tutorials

If you’re new to the ’12 Days’, you may visit the previous days by clicking on the day you like:

Day 1 Crayon Roll

Day 2 Zippered Pouches

Day 3 Appliqued Placemats

Day 4 Quilted Potholders

And you’re in for a treat today.  You’ll need to carve out some time to visit Cheryl’s blog.  I think I clicked around her blog for an hour when I first found it.   She also has a shop full of beautiful handmades!  Thanks for sharing your craftiness with us Cheryl~

Hi friends of Edie!
I’m Cheryl from a pretty cool life and I’m so exited to be here!

First, a little about me:  Life’s good.  I aspire to be no more than I am right now; the stay at home mom to two little boys, ages 3 and 1. I love the ordinary days I spend with them, and desperately try to enjoy each one until I find a way to freeze time. We spend our days playing, building, chasing, snacking, watching too much tv and trying be creative.   Sewing and crafting are my favorite things, and I spend as much time as I can working on projects.  I share many of them, along with tutorials.  You can check them out here.    Vintage is my other weak spot and I love collecting old linens.  My loves of handmade and vintage meet in my etsy shop, j u s t  p r e t t y., where I list a variety of  items.

Now, without further ado, what I’ll be sharing today: a camera strap tutorial.  You know you’ve seen them everywhere in blogland and etsy.  Here’s  a chance to make one of your own:

I’ll admit I’m just as excited to have a pretty camera strap as I am to have a new camera.  This is an easy project, so you can make a bunch and switch them out when you feel like it!
This is what I did for my standard Nikon strap.  Double check your own strap to see if it’s the same size before you start.  (And if you have a point and shoot, here’s my tute on how to make a wristlet strap for it.)

You’ll need:
2 strips of fabric, each 21″ x 2.5″ long
1 strip of fusible fleece/batting, 20″ x 2.5″
Iron the short ends of each strip down a quarter inch.

Sew two parallel lines to hem the ends (one will catch your fabric, one’s just to make it look more finished).

Iron the fusible fleece to the wrong side of the strip of fabric you want facing inside.  It should be slightly shorter than the fabric, so center it.

Line up your strips of fabric, right sides together, and pin.

Sew.  I serged the seams, too, but it’s not necessary.

Turn your fabric tube right side out.

Topstitch along each edge and you’re all set!

Happy {handmade} holidays and thanks again to Edie for having me!

Cheryl
xoxo

You’re gonna love todays’ guest poster, Alissa. She blogs at 33 Shades of Green and has a creative blog full of fun stuff. She has a great tutorial for a wrapping station, a screen porch that I covet, and many more goodies that you’ll want to see.  I’m so happy introduce you to her talented self!  If you’re just not the sewing type or if you’re interested in purchasing beautiful handmade items this Christmas, check out my friend Maggie Whitley, from Gussy Sews.  She has beautiful handsewn items in her shop and is featuring all sorts of artists and crafters this week on her blog.

Now, tell us how it’s done Alissa 🙂

Thank you Edie for having me over to Life in Grace today.  I got lots of great inspiration from The 12 Days of Handmade Christmas last year, and am so excited to be a part of it this year!

I am going to show you how to make a quilted potholder – a quick and easy project for any beginning sewer.

.

.
Supplies:
– Fabric
– Heat resistant batting (the one I used is called “Insul-Bright”)
– Sewing notions (needles, thread, scissors)
.
First, you will need to select coordinating fabric.  Make sure to pre-wash your fabric before use.
.

.
Cut your fabric.  I think it’s easiest to use a rotary cutter and straight edge on a self healing mat.   Here are all the dimensions.

.
I used a simple Log cabin pattern for the design.
.

.
The center square is 4″ and all other strips are 2″ wide.
.
Start sewing from the center out.  Use a 1/4″ seam allowance when sewing.
.
Here are the first two pieces sew together:
.

.
As you attach pieces, make sure to iron or finger press the seams toward the outside.  This way your finished top will be smooth.
.
Add the other side…
.

.
Then the next two…
.

.
Keep sewing until all pieces are attached.  Iron the finished top.
.
Your finished top will look like this:
.

.
Next, cut a piece of fabric for the back of your potholder.  Also cut a piece of the batting.  Cut both pieces to the same size as your finished top.
.

.
Line up the three layers and pin together.
.

.
Now it’s time to start quilting!
.
I decided to quilt squares using the top as a pattern.  Start in the center and work out.
.

.
I used the sewing machine foot as a guide to quilt the squares.  See how the edge of the foot is touching the seam of two of the fabric pieces?
.

.
Here’s the finished quilted top:
.

.
After all three layers are quilted together, you might need to use your rotary cutter and trim the edges.
.
Next up is making the seam binding.  Cut a strip of fabric 2-1/2″ wide.  You may need to attach a second strip so that the length is long enough to go around the entire potholder.
.
Iron the strip of fabric in half.
.

.
Seam binding can be a bit tricky if you haven’t done it before.  For help, refer to this tutorial.
.
Start by attaching your binding somewhere in the middle.
.

.
The folded edge of the binding is toward the left.
.
Sew very close to the edge.  Stop when you are 1/4″ away from the corner and remove from the sewing machine.
.
Fold the binding at a 45 degree angle like this:
.

.
And then back over on top of itself.
.

.
Continue sewing from the edge.  Repeat at all corners.
.
Here’s how the binding will look when it’s all attached:
.

After attaching to the front (use the link I listed for a great tutorial) fold binding over to the back.  Create mitered corners (shown in picture) and sew all along the back side of the potholder to attach.

For more information on the binding portion, which can be tricky, check out this YouTube video.

Your potholder is finished!
..

.

.
Thanks again Edie for having me over!

Welcome my new friend Crystal from the blog Little Bit Funky!  Crystal has a fun blog and a great Etsy shop, also called Little Bit Funky,   full of goodies.   Go visit and shop for some of those Christmas gifts before the madness sets in.  And it will set in.  Take it away dear!

I am a mom to two, wife to my one and only and a daughter of Christ. I love to sew and create and blog and share. I am real and honest and genuinely care. And apparently I can rhyme, too. 🙂 I love to laugh and think I’m pretty funny. I have an addiction to fabric, ribbon and pretty things that I have no intention of getting help for. I’m thankful to be living a downright dreamy life after all I have lived through. God is good. All the time. Love the messy. Love the beautiful.

Thanks for letting me participate!

🙂 Crystal

And for a little smaller project, here’s how to make a tissue cozy:

These little cozies are perfect little stocking stuffers or teachers gifts or for your secret santa. 🙂 This project is SUPER easy…I would rate it easy beginner.

1. Start with four rectangles of fabric of your choice, each measuring 5 1/4in by 4in.
2. Lay two of the pieces together, wrong sides together, putting the piece that you want facing OUT (this will be the bottom piece of the cozy) on top.

3. Take the other two pieces and fold them length wise. 4. Lay them on top of the two layered pieces, folded sides facing in. You can pin them together if you would like, I tend to be too lazy for that. 🙂 5. Sew all around the edges about 1/4in in from the sides.
5. Make sure that the two folded sides are flush with each other. 6. I like to trim around the edges to make it nice and neat. Then turn it inside out…or outside in.

7. Insert package of tissues. 🙂 Voila! A fun and easy present. 🙂

Welcome to my 2nd Annual 12 Days of Handmade Christmas Tutorials!

Spread the word on twitter and facebook that we’re under way with handmade creativity.

You are in for a treat! I am giddy to be able to bring you some of the most talented and inspiring women in the blogosphere,

many of whom I am blessed to call friends.

I couldn’t be more thrilled to showcase my friend Lindsey from The Pleated Poppy.
I met Lindsey last year when we were roomies at Blissdom and she is one creative and productive lady. She will forever be endeared to me as a kind, funny, and genuine soul whose gifts and talents are many. You’ll love her blog and her shop!

Welcome Lindsey 🙂

hi! i’m lindsey and i’m a stay-at-home, part time home schooling mama of 3 littles, 7 and under. when my kids are all snuggled in bed, i am the owner of a small business called the pleated poppy, where i create fun handmade goodies and pretty accessories for everyday, from zippered pouches to checkbook covers and so much more! i am so blessed to be able to spend my days with my kids, and my nights with my sewing machine! being creative recharges me for my days ahead and having a supportive husband who i am madly in love with makes it all the more better!