Roses Are Blue...

Let's turn this into a tutorial, shall we?

I almost forgot about the second baby shower gift I made!  This is a slip-on collar bandana for Sadie, the big sister-to-be.  Yes, Sadie is a dog.  And yes, I do understand that she is not actually the big sister (and no, I don't refer to myself as my dog's mommy) but I didn't want to leave sweet Sadie out.  I mean, she was their first baby-like commitment.  And the poor thing has no clue what's about to happen to her status in the Mino pack.  She may as well look cute as she stares longingly inside through the back door...

Anyway, after finishing Sadie's big sister bandana (and remembering how quick and easy they are) I decided to stitch up a Valentine's day version for Cherry Sue.  Then, after finishing Cherry Sue's bandana (and reaffirming my thought that these really are quick and easy) I thought this would make a great project for my first attempt at a tutorial.  There aren't too many steps and it is about as uncomplicated as a sewing project can get (which is good for me since I have some issues with...words).  Plus, the nice thing about these bandanas is that you can make one in pretty much any size and fabric combination for pretty much any and every occasion!  I mean, if you are crazy.  Like me...

So, I will give directions for a bandana for a 1" x 16" collar that looks cute on a 25 pound dog.  But y'all can add or subtract as many inches all around as you need to fit your dog and collar.  Just be sure that when you stitch up your casing that you have made it wide enough to slide the collar through (which means adding to the overall length of your rectangle for a thicker collar).  This tutorial will rely pretty heavily on the photos.  Feel free to leave a comment or email me if you have any questions.  Seriously though, I think we can do this...

1.  Ok, pick your fabrics (pre-washed) and cut out a 10" x 9" rectangle of each (do as I say here, not as I do.  I know the photo clearly shows a 9" square, which is totally my bad.)  Fold the rectangle in half lengthwise and make a mark along the raw edges at 4.5" from the bottom.  Cut at an angle from your mark to the end of the fold to create the pointed shape.  Do the same to the other half.

2.  Now if you want to embellish your bandana here is your chance.  I have added a simple embroidered heart (which my dog will promptly snag with her scratching, I'm sure) but you could add a heart (or decoration of your own choosing) with paint or fabric markers or iron-on...or your bedazzler.  Whatever.

3.  Once your embellishing is done, take both pieces,  lay them right sides together and pin them around the sides and bottom (if y'all weren't watching I totally would not have pinned this).  Stitch around the edges leaving a 1/4" seam allowance and remove your pins.  Remember not to stitch the top!

4.  Carefully clip your corners and turn your bandana right-side-out.  Push the corners and the point out with a turning tool or a chopstick or whatever you like to use and press it nice and flat and sharp.

6.  To make the casing, make a 1/2" fold at the top and press.  Then make another 1 1/2" fold and press again.  This is where, if you are using different measurements, you want to make sure you are making your casing wide enough for the collar you will be sliding in.  Remember to add at least 1/2" to the collar width measurement to accommodate the hardware.  (Again, this will hopefully mean that you already added to the length of your rectangle before cutting.)

7.  Ok, ready?  Pin the casing in place, stitch across 1/4" from the bottom edge and remove your pins.   I wish I could say something like my grandmother would be very proud of my methodical pinning for this project...but I don't have that kind of grandmother.  My grandmother is proud when I remember that lay (not lie) takes an object and when I don't misuse hopefully like I just did.  Anyway, I like to stitch this seam twice so it is nice and sturdy.

8.  Now go to your dog's collar closet (I assume if you've gone this far that your dog in fact has a collar closet.  Or at least a collar shelf) and pick out the best collar for your nifty new bandana.  Or if you want to go all out, make a matching/coordinating collar while you are at it!  There are bunches of great tutorials already for those and Bend The Rules Sewing has an easy pattern as well.  Now don't worry if your bandana is a little wonky or lopsided (like mine).  I promise your dog won't notice.  And once you slide it onto the collar and snap it around her adorable neck, all of the flaws will magically disappear!  See?  What do you mean you didn't pin?

Happy sewing!

Finally! A baby shower!

I can't believe I'm actually saying that.  For several years there I could barely keep up with all of the babies.  It seemed like I was making a blanket-a-week and embroidered onesies were coming out of my ears!  But now, it's been at least a year since any of my local friends or family have had a baby shower.  Or a baby for that matter.  I have had to carefully and purposefully avoid the flannel aisle at the fabric shop forever (there is always so much cute blanket flannel when I don't need it!) 

For actual baby showers, I prefer to give an embroidered onesie along with something practical.  I wait to make the blankets until after the baby arrives.  That way, if I have an opportunity to buy super girly and/or pink fabric I can take advantage of it.  And more importantly, I can add the baby's monogram in order to comply with North Carolina statute 6413 (which states something along the lines of "anything that can be, shall be monogrammed, preferably in hot pink but other colors shall be permitted on a case-by-case basis such as when the item to be monogrammed is hot pink and then chartreuse shall be permitted"). 

Anyway, the new baby is a boy and his parents are big into sailing.  You might not know this (I didn't until we moved here) but there is a nautical flag alphabet.  Since the parents-to-be will not disclose the name of the baby-to-be I used the last name for this onesie.  This was supposed to be a very simple and easy project but like most of my projects I found a way to make it incredibly frustrating and time-consuming.  I'm not thrilled with the result but I am thankful that their last name is only 4 letters long.

Do you know what happens when you live too close to the South Carolina border?

Wait, I should back up a bit.  Rewind to New Years 1999.  The new millenium.  We were hosting a party (because there was no way we were getting a sitter that night!)  Kevin, my husband, had decided that we needed to have our very own east-coast-west New York-style ball drop.  He bought a large, but reasonable, paper lantern from Cost Plus (World Market), covered it in spray adhesive and tinfoil and spent the greater part of the day fanatically poking tiny white christmas lights through the layers (he was a little Jack Nicolson-esque in his dirty white T-shirt...I won't pretend I wasn't scared of him that day...)  He and my BIL took a double-length pool skimmmer pole and stuck it into a cement patio umbrella stand to serve as the ball stand.  They rigged the ball and cords up through the giant oak tree in the front yard and at midnight we all counted down while they lowered the ball in the front yard.  It was the apex of an already awesome party.  Little did any of us know, though, that this was the beginning of an obsession...since that night the balls have gotten bigger, the heights higher and with our move to The South about 6 years ago, have involved fireworks.

Ok, back to 2008. 

About 3 days before our 8th annual New Year's Eve party (we have skipped a year or two) I woke up to this scene in the backyard...do you see Mario-the-tree-climber up there?  40 feet up into a tall pine?  Well, we've had a few err, premature ball drops in the past so this year Kevin decided on permanent rigging. 

We tried to explain to Mario what the rigging was all about but he didn't really understand.  Until he saw the ball hanging in the garage.  Then he just laughed and said, "Ahhhh, piñata."

Kevin had been planning the 8th annual ball for several weeks before the party and took over the garage with the boys.  The 2008 ball was the biggest yet.  6 feet in diameter, made of paper mache and wrapped in hundreds of tiny white lights.  And, after a quick trip to South Carolina, it was also wrapped in more explosives then would ever be considered...smart.  This is what happens, by the way, when you live too close to the border.  They strapped a coil of 1000 firecrackers, bandolero-style, around the ball and added a four foot long tail of Picolo Petes... and yes, that's a lighter in his hand...

Finally, the 8th Annual Garretts Drop-the-Ball (again) New Years Eve party, a house and yard full of people and several lighters at the ready...it was a spectacular sight for sure.  Once the 3-and-a-half minute explosion was over, we had all digits intact and no fires!  Bonus!  And then Kevin asked me with a big proud smile, "So, did I make your blog yet?"  

Happy New Year to you all!