Super Easy Pet Blankets

Hello Christmas Crafters!  I'm excited to be joining this group, and for my first post I wanted to share with you a super easy project that anyone can do.  I've recently started blogging my crafts and this is one I love to whip up.

Many of my friends have fur babies, and several became new parents this year. I’ve started assembling their Christmas blankets and as the weather starts to cool, it feels like the perfect time to work on this project.

Not only is this craft ridiculously easy and fast to whip up, but any extras you can make into blankets to be donated to your local animal shelter. The blankets are comfy, easy to clean, and pets will love them.  

My fleece choices. Two pattern pairs.

I am showing two options: non-sew and sew, but there are so many other combinations that you can do. 

Non-Sew Option

You can use one design where 1/2 - 1 yard will make one blanket.  If you use two different prints, you can probably get two blankets out of the fabric.

Two prints, wrong sides in the middle.

Once you have found a fleece design(s) that you like, cut into your desired size.  For a small to medium dog, I would recommend 36” square and move up from there.  Keep in mind that you’ll be losing 4” all around the blanket from the ties, so you may want to start large.  If you’re doing two patterns, cut out another piece into the same size.  

Cutting 4" strips around the side of the blanket, approx. 1" apart.

Place wrong sides together.  Cut 4” (approx... I’ve found that 4” or more work best to tie the knots) ‘strips’ 1” apart down each side of the blanket.  You will be cutting around the entire blanket.

Starting to tie double knots from the strips.

Once you have cut strips around the entire blanket, begin tying each pair (one from each side of the blanket).  I like to leave the last pair on each corner untied and snip them off once I have tied all of the ties.  I think it lays better that way.

Completed tie blanket.  If you trim longer strips around the edge, you won't have to tie your knots too tight and it will lay flat.  Just keep in mind the final blanket size when factoring in the size of your cut strips.

Sew Option

Choose your fabric (same as above instructions) and cut to desired size.  You don’t lose as much fabric around the edges so you can be closer to the actual size desired.  I use a 36” square for my medium size dog and it’s perfect for him.

Place right sides together and stitch the fleece together. I did a 3/4” edge.  Leave an opening in the middle of one side to invert the blanket inside out.

Opening to invert the blanket.

Once you have stitched all the way around, trim the corners so that they lay flat when inverted.  Turn the blanket inside out by pulling the fabric through the opening.  Finger press the sides flat and push the corners out.  

Pining the opening closed in preparation to stitch the edges.

Once you have flattened out the blanket, pin the opening inside in preparation to sew it closed.  Stitch the edge ultimately closing the opening and creating a small border.

Blanket complete! Showing double sides.

I like to just fold the blanket up, tie a bow around it and add a pet treat or toy.

Some finished blankets with their treats.

There you have it! An uber easy gift for your pet lover friends or your own fur baby.  

Wallace's new blanket is in place.

So comfy.

Read about more of my projects on my blog: What’s Up Cupcake?

Excited to be here!

Hi all, Laurel here, from House Full of Monkeys!
Excited to be part of the group. Hope to give out as many ideas as I steal, but I can't promise anything.
I've been a seamstress and crafter for ages. As my profile says, I sew, I knit, I crochet, I weave baskets...etc. If it's crafty, I've probably done it, yet it seems I learn new stuff all the time, too.

For sure, my Twins will be getting pyjama bottoms, and I generally help mom out with making them for the rest of my extended family, too. I actually have a few secrets I can share in that department. When you've made as many as I have, you figure out all kinds of shortcuts.

For my knit/crochet group, I'll be making some beaded stitch markers.

For my book club, I like to do something related to reading, like a bookmark or book cover. Haven't found the perfect idea yet this year, but I'm looking.

For neighbors and friends, homemade goodies are generally part of the equation.

Haven't thought much beyond that yet, but I'm sure the ideas will come once I get going.

Can't wait to see what you all get up to!

Roll fever

Just a quickie whilst we're on a roll about rolls.  I made this easy make-up brush roll earlier this year using this fab tutorial and I think I'll make a few more for xmas.  The photos aren't great and it was a first attempt, but hopefully you'll get the gist.

Two tips.  Firstly, use the same colour thread to do the brush pockets (it hides a multitude of wonky sewing sins!) Second, increase the length of ribbon by a good few inches than is recommended in the tutorial, as you can see above, it's barely long enough to tie a knot, never mind a bow.


Happy rolling! x

Roll up, roll up!

Karen in the previous post showed a wonderful tutorial for a sewing roll, & it got me thinking - I fancy making a jewellery roll, & although I have one I could make a pattern from, I did 5 seconds research & found some tutorials online- thought I'd share them with you .. they are slightly different ...

This one by Helen at Angharad

& this one at AfrikanKelli.

and lucky three, this one by Helen at Stitch & Shoot

Hopefully this will kick start my Christmas making ... :-)

You Gotta Roll With It

Sewing Roll of Dreams

Hi there, Karen here from Didyoumakethat? I'm thrilled to be part of the Crafty Christmas Club. Talk about getting off to a flying start. There's no holding you lot back!

Scrambling to keep up, I've just completed a sewing roll from a book called Quilt Yourself Gorgeous. This is a lovely, lovely book. For the past few nights, it's been my reading material before going to sleep. I love Mandy Shaw's relaxed, friendly narrative style and down-to-earth approach. Here's a quote from her introduction:

'I have to admit I'm not a perfectionist. I like quick and fast techniques; I cut corners but not charm, compromising on rules, but not on results. I think we have one life to live and we should get on with it! Love what you make, to your own self be true and sew, sew, sew!'

She also embroidered this fabulous quote on the back of one of her samplers:

'Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang the best.'

Isn't that a wonderful motto to share with Sewists - and people in all walks of life?

This book is out in paperback now, so if you wanted to drop hints about your own Christmas presents...

Back to the roll! It was a delight to sew. It uses crazy quilting, which is easy-peasy. I picked out scraps from my stash, each fabric with a blue theme going on. As I started to put the quilting together, I thought it looked a mess (blurgh!) but slowly, slowly I could begin to see how this might come together:

Making the crazy patchwork

One of my favourite parts was creating the little heart pin cushion:

And here's the finished item:

A weekend's work

This could be a weekend's work, though I think one of the delights is being out and about, stopping by stalls and shops and seeing ribbons and applique labels that would be just perfect for your new project. It's a grower, this one! Though I am very proud of the fact that most of mine was made from scraps, which somehow came together.

This roll could easily be adapted for other hobbyists in your life. A child who likes collecting things or a friend who is stationery mad, an embroiderer or make-up fiend. This roll will hold anything! And if you're brand new to quilting, it's a great first project.

I hope it inspires you to make your own!

Cute "Coffee Cup" tutorial

Hi everyone! I'm Jana and I blog about sewing and such over at 98 Red Balloons. I'm all about making gifts and in the past that has mostly meant baking. I made these little cakes this weekend to give to teachers who are writing me letters of recommendation, and I thought I would write a little tutorial for CCC while I was at it!

A cake is baked in each mug. Then they are covered in chocolate ganache to look like coffee and topped with homemade marshmallow. These are great because they don't need to be refrigerated as the marshmallow won't melt at room temperature like some icings will. I baked chocolate-coffee cake in half and pumpkin spice cake in the others. 

I use this pumpkin cupcake recipe from Joy of Baking. The only change I made was to use margarine. I'm all about butter when butter is necessary - don't skimp! - but this recipe already has a lot of pumpkin weighing it down and plenty of leavening, so you don't need to worry about having enough volume from the sugar/butter mixture. Margarine is so much cheaper out here, it's nice to use it when you can.

The chocolate-coffee cake recipe is my own, adapted from the famous Hershey's cake recipe. 

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 dram LorAnn coffee flavor or 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

1 cup strong hot coffee

Mix all dry ingredients together, including sugar, and wisk them thoroughly. Add the eggs, milk, oil, yogurt or sour cream, and flavorings. Wisk on high speed for about 2 minuets, until the batter begins to look smooth and silky. Add the hot coffee and stir slowly until incorporated. Bake on 350 for 20-30 minuets.  

So back to the mug tutorial! I just went to the second hand store, Goodwill, and bought some pretty mugs in good condition and gave them a good scrub. I particularly like wide-mouth mugs for this, they're so pretty! Do not grease or oil inside the mugs as this will discolor them as they bake. Just make sure they are very clean and dry, and fill them 1/2 full with batter. Bake and check after 15 minuets. 

And they'll look something like this! Perfectly domed and ready for a layer of ganache. 

I used a 1:1 ratio ganache for this which will set up after a few hours but won't be hard. That means equal amounts of heavy whipping cream and chocolate make this ganache. Put the heavy whipping cream on low heat until it just starts to steam. It should NOT boil. If it begins to bubble the cream has been overheated. 

Poor the heated cream over the chocolate and step away. The key to a perfectly smooth ganache is forming an emulsion between the fats in the chocolate and the cream. Leave for at least 2 minuets, and then stir with a wisk. The hot cream should have begun melting the chocolate. It will look piecey at first, but keep stiring and you will have a silky, beautiful ganache!

Yum! Poor the ganache over your baked cakes and let them sit for several hours. The ganache will take quite a while to soft-set, but it's delicious and very worth the wait. 

See those little bubbles? The air from the cake will escape for a few minuets after you poor the ganache, but the bubbles will go away on their own pretty quickly. As soon as the ganache has set, you are ready to pipe on fresh marshmallow!

 I love this marshmallow recipe from Food Network's Alton Brown. It's simple to make and incredibly tasty. Stop whipping your marshmallow just before it's done, so it will be easier to pipe. I used a disposable piping bag fitting with a coupler but no tip, just for big fluffy swirls on top of each "coffee"

I can do a tutorial for homemade marshmallow if anyone is interested. For now, have fun with the mug idea! They are very pretty wrapped in clear cellophane and make a very cost-effective gift for neighbors and such. 

Felt flower cushion

My boyfriend's mum has redecorated her bedroom and has gone with a white and gold theme, so I thought a good present for her would be something gold/yellow.  I had some yellow felt and since she's such a keen gardener I thought a scatter cushion with a felt flower on it would be perfect.  Since she's a clean freak I put the flower on a brooch back so that she can remove it when she wants to wash the cover, I thought that bit was ingenious!

The cover is just cotton one continuous length all edges hemmed and then the short edges overlapping in the middle, another words an envelope cover.  The flower is a ye-olde favourite of mine to make with a bit of extra detail.  I cut an oval of felt and sewed thin strips of felt in the centre to represent the stamen.  Then cut lots of petal shapes in different sizes and sewed them on around the stamen small to big as I went out and then attached a brooch pin to the back and hey presto!  I'm done!

I'm thinking if she gets bored of the colour scheme at least she's got a pretty brooch.

Speaking of felt and brooches, as I was on a roll I decided to try my hand at a different design.  I'm really happy with the result and love the colour, so think these are going to make it to the present list for everyone!

I made this by cutting nine strips of felt about 2cm in diameter and then looping each strip four times and stitching to keep in place.  Arrange them so they look like a bloom and stitch each set of loops together, once that's done attach an oval of felt to cover all the ends and stitches and to attach a brooch back to it.  I fell in love with this one so much I had to put it on my kermit green raincoat this morning, it certainly brightened up my day!

Apologies no step by step photos, I tend to make things on the spare of the moment but will try harder next time as know I'm going to be making lots of these.