Holiday Craft shows for 2015

We've got a few craft shows this holiday season to go, one at St Christophers Church in Tonawanda on November 7-8, and one at St Gregory the Great on November 27-28.  Looking forward to making some money to pay for my part of the cruise I am going on with my sister.  We did very well last year at St Gregory the Great so we are doing it again.  I think this year my sister will be coming in from Binghamton to help and to eat Thanksgiving dinner at my house!

I haven't posted anything on this blog because I FORGOT THE EMAIL ADDRESS I used to make up the account until today, what a screw up on my part.  So, in the meantime, I started up a new blog to take over my craft show reviewing and tutorials.  Now I will start posting here again.

The Etsy shop is going very well.  Last holiday season I was busy every night after work sewing cozies for my orders.  I even closed up the shop early in the month so I could do shopping and cleaning of my own house.  Thanks to all my customers for shopping at my shop!

Working on finishing up my pile of "ready to be sewed" items so that pile will go away.  I have a tendency to cut out more things that I am able to sew up.  So now I have about 20 cozies to make before I start anything new.

Well, until I craft again!

Owego Strawberry Festival

Got a show this weekend in Owego NY. Hoping to do well at a show we have never done or even gone to.  I have no idea how many people even show up! Well, guess you gotta go with your gut and mine says do it. I have a bunch of bowl cozys, some baby bonnets, patriotic sun dresses, and some table runners and placemats, along with the towel keepers and cup cozys and stuff my mom and sister make. My sister lives near Binghamton so I will stay at her house and we will go together.

I did not do great at the last show at the school but i did sell stuff. Just not as much as I would have liked.

Got a show at the end of june that used to be a great show, so maybe it still is pretty good. It is in West Seneca NY so it is not too far for me to drive to. It is both weekend days so I am hoping for great weather and lots of customers.

Happy crafting!

Ready for show

Got a craft show next weekend, at a high school in the area. I have not gone to it in the past so i am hoping it is not a big waste of time. i am only taking a few new items i have made to test the water so to speak. Bowl cozys, coffee cup cozys, towel belts, camera strap covers and a few items my mom and sister make (since i am doing the show it will be mostly my stuff).

I will probably not be working on anything else this week. Just taking a rest from sewing every night after work. I probably should clean up my sewing room this week. lol.

Wish me lots of sales!!!

Microwave Bowl Cozy Tutorial

Ok, I've been crafting for quite some time now, since my epidemiologist daughter was in a stroller to be exact.  I've decided to make up a few tutorials on things I love to make, so you all can make them too.  No fees, no charging, just free instructions with photos - hopefully I do a good job of explaining.

My first tutorial will be the bowl cozy's I make and sell on Etsy but I would love to share with anybody who can sew. 

First off, since these go into the microwave, you must use 100% cotton fabric, batting, and thread.  The batting will state that it is 100% cotton and """microwave safe"""", do not use a product that has a poly scrim in the product.  I usually use two different coordinating fabrics, just for fun.  And always wash your fabric before using it.

Once you have all your supplies you can start cutting out your first cozy.  I like a big cozy, I like to heat up lots in one bowl and a smaller cozy would not fit my bowls anyhow.  Besides, you can put a smaller bowl in a larger cozy but not the other way around.

out of two fabrics - cut out a 12" square
out of batting - cut two 11.5" squares

thats all, now you can sew!!!

Center one batting onto the back side of each fabric piece.  Stitch with matching thread from corner to corner on each piece to hold the batting in place.  Remember to use cotton thread!!!



 

See it makes an X

Turn right side up and fold in half to make large rectangle.  Now you are going to make 4 darts on each piece.


I use my scissors to push out the fabric if I need to.

Measure 3.5" in on the folded end, make a dart that measures 1" at the cut edge of the fabric, trim to 1/4" and clip threads, do this on the other end also.

Open up the rectangle and fold over the other side.  It will not look like a rectange, but the darts will line up on the open side.  Make two more darts the same as the other two.  Repeat with the other fabric side.










It will look like this when all 4 darts are finished.

Now place right sides together and sew them together with a 1/2" seam, leaving an opening of 2-3" to turn.  One hint - don't leave the opening too close to the corner, or over a dart - just sayin'. 

Trim batting close to seam so less bulk is in the corners.

Turn and push out corners.

 I'll smooth out the batting to the seams so it is not all bunched up inside.  Now, you can pin the edges down, or as I do, just top stitch the edge. 

I like to use a decorative stitch that is a wave pattern, that way it looks nice and catches any edge of the batting I missed when pushing it out to the seams.  I do not hand sew the turn opening closed because the top stitching will close that up too. 

Done!