Snowman Dish Towels

One of our favorite things to do is to help out. My friend's church is having an old fashioned bazaar and quilt show November 7, 8, and 9th. They are raising money to replace their crumbling stained glass windows. Here's a link to an article about the fundraiser.

This beautiful church was established in 1877. It was used as a mission church to Utah Valley, and it has been the center a center for worship for the Presbyterian Church for 135 years! It has also been used as a school and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

I love hearing the bells strike every hour. It doesn't matter what the weather is, if I'm close to the church and hear the bells ringing, I roll down my car windows.

I've got a few things planned to donate. Here is the first batch.

You can find these free snowman designs along with many others at Charming Station. Join their Yahoo group, too! It's a wonderful group of machine embroidery enthusiasts!

If you live close by, be sure to stop in to their Quilt Show and Old Fashioned Bazaar on November 7th, 8th, and 9th. (75 North 100 East in American Fork) Just in time for the holidays!

Velvet Pumpkin Tutorial

I saw these on Hot Skwash and thought they were great! No way I wanted to pay what they were asking, though.

Here's my knock-off version

After looking at a few blogs and coming up with a few little tricks of my own, I made a bunch. Everyone I've given them to loves them, which always makes me happy.

Now is a great time to find stems at the grocery store or pumpkin patch. They always have some that have fallen off the pumpkins.

These are easy and you don't need a sewing machine to make them.
You do need stretchy velvet, I used Panne, plastic pellet filler (I found mine at Hobby Lobby, but I also saw some at JoAnn's), polyester fiberfill, matching thread, a long needle, craft glue or hot glue.

The sizes listed below are approximate! Your size may be different depending on how full you stuff your pumpkin.

For a 3" pumpkin cut a  6" square of Panne or stretchy velvet.
For a 4" pumpkin, cut a 9 1/2" square
For a 6" pumpkin, cut a 12 1/2" square
For a 7" pumpkin, cut a 16" square

Cut a square of panne or stretchy velvet. (See list above for sizes)

Fold the square into fourths with the right side inside.

Cut the corner off as shown. You can use a bowl if you want, but this works even if you end up cutting an oval (ask me how I know!)

Tie a big knot at the end of a really long thread that is doubled. I used regular all purpose thread because it is stronger. In my tutorial I used brown so you could see the stitches, but normally I use a matching color.

Take large (about 1/4") stitches about 1/4" away from the edge. If your stitches are too small then its very difficult to close the hole in the middle.

Add about 2 tablespoons of plastic pellet filler to the center. I add a little more for larger pumpkins. The plastic pellet filler adds just a bit of weight to the pumpkin so it doesn't tip from the weight of the stem on top. You can use rice or beans, but I always use plastic pellets if I'm giving the pumpkins away. I don't want to attract mice in someone else's home.

I used a little bit less fiberfill than shown in the photo. If you want your pumpkin stiff and full, then add more fiberfill. If you want it squishy and flat, then add a little less.

This is what it looks like with all the fiberfill added.

Pull both the knot end and the needle end tight. Then tie a knot. This is probably the trickiest part which is why you see my farmer hand holding both ends of the thread

Take two stitches across the top in an "X" to close the hole. At this point you can also take a stitch through the bottom of the pumpkin to hold it flatter, rather than having a taller pumpkin.

Bury the threads inside the pumpkin.

This is the type of glue I used. I don't like hot glue, but maybe you are better with your glue gun than I am with mine. Put a dab of glue onto the stem and press it into the top of the pumpkin

Lots of pumpkins!

I think I've made about 24 now. They are easy and I love sharing them. The only hard part is finding stems. So if you have extra stems you aren't planning on using, feel free to send them my way.

Welder's Cap Tutorial

Vet2Be is welding again. He decided he needed a welding cap. They are kinda soft, backwards ball caps. The bill is worn to protect the back of the neck and they are made out of cotton so they don't burn easily.

They are supposed to be made out of 'unique' fabrics, because welders are very proud of their welding caps!

Taco, Vet2Be's good friend, is a welder, too. His mom, Sheepy, made him a cap and tried to use the pattern I used, but it was very difficult to follow. This tutorial is for her!

Ricochet and Away has a post about a welder's hat. The pattern I used can be found here. The instructions are found here.

All the photos in the following tutorial are mine. I did make two small adjustments so the cap would fit Vet2Be's head better. I'll note them in the tutorial.

You'll need either 1/2 yard of fabric OR two 1/4 yard pieces to make a reversible cap. I used some of Vet2Be's favorites.

You'll also need thread (duh!) and a small piece of flannel or thin batting for the bill. I used flannel because it provides a little bit of weight without too much bulk.

Print the pattern out so that the pattern is the correct size. You can either use your printer's scale function or you can re-size the pattern in a drawing program.

Fabric A: (Clockwise from left) cut one strip for the band that is the same as the head measurement plus 1/2" x 1 1/2" wide. The pattern says 2" wide, but 1 1/2" fit Vet2Be's head much better. Cut four Front/Back pieces, one bill, two Side pieces.

Fabric B: (Clockwise from left) cut one strip for the band that is the same as the head measurement plus 1/2" x 1 1/2" wide. Cut four Front/Back pieces. One bill from Fabric B and one bill from flannel or thin batting. Two Side pieces.

Sewing Directions
 
Bill

Place the bill pieces right sides together with the flannel on the top. Sew around the longer curved edge using a 1/4" seam.

Trim the flannel (or thin batting) close to the seam allowance to reduce bulk.

Turn right side out, press. Trim the raw edges of the bill so that they are even.

Pin around the edge of the bill as shown to keep the fabric from shifting while you are top stitching.

Top stitch close to the finished edge, then add as many top stitching lines as you like. Mine are about 1" apart.

 Crown
 Step 1

Stitch Fabric A side pieces together, right sides together, along the top (short) seam. Repeat for Fabric B. Press the seam open

 Step 2

Stitch a pair of Fabric A Front/Back sections, right sides together, from the bottom to the dot. Back stitch at the dot. Repeat with the other pair of Fabric A Front/Back sections and both Fabric B Front/Back sections.

Press the seams open. I shouldn't have placed my pieces so close together! The photo really shows four different sections if you look closely.

 Step 3

Place the Fabric A and Fabric B Side pieces wrong sides together and pin or secure so they don't shift while sewing.

Sandwich the Side (one A fabric and one B fabric) pieces (wrong sides together) with two of the Front/Back pieces (right sides together) matching the bottom of the crown and the end of the stitching (dot) with the stitching line on the Side piece. Wrong sides of Front/Back pieces face out, wrong sides of Side pieces face in.
Sew from bottom of crown to dot through all four layers.

 Step 4

Stitch the other side seam in the same manner.

Pull the Side section out from the Front/Back section and the seams should all be hidden. Press to set the seams.

Repeat Step 3 with the other two Front/Back sections.

The seam allowances will be encased in the crown of the cap. I trimmed about 1/4" along the bottom of the crown so that it would be even. It also made the cap fit Vet2Be better. I think his head is a little shorter over the top than the pattern allows for.

Band

Sew the short ends of Fabric A band, and Fabric B band. Press open.

Match the center of the bill with the seam of the band. Sandwich the bill between the two bands, matching the fabrics. Using 1/4" seam, sew the long edge in a complete circle. Pull out the bill and press. Press one of the fabrics under 1/4" along the raw edge. (The pressed line will help when you hand stitch the last seam to the crown.)

Match the seam of the band to the seam where two Front/Back pieces come together. Do not place the bill along one of the Side pieces! The cap won't fit correctly! The Side pieces need to be on the side of the head. Sew one raw edge of the band (not the side with the pressed edge) to the crown. Align the pressed raw edge of the band with the seam, covering the seam on the crown. Hand stitch or top stitch the band in place.

Fabric B on the outside.

Fabric A on the outside.

If there is a step that is unclear, please leave a comment and I'll do my best to clarify it.

Sharing this post at Not Just A Housewife.

Update:
Someone used the pattern to make a tutorial for the welder's cap!
Here's the short video



Here's the long video

Featherweight

I couldn't pass her up.

Actually, I almost did pass her up.

But Hubby said to get it.
My Grandma gave me one soon after Hubby and I were married. A few years later (and needing something that would sew heavier fabric) someone talked me out of it for $50 and I've always regretted it.
Blondie and I were wandering through Sandy Antique Mall looking for a dresser or chest of drawers for Prion's room and I saw this beauty sitting in the cabinet.

She's so pretty and in such good shape! There were only a few spots of wear on the flip down arm. The decals are all in perfect shape.

And she came with a carry case in great shape, too. The case doesn't even smell!

Look at all the feet that were in the attachments box! Even a few original needles.

Her only scar is a chip from the bottom of the socket.

She's visiting A1 Sewing right now. They were able to save my serger and make it sew like it was brand new, so they're giving my new girl a Platinum Service to make sure she is running smoothly and will give me years of good sewing.

The owner saw her and said, "Oh, we love Featherweights!"

So do I.

The woman 'checking her in' looked up the serial number and said she was built sometime between 1950 and 1951. Fantastic shape for a 60+ year old machine.

I can hardly wait 2 weeks to give her a spin on my next quilt block.

And I'll be thinking of my Grandma and smiling the whole time I'm sewing.

Pillowcase

My 11 year old niece has been here for a little more than a week. She goes home Saturday. She got to show a few goats at the open show in U. County at the fair.

She's been having a great time learning about the animals and all the stuff we do on a hobby farm (which doesn't often include TV).

Yesterday I took her to Wal*Mart to buy some fabric so she could sew a pillow case. Wal*Mart has inexpensive fabric and a limited selection, both good things when someone is just starting to sew.

She picked her out her own fabric. She chose purple and black because those are her room colors.

No, I didn't help her pick the colors at all! I just made sure she picked fabric that would be good to sleep on.

Here is the video my friend showed me:
Missouri Quilt Company Pillowcase Tutorial



Here are two photos of her finished project. She did a great job!

The pillowcase turned out just a bit big for the pillow, but since it is cotton it will probably shrink a bit.

Here is a photo of the end,

She really did do most of the cutting and sewing. I serged the inside so the fabric wouldn't fray (she saw the serger cut and sew the fabric and that was a bit worrisome for her). And I made two other cuts because the cut was so long.

She was very happy with the way it turned out. I think she did a great job on her first real project.

Here is a link for the free pillowcase patterns that are offered by All People Quilt for the Million Pillowcase Challenge.

Dog Bath for the Kid Goats

I found this on Freecycle, so Vet2Be and I went to pick it up.

Booster Bath for dogs

It seemed to be perfect for washing kid goats and getting them ready for the shows. It might also be good for our dogs.

The straps were there, but they were falling apart, good thing I keep 'stuff' around. I have some straps from old back-packs, old carry bags... all sorts of old horse stuff.

This is what I started with:

And after going through the sewing basket, this is what we have now!

30 minutes worth of work and scrounged parts = new cross tie straps for the Booster Bath!

We tried it out on Misty, the goat Vet2Be will be showing this year..... and it works great!

Thank you Freecycle! And a thrifty nature!

Little Sister Wedding Dress

I volunteered to help my friend get ready for her daughter's wedding. She really needed help with the little sister dresses. I took on one dress project, my friend took on the other dress project.

Thankfully, they turned out better than the little girls had dreamed! They loved them!

The fabric and the ribbon were not friends! It took me many, many hours to sew this dress. I'm ashamed to admit that I have taken less time sewing prom dresses than this one took. I re-did the neckline at least five times. I could not get the ribbon to lay properly and look nice. In the end, it was acceptable, but if I had had more time, I would have taken it off and done it again!

I mistakenly thought that these were the wedding colors. Actually, the wedding colors were red, gold, and black.

The bride was stunning in her lace overlay dress, the mother of the bride was gorgeous in her gold suit and red shirt.

Everything was beautiful and the bride and the groom looked very, very happy! I was happy, too... that the yellow dress with pink trim was done!

Henry

I don't know the family, but my daughter does. She works with Henry's mom. Henry was found to have Trisomy 18. My daughter and her husband were asked once more to build a casket for an infant that would not grow up.

Here are a few photos of the casket.

This casket is bigger than Emma's casket because Henry was full term. It measures 26" x 14.5" x 13.5". I forgot to take pictures when the handles were put on. The handles were placed in the middle of each end and were polished chrome.

Inside the lid. On the other side of the lid a small plaque will be placed that says, "Henry, we held you in our arms for but a moment, and in our hearts forever." to indicate where the head is laid.

Inside the casket. I made a small pillow that is reversible, a small reversible blanket, and two hankies with Henry's name on them. 

One for mom and one for dad.

The other side of the blanket and pillow.

 Lid with the plaque on top.

I know it is a sad time for Henry's parents. I don't know what they are suffering at this time. I'm very grateful for the opportunity that we have to comfort them in a small way.

Here's a link to the other project that we did for a family that lost their baby girl, Emma. No photos of the casket, but photos and links for the burial clothing and other gifts we gave to the family.

Update:
Getting the plaque was interesting. We couldn't reach Henry's mom to find out what to put on the plaque. We chose "Families Are Forever". She called up after the plaque was done and had decided what she wanted on it. I left a note for the woman who made the first plaque with a request that if she had time, please make a new one.

She called me and was happy to help. Imagine... a business that has same day service and is happy to help! She said that she had buried a baby about 18 months ago and understood the pressure that families are under during this time.

Within 3 minutes of me hanging up the phone with the person making the plaque... I got another phone call with changes to the plaque. Yup! Sheesh! I called the woman immediately since she said the plaque would be ready in 5 minutes. I had one phone on one ear with my daughter telling me what the family wanted, and the other phone on my other ear relaying the information to the kind woman making the plaque.

When I went to pick up the plaque the woman was so kind and sweet. I told her what we are doing and commented on the caskets that can be purchased for babies. She answered with, "Like the styrofoam box that I buried my baby in?"

And that's why we have built these caskets, so mothers and fathers don't have to bury their precious children in the styrofoam boxes that are available at the mortuaries.