Merry Christmas to John

Family Smiles

Yesterday we went to Draper Park with Erin so she could take pictures of us for our Christmas card. This was a great place to take pictures and the weather was nice for us. We got plenty of cute shots we're not using so here's a sneak peek. Thanks, Erin!

Wallet #2

I made a new wallet for myself today. This wallet corrects two major flaws of the first wallet I made: My cards don't fall out and Maggie can't open it. Also it is much cuter.

I followed this tutorial (PDF warning) except that I didn't do a vinyl pocket and a keyring and I used a sew-on snap. The lining on the wallet is the same as the lining on the old wallet and on my purse.

T-Shirt

My mirror needs cleaning.

I made a shirt! An actual shirt I will actually wear. Using a $3 sheet from DI and a pattern made from the Harmon's ad. I made the pattern by tracing a shirt I already have. I won't be using that pattern again because the armholes were much too large and I spent forever making the shirt fit me. Next up: a purple shirt for Maggie. And probably another one for me. Lots of material.

How to Sew a T-Shirt Neckline

How to Make a T-shirt

Crocheted Chocolate Chip Cookie

Here are the instructions for the crocheted chocolate chip cookies I made this week. They are really easy if you know how to crochet in the round. No fancy stitches or anything. I made this recipe up myself. The finished cookies are about 2 1/2 inches wide and 1 cm thick. This is a great portable project that can be whipped up in less than 1/2 hour.

Supplies:
tan yarn
darn brown yarn
size G crochet hook
yarn needle

Stitch abbreviations:
Ch=chain
SC=single crochet
DC=double crochet
Sl St=slip stitch
St=stich

Worked in the round, joining.

Cookie (Make two)
Round 1: Using tan yarn, make a magic ring, ch 2, 13 DC in magic ring, join with sl st (14 DC)
Round 2: Ch 2, 1 DC in same st, 2 DC in each st around, join with sl st (28 DC)
Round 3: Ch 1, 1 SC in same st, *1 SC, 2 SC* repeat from * around, join with sl st (42 SC)
Tie off.

Tighten, knot and trim magic ring end of yarn. Pull other end of yarn to back end of cookie. Stack two cookies, front sides out. Thread yarn needle with tan yarn and stitch together through Round 3, starting in between the cookies. If you don’t have a yarn needle you can join using a sl st. Tuck yarn ends inside cookie.

Chocolate chips
Thread yarn needle with dark brown thread. Stitch a chocolate chip by stitching several times in the same area. Tuck thread end in between cookies and stitch over. Be sure to look at both sides of your cookie while making the chocolate chips. Move your yarn to another place on the cookie by sliding the needle in between cookie layers. Stitch several times for another chocolate chip. Repeat until your cookie is chocolatey enough.

This is my own original pattern. Feel free to use it for personal and gift-giving use but please don't sell items made from this pattern.

Modest is Hottest

I've spent the past two Wednesday nights helping with the Young Women. They are all learning how to sew and making skirts. They have to be finished by next week so of course I spent part of today and yesterday finishing the skirt myself.

I'm posting this because I learned how to do a blind hem today. See?

This will come in handy if I ever have to make another party dress for Rachel. I looked at this tutorial for folding the fabric, but what made the difference between getting it right and giving up (a la party dress) was reading the instructions for doing this on my sewing machine. I don't have a manual and couldn't get the download to work when making Rachel's dress, hence the giving up.

I now know how to use four of the 21 feet Mom had for this sewing machine.

The Beet & the Bean Part 2

Maggie is acting like a cat again.

Candy Corn Princess Costume

Here is the Candy Corn Princess herself trick-or-treating at Daddy's work. I thought I'd share the inner workings of her $5 costume.

Tutu. I did a separate tutorial for this here.
Candy Corn Trick-or-Treat bag. Felt and orange embroidery thread. I hand-stitched the layers together and then blanket-stitched the sides. I used this tutorial called How to Hand-Sew Felt Using a Blanket Stitch. Get it?

Hair clippie! I made two of these as you can see in other pictures of Maggie in her costume, but this is the cute one. I hand-stitched the felt around a white snap-clip, with the bottom of the clip just poking through the felt.

Here is the Candy Corn Wand - also already posted as I couldn't wait to share it.

Candy Corn Pants - also already posted as I didn't know they'd morph into an adorable Halloween costume.
Put it all together and you've got a lot of cuteness!

A Thousand Words

Happy Election Day!

Also, Maggie's first ponytail.

Maggie "jumping".

And Maggie dancing.