Big Sister Designs Blog

47 Pillowcases

Posted by Maria K at 10:40 | Friday, December 30. 2011 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0)

Confession: I've been spending more time shopping than sewing.

As a result I have piles of pillowcases just waiting to be made into skirts, too many sheets to be made into aprons, and countless other pieces of fabric with projects in mind but not yet started. Actually I have 47 pillowcases waiting to be made into one of a kind skirts.

I also have another 30 or so pillowcases that I have two of the same and can make matching skirts with.

I really love vintage pillowcases with hand embroidered prettiness and crocheted edges. (ummm...iron?)

Ruffles are always cute.

I have two goals. First, to sew these 47 pillowcases into skirts and get them in my Etsy shop by June 1st. Second (and more difficult), to not buy any more pillowcases until these are finished.

0 down, 47 to go!

Easy Teacher Gifts

Posted by Maria K in Homemade with Love at 10:26 | Tuesday, December 20. 2011 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

My oldest daughter is in preschool for the first time this year and teacher gifts caught me off guard. In fact, I remembered we needed gifts the night before her last day of school before Christmas break. I try to avoid the mall in the week or two before Christmas so I needed something that I could make where I already had all the pieces. I came up with rice handwarmers. It's been in the 30's during the day here and the kids go out to recess. I thought her teachers might like something to keep them (or at least their hands) a bit warmer.

I used some flannel scraps and cut them to 6 inches by 6 1/2 inches. Then I sewed them into tubes, my daughter helped fill them (about halfway full) with rice, and I sewed them shut. We made two for each teacher to microwave (30 seconds or so for both) and keep in their pockets during recess. A simple ribbon and a tag signed by my daughter and we were finished.

Did you make any teacher gifts this year? I'll still need something for the end of the year.

Merry Christmas!

Super quick potpourri

Posted by Maria K in Homemade with Love at 10:28 | Friday, December 16. 2011 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

I've been simmering some potpourri on the stove for the last week. It smells so nice and adds a little something to the Christmas feeling in the house. It also adds some much needed moisture to the air.

Here's my recipe: 1 cinnamon stick, a (very) small handful of whole cloves, 1/2 of an orange peel. Add water and heat to just steaming, not boiling. Keep adding water as the water evaporates.

I've found the same ingredients will last for 3 or 4 days before they start to lose their scent.

sleeping in

Posted by Maria K in Week in Review at 10:58 | Saturday, January 22. 2011 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Happiness is sleeping in on a Saturday morning because my husband got up with the kids, and realizing that I slept all night (I wasn't woken up by anyone crying or coughing as has been the case several times a night all week).

Valentine's dish towels

Posted by Maria K in Homemade with Love at 09:47 | Friday, January 21. 2011 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

I have a confession to make. I haven't put away all the Christmas decorations yet. They've got to go soon though. I keep seeing so many great Valentine's day decorating ideas. Valentine's day is not a holiday I usually decorate for but this year I just can't resist so I made myself some easy-peasy Valentine's dish towels for the kitchen.

I found these super soft plain white dish towels at a liquidator for $1 each. Now I wish I bought more than two. How easy are these? I cut out hearts from washable felt and sewed them to the towels. That's it.

Now that I have them sewn on I think it would have been cute to first embroider little messages like "Be Mine" (like you find on candy hearts) onto them. But I like them this way too. (And I really hate ripping out seams).