The Printed Zipper Pocket Tutorial is ready to go. The instructions include how to print on the fabric and sew it together. You can download it by clicking on the link below.

Printed, Zipped Pocket

These pockets are the result of an afternoon of printing with kids aged between 4 to 8. Armed with painting shirts, and precut fabric we were able to make stamp pads and explore printing with everyday objects.

Each artwork was then turned into a zipped pocket.  I have simplified the steps and used pinking shears where ever possible, to streamline the construction.  It took about 3 hours to sew all 12 pockets together (only 15 minutes each!).

I am planning to enlist the kids to help me make some more for Christmas presents for their friends and teachers.

We had a great time making them.  If you have any questions, suggestions or even photos of the ones you have finished, please drop me a line - seven.stitches.amy(at)gmail.com .

A few notes to start

• The images display best in Adobe Acrobat.  They show up a little blurry on Google Drive

• The measurements have been given in imperial first with metric in brackets.

There has been a little more sewing going on around here. Consider it an effort to get a few more summer dresses into the wardrobes before the weather turns.  My tutorial for the pockets on this little dress are featured at Sew Mama Sew today.

I know winter must be getting closer as I have just traced out the patterns for this year's leggings for the girls.  So far I've lined up grey stripes, teal and blue.  Time to get cutting.

We have been making paper angels for the tree.  They are incredibly simple.  In the interests of angels for all, here is the tutorial.

To make your own Paper Angel you are going to need:

Colored craft paper for gown, wings and face.
PVA glue
Glitter
Sellotape
Double sided tape
Wool
Pens, glitter and stickers for decorating

Trace and cut  a circle from card and cut in half. We used a desert bowl, approx 180 mm diameter.
Decorate one piece for a gown and the other as wings.

Draw a smaller circle on skin toned paper. We used a spice jar, approx 45mm diameter.
Draw a face and glue hair onto the top.
Cut the circle out.

Sellotape the gown to make a cone.
Using double sided tape attach the face.
Fold the wings in half and check for fit, before cutting into the wing shape as below.
Using double sided tape, attach the wings.

Lastly, attach a loop and hang from the tree.

I love kid's Jig-Saw puzzles, but sometimes I just don't want to find another piece behind the couch, underfoot or up the vacuum cleaner. We have started to keep our jigsaw puzzles in line with some custom made bags. In the interests of world peace, here's a tutorial for making your own.

Materials
Clear Plastic PVC (usually sold by the metre as table protector)
Bias tape
Matching thread
Self adhesive velcro dots
Lunchwrap paper

Tools
Sewing machine
Tape measure
Scissors
Ruler
pins

Step 1 - Cut
Measure your jigsaw. Cut out a clear plastic rectangle measuring - 1 1/2" wider than the longest side of puzzle and 2.5 x the shortest size.
i.e if your puzzle measures 11" x 6" the piece of clear plastic will measure 12 1/2" (11+1.5) by 15"(6x2.5).


Step 2 - Wrap
Fold the plastic around the puzzle as shown above to make a pocket that is as deep as the puzzle. If it is shallower, pieces may fall out of the corners of the bag. Cut two strips of bias tape a little longer than the two sides and pin at the top to secure.

Step 3 - Stabilise and Stitch
Set your machine to the widest and longest Zig-Zag. Place a piece of thin paper (I am using lunch wrap) behind the bias tape. The plastic can cling to the plate of your machine and this paper helps to keep things moving as you sew. Beginning with a bar tack (zig-zag in one place) at the top, stitch towards the bottom and finish with a bar tack while still over the plastic.




Step 4 - Rip and Remove
After stitching both sides, rip away the paper and get the last little bits out of the stitching with a pin. The bias tape may have stretched slightly as you stitch, so trim to length after stitching.

Step 5 - Stick
Close the bag to get an idea of where the flap will finish on the bag. Again, you want this to be snug to stop pieces falling out of the corner of the bag. Place the loop side of the velcro dots on the main envelop just under the line where the flap finishes. Press firmly to make it stick, then remove the hook dots and grip them to the loops. Fold the flap over and press firmly again, to get the hook dots to stick to the flap.

Tips:
For a no-sew option, you can replace the bias tape with duct tape.

I have sewn in zig-zag so that there is more than one line of stitching holes holding the side of the bag together. A single line of stitching would make removing the paper easier, but the bag would not be as strong.

Bias tape can stretch as you sew so sew from the top to the bottom of the bag to make it easier to trim any extra length. Cutting the strip over long gives you something to hold onto as you trim too.

Drop me a line if there is anything that isn't working for you or needs more detail. I'd love to hear how you get on making these.

As part of the Small Hands Christmas Swap, we needed to find some simple cards that everyone in the family could make. We decided on these Pipe Cleaner Christmas Tree Cards. I know it's a bit of a mouthful to say, but so much fun to make.

To make your own you will need:
Card stock (we used red, obviously)
Ice block sticks
PVA Glue
Pipe cleaners
Beads
Pliers (for cutting the pipe cleaners)
Scissors (for cutting the paper)

Step 1 - Cut pipe cleaners and wrap then around the ice-block stick tree trunk. Using the pliers, pinch each set of branches to hold then in place and then, with the pliers again, trim the tree to shape.

Step 2 - Thread the beads onto the branches.

Step 3 - Cut card to size and fold. Glue the back of the trunk to the tree. If needed hold the trunk in place with pegs until the glue dries.

There you have it. Finished trees. The kids' involvement varies with age - Miss 4 was able to wrap the pipe cleaners around each trunk and both Miss 2 & 4 too great delight in threading the beads on. We even had enough left over to start making beaded stars and course, I got a little carried away thinking about other shapes you could make.

For you own private sundial-

Take one sunny afternoon, some chalk, a driveway, willing children and some time. Mark a spot for the feet. Trace around the shadow, wait and repeat.

Now that is has rained, it's time to start again.

I had a vague recollection of walking to the neighbours with roller skates but really had no idea how much I would love a smooth driveway until I had children, tricycles and chalk.