Sewing: Quick Unlined Drawstring Bag

This is a great project for beginners since it basically involves straight seams.  I find this pattern useful for many things depending on the size of your pieces of fabric.  Small squares for a quick jewelry pouch or gift bag;   Medium squares for gifts, shoes or storing other items and Large squares for large gift bags or anything that doesn't fit in the other two size drawstring bags.  It really is a versatile pattern and can be altered for the size you are looking for.

Materials:
Fabric (enough for the size bag you are making)
Ribbon or drawstrings (2 pieces, each should be longer than the measurement of both top pieces together)
Matching thread

All seams are 1/4 inch

Instructions:

1.  Decide on the size your finished bag should be.  Add about 1-2 inches to the measurements for the seams and another 1-2 inches to each of the top sides, this will ensure that you will have enough fabric for the drawstring.  (If you have a large/wide ribbon or drawstring you may need to add more inches to your measurements)

2.  Measure and cut your fabric pieces.  Again you may cut one long piece, so when folded over it equals your desired bag size, but your drawstrings won't be threaded through or look like mine.  I cut two pieces.

3.  Iron if needed.  Pin top edges (wrong sides together) about 1-2 inches down.  Depending on the size of your ribbon or drawstring you may have to pin more than 1-2 inches.

4.  Sew along bottom edge of pinned section from Step 3 on 1 side ONLY (about 1/4 inch from raw fabric edge).  Repeat for other piece.

5.  Sew along top edge about 1/4 to 1/2 inch down from top.  Repeat for for other piece.

6.  Pin both pieces, right sides together.  Iron if needed.

7.   Sew along all 3 sides (if you cut 2 pieces).  Or sew along 2 sides if you cut 1 one long piece.  Sew from the bottom seam from Step 4.  Do Not sew above it or you will not be able to thread your drawstring through.

8.  Clip corners and turn right side out.

9.  Thread ribbon/drawstring through one side and around through the other side.  You will end up with the ends of one piece on the same side.  Repeat with the second piece, starting from the opposite end.

Step 3

Step 4

Finished Step 4 & 5

Step 7 

Step 8

Drawstring and width of top edge

Finished Sewing!

One drawstring threaded through both sides

Threading through second drawstring

It will seem odd threading the drawstrings pass the other drawstring

All Finished and ready for use!

No-sew Produce bags

Yes, I found a no-sew produce bag project.  Actually there's very little you have to do to make this and even the novice crafter can make their own produce bags.  I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner.

It's simple.  Save the bags from the onions and garlic you buy at the the grocery store or Costco.  Remove the label, make sure the inside is clean (there are no onion peels inside) and 'poof' - you now have a reusable and washable produce bag.  So easy.

Hummingbirds: What you want to know for your garden

This spring and summer I have noticed more hummingbirds in my yard then in past years.  As a result I became very interested in reading more about hummingbirds, their migration patterns and hummingbird feeders.  The reading was interesting and insightful.

If you know there are hummingbirds in your area, you might want to read about the different types since The World of Hummingbirds says there are 356 types.  I didn't even realize there were that many.  From what I gathered I think I see more of the Ruby-throated, Rufous, and maybe Anna's hummingbirds around my house.

And hummingbirds do make chirpy noises.  I listened to several in my Aunt's tree.  The hummingbirds would sit on branches, some would chase others away, and you could hear the chirpy noises with the trill of their wings when in flight.  Quite an amazing sight, most of us only see hummingbirds when in flight.

Here's my tips for picking out a great hummingbird feeder:
1.  Glass, not plastic - This is going to be in the sun so why would we want plastic chemicals to leech into the nectar and poison the hummingbirds?
2.  Select a feeder that holds a small portion of nectar.  The larger the feeder the more likely you will waste nectar if you only have a few hummingbirds visit your garden.
3.  Do NOT buy store nectar - most have red food dye and sodium benzonate (which is a chemical preservative).
4.  Buy simple cane (white) sugar and make your own nectar.  1 cup sugar to 4 cups water.  Boil and store in a fridge for a few days.
5.  Avoid feeders that are a simple straight bottle with a stopper feeder, more often than not these will leak.

Some of my favorite designs (instead of the more traditional) include:  A feeder stake, a circle feeder, and decorative bottle feeders.

And check out this link for some ideas for your garden to attract hummingbirds.  I planted some scarlet runner beans and am hoping they will sprout soon and attract more hummingbirds to my yard besides just looking pretty in the garden.  Hopefully my beans will grow and look like this:

Tip of the Month: Summer Entertaining Tips and Tricks

It's July and Independence Day celebrations are almost upon us.  That means it's time for July's tip of the month.  Many of us turn to the outdoors to cook and entertain, but don't fret if you don't have an outdoor grill.  You can still make all your favorite grilled foods on an indoor grill.  I love my indoor grill and I avoid the hassle of propane or charcoal as well as the carcinogenics of using lighter fluid.  Yes, cooking with lighter fluid is not healthy and that's why you should use a chimney starter if cooking with charcoal.  Have you read what's in lighter fluid?  Take a look next time, you may be surprised.  Though whatever your grilling preference is, some of my tips will help you create a great meal for your holiday.

Try these tips and tricks, whether you entertain for a crowd or a few people:

1.  Keep it simple - decor and food.  I love solid, checkered or similar red, white and blue tablecloths for the 4th of July.  Check out This table-setting.

2.  Entertaining is not the time to experiment with new recipes.  Test out new recipes before the big event.

3.  Have activities for the kids.  Here's a great one to make - Pinwheels.

4.  Never press down on burgers when grilling.  I've heard this tip a few times on Food Network.  You will lose all the juices from the meat.

5.  Oil the grill and let the fish cook then turn over once, otherwise your fish will stick to the grill.  Same for indoor grill pans.

6.  Try grilling sweet potatoes for a great alternative to fries or baked potatoes.  Just slice, season with salt and pepper (you can use other spices too).  Mist with oil (brushing will work, but you use more oil that way) and grill on both sides.  You can even toss in more spices after grilling before you serve.

7.  Remember that the loud popping sounds of fireworks can scare dogs or even make them upset.  Make sure they have ID tags and consider keeping them inside during the time fireworks are being set off.  If you are away, consider pet-sitters or boarding to make sure your dog is safe while you are away.

8.  Don't leave foods that can spoil or go bad at warm temperatures in the sun or heat.  Potato salad is one example, keep it chilled so you will avoid food poisoning.  I've heard horror stories about accidents like this at people's houses.

9.  Here's a great idea for keeping tablecloths in place and still look decorative.  Table weight from rocks.

10.  Finally have fun and don't stress over every detail.  If you plan your menu ahead of time you will be able to enjoy your day.

DIY: How to unravel a sweater to re-purpose yarn

A short while back I gave you a sneak peek at my latest project: Unraveling a sweater.  I found a sweater in the back of my closest and decided that I could reuse the yarn for other projects and even use the buttons on something else.  This does not work for all sweaters because if the sweater is machine-knitted you will not have nice long strands of yarn.

Take a look at the stitch in the sweater and if you are not sure ask your local yarn shop.  If you try to unravel a machine-knitted sweater you will find out very quickly that you have a problem.

First you need a pair of scissors with small tips, ones that are often used in sewing.  Use these scissors to trim the seams that hold the pieces of the sweater together.  Look carefully, don't just cut with large scissors or you will encounter problems.  Find the seam, separate the seam to find each side of the two pieces sewn together and cut only the stitch you see running between holding the two pieces together.

Cut each of the seams, then you can start to unravel.  Or work in stages if you prefer.  Unraveling will take a bit of time, but it's great if you are watching your favorite show or you happen to take a bus/train to work.

Don't be surprised if occasionally a yarn breaks, but if you are careful this shouldn't happen (maybe only twice!).

Now I have this stack of yarn that I need to soak to straighten it then I can spin it into a ball for my intended project.

Here's the buttons I saved.

One seam cut - sweater is in two pieces

See the two pieces?

Sleeve seam

1 sleeve and the yarn from one side of the body

Here's the seam before separating and cutting

The other side of the sweater

Lots of yarn 

Here's all of the yarn

DIY Reed Diffuser

As I was organizing these past few weeks (thus all of the sewing projects last week), I discovered an old milk jar amongest things.  The jar is a simple design without all of the graphics or imprints, perfect for re-purposing in my house.  My inspiration and idea came from a pin on Pinterest by Jaderbomb.  All the instructions you need are on the website and you will be able to make your own reed diffuser like I did.

I used my milk jar, some oils I had leftover from my oil burner and some bamboo skewers I have for grilling. Needless to say a few of the skewers will not be making it to the grill, but bamboo skewers are relatively inexpensive to purchase anyways.  To decorate my jar I used a paw-print ribbon I had in my sewing stash.  A simple use of my jar and now my room smells amazing without the use of nasty chemicals sprays.  Amazing!

Eco-Friendly Easter Baskets and Gifts

Weren't opening Easter baskets fun as a kid?  All wrapped in cellophane with plastic Easter grass.  Okay, the treats were the best part, but most Easter baskets are wrapped in all of that plastic.  I remember my Mom reused the baskets and wrappings each year, and since I am going "green", I figure I might as well reuse Easter grass too.  So I don't recommend going out and buying new plastic Easter grass, but if you are going to buy some for the bottom of your Easter basket try the paper version.

For my dog's Easter basket, I used the paper Easter grass I found in my gift-wrapping storage box, which you can't see in the photo.  Then added a few stuffed rabbits, squeaky balls and a few other chew toys.  If you have little dogs, choose a smaller basket to put their toys or treats in.  My dogs seem to know these are meant for them and I have to keep it out of their reach, otherwise they just take the toys out of the basket.

Since I don't have kids, I'm not worried about making fun Easter baskets for little ones to enjoy.  Though I think the baskets from Pottery Barn Kids are adorable.  Click here and here for the photos I posted on Pinterest.  I also like regular baskets with basket liners for Easter.  If you don't have Easter basket supplies, I recommend getting a good quality basket or fabric/felt basket that can be reused.  You could knit or crochet one as well.  Then the fun part is picking out (or making) the gifts to include in the basket.  Chocolate is always a good choice, at least I think so. Stickers, coloring books, craft supplies and stuffed toys are always great choices too.  For other eco-friendly choices, I found a great post on Eco Child's Play, click here.  Whatever you choose for you Easter basket, have fun!  Easter is about sharing love and joy.

Monday's Tip of the Week: A "Greener" Thanksgiving

Part of this blog is about being "green" or eco-friendly.  With the Thanksgiving holiday around the corner I wanted to share some tips for planning your big day.  Whether you are the cook, the host, the guest or going on a trip, there is something for each of you.

1.  Buy a local turkey, preferably organic.  It's true an organic turkey with cost more at the grocery, but think of the money you will save in future on the health needs of your family and yourself.  And an added bonus of buying a local turkey (organic or not) is that you are supporting the local economy and avoiding many chemicals used during transit.

2.  Buy seasonal produce.  Click here to find out what is local in your area (it has all the US states). 

3.  Plan, Plan and Plan.  I can't say it enough.  If you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner you need to plan your dishes and make sure you have your ingredients ready.  Thanksgiving is not a time to try a new recipe for the first time.  Test it out before you make something new for Thanksgiving, but don't be afraid to make it your own.

4.  Decorate with natural materials.  I really LOVE the smell of fresh rosemary plants.  You can also shop thrift or consignment stores for second-hand decorations instead of buying stuff at the store that won't last long.

5. Compost your scraps.  I know this is not always possibly, but if you can please do.  This will be beneficial to your garden once it composts completely.

6.  Serve organic drinks and wine.  If you haven't heard of organic wine or bio-dynamic wine please read this article.

7.  Avoid traveling on peak days of the holiday weekend (Wednesday and Sunday).  Consider carpooling or public transportation.

8.  Do not use disposable products to set your table.  If you do not have a set of dishes (it doesn't have to be china) you can find great sets or pair several sets together from consignment stores.  You will be surprised how rustic, yet elegant a table you can create.