I promised you this free downloadable bag pattern when we offered up the Simplicity Bias Tape Maker Giveaway as a great first project for your Homemade Bias Tape, so here goes…
I’ve made a couple so far, and I usually don’t like fabric bags (i’m a leather lover) but I actually adore these for summer. They are super quick to whip up (under an hour) and are also reversible, so you can get a couple different looks in one swoop.
You could also use store-bought bias tape, like I did for the big one (oh, and you can blow up or shrink the pattern to make different sizes – Scarlet’s been using the littler one as her lunch bag). Either way I think it’s a sweet & simple summery project. But I’m dying to know, what do you think?? 
Get the full Beginner’s Bias Tape Bag Tutorial and free downloadable pattern after the jump…
(more…)
Prudent Project Round-Up
Top: Fawn at Clean Up On Aisle Four made that sweet Pillowcase Dress from an actual Pillowcase | Jess at Craftiness is Not Optional sewed the Snappy Toddler Top | Sara sent in her beautiful Most Flattering Shirt Dress
Middle: Kirstan at The Stepford Wife made the DIY Nursing Cover | Baby Valone whipped up some Apple Cream Cheese Muffins | Meghan at Is Five made an applique DIY Step Stool and posted a detailed tute
Bottom: Emily at We The Kings made the Hamptons Hooded Beach Towel | Kalen at Frim Fram Spot made some Fabric Pom Pom Flowers | Mandy at Pink Shoes Photography made a 10 Minute Onesie Dress
Your “As Seen On Prudent Baby” button is over there on the bottom left. We get so excited seeing all your pics, send them by form or share them with everyone in the Prudent Baby Project Pool on Flickr!
Link Love
Get the template for these father’s day shirt and tie gift boxes at Papercrave…
Our favorite baker Amanda from Bake it Pretty shows how to make these sparkler Pops at PInt Size Social’s DIYs with VIPs…
And Tracey Stweart from Moomah shares a DIY for this burlap embroidered Zebra at the same spot…
and make a bib from a vintage towel at Bloesem Kids.
And more…
5 plants that can live in dark rooms at Apartment Therapy
I think I’ve mentioned my obsession with making ice cream but I had never considered making it with Greek Yogurt! This recipe looks so good at Shelteriffic
Love this free printable address label template from Daffodil Design, going to make myself some today
and oving Dana’s new computer case over at Made.
Winner: Simplicity Bias Tape Maker!
We told you how the lovely ladies over at Simplicity heard how much we LOVE their Bias Tape Maker
and offered to give one away to one awesome Prudent Baby reader. To enter, we asked you to invent a magical machine to simplify your life and this is what we learned:65% of Prudent Baby readers agree with me that folding laundry is a despicable chore.
15% of Prudent Baby readers want a self-cleaning house, a Jetson’s-style robot maid, or as one commenter put it, “a scullery maid from a princess movie” lol!
10% of Prudent Baby readers hate doing dishes and wish there were a machine to help. Several of those readers realize this machine already exists and would just like to have one.
10% of Prudent Baby readers hate cutting out patterns and want only to sew pre-cut pieces of fabric together.
5% of Prudent Baby readers simply want a bias tape maker.
One Prudent Baby reader wishes there were a machine you could put food in and it would come out as dinner. So do we my friend, so do we.
I wish we could be like Oprah and scream “EVERYONE GETS A BIAS TAPE MAKER!!!!” but alas we cannot. So for now it’s “SANDY A LA MODE GETS A BIAS TAPE MAKER!!!!” Sandy, congrats!!
Now everyone else don’t be too sad because we have lots more giveaways of amazing things to come. Now go read our post How To Make Bias Tape and make some this weekend, because on Monday I’ll be sharing the free downloadable pattern and tutorial for this Beginner’s Bias Tape bag. And if you’re feeling like giving yourself a little present, go ahead and order your own Simplicity Bias Tape Maker.
And thanks again Simplicity!
DIY Buggie Headbands
I’m a little embarrassed to admit this. I looked all over town for little buggie-deedle-bopper-antennae-headbands for Clare’s Buggie Birthday before a lovely young lady at a local toy store mentioned “So um, you could always, like, make them.” Right, like a DIY. And then she told me exactly how to do it, which was even more helpful. So here is what we do to make some buggie headbands. ok? No need to search all over town.
The kids (and some moms!) really loved these and wore them the whole party! Really cute! Would be great for aliens too!
Click here for DIY Buggie Headbands.
What You Need:
• My best frenemy, the glue gun
• A pencil
• Headbands. I used inexpensive fabric covered bands from Target.
• Pipe cleaners (or “Chenille Stems” if you prefer)
• Something for the top. I used simple store-bought pom-poms but it would be super cute to make your own pom poms
or cut cardboard shapes which the kids could then decorate with glitter-n-such.
• Two Alligator clips (Optional but helpful)
What To Do:
1. Wrap a pipe cleaner around a pencil in a spiral. Do 2 pipe cleaners for each headband.
2. Pinch the bottom coil flat. Apply glue to bottom of headband where you will attach your antenna and slip it on in place. Repeat for other antenna. Let dry/cool. If you want to use the alligator clips to hold them in place, now would be the time.
3. Pinch the top coil of each antenna flat so you have a little circular “perch.” Apply hot glue to your pom pom and stick to top of coil. Let cool/dry. You can also use the alligator clips to hold them in place
4. And that’s it!
DIY Duct Tape Dress Form
Ok, this is kind of embarrassing but it’s such a useful tool I’m just going to go ahead and put it out there – this exact replica of my body I mean. The duct tape dress form DIY is nothing new, but I really want you all to create your own so we can show you some new Hot Mess Mommy tops and dresses and you can sew them to fit just right. My friend Mary and I really worked to perfect the technique and show you all the supplies to make a really effective yet simple custom dress form of your own body super inexpensively. Get the full tutorial on How to Make a Duct Tape Dress Form after the jump…
(more…)
Man-Gift! – Toiletry Bag: Part 2
Yesterday during naptime, I busted out one of Jaime’s Boxy Toiletry Bags for my Dad for Father’s Day. He is a photographer so I knew he would love this chic Echino Ni-co Camera fabric, now available in “Dad-approved” Gold and “Jacinda-approved” Purple. I lined the bag with standard medium-weight vinyl. The vinyl was pretty annoying. I should have tried some of these great tips from Sew Mama Sew, but it was naptime so there was a deadline, you know how it goes. I’m thrilled with the results! I hope he likes it!
How to Sew Piping
This is a simple tutorial for how to sew piping. It’s easier than you think, there’s just a few things you need to have and to know.
A couple weeks ago we shared How to Make Bias Tape. Now let us learn how to sew piping. It’s actually quite simple. And every thing could use a little piping right? Just don’t sew through your finger.
Making piping is a two-step process: Cutting bias strips, then sewing them around cord. I’ll show you How to Sew Piping after the jump…
(more…)
