I recently moved back to my home town - Pittsburgh, PA- into a new house (which happens to be my family home that I’ve lived in for my entire life. If you remember back a few months my mother passed away suddenly, and my dad- who owns a business just didn’t have the time to keep up the house and we were in the market for a new one so we ended up just moving in here. The last time the house was decorated was well back into the 90’s by my mother, and basically when we moved in we took the good of each house and kept it, and tossed the rest. We ended up with a mish-mash of tastes and styles and I’ve like to give the house a spruce up, tying in all the different styles. For this, I’m starting with the living room, then hop-scotching through out the house finishing it room by room. (bathroom is next, its already been decided) but here are the “before” pictures… it’s a bit messy and the coffee table is pushed in front of the fireplace to keep the child out of it (because she’s obsessed with it). But you get the idea.

　
　
I’m going for this color pallet.

　
I plan on using the dark, muted teal color as an accent wall, the wall with the fire place, and the white-ish color on the other walls, I plan on removing all the wall decorations except for the quilt rack. The quilt on that rack was made by my great great grandmother on my mom’s side. It is made up of thousands (I swear) of yo-yos alls sewed together.
I’m keeping the furniture, I love it in its on weird outdated way, it just…. Works. I also like the color pallet on the cushions. It has a teals, tan, navy and rose color mish-mash, all of the colors from my color pallet happen to be in it.

So what do you all think, does this have a direction? Or is it just as bad as what I started with haha. Now, all I have to figure out is what kind of wall décor and mantle decorations I should go with…. And for that, I’ll definitely need some help. So there the mission for my readers, help me decorate!

CSM Project Run and Play Week two

An online sewing forum I’m a member of decided to do their own version of Project Run and Play. This week's theme was "Colorful Couture". I just redecorated the baby's room with a more feminine motif and I had soooooooo much fabric left over. I decided to make a very boutique style outfit for her out of that fabric. Hopefully I’ll be using this outfit for her 1 year old pictures. Its adorable with a pleated ruffle collar and a flow-y ruffle bottom. I also made matching bloomer and a headband to complete the outfit. It turned out EXACTLY how I wanted it to. so with no further ado... here it is on the baby:

Coupon Wallet Tutorial

Now that I’m a stay at home mom, I’ve been using coupons more often to save a little money. And I’ve been holding my coupons in a regular mailing envelope, it works, but isn’t pretty and is kind of fragile, being that its just paper. I could probably find a cheap coupon holder at the dollar store, but figured a special one would be more fun. Therefore, here you go, a tutorial.

What you’ll need:
Fabric (less than 1/2yd)
Bias tape
1 snap
Interfacing (I use pellon 808- craft fusible)


Cutting Directions:
Cut 2- 15in x 9in (fabric) [main fabric]
Cut 1- 15in x 9in (interfacing)
Cut 2- 6in x 9in (fabric) [sides]
Cut 2- 6in x 9in (interfacing)
Cut 3- 9in x 9in (fabric) [pocket separators]
Cut 3- 9in x 9in (interfacing)
　
Sewing directions:
1) Start by ironing on the interfacing to each matching piece (one 15x9in piece won’t have interfacing)
(optional: to attach the other side of the 15x9in piece of fabric, I used spray adhesive on the back of the interfacing and pressed the other piece of fabric to it, - the fabric pieces should be right sides facing out with interfacing between them)

  

　
2) Round the corners of one of short ends using a curved item (like a cup) as a jig

　
3) with the other pieces, fold in half and stitch the end (2 pieces should be 6x4.5in[sides], 3 should be 9x4.5in [pocket separators])

4) Turn the pieces inside out, and iron.

5) To make the coupon pockets, take one 6x4in piece and one 9x4in piece. Fold the 6x4in piece in half so the piece (folded in half) measures 3x4in. Insert the 9x4in pieces in the fold of the stitch down the fold at 3/8 inch seam allowance catching the pieces together. (it will look like this)

6) next take each side of the side piece fold the edge toward the center, insert each other pocket piece in those folds and stitch the same way as previous step.

7) construct the other side of the pockets the same way

8) To attach the pockets to the body, line the pocket pieces up to the body piece starting at the un-curved end 3/4in away from the end.

9) baste the edges of the pocket to the body piece.

10) Fold the body piece so that the pockets line up to the upper half of the body piece, 5 inches from the top. Baste the other edges of the pocket down. (this will form the envelope)

11) Attach Bias tape around the body edges to finish of the body piece.

12) Attach a snap and your done!
　
　

　

Tutorial: Snappy Baby Romper (Pattern)

I love this little number.  I'd also be lying if it wasn't inspired a bit by the Snappy Toddler Top from Prudent Baby, which is also one of my favorites.  Though, with this i made a thicker neckline yoke, which i prefer the look of, but seriously, who wouldn't love a baby in this outfit!!!

 

To make this, I used an old sheet I had, which I love, i've used it for other projects, and have a lot left still!

• You'll need :
• the Pattern- at 100% (or no scaling) it's approximately 12-18m. For largerjust add legnth. For smaller. i would probably print it at 90% for 6m, 85% for 3m. 
• i made it for my tall and skinny 8.5mo, who wears 6 or 9m body suits, 12m pants  (because of the length).
• approximately 3/4 yards of a fabric
• about 20in of elastic
• 7 sets of snaps.

1. using the front body piece, fold the middle with wrong sides together and match up the pleat lines, do a few stitches to tack this pleat. Then do the same with the two outer pleat markings on each side, this time folding and matching up the pleat lines with right sides together. Your front top will look like this.

2. split center with the center front pleat loop and pin.

3. Fold the outer pleat loops toward the middle, pin

4. Using the back body piece, both back pleats will be done the same, fold and meet pleat lines with right sides together. Do a few stitches to tack the pleat. Fold the pleat loops toward the center of the body piece, pin.

5. On both front and back body pieces, baste across the top at a 1/8^th inch seam allowance to fix the pleats in place.

6. For the front and back yoke pieces, there are 2 different ways you can complete the circular necks for both the first step is the same; starting at the markings, back stitch and stitch towards the outside of the yoke, around the top and finish (with a back stitch) at the other mark. The first way, you can clip the curves, flip it and fold/iron under the edges. The other way would be to complete it the same way that in the previous post, basting across most of the opening, clipping the curves, turning and ironing. Then seam ripping the basting edge, leaving a neatly folded over edge. Do this for both the front and back yoke pieces.





7. Taking both front and back body pieces, stitch them together on both the sides at a 3/8^th inch seam.

8. Fold and iron the seam flat- for this I usually use my handy dandy flat iron that I’m too lazy to use on my hair.

9. Hem the leg bottoms by folding it 1/4inch and iron; then 1 inch and iron. Make one row of stitches just under the hem amount. About 7/8 inch seam allowance, then again at 1/2inch seam allowance from the bottom, under it.

10. Measure around the baby thigh to get the length of elastic needed per leg hole. Using a safety-pin lace the elastic through the casing we just made, tacking it down at each opening.

11. To finish off the arm holes, apply bias tape around the edge, I usually prefer home made, since it’s A LOT cheaper and comes in prettier colors when you get to choose it. But I had a little left over bought stuff, so I just used that instead. Visit Dana Made It Blog for a tutorial on making and sewing bias tape.

12. To apply the yoke to the body pieces, insert the body piece into the appropriate yoke open that we seam ripped. (front with front, back with back). Make sure there is about 1/2inch of the body piece inside the yoke.

13. Pin.Stitch across the opening to finish the top at approximately a 1/8inch seam allowance. Stitch around the entire yoke at this seam allowance. Do the same for both front and back yoke pieces

14. To finish the bottom of the romper, use inseam lining pieces. Take two of the pieces and line up. Stitch around the edges at 1/2inch seam allowance.

15. Clip the curve. (for this, I much prefer using my pinking shears, cutting close to the line of stitches. It provides a quick and uniform clipping).

16. Flip it inside out and iron. Do the same at the previous 2 steps for the remaining two inseam lining pieces.

17. Line up the inseam lining pieces with the unfinished bottom seam, there will be hang over on each side. The pieces should be lined up on the right side of the fabric. Pin.

18. Stitch the inseam at 1/4inch seam allowance. Clip the curve.

19. Flip the lining to the inside of the body piece. Iron and stitch at 1/2inch seam allowance.


20. Apply snaps to the inseam area.

21. Apply snaps to each of the shoulders. And we’re done!!!

Here are a few action shots of mine on Baby:

Enjoy!!!!