Appliqued Bunny & Monkey Marker Bags

So, I finally completed one item on my Future Projects List, marker travel bags for the girls. I put this on my to-do list back at Christmas after making my nephew, Ethan, one. The girls love to draw/color and we often find ourselves in places that are "boring."  So I thought that these would deter the boredom for a little bit.

Here's how I made them:

I started with these pieces:

2 main bag pieces: 20" X 9.5"

1 inside marker pocket: 5" X 16"

Small inside tablet pocket 1: 4.5" X 9.5"

Large inside tablet pocket 2: 7" X 9.5"

I made an outside pocket for some twist up crayons I found at the store, but the pocket can be sized to fit regular crayons.

Front pocket: 5" X 9"

Front pocket flap: 4" X 8"

For each one of these pieces (except the main bag pieces) I created a bias tape edge across the top.

Next just layout all your pieces and pin.

Actually put the markers into the bag and pin around them, this way no math is involved. Do this for the crayon pocket on the outside of the bag also. The outside pocket flap I just rolled the raw edge under and sewed it to the bag.

After you stitch everything down it is time for the applique.

Iron the pieces down and zig-zag stitch around the applique..

I made 2.5 inch bias tape, which folds down to .75" to stitch around the entire bag (placing the outside and the inside of the bag together, wrong sides). Insert the handles into the bias tape at this time.

I also used a piece of bias tape to sew down the middle on the outside and inside of the bag. Next attach Velcro to the top and you are done!

Hope this will keep my little ones quiet on this 13 hour car trip I am going on in 2 days!

My Son's First Sewing Project: Sock Monkeys

A couple weeks ago I ran across this tutorial on CraftPassion to make sock monkeys. I thought they were SO CUTE! And when I ran into the 99 cent store and found the cutest colored socks I knew I had to make a couple. I also thought that I would get the kids involved in this project to kill an afternoon...

I did a couple things "wrong" from the tutorial- 1. I didn't read before I started cutting and you are suppose to sew first then cut! That would have helped my son out since it was his first time to use the sewing machine but for me it was no problem.

2. I bought the knee high socks thinking I would cut them off to make the legs and arms shorted but then decided to leave them long. I think they look a little funny with such long limbs but the kids love them like this. They are able to tie them anywhere, around the bunk bed rafters, ceiling fan, their necks, each other....

My son is 8 and I thought I would let him try his hand at sewing.

He did pretty good!

I had the girls help stuff the arms and legs.

Now they walk around claiming they made theirs also...

Jace's least favorite part was the stuffing, mine too since all 3 of the kids quit and left me to finish!!

Here is his finished monkey... a few mistakes, but they give the monkey character =)

There was some hand stitching involved as well as sewing on buttons. I think these good skills that as a grown man will serve him well (I hope my son will be able to hem his pants or fix a button on his dress shirt with out going to a tailor when he is older).

I embroidered their names onto the bottoms of the animals, as well as the date for Jace's to remember when he made it.

The monkeys are being well loved: they are being dragged around the house, swung around by their tails, and being tied to just about everything.

All in all, fun summer project! 

Skirt Week for Me!

So, I have been busy but my blog's been quiet- I can't post my newest creations yet because they are gifts or for my sister's shower and I want them to be a surprise... and she would peek! Oh, you know you would, Jamie!

But I did finish a skirt for my entry into Skirt Week over at Crafterhours. Here is the adult flickr group. My Rainbow Butterfly Applique Skirt I entered into the child category seen on flickr here.

For this skirt I decided I needed to make something with a little more flare to it. So I thought I would use the same technique and Flat Tulip Fabric Paint that I did for my Hand Painted Earth Day Dress for Project Run & Play Sew Along. This time I decided to paint a big graphic swirl pattern onto the side of my skirt.

Here's how I did it:
I took my waist measurement -4 inches= width of the rectangle
Then the length I wanted the skirt= length of the rectangle
For the back rectangle I added 1 inch to the width (for seam allowance for the zipper) then cut this second rectangle in to two pieces.
For the top piece you will need the length to be your waist measurement + 3 inches (so the ends overlap like a belt) and the width should be 6 inches.
Here are the pieces you just cut out:

Next I sewed one of the side seams together and sewed the zipper into the back pieces so that I could lay the skirt out flat like this:

Now is a good time to hem so that you paint over the stitching and it won't interfere with your art work. I forgot (and if you want to try on the skirt first before you hem you can do the same) so I had to go back and touch up with paint onto the white thread that ran through my design. It was extra work but it ended up ok.

Next I drew out a design onto the fabric.

Now all you have to do is paint.

Takes a little bit of time, but not really hard. Then iron your design to set the paint, but make sure it is completely dry first!

Now assemble the skirt, sew the second side seam and gather the top of the skirt.

Then using the top "belt" like bias tape, sew the belt to the skirt wrong side to right side, flip over the belt and roll under before top stiching around the right side of the skirt.

I just used cheap little loop & hooks to close the skirt (since they aren't seen I didn't think it would be a big deal).

And you're done!

I really think that fabric painting and appliqueing dresses up solid fabrics which are often the cheapest ones you can find.

Well, I am off to dinner and a movie with my lovely husband of 11 years, yesterday was our anniversary, (he was working) in my lovely new skirt.

Hope you all had a nice weekend!