Tab-top Curtains by: Natalia

October 22, 2015October 22, 2015

My mom is an expert in curtain making. She doesn’t do it professionally although I have urged her to do so on several occasions. She needs no pattern and often comes up with designs on her own. So, we have always had custom designed and made curtains. From when I moved out into my first apartment to now all I need do is pick out a fabric or two and explain what I was looking to achieve and she was able to whip it right up for me. The same has extended to my sister’s of course. And I have to tell you, there is nothing that succeeds in making a home look more polished than beautifully hung curtains.

My sister Lindsey recently got married and they just bought their first home! Such an exciting time! New beginnings and a fresh start in designing and decorating. So, she, as I and my sister Vicki have done picked out some fabrics and styles. Today I am going to walk you through some simple cotton tab-top curtains my mother designed and made for Lindsey’s eat in kitchen.

First the fabrics:

My sister chose a simple sage green and beige checkered design for the main fabric and a plain sage fabric for the accent color.

The first step whenever making custom curtains is to take accurate measurements. You need to measure from curtain rod to floor or to the bottom of the sill, whichever you decide you want to do. In this case we are going right down to the floor. Then you need to allow for hemming. In this case, the bottom of the curtain will be the accent piece and it will measure 18″. So that 18″ doubled plus 2″ for a hem is added to the rod to floor measurement along with a 2″ top hem.

The first step is to sew the two pieces of fabric together.

Just using a simple sewing machine stitch. Be sure you have lined up the edges of the fabric. And be sure you are sewing the wrong sides of the fabric facing out so that when you see the fabric from the front side it looks seemless.

Then you have this and you can treat it like one piece of fabric.

Before starting any hem, the first step is to iron. With a big piece of fabric like a curtain, it’s a lot easier to not use pins and ironing will assist with that.

This is my mom’s little trick for measuring as she irons.

Now you can run this through your machine.

A simple stitch is all you need for the left and right of the panel.

This is how you make the tabs… picture by picture. The first step is to get a length of fabric about 4″ wide by 6″ long and iron it down, then sew, then turn it inside out, iron again, pin it on the top of your panel and sew on.

Once all your tabs are in position, the next step is to make it so they pop out the top without seeing the rough edges. In order to do this you create a back panel for the top with a 4-6″ piece of fabric. As always start off with iron it, then pinning it to the top of the panel and sewing. Once that is set, you put in a simple top stitch to keep everything in place and falling nicely.

Now to finish the last part of the panel, the bottom. My mother always makes sure to give the curtains a custom look by adding in an invisible seem where you don’t see actual stitching.

My mother likes to be sure that her curtains are finished nicely with invisible seems at the bottom.

This is what you want it to look like on the back side of the curtain.

To demonstrate, she did it in red for ya.

Then pull it in.

And you will have an invisible seem on the other side.

This is what you will see on the front side of the curtain, only when it is in beige, you won’t see anyting, hence the invisible seem.

Then iron again.

“Are you looking to spruce up your home for the holiday season? You may have extra money to get that done, let’s take a look at your mortgage and find out. Rates are great, let’s see if we can save you money!” ~Lori Medeiros

Autumn Wreath

October 1, 2015

Something about the fall gets me in an extra crafty mood! We recently listed our home for sale and have been having house showings and open houses, so I thought what better time to freshen up the look of my entry way than now! After all, it’s the first impression people get of your home. I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to do something along the lines of a wreath… Have you shopped for pre-made wreaths lately? Holy Cow! Talk about expensive! I went to a “discount home” store recently and found them ranging between $60 and $185! And that’s supposed to be a discount! Get outta here! So, I popped into my local craft store and for under $25 picked up supplies to make not only one, but 2 wreaths! (Don’t you just love coupons?!?)

Whether you are selling your home or just getting into the spirit of fall, this wreath is sure to spruce up your front door! But, the technique I am about to show you can be used for any time of year… If you want to make a Christmas wreath, just change out the ribbon. If you want to make a spring wreath, go with some pastels… This is where you get to be creative. And if you aren’t the creative type, no worries, just follow along and you’ll do just fine!

Here are the supplies you will need…

Here are the bulk of the supplies for the wreath itself.

I start with one of these great grape vine wreaths that are wrapped in hay. This one is 16″. You can adjust larger or smaller depending on your door… As you can see, I started to unwrap the plastic and then seeing the mess I was making, decided to leave it. Besides, I learned the plastic actually helped the pins stay secure. I like this particular wreath because the color works well under my fabric, I didn’t need to paint.

Metalic Mesh Fabric… I love this stuff! I try and use it whenever I can! This summer I used it to top handmade palm trees for my son’s Surf’s Up Birthday Party! For my daughter’s baptism, I handed out little potted plants for people’s garden and wrapped them in little swatches of this stuff!

This is a pretty sparkly gross grain ribbon, 7/8″. And, it was on clearance for a buck! Score!

I love how it sparkles, but provides that dark burnt fallish color.

I chose this fall motif… Isn’t it pretty? They had a variety of different ones… Right now is a great time to pick up fall crafting supplies because all the stores are clearing their shelves to make way for Christmas! I got this whole 25′ spool for $5!

Now, I have to admit, I totally forgot to pick up Straight Pins for this project and if you have them, please use them… but, I improvised and used regular sewing pins and it worked out fine, I just needed to use about the double the supply as they are a bit small.

I decided to splurge on one little embelishment, it was 50% off so it cost me a wopping $1.49!

Here are the supplies for the monogram… At first I didn’t have the monogram and if you like it without it, you certainly don’t have to add it in… But, I felt like it needed a little something… So, I ran out to grab these supplies for it. A wooden “S” some metallic fallish craft paint in bronze and a $.59 disposable sponge brush.

Once you have collected all your supplies and have your work space ready to go, you will be done in no time flat, I’ll show you how I did it!

So, the first thing you need to do is cover your wreath with mesh fabric. I start by folding the fabric in half length wise.

Then I secure my starting point with pins.

Now that it is secure, you can start making your way around the wreath.

To create the bubbley affect, I stop every few inches and pop the fabric up into, well, a bubble… then I secure with pins.

The fabric is very agreeable this way.

Just continue this way all the way around the wreath.

Here is a view of the back of the wreath.

As you can see, I didn’t quite get the pop I was looking for here, so no worries, I just went back and manipulated the fabric with pins and got it the way I want it.

See, perfect.

When you come to the end of the wreath, cut off the fabric.

Now wrap the end around and secure tightly with pins.

And here is the start of your creation!

Now it’s time to add on the ribbon. We will start with the main ribbon with the fall pumpkins.

Add ribbon by starting it off at the top of your wreath where there is no bubble… Then measure out 18″ and leave that as a “tail” and secure with pins to the wreath.

Secure with pins.

Start by securing the end of your ribbon to the wreath, leave an 18″ tail for later.

Then loosely start to wrap.

What I did was went in between every other bump so there is not too much.

At the end, bring up the ribbon and leave another 18″ tail. Secure with pins again.

Secure your knot again with pins… this is what is going to secure your bow.

Then firmly but gently tie a knot… you don’t want to disturb the pins you have placed or mess up the ribbon either.

Now onto making your fancy bow…

Depending on how large you want your bow you will fold the ribbon… for instance, I am doing 8-9″ folds.

Because my ribbon is not double sided, and I want only the print side exposed, I have to turn the ribbon with each fold like so.

Keep going back and forth folding until you have about 4 folds on either side.

Now with those left over tails you had, you are going to knot in your folds.

Take that and place it on the top of the wreath holding securely.

This is what you should have.

Once you have secured your folds with a good tight knot, you can start to fluff your bow.

Fluff, fluff, fluff… and because we are using a wired ribbon, this happens very easily

Take the “tails” you left from before and form into bow loops too.

Here is what you have when done. But, we aren’t done, so I will warn you this will need to be fluffed up again at the end!

So here is where we are at so far!

Once your main ribbon and bow are done, add on your secondary ribbon. I wait until after the bow is done because I like to know exactly where to place the accents.

First I secure the ribbon to the back of the wreath.

So all I do here is go around in the opposite direction of my main ribbon and pop the accent ribbon into every other bubble opposite of the ones the main ribbon was in, like so… And then I secure in the back with pins again.

Now for my special little embellishment…

Now I add on my little acorn embellishment. This too is wired so super easy to use…

I place on the left of my wreath under a ribbon.

Secure with pins and done!

So here is what it looks like with out the monogram… still pretty!

But… I went one step further…

Paint one coat, let dry.

Add on a second coat, let dry… Don’t forget the back.

You don’t want this ribbon showing really, so just a little slack is needed.

Now work with two 12″-18″ lengths of ribbon.

Tie one into a knot.

Loop the second ribbon around that.

tie the second ribbon to your wreath behind your bow allowing for just a little slack, this will be your hook for your door.

Now, that first ribbon you looped is ready for your monogram… Now, if your monogram is say the letter “N”… you will need a good heavy duty stapler to secure this ribbon to the back of your letter… but, in my case I have an “S” so it works out nicely.

Now just adjust the ribbon to make it so your letter is centered and tie off.

Now my door will be beautiful straight through Thanksgiving! Yay!

“Your new home is waiting! Let me guide you home” Lori Medeiros, Senior Loan Officer, RMS

Autumn Wreath

1 16″ hay wrapped wreath

1 spool 2.5″-3″ wired printed ribbon

1 spool 7/8″ sparkly gross grain ribbon

1 10′ roll 21″ metallic mesh fabric

1 box straight pins

1 sparkly acorn embellishment

1 wooden monogram letter

metallic craft paint, bronze

1 small disposable sponge brush

Ruffles and Bows Romper Set

May 23, 2015May 24, 2015

I was probably the furthest thing from girly when I was growing up. On any given summer day, you could find me building forts and making mud pies out in the yard. My friends and I would ride bikes all day and play cops and robbers. You might even call me a good old-fashioned Tom-boy! I didn’t start to come into my “girliness” until I was an adolescent. Even so, from the moment I learned I would be having a baby girl, I couldn’t help but think about all the precious little girl clothes and toys and frilly things.

My daughter has always loved all her little dolls and stuffed animals. She is now starting to mimic Mommy and Daddy in showing her dollies affection and really starting to love them. So when she received an American Girl Doll for her birthday, I couldn’t have been more thrilled. Yes, I said “I couldn’t have been”! My daughter is just a year old, she doesn’t know to be excited for all the cute little matching clothes and the cafe and hair salon, so I have decided to be excited for her! Those little matching clothes can get rather pricey though!

I found this incredible fabric the last time I was at the craft store and fell in love with it! I mean any fabric that you don’t have to hem is definitely something worthy of my attention! I, like just about any parent of a toddler, absolutely adore one piece rompers! My son wore one piece rompers for two years (they stop making them after 24 mos. 🙁 ) With the idea of a one piece romper and this super “Ruffled Stretch Knit” fabric, a design was born.

Here are a couple more photos of the outfits and then we will start the super easy tutorial:

You will want to start by measuring your girl and your doll. measure from shoulder to midway down her thigh and around her waist and then the inseam.

Start with a Stretch Ruffled Knit fabric in whatever shade you like. Measure your child’s waste and add two inches to allow for both the seam allowance and comfort.

Do this at the top.

And the bottom.

Now pin all the way down… but, before you do, be sure all of your ruffles are facing the same way

You will also want to ensure that all of your rows match up pretty exactly. As it is stretchy material, this can be a bit tricky.

Now do the same to the dolly size fabric and cut both out after pinning.

Sew a zig zag allowing for a 3/8″ seam. I do this because I like to double up the seam and the zig zag is to allow for the stretch of the fabric.

zig zag (I am using a contrasting color thread so you can see what I am doing better, you will wan to match your color)

Now, fold the sewn fabric in half stopping at the seam to find the middle. This is where you cut just an 2-3 inches depending on the measurements you took of your child and of the doll.

This is what you should have. I like to baste here.

This is basted and I have started to reinforce the top where the cut ends… This reinforcement will stop any tearing that may occur.

Next cut ribbons to tie up at the shoulder. Be sure to add an inch or two to the back ribbons to accommodate for her back (as it should hang a bit lower than the front)

Attach the front ribbons about an inch further in than you have done for the back. This will help to prevent the frock from falling off her shoulders.

Be sure to do this under a ruffle and reinforce it really really well. I like a two spot reinforcement.

You will want to use a bit of Frey Check at the ends of all ribbons you use in this project. If you don’t have Frey Check, you could use a bit of fabric glue.

All you need to do is run the edge of your ribbon through the liquid. I only use enough to coat the very edge of the ribbon.

Now onto the super bow I attached right to the front. Just wrap a bit of ribbon (5/8″) around your 4 fingers and tie off with another ribbon and spread.

At this point you can attach the bow really well in the center and then it’s a good idea to tac the ribbon down around the edges.

And there ya have it.

Here is what the back looks like.

Materials:

Ruffled Stretch Knit fabric

Matching thread

5/8″ ribbon (I used two different coordinating prints)

sewing machine

scissors

measuring tape

Frey Check

Strawberry Hair Bow

April 21, 2015April 25, 2015

Little girls love hair bows! I wish fun things like this were around when I was a kid! Handmade hair bows are all the rage right now. This is something really fun to do with your daughter, granddaughter, niece or any little girl you have in your life this spring break or summer vacation!

Here’s how I did it:

Gather your supplies. You will need two plain clips, one length of polka-dotted pink ribbon, one length of green ribbon with a white stitch accent and one length of black sparkly ribbon.

Clips. I ordered these in bulk on-line… But any craft store will have them or something similar. I use these specifically because my daughter is a year and a half old and her hair is still baby fine and these hold great!

Next, measure your black ribbon. To do this open the clip and place the ribbon along the full length of the inside of the ribbon and allow for enough ribbon to run along both the top and the bottom of your clip and be sure it is able to come right around to the squeezy part of the clip.

You’ll want to run glue along the inside of the clip first. Then pop the ribbon in being sure not to close the clip until you have the ribbon in place or you will glue everything together, not fun. Then continue along the top and the bottom and finally at the end where the squeezy part is. Your entire clip should be encapsulated with ribbon at this point both inside and out.