Personalize or Put a Message on ANY Quilt!

I love, love, love this idea!! Kheli @ Remember Your Karma shows us how to personalize any quilt with wash-proof labels, here.

Creative Guest: Ruffle Butt Onesie Tutorial by Crap I've Made

{created by Char @ Crap I've Made}

Supplies:

• Baby bodysuit
• Fabric
• Pins
• Rotary cutter and mat or scissors
• Sewing machine
• Serger (Don't worry, I'll show you a couple of other options if you don't have access to one.)

Measure the widest part of your bodysuit. This is a 6-9 month Circo brand (from Target). You can see it's about 8". You'll want to cut your strips 2-3 times longer than this measurement. I'm going to do 2.5, just to be difficult.



Cut three 1.5" strips of fabric. Make sure they're 2-3 times longer than the width of the bodysuit.


Set your serger to a 3 thread rolled hem stitch. Run the long sides of the strips through the serger, right side up, letting the knife just shave of the edge of the fabric.


See? Not so bad! I press my strips because ironing *might* be my favorite part of sewing, but you don't need to.


About 1" down from the top of the leg holes, measure the width of the bodysuit again.


You'll need 2 strips that are 2-3 times the length of your wider measurement and one strip that is 2-3 times the length of your shorter measurement plus. For my example, I cut 2 of my strips to 20" (2.5 X 8) and one strip to 15" (2.5 X 6).

Fold both ends of each strip under about 1/4" and press.


Stitch down the ends you just pressed under.

Sew a long gathering stitch down the very center of each strip.

Set the strips to the side for a second. Find the center of the bodysuit. I use a very fancy method called "folding it in half". Mark the center. I use pins. Put one up higher than your ruffles will be and one down lower.

Fold each strip in half and mark the center. Fold each half in half and mark that center, too. Again, I use pins.

You're going to attach the center row of ruffles first. Line it up with the tops of the leg holes. Put a pin in the center and then 1/2 the way out on each side. Since my bodysuit was 8", I put pins at the 4" mark and then at 2" and 6" marks.

Pull your bobbin thread and gather your strip up a bit.

Now match up the pins on your ruffle to the pins on the bodysuit (excluding the really high one and the really low one). Pin the ends about 1/4" from the side seams. Adjust the gathers evenly. I like to put even more pins in at this point to keep things from sliding around. Seriously. I think I use 9 pins per ruffle. See?

Sew down the center of the ruffle, right on top of your gathering thread. You really should remove the pins before you stitch over them, but I usually don't.

Your first ruffle is attached now. Remember this is the center ruffle. Remove your gathering threads (you should be able to pull them out). You'll notice that I hadn't done this yet in the picture below.

To place your upper ruffle, follow the same steps, but line it up by placing the lower edge under your center ruffle, about 1/4" from your stitching line.

2 down, one to go.

Attach the bottom ruffle the same way. Line it up by tucking the top edge under your center ruffle, about 1/4 from where you stitched the center ruffle down.

Trim all your threads and....

How cute is that??? What could be cuter?

I KNOW!!! (No, I did not put one of my boys in girl clothes....even if I have before....more than once...I borrowed a baby this time.)

So what if you don't have a serger?

Option #1:

Cut your strips with pinking shears. I marked them out with a disappearing ink pen. Be sure to start down 1/2" or so from the top so you can pink both edges of all your strips.

Attach the strips in the same way as the ones with the serged edges.

Here's what it looked like before washing:

Here's what it looked like after washing and drying:

I wasn't really a fan of it...until it was on the baby. I have to admit, it might have been my favorite once it was on her.

Option #2:

Cut your strips 2.5" wide. Fold over approximately 1/4" on the bottom edge and hem. Then fold over 1/4" on both ends and hem.

Mark your bodysuit like this:

The lines are 1" apart with the center one being even with the tops of the leg holes.

Starting with the top line, put your ruffle right side down with the bottom of the ruffle towards the top of the bodysuit. Place the edge of the ruffle right along the top line.

Gather, pin, and sew about 1/4" from the edge of the ruffle.

Do the middle ruffle next and the bottom ruffle last. You should end up with something like this:

This is when I sprayed my disappearing ink to get it to go away.

Press your bottom ruffle down (the direction you want it to end up).

Top stitch the ruffle in place.

Do the same to the middle ruffle and then finally the top one.

Seriously cute, right?

Huge thanks to Kari for having me guest post! Who knew I'd be so nervous about it?

First Guest Blogger!

Tomorrow,

Ucreate will be having it's

first ever guest blogger!

{Hmmmm...who could it be?}

Roll-up Kitchen Playmat

K, so I saw this and thought it was one of the most adorable things I've ever seen! Go to Balancing Everything and you will find out how to make this. My girls would play with this for HOURS! Ooooh...this would be a darling gift to give with some felt food, here.

Family Yahtzee

You have to check out this personalized Yahtzee game idea by Stacey at The Thrifty Chick!! We are a game-lovin' family and so I think this is a super cool tute! What a fabulous gift, too!

Sooooo Cool Washer Necklaces!

The Creative Crate made these fun, trendy necklaces using this You Tube video. Push play, they're easy to make, and it's fun to watch!!

Chicken Wire Board...Yep, It Holds Hairbows!!

I am constantly amazed at all of you creative ladies!!!

Here is a FABULOUS idea from Becca @ Sometimes Fairytales Do Come True.

She turns a chicken wire board into a bow holder!

Go check it out, here.

Silhouette Appliques

K, so I am an official "Applique Freak"! I've noticed I keep posting applique ideas.

I had to share this one though, because Life Frosting has this absolutely ADORABLE idea on her blog, here.

Pencil Bouquet (Teacher Gift)

No Fuss Fabulous has an incredible teacher gift idea! You make a bouquet out of pencils here, and she has this little printout to go with it here. SO CUTE!

Flower Crown

Wedding season is here! What a great way to doll up those little flower girls! My daughter says she wants one for her dress-up collection. Mia @ One Hour Craft is so kind to share this tutorial with us.

Fun Paper Flowers

I was blog hopping and I stumbled upon these AdOrAbLe paper flowers!! Treasury of Memories created this canvas {a darling home decor idea}. You could use these paper flowers on anything (cards, scrapbook layouts, mini albums, etc.). Find out how to make them, here.

Embellished File Folders

I really like this fun and easy way to spice up file folders for the office. Go to The Children's Nest to see how!

Custom Basket Liners

Ashley has a fantastic basket liner tutorial on her Make It and Love It blog! I love this because it works with any-sized basket. Thanks Ashley!

Beautiful Baby Quilt

I was at V and Co. where Vanessa (who is AMAZING by the way!) made this beautiful baby quilt! She gives a great tutorial at Moda Bake Shop. I am in love with this Aviary fabric line. Go check it out!

Taffy Kabobs

Heartland Paper Co. has this adorable party favor idea, here! This is so much fun and just think of the possibilities!! You could make centerpieces for birthday parties, 4th of July treats, baby showers (pictured), pretty much any theme for any occassion.

Creative Quiet Book Pages

Naptime Journal has some amazing ideas for a quiet book, here. She uses things you already have around your house (like coloring books, cookie cutters, buttons, etc.) and turns them into fun activity pages. VERY CLEVER!!

**UPDATE** She has added even more of her quiet book page ideas, here.