Just in Case

     Just in case you haven’t been keeping up with my 101 in 1001 (don’t worry…I forget about it too), here’s a little update/tutorial/bragging.  I did one of my Pinterest projects! 
     This little towel roll-up was a special request from my sister, and I am loving the way it turned out.  For all you non-sewers…don’t worry.  This was really easy (and could totally be done with fabric glue or Stitch Witchery.

Towel Roll Up

     I know you’re thinking that this just looks like a folded hand towel, and while it sort of is, you’re missing the fun/usefulness!  Let’s do a quick how-to, shall we?

You will need
1 hand towel
thread
(optional) ribbon
(optional) button
(optional) elastic

1.  With the back side of the towel facing up, fold from the bottom up about 2/3 of the way.

2.  Measure across and mark (I used pins) about how wide you want your pockets to be.  Mine were roughly 6 inches apiece with four pockets, but you could have as many as you want.

3.  (If your thread and bobbin color match, skip this step)  Flip towel over and stitch from the edge of the pocket (you’ll have to go by feeling where it is) all the way to the bottom.

4.  Repeat step 3 until all pockets are sewn.

Note:  This project could be finished here.  I didn’t add any of the cutesies for my brother-in-law’s towel, because men generally don’t care about the fixins.

5.  If you’re not done, stitch a length of cute ribbon along the right hand side of the front of the towel.

I know the ribbon’s stitching is not even…I’m calling it whimsy.

6.  Add a coordinating button.

7.  Roll towel up to about how big you think you’ll like it.  This is a matter of preference.  Loop elastic around the button and pull it around behind the back of the roll (stretching it pretty tightly).

8.  Tack elastic to the back of the towel (I stitched inside the pocket so you can’t see the untidy tacking.).

9.  Roll up, secure, and marvel at how cute you are!

     These are so cute, and will definitely come in handy.  No one likes to search for a toothbrush that has sunk to the bottom of a bag.  With this, all of your things are right there together, and you can wipe y our mouth on it, dirty it up, and then just throw it in the wash!  Also…how cute would these be monogrammed?!  Reason #578 why I need one of those machines!

Where I Link Up

I Fake Made This

     I know I have been really bad about telling you that I’m going to share something I’ve done or made and then taking forever to do it…while I don’t really see that changing too much, I do actually have something to share today!  A few days ago, I showed y’all a picture of my niece in an adorable (if I do say so myself) dress.  The “tutorial” isn’t really difficult at all, as per usual, so let’s just get right to it. 

Scrunchie Dress

You will need
scrunchie fabric (if you’re really industrious you can do this yourself…I bought mine)
coordinating ribbon
coordinating thread

1.  Cut fabric to length and hem.  I rolled the hem over twice so it would look more “done.”
2.  Hem the long (top to bottom) edges.
3.  Fold together longways (right sides in) and stitch together. 
     *I probably used about 1/4 in. seam allowances on all stitching,
4.  Turn right side out and marvel at how cute it already is!
5.  Cut ribbon to desired length (originally I used four pieces – to have to straps tied in bows) and stitch to top edge on the inside.
     *The bow straps didn’t work too well, so we tucked them in and used the front two to make a halter dress.

Done and done!  Della wears this with coordinating leggings because it’s pretty thin (and because they’re just cute).  All told, this project was less than $10 and took less than an hour.  Not bad.

     To make up for my lack of tutorial pictures I thought I’d let you know that this dress is perfect for rockstars too.

P.S.   I jumped on the bandwagon and created a Facebook page for my blog! Click on over and check it out!

Places I May Be Partying:

Summer Crafting

     If you’ve been reading for any length of time, you probably know that 99% of my crafts or sewing projects are done for my niece.  My most recent is surely no exception.  This week I made an adorable outfit for Della.  I’m not going to do a full-on tutorial because y’all know that I am no kind of fancy.  It’ll take about two sentences to explain the outfit…

The outfit is Garanimals from Wal-Mart, and the fabric is just what I had on hand.

     I love using the Garanimals shirts because it can be so hard to find simple, plain t-shirts (or any clothes really).  The skirt I just love.  It reminds me of something I would have worn when I was little, and it has lining sewn in so it won’t ride up.  That might be one of my biggest child clothing pet peeves (how sad that I have to distinguish from the regular ones) – skirts that have ridden up to underneath the armpits.

I didn’t sew on the edges of the green on purpose…

     I think that this is probably the tidiest one of my shirts has looked since I started making these.  I did not fight with my machine at all – it actually behaved itself!  There aren’t any crazy ugly knots on the opposite side either.  I didn’t use any Stitch Witchery this time either.  Even though it is so helpful for holding the design in place, the fabrics I used were pretty thin and it has a tendency to bleed through.  That being said…so proud of myself.
     Della said that it was a green cupcake with a button on it…close.  The buttons I just sort of fell into.  I have this little sewing stand with two cute little drawers that came from my grandmother’s house.  When I got it, I kept everything in it, and I knew this little vintage button would be the perfect cherry on top!

How cute is this?!

     I don’t have a picture of her in the outfit yet, but as soon as I do I’ll post it!  I made another little adorable for her to wear, but I didn’t even take a picture of it…lame.  I’ll post when I have one of those too.
     In totally unrelated news, I took my very last Praxis test today!  Of course I won’t find out what I made for another month, but at least I’m done.  Now all I have to think of relating to school is student teaching…and then graduation.  In six months I will be a college graduate and an almost real-live grown up. 
     Last little bit…beach countdown is officially on!  Nine weeks until  I am on my way and totally checked out for seven days!

Where I’m Partying This Week:
    

Music Fest

     Don’t get to excited y’all; it wasn’t the CMA Fest or anything.  Every year, my town holds the Shannon Street Music Fest (formerly Blues Fest).  Last weekend, Keith got to spend a few days here, and we got to have a real date…which is not all that common for us.
      I had a gift card to Chili’s left from my birthday, so we used that (…Southwest egg rolls – love) and then headed downtown.  The event used to be held in our Farmers’ Market Pavilion, but this year, they blocked off a big chunk of downtown which gave us a lot more space.  There were booths from local vendors, politicians, and little carnival games, and a big stage where they showcased some local talent.  To be quite honest, I didn’t pay a ton of attention to the music, but I go to events like this more for the atmosphere than the main focus.  My pictures aren’t great, but I thought I’d share them anyway…you’ll have to bear with the blurriness.

I know this is a little blurry, but it’s the best picture of us from the night.

This was the main area they had sectioned off.


A lot of people bring their chairs and sit on the lawn of the courthouse to see/hear the music.


My one pitiful picture of the stage…

     The weather was so perfect to just hang out outside.  I was worried that it was going to be oppressively hot, but I actually had to break out a pair of blue jeans!  We almost never get to do stuff like this between school and studying (his, not mine) and whatever else, and I was so happy to be able to just relax and be together for a little bit without thinking about class or a test or anything like that.  Days like that make me so excited to be married.  I know it won’t always be sunshine and daisies, but at least it’ll be a little more settled than what we have right now.  I think that will be so nice.
     This weekend (starting tonight) I’m going to be cooking shrimp and grits, giving two adorable outfits I made to Della, and taking my very last Praxis test!  I will obviously show you the outfits, and I can’t wait to make/eat/share the shrimp and grits!

Refashion

     First…I know I said I would try to take pictures this weekend.  I didn’t.  Sorry about it.  To make up for it, I have an adorable sewing crafty to share with you.  If you’ve seen my 101 in 1001, you may remember that I’ve been wanting to remodel an article of clothing.  A few weeks ago, I did just that. 

     When my sister and I were little, we had an adorable bubble suit.

          That little darling would be me.  (Note(s): I know I look crazed; just wait until you see the back; I’m not over heated…I was at a makeup party)

     We kept the bubble suit thinking that our kids could wear it, but when my sister pulled it out of it’s box, it had a really unfortunate rip!

 

     Because the rip was not anywhere near a seam and totally mangled, I knew it would have to come off.  Very carefully (because I love this outfit and didn’t want it to look awful), I cut the bottom edge off.  I rolled the hem under as daintily as I could and sewed so so carefully.

     

     As cute as the front is, just wait until you see the back!

     Now you see why I just couldn’t let it go!

     I think this is probably the perfect little summer shirt.  It is a great length for shorts and will be perfect with little capris too!  I am so glad that Della is the exact right size for it and that my refashion didn’t go horribly wrong…because that has totally happened to me before!

Also linking up at Savvy Southern Style