Flower Bow

So last night my sister emailed me with a picture of this cute toddler flower bow she found. BUT she didn't want to buy it if she could make it. So she asked if I, being the Origami QUEEN, could figure out how it was made. Now I have a to do list longer than my husbands monkey arms (his arms are longer then his height, unusual I think) for the party. BUT she piqued my interest. SO I started working on it... It was fun and I spent WAY to long on it, BUT I figured it out! What do you think?  I took a sheet of paper and kept folding it until I got all the folds the picture of the flower clip had.  Then I cut off the excess paper.  Then unfolded it to find a... square!  yup each petal is made from a square of fabric.  I used 4 inch squares for this clip, but think I'll try a 3 inch square for one for Little S.

Sorry for the bad picture quality, this is the bathroom mirror and there is NO natural light in that room.   But I thought a picture would help with the size.  I love having short hair, but don't usually find anything I can wear in my hair.  These were perfect!  I'm LOVING them SOMEDAY I'll get someone else to take a picture I like. But for now, here they are (and my new hairdo~!) I have a photographer girlfriend who I'm GOING to get together with someday and get new headshots!

The sewing was actually easy.  But showing you how to fold it is a bit harder.  I'll TRY... Here it goes.

Okay start with a square of fabric.  I was trying different fabric options when I made this.  I took pictures of the Jersey, but it didn't work out right.  I want something thicker than the cotton, but not as heavy as the jersey, any suggestions?  Okay, I used a 5 in square for these pictures, but 4 inches for the ones in my hair and will use 3 inch's for the one for my toddler.

First step...  Fold it over with the right sides out, super easy!

Then fold it in half again, pin the raw edges and sew up the line

Doesn't that look nice?  Now were going to OPEN up the triangle.
This part is hard to explain, but the open side is going to open into a triangle and the folded side is going to meet up with the sewn edge. you want the invisible green lines to match up!

It should look like an elongated kite.  The raw edges underneath.  Next we're going to take the top raw edge/point and fold it backwards pulling it down until it meets the bottom raw edge/point.

It should look like this with the raw edges touching in the middle of all the other layers.  Now we're going to fold up the outer sides and this will create our petal look.

Voila!  Last fold the edges in as much as you can down at the point, sew it together and your done!   Make 7 of these putting them together to create  a flower.  Use a button on the top to cover the nasty point/edge and add to whatever you'd like,  barrette, clip, headband etc...!

I used jersey, cotton, and denim. the jersey is OUT, the other two are okay. The thicker denim is nicer than the cotton hancerchief but I'm not completely sold on either.  The search in on for the right material for this project!  Let me know what you think, and if you make one (or make it BETTER) I'd love to see it!





I'm linking up to:
DIY day, Something I just whipped up Monday, Made by you Monday, Made by me Monday, Lucky link Tuesday, Trash to treasure Tuesday, Toot your horn Tuesday, Talented Tuesday, Get your craft on, Tip me Tuesday, Craftaholics anonymous support group, Show us what your workin' with, Pinching penny party, Creative Therapy session, We did it Wednesday, Make it yours day, show and tell, show and share, strut your stuff, Under $100, get your craft on, Transformation Thursday, show off your stuff

Zippers!!!!

So I bought some continuous zipper yesterday.  I knew JUST what I wanted to do with it!  A Zipper purse!  Not super practical having a purse you can completely unzip, but SO cute and fun.  Since I hadn't made one before I took my time and lots of pictures.

First I folded the length that I wanted the bag's width.  Overlap the edges and sewed up to the point, folding it in and sewing that down too!

After that I unzipped the rest and wrapped it around, creating a corner and sewing over the end, folding another corner and then sewing down.



I will look like this.  Just keep sewing the two sides together until it's as long as you want it and end it the same way you started it, only backwards.  Overlapping the ends first and doing the small point last.  I also attached a zipper handle and sweet zipper flower.

This is what it looks like completely unzipped!

I learned a ton from my first one and actually gave it to the kids and made a few more.  Another purse with a flower, and this sweet ruffled clutch.

And this red coin purse for my daughter.  This was actully made from a regular 36 inch zipper that I got on sale.  If the purse and clutch sell well, or at least generate a lot of inquaries I'll have to find some more colorful continuous zippers!

And I just couldn't help myself.  I'm a fan of Craftaholic's Anonymous and just HAD to make this sweet zippered headband!  Maybe tomorrow I'll get my hubby to take a picture of it in actual hair...

So I'm putting the purse and clutch up for sale on Etsy so check it out, and let me know if you'd like a different color or size!  I am totaly in love with making them and would happily make a ton more for you guys!

















Update: I finally got in my new zipper colors, see them HERE!

Hair Bows and holder!

My sister just sent my daughter, S, this hair bow holder for a gift!  I figured it was a good time to share the curly hair clips I made her a few months ago.  I thought I took pictures of the process, but looking through my old pictures I couldn't find them.  I guess I didn't.  But the directions are super easy.  I have some ribbon left, I think I'll take pictures of making some so I can show you!  The only thing I would have done differently is to cut the ribbons shorter.  The shiny ones are simply too long.  I should go back and trim them.  Anyway, they've been sitting in a drawer until now~  Thanks Chelsea!

Valentines hair

Both of my girls have short hair and tender heads. So I tend to try to be nice about it and not "do" their hair every day. But while we were visiting my family it was not only Valentines, but my niece's birthday and baptism. So with that many special events rolled into one I just had to do something cute. I grew up with SUPER long hair, like down past your bum hair. My mom did it every day in some cute way. But my girls just aren't into it, and obviously I rebeled since I havn't had hair past my shoulders since... 1995? In fact I chopped it off again this weekend, the longest strand? 2 inches. ANYWAY, I needed something cute you could do with short hair, and then I saw this!

I only got two hearts on my youngest, and 1 heart on my oldest, but it turned out cute, subtle, but sweet. I liked it!