Week 13-A Tutorial!

I am venturing into new territory here. I am going to post my first tutorial. So, bear with me and let's hope I get it right.


This week we are making a card holder. My wallet was becoming George Costanza-like (for all you Seinfeld fans) and I needed to pare it down. I took out all those cards you get for buying 10 books, the 11th is free and what not. It made a huge difference. But what to do with the cards? You never know when you might want to buy a paperback, and where is that darn punch card? (Now let's be real...where I live, I conveniently shop at mostly 1 place. So, it's not like I wouldn't be back at the same store the next day with said punch card that I left at home. But anyway....this is a handy dandy thing to have on hand!) So, here goes....

• You will need 2 pieces of material for the outside and inside, but cut to 4.5" x 6.5".
• You will also need interfacing cut to the same dimensions. I use what I have on hand (great stash buster project), but if you are buying interfacing, go with the heavier stuff. Not the fluffy stuff, which is what I had for this particular one.
• You will also need 2 pieces of material cut to 4.5" x 4.5" for the pockets.
• And, of course, thread, iron, sewing machine.

In my typical fashion, I eyeball a lot. A LOT! So, for seam allowances, when I sewed the pockets on, I sewed very close to the edge. When I sewed the inside/outside pieces together, I sewed a little further from the edge. That's as good as a seam allowance guesstimate your gonna get here!

Step 1:
Iron the pocket pieces in half and iron the interfacing onto the wrong side of one of the inside/outside pieces (polka dots in the pictures).

Step 2:
Sew the pockets on to the polka dot piece you just lined. Sew the pockets at the end of each short side with the folded edge facing the middle.


Step 3:
With wrong sides together, sew the other inside/outside piece to the one with the pockets. The pockets will be inside. I think it's easiest to start sewing on the long side, right where the pocket starts. Sew around and stop at the top of the other pocket, this leaves an opening to turn the wallet right side out. Clip the corners so that it will lay better.


Step 4:
Turn wallet right side out and iron flat. You will want to iron the opening edges in; it makes the next step easier.

Step 5:
Topstitch around the entire thing.

Step 6:
Fold it in half and give another once over with the iron.

Easy peasy lemon squeasy! Honestly, I think it took me all of 20 minutes to do and a great way to use those odd pieces of your favorite material!

And since this is my first tutorial, if I have left anything out, please let me know.

Week 12

I am reeeaaaallly behind on this 52 Weeks, 52 Projects thing. I have been creating, but just don't take the time to photograph what I have done. We recently bought a new camera. I think I need to pry the old one out of the hands of our budding photographer, H, and keep it in my craft area! Anyway, I will update with a project, but there is so much more to add in another post.
Here is a scrappy scarf that I made. Really very easy. I cut all the pieces the same rectangle shape, arranged the patterns the way I liked them (front and back), then sewed them together. Once it was turned right side out (the hardest part), I topstitched it. I loved how it turned out and I think it's a great piece with my new Boden jacket. (Birthday gift from my wonderful husband!) Each rectangle was about 3 inches wide, and maybe 6 inches long. I am guessing here. I had no formula or pattern, just winged it in my typical style.

I think I may try a tutorial next.

Week 11

Falling behind....

I'm still working on a project a week, but I forget to take photos and never get to posting the projects. This is a great way to dress up a t-shirt. I found the tutorial here.



I bought 2 inexpensive t-shirts, same color. Using one of them, I cut heart shapes. The hearts were about 2-2.5 inches in the middle, vertically, to give you an idea of how big they were. I cut out a bunch and wasn't too picky about how perfect they were or were not. Then, I sewed them onto the tee at the neckline. I used my sewing machine and just did a quick stitch right in the middle of the heart. A quick back and forth and that's it! I didn't place the pieces before I stitched. I just sewed one, then eyeballed where another should go, then sewed that one. The closer they are together, the fuller the embellishment. I can't wait for the weather to warm up to wear it!

We are leaving on Tuesday for vacation. We are driving through Milan to see a friend, then on to cruising. We are heading to Athens and Rome again (fave!!), then to the big sights I want to see; Istanbul and the Black Sea (Ukraine). There are a few other stops in there, but these are my highlights. Hopefully the weather will be warm-ish, and the cruise will be decent! And, O is big enough to join the Kids Club!!

Week 10

Still catching up...

Our dear friends from the UK came by for the night. Every time Gwen and I get together, we inevitably make something. This time, I showed her an ipod stand that I saw on Etsy. We batted around ideas on how it was made. Gwen was ready to go home and make a pattern from a PG Tips tea bag. Then it came to her. My machine was set up and ready to go, so we made a few prototypes and eventually came up with what we wanted. Check it out. Super simple!

Week 9

The Brown family going away gift was pretty special, if you ask me. I took pictures of letters that are in different places around our village. The B is from the local backerei (bakery), R from our favorite restaurant.....you get the drift. I would hope that our friends look back on the places they have driven past or been to these past couple of years with fond memories. We sure will miss them!

A Rough Week

I am a little behind in the crafting department. Last week was one of the hardest weeks of my life.

Tuesday, our dear friends moved back to the States. How I will miss Claudia's laugh and our easy conversations. She has a wicked sense of humor and is the life of any party!

Thursday, by far, the hardest day of my life, thus far. Our dear Gracie girl died. I am still grieving for my first baby. It sounds ridiculous, but she was my Gracie Girl. She died peacefully that afternoon. I don't wish this situation on my worst enemy. My heart hurts and I miss her dearly. She was an old girl, and just slept most of the day, but I miss the jingling of her tags, her velvet ears, her chestnut brown eyes, her purring noise when she stretched and a million other things. A coworker gave me "Dog Heaven" by Cynthia Rowland to read to Henry. It was a sweet book. A part of the book mentioned that Angel Children walk the Angel Dogs back to earth so they can check up on their families. Mark made me feel good the other day. He said he sometimes sees her in the corner or basking in the ray of sun that comes in through the front window. An Angel Child must be walking our girl. She is checking up on us to make sure we are ok. I like to think that- it comforts me.

And to finish the horrible week, Mark had shoulder surgery. He was a star patient and is now comfortably recovering at home.

So forgive me if I am a few weeks behind. Life is throwing some curve balls and I'm not a good ball player.

Gracie Woodbury Stowe
October 14, 1996- March 4, 2010

Week 8

Baby gift 2. Another coworker had a baby at the beginning of January. I finally got my act together and finished up her baby gift. I was under a deadline, as this week was the first time I saw her since her maternity leave. Here is the final product. These canvases are about 5x7 and they spell her daughter's name. I don't like how the ribbon came out when they are flat; kind of arched. But, once they are hung (I figured on a peg or even a white, round drawer pull) they come to a point and look better. I printed a font that I liked, then transferred it onto the canvas (which was already primed). In acrylic paint, the background is pastel colors of the nursery, the letters brown and the stuff on the letters is in cream. I was pleased with how they eventually turned out.