Camera Strap {Slip} Cover

Back when I made my new nursing cover, I used some of the leftover fabric to make this camera strap cover and I just love it!

The only things I'll change next time I make one {because I am sure I will - it makes my camera feel so new!} is to make it a little bit wider, to make it easier to put on and take off, and put a lining in it, again to make it easier to put on and take off.

An {easy} Applique Shirt

A while back, a friend of ours asked if I could make an initial shirt for her son. He's totally into tractors {and fire trucks too, but a tractor was a little easier!}:

To make it, I simply used the same technique as I did here, after I found a clip art picture of a tractor online. Easy to make and I'm pretty sure Mr. C loved it!!

{Blog Love} Lula Bell's Daughter

Lisa, over at Lula Bell's Daughter, is hosting her first ever giveaway! In honor of her birthday, she's giving away the Tuxedo Scarf... and she created the pattern herself!

To enter the giveaway, simple hop on over to her blog and leave a comment... and be sure to read her post, she has several other ways you can enter! Good luck Lisa and good luck to all who enter!

Welcome to the Planet

Remember when I said that it's been a little busy around here and that I thought I had a good excuse for having not posted in a while? Meet the good excuse:

Welcome to the Planet, Dear Little Eleanor.

And fear not, my friends and faithful followers, there will be posts soon. I've got a ton of Christmas presents to finish up {and post}, as well as a few items off of my Ultimate To Make List... so stayed tuned!

A Kid's Chair {Pattern Review}

I know my last post was also a pattern review, but I've been sitting on these pictures for a while now {um.... since February!} and figured I better get them posted sooner rather than later.

I've always loved working with a pattern - it probably stems from the fact that most of my sewing growing up was done using patterns. My Mom just seemed to know how to perfectly read and use patterns and, lucky for me, she passed along some of her knowledge. Rarely have I come across a pattern that was difficult for me to read or use. But let's be honest, this one, kicked my butt.

I bought this pattern, McCall's 9665, some time ago, thinking that I would love to make one for our nephew and then eventually for our own kids and even as gifts. {Admittedly, I have fabric sitting in my fabric stash that I had purchased specifically for this pattern... that has been sitting there for close to two years!} And, while I love the way it looks, I have serious doubts that I'll attempt this one again - all because of the pillow forms. The pattern says that you can order pillow forms from Mauldin Shore Kids, but, clearly, the company isn't taking orders any more. Hence the reason I doubt I'll make it again. We'll see... maybe I can find some tips somewhere on how to make the pillow forms with ease.

I didn't change much on the pattern itself:

• I did use premade piping instead of handmade {which, if I make it again, I'll use handmade, just FYI}.
  
  
• I added an applique with the recipient's initial on the back of the seat portion.
  
  
• Because I'm a teacher by trade {and had originally envisioned eventually making some for my classroom when I go back to teaching} I added a pocket on the back of the chair to hold a few books.
  
  
  
  
  
  All in all, it's a pretty decent pattern, but be prepared to take your time making it!
  
  

Highchair Cover {A Pattern Review}

I have to admit it, I'm one of "those Moms". You know the type: the one who doesn't like to deal with germs, keeps hand sanitizer in every bag, stroller, and vehicle, and refuses to let her child touch anything that looks like it might have something {albeit microscopic} growing on it. So before my son was born, I had made a shopping cart cover for him and long before he was able to {or needed to} sit in a restaurant highchair, I had also made a highchair cover. I've actually made a total of five of these: two for myself and three as gifts.

Truthfully, I own two different patterns to make a highchair cover: McCall's 5721 and Simplicity 4225. I've never used the McCall's one and have always used the Simplicity one. I like the ease and look of the Simplicity one just a little better and have actually gotten to the point where it takes very little time at all for me to cut it out and put it together. After making so many of them though, I've started adding my own modifications:

• Instead of making the toy loops with Velcro, I've just started making them into true loops and adding the toy rings to make attaching toys easy.
• From experience, the "ruffle" that covers the sides of the highchair {not on the shopping cart one - it's long enough} needs a couple of extra inches. On this one, I added about four inches of length to the ruffle to make sure that it covers {and then remains covered} the sides of the highchair properly.
  

  
  

• Because the raw seams are exposed on the seat portion, on several of the ones I've made {particularly the ones that are gifts}, I've covered and reinforced the seams with grosgrain ribbon. Once I get my serger however, I'll just serge the edges and be done with it.
• The pattern calls for interfacing on both pieces of the seat. I've NEVER done this - I've always just used one layer of cotton batting and then used a quilt basting spray.
  
  

This particular one that I made, however, was the first time that I used cotton fabric and not cotton flannel... I highly recommend using cotton fabric! I was afraid that it wouldn't be nearly as soft, but after it was finished, I realized that it probably was the best choice overall. I need to make a new one for myself {my son's current one is dire need of a replacement} so I'm planning on making his new one with some fun cotton fabric that I found!

{Custom} Bean Bag Chair

A good friend of mine just had her second son {he's SO cute!} and since there wasn't really much that she needed, I decided to help her finish decorating the new little guy's nursery by making him a bean bag chair. This great little tutorial has been around for a while, but this was the first chance that I had to actually use it. The directions were easy to follow and personally, I think the chair turned out pretty {darn} cute! Actually, it was so easy to make that I also made one out of cowboy fabric for my own son's "big boy room" {I'll be sure to post pictures once his room is complete}. This is the one I made for my friend:

Just one recommendation - buy a bean bag from Target or Wal-mart to get the "beans" out of... I couldn't find bean bag pellets for that cheap anywhere else!