How-Tos

I just finished making my very first snowman. He has been smiling at me from my desk for two days now! I can't help but smile back and return to what I am doing in a happier mood.

I must admit, I have become a fan of snowmen only recently, having been a collector of Santas for over 25 years. At first, I was quite offended as manufacturers began replacing my beloved Santas with snowmen as the collectible symbol of the season. (Snowman, of course, appeal to a wider audience).

In time, realizing that snowmen could be displayed until late February without visitors looking at me as if I am a nut case, I began to appreciate their importance in the scheme of things and began a small collection. But then I realized how much more fun it would be to create and make my own!

In this post, I am sharing an easy, peasy way to make snowmen - of any size or shape you like - 3" to 3' - plump or not so plump!

Making the pattern

1. Head. Using any object you have on hand that is the size you want the head, trace the object onto the paper you have chosen for your pattern.

For the snowman above, I used a piece of 8 1/2"x11" scrap printer paper. But for larger snowmen, you could use tissue paper or newspaper or butcher paper. Drinking glasses and cookie cutters work fine for smaller head shapes. Dinner plates and platters will work for really big snowmen!

2. Body. Draw a curved line as shown starting at the head. The shape of the line will determine the shape of your snowman. Mine is fairly slim, but you could make yours nice and round if you like!

  3. Neck. At the point where the body and head come together, draw a little curve.

4. To Make a symmetrical body. Fold your pattern in half, making sure the right and left sides of the head line up with each other.

5. Cut out your snowman pattern following the head and body lines you have drawn.

6. Open your pattern! A perfect snowman!

7. Make the base. Measure across the bottom of your pattern and make another circle about 1" less in diameter than the bottom measurement.

8. Arms. Totally optional! But if you want arms, draw a simple arm on your pattern paper. I choose to add a mitten shape to my arm, but arms can just be rounded on the end.

9. Cutting. Lay your pattern pieces on your fabric, and cut. You will need two body head pieces, one base, and four arms.

I added a 1/4" seam allowance as I cut the pattern. But you could just as easily include it in the pattern as you are making it.

Assembling your Snowman.

1. Stitch around the snowman using a 1/4" seam allowance. Leave the bottom open. If your fabric is loosely woven or ravels easily, stitch along the seam allowance a second time to give strength.

I cut a sample snowman from muslin so I could use a dark thread to show the stitching lines, but when stitching your own snowman, use a matching thread.

2. Stitch around the arm pieces.

3. Cut tiny triangles and slits into the seam allowance on all curves. Make lots of cuts as shown. Otherwise, your seams may pucker when you turn your snowman inside out.

Base construction - alternative #1

Fold the "base circle" into fourths and finger press to make faint lines.

Place pins at each line.

Divide the bottom edge of the body into four parts.

Pin the base and the bottom of the body together, matching the four marked points. Add additional pins in between as needed to hold the two pieces together.

Stitch around the base leaving most of one side open.

Turn your snowman inside out!

In her e-book "Stitch Village", Joan Gorman shared a tool for turning small items that is absolutely fabulous! How I have struggled all these years trying to turn a thin strap or casing. If only I had known about hemostats! My sweetie found mine at Harbor Freight for next to nothing. They make all the difference when turning stuffies.

Stuff your snowman with your favorite fiber fill, packing the head fairly tight and the body a little less tight.

Now stuff in a little bag of rice or beans (as shown below in Alternative base #2). This will give your snowman stability and allow it to stand without support. Whip stitch the opening closed.

Base construction alternative #2 - My preferred way to do this because it is so easy!

1. Make a pouch. Using a long running stitch, stitch around the entire outer edge of a square of muslin or other scrap, lightweight fabric. Draw the "pouch" slightly together by pulling on the thread. Fill with rice or beans. Draw the thread tightly closed and secure the thread by making several small stitches to hold it closed.

Your pouch does not need to be pretty or neat.

2. Using a long running stitch, stitch around the entire bottom edge of the body. Draw the thread up as shown and secure.

3. Stuff your "bean bag" into the opening. You may have to remove a little filling because you don't want the little bean bag to protrude beyond the base. It's whole purpose is to provide stability so that your snowman can stand without support.

4. Attach the base to the body. You can either whip stitch it into place or simply glue it into place!

Note: Keep in mind that if you are making a tiny little snowman to hang as an ornament, you will not need to add the "bean bag".

I prefer to attach the arms after the snowman is stuffed. 

If your fabric is fairly thin, you can fold under the raw edge and slip-stitch into place.  If the fabric is fairly thick, as mine is, just whip stitch the raw edges right at the side seam.  I tacked my arms into place (near the "elbow" so they wouldn't flop around!

Now you are ready to make hats and scarfs for your snowman! This is my "snowman clothes" stash of felted sweaters that I picked up at SCRAP recently. They were already felted for me! Most are discarded leftovers from other felting projects, so I guess this becomes a reuse, reuse project!

You might recognize the hat and scarf I used on the little guy at the top of the post! Remember my Easter Bunnies? The sleeves of that little felted sweater worked perfectly to make a hat and the scarf.

Create a little face!

ACK! @%&#* I just realized I forgot a carrot nose! Ooops! I can't believe that in the past two days I haven't even noticed something was missing! That cute little face must have wrapped me in an enchantment!

Little black beads are perfect for the eyes. Stitch a little mouth using embroidery thread. If you want, you can anchor the threads in the back of the head since it won't show once the hat is placed on the head!

I used one of those wonderful blue line pencils that wipes away easily with a damp cloth to create the little face before stitching. Good thing too, because my first attempt at a mouth looked pretty stupid! Just ask for a Water Erasable Marking Pen at any craft or fabric store.

The nose - I'm working on it! Any suggestions?

I plan on sharing more of my snowmen in November so be sure to check back! And if any of you make snowmen, please post them on my Flickr with a link to your site. They will appear at random on my sidebar flicker.

I always appreciate and enjoy your company. Thank you so much for joining me for Christmas in July!.

I just finished my very own Earth Loom and can't wait to share!

Building the loom is very easy and would be a great family project for the summer.  Once the loom is completed, let your children weave in all the collected memories and treasures found as they stroll beaches, picnic in the forest or walk in a local park or in the countryside.

The Earth Loom is not my idea but one I have enthusiastically adpoted from an extraordinary Saori weaver, Terri Bibby. 

Saori Weaving?  A Japanese hand weaving that allows for complete self expression in the weaving process as taught by the founder of Saori, Misao Jo. I find it very meditative.

A few of Terri's latest projects should give you some idea! She has created a series of weavings for the four compass directions.  South, East, West and North.  They are beautiful.  Go check them out! 

She has been very kind to allow me to share some of her own images of her Earth Loom which she shared on her blog, Weaving a Life.  I am very grateful for her generosity because as you can see, her loom is much neater than mine!

I am thinking her loom is held together with wood screws.  I lashed mine together using my old Girl Scout training for "making with sticks"!

When Terri posted this image of her loom, woven with fall leaves, fir branches and a bit of ribbon,  I started thinking the Earth Loom would be a wonderful way for children to display their collected summer treasures.

After weaving in a few rows of garden trimmings, I made a search of the house and came up with a few items that might add a little interest to my own Earth Loom.

I am thinking a few fresh flowers now and then would be pretty.

I spaced these pretty loosely just so you could get an idea about what I am suggesting, but you can weave as loose or tight as you wish.

Drift wood, sea weed, long pine cones, cedar branches, oddly shaped sticks, branches of fall leaves, dried wheat or oats or flowers found along roadways.... 

And of course there is even the option of tying a few "unweavable" objects right on to the warp - like sea shells, or sand dollars or pretty stones.

Earth Looms are very easy to construct.  All you need are a few sticks and some twine.

The two vertical supports are about 6 feet long and the horizontal pieces are about 3 feet long. But, of course you can make them any size you wish.  Even small enough to sit on a desk!

The two little supports at the top are critical for stability.  They keep it from wobbling!

Regular old twine works perfectly for both lashing the poles together and for warping the loom.

You will notice that Terri's loom actually has another support attached to the back of her loom.  You might want to add one if you don't happen to have a handy support nearby for anchoring your loom like I do.

Once the warp is in place, you are ready to begin weaving!

Happy summer memory weaving everyone!  And send me pictures! Please.

 

Garden Art!  Sun mobile made from the aluminum can bottoms left over from the butterfly mobile.

The idea of making little suns was inspired by Midsummer Celebrations.  Midsummer is celebrated around the world near the summer solstice - the longest day of the year. This link will give you some idea of how many cultures celebrate.

Scandinavians are well known for their Midsummer bonfires, dancing and parties - I am told it is the biggest festival of the whole year.

Stonehenge was no doubt also a very important place for Midsummer celebrations in ancient times.

Here are a few videos  - join in the fun!

Midsummer in Sweden - beautiful  - don't miss this one!

Midsommar - more lovely dancing!

Raising the Midsummer pole - very short and fun!

Added June 24th

I just received a lovely note from my friend Margit in which she shared Danish Midsummer traditions and celebrations that take place on her island of Bornholm, specifically her town of Svaneke.

A little about Midsummer celebrations in Denmark.

This link (scroll to Denmark) mentions the holy wells.  Now that the wells in Svaneke have all dried up, the village children make little wells with three sticks and decorate them with flowers.  A bowl filled with water is hung inside the well and is visited by neighbors who drop coins into it.  The money is given to the children.  Margit sent me this little image so I could better understand what the wells look like so I just had to share!

I think next year I will make one for my own garden to celebrate!

Margit just posted a lovely new apple paper and box!  Don't miss!

Added June 25th!

Sasha (Squashed Tomatoes) just posted the most wonderful set of images from her family's celebrtation of Midsummer in Sweden!  She even shows how to make the lovely flower wreaths worn by young girls and how the Midsummer Poles are constructed and raised.  Don't miss this!

I must make a flower wreath next year also!

Besides hanging my little mobile in my split leaf maple tree, I am celebrating by sitting in the sun!  Believe it or not - here in the Pacific Northwest the sun finally made an appearance - just in time for Midsummer! And... we broke 80 degrees!

Before moving on to the tutorial for the mobile, I wanted to share these cool little "thingys" borrowed from my sweetie's fishing tackle box.

He hangs our giant snowflakes using "swivels" because the slightest breeze in the room will set the snowflakes spinning around and around.  These little guys make that possible.

I liked the idea for my little suns.

And I am happy to report, they are working great!  When the breezes blow, my little suns spin in the wind.

Below is a quick little tutorial for making these.  But if you haven't worked with aluminum before, you might want to check out the information found in these tutorials:  Recycled Aluminum Can Butterfly Mobile,  Making Punched tin Butterflies, and Making Punched Tin Light Shields.

And remember - always, always wear protective eye goggles when working with metal.

The edges are sharp and can cause cuts.  But just keep this in mind as you handle your project.  There is no reason to avoid playing with aluminum. Just be careful and wear gloves if you wish.

Since I was only interested in the middle portion of the can when I made the butterflies, I needed to go back and use my tin snips to trim the ragged cut I made when removing the bottom.

Simple cuts made on the edge make great sun rays! I just eyeballed these.

Once the cuts were completed, I used a pair of needle nose pliers to gently twist each sun ray just to make it a bit more interesting.

The factory codes come right off with a bit of rubbing alcohol.

You may find that a sturdy pair of nail sissors works very well for cutting those little slits along the edge.

Since I didn't want my suns all the same, I changed my "tweaking method" a bit - pulling first one up and the next down with the needle nose pliers.

Both sides look great!

Two "suns" can be glued together if you like!

To make petals, I borrowed a cutting technique from Alice (Futuregirl Craft blog) - check out her simple and foolproof tutorial for cutting daisies!

This is the only way I have been able to cut "petals" - if you can call them that!  From a distance - they look great. Not easy to make them perfect in factory pressed, curved aluminum!

The nail sissors are a must for cutting petals.

First cut one side of the petal all the way around.  Then turn the sun over and cut the other side of the petals.

Cutting inside a plastic box (repurposed cookie container), keeps the metal chips from flying everywhere.  I was amazed at how well it worked to contain them.

Flower power!

Check out "Candles Holders made from Tuna Cans" for the how to for these playful sun rays.

These scraps left from trimming turned out to be perfect centers for some of the suns.

That one little idea sparked a bunch of other ideas!  And the next thing you know - I had enough little suns for my mobile!

Rims and tin removed from the large tin cans I repurposed to make tin frames and sconces had retained graceful curves and turned out to be perfect for making a hanger.

Who is celebrating midsummer?  Leave me a comment and tell me how!

 

Finished!  The Michael Miller fairy fabric -  now a sun dress!  Which I made just for a sweet little someone whose Mommy provided measurements for toddler size!

Too bad I had to photograph her sun dress in this gloomy PNW weather - but where she lives, I am told there is sunshine -  and her mommy is already making desserts with cherries and peaches because they are ripe!

This is a companion post to Design Your Very Own Sun Dress Fabric. That post was all about making your very own fabrics and this one is all about how to make this simple little sun dress.

First the pattern!

I am providing a pattern for both an adult size and a toddler size. 

The adult size especially is pretty much one size fits most!  Toddler to child will require a bit of tweaking! 

But the beauty of this little dress is that the fit can be adjusted easily simply by how tightly you scrunch the gathers and how short or long you make the ties.  For instance if your daughter has grown a size next summer - the dress will probably still fit if you loosen the gathers a bit and tie the straps a little longer.

This is the pattern I used for the toddler size dress made with the fairy fabric.  Our model is two years old and is about 34" tall.

The toddler dress is designed to be made from 2/3 yard* of 45" wide fabric. If you like it fuller, either use 60" wide fabric or get 1 1/3" yards of fabric and cut each panel anywhere from 30" to 45" wide. (45" might be too full for a toddler, but great for a young teen.)

And of course, you can shorten or lengthen the dress as needed.  If you lengthen, be sure to get more fabric!!

Seam allowances specified in the instructions are included in the pattern dimensions.

 

The adult version will work for most adults.  I am 5'8" and Diane is 5'6" and the dress comes to about our knees.

For the adult version, you will need 2 yards** of 45" wide fabric. 

As with the smaller size, the width can be adjusted and probably the easiest way would be to use 60" wide fabric. 

The dress can be as short or long as you wish - I've even made them nearly floor length - just be sure to determine the difference between the length given here and the desired length and make the adjustment in your fabric purchase. For instance, if you want your dress 12" longer than the pattern,  you will need 2 2/3 yards of fabric - 2x36" plus 2 x 12".  You will then have two panels measuring 48" long.

Again seam allowances specified in the instructions are included in the pattern.

If you are making a dress for a pre-teen or teen, use the adult pattern and in addition to adjusting the length, change the 6" measurement at the arm to 41/2" to 5".

Making the Sun Dres

Cutting out the dress

Cutting method #1

Make a paper pattern using the dimensions given or using your adjusted dimensions.

Place your pattern on your lovely fabric and cut following the contour of the pattern.

Cutting method #2

Since most of the cuts are straight lines, you can use your rotary cutter and straight edge to cut the basic rectangle.

Mark the measurements for the curve at the arm holes. (See tiny blue lines)

And cut in a slightly curved line.  Cut straight down for about an inch and then start the slight curve.

I could not resist these little kitties! Adorable! Perfect fall dress for my teddy, don't you think?

For larger sizes, it is easier to fold the fabric before cutting.  If you are careful, and use the guidlines on the cutting board and the straight edge, your basic rectangle should come out perfect!

If you are not accustomed to using these tools, however, a paper pattern would be your best option.

Create the curves at the arm hole the same as above.

 

Assembling the dress

Assembly is as easy as 1, 2, 3  ... oh! and 4!

Just follow the diagram as you go along!

I apologize in advance for using a white fabric for my demonstration.  But you have to understand - I couldn't help myself!  I absolutely love Alison's  little bug fabric from Spoonflower and I love showing it off! Purely and emotional decision. (See yesterday's post for where to get it!)

STEP #1 Side seams

With right sides of fabric together, sew the two panels together at the side seams.  Use a 1/4" seam.  I usually finish my seams with a zig zag stitch but you might prefer one of the methods offered by Sewing Support in this excellent tutorial on seam finishes.

STEP #2  Curve at the arm hole

Finishing the arm hole curve with bias tape is simple and neat and recommended.  My diagram clearly states "shirt tail hem" which I sometimes, in a fit of laziness have been known to use.  But Craftstylish provides an excellent tutorial for finishing a curved edge with bias tape. Do it this way.:-)

Just be certain you purchase BIAS TAPE.  Don't confuse bias tape with seam binding.  They come in nearly identical packages. 

My stock of bias tape and seam binding must now be "vintage"!  I noticed when I purchased a package for the fairy dress that the package design has changed! Sigh.

STEP #3  Making the Casings for the ties

Press a 1/4" fold at the top edge of the dress. Fold is to the wrong side.

Fold and press again to form a casing about 1/2" wide.

Stitch close to both folds leaving the ends open.  Usually, due to the angle of the arm hole curve, the casing ends will look like the end in the photo.

STEP #4  Hem

Fold the bottom edge of your dress over toward the wrong side 1/4" to 1/2". Press.  Fold again. Pin to hold in place.  Stitch close to the edge of the first fold.

Craftstylish suggests another method here!

 Almost finished!

On thing I love about this dress is that there is very little stitching involved so that most of the fabric can later be used for another purpose - like a skirt or a pillow or a hat!

Now all that is left to do is to draw your ribbon or tie through the casing.  For a tiny dress like this one, I simply thread my ribbon through the eye of a tapestry needle and slide it through the casing!  A small safety pin also works well to guide the tie through the casing.

There are a couple little tutorials for ties at the end of the post.  But if you use ribbon or a purchased cord as your tie - you are done!

Love Alison's bugs!  They never fail to bring a smile.

 

A couple ideas for ties.

1. "Spaghetti straps"  *   **  if you use spaghetti straps, purchase an extra 1/8 yard of fabric.  You won't need it all but I doubt most stores will sell you less.

First - no need to cut on the bias.  Cut on the grain.

Cut your fabric the length you need for straps that are long enough to go across the gathered area of the dress and then make a bow (or a simple tie) on each shoulder. For an adult that would be two straps 36" long each.

Strap width can vary but for spaghetti straps the width should be 1 inch. Wider straps will require a wider casing allowance.

Fold the strap in half as shown, pressing as you go.

Now fold both edges toward the fold line in the middle, pressing as you go. Try to get the edges as close together as possible without overlapping. 

Folding one side at a time makes it easier.

Now fold the strap in half so that the raw edges are completely encased in the original fold.  Pin to hold during stitching.

Stitch close to the open edge of the fold.

Attach a small safety pin to the end of the strap and guide it through the casing.

Tie a knot in both ends of the strap, pull up your gathers to fit and you are done!

2. Braided  straps

A great tutorial for making the braids right here on Smile and Wave!  I think one of her matching headbands would look great too.

Just be sure your braid will fit through your casing!  The best way to do that is to make the braided tie first and then fold the fabric over the braid to determine the width of the casing.

If you decide to use a braided tie, I suggest adding an extra 1/2" to the length of the arm hole curve.

Only a couple more things to say!

Keep in mind this is a quick, easy, down and dirty little dress so no accomodation has been made to even out the hem line.  I don't particularly have a problem with this - especially in this age of stylishly uneven hem lines! But - just so you know!

Part of the beauty of this little dress is that as you put it on, you adjust the gathers and tie the straps so that it fits you the way you want it to!  You can have a deeply scooped neckline - or not!  Tight gathers or loose ones. If you want to keep your gathers in one place forever, tack them once you have decided where you want them to be.  You should also be able to leave the bows tied - even when you wash it.  From then on just toss it on over your head! 

This is a great bathing suit cover-up - especially in gauzy fabrics!

It is also a great little dress for showing off some of those lovely designer fabrics we all love.  And as I said before, most of the fabric remains in tact so that it can be used again in another way!  Repurposed!

Hope you enjoy!

July 2nd update! As I was catching up with my One Pretty Thing posts, I ran smack dab into this and just had to add it!  Samster Mommy posted this adorable sun dress tutorial.  It is very similar to this one but it  is made using a tee!  AND she added a ruffle to the bottom which I love!

Go check it out!  A great idea for using cute, no longer worn tees laying around in the closet! Her kids have some of the cooest things to wear and play in in the world!  When I was a little girl - I would have gone mad for the tutu!

 

 

 

 

 

Before I begin, let me introduce you to my little Christmas bear family.  They will be my models for this post since I don't have any little daughters at home! 

The middle bear will model most of the dresses because she is very special - Diane made her for me many, many years ago.

I started making a very simple and easy sun dress for Diane when she was about 18 months old.  But I could have started sooner!  The bears are wearing infant size which can be made from a fat quarter!

While I was putting this post together, I decided to surprise Diane and make her a dress - something I haven't done in many years.!  It is made of Egyptian cotton and will be cool and breezy during the hot summer days we are soon to have around here. I had to be the model because - well it is a surprise! 

Surprise Diane! HA!

Now to the point of this post!

How to make the dress - that happens in the next tutorial!  In this post I want to show you how much fun you can have designing your own fabrics for your sun dresses.  Or even better, letting your kids design their own fabrics!

Although I am sharing the pattern and how-to for the simple sun dress tomorrow, the fabrics you make can be used for almost anything - from skirts to pillows to quilts.

We are going to start with the adorable bug print designed by Alison Oliver and available at Spoonflower.  Alison's blog - Pure Sugar - is brand new so drop by to say hello and welcome.  All these cute little bugs are on her header! And she has featured a little dress her friend made using her little bug fabric right here!

How could you not fall in love with this fabric!   I went to Spoonflower to search for a fabric and instantly fell head over heels for this one!

Gotta love those bugs!

Spoonflower offer's Alison's fabric for sale right here!  And while you are there, take some time to browse through the amazing fabrics available. (I am told that not all fabrics shown are for sale, you will need to click on the cart to find out those that are!)

The other really cool thing about Spoonflower is that you can actually design your very own fabric!  Diane designed this one a couple years ago.

If you are good with computers, you can create designs or even have your kids draw their own designs.  Transfer the designs into the proper programs and upload to Spoonflower!  More info on that here and on Diane's post.

You will need to join Spoonflower to upload your own designs or to purchase fabrics, but not to browse.  Go visit!  I think you will love it! And what a great way to create a one of a kind fabric for your daughter's back to school dresses! Or those new sofa pillows you have been wanting.

Psssst!  I have a Spoonflower giveaway planned for August!  Don't miss it!

Now we are going to move on to something that is a whole lot of fun!  And a lot less technical! OMG! I could make yards and yards and yards of this fabric!

My friend Chris (Prism Trail!) told me about a product called Setacolor.  A little web search and I landed on this tutorial for printing fabrics using the sun!  I immediately ordered some - and so did Chris! See her butterfly print here!

The product is water-based and non-toxic so it is perfect for kids to use.  Just be sure you have lots of fabric on hand, because they will not want to quit as long as there is sun in the sky! And check out this link for lots of ideas for templates and for ways to use the fabric. Almost anything can be used as a template including pasta!  I am thinking the kids would love using their little flat plastic animals or alphabet letters. 

And if you are inspired to make fabrics for quilts and pillows or shower curtains this is a really great book to have on hand!

The tutorial is very thorough; but since I know you all will no doubt be  playing with sun painting, I am sharing a few things I learned when using natural and not so natural items!

My first attempt!  I just used what ever I had growing in the yard.  Notice that I placed the flowers upside down - same with ferns and sprays of leaves.  ( A few flowers are missing because I very nearly forgot to take this shot!)

Flowers that are bulbous like Bleeding Hearts don't work so well.

They leave more of a shadow than a clearly defined image.

Don't remove the material until the fabric is completely dry if you want a clearly defined pattern. My fabric, which is a medium weight cotton, dried in about 30 minutes.

The breeze helped out and removed a few petals and leaves before the fabric was dry and so they left a less defined imprint.  Actually I don't mind as I like the three dimensional effect.  Just so you know!

Overlaps?  They work great!

And I love how my daisy flowers turned out!  By placing them upside down, I was able to create a three dimensional image - and a bonus - pollen stains!

Sun was still out so I had to keep playing as long as I had fabric!  I made some little hearts out of heavy weight paper which as soon as it got wet proceeded to curl!  In a panic, I borrowed some of those little washers in my sweetie's "man drawer cabinet" to hold them down! 

A huge breeze came along and blew the whole thing into the bushes before it dried completely but I still like the results! 

Rule number 1.  Don't do this on a breezy day! And if you must - don't leave it unattended!

Rule number 2.  Use something for your designs that is more substantial than paper.  My clever sister, Leslie, suggested making the designs out of those styrofoam meat trays!  Chris tried it and said it worked great! Keep an eye on her blog as she will be sharing more of her Setacolor adventures soon.

Here is another fun idea for the kids! 

Check out this tutorial on Hillbilly Jillies for Dying Fabrics Naturally! Then gather a bunch of old sheets or muslin and let the kids decide what they want to use to dye their own fabrics!  It is a great learning experience - letting them dye fabrics using natural materials - the way it was (and still often is) done since the beginning of time.

Sarah has some great ideas for what to use in the tutorial, but I happened to have a bag of very old frozen raspbarries in the freezer, so I used them to dye my muslin.

I let my fabric soak 24 hours even though it probably would have been fine overnight.  When I was ready to remove it from the dye bath, the fabric was as red as the juice!.  However, even though I took the extra precaution of adding vinegar to the raspberry dye bath, once rinsed in water, my fabric was much lighter in color. Sarah says we should expect this.

She also says that the fabric will further lighten as it dries - and it does!  But I love pink!  And I am ready to try this again with blackberries and blueberries and....

I think kids would love wearing clothing made from fabric they dyed themselves.

Sarah at Geek+Nerd just turned me onto this tutorial on Smile and Wave and when I saw Sarah in her braided headband, I thought how cute the braids would be as ties for the sun dress - especially one made of simple material like the naturally dyed fabrics.  And, your kids could braid headbands to match!  I used old fabric strips from quilting projects, but I am thinking ribbon could be braided as well.

And of course there is always the option of taking your kids shopping and letting them pick out their own fabrics!

I adore the fairy fabrics by Michael Miller.  Actually - I adore a bunch of their fabrics! But I am especially crazy about the fairy designs. Here is a very useful guideline to stores close to your neighborhood.

I am using this fabric for a little sun dress for a secret someone - but it is a secret! At least until tomorrow!

 

It is berry season!  And soon cherry season!  And then it will be time for peaches and apricots!  And then apples!  And since pie is one of my most favorite ways to enjoy summer fruit, and since I have already shared my favorite berry and apple pie recipes, I think it is high time I share a few pie crust tips and tricks!

Pie crust is not really difficult.  But there are a few tricks that make or break a pie crust.  This tutorial is primarily written for those of you who have never attempted a pie crust or those of you who have tried and failed. 

As you can tell from the number of images in this post - I didn't leave a single thing out!  I tried to make this as 'one on one' as I possibly could because I really, really want each of you to experience that warm glow you feel when someone you love takes a bite of your pie and says, now, that's a pie crust!

The recipe, one I have used for years, makes a pie dough that is easy to work with and tender and flakey when baked.  It is a great pie dough for beginners.  Once you have mastered it, you will be ready to move on to more delicate pastries.

If you have never made pie crust, you might want to make a batch to just get used to the feel and to handling it so you have a better idea of what to expect.  At the end of the post, I have a little suggestion for what to do with your dough after you are done "learning".

Added after post date!  Be sure to read the comments section for thoughts about chilling vs not chilling as well as butter vs shortening. I chose not to cover those issues in the tutorial because it is designed for beginners to learn to make a pie crust!  But I am getting good tips from readers there so don't miss them.  Sarah's tip for trimming the dough is brilliant!

So - let's get started!

You will need the following tools:

mixing bowl
measuring cup and spoons
wire whisk
pastry blender
fork
rolling pin
large surface for rolling out the dough - personally I prefer wood
pie plate (8" or 9")
sharp paring knife

A note about rolling pins:  I am still using the rolling pin my brilliant mother gave me when I got married.  It is perfect for rolling pie crust and cookie dough.  The surface is as smooth as silk and the roller and handle move independently of each other by way of ball bearings inside the roller.   I have found this type of rolling pin allows greatest control during use.

A note about pie plates:  Metal and pyrex both work fine, but I dearly love my "vintage" corning ware pie plate.  If you ever find one - buy it and use it!  I have never, ever had a soggy pie crust when using this pie pan.

A note about my scorched wood work surface!  A constant and ugly reminder that placing a red hot sauce pan on a piece of wood is not a terribly good idea!  It is what I have to work with right now so please try to overlook the ugly black scorch mark!

Basic Pie Crust for 8" to 9" pie. 

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Crisco shortening
4 to 5 Tablespoons ice water

Notes about ingredients:

Flour:  Although I prefer King Arthur All-purpose Flour,  price increases for wheat has forced me to switch to Gold Medal.  For pie crust, I don't ever sift the flour, but I do stir and fluff it in the canister a bit to aerate it  before measuring. Whatever you do, do NOT do anything that will pack the flour into the cup.  Place the flour lightly into the cup until it is heaping and then use a straight edged knife or spatula to scrape off the excess.

Crisco vs butter:  I am a devotee of shortening pie crusts.  And I make no apologies.  I have yet to taste a pie crust made with butter that can match its light and flaky texture.  And as long as I continue to hear "now that is what a pie crust is supposed to taste like", I am not changing!   Believe me - I am a huge, huge, huge fan of butter - just not in pie crust!

I did find a recipe recently that called for half butter and half shortening.  Once I try it out, I will let you know.  It just may be the perfect balance between flavor and texture.

Ice water:  Water content in flour can change with the humidity in the air so start with 4 tablespoons and add more if your pie crust mixture is too dry to form into a ball. But be very careful - add water a teaspoon at a time.  You do not want your dough to get sticky.  It should hold together but still feel dry and not stick to your fingers.

 Make a glass of ice water just before you begin making the dough so the water is nice and cold when you are ready to add it to the flour mixture.

Making your pie crust

Begin by setting your oven to the temperature suggested in the filling recipe you are using.

Prepare your filling before beginning the pie crust.

Measure 2 cups flour into a mixing bowl. Add the salt and whisk to mix thoroughly.

Place the shortening into the flour mixture and break up with the pastry blender.

Continue working the shortening into the flour with up and down motions until the shortening is broken down into tiny pieces. Stir the mixture with the pastry blender to make sure there are no large lumps of shortening remaining.

Add the water, starting with 4 Tablespoons.

Quickly stir with a fork to blend the ingredients.  Use a light hand and don't over mix.

Mix just until dough forms a ball.  Over working the dough is the surest way to tough crust!

Divide your dough into two equal portions.

Generously dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour.  Do not worry about adding more flour to the dough - there is enough fat in the mixture to manage it. Place one ball of dough on your work surface.

When rolling your dough, apply very light pressure.  I have watched people roll cookie and pie dough with so much pressure that it seems as if they were trying to force the dough into the pours of the wood!!!!  LIGHT, EVEN PRESSURE AS YOU ROLL!  If your dough sticks to the work surface after two or three passes with the rolling pin, you are applying too much pressure (or your dough is too wet).

Roll, pick up the dough, turn it 1/4 turn, roll, pick up and turn and roll. Follow this process for the first few rolls and you should not have a sticking problem.

Now gently lift the dough off the board, drape over one stretched out hand and dust the work surface again.  ( If you look closely, you can see the contours of my hand under the dough!) Or you can simply set it to one side while you dust.

Return the dough to the work surface

Again, applying very light pressure, roll the dough, rotating the dough a1/4 turn until it gets to be about 8 or 9" across

Now continue to roll changing direction with each roll and lifting the crust and dusting the work surface as needed.

Once your crust measures about 4" more across than your pie plate, your crust is  ready to transfer to your pie plate.

Gently lift the side farthest away from you and fold your pie crust in half toward you.

Now fold it again.

Gently pick up your folded crust and place it into your pie plate so it covers 1/4 of the pie plate as shown.

Gently unfold your pie crust. 

To keep your crust from shrinking or tearing, snuggle your dough into the pie plate by lifting the edges and letting the weight settle it into the plate contours. A wrinkle here and there won't hurt anything.

Using a sharp knife, trim the dough so that it extends about 3/8" beyond the lip of your pie plate.

Inspect your crust to be certain there are no tears in the surface.  Any tears must be repaired.  Lightly moisten the area around the hole with water.  Tear a piece of dough from the scraps you have just cut, making sure it is larger than the hole.  Gently press into place to seal.

Now, following the instructions given above for rolling the bottom crust, roll and fold the second ball of dough.

Place your filling into the prepared dough lined pie plate.  Many fruit pies call for dots of butter - add them now! 

Place your top crust over the filling as shown in the photo above.

Gently and carefully unfold your dough and adjust as needed so that the overhang is about equal on all sides.

If your top layer should tear, simply repair it just as described above for repairing tears in the bottom layer.

Some tears are to be expected when you are learning to handle crust.  Repaired tears do not in any way affect taste.  Your pie may not be perfect looking, but don't give up.  I have baked pies in 6 different states and they always turned out beautifully except in Phoenix, AZ.  In the 20 years I lived there, I never one time was able to make a pie that did not tear in multiple spots!!!!  I just learned to live with it.  Never understood why that climate gave me so much trouble!  New Mexico is even drier, but no problems.

I am just telling you this so you won't let this be an issue.  Tough crust is an issue - not patches!

Using a sharp knife, trim your dough about 3/4" beyond the edge of the plate rim.

You will have two layers of pie dough that should look like this!

Fold the top dough layer over the bottom dough layer so that the edge of the bottom layer is completely enclosed within the upper layer.  This will prevent the filling from leaking out into the pie plate during baking.

Gently press the two layers together around the entire rim of the pie.

Finger pinch the edges to create a crimped edge.  I am not even going to try to verbalize this process.  The best thing I can think of is to simply show you!  My sweetie photographed my hands first from the back and then the front so you could see how I position my fingers. 

 

Any reasonable facsimile will do!  Just as long as the two layers of pie dough are sealed together - that is all that really matters.  Practice will make pretty!

Use a very sharp knife to make a pretty design in the top crust.  The slits are steam vents, allowing the steam that builds up during baking to escape.

My mother taught me to make this wheat pattern when I was about 12.  I still like to use it sometimes.

I poke a few extra little slits near the edges as well. 

I love a light dusting of sugar on top of my pie!  Some people recommend brushing on a little milk before dusting with sugar, but I just dust!  It gets a little melty and crunchy during baking.

What to do with the leftover dough?

Roll it out to the same thickness as your pie crust.  Slice it into pieces approximately 3" x 3".

Place on a cookie sheet.  Dust with sugar and cinnamon.

Then just slide it in the oven on the shelf below the pie.  Only takes about 10 to 15 minutes (375 to 400 degrees).  When done, remove and let cool.

Yummy, easy snack.  Perfect with ice cream or a cup of tea. And it keeps my sweetie out of the pie while it is cooling since searing heat has never been a deterrent!!

 

 

Since I couldn't entice a single bird family to move into my hanging gourd bird house this spring, I decided to fill it with plants! I cut and cleaned a couple more gourds to keep it company.

Some people use small saws or even electric tools to carve an opening in the gourd.  I prefer to use those ubiquitous little pumpkin saws.  The smaller teeth work better than the bigger teeth.

Before cutting, I usually draw a design on the surface, but for this project - I just cut a circle - sort of!  With all those leaves - who is to know it isn't perfect?

I use another "pumpkin tool" to remove the seeds and pulp from the inside.  The pulp is so dry,  it will come out easily.  I recommend you remove the seeds and pulp in a well ventilated area - sometimes the dust can be a bit irritating.

For fun, let the kids plant a few seeds in the garden to see what happens!

You might find this gourd preparation tutorial helpful.  Diane and I worked on this one together.  You can link from her site or link direct to the full tutorial here on Craftstylish.

No need to worry too much about getting every scrap of pulp out since you will be filling the cavity with dirt. Mostly clean is good enough.

Once the gourd cavity is cleaned, make a few holes in the bottom for drainage and a couple more at the top for hanging.  I use an old ice pick - but drills work great too.

Now simply place some soil and your plant into the cavity.  Cover the surface with a bit of moss to hold the moisture.  Place a string or cord through the two holes at the top ( I use a big tapestry needle) and you are done!

A little tip I learned the hard way!  Don't get really big plants! Unless, of course you have a really big gourd! Plants sold in the pony packs work perfectly.  I had to remove some of the root material from the 4" pot plants I used.  The plants are fine, but I don't think they like me much.

Hummmmmmm.... just had a thought!  Wouldn't a really big, plant filled gourd be cool sitting on the patio?  Gotta get my hands on one and try it out!

I will get mine at the Pumpkin Patch next week, but Welburn Gourd Farm carries a great selection including really big gourds.

I always celebrate Cinco de Mayo by setting out my much loved Mexican painted wood trays and my sweet little Mexican pottery creature colletion. 

I have several trays and quite a few birds (and one frog) - all rescued from thrift shops and garage sales over the years.  I can't bear to leave them sitting unhappily in those musty places where they are not appreciated.  I have to give them a good home!  Just HAVE to!

And THIS year, I am also celebrating by making my very own crazy delicious Enchiladas inspired by both my Santa Fe roots and my friend Angie who recently shared her own version of enchiladas on her blog At Home in Mexico.

Angie's Enchiladas are filled with potatoes and carrots!  I just HAD to try out the unusual filling, and my sweetie and I both liked it very much! Angie's use of potatos and carrots inspired me to try making mine with a sweet potato filling!  OMG. Sooooo good!

Of course, we ARE huge sweet potato fans - sweet potato pancakes, sweet potato fires.... Sigh!

Our techniques vary a bit, but on the whole are quite similar.

(And to my secret sister in chard, I am making these again next week and adding a layer of cooked chard!  Will let you know!)

Pamela's Enchiladas! 

I know, I know - my egg did break into two pieces as I was hurriedly transferring it from the pan. So - maybe not the greatest "food shot" you've ever seen.  But take my word for it, these enchiladas are absolutely delicious.! 

I have prepared these for dinner 3 times in the last week.  We just love them that much!  But every time I made them, I had trouble with my eggs!  Don't know why they are fighting me but I give up! Never, ever fried a photo perfect eggs.

Eggs?  Enchiladas?  YUP!  In New Mexico, we like our enchiladas stacked rather than rolled, and many of us consider them best with a fried egg placed right on top of the stack! 

You don't have to make everything from scratch like Angie and I do. If you prefer, you can substitute several items that are available in most grocery stores. I will point them out in the recipe.

So - lets make Pamela's Enchiladas!

Recipe makes enough for four people, one stacked enchilada each. (Trust me, they are filling so start with one each.)

 

Ingredients

Corn tortillas (fresh if you can get them!) Figure two per person.

1 large sweet potato (Don't used canned sweets - not at all as good.)

1/2 teaspoon Penzey's Chile Con Carne seasoning

2 Tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 to 2 cups red chile sauce  (Angie and I make ours from scratch* but if  you wish you can substitute canned enchilada sauce. I had to substitute a can for the "real" thing last fall and I was pleasantly surprised!)

2 large garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano  (not the same as turkish oregano or Greek oregano - totally different flavor.)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 cups grated cheddar cheese (more if you really like lots of cheese!)

4 eggs

Red salsa (I use Trader Joes - see below - when in a hurry or it is winter and no good fresh tomatoes are available

Green tomatillo sauce ( Again, Trader Joe's brand is very good if you don't make your own)

LET'S MAKE ENCHILADAS!

1. Prepare the enchilada sauce.

        If you are opening a can of sauce, this is easy!  If you want to make the sauce from scratch, see the notes at the end of the post.

Place the sauce in a small skillet ( a little larger than the size of your tortillas).  Add the garlic and Mexican oregano. Add salt to taste.

Bring to boil and then simmer on low for about 10 minutes while preparing the other ingredients. Thin as necessary with a little water to keep it from getting too thick.

2.  Prepare the sweet potato.

Scrub the sweet potato, cut off the ends and bake in a micro wave oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning the potato over about half way through the cooking time.

Let cool slightly, remove the skin and mash. 

Add the chile con carne seasoning, butter and salt and pepper and mix with a fork.

Set aside until ready to use.  I always like to reheat mine in the micro just before I add it to the enchilada plate.

3. Finely chop the onion.  If your family loves fresh onions, feel free to use more than the recipe suggests.

4. Grate the cheese.  I prefer using the large opening on the grater, but the fine grater makes cheese that melts faster.

5.  Get everything ready to go in an assembly line because once you start, things move quickly!  Start frying your eggs just as you are ready to begin assembly.

ASSEMBLY!

Dip a corn tortilla into the hot bubbly sauce for about 30 seconds - just long enough for it to become soft.  Don't leave it so long it breaks apart.  Angie and I both use our fingers - but you may prefer to use tongs.

Place the tortilla on a serving plate.  (I like to pre-warm my plates in the oven to help keep everything hot.

Place about 1/3  cup of mashed sweet potato on the tortilla and spread it evenly over the surface.

Sprinkle with onions.

Add cheese.

Dip a second tortilla into the sauce until soft and place on top of the stack.

Add more cheese!

Place a fried egg on top of the stack.  (I like mine over medium) 

Add red salsa and green tomitillo sauce.

You could always garnish with sour cream and avacados, but these are very filling without those additions.

OMG I am getting so crazy hungry right now.  I should have eaten before I started writing!

A little plug for my favorite "store bought" salsas for when I don't have time to make my own.

Enjoy!

 

Notes about red chile puree (chile caribe) or guajillo sauce

Angie's instructions and pictures are perfect for making red chile, which is the base for making enchilada sauce.

Place dried red chiles in a large pot and cover with water.  If you can get New Mexico dried red chile, they are the best - in my opinion! You can order them on Chimayo To go right here.  (You can also order guajillo chile on this page if you prefer.)

Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Let cool slightly.

Place chiles and a little liquid into a blender and blend until smooth.

Strain over a large bowl.  The pulp will go through the strainer into the bowl and the tough skin will remain in the strainer.  Discard the skin. 

I usually process 60 to 80 red chile at a time and then freeze in 1 cup glass jars. Just so you know,  it takes about 10 to 12 dried red chiles to make 1 cup of red chile puree.

Usually, the puree is too thick to use for enchalada sauce, so I thin it with water, adding 1/2 to 3/4 cup water to create a nice thin sauce.

And now, you are ready to add seasonings - Mexican oregano, chopped garlic and salt! Let simmer a few minutes.

This isn't the only unusual filling I put in my enchiladas - but you have to wait until next fall to get another enchilada recipe!

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone!

 

 

 

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I have been wanting a gazing ball in my garden forever!  This year, I promised myself I would make one for May Day.

For several months, the idea has been to create a gazing ball using an old styrofoam ball that has been sitting in my stash for who knows how long; dollar store book cover paper, also languishing in my stash; and Outdoor  Mod Podge.

But things didn't work out exactly the way I had planned!  What was that statement about blog tutorials Diane made in her introduction to her new Videoblog on Craftypod?  Something about none of the clutter and the mess is revealed!  Well here it is - THE MESS!

I had this crazy idea I would put a layer of newspaper over the ball to make a smoother surface before applying the thin, shiny green acetate.  Of course, I tried to do it all in one step because, as most of you know, I hate applying layers and layers of news paper with paste.

No photos of the ball with the green paper all over it.  I had so much Mod Podge on my hands I could hardly keep my fingers from sticking together!  And that green acetate - no way was it going to lie flat against the surface.  It was the biggest mess you ever saw! Take my word for it!

I nearly burst into tears! Completely discouraged, I threw it in the trash and cleaned up the mess.

Just as I was scrubbing the last bits of Mod Podge from under my fingernails, I started hearing voices - a virtual chorus of crafty voices - telling me to pull that horrid ball out of the trash and try to figure out another way!

So, I am standing in my kitchen, holding this gross glob of sticky, rumpled paper chaos wondering what went so wrong (besides trying to do it all in one step)!  Suddenly it dawned on me that aluminum foil would mold around the ball just the way I envisioned the green acetate would.  I grabbed a large piece of saved foil and wrapped and squeezed it around the ball.

Not as smooth a surface as I was looking for but several layers of Outdoor Mod Podge would certainly fix that!  

I applied a heavy coat, let dry 24 hours, and applied another and another - four coats in all. (Good thing I started before May Day huh!)

The image doesn't show it, but the surface is actually quite smooth. However, the Mod Podge did dull the shininess of the foil a bit and I wasn't  really all that excited about a silver ball. Kinda disappointing actually.  Probably should give up on this one. I set it aside.
 

To heal my crafty wounds, I popped on to my google reader to see what the crafty world was up to. Can you believe it? I happened to find these words on In my own Style. "Life's real failure is when you do not realize how close you were to success when you gave up". (Thomas Edison - who would know about these things).  Diane, you saved the day!

I returned to my project with a renewed committment to win!

What would happen if I applied Mod Podge colored with food coloring? 

Because I applied the tests directly on crumpled foil, it tended to pool in some areas resulting in dark and light spots.  But -  it worked! And thanks to all those layers of Mod Podge, the surface of the ball was nice and smooth! As I saw it, I had nothing to lose by giving it a go!

So, a bit nervously, I applied a thin coat of Outdoor Mod Podge tinted with blue food coloring to the surface and let dry overnight.

Yay!  Looked promising! And FYI - the color is actually quite even over the surface - it is just the reflective nature of the foil that is making it appear as if only parts of the surface are covered. 

Second coat looked even better! 

And the third coat gave me the deep richly colored gazing ball I had wanted in the first place! 

I have tried and tried (and failed and failed) to get a shot that accurately shows how pretty this ball really is.  The many layers of Mod Podge give it a feeling of depth and the foil flashing through the blue tint is quite pleasing. And... my sweetie really likes it - that's a big plus!

Good thing I paid attention to those "voices"! I now have my gazing ball!

NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY!

 

The prize!  Two 8 oz. bottles, one each of Outdoor Mod Podge and of Regular Formula Gloss Mod Podge.  Compliments of Amy at Mod Podge Rocks!

For more info about these two Mod Podge products check out Amy's excellent Mod Podge Formula Guide.

To Enter - leave a comment and if you have completed a recent project using Mod Podge, leave a link.  If you are waiting to win so you can try it out - tell me how you plan to use it!

Unfortunately due to shipping and customs regulations, we can not ship outside of the USA.

Entries close on May 6th at 6:00 pm PST. The winner will be announced later that evening.

I have had so much fun playing with Mod Podge lately!  In case some of you have missed recent Mod Podge projects:

Fabric Scrap Storage Canister

Colored glass jars and lanterns

Mosaic Easter Egg

Joanie's Stitch Village Mushroom Canisters

And don't miss this!  Take a moment to follow this link to see how beautiful Emily's vases and spice jars tinted with colored Mod Podge turned out! Beautiful deep jewel tones. She also put pictures in the flickr pool so you probably will find one or two showing on the side bar.

I only have two more things to say:

        Never give up, never surrender!
 
         And... Good Luck in the Giveaway Everyone!

 

Last year about this time I put together this little vine wreath for the front door.  My plan was for it to last through the summer and then to reuse the wreath as a base for a fall themed wreath.

But, when fall came, it was still growing and looking beautiful! So, just before the first frost, I brought it inside with the faint hope I could winter it over.

And here it is - back on my front door for another summer!  Those two little canisters I used to hold water really worked great!

My wreath one year ago! I never dreamed the ivy would not only survive but continue to grow with their little feet in that tiny bit of water!

I have a few old film canisters laying around - imagine that!  So I poked a little hole in the lid just big enough for a couple stems.  Plant staking wire does a great job of securing the canister to the back of the wreath.

I can pull off the lid, refill the canister with water and then replace the lid. The staking wire is wrapped around the bottom of the canister so I don't need to intefere with the hanging system when I remove the lid.

You could also use those little glass tubs with a rubber stopper that are often found in mini marts - they are used to keep roses fresh.

So - just thought I would bring you up to date!  My little intended reuse project that has become a permanent part of my home!