(Thanks Zack for being my fabulous model and rockin' out my apron! You are a great kid and a really good sport!)

Supplies

1 tea towel (mine measured 20" X 28")

1/4 yard of coordinating fabric 44"-45" wide

4 yards of ribbon (mine was 1/2" wide)

about 21" of twill tape (width of towel plus a touch extra to turn ends under)

Before starting pre-wash fabric and tea towel

The Ruffle

With right sides together sew across each end of fabric.

Turn right side out and press.

Gather the fabric. I zig zag stitched over dental floss close to the edge, then pulled the dental floss to make my ruffle.

Sew ruffle to bottom of tea towel(right sides together). Before turning lay a piece of twill tape across the raw edge and stitch using a long stitching length. Tuck ends of twill tape under before stitching

Turn (open ruffle flat) and lightly press. This is how it will look from the back.

Edge stitch across on the front.

The Apron

Fold in top two corners  of the tea towel and trim. I folded my towel in thirds to decide where to cut. If you want it wider at the top try folding them in only 1/4.

Trim off corners, turn raw edge under slightly and stitch close to the edge. Fold edge over wide enough for the ribbon to slip through,  allowing enough for seam. Press. Really though, you could just fold over the corners like the above picture and sew the casings!

Stitch, making a casing for the ribbon. Feed ribbon through each casing.

The ribbon goes through each casing, crosses in the back and ties in the front.

Finished!

You might be interested in the half apron made from a tea towel, or this cute apron for kids. Don't forget the chef's hat!

]]> http://www.skiptomylou.org/2010/02/25/simple-apron-tutorial/feed/ 21 http://www.skiptomylou.org/2010/02/16/oilcloth-receipt-wallet/ http://www.skiptomylou.org/2010/02/16/oilcloth-receipt-wallet/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:47:23 +0000 cindylouh http://www.skiptomylou.org/?p=11436 I am really going to do a better job this year of keeping my blog and personal receipts separate. I think this handy little receipt wallet will do the the trick! -- personal receipts on one side, business receipts on the other. Really it could have many uses --- coupons, lists, checkbook cover, etc!

The oilcloth receipt wallet went together quickly and I was able to use up some scraps.

Supplies:

2 pieces cut 7 1/4" by 6 1/2"

2 pieces cut 2 1/2" by 6 1/2"

about 14 inches skinny double fold bias tape

miniature clothes pins

Fray Check

Elmer's Spray Adhesive (optional)

Teflon presser foot or masking tape to cover bottom of presser foot to keep oilcloth from sticking to presser foot (if necessary)

Instructions:

Slip bias tape around the 6 1/2 inch side of the 2" wide piece and stitch. It can hang off the edge, it will be trimmed when finished.

Place the two large pieces wrong sides together. I sprayed just a touch of Elmer's Spray Adhesive in the center to keep the pieces from slipping. Try to keep adhesive away from area that will be sewn. Place pocket pieces on each edge. Use miniature clothes pins to keep in place. Sew close to the edge all the way around the wallet, reinforcing when sewing over bias tape. Trim bias tape and place a few drops of fray check on ends. (I was going to just wrap the end of the bias tape to the inside before stitching, however it made it bulky.)

Ta Dah!

Note: I get my oilcloth from Oilcloth Addict! Be sure to check out her personal blog, ModernJune, for some fabulous oilcloth tutorials and great tips for sewing with oilcloth.

Some special ladies and my sweet sister in law will be wearing these fabric sunflowers today to celebrate Kansas Day.

It took some cutting!  We used Wisecraft's tutorial, but changed the shape of the template. (I will put up the templates later)

Stack the two large flower shapes on top of each other.

Next fold one of the smaller flower shapes in half and place it on top of the larger flower shapes.

Take another small flower shape and fold it placing on top at a 90 degree angle.

Place another small flower shape on top at a 90 degree angle.

Place the last small flower shape on top at a 90 degree angle.

Sew a button on top, making sure you catch all of the folded layers. Next, sew a pin back on the back of the flower.

You can sew clusters of buttons, single buttons or stacked buttons.

Happy Kansas Day!

If you want more ways to celebrate Kansas Day you might be interested in:

Candy Sunflower Cupcake Picks

Sunflower Cupcakes

Sunflower cake made from Twinkies

Be sure to visit Make It Do, her blog is overflowing with creative ideas. Calli says, "In this blog I want to explore how happiness can come from simple things, and how good old fashioned hard work and resourcefulness might just be making a welcome comeback…."

Calli writes...

Yesterday, my girls and I were working on a few Christmas gifts for their friends.  One thing led to another and I found myself making yet another flower pin.  This time a Poinsettia.  I loved this project and ended up making two for my girls, and plan on making more.  They are perfect as a broach or as a hair clip.

Here’s what you will need:

• Small amount of red wool felt (I used scraps from another project.)
• Very small amount of green wool felt (also scraps)
• button
• pin or hair clip
• freezer paper
• template  here is my simple template, but I also found this wonderful template from Kaboose.  It has a few more petals than my simple flowers, but that might look even better, here’s the link: Kaboose Poinsettia Template

1.  Start by tracing your pattern onto the paper side of a piece of freezer paper.

2.  Cut out your template, and place it on your wool, waxy/shiny side down.

3.  Using an iron set to wool, iron on the template.  It will gently stick to your fabric.

4.  Using good scissors, cut out around the template.

5.  Peel the template away from the wool.  It doesn’t leave a mark.  Isn’t that cool?

6.  Repeat with the smaller flower.  I just set the button down to see how it would look.

7.  Cut a 1 1/4 inch circle out of red or green felt.  Cut two small slits in the circle, just wide enough to slip a hair clip through.  This is for the back of the flower, on which to attach the clip or pin.

8.  Using just the bottom flower, stitch the circle around the back of the flower.  I used white thread to show the stitching better in the photo… Yah, that was it.  It wasn’t because my machine was already threaded with white and I was lazy.  That wasn’t the reason at all.  I was just thinking of you.

9.  Somehow I missed taking a picture of cutting out the green center of the flower.  I cut my green with a fluted edge, which was a little tricky and requires good scissors.  You can also cut it in a circle, but in that case, I would choose a button with a fluted edge.  I was dying to try pinking scissors, but I don’t own any.  So I just cut the fluted edge out carefully.  Sometimes you just need to make it do.  The finished green center was a 7/8 inch circle fluted.

10.  Layer just the smaller top flower, with green center and button on top.  And stitch together going through all three layers.

11.  Glue the bottom and top flowers together using hot glue.

There’s a front and back view, with a hair clip attached.  I like that this flower is flexible, I can easily pull out the hair clip and I can slip in a broach pin to wear on a sweater, hat or scarf.

Here it is pinned on a sweater…

Thanks to an idea a reader told me about on Craftzine, I also thought this would make a perfect topper for a gift.  That way the wrapping is actually like giving another gift.  (Using cheap yarn is much, much cheaper than ribbon!)

Grab a tea towel and a half yard (or at least 16")  X 45" wide matching fabric and you are ready to make a great gift!

I wanted to make cute holiday aprons and found these tea towels from the Martha Stewart collection at Macy's.

Making the waistband/sash

Cut the half yard or 16" of fabric in half lengthwise, so you have two long pieces at least 8" wide.

Using about 1/4" to 1/2" seam, sew right sides together at one end.

Press entire length of fabric in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.

Open fabric up and press each edge to the middle. Yes, it is a long piece of fabric but the pressing  is the hardest part and this makes such a nice looking waistband!

Fold in half and press again.

To finish each end, fold the fabric in half the other way and stitch 1/4" from the edge. Repeat on other end.

Turn right side out, make sure corners are pointed and press.

Attaching the apron to the waistband/sash

Cut tea towel in half, or if you want it a bit longer, adjust accordingly.  Place left edge of towel even with the seam and insert the  cut edge of tea towel inside the long strip of waistband fabric (make sure the tea towel goes clear up to the fold). Pin.

Start at the end of the sash and edge stitch all the way around, stitching the open side (making sure edges meet)  first, then around to the top edge until you are back to where you started.

Finished!

The apron ties on the side with a bow.  The ties are long enough that the apron will fit most everyone!

Wrapping

There is half (or a little less if you made apron longer) of an apron.  This fabric could easily be used to make pockets, ruffles (or something I will show you later in the week) but this time I made matching fabric gift bags for the aprons!

Are you making something crafty for the holidays? Skip on over to Today's Creative Blog and link up your project. You will love all the creative ideas you will find.

She is giving away 5 free copies of my e-book, "Gifts Kids Can Make."

Enter by simply linking up your crafty post!

It would be easy to make a lot of these gifts assembly style.

I used  small 6"X 9" clipboards  found  at OfficeMax ($1.69). The notepads are 5" X 8" 50 sheet Jr. size writing pads, found at Wal-mart (6 notepads were only $2.50).

I tried these two ways:

Using Elmer's Spray Adhesive and Krylon Matt Finish

and using Mod Podge Paper Matte

First cut decorative paper to fit the clipboard.  For my clipboards 6" X 9" worked perfectly.  I took the extra time to make a template that fit around the top of the clip (a little bit of a pain).  I have also seen where there is just a rectangle shape cut to fit around the clip. My paper looked like this.

Paint the back of the paper with Mod Podge Paper (Matte) or spray with the Elmer's Spray Adhesive. If you are using spray adhesive also spray the clipboard. Cover the the clip with masking tape to keep it clean. Pay special attention to make sure which ever method used that the edges of the paper are completely covered. Working quickly, place the paper onto the clipboard. This is a bit tricky. It is okay to lift up and reposition until it matches all of the edges properly. Be careful not to stretch the paper. Smooth paper and make sure the entire piece of paper is secured.  When I had a spot along the edge that wasn't adhered, I lifted it slightly and added more glue.  Allow to dry at least 15 minutes before putting on top coat. Round off corners with scissors.

Give the top of the paper a light coat of Mod Podge Paper in matte  or two coats of spray matte finish.  I have to say I like the paper feel and look so I prefer the Krylon spray matte finish.

Glue a matching piece of decorative paper to the top of the notepad. Any glue will do.

To give the clipboard an extra nice touch I added a metal label holder. I taped them on with a piece of clear tape exactly where I wanted them and then my husband drilled holes in the metal clip so they could be attached with the brads included in the package.

I painted the metal holders and brads with gloss paint.  Open the clip as far as you can so you can attach the metal label holder and spread the brads apart on the back side of the clip.

Finished! I think I will put the recipient's name in the label holders.

I used this simple pattern that makes a nice scalloped border without having to crochet around the edge. You can find the pattern here.  I was able to get two dishcloths from 1 ball of Sugar n' Cream cotton yarn.

Package with a nice bottle of soap and you a really useful gift! By the way there is free shipping today at Mrs. Meyer's Soap.

Don't forget to check out other handmade gift ideas.

They can be made totally reversible. They have a handy spot on the cover for a pen or pencil and an elastic closure.

I think these would make great little gifts when you just need a little something.  They are quick and easy!  If you would like a pattern for these I have a PDF you may download for $1.99.

It is an immediate download so you can have your pattern and be sewing right away! Yes, you could figure out how to make these, but if you don't want to waste the time figuring out all of the measurements simply download three pages of detailed instructions. If you are interested visit the shop!

*3/8 yard each  of two different fabrics will make four covers

*You can find steno pads at Wal-Mart for just under a $1.00

You might also be interested in this tutorial for a colored pencil and drawing pad holder, or instructions for making a crayon roll.

Handmade Custom Fabric Luggage Tag Tutorial

To print name and address on fabric, cut white muslin and freezer paper 8 1/2" X 11". Iron shiny side of freezer paper to back of fabric. Send paper through an ink jet printer. You can also buy fabric especially made to go through the printer. I also talk about this technique here. Press printing when finished to help set ink. You could even scan in a business card and print that onto the fabric.

Cut one  3 1/2" X 5"  piece  of printed fabric with name and address, 1 - 3 1/2 X 5" piece of fabric,  two  3 1/2" X 5" pieces of heavy weight iron on interfacing and one  2" X 12 piece of fabric for strap.

Following manufacture's instructions iron interfacing to wrong side of both 3 1/2" X 5" pieces of fabric.

Press strap piece in half lengthwise, open up, press each side to the middle then fold in half. Edge stitch down each side. For an illustrated example see tote bag instructions.

Pin fabric pieces right sides together. Fold strap in half and place inside the fabric with cut edges sticking out 1/2". (Make sure not to accidentally stitch into strap as you sew around the edge.)

Using 1/4" seam, stitch all the way around the outside edge, leaving an opening for turning.

Clip corners.

Turn, press, and edge stitch along the outside edge making sure to close the opening. Stitch another row of stitching if desired.

I have entered this in Today's Creative Blog, Get Your Craft On.  So many wonderful ideas linked up over there.

I am working on a little project that needs cloth napkins (stay tuned...) and thought making cloth napkins would also be great for Earth Day (April 22)!

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Here are two versions, one with  mitered corners and the other with square corners. First pre-wash the fabric. Cut fabric into a square 1" larger than the desired finished size. I cut 17 inch squares so that I would have 16 inch napkins.

Mitered Corner Napkin Instructions

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Iron edge over 1/4 inch.

Moving clockwise, iron next edge 1/4 inch over. Iron all four sides then fold first side over again another 1/4 inch. Do all four sides moving clockwise.

Open up corner.

Cut off top of corner.

Fold top edge down (to corner of second fold line) and iron.

Fold the side edge  to the middle on each side (folding on press lines - fold side down then fold again to make corner). Repeat until all four sides have mitered corners.

Sew all the way around the edge of napkin.

Finished with a mitered corner napkin!

Square Corner Napkin Instructions

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To make a napkin with square corners, iron edge over 1/4 inch. Moving in clockwise direction iron next side 1/4 inch until all four sides have been pressed 1/4 inch.

Now fold over edges another 1/4 inch (moving in a clockwise direction).

When all four sides have been folded over twice, sew all the way around the edge of the napkin. I think most people sew straight off the edge on each side, but my sewing machine doesn't like sewing through those layers.

I also like the way it looks from the front.

Finished!