Last week Marion finished preschool!  Kindergarten here she comes!  So, I rushed around and made her 3 teachers quilted fabric frames.  You know that is my favorite gift to give, right?  I love how you can give it with a cute saying or special picture and then the recipient can then hang it as is, OR put their own saying or picture in there.  Thus, the perfect gift for your favorite teacher! Alas, in my rushing, NO PICTURES!  but I did make new printables for the frame over on Canva.  Now, I warn you, I am not a graphics expert and I have seen much cuter fonts and configurations than these, but they are still pretty good!  And, Marion colored in the apple, flowers and hearts, so they turned out really cute.  AGAIN, SORRY NO REAL PICTURES :(.  But I still wanted you to see the quotes in action, so I did a little photo shop trickery!  Basically, I superimposed the new quotes on old frame photos.  So, let’s pretend this is what my frames looked like…  (and to get the FREE printables, scroll below!)   Cute, right?  Thoughtful AND EASY!  That is my favorite part because this time of year I am totally swamped with end of the year activities.  As a result,  putting together a nice teacher gift can be challenging.  So, the quilted fabric frame pattern to the rescue- AGAIN! So, here are the PDF printables!  Just click on the blue letters below.  I would recommend printing them on white cardstock and then trimming down.  I usually take the piece of glass/ plexiglass and put it centered over the printed quote.  Then lightly trace with a pencil and cut it out.  Then it will fit perfectly every time!  The printables are for a 5” x 7” frame (which is the standard size of the quilted fabric frame sewing pattern!). Big-heart-to-teach influence of a good teacher teachers plant the seeds Here are the quotes up close so you can see them!  But to print out, you need to download the PDFs above in blue 🙂 I hope you get some use out of these fun quotes!  I know my MOM is going to call me soon and say “Well, Ginny, your quotes were cute but down here in the SOUTH, kids are already out of school!”  Sorry I am late for you on the teacher gifts, southern friends!  But you can PIN these to pinterest and use them next year!  Yay!  And, follow ME on pinterest while you are at it 🙂...

This is one cute chicken!  I don’t know about you, but tons of my neighbors and friends have chickens now.  It may be that I live in a rural area that is still pretty close to Pittsburgh and lots of people around here love the whole hobby farm thing, but I know that chickens are super popular all over the country, right? So, just in time for those hens to start laying again (and for my sweet neighbors to give me some fresh eggs!), I created this new video on my Youtube channel to celebrate our favorite domestic feathered friend. Head over to my Channel (and subscribe for more fun sewing videos!) to watch the video!  Click below (on the highlighted letters!) to get the pattern pieces.  They are just 2 pages and make sure you set your printer to 100%...

I am far from an embroidery expert but this time of year I feel the calling to make something slow.  It is so pleasant to create something stitch by stitch.  To me, that is the fun of embroidery!  It’s not a race but a commitment to crafting and I love that concept. We have made the journey out to Breckenridge, Colorado again!  This time just for one month.  In fact, we have been here almost 4 weeks already and now only have a few days left.  I will share some details of how we made this trip with 4 kids (and not being millionaires!) in a different post.  The mountains are absolutely beautiful, needless to say!   Before we came, I created this embroidery design and I thought I would share with you.  It is very easy!  Simply download the template, and either trace it onto your fabric or use a wash away stabilizer.  I recommend the stabilizer since you can print directly onto the paper and then fuse it to your fabric!  It is so easy and simple.  Here is a video to watch that explains this process very clearly. You can download the template by clicking here ~ mountains are calling I used chain stitch, satin stitch and back stitch.  I like this video that explains all 3 stitches if you need a refresher or to learn them for the first time! I ripped 1” strips of fabric and wrapped them around the outside hoop to give this a more finished look.  I simply ran a line of glue around the exterior hoop edge and wrapped away! I also embroidery this FREE mountain template I found on instructables.  It is so pretty!  I would recommend doing it when your skills are little more confident in your skills… I used the same 3 embroidery stitches as in my own design (can you tell those are my favorites??)!   Do you have some embroidery tips or template you like in particular?  Where is your favorite place to get patterns?  What are your thoughts for embroidery beginners??  I would love to know more from you crafty friends out there 🙂...

Frankly, I am not all that organized but I do have some tips for you people who struggle with this aspect of sewing.  Being even moderately organized makes sewing more enjoyable and that is what Gingercake is all about!  Making sewing more fun for everyone (including myself!) So, listed in no particular order of importance, I will tell you my TIPS! 1.  SCRAPS!  Yes, they are so great and fun to have around,  YES, they will take over your sewing room and drive you nuts the longer you sew because they just keep piling up!  My solution is nothing fancy but it gets the job done and makes my scraps available for future projects.  I have several mesh wire bins from the dollar store (nothing fancy and not worthy of a picture!) in which i place my scraps as I sew.  Then, about once a month (truthfully more like once every six months) I divide all my scraps into color groups- yellows, blues, greens, pinks, etc.  place them in zip lock bags and store them away in big plastic bins for big fun scrappy projects like these… This photo below is a pretty way to organize your scraps by color like I recommend.  I don’t use such pretty containers but this is the method that I like and recommend!  Click on the photo to take you to the FLICKR page 🙂 The last comment I want to make about scraps is be selective about what you save- only keep the pieces that are easily used.  GO ahead and throw away the tiny and oddly shaped pieces.  AND, think about making scrap projects- you don’t want to do patchwork with a bunch of different weights of fabrics so be selective- i only save large scraps of duck cloth or knit because they aren’t going to mix well in a scrappy patchwork project like a bunch of quilting weight pieces will. 2.  TOOLS.  Some of us love a variety of sewing tools and others get by on the very basics.  I am somewhere in the middle and often lose favorite things if my sewing room gets particularly disorganized.  Where do they go I ask you??  Well I usually find them when I put some work into cleaning  my sewing room but in a flurry of creativity, they are bound to go missing again!  Here is how I keep my tools handy on one of these peg board things above my work table. I decide to go ahead and buy 3 more pairs of scissors while they were on sale and that was a purchase I will never regret!   They are not very fancy but get the job done for sure.   So, your tools should be...

Thanks for all the interest and comments on my Booth tips last week.  I decided to follow up with some talk about pricing!  A much debated topic but I hope I can help you by sharing my thoughts and ideas. The first thing to understand about pricing handmade items to sell is that your time and effort are THE biggest factor in the process when you are sewing.  YES, material costs are something to think about but they really only add pennies instead of dollars to the bottom line.  Here is my story of sewing crayon art folios to help you understand my pricing process. My biggest seller from over the years is the Crayon Art Folio.  Year after year after YEAR, people keep buying them when I do a holiday show.  When I designed the sewing pattern back in 2010, I made a few (maybe 7) for the holiday show I attended that year.  They sold out quickly and I wished I had made many more.  The following year, I made 20, and priced them at $20, and again, ALL sold!  Wow!  That was $400 dollars.  The following year, I made 20 again and priced them at $25.  Only half sold to my disappointment but not my surprise.  $25 was too much for a crayon holder even if it did have cute designer fabrics, crayola crayons and a nice paper pad.  But honestly when I calculated my time, $25 was a more realistic price for all my efforts!  There are lots of parts to the crayon holder- the fusing of interfacing, the sewing on velcro, the individual tiny crayon pockets, and then, top stitching through thick layers, etc. My customers (in Pittsburgh- a pretty frugal market) are willing to pay about $20 for this product.  I tried $22 and that sold OK, but $20 is the sweet spot.  They feel like they are getting something really nice for their kids and even though it’s a little much for crayons and paper, its something that will last.  For me, I needed to figure out how to make ME feel comfortable with selling for $20, not try to get THEM to change their whole understanding of the worth of handmade.  Other things can sell for more- designer pillows, chic purses, etc.   Nothing is worse than person after person at a show praising your work and then after looking at the price walking away! Ouch. Here is what I did to get ME comfortable with $20.  First- I looked at the design.  How can I make this quicker and easier?  That is the question you need to ask your self over and over again.  Selling handmade is about craftsmanship, but you can very...

Last week I participated in a pop up craft show in downtown Pittsburgh.  Although the show was not well attended and I felt silly for not having researched it properly (the location and glamour of who was running it fooled me!) I did create a nice, simple table that I thought would be great to share.  This table would be really easy for anyone to recreate on a budget but still look professional.  For more detailed info on starting a sewing business from scratch, you can purchase my book, Sewing to Sell! 1.  Vertical shelving:  It is important that you make use of vertical space.  It catches shoppers eyes from farther away and gets your products up to their eye level.  This shelf is made using PVC pipes and joints.  PVC is cheap, easy to cut to size, sturdy and EASY TO CARRY!   To top off the shelf, I used a wooden shelf with a cute trim I found at a construction recycle place.  But you could easily use some other kind of trim to make that shelf topper look nice.  This is a 5ft long shelf and PVC set up.  This means it will fit on both an 8ft or a 6ft table. 2.  Simple table cloths:   You are going to need that space under your table to hide boxes and extra supples.  Make sure your table coverings fall all the way to the floor.  My cloth is yardage of 54” decor fabric.  It does not go all the way to the floor on the back side of the table and that grants me easy access to what I need under the table- bags (I bought these from U-line), extra business cards, snacks, etc.  I also covered the top of my table with some burlap for texture.  I like how it kinda of tones down the bright colors of all my fabrics and add an earthy base to my products. 3.  Brand Signage:  Although you can easily have signs printed by Kinkos or with some planning, Vistaprint, this banner is also an easy option.  You can either print or trace the letters of your business on paper, cut it into triangles and sew it all together with some fun trim.  This banner was supposed to be a temporary solution for me but I like how it adds some fun decor to my table.  It is important to have a name for your business!  It adds professionalism and interest.  People always come and ask “Why Gingercake?” 4.  Merchandise:  What I planned and sewed for this show had several things in mind- price, size, shape, and customer. For the price, I wanted a variety of prices- from a $15 jewelry pouch to a $65 quilted 24”...

I am so happy and thrilled to be a stop today on the Frolic Fabric Collection Tour!  I love all fabrics by Tamara Kate and this one is no exception.  I had a hard time choosing just one fabric to work with so I chose a few that matched my favorite one- the flower hedgehog of course:) . Those hedgehogs are too cute for words.I had lots of different thoughts about what I wanted to make and then, last week, I was asked for the millionth time “MOM!  when are you going to make that bean bag chair you promised?!”  That is how 13 year olds talk to their moms by the way.  I knew I had to finally take the leap and make that chair!  And, it would be the perfect way to show the Frolic Collection 🙂 This chair was made from the tutorial by Live Colorful but instead of just using 2 meters of 54” wide fabric, I basically created a simple quilt top with 18” squares and half triangles.  I had four 1/2 yard cuts of Frolic and added two 1/2 cuts of solid fabrics.  Once I had it all pieced together, I backed it with a white muslin and “quilted” the outlines to all the pieces.  The backing was to give the bean bag more stability for wear and tear. One cool thing about this style is that it can be flipped over and takes on a new shape.  The girls call this napping shape and the first, pointy top shape, is reading shape!  I like the fabrics together a little more on the napping side but both look pretty 🙂It took me 2 1/2 bags of bean bag filler from Joann’s to fill this up.  I bought them at 50% off online and picked up in the store.  This filler was something that was always holding me back from making a bean bag chair.  I thought it would be super pricey and hard to work with.  It was a bit challenging to get the filler into the bag but the expense wasn’t too bad with the sale.  Each bag was $12.50, so I spent about $30 total on “beans” and I have about 1/2 bag left over.  Not bad for such a cute chair! Thank you so much to Tamara for including me on her Frolic Collection Tour!  Fabrics will be in stores and online June 15th!  YAY!  They are so bright and beautiful in person and you must try to see them in person 🙂...

Over on my Youtube channel today I shared a new tutorial to make this cute and fun Picnic Quilt!  I have had a great time collaborating with Organic Cotton Plus to make a few videos and I love how this one turned out!  Scroll down to get the PDF map of the quilt and print if you are here from Youtube 🙂 This was an easy and fun quilt to make.  I loved ripping the FQs and then using their size to determine the size of the quilt.  It really made it easy to assemble!  Miss Marion likes it too!   You can watch the video by clicking the play button below.  It is almost 20 minutes long which feels LONG for youtube!  But I will tell you- it’s really hard to show how to sew a whole quilt in less than 20 minutes!  I think it will be worth your time 🙂 Here is the PDF version of the quilt :  OCP quilt design.  Click on that link and print it out on your computer or use the image on your phone like I did in the video.  Here is a photo version you can view from your phone or computer while you sew.  Enjoy your quilt...

You know how I keep blathering on about how much I like giving quilted fabric frames as gifts.  Well, here I go again!  I made a new frame and a set of mother’s day quotes to share 🙂 . Above is the one I am sending my mom.  But I made 2 more for you to choose from!  These will make great mother’s day gifts for you too!  If you don’t want to sew the frame, you could buy a 5” x 7” frame and still use the printables 🙂 Below are the PDFs that you download to print on your own.  These are 5” x 7” sizes and will work for the pattern size 🙂 . Click on the blue words above the saying to open the PDF! totheworld artofliving...

I was asked to make another round of Katie Birds for Blend Fabrics!  These fabrics, called Flutter & Float, are perfect for bird pillow!   Very pretty and whimsical 🙂 The Katie Bird pattern is fun for showing off pretty prints since it is simple and not too busy.  But is also adds some character that a simple square pillow can’t possible offer!  I  hope you will try it out sometime 🙂When you use nice high quality fabrics like these from the Flutter & Float line, you don’t need to necessarily add the extra layer of interfacing/ flannel that the pattern calls for.  I also reduced the size the 90% (because I can fit them into a standard box for shipping more easily!) and instead of zig zag stitching on the wings, I sew them right sides together with a piece of white fabric and turned it right side out.  This is an extra step but gives the wing a more finished look which I like when combining 2 prints like this. These cuties will be in the Blend Fabrics booth at the Quilt show this spring.  Let me know if you find them there!  I would love to see a photo of the display!...

The classic bowling bag look great with pockets on the end!  Here are instructions to show you how to add end pockets  and make them look really nice. First, take a piece of fabric, in the same direction as your end piece, that measures 8” wide by 12” long.  Pay attention to fabric direction.Fold in half with wrong sides together so the piece is now 8” wide by 6” high.  Cut a piece of stabilizer (I am using non fusible interfacing but Pellon 931TD also works fine). that is also 8” x 6” Layer the interfacing inside the folded fabric and top stitch across the top folded edge.  Now you have a pocket!Layer the end piece on top of the pocket piece, face down on your work table.  Pin if needed.  Baste together by sewing 1/8” close to the edge of the end piece.  Then, trim off the edge of the pocket to match the curve of the end piece.  See the photo below. Turn the piece over and now you see your pocket piece in place! Follow the pattern instructions to add the end piece onto the sides.  Your basting stitches that you make to ease the end piece in place, should begin just above the pocket top edge. In the pattern, I  give you the option of hand stitching the seam of the end pieces over toward the sides to define your bag.  It is optional in the pattern, but if you add pockets to your ends, it is highly recommended.  Otherwise, the pockets with bow out and distort the look of the bag. Now you can enjoy the extra storage of end pockets on your Classic Bowling Bag! Visit my PDF pattern shop to purchase your copy of the Classic Bowling bag pattern and make something beautiful today!        ...

Well,  isn’t this just super cute?  I love giving handmade valentine gifts but I love giving something that will bring joy all year long even better!  This bag features a simple patchwork (with a fun trick to make it quick and easy!), a button closure, simple lining, and a whimsical new way to add a handle.  Let’s get started! First gather 4 scrap fabrics that are 2.5” x 7.5”.  Coordinate as much as you would like! You will also need a piece of 6.5” x 8.5” cotton fabric for the exterior back.  2 pieces of interfacing (fusible if you would like) that are 6.5” x 8.5”, and 2 cotton lining pieces that are 6.5” x 8.5”. A piece of cotton fabric that is 2” x WOF (about 40”-42”) for the strap. Sewing machine, thread, iron, scissors, hand needle and thread. 3” elastic cord A pretty button! Let’s begin~ Sew the scraps together and press the seams out flat. Cut the piece into three 2.5” strips.  Rotate the middle strip so that the fabrics alternate. Sew the pieces together to create a patchwork piece.  Tray to line up the seams as much as possible so it looks nice and tidy. Use the heart shaped pattern piece to cut the heart.  You can download it with this link:  Patchwork Heart Pattern Piece. Next cut a matching heart from solid fabric for the backing, 2 pieces from solid fabric for the lining, and 2 piece of interfacing.  I used fusible interfacing (pellon 931TD).  In the photo below the pink solid is beneath the patchwork and there are 2 white pieces together.  The interfacing is not pictured. Fuse the interfacing to the back of the patchwork piece and the solid piece that will be the back.  At this point you can optionally top stitch the patchwork piece like I did in the photo below.  Also, take the 3” piece of elastic cord and attach it to the backing piece like the photo below. Layer the patchwork piece and the backing right sides together.  Place pins 2” from either side of the center of the heart on the top edge.  Use these pins to mark  where to begin sewing the sides together.  Sew the pieces together and stop at the pin on the other side.  Use more pins to hold the piece together if needed. Repeat with the lining but leave a 3” opening on one side- preferably at the straight edge like in the photo below. Clip along the curves of both the exterior and lining seams.  Make sure not to cut the stitches!  You can see the cliped curves in the photo below. Turn the exterior right side out and insert into the lining through the opening.  I...

The is the last week of the sewing series and I have another fantastic giveaway for you.  Drum roll… First we have we a really cool set of sewing tools from Dritz!  These tools were chosen by the folks over at dritz as the best and newest must haves for us sewers!  I would really like to try these out!  Click on the titles below to learn more about each one.  Thanks so much Dritz! 202 LED Needle Threader 803 Needle Storage Tube 204-M Soft Comfort Thimble 843 Flexible Yard Stick 667 Tailor’s Marking Set 135-40 Easy Grasp Pins 735 Wrist Pin Cushion Next we have a pattern giveaway from the very talented Suz of sewpony vintage!  Suz has a gorgeous sewing blog (sewpony) and a loyal following (for good reason!).  Her etsy shop, sewpony vintage has several gorgeous patterns for girls including the popular tic tac toe dress and the fabulous cosi swimsuit!  Thank you Suz! And last but never least, Chio from Llama Fabrics is offering an FQ bundle of Maureen Cracknell’s new Art Gallery Fabrics line, Garden Dreamer!  Every single one of these designs is GORGEOUS!  Thank you so much to Llama fabrics!  I am a really big fan of llama fabrics- gorgeous selection, very fast shipping, reasonable prices, and Chio is super helpful. Phew!  Can you tell I am excited about this giveaway?  You can enter below through rafflecopter.  It is easy and fast! The blog comment entry is for this question:  What is the best handmade gift you have ever received?  Or wish someone would give to you? Good Luck! a Rafflecopter...

Last weeks winner was Serina from Stuart FLA.  Congratulations Serina!  This week I have another fantastic giveaway coming your way!  Have you ever shopped at Bloomerie Fabrics?  It is a beautiful online fabric shop that sells quilting cottons, patterns, organic fabrics, home decor and gorgeous fabric bundles too!  People often ask me where I get my fabrics, and Bloomerie is one of my favorite shops!  I bought all the solids I used to make this quilt for my 12 year old there. Jess & Donna of Bloomerie have generously offered a $50 shopping certificate to one lucky winner this week!  YAY!  Here are some pretty pics from their shop…    So pretty, right? Are your dying to start new sewing projects just looking at those photos?  Me too! So, back to the giveaway!  Before we proceed to the entries, Hayley from Welcome to the Mouse House (our guest sewer on Thursday 12/8!) has also offered THREE patterns from her shop to the lucky winner this week!  Hayley’s patterns are elegant and stylish and you are sure to find something perfect for you (she has 2 patterns for ladies!) or your sweet little one.  Head over to her shop to check them out.  Here are a few of my favorites!   OK, Finally!  NOW, you can enter the giveaway.  Thanks so much to Bloomerie Fabrics and Welcome to the Mouse House for their generous prizes this week! a Rafflecopter giveaway...

Do you all see the Penguins made by Amanda of Jedi Craft Girl last friday?  Love them!   Thank you so much to Amanda for participating in the Gingercake Holiday Gifts Sewing Series.  You can read more about her cute penguin pair by visiting the Jedi Craft Girl Blog.  She made these gifts using the very popular Annie’s Penguin Pillow Pattern. I have never tried to use minky before at the belly but it looks so soft!  She used a basting spray to keep it from shifting all around.  Very clever! I have made many many penguins myself over the years.  Including the Valentine penguin that is my favorite!  You can visit that blog post here.  It is a free upgrade tutorial! Back in 2013 when I did this gifts series before, 4 bloggers sewed up penguins to give as gifts.  They were all so cute!  First is Caila’s from CailaMade... My good friend Amy (in real life!) of Mindfully Made Studios sewed a cute penguin too.  She made her penguins from fleece- again as a baby gift for a brand new niece… Next, the talented Jenny of the Southern Institute had her daughter Abby sew up the Annie’s Penguin Pattern as her first project.  WOW!  awesome job Abby!  This girl has a future in sewing!   My last penguin to share was sewn by Jess of If Only They Would Nap.  She always brings a fresh eye to sewing projects.  Jess also has 4 boys and sews for them all the time!  That is an accomplishment.  I love the boy spin on this guy below. Now that we have walked down penguin memory lane (and I feel so grateful to my blogging friends for sharing their projects!), I don’t want you to forget about the Week 3 giveaway happening!  Just click below to enter.  It is so easy! a Rafflecopter...

I hope you are enjoying the Holiday Gifts Sewing Series as much as me!  This week we have a fabulous and exciting giveaway that I am so excited to share with you.  You have heard of Stash Box Builder, right?  It is a monthly subscription service geared specifically toward quilters and sewers building their stash.  Stash building is a never ending adventure, and this is like giving yourself the perfect gift every month! Ready to open up the November box that you have a chance to win???? The November box has three 1-yard pieces of Art Gallery “Blithe” collection, a spool of Aurifil thread, their signature pencil and a box exclusive quilt pattern!  This is the box that you will have a chance to win this week!  Isn’t it pretty?  I love the subdued but original pallet of these fabrics. Not only does Stash Box Builder send you amazing and stylish monthly fabrics, with the left over fabric from their bolts, they create quilts for families and children in need.  We sewers know that handmade quilts are the coziest and most thoughtful of gifts and I just love that Stash Box Builder is doing this project as part of their business plan. Thank you so much to Amanda from Stash Box Builder for working with me to host this weeks giveaway!  I know you will love it!  You can head over to their website and sign up for monthly subscriptions here. Our bonus items are from the 2 bloggers sewing up Gingercake Patterns this week.  The Katy doll pattern is the newest pattern by the very talented Caroline of SewCanShe.  And, you will also get 2 patterns from the super stylish Vanessa of LBG studio.  More about those patterns and talented ladies later this week! You can enter the giveaway here!  Good luck! a Rafflecopter...

Sara Soares of Made by Sara is a talented sewer and makes the most beautiful children’s clothes!  She just had her 4th baby (a little boy!) and wanted to make his first made by mama gift.  She chose the Lucky the Elephant pattern. Sara made him at 75% size (better for little hands!), added a rattle while stuffing and made a grabby t-shirt tail (you have to visit her blog to see it!). Less than 24 hours are left to enter the Week 1 giveaway of the Gingercake Holiday Gifts Sewing Series!  Up for grabs is FIVE  C&T publishing books! Including my book, Sewing to Sell!  This set of books will keep you inspired for a long time! a Rafflecopter giveaway Next week will start out with my friend Kristy of Sweet KM and a brand new Giveaway!  YAY!  I can’t wait to share it with...

It has taken years for me to find my halloween decor groove.  My kids want to see our house get festive for the holidays and I remember loving halloween stuff when I was a kid too.  But the retail stuff available  can be kinda ugly, right?  And creepy too.  So, here is my compromise!  Still festive and a little spooky, but not over the top. First is my new wreath!  I made this by recovering my spring wreath from this video tutorial.  I simply cut two 7” x WOF pieces of fabric and sewed them together to make an 7” x approx 84” piece of fabric.  Then I sewed it right sides together to make a long tube.  I turned it inside out and covered my wreath just like in the video.  Very easy! The flowers are 2 colors of orange wool felt.  These types of felt flowers are very easy to make!  I used the method described here.  I usually make my cuts kinda wavy to add more imperfection to the flower if that makes sense. I love the simple gathered wreath and felt flowers look.  Not too much and still festive!   Here is a quick photo tutorial for making the flowers.  You can read that link above for more detailed info on making the flowers.Don’t worry, I did get a little spooky for the kids !   A couple of years ago I made these ghosts to fit over my front door lights.   Aren’t they fun?  The kids love them so much and they are so excited to come home from school to see them up.  And they are SUPER easy to make.  I measured how far it is the from the top of the lights (where the glass starts) and down to the ground.  Then I added 1.5” for the casing on top.  I used the WOF and made a large tube by sewing the piece right sides together.  I just used inexpensive muslin fabric that was about 42” wide.  With the height of my lights and front door, I bought 6 yards of fabric for both lights. I used 3/4” wide elastic.  When I sew a casing like this, I use this classic method.  Very simple and easy!  You can see from the photo below that the fabric does not fit over the light entirely.  It doesn’t matter!  It will still look great. Making the face is easy too.  Simply draw a face that you like on a piece of paper.  Cut out shapes to make pattern pieces.  Use pattern pieces to cut out shapes on the black material.  Then use black thread to sew the face onto your ghost.  I did mine backwards and then cut...

When you make the Lulu Llama sewing pattern, I recommend buying a 1/2 yard cut of faux fur.  (if you go to JoAnn’s you can save more by purchasing only 14” instead of 18!).  Fur is usually 60” wide!  This means your Llama only used HALF of the fur you purchase!  What to do with that other half?  Well, first, you can just make another llama.  But there are also lots of simple and fun project out there for sewing with faux fur.  Here are a few… Make a fur pom pom for your favorite hat!  This is really cute.  You can find this tutorial here .    This hood from Lemon Squeezy home is ADORABLE!  THis is free pattern that comes in several sizes.  With your left over Llama fur, you might only be able to make the little one.  You can get the pattern here. My girls would love a stool like this one above for their room!  It is so fun!  You can get the tutorial here. Ok, ok.  The instructions to this one are in either spanish or portuguese, but look at this sweet cappella!  That collar makes it really special.  I know some of you are up for a challenge.  You can find the pattern here. This are really cool boot cuffs!  I’m not sure I could pull it off with my wardrobe (PJ pants?) but I know some of you could really rock this look!  Or you could make them for someone you know who could rock it!  Get the simple tutorial here. Add a little fur to your holiday with this trendy stockings!  Get the tutorial here. This little fur vest would make a really cute baby gift!  so cozy and stylish for the little one!  Get the tutorial here. I hope these ideas got you inspried to use up that other half of your faux fur!  I know I am excited to see what you are making!  ...

My 2nd daughter Anne likes things BRIGHT and FUN and LOUD!  She saw these birds (again from Belnd fabrics!) and knew right away that she wanted her binder to be covered in this fun fabric. Anne is going into 5th grade this year.  She is ready to rule the school!  Her last year of elementary is going to be her best for sure (according to my positive and bright middle child!) Go ahead and get your your pattern on sale to make your own Binder...