Mimi's Needle and Thread

Orange Chocolate Chip Scones

2011-08-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

Now that you have either bought or made an apron , why not bake up this yummy treat, while wearing it ?

2 cups flour
1/2 regular sugar, or sugar substitute like Aprava or Splenda
1/2 tsp Baking Power
1/2 tsp. salt (I always use granulated Sea Salt)
1/2 cup chilled butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup frozen orange juice...or fresh squeezed
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
grated orange rind...use only the orange part of the peel
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar,baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces on top of flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or two knifes, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl, stir together eggs, orange juice, and vanilla. Add the peel. Combine all with the flour mixture. Dough will be very moist. With floured hands, knead in the chocolate chips until mixed well. Do not over handle dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured cookie sheet and shape into a 8 or 9 inch circle. With a serrated knife, cut into 8 wedges. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 mins. Serve warm.

Adding bias tape to a straight edge, the easy way !

2011-08-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

If you are like me , you have had trouble adding bias tape the traditional way. I never seem to be able to get it to look nice, it always comes out sloppy and uneven.
So I have come up with a way to have it come out perfect and looking great everytime.

1. first be sure the longer edge of the bias tape is on the bottom.

2. Then open the bias tape and sandwich the fabric between the tape.

3. close the bias tape to enclose the fabric

4. Sew all layers at the same time, making sure to keep the fabric inside the bias tape, you can pin it all together if you want to to be sure you have it all done right.

5. When you are done sewing this is what the right side should look like.

6. This is what the wrong side of the fabric should look like. All edges are enclosed and bias tape is sewn together, nice, neat and pretty .

7. All done, your edge is finished and looking good.

2011-01-27T18:26:00.000-08:00

Today I want to talk about adding special extras to your aprons. Usually an apron pattern will have you make an apron with a pocket, it is usally shown plain without an embellishments. for me that will not do. Why not add a special little something to the pocket, like a baby rick rack butterfly with pearls for the body, or add an applique of something taken from the main fabric such as a chicken from the Hot Chicks apron I made for a client. Add Jumbo rick rack to the top of an apron pocket, or if you have an embroidery machine add a design to the pocket. Pockets are small and the embellishments will be small too, so it will not take too much more of your time and will add interest to what could be "Just an apron".

To make this butterfly, Cut a 5" and a 4" piece of Baby rick rack. Place each piece in a figure "8" pattern. Use Basting Glue to hold in place. I also make sure that the ends are in the center, because that will be covered by the beads. Sew in place using Monofilament Thread as the top thread and matching thread in the bobbin. fOR THE BODY : Hand sew a length of 5 pearl beads, that will get smaller in size, one large bead, three medium beads and one small bead. Stitch through the beads three times for added strength. I added a medium width Rick Rack to the top of this pocket as well.

To make fold over Pocket : I make the make alittle long than called for in the pattern. After sewing the pocket together, I will fold over the top and add some Rick Rack under the flap, I sew this is place, then I add a button to the top of the pocket. After all this is done, then I sew the pocket.

This is a gathered Pocket, make the pocket alittle wider than called for in the pattern, sew together, the gather the pocket the width you want it to be. I sewed a piece of Rick Rack over the gathering stitches and added a Metal Apple button to this apron.

As you can see there are many ways to make your pockets interesting. All these ideas can be used in children's clothing as well. Experiment, see what you come up with. I would love it if you shared some of your creations with me.

not for clothes pins anymore

2009-08-31T09:03:00.000-07:00

This type of apron has been used for years when ladies would hang up their laundry in the outdoors, I wish I would have had one when I was young and did not have a dryer and had to hang wash outside. I found the directions and a diagram on how to make this apron but no pattern so with the directions and a few pictures to go by I made my own pattern. I choose some fun fabrics and added a few new details for modern convenience, like a small pocket to carry a cell phone and a large loop for hanging up the apron or for using as a towel holder. I love this apron and I plan on added a tutorial on her to teach you how to make your own bias tape and on how to make this apron.

Hungry, hungry Hippo Apron/Bib

2009-08-25T14:49:00.000-07:00

Sometimes while shopping you see something that screams "Take Me home, see what you can do with me?" This is exactly what happened while I was doing one of my fun thrift shop runs, I spotted this Hippo pillowcase, and thought "Now , wouldn't this make a cute bib?". Home it went, and I turned a vintage child's pillowcase into a fun Apron/bib for a Toddler. Now all that is missing is a child to call it his/her own.

"My Pillow"

2009-08-21T09:10:00.001-07:00

I am finished with the first of 5 pillows I am making for each of my grand daughters for Christmas. Each girl will have her very own pillow. It is 12 x 16 inches has a 2 inch lace ruffle and is soft and cuddly. My grand daughter range in age from 5 to newborn and one to be born this December. I used very pretty girly fabrics for the names and used the same fabrics for the borders. The original pattern for this pillow did not use a border around the main name piece, but I like borders so I cut the fabric a quarter of an inch smaller than suggested, then cut out a 1 inch piece of fabric to the name fabric and I got to be the exact size they suggested, I then cut out lots of 1 1/2 x 3 inch fabric pieces and put them all together with a 1/4 inch seam to make 2 shorter lengths and 2 larger lengths to fit the main name piece. If you want to know how to finish this pillow just ask and I will be happy to help you. I enjoy quilting , so this pillow is a great way to make something beautiful and useful.

Getting an early start on Christmas

2009-08-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

I always love to play an elf...especially when I get to make such fun presents for people. And this year is no exception. I am making all my grand daughters something that I think is so cute and I think they will love and enjoy for years to come. It's not a toy, they will soon grow tired of or break, it is something they will have in their rooms and will be something they will even use. I am very excited about making them this. Of course I am not mentioning what it is cuz their Moms will probably read this post and I don't want them to know what it is until I am done and take pictures of the finish product. So I am a busy elf measuring, cutting out, ironing, sewing and putting theses things together...what fun I am having.

Please don't throw bird seeds at this dress.

2009-08-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

When I made the Mermaid dress for my grand daughter, Rachel a friend of my daughter asked if I would make a dress for her daughter who's nickname is Birdy. I jumped at the chance to make another one of these dresses. I found a fabulous bird inspired fabric and two coordinating fabrics to go along with it. I choose Springtime Jacobean and Dots and flowers alphabet embroidery designs both from JUJU designs. I was very pleased with the way the dress turned out and so was my client and her daughter. I hope to get pictures of Ella (her real name) wearing this dress, so I can share them with you here in my blog.

Pillowcases aren't just for your bed anymore.

2009-08-17T12:08:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought that a concept designed in the 1930's out of necessity, would turn into a fashion statement today. Pillowcase dresses were first done my 1930 house wives to save money, when money was really tight and hard to come by, well today really isn't any different we all need and want to save money.These dresses are easy and fun to make, you can make them out of pillowcases, but I made mine out of new fabric, and I added some embroidery on the bottom of the dresses to help adorn them. The embroidery designs can be bought from Bunnycups designs and JuJu degigns. The first one I made for my sweet grand daughter Trinity , I choose a Mermaid embroidery design to go with the sea side beach theme of the fabric, as you can see I put her name in the front of her dress.

Ooh La Laa jacket

2009-08-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

I made this little jacket for my grand daughter Natelie's 2nd birthday. I started with a basic jacket pattern. Simplicity 9417 in a size 3. the patterns for the front and back has a separate piece for the top and bottom, so I just marked the seam and cut a full front and back piece . I then embroidered the ooh La Laa on the back, this took a lot of time since I am still new to machine embroidery, then I added the rest of the embroideries to the bottom of the back. I then made the pockets by embroidering the Poodles and cut out the pockets and attaching it to the front. I added a back stitch to the pockets to finish them. I cut on little rectangles and made tabs to use as closures instead of buttons, I used heavy duty snaps so they could close in front. This is my first attempt at anything this complicated with my new embroidery machine. I am pleased with the results.