Monday, September 15, 2014

Super Hero Tooth Fairy Pillow

My grand daughter turned five and is now in kindergarten. And you know what that means! Loose teeth!  I think that the tooth fairy time for kids is a special time and a fun tradition that I think should be "carried on" throughout the generations! I got a nickel under my pillow... my kids got 50 cents 2 (brand new, shiney quarters!) and  my first grand daughter (now 14) got $5 (from her parents, not me!) But  whatever the "payoff", I like to keep the memories of "old times" in the present so the kids can have their own memories for their future....sooooo ... I made her a tooth fairy pillow.

I always make things specific to the person...their likes, favorite colors and of course it has to be usable too. What does my little Emily like?  Super heros! Her favorite being Wolverine! (I just read, that the writers are going to be killing off Wolverine in the comics here shortly, she is going to be devistated!) But I still had to give her her favorite...and once he is "gone", she will have her memories! 

I started out looking for a pattern. I am NOT at ALL into super heros these days, and my searches found next to nothing about Wolverine (except for the NFL football team by the same name!) But finally someone pointed me to a site (that I have since lost..thought sure I bookmarked it!) and this is what they had.

 I downloaded it to my photo shop and enlarged it and although it is a pattern designed for quilting the image, I just took the lines I wanted, and cut the pieces to applique instead of quilting. Worked great! Black, yellow and a flesh tone for the mouth area.
  I used those colors and red for the background. I cut 12x12 red, batting and the back is black. I appliqued the face of Wolverine onto the red background. I appliqued all the pieces onto the red and then went back and put the batting on the back and did straight stitching on the edges of where I just appliqued (with a thick close zigzag) so that it would have the poofy effect and some dimension.

 
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On the back, I made a yellow pocket (for some reason my photo editor keeps messing up on this picture and won't let me save it, so I can't show it!) But it is just black, with a yellow square in the one corner for the tooth to be put in and then of course, my label.. "Made especially for you by Nanny". 

I added a yellow handle for her to hang it on her doorknob when not in use, or hang on her bed post.. and she can say hello to her beloved Wolverine, every day! When needed, it can be slipped under her pillow! Parents have it so easy these days.. back in my tooth fairy days.. we just layed the tooth on the bed under our pillow...and the parents had to hope they would find it in the dark without waking the child! I remember those days too!

I pinned the hanger to the front, sewed it wrong sides together, turned and pressed, then did another bit of straight stitch outlining just the yellow part of his head and a straight stitch all around the outside edge and FINISHED!!!

I hope she likes it.. I think she will! It is Wolverine, for heaven sake! What's not to like! I am a bit proud of myself on this one to, I have to say, as I have not done this kind of applique in YEARS!! I used to do it on everything about 25 years ago and it as my favorite thing to do, but then I stopped sewing and just picked it back up about 3 years ago. I am happy to know that I have not totally lost my applique touch! I used to be pretty darn good at it! But, a bit of practice to remember all the tricks of the trade and I'll back into shape! I have one more GD who is four and another one on the way..so they will need tooth fairy pillows too!

These are a couple of books I have heard a pretty good (and sound pretty good!) for working with applique...I think I will be getting the 101 Applique Blocks one! Although I used to just look through coloring books (now "online" coloring books!) sometimes I like looking through a real book and finding something.




Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE
 
This post linked to the Linky Party for the day. Click on the "Daily Linky Parties" tab at the top of my page and join us! Lots and lots of amazing talents on "display"


Thanks for stopping by and...keep on sewing those memories!





Monday, September 8, 2014

Doll Diaper Bag and Quilt


I already posted about the doll quilts I made for my grand daughters. But there's more! I got the brain storm..to make them doll diaper bags! Searched all over the place for a pattern and found this pattern.   I started with trying to find a fabric in my stash that each girl would like, but that wasn't working to well, when it suddenly hit me... I have lots of the fabric I used for the back of the quilts still available, so I took that fabric and made them each a diaper bag  to match the quilt.


 Then while working, I thought...okay, one of the girls is not a doll girl! She is a camping, football and not so dainty when it comes to anything....I didn't think she was going to like a doll  anything! So I thought, instead of calling them a doll diaper bag and doll quilt,  she can call hers a Treasure Bag and Sitting quilt...she can collect back yard "treasures" in the bag and sit on the little quilt to inspect said treasures!





 

The quilts fit perfectly in the bag so I'll tell the ones that like dolls that they can use it for that, but I will tell all three of them that it is also a "take it with you" quilt and bag and offer these suggestions:


  • Take it to the back yard and spread the quilt out, and take the bag and go treasure hunting in the backyard and find all kinds of cool rocks, twigs or whatever else... and have the bag to collect the items in. Then go back and sit on the quilt (so they don't get dirty!) and compare and share what each have found.
  • Have mom pack a little lunch  in the bag and lay the quilt out under the tree in the front yard and have a picnic
  • Take it with you when you have to go run errands or have to wait somewhere and put a few little toys in the bag with the quilt. 
  • Use the quilt as a pillow or to cover cold legs. 
  • Take the the bag of toys with you if you are going to a place where you have to wait (like the doctors office).
  • Take the quilt/bag to the beach...lay the quilt out on the sand for your "own" space and take the bag to find shells or other treasures!

  • Give it some thought now and if you have any little girls in your life that would enjoy these doll items..get started now and make them for a Christmas gift...or Birthday gift! And this would also be perfect for a newborn..even the diaper bag would be perfect and the quilt is just big enough for a little newborn blessing!

    This is the kind of template I use to make the squares. I prefer Omnigrid as it is the easiest to see the numbers and lines than other styles I have tried.

     


    Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE
     
    This post linked to the Linky Party for the day. Click on the "Daily Linky Parties" tab at the top of my page and join us! Lots and lots of amazing talents on "display" Thanks for stopping by and...keep on sewing those memories! 




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