Sewing Pics! Mom's Colorful Baby Blanket

My mother just finished a chenille baby blanket and it was so pretty, I had to post a few photos.

The bright colors are so fun and it's great high contrast for a newborn. And for a boy, something outside of the norm. 

Wall Decor: DIY Framed Agate Slices

After drooling over Horchow's framed agate slices, priced at $245 each (yes, EACH!), I was determined to make a set for myself and not sacrifice style.
I love with how this DIY project turned out - and at just $25 each!

When they came out looking so spiffy, I contemplated hanging in my room so I could see them more often.  The variety of colors and movement is really stunning in person.

Sewing Reveal: Hand Cut Chenille Blanket for Baby Boy Reid

I can't get enough of these hand cut chenille baby blankets! This is the third one I've made and every time I gift one away, I think I need to make one to keep for myself.


This is the first blanket I've made for a boy, this time I went with a geometric patterned fabric.  Have to say, it was pretty awesome to not have to mark the rows out for stitching and just use the fabric itself as my guide.  My lines were super straight this time!

And I actually made my own bias tape binding this go round too! Whoot whoot!

I used the same red fabric for the binding as I used as the "backer" fabric that I place behind my cut chenille rows (but I leave it un-cut, so you can see hints of red peeking through).

Free Printables - Step by step instructions to use & customize

For my homemade sugar scrub jars (the post making scrub and jars is here), I created these printables for my jars and am happy to share with you.   A pink version of the labels has also been added. 

You are able to edit all text to use these for your own party!

 

I used Avery's "Print to the Edge Round 2.5" diameter labels, 41462" on the jars so it will open with this sticker size layout as the default, but Avery's website will help you automatically update the layout so you can use any size Avery label.  How cool is that?

Because it must be said:
Feel free to use these files & layout for your personal use, but not for anything you might sell.

STEP ONE:

For the chevron label that I used on my jar's lid, 

click here for the blue version or here for the pink version and then follow the instructions below.

For the giraffe background ingredient label with the elephant, 

use this link for blue or click here for pink, and then follow the instructions (you will be able to remove and/or replace the elephant with the Avery web based software if you want).

A new web page that looks like this will open.

Click the download icon (circled in pink).

Note: Since this is an Avery file, you will not be able to open this file yet (and why a file preview will NOT show), this is all perfectly normal.

STEP TWO:

Save the file to your computer - be sure to make a mental note of the location you pick.  Surely I'm not the only one that can't find things right after I save them.  Which explains why my computer desktop is so cluttered.

STEP THREE:

Go to http://www.avery.com/print 

Click the green button labeled "Open Project" 

STEP FOUR:

Click the gray "Choose File" button.

And select the file we downloaded to your computer earlier.

STEP FIVE:

The background graphics are included in the file you downloaded, but you can edit the text elements using the Avery program.

And when you're ready, just click the green "preview & print" button.  

To check your label alignment, Avery recommends printing on regular paper first, then holding behind your sheet of labels and holding up to the light to see if they line up.  You can actually make minor alignment adjustments on the "Preview & Print" section, just look for the gray button labeled "Printer Adjustments"

Viola! You are ready to pass out your very own jars with pretty labels.

Sewing: Bias Yardage Calculator

Calculating the amount of fabric needed for your bias binding can be tedious.

I always have to look up sewing formulas and work out the math, usually while sitting in the car outside the fabric store.  By having a little excel worksheet here online, hopefully it'll make it that much faster next time.

Just enter the appropriate numbers in the 3 highlighted fields.


Calculations are based on the "Magical Math Formula" tutorial found at Sew4Home.  The math is the same as above, but a lady can go cross eyed trying to read through that and do the math on a small phone screen while sitting in the car. ;)