LTTSA Juggling Balls and Drawstring Bag

This month I picked out the Juggling Balls and Bag patterns from our LTTSA instead of the playtown. I know my boys very well and they'd much rather throw something than sit and play nicely. Which is why I didn't fill the juggling balls with dried beans or rice to give them a nice weight for juggling, but just stuffed em full of fiberfil. Now they don't hurt to chuck at someone :)

Anyway,
In the spirit of scrappiness that's been floating around blogdom lately, I felt it absolutely necessary to make this set from my leftover primary scraps from my scalloped quilt in Curves Class. 

Hence the fun quilty look on the bag. I used the lining to make the outer and inner pieces of the bag and edge stitched all of my seams. The ball size I went with was the larger 3" diameter.

And of course, Since this is a birthday present for my baby (how the heck is he almost 1yr old already!!!), I had to throw a quick monogram on the bag. I saved the letter from making this and am now glad I did.

I really couldn't be happier with how this project came out. The pictures don't really do it justice because you can't see how nice and sturdy the bag feels or how cool the grossgrain ribbon looks as the handles. Pictures do, however, hide my atrocious handstitching job on the balls.
I've really been diggin' the primary colors lately. More fun pics to come of what else has gotten primary-ed. Like my bathroom re-accessorizing!

Too...Many...Projects...

Well. Ideas I suppose. Or partial projects.
Ever feel like you have so many Ideas and supplies for things that you just don't know what to start or finish next? I'm there. Prioritizing is not my strong suit. But I do enjoy having the ability to make a variety of things at any given moment. Right now I have picture frames from Goodwill to upcyle and paint, pictures to go in albums, about a gagillion Christmas gifts to make, holiday baking, a Christmas quilt to make, a Stocking for Wyatt, mending and alterations to our clothes, decorating projects, and, uh, oh yeah, yard work and house cleaning. Good grief. I also am itching to make t-shirt yarn. Not that I need it for anything right now. I just want to make it.

Last night I made 21yds of 1" single fold bias tape. I'll turn it into half inch double fold once I finish my Christmas gifts I'm using it for. I couldn't stop myself. This cute lime, coral, and orange polka-dot fabric wanted to be bias tape. So that's what I turned to whole yard into.

Today I went to check out a playset I found on Craigslist for the boys Christmas present from us and the grandparents. I can wait to get it! It was as good as I hoped! It's a step 2 climber and swingset and Redding is going to freak out to have a slide in the backyard. We need to finish cleaning up the yard and cut out the grass and mulch where the playground will go. Hope to work on that this week.

I'm also in the process of sanding and painting this patio furniture I found on Craigslist. I was so excited to find it! I have always wanted a black iron patio set, but haven't found one for the right price. A couple weeks ago I did: a four chair and table number that is cute as can be! The guy was even nice enough to drop it off at my house. It's going to look great when it's finished. My parents gave me a table umbrella in a nice grey and tan damask scroll print that will go great with the set. I also need to pressure wash the back patio and get the paint off it as you can see. I'm hoping it all comes off. I want to make cushions for the chairs too, though probably not right away. It's been so hot outside that we don't like being out there in the middle of the day, well, I don't mind, but Redding's a wimp about heat. Hopefully it's cool enough this weekend.

Time to go make sugar cookies and do laundry. Then maybe a project or two :)

LTTSA: Cozy Hood

Fabrics:
I used a slightly stretchy, lightweight, super soft, white fur for my outer layer. My lining was a navy blue soft knit for my boys hats, and a thin kinda shiny bright pink knit for little girls Christmas present.
This would be a great project to recycle old jersey shirts for linings and sweaters or fleece hoodies for the outer layer. If you do use a knit, be sure to check the tension settings and stitch width on your machine. The slippery knits like my pink one, are a pain to work with and may not feed pefectly. Be sure not to pull on the fabrics while you're sewing with them.

Cut Your Pieces:
If you do use a fur, pay attention to the grain of the fur, which may not be the same as the grain of the fabric. Decide how you want your fur to lay as a finished product before you start cutting.

Step 1:
Pin and sew your ears. I went ahead and pinned my linings too and worked my hats assembly line style. Don't forget to leave a 2-3" opening in the seam of your lining for turning (I forgot on all 3 hats).

 

Step 4: Sew side panels to the center hood piece. I found it helpful to pin with the side panel facing me, then flip it over and sew with the center hood piece facing up. It kept my pieces from wrinkling.

 

Step 5: Pin and sew your lining to your hood with right sides together. Flip right side out.

Step 6: Blind stitch the turning hole in your lining closed.

 

Step 7: Fold your ears forward along the seam, and Bartac them in place. I did this on my machine and changed my bobbin thread to match the lining. The further up the ear you tack, the more your ear will stand up: 1/2" worked well for me. 

 

Then admire your work! I chose to leave off the ribbons, because I know they would cause my children nothing but fuss. The pink hat is a size small and the blue is an extra small. The hats run a tad large, but still stay on just fine. With a thicker fabric, it probably wouldn't be noticeable.

 Redding wanted to try on brother's hood :)

Too Cute!