Bacon Weaving

I never thought I'd be posting about Bacon weaving.  Oddly, it really fits with the theme of the blog.  It's both crafty and cooking!  Anyway, my friend mentioned it the other night as a way to make BLTs and have bacon with every bite.  She sent me a link to this site Savory Notes.  I didn't follow the recipe, but used the picture for reference just to make sure I knew what I was doing.

So, you cut your bacon in half and weave it into a square.  Then bake it at 350 for 25 minutes.

And you get beautiful bacon squares!  The BLT's were delicious!  I mean, how can you go wrong with bacon?  Perhaps now I should give turkey bacon a try!

Doll Bed

A couple months ago, I found this doll bed at the thrift store for 3.93 (I seriously don't get their random prices, but that's beside the point).  I was super excited and immediately planned on painting it and making a set of sheets.  Fast forward a lot of cutting (how many times can I cut the sheet the wrong size?), sewing, and 4 coats of paint.

Tada!  Isn't blogging magic fun?  I painted all of the pink green, repainted the white, and then sprayed 3 coats of sealer on the bed itself.  I also made a full set of sheets and a fleece blanket.  The sheets are a mini set of real sheets.  Why not make teaching Peanut how to make her bed fun?  

Here's a closer look at the top.  I have a wider hem at the top of the sheet.  The fleece blanket is a basic piece of fleet that has been hemmed the whole way around.  I'm still thinking about adding something, but haven't decided yet.

 Here's a closeup of the pillow and the pillow case.  I'm real happy with how it turned out and can't wait to see what Peanut says on Christmas morning!

Bent Needle

I felt like I had to share this with you.  My machine has decided to go on strike.  I've been painfully sewing Munchkin's rag quilt the last 2 days and with the final line of sewing I had to do, my needle bent.  It didn't break like it has so many times the last few months (this will be the 4th needle I've killed), it just bent.  There were no pins, just 12 layers of flannel.  It has taken too much abuse and decided I was due for a wake up call.  Fortunately, I had spare needles (now only 1 left).  I forced it to complete the project and I will now reward it with a rest, for the night.  Tomorrow is a new day and with Thanksgiving being this week Christmas is very much weighing on my mind.

Good night everyone!

Fall Leaf Table Runner

So, I finally got it finished!  It only took 3 trips to the fabric store!  I am so excited for Thanksgiving and I can't wait to see my table with all the food on it.  I hope this table runner lasts and that we are able to use it for years to come.

I have to be honest, it did take longer than I had anticipated.  When I first started cutting the leaves took forever and I didn't think about the interfacing until after I started. It will go much smoother if you do the interfacing from the very beginning.  Another time consumer is the sewing of the veins.  The first time I timed myself it took me 15 minutes to do one.  By half way through, I had that down to 8.

Want to make your own?  You have just enough time to get it done before the holiday!  Here's how I did it!


Supplies:
1/4 yd each of 4 different color felts
2 1/3 yds of 20" wide fusible interfacing
2 spools of metallic thread
Fabric glue
Maple Leaf Template


Directions:

This picture is just to give you an idea of the layout.

Cut the interfacing into 4 10" by 43" strips and fuse them to your pieces of felt starting at one end.

Trace your pattern onto the interfacing so you have 5 leaves in each color.  I made sure they were all on the same side so the leaves matched.  You can do that or flip flop it so they look a little more different.  The interfacing great because the it lets you draw on the felt!    Cut out all of your leaves. (another great task for watching tv)

Draw the vein pattern onto the interfacing side of the leaves.  You can use the one I did or make your own!

Sew along the lines you traced.   I did the main vein in the center, then the two long ones from one side to the other, crossing in the middle.  Then did all the little "V"s. 

This is a finished leaf before trimming all the threads.  I really found it easier to sit and sew them all and then trim them at the end.

When you've got them all done, lay them out the way you want them, overlapping them whenever possible.   I did the four colors alternating left and right with each set. (I took this pic before I did the veins)

The final part is the fabric glue.  Glue the pieces together.  Sometimes its easier to lay the bottom part (orange) over the one that will overlap (red in this case) so you can see exactly where they will touch.

After putting the glue on, press them together.  (Now the orange stem is on the bottom and the red is on top)

Tada!  And now the table is set (almost) for Thanksgiving!

Here's some more pics

You can "almost" see the sparkle of the thread in this pic.  I so wish I had a better camera so you could see how the thread shines.

You may (or may not) have noticed my plates.  I'm very proud of my plates.  I've been going to yard sales and the thrift stores almost weekly for the last 4 months collecting random white plates in preparation for Thanksgiving dinner.  I have also collected serving bowls, plates, butter dish, and gravy boat.

Oh, and I am planning on scotch guarding it tomorrow.  I'd hate for it to get ruined after all this work!

A Bowl Full of Lemons Tuesday Linky Party

Bear Rabbit Bear Things I've Done Thursday

Sneak peak!

I've got a sneak peak for you tonight!   Tomorrow I'll be sharing with you a tutorial for a great fall craft!  I'll give you a hint and tell you its for our thanksgiving table.  I'm so excited!

Keiki

I have been soo busy the last few days!  Papa B has been out of time and so I've been spending my evenings at the kitchen table with my sewing machine.  I've made a pair of pajama pants for Papa B, a jacket, hand warmers (tute to come!), fleece blanket (tute to come as well!), and have done a lot of work on a rag quilt.   The first thing I made was this doll!  Peanut's real name is Hawaiian and my friend gave me the idea to make a Hawaiian doll for my Hawaiian named girl!  I don't think she could have come out better.  She's made completely out of fleece and I love to hug and squeeze her.  After finishing up I did some research and decided to name her Keiki! I hope you all lover her as much as I do!

Handmade Gift Pledge

Tonight I took the handmade gift pledge.  Since I am planning on making all the christmas gifts I give this year, it's going to be pretty easy to keep my word.  If you want to pledge to make gifts and/or support small business who do, take the pledge too!