cloth napkin tutorial

Here is a simple tutorial to make your own cloth napkins.  We only use cloth napkins in our home because it cuts down on paper waste.  Cloth napkins are far superior to paper ones in my book.  For example:  ever been eating fried chicken and wiped your hands on a paper napkin only to have it rip to shreds?  Maybe it's just me.  If you have a collection of cloth napkins, you can use them for one or two meals if they don't get too dirty, throw them in with a load of laundry and they're good to go.  Besides, you'll save money by not buying napkins all the time.  I cannot say enough good things about cloth napkins.

The only part you need some patience for is the pressing but otherwise, this is a fast and easy project.  You can whip out a set of four in no time.  This is also a great wedding shower gift to throw in with some various kitchen items.

Okay here we go. 

First, choose your fabric and cut into a square.  You can cut into 12x12, 14x14 or 16x16.  The bigger the better in my opinion.  Cut with care; you need a perfect square for your napkins to turn out nicely.

Fold edges under 1/4" and press.  Then fold another 1/4" and press.  Your pressing lines will guide where you cut off your corners.  (See diagram above.)  Feel free to use disappearing ink or a pencil to mark your creases if it helps.

Cut off corner where marked.

Fold over the edge you just cut 1/4".  Should line up with the lower point of crease (you can see my purple mark in the picture.)

Refold edges and re-press along crease lines 1/4".

Fold over 1/4" once more and you have a perfect mitred corner!

Stitch all the way around napkin, securing the folds.  You can use a straight stitch, two parallel lines of straight stitching, or a decorative topstitch.  Now you're finished!

For great step by step photo instructions on how to fold napkins many different ways, Click here!

Here is a set of four I made out of fabric my friend brought me back from Mozambique.  I gave these to my sister-in-law as a wedding shower gift.

baby things

Well, I only have a few more weeks to go.  Pregnancy isn't for weenies, I've decided.  I'm definitely ready for Stella to make her debut.  I am very much over being pregnant.  Don't get me wrong, I've loved the experience, I love feeling her move around in there, I love how it's brought Matt and I closer on a totally different level, but I am ready to be able to move faster than the speed of molasses.  I am ready to be able to fit into clothes again.  I am ready for strangers to be staring at my baby instead of at my belly.  Besides, I'm getting super annoyed with everyone telling me she's a boy because of the way I'm carrying her.  It's been at least ten people.  I'm like, "Nope, actually it's a girl.  They've checked.  Three times."  And they always say, "Really?  It looks like a boy."  And I try to smile sweetly but think, how would you know?  Do you have x-ray vision?  At least strangers aren't touching my belly.  Then I'd have to lay the smack down.  For all my whining, I actually feel really good most of the time and am so grateful for that.  Now Matt and I are preparing for her birth by practicing relaxation techniques with the Bradley Method, going to a breastfeeding and childbirth class, and praying constantly for a totally natural, healthy delivery and a happy, healthy baby.

Last month our good friend took maternity photos for us.  We had a lot of fun.  I was debating over whether to get these taken or not, but I'm really glad we did.  (Taken at 31w5d)

 I have to explain that Matt has always had this weird thing where he can stick his stomach out really far.  It doesn't look like much in this picture (probably because mine is so huge) but he can really stick it out.  SO that's what he was doing, hence the look of satisfaction on his face.

 Booties one of my besties made for Stella!  Aren't they precious?

The sister of the woman who took our maternity pictures needed a model to practice lighting and shots for a wedding she was shooting so I got some nice pictures from her too!

 Matt got to help crew our friend's hot air balloon one morning this month and Stella and I tagged along.  This is a picture as they were deflating the balloon.

Also last month, Matt's youngest brother got married!  I'm so glad the dress I bought for it still fit!!

While we were home, my aunt and cousin threw me the cutest baby shower ever.  It was wonderful.

My aunt said she though the fruit baby was creepy.  What do you think?

Opening gifts.  This one is from my friend in MN.  She cross-stitched Stella's name!  I love it!

Finally, my pen pal from New Zealand and her husband came to visit and it was a great time.  I love having them stay with us.  They came to visit us in MN too.  Here we are at Calaveras Big Trees State Park in Arnold, CA.

 Inside a felled tree at Big Trees

 Went to Yosemite with Matt's brother and sister at 33 weeks.  Did some hiking and had an amazing day.  The weather was gorgeous.  Half Dome in the background.

Mirror Lake

Later in the day when Matt and his brother were climbing rocks over the Lower Yosemite Falls, his sister and I were waiting for their return and some guy carrying a toddler in a backpack says to me, "I don't know which is worse, carrying it on your back or carrying it on your front."  I was like, "Uh, YOU can take it off.  I can't."  He's lucky I wasn't hormonal; saying crap like that is a recipe for getting punched in the face.  But I did laugh and laugh at how ridiculous his comment was.

stitched greeting card tutorial

Today's tutorial is super duper fast and easy.  It only takes about 5 minutes.  Greeting cards are expensive to buy at the store so you might as well save four bucks and gas money and make your own.

Find a piece of heavy paper like cardstock or construction.  Fold and cut into desired card size (mine is an A2 size because I have envelopes that size.)

Find a small fabric or ribbon scrap and cut it into desired shape(s).  I cut two hearts.  You can do stripes, an animal, letters, etc.

Position design how you want it on open card.

TIP:  I'd recommend using an old, dull needle in your machine.  The paper will dull a new needle.  I save all my dull needles for projects like this.

Sew in place and voila!  You have a unique greeting card!  I like how the stitching is visible on the other side.  It gives the inside of the card a little oomph too.

Don't forget to switch back to your new needle when you're finished so you don't mess up your next fabric project!

More ideas:

- Use my print on fabric tutorial and print a picture or quote on fabric and sew it onto a card.
- Cut out old photos and sew them collage-style onto the card like my photo collages.
- Simply stitch designs on the card by lifting your presser foot and stitching random loops or stripes.  No need for fabric or photos.  These turn out really nicely.

fabric bucket tutorial

These babies are fun to make and great for keeping odds and ends in one place.  They'd be a great place for socks, toys, magazines, hand towels, etc.

I made mine 8" tall by 8" wide but you can make it any size you want.  Just size down (or size up) the fabric; all the other directions remain the same.  You can make a set of nesting buckets or a rectangle bucket.  Use those creative juices.

Use whatever seam allowance you want, just be consistent throughout the entire project.  I used a 1/2" seam allowance for the whole project except the handles.

You'll put together the lining and outer bucket fabric the same way.  Stitch along edges with right sides together so you end up with a cross shape.  Above pictures show the wrong side and right side once these seams are finished.  NOTE: Stop stitching 1/4" from each corner.

Now pin sides of lining together, lining up corners and edges.  Now you have a box shape.  Be sure to mark one of the edges so you leave about a 5-6" gap in the stitching so you can turn the bucket right side out later.

Do the same for the outer fabric, but do not leave any gap for turning.  Turn outer fabric right side out and put it inside the lining fabric so right sides are facing.  Line up corners and edges and pin all the way around.

Take your handles and pin them between the lining and outer fabrics.  Then stitch all the way around top raw edge of bucket.

1. Turn bucket right side out through the gap in the linging.  

2. Pull lining up completely and stitch up gap.

3. Stuff lining down into bucket, lining up corners and top edges and press.

4. Bucket, nicely pressed.

5. Now topstitch around entire top edge of bucket.  If you used home dec weight fabric, the corners and handles get pretty thick to sew through, but just go nice and slow so your machine doesn't rebel against you.

That's all there is to it!  

I made one with the USA silhouette on one side and South Africa's silhouette on the other.