Fabric Hopscotch Tutorial

Before I start - I have never done a tutorial before so if you have any questions just ask in a comment and I will try to clarify. Here goes:

Supplies needed: 3 yds of cotton fabric; matching thread; 27 pieces of 9 x 12 felt - 11 of color #1, 10 of color #2, and 6 of color #3; a piece of batting 22 x 108, button, ribbon or elastic, dry beans for the bean bag. I also have access to an embroidery machine which I use for personalization.

Step 1 -(Making Numbers) Find a font on Microsoft Word or other document program and print out numbers 1 -10 so they are 4 - 5 inches tall. Pin the numbers to color #3 of felt and cut out. Cut color #2 felt to 7 x 10 rectangles. Attach numbers to color #2 felt and then attach #2 to color #3. Sew numbers on and then sew color #2 to color #3.

Step 2- (Attaching Numbers to Fabric) Cut fabric in half lengthwise - you should have 2 - 22 x 108 pieces. Arrange felt on fabric, pin, and then sew into place. (This is kind of a pain in the keester so TRY to do it right the first time. If you unpick the felt it messes up the dimensions of it and makes it an even BIGGER pain in the keester. I know this from experience!)

Step 3 - (Making the bean bag and bean bag pocket) Cut a 4 x 4 piece of felt and sew it on the by your number 1. Only sew three sides - leaving the top open - so it makes a nice little pocket. If you are personalizing the bean bag, you would do that now. Cut 2 - 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 pieces of felt - I used color #1. Sew three sides together - turn so seams are on the inside. Fill with dry beans and then hand sew closed.

Step 4 - (Attaching batting and backing fabric) If you are personalizing do that now. Sew your personalized felt onto the backing fabric so that when rolled up you see it. Layer right side of front to right side of back then put piece of batting on top. PIN. Sew sides and top together - leaving bottom open for turning. Turn. Pin ribbon loop or elastic loop to middle of bottom and fold fabric towards inside so you can sew up the bottom. Do a blanket stitch on all four sides - this is how the bottom gets closed up. Roll up your mat and attach the button so that you can close it with your loop. That's it - YOU ARE DONE!!

I hope that all made sense! It takes me about 6 hours from start to finish. Make sure if you have any questions to ask. Also, please don't make these to sale. I don't mind showing you how to do it if they are for gifts or personal use, but PLEASE don't make them for profit.

The winner is . . ..

Kinsey Dahl Zinser! The cute mod podge notebook is headed your way as soon as I get your address Kinsey Lou Hoo. You can email it to me - I know you have my email address. Hope to hear from you soon.

Just a note . . .

I have had a few people ask about the fabric hopscotch directions. I am making a couple more and I intend to do a picture tutorial while making the next one. I had to figure it out as I went and I was going to just write out the directions, but a picture is worth a thousand words - right?! I'm not sure when I am going to get around to doing it (my three little guys occupy a big chunk of my time). Just keep checking back and I promise it will be here - hopefully sooner than later.

P.S. Make sure you grab my button and also enter my giveaway. It ends Thrusday night at midnight and its in the post after this one.

Mod Podge Mania

I broke out the mod podge again yesterday. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE the stuff? Anyway, I did a couple of projects: a notepad holder for my mom's desk, a mini notebook for my mom's purse for her to write her shopping lists on, a mini notebook for Emma to record her piano practice times, and a large notebook - which I am giving away to one lucky commenter. Just leave a comment with your email address and you are entered to win. I know it's not much, but it's free and I made it (what more could you ask for?!). I will announce the winner on Friday, Sept 25th.

My projects!

Notepad holder - I got the idea for this from my SIL Andrea who was making one the other day. So quick, easy, and inexpensive to make!

Mini notebooks

This could be yours - just leave a comment!

Pears

So, I finally got around to bottling the box of pears. Two words describe the experience: NOT FUN!! They look delicious though so I guess it was worth it. I did 14 bottles - I could have gotten more but I wasn't really enjoying it - so I stopped at 14.

Millions of peaches -

Peaches for me! I bottled peaches yesterday. It was the first time I had ever bottled fruit and they turned out quite impressive (if I do say so myself!). It was very time consuming, but I got 19 quarts out of 1 box - more than I thought it was going to be. Don't they look delicious?! I have a box of pears to do next but they aren't quite ripe enough yet. Stay tuned for pics of them.

I finished a Halloween table runner for my mom. It is similar to the one I made for myself but instead of those blasted spiders I made some ghosts. They turned out way cute - especially because I drew the pattern free-hand and I am NO artist.

Oh, if you haven't already noticed I figured out how to make a blog button this morning (its not as easy as it looks!). It is located in the top right-hand of the page so go ahead and grab one. Also, check back because I am going to be doing another giveaway SOON!

Halloween Duo

I got the pattern for this from here: http://www.freepatterns.com/ This is such a great site and they have really cute patterns for almost any type of craft. Best of all - they are free. All you have to do is join up and you get access to all of the free patterns you could ever want. This cute little duo went together so quick and easy. It probably took me an hour from start to finish.

A friendly ghost

A smiley pumpkin

A discovery

I discovered the amazing abilities of Mod Podge today. I know it has been around FOREVER - but I haven't used it until today. I have seen this first idea on a couple of different sites - which I can't find right now so I can't insert a link. Anyway, this is such a quick, easy, inexpensive gift idea. I made this one as a Christmas gift and I took a picture before I had put the name on it across the ribbon (did that make sense?) just in case the recipient takes a gander at the blog. I decided to see what else I could do with Mod Podge so I came up with a recipe box - this is going as a bridal shower present along with an apron (which I haven't made yet). They both turned out so cute and I am sure I will be finding all sorts of cute things to do with Mod Podge now. If you are like me and haven't used it yet - give it a try.

Notebook purse

Recipe box side view

Recipe box top view

Flannel Baby Blanket

I saw a blanket similar to this in church on Sunday and it was so adorable I just had to find a reason to make one. Kaden has pretty much outgrown this type of blanket so when I found out yesterday that a dear friend of mine had a baby on Saturday . . . . . this is what I came up with. I usually make her a puff quilt when she has a baby but with three little ones of my own, it is hard to find the time to do that anymore. This blanket sewed together so fast and is so cute! (I have to do a special thanks to my SIL Andrea for having the scraps of flannel that I used) It's coming your way Sadie - I hope Maverik gets a lot of use out of it.

Benjamin wanted to pose by the construction material

Up close view

So cute!

Halloween Table Runner

I got this pattern for free when I ordered some patterns from youcanmakethis.com. I have never made a table runner before so I decided to give it a try. It turned out really cute. The applique spiders and pumpkins just add so much to it. The spiders were a pain in the butt to do - they turned out cute though. My mom wants me to make one for her, but I think I am going to change the appliques just so I don't have to do the spiders again.

"Chow" time

Today I made some relish or "chow" as my Grandpa Jorgensen used to say. I was thinking about him the whole time I was making it (I sure do miss that guy) Anyway, my dad has been after me to make it and he finally went and got me some cucumbers yesterday; so while Kaden was napping this afternoon I got it done. I had some on my hamburger tonight for dinner and man it is delicious!