Cupcake Pin Cushions!

Today I'm over at Dollar Store Crafts sharing how to make these cute cupcake pin cushions. Once you get the basics on the larger size, come back and get details on how to make the tiny one...


...you can even turn it into a pin cushion ring, for when you need to keep some pins "close at hand!"


Recognize my "cupcake paper"? It's the lid from a Cherry Coke!
To make the ring, I cut a red hair tie and threaded the ends through the two holes I drilled, leaving enough room at the bottom for my finger to fit through.

Then I simply tied a square knot and clipped the ends.

The rest of the pin cushion is constructed the same way as the larger one. I used a 2 1/4" diameter circle for the cupcake top. You can use the same holes you used for the elastic to tie down the top -- just use a little caution not to snag the elastic. For the cherry I used a 1 1/8" diameter circle.

I used 6 strands of thread to create those little sprinkles -- each sprinkle is just a simple stitch.


Done! This one is my favorite!
I'm going to use this one for my hand sewing needles. Seems like they are always getting lost in the "guts" of my larger pin cushions... but there's no way to lose them in this tiny little guy!

Tiny Party Hats!

Today's Dollar Store Craft just kills me! My kids and I are obsessed with collecting tiny little stuffed animals. We have a great time playing with them and making them do all sorts of fun things. One of our favorite things to play (besides camping) is that they are having a birthday party, so of course they needed some tiny little birthday party hats!

So tiny!

I simply used some leftover party hats, a tiny hole punch, some clear tape, and this pattern.


Trace your pattern on the back side of an opened party hat and cut it out. When you tape, don't overlap your ends -- butt them against each other and use one piece of clear tape on the inside and one on the inside. Punch holes and thread the original hat's elastic through. Tie on either end, creating the length you need. Done!

I got carried away and made a couple dozen for our stuffed animals!
And this size works great for Barbie, too!

Lighted Skulls -- a Recycle Project!

I'm over at Dollar Store Crafts today with a quick, easy, CHEAP project for Halloween. This project only takes a couple minutes! Then, once you learn the basics of how to make these little guys, head back over here for a bonus project idea:


To make this version, all you need is a small string of twinkle lights (mine was a 20-light strand) and a utility knife. Simply cut a small X in the top of each skull and pop the lights in. I put my skulls on every other bulb, but every third would work well too. Easy!


Hey, while you're at it, remember this project from last year?

It continues to be one of my favorites! Check it out, and try it!

EASY Pirate Doo-Rag

With Buzz's pirate-themed birthday party over the weekend, I've got pirates on the brain -- and a few ideas to share! Today I'll show you how I made an easy pirate doo-rag for Mr. S. (Check that pirate-y sneer!)

I find that the secret is to use a KNIT fabric. It's more comfortable and has a little stretch, which helps it to stay on much better. I had a random bit of black knit fabric in my costume fabric box, but you could certainly recycle an old t-shirt too.

What you need:
Approximately 20" square of black (red would be great too!) knit fabric
approximately 5" square scrap of white knit fabric
5" square piece of freezer paper

STEP ONE: Draw a skull and crossbones on your freezer paper.

STEP TWO: Cut it out -- you are removing the inside part of your pattern and keeping the outside part! Fuse your freezer paper pattern to your square of knit fabric.

STEP THREE: Pin your freezer paper and knit fabric on one corner of your black square, so the bottom of the crossbones is about 6" up from the corner.

STEP FOUR: Using black thread, sew around the inside edge of your freezer paper pattern. I used my free-motion foot. (See why I love my free-motion foot in the short video under step four in this tutorial!) You can certainly use a regular foot -- it just means you'll be lifting and lowering your presser foot a lot to get around those curves and corners.

Of course I had to add some angry eyes!

STEP FIVE: Cut away the excess fabric around your skull and crossbones. Your doo-rag is complete!

I found the most FABULOUS how-to on tying doo-rags here! This particular page is perfectly safe to look at, but please note that it is a biker website, so photos of scantily-clad women are likely to be on other pages. Just be forewarned! :o)

Baby Onesie into Doll Onesie -- TUTORIAL

A few weeks back I got an email from Crystal, asking how I made the doll onesie in this post. I finally have a tutorial put together! The basic idea is pretty simple, although it takes a lot of photos and explaining. It is somewhat similar to my Baby Clothes to Doll Clothes tutorial, but definitely more involved. You don't need a pattern -- you will custom fit your onesie to your particular doll. Don't be scared!




What you need:

~ a doll to dress
~ a onesie to remake
(I found this onesie at the dollar store, but you could use a thrifted or outgrown onesie.)
~ pins
~ sewing machine
~ small piece of velcro
~ patience


STEP ONE: Carefully cut your onesie apart at the seams. You will end up with four peices -- front, back, and two sleeves.

STEP TWO: Lay your front and back pieces over your doll, right sides facing the doll, starting with the back and then the front. (This way they will be on the correct sides when you turn it right side out.)

Pin at the shoulder seams. Very gently pull it over your doll's head. This is a good way to be sure it will come off and on!

NOTE: If your doll has a really huge noggin, making the neckline of your onesie giant and unflattering for Dolly, try pulling it down and off instead of over the head!

This is what it will look like when it is laid flat.

STEP THREE: Sew the shoulder seams slightly to the outside of your pins. You will only need to sew from the edge of the ribbing on the front to the edge of the ribbing on the back.

STEP FOUR: Decide whether you want short sleeves or long sleeves. (I chose to do long sleeves this time.) Place a sleeve on the doll and mark at the top of the shoulder where the shoulder seam should be.

Cut the sleeve all the way across at that length, making sure to add a seam allowance. (I didn't cut mine very straight!!)

STEP FIVE: Determine how wide you want the sleeve. Mark each side with pins...

...and cut a sleeve shape. Don't forget the seam allowance! (I did; the sleeves ended up a little too tight!)

STEP SIX: Here's where I missed a photo. I put the onesie back over my doll's head, inside-out as usual, and marked with pins where the underarm seam would be. I then cut away some of the excess fabric, leaving a seam allowance, as shown in this photo.

STEP SEVEN: Attach the sleeve! Pin the sleeve in half and mark the center. Line it up with the center meeting point of the front and back of the onesie. Lay them right sides together, matching the pins, and pin the sleeve on. You may need to stretch the sleeve piece a little to make it fit the arm hole.

STEP EIGHT: Go ahead and sew the underarm seam of the sleeve, stopping at the armpit.

STEP NINE: Back on the doll again, inside out! Pin the side seams down past where the leg holes will be -- approximately mid-thigh.

Sew!

STEP TEN: Back on the doll again, inside out, then AFTER checking to make sure the fit works, trim away the excess fabric.

NOTE: If you like, you can stop here and make a little gown! Cut the length down past Dolly's toes, make a quick little casing, thread some narrow elastic through, and you are done! I've made a few of these, and they are just so cute -- that's what JellyBean wore to bed up until she was 3 or 4 months old!

STEP TEN: Trim one side of the front to create a onesie shape. You do not need to leave a seam allowance.

Remove the onesie and fold it so the side seams are together, then trim the other side of the front to match. You can then trim the back approximately the same, leaving it full length in the back.

STEP ELEVEN: On the doll AGAIN. :o) Trim the back to a more appropriate length. Remember that the back will need to overlap the front.

STEP TWELVE: (Bad picture!!) Using the smaller of your two leftover onesie scraps, cut two strips, approximately 2" wide. Sew them together to create one long strip.

STEP THIRTEEN: Open one of the side seams a couple inches.

Begin sewing your strip to the lower raw edge of your onesie, right sides together. Give your strip a little stretch as you go. You'll have to fiddle it around the curves.

STEP FOURTEEN: This photo shows how I folded the raw edge of the strip under, also leaving it overlapped a little bit. (Look at the left side, under my thumb.) Life would have been much easier for me if I had pinned the whole thing before sewing. But I didn't. You will sew all the way around the lower edge. Then re-sew that side seam you opened up.
(If you are putting in a little brand-name tag at the bottom, like on the butterfly onesie pictured at the top, you will stick it in during this step.)

Now you just need to decide whether you want your onesie to velcro together back-over-front, as onesies traditionally do...

...or front-over-back. I chose to do mine this way, because it obviously looks SO MUCH better! Pin to mark where your velcro pieces will go, and sew them on.

TA-DA!!
This long-sleeved onesie looks very much like a leotard -- I think a tu-tu is in Dolly's future!!

Trust me, the second time around (if you can stand to do it again!) goes much more quickly and easily than the first one you make. If you end up being brave enough to try this out, I'd love to see a photo!

Keep that other piece of the original onesie. You could make a cute little newborn hat using Wendy's Newborn Doll Hat Tutorial at her blog, Old Days - Old Ways!

What I've learned:
~ I prefer the look of the short-sleeved onesie.
~ My butterfly onesie was 100% cotton; the dollar store version was 65% cotton/35% polyester. I definitely prefer the cotton one.
~ On this onesie I should have cut the bottom edge a little higher for a much cuter fit.

EASY Doll Pants, Socks, Hat, Scarf! -- TUTORIAL

Today I want to show you how I completely outfitted my 18" doll (who I got for a buck at the thrift store!!) using all dollar store or on-hand items -- and I made them ALL during ONE of JellyBean's naps! No patterns, no measuring, no stress!


This poor girl has been sitting on my top shelf, in the buff, for months! Time to get her dressed; she's been looking so cold and lonely up there!

First: a shirt!
I started with this WEIRD "rearview mirror T-shirt" I found at one of the more obscure dollar stores nearby. (Yes, it does say "My other car is a piece of junk." That was one of the tamer quotes! I plan to cover that weirdness with something cute at some point in the future.)


I simply cut it straight down the back and added velcro. Easy! She looks more comfortable already.


Next up: Pants!
I used a pair of outgrown baby pants.
STEP ONE: Put the pants on your doll, inside-out. Pin around her legs to make the pants fit, as shown in the photo, using the original elastic waistband. This particular waistband is a little bit bulky, but it works fine.
(This is the same method as my Baby Jammies to Doll Jammies tutorial.)


STEP TWO: Carefully remove the pants, sew where you pinned, and put them back on the doll to check the fit. If everything looks okay, go ahead and trim away the excess. (I ended up going back to raise the crotch of the pants just a little for a better fit.)


STEP THREE: Fold up the bottoms of the pants and pin in place.

STEP FOUR: Carefully sew the hem. If your pants are made from a stretchy fabric, avoid stretching it as you sew, or you will end up with a wonky-looking hem. I pinned my hem high so I wouldn't have to worry about removing pins as I sewed, and I sewed from the inside (which was the "right" side!) of the pants. See photo if this sounds confusing!

STEP FIVE: Trim away the excess fabric from your hem, and the pants are done!

Next up: Knee-High Socks!
I got my ankle socks on the dollar aisle at Target. Ankle socks are also available at the dollar store.

STEP ONE: Same idea again! Put an inside-out sock on your doll and pin around. I stretched it around the ankle area to make it fit closely.

STEP TWO: Sew around and trim, and you are done! I love how this pair ended up with white toes and heels -- just like big people's socks!!

And, last but not least, the hat and scarf! This one is a Dollar Store Crafts Exclusive, though -- so you'll have to go there for the Doll Hat and Scarf Tutorial!