Week 5 Gifts

Here's another recession proof gift: recover an old, tired potholder! You know those potholders that won't get clean in the wash anymore? The potholders from 80's color schemes that don't match anymore? Recover them! Make them cute again with a fresh new fabric cover.

Pick a color or pattern that makes you smile everytime you use it!

Week 6 Gifts

Use your scraps and tidbits to make a custom cover for a planner. I found a 2010 planner for $1 at Target. Score! You can turn an ordinary notebook or diary or planner into something special in about an hour.

How to Make a Book Cover:

Make fabric out of scraps: Sew together scraps into chunks of fabric, then combine the chunks into a larger piece of 'fabric'. Press as you go. Make it 6" wider and 4" taller than your planner. Press well.

Place the planner on top of your fabric. Draw a line to mark the top and bottom of the spine of the planner, extending it about 1" on either side of the spin, and making it a smidge taller than the planner. Clip straight down to the line, as shown below. Press this flap down. Topstitch close to the edge of the flap.

Lay planner on fabric, and press it down flat. Draw around it, about 1/8" from the edges.

Trim the edges nice and even, leaving 1-2" on the top and bottom, and 2-3" on the sides. Press under 1/4" on the sides and topstitch.

Using the line on the sides as a guide, fold the sides on the line, placing right sides together. See the right side of the picture below. Sew across the top and bottom of the flap, along the lines.

Turn inside out, shown below on the left side of the picture below:

This is what the inside will look like. A mess!

Tuck the planner into the cover. No more mess!

Fun! Share your project with Just something I whipped up every Monday!

Quilting Designs

Leah has posted a dresden-plate inspired machine quilting design! (Day 66) I think it'd look fabulous in a border. Check out her 365 days of quilting designs.

Halloween Memories

This was my favorite costume. I was a prairie girl. Little House on the Prairie books were my favorites. My Mom and Dad and I picked out the fabric-at a Sprouse Reitze?-and Mom sewed it up. I also wore it to school throughout the whole 4th grade year.

When Mom cleaned out her patterns and gave me this I smiled. This month it's on display for my viewing pleasure.

(Check out the price-$1!)

Do you have a favorite Halloween memory?

Week 7 Gifts

Seven weeks to December!

Our weekly gift idea is a home-made pincushion. Create a custom color combination, and personalize this pincushion. Use up scraps! Play! Decorate with buttons and trim as desired. Wouldn't this be cute with treasured baby clothes? Make a pincushion to match your decor.

To make:

Gather scraps, stuffing, needle and thread.

1. Make fabric. Sew together a few scraps into a 6" wide chunk. Press. Repeat, and then sew the chunks together. Continue until you have a piece of 'fabric' that is 6" x 12".


2. Fold fabric in half, right sides together. Sew around the 3 sides with a 1/4" seam allowance, but leave a 4"opening for turning inside out.


3. Miter the 4 corners with a 1" miter.


4. Turn inside out. Stuff. Stitch up the opening. Decorate with a button the top!
   

I'm having fun with this. Stay tuned for more variations on a theme of pincushions. Several years ago I used a scrap of a vintage quilt to make a little square pincushion. It's soft and worn and lovely.

Comment on our gift ideas, or share an idea, and you will be entered in this month's drawing for charm squares!

Week 8 Gifts

This is our third week of the Gift Giving Ideas Extravaganza. Already!

-Make a comment, and enter our October giveaway for charm squares-

Thanks for the ideas that you shared with us. I think I'm going to put together some cooking baskets with an apron this year.

This week shares our cooking theme: share your favorite recipes! Do you have an amazingly easy casserole that everyone loves? A method of making vegetables that your kids love? Incredible chocolate cake? Share the love!

One year my sister, in college and broke, hand copied all of my Mom's best cookie recipes for me. I treasure those recipes. I especially like seeing her handwriting.

Gather your family recipes, and start copying! Or typing!

Here's my secret for serving broccoli, passed down from my Grandmother, to my Mother, to me.
Steam broccoli. Drain and place in serving dish. Return pan to the stove, add a dollop of real butter, minced onions, heat for about 1 minute, then add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Pour sauce over broccoli!