Green Upcycled Scarf

 It's been so damp and chilly this winter that I have worn a scarf nearly every day. I have long wanted to make a t-shirt scarf and St. Patty's Day seemed like the perfect excuse! Now that it's done, I can tell it's going to be a favorite. Worn t-shirts are so snug and soft.

I thought for sure I'd easily find an Old Navy St. Patty's Day shirt, but alas there were none in any of the thrift stores I went to. Even so, I managed to find several t-shirts for just a few bucks.

This was a really easy project and I made it while watching a few TV shows.
 First I cut an 8.5" X 11" sheet of freezer paper. Then I ironed it onto my t-shirts to make cutting the patches super easy. I reused the same piece of freezer paper for each patch. I lined up all my patches on the floor next to a scarf I already had to get the right length.

I decided to embellish some of the plain patches with cut outs. I used scraps of t-shirt with Wonder Under fusible web to iron them on. I made a lucky number 7, a shamrock and a horseshoe.  I sewed two rows of patches and then sewed each side together. I sewed the front and back right to each other. No turning. The edges rolled a little and I like the casual effect.

 This eagle patch isn't green, but since the eagle is our school mascot, I had to include it. I like that the scarf is decidedly "pinch proof" without being too St. Patrick's Day. I think I could get away wearing this past March 17th.

It's Green week at the CSI project!

Green Contest: Vote For Me! Pretty Please!

Hello dear readers,


I have entered a few of my "green" Christmas stockings in a contest on greenwala. Somehow the contest benefits one laptop per child which is a pretty cool organization. There is also a chance for me to win a $250 Amex gift certificate which I would love! Wana click on over and vote for me? Or hey, you all are super crafty! Why not enter yourself? Think about it! And, thanks for the votes!

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WIP: Table For Ms. S

Today I am out on my balcony working on this coffee table for Ms. S. It came from the craigslist curb alert haul of two play kitchens ago. That haul was seriously fodder for a years worth of blog posts, gifts and assorted projects. I love you craigslist! Unfortunately, the guy who gave all that stuff away left a no-reply email so I can never tell him how far his cast offs have gone or how much they have meant to me, but I hope he has been blessed by his generosity.

Speaking of generosity, my dear friend and colleague Ms. S is out on her Saturday cheering on the OFS fifth grade girls flag football team. They are in some sort of championship and she is giving her day to support them. That kind of thing is pretty typical for Ms. S who constantly gives back to her students and community.

She herself was a student at OFS and had many of the same personal challenges that our students face. As a suburban Penfield, NY kiddo, I have no idea the depth of what that really means. Except that determination was a huge factor in her success and I pray that everyone of my students is half as determined.

Against so many odds and with so many other responsiblities, Ms.S was able to buy a condo this summer! This is Los Angeles- condos are not cheap-even in a housing crisis. She did this entirely on her own. I could go on and on about how highly I think of Ms. S.

So here's to you Ms. S, a newly restored coffee table in the works.

By the way, the people of CitraSolv wrote to me in the comments and offered to send me the concentrate I needed for the Skeleton Transfer project! Too excited! Thank you CitraSolv! As I clean off the muck and yuck of a coffee table stored in an LA parking garage (read solidified smog) I am thankful for the pleasant, eco friendly orange aromas of the ready to use CitraSolv!

Happy, happy Saturday!

Softer Side of Green

Junie Moon is one of the blogs I read regularly. She is an excellent example of making "green living" beautiful and easy. Recently she posted about making reusable makeup remover pads. At first, I thought the idea was nice, but unlikely for me. We failed at cloth napkins so teeny tiny makeup remover pads weren't likely to succeed in my home.

Then I ran out of cotton balls this morning and that big piece of *super soft* velour that was part of my Michale Levine's Loft haul started to call to me.

Junie's pads are made of flannel and pretty fabric and they are all the same size. I believe she used this tutorial.

Mine are more like ravioli except that they aren't all square.


I simply folded a large scrap of the velour and started sewing squares (quadrilaterals anyway). When I was done, I cut them out with pinking shears.

This way they are two sided. Easy peasy.

I used one this morning and was quite pleased with the softness- but what to do with the dirty? I stood there at the vanity thinking, "what now?"

Quick trip to the stash and I whipped up a super simple drawstring bag to collect the used pads in. Now, I can toss the whole bag in the wash and dryer to keep them together.


Maybe I need to make a cloth napkin collecting drawstring bag and give those a second chance.
By the way, my favorite eye makeup remover is a few drops of Johnson's Baby Shampoo diluted well with water. It works great for mascara. No more tears! One of my colleagues got this advice from her eye doctor. That bottle up there has lasted me several years.

Green and Cheap and Not Half Bad

Each year I wrap packages for a hot potato game I play with the Crayons at our holiday party.  I wrap each gift with tons of layers of paper, so to save money and waste I start with magazine pages and then newspaper. Only the last layer is actually wrapping paper. 

I have to say, between Tiffany ads in the LA times and the gorgeous pictures in the Smith & Hawken and Williams Sonoma catalogs, I really didn't need wrapping paper at all. 

Most of my gifts this year are wrapped in gift bags made from my sister-in-law's bridesmaids dresses. Next year though, I will be sure to save the best catalogs for our gift giving! I love how these three came out. With some simple ribbon you would never know they were catalog pages.

Market Roll Tutorial

WFMW: Reusable Shopping Bags


Here in CA there is a new law that requires large retailers to recycle plastic shopping bags and to reduce the use of plastic bags by offering reusable totes to shoppers.

Target offers two inexpensive totes at their checkouts. For 99 cents I bought this red one. It has a zipper pocket that turns the bag into a little pouch.  I have been using it now for a couple of weeks. I find that it is easier to remember to use this bag over other any of the many tote bags I own because I can store it in my purse. I have used it now at Target, Ralphs, 99 Cents Only, and Joannes. This cheap 'n handy bag works for me, but I took it a step further. 

I decided to try and make my own out of vintage sheets for gifts. It's an affordable and practical gift and quite frankly my city dwelling friends have little room for nick knacks.  

I copied the Target bag's dimensions and and made the zipper pouch. The zipper is tricky and zippers aren't something I have on hand all the time.  So to spare my self a zipper  I used this pillow quilt design to develop another model. The whole bag folds up into the pocket at the bottom of the bag and the bow can be untied and used to secure the bag in a little roll. It's not quite as compact as the zipper one, but very cute.

Materials
two 16"x16" fabric squares
two 18"x3" fabric strips for the handles
two 8.5"x8.5" fabric rectangle and a two 16" ribbons


To make the bag:
1. Fold over an inch of each of the 16" fabric squares and sew to finish the top edge of the bag. I used the top hem of a bed sheet so this step was already done. 

2. Fold each of the handle fabric strips lengthwise (or "like a hot dog" as we say in elementary school). Iron this to make a crease. Then open the fabric and fold each side into the middle crease. Iron again. Then fold in half lengthwise again and iron. Sew this together along the open edge.
 
3. Measuring the top of the bag, pin one end of the handle to the inside of the top hem at about 5 " and the other at the  12" mark. Sew the handles on good and tight. I sewed in the shape of a box with an X in it. Do this for both sides of the bag.

4. Pocket Time: For the pocket type pouch, take your two fabric squares right sides together and sew around three sides.Turn it right side out.  This is the pocket which will be reversible.

5. Next, sew the ribbons in the center of the pocket top one on each side of the pocket.

6. Center the pocket at the bottom of  the bag  front so that open seem part on the bottom of the pocket will line up with the bottom of the bag. It be sewn in the seem of the bottom of the bag. Sew the three sides of the pocket onto the bottom center of the bag. 

7. Now line up both bag pieces right sides facing in and sew the three sides together. Turn right side out.

To fold it you will need to fold the sides in and fold top down in thirds so that it lays on top of the pocket. Turn the pocket inside out so that it encloses the bag and reach in and smooth a bit. Fold the pocket in half and use the ribbon to wrap around and secure the pocket in a roll fashion. (See top picture.)

I gave this bag to a friend for her birthday this weekend. She's pretty "green" so it was a hit. I am thinking of making a few more for Christmas presents for my secretaries and other hard to shop for people on my list.

This was my first sewing tutorial, so I am sure there are some confusing parts. Feel free to email me with questions. janeclifflittle at yahoo dot com

More WFMW ideas at Rocks In My Dryer...


This post origonally appeared at My Many Colored Crayons.