Bandana Dress Cutting Instructions

I've been making some cute dresses like these for charity. I got the idea from DressAGirlAroundTheWorld. Here are my simplified cutting instructions to print, use, and share. I'm trusting you to sew it up all right on your own.

It makes a great project for the ladies at church, and for using up neglected pieces of fabric, especially polyester and knits.

My Girl and Me

My Girl and Me

she is me, I am her

we are one and we are the same

she is what I used to be

when I was young

I am the woman

she will one day become

we are one

my daughter and me

the lines are blurred

is she me, or was I her?

dark blond tresses

spilling out of ponytails

that once were mine

now they are hers

excitement at a carousel

hers or mine? I cannot tell

non-stop talk at suppertime

comes from her lips, or was it mine?

I see two selves

in my house each day

her face a mirror

from yesterday

eyes of brown, and freckles sprinkled

mouse-brown hair that waves

where it will wave

the way her tongue moves by her lips

with concentration grave

her daddy is her hero

her mommy is her friend

baby brother is a willing slave

and that’s the way life goes

like mother, daughter

can’t help but wonder

where I end and she begins

she is my extension

into the next generation

I am roots from which she grows

we are strands of a single thread

bonded by love and heredity

we are one

my girl and me

Trish Boese

My Insulated Picnic Tote

I was inspired by this post over at Sew Mama Sew to make an insulated tote. I hope to use it in place of my bulky cooler this summer.

It's large, it's sturdy, it has strong handles and it will haul plenty of food - either out to the picnic or home from the grocery store.

I used recycled denim for the handles and (though you can't see it) the bottom of the bag. The tutorial for this picnic tote was so simple and easy to follow!

A Well.ca Coupon code

This is a coupon for new customers. If you've never ordered from Well.ca before, use the coupon Trish10 for $10 off your $40 purchase. (Expires October 23, 2012) Shipping is always free in Canada.

They have quite a selection of stuff! Some things I like:

                 

A Much-Needed Cell Phone Cover

I once sewed a little drawstring bag out of black velvet as a cover for my cell phone. I always meant to embellish it with some artistic beadwork but before I got to it, my little bag was lost, and when I looked in my stash for the fabric I had used, it had vanished too. So I was inspired by my friend and blogger Jo at Blue Elephant Stitches when she made her cell phone cover.  (Note to Jo: Better not blog if you don't want copycats!:)

Here is my version, in some Michael Miller fabrics. I love it so far! I managed to get it to fit my Blackberry quite perfectly. The credit card pocket, key ring loop, and wrist strap make this cell phone cover one I do not intend to lose, ever.

Old Socks = Central Vac Hose Cover

My husband thought I was crazy because I've been rescuing his worn-out socks from the garbage bin for the last few years. Well, now I'm getting a central vac system installed in the house, so I made a Hose Sock.

I know it's nothing fancy, but it's a project and that's what my blog is about. Even humble projects like recycling old socks get a post here!

If you have old tube or crew socks with holes in the feet, making a hose sock is easy. Cut the tops off at the ankle (where the ribbed part ends) and sew them all together in a strip. Sewing elastic on the two finished ends helps them stay in place. I needed 25 pairs of socks to make this tube for my 30 foot hose.

Inside Pockets for a Tote Bag

After making 3 bags (2 were given away and 1 is for sale in my Etsy shop) it was time to write down the measurements of the inside pockets, instead of figuring them out all over again each time I make a bag. 

This is what works for me and hopefully sometime soon I can blog about a bag that I've made for myself!