Embroidered Bookmark Tutorial

I'm linking up this morning to

This bookmark is a very simple and easy.  I have embroidered exactly once before and am no where near any good at it. It took me about an hour from start to finish.  But I think it turned out cute and it would make a great Mother's Day gift for a mom or grandma.

Supplies:
Small piece of cotton fabric- I used a piece of a kitchen towel I had cut up; it feels like a thin twill fabric
Water soluble marking pen
Embroidery hoop
Embroidery thread and needle
Sewing machine, thread, scissors or rotary cutter and mat, ruler
Iron

1. Have your child write on your piece of fabric using the water soluble pen.  Keep the writing about 1 in tall so your bookmark isn't huge.  You could write something on it instead or have them write just about anything they wanted.  This bookmark is for me, so Caroline (she's 4) wrote Mommy on it.  Put the fabric in your embroidery hoop.

2.  Using 2-3 strands of embroidery thread, embroidery over the writing.  I am brand-new at embroidery so mine doesn't look the greatest. I used a back stitch on all the letters and learned how to do the stitch from here.  I used 2 strands of thread but I think I would probably like the look of 3 strands better.

3. Remove your fabric from your hoop and use a wet sponge to get rid of all the markings of the water soluble pen.  Do this before ironing or the iron will set the pen marks and they won't come off.  Then iron your fabric until it's dry.

4.  Fold your fabric in half so that the words are on top and cut out the shape of your bookmark, including seam allowances.  I wanted my bookmark to be about 1.5" x 6.5" so I cut a 2.25" x 7" rectangle.  My fold is along the top of the bookmark in the picture below.

5. Once cut, unfold and refold with right sides together.

6.  Using your sewing machine, sew all the way around the edges, with a 1/4" seam allowance.  Make sure to leave a place open for turning.  As I sewed around, I made a larger seam on one side so that my embroidery was more centered in the bookmark, because I hadn't done a very good job of centering it when I cut the fabric.  You can kinda see it in the picture below.

7.  Trim corners, and clip threads.

8.  Turn fabric right side out and push out corners.  Iron nice and flat.

9.  Topstitch all the way around, making sure to catch your opening so it's closed.  And you are done!!

I am going to use my bookmark in my one year bible that I am reading.

Simple Magnetic White Board Eraser Tutorial

When I was setting up my craft area a few months ago, I added a white board right next to the door to our garage.  I had the white board for several months before putting it in it's current place and I used disposable wet wipes to clean it off since I had bought one without an eraser.  Soon after moving it to my craft area, I ran out of wet wipes.  I needed to erase something so I grabbed a flannel coaster that was sitting on my craft table.  It worked awesome!  However the next time I needed to wipe it off, I had moved the coaster and couldn't find it.  I then got the idea to make a flannel wipe with a magnet in one corner.  That way it's always where I need it.  I've made several of them since then- needing some trial and error.  The other day I decided Caroline needed one for her easel.
So I went and found some cute flannel fabric and got to work!

You will need:
flannel fabric- scraps will work or you can buy a 1/4 yard and make several.
magnets- I used 3/4" round magnets.  The magnet needs to be a strong one since it will have to hold through the fabric.
Sewing machine, ruler, scissors, thread ( i use a rotary cutter, ruler and mat but they aren't necessary)

Look at this pretty ballerina flannel I got.  Perfect for my ballerina princess.

The magnets were from Michaels.  Make sure they are big enough to hold through the flannel fabric.

1.   Cut your fabric 8" x 12"

2.  Fold in half so right sides are together.  Sew 1/4" seam all the way around (including the folded edge) and leave a 1.5" open for turning and inserting the magnet.  I left my opening near one corner of the fabric.

 

See how the opening is near one corner but I still sewed around all 4 corners.

3. Clip corners and trim threads.

 

4. Turn right side out and poke out corners.

 

5.  Measure a 1.5"x 1.5" square in the corner that your opening is in.  mark it with a water soluble pen.

 

6.  Beginning on the top edge of your square, edge stitch all the way around except when you reach your markings.  Sew on them instead.  This will keep your magnet in just one corner of the cloth instead of loose inside.

 

You will be left with 2 outside edges of your square unsewn plus still an opening to put in your magnet.

 

7. Slide in your magnet.

 

8. Finish edge stitching the 2 edges of the square making sure to catch your opening closed.

 

9. Finished!!!!  Hang from your white board.

 

The eraser works just fine dry though if you have left marker on your white board for a long time, you can get it damp to help clean it off.  The eraser can go in the washing machine and dryer thought the magnet will stick to the inside of the machine.

This and That

Boy, I'm feeling all over the place with my thoughts tonight.

It is cold here!  I'm sure everyone who lives in the midwest would love our weather but I am not used to this!!  We had record lows for 2 nights in a row.  I barely slept worrying about our pipes freezing.  I've dealt with a busted pipe and it is not an experience I want to relive.  Not to mention that our master bathroom is 55°!!!!  Have you ever put your butt on a toilet that is only 55°?  Not a pleasant experience.  I finally decided that it was not worth it and have been using Caroline's bathroom instead.  It was nice to not have to use scalding water to not freeze during a shower.

I spent yesterday trying to restore some semblance of control to my house.  It had gotten a little crazy with a sick kid.  All told, I did 6 loads of laundry, dishes, made the bed, sewed a pillow, cleaned my sewing area and helped Caroline clean her toys.  It was a productive day.  I can't say it's my most favorite of ways to spend the day but necessary.

Caroline doesn't particularly like to clean up. (She must get that from me.)  But she had toys from one end of the living room to the other.  It was not pretty.  I told her to start in her room, which wasn't nearly as bad.  After less than 5 minutes, she comes out and says she's done. When I go look, she had shoved everything in the closet!  She's only 4, shouldn't that come later?  So back in there she goes.  After her room is clean, she starts on the living room. And the whining and excuses start.  First she needs a tissue.  Then she's tired.  Then she's still sick.  Then she's hungry.  Next she wants to know if I'm going to help her.  Then another tissue. Then she's dying of thirst.

So incredibly frustrating!  Why is it that it's easier to just do it for her?  I didn't but I wanted to.  She finally got it all cleaned up and put away.  We can see the floor!

My biggest project (besides laundry) was cleaning up my sewing area.  Fabric and things had been piling up since before Christmas and I had finished several projects this week.  So I folded fabric and did some organizing.  All my thread was a mess, so I straightened it up and cut my finger in the process.  With a pair of scissors.  Smart me.  Plus I bled all over the place.  No stitches needed though. But I got my area all finished.  It's all so nice and neat and calling my name to sew that I sat down and finished a pillow for Caroline.

For the first time ever, I cleaned my sewing machine.  I had so been dreading this.  My machine is new and expensive and I was afraid that I would mess it up when i took it apart to clean it.  But I got out my instruction manual and pulled the needle plate off.  Ewwww!  I should have taken a picture, there was so much lint in there.  It really needed cleaning and I could definitely tell the difference in the way it sewed after I was all done.  Thankfully, I got it all back together correctly and it still works!

Well, I'm going to go huddle under some blankets for warmth and finish watching my DVR of American Idol.  Have a good night!