Preppy Bow Tie

You've got to try out this tutorial on making a bow tie - SO darn cute!

RUBY LOU DOLL!

A few weeks ago, Abby from Sew Much Ado was looking for pattern testers for her Ruby Lou Doll. I've loved seeing her doll variations on her blog and wanted to try her pattern, so I volunteered and this is what I came up with...



I absolutely LOVE how she turned out! The pattern was super easy to follow and so much fun to make! I don't typically use patterns because I usually mess them up. I don't read the directions thoroughly enough, or don't understand them and end up having to rip up my project and start over again - or give up.



Abby has pictures to go along with each written step in the pattern making it practically seam ripper proof (for the idiot sewers that don't read directions, like me)!



Layla has fallen in love with her too and re-named her "Aziza" pronounced like "Eliza".

Go over to Abby's blog and say hello! I love reading all of her awesome tutorials - all conveniently listed on the left side column of her site. Thanks Abby!

DIY Fabric Yo-Yo's

I've found another scrapbuster that I absolutely LOVE - Making fabric Yo-Yo's! Whenever I see a yo-yo, I think of a quilt my grandma made that my mom has framed in a shadow box in her living room (wish I had a picture). It's gorgeous and so unique!

Here's a little history on Yo-Yo's
(skip ahead to the tutorial if you are about to yawn)

"The Yo-Yo quilt was a popular style of quilt making in America from the 1920-40s. Yo-Yos, or tiny circles of fabric, were gathered up at the edges and sewn together to create a three-dimensional effect. Yo-Yo quilts were popular because women could carry the little circles of fabric with them and make Yo-Yos whenever they had a free moment. Another way to explain the popularity of the Yo-Yo quilt may be its association with the toy called the Yo-Yo, very popular in the 1930-40s."
found here

Here's what you'll need:

-Iron
-Scissors
-Needle & Quilting Thread
-Marker
-Circle Template
-Fabric Scrap



Note:
*You can use any circle shaped object you have in the house (a mug, bowl, coaster, etc).
*Your finished yo-yo will be about 1/2 the size of your starting circle. To make a 2 inch finished yo-yo, begin with a 4 inch circle template.



Step 1: Trace and cut out your circle.



Step 2: Turn fabric right side down and press the edges with an iron - about 1/8 inch all around. This doesn't have to be exact, but you'll want to keep the circle shape.



Step 3: Thread your needle and knot the end. Start at the edge facing you and go in and out making a running stitch around the perimeter of the circle.





You can pull your thread and fabric as you go to see how it looks.




Step 4: When you get to the beginning again, finish with your thread going inside the yo-yo, knot it off and clip the string so that it's hiding inside.



Step 5: Straighten the gathers and flatten with an iron.



Simply stitch these little guys to tee shirts to create little yo-yo clusters:







Or glue them to some hair clips:


Or make them into a necklace:



The possibilities are endless! Happy stitching!

I'm Still Alive!

Yes, you probably thought I dropped off the face of the earth. I'm still here...I've just been sewing every piece of fabric in sight for the past 2 weeks straight! Somebody's got to pay for the sewing machine to stay on all night long! So, I've been preparing orders for this company & this event.

Here's what I came up with for Zoolu!...


* 3 crayon rolls
* 4 shopping cart covers
* 5 chef sets


And for The Queen Bee...


* 1 Chenille Blanket
* 2 Owl Pillows
* 3 Lovey Blankets
* 4 Wipes Cases
* 5 Crayon Rolls
* 11 Appliqued Onesies/Tees
* 12 Nursing Covers
* 20 Chef Sets
* 26 Burp Cloths
* 32 Flower Clips

PHEW!



Here's how my booth turned out for the Market...



I'm so glad that everything fit into my little 6'X3' space! The event was a success and I met so many amazingly creative women! I'm excited for the next one in the fall - soon to be announced!

Thanks for your patience with my blog slacking! I'll be back tomorrow for a sweet tutorial - check it out, I'm lovin' this one!