How to Create Faux Buttons for your Sewing Projects

I don't know about you, but button holes and sewing on buttons kinda scare me.  Plus they are hard for the little people to use sometimes!

So here is my solution:  make a faux button instead!

 Simple, and quick. 

Toddler Skirt and Baby Dress

I found this Micheal Miller Corduroy at a local Ben Franklins in the clearance bin because it was from the end of the bolt. I got just under a yard for close to $5.00! I was ecstatic because I had seen this fabric before but knew that I could not afford $15.00 a yard.

I first made the babys jumper. It is a pattern from New Look #6578. This pattern is super easy. The instructions are very clear and simple to understand. As I was sitting in church yesterday morning it dawned on me "why did I not make this dress reversible?!? I lined the chest area with a pink corduroy that I found at DI (our local thrift store) for a dollar or something for just under a yard.

Oh and for the buttons a little trick that I did was: faux buttons. Instead of doing the button hole I did snaps then hand sewed the button onto the dress making sure that I allowed for enough room for the snap to still work properly. Let me tell you...tons easier and still an adorable dress.

When I was finished with the jumper I realized that I had enough fabric of both corduroy to make the toddler a dress. She was so excited to be able to match her sister.

For her skirt I cut two rectangles (the width of the fabric). It ended up being whatever fabric I had leftover that formed a rectangle. Then I sewed them together. Then I trimmed the one big rectangle up (cause I did not do this before). Then I sewed the one big rectangle into one circle. Then I added the elastic waistband. Next Time I do this, I think that I will add elastic only to the back part of the skirt. I don't know quite how it will work but I am going to try it. Then I finished the bottom of the skirt and I was done. I think this skirt took me 20 minutes from start to finish.

The results were fabulous!

Selvage Edge Scraps Spike Fabric Flower Tutorial

Since I make a lot of blankets, I have a ton of small selvage edge scrapsI am always wondering what I can do you use them and not just throw them away. Its such a huge waste of money and resources. So I sat down and played with them and this is what I got. A cute fabric flower

Reusable Gift Bag for Valentines Day

I don't know about you, but I never seem to have enough gift bags. I always reuse the ones that are given to me and my family with lovely gifts inside, but then I never seem to have the right style for whatever gift I am needing. Not anymore! Now I can make my own reusable Gift bags just using a little plastic, an iron, and a sewing machine. Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy!

Earring Frame Tutorial

This is a super cute Earring Frame! It is made from 1 Wire hanger and a mesh bag. If you use this tutorial I would love to see your creations! Send me a link :)Step 1: Gather your materials needed. 1 glue gun, 1 wire hanger, 1 mesh bag (or fabric that would be easy to poke the end of your earring through), 1 1/2 inch grosgrain ribbon, 1/3 yard of coordinating fabric (I used chiffon, but anything pretty much will work)


Step 2: Either cut or untwist the end of your hanger. Then bend it into a rectangle (or whatever shape you would like your bag to take on). I synched my bag closed, but do what works best for you
Step 3: Measure around your bag. Double this measurement. This measurement is for the ruffle to go around your "frame"
Step 4: cut strips of fabric 4 inches wide in the length that you need.
Step 5: Sew the strips together into one large circle

Step 6: Fold over the fabric and sew along the edge (I did not sew mine but you could)
Step 7: Hot glue the strip to your wire hanger frame. While you are glueing make sure to ruffle it. If you want to be exact then find the middle and glue on one corner. Then find the opposite side middle and glue that on the opposite corner and work your way around the frame. I really did not care and just started to glue. When I got close to the end I realized that I had not ruffled enough so I had to pull up some of what I had glued and ruffle it more.


Step 8: Glue your grosgrain ribbon onto the opposite side of the frame. This is going to be the front of your frame. You could pleat the ribbon or just do it straight.

Step 9: You are now complete and you MUST (wink, wink) send me a picture of your Earring Frame :)
Now you have a really fun Earring Hanger! You don't have to tell your friends that it did not cost you hardly anything.