KINDLE COVER

From Chica and Jo's directions, I made my friend a Kindle cover for a Christmas gift. She has a dachshund, so when I saw a fabric with dachshunds on it, I bought it & found color coordinated fabrics to go with it. I cut out one line of three dogs and patched it into one of the lengths called for in the instructions.  These directions were created in 2009, but people have been posting under the directions continually since then saying they made this and some posted their ideas of how to improve it. After reading all the posts, I decided I wanted to use the elastic instead of the pouch to hold in the Kindle to allow ease of attaching the charger.

One advantage to this over the commercial ones that are available is that you can prop it up hands free. Two other posters' suggestions I used-covering the elastic with fabric tubes, and coating the fabric with Mod Podge made for fabric to prevent soiling. The Mod Podge made it a little harder to work with on the sewing machine. I did use the chipboard from a 3-ring binder as Chica and Jo suggest. The formula to change measurements for any e-reader are at the end of their directions. It did take me all afternoon to complete, but could probably make another one faster.

Fall Decor Dining Room

I took what I already had and made a fall display with a couple of fall leaves sprays and a foam pumpkin.

Dust Ruffle for full size bedspread on queen size bed

When my mother-in-law went from a full size bed to a queen size bed, she didn't want to replace the bedspread she loves so much. The bedspread consists of three ruffles on the sides, so I made a bed skirt for the queen size bed that looks like another ruffle. I just chose a coordinating color at the fabric store, in this case a celery green.  I used one of the flat sheets she had for the old bed (recycling!) as the piece that lays on the box springs, cut to fit, and to which is attached the bed skirt.
DIRECTIONS: To find the length needed for the skirt, measure from the top of the box springs to the floor and add 2 inches. My length needed was 17". I cut across my 44" wide celery green fabric several 17" lengths, then joined them together to make one long piece. The hem along one long edge is two 3/4" folds; folded up 3/4" once, then 3/4" again, ironed, then stitched. The other long edge has a row of basting at 1/2" and again at 3/8". You need to stop and cut threads at each seam, to facilitate gathering later.  The two ends can just be a double fold 1/4" hem (as well as the top back side of the flat sheet piece. To equally space the skirt fabric around the old sheet, add the 3 sides where the skirt will be (ex. 80 + 80 + 60 = 220"), and divide that by the number of panels that were sewn together (ex. 220/8=27.5"). Then put each seam at that many inches, gather and loop long threads around pins and pin and adjust gathers between each seam. Sew around being careful to pivot at the corners without bunching up the sheet. That is it! If you want a fuller skirt, just add more panels. A nice full skirt should probably be 10 panels for a queen, but I bought all the fabric the store had, so that had to work, and it does.
One can also make a tailored look, with no gathers, and perhaps a kick pleat at each corner. Much less fabric would be needed for that style.

Dorothy Wizard of Oz Costume

Updated Dorothy Wizard of Oz Shoes

These are the shoes I ordered from Zappos for my eight year old granddaughter's Dorothy costume. Zappos is a great online store, mainly because they have free shipping....both ways, so if they don't fit, no problem.  

Having gotten the pattern (4948) for her Dorothy dress from JoAnn Fabrics when they had McCalls patterns for $.99, I made her the dress, also. (Simplicity also has one.)  I couldn't find real woven gingham, but settled on a printed light blue gingham lookalike.  Not reading the pattern piece for the skirt back, which said cut 2, I made it with only one back, and think it looks fine. So there is a savings of fabric doing it that way. Here she is...

Christmas before Halloween?

At Macy's last week, they had Christmas decorations up along with a Halloween display and it is one month before Halloween, which is three months before Christmas! This is just crazy...much too early for Christmas displays. Does anyone remember when they used to wait until Thanksgiving to put up holiday decor? Then it was moved to after Halloween. Now, evidently, the first official day of Fall must mean to retailers it is Christmas. It didn't even feel good to see it at this time of year...almost repulsive! Especially with the 70-80 degree temps we are having here in the Midwest.

Cupcake Pincushion Craft

This felt project was a cute idea I found in Simply Sublime Gifts by Jodi Kahn. The bases are those silicone cupcake holders. The "cupcake" itself is made from felt and stuffed with batting basically. Then buttons and rickrack are the decorations. I found that the old-fashioned thicker felt (of which I have a stash that is probably 50 years old !) does not work very well, as the pins you would like to stick into the pincushion do not go in easily. So the little rectangles you can get at the craft stores work just fine for this project.

My old pincushion, which my grandma made about 35 years ago, was in dire need of replacing.  It is also a cute idea...a round piece of Styrofoam on a cardboard base, covered with fabric and netting, then tied with a ribbon for the hatband.

Use For Old Business Cards

Well, now that I am retired, I have 2 whole boxes of cards, but knew I could find a use for them instead of throwing them in the trash. After reading about lots of uses, such as notecards, which is OK for a few, I found instructions to make cubes from Sam Allen of Zeta. Since my husband is still working at the company, I will attempt to make a huge "B" constructed from cubes and set it in the company lobby.

Pacific Coast North of Half Moon Bay

My first post is a picture postcard shot (in my humble opinion) I took in the area around the Point Montara Lighthouse on a drizzly day.  The fence makes an interesting addition. This may be a good candidate for an oil painting, although I am only a novice painter.  As soon as I get home from my trip in a few days, I will start on a craft that I am excited about.