipper installation capabilities (no shame, I'm just saying). Thanks for stopping by, until next time, happy crafting.

-Gaby

Two Tutus and a Cape

Hi everyone, back today with some projects I've completed for some of my friends with children. I was inspired by some super cute designs I saw and decided to tackle making tutus! Garments! I have gone from casually sewing to feeling confident enough to make actual clothes. So I started by cutting my tulle, I used bolt fabric instead of the rolls.  

A relaxing part of the process. 

Then I made my waistband and started applying the strips.

1st piece. 

 Once that was done, I cut my ribbon using my wood burning tool's cutting attachment.

I added tulle until it was the correct size and then sewed the ribbon on, this was the most time consuming part.

After some trimming, here is the final product. 

I enjoyed making that one so much that I tried making another one with an elastic waistband...and Pom poms inside!  This was actually faster than the one above, it just required elastic and Pom poms in addition to the tulle.

I cut my tulle and sewed it. 

Then added Pom Poms. 

Almost finished. 

Then added elastic. 

And here is the finished product! 

If you are making a gift for boys, you can try making a cool cape!

Some appliqué using my embroidery machine. 

Complete with 2 colors and Velcro. 

Next time I'll be back with another self binding blanket and a baby quilt! Happy crafting! 

When Sewing Takes Over

I have been busy making things like there is no tomorrow! I just realized I haven't posted anything in over a week, so today, here is a crafty, sewing showcase.

Let's start with the baby quilt that is a companion to the "Amelia" quilt I made. 

Just like the other one, but different colors.

I also decided to try working on my own fabric by putting my drawings on mug rugs and I started with one of the Jelly Friends, Tamber Melon and my resident Meowfox Mr. Snugglekins.

Hi guys! 

Then I coordinated background fabric and attached them to the centers. 

Finally I applied backing and binding. 

All done!  

Posing as a mini rug! 

I cannot stress enough how happy it makes me to create things and I am so happy to have a new way to create by being able sew things and quilt.  I wish I'd been doing it forever, but I'm happy I started at all. I encourage you to start doing whatever it is you would like to do, today!!! I have learned to knit, crochet, paper craft, and sew...in the last 5 years! I keep telling anyone who will listen that I am so happy I started seeing because there's this whole world of fabric and patterns that I have access to now! I am really enjoying sewing and I look forward to improving as I keep working! Tomorrow I will be posting a video about making inked backgrounds for your layouts, happy crafting!

Quilt Fabric Storage Idea with the Big Shot

Hi everyone! I just started using my Sizzix Big Shot to cut fabric and I had an epiphany. I'm a modern quilter and I love jelly roll quilts. I was cutting some fabric last night and decided to "kit" my jelly rolls. 

Cutting 2.5" strips

Strips galore! 

Then I put them into groups I would probably use together. 

I tied the rolls with scrap strips from cutting.

Then I can just stack them up and save space! This would make an awesome gift for a fellow quilter as well. Hope this helps organize your stash, happy crafting!