Sewing Skirts!

Once every so often I get the DIY itch for some kind of craft. This time around I decided to try and make some skirts for the my little Sweet Pea. Fall is coming and skirts with leggings are what she likes to wear. Is this cost effective, I don't actually know but it was fun! Plus I figure if she's going to play with cars all day then why not do it wearing a skirt ;)

Step 1: Pick out fabric, measure, and cut.

22" at the top by 12" right angle by 34" bottom.

Step 2: Fold, iron, pin, repeat. 

Fold your bottom (at 1/2" double fold) and top (1/4" first fold, 3/4" second fold, then iron to hold the folds).

Tip: Iron the sides down to one side so when folding the top and bottom seams it is a cleaner fold.

Tip: Double fold the top and bottom to avoid fraying of the edges. Then iron to folds down for neat sewing. Don't worry about the extra fabric because once you add the elastic waist it gives you little girl extra tummy room to breathe ;)

Close up look the the ironed fabric before sewing.

Tip: Make sure to leave an opening for a spot to add the elastic band, button, and/or ribbon waist bands.

  Step 3: Once you have everything folded, neatly ironed, and pinned start sewing.

Tip: Sew as close as you can to the edge to leave room for the elastic band. For bottom hem I use a zig- zag sew line.

 

Tip: When you get to the corners fold one side under and over to get a rounded edge rather then a square edge.

Step 4: Add elastic and/or ribbon to waist band then sew it.

Tip: I used a safety pin to wiggle the elastic band through, and used a 1/2" thick elastic band.

Over pull the elastic through for plenty of sewing room. My daughters' measurement was 19.5"of elastic for a 22" diameter waste. Over measure everything for "mistake room."

 

  Step 5: Add ribbon or bow if desired. Then dress up your cutie-pa-tootie!

Happy Sewing!

Jenna

 

FREE Home Depot Workshops!

This is an old picture but I thought I'd post it to show how focused the boys get when working with tools and how much they enjoy building-plus I love the picture!

 Hello! On the first Saturday of every month Home Depot hosts FREE kids workshops to learn how to build things. It should be happening at all locations from 9am to noon. This Saturday its building a Football Goal Post- a great way to kick off football season. Just go to the link and put in your zip code to find the nearest location-and it would probably be a good idea to give them a call to make sure its happening. 

Happy Building!!!

~Stole this pic from the website~

Banana Bread

Mom's Banana Bread Recipe: A Delicious old recipe that you'll love!

All you need:
4 very ripe bananas
1 cup sugar
1 egg
(combine all three)

1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
(sift all 3 dry ingredients into wet ingredients)

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

*Helpful Hint: For Gluten-Free substitute regular flour for Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour*

How to make it:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix in a bowl four mashed and/or well blended bananas with sugar and egg. (I use my potato masher if my bananas aren't super ripe because I can't wait then blend them). In separate bowl mix flour, salt, baking soda. Sift dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix well. Add melted butter, mix. Grease a 5" by 9" bread pan (the little ones are great at helping). Place in oven at 325 for 1 hour.

Enjoy

SLP Tip of the Week: The Mirror

The Mirror:

I'm going to start my tips for you and your kiddos where we started-the mirror. Whether your child has slight speech delay or oral apraxia its your job as mommy to teach them self-awareness of their tongue and that they can use it. Using a mirror helps them to see how they make sounds, to focus, listening skills, and obviously talk. Plus kids are fascinated with seeing themselves.
FYI we started this at almost age 3.

Art 101

Learning About Colors

To start simple we learned about primary colors and how to make secondary colors out of primary colors with tempura paint.

Then we learned about how colors change when adding white and black. Of course the boys picked out blue.

 First we started with five bowls each with one drop of blue paint.