The Train To Crazy

A new home, a new bag for me and features for you!

I'm so sorry I didn't get last week's features up on Saturday! I've been working around the clock for a couple weeks getting Go To Patterns settled into a new comfy home and I'm happy to say it is finally here!! Woohoo!! I couldn't love it more. I still have a few kinks to work out but wow oh wow I love it.  Please go look and let me know what you think!! We now accept Paypal and each listing has a full size chart and licensing information available. Plus you can search by designer, size, type, skill level or season!

I also made myself a little something last week. A new Rebecca Bag! I LOVE it! I'm sharing all about it over at Eat, Sleep, Make for their fun new series, Made It For Me.

See more details at Eat Sleep Make!

Zipper Pouch Tutorial and Pattern Roundup

If you're participating in She's Worth It you'll want to head over to our She's Worth It Pinterst Board to check out the great tutorials we've rounded up. Tons of bracelets and zipper pouches. *as a side note, if you want to do some sort of magnetic snap pouch/bag, that's totally OK!*

Here are some of the zipper pouches you'll find on the Pinterest Board right now.

 

Source: theadventuresofbluegirlxo.blogspot.com via Andrea on Pinterest

Linen and leather padfolio

Have you ever made a gift that you wanted to keep? I had a really hard time taking this one to the post office. I sewed this linen and leather padfolio for Heather from The Sewing Loft for a gift exchange. She's a pen and paper gal and this padfolio sewing pattern was just the thing for a legal pad, pen and some business cards. An all around great notepad cover pattern.

Pattern: Padfolio by Rachael from Imagine Gnats

Embroidery hoop sewing kit

I made this cute little gift a while back. It's perfect for gift for anyone who sews (or is learning!). A little sewing kit in an embroidery hoop. It's also a great way to use bits of your favorite fabric. I had seen different types of embroidery hoop sewing kits online but none of them were quite what I wanted. So this embroidery hoop sewing kit was birthed. This isn't much of a tutorial but you can get an ide of how it's made just from the photos.

A Very Go To Christmas: Billy Car Roll Up Car Mat

A Very Go To Christmas continues this week with a super fun gift for little boys & girls that love cars. This Billy Car Play Mat and Roll Up was sewn by the über talented Jessica of A Little Gray. Her blog never ceases to amaze me. Her attention to detail is phenomenal. I can't wait to go see the whole thing!

20 easy DIY gifts for women ($10 and less)

Need to make a gift for a girlfriend, mother, daughter, sister or neighbor quickly? I've rounded up 20 easy gifts for women you can make quickly and cheaply with these easy DIY tutorials. All for under $10!

Making gifts extra special

Sometimes a gift is just a gift. But most the time it is not.

That's why I designed the fabric gift bag. Cute, functional, reusable (green!) and it says more than, "I just picked up this $3 rainbow bag because that's what they sell at Target."

Make a fabric gift bag.

The new Go To Gift Bags pattern comes with full digital pattern pieces for 3 different sized gift bags, a wine bottle bag and a felt gift card wallet.

Patchwork baby sleep sack

Sewing a present for a mom-to-be before knowing if the baby is a boy or a girl can be difficult! I was so conflicted last week when I had a baby shower to attend. Should I make some baby sleep dresses? A blanket? I couldn't decide and I was uninspired. Then I remembered this pattern so I made a soft little sleep sack. The pattern was from Handmade Beginnings by Anna Maria Horner and went together easily. It could be made with a solid panel in front, color blocked, patchwork or anything you want really. 

I used aqua, green and red to make it neutral. It is lined with flannel and closes with velcro. For colder climates just line with fleece. I used store bought bias tape for the binding but I imagine it would be even cuter if you made your own binding.

It made me wish I had made a bunch of these for my babies! Too late for me but I'll be making more as gifts in the future for sure! I think this, combined with Megan from Sorta Crunchy's new book, Spirit-Led Parenting: From Fear to Freedom in Baby's First Year, would be a perfect gift! 

Incidentally, I've now made 5 projects from Handmade Beginnings and I highly recommend the book if you are wanting to sew for baby. 

Tutorial: Travel Toothbrush Holder

Browsing Pinterest last week I saw something that was so simple it was brilliant. A travel toothbrush holder made from a wash cloth. It was great, but not exactly what I need. My problem is electric toothbrushes are hard to pack. They are big and bulky.

Most commercial options aren't adequate. I hate those plastic cases that go around the bristles. They get nasty and they are hard to clean. That's how this "On The Go" toothbrush holder was born. 

Want to know how to pack 4 toothbrushes? Here's the full travel toothbrush holder tutorial. In all of it's simple glory. Now you can sew a toothbrush case for yourself in about 10 minutes!

Supplies:

• 2 wash cloths
• ribbon

Sew the ribbon about 2/3 of the way up the wash cloth. Center it so there is enough ribbon hanging off each end to tie a bow.

Turn that wash cloth over so the ribbon is facing down. 

Fold the second wash cloth so it is the length of your toothbrush and place it on top of the first wash cloth. Pin.

Sew 3 verticle lines to make seperate compartments for each toothbrush.

Fold the 1st wash cloth down over the 2nd. Pin the sides. Sew along both sides and bottom. 

Fill with toothbrushes.

There you have it! Your very own, throw in the washing machine, toothbrush holder.

How do you pack your toothbrushes?

Messenger Bag Sew Along Part 4

This is the final installment of the messenger bag sew along tutorial. When you have completed the next few steps your bag will look like this.

Are you ready to sew your own now? I think this Robert Kaufman print would make a great messenger bag!

Click here for Part 4 of the sew along.

Have you completed a Keyka Lou messenger bag? Add it to the Flickr group. Don't forget that all the Keyka Lou patterns. are on sale right now! Only $5!

E Dog gets a shirt

A little friend turned one recently. We've affectionately nicknamed him "E Dog". Little E Dog has a special place in our hearts and even though we don't live near him we like to think of him as my little guy's best friend. They haven't seen each other since they could move but that doesn't stop their friendship. So on little E Dog's birthday he got this shirt.

I loved it so much I almost couldn't bear to part with it. Seriously. I mean, how great is that E tag?? 

He got a pair of coordinating pants, of course.

I can't wait to see our little friend in his outfit. Hopefully soon. Hint, hint.

Feel free to make your own E Dog (C Dog? R Dog?) shirts. If you need the pattern I could certainly upload my drawing. Though I'm sure you can draw a few wonky circles on your own. Remember, imperfect is better.

How do you feel about this E Dog? (feel free to shower me with praise, I don't mind)

P.S. Sometimes I link here.

Messenger Bag Sew Along Week 2

There is still time to join in! Check out Week 1 of the sew along where we gathered supplies. Of course, you can always finish at your own rate!

It is now time to cut our fabric and get started sewing! When you are finished with today's portion you'll have completed this:

Yay! Now hop on over to the full Sew Along for Week 2 here.

Who are you sewing your messenger bag for?

Football Softie Tutorial

I'm sure you've all been stuck at one point or another wondering what to make for someone's new little baby. You want to make something that will be useful, cute, and get used. Many handmade items don't always fit into those categories. But here is something that does. The football softie tutorial!

The perfect way to use up some scraps of fabric and ribbon. I used flannel scraps here but quilting fabric or even minky would work great. I think the taggies on the football make the toy super cute and a bit more interesting for babies. Of course, you could omit those and it would still be just as useful! I've also added jingle bells inside the football but feel free to omit those as well.

Gather your supplies:

• Print the football template, or draw your own
• Cut 4 pieces for the football (I like to use freezer paper to get the job done quickly)
• Cut 1 ribbon 6.5" long (if you use a different size football cut ribbon accordingly)
• Cut 8 ribbons 3" long
• Jingle bells (3-5)
• Cut a small scrap about 2" x 4"
• Stuffing

1. Pin ribbons onto one piece of the football 

Turn ends under on the center ribbon. Loop the other ribbons and tuck them under the center ribbon. Sew center ribbon along edges.

2. Sew the football pieces together, right sides together. Use a 1/4" seam allowance. Stop sewing 1/4" from the ends.

3. Sew the next pieces of the football together (right sides). Edges should join as so:

(notice how the points meet in the middle and don't overlap?)

4. Leave a 2-3" opening when joining the final pieces. This will allow you to turn the football right side out and stuff.

5. Turn right side out

6. Use the small scrap of fabric to encase the jingle bells. It doesn't have to be pretty it just needs to hold them together.

7. Stuff the football, placing the jingle bell pouch in the middle of the stuffing.

8. Hand sew the opening closed.

And finally, present your special taggie football to a little special guy or gal.

Diaper & Wipes Carrier

What parent doesn't need a small case to hold a couple diapers and wipes? I'm sure I do! Noodles & Milk sent me her Diaper & Wipes Case with Strap pattern to test. Let me just tell you how easy this pattern is! I think I cut out the fabric and sewed this up in about an hour. Now I have a perfectly functional carrier that I can toss in a purse,

 

strap to the stroller 

or just carry around

It was great for the airplane. Perfect size to keep in a carry on.  

I made a few changes. The pattern calls for a snap on the strap. I didn't have one on hand so I used velcro. I also changed how the strap is attached. It's a very small change. I think I prefer how the pattern is written rather than my variation.

Noodles & Milk also sells other patterns for little girls and parent accessories.

For the entire month of September, you can get $1 off each pattern at the Noodles & Milk Etsy shop! Just mention The Train To Crazy when you check out and you'll receive your discount as a refund! 

Could you use a diaper & wipes carrier?

Problem Solving {hooded beach towel backpack tutorial}

 

Welcome to The Train To Crazy! If you find this tutorial useful I hope you'll subscribe, follow me on twitter, facebook or Google+! Don't forget to check out Make It Wear It, the weekly blog party to showcase all those clothing items and accessories you've been making.

Our weather has cooled off a bit lately. We still brave the beach. It doesn't bother us northerners. 

Couldn't be cuter, right? And how about those backpacks? That's right, a hooded towel that folds up into a neat little backpack. This has solved my problem. My main problem. You know, the one where I don't have 3 sets of hands to carry things and children. 

Even the baby gets her own. It is lightweight enough for her to wear it comfortably. In fact, she doesn't just wear it to the beach. It's now an accessory...

It's important to snuggle up in a warm towel when you are at the beach on a less than hot day in June.

And once at the beach...

... we played in the sand. Because playing in the water on a less than hot day in June isn't as much fun as we'd like.    

Want to make your own Hooded Beach Towel Backpack? I've made a tutorial so you can whip up a few. Enjoy!

You might also find some of my other tutorials useful! Check them out!

Related articles

15 pajama and nightgown tutorials and patterns

Handmade Costumes: 65 DIY Tutorials

Sewing for boy {pants}

I'm still loving Handmade Beginnings: 24 Sewing Projects to Welcome Baby. After sewing the hoodie and booties I moved on to the pants.

The, oh so cute, pants. They are reversible and have a cute little panel on the bum.

I fell in love with these fabrics. They are bold and cute and I'm hoping they look good on a little boy. 

And these little ones are corduroy on one side and cotton plaid on the other. Oh, and they just might go with the booties and the hoodie.

The pants are the size 6-9 months. They are definitely intended to have the cuff rolled up. When it is unrolled, the pants fit my 19 month old. And she's not tiny so if you are planning to make pants just be aware that they are baggy and have the potential to grow with your child. That's a bonus in my book.   

Linking HERE

A neck warmer and a new link up PARTY!

UPDATE: Don't forget that the Clothing Sew Along starts today!!

It is no surprise that it is cold here in Boston. Really cold. Colder than I like. Thankfully we have modern gear and can be toasty warm without the bulk of the 1990's puffer jacket. You know what I'm talking about. You had one. Perhaps you still have one... At any rate, this new technology is lovely. 

I like scarves too. But for kids, scarves are annoyances. They fall off, they drag on the ground, they drive them crazy. The problem is, scarves serve a very good purpose. Neck warmth. 

Enter the neck warmer! It keeps you warm without adding bulk and it won't fall off!  Now, you could go out and spend $15 on one of these or you could take a square piece of fleece (this one is about 13 X 13 inches), sew right sides together along one edge and then turn the open ends under and sew. Voila! A neck warmer in 5 minutes for way less than $15. You could use an even smaller piece of fleece if you wanted. This one is rather "tall" so it can be pulled up over the chin and mouth when it is really cold and windy.

For a child size, use a piece of fleece that is about 10.5 square. 

And did someone mention a party? Why, yes, I did! Starting next Thursday I'm taking the plunge and hosting Make it, Wear it. I'm creating a link-up for exclusively things made to wear. This can include clothing, accessories, shoes, anything that you can wear. I suppose you can even wear a handbag. So, drop on by next Thursday and link up!

And feel free to grab this button to display on your blog to spread the word!

<a href="http://www.thetraintocrazy.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab308/thetraintocrazy/makeitwearitbutton.jpg" border="0" alt="make it wear it" /></a>

See you Monday for the Clothing Sew Along! I'm so excited!

In completely unrelated news, I just bought the OK to Wake! Children's Alarm Clock and Nightlight and I'm hoping it is going to change my life. I'll keep you posted.

This post is linked to Sew & Tell, Just Something I Whipped Up,
 

Elephanting around

I made my first stuffed animals. I decided on the elephant. I'm glad.

I learned some things. For instance, after you sew up the shell, don't just hand it to your husband with a bag of stuffing and expect him to just "figure it out." 

I also learned that I hate hand sewing. I'm not very good at it. It takes too much time and concentration. If I was going to make these elephants again I would cut some more corners and avoid some more hand sewing.

 

The pattern is from the book Sew Everything Workshop. I love the book. It is a great book, especially for beginners. I did make a few changes, in case you plan to make this little buddy yourself. He does take a bit longer than I expected. I can't say exactly how long it takes to make but I would say plan on 2 to 3+ hours, depending on your level of experience sewing, and the amount of distractions you have!

1. Add a layer of fusible interfacing on each of the ears. Fuse the interfacing to one of the outer fabrics before stitching right sides together. This makes the ears a bit sturdier so they'll stand out from the elephant's head.
2. Instead of hand sewing the opening in the ear closed after turning it I topstitched the whole ear. I don't think it detracts from the ear. If anything, it gives it more character.
3. If I had it to do over, I might leave the opening in the elephant on the underside rather than the top of the elephant. This way is a bit more forgiving for your hand stitching.
4. The pattern tells you to stitch the button eyes on after you stuff the elephant. I would recommend sewing them on before sewing the little guy together. Much easier. I also used a piece of round felt for eyes for the baby's elephant. She sleeps with it and I don't have to worry about her choking on an eye. 

There, now go make yourself some cute little elephants.

My ladybug

My daughter changed her mind about her Halloween costume 3 days before Halloween. I searched for ladybug costume ideas and came up with a few cute examples. I couldn't find anything that was quick and easy and used what I had around the house so I invented my own. This method could be used for any type of dress up wings and took less than an hour to make. Most of the materials were repurposed.

What you will need:

1 old red t-shirt (or red knit, felt or fleece fabric)

1 small piece of black fabric (or old t-shirt or sweater)

28" of elastic (I used 1/2" width)

Old cereal box

Heavy stabilizer, or something equivalent.

Wonder under or similar for applique

Making the wings

Trace the shape of the wings onto the cereal box. Cut out one wing then use that as a template to trace the other wing so they are exactly the same shape. My wings were basically a semi-circle with a bit of a change up at the bottom. You could use a plain semi-circle and be just fine though.

 

Then use your cardboard as a template for your fabric. Using a pen (a fabric pen is preferred but it really doesn't matter) trace the shape of your wings onto your fabric. I used a men's XL t-shirt and had plenty of fabric. I put the template's straight edge on the fold so I only had to make one cut for each wing.

DO NOT CUT ALONG YOUR MARKED LINE! Cut at least a half an inch around your marked line. You will be sewing directly on that line you drew.

Trace 8 small circles onto your wonder under. I used a kids' cup as my template. Iron the wonder under onto your black fabric. Cut out the circles and iron them on your red wing fabric. Note: The first time I did this I was not paying enough attention and put the dots on the front of one of the wings and the back of the other. Oops. Pay attention.

Sew around the edge of the circles with a zigzag stitch. I recommend using a tear away stabilizer on the back of the fabric if you are using knits to prevent puckering. If you don't have a stabilizer any old scrap of fabric will work. Just cut out a piece a bit larger than your circle and put it on the underside of the fabric. 

Next, fold the wing fabric, wrong sides together and put the cardboard sandwiched in between. I sewed the wings up around the edges, sewing on my marked line) and then trimmed the fabric.

Next cut 2 rectangular pieces of the red fabric and 2 pieces of the heavy stabilizer. In a pinch, lightweight cardboard could work instead of the stabilizer. It won't be as flexible but it will keep the wings from sagging. In reality, no kid would know the difference.

Put the stabilizer in between the red fabric and sew around the edges. Trim the edges close to the seam.

Next cut the elastic into two 14" pieces. I made a casing for my elastic but that isn't necessary. 

Now lay the wings down, dot side down and place this connector piece in between them where you want. Position the elastic and then sew it all together. This is how I placed mine.

That's it! You're done. Now you have ladybug wings!