Testing Testing!!! (and a fabric bracelet mini tutorial)

I am the first to admit that I like to copy the creative genius of others and VERY rarely do I have a good idea on my own.  So this post is dedicated to the inner copy-cat in me.  I have tested out a few tutorials that I have had bookmarked for  a while.  I am still on my quest to use the materials that I currently have on hand and not buy more craft stuff.  Sometimes though it is JUST TOO HARD:)  The first tutorial I tested was from Every Crafty Endeavor.  I saw her wreath and loved it--especially because she said that all of the supplies were from the Dollar Tree.  I did not plan on making one though until I was ACTUALLY at the dollar tree and saw EVERY one of the supplies she used.  What are the odds???  SO I followed her tutorial exactly (except I cut my ribbon around 14 inches instead of 12)  and kinda love my little patriatic wreath. 

The only problem I have with it is that it is currently on the INSIDE of my front door.  It is raining and blowing and just plain YUCKY outside today---but sometime before the 4th of July I am sure it will show up on the outside.

Next I made another body-sized bib for Emersyn.  You may remember my last Body Bib attempt---with the plastic tablecloth.  WELL it worked great---for about a week.  Then I decided hand washing it was getting old and threw it into the washer---BAD IDEA.  It pretty much shredded.  So here is the new solution. I used THIS tutorial and only made one tiny little change.  Instead of velro for the closure I just cut a longer piece of bias tape.  Then I folded over the edges and sewed them closed.  So now I have long ties in the back---Emersyn is TOO good at getting velcro open:)

It is really long on her--which is PERFECT.  It covers her legs.  Now she can have a lap full of mac and cheese and NOT ruin her cute pants.  YAY!!!!  THIS is for sure something that I need to make more of.

Then it was zipper time. Can you believe I have NEVER tried to put a zipper in??? NEVER.  Well I have a pattern to make a shirt for my sister, but I need to put in a zipper, so I decided to start on something small and practice.  I used THIS tutorial from FROM AN IGLOO.  I love her blog---lots of cute girlie stuff.  My clutch is a little wonky, but that is ok because Em has claimed it as her own.  I thought this pattern was pretty easy, my only problem (besides zipper stupidity) was at the VERY end. Trying to top stitch around the top part---I could not fit the little top part around the sewing machine very well---notice my crookedy ugly seam.  I think I would just skip that step and leave the raw edges inside alone---only becaus straight lines are not so easy for me:) Check out how darn cute HERS is though--jealous!!!  Maybe I better try again with cuter fabric:)

Lastly---a new form of fabric bracelets--YES!!!!  I got this idea over HERE.  I tried to do it the same way, but I changed it a little because my seam showed WAY too much.  THUS the big huge button on top:)  Nothing like a big button to hide a big ugly seam.

Here is what I did (some the same--some different).

You will need

• 
  
  a 14 inch strip of fabric (2.5 inches wide if you are using 1 inch elastic)
• 
  
  a 7 inch piece of elastic (I have small wrists--you may want to measure around your wrist and cut)
• 
  
  iron, safety pin, sewing machine--AND....about 5 minutes:)

Fold your fabric strip right sides together and sew down the long edge.

Use your safety pin to turn your tube right side out.

Iron your tube so that the seam is down one side (this will be the inside of your bracelet).

Use your safety pin to pull the elastic through your tube.

 THIS IS WHERE I CHANGED THE PROCESS THE MOST FROM THE OTHER TUTORIAL.  I think it is much easier this way too---less steps:)  Line your elastic up with the edge of your fabric on both ends.  Then fold your tube in half with the seam on the outside.

Sew close to the edge of your fabric (you will be sewing through the fabric and both edges of elastic).  I used a zig zag stitch and went back and forth a few times.  This will be on the inside of the bracelet, so it does not have to be beautiful.

Trim off the extra fabric and elastic as close to the seam as possible. Then flip your braclet right side out---voila!!!

Now TRY to make JUST one.  Not possible ♥