The Smartigan: Making a Pattern

Before I start my oh-so-insightful "how to make a pattern" tutorial, I just want to vent...just one teensie weensie sec...

So the first week of competition is done. It did NOT go well. Not because I didn't win...I mean I am sure that wouldn't of hurt, but you can't always win everything...and if you do then well I wish I was you.

So it didn't go well, because there were some people who forgot their manners. It is never good to forget your manners.

In comments on the polling system, I (along with some of the other FABULOUS ladies) was accused of not being creative, being a "theme pretender", and the real kick to the gut...I was accused of not bringing my A game and doing something that didn't require any effort. 

I am not making this stuff up...yes there are people out there who actually said those things. I know right, who died and made them the blogging equivalent of Simon Cowell??

So I just want to say, yup it hurt. Yup I cried. AND you know what...YUP they were wrong.

I loved my Smartigan while I was making it (which took me the whole week...no effort my rump). I loved it when I put it on my handsome little man. I loved it during my super sweet photo sessions (yup I bought those fake glasses just for this...hehehe). I loved it when others didn't. I still LOVE it!

THANK YOU to all those who let me know you loved it. Thanks for all the votes. Thank you to Heidi at Made by Heidi (a seriously cute blog) she has been so encouraging about all of our projects.

Oh and I also promise that even if I have a repeat week of project under-appreciation, I will not go all letter to the editor again. 

Whew I feel better, thank you for being my therapists...check is in the mail.

OKAY on with it already--

HOW TO MAKE A PATTERN

Before I could actually make my Smartigan...okay I will just call it a cardigan from now on...I had to make a pattern. The easiest way to make a pattern is to use an item of your child's clothing you already have.

For this I used a long sleeve t-shirt.

You will also need some super ugly fabric or an ugly curtain to make draw your pattern onto.

Cut the shirt apart. Starting with the sleeves.

Trace the t-shirt, one section at a time onto pattern fabric.

I started first with the back piece. Fold shirt in half so back of the t-shirt is facing out.

Trace on to fabric.

Make sure to label each piece. In this instance, I also indicated where the fold would be.

Next I did the front. Fold in half again, with front facing out.

For the cardigan front, you need that angled edge. Decide how angled, how long you want your angle, etc.

Cut that section away from the t-shirt.

Trace right front piece.

Flip over and trace left front piece

Cut open sleeve. Trace sleeve onto fabric.

Cut out all of your pieces.

Now you have a nice pile of pattern pieces all excited and ready to...

make one of these for the handsome little smartypants in your life.

Oh hey so you know that little contest I just barely mentioned above...

Pepto is in reach for my project is posted and ready to hopefully be voted for.

I know for some of you it was obvious which project was mine last week. I am not sure it will be as obvious this week. I will be excited to see what your guess is. Have fun voting.

TOMORROW- the rest of The Smartigan tutorial.

Also linking up these fabulous sites:

Something I whipped up Mondays- The Girl Creative

Happiness

I have had a rough couple of weeks days.

I won't list all the stupid girlie details...but let just say there have been one too many of the following--

fat days

shutting myself in the bathroom, crying on the toilet...no not while actually "going"

times I yelled at my boys

getting my feelings hurt

giving myself an ulcer about coming up with something "cool" for my blog

eating ice cream for dinner *see item #1

So I am sure you get the point.

Last night after putting  my sweet little men in bed I walked into our room and our computer was in the sleep mode. SO, you might be thinking to yourself,  what has this got to do with anything?? Well our sleep mode does a slide show, randomly, of every single picture on our hard drive, if you know me, you know that is A LOT.

The first picture was one of me and my Oldest Little Man when he was about 18 months. Geez I looked pretty blissfully happy. Not to mention, younger, fresher, more awake...haha.

I just sat there mesmerized as picture after picture came up. The longer I sat and the more pictures I saw, the more things I remembered. The longer I sat there, the bigger my smile got.

I soon thought to myself why the cryface lately, I have got so much to be happy about.

SO I am going to write it all down. I am going to put a copy of it on my fridge, a copy of it by my computer, and a copy in the bathroom...kidding!

Since pictures led to my epiphany, I wanted to share a few of my HAPPINESS list items in pictures.

-My first born. The first little man that officially made me a momma.

Seeing him go from a wee one to this...

a smart, intelligent, insightful, sensitive boy.

-My second born. The complete and utter joy that the simplest things can give him...

like a banana...okay or ANY food, or...

running. Always running. Outside. Inside. Probably in his sleep.

-My smallest one. Being LOVED so much he never wants me out of his sight/reach (unless Dad is there OF COURSE). He expresses his feelings so easily...

like this...

and this.

-The little boy who...

was a GOOD little man...

and is now a GREAT man, a loving husband, and the best father.

These are just a few of the many HAPPY things making my list, a list I hope I will take time to add to daily.

My advice...

Some days are dreary, full of laundry, poopy bums, bad hair, no showers, m&m's for breakfast, 3 hours of sleep, someone not liking you and those days are inevitable...

It is how we get through them and why we get through them that makes the difference. It is the rainbow after the storm...heck it is the rainbow AND the pot of gold. I hope you take some time and think about your rainbow and pot of gold...what's on your HAPPINESS list?

Best Chicken Enchiladas EVER

I am just saying...they are that good.

I had bookmarked this recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe forever ago. I finally got around to making it a couple of weeks ago. OH merciful heavens....I will make these enchiladas for the rest of my life. De-lightful. So now I am sharing her recipe with you...in case you have not yet been fortunate enough to eat these.

Get ready to devour them. Let's say hypothetically that it is possible to scarf one down and immediately want another and pretty impossible to show willpower and not eat another one...so I...I mean...you might eat two.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice ( 1-2  limes)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (about 3 small chicken breasts)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream 

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (if you can let it set several hours EVEN better). 

Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. 

Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Serve up with some Mexican rice, or fresh salsa and chips. 

You will NOT be sorry you tried these. 

It it 11:00 at night and I kind of wish I had some right now. Sigh.

Not Too Shabby

Who would have thunk it? I actually followed a pattern. There was some hyperventilating, some seam rippin', some emotional eating, and a whole lot of making it up as I went.

BUT hey with my favorite cardigan to cover up the messy arm hole seams and a cute bead necklace to hide any other sewing newbie imperfections it makes a pretty cute outfit.

Now that I have sewn with a pattern I know I can do it...I also know I still don't like it!

Boys' Cuff Watch Tutorial

A little over a month ago I got to guest post over at Ucreate...yeah I almost peed my pants with excitement. I shared how to make some pretty awesome little man watches. I am sharing the tutorial here today. I hope you have fun with this tutorial and as always I would love to see pictures.

Boys' Cuff Watches

A watch any little man would be proud to wear.

These watches were made from things I found from a dollar store combined with a 

small amount of materials I had in my craft storage..but you could make them from almost anything.

I used:

dollar store plastic watch

gray shammies

red work clothes

black felt

yellow felt

velcro

coordinating thread

hot glue

First:

Cut off bands of watch.

Next:

Measure your little mans wrist making sure to account for overlap where the bands will velcro together, add 1/2 inch. Cut two strips from the gray cloth (any shammie) the length you measured by 2 1/2 inches wide.

Cut a strip from the red work cloth same length but 1- 1 1/2 inches wide.

Now:

Pin gray together, like sides facing. Sew around the outside with 1/4 inch seam,

 leaving a opening for turning out. Turn out.

Next:

Sew around the entire outside edge of your cuff, making sure to close hole left for turning out.  I also sewed lines every 1/4 inch for texture.

Now:

Once your cuff is complete, pin red strip down the center. 

Sew around the outside of the strip, I used gray thread.

Then:

Cut a strip of black felt 1" long by 2 1/2" wide.

Pin it on. Sew around the edges to secure in place.

Now:

Place and then sew velcro on the center front of one end and the center back of the other end, this will be the watches closure.

Next:

Apply hot glue liberally to the back of the watch face.

After finding the center of your cuff, place the watch face there and press firmly.

Set the time and step back and look at the awesome watch you just made the little man in your life.

AND...guess what...

it only cost about $3...just sayin'

Here is the different steps used to make the black and yellow watch...

Cut 2 cuff strips from black felt, and a strip from the gray shammie.

Sew the felt together, BUT DO NOT turn out, just sew together around 

the outside and then sew the 1/4" lines.

Attach gray strip.

Cut a yellow piece  1" long by the width of the cuff.

Sew and attach. 

Follow the rest of the steps of the gray and red watch.

Seriously, what boy wouldn't want this watch, something nothing against SpongeBob...

but these watches are way cooler.

Not to be too annoying...

BUT REMEMBER....

GO and VOTE at Made for Competition. Every one can vote 
one time a day, every day for the whole week. 

Marked Yourself Mondays- Sumo's Sweet Stuff
Sew Cute Tuesdays- Creative Itch
Take a Look Tuesdays- Sugar Bee Craft Edition
Just Something I Whipped up- The Girl Creative