Another Handmade Book

I think I have discovered a new hobby.  (I don't need a new hobby, but I am really enjoying this one none the less.)

This book has a cover.

It also lays flat when opened.

I have found this GREAT YouTube Channel (Sea Lemon) that has all sorts of book binding methods along with other crafts.  She is fantastic.  I am now addicted.  I watch her for instructions, but I also watch her for ideas and enjoyment while I fold the laundry.

Drawstring Backpack Tutorial

I made these drawstring backpacks for a friend (she wanted them for her kids for Christmas). Note: These backpacks are great for small books and toys, but not suitable for heavy items

Cut fabric 13" or 14" wide by 36" long. Then fold in half (it should now measure 13 by 18 inches) and press. If you want to applique or embroider on it, do so now.



Measure 3 inches down and cut a slit 1/4" wide. Do this on both the left and right sides of the front and the back of the backpack. Then press each to the inside (or wrong side of fabric).



Now press the top of the front and the top of the back down 1/4". I used pressing templates that I found out about on Pintrest (I LOVE that site). You can find more about pressing templates here.



The next step is to fold the top (of both front and back) down to where the pressed edge is lined up with the 1/4" slit that you cut and press, then sew. (You will fold it down about 1 1/4".) This will make the casing for your drawstring.





Now you will need to thread your drawstring through the casing. This has to be done in a specific order for it to "cinch" correctly. I used 4 yds. of drawstring and cut in 1/2. This will give you 2 sections of drawstring 2 yds. each.

Take a safety pin and pin one of your drawstrings on one end. This makes it easier to thread it through the casing. Start on the right side and thread it all the way through the front casing...





...then thread it through the back casing starting on the left side.





This will leave you a loop on the left side...



...and 2 loose ends on the right side of the backpack.



Now, do the opposite. Starting on the left side of the front casing, thread it all the way through...



...and then starting on the right side of the back casing thread it through. This will leave a loop on the right side and 2 loose ends on the left side of the backpack.







On one bag I used twill tape and on the other I used a larger heavier cording. The thin light weight twill tape was used on a girl's backpack, the thicker cording was used for a boy's backpack. I used complimentary or coordinating colors for the drawstring.





Now we are going to use French seams. I love French seams because they add strengh to seams and they are very clean and neat. French seams are best used on straight seams like the drawstring backpack project and this project.

Wrong sides together (yes, you read right - now I know this feels wrong, but to make a French seam you must do this) pin it. Now on the right side at the bottom of the backpack (right at the fold), slide the 2 loose ends of your drawstring (that are also on the right side) into where the seam will be and pin it. Do this to both left and right sides.



Being careful to make sure the drawstring is not twisted (this is important for the flat twill tape, not the round cording) and the edges are lined up, lay one on top of the other before sliding it into where the seam will be, pinning it.







With the thicker cording, it could not lay on top of each other, so I put it side by side (to reduce the bulk and allow it to go through the sewing machine).




Sew with wrong sides together. Sew with 1/4 inch seam (if you cut your fabric 13 inches wide and 1/2 inch if you cut your fabric 14 inches wide). Sew right up to the casing and back stitch. Do this to both sides.





If you had a 1/2 inch seam, trim to 1/4 inch. Turn inside out and press seams flat. It should now be right sides together.



If your drawstring sticks out past the seam, trim flush.





Now sew using 1/2 inch seam allowance. Making sure to trim threads as you go along. This will save time later. When you sew, sew up to the casing, but not over it or you will close it and your drawstring bag will not cinch.



Inside the seam allowance, I sewed over the drawstring part 3 or 4 times to reinforce the drawstring.



Turn right side out and you are done! These make great gifts for kids for Christmas and birthdays. Especially if they are personalized - kids love to see their name.

Pull both drawstrings on each side at the same time and the bag will cinch right up!

Hello Again & Homemade Halloween Costumes

Sorry that I've been gone for so long, but my computer crashed and it took a little while to get it back (I lost EVERYTHING though). Then when I got it back, my camera died (and I think my blog is naked without pictures) and I just now got a new one. So, I have been crafting, but unable to take pictures of a lot/most of them (they were gifts and are now gone). The ones that I was able to hang on to, I will be posting about them later (if I don't forget).

I like to do homemade Halloween costumes. I think it is fun (since I like to make things), my kids have a-one-of-a-kind costume, and it is cost-effective (with 4 kids I need that badly).

Let's talk about cost-effectiveness for a minute. A cheap, purchased Halloween costume is easily $20 (or more if you purchase accessories to go with it) and I have 4 boys. Let's do the math $20 x 4 boys = $80. $80 / 2 hours of trick-or-treating = $40/hour. It would cost me roughly $40 per hour for my kids to wear their costumes. Not very cost effective. (I know, I could pass the costumes down to younger children. Let's look at this option: (1) cheap costumes will probably not last - had that experience before w/ just 2 children, (2) children have a mind of their own and will not want to wear their brother's costume from last year, they will want their own, different kids - different tastes. Again not very cost effective.) So we make our own (as inexpensively as possible). Plus, as a bonus - it's fun!

Champ (11) felt he was too old to dress up, so he is not in the pictures (no costume). Lee (12, soon to be 13 - not ready for a teenager just yet, but that's a whole other topic for another day) wanted to be the invisible man (got the idea from Martha Stewart Halloween Special Issue Magazine - the Vanishing Man page 48). Anthony (6) and Rance (5) were Angry Birds.

My idea was for all the boys to be a different Angry Bird and Frank & I would be the pigs carrying a bucket of eggs. That idea went out the door because my older boys have a mind of their own (can you believe that? - how dare they think on their own and not want to do what their mother wants them to do).


This is Lee as the invisible man.
Jacket, shirt & tie (already had items for church on Sun. mornings): cost $0
Hat (already had hat for family pix - hopefully to be made soon): cost $0 (originally $5, but no actual cost to the costume, b/c it was already purchased for another purpose)
Sunglasses : cost $6 (Dollar General)
Gauze: cost $2 (Dollar General $4 per package, only used 1/2)
Total cost: $8





Black Angry Bird
I purchased a black, knit hat from Wal-Mart ($2), this will also help keep his head warm in cool, Halloween weather w/o obstructing his view or putting something over his face (he would probably hate and not wear anyway after purchasing such mask had I done so). Felt squares 5 for $1 (yellow, tan, black, red, white), had enough to do 2 hats and plenty left over for another project someday. Then I just cut out and hot glued on. Total cost: less than $3. (Note: I put the beak up slightly too high, so when he wears it, the bird is looking up, but since he is a 5 year old little boys, adults and older children can still tell what it is - if I had to redo it, I would put the beak and face lower on the hat.)

I did purchase a black, fleece shirt to wear (to keep warm and match the black hat), cost was $8 from Wal-Mart (he can wear it all year long so that doesn't count toward costume only).






Red Angry Bird
I purchased a red fleece hat from Wal-Mart for $3 (used the felt mentioned in the Black Angry Bird hat - still plenty left over). Total Cost: less than $4

I purchased a red and black fleece shirt from Wal-Mart for $8. He can wear it all winter long.

Total Cost for 3 costumes (not including fleece shirts) was about $15 (if you include the 2 shirts at $8/ea. the total cost for 3 costumes = $31). I realize that I only had 3 dressing up instead of 4, but 3 kids @ $20/costume would still be around $60. I think I came out pretty good.



Here are all 3 of my Trick-or-Treaters.

I love etsy

I love the website etsy, a place to buy and sell all things handmade. (It is pronounced like Betsy but without the 'B.') You can find just about anything on this site.

I love receiving handmade gifts. There is just something special to me about it. Someone took their precious time to make a one of a kind something instead of 5 minutes to run into Wal-Mart and buy something that everyone else has or can get. I think of all the love and talent it took to make the gift (everyone has a different talent, but they are all wonderful). Even if it is a purchased homemade gift (it's special).

I love craft shows/fairs. It is truely amazing at all the talents out there.