Seeing Green!

I don't know about you, but I just love St. Patrick's Day! I live in Savannah, Georgia--home to the 2nd Largest St. Pats Parade in the US! Our whole town turns green for a week and its a party that only rivals Mardi Gras!

I'm ready, I've got my green gear, our Corned Beef (even though I don't eat meat myself) and Cabbage....and I thought I'd show you a few things that our team members are doing for the Green Holiday as well!!

PixelPerfectBoutique

 

 Hannah's Hands

 CozyCabinCreations

 TutuTwirls

 LullabyLoft

 SimplyLoveBowtique

 Patty's Pretty Things

 Heather's Custom Sewing

Cars Clay Art

Halloween Theme Contest!

Occasionally, the Cafemom Street Team does Theme Challenges where our members enter their items that go with the chosen theme and then we vote on them. Our current theme is Halloween, and these are our lovely entries!



Quilting Diva
Anita Crafty Creations
The Blushing Daisy
HippBowsBoutique
HeySweetCheeks
MsRiosOriginals
KidsFashionsbyLinda
TwoSugarPeas
NellsColorfulCreations
Enchanted Smiles
CozyCabinCreations
MsJCreations
HookedKeepsakes
CraftyChickies
FrecklesGalore
WeeKnit
TwoKazoos

Easy Applique Method

Adorning oneis, tee's, backpacks or Christmas stockings with a simple applique is an easy way to make the simple and inexpensive look designer and expensive. This method is not only very easy for the beginner, but will last as the edges are finished not just applied with fusable web.

1. Begin with the exact pattern and a lightweight interfacing. Trace the pattern (the traced line will also be the stitch line) on to the interfacing, in this case we are doing a star.

2. Cut out the interfacing leaving at least a 1/4 inch from the traced line. Now here is the trick! Cut a hole inside the traced lines. Don't worry... you'll never see this in the finished product.

3. Pin the traced interfacing to your chosen fabric. Sew all the way around on the traced line, do not leave a space for turning! Remember to backstitch to start and finish your seam.

4. Trim to 1/4 inch from the sewn line. For sharp corners, clip the excess fabric at the points and make a small clip all the way to the stitch line on the inside corners being careful not to trip the thread. Now turn it right side out through that hole you previously made.

5. Poke out the points. Use any pointed item on hand, mechanical pencil with no lead showing, knitting needle, paint brush handle, just be careful not to poke through your fabric.

6. Lastly, iron your item flat & Viola! Now you can either hand or machine applique it on to your project!

Making Double Fold Bias Tape

Bias tape is a strip of fabric cut on the bias and then folded to finish the edge of a sewing project. It has some stretch so it will easily go around corners and curves, most often used on the bindings of quilts and blankets. It is easy to make and will not only save you a little change but a matching binding will look so much nicer than a solid color from the store. Here is how:

1. The easiest fabric to use is a cotton or cotton blend because it will make a sharp crease when ironed. wash and dry your fabric.
2. Begin by laying your fabric flat. Take the cut edge of the fabric and fold it up to meet the selvage edge. So the fold will be on the diagonal, the fold is the bias- there will be a lot of stretch to it. Press this fold with the iron and then unfold.
3. Cut a strip of fabric along the pressed edge- if you want a 1/2" double fold bias tape make the cut 2" (the math is: width of finished tape x 4 = width of cut) Cut as many strips as you need for your project
4. Join the strips by overlapping the ends of two strips at a 90 degree angle. Pin and mark from corner to corner and sew along the marked line. See photo below.
   

5. trim your edges to 1/4 inch and unfold, it should be one continuous strip, if it makes a corner instead of a long strip, the stitch line was from the wrong corners just trim it out and start over

6. Folding -begin laying your strip out on the ironing board and folding one long edge almost to the middle, press and do this for the entire length of the connected bias strips

7. Repeat for the other long edge

8. Fold the bias strip in half so the two folded edges meet. Finished!

How to create pleats

I am a person that works best with only guidelines, I do not like being constricted to patterns, making each of my items more unique than the last. Working this way means learning some techniques and skills that allow the creator to manipulate the fabric to his or her desire. One thing that allows you to do that is pleating. It gives two dimensional items a three dimensional appearance and character. Adding depth, shape, movement and character. This is my simple worded and plain explanation of different ways to pleat. Hopefully this will spark some creativity in all of you and you will be able to add this to your personal arsenal of skills and techniques. You can use any of these in variations in your sewing and tailor it to your style, creating gorgeous items out already beautiful items.

What you will need to consider

Fabric

One thing to remember is that when deciding to pleat is that certain fabrics pleat better than others. A nice crisp cotton or linen will pleat wonderfully, creating nicely formed folds, and irons up beautifully, whereas something a little more slinky or slippery like satin will not hold those folds so beautifully. So keep in mind crisp fabrics work great and slippery fabrics are difficult.

Shape

Pleats are great for adding shape to any item. If you are going for a sleek look, using large pleats are a great asset. It will help the fabric lay flatter and help create a clean overal look. Small pleats throughout a garment can help create a look that is loose and empire waist design.

Movement

Adding pleats will help give your item movement, creating the illusion that the garment itself is moving instead of just the person inside of it. You will also need to remember you adding fabric to create this characteristic in the garment. Remember as children how we would spin around and watch our dresses poof up, well this is the same movement you are putting into every item you add a pleat to. Use that inner child and create something spectacular for the child or woman that is going to wear that item. Help her to feel like she can release her inner child and go with that. Movement is a great way to help you and her express herself. Sorry If I sound corney here.

As you are considering what sort of movement and shape you want to add to your garment, you need to also think which direction you want this to go in. You can fold your pleats all in one direction or fold them in facing each other or even have them going in all directions.

I like to turn my pleats facing the direction that that side of the garment is facing, right side of item, means my pleats face right, left side goes left, but hey I am peculiar that way.

Making a pleat

This is basically a very simple process of folding, pinning, ironing, and then sewing everything down. You may want to start off with keeping your pleats even, unless you like to make things look off center and having it all different measures. That is me. Make sure to keep your iron hot, you will return to it several times. You may want to hem your item before you add your pleats, it will prove to be slightly difficult when you go to hem your item after you have added your pleats, epecially on short items or long pleated items.

Now there are several types of pleats and ways to create these pleats. I am will try my best to describe these and I hope you can use these after you have read this.

Pleating with topstitching

Find the center of the front of the garment and then fold your pleats outward, evenly and toward the side of the garment they are facing. Pin your pleats as you go, and iron them all down really well to make the pleats crisp and flat.

Sew your pleats down on the fabric. At the point where you want the pleats to seperate from the fabric, stop sewing them down and topstitch each pleat beyond the point of anchoring.

Inverted Pleats

To do this find the middle of your fabric, pick to equally distant points and bring those points together, pin and iron in place. Flip over and sew the edge of each side of the pleat down with what will be a hidden stitch. This will help hold the shape of the pleat as well as fasten your contrasting fabric to your garment. Then anchor the pleat at the top, fold over the top edge and sew across. To get a differant look do the same thing but in the reverse.

Freeform Pleats

Here you just sort of make folds in which ever size you want and then anchor it with a stitch across the top.

That is it ladies, go and incorporate this into your items and see how much more definition this gives them and whatever the result make sure you are having fun.

Repurposed Pillowcase Style dress from An Old Shirt by Rockerchic

So many people love to repurpose! I know that I do! Heres a great way to show Dad how much you care on Fathers day!

You can take an old shirt that belongs to him, or Grandpa for that matter, and let your little princess wear it on Father's Day!

Heres what you need:
Iron and Ironing board
Sewing Machine
Serger
Seam Ripper

Materials:
Old Shirt (long or short sleeve)
Spool of coordinating ribbon

Start out with your shirt laying flat. It's probably better to pick out a shirt that is of a more feminine color, but make sure it is a man's shirt... women's shirts are darted and curved and mens are more straight, that makes it easier to make the dress from.

The first thing your going to do: Take off the pocket. Remove the pocket, carefully so as not to put holes in your shirt, so we can move it and place it lower on the shirt later.

The Second thing: Cut the sleeves off. Cut below the line where the seams are, go ahead and cut them both off.

This is what your shirt should look like now:
Now, it's time to measure the length of your dress. Take your tape measure and mark where you want the length to be, from the bottom. I wanted mine to be 19 inches long from the neckline to the hem. So I measured 20 inches, marked, and cut across (where the arm holes are) to the other side.

Make sure you iron the fabric now, before you do anymore cutting or sewing. Unbutton the shirt and iron all the wrinkles out. Make sure you iron the pocket too, even though it isn't attached.


You should at this point have something that looks pretty simple to finish up.

We're going to put cases in for ribbons to tie at the shoulders. And put the pocket back on.

Lets go ahead and put the pocket back on:
Find a spot that you would like to have the pocket. I usually put mine near the bottom so there easy to put things in. Some people like to keep them in the breast.

Find a good spot, then pin your pocket in there. Sew it back on with your sewing machine.

Now, we're ready to start making those casings, and finish things up.

Serge the top of the fabric now, make sure you serge inside those armholes too.

After the entire top is serged, now it's time to take it to your sewing machine.

We're going to finish the armholes first. Roll the armholes inside to the wrong side of the fabric, and sew those down.

After your done finishing the armholes, now it's finally time to make the casing.

Take the top back to the ironing board, heat up your iron, and fold and measure down one inch, then press it with the iron.


After both sides of the casing are pressed, you can sew them down now. Just sew along where you had previously serged.


After you sew down your casing, now it's time to put in the ribbon.

Pick a ribbon that coordinates well with your fabric. I picked a white with a floral print and a little yellow in it.

Cut two equal lengths of ribbon, maybe about 2 to 3 ft each.

Attach a large safety pin in one end of the ribbon, and pull it through the casing. Do the same with the other side too.

When you have the ribbon pulled through, you can sew a little line in the middle to keep the ribbon from coming out.

Personally, I don't do that b/c I like to change up the ribbons after awhile.

When there in, take a lighter and barely torch the ends of the ribbon. This will keep the ribbon from fraying.

When you've done that, then it's time to tie up the shoulders.

You should be finished at this point... we are leaving the bottom of the dress as the original shirt.

Here is the finished product:

I hope you enjoy making your pillowcase dresses as much as I do! If you have any questions, I'll be glad to help you out!