Cauldron Trick or Treat Bag

October 25, 2016October 20, 2016 ~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

The Harry Potter themed week continues with a sewing tutorial for a trick-or-treat bag! This bag in the shape of a cauldron is perfect for your little witch or wizard to collect their sweets on Halloween.

A huge thank you goes out to my mother-in-law for coming up with the prototype for our original project!

Firecracker loved getting in on the action, too. That sweet boy of mine always wants to offer his help.

Cauldron Trick-or-Treat Bag Tutorial | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Here is the how-to for a cauldron tote bag:

Print out a template for a cauldron from a simple google search to desired size. Trace the template onto black wool felt with chalk. Cut out two cauldrons.

Use a string to measure the cauldron bottom. That value is your length. Cut a piece of black wool felt 3″ wide and the length just measured. (Mine was 28″)

Cauldron Trick-or-Treat Bag Tutorial | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Iron on craft-fuse to the rectangular piece of felt, and the bowl portion of the cauldrons.

Cauldron Trick-or-Treat Bag Tutorial | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Using a lot of pins, attach the rectangle to one of the cauldrons, so that the black sides face each other. Pin the center and the ends and ease your way until there are pins all around!

Cauldron Trick-or-Treat Bag Tutorial | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Sew using a 1/4″ inseam, making sure to reinforce at the ends.

sewing

Repeat with the second side of the cauldron. Turn right-side-out.

Fold the top lip of the cauldron over and sew it down by hand using black thread with a few stitches in 1/3 from each edge. Repeat on the other side.

folding

I downloaded a Harry Potter font and cut out letters from felt and used a hot glue gun to add the words “Potions please”.

To create the handle, I sewed a black shoe string on each side.

Cauldron Trick-or-Treat Bag Tutorial | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Scrappy Princess Quilt

December 10, 2015December 2, 2015 ~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

Nothing makes me happier than a quilt being loved on.

My husband’s cousin recently shared a photo of her beyond-adorable-for-words daughter snuggling up underneath the quilt I made for her 2 1/2 years ago.

Seeing that photo reminded me that I haven’t done a blog post on this one yet. Stuart’s cousin has recently picked up quilting, being taught by her aunt (my mother-in-law). Her first project was a rag quilt that turned out beautifully and now that she has the itch she wants to make a quilt like the one I made for her daughter.

Because it’s a scrappy quilt, this project is another simple one that has a big impact. I think that scrappy quilts are some of the best one’s out there. There’s so much interest in them and they look traditional and loved. The engineer in my struggles with the process of creating scrappy quilts because I go out of my way to prevent inadvertent patterns, but once they’re completed I couldn’t be happier.

This quilt was made with a baby girl in mind so it’s all pink, white, and sparkly. Use any color profile you like, it’s bound to be a stunning quilt.

This quilt finishes to 39″ x 47″.

Scrappy Princess Quilt Design | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Here’s the How-To for my Scrappy Princess Tutorial:

From a variety of complimentary fabrics cut:

160 squares 2.5″ (from a total of 3/4 yd)
40 rectangles 2.5″ x 8.5″(from a total of 3/4 yd)

The amount of fabric needed for the borders is 1/2 yd. Cut 4″ strips.

The amount of fabric needed for the back is 1 1/2 yd. The same amount of fabric will be needed for the batting.

The amount of fabric needed for the binding is 5/8 yd.

Using a 1/4″ seam allowance:

Assemble the 2.5″ squares into 10 different 16-patch blocks.
From the 40 rectangles, assemble blocks of 4 strips each, making 10 blocks.
Assemble the quilt by alternating the 16-patch and the block made from the rectangles. The quilt will have 5 rows of 4 blocks. (I opted to keep the blocks made from the rectangles horizontal, but you could easily make them vertical or even randomize their orientation throughout the quilt.)

The inside of the quilt will measure 32″ x 40″.

Trim the border strips to fit the quilt and attach to the quilt center.

Sandwich your quilt top and quilt back with the batting. Quilt and bind it to complete the project.

Scrappy Princess Quilt Tutorial | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Four Hour Quilt Variation

November 27, 2015November 5, 2015 ~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

When my good friend Tara (of Tara’s Multicultural Table) told me she was pregnant with her second child the wheels were already turning as to what quilt to sew for the new addition.

Her son, Evan, received my first ever baby quilt (his is the safari one) for his first Christmas. I’ve made quite a few Four Hour Quilts since then. I wanted to do something different this time. But I wanted something that would compliment big brother’s quilt. I found this photo via Pinterest and knew I had a winner. All I had to do was wait to see if Evan would be having a baby brother or baby sister.

It’s a girl! And that beautiful baby girl is my Goddaughter. I helped Tara decide on the theme for her nursery and hit the fabric shops. The theme: woodland, with pinks.

Because this quilt is quick, easy, and fun to assemble, I decided to use the same quilt pattern for my baby boy, too. To have his quilt complement my little man’s I kept with a Winnie-the-Pooh theme with a Winnie-the-Pooh pattern for the back and quilt top fabric choices of the characters’ colors. (Orange for Tigger, Red for Pooh, Pink for Piglet, Grey for Eeyore, Blue for Roo, and Yellow for Rabbit)

Here’s the How-To for a Four Hour Quilt Variation:

For a baby quilt that finishes to 47×47″, you will need 48 5 1/2″ squares (this is a total of approximately 1 1/4 yd of fabric). You can use as many different fabric choices or as few as you like. I choose 5-7 different fabrics for these squares. The strips for the borders are cut to 3″. I typically use the same fabric for all 3 borders, but feel free to be as colorful as you want! (this is a total of approximately 1 1/2 yd of fabric)

The center of the quilt is assembled from 4 of the 5 1/2″ squares into a square.

Once your center is sewn together, measure the sides and cut two strips to fit the top and bottom. Measure again after the top and bottom are sewn on and cut two more strips to fit. You now have a framed center.

Sew two rows of 3 from the 5 1/2″ squares. Attach the rows to opposite sides of the framed center. Sew two columns of 4 from the 5 1/2″ squares. Attach the rows to the remaining sides of the center.

Once this new center is sewn together, measure the sides and cut two strips to fit the top and bottom. Measure again after the top and bottom are sewn on and cut two more strips to fit.

Sew two rows of 6 from the 5 1/2″ squares. Attach the rows to opposite sides of the framed center. Sew two columns of 8 from the 5 1/2″ squares. Attach the rows to the remaining sides of the center.

Once this new center is sewn together, measure the sides and cut two strips to fit the top and bottom. Measure again after the top and bottom are sewn on and cut two more strips to fit. You now have a finished quilt top.

Create a sandwich with the quilt top, batting and backing (2 3/4 yd of fabric). With baby quilts I use my sewing machine to do simple quilting – the stitch in the ditch method is perfect for this project.

Once you have your quilt, trim it, and bind it (1/2 yd of fabric).

Shopping Cart Cover Tutorial

November 5, 2015October 5, 2015 ~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

One of my favorite baby “must-haves” is the Shopping Cart/High Chair Cover that my mother-in-law bought for us. When my son was just learning to sit on his own and able to handle being in the shopping cart or high chair it was nice to have the extra cushion for him to fall against.

And of course, it’s great for germ prevention. My favorite part is that I can use the strap attached to the cover instead of the ones attached to the high chair or shopping cart. Have you ever touched the straps on a public high chair?! They’re always sticky and gross. I can wipe down the chair and other surfaces no problem, but that strap is a whole other story. As for shopping carts, the straps are always located in the most awkward location – under the armpit and they don’t allow room to breathe or move.

I knew there had to be a way to make my own and it turns out that it’s much easier than I thought it’d be. There are a lot of steps but I was able to accomplish the shopping and sewing of this cover in just half a day. (With the supervision – aka emotional support – of my mother-in-law.)

While life continues to be hectic, this cover will be my new baby shower go-to item instead of the 4 Hour Quilt. Contrary to the title “4 Hour Quilt” they always take me longer than 4 hours, the top can easily be assembled in an afternoon but the quilting and binding extend the life of the project and with almost two children in tow one would probably take me a year… But, enough of that.

Here is the how-to for a Shopping Cart Cover Tutorial:

Supplies:

1 1/4 yd fleece
1 1/4 yd cotton fabric
1 1/4 yd 1″ Nylon Webbing (strap)
1 1″ Plastic Quick Release Buckle
2 yd minus 1 in 3/4″ elastic
coordinating thread

Steps:

Cut the fleece and cotton fabric to 41 1/4″ squares.
Curve all four corners on the cotton fabric. Do this by folding the fabric “hotdog style” then “hamburger style” so that all four corners are together. Use a curved ruler or plate as a template and cut the corners. Use the cotton fabric as a stencil for the fleece so the curves are identical in both pieces of fabric.
Lay out the fleece. Find the center of the bottom edge.
1. Mark 13″ up and 1″ to the left. Place the bottom right corner of a square/rectangle template measuring at least 5×5″ (I used a DVD case) at that mark. Trace the template and cut a hole.
2. Mark 13″ up and 1″ to the right. Place the bottom left corner of a square/rectangle template measuring at least 5×5″ (I used a DVD case) at that mark. Trace the template and cut a hole.
Place cotton fabric face up on work surface. Place the fleece on top. Trace the leg holes from step 3 but at 1/4-1/2″ inside of the opening so that the leg hole in the cotton fabric is smaller than in the fleece. Cut.
Pin the two fabrics together. Sew a straight stitch set to a length of 4 using a seam allowance of 3/8″ around the edge of the cover leaving a 4″ wide gap on one edge.
Turn the cover inside out through the gap.
Mark 1″ from the edge all the way around the cover. Sew a straight stitch set to a length of 4 on that line. Still leave the 4″ wide gap from step 5. (Note: This is for 3/4″ thick elastic.)
Return to the leg holes. Place cover so that the fleece layer is on top and the cotton fabric face down. Cut a 45 degree angle on the cotton fabric into the corners of the leg holes. Fold the cotton fabric onto itself and then over the fleece. Pin. Zig-zag stitch around the leg holes, making sure to close the corners.
Find the center of each leg hole and measure 12″ above it. (The 12″ includes open leg hole space.) Mark this location. This mark is the center of a buttonhole. Make sure the buttonhole is large enough to fit the webbing strap (and/or buckle if desired) – do a test first. Sew buttonhole according to your sewing machine’s instructions.
Melt the ends of the webbing. Do this by (carefully) holding a flame up to the ends.
Insert the webbing through the buttonholes – making sure it’s not twisted.
Attach the buckle to the webbing. Sew an “X” inside a square to lock one end of the buckle. I decided to leave the other side free for adjusting.
Insert the elastic through the edge of the cover. Tip: Place a large safety pin at the end to make it easy to pull through the gap. Sew the elastic together.
Close up the gap from Steps 3 and 4.
1. Fold the edge fabric in on itself and sew as close to the edge as possible. Be sure not to sew the elastic!
2. Use a straight stitch set to a length of 4 to close the gap closest to the inside of the cover. Be sure not to sew the elastic!

*This tutorial is modified from Stephanickety at http://thetiptoefairy.com/2013/05/how-to-make-your-own-shopping-cart-high-chair-cover/*

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Bow Tie

July 30, 2015July 27, 2015 ~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

Bow ties have been all the rage the past few years, even withstanding the mustache obsession (which I’ve never understood), especially when it comes to babies! This quilt block would be very adorable done in many colors if you know of a little boy on the way.

I put four bow ties together in one block as a part of Old Glory. (Finished project here.)

Here’s the how-to for the Bow Tie Quilt Block:

Note: These measurements are for a 4″ block. Sew using a scant 1/4″ seam allowance.

Cut fabric:

1 rectangle 4 1/2″ x 1 7/8″ red
2 squares 2 1/2″ red
2 squares 2 1/2″ white
2 squares 1 7/8″ white

Use the 2 squares of 2 1/2″ red and white to create 4 Half Square Triangles (HSTs) trimmed down to 1 7/8″. Click here for my tutorial on how to make Half Square Triangles.

Lay out the Bow Tie Quilt Block:

Sew the HSTs to the white squares:

Sew the bow tie “flaps” on to the red rectangle:

School Girl’s Puzzle

July 23, 2015July 27, 2015 ~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

Just because I revealed the final version of Old Glory that doesn’t mean I’m done with quilt block tutorials! Today’s block is called the School Girl’s Puzzle. This block isn’t in my quilt, but it is (or will be) in my mother-in-law’s version, which she’s named “Older Glory”. Her version of this American Flag sampler quilt is a scrappy sampler – meaning each of her blocks uses a different fabric. I can’t wait to see how hers turns out. I wasn’t brave enough to mix hundreds of fabrics so I used only 3 different reds and 2 different blues.

Here is the how-to for the School Girl’s Puzzle Quilt Block:

Note: These measurements are for an 8″ block. Sew using a scant 1/4″ seam allowance.

Cut fabric:

4 squares 2 1/2″ white
3 squares 3 1/8″ red
3 squares 3 1/8″ white
2 squares 2 7/8″ white, then cut on the diagonal
1 square 4 7/8″ red, then cut on the diagonal

Use the 3 squares of 3 1/8″ red and white to create 6 Half Square Triangles (HSTs) trimmed down to 2 1/2″. Click here for my tutorial on how to make Half Square Triangles.

Lay out the School Girl’s Puzzle quilt block:

Looking at the top left quadrant, sew a white triangle to the HST:

Then sew the other white triangle to the HST:

Sew the new triangle to the red triangle. Repeat with the bottom right quadrant.

The remaining two quadrants are four patches, sew accordingly.

You now have a four patch ready to assemble:

Old Glory – completed!

July 4, 2015June 29, 2015 ~ lk529 ~ 5 Comments

Last year I shared the plans for the Fourth of July quilt that was already underway.

Over two years later, my goal of completing this quilt by the Fourth did indeed happen.

In February of this year (2015) Old Glory was finally completed and ready to be taken to the quilters! On June 16th I got a call that Old Glory was ready for pick up (three days before I was expecting it) and on the 20th I had finally gotten the binding sewn on.

Getting the binding on the quilt ended up being a challenge as I was one strip short of having enough fabric to go all the way around the quilt. I had to do some finagling but I got it to work. Instead of sewing the binding strips on a bias to reduce bulk I simply sewed straight lines at a 1/4″ seam allowance. The last strip of “just too skiny” fabric was cut in half, sewn together lengthwise, and trimmed to 2 1/4″ before being attached to the long strip of binding. I am relieved to say that even knowing where the “awkward” location on the binding is, I struggle to find it. Phew!

All that’s left to do is create the tag for Old Glory and sew it on. But for this year, it’s as good as ready for our first family of three firework watching. (Here’s to hoping my now one-year-old enjoys the bright flashes of light and loud bangs…)

I wish you all a safe and happy Fourth of July.

And God Bless America.

Box-in-a-Box Variation

July 2, 2015June 25, 2015 ~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

It’s July again and now that I’ve completed Old Glory, my patriotic sampler quilt, I am going to blog a few more quilt block tutorials this month.

This quilt block is a box-in-a-box variation, colored out so that it looks like a mini spool or hourglass.

My mother-in-law and I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out if it were possible to paper piece this block. At least the way I’ve colored it, the answer was no. Instead we broke it down into squares, rectangles, and half square triangles (HSTs).

(I apologize for the photo below, evidently I didn’t take a photo of the finished block. This photo will be updated with a better photo as soon as I can!)

Here is the how-to for a Box-in-a-Box Variation quilt block:

Note: These measurements are for an 8″ block. Sew using a scant 1/4″ seam allowance.

Cut fabric:

1 square 3 1/8″ red
2 rectangles 3 1/8″ x 1 7/8″ red
2 rectangles 3 1/8″ x 1 7/8″ white
2 squares 3″ red
2 squares 3″ white
2 rectangles 5 7/8″ x 1 7/8″ red
2 rectangles 5 7/8″ x 1 7/8″ white

Use the 4 squares of 3″ red and white to create 4 HSTs trimmed down to 1 7/8″. Click here for my tutorial on how to make Half Square Triangles.

Lay out the HSTs and other pieces of fabric into the box-in-a-box variation quilt block:

The center spool (or hourglass) is a 9-patch. Sew that 9-patch together:

The remaining patches form another 9-patch. Sew the 9-patch together. You now have a box-in-a-box variation.

Summer Babies

August 29, 2014August 25, 2014 ~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

I was busy this past year making 3 four hour quilts (FHQs) for 3 very special summer babies.

Peach's Circus Today my friend’s daughter turns 1! I knew I just had to make her a quilt because this little girl happens to share my birthday! My friend, Megan, blogs over at Project Mama and shares her adventures in sewing. She is very talented and creative at the sewing machine so I felt the pressure to put my best work forward. I have to say, “Peach’s Circus” is one of my favorite FHQs to date! I found the fabric at Sew Studio last Christmas. (Photo to the left courtesy of Megan!)

Another special summer baby is a sweet boy who is only one day older than my son. I was very excited when I found out that our friends were expecting their first baby only 10 days after our first. I was particularly excited because they happen to live in Ohio – where we were going to be relocating! I was looking forward to having another first time mommy friend and for Wesley to have a play date friend. We actually had our first “play date” last week – as much as 7-wk-olds can play. My friend knew she was having a boy so I had a lot of fun making a boy quilt with car fabric and reds, greens, and blues. (Photo to the right from February when “Little Racer” was under construction.)

And last but not least, I finally got the opportunity to make a quilt for my own baby! As we opted for the gender surprise package I made a gender neutral quilt. The back fabric, of course, is Winnie-the-Pooh and on the front I opted for tone-on-tone chevrons in colors white, blue, pink, purple, and yellow; colors of Winnie-the-Pooh characters! To keep it from being too feminine I used grey as my border fabric. (Photo below is my absolute favorite of Wesley sleeping in “Kerplunk’s Hundred Acre Wood”)

8-Grid Chain Variation

July 30, 2014July 13, 2014 ~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

There are many variations of the 8-Grid Chain Quilt Block. Simply google it! There are endless possibilities with using different fabrics too. This is the variation I used in my Fourth of July quilt Old Glory.

Here’s the how-to for this 8-Grid Chain Variation Quilt Block

Cut fabric:

12 squares 1 1/2″ red
8 squares 1 1/2″ white
4 rectangles 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ white
4 rectangles 1 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ white
1 square 2 1/2″ red

Lay out fabric squares into the 8-Grid Chain Variation:

Sew together the four 4-patch blocks in the corner. Also, sew together the 9-patch block in the center:

The 8-Grid Chain Variation is now a simple 9-patch. Complete the three rows before sewing the rows together: