How to Sew on a Button

Vintage Pillowcase Apron Tutorial

A few months ago, I found some hand-embroidered vintage pillowcases at the thrift store.  I picked them up for a screaming deal and figured I'd find a use for them if not for a bed then maybe a quilt.  I made a skirt from one that I have to say is so cool and comfortable I know I'll be living it in during the hot days of July and August.

Another I turned into an adorable apron and figured I'd share just how you can do it too.

Step 1.  Cut the pillow-case to the desired length.  Leave the bottom edge in tact (if possible) so that it becomes the bottom of the apron and doesn't need hemmed.

Step 2. Cut the pillow case sides, so that it's no longer a tube but rather two separate pieces of fabric.  Hem the raw edges.  Do this by rolling the edge over and pressing with an iron, then roll and press again so that the raw edge is tucked inside.  Sew a stitch all the way around these rolled hems. 
 
Step 3.  Make the aprons strings.  From the leftover pillow case fabric.  Cut two strips 3 inches wide and as long as needed to tie around the waist.  Fold the strips in half, long-wise.  Run a seam down the open end, using 3/8" allowance.  Do this on both strips.  Turn the strips right-side out.  I use a knitting needle to do this but chopsticks, even pencils work.  The strips are basically a long tube at this point.  Fold the raw open ends of the tube inside and press the entire strip flat.

Step 4: Attach the strings by running a stitch in the shape of a square around the string and top corner of the apron.  Seal the other end by running a stitch down the edge.

Step 5: Wear proudly! 

Friday Favorites

How do I go Green? With Sustainable Baby Steps  -  a website devoted to going green - even have a free ebook

Baked Asparagus Fries with 3 Dipping Sauces  - I can't wait to try this and the dipping sauces!

Cut Your Spending by $400 a month - some budget cutting ideas - not that you can use all of them or all of them every month even but there are some ideas here that might help cut some spending

Messenger Bag Tutorial - I wish I could sew well enough to make this - love it and the fabrics used

Sunburn Solution - solution to sooth sunburned skin. It will keep for a few weeks in the fridge

Friday Favorites

What to Ask when Refurbishing Vintage Furnishings

The 4 Laws of Simplicity and How to Apply them to Life

Top Coats - goes into all the different kinds of top coat for paint and how it is applied and what the blogger likes to use it on.

Understanding and Making Bias Tape

Balsamic Beef Stew

Friday Favorites

Painting Kitchen Cabinets - She gives some basics steps and shows before and after photos

10 Things To Know About Your Knife - such as how to dice an onion and to hand wash your knife

Il Modellismo, Istituto Burgo Milano - which is tutorial of fashion design for man, women, children's, with detailed descriptions, examples and drawings. In Italian and English.

Daily Quick Cleaning Check List - by Real Simple

Martha Stewart's Chocolate Pudding Cake - only 6 ingredients! And chocolate!

Clothing Fix-it Kit

I get Martha Stewart's Daily Organizing Tips and todays I really thought was one I could use and maybe others could too.

"Here's a mending must-have: A simple business-card organizer (from an office-supply store) that keeps all the fixings for your clothes in one place. Label and tuck your spare buttons, thread samples, cloth tags, and even those scratchy fabric-care labels you snip off garments (or pillows and blankets) into the compartments. It will be a snap to find them later."

The part that I would need to remember is the labeling. I am horrible at labeling those spare buttons and threads. I have them in various places, loose and very unorganized. So I really do need an organizing solution and this would be a good solution for me. I am sure I could find the business card organizer at the dollar store too so a cheap organizing solution.


* photo is from Martha Stewart's website

Friday Favorites

Lisa's Kitchen - After posting yesterdays review of the Moosewood Restaurant cookbook, it made me realize that I hadn't posted this website before. It has a lot of really good recipes for vegetarians. I also look at them for meals for us when we go meatless or some to add as a side dish.

Free Printable Book Plates - We love books around here. And in the past I have lost a few books due to lending. But having a book plate in them helps those you lend them to remember the owner of the book. These are also stylish without being overly girly.

Wine 4 Beginners - I saw this website mentioned by another blogger so checked it out. It is what it says it - Wine 4 Beginners.

Appreciate your Imperfect World - I don't think we shouldn't strive for excellence in everything we do but there are some things here that I know I should remember.

Vintage Sewing Info - Okay this is a wealth of information on vintage sewing. It has many books online that I know I would never get to see in person. And I am sure I could learn a lot from many of these books.

Book Review: The Art of Giving

The Art of Giving: Gift Ideas to Delight the Senses by by Liezel Norval-Kruger


This is from description from publishers:

Gift giving is a universal custom, but in today's harried world many of us have moved away from the more considered and creative aspects of what should be a very personal act. It should be a gesture of love, friendship, celebration, acknowledgment, and thanks. The Art of Giving is filled with inspirational ideas and practical information for the discerning gift giver on how to achieve beautiful, artful, and thoughtful gifts.

Taste, smell, and touch are the pivotal chapters. They draw on our capacity to indulge ourselves and those we love through each particular sense. Each chapter is filled with ideas and tantalizing images, as well as practical information on how to create and present wonderful gifts. Another chapter, on wrapping, will show you how to achieve expert finishing touches and inspired solutions to the most awkward of gift shapes. From handcrafted soaps and homemade potpourri to beautifully wrapped candies and an entire picnic for two, the endless variety of ideas in this book offer something for everyone. Turn to the back of the book for recipes, templates, diagrams, labels, and other do-it-yourself essentials to tell you how to do it all. For anyone who wants to create and give gifts that are more expressive, meaningful, and heartfelt than something grabbed off the shelf or ordered over the phone, The Art of Giving offers a wealth of inspiration and practical advice.

I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the photos and the style of the gifts and ideas. The Art of Giving is filled with lots of DIY gift ideas that are inexpensive, attractive and simple to make. Also this is a great book to find ideas for those on your gift list that are impossible to shop for people. The book I previously reviewed about green giving...was good but this book has better ideas that could be implemented with green options. Such as it has tubes covered with paper, photos or postcards. Or gifts wrapped in news paper and then tied pretty ribbon that don't look cheap but look like it was wrapped professionally because the folds are so crisp. Or wrapped with felt and embroidery thread to do simple stitches to close it. All their examples were lovely and I can't wait to try some of them out this year for holiday giving.

The book includes recipes, craft templates and instructions and label templates in the back of the book also.

Some crafts and recipes I want to try and give....
Milk & Honey Bread
Infused Brandy
Fresh Feet Bath
Shoe Bags
Sewing Kits (that would be good for men or women)
Beaded Coasters
Hot Chocolate Cream

Plus MANY MANY more ideas.

If you can't get to the book before the holidays, here are a few links to help inspire and create.....

Felt Sewing Kit by Martha Stewart

Altoid Tin Sewing Kit - I don't think this one is done as well as it could be but it does provide inspiration

Mending on the Go Kit

Cocktail Times - Pear Infused Vodka - look at the related links too - they have herbal infused vodka, cranberry spiced infused vodka and a couple others.

Married with Dinner - Pear Brandy - I like the tag she did on the bottle too

Amateur's Guide to Drinking - Infuse This - Pear and Vanilla Infused Sake & Strawberry and Cherry Infused Brandy

Betz White Shoe Bag Tutorial

Craft Ideas - Shoe Bag Instructions

Beaded Coasters by Martha Stewart

Friday Favorites

Several pumpkin recipes - Pumpkin Pie Bars, Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes, Pumpkin Cookies, Pumpkin Spiced Latte, Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with maple frosting and Better Homes and Garden 28 Pumpkin Recipes

Spooky Halloween Spirits by MarthaStewart.com

Pumpkin Patch Pillow

All sorts of links to recipes, party idea, decorating and so on in one place - Divine Dinner Party Halloween and more Halloween party recipes with Perfect Entertaining

Friday Favorites

For the Love of Cooking blog - wonderful recipes and beautiful pictures

Oxiclean secret - I really have always wanted to try Oxiclean but couldn't justify the cost when I can use other things and elbow grease to get things clean. Maybe not as clean as oxiclean but it just was out of my budget. But Margaret discovered a cost effective substitute. yay! Thank you!

16 Prestigious Schools that Offer Free Online Classes - I haven't had a chance to see what kind of classes but free learning of any kind is cool to me!

Post Office Bag tutorial - when we go to the post office I am always juggling packages and trying not to drop anything. This is a really good solution to me.

Storage Table and Wall Art - I so like the idea of this table. I don't think it is very attractive but I think it could be. And I so love the wall art - I have a thing for typography so having bunches of letters and numbers on a wall would be great.

Friday Favorites

Easy Summer Grilling Menus - It is a slide show that goes through 15 summer time menus. I know Martha Stewart again. But oh my some of these recipes just made my mouth water. And having them in menu form just makes it one step easier to me to not have to think about what else to make.

7 Deadly Sins in Decorating - very easy to read and understand article.

3 Kitchen Gadgets from At Home with Kim Vallee - Okay I saw that first one, the cooking mesh, in Metropolitan Home's June 2009 issue and I have been really thinking about it since. I know there is no-way I would find it in my little town even though we do have a nice kitchen store. And a Bed, Bath and Beyond. But it is something I hope to be able to add to the gadgets in the kitchen. The other 2 products look cool too. Especially the third item. I took a look at Lekue's website also and looks like several handy items there.

Free Curtain Patterns - It gives patterns beyond just making a channel and hemming.

And because I am leaving for vacation today....What to Pack for your Vacation

Friday Favorites

60 Summer Side Dish Recipes - some really yummy easy looking sides. Side for me are always something I am trying to figure out and never know what to cook or just do the same ones over and over.

Making a Table Cloth - I have at times not found the color or size I wanted so this is something I think would be easy to do

Bar Planning 101 - has questions with fix it solutions for when setting up a bar for a party

Table Settings with Pictures - It has from traditional to themes (such as Asian table decorations). I think it might be a good place when throwing a party and needing to set and decorate the table.

Hostess with the Mostess - Totally what the name implies. Party ideas, recipes, entertaining help and finds to help you make your party better.

Friday Favorites

Potato Salad with Country Ranch Dressing - Memorial Day is usually when I make potato salad for the first time during the spring/summer. This recipe looks especially good to me.

Review of a book Sew What!Skirts - with my re-newed interest in sewing - I believe this will be a read eventually.

And to kind of go along with the last one....
How-to Hand-Sew a Blind Hem - making clothes last a little longer

Ikea Hacker - taking Ikea furniture and making them into something else something better hopefully in most cases.

Glossary of Wine Pronunciation - something I have trouble with so a much needed link as Master and I enjoy wine