Seat Covers

With a couple little kids around I have to worry about messes- especially in the kitchen.

For long time my son was sitting on top of a towel and my daughter's booster seat was also resting on a kitchen towel.

It worked, but then we were short two towels for use in the kitchen and they just kept sliding off the chairs.

So when I got this sturdy Teflon-treated (Teflon treated=stain resistant) plaid fabric I knew at least one thing I wanted to use it for.

Seat covers!

They were simple.

1. I measured the seat and cut out 2 pieces of fabric slightly larger than the seat.  

2. Sewed around 3-1/2 edges of the fabric with right sides together.

3. I clipped corners and turned it around.

Then the straps:

1. And measured the distance from one side to the other under the chair and around the back posts. I cut out three inch wide strips of fabric just slightly longer than those measurements

2. I folded the fabric in half lengthwise and sewed down the edge with the right sides together. then turned them right-side-out

3. I sewed velcro to the ends. (On the long straps that went under the chairs one strap got the hook side and the other got the soft/fuzzy side.)

4. I figured out where I wanted my straps to attach. and also sewed down the other side of the velcro for the straps that went around the back posts of the chairs.
5. Using a seam ripper, I removed the seam for about two inches in each location that I wanted a strap- then tucked the end of the strap into that newly created whole and pinned in pace.

Almost Done:

Lastly I top-stitched all the way around, this took care of...

-closing up the hole I left open to turn it after it was inside out,

-closing the holes used to place the straps in and

-attaching the straps.

I really like this fabric- I also made a couple of crayon rolls out of for a few little birthday gifts and a fun bag, for sale here in my etsy shop.

Dress Lengthening

My mother found a dress that she liked, except that it was a bit too short for her taste.

So she asked me to lengthen it a bit.

We decided to cut the bottom 3" off the dress.

I sewed a 7" piece of black fabric (of a similar fabric and texture) onto the dress, then re-attached the three inches I had previously cut off of the bottom.

Hopefully, this way- it doesn't look like some afterthought or alteration. We think it looks more as if it were part of the original dress, than it would if we just stuck the black piece across the bottom

Etsy Finds

I thought I might occasionally share  few shops I find on etsy that stand out to me. Here are 3 that I love:

Art and word work:

clbdesign

Cute plush creatures:

moxyandtoots

and here's a shop for any Harry Potter fan (or anyone who has a Harry Potter fan on their holiday shopping list):

DiagonAlley

Stop by and enjoy the fabulous items they have to offer!