Flannel Infinity Scarf tutorial

Flannel Infinity Scarf - tutorial DIY

Sorry for the long delay between posts.  October was insane and I felt the month of November was spent digging out.  So now with Christmas on the horizon, I thought I would share how to make these super easy scarves.  I think they are affordable and simple and would make a great gift!  So here I go....
I posted the link on my previous post to the tutorial I used.  I have decided to do it again, because when searching things on Pintrest, I would go to the site of something I like, only to redirect me to another site.  So I am trying to simplify for you.  If you'd like to see the origin of this tutorial go here.

First head over to your favorite fabric store and pick out your favorite flannel.  You will need 1.75 yards.  I have found most are 42inches wide.  IF you get two yards there are some fun things you can do with that extra .25yard.

When you get home find a big space (just to make life easier) and lay out your fabric. 

You are going to be cutting right down the middle on the short side of fabric yielding two long (1.75 yards to be exact) strips of fabric.  I simply folded in half the on the short side and used my pinking shears to cut.

Folded in half the long way

Cut in half

This brings me to how to handle fraying.  Flannel frays!  So, I read that pinking shears will work if you don't have a serger.  I am not a fabric expert and rely on the advice of others.  I did on some scarves try a zigzag stitch.  So either cut around the whole perimeter with pinking shears or use a zigzag stitch or serger.

Once you have your fabric ready fold one strip in half, on the short side, right sides facing each other (mine didn't really have a right side, they both were the same).  Now you can pin if you want but I just used my hand to guide.  On the long edge you are going to sew almost the whole length of the fabric, but leaving 2 inches open at the top and bottom.  I always use about 1/2 inch seam allowance.  I try 1/4" and always am more comfortable with 1/2" (I don't know why).

Sewing down the long edge...

Leaving two inches at top and bottom!

  Turn the fabric right-side out.  (I missed this step my first time).  I found putting my arm inside the tube and grabbing the opposite end and then pulling it up through worked well. 

Reach arm into tube and grab the end

Pull it through to the right side.

 This is what it looks like when pulled out, showing the two inches at the end...

Right side, with two inches not done on either end.

Once you have straightened out the fabric and get it laying flat, fold in half the long way.  So now the ends of the scarf are matched up. 

The short ends matched up.  Fabric folded the long way.

This is where it gets hard to describe.  You will grab the two middle pieces, pushing the other pieces away, and start to sew.

Grab the middle pieces of fabric

Sewing only the two middle pieces at this point....make sure to push the top and bottom fabric out of the way!

You will continue around (the very end will be hard), marrying up the fabric as you go. 

Sewing along, pulling the fabric together as you go

Eventually you will be swing the top and bottom piece.  Just trust me.

After  you have completed joining the seams.

Another view..

  Once you have connected the ends of the scarf together you are ready to close!

Pulling the joined edges into tube.

You are going to push in the sewn ends inside the big tube.

After pulling the ends in.  Now to close that hole.

I pull the seam tight and push the fabric down, then I pin it closed.  This is because I use a machine to close and I can get closer to the edge (just my technique).  You can use an invisible stitch and do by hand...but no one will really see it so I say make life easy and use your machine.

I put a pin right at the hole opening so I stitch a little before

I am stitching super close to the edge...red means stop.

 Cut all the lose strings and you are DONE!!

Even works well for big kids! 





















Feel free to share with me your scarves and if you have any questions!
Thanks for stopping by!

So unassuming at first but goes with a lot!

Looks amazing with my orange coat and SO fall!

Family Pictures...wanted this, so I made that.

In preparation for family pictures, I look for coordinating clothing.  Recently I was accused of being "one of those".  Who puts thought and effort into photos that will hang on my wall for years to come??  Thanks?!?!  I will take it as a compliment that I have attention to detail and not as a criticism.   Now, I don't necessarily want everyone matching.  In fact now, I would like no one to wear the same outfit (as you will see that wasn't possible).  So I start "shopping" in my kids closets and also search Pintrest for different color schemes.  After searching Pintrest, I knew what colors I wanted...Navy, gray and a splash of yellow.   Yellow was going to be hard, very hard.   I also didn't want to buy a new outfit for everyone (hence shopping in their closets).  So after many texts back and forth between my good friend (who I mentioned before in previous post...I should just out her) I had the outfits for the kids.  Now for my clothes.  Cream sweater with jeans and boots.  It goes, but I wanted to tie in.

Now remember my original color scheme...well green had found a way into the mix (thanks to Brady's shirt).  So my girlfriend searched another site for mainly hand made items for purchase, and found this scarf...

 

 NOW we are talking!!!  I LOVED it...however wasn't fond of the price tag.  Since my sewing machine is out from making the ruffle curtains (I am SO loving having a basement!!!) the hunt began for the fabric.  I searched JoAnne's online.  I didn't see it, however they had many plaids (or Tartans) so when the bigs got home from school I could NOT wait and loaded them to search.  I HAD to know.
When I say crafting is like an itch I need to scratch....it is!!  I also just got done being affected by the poison oak plant...so I know real itching...and I just need to scratch (please don't...it is so bad and can lead to infection...PSA over).
So at first pass I can't find it.  Bummer.  I walk around and around..finding flannel in multiple locations...then I spot it....insert angles singing!  I proudly gather my fabric and go to the cut out station.  Having not really researched a tutorial yet, I guess at the yardage.  I got 2 yards...fingers crossed!!
We get home and I can hardly wait, but the kids are hungry so dinner is done and then the start of bath time...so finally I get to start researching the exact tutorial I wanted.  I looked at a few but this by far appeared to be the easiest and quickest (to me)...HERE.  So I jumped in and after being a bit too rash, I had two scarves made one for me and one for my dear friend helping me.  Plus I had some scrap left over.
Here is it is!!  Super happy (don't mind the non matching shirt..)

After making the scarf and putting with my outfit I think I am done...no, not quite.  Juliet's dress is too summery and then I find this amazing yellow skirt in corduroy on clearance at Target...in her size!  So I bought it...I HAD to.  Now I am happy.  I also decide to use the scrap to make a sash for Viv's denim dress, to tie her in.  So days before the photos I make the sash, only to find out that Viv says her dress is too small....ugh...off to Old Navy to get a new one (at least I can hand it down...right?).  Ok...NOW I am happy...? Then I start putting everyone's clothes together and Jillian's shirt adds too much pattern to the new skirt paired with a polka dot sweater...AGHHH!  Insert matching dress to Viv...we had one already.  So I have two girls in matching denim dresses and only enough fabric for one sash...
To make a long story short (as you can see I am long winded) I decided after a painful decision (because I knew it would be a pain!) to add the fabric to the cuff of each girl's dress...don't ask..ok if you really want to know comment below and then I will post how I did it.  When I get the photos from the shoot I will post how it looked here..it is super cute!  The girls loved it!  The best part...I had extra fabric to tie Juliet in with all us girls...
I started researching rosette's with fabric and ribbon..I quickly twisted and turned and made a rosette...now hopefully when I get the glue gun I can do the same.  So out came the glue gun and I started over and this is what I  got. 

 I still had some fabric left over and I played until I created a bow...again if you post you want a tutorial I will be happy to post!

The morning of the photos I ran to Target to get headbands and attached them with some felt from another project (no one will miss it..right?!?!)

Voila coordinating headbands!  NOW I am happy....which is good because I had to leave in a couple of hours and had three girls hair to do and my own!!

So from two yards of fabric I made two scarves, four sleeve inserts, and two head bands.  Did I mention I had a coupon!?!?  I think it totaled about $14.  I can't wait to share the pictures with you.  I saw a preview and love them!!!

Remember comment here or on the FB page if you want to know more information about the sleeve inserts or the headbands.
Meanwhile, go get some flannel and make yourself a scarf!! The other can be a gift...maybe for a teacher or family...it's that time of year.  Nine more weekends before Christmas....


*******Update*******
So as promised here are a few photos from our photo shoot.  A huge shout out to Megan at A Beautiful Moment.  She is located in southern CA but I am hoping she comes east soon.  Her website is here.
Now for the photos.  I just picked quickly from the thumbnails...so I am holding on to some special ones for Christmas surprises...so sorry I can't share all of them (or my most favorites..) 

 Maybe a better view of the cuff??

Can you see the cuff embellishment?

May we always continue to keep having fun.....

Labor of love....?

I didn't realize that when we moved here, that I was afraid to really dig into decorating the girls rooms because the fear of us moving after only 2 years.  So other projects were put ahead of the fun stuff..painting, hanging pictures, moving furniture (which we actually have done a lot of switching of kids rooms...a topic for another day).  Toward the end of summer I started to tackle painting rooms.
An old friend had moved into the area and I was inspired to actually put this house in MY order.  So I tended to steal some of her ideas.  She sent me a picture of her sweet babies room and I just loved it.  Painting was the easy part...a can of paint is rather inexpensive.  I chose Benjamin Moore's Owl Gray (bc my friend did...and it looked great).  So I drove to the local shop, so I could take it to Home Depot to have them color match.  When I handed him the card, the clerk told me I didn't need the card, that they had the colors on file.  I don't know if that is true for all Home Depots, but I was excited about this because the closest Benjamin Moore isn't close...
But the curtains....

Those babies were from Pottery Barn Kids and I needed four panels.  No way with preschool, three kids in expensive activities could I fathom paying for four panels (remember I am a real mom with a real budget).   Then I remembered something I had pinned on Pintrest a while back.  Now to go find it.  It was Anthropology inspired ruffle curtains...I found it  HERE  PERFECT!!!  Her tutorial is pretty good so I really wont go do a tutorial but give you some advice I found.
First of all, she used a queen sheet cut in half to make the curtains and then three twin flat sheets for the ruffles.  I found something cheaper.  I went to Ikea (I am lucky to have one close) and bought two sets of their curtains, Vivan and 6 (I need to make four panels) twin flat sheets, Knoppa.  This brought the budget WAY down!  These total were $43.92 (plus tax).  Way better!!!  However this room faces the front of the house and gets the most sun.  So for privacy reasons and to decrease heat I decided to add a liner.  I opted to not get the full black out (because they didn't have enough in stock and I am inpatient) because they were almost to heavy for such light weight curtains.  I ended up going with something lighter..I believe it was called suede.  It was back by all the blackout liners.  It was on sale and I had a coupon...but it was still over $30.  I got 9 yards because I was cheap and had to do some joining of panels.
The first panel took the longest.  I cut the curtain to the size of half a queen sheet (so I could follow the tutorial).  If you aren't going to line the curtain you can leave one of the finished edges in tact.  I left the top until the very end, so I had enough length.
I followed the directions to make the ruffles from the tutorial.  This is definitely not a quick task...especially when making 40 ruffles (I had 10 per panel which is different from the tutorial).  I did the first two panels first and then many weeks later (because of traveling) I did the other two.  So I would make a goal, like hem 10 ruffles or as many as I could in an hour.  This is very time consuming project!!!  So take the pressure off, give yourself plenty of time and just bang it out an hour at a time.
To ruffle each strip I found it the easiest (of course at the end) to fold each strip of fabric in half and hang on to both sides of the bottom string and ruffle both sides toward the center (or to the bottom since they are folded in half).
Since I was making so many I measure where I attached each ruffle and did the same for all the other four.  If a ruffle was way off I just laid the panel I was working on, next to the completed panel and adjusted the height, so that the bottoms matched.
Attaching the liner is just like any other liner.  I have made curtains before so I just kinda winged it.  I am sure you can find a tutorial out there!
For the top...so for my last ruffle, I folded the fabric that was left (the top of the curtain down over all the ruffles and stitched just below where I attached the last ruffle.  The I folded it up...then attached my liner. After cutting off the top part of the original curtain, it was too long and I didn't need it.  I made a pocket rod with the liner and the curtain.  And done!

Don't mind the space around the windows.  I have been waiting for the hubby to put up the molding we removed before I painted.

Labor of love.....more like very, VERY frugal.  Now my eldest wants these....sigh.

I wrote this post while the kids were running around so if you have questions, please ask!

I hope you enjoyed the first post...my I wanted this, so I made that!

I am back....

Hello all! 
I have decided to return to my blogging...
The past two years have been incredibly busy for my family.  The list includes deployment, another baby, a move across the country and starting my own business.
Stay tuned for a new post in the next few days...

My Ruffle Wreath

I started my adventure on needing a new wreath for my door and finding inspiration on Pinterest.  I was bogged down with having to change my wreath for each season or Holiday (but I will not be giving up my Christmas wreath...it's just my idea of the season).  There are many reasons that I came to this conclusion.  One, we move a lot and never know how much storage we have and  two,I am also trying to simplify.
So, one day while on Pinterest, I somehow came upon this wreath.  Well actually, it wasn't the wreath that was pinned, just embellishments.  It was pure genius.  One wreath with different clips (home made hair clips to be exact) for each season.

Now I could store those (or take them from my kids).
So luckily for me there was a link on the page to her tutorial on how she made her wreath.  So I set off to the store to get my wreath and fabric.
So I followed the tutorial and this is what was starting to come together.

I referred back to her original image.  Her tutorial was on a NEW wreath she was creating, not the original.  It was different.  Things were NOT matching up to the original.  So I set it aside for a good week.
After looking at the original wreath and mine, I noticed what was wrong (and I have just realized something new..but it may leave it).  The outside ruffle was laying flat.  She also had the raw edge standing up, perpendicular to the wreath, not parallel.  SO, I took off the outside edge and started over.  I also, had done a little on the inside and thought about making it match the outside ring.
So after undoing and redoing the wreath this is what I came up with..

Now for embellishments.  Currently we are heading into St. Patricks day.  Seeing that my husband is half Irish...we really enjoy showing our (uh hmm...the girls) Irish pride.  So I found these cute felt cloverleafs.

(please note that for my larger clover I used a 1.5 inch heart..it would help if I would go back and read directions before I start a craft)

I set off to get my supplies.
While shopping I found a few other things that I started to think about adding to the wreath. So I have a few questions for all of you reading this...
Do you think I need to do a tutorial?

and

Done?

Done?

Done?

Getting the kids to keep their room clean..no screaming needed (by me that is)

After talking with a few moms about ways to keep our kids room clean I share what has been working for me for quite awhile now.  The feed back I get is, "That's a great idea!".  So I thought I would share it with you.

First let me give you just a little back story..so while the hubby was deployed (I KNOW, it seems to be a running theme) we like to count by weekends. I find the great number of days is overwhelming and somehow doesn't seem quite as bad looking at only the weekends.  Also, the weekends are when his absence was noticed the most, so I tried to make it something fun to look forward to and celebrate, not something to merely count down and be sad that dad is away.
One thing we started was breakfast for dinner.  That is something we just don't do when dad is home.  So we would have omelets, hash browns, cereal or toast (and the cereal was our weekend cereal..the junk cereal!).  The kids loved it and it was one way we got to have fun and do all the things we can't do while dad was away.  So instead of being sad that we have 90 days to go until dad gets home, we say we have only 12 more weekends to have breakfast for dinner.
The other thing we started is Friday Night Movie Night..with pizza!  The girls loved it and it was easy for me to just throw in a frozen pizza and be done after a crazy week.
After the hubby came home Movie Night continued (breakfast for dinner did not) and then after a rough day with the kids my husband said..."The kids don't earn anything they receive".  Now the girls had their things to do, empty the dishwasher, put away any laundry I asked them to, make their beds in the morning and was TRYING to get them to keep their rooms clean, but some days I got a lot of push back.  The bed making had become habit, but the clothes on the floor, stuff not in there homes hadn't yet, but I KNEW they could become habits and this is when my idea was born.
I decided to make movie tickets for the kids to earn and then turn in on Friday in order to watch the movie, to do something fun with the family.  My criteria was it needed to be simple to start, simple to continue and easy for them to see.  I always have these grandiose ideas that become impossible to keep up with due to the demands of raising a young family.
So first I needed to decide how much each ticket was worth.  I decided on 15 minutes per ticket because if you multiply that by 7 days you get 105 minutes.  Most old school Disney movies are 75 minutes ("Sleeping Beauty") and some new ones like "Toy Story 2" are 92 minutes..but others like "The Incredibles" and "Cars" are 115 minutes. I don't get too picky on the time...as long as they earned ALL their movie tickets, but if they didn't earn one..depending on the movie, they don't get to watch the whole thing.  So even if they had one day where they didn't earn a ticket they could still watch a whole move, IF they pick the right movie.

Now ticket design.  I decided I would make them and mount them on their door.  I had thought about making a container to keep them in or hand them out, but that would end up being too hard for me to keep up with on a daily basis, you use them how you want.  So on one side of the ticket would have the picture and the time value and on the back would have the day of the week.  I would hang up the ticket with the day of the week showing, and as I walked by their room, after they left, I would go in and flip it over if it was acceptable.  If it wasn't, I didn't flip it over, and they could see that they didn't earn a ticket that day and hopefully, get their act together.  Most of the time I tell them, that it wasn't acceptable and tell them what I found wrong.  I am starting to do this less and less for Jillian...she's old enough and she knows what is expected (I asked her...she does).  If you look at the picture above you can see that Wednesday didn't get turned around...she didn't earn her 15 minutes that day but turned it around on Thursday.
So I went to google and did a search here for a ticket.  Once I found the image I wanted I clicked on it to make it large (each picture was different so I cant tell you exactly how to do it) but once I had the large image I right clicked and saved it. Then go to word and open up a new file. I selected two columns. Next I went up to insert and selected picture from a file.  Then find where you saved your ticket and keep doing this changing the shape as you go if needed.  Play with it.  After you have all your movie tickets on the page, I then inserted a text box, on to each ticket, where I added "15 minutes"(or how many minutes you want). (Sorry no pictures)
After you have your tickets how you want them, print them and cut them (I used zig zag scissors on the short end).  Now, to find the time to go to a copier store to get them laminated.  You don't have to, you could print them on card stock, but when cutting out, leave room to punch a hole (if you are going to hang like mine).  So if you are having them laminated, have the copy store leave room between the tickets so that you can cut them out leaving a small margin around them and a one short end long enough to hole punch through it.
So after shopping..I mean waiting for an hour, I took home my laminated tickets and cut them out.  I used a straight cut for the long sides and then I used my zig zag scissors on the short ends (again, leave one side a lot longer for the hole punch).

After cutting out the tickets I hole punched them and then found some of my small 3M hooks (I love them..I have used the heavy duty ones to hold a curtain rod in one of houses that had flat walls..no nail holes!) and just quickly put them up on the outside closet door.  My kids doors slide over one another so make sure it is the one on the outside (I have made that mistake before...just wasn't thinking!)  I tried my best to make it straight, but I really didn't want to pull out the level..I just wanted to get it started..it was Saturday..day one of keeping the room clean.
Before I hung the tickets on the wall (now you could do this before laminating..I will tell you why I didn't) I wrote on the back of each ticket a day of the week.  The reason I left it until after is because I may change it for something else, once this skill is ingrained in the kids and I know how to remove permanent marker from dry erase boards and laminated surfaces...want to know my trick?  Go here.  Shhh...don't tell the kids!

Once you have this in place, you deem what is a clean room.  You can make it age specific.  For a three year old, have them just pull the sheets up and the comforter and make sure all their luvies are on the bed.  As they start having success with each task, you can slowly start adding more.  Remember that all kids are different.  My five year old keeps her room cleaner than my 8 year old.  Some of it has to do with amount of stuff (like a desk to keep neat) but some of it, I feel, is a result of early training.  I started training (age appropriate) Jenevieve at the same time as her older sister, Jillian.  As we have gone along I have added some new requisites.  It has spread to their drawers.
I feel like I am teaching some life lessons that are better learned early.  I think it is important that kids learn that I am not going to follow them around and pick up after them forever.  Cleaning and organizing are skills that are learned.  Some people are just that way...and many are not.
I have to tell you that this system has really taken the pressure off (more recently because I stepped back and stopped cleaning their room if it wasn't clean, so therefore they do it while we watch the movie).  Jillian, had only earned two movie tickets (and that was by my grace).  So I warned her on Sunday that her room was not acceptable and I would no longer mention it.  So each day I would go in, and not be able to turn over a movie ticket.  At the end of the week (by Thursday she got it when she saw all the white tickets hanging on her door and cleaned her room) she had 45 minutes.  The expectation had been made but it was HER choice not to meet it.  I was expecting lots of crying and screaming when the timer went off, but she didn't.  She knew that she didn't earn it and I had warned her before the movie started.  Now, I can't say it is always like that, but if you stick to your guns, your kids will clean their room, you will enjoy a movie together as a family and your kids will a learn a skill that will last the rest of their lives.