The Best of 2011

I know we are 4 days into 2012, but for me this feels a bit like day 1.  Kids are back to school.  Me back to the gym.  Everyone back to the routine.

Oh, yeah.  And I am ready to blog!

As I look ahead to this new year, I wanted to take a sec and look back at what was "popular" here at Craft Whatever during 2011.  These are the Top 5 viewed posts, which also happen to be tutorials.

#1.  Father's Day Grill Towels.

  

#2.  Free Printable Sticky Note Holder (a Teacher Appreciation idea)

#3.  Ottoman Slipcover with a Box Pleat (I made this from a shower curtain!)

#4.  Hideaway Headband Holder
OH gracious!  My daughter is a total headband girl.  Today she asked for "two small ponytails and a headband" when I was getting her ready for school.  These dozen or so headbands used to clog the bathroom drawer!  But now, they are neatly kept inside the cabinet.  At bathtime she puts one away.  And in the morning she takes one out.  So simple.  So tidy.  

#5.  Getting Organized with a Binder (my twist on the household "cleaning" binder)
This has been one of my best ideas e.v.e.r. to keep myself organized.  I know where everything is.  "It's in the binder!"  Right now, the binder is a tad messy and needs cleaned out, but, hey everything is still in there!

Also, bear with me as I *TRY* and revamp my blog.  It needs to look professional and less home-made.  However I don't want to pay for profe$$ional.  And I *think* I can DIY it. 

Simple Ornament to Keep Forever (and I used a Squicker Sticker)

I don' t know about you, but I have 5 pages of "Squickers" stickers laying around.  Some stickers are from three years ago!  I thought they were cute but I just didn't know what to do with them.  Until now...

Does your child's school do the Squickers fundraiser?  Ours does.  But here is my confession:  I just keep the free sheets of stickers and don't order their products.  I know.  I shouldn't have said that out loud.  But it's true.  

And honestly (another confession), I have never been too impressed with my kids' artwork to order anything with their picture on it either.  

BUT this year...my kids were super-duper creative and artsy and made some funny creative artwork!

I had the light bulb idea this year:  Stick the squicker sticker on an ornament to cherish (and laugh at when they are older, of course) forever.  

I mean, who doesn't want a GI Joe ornament on their Christmas Tree?!?!

I found these unfinished ornaments at Hobby Lobby for $1 (which I scored at 50% off, so 50cents), painted them and then mod podged the squicker on the ornament. Added a little ribbon and viola!  Memories that last.

It does appear that Stella tried to write some sort of word, but she couldn't remember what it was.  Very colorful nonetheless.  

Oooh, these would be cute gifts!  Yes?

Linking here:

{Tutorial} Advent Calendar, a Felt Wall Hanging

If you stopped by yesterday, I showed you my Advent Calendar that I made last year.  And then I promised you a "how-to" for it today.  Well, I rounded up some pictures I took while I was making it and collaged them to give you a quick tutorial.

I promise you, I just whipped this up.  On the 30th of November.  I finished all but assembling the ornaments, to include the hand sewing of the numbers.  But by the 5th it was complete.

  {Tutorial by Pictorial} Advent Calendar- Felt Wall Hanging

To make this I used:  fabric for the background, felt, interfacing, heat and bond, scrapbooking brads, rick rack, and embroidery thread.

1.  Grab some supplies.  2.  Decide on a size for the tree and base everything else off that.  3.  Cut two felt trees; light and dark green.  4.  Cut each in 3 pieces- take into account 1" of overlap when you plan your cuts.  Or not and just wing it!  5. Attach the thirds, bottom edges overlap.  You will only use three pieces of trees here.  I cut strips of Heat and Bond to attach them.  6.  Decide where you want your brads to go.  7.  Poke brads through the felt.  8.  I thought it could use some garland (rick rack).  9.  Again, I used tiny strips of heat and bond to hold in place.  Then sew down the rick rack.

10.  Lay out tree on background fabric and mark your lines for the ornaments to hang on the bottom.  11.  Sew some trim (rick rack) along the horizontal lines.  12.  It's probably safe to attach the tree now!  I cut pieces of Heat and Bond to hold it in place.  12.  Then sew the felt tree to the background.  13.  Add brads to the horizontal rows.  14.  Make a backing piece and line with a medium to stiff interfacing.  13.  Sew backing to the front panel.  I did 3-rows of stitching to be "decorative".  15.  Make a casing at the top for a dowel to slide in.  16.  Make some felt ornaments.  25 to be exact!

It isn't too too late to start this.  You can get the tree part done pretty fast.  Then just make the ornaments.

Linking here:

Camera Strap Cover with a Pocket for my (lost) Lens Cap

Sometime in the last 14 days, I lost the lens cap to my camera.  You are probably wondering what that is right there in the picture!  That is the lens cap to my 50mm lens.  I have that one and the kit lens, which I use mostly.

Isn't this a great gift idea, too?

It is not surprising that I lost it.  Typically, I pop the cap off and stick it in my pocket.  Or purse.  Or bag.  Or lay it somewhere the kids can't reach.  Sometimes I *misplace* it temporarily.  But this time.  This time is for reals.  I really can't find it.  A.n.y.w.h.e.r.e.

I really hesitate to explain how I made this for two reasons.  

~~ First, there are a hundred tutorials out there to make a camera strap cover.  For instance:  Cluck Cluck Sew, w/pockets at Simply Modern Mom and Little Big Girl Studio, w/ruffles at MaryJanes and Gaolshes, and 15 more at Tipnut!

~~ Second, the dimensions will depend on your strap and lens cap sizes.

But I think the way I made the pocket is worth mentioning.  And yes, the lens cap tucks down inside the pocket.  It is jsut peeking out right now.  So, it's not a tutorial per se, but roughly...here is how I made it.

The Dimensions:  I used the width of the cap to determine the width of the strap.  Then I was careful to cut the interfacing so that it would be the finished size.

The outer fabric was about 6-7" longer than inner pocket to make the pocket.  Other than that, the fabric needs long enough to cover the strap and then add seam allowance to widths and lengths.

Here I have:  1.  Outer fabric (mine is ~33" x 4")       2.  Inner fabric (~26" x 4") 
3.  Interfacing (24" x 2.5")- two piceces 4. A small piece for pocket edge.

The Pocket:
I folded up one side of the outer fabric to make the pocket.  Now the outer fabric is the same length as the inner fabric.  Ironed the fold/pocket.  At this point, you can leave the pocket like that, edge stitch, or add a trim (what I did).  I sewed the small piece of trim on the top edge of the pocket- like you would sew on bias tape.  My piece was wider than the strap, then I cut off the excess.

The rest:
Sewed long sides.
Ironed on interfacing pieces- line up with middle seam.
(should have done this step at this point, to make it neater:) Fold in short raw edges and topstitch.
Fold long edges along interfacing.
Fold whole thing in half lengthwise.
Topstitch along long edge to close tube.  Topstitch other side to match.

So pretty much like all the other ways of making them!  And with a simple pocket!

So if I ever, find my poor lens cap again, it will have a home.

I bet I am not the only one to permanently misplace my lens cap.  

Anyone know if they sell replacements?  

I do think this would make a GREAT GIFT (maybe for my sister Emily?)...so if I have glossed over too many details and you want me to explain, let me know and I will do a proper tutorial.

Linking Here:

{Tutorial} For the Love of Monkey Bars Shorts (aka Bike Shorts)

My daughter, Stella, loves the monkey bars!  To my shock, she is pretty darn awesome at zipping across them, too!  

She also happens to love wearing dresses.  

Which don't go well with being monkey-like.  

Enter...the *For the Love of Monkey Bars* Shorts.  

A few weeks ago, I saw an awesome tutorial to make leggings using just two pieces of fabric, at Make It and Love It - One of my all*time FAVORITE blogs.  That girl, Ashley, has THE best ideas!  Not only was this tutorial perfect because my daughter loves leggings, but I *needed* an excuse (and some encouragement!) to sew with my twin needle.

**Tip 1:  I chose an old shirt and used the bottom hem as the hem on the shorts.  One less step!  

**Tip 2:  I used the stripes as my guide for how long the shorts should be (ie hem should be at the blue stripe).

{Tutorial}:: For the *Love of Monkey Bars* Shorts

1.  Fold shirt so the side seams are on top of each other.  (See the sleeves up?)  Place the folded leggings (or your pattern) along the shirt fold and the hem of the shirt lining up with the desired shorts length.  2.  Allow room for your elastic.  3.  Mark/chalk the outline.  Remember to add seam allowance.  I used 1/2 inch.  4.  Flip the leggings over and do the same along the other fold.  Cut them out.  

5.  Pin two pieces right sides together.  Sew the pinned seams.  6.  Open up and pin the crotch/inseam together.  7.  The twin needle worked perfectly!  8.  Fold and pin casing for the elastic waist.  Sew and leave an opening for the elastic.  Feed elastic in, sew up...Done!

I found this Twin Needle Tutorial from Ashley at Make It and Love It and followed her directions.  But...I don't have the same sewing machine as her sooooo.....This is what happened when I didn't read the manual for my machine for using a twin needle.  Eeek! 

Apparently, it required more than just swapping the needle out and adding a spool of thread.  But after reading the directions it worked perfectly!   

I highly recommend reading your manual if you have never used your twin needle before.  

These "under shorts" or "bike shorts" can run $10-15!  And they are, pretty much necessary.  Mine cost $0.  I love $0.  

I suppose if Stella loved swinging as much as the monkey bars, I would have called these the "for the love of swings shorts".  But not the case.  She has only opted to wear shorts one time all school year!  I bet she is a sight to see- climbing and swinging and being all wild-animal-like in.her.dresses.  

Linking Here: