February 05, 2018
I was in the grocery store recently and cruised down the Valentine’s aisle. I was secretly looking for my favorite heart shaped Sweet Heart candies. I didn’t find the candies, but did find some heart shaped mazes and glasses. I thought it would be fun to design some free printable Valentine’s cards for kiddos (or maybe yourself!) to pass out. When designing the cards, I designed with my nine year old self in mind. As a kid, I did NOT like the mushy Valentine’s Day cards. So, these cards are no-mush child approved. I made a two FREE printable valentine’s cards, which you can find below. They’re suitable for both girls and boys. If you download them, I’d LOVE to see them in use. You can use the hashtag #annkelle on social media.
Find the free Valentine’s Day Card below:
Bright Days Area Ahead
Have An Amazing Day
(photos by Kelle)
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posted by kelle at 7:02 am
March 07, 2017
I wear graphic tees allllll the time. Like, everyday. So, my BFF and I decided to customize some tees. We got the iron on letters from Michaels in the classically, cool Cooper Sans font. The t-shirts are from American Apparel. It took about 5 or 10 minutes. Super easy! The hardest part was deciding what to put on the shirt.
(photos by Kelle)
posted by kelle at 8:03 am
January 10, 2017
There’s so many things you can do with fabric panels. You could make quilts, pillows, wall art, tote bags, etc. Today I’m sharing with you how to use the panels to make a toddler sweatshirt. To provide a reference on the sizing, the sweatshirts we used are a 2T. For bigger shirt sizes, you could add more than one animal or the entire animal shape. Jump below for the super easy tutorial.
The sweatshirt applique is so simple. Here’s what we did:
1. Using a piece of Heat-n-Bond Lite cut slightly larger than the animal head, fuse it to the wrong side of the fabric panel centered over the animal head.
2. Cut out the animal head leaving a 1/8″ seam allowance all around it.
3. Remove the paper backing from the Heat-n-Bond Lite and fuse it to the sweatshirt.
4. Using a zig zag stitch with a width of 2.5 and a length of almost 0, stitch over the seam allowance covering the raw edges of the fabric on the animal face.
(photos by Kelle)
posted by kelle at 8:01 am
October 11, 2016
I think my love of costumes originated from my Mom. When I was a child, my Mom would make the BEST costumes for us kids. Using creativity and things around the house, she would always come up with the most unique costumes. And the costumes weren’t just for the kids, my Mom and Aunts (Mom’s sisters) would also wear costumes they made. One year, my Mom and her friends decided to wear costumes based on the Wizard of Oz. My Mom was “Dorothy.” I remember watching her make her ruby red shoes by dousing them in glue and then dunking them in a bowl of red glitter. I thought she was the coolest. One year, she went as Mr. T. Yep, she’s the coolest mom. In honor of her, we decided to make simple, diy costumes based on the kids in my Pumpkin Fun fabrics. These are super easy with loads of cuteness. Find the directions on how we made these below.
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posted by kelle at 8:10 am
May 31, 2016
I scream, you scream, we all scream for THIS ice cream quilt! This is one fun quilt! Once I saw Sylvia Sutters of A Stranger View’s Mod Ice Cream Quilt pattern, I was giddy. It’s the perfect summer quilt . . . reminiscent of childhood trips to the ice cream shop, tasting all the flavors before settling on a new favorite. Using my Remix prints and yummy Kona solids, this quilt is all about playfulness and color. To make one, head here for the pattern. There’s also a pattern for the pillow which you can find here.
We went with simple quilting, which I love.
Scrappy colorful binding is always a win!
(quilt pattern and pillow pattern by A Stranger View /// photos by Kathyrn McCrary )
posted by kelle at 8:05 am
November 03, 2015
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. (And I’m so excited!!!) I’m the baker in my family. I usually bake homemade rolls and cakes from scratch. When I saw my new Remix Wide fabric, I thought it would make a really cute apron. So, I enlisted the help of Veronica at Sew Very.
One of the things that’s really neat about this apron, are the straps. You can adjust the length of the apron by pulling on the straps. You can also make the straps long enough to tie in the front as we did. Find the free tutorial below. Happy Sewing!
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posted by kelle at 7:11 am
July 29, 2015
With “back to school” time upon us, I thought I’d share an easy project you might want to do with your kiddos. Earlier this summer, I met up with my crafty-sewer friend, Amanda, for a day of crafting. We met at Atamlogy in Nashville. (It was nice to get outside of my home studio and craft). The project was reaallllly simple, which is always a good thing. Amanda’s three girls came along and they were able to put together the journals with little assistance. So, I guess it’s a kid-friendly project, too! I printed up a bunch of designs for us to use for the notebooks. I also used spray adhesive to glue fabric to card stock paper (not shown). We used this free tutorial here. Overall, it was fun project. And I’m looking forward to my next craft day! Happy crafting!
posted by kelle at 9:07 am
June 03, 2015
My Princess Life fabric collection is in stores now! It’s been great seeing some of the things being made with them. To go along with all your awesome princess sewing projects, here’s a roundup of some of my favorite DIY Crowns. Perfect for birthdays or just because.
A crown made out of pipe cleaners? Very creative.
These are so cute! I’d totally wear one! Find the tutorial here.
Design Love Fest put together several different types of birthday crowns. See all of them here.
(Top photo: DIY Felt Birthday Crown)
posted by kelle at 7:06 am
February 09, 2015
Valentines Day is this Saturday. When most people think of this day, they think of romantic love. But, I see Valentines day as a day to spread love. So, whether you have a significant other or not, here are some ways you can spread the love on Valentines day.
1. Make goodie bags full to treats. You can make several goodie bags filled with candy, fruit or fun trinkets. (You could also sew some little bags. See these I made a couple years ago.) Give the bags to random people, colleagues or even people that work at places you visit often (i.e grocery store, coffee shop, mall etc). We did this two years ago and it was a lot of fun! People were totally surprised and seemed to really enjoy the bags.
2. Bake cookies or sweets. Pull out your favorite cookie recipe. After you bake your tasty sweets and decorate them (we baked heart shaped cookies), give them to your neighbor, friends, co-workers, etc..
If you’re not a great baker, you can also purchase pre-made sweets to pass out.
3. Give a bag full of hearts. As an alternative to a bag full of sugary-sweets, you can always fill a bag with heart themed or valentines day items. If you’re feeling crafty, you could make a heart brooch, heart clutch, or even heart pencil toppers .
4. Provide a service. Whether it’s your neighbor, friend, grandparent, new mom, etc., everyone needs a helping hand. Whether it’s raking their leaves, putting out their garbage bin, or bringing them a meal, gifts of service are always a win, win!
5. Pay for someone’s coffee. It is always fun when you’re in the Starbuck’s line, and you go to pay for your coffee and are told that its already been paid.
6. Send Something. You can send flowers, pizza or send both. It will totally be unexpected and a treat for sure!
7. Make Something. Making something can be really fun, but you probably need to start now. Here’s a couple of sewing project ideas: heart pillows, monogram pillow, head band.
8. Be Kind. If you really want to celebrate this day to the fullest, then just be kind to everyone you meet. Pay someone an honest compliment, smile at a stranger, let a person go in front of you at the register or just encourage someone. Kindness is golden!
(top photo found here ; all other photos by kelle)
posted by kelle at 7:02 am
December 20, 2014
I made these holiday paper links a couple of weeks ago. They’re a super easy DIY project and perfect for kids. I remember making these when I was a child to count down to Christmas day. You can hang them on your tree, mantle or even drape them on a headboard. I added solid and glittered scrapbook paper to the papers I designed. You can find the patterned paper here. Enjoy!
(photos by Kelle)
posted by kelle at 6:12 pm
December 08, 2014
Here’s a fun little game to help you build your concentration skills. When we played this as kids they called it “The Memory Game” or “Matching Game.” We often played it with cards. This is our take on that same fun little game but we’re using fabric. We took some of our favorite remix pieces and cut them into little hexagon shapes. Download the tutorial here. (By the way, after playing the game, we realized that there is a little room to cheat, because you can see some of the colors on the side. So, you may want to make several of the same color pieces.) Anyway, it still made for a fun time!
(photos by Kelle)
posted by kelle at 7:12 am
December 04, 2014
The holidays are fast upon us, which means time with family and friends. What better way to pass time, catch up on how everyone has been doing, and make new memories than over a game of checkers. So, here is a fun tutorial that promises to help create opportunities to bond with family and friends. Whether you’re bonding by making this super cute checkerboard, or you’re bonding by playing on this super cute checker board, it promises to be loads of fun!
One of my favorite things about this tutorial are the heart checker pieces. They’re so so cute! Oh, and there are no losers when you’re playing on a board this cute!
If you have little ones around that can’t sew, you may wanna get them involved by allowing them to pick out fabrics and/or cutting out the heart felt checker pieces. Download this tutorial here.
(photos by Kelle)
posted by kelle at 11:12 am
November 13, 2014
Making pom poms is one of my favorite crafts. They’re easy to make and are so cute. I found this easy pom-pom napkin ring tutorial by Art Bar a while ago. (It was put on my “craft to do” list). I incorporated it into my recent Thanksgiving placemat tutorial post. (We also sewed up our own napkins out of some Kona solids). The tutorial was super easy and fun! Find the tutorial here.
(photos by Kelle)
posted by kelle at 7:11 am
July 22, 2014
One of the things I was most excited about with my new Urban Zoologie panels, was that you’d be able to make softies. I had a couple made . . . okay, more than a couple, to give you an idea. This is a pretty easy tutorial. But, to see if this would be a kid-friendly sewing project, I gave a panel to eleven year old, Abby (daughter of The Southern Institute). She was able to sew a few softies (not pictured) without even using the tutorial! Abby’s main tip: Make sure you give yourself plenty of room around the animal, especially around skinny areas, such as the legs or tails. Otherwise, it can be hard to stuff. Great advice! Find the free tutorial here. They make really great gifts for kids. I babysat for friends a couple weeks ago. And let me tell you, the baby just stared and stared . . . and then of course, put it in his mouth.
(photos by Kelle)
posted by kelle at 8:07 am
April 02, 2014
I’m pretty excited about this tutorial . . . you know how I adore bows. Well, my sewer friend, Laurie, is back again with a free tutorial that includes a big pretty bow! She came up with this sweet bow pillow and was kind enough to turn it into a tutorial, which you can find here.
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posted by kelle at 6:04 am
March 31, 2014
I rounded up some adorable bunny crafts for you to try with your little one. All of them are quick, easy and super cute! I also created a “easter crafts” board which you can find these, as well as tons of other crafts.
1. diy paper easter bunny treat pouches by The Sweetest Occassion
2. bunny plate by Ishtar Olivera
3. diy bunny mask by Petit a Petite & Family
4. diy mitty wall art by Shop Sweet Things
5. bunny basket diy by Mer Mag
6. diy bunny shoes by Jewelry & Stuff
posted by kelle at 6:03 am
July 03, 2013
When I’m traveling my curling iron is always the last thing to pack. It’s usually still hot, so figuring out how to carry it is always a bit tricky. I came up with the idea to have a heat protectant holder for my curling irons. I carried a holder on my last trip and it worked perfectly. Brooke was kind enough to write-up a tutorial for you, which you can find here.
(photos by Kelle)
posted by kelle at 4:07 pm
June 10, 2013
Looking for a simple baby shower gift to sew up? How about some baby bibs. For these bibs,
Brooke used my Slicker fabric (laminated cotton) for the front and chenille for the back. It’s so soft and comfy with the chenille on the back. The Slicker fabric makes for easy clean-up. To make your own bib, below are some tutorials for you to check out. We used
Heather’s Bailey’s tutorial for the smaller bibs and drew out a larger bib template for the toddler size. See below for Brooke’s additional tips. It was super easy and took less than 45 minutes.
Brooke’s tips: I cut
the pattern out of just the laminate. Then lay the laminate bib piece, right sides together over a larger piece of chenille. Then using my walking foot, sew 1/4 inch seam, leaving an opening. Then I cut both the chenille and laminate to reduce bulk and make turning right side out easier. When top-stitching the bibs, I used a Teflon foot. After the bib is finished, I tossed them in a warm water wash and then into the dryer.
Free Bib Tutorials:
featured prints: urban zoologie “owls” slicker / urban zoologie “cows” slicker / urban zoologie “birdies” slicker / urban zoologie “pigs” slicker / girl friends “mermaid” slicker
(photos by Kelle)
posted by kelle at 3:06 pm
June 03, 2013
We all need a little sweet hug every now and then. I worked with Amanda to create this super easy Cloud Pillow tutorial, which you can find here. Hug them, hang them on the wall, or give them as a gift. They’d make a sweet baby shower gift. Not all clouds are dark and dreary.
Fabrics used:
– Remix “sky” dots
– Remix “sping” dots
– Remix “peony” dots
– Kona cotton solids
(first and fourth photo by Angela Crutcher / all other photos by Kelle)
posted by kelle at 3:06 pm
May 15, 2013
Flying kites was always a treat for me when I was a kid. It was always a sweet surprise when my parents took my sister and I kite flying. I remember going to an open field and getting so very excited when my kite was finally in the air. Based on these childhood memories, I came up with the idea to design a wall kite made with my fabrics. This wall kite is not only pretty to look at, but also has pockets for storage. Perfect for storing little accessories. Amanda Hall was sweet enough to write a pattern, which you can find here. A complete list of the fabrics used in this kite are listed below.
Fabrics used in wall kite:
– robert kaufman kona solids
– remix “spring” flowers
– remix “spring” dots
– urban zoologie “spring” birdies
– remix “spring” stripes
– urban zoologie “spring” butterflies
(photos by Angela Crutcher Photography)
posted by kelle at 12:05 pm
December 04, 2012
I’ve got a tutorial to share with you from Designlovefest. Their team put together a tasseled pillow cover tutorial that I couldn’t wait to try with my new Remix fabric! (They come up with some pretty fun tutorials). I followed the tutorial pretty closely, although I didn’t use yarn for the tassels. To make your own happy pillows, find the tutorial here.
(photos by Kelle)
posted by kelle at 11:12 am
November 28, 2012
Anna from The Joy Cottage is here sharing another awesome sewing tutorial. This little super hero cape is sure to put a smile on your little one’s face. Get your free tutorial here.
(photos by The Joy Cottage)
posted by kelle at 9:11 am
October 23, 2012
My sewing buddy Kelly made this adorable shower curtain for her boy’s bathroom using some of my Urban Zoologie Slicker fabric, along with coordinating cottons fabrics (Remix and Kona solids). Fun + bright. Find the free tutorial here.
(photos by Kelly)
posted by kelle at 9:10 am
October 16, 2012
It’s no secret that I’m wild about stripes. Not only will you find them in many of my designs on both stationery and fabric, but they’re also on my wall! My washi tape wall is one of the many house projects I’ve worked on since moving.
There was no method or plan to washi-ing my wall. I just got a chair, grabbed some tape and got to work. I didn’t measure anything or sketch out the color scheme for the stripes. Whatever color I reached for, was what I put up next. It felt a lot like designing. Some of the stripes came out uneven, which I’m fine with. Washi tape is so forgiving. I was able to pull it off and on as many times as needed. The only tape I had problems with was the yellow striped tape, which I ended up using rubber cement to secure it to the wall.
It’s been a little over a month, the tape hasn’t fallen off and I still haven’t grown tired on the stripes. They’re the perfect punch of color and happiness!
(photos by Kelle)
posted by kelle at 9:10 am
