I Love You Invisible Thread

LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I just discovered this stuff and I've found all sorts of uses for it...

It works great for top-stitching the opening of a pillowcase closed (see both inside, lower edges?)

or for sewing a label onto something that is visible in the back

or when you have multi-colored fabric

or for top-stitching any other item closed (see the bottom center?)

A bit of a pain to work with but not too terrible. Plus its only a buck and change at Walmart :)

I'd love to hear of other uses you've found for it. I'd also love to hear that I'm not the only one who is just now discovering it!

~Star

Tutorial: How To Make A Contoured Changing Pad Cover

I love my new cover but can I just complain about one thing really fast? In some spots my minky fabric looks like it's worn out and it's brand new! I noticed this as soon as I cut out my pattern and was getting ready to sew. UGH. I contemplated going back to Joann's with it but even if they would have given me new stuff I didn't want to wait for it. Plus I had already washed and cut it. And that dang minky dot fabric is expensive even with my coupon! ANYWAY now that I got that off my chest, on to my tutorial...

You need:

1 Yard Fabric (this is for one cover but you probably want to make two covers)

10" of 1/4" Elastic

Sewing Machine & Thread

Rotary Mat & Cutter or Scissors

You will cut three pieces; two sides and one big piece for the center. For the center I measured up the front (4.5"), from front to back of the top (18") and down the back (4.5") then added 3" to each side for the bottom. That totaled 33" and the width was 32". Factor in a 1/2" seam allowance to both sides of the width and you need a 33x33 square of fabric. Cut this out first.

Now for the sides. I used a gift bag to trace the side onto. You will add 3" to the bottom of the tracing so leave room.

Here's my sloppy outline with 3" added to the bottom (the "bottom" is on top in this picture):NOTE: I forgot to add 1/2" seam allowance around the 3 edges (excluding the very bottom) but you definately should before cutting for a better fit :) Now cut your pattern piece out.
Now trace it onto your fabric two times and cut. These are your sides. Now line up a center of the big square you cut earlier (each side measures the same so just pick one) with the center of one of your side pieces. I did this by folding them in half as pictured. Make sure the right sides are together and the points face the unfinished edge.Now pin along the edge starting in the middle. As you go, pin the edge of the side piece as if it were straight. When you get to the corner of the side piece, bring your center piece to your side piece so you can keep pinning the edges together and it will look like this when you're done: Repeat on the opposite side. After you've sewn what you just pinned with a 1/2" seam allowance, you can hem, serge or overcast stitch (like me) all the way around the edge.Now you will place the cover on your changing pad and pull the bulk on the corners to see how much to cut out. You can mark it right at the point of the bottom of the pad (where my pen is pointing) or even pin the fabric in place but I just kept my finger there and eye-balled it.With right sides together and starting at that mark, sew a line to the other edge forming a triangle.

Cut the triangle off

Sew a 2.5 long strip of elastic along the edge of each corner, pulling the elastic tight as you go.

And there you have it folks!

As always I love seeing others' work so keep me posted if you make one :)

~Star

Link parties I'm joining:

Decorative Balls

I used 2 different tutorials for these; one found at Frugal Home Ideas (the ones you wrap around a balloon) and one found at Vanessa Christenson (the ones you hot glue to a styrofoam ball).

Instead of 4" styrofoam balls, I found fake oranges at the dollar store and instead of buying Stiffy for the others I just used Mod Podge (although I had to use tweezers to pick at them after it dried and I don't know if you would have to do that with Stiffy). I used Jute Twine for the styrofoam ones because that's what I had on hand but I wouldn't recommend it - I think the Jute is a lot skinnier so it takes longer to wrap and the hot glue seeps out more.

Total cost: $3

~Star

I'm linking up:

Tutorial: How To Make An Ironing Board Cover

I should have done this sooner! It was really easy and my old cover was so stinking gross. All the tutorials I found had casings with drawstrings and I just wanted elastic so I did it my own way and it worked just fine.

Supplies:

Fabric (measure length of your board and add 8"-10")

Pkg 1/4" Elastic

Sewing Machine

Roatary Mat & Cutter or Scissors

Lay your fabric out, place board over it and cut about 3" outside the edge all the way around. I cut a bit less on the back end because we use the metal iron holder and I didn't want to cover it.

Pinch and pin the front end in the middle
Do that two more times, one on each side

Remove pin and cut all three chunks of fabric to get rid of some bulk
Go to the back end and do the same thing once on each corner
With right sides together, line the cuts up and sew a straight line down each
It will look like this on the front end:
and like this on the back end:
I used my overlock foot that I talked about here and used an overcast stitch all the way around. I kind of wish I hemmed it so I'd recommend doing that instead.

Here's how it looks so far:

Now to add the elastic. Start at your front end by marking about 6" from your outtermost seams. Zig-zag stitch your elastic from one mark to the next, pulling tight as you go.

Don't forget to secure by stitching back and forth a couple times when you start and when you stop. Cut elastic.

Repeat on back end the same way; mark about 6" out from each seam then attach elastic in the same manner.

For the sides you will need to mark 7" from where your elastic ended on both the front and back end then attach elastic the same way.

Here's how it looks underneath once it's on:

I left the old cover on and just put this over it. Make sure you leave the foam alone because it's a specific heat-resistant kind.

Let me know if you use this tutorial and show me your finished product!

~Star