Fix Tight Pants (The Trendy Way!)

You know that one pair of pants you have hidden in the back of your closet that you can't bring yourself to donate or throw away? Well today I'm over at The Sewing Rabbit sharing a totally fashionable way to fix those bad boys so you can rock them in style. I used this trick on my daughter's jeans, but you can easily apply it to adult pants as well.

See you there!

What is a Serger and Why Should I Use One?

There are only 2 days left to enter the giveaway to win your own Brother 1034D serger (go enter!!), so I thought I'd give everyone a closer look at one since it happens to be the very serger my wonderful husband bought me for Christmas this year. First, I want to give you a little back story because I never knew how wonderful sergers could really make my sewing experience.

I have been sewing for over 5 years without a serger. If you're like me, you've probably heard other sewers go on and on about how wonderful sergers are and how much easier they make sewing. Me? I'm a bit of a cheap-o. Usually I like to make do with what I have or buy things on sale if I can, so the idea of buying a serger when I could simply use my sewing machine to zig-zag stitch my seams was not very appealing. Over the past couple of years however, I've been sewing more with knits and getting increasingly frustrated with stretched out, wavy hems and the way my sewing machine ate my fabric almost every time. I knew it was time for a change, so I did a little research.

Before a couple of months ago, I didn't know much about sergers aside from the fact that everyone else except for me seemed to have one. I didn't even really know what they were used for. So if you're wondering what sergers are all about, hopefully this helps you:

My little Brother 1034D serger has become an essential part of my everyday sewing. Just to be clear, it's not a replacement for a sewing machine, rather it's a supplement that saves a ton of time with professional results. Before I got this baby, I was able to sew up a skirt in a little under an hour. The first time I used it, I made 3 skirts in 30 minutes. Needless to say, I love this machine and whoever wins it will too!

And PS, wouldn't it be great to have one right before all the holiday gift making begins?

So if you haven't entered yet to win your own Brother 1034D serger, go here to enter, or splurge a little and buy yourself an early Christmas gift. You won't regret it.

Also, if you have a serger and you just don't know where to start, Palak at Make It Handmade has a fabulous serger series here that is full of helpful information to get you started and help you troubleshoot any issues you may be having.

Easy Feather Earrings

I love feathers in jewelry, and with Thanksgiving coming up, it just seemed appropriate to share these. If you're new to jewelry making, don't be scared! Simple projects like this one will boost your confidence and turn you into a pro in no time. Also, if you need some extra help, Bev from Flamingo Toes has a whole section for jewelry tips that will explain any basics you have questions about.

Feathers add a fun, tribal edge to outfits, and you can find a number of different patterns and colors at your local hobby shop. Add different colored beads or other embellishments to make them your own!

Want to make some for yourself?

SUPPLIES:

Crimping Your Feathers:

ONE: first, choose the feathers that you'd like crimped and one crimp bead.

TWO: insert the end of the feathers into your crimp bead, and use your flat nose pliers to press each side down to contain the end of the feathers.

THREE: here is what your finished crimped feathers should look like.

Finishing:

 

 ONE: insert a jump ring through the hole of the crimp bead (but don't close it yet!) Repeat for your second set of feathers if desired.
 

 

TWO: insert your bead onto your headpin and then, using round nose pliers, wrap your wire around your pliers to make a loop
THREE: insert your bead through your jump ring, add your earring hooks,  then close your jump ring and you're done!

I hope you enjoy your new earrings! With the holidays coming up, these would also make a quick, stylish gift.

If you're looking for more easy jewelry tutorials, check out these past projects:

Snow Globe Necklace, Leather Leaves Necklace, Gem Earrings, Yarn Wrapped Bangles

 Check out our Link Party Page to see where we link up each week!

 

Handmade Holidays Giveaway (Win a Serger!!)

Christmas is practically right around the corner (I've been hearing Christmas carols in stores already, what the what?) and that means gift giving and lots of gift making. I don't know about you, but it's hard for me to come up with the perfect handmade gift for all of the people on my list. Don't even get me started on guy gifts.  Can we all collectively agree to buy them Best Buy gift cards each year and call it a day?

Don't fret though, Jessica and all of us on The Sewing Rabbit Team have you covered. We have put together a mini-magazine with over 100+ sewing patterns and tutorials included for everyone on your list.

Yes, even the guys. 

Sewing Rabbit Team's Handmade Holidays

The flip magazine is chock full of fantastic projects for you to make or simply be inspired by. Simply click on the image below to flip through the full catalog...it is pretty awesome, and only takes a couple of minutes to look through! (and keep on reading below for the awesome giveaway!)

Pretty Amazing, right?

But of course, there is more. We want to not only inspire you with incredible handmade projects to get you going this Season. We want to give you the opportunity to win some awesome prizes too! Happy Holidays to YOU!

4 Winners will be chosen to each win 1 of these amazing prizes...

1. Brother 1034D Serger
2. $50 Gift Certificate to Raspberry Creek Fabrics
3. $50 Gift Certificate to The Fabric Fairy
4. $50 Gift Certificate to Banberry Place

So go ahead, flip through the Sewing Rabbit Team's Handmade Holiday Magazine to get inspired - and enter the giveaway below for your chance to win some amazing prizes to help you pay for those handmade projects!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DIY Chunky Crocheted Vase Sweaters

I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only person that is suffering from being overrun by generic glass vases that you've never used again since their first appearance housing a gifted bouquet of flowers.  I have a ridiculous amount.  I've been trying to figure out something "sustainable" to do with them.  You could always spray paint them... or... spray paint them..  That was all I could come up with, but then what do I do with a plethora of spray painted, oddly shaped vases?  I get exhausted just thinking about it all.  You could also donate them... some florists take in orphaned vases to reuse, which I think is brilliant.  Unfortunately, the only one around here I could find was a significant drive away.

So, the round up I put together last of DIY Harvest Centerpieces inspired me.  Specifically, the repurposed sweaters as vase covers.  However, not wanting to cut up any of my sweaters, I decided to create my own.  I always have plenty of yarn stashed away... finally, the solution to my hoards of vases (and hoards of yarn) seemed easy, attainable... and attractive!

If you don't know how to crochet, I'll refer you towards some amazing tutorials to help you.  I don't think I'm anywhere near proficient enough to teach someone the basics, (although, I did try to teach 2 of my good friends this past weekend with some success!)  But, if you already know how to chain your first row and the basic crochet stitches, you'll be good to go!

I chained just enough to slightly stretch around the circumference of the base of the vase.  You want your vase sweater to squeeze slightly so it will stay in place.  Once you get your chain long enough, connect the end to your loop.  You will have a circle. 

Next, chain 3 up and do a triple crochet stitch.  I find this gives such a great chunky feel to it, leaving the yarn with space between stitches without getting too tight.  Once you come full circle, do a single crochet stitch to connect the ends of that row.  You should have a seemless connection.  Just repeat that until your sweater is as tall as you need it to be to cover your vase.

Sources for Learning to Crochet:

Learn How to Crochet Part 1 - This video is very well done and I think pretty easy to follow.  Give it a shot if you want to learn the basics of crocheting.

Futuregirl Craft Blog - I've been following Alice for over 6 years now. She's the one that inspired me to learn to crochet to begin with.  Her blog offers some amazing tutorials and ideas!

The Happy Hooker - This book will teach you SO easily how to read crochet patterns.  Honestly, I never thought I'd understand all the weirdness that is a crochet pattern, but with this book, I was making flowers in no time. 

**Disclaimer:  The above mentioned sources are not promoting this post.  I am simply mentioning them because they work.  I've tried them myself and I think they can help you all become awesome Hookers, too!

   

Check out our link party page to see where we link up each week!

Color Your Own Skirt

Halloween is over, and I'm already starting to think about Christmas. I like to get a head start on things when I can so that the holidays don't sneak up on me like they always do. I would love to be that person who gives all handmade gifts for the holidays, but I just can't bring myself to be chained to my sewing machine for weeks on end while I hydrate with coffee and crank out toys and clothes. That said, I still like to be able to make a few handmade things that I can give, especially when I know the recipient will absolutely love it.

Hayley at Welcome to The Mouse House recently posted pics of a coloring book dress she made for her daughter using the Tidny fabric from Ikea. I almost died of cuteness overload, then went out that next weekend and bought some of the Tidny fabric myself (sadly, they don't sell it online) and whipped up a few skirts for my daughter and niece.

I mean, look at all the adorable pictures to color! It's a little artist's dream. The fabric is entirely black and white, and has a great variety of pictures on it for both boys and girls. I used the girlier portions to make the skirts for my daughter and niece, but I'm definitely planning on making a few pairs of shorts for Connor when it warms up again.

I picked up a 24 pack of permanent markers at Walmart (you could also use fabric markers or paint pens), and packaged it up for my little niece for Christmas. I know she's going to have a ton of fun coloring her skirt!

Haley went to Ikea with me, so she had already seen the fabric and claimed it as hers. She actually laid the whole yard and a half of fabric on her lap like a blanket all the way home and repeatedly begged me to make her something with it. After all that I knew I wouldn't be able to wait to give her her skirt, so I gave it to her and let her go to town with the markers (PS, make sure you put newspaper inside the skirt when you color! The fabric is thicker, but the markers still bleed.)

It took her a couple of days (and some help from me), but she had a great time coloring all the different pictures, especially the castles. Most used color? Pink, of course. 

If you have a little artist in your family, I'm sure they'd love to have their own skirt to color too. I just measured my daughter's waist and multiplied by 2 to get the width I needed, then made a foldover casing with elastic at the top. The bottom is serged (yay, I finally got a serger! More on that later :) One gift down, countless to go!

Check out our Link Party Page to see where we link up each week!

7 Tasty Twists on Thanksgiving Traditions

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  There's no pressure of buying gifts or even decorating... just eating, being with family and being grateful.  As a kid, it always meant seeing my cousins that lived so far away, putting on skits and dances, playing football and eating... so so much eating.  Of course, things change as you get older.  Thanksgiving signifies the beginning of Christmas shopping... the madness, the anxiety.  I've decided, though, that this year, Thanksgiving day will be only about counting my blessings.  And making sure that everyone I love knows that they're considered one of them.  That's going to be my kickoff to the holiday shopping season... giving my gratitude to those I love.

Now, I'm always looking for new ways to do old things, so I rounded up some AMAZING looking recipes that I am most likely going to give a shot this holiday season!  Check out 7 tasty twists on Thanksgiving traditions...

The Cranberry Sauce Twist

Kentucky Bourbon Cranberry Sauce via Jilly Inspired

The Mashed Potato Twist

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes via Flavors of Mumbai

The Green Bean Twist

Green Bean Casserole Pie via Serious Eats

The Mac & Cheese and Dinner Roll Twist

Mac & Cheese Croissant Cups via Recipe by Photo

The Pumpkin Pie Twist

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes via Une-Deux Senses

The Brussel Sprouts Twist

Quinoa with Brussel Sprouts & Pumpkin via Sassy Radish

The Sweet Potato Twist

Sweet Potato Corn Cakes with Garlic Dipping Sauce via Budget Bytes

   

Check out our link party page to see where we link up each week!