Craftastic Monday Link Party Time!

Hello Crafty Friends!  Is it just me or since we gained an hour last week, it feels like every day is losing an hour?  Getting stuff done seems extra challenging when it feels like midnight at 5pm.  While I love fall, I HATE how short the days get.  Better take our minds off the short daylight hours by seeing some lovely fall and holiday projects then!

Last week I shared my tutorial for making a fun Fabric Cornucopia for Thanksgiving:

And today's the last day to enter my big Fall Fabric Bundles Giveaway.  TWO winners will each receive all 9 of these Timeless Treasures shimmer and metallic fabulous fabrics. Enter HERE. 

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Holiday shopping & crafting season has arrived!  Get some FREE promotion for your blog or small business (and advertise any Thanksgiving or Black Friday sales) after linking up here by heading over to Facebook for the Sew Can Do Craftastic Mixer:
     

Share your blog or handmade/craft-related business or its Facebook page.  A new one posts every Sunday night on the Sew Can Do Facebook page at 5pm EST (the same time this link up kicks off).

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Now let's see those Craftastic Picks!

Frau Tschi-Tschi shared this lovely free pattern for a crochet Nativity for Christmas:

Kiku Corner gave us a delicious recipe for Takoyaki-style tofu puffs that I can't wait to try:

Studio-Paars created this adorable felt Christmas gnome:

Vintage Paint and More gave a tutorial for this festive give thanks-themed chalk and ink sign:

Chas' Crazy Creations showed how to make a bunch of fun holiday decorations using coffee filters, like this light up wreath:

Happier Than A Pig In Mud shared how to make these delectable spritz cookies with jam centers:

If you're one of this week's features, be sure to grab my Featured On button over on my Buttons Page to share the good news. 

 Want a Chance to 
Be Featured Next Week?  

Link back to the party somewhere on your blog.
I can't feature your post if you don't share the party.  
  

I also feature these projects on Sew Can Do's Craftastic Picks Pinterest board 

AND share each of them on Twitter too for even MORE exposure for YOUR blog!

Follow me there to see more great projects (and see if yours is one of them)!   

On Twitter: Follow @sewcandoblog

On Pinterest: Sew Can Do

Ready to link up your crafty creations?

 

Party rules are simple: 

• As long as it's crafty, and made by you, it's Craftastic (no links to shops, link parties or other people's work).  Add the link to your specific post. Product reviews, plagiarized or sponsored posts for random items will be immediately deleted.  
• Grab my party button & put it on your post, party page or blog somewhere.  If you want the chance to be featured, this is key.  The button code can be found HERE.
• Check out some of the other fabulous links and share some crafty comment love.  We all love getting comments!!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

Fabric Cornucopia Tutorial and Fall Fabric Bundles Giveaway!

Hello sewing friends!  Are you ready for a double dose of fall fun?  Not only do I have a new sewing project that's great for Thanksgiving, but I'm giving away TWO bundles of amazing fall fabrics shown!

I got to work with some stunning fall hued Timeless Treasures fabrics for Team Timeless this month and came up with a fun & fabulous project for you.  Want to make a show stopping table topper for Thanksgiving this year?  Try my fabric cornucopia!

This three dimensional sewing project is stuffed to be just as substantial as a wicker version, but softer (and sweeter!):

And it's completely fillable, so you can add all those gourds, fruits and vegetables of the season for a harvest themed decoration!

It's a festive way to bring together lots of beautiful fall fabric designs too:

Finished size:

7 1/2"w x 7 1/2"h  x 12"l

Materials:
- Fabrics Used (all in Fat Quarter size):
  Shimmer Metallic -Rust
  Shimmer Metallic - Green
  Shimmer Metallic - Ivory
  Packed Pumpkins Harvest-CM6392-Cream
  Packed Pinecones and Leaves-CM6393-Autumn
  Fall Foliage-CM6391-Harvest
  Studio Basic-C3096-Brown
  Studio Basic-C3096-Citrus
  Studio Basic-C3096-Fire
-  4 yards 1" wide cotton cording
- Design ruler or French curve ruler
- Pins, rotary cutter

Cutting:

From the Shimmer Metallic - Green and the Studio Basic - Brown cut (1) strip 5 1/2" high by 24" wide.

From each of the remaining 7 fabrics, cut (1) strip 6" high by 24" wide.

Assembly: 

1. With right sides facing, stitch down the length of each strip using a 1/2" seam allowance to make the casing strips.  Turn right side out.

2. Press each strip so that the seam is in the center.

3. With seam sides facing outward, starting with the as the outside piece, begin stitching the sides of each casing strip together with a 1/4" seam allowance. Sew strips together in the following order:

Studio Basic - Brown
Fall Foliage
Shimmer Metallic - Rust
Studio Basic - Citrus
Packed Pumpkins
Shimmer Metallic - Ivory
Studio Basic - Fire
Packed Pinecones and Leaves 
Shimmer Metallic - Green

When all sewn together the wrong side should look like this:

4. With right sides facing fold in half.  Use a design ruler/French curve ruler to create a curved arc shape and cut through both layers with rotary cutter.

The cornucopia should be 2 1/2" while folded at the top end and is the full width (12" while folded) at the bottom:

When opened it should have a rounded bell shape:

5. Next take the cotton cording.  Measure and mark a length of cording for each fabric tube that is 1" smaller than the fabric tube's length.

Note: to keep the cut ends from fraying & opening when cut (which would make them more difficult to slide into the tube casings), tape around the area prior to cutting:

6. Cut each end on a 45 degree angle:

7. Snake each length through its corresponding fabric casing:

8. Leave 1/2" open space on either end of each casing for the seam allowance:

9. To finish, do a French seam by putting the raw edges together with the right sides facing out and pin close to the cording to keep it from shifting while sewing:

10. Stitch open edges together with a 1/4" seam allowance:

11. Trim down the seam and turn the cornucopia wrong side out.  Pin layers together and sew another 1/4" seam.  

Turn right side out and stuff with your favorite Thanksgiving gourds, pumpkins or fruits for a fabulous fabric cornucopia!

Now for the giveaway!

Each fabric bundle prize contains these beautiful metallic fall prints:

These gorgeous shimmer metallics:

And these vibrant Studio Basics:

There are two fabric bundle prizes: 

- One set of 1/2 yd cuts of all 9 fabrics 

- One set of fat quarter cuts of all 9 fabrics

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!  

Hello November Craftastic Monday Link Party

Happy November!  Halloween has passed, but the season of fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas and all things crafty has begun.  Share your seasonal and everyday projects new or old by linking 'em up below.

Be sure to stop by later this week for a new Thanksgiving project tutorial and a BIG FABRIC GIVEAWAY I am excited to share!

Last week I shared my newest crafting love (and tips for making) Silicone Bead Baby Teethers:

And a pictorial tour of our DIY Halloween Costumes Over The Years:

 ~~~~~~~
Holiday shopping & crafting season is here!  Get some FREE promotion for your blog or small business after linking up here by heading over to Facebook for the Sew Can Do Craftastic Mixer:
     

Share your blog or handmade/craft-related business or its Facebook page.  A new one posts every Sunday night on the Sew Can Do Facebook page at 5pm EST (the same time this link up kicks off).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now let's see those Craftastic Picks!

Winding Road Crochet shared this adorable free pattern for her Simply Fall Baby Dress:

Fluster Buster gave us a delicious recipe for air fryer caramel apple pie flautas:

Duct Tape and Denim showed how to transform some old cutting boards into festive Christmas decor:

Diana Rambles shared how she made these sweet nutcracker toy soldier pretzel rods (my 12 yr old would love these!):

If you're one of this week's features, be sure to grab my Featured On button over on my Buttons Page to share the good news. 

 Want a Chance to 
Be Featured Next Week?  

Link back to the party somewhere on your blog.
I can't feature your post if you don't share the party.  
  

I also feature these projects on Sew Can Do's Craftastic Picks Pinterest board 

AND share each of them on Twitter too for even MORE exposure for YOUR blog!

Follow me there to see more great projects (and see if yours is one of them)!   

On Twitter: Follow @sewcandoblog

On Pinterest: Sew Can Do

Ready to link up your crafty creations?

 

Party rules are simple: 

• As long as it's crafty, and made by you, it's Craftastic (no links to shops, link parties or other people's work).  Add the link to your specific post. Product reviews, plagiarized or sponsored posts for random items will be immediately deleted.  
• Grab my party button & put it on your post, party page or blog somewhere.  If you want the chance to be featured, this is key.  The button code can be found HERE.
• Check out some of the other fabulous links and share some crafty comment love.  We all love getting comments!!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

New Craft Love: Making My Own Silicone Teethers

With a little one in the house again my crafty eye has been turning to things to make for him.  My latest project obsession (which has become an addiction) is making silicone teething toys. It's just so fun creating our own designs & bead combinations and it's been totally worth it, because my little guy loves playing with them all.  

Beyond being great for teething, silicone teethers & pacifier clips are easy to keep clean and really hold his interest.  So many baby items can't be washed (hello ridiculous spot clean only instructions) and get gross right away from drool, spit-up and other baby made messes. Being able to do a proper hand wash with soap on them is ideal.  

I'd seen a lot of cute silicone bead teether, pacifier clips and necklaces around, but some of the styles seemed a little boring and buying just a few would've added up to a tidy sum.  So this momma did what I usually do - figure out how to make my own.  

I've made a number with different textures, colors and sizes to be appealing for my little guy's discerning eye.  I even made this seasonal one for fall, which may be my personal favorite.

I can also attach them to many of our modes of baby travel so there's less chance of them getting lost...

or falling on a dirty floor while we're out and about.

There's a lot of varying info out there on making teething items like these, some good, some a bit reckless considering they're meant for babies.  As a result, I'd rather not wade into liability territory by publishing any full tutorials for them.  Instead, I'm sharing some key factors I've found from many different places in the hopes that it'll help others be a bit more careful when DIY-ing this kind of thing, or even when buying them pre-made from small businesses. 

The most important part with making baby items is safety.  I did a lot of researching before I got started and have gleaned this info for making things as safe as I can.  

Silicone Quality 

I've seen a number of craft bloggers sharing that they made their own silicone bead teether & pacifier clips using materials they bought in bulk on Amazon or eBay.  Those product links don't show they've been third-party tested by the seller and don't have any certificates showing compliance with FDA or CPSIA requirements (confirming they are actually food grade and BPA & phthalate free).  I love a bargain as such as the next gal, but do you really want to cheap out on materials your baby is going to put in his/her mouth?  Maybe they're fine, but maybe they're not - is it worth the risk to save a couple of bucks?  Buy supplies (or finished teethers) from a shop that has all this documentation clearly shown.

Technique

I was also pretty shocked to see a number of tutorials, even on legit silicone bead supply sites that encourage buyers to even open their own teething item businesses, just stringing a bunch of beads on a cord and then tying it onto a clip or in a knot make it into a teething ring.  And with lengths that varied widely.  That all seemed really careless to me for something you're giving to a baby.

Knotting: for one, I make knots in between every single bead.  It takes more time and maybe doesn't look as slick esthetically, but I feel better knowing if one of these ever got cut or snapped, that all the other beads would stay in place, not become a choke-palooza or roll to the four corners of the Earth in a store or outside.

I recently discovered a technique (which required me using closed captioning + Google translate every 5 seconds to translate a Dutch video to fully understand), that was done with two strands of cording so that the knots could actually be pulled inside the beads as they were added so the knots were hidden.  It was trickier to do, but it gave the no-knot look and feels crazy strong.  There's no way this thing is coming apart.

Length: I also have been careful to keep the length 22cm or less, not including the clasp/clip.  European safety standards (which seem a lot clearer and more stringent) say a pacifier clip shouldn't ever be longer than 22cm to avoid being a strangulation hazard.  

Cording:  I always use strong nylon cord.  I've seen a number of places selling or showing how to make items using satin or grosgrain ribbon, but again, one of the safety standards in Europe is that whatever the cording material is, it should be able to withstand nearly 10kg of weight without snapping or breaking.  I haven't tested any basic ribbon to see if it actually can withstand something like a sack of potatoes or bowling balls weighing from it, but it certainly feels flimsier than the cording, so I'm not taking a chance. 

No Permanent Loop: I also use breakaway clasps on anything that has loop or ring shape. They make it easy to attach these to our stroller & bouncy seat belly bars and car seat, but give extra safety so little body parts can't get tangled up in them.

Lastly, which should go without saying, but I'm going to say it anyway, I only let my little one play with these items when fully supervised.  There's no way I'd leave anything in with him at nap time or when I can't see him playing with it.  

Now we have some great items and since I made them myself I know they have the safe features we need. I'm also trying other fun uses for silicone beads beyond baby which I can't wait to share too.  Stay tuned!