Fashionable Foxes Weighted Blanket

Sharing a sewing post today; it has been a bit since I could get much sewing done. My Littlest is now older and I can do a bit more while she plays, with the pin cushions, because of course the dangerous things are her favorite *insert head shake*.

Speaking of my Littlest she is BUSY, like all the time BUSY and has trouble falling asleep.  I had read about weighted blankets several years ago and thought about making one for my Oldest but I never did get around to it.  Fast forward a few years and I am talking with my friend about Littlest's sleep troubles and she mentions that her nephew has a weighted blanket that he loves... hello light bulb moment! I immediately was on Pinterest and Google searching DIY Weighted Blankets and holy smokes there are tons of awesome tutorials out there!  I am going to link a few below in case you are interested in making one too!

I let Littlest dig through my fabric stash and she picked out these adorable fox fabrics from Joanns for her blanket. I pieced the flannel side in stripes so that it would be easier to make my grid pattern for the weight pockets.  I combined quilting techniques and simple sewing in this blanket and I learned a TON while creating this blanket!

Helpful DIY Weighted Blanket Links:
Craft Nectar Weighted Blanket Tutorial
MamaSmiles Weighted Blanket Tutorial
Weighted Blanket Size & Weight Chart from Mosaic Weighted Blankets

What I did differently than the tutorials:

- When creating the pockets for the weights I sewed 1/4 of an inch from each side of the vertical grid lines I had drawn.  My thinking behind this was that it was one more seam to reinforce the fabrics and strength of this blanket, it was another line of defense in case one seam ripped out and the weights started to scatter through the blanket, and it created smaller weight pockets so they were more compact and stayed 'flatter' instead of all being on one side of the pocket. (You can see this in the largest photo above)

- I also made half pockets on the sides of the blanket so that the edges were easier for little hands to grasp and pull up for covering herself. I also left several inches before the pockets began on the top and bottom of the blanket for this purpose and so that she had a bit to snuggle up under her chin that wasn't weighted.

- I bound the edges of the vertical sides, I did this primarily because I am not a huge fan of a turned under seam, I don't think it looks as finished.  I did do only a turn over seam on the top and bottom, as I thought this would reduce bulk and discomfort when she pulls it up under her chin.

What I would do differently on the next blanket:

- I would sew the center grid completely, similar to a quilt and then bind the edges just like on a quilt.

- I may try and make one with a duvet, so that just the cover could be removed and washed, my washer was not a big fan of the weight!

Tools & Tips that really helped in creating this blanket:

- A walking foot!  This made it so much easier to get the layers of fabric through the machine.

- Adjustable sewing foot pressure was also super handy!

- When you go to wash the finished blanket add towel to the washer to help even out the weight, I put mine in a washing bag so that they would all stay on the side opposite the blanket (I have a top loading machine)

- Crayola Ultra Washable Markers - these are my preferred marking pens, they come right out in the wash and make a dark line that I can easily see when sewing.

- Soft-n-Comfy fabric has a direction, sewing in the way the fibers lay makes it much easier to get through the machine and keeps puckering to a minimum, I only remembered this halfway through the blanket!

- When you are filling the first few rows of pockets a long cardboard tube of PVC pipe helps in getting the weights down to the bottom!

- If you make a paper funnel for the beads make sure to keep it out of reach of your cat... otherwise they may get their head stuck in it and cause you to lose half an hour laughing at their antics!

Final result:  Naptime and Bedtime were both MUCH easier and she fell asleep in record time with her "special to me" blanket!

If you have any questions please feel free to let me know in the comments, I would love to help in any way that I can!

***If you want a weighted blanket but don't want to make your own I highly recommend my friend Melissa's site Sew Important, she creates beautiful weighted blankets tailored to her customer's tastes!***

Padded Camera Strap Cover Tutorial *Updated*



Let me start by saying... I am just learning to sew; I am not an expert seamstress.

I have been wanting a padded camera strap cover for a long time and I finally feel confident enough with my sewing skills to try making one. 

I really only quilt so this whole "tutorial" is based on quilting-style sewing (if that makes any sense).

Supplies Needed:

-sewing machine

-matching thread

-beautiful outer fabrics (prewashed & pressed)

-solid lining fabric (prewashed & pressed)

-fusible batting (low loft)

-chopstick or knitting needle

-printer paper & pencil

-ruler

-scissors

Step 1:  Undo one side of your camera strap.

Step 2:  Fold the strap in half and trace the wide nylon part.

Step 3:  Using a ruler add 1/2"* lines around your tracing except where the fold of the strap was.

*When using a thicker batting add another 1/4" to all sides but the fold. Seen Below,

Step 4:  Cut the pattern out!

Step 5:  The fun step, choose your fabrics!  You will need front of strap, back of strap and a lining fabric. Cut a loooonnnggg strip of your outside fabrics and then fold in half, lay your pattern on top lining up the folds and cut.  You will measure the lining fabric after sewing the outer fabrics together.

Step 6:  Lay the outer fabrics together, right sides facing each other and sew along one long edge using a 1/4" seam.  Now press the seam toward the darker fabric.

Step 7:  Lay the outer fabric right side facing out on top of your fusible batting, cut the batting to fit and fuse with your iron.  (Follow the batting instructions carefully)

Step 8:  Lay your lining fabric on the opposite side of the batting and fuse.  Trim any excess lining fabric.

Step 9:  Run several lines of stitching/ quilting through your sandwich, I did this on my second strap and found that it was much easier to turn the strap right side out in the end!

Step 10:  Fold your short sides inward toward the lining a little less than 1/2"  Sew down through the outside to secure, I used a straight stitch at 1/4" and another a 1/4" from the first row of stitches right along the edge next to the lining. (Turned over to show detail in picture, it is just a cleaner look to go through the front of the fabric)

 

Step 11:  Fold the whole strap in half lengthwise with the outside fabric facing in and the lining out, secure with straight pins, sew a 1/4" seam along the open edge.

Step 12:  The hardest step.  Turn the whole thing right side out.  Use a chopstick, knitting needle, or like me a long paintbrush.

Step: 13:  Press the whole strap cover nice and flat again.

Step 14: Slide the end of the camera strap through the cover, I used a little painters tape and secured the strap to my long paintbrush and pulled it through.

Step 15:  Enjoy!

*Updated from the first post, I found just a few things (like more fabric and a little quilting) that made this strap even easier to work with than the first one I posted! 

If you make one of these comfy-cozy straps for your camera please link a picture in the comments, I would love to see it!

A New Crafty Adventure

Now that I've got my apartment mostly unpacked and set up, I wanted to get crafty but no matter how many times I pushed photos and bits around on a page I just wasn't feeling 'scrappy' so I decided that it was time to try something new... sewing!

My sweet Gram gave me a 'Fast & Easy' sewing machine for Christmas seven years ago; it has been used on lots of scrapbook pages but never with fabric and I thought it was about time that my sewing machine met some fabric!

So I did a little research online and found this really great blog (and Etsy shop) entitled Diary of A Quilter!  Amy Smart has designed some really amazing modern quilts and written a great step-by-step tutorial to get even the sewing challenged like me started quilting!  I'm hoping to tackle her 'Charm Pack Baby Quilt' in the next few weeks; since I do not have a baby nor know anyone who is expecting I think I may try to make this more of a throw blanket size for snuggling up on the sofa.  I chose this pattern because it required the least amount of cutting, the majority of the pieces are already cut for you by Moda!  (By the way, this is the same company that puts out BasicGrey, Cosmo Cricket and My Mind's Eye fabrics!)

To get myself motivated to sew I set up a little sewing center in my dining room 'den'...

Note the machine really is called the 'Fast & Easy' !



Here are the key components of my sewing center...

I bought a great book today that is written by Deborah Moebes and she actually wants me to love sewing! 
It's filled with lots of really useful information and great projects!  Click here to get your own copy of Stitch by Stitch.

Next I filled one of my favorite stack and lock containers with the sewing essentials I currently own... I see a trip to JoAnn's in my future, but in the meantime the machine instructions, thread, bobbins, needles and snips are handy!

I dug out my old iron... I guess we'll finally have to become friendly.

I made a trip to several quilting stores in my area to get inspired... I LOVE the yellow and grey bird fabric!
Here's where I went Holly's Quilt Cabin and Snappy Quilts, both are very cute shops!

And last, but not least, I changed out the needle on my sewing machine (probably a good idea after 7 years)
and set her all up with new thread and a freshly wound bobbin!

Now I'm off and running, hopefully I'll be back in the next few days with a little progress report!