High Five... For the Last Five Fridays

I haven't done a high five post in five whole weeks... so really, this is just going to be one big photo dump. Here we go:

1. Got our rings dipped! We get them rhodium plated about every 8 months. And by we I mean I... hence the reason I'm also wearing Sean's ring in this pic. 2. It's screen porch weather.

3. The garden is in place... and as of today there's a lot of green growing there that wasn't when this picture was taken! 4. We celebrated my mom's birthday in downtown St. Louis at Cielo. 5. Emily got married!

6. My buds keep me company during the work day and make me laugh. 7. It's screen porch NAP weather. 8. Couldn't leave out the pics of Emily dancing with her Dad.

9. I thought blondes weren't supposed to get gray hair this young? Though I don't know if I'm considered blonde anymore. Either way, Sean made me laugh about it. 10. New drapes for our living room! We have a family room and a living room and since the tv isn't in the living room... well, it's just kind of sat there since we moved in. Feeling more like home now. 11. Sean surprised me with flowers when he knew I was having a bad day.

12. Visited this new-ish fabric and quilting shop and fell in love. 13. Really this isn't a high as in "good times," but the water was high from all the rain, and it's actually kinda pretty so I included it. This area is normally a field of grass. 14. This face! Fun to see how content little Nora is with bath time.

15. These faces! It's been nice to meet up a few times with Anna and John while she's been on maternity leave. 16. Finishing up a gallery wall in the dining room. But I've already got plans to change that yellow frame. 17. Tomatoes! Which are now in the ground in the garden you see above. Updated photos to come soon.

18. I found a new favorite tea this Spring. Harney & Sons Dragon Pearl Jasmine, which was actually a favor from Emily's wedding shower back in January. Glad I saved it til Spring! It's very floral and tasty. 19. New scarves in the shop! 20. Feeling good about putting some tricks I taught myself to good use on the ol' serger!

Confession... I am well aware of the fact that I am guilty of over-using the exclamation point. Most times when I write an email or blog I make a point to go back and edit them down to an acceptable level... but this time, I'm leaving 'em. Because really, five weeks of high fives deserves 'em!

Happy Friday, Friends!

Linking up with Lauren Elizabeth

Scrap Catcher Tutorial

Today I'd like to share a very useful tutorial for those of you who sew. I'm also linking up to Young House Love and Bower Power's Pinterest Challenge. Check it out here to see all the other awesome DIY projects! If you're unfamiliar with the challenge, here's the scoop: pick something you've pinned on Pinterest as inspiration, and then make something of your own. Simple. Here's the image I pinned a few weeks back:

You can find the full tutorial for this exact project at Always a Project.

While the storage aspect is originally the reason I pinned this photo, I started thinking a bit outside the box about all the other things I need for my studio to make it easier to work in. Someday I'd love to make a really big version of these bins with a huge embroidery hoop that I can hang on the wall to hold all of my scraps that are too big to throw away but too small to fold into my organized fabric stash.

But that was much too literal to be able to also do a tutorial for this post, so I'll save that for a later date. "What else do I need right now?" I thought... and bam! Scrap catcher popped into my mind. And what exactly is a scrap catcher, you might ask? Behold:

I initially thought maybe I could make one with an embroidery hoop like the project I pinned, but I quickly realized that wouldn't lay right at my sewing table. So a few modifications in structure, size, color... and I'm ready to share the tutorial with you!

If you sew, or most especially, serge, you probably know exactly what this is for. It doesn't take much for my studio to look like a tornado blew through even if I've only sewn one thing! This scrap catcher is going to be a lifesaver. Clipped threads? I put them in the scrap catcher. (Which is especially useful when you have cats who think anything stringy must be delicious... I guarantee this project is way cheaper than a vet visit) Excess fabric cut off from the serger? No need to use that dinky piece of plastic that came with the machine... I've got a scrap catcher. Clipped the corners before turning a project? Stick 'em in the scrap catcher.

So on to the good stuff! Here's what you'll need:
• 10 x 16" Exterior fabric
• 10 x 12" Fabric (Same as exterior) for the base
• 10 x 16" Interior fabric
• 10 x 12" Pellon Craft Fuse for the base
• 10 x 16" Craft Fuse for pocket (optional)
• Sewing machine, coordinating thread, pins, scissors... all your typical sewing supplies.

And here's how you make it:

1. Fuse the interfacing to your 10 x 12" piece. One it's fused, fold that piece in half so you have a 10 x 6" rectangle. Sew along the long edge (I used a 1/2" seam) and one short edge, clip the corners, and turn inside out. You should have one raw edge left.

2. Fuse your exterior fabric now if you choose to do so. I skipped this step as I thought my fabric choices were sturdy enough on their own. Take your 10 x 16" exterior piece and fold it in half so you have a 10 x 8" rectangle. Sew only along the open 10" side. Do the same with your interior piece.

3. Press open your seams, and press both 10 x 8" rectangles flat so that the seam is now in the center of the piece instead of the side.

4. Turn your exterior fabric right side out, and insert it into the exterior fabric tube (Do not turn the interior fabric- it should be wrong side out)

5. Sandwich your base piece (10 x 6" fused rectangle) in between the interior and exterior fabric. Line the raw edge up with the raw edges of the pocket and pin. I made a mark in the middle of my base piece and lined that up with the seam of the interior and exterior fabrics. From inside to out it should be exterior fabric (right side out), base fabric, interior fabric (wrong side out.)

6. Sew a 1/2" seam around the entire circular edge. I made sure to back stitch as I went over the base edges to reinforce the structure. I find it's best to use the free arm on my machine for this part, as if sewing a sleeve onto a shirt.

7. Pull the exterior fabric over the circular seam you just made so everything is right side out. Then turn again so you have one long rectangle of wrong side out fabric, interior and exterior, with the base rectangle flap inside.

8. Sew a straight stitch (with the existing seam in the middle of the rectangle) on the remaining raw edge of the exterior piece. Clip the corners.

9. Do the same thing on the interior piece, except leave a small opening in the middle, about 3 inches. (Stitch where you see the dotted lines in the photo above) Reinforce the opening by back stitching the ends closest to the opening.

10. Turn your entire piece inside out through the small opening you left on your interior piece. Fold over the edges of the opening and use a straight stitch to close it up. (Stitch where you see the black dotted line in the photo above)

11. Push the interior piece down inside the exterior piece, paying attention to push all four corners out appropriately.

12. Line up the top edges of the interior and exterior fabrics (you may need to press this) and again using the free arm on your machine, stitch all the way around the opening. Be careful to not catch the base piece as you make your way around the back.

13. Set up your serger or sewing machine with your new scrap catcher and make something! The base slides under most machines easily and the weight of the machine will keep it in place. When it's full, flip it inside out over a trash can to dispose of all the threads and tiny scraps inside.

This is such a simple tutorial, I bet you could finish one for yourself in no time! The only thing I might have done differently in hindsight is add a button and button hole as I've found that it wraps up pretty neatly and the button would just be convenient:

A few tips:
I used a silky polyester for my interior piece. When I go to empty out threads and fabric scraps into the trash, they don't stick to this fabric as easily as they might to something cotton.

You can make the opening of your scrap catcher hang open more if you make the base width (the part that sits under the machine) narrower. I'm ok with how mine is, as I like that it also keeps my white sewing table clear of threads and fabrics. You could always chop off an inch or two and see what happens! 

The best part about this project? Zero additional dollars spent. I already had all of the materials I needed in my studio! I'd love to see the scrap catchers you make from this tutorial so be sure to send me photos or links.

Pinterest Challenge image via YHL + Bower Power, Embroidery hoop storage image from Always a Project, all other images © Clever Betty. Be sure to check out the other two participants posts: Michelle and Megan. The Pinterest Challenge is in no way affiliated with or sponsored by Pinterest, just sharing love for what the site provides with the rest of the Challenge participants!

Quick Handmade Gift: Infinity Scarf

I sometimes peruse the red tag aisle at JoAnn in hopes that I'll find a gem of a fabric that will spark an idea. Last week during such a perusal (I swear that's the last time I'll use that word in this post) I found a handful of those gems that were begging to be taken to the cut counter. What were they begging me to make them into, you ask? Scarves, of course! So I'm here today to share how I made one of the fabrics I found into an infinity scarf.

You've probably seen a few tutorials here and there on how to make an infinity scarf. I think I even pinned a pretty lace one myself at one point. But never having looked at any of tutorials, I just decided that I was going to figure it out on my own. I have a couple of infinity scarves, and since I'm sewing instead of knitting, I figured it'd be a pretty simple project. If I hadn't been taking photos as I went, I'd estimate that this scarf took about 10 minutes to make, tops. So those last few holiday gifts you need? Done. Right here. Quick and easy. Check it out:

What you'll need:
• 1 yard of fabric. This fabric should be something with a bit of drape to it: voile, (what I used) jersey, silk, you get the idea. Heck even flannel would probably do. It's up to you- I just wouldn't go for anything stiff, like canvas, or really even quilting cotton. Save fleece for a regular old scarf. Think soft and flowy. And a slightly wider width- mine was 58". Anything between 50-60" wide should be perfect.
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• Coordinating thread
• Pins

So first, lay out your fabric and cut the long side in half. So I started with a 58" x 36" rectangle, and when I cut it, I ended up with two 29" x 36" rectangles.

Next, lay your two rectangles on top of one another with right sides facing together. Pin the edges of one 29" side and then sew a straight line with up to a 1/2" seam allowance. I spent a lot of time pinning on this step since my fabric has a very fine, gold stripe, and I wanted to make sure it matched up as best as possible. (Note: if you want to skip this step and NOT have a seam in the middle of your scarf, get 2 yards of fabric, cut in half length wise, and you can make two scarves!)

Then press your seam open. Now you should have a really long rectangle, about 29" x 71". Folding your fabric in half longwise, pin the two raw edges of the longest sides together. I chose to cut of the selvedge of my fabric at this point since it's so sheer, I didn't want to add to much bulk inside. (Pardon my cheesy paisley ironing board cover... that's another project in process to be shared here at a later date.)

Next you're going to sew a straight line, again with about a 1/2" seam, all the way down the two 71" sides. Basically you'll be making one big tube of fabric.

Once you've finished that, you'll need to fold over the hem on one of the short ends 1/2". I used a seam gauge and the end of my ironing board to press my hem- wrong side of the fabric still facing out, wrong sides together.

Now you can flip your fabric right side out so all your seams are inside the tube. Lay the fabric flat and press. Bring the two unfinished ends together in the middle (one with a pressed hem, one without)

I chose to add a little twist (literally) by flipping one side of the fabric so that the seam of the long ends didn't match up when I put the two short ends together. This is optional, but I think it adds a nice touch to an infinity scarf.

Fit the raw hem inside the pressed hem 1/2" and pin. Then sew a straight line down the middle of where the two edges meet. I lined my pressed hem up with the left edge of my presser foot to make sure I picked up all of the layers.

Next.... wrap it up and gift it, or wear it! That's it. Easy-peasy. I loved the fabric I found because it seemed like a weight that could be worn year-round with a variety of outfits. That and the little bit of sparkle in the gold stripe reminded me of the friend I'm going to give it to tonight! Who do you plan on making an infinity scarf for?

An Announcement

I'm here to interrupt the wedding recap posts for juuuust a moment. No worries, those will resume later today!

If you've visited here in the last day or so you may have noticed a few navigation/aesthetic changes. Those changes were in preparation to launch the new Clever Betty website:

That's right! Secretly behind the scenes, in all that time I've been away from the blog, I've been working on a new business plan. There's lots more to tell you about all that (like how I graduated with my Master's degree, and how I quit my day job!) but for the time being, I just wanted to announce the new logo, site, and shop.

Throughout the month of November I'll be adding the first line of products: printed fabric that's unique to the Clever Betty shop, DIY kits, sewing patterns, and of course, tons of handmade goodies.

On top of that, this blog is going to turn up the volume a bit as I add more regular sewing tutorials. This site has been a labor of love and a long time coming... but I've still got a lot of work to do. I'd be thrilled if you'd check it out, and come back often :)

Weekly Obsession: Sewing Machine Woes

I've had it with my sewing machine. Sigh. Time to buy a new one... and fast, as I've got a big project coming up. The machine I currently have is a Brother, and though I've heard good things about them, this one's pretty much the devil. It was a hand me down from my mom (who also hated it and was glad to be rid of it) and has probably been around for at least the past 10+ years or so. Sewing machines should last longer than that, but this one was a loser from the get go. I'll be off to some Singer, Husqvarna and Bernina dealers this weekend, but in the mean time, you should enjoy these handmade sewing machine finds:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

I bet none of them would ever drop a stitch, tangle a bobbin thread or have screwy feed dogs...
I beg you to visit each of the above shops this week. There are some real gems up there with a variety of products and I'm itching to make some purchases...

Might anyone have any advice for my actual/working sewing machine purchase?

Another custom clutch

This time I was approached by one of my old friends from back home to make a clutch for one of her good friends for her birthday. The assignment: it must use apple green, black and white damask, (the recipient's color palette for her upcoming wedding) and be accented with a hootie owl. Yep, that's right. A hootie owl. And it was So. Much. Fun! Check it out:

Ashton and I convo'd back and forth to narrow down the details- the pink fabric for the appliqued owl, the blue button eyes.

She had an excellent idea, knew her friend's taste well, and was open to my suggestions. I can't ask for much more with a custom order!

So what do you think? Would you be so bold to carry such a clutch?

I think it will make an excellent accessory!

Sneak peek update

Remember when I posted about this custom order? Well, here they are in action...

I was having so much fun that I totally neglected to get a photo of all of the 'maids with their clutches. Thankfully the groom's mother pulled through with the above snapshot. They did end up deciding on bouquets for their walk down the aisle, but they all had plenty of stuff to carry in their clutches all night! Don't they just look gorgeous?

Sneak Peek

I've been working on a very important custom order...

and last week I delivered it to a very excited customer.

It involved
peacock feathers and paisley prints
pockets and wristlets
yoyos and pearl buttons
and bridesmaids. 8 of them.

And this Saturday, they'll finally head down the aisle as bouquet alternatives!
I'm so flattered and excited to see it all. And of course, to get more pictures!

Green With Indie Recap

I honestly tried to post this yesterday, after sleeping for 13 hours straight... and then taking a 4 hour nap in the afternoon... but blogger decided to be "down" when I finally wanted to use it. Anyway, it's back up now, so here's a look at my booth from the Green With Indie Craft Show!

Sean and I in my booth, ready to open

the other table almost ready to go

new clutches!

setting up the clutch tree... I designed this and Sean built it for me out of a 60" paper tube I brought home from work (I have a very large printer there) and dowel rods. We slid it over the base of my dress form to hold the tube and cut a slit in the top for signage!

clutches on the clutch tree... one of the event organizers told Sean he should probably start selling these to crafters for displaying at craft shows :)

new card cases! plenty more where these came from... my sewing machine decided it had had about enough late last week so there's already some more cut and waiting for the machine to recover!

fabric covered magnets... these babies hold up to two pounds. Each. and they're only about 1/2" in diameter. 

Repurposed fabric brooches. This display was Sean's idea! I wrapped foam core (eco-friendly foam core, I might add) in linen and put it inside a white picture frame, and then displayed it on a mini easel.

who can resist bobby pins in a cupcake tin?

Headbands! They're metal inside- so those of you who don't know your own strength like me won't end up breaking them the second time you wear them!

More headbands

Hair pins, similar to the brooches but have an alligator clip to clamp into your hair.

So that's that! Thanks to those of you who were able to come to the show. BIG thanks to Sean for helping me prep and set up. And for going home to get me jeans and a sweater because it was freezing in there. And for bringing me lunch. And for spending his entire Saturday at the show keeping me company, and then turning around on Sunday and building me a light box to take pictures in! What a man. 

For only having one month to prep I'm pretty thrilled with how everything turned out. I'm about out of business cards at this point... and I've got lots of work to do to get all of the remainder of these products up in the shop! Today I did a little post-major-event-hair-chop-off (photos to come later, mom) and did some running around to clean up the aftermath of GWI. It's kind of weird to think I don't have to work until midnight every night... and it's safe to say I'll be back to regular posting now that the show is over :)