I’ve been so busy with life lately that I haven’t had time to craft or sew. I have a laundry list of projects I want to work on, at the top of which is a stash of cloth diapers… but that isn’t really fun, so I have been putting it off for obvious reasons.
But I’ve come across so many adorable sewing projects on the web lately, that I’m itching to sit down at my machine and create something fun.
Here are some of my favorite tutorials as of late:
I was totally inspired last week when I ran across this tutorial on Make It and Love It for transforming a purse into a camera bag. I have probably the ugliest camera bag around… and it’s not big enough to hold extra lenses. We purchased it quickly because we needed it and didn’t really worry too much about the design. But as I’ve acquired more lenses and started carrying my camera around more, I realized it’s really impractical (did I mention ugly?).
Since cute camera bags cost an arm and a leg (upwards of $100), I think I’ll probably end up following a tutorial like this one to transform an affordable bag into a camera bag. I love that Ashley on Make It and Love It also uses the compartments to hold things like keys, diapers, toys, and snacks; I usually carry my camera around when I have a diaper bag full of stuff for my daughter anyway, so why not combine the two?
I am loving some of the bags at Forever21 right now, like this striped canvas bag (left, $27.80). But I’m also thinking that a faux leather messenger bag (right, $19.50) might be a good option so that I can convince my husband to carry it sometimes too!
Seeing as to how I’ve got a little man on the way (whom will be making an appearance in just a couple of months), I couldn’t help but “awww” over these adorable DIY shoes from Shwin & Shwin. She offers a free pattern and tutorial for making them, along with matching bow-tie onesies. ADORABLE!
For the longest time, I’ve been in love with these adorable bunnies that are made and sold by blogger Chez Beeper Bebe. Today I ran across a free tutorial and pattern that she offers on her blog so you can make your own, and I was so excited that I had to share!
Aren’t they adorable? I will definitely be making them from some old t-shirts for my little girl and soon-to-be boy for Easter. They’ll look perfect in their little baskets, and I like the idea of incorporating something homemade in every Easter basket. Last year, I made beanbag chicks from a Martha Stewart tutorial.
I was in need of a Christmas table runner this year, and I had some scraps left over of fabric I loved from a bunting I made last year. I found a tutorial for a table runner that used scraps and a new method that I hadn’t tried called “foundation piecing.” This method basically consists of sewing scraps to a foundation piece, leaving the finished product laying flat and looking really professional. I was proud of myself for learning something new and I really enjoyed the process and how it turned out.
It’s rather unfortunate that I haven’t been able to share some of the gifts I’ve been making this Christmas, because I know my family and friends would see them on here and it would ruin the surprise… But here’s one I can share that I already gave to my godson and my nephew (who probably hasn’t opened it yet, but he can’t read and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t check my blog, so I think I’m safe).
I found the tutorial for this adorable car caddy on Pinterest (original source: homemadebyjill.blogspot.com) a while ago and knew it would be perfect for the little boys I love. It turned out to be quite simple to make, although I did adjust it the design a bit.
This past weekend I worked like a mad woman on some of the home décor projects I wanted to create for the holidays (refresh your memory with this post). Here is some of what I accomplished:
I woke up to a lovely surprise in my inbox this morning. JoAnn Fabrics has launched the Babyville Boutique on their website, which is full of adorable PUL fabrics for making waterproof diaper covers, cute snaps, fasteners, and elastics, and books and patterns for making cloth diapers.
I just came across this ruffled tote tutorial on UCreate and fell in love! It would be adorable for the fall. My favorite part is that she bought premade tote bags, so she really only had to embellish them. I would much rather embellish something than start from scratch on the bag – immediate satisfaction works best for this impatient crafter… Now I just have to find some fabulous fabric like this. Blue chevron? Yes, please.
When I had my daughter and decided to use cloth diapers, I knew I also wanted to make a reusable pail liner instead of using trash bags (both to save money and to be more “green”). Most pail liners retail for anywhere from $15-30 online, but I knew I could make one cheaper by purchasing PUL (polyurethane laminate) at Jo-Ann Fabrics – especially if I used a coupon.
