Pappi and Cat a new blog for my new life !

If you get a chance, this is a new blog I started. I realized that most of my posts are random and have decided to focus mainly on kids projects.

Here are some of the upcoming tutorial and video topics:

• Headbands
• Sewing girls dresses
• Kids art projects and activities
• Kids toys 

There will be more but I'm still just starting this new exciting stage in my life.

Newborn Floral Headband Tutorial: Star of Paris

Hooray!
I finished this cute floral headband. It will look amazing with longer hair :)

Turning a king size down comforter to a twin size comforter

Last week, I purchased a king size down comforter for my son. My first plan was to fold it in half and stuff it in a twin size VITAMINER BIL duvet cover I purchased at ikea.

Good but bad idea. Although the fluffiness was great, the weight of it was too much. My next idea came today...cut the down comforter and place one part in the duvet cover; and the other on the mattress. Best idea I've had in a while!
Here is how to cut a down comforter should you dare to try it to. Warning: feathers are bound to fly and if it's not done right, it can lead to a huge mess and a ruined comforter.
Note: A king size down comforter is sectioned off 7 squares horizontally by 6 squares verically.
I cut 4 squares horizontally by 6 squares vertically for the duvet cover.
Leaving me  3 squares horizontally by 6 vertically to cover the mattress.

Step 1:
Hand stitch along the verical line of your down comforter with bright thread. You will need to do 2 parallel lines so you can cut in between the lines.
Note: I tried sewing this first with a double needle. Bad idea, the comforter was too big and I made huge mistakes.
Note: don't even think of just cutting it first and then just sewing the edges closed!!! Worse thing you can do !! I tried it and lost a lot of down and it was extremely hard to sew.

Picture 1: can you see my hand stitching in red thread? Two parallel lines so I can cut in between the two lines

Step 2: now you can cut between the hand stitching. Do it quickly and make sure that the entire comforter is laying down so there is less movement an less down loss.

Picture 2: cutting between the two hand stitched parallel lines.

Step 3: carefully sew the edges closed by using a zig-zag stitch all along the edge. Be careful and try to keep the down from getting out.

Picture 3: zig-zag stitching the ends.

Step 4: fold over the edge and sew a straight stitch all the way down. Hiding the edges and keeping down from ever escaping. 

Picture 4: folded over the edge and sewed a straight stitch to hide the edges.

Done !!

If you're wondering why I didn't just return the king size down comforter for a twin size comforter. It's because I paid $119 for it on sale at Macy's vs. the $480 original price. The warmth of the down is amazing! It's like you're in a comfy sleeping bag without the sleeping bag restrictions.
x

Fleece headband - my first attempt

My baby is due this winter so I've been trying to figure out how to make fleece headbands ... this is my first attempt.

First lesson, fleece does not stretch as much as t-shirt material therefore you need longer pieces than a regular headband.

Second, I googled the circumference of a newborn and found. 

"The average newborn’s head circumference measures about 13 3⁄4 inches (35 cm), growing to about 15 inches (38 cm) by one month. Because boys tend to be slightly larger than girls, their heads are larger, though the average difference is less than 1⁄2 inch (1 cm)."

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/pages/First-Month-Physical-Appearance-and-Growth.aspx

Therefore my fleece material should be cut larger than +14 inches to accommodate the first month at least.

Third, the most you can stretch fleece is 1.5-2 inches and that is by pulling the material. So, be prepared to use more material than usual.

Here are my first steps: 

This should fit a newborn.

Step 1:
Cut a piece of fleece 14 inches by 3 inches.

(Top-piece pictured is stretched out to 16 inches. It was cut 14 inches just like the bottom piece.)

Step 2:

Took the ends and sewed them together by hand. 

Step 3:

Made a bow by cutting two fleece squares. One slightly larger than the other one. Mine were 2.5" and 2.75 inch squares.

And cutting a strip of felt to tie them together.

Step 4:

Wrapped the bow around the site where I stitched the headband together. Sewed the ends to secure the bow.

That's it. This is my first fleece headband.

Baby headband tutorial

Now that my sons birthday party is completed. I'm ready to focus on the baby. My first priority is of coarse heabands. I took pictures along the way, to see what worked and didn't work. I love these projects and are worth the time and effort. Hopefully she will be born with hair like my son !

1- Elastic scraps

2- Flowers

3-Felt

4/5- Needle and thread 

6- Hot glue gun

Step 1- cut a piece of elastic 12.5 inches and sewed right sides together.

Step 2 - Embelished my flower by adding a rhinestone center (hot glued) & glued a felt circle to the bottom of the flower.

Step 3 - Glued the elastic between the felt glued to the bottom of the flower and the extra circle I cut out. 

Covering the elastic point where I sewed it together.

That easy! I made 3 headbands in an hour.

See the difference a rhinestone in the middle makes !

Extra Wide Twin Needle

I haven't had the chance to start my sewing project but I have tested out this extra wide twin needle. I am so excited it turned out beautifully ! I love that I can have two thread colors and the overall look is awesome. I was so scare that it wouldn't fit to my sewing machine foot. It fits just right, but make sure to have the right needle position!  

Wide Bottom Bag - Sewing Tutorial

I was inspired to try and make a bag to  store my sewing machine foot and cord. This is my first time using this method of bag making so it took me a while to sew together. I quickly learned if you stitch too close to the zipper; it will get caught with the lining. I made a Video Tutorial so my next bag will be easier and quicker to make :)

Activity bag - coloring book and crayon bag

For a girls birthday gift, I decided to make this activity bag I had seen on pinterest. I have to admit, now that I look at it months later, I really wish I would have used white thread when sewing the velcro! It was my first time doing this project and it took me 2 day to complete. I actually filmed the whole process and posted it on you tube, if anyone is interested or curious of how I made it. 

Tutorial: crayons, coloring book bag (Pinterest inspired)

I also made the crayons shaped like animals out of chocolate molds. I have to admit, that project was not as successful ( I should have used a thicker mold). The chocolate molds created really thin crayons which cracked. Ugh! I was so excited about this gift. I just wish I would have had more time to work on the details.

Making animal crayons using chocolate molds 

Overall, I did it and of coarse I will probably be modifying this project so instead of carrying crayons and coloring books. Its going to be carrying emergency diapers, wipes and extra baby outfits.