So I've been collecting fonts on my Silhouette Cameo Pinterest board and thought I'd make my own collection of new favorites to share! All fonts are free from dafont.com. I think my favorite is KG Eyes Wide Open, but I like 'em all! Enjoy!
Fun with Fonts with WGC #1
So I've been collecting fonts on my Silhouette Cameo Pinterest board and thought I'd make my own collection of new favorites to share! All fonts are free from dafont.com. I think my favorite is KG Eyes Wide Open, but I like 'em all! Enjoy!
Kids' Towel Coverup: the Wayward Way!
As part of my Summer Sewing Spree last year, I made sunhats for my daughters, a sunhat for me and . . .
I found this adorable terry towel coverup for kids, and I fully intended to sew something equally cute for my daughters. But a major time crunch hit and I ended up having to go the super-fast route. So here's thequick and dirty wayward way to make a cute, fast towel coverup for a child, boy or girl.
Step 1: Measure!
You'll need two (or three) measurements. The first is width around the chest (girls) or waist (boys). You'll want to add at least four inches for overlap. If you want to use elastic in the back (I recommend this for boys, but it doesn't seem to affect my girls'), you'll want to add more width to account for the gathering. Decide how long you want the elastic to be and double that for the fabric, then add that to the width. Remember this one, too! (Also keep in mind that the elastic will need to fall between the shoulder straps for girls.)
The second measurement is length--for girls, that's from underarm to however long you want the cover up to be (mid-thigh or knee length works well); for boys, that's from waist to the bottom of his swim trunks. (Which is often not his knees. Don't make the same mistake as me!)
Step 2: Materials!
You'll need:
Use your measurements to trim down a towel. Towels can be hard to cut, so I would use scissors or a rotary cutter to get through the hem, then rip the towel.
Many towels have decorative weaving near the ends. I cut out the towel between these lines, and save the weaving to form the straps. I also kept the top hem intact.
Step 4: Cut the fabric!
Add 4" to your width and 4" to the length of your rectangle (I added 2" to my length and used the selvage to form the long top edge on some of the pieces), then cut out a piece of fabric that size.
Step 5: Sew them together!
Center the towel on the fabric, wrong sides together (ff your towel has a wrong side). (If you're using the selvage on top, make sure the top edges of the fabrics align.) Fold over the edge of the fabric to meet the edge of the towel, and press. Then fold that folded edge of the fabric again, overlapping the edge of the towel:
Sew along the folded edge where it overlaps the towel (indicated by a dashed line above)--but do not sew the top edge of the fabric to the towel! (You can, however, sew the hem of just the fabric along the top if you're not using the selvage.)
Step 6: Place the elastic! (May be optional for girls; didn't really make a difference for mine)
Remember the elastic measurement we used in step 1? We need it again. Cut that length of elastic. If you want the finished product to have 4" elasticized, we need to work with 8" of fabric. Find the center of the towel & fabric, and measure out 4" (or whatever your chosen # is) on either side. Mark both of these points.
Pin either end of the elastic between the towel and the fabric at the points you've marked. Sew in the elastic (more details here).
Step 7 (girls only): Place the straps!
Either cut 2" strips from the towel remnant, or get the decorative woven strips you saved earlier. If you placed elastic in, pin the straps between the fabric and towel on either side of the elastic. Otherwise, you might want to have your child try on the cover up to determine the best placement and length for the straps.
Measure the strap length twice!
Sew the straps in place between the towel and the fabric. (You can use a reinforced box stitch pattern for this if you'd like.)
Step 8: Velcro/snaps and finish!
If you're very picky, you might want to sew the Velcro or snaps on the front flap to only the towel, so that the sewing lines don't show through. But let's face it, if you were very picky, you wouldn't be doing it the wayward way, would you?
Place the Velcro or snaps on the front flaps. Remember that the inner flap will have the Velcro on the outside (fabric side)! Sew in place. Sew any unfinished edges along the top. And voila!
Wayward Kids' Towel Coverups!
I found this adorable terry towel coverup for kids, and I fully intended to sew something equally cute for my daughters. But a major time crunch hit and I ended up having to go the super-fast route. So here's the
Step 1: Measure!
You'll need two (or three) measurements. The first is width around the chest (girls) or waist (boys). You'll want to add at least four inches for overlap. If you want to use elastic in the back (I recommend this for boys, but it doesn't seem to affect my girls'), you'll want to add more width to account for the gathering. Decide how long you want the elastic to be and double that for the fabric, then add that to the width. Remember this one, too! (Also keep in mind that the elastic will need to fall between the shoulder straps for girls.)
The second measurement is length--for girls, that's from underarm to however long you want the cover up to be (mid-thigh or knee length works well); for boys, that's from waist to the bottom of his swim trunks. (Which is often not his knees. Don't make the same mistake as me!)
You'll need:
- A towel at least as big as the rectangle formed from your measurements.
- A piece of cute fabric 4" wider and 2-4" longer than your measurements.
- Sewable Velcro (or snaps)
- Elastic (may be optional for girls' coverups; at least 3/8" wide)
- Thread
- Pins
- Scissors or rotary cutter
- Iron
- Sewing machine
Use your measurements to trim down a towel. Towels can be hard to cut, so I would use scissors or a rotary cutter to get through the hem, then rip the towel.
Many towels have decorative weaving near the ends. I cut out the towel between these lines, and save the weaving to form the straps. I also kept the top hem intact.
Step 4: Cut the fabric!
Add 4" to your width and 4" to the length of your rectangle (I added 2" to my length and used the selvage to form the long top edge on some of the pieces), then cut out a piece of fabric that size.
Step 5: Sew them together!
Center the towel on the fabric, wrong sides together (ff your towel has a wrong side). (If you're using the selvage on top, make sure the top edges of the fabrics align.) Fold over the edge of the fabric to meet the edge of the towel, and press. Then fold that folded edge of the fabric again, overlapping the edge of the towel:
Sew along the folded edge where it overlaps the towel (indicated by a dashed line above)--but do not sew the top edge of the fabric to the towel! (You can, however, sew the hem of just the fabric along the top if you're not using the selvage.)
Step 6: Place the elastic! (May be optional for girls; didn't really make a difference for mine)
Remember the elastic measurement we used in step 1? We need it again. Cut that length of elastic. If you want the finished product to have 4" elasticized, we need to work with 8" of fabric. Find the center of the towel & fabric, and measure out 4" (or whatever your chosen # is) on either side. Mark both of these points.
Pin either end of the elastic between the towel and the fabric at the points you've marked. Sew in the elastic (more details here).
 |
| Last year's coverup almost fits this year... |
Either cut 2" strips from the towel remnant, or get the decorative woven strips you saved earlier. If you placed elastic in, pin the straps between the fabric and towel on either side of the elastic. Otherwise, you might want to have your child try on the cover up to determine the best placement and length for the straps.
Measure the strap length twice!
Sew the straps in place between the towel and the fabric. (You can use a reinforced box stitch pattern for this if you'd like.)
Step 8: Velcro/snaps and finish!
If you're very picky, you might want to sew the Velcro or snaps on the front flap to only the towel, so that the sewing lines don't show through. But let's face it, if you were very picky, you wouldn't be doing it the wayward way, would you?
Place the Velcro or snaps on the front flaps. Remember that the inner flap will have the Velcro on the outside (fabric side)! Sew in place. Sew any unfinished edges along the top. And voila!
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Work in Progress
Here's the back. You have to quilt it a lot!
I am also going to send this one that I made mostly from my stash and using the new Reney Right Tool I bought at the expo.
I watched (with my back to the TV because I don't feel like moving my sewing machine) season one of Downton Abbey as I made these two quilts. Whenever I look at these quilts I think of the people on the show. Makes me a little sad. Don't tell me what happens in season 2!
Finally, one work that is finished!
4th of July
Wrap Looped Headpin Tutorial
First off: Thank you for my birthday wishes! I had a lovely birthday filled with Skyping with family, partying with friends and relaxing with my husband. It was a great day!
Wrapping headpins is one of the techniques I use in almost all my jewelry making. It's not too hard to figure out, but takes some practice to look nice. Mine still look a little wonky sometimes. Here is my step by step tutorial on how to do them yourself. You need: round nose pliers, regular pliers and wire cutters.
A headpin is a jewelry finding made of metal and is bendable. The end has a flat surface, which prevents beads from falling off.
Wrap looped headpin beads are perfect for earrings, bracelets and necklaces. They are more secure than a regular looped headpin and have a nice finished look.
I'll be sharing some other pieces I made using this technique later this month!
Wrapping headpins is one of the techniques I use in almost all my jewelry making. It's not too hard to figure out, but takes some practice to look nice. Mine still look a little wonky sometimes. Here is my step by step tutorial on how to do them yourself. You need: round nose pliers, regular pliers and wire cutters.
.
A headpin is a jewelry finding made of metal and is bendable. The end has a flat surface, which prevents beads from falling off.
Wrap looped headpin beads are perfect for earrings, bracelets and necklaces. They are more secure than a regular looped headpin and have a nice finished look.
I'll be sharing some other pieces I made using this technique later this month!
The RIGHT way to make a sunhat
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JAIME!!
Last summer, I went a little nuts with sewing. I've shared my daughters' reversible toddler sunhats, but the one I made for me wasn't quite the success theirs were. I wanted to love the result, but, well . . . I didn't quite.
I started off fantastic: a yard of gorgeous, emerald green 100% linen and a free sunhat pattern from BurdaStyle.
Only once I opened the file, it was less a pattern and more just instructions. I am not a sewing wiz. Frankly, I
So let me just tell you how to custom size your sunhat, wayward style!
First off, measure your head!! Measure around your head where you want your hat to fit. Please don't think that just because the pattern says you should make the hat 24" circumference and your head is 22", you should follow the pattern and your head needs "ease." It doesn't! Do not follow the pattern! Follow your head circumference! (Oh, and write it down.)
 |
| Top stitching on the crown |
Now, you have your head measurements. The crown of the hat is made in six sections. So, if your head is 22" in circumference and your ear-to-ear/front-to-back average is 12", we'll need to divide that up into the sections. The ear-to-ear/front-to-back average is divided in two to give 6" as the crown height.
The circumference has to be divided by six, giving us the ugly number of 3.67" for the width of each piece.
Don't go cutting yet!
First, add the seam allowance to the measurements, 5/8" on each side. This brings our width to 4.92" (okay, rounding up will make the hat 1/2" larger around), and the crown height to 7.25".
NOW you can cut your paper pattern of a 4.92" x 7.25" rectangle. Lovely. Now, fold your paper pattern in half (making the rectangle even narrower) and sketch a curving, convex line, starting about 1/3rd of the way up the long edge and ending at the top midpoint. I might have used an iron as a tracing guide. Cut along the line and open to reveal your very nice, symmetrical pattern piece!
Cut 6 of these (or 12 if you want to line your hat; I did).
Now, cut out your brim. You'll need two of these. Again, don't make the mistakes I did!
Brims tend to hold up better if they're not quite a full, flat circle. Leaving out a segment of the circle gives the hat dimension and the brim shape. But remember that the inner circumference of the brim must match the circumference of the sewn crown!
I forgot that and drew a circle with an inner circumference to match the crown, then hacked off a bit of the end to make the not-quite-circle. My brim was too short to go all the way around my hat! Fortunately, I had some extra fabric and was able to fix it, but I was not happy!
So, let's say you want to omit 4" off the full circle (the more you cut off, the further down the hat brim will droop. Personally I wouldn't do more than 4"-6"). You'll still need to end up matching your 22" crown, so here's what you gotta do: add the amount you want to cut off the circle to your head circumference, bringing us to 26". Now, do some math (sorry!) to find the radius of that circle: 27"/(2*3.1415) = 4.30".
Using a protractor (or two pencils and a piece of string 4.3" long!), draw a semicircle with a radius of 4.30" on the edge of a piece of pattern paper (or newspaper, if you're me).
 |
| Top stitching and satin stitch along brim edge |
Draw a second circle to finish the brim (or 2 more circles, if you're changing the brim width) by adding your brim width to the original circumference to get the outer circle radius: 6" + 4.30" = 10.3".
NOW, on the INSIDE semicircle of the brim, measure in 2" (half of the length we're trimming from the brim) from the edge. (If your brim will be asymmetrical, make sure to do this on the narrower/back side.) Sketch a line from this point out to the outer circle. (You need this to be large enough that you can fit the hat together, but the larger the angle this line would form with the edge of the paper, the more the brim will angle/droop down.)
Now you have all the pieces ready for your custom sunhat. The BurdaStyle directions from here are very helpful. Hopefully it will fit you better (and come together with less trouble) than mine!
Outdoor sewing room photo by NormaNack
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Labels:
beach
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,
Jordan
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sewing
,
summer
,
sunhat
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tutorial
Canada Day Fonts!
I love Canada! Our Dad (Mom's husband--you get the picture) worked for a Canadian company while we were growing up, and Jaime and I (Jordan) even got to visit Ottawa with him on business trips, so Canada holds a special place in my heart.
Or that might just be because I set my latest novel there. Whatever.
Today is Canada's national holiday, CANADA DAY*!! I know most of you probably aren't as excited about this as I am, but . . . I DON'T CARE! Even if you're American (from the US), it's hard not to love our neighbor to the north. I mean, we haven't had a major fight in 200 years and we share the world's longest border. That's saying something, right?!
So I went in search of some uniquely Canadian fonts. I refused to settle for a font with "Canada" or "Canadian" in the name! This severely limited my options, but it's Canada Day, for heaven's sake! Let's go all out!
Okay, some of them are a little cliché, but hey, who doesn't love maple leaves?
The fonts:
LMS Oh Canada was designed in 2001 by London's Letters in a series of country-themed, graphic-filled fonts. It's a rounded serif font filled with maple leaves (really, they're maple leaves). The name is a play on the Canadian national anthem, "O Canada."
Maple Leaf Rag is a serif quasi-calligraphy font, with each letter on a maple leaf background. (The @ sign gives you a plain leaf.) It was designed by Claude, and shares a name with the old-timey-awesome "Maple Leaf Rag" by Scott Joplin.
Open Baskerville is a free version of the classic serif font, originally designed in 1757 (seriously!) by John Baskerville (what, no website? Like being dead 200+ years is an excuse not to be on the web.). I know what you're thinking: what the heck is Canadian about this? It's just a boring serif font! To which I say, "Not so!" Designed in 1980, the Canada wordmark features (modified) Baskerville:
That's what they put on their spaceships, baby! (YES. CANADA HAS BEEN TO SPACE.)
(The other official font Canada uses in its signage and paperwork is Helvetica, but, okay, that's a little too common . . . and not free.)
Adanac is probably my favorite of all these. I found it through Hugh Stimson, via Google. A symbol font designed by 10four Design Group for Canada Day, it features iconic Canadian images from the Canada goose (nope, not "Canadian" goose) to poutine, from William Shatner to Neil Young, from donuts to Nanaimo bars, from Sasquatch to Ogopogo. All of the symbols in the graphic are from Adanac, and its name, of course, is Canada spelled backwards!
The accouterments:
For the colors, I used an ice blue (HTML/HEX code #85C4C4) and the OFFICIAL RED of Canada (for screens), Pantone PMS 485, which translates to HTML/HEX code #D81E05.
The scrolls are Nymphette by Lauren Thompson, which Brooke introduced me to.
Hope you found something to love in this
Or that might just be because I set my latest novel there. Whatever.
Today is Canada's national holiday, CANADA DAY*!! I know most of you probably aren't as excited about this as I am, but . . . I DON'T CARE! Even if you're American (from the US), it's hard not to love our neighbor to the north. I mean, we haven't had a major fight in 200 years and we share the world's longest border. That's saying something, right?!
 |
| Ooor not. But hey, Canadians, you're doing it awesome! from Macleans.ca |
So I went in search of some uniquely Canadian fonts. I refused to settle for a font with "Canada" or "Canadian" in the name! This severely limited my options, but it's Canada Day, for heaven's sake! Let's go all out!
Okay, some of them are a little cliché, but hey, who doesn't love maple leaves?
The fonts:
LMS Oh Canada was designed in 2001 by London's Letters in a series of country-themed, graphic-filled fonts. It's a rounded serif font filled with maple leaves (really, they're maple leaves). The name is a play on the Canadian national anthem, "O Canada."
Maple Leaf Rag is a serif quasi-calligraphy font, with each letter on a maple leaf background. (The @ sign gives you a plain leaf.) It was designed by Claude, and shares a name with the old-timey-awesome "Maple Leaf Rag" by Scott Joplin.
Open Baskerville is a free version of the classic serif font, originally designed in 1757 (seriously!) by John Baskerville (what, no website? Like being dead 200+ years is an excuse not to be on the web.). I know what you're thinking: what the heck is Canadian about this? It's just a boring serif font! To which I say, "Not so!" Designed in 1980, the Canada wordmark features (modified) Baskerville:
(The other official font Canada uses in its signage and paperwork is Helvetica, but, okay, that's a little too common . . . and not free.)
Adanac is probably my favorite of all these. I found it through Hugh Stimson, via Google. A symbol font designed by 10four Design Group for Canada Day, it features iconic Canadian images from the Canada goose (nope, not "Canadian" goose) to poutine, from William Shatner to Neil Young, from donuts to Nanaimo bars, from Sasquatch to Ogopogo. All of the symbols in the graphic are from Adanac, and its name, of course, is Canada spelled backwards!
The accouterments:
For the colors, I used an ice blue (HTML/HEX code #85C4C4) and the OFFICIAL RED of Canada (for screens), Pantone PMS 485, which translates to HTML/HEX code #D81E05.
The scrolls are Nymphette by Lauren Thompson, which Brooke introduced me to.
Hope you found something to love in this
Wayward Weekend Roundup!
and
Happy Canada Day*!
*Okay, legally, because July 1 falls on a Sunday, Canada Day is tomorrow, but c'mon.
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