Showing posts with label bend the rules sewing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bend the rules sewing. Show all posts

Friday, January 30, 2009

Beanbag Tutorial


These beanbags are made from felt or fleece--your choice--as both materials do not fray when cut & it makes for a quick project! The other materials you'll need are: fabric, scissors, marker, ruler, contrasting thread, a sewing machine &...


...popcorn. Ok, so mine are not TECHNICALLY "bean" bags. But use what you have: beans, small pasta, rice, etc.


You can make whatever size you want. Mine are made by cutting 2 four-inch square pieces of felt/fleece.

Take one piece of felt/fleece & draw the design that will be the cut-out where the fabric will show through. As you can see, mistakes are perfectly fine. This will be on the inside of the beanbag, so it won't even show.

Cut out your design.


Choose a piece of fabric & cut it smaller than the square, but large enough to cover the cut-out design. Make sure you lay it on top of the felt with the right side facing through the design.

Sew the fabric to the felt/fleece. I stitched as close to the edge as I could.


I actually stitched around a few times in a random haphazard way. It started out as a mistake, & then I realized I liked it.

Next, sandwich your 2nd piece of felt/fleece to the back of the cut-out felt/fleece. Stitch around 3 sides, leaving about 1/4" seam allowance.


Fill your beanbag with the beans. Or popcorn. Or the lentils that have been sitting in the back of your pantry for 2 years. I used about 1/3 CUP. The tiny people like to help with this part. And just have your broom handy.


Sew up the last side & trim up any uneven edges. Or leave the edges all nifty & askew. It's up to you.


One beanbag down! That took less than 10 minutes to make.
I made up the star beanbags with the Kindergarten girls last night in my Daisies group at church. I did the hard part first & they helped me sew the edges & fill it with beans. Look, I even made a personalized one! My nephew will love it!
The dark grey & purple beanbags in the middle row were both made using felt. The others are fleece.

My girls & their sparkly shoes. I gotta get me some.


My girls & I tested the beanbags out.



Yep. They work.
I was thinking that you could even do the cut-outs on both sides. What about making the beanbags to spell out a word or someone's name? What about scented beanbags, adding a bit of lavender (or etc.) to your beans? And, of course, you could embellish the beanbag heck out of 'em too!

Next on my list of things to do is to find silly fun stuff to do WITH the beanbags!
Here's a link I found to get started...
UPDATE: Custom beanbags now available in the shop!

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Mexican Chocolate & Stuff.

Today was a fab Fall day. It actually felt quite warm, but I still indulged in my newest favorite warm tummy drink--Mexican Hot Chocolate. It's a cinnamon sweet chocolate taste. I grate the thick chocolate bars with a cheese grater & toss it in hot water & add a bit of milk. Delicious.


And, I'm experimenting with a fun freebie to toss in orders--for a limited time only!--in my Etsy shop, WhiMSy love. I found some really inexpensive memo books & I thought I'd give a go at ironing on some cupcake sweetness with fabric & that fusible iron-on stuff I like to use, right on the front covers. We'll see how it goes. I'll post pics if I don't make too much of a mess.

OH! And, holy crap-ole-ee! I purchased a book yesterday at Barnes & Noble, 'Bend the Rules Sewing' by Amy Karol. I had seen it on Lisa's blog, Polka Dot Creations & even visited Amy Karol's blog, angry chicken. I love this book & I am so stoked & excited & pumped to get my sewing machine out again!!! I'm taking her word that it's a great book for beginners. And my first project?? An apron- from that awesome vintage, brown, & cream fabric that I showed last week. "Make an apron from that fabric!" was heard from a couple of you, so I am going for it!
And I can't wait to tackle the zip pouches, the totes, napkins, placemats, & lots of fun kids stuff in there!!!!!