Friday, February 4, 2011

Scrappy Heart Valentine's Sachets Tutorial

Scrappy Heart Valentine's Sachet Tutorial

Make in 15 minutes each
Great gift for your Friends!


Materials List - Sewing machine, Fabric Scraps, Ribbon and Lace Scraps

1.  Make a heart template out of paper to suit the size of your scraps.  Mine is about 5inX5in.
2. Pin to scrap front and back cut out.
3. Sew lace to the front of one side (or whatever embellishments you choose).
4.  Pin the pattern to the scraps, right sides together, mark opening for turning.
5.  Sew 1/4 in seam around heart, leaving opening free of stitches.
6.  Turn, trim and clip at the point of the heart.

7.  Stuff with fiberfill or other leftover scraps and stitch the opening closed.
8.  Spray with perfume and store in airtight plastic bag before giving so the scent will remain.
9.  After the scent fades, your friends can then spray with their favorite perfume.

I also made little gift cards from old greeting cards, punched a hole and tied to gift.  Perfect, inexpensive and a great use of scraps!





See this project and many more easy craft project tutorials posted at FavCrafts.com
http://www.favecrafts.com/Valentines-Day/Scrappy-Heart-Valentines-Sachet-Tutorial#

Easy Storage Solution for Dress Forms

My craft and sewing room overfloweth!  When I purchased a new dressform, I just didn't have anywhere to store it in my sewing space.  But I did have a spare corner in the guest room but the red dress form  stuck out like a sore thumb.  The solution;  dress the form to match the SouthWestern Decor in the guest room. 

I coverd her body with a very large colored T-shirt in a pastel color. While cleaning out my closet, I found a T-shirt I had embroidered many years ago with a SouthWest theme and a belt.  I put this on over the first shirt and covered the neck with a scrap, put the belt around her waist, and decorated her neck with SouthWest Jewelry and a pouch I embroidered.  VIOLA!  She matches the room perfectly now!  My Mom, who is also a seamstress, had a good chuckle when she saw the new Indian Maiden Stature in the guest room!


Sock Cuff Wrist Warmers

Sock Cuff Wrist Warmer Tutorial

Finished Product


I was doing the laundry yesterday, and was wondering what to do with socks that have holes in the sole (soul, LOL) or heel.  This is what I came up with...Sock Cuff Wrist Warmers. 


This project requires two holey socks with the cuff in tact, a serger set on the 3 thread rolled hem setting, 4 in of 1/4 inch elastic, and (optionally) the binding cut off the bottom of an old sweatshirt.  Project time is about 1/2 hour for the finished pair of wrist warmers. 

1.  Cut off the sole from the cuff of the sock.  Try the sock on after the cut.  If you want them shorter, cut more.  I left mine long to cover about 6 inches up the arm to keep me warm!

2.  If you choose to put the ruffle on, cut the rib knit binding from the sweatshirt in half lengthwise.


3.  Go to the serger and serge the (raw) cut edge of the sock to the raw edge of the ribknit, strecthing as you serge.

4.  Try on the sock at this stage to determine where you want the elastic loop.  Use about 2 in for each sock.  Backtack the elastic in place.  The elastic will hold the cuff in place and fits over your ring or index finger. 

5.  You are finished and your new warm sock cuffs are ready to wear!.

If you want to really dress them up, wear one of the bracelet cuffs from the previous tutorial, Fancy Cuffs.  I didn't sew any embellishmens on these wrist warmers, because I wanted to be able to Launder them.

Happy Sewing
Sandy


Thursday, February 3, 2011

Win this Book -The Perfect Handmade Bag

Win This Book From All Free Sewing



The Perfect Handmade Bag

By Clare Youngs

Publisher: CICO Books

http://www.cicobooks.com

ISBN: 1906525811



You’ll always need a go-to bag in your life, as well as bags for all of your peripheral daily activities. This book includes projects for grocery bags, evening clutches, everyday purses totes, kids’ bags, and more.



http://www.allfreesewing.com/sweeps/The-Perfect-Handmade-Bag-Book-Giveaway#

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Fancy cuffs

I made these cuff bracelets for Valentine's Day Gifts.  They are Fun, Fab, and Easy.

I cut the ribbing off the bottom of a sweatshirt to include the seam.  The seam made the bottom ruffle.  (I saved the ribbing leftover from another project.  I save everything...).  Then I serged together the ribbing to fit the wrist.  It made four cuffs.   Then, I rummaged around in my button box and found mismatched buttons, appliques and yo- yos I had made earlier.  Next I used little pieces of stitch witch, (the kind on the roll you can mend hems with) and ironed the embellishments on the cuffs.  I did four cuffs in one evening setting.

They turned out really cute, warm, and comfy.  They will be fun to wear on Valentine's Day and totally made from leftovers from other projects.

See this project posted at http://www.favecrafts.com/ and many more like it!

Praise for the Day

Oh Beautiful One





Lord, You are the Son

And the Sun

                                                                  The wind in the tree

The bird in the sky

The lily in the field

Lord , You are the water

Splashing over velvet moss

The King of the forest

The Master of the mountains

The Maker of the meadows

Lord, You are everything

And everywhere

The Lord of Heaven and Earth

The Omnipotent One

The giver of all Grace

Lord, Our only Saviour

Our Father

Our Son

Our Holy Ghost

Amen Sandra L. Bradley 2*2011

Thursday, August 5, 2010

I am so excited

I am!  My new line of bags is absolutely beautiful.  The test marketing is going  very well.  I make a prototype of some of the  bags and carry them myself.  The response has been overwhelming!  You would not believe the comments of approval from ladies who see these bags!  Two they have particularly liked are the new denim line and the matching monkey bag (see this in an earlier post) and dress!  I hope to get some pictures done soon and get them posted on my new site which specializes in bags only for girls and women.  The new link to this site is, http://sewsassybagart.etsy.com/.  In the meantime please visit my regular site which now is going to be the Outlet site for reduced items.  It is (as you already know) is http://sewsassycreations.etsy.com/.  Thank you!  Sandy

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

The Ban on Single Use Plastic Bags is Spreading Around the World

According to a 2010 report by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 42 communities in the United States have banned plastic bags. Dozens of countries worldwide have banned single-use plastic bags, imposed a bag tax or set a minimum thickness rule so that plastic bags are sturdier and can be reused.

Below are just a few links you can click on to take you to some recent articles written about proposed bans  and bans on single use plastic bags.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/08/03/MNUN1ENQJ0.DTL

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A2KLUmHoc1hMfpQAKL_QtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTByMTNoc3J2BHBvcwMzBHNlYwNzcgRjb2xvA3NwMgR2dGlkAw--/SIG=12f0obknv/EXP=1280951656/**http%3a//www.ksee24.com/news/local/Plastic-Bags-99786039.html

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A2KLUmHoc1hMfpQALb_QtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTBycWRyZWd1BHBvcwM4BHNlYwNzcgRjb2xvA3NwMgR2dGlkAw--/SIG=13hda4rod/EXP=1280951656/**http%3a//www.kgw.com/news/local/10-Portland-Fred-Meyer-stores-go-plastic-bag-free-99732399.html


http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A2KLUmBndFhM3R4BSc_QtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTBzcTJua2t0BHBvcwMxMARzZWMDc3IEY29sbwNzcDIEdnRpZAM-/SIG=13lq1oft0/EXP=1280951783/**http%3a//www.bakercityherald.com/index.php%3foption=com_content%26task=view%26id=81115%26Itemid=166

So are you ready for the big shift?  I can help, and not with those ugly green, or whatever color totes that cost a buck from you local store, labeled with advertising.

I am making a concentrated effort to make stylish and strong Market and shopping bags as an alternative to both ugly unfashionable and plastic bags.  And don't forget the new scare about reusing your bags.....they harbor bacteria from the food you carry in them.  So mine are washable in the washing machine.  If your meat or milk or juice leaks, just throw the bag in the washing machine. 

I don't have any pictures of these bags yet, because I have been sewing up a storm making them.  They will be available very soon on my new web store, dedicated to bags only...  http://sewsassybagart.etsy.com/!  See you all there soon.

Sandy

Monday, May 31, 2010

Quick Tip - No More Bobbin Mess!


Store your bobbins on toe seperators, the kind you use when you polish your toe nails.  The seperators are inexpensive and will hold the end threads in place. 

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Homemade Laundry Detergent recipe

The Recipe




A quick search online will show you that there's no shortage of homemade laundry soap recipes: Here's one from The Simple Dollar. And we've got 10 more at Money Talks News. But below is one that seems to work pretty well. You'll need:



• 4 cups of water.

• 1/3 bar of cheap soap, grated.

• 1/2 cup washing soda (not baking soda).

• 1/2 cup of Borax (20 Mule Team).

• 5-gallon bucket for mixing.

• 3 gallons of water.



First, mix the grated soap in a saucepan with 4 cups of water, and heat on low until the soap is completely dissolved. Add hot water/soap mixture to 3 gallons of water in the 5-gallon bucket, stir in the washing soda and Borax, and continue stirring until thickened. Let the mix sit for 24 hours, and voila! Homemade laundry detergent.



Of course, who'd post a recipe without trying it out first? I made and washed several loads of clothes with the homemade detergent. And I, like many before me who've traveled this road, couldn't tell the difference between store-bought and homemade.



Total cost per load? In the neighborhood of 2 cents. Store-bought detergent, depending on what you buy and where you buy it, can cost about 20 cents per load -- 10 times more.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Toddler Bibs Take the Cake

Cute and Functional, Toddler Bibs for everyday or that special dinner out.  Most are reversible, and have a food catcher pocket.  These are going to be a big hit with the Messy Set and Mom as well!  Food Fights allowed with these giant coverups! 

New Spring Headbands Now in Shop

See them at http://sewsassycreations.etsy.com/.  These are nice and comfortable, no head pinching for sizes toddler up to adult! Very Nice.  Very Cute.  Very Chic.  Very Sassy.  Your Girlie Girl will love them!