A Herd of Little Elephants

Look what my grey fabric scraps turned into, a herd of little elephants!  

On Tuesday, I'll post a pdf pattern so you can make your own elephant herd. Here's the link to the pattern.  Happy sewing!  Leave me a comment & let me know if you made a little elephant.

How to make an elephant's tail

• Using 6 strands of grey embroidery thread, made a tail by sewing three 5" threads onto the top of the elephant's bottom. 
• Tie a knot at the top of the tail.
• Braid the tail to about 1 1/2" from the bottom.
• Tie a knot through the bottom of the braid.
• With the head of a pin, separate the threads.
• TA DA ...you should now have a little elephant!

Here's a little elephant music to listen to as you make your 6" high x 5" long x 3" wide chunky elephant.  Don't you just love this elephant song from "Dumbo"?

And now an elephant summer joke....

"Why were the elephants thrown out of the swimming pool?  Because they couldn't hold up their trunks."

Have a fun day!  For more soft toy ideas go to Threading Your Way.
xoxo Grandma 

Sailing, Sailing

Oh, the things a few fabric scraps can become...my latest baby quilt is now a nautical number. The anchor and the rope were leftover fleece from a humanitarian project.  After cutting them out, I machine embroidered them onto the blue background fabric. While searching for a border, I learned that nautical fabric is hard to find in a land-locked state.  I love the sail boat fabric I finally found.

Should I add these buttons - like portholes?

Or do you think it looks better without them?

xoxo Grandma

Kid Friendly Sea Food

A little over a week ago, my adorable niece came for dinner with her boys.  I wanted to have a kid friendly meal and this is what I came up with - thanks to Pinterest for the crab sandwich idea.  

MENU

Main Course: crab sandwich or octopus 

Vegetable: olives, carrots and radish

Salad: blue jello with Swedish Fish

Side: Chips & dip

Dessert:  Red Velvet Cake

To make a crab sandwich, slice a croissant in half, cut the ends removing a "v" shape" from the cooked hot dog to look like a crab's pincer, add a radish smile, two eyeball attached with toothpicks & carrot legs - crabs are anatomy correct with 8 legs but the child this was made for only wanted four carrots but you get the idea, right?

To make an octopus hot dog, cut two-thirds of the hot dog into 8 long stripes then place in boiling water and watch the legs of your octopus curl.

This was a red velvet cake.  I didn't have blue frosting so I added green food coloring and then the boys added the blue sprinkles and the fondant shark head and fins.  When we cut into the cake, the oldest cried, "Look it's shark's blood!"

Thanks Joy for sharing your photos!   The cute boys are my great nephews & they really were great kids; playing so happily together while my niece and I talked for hours.  My niece said that the shark head was the first thing her older son showed to everyone when he got back to his home in Oregon. 

*The fondant shark head was made by Sprinklebelle Cakes

Teddy Bears Picnic Quilt

When my children were little, "The Teddy Bears' Picnic" was one of their favorite records to check out from the library - yes, a RECORD. 

Years later, one of my children gave me this darling pop-up book illustrated by Fran Thatcher:
Are you noticing a theme here?
Every time I looked at the fabric I had with teddy bears holding their little nets attempting to catch butterflies, the song would start to go off in my head....do you know this song?  It's delightful...just listen and smile. 
Anyway, this song was my inspiration for this quilt.

This playful fabric was inherited. To see a close-up of this 1960's fabric go this link.

The quilt is backed in brown minky - a perfectly warm fabric for a winter baby.
My sixth grandchild is due in December and this quilt is for that wee one. 
Yea, for more grandchildren! 

Vintage Smocking Patterns

Two weeks ago, I hosted a family get together with my sisters, spouses, a sister-in-law and a few nieces. I mentioned to my oldest sister that I wanted to make a smocked dress for my newest granddaughter whose due in December.  (This sister is an amazing seamstress and has sewn for probably 60 plus years.) I asked her if she had a pattern or tips for hand smocking and she said she had a few patterns she'd send to me. The next week, in the mail, look what arrived! 
Talk about a vintage find...

1954

1952

Pretty great having a sister like that, don't you think? Luckily, the pattern pieces were in great shape. I've made copies so I don't ruin her originals. It looks like the top pattern will be my next project.

Has anyone done any hand smocking?  
Does anyone have any tips you'd like to pass along to this novice?

Puffy Toddler Vests

The idea and pattern for the the first reversible vest comes from this site:

Here are the changes I made to the pattern:

• Added 1/2" width & length to the pattern pieces.
• Added two layers of batting instead of one (created a puffy look). 
• Added a 9" separating zipper instead of the buttons.
• Sew all layers separately then sew the edges together and turn right side out.                                        

Flannel was used for the fabrics which will be warmer for fall,

 making this vest feel like he's being wrapped in a blanket.  

Right now, my model is really not enjoying this photo shoot!
I found this pattern at Prudent Baby

Awwww...so much cooler!

I'm sure my grandson was too hot in these puffy vests but I quickly shot a few photos the night before I left him to fly home.  

I'm hoping...that in a couple of months he'll enjoy being snugly warm wearing his new, unique puffy vests.

Toddler Boy Pants, Shirt and Hat - Upcycled

Here's my latest child's outfit, upcycled from a man's shirt:

1 toddler shirt & the lining to a newsie hat. 

Actually two, because the first hat I made was a bit snug for this 14 month old model but I'm going to guess it's perfect for a smaller child.

The hats and vintage looking shorts where made from this old baggy pair of pants. 

Here's my darling model - a lively 14 month old boy whose tall for his age and according to a three year old little girl told me, "He should be put in time out."  (He ate the frosting off of her cupcake.) In fairness to my grandson, she left it on a chair, right within his reach & her grandmother said he could have it.  It was just too tempting to a little child.  Right?

Update: This morning, I added one more button to keep the shirt closed higher up.

Rock anyone?
Reversible Hat - free pattern found here.

Total cost for this project $0 + one week of labor = PRICELESS

See this project & others at: http://www.soyouthinkyourecrafty.com/summer-diy-project-ideas/