Today, I’ve teamed up with Lion Brand Yarn to share my tutorial for a “Semi-Homemade” Mohawk Beanie Cap.  Don’t worry, there is no knitting or crocheting required!  All you need to make your own Mohawk Beanie is a pre-made cap, some Martha Stewart Crafts Roving Wool, and a yarn needle.  You’ll be able to whip one of these up super quick!

Now click HERE for the “Semi-Homemade” Mohawk Beanie tutorial. It’ll keep your kids warm and “totally cool” at the same time.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by Lion Brand Yarn. The ideas, opinions, and how-to instructions are all my own.
I am so happy to have been given the chance to create a fun non-knit/non-crochet project using their new Martha Stewart Crafts line of yarn.

I know you have a ton of big, yet sentimental, t-shirts sitting at the back of your drawer that are just begging for a transformation.  They deserve to get worn! Head on over to the Words to Sweat By blog for my latest T-shirt refashion tutorial. And while you’re there, check out their “mantra” workout towels. They make perfect stocking stuffers!

With the right yarn, making a Rapuzel wig for my 6yo daughter was way easier than I thought it would be.

Click HERE for the full tutorial.

If anyone is interested in making this wig, I have extra Lion Brand Yarn for you to make it happen! If you pay for shipping, I’ll be happy to send it off to you (can’t imagine it’d be more than $5).  Just leave a comment below and I will get in touch with you.  Update: Jessica has snatched up the extra yarn. Thanks to Lion Brand Yarn for being so generous!

Commentors have had some great ideas: change the color to red & and put in two braids and you have Jessie from Toy Story.  Style with two pigtails and you’ve got a cute rag doll.  Change the color of yarn to blue or pink or purple with sparkles and style a fun fairy wig.  The possibilities are endless!

Dressing up for any Run Disney race is an absolute MUST.  But for me, having a Disney running costume that is comfortable while I’m on the course is also a MUST.  Here’s how I put together my Snow White running costume for the Disneyland Half Marathon.

How to make a Snow White Disney running costume

Supplies: 1 Team Sparkle skirt in Golden Yellow (super lightweight and so comfortable).  1 running tank (got mine at Target), 1 yard of 1″ soft knit elastic, 2 yards each of 1 1/2″ blue ribbon & 1″ red ribbon (you’ll have some extra to play with), Cape & collar (optional).

Steps:

Measure around your upper arm. Cut 2 pieces of elastic to match that measurement. Sew elastic together in a circle. Be sure to sew the seam flat so there won’t be any chafing.

Cut 2 pieces of blue ribbon 9″ long

Cut 2 pieces of blue ribbon 10″ long

Cut 2 pieces of red ribbon 9″ long

Cut 2 pieces of red ribbon 10″ long

Cut 2 pieces of red ribbon 8″ long

Mark the middle of each piece of elastic. Pleat ribbon pieces and pin onto elastic as show in picture in the correct order of length. Sew with a zig zag stitch onto elastic.

Do the same on the second piece of elastic, but reverse the order of ribbon.

Pleat ribbon on other end and pin to tank, right sides together, matching 10″ blue ribbon to shoulder seam of tank and spacing out other ribbons on each side. There will be more ribbons toward the front of the tank then they back.  Sew.

Try on tank with “puff sleeves” and adjust length of ribbons if neccessary.

Adding the cape is a little more complicated but here is the general idea and shape of the pieces:

Once collar is sewn and cape is attached, try on tank to get proper placement and tack collar in place at front tips.

Everyone has been so patient! The new Rockin’ Baby Gown tutorial is ready, complete with instructions on how to include a little hand flap.

There are also a few minor tweaks to the pattern and added ideas on how to customize your gown with ribbing and color blocking.

Have fun turning your favorite, old T-shirts into rockin’ baby gowns!

Click HERE for tutorial.

After making a bunch of Beaded T-shirt Bracelets , we still had a rainbow of “fabric noodles” and pony beads left to play with

Princess came up these fun and simple hippie headbands (which have become so popular among the neighborhood kids, she’s made a few bucks selling them).

Click HERE for the Tutorial (although I bet you can figure it out)!

I’m guest posting today over at Skip to my Lou‘s Craft Camp Series. I’ll show you how to do a kid’s craft that combines my love of refashioning and crocheting! Check it out HERE or HERE.

You can also find 5 more fun things to do with an old t-shirt in my Refashion Camp for Kids Series.

And while you’re there check out the entire Craft Camp series – 30 days, 30 bloggers, 30 crafts.  There’s enough ideas to keep your kids creating all summer long.

I’ve also rounded up a few of the things that we’ll be doing around here to the kids happy and creating once school is out.

Scrap fabric Paper Dolls

“Art Smart” – a series of fun and child friendly art lessons

Shape Stretchies for Creative Movement

Summer Family Calendar & Inspiration Center

Don’t let a shirt stain get you down.  Let it inspire the shape and placement of a quick, no-sew, freezer paper stencil.  Freezer paper stenciling is not new in the crafting world, but it’s good to remember it’s not just a technique for creating new designs.  It’s also an easy and practical ways to extend the life of your children’s old clothes. Let’s save those stained shirts!

Freezer Paper Stenciling (no sewing required)

Supplies:
X-acto knife
Self- healing cutting mat
Freezer Paper
Iron
Fabric Paint
Sponge paint brush

1.    With a pencil, trace or draw desired shape onto non-shiny side of freezer paper.

2.    Using an X-acto knife and cutting mat, cut out shape from freezer paper following pencil lines, creating the stencil.

3.    Iron on cut freezer paper stencil, shiny side down onto shirt over stain.  Iron another piece of freezer paper to the inside of the shirt so paint won’t bleed through.

4.    Apply paint to stencil.  Let dry overnight.

5.    Peel off freezer paper and set paint with iron as directed on fabric paint bottle.

Download the Star & Bow templates HERE (pdf)

Find more freezer paper stencil inspiration HERE.

Using creatively shaped and placed appliqué, you can cover a pesky stain or rip without anyone being the wiser.  Appliqué is not new in the crafting world, but it’s good to remember it’s not just a technique for creating new designs.  It’s also an easy and practical ways to extend the life of your children’s old clothes. Let’s save those stained shirts!

How to Appliqué

Supplies:
Paper backed fusible web (Pellon Wonder Under)
Scissors
Scrap Fabric
Iron
Sewing Machine
Fabric Stabilizer (optional)

1.    With a pencil, draw desired shape as a mirror image on paper side of fusible web (if you use a font or shape from your computer, there is most likely an advanced “mirror image” printing option. Then trace onto paper side of fusible web)

2.    With the paper side up, iron fusible web onto wrong side of scrap fabric.

3.    Cut out appliqué following pencil lines.

4.    Peel paper off appliqué & iron with fusible web side down, postitioned over stain.

5.    Using a sewing machine, zigzag around outer edge of appliqué (placing a piece of tear away fabric stabilizer on the inside of the t-shirt will help keep shirt from stretching during sewing).

Find my monogram specific appliqué tutorial HERE

Find more appliqué inspiration HERE.

When I decided to make the boys bow ties for Easter I scoured the web for a pattern & tutorial.  And wow, there are tons. But none were quite what I was looking for.  I wanted these ties to be the real deal. Ones that you have to actually tie *gasp*. I wanted to spend a little extra time to make them quality pieces that will (hopefully) get passed down to my children’s children or at least get used for both my sons for the next few years.  I wasn’t interested in a bow tie that I could whip up in five minutes or one that was comically large.  So, to get one that was just right I made my own pattern (after a few tries) and followed the instructions from Burdastyle.com David Bow tie for adults.

Learning from my mistakes. Or, practice makes perfect.

The plaid bow was my practice bow. I used too thick of interfacing making it hard to turn and little too bulky. Made from a 50 cent thrifted men’s shirt.

The brown bow was made from “stash” fabric that was too thin and slippery to make a great looking bow tie.

The pink bow was made from the perfect weight of fabric and interfacing.  Add in a few pattern tweaks from the first two ties and this last bow tie turn out great.

My bow tie pattern can be found HERE (designed to fit 6mo-3T with hook & slider closure).

Use in conjunction with Burdastyle.com’s David Bow Tie Instructions found HERE.

A few important points:

1. Bow ties need to be cut on the bias.  Besides the fact that diagonal stripes and plaids just look better on a tie, bias cut fabric folds/rolls nicer.

2. Bow ties need body. This is done by using interfacing. I used: Pellon Ultra Weft 860F “Truly tied” bow ties have more body as well.

3. Adding a bow tie hook and a slider allows the tie to be adjustable and makes it so you don’t have to tie it every time. Bow tie hook and eye slides can be purchased HERE.

4. My favorite tools to turn the tie: a chopstick to turn and a knitting needle for the corners.

5. You are going to have to learn to tie a bow tie. This is the video I used to learn how.

Many more little bow tie tutorials around the web:

A Lemon Squeezy Home – I like this one because the bow has body.

Prudent Baby – I like this one because she uses a hook and slider closure.

Make it & Love It – I like this one because she repurposes an old tie.

Polka-dot Umbrella – I like this one because button hole elastic is a interesting closure option.