Breast Cancer Port Pillows, Tutorial

It is so hard to see anyone go through any type of pain.  It is even harder to see someone you love suffer trough pain.  My cousin,who I have always been close to, recently found out that she had breast cancer.  They planned a day for surgery, but found out the cancer was growing way to fast to have the surgery.  So she had to start chemo.  She is pretty excited to be halfway through the harshest part of the Chemo.  A few days ago, she sent me a pin on Pinterest where she found the most amazing blog.

MyFabricFriend.com has come up with an amazing idea for people who are battling breast cancer.  I have to give her all the credit for this, I wouldn't have even thought about it!  I would love if you could stop by her blog and read her story about her port pillows and how she has helped so many with these small pillows.

The idea of the pillows is to be able to strap the pillow to the seat belt with velcro and then lay over top of an incision or the pain.  My cousin has an incision right where the seat belt lays over her.  So she has been driving with the seat belt under her arm.  Her husband hasn't been to pleased with her not being safe, so she found this awesome blog.

Well, I thought I would give you some pictures and show you how I learned to make these from MyFabricFriend.com.

 I started with a 5 1/2" square and 4" of velcro.

 Made sure the velcro could be sewn into both sides and it overlapped in the center of the square.  Pin down if you need to.

 Sew around the square at 1/4" leaving a small opening about 1 1/2".  The velcro is sandwiched in between both fabrics.

 Cut the corners off making sure not to cut through the stitch line.

 Turn right side out through the opening.

Stuff the pillow with fiberfill stuffing, and sew the opening closed.

This is how mine turned out!  I loved it!  A quick project that I finished in no time, and used scraps of fabric.  But it will give my cousin so much comfort.  This is the perfect gift idea for that someone you know going through this battle in their life.

Mountains of Idaho, and coupon code

I hope you all are having a fun summer!  I have been loving the time with my family.  We love to be in the outdoors and exploring or taking advantage of this beautiful earth!  We live in Idaho, and are so luck to have all of the mountains so close to us.  It makes it easy to take a quick trip or to stay and enjoy the day.  My husband has been fishing all his life, and he is so amazing at it.  Before we had kids, we went all the time.  Once we started having kids, we didn't want to take the little ones in the boat.  So Mike went without me.  A couple weeks ago we asked our mom's to watch the kids, and just the two of us floated down the river.  It was gorgeous!  I missed it so much, and just took it all in.  These pictures are not as great as some of you could have taken, but I just used my phone to take them.  But I think they are still gorgeous!

I also wanted to make sure you knew that I finally have the Daisy Purse in my shop for sale!  I wanted to make sure everyone knew that through Friday July 26th the pattern will be 1/2 off.  Make sure to use coupon code - PURSE12

Pants Redo FREE Tutorial

I really wish I was more on top of it, but I literally had a last minute thought before the 4th of July to make my daughter something fun and patriotic to wear.  So as usual I saved it for last minute and have had to rush to get it done.  I called my sister-in-law up and asked her if she wanted to come over and sew some fun skirts for all of our girls for the 4th of July!  So we ventured out, and got going on it.
I am sure I am not the only one that has kids who ruin all their jeans!  I am all about re-use and re-purpose!!  So I wanted to make a jean skirt.  I get bored of all the skirts that people cut straight across and just add the ruffle.  So I decided that mine needed some extra flare.  I cut the jeans at a fun angle, and I LOVE it!  So fun!!  I also had the cute vintage fabric left over from my mom's house.  I stole it, and I'm proud!
Here are the instruction on how I put my skirt together.  I may be missing a step here or there due to lack of planning.  I was trying to hurry and get all three skirts done, and so I may be missing a picture.  I actually only have one skirt finished I have 2 more to get working on today.  These girls have to have their ruffles!!!  If I have missed any steps, please send me an email, and I can help you get through your skirt.

 

Here are our basic jeans.  I have made my daughter another skirt like this, and I think I even used her brothers old jeans for those.  So the jeans don't really matter where they come from, just an old pair with holes or that may be to small.

 

 

Cut the legs off like this.  I hope you can notice that one leg is cut longer and a slight curve is cut right at the crotch of the pants.

This is where I am missing some steps for you.  I don't have specific amounts for you to cut.  But I will tell you what I did for all three of your skirts and it worked wonderful.  I cut 24 strips total of each for all three girls (Used 3 on 1 skirt, 4 on another, and 5 on the last).  Cut your strips at 3" x width of the fabric for the ruffles.  Cut 2" x 20" for the under ruffle.

Sew edges together to make 12 large circles of ruffles and of under ruffle.

 This is where I am missing another couple pictures for a step.  Make sure to do a rolled hem at the bottom of the ruffles or surge them like I have.  The rolled hem looks way nicer, but I was in a hurry and surged all of the edges of mine.

To the top of each ruffle you will need to gather it.  Whether you choose to use a basting stitch, or gather it on your machine that doesn't matter.

Now to match the picture above!  I have pined the gathered edge of the ruffle to one edge of the under ruffle.  Then Sew.

 The top stitch isn't crucial to the skirt, but I always add a top stitch when I can.  I think it makes things look more crisp and professional.

 Adding the next layer.  To the top edge of the under ruffle, place the next ruffle on top with the next under ruffle on top of that and sew.  The right side of the bottom under ruffle is facing the wrong side of the second ruffle, and the right side of the second ruffle is facing the right side of the second under ruffle.

 Top stitch.  And then continue to add all the layers you will need for the length of your skirt.

 

I thought I had to add something more to the jeans so I cut out some starts, and then appliqued them to the jeans.  When sewing an applique, it is best to use some kind of a stabilizer.  There are so many stabilizers out there, but on the package it will tell you which one is for which fabric.

 

I didn't show it very good at all in this picture, but I added a gather stitch to the top under ruffle.  The top under ruffle is tucked underneath the jeans here and pinned down.

 Sew together.  I used a stitch that looks like this on my sewing machine.  I can't remember the name of the stitch.  But it is awesome!  It makes that thick stitch look that you see on all the jeans.  It doesn't sew 3 separate lines like you would think.  It sews 3 times directly on top of each stitch to make regular thread look nice and thick.  Way cute!!  I love this stitch.

AND YOU ARE DONE!!

Thanks for putting up with my poor instructions.  I hope your skirts turn out wonderfully!!  I would love to see pictures after you are done.  If you will share, send them to my email or to my flicker account -  http://www.flickr.com/groups/1449172@N23/

Here is a picture of the 1st skirt I made.  I used a sparkled ruffle trim and an eyelet trim for it.  She wore this skirt until it was to tight and short!

 

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!  I am thankful for the freedom that I have from my country.