Thursday, January 6, 2011

Taggy Cubes

Adorable! I found these cute creations at Eleanors Boutique. These were easy to make and a great way to use up leftover fabric and ribbon. I added a layer of plastic on the inside for some crunchy fun for baby!

I found that sewing a piece of a plastic shopping bag (the thicker the better) inside the toy works great for adding some crunchiness. It seems to hold up just fine in the washer and dryer. I've also heard of people using a baby wipe bag or cereal bag for this too.

Sooooo cute!! Try making one for the sweet little baby in your life :)

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Button Rings!

A cute and simple ring to make! I saw this idea at a gift shop and had to try making it myself. If you can sew on a button, you can make this ring! If not, no worries, follow the instructions below...

Start with 1/4" wide elastic. Cut enough for it to fit comfortably around your finger with a little extra for it to overlap on the ends. (about a quarter inch)

Use a lighter to melt each end of the elastic to prevent fraying.

Now choose a few buttons you like and some matching thread. Three buttons works well, and it helps if each button has the same amount of holes. You can also add a little bead at the top for something different.
 
 Begin sewing by making a few knots on one end of the elastic.
(If you have problems with the thread twisting up and knotting, try letting the thread dangle with the needle hanging at the bottom so it will untwist.)

Next sew the two ends of the elastic together. They will overlap about 1/4 inch.

Now it's time to add the buttons! Start with the bottom button. The buttons will be sewn on top of the overlapping elastic. Thread the needle through the first hole from underneath. Then thread the needle downward through the hole next to it. Repeat this step through all the holes until the bottom button feels secure.

Once the bottom button is secure, add the remaining buttons. Sew through all the buttons and layers of elastic until all the buttons are held tightly onto the elastic ring.
 
Almost done....

Finally, make a few knots underneath and cut off the remaining thread.

All done! Yay! 

Now it's time to wear your cute new rings!!