Neck cooler

Tomorrow we all ( even the boy :)) go to girl scout camp. And we are soooooo excited!

This will be our 4th time at this camp and it is just a blast.... BUT ....camping this time of year means IT IS HOT!!!

I have several methods to keep cool. First, I wear light clothes. Keep a cooler close stocked with ice. Have a spray bottle that I can use to mist myself as needed. And finally the best thing ever!!! My neck cooler!! I was going to make a tute of my own but low and behold (so typical right!?) there is already an awesome one out there! Check it out :) http://www.skiptomylou.org/2010/08/05/baby-its-hot-outside/ These things are the boss! It takes a 4x36 inch piece of cotton fabric and about 20 minutes. Throw in some special polymer crystals sewn in a simple way. Let soak in cool water then BAM! Simple but awesome neck cooler! I want to add a couple of must does! First, don't go crazy with the crystals!!! A little goes a LONG way!! Also, you MUST hand wash these!!!!!! And, when not in use DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT store them in a plastic bag!!!! They will mold and be ruined! Instead I like to clip my using a clothes pin to a shelf by the basement stairs. The polymer crystals will eventually dry up (but then can be rehydrated when needed). This typically will take about 2 weeks. And then you can store them any way you wish :) I keep mine in a gigantic beach bag ready for the lake! Also, one final note. While using your neck cooler it will eventually warm up to match your body temp. No fear, it's a simple remedy! Rewet it with cool or cold water. Easy peasy! Hope you like this cooler as much as I do! Happy sewing :)

Finish it Friday...almost

Well here it is.

Two "new" outfits just completed by my for me :)

I know, I know, they are nothing fancy AT ALL! and truth be told they are only refashions of stuff I had in the closet anyhow...

BUT! this morning the outfit on the left was a too big and bulky tshirt I hardly wear and the shorts were a oh so too long pair of way to baggy-leg bootcut jeans!

And the outfit on the right was a long sleeve tshirt top that the sleeves had shrunk (how did that happen??) and the shorts were long legged pants (which I did wear but I have girl scout camp next week and need 5 outfits for the wilderness and didn't have enough...well on my way now!).

I have so many "hangers arounders" (don't we all though??) that I felt/feel it is high time I do something about this clutter that is bogging me down!

my decision many moons ago was to get going on the PILE of UFO's and WIP's that have depressed me for some time now.

and to report on that I am doing great there!

I have piles more to go...tomorrow's task (if I stick with my agenda) is to make myself a new night gown that I really really need! stay tuned for that update ;)

Thanks for reading, happy sewing!

One more flower to the garden :)

I am so close to the end of this quilt I am jumping out of my skin! lol

Here is my latest addition to the garden...

July 18, 2012

This flower was so fun to do :) it was a bit of a collaboration. I had the center (same as all my other flowers) and I had the poka dot print in my stash but just didn't have anything to match it. Don ta da don! in for the rescue swoops my gal pal Anne and her awesome collection of prints! I swooped in and and scooped up 12 petals to complete this one :) sewing pals are just the best!!!!

June 20, 2012

Don't you just love this one...oh man me too! haha but my reason for my mushy mushy is that I found this fabric at none other than a super cool thift store in Ann Arbor Michigan!

I paid less than $2 for the inside blue flower print and the outer solid blue! I just love a dog on good deal! and best yet I had a ton of the solid blue leftover to make a dress for the 5 year old and 4 reversable purses!!! way to stretch a buck!!!

super cute tote tute for ME!

Again I have been a bit out of touch...working on lots of stuff. My goal is to complete lots of need too's.

So, to this I add my first plan to "use up" some canvas I have on hand. a not so quick google search landed me to a very cute blog, poppyseed fabrics.

Here, this cool blogger has shared a very simple but effective tote tute that I am to get to tomorrow! pictures to follow :) MADE TODAY!!! yeah me!

I did not vere too far from the original directions so go to those to see the nuts and bolts, but what I did do different I will talk about here...

all my pieces cut out :)


First, I cut out all my pieces.

BUT! I did not have the webbing for the handles as required in the directions.

AND per my personal rule to use what I have on hand I had enough of the yellow to make my own handles.

So this is what I did. I cut 2 strips from the yellow fabric.

5 iches by 36 inches.

I folded the strips down the center and ironed them flat.

then I folded one side then the other to the center (just like making bias tape).

then I folded both sides back to the center and ended up with two (again just like bias tape) handles :)

I (edge stitch) sewed up one side and down the other of both straps.

not exactly necessary because you will need to sew up 10 iches to attach the handles to the bag but I figured the extra stitching was not a problem.

Plus, I could not figure out how I was going to stitch the top of the handle once I had it attached the the bag???

My only other "diversion" was no batting.

I used a regular weight canvas I figured it would be "stiff" enough that I would not need the extra thickness the batting would create.

I read the directions which stated to sew up the strap to the top of the batting, which was to be cut 10 inches.

Using this knowledge I measured up the strap 10 iches made my mark and sewed up one side (edge stitched) to the 10 inch mark, then down the other.

worked perfectly!

and my final adjustment was when I had followed all the directions and had a completed bag. I was not happy with the "floppy" top. I pinned and ironed the lining into a happy place then edge stitched all the way around.     

One bit I did notice was the I had ironed the handle straps down. Usually on these types of bags the handles are allowed to be a bit floppy at the top. I am sometimes a lazy sewer and had no desire to stop my stitching and begin again, so I sewed the straps down. Still looks cute to me :)

and here I have it! another completed project from the stash!!!!

I just love getting things done! Happy Sewing!!!!