Enter! Don't forget!

Don't forget! You must comment to be entered into the contest I am running this week!

Only 2 more days to enter, and it's ever so easy to enter!

The contest will run until Friday, November 20th, at 11:59pm, EST. All entries after that point will not be entered. The winner will be chosen Saturday, November 21st, and notified immediatly.

1 Sweater = Hat & Scarf Set!

Also featured on Sewing Gossip!


Yesterday, I made a trip to the local Goodwill AS-IS center, which sells items that don't sell fast enough in the regular Goodwill stores. It takes in items from as many as 15 near-by Goodwill's, so they have quite the selection. Items are marked down according to what they are, and how much it was to begin with. Nothing is more than $3.29, or cheaper than $.29, though.After seeing so many neat tutorials lately using sweaters as a base, I decided to try my hand at some. I scooped up probably 7 or 8 sweaters for $.79 each, and 1 children's sweater for only $.29. I didn't get real fancy, just quick & easy projects.

Sweater Hat & Scarf Set

You'll Need:

1 old sweater- For children, get an XL children's sweater, or SM adult sweater. For adults, XL works best. This is more for scarf length than for the hat, though.
Sewing Machine
Thread
Scissors
Yarn* OptionalCarefully cut the sleeves off the sweater first, right at the seam.

1. Turn the sleeves inside out. You'll notice that in the large opening, the top where it met the shoulder is going to be wider than the bottom part of the opening. Smooth the sleeves flat, and turn one upside down, so that the curves meet each other- wide to narrow. If you put it narrow to narrow and wide to wide, you'll have a V shaped scarf!
2. Pin the edges together, and sew the seams together, taking care not to sew the tube it forms together.
   
3. Turn it right side out, and you have a quick, easy scarf! You can embellish it further, if you like.
4. For the hat, first measure the person's head. You'll want to add 1 inch for seam allowance to that measurement. Measure it out on the sweater. I measured half of it, and cut using the side seam. For the height, children's hats work good at 10 inches in height. Adults work good at 12 inches. Make sure to make use of the waist line, if there is a different stitch- this makes for a great band on the hat!
5. 
6. Once you have cut the fabric for the hat, stitch the open seam straight up with the machine.
7. For the top of the hat, you can stitch straight across, but for a more fitted look, I made a cross style seam- I sewed an inch inward on the two edges, then puffed out the open section to create two side seams doing the same. You will want to round this off, or you will have a "crown" on the hat, and (not that I know this from personal experience -innocent-), your 13 year old daughter will look at you like you are nuts in requesting that she wear it to school. Of course, I did not get a photo of this. Here, have a nifty drawing!
8. Admit it, I should have been an artist. Here is another drawing, showing how to curve the seam.
9. Once you have rounded it off, turn it right side out for a cute little hat! I also made a "puff ball" (I use that term loosely, since it was not a ball, but rather like curly cooked spaghetti) for the top of my youngest daughter's hat set. To do this, I wrapped a lot of yarn around my fingers, then tied it together, and cut the loops. It was too long, but I still thought it was really cute. I hand stitched the puff ball to the top.
   

Pretty easy, huh? It took me maybe 20 minutes to make this set, and cost me all of $.29! I still have enough sweater left over for another hat, or a pair of mittens, too! However, since my almost-8-year-old refuses to wear anything but gloves, I skipped the mittens.

I made a set for my 13 year old daughter, and one for myself as well. I also did a scarf for my step-mom, but haven't completed the hat yet. Each set was under $1 to make, and they look great. Most of them were made from thick, bulky sweaters, for warmth. My own set was made from a thin white sweater, but it matched my jacket!

My next project after this set, is the set of hats below, also made from just 1 sweater! Are they not adorable? I love them!

Making A Snake, Pt 2

Last week, I blogged about making a furry purple snake using a Dollar Tree fake fur "boa". Shortly after that, I started playing around with the fun scarves I picked up at Dollar Tree, and found a few other ways to make them.

Fun Stuffed Snake

You'll Need:
Knit Scarf from Dollar Tree
Fleece or Felt
Felt Scraps
Batting or Stuffing- Heck, if you went really frugal, Dollar Store cotton balls would work!
Sewing Machine
Hand Sewing Needle & Thread
Jingle Bells (if you want a Rattle Snake)
Assorted Items to Decorate With- rhinestones, beads, tulle, felt shapes, ribbon, buttons, etc.

1. Cut your scarf in half. Measure it on a length of fleece or felt, and cut a second section out of your secondary fabric. You can use the scarf for both pieces, but the fabric is very stretchy, and in my tries, the snakes came out easier with fleece as the bottom side.
2. Using red or pink felt, cut a forked tongue. Pin your snake together, with the tongue along the inside, so that when it is turned right side out, it will stick out from the mouth.
3. Sew the material together in a tube. Of my tries, I found it easier to sew the mouth shut first, not the tail.
4. Turn the snake right side out, and smooth it out. Note in the photo below, I did not start with the mouth. In the photo below it, you'll see that this was a problem when it came to sewing it back up, and it did not turn out great.
5. Stuff the snake gently. The fabric will stretch, so you can very easily get your hand all the way down to the mouth. Do not over stuff, or the snake comes out very stiff.
6. Smooth the batting down, then tie the tail section off, so there is a few inches of "tail" tied off like a pony tail, nice and tight.
7. Trim down the excess top fabric to about half the length of the excess bottom fabric. Add 2-3 bells, if you are using them. Now, tug the bottom fabric around, and wind it around itself to cover the top fabric completely. This will form your tail section. You'll want it nice and pointy.
8. Using your regular needle & thread, start stitching the edges closed, until you have a nice pointy tail.
9. Optional! I then used my needle & thread to create ridges. First, pull the needle through the section, then wrap the thread around the tail in that section 2-3 times, pulling it nice and tight, before sewing through the fabric again. Knot it off, and repeat further up the tail, until it has enough ridges for you.
10. Hand sew buttons or fabric scraps into place for the eyes of the snake, tying off tightly.

These are just adorable little snuggly snakes (this coming from a woman who can not stand snakes!). I've made 4 of them now, each different than the last, and I love each of them.

For one of them, I used both black/purple & black/hot pink scarves, and made it "Punk" by adding a skull necklace, and a hot pink tutu. I thought it was cute! I'm giving this one to one of our nieces, along with matching arm warmers for Christmas.


There are so many ways to embellish these little guys! Two of my own kids have asked for them for Christmas now, so I have two set aside for them!

My 2009 Family Ornament

For the past few years now, I have ordered a personalized Christmas ornament for our tree. Two years ago, I did a red and green border, with our names in the middle. Last year, I added a photo of the kids to one side, and a quick Christmas greeting to the other side. I got such a great deal last year, that I ordered enough for Grandparent gifts.

This year, I wasn't planning to order one, as money is tight. However, a great deal came along at Artscow, and I couldn't resist! For just $1.99 (shipped!), I ordered a double sided star. Last year's ornament turned out decent enough, but I had no good photos of the kids together from this fall. I had plenty in the summer, bright & sunshiny, but I didn't want that!

After playing around, I opted simply to add the family name to one side, and each of our individual names to the backside. I just love how this one turned out, and can't wait until it arrives! I do want to change the ribbon, as they come with bright red satin ribbon, and I used dark red and ice blue for the ornament, with touches of cream. I have some pretty cream grosgrain in my ribbon drawer, though.

Here is the photo of the 2009 ornament! Because I ordered now, it will arrive with plenty of time to spare for Christmas. Artscow is promising pre-Christmas delivery on any item ordered before November 30th.



Don't forget- the contest is still open! There are only a few entries, and the winner will get to pick their prize, and receive a surprise gift, as well! To enter, simply leave a comment on the post!

Check Me Out!

Today, my cute little kids Potholder Apron's have been featured on Dollar Store Crafts!

For all the new viewers who are popping in today from Dollar Store Crafts- Welcome! Here are a few links to some of my other Dollar Store craft projects I have done. I love frugal crafts, and right now, with Christmas coming up, I'm trying out lots of new things!

Also while you are here, I am holding a contest this week, so check it out and sign up if you are interested!

Dollar Store Wreath

Dollar Store Christmas Candle

Dollar Store Fingerless Gloves

$.23 Thanksgiving Place Setting Decorations!

Another Dollar Store Children's Apron & Fuzzy Arm Warmers

Dishtowel Angel