Pleating, Pipping, and Intefacing

This spring while Joann Fabric's was having their spring sale on their fabrics, I picked up some adorable floral prints in grew and yellow that just screamed spring.  I knew that this coordinating fabric deserved to be made into something special. For some time I had been looking for something to test my skills on the sewing machine and learn some new sewing techniques.  I stumbled upon this adorable pleated, lined handbag through Pinterest and it seemed like just the perfect project.  Not only would the cute fabric that I was dying to use look fantastic made into this handbag, but I could learn some new sewing techniques!!

And after 3-4 evening spent painstakingly cutting out the pattern, learning how to work with interfacing and fusible fleece, sewing in pipping, I did it!  I think it turned out pretty well and its now become my handbag of choice when running errands or going to church. I love how happy and cheerful this bag is. :)  

Hip-Hop - Its Easter Time!

In case no one could tell, the sewing bug has hit me big time this week!  I have had such a pile of projects on my list that I have been itching to do for some time now and this week, I just could not put some of them off any longer - including this cute little bunny that I just put together for little Bear's Easter Basket. 
I stumbled upon this little bunny on The Little Fabric Shop a while back and I couldn't get over how simple yet completely adorable these little bunnies were!  Knowing that Easter is coming up and my dear Husband's love of bunnies, making one of these little bunnies instantly went on my project list. 
During a bit of down time this evening, I whipped this little guy out from some scrap fabric I had.  I even put a jingle bell in the bunny's head while I was stuffing him for just a little extra fun.  He is all ready sitting happily in my little Bear's Easter basket just waiting to be loved! 

To Infinity and Spring Scarves!

We are all ready half way through March and although the calendar now says that it is spring time, spring has yet to make an appearance around here!!  Scraping snow off of my car every morning this week has put me in a mood in much need of some Spring cheering up!  I remember some cute material that I had picked up at JoAnn's a while ago on clearance ($2.50/yard!!!) and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to turn that lovely material into a couple of spring time infinity scarves!  Especially since who knows how much longer I'll be needed to wear a scarf around here.  ;) 
Of coarse little Bear wanted to help but I still managed to turn these two lovelies out in just an hour and now I'm feeling much more in a spring-like mood!  Happy Spring all!

Shopping Cart Taggie

I'm browsing through Pinterest and what should I stumble upon but the cutest little practical idea of making a taggy shopping cart handle cover!!  Jenni at "Snippets Of My Family, Faith & Crafting" Blog has this great (and very easy to follow) tutorial (located here) on how to make one!  I loved this idea and as little Bear gets squirmier and squirmier on our shopping trips, I thought this would be perfect.  I found this lovely robot flannel while on a shopping trip to JoAnn's and just knew it would be perfect for this project.  I used a bright green fleece I had in my left overs stash for the back and some miscellaneous ribbons I had laying around for the taggies.  From start to finish, it maybe took me 1 1/2 hours to do this and I think it turned out great!!  I can't wait to try it out and see how well my little Bear likes it on our next shopping trip! :) 

 

A Quick Run(ner)

Now that we have a fantastic new TV console for our living room (see previous post), I realized that I would love to have a cute runner to put underneath the TV.  

I have had two absolutely adorable fabrics sitting in the back of my stash for what seems like forever just begging to be made into some cute.  This seemed to be the perfect opportunity to bring these fabrics to life!  Plus the matched the new TV console so beautifully.  

Doing some rough measurements and using what quilt batting and binding that I had on hand, I went to work cutting the fabrics, layering them all together, quilting a simple diamond design on the runner then binding it all together with a nice red!  The finished result is this cute 12"x34" little runner than now happily sits under our TV.  And as the mood strikes, I can just flip this over and change the whole look of our TV area! :)