yo gabba gabba's plex

 My nephew loves Yo Gabba Gabba!  I think it's pretty cool myself.  I thought I should make him a cool applique shirt with Plex.  I love how it turned out.  I think he did too!

a few baby gifts

I have been sewing quite a bit lately - mostly small projects(pjs for the boys and the little girl, an Easter dress, baby gifts), but just haven't taken photos of the finished projects with the exception of these gifts for the babies.

With a double baby shower this week, I got to make a few gifts for a future little boy and a future little girl. As usual, I stuck with quick projects that I know well. Someday I will branch out, but until that day, I will be able to swiftly put together a package for a new baby.

The gift for the little girl was a one yard flannel blanket using purple and white striped flannel on one side and a flannel patchwork pattern of vibrant colors on the other.I used a piece of turquoise flannel to applique a heart on the purple and white side for a pop of color.

I just sewed the blanket right sides together leaving a 6 inch opening for turning it right side in. Then, zig zagged stitched all the way around the perimeter.The gift for the baby boy was a set of four bibs using two different rocket ship fabrics, flannel and terry cloth. I used the bib pattern found here at juicy bits blog. I use industrial snaps at the top instead of Velcro because I like the look of the big shiny round snaps on something so delicate!

bee mine appliqued shirt and pattern

It's time to find a shirt and add an applique for Valentines Day! And with a few days until Valentines, you know you want to. I have a good friend who encourages us to make these for our daughters at each holiday and I am so grateful that she does because we get it done and have so much fun in the process. This time, she came over along with Melissa (who made a little something else and I am sure she will share with you soon) and we had fun (I mean- got to work).

It was a Bee Mine applique this time and HERE is the pattern for you to use as well. I used the original size of the pattern and for my friend, Vicki, we enlarged it 115% so that it was more proportioned to her t-shirt since her daughter is a bit older.The bee is done in fabric while the "mine" is freezer paper stenciled with fabric paint. The stinger is a zig zag satin stitch that gradually gets smaller. I attached the googly eyes with clear fabric paint. I think they should last in the wash if I turn the shirt inside out. But, I will test it!

Here's Vicki's shirt for her daughter Molly.

simple silhouette applique for the baby girls

Sometimes the simplest touches have a big effect. I love to applique (that's no secret) and sometimes my favorite things to applique are simple silhouette shapes. If you choose the right fabrics and use great colors, they can really POP.

For my friend's baby girl, I made a receiving blanket with 1 yard of hot pink flannel on one side and 1 yard of bright aqua flannel on the reverse.

To add a pop or color, I appliqued a butterfly on both sides in the reverse colors.

I used the butterfly shape found in my Photoshop Elements program and enlarged it to fit a 8 1/2"X11 sheet of paper.

Keeping with the butterfly theme, I appliqued tiny butterflies on to a onesie using shapes from the Martha Stewart template link found at the bottom of this post.

I used it once before on a shirt for my daughter here.

Since baby girls seem to be popping up all over, I made another blanket for a friend's baby girl using a bunny shape I found on the Internet(just Google "bunny silhouette" and make sure the images are royalty free).

I appliqued a white bunny in felt to the hot pink side of the blanket and a pink and white dot bunny to the pink and white polka dot fabric. Both pieces of fabric are 1 yard each of flannel.

I made a matching bib with flannel using the pattern from here from juicy bits blog.

Another friend's baby girl was born last week, so I appliqued a different bunny silhouette using a vintage pillow case as the bunny fabric on to a onesie.

Since the white bunny on the white onesie wasn't showing up (surprise!)I stitched around it in hot pink thread. I did highlight the nose with a pink satin stitch and add an eye with a french knot.

Here are a few ideas for silhouette images:

*The shapes feature in the Photoshop Elements Program
*Martha Stewart templates- bird, and butterfly
*Hummingbird Applique at Juicy Bits Blog
*Any free SVG images on the Internet - they are for Cricut machines and are usually simple silhouette graphics
*Rabbit Silhouette here on free clip art blog
*Check out any free clip art on the Internet for shapes

hello (kitty) FIVE!

My youngest, Mallory, turns five today. All she wanted (well, almost all) was a Hello Kitty party. Since she had a party with friends last year, it was a party with family this year. So, she got to watch her brothers eat on Hello Kitty plates, use Hello Kitty napkins and drink from Hello Kitty cups.

When I was younger, I was lucky enough to have a Sanrio shop down the street. I remember saving my money to buy My Melody pencils and erasers and a Little Twin Stars wallet. Back then, Hello Kitty was a bit more unique. Now you can find it everywhere and as much as that takes away from the uniqueness, it does make it easier for a mom to pick up all these trinkets for her daughter!

For her birthday shirt, I appliqued Hello Kitty holding birthday balloons on to her shirt.

I just used the napkin from her party and put it right in the copy machine and enlarged it a bit. I then, used the picture as a pattern for the applique.

Happy Birthday Mallory!

scruffy dog applique

Last night I went to a baby shower for a newborn boy. For the baby gift, I appliqued this little scruffy dog on a onesie and gave it with some nice soft stripey pants.

Here are a few versions I have made in the past and thought you might like the pattern.

You can download it HERE.

applique turkey pattern

For those who wanted the pattern for the turkey applique...follow this link!

*just fixed the link to publish on google docs. let me know if it doesn't work.

giving thanks for turkeys on t-shirts

My friend had a last minute idea to applique some turkeys on t-shirts for our girls. She saw this one over here and thought we could do something similar. In a few hours we had two shirts appliqued - one for her girl and one for mine. I forget how much I like to sew since it seems like I rarely get a chance to do it anymore. I drew out the pattern for this applique since there wasn't one on the blog we got the idea from. Let me know if you want me to post it!

dog applique

I am really not much of a dog person (so sorry), but I do enjoy drawing them and turning them in to appliques. I think they look so cute on clothes for baby boys. So, maybe I am a dog person...just in clothing! Here is a onesie I made for a new baby boy for my friend and neighbor. If there is any interest in the applique pattern, I can draw it and put it in google docs. Just let me know.

i can't quite tell...

if I am extra busy so I don't craft as much or a bit lazy when it comes to crafting. I still totally dig it, but I think things changed a lot this year when my six year old started kindergarten. He has juvenile diabetes and it seems as though I spent a lot of time up at the elementary school. I have two older boys and I think I was up there more this school year than I was total the seven years before while the older boys attended. But, it has been a blessing to be up there and see him (them all for that matter) have such a successful first year. And, Mallory (my four year old), she keeps me busy too. But what mom isn't busy with her kids? I guess things just changed here for a bit. I still love this blog and I have been working on a few things lately that I wanted to share with you...

A Coke and diet Coke necklace for my dear friend and diet Coke enthusiast

A charm bracelet for that same friend for her birthday

a birthday shirt for a one year old who was having a doggie themed birthday party


and a birthday banner for that same little one year old for his party

another doggie

I will put the pattern up for this applique soon since it's such an easy one and I am finding it to be my "go to" applique for every little baby boy.