Make a ruffled Ipad pouch.

I saw this picture of a really cute Ipad pouch and I knew I wanted to make one. So I set out to create a pattern for it, and then decided to share with you how to make one for yourself.

Frist of all I made a master pattern I always use a plastic painting floor cover for making my patterns, it is surdy , see through and last forever.

measure and cut your pattern 19" x 12"'

Then gather all you materials, fabrics, button (I will decide which button I will use at the end so this is why I have several choosen), a hair elastic band, I used a hunter green one to good with the fabrics, and you will also need some thin batting, I used Warm and Natural brand of batting for this project.

Then I cut out the center band 13: x 2", and the ruffles cut two strips 27" x 2".

Now cut out the top and the lining and batting using the 19 x 12 master pattern.

How to make the center band and Ruffles:
1. For Center band: Fold the fabric in half, then open and fold in each edge to the center of the fold.

2.Turn over to the front and press well.

3. Measure down 5 inches from edge and pin band in place.

4. Gather the ruffle strips and pin then to the top and bottom of center band to fit.

5.Leave ends of ruffles ungathered so they lay flat on the seams. I tucked in my ruffles under the centerband so the gathering threads do not show, use lots of pins so your gathers stay flat and look pretty. Sew the centerband in place with a narrow seam that catches the ruffles.

I also sewed down the ends where the seams will be.

6.Sewing the lining: Stitch the Warm and Natural batting to the edges of the lining fabric and then quilt it so it doesn't shift around. I just did a few stitches going down and then going the the other way...you decide  how you want to quilt yours. I also did a zig zag stitch on the edges so it then will work as 1 piece of fabric. I find this is the easiest way to work with two piece of fabric together.

Trim the edges to clean it up and make it all pretty.

7. Attaching the Hair elastic: I first choose which button I was going to use , in this case I am using a large green button, so I measure the elastic to be sure to fit around the button and I gave it a liitle bit more room so it will go around the Ipad and then fit around the button, I then did a simple knot in the elastic. I measured in 1/4" from the seam measured where the button will go and marked that stop to the lining fabirc with a pin. I sewed this elastic in place, do this really well because tis is a stress place where you will open and cose your cover over and over again and you don't want the elastic to come undone.

8.Fold the top and the lining in half, and sew down leaving the top open for now.

9.turn the top right side out, and insert into the lining piece. Pin in place making sure the elastic band is on the opposite place to where the button is.

10.Pin in place leaving a 2" space unstitched. You will need this for turning inside out

11. Turn inside out and press open seam closed. I used a 1'2" seam for this, I also stitched over the elastic band a few times to make sure it was strong enough to be used over and over again.

12. sew a top edge...and you are done!...Good for you , you made a Ipad cover.

This is the inside of my Ipad cover.

I have no control as to what you do with this pattern and instructions, but they are mine, and I will hope you will use intergrity when using my ideas and instructons, you may make as much of these and  sell them in any online shop or craft show..but please do not use my tutorial and say it is your own...I worked hard on this, and would like to be given credit for my work. Thank you for following this tutorial, if you have questions, I will try and answer them and please give me feedback as to how you like this tutorial, I am new at this and still learning. God Bless. Mimi

 

Mimi's in the kitchen....

I love to cook and I love to bake...but since my husband was diagnosed with Diabetes, I have had to be careful with what I feed him. So I have been on a quest to find low-fat and low sugar meals and desserts we could both eat and enjoy. While on my quest I have come upon different blogs, articles and places where I have picked up many different and yummy recipes, one such recipe is The low-fat Lemon Pound cake.

This is so delicious no one will ever guess this is low-fat or low in sugar,
Click on this link to view the recipe:
http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/recipes/low-fat-lemon-pound-cake/
Cooking for a person with Diabetes has sometimes proven to be a challenge but when you love someone you want to give the best you can , and you want to make them happy. And cooking in this new way has proven a great thing for the both of us, we have both lost some weight and feel healthier for it. So enjoy this cake, and Bon Apetit!

Spring means...flowers, flowers, flowers

Flowers can add so much to any sewing project, I love adding them to my aprons as well as to the Tote bags that I make. I recently found a blog that teaches us how to make them with pictures and tutorials.
Click on link to view tutorial
:http://threepumpkinslittle.squarespace.com/blog/2010/2/11/fabric-flower-embellishment-tutorial.html



 I have made several of these flowers to add to some of my aprons .

and on a tote bag I recently made.

Check out this blog and try one or two of the many different flowers you can create, using fabric, faux leather, and even plastic bags.

what's cooking at Mimi's

Last summer my granddaughter and I decided we would make Blueberry pie for the family so we gatheresd all the ingredients and set to work.

Here is the recipe we used:
Mimi's Pie Crust
2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup butter flavored crisco
1tsp. salt
1/2 cup water
Mix flour, shortening and salt with fingers, until it resembles a crumb mixture. Add water. Form dough into a ball, divide into 4 pieces and roll out the crusts.
This makes two 2 crust pies.
Bake all pies on the lowest racks of the oven.
For Blueberry filling:
for a 9 inch pie
1/2 cup sugar or splenda
1/3 flour
1/2 tssp. cinnamon
4 cups blueberries
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsps. butter or margarine, I always use butter
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare pastries. Stir together sugar, flour and cinnamon; mix with berries. Turn into pastry-lined pie pan; sprinkle with lemon juice and dot with butter.
Cover with top crust which has slits cut into it; seal and flute. Cover edge with 2-to3- inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil last 15 mins. of baking.
Bake pies for 35-45 mins. or until crust is brown and juices begins to bubble through slits in crust.

We had so much fun , I think we will do it again this year!

Orange Chocolate Chip Scones

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 !

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.

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.