You're Sweet, Valentine! Free Printable

If you are like me and tend to wait until the last minute to put together Valentine's this free bag topper printable may help! 

I found these darling Japanese ice cream puzzle erasers at my local party store (you can find them online too) and knew it would be the perfect way to give LM's Kindergarten class a fun 'treat' without being a treat at all! Since they pull apart and put back together like puzzles my girls have been playing with them almost non-stop, so I think they will be a hit with the younger age group. 

I like to give candy-free Valentine's, but with this printable you can fill the bag up with any little 'sweet' thing you can think of so it's totally versatile. It is the perfect size for 3"x4" treat bags which are big enough to hold 1-3 little treats. Just print the toppers on cardstock or other heavy paper, cut them out, have your little one fill up the bags and write their name after the xoxo, then help them staple on the bag toppers. Super easy!

You can download/print the bag toppers 9 to a page here. For personal use only, please.

Have a sweet Valentine's Day!

scallop yoke tutorial (with a bonus!)

Hello! I am bringing home this tutorial I did for Skirt as Top for the Vintage May series... Hope you enjoy (possibly again)!

Hello! Today I am going to show you how to alter a dress pattern to add a sweet vintage-inspired scalloped yoke. First, of course, you will need to choose a pattern - I chose a simple vintage sleeveless jumper for mine.

Find the dress front pattern piece. We are going to use it to make our yoke pattern pieces. Using paper you can trace with (I used freezer paper), trace the outline of the top shoulder to about 2" past the sleeve opening, then draw a straight line across the bottom. Trace all of the seam allowances and add other important information such as the center fold as well.

 Cut out your new yoke pattern piece and it should look similar to this:

Next, we are going to make a yoke facing pattern piece. Lay your tracing paper on top of the yoke pattern piece you just made, and trace around the bottom going 4" up the sides. Draw a straight line across the top. Remember to transfer over any important information on this piece as well.

Now you should have yoke and yoke facing pattern pieces that look similar to this:

Now, we will add the scallops to the yoke facing piece. Starting on the side with the center fold, measure 1 1/2" up from the bottom and draw a large dot. Then measure 3" over and add another dot, and again a dot 3" over one more time (these measurements may be adjusted depending on how many/what size you want your scallops to be, these measurements worked perfectly for a size 4 pattern).

Next, draw the scallops connecting them at the top with the dots and making sure to leave yourself a seam allowance at the bottom (in other words, do not go all the way down to the bottom edge of the pattern). Now the yoke facing piece is complete.

The last pattern piece we need to make is the bottom part of the dress front piece, or the skirt. To do this place the yoke facing piece on top of the original dress front pattern piece. Using the tracing paper trace around the top of the yoke facing piece, then trace around the rest of the pattern down to the hemline without making any additional changes. Essentially, you just want to chop off the top. 

Congratulations, you now have three separate pattern pieces where you originally had one! A yoke piece, a yoke facing piece, and a (decapitated) dress front piece.

Cut out your fabric pieces now. On the yoke facing piece you may want to add thread markers on the large dots as I did in red thread, but this is optional. Open it up, and using your choice of fabric marker draw the scallops on the WRONG side of the fabric all the way across.

Then pin the yoke facing piece to the yoke piece RIGHT sides together.

Sew along the scallop markings.

Trim the seam and clip curves.

Then turn the yoke facing right-side out. A little trick to get smooth curves is to poke a crochet hook or something similar in the scallops and push out along the edges. Iron flat.

Next, open up the yoke piece and pin the yoke facing to the dress front piece RIGHT sides together.

Sew along the top edge.

And, you're done! Okay, maybe not entirely done, but your new dress front piece with a darling scalloped yoke is done. Continue to sew your dress per your patterns instructions.

And, here is my finished dress! I embellished mine with fabric buttons on the scallops as well as two pleated pockets.

And, I think she likes it!

BONUS!!! Use these same instructions to make a jagged yoke dress!

Using the same measurements (1.5" up, 3" over), simply draw a jagged line on the yoke facing piece instead of scallops:

Have fun!

(back) to school Backpack Tutorial

I was having a hard time finding a backpack that both the Little Miss and I liked for her to take to preschool this year, so I decided to try my hand at making one and ended up with a backpack we both LOVE! It makes me happy that I sent her off to school for the first time with something I put so much love and effort into, almost like a part of me went with her. This is her 'to school' backpack since she has never been before, but it could be your child's 'back to school' backpack - find out how to make your own using the tutorial below!

Supplies Needed: 

1. Mix and match fabric (see pattern piece sizes and cut amounts below)

2. Thread to match

3. 1 1/2 yards bias tape

4. About 2 yards 1" wide polyester straps (length depends on how long you want the straps and handle)

5. A pair of magnetic snaps

6. Four 1" metal D-rings.

Notes on what materials I used: I used duck cloth for the main body of my bag (the oatmeal and yellow fabric), if you choose to use a lighter-weight fabric you may want to add interfacing - even mine would have benefited from it although it's fine. The geometric fabric I used on the flap is a vintage scrap I had on hand. Since it was a little bit see-through I backed it with a piece of duck cloth, otherwise you would have been able to see the magnetic snap backing through it. The bias tape is faux-leather. I bought all of the supplies (other than the geometric fabric) at Joann Fabrics.

1. Cut out pattern pieces in the fabric(s) of your choice.

- Cut four 13"x16" pieces. They will be the main body of the backpack, two for the outside and two for the lining. On my backpack they are the oatmeal-colored fabric.
- Cut three 13"x9" pieces. One of them will be the front pocket, on my backpack it is in yellow, and the other two will be the front and back of the flap, on my backpack they are in geometric print and yellow.
- Cut two 4"x5" pieces. These are the loops on either side to hold the D-rings. On my backpack they are in yellow.
- Cut one 9"x6 1/2" piece, or simply fold the 13"x9" piece in half. This is the inside pocket, and the size may be altered depending on how big or small you would like the pocket. On my backpack it is in yellow on the inside.

2. Sew bias along top of outer pocket piece. Baste sides and bottom to right-side of outer front piece.

3. Take the loop pieces and fold them in half to form a crease down the middle, open it up then fold each side to the middle crease, then fold entire piece in half so only the ends are raw edges. Top stitch around all four sides. Put two metal D-rings on each loop and baste ends together. Baste finished loops to front piece on top of the front pocket facing in as pictured, 4 inches up from the bottom.

4. Using a protractor, round the bottom edges of the two flap pieces 2" up and over.

5. Baste front and back flap pieces wrong-sides together, leaving the top open. Sew bias around sides and bottom.

6. Following the directions on the back of the magnetic snap packaging, insert the top half (or 'male' portion) where you would like them inside the flap, making sure they are on the bottom, or underside of the flap. Baste the top of the flap closed.

7. Baste handle and straps to the top of the right-side of the outer back piece. (Note: after I took these pictures I decided to move my straps in more as you may notice on the finished bag).

8. Using a 1/2" seam allowance, sew flap across the top of the outer back piece, right-sides together. Press seam up.

9. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, sew outer front and outer back pieces right-sides together around sides and bottom. Place the straps in the middle to avoid sewing them into the seams. Also make sure not to sew up onto the flap at the top of both sides - the front piece will be longer than the back piece at the top (see pictures), so you will be left with a little flap on front. Back-stitch when you go over the loops and bias of the front pocket to make them more secure. Flip bag right-side out and press all seams.
(Note: I changed my seam allowance to 1/4" after these pictures were taken in order to widen the bag, the pictures show a 1/2" seam allowance).

10. Add the bottom half (or 'female') portion of the magnetic snaps on the outer front piece where they need to be in order to match up with the top.

11. Add bias along the top of inside pocket. Iron the sides and bottom under. You can use a fabric pen and ruler to add lines for pockets, pencil slots, etc. as wanted. Sew onto right-side of back lining piece, back-stitching at the top of each line.

12. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, sew front and back lining pieces right-sides together. Turn right-side out, press seams.

13. Add 1 1/2" gussets to both outside bag and lining bag bottom corners. To do this turn the bags wrong-side out again, place your hand into the corner and flatten the corner into a triangle with the seam running down the middle. Using a ruler measure 1 1/2" from the point where the seams meet down each side and draw a line straight across. Sew along this line. Press seam. You may also tack them down if you'd like, but don't cut them off as they will help give shape and substance to the bottom of your backpack.

14. You now have an outer bag and inner lining bag. With right-sides together and the fronts and backs matched up (meaning the back of the outer bag is matched up to the back of the lining bag), stuff the outer bag into the lining bag, making sure the seam allowance of the flap is up. Using a 1/2" seam allowance, sew around the top leaving about a 6" opening along the front.

15. Pull the outer bag out of the lining bag through the opening, and then flip the lining bag right-side out. Stuff the lining bag into place inside the outer bag.

16. Press the top seam, and hand stitch opening closed. Remove any baste stitches that may be showing along the seams.

17. Last, hem strap ends to prevent fraying. Thread them through the D-rings, adjusting length to fit.

The finished backpack measures about 12" wide by15" tall and about 2 1/4" deep.