Kid-Friendly Patriotic Table Runner: A Tutorial

Do you like how I called this "Kid Friendly" as a euphemism for "embarrassingly simple"?  This is how it goes folks - when I sew, I don't mind complicated and technical, when I no-sew, it's going to look like a 3rd grade project, at best.

I also don't know whether this is a true "runner", as it only sits in the center of the table, but let's not quibble over the name and get onto the tutorial!

(I apologize in advance for the flash photography.  This was a true "crafterhours" project.  In fact, it was "crafter" my bedtime too.)

Grab your supplies:

A few yards of patriotic ribbon
A large rectangle of red felt (or make it a full runner size)
Dark blue and white felt scraps
fusible tape
double-sided fusible, embroidery floss & needle, glue gun, or sewing machine, depending on how you want to affix your stars
a star template  (I just printed one out from google images after googling "star template" :)

Step 1: Frame the red felt with the patriotic ribbon.  I laid down two strips of fusible tape on one side of my rectangle, you may need more or less depending on the width of your ribbon.  Then I carefully laid a length of ribbon over it and pressed it down with my iron.

Step 2: Before you cover another side of the rectangle with ribbon, create a mitered corner in your ribbon by fusing it to itself with a small scrap of fusible tape.

Step 3: Fuse the mitered corner down over the first ribbon to make a nice neat edge.  As you see, there is a little bit of felt sticking out beyond my ribbon.  That's fine, you can trim it later, and it's better than having a little bit of fusible tape sticking out.  For, as Abraham Lincoln once said, "Tis better to leave a little felt to trim than to fuse one's iron to the ironing board."  Or something.

Continue until all 4 sides are covered.  Your last piece will have a mitered corner on each side.  At this point, I observed what I had, observed the clock, and thought that maybe I should call it finished.  But then a tiny voice in my head (who sounded suspiciously like Susan), argued that I needed to add some decoration.

This is the part where the kids can help.  Print out a star template, and cut two or three different sized stars from white and blue felt.  If you're planning on fusing them to the runner, make sure you lay the felt over a piece of double-sided fusible before cutting out the template.  Otherwise you can hot glue them, or  hand or machine stitch them on.  Mine are just fused right now, but I plan to go over them with my machine to secure them.  On a day when I'm not expecting 8 visitors from America, perhaps.

And that's it!  Down and dirty easy last minute table decor!

Snow White: A New Take on an Old Favorite

Like most preschoolers, my daughter loves dress-up.  In fact, she wears her dress-up clothes more often than her regular clothes.  We even have a rule: At home, you can pick your clothes, when we go out, Mommy picks the clothes.

So the other day she asked me to make her a Snow White dress "on my sewing machine".  How could I say no?

As I stood in my sewing room, taking inventory of my fabrics, I realized I had nothing even remotely close to the right fabric.  Then some of my brightly colored knits caught my eye, and I had an idea.  She lives in these clothes, right?  I mean, she wears them everyday and often sleeps in them too.  So why not make them comfy?

So I pulled out my trusty favorite pattern and constructed myself a knit, peasant-style, Snow White inspired dress.  No frou-frou, no zippers, no buttons, no hemming.

At first I couldn't remember exactly where each color was supposed to go, but I was able to find 1 or 2 hints around the house.

It seems there is a big discrepancy among Snow White paraphernalia regarding the yellow stripe down her bodice.  The original movie has it, but some of the licensed images don't.  Since I had the absolute perfect ribbon for the project, I decided to include it.

Of course, as soon as I was done, she pulled it on and hasn't taken it off since.  Her first response? "Thanks Mommy.  Can I have a Sleeping Beauty dress now?"

You can always count on a 3 year old to keep you humble.

Skirt Week Conclusion

Well, Skirt Week has come to an end, and we want to thank everyone who contributed a skirt to the flickr pools.  You guys are responsible for about 47 new projects on my to-do list, thankyouverymuch!  We had a blast going through all the entries and admiring all the truly creative and inspiring talent out there.  We hope you'll all join us again next year when Skirt Week becomes bigger, better, and somebody else has to choose the winners!

Thank you again to all of our sponsors for giving everyone an incentive to sew!  We really appreciate your generosity and willingness to donate.

Remember, you have a few more hours to use the code "skirt week" to receive 10% off your order at Above All Fabric.  And I see she just got Patty Young's new line of knits in too....

Thanks everyone!  See you back here next week for regularly scheduled blogging!

Skirt Week: Twin Market Skirts

Our twin friends, MM & MJ, were turning 3.  I decided a pair of market skirts were in order.

I planned on making them in their signature colors: pink for MJ and purple for MM, but lo and behold, I have no purple fabric in my stash.  Shocking, I know.  So, I had to come up with another way to personalize their skirts so we could continue to tell them apart.  (I think only their mom can actually do that by looking at them, but for all we know she could be lying.)

So, out came the embroidery floss and on went the initials.  So easy, and all of the playgroup friends will be thanking me.  As long as they don't switch skirts.

The girls seemed to heart them a lot :)

Skirt Week: Little Girls' Skirt Winner!

And the Little Girls' Skirt Winner is...

Pot O' Gold Skirt From Amy of During Quiet Time!

Ok, you guys, this one took a long time.  The other skirts were picked fairly shortly after the deadline for submissions, but Susan and I were still trying to pick a little girls' skirt winner this morning! (well, afternoon for me)  Next year, someone else is making this decision!

In the end, we chose Amy's skirt because it combined some of our favorite elements: natural linen, hand stitched embroidery, a hint of patchwork-y goodness in the contrast band, and a really adorable pocket.

But beyond that, we just love that she came up with this idea in the first place - to make the pocket the "pot", and to even make it slightly "pot-shaped".  And the placement of the rainbow, coming out of the side seam, is brilliant!

This skirt is gorgeous enough for adults to appreciate, but has just the right amount of whimsy for a little girl.  Congratulations Amy!  We hope you love your new stuff!

2 Patterns by Lil Blue Boo

Mod Podge for Fabric, Simply Screen kit + Iron-ons from Mod Podge Rocks

1 yard custom twill tape from TwillTape.com

Backpack Pattern from Made By Rae

Summer Vacation Dress and Shortie, Can-Can Skirt Patterns from MADE
$20 Gift Certificate from Above All Fabric
$25 Gift Certificate from Flashy Fish
Winner's Choice of pattern from Little Lizard King

And seriously, just go flip through the flickr pool, because they're all just flat out wonderful.  We want one of each.  But because we have to keep up the trend, here are some other faves:

Jenny at Sew Pretty Dresses made this pattern by copying a store-bought dress - love that.  The pleat detailing at the drop-waist is really lovely, and this is also one of our very favorite fabrics!

Best use of twill tape, from Jess of Craftiness is not Optional.  See how she pleated it before sewing it down?  Totally going to copy her!

Love the simple style and fabrics of these skirts from Little Poppy Seeds, and super duper love the way they look with yellow shoes!

Christie at A Lemon Squeezy Home cleverly combined two skirt favorites: a bubble and ruffles!  We think the little bows make the skirt.

Sylvie at La Fabrique de Vivie went all the way.  She did what I couldn't/wouldn't/didn't want to do.  She made the Dresden Plate Skirt a full circle!  Way to go Sylvie!  This is awesome, and I for one know how much work it was!

Ok, we really love the sunny colors of the repurposed sheets used in this tiered skirt by Amanda at Little Cumulus, but this picture is really all about that baby!  Cuteness overload, Amanda.  We're dying over here.

It's a bummer that Polkadotjes didn't get this skirt posted within the deadline, because we love it big time.  Check out her blog for all the details and incredible workmanship.  Of course, that fabric doesn't hurt either!

From Becky Waldrop, the most original skirt - check out that graffiti!

And though we were drawn to the simpler styles, we also love some of the rufflier versions (and we know those little girls do too!)

From Mama's Spare Time, a triple ruffle pretty in pink:

That ruched panel amidst all the straight ones is pretty genius.  From Leisel at Brown Paper Packages:

 Melissa at Lilac Lane wrote a tutorial for this swingy layered circle skirt, in case a little girl you know needs one (or, you know, an adult :)

Love how Kim at The Brown Bulletin alternated printed cotton ruffly layers with chiffon for some fun texture.

Skirt Week: Madras Straight Mini Skirt

Just a simple madras skirt, made from "cheater cloth".  I made the pattern by copying my favorite jean skirt.  The back has 2 darts, the pockets are made in the same way as the milkmaid skirt, and I had a little help constructing the button fly placket from Wendy Mullin's book Sew U.

If it looks a little ragged, it's because I made it over a year ago and I live in this skirt during the summer months.  Again, it matches many different colored tops (are you noticing a theme in my wardrobe?), so I can quickly grab one from the closet, add a pair of flip flops, and I'm good to go.  Love that!

I originally made this skirt because I was still angsty about the fact that I could never afford the J. Crew versions back from like 1997 when they were so popular.  Hey, nobody can say I'm not stylin', right?  (just 13 years too late)

Skirt Week: Best Straight Skirt!

The winner for the best straight skirt is....

Denim Patchwork Skirt by Melissa of Until Wednesday Calls!

We don't have a lot of words for this one, just "W. O. W!"  Some of our favorite features include

- The entire thing is recycled, from the skirt to the floral sheets used for the appliques

- She triple stitched each individual appliqued flower, then used metallic thread to do a zig zag stitch around each one too!

- She thought to add a coordinating belt, which just makes the outfit.

- Pair this with a white shirt and you're done getting dressed.  We love a statement piece!

I need to copy this one, like now!  Thanks for the inspiration, Melissa!  Congratulations and we hope you enjoy your prizes!

Best Straight Skirt:

Mod Podge for Fabric, Simply Screen kit + Iron-ons from Mod Podge Rocks

1 yard custom twill tape from TwillTape.com
1 roll twill tape from TwillTape.com
Summer Vacation Dress and Shortie, Can-Can Skirt Patterns from MADE
$20 Gift Certificate from Above All Fabric
$25 Gift Certificate from the Heather Bailey Store

And onto some of our other favorites:

We love the off-center buttons and curved hem of this corduroy skirt by Sabra of Sew a Straight Line.  If you love it too, there's good news - she made a tutorial!  And if you're not a follower of Sabra's blog, you should be - it's one of our favorites.  She's currently sewing her way through her old college sewing textbook, so check her blog out first if you need help with any of the basics (seams, pockets, etc).

From Becky Waldrop, we have another take on a rainbow skirt.  We just can't get enough of that familiar, smile-inducing line of colors.

I chose the close up of this skirt by Subtle Tee instead of her modeling it so you could see all the fun details.  Those pleats are just adorable, and we love the teeny tiny ric rac and barely-there flare at the hemline.

I had to include this little number by Chica's Creations to inspire all of you who are new to sewing, or haven't given it a shot yet.  This skirt is so simple, but it is one of our favorites.  The cut, the fit, and the fabric make it just perfect.  You could make this too!

The hemming on this skirt by Frikadel59 is so unique - we love how she just followed the pattern on the fabric.

There's 1 more day of Skirt Week left, and 1 more day to use your Above All Fabric 10% off discount code "Skirt Week"!