GRADUATION CAPS Tutorial

Is anyone out there in need of some CUTE GRADUATION CAPS?

We've got a Pre-School Graduation this week and I'm in charge of the Caps, so I decided to make some!


Here are the SUPPLIES to sew -
(As you can see, I used Felt)
1 - 21 inch X 4 inch Strip
1 - 9 X 9 inch Square
1 - 9 X 9 inch Square w/center cut in a circle
AND -


1 - 3 inch 1/4 inch Elastic
(Yes, I know there are three here, because I made 3 hats, SORRY to confuse anyone!)


For 1 Hat cut 2 - 9 inch square, squares.


Using 1 of the squares, lay the bowl(I used a 7 inch round bowl) on the square, folded in half.


Now, trace around half of the bowl with a white colored pencil.


Now, Fold the Strip in half & sew the ends together.


Find the center of the Elastic & pin it in the middle of the open seam.


Holding the pinned center with your fingers & stretch out the end of the Elastic. While carefully holding it down under the presser foot, start to Zig-Zag the end down well to secure, then Zig-Zag all the Elastic to the fabric.


Sew the Strip(sewn into a circle) to the 9 inch Square w/center circle.


So that is looks similar to this.
(This seems harder than it really is!)


Lay the 9 inch Square on top of the piece you just finished sewing.


Stitch around the edges of the two Squares together as shown.

Now, the Cap is sewn! YEAH!!

Time for the Tassle!


Don't cut the yarn yet, measure out a 16 inch piece & fold in half.


Knot the yarn, as shown.


So, with the other end close to the knot, start to make the Tassle quite like making a pom-pom, but longer.

Wind the yarn around your fingers about 10 times.


Cut a small strip of yarn (approx. 2 1/2 inches) & wrap around the top portion of the Tassle as shown. Wrap around a few times, real tight, and tie in a square knot.


Clip all the ends & any stray ends.


Find the center of the top of the Cap & back stitch the folded end of the Tassle yarn as shown.


Now, back stitch farther down to keep the Tassle where you want it to stay on the edge of the Cap.


And PRESTO, You've got yourself a GRADUATION CAP!!

I would like to thank our lovely models for showing the finished products!


If you have any questions, please feel free to comment! I would love to hear from you!

And, Thanks for stopping by! Congrats to the CLASS OF 2010!!

Tye-Dye Tutorial!

This picture says it all -

I LOVE SUNSHINE!!!!


We are in need of a new family photo, so for fun, our girls & I (the hubby has a good sense of humor(: ) thought we would try Tye-Dye Shirts for the pics!

We had so much fun making the shirts that I had to share this with you all! Now I want to Tye-Dye lots more stuff!


We used RIT brand dye.
I LoVe the name 'SUNSHINE Orange'!

We didn't use the whole bucket, so next time I will use only a partial package.
I bought the dye at WalMart for $1.66 each.
I also bought the T-Shirts at WalMart, Adults - 5 pack for $9.50, Kids - $5.25.

Just mix with HOT water and Stir until dissolved. We used ice cream buckets, so we didn't worry about staining anything of value.


The Colors we choose were (left to right, top to bottom) -
Orange, Yellow
Purple, Blue & Pink!


Twist Rubber-Bands around your item here and there and everywhere!

Some of ours looked kinda like the bunched up bulb roots of an iris!


Dip the section of the item in the color of your choice.

The longer it's held in the solution, the darker it will dye your item.
(We used rubber gloves, so that our hands were not dyed, but it doesn't stay long on your hands if you don't wear gloves!)


Here, the girls were dipping away!!

It's such an Easy, Quick & Fun Project!


This is what it looked like before we took the rubber-bands off!
(Which, putting them on and taking them off pinched the fingers a bit,
but still FUN!)


We hung the shirts on hangers and let them dry outside that night.
(it was breezy so they dried quickly!)


Here's a pic in the Morning SUNSHINE!!


And a collage on the couch!

Now, I get to do some fun altering of the little girls shirts!! I share later :)

HAIRBOWS - FRAMED - TUTORIAL!

I was chatting with a good friend of mine about our delimma on a CUTE way to display/store our evergrowing HAIRBOW collection!

(Don't pay too close of attention to the still taped light switch and door molding - my daughter is still in the process of remodeling that bathroom!!)

So we came up with this FUN IDEA - HAIRBOWS - FRAMED!!

I also sell them on my ETSY Shop
thepinkbug
Just in case you don't want to go to the trouble of making your own! You can even pick the colors you desire!!

*SUPPLIES*
Bigger Picture Frame (the older the cheaper!!)
Wooden Pegs
Chicken Wire (size depending on the size of frame, obviously!)
Paint
Clear Gloss
Glue Gun
Picture Hanger


Step #1 -
Measure how far apart you need to drill holes for little pegs and mark the spots.



Step #2 -
Drill holes, mine are just a hair smaller in diameter that the bottom of the peg so that there is a tight fit (I had to hammer them in!).


Step #3 -
Put glue in the hole and on the bottom of the peg and hammer in.

Wipe down the frame really well so that the surface is ready to paint.



Step #4 -
Paint Away! I found that 2 coats did well.
(Go Green - I used an ice cream bucket lid as a palette!)


Step #5 -
Spray with the Clear Gloss. I liked Krylon brand, it dried in 10 minutes or less!


Step #6 -
Measure the Wire very carefully. Glue it in with a Glue Gun.
(Now don't make fun of my ancient glue gun:) I love it!)


Step #7 -
Attach the Picture Hanger.


Now hang the FUN project on your wall!!

(And once again, don't pay too close of attention to the lovely stenciling on the wall above the frame, I am still remodeling in that bathroom!!)

Crackled Clock Turorial

I am in the process of painting our family room and one of the projects I have been working on is - Repainting a Clock!

This clock, my dear sister gave to me a few years back, that I love (& yes, I asked for her permission to paint it again:) !).

I decided to use a Crackle Finish on it.


I used these SUPPLIES:
WEATHERED CRACKLE GLAZE
BASE PAINT (black)
TOP COAT PAINT (antique white)
PAINT BRUSH
NEWSPAPER (or something to protect your flat surface)
PLASTIC TRAY ('GOING GREEN' I used an old ice cream lid)


FIRST -
I painted the whole clock with the Black Paint.


SECOND -
I painted 1 coat of the Weathered CRACKLE GLAZE. Let it dry for 1 hour.


THIRD -
I painted a coat of the Antique White Paint over the dried Crackle Glaze and watched it perform it's MAGIC!

I did have to touch up in the creases with the Black Paint to make it look sharp!

More Tutorials...

Because life is busy, I have been posting 'Craft Tutorials' over at my other blog -
Sunshine of Seven

Come over and check it out! Thanks:)

Crayon Wraps!

If you are looking for a fun project to make for your kids then this is it!
And the wrap is so handy, just toss it in your bag and it can keep the kids busy for hours! (along with some paper of course!)
I have some of these for sale on my Etsy Shop @ www.thepinkbug.etsy.com !

'I Spy' with my Little Eye a .....

I had fun making a few of these 'I Spy' toys a while back, and plan to make more. I've got some ideas for some other shapes and fun stocked inside them. Our girls have enjoyed finding the trinkets inside and it teaches them patience (that's always a bonus), reading, shape finding, helps with their sense of 'Touch' and much more.
I like using Fleece material, because it's so soft, Poly-pellets for fill and of course the fun Trinkets, (buttons, jewels and misc..) for finding!