American Girl Sweater Outfit

Here it is! Our first official post in the new Make It! Mid-Week series. For the next month, we'll be posting patterns and tutorials for making inexpensive American Girl Doll clothes. Check back each Wednesday for these fun, easy to do sewing projects.

For this project, I used an old Gap sweater that was given to me. It was beautiful and I was terrified to cut it.  I started and was very pleased with the result.  I did my best to use parts of the sweater that were already hemmed, so I sewed as little as possible. See the iPad Cozy, and mittens I made from the same sweater here.

The pant legs were the sleeves. I cut them off and then tried them on the doll to know how far down the  sleeve seam to cut for the doll's pant leg.  

I did a zig zag stich on the part I cut to keep the yarn from unraveling.

Then I pinned them together.

I tried the pants on the doll to see how wide the pants should be and where the waist should be making sure to leave enough for the waistband.

For the top sweater, I used the actual neck hole and put it on the doll inside out. That allowed me to easily pin and mark where I wanted to sew.

Once the you have sewed the seam and zig zagged along the seam, cut the excess sweater. It's much easier to reinforce the seam before you cut off the excess.

Try the out fit on the doll and hand sew the sleeve cuff.  My sleeve was shorter than you may want yours because I created two iPad holders, 1 pair of mittens, and this doll sweater and pant from one sweater.

I hope your daughter enjoys her cozy winter sweater outfit as much as me!! ~Julia

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Burlap Valentine Wreath

This red burlap heart wreath is super cute and perfect for Valentine's Day! Find yourself some red burlap, or purchase it from Hobby Lobby's On-line store: Here. For this wreath, I used the same technique you can see demonstrated in my burlap wreath tutorial: Here.

Use a heart shaped wreath form like the one seen here. I got mine at Hobby Lobby and you can find the exact one at their site for only $2.47: Heart Wreath

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I Heart Nap Time

Advent Calendar Tutorial and Pattern

Every Christmas season I remember as a kid included family devotions each night around the dinning room table. They revolved around a felt Christmas tree and a devotional book that is now out of print. The simplicity of each lesson must have hit home for me as a kid, because the Bible verses we memorized are still engraved in my mind. We LOVED taking turns selecting the corresponding ornament each night and placing it on the tree. A friend of mine reminded me of this book, just the other day, when she said my dad had recommended it to her. Sadly, the book is out of print, but can still be purchased used on Amazon. Buy it here: Family Celebrations: Meeting Christ in Your Holidays and Special Occasions.

*Update! I just discovered an updated version of Ann Hibbards book which can be found here: Celebrating Advent: Devotions and Activities for the Christmas Season This new book includes 2 full seasons of devotions, as well as added discussion questions and further study of older children and adults. Looks good to me!

The original book includes family activities and devotionals for many holidays throughout the year. I spent some time adapting the material they provide for Christmas devotions, and condensed it into one file that includes everything you'll need to start your own advent tradition.
 
Download my FREE adaptation of the nightly devotional here:

Advent Tree Family Devotions

*This download also includes a printable version of the ornaments that correspond with each night's theme, as well as a template for a felt Christmas tree.

DIRECTIONS:

This is the no-sew, fast and easy version!!

For my tree, I cut a 40" x 20" white felt background. I folded the top over 3" and hot glued it in place so a stick could be slid through for hanging purposes. I cut 2.5" x 2.5" squares in various colors of felt for each ornament's pocket. The ornaments are printable images, mounted on colored foam from the dollar store. I hot glued these in place with a piece of string between the image and the foam. If I had tons of extra time, I would have used embroidery thread to add detail to the tree and to number each pocket. I was lazy and in a hurry, so I used squeezable fabric paint. Worked like a charm! I even hot glued the buttons on, being careful to use only a tiny bit in the center so the ornaments would be able to hang from them. I got started on this project a little late this year, but thought I would finish it and be ahead of the game next year!

DIY Fabric Books $.99 Easy Gifts

These panels are so easy and fun. They can be purchased for as little as $1.00.

Trim the edges leaving a consistent seam allowance.

Each panel comes instructions of what pages should be sewn together.

Sew them together and press.

Trim the corners, so when you turn them the corners will be square.

Turn the pages right side out.

Sew down the center of the book creating a binding and connecting the pages.

~Julia

Machine Quilting a Small Quilt

Here's another great idea for a gift or something to use at home.  I had two pieces of fabric that were given to me. The front is the United States and at the bottom of the post is the back the World. I improvised to make the two fit and came up with this arrangement. My kids love pockets, so I added two. At this stage of my life, I was not able to get a picture without the help of two youngsters :) I laid the top and bottom fabric pieces out and cut them  to match evenly.

I hand tacked the two pieces together with batting between.  Or you can use pins. I stabbed myself once while sewing them together because I used so many pins and forgot to be careful. If you do not do this step, then the two fabric layers are likely to shift while you are sewing them together.

Then I started to sew the layers together using a quilting foot. You do not have to have a quilting foot it just gives a more finished look. Good tools help with a good finish.

I used a disappearing ink pen to draw sewing lines six inches apart on the front panel piece.

 

Roll your fabric as you sew, so it will fit in the arm of your sewing machine.

Instead of quilting diagonally across my pockets, I simply followed the pocket seams to attach the fabric, batting and fabric layers.

Once you have finished quilting, turn the bottom piece of fabric, aka binding, over. I made my 3/4 of an inch because that's the amount of fabric I had. You can determine the width based on your liking.

When I got to the corner, I just folded the two edges and sewed at a slight angle to reinforce it.

This is the finished product from the back.

Get Quilting!!

~Julia

Adorable Little Girl Apron

Here's a pattern for an adorable girls apron. Create a matching one for her 18" doll too! The apron pictured on the left was made for a Christmas gift and turned out beautifully. I added a string of "pearls" to each apron for fun. You can purchase strands of inexpensive beads like these at any craft store. They can be cut and sewn onto your fabric just as I have done. Get creative with other embellishments, there are so many possibilities! I've included pictures to help you along the way. The PDF pattern and instructions are located at the bottom of this post. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have, I'd love to help! 

For the tutorial below, I was using scrap material, so I cut mine from two fabrics. You could use the same fabric, or change it up like I did.

When I sew I like to have a lining, so I cut two.  I sewed right sides together, but don't forget to add your ties and neck strap before you sew them together.

I pinned the ties and straps in place in the center of the apron, so when I was sewing they wouldn't inadvertently get caught in the seam.

I also pinned and the neck strap the same way.

Next pin the right sides together leaving a section between the neckties open, so you can turn it right side out.

If you would like a ruffle, take a 4 in piece of fabric and turn the edge under. Gather the top and pin it in side just like the ties.

Sew

Turn it right sides out.

This is what that will look like. Press. 

Then sew a top stitch over the part that you left open to turn your apron.

If you don't want to have a lining, a faster way with less fabric. Turn the edge under and then add your straps and ties.

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DOWNLOAD THE PATTERN NOW FOR FREE: GIRLS APRON PATTERN

Instructions:

   Cut two apron ties 22 inches by 2 inches

   Cut one necktie 18 inches by 2 inches

Optional Ruffle:

   Moderately full - 41 inches by 5 inches

   Full - 55 inches by 5 inches

   Tape the four pattern pieces together and cut

   One or two for a reversible apron

Have fun! ~Julia